Entries from October 2009

As marketers, we all know that there is a fair amount of turnover throughout the dynamics of the client/agency relationship.  At many levels,  turnovers are a part of normal agency operations.

As the web analytics industry matures and more specialists emerge in the field, I have noticed that turnover is a result of clients reaching out to specialists in order to get the most out of their data.  This effect can be credited to three simultaneous events occurring in the online measurement space:

• The shift in the web analytics industry from an IT  function to a role in marketing.

  Continue Reading Inheriting A Google Analytics Account →

This week, several of our team members are attending the Google Analytics Authorized Consultant (GAAC) Partner Summit at Google’s campus in Mountain View, CA.  The event has been great so far, with a great combination of conceptual and technical presentations, as well as lots of Google information that is not available to the public at this point.

We also got some pretty awesome Google shirts and other swag with Google Analytics and Google Website Optimizer logos on them… but the best part of the conference is definitely the presentations and the great conversation that we are having with other GAAC consultants.

Continue Reading Google Analytics Partner Summit →

There has been a lot of chatter on the web recently about how Google better watch out, because Facebook ads are gaining on them.   While it may be fact that Facebook is experiencing a higher percentage of growth than Google (naturally, since Google has already reached critical mass, and Facebook had minimal revenue in 2008), the reports of Facebook being the next “Google Killer” are downright irresponsible.

While I cannot definitively say that no advertisers have had positive experiences with Facebook (Shoemoney’s Facebook Ads article from earlier this year is still the best example of success that I have read to date), I can say that I have had poor experiences thus far with Facebook advertising.  I’m embarrassed by how bad they performed!

As a performance oriented marketer who tends to look at campaigns from a direct response point of view, my results from an August 2009 campaign were absolutely putrid.  Even removing my direct response glasses and putting on a “brand hat” – the results were about as poor as they get.

In fact, I’m so embarrassed by my results that I’m almost ashamed to show them in public… but in the spirit of transparency, they will be shared at the end of this post.

However, I would first prefer to share what I have learned from my recent foray into Facebook ads:

• Be Specific With Your Targeting – Demographic targeting is your friend!  Find your target market and make sure you only advertise to them.

  Continue Reading Facebook Ads Perform Poorly →

Congratulations to our client, Minnesota Exteriors for their participation in an upcoming episode of ABC’s television show, Extreme Makeover Home Edition. The popular TV show, that builds a new home for a deserving family in less than one week, recently announced that it had selected the Morris family of St. Paul, MN for this amazing gift.

Hundreds of people gathered on October 2nd, to surprise the Morris family to tell them they’ll be getting a new home. Sandy Morris is an important part of her community and provides day care for many children in St. Paul. Unfortunately her 100 year old home, the home she grew up in, is in despair and unless it is fixed Sandy will be unable to renew her daycare license this winter.

Continue Reading Client Minnesota Exteriors Participates in Television Show →