There is no better time to visit Vermont than during Autumn. If you grew up in New England as I did, you might agree that this time of year stirs up the most exciting nostalgia, for the beauty of the Fall foliage and the feeling of summer ending. So, I couldn't be happier to recommend the second Online Marketing Boot Camp in Burlington, Vermont for a few reasons, including promoting learning about web analytics and marketing, and giving you an excuse to visit Vermont this Fall season!
The Boot Camp, from November 12 through November 16, will sharpen analytics skills and help grow businesses with a curriculum intended to give attendees practical insight and techniques on how to more effectively market, analyze and optimize their websites. It is hosted by EpikOne, a Google Analytics Authorized Consultant, and Champlain College, at the new Courtyard Burlington Harbor, located on the waterfront of Burlington.
Classes will be taught by some pretty experienced folks with whom we love working, including Kristoffer Ewald, a consultant from The Milk in Denmark, whose class received rave reviews at the first Boot Camp. For this Boot Camp, Kristoffer will focus on discovering industry trends, doing competitive analysis and forecasting online growth. Daily 'Ask the Experts' sessions, a new addition to Boot Camp, will also give attendees the chance to interact one-on-one with the instructors.
Other Boot Camp topics and tools will include: Online Business Strategies, Digital Advertising & Google AdWords, Web Metrics & Google Analytics, Usability, Testing & Website Optimizer & Web Tools, Trends & Social Media.
To learn more, visit www.ombootcamp.com.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Upcoming Website Optimizer online seminars
Aside from Google Analytics, one of my favorite marketing tools at Google is Website Optimizer. It is a multivariate testing platform that is both free and pretty easy to use. If you haven't tried Website Optimizer yet, now is a great chance to get your feet wet. Product Manager Tom Leung will be hosting two free online seminars next week. He knows this product inside and out and is a great presenter, so this will be worth your time.
The first online seminar, Introduction to Website Optimizer, will be geared towards those who are unfamiliar with website content testing and optimization. Tom will discuss the importance and benefits of optimizing your website design and content, and he'll provide a detailed introduction to Website Optimizer and review the product's latest features (including A/B Split testing and the ability to delete experiments).
The second online seminar, Website Optimizer: Creating & Launching Experiments, builds on the first and is designed for those who have previous experience with Website Optimizer or other site testing tools. Tom will give a step-by-step demonstration of how to successfully launch multivariate and A/B
Other members of the Website Optimizer team will be available during the online seminars to chat individually with attendees and answer questions in real time.
Here is the schedule and registration information:
Introduction to Website Optimizer (New or inexperienced users)
Tuesday, October 30th, 2007 10:00 - 11:00am PDT
Register to attend.
Website Optimizer: Creating & Launching Experiments (Intermediate and advanced users)
Thursday, November 1st, 2007 10:00 - 11:00am PDT
Register to attend.
Once you've registered, you'll receive an email from WebEx with participation details.
Enjoy and happy testing!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Timing is everything
I rely heavily on many websites to help me research the financial institutions I work with...one of which being www.FDIC.gov. It has been a point of frustration for me that half way through the current quarter, the previous quarter data is not available yet. Really? It seriously takes that long? UGH!
This week I am focusing on a presentation regarding the various avenues a financial institution can pursue for e-marketing. I have some incredible references and am excited to give the presentation.
(Stick with me...I may seem all over the place right now, but I have a point...I promise!)
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the ABA Marketing Network New England Chapter Fall Marketing Conference. It is a mouthful to say, but essentially all these incredible New England bank marketers get together, network, learn and generally have a great time. This conference focused on some new technology used to further the banking industry such as remote deposit capture, e-marketing, and new media. It was a great opportunity for all of us.
I sat in on the new media presentation and had an "A-HA" moment that quickly changed to a sinking feeling and then one of guilt and regret. So, here's the thing...Blogging is considered to be a new media in that is a way to share ideas, advertise and present information in a non-traditional format. This new media has no boundaries and knows no industry. It's an opportunity for us all. But there's a catch...
USE IT OR LOSE IT!
If you make the commitment to blog then you must blog and blog consistently, and I have failed you. The feedback we got when we began this blog was wonderful. You all saw the value in what we were communicating with you, but have consistently delivered our blog to you inconsistently.
Blogs are a very important tool. For many non-business it is an avenue to praise a business or express dissatisfaction with customer service. For others, it is a way to communicate a message, promote a service, or even get the word out on a new idea.
Here's the ultimate lesson I have learned about blogging... The commitment to blog is a promise you make to communicate with the people who want to listen to what you have to say. When you deliver on your promise inconsistently the people who used to want to listen to what you have to say become indifferent. This is a bad thing.
It is my intention to do a few things with this blog entry.
1. Make certain that all the bank-marketing-gurus who are considering implementing a blog for their bank understand that it is a promise you are making to the on-line community to deliver information consistently. It is a very powerful marketing tool that should not be taken lightly.
2. Apologize to you for not being consistent in our delivery of information and try to earn back your trust and loyal readership.
3. Recommit to the consistent delivery of this blog.
I, Jenna Rowland, PROMISE to blog at a minimum, every other Monday, starting TODAY.
You can write it down on your calendar...I will be back on Monday, November 5 with new words of marketing wisdom to share with you.
So, in a nutshell, don't be afraid to explore new media to promote your bank and your ideas. The opportunities are endless...did you know Wells Fargo has a branch in Second Life (not sure what that is? email me and I will show you...jrowland@marketmatch.com...more than $1million were spent there in the last 24 hours).
Try a blog, or at least think about it. It's free, it's easy, but it IS a promise that you make to your loyal readers. New media is an avenue to new opportunities. Find the one that reflects the essence of your brand and go for it!
See you on November 5!
Jenna
p.s. If you set up a RSS feed you will know when we have new posts on our blog!
This week I am focusing on a presentation regarding the various avenues a financial institution can pursue for e-marketing. I have some incredible references and am excited to give the presentation.
(Stick with me...I may seem all over the place right now, but I have a point...I promise!)
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the ABA Marketing Network New England Chapter Fall Marketing Conference. It is a mouthful to say, but essentially all these incredible New England bank marketers get together, network, learn and generally have a great time. This conference focused on some new technology used to further the banking industry such as remote deposit capture, e-marketing, and new media. It was a great opportunity for all of us.
I sat in on the new media presentation and had an "A-HA" moment that quickly changed to a sinking feeling and then one of guilt and regret. So, here's the thing...Blogging is considered to be a new media in that is a way to share ideas, advertise and present information in a non-traditional format. This new media has no boundaries and knows no industry. It's an opportunity for us all. But there's a catch...
USE IT OR LOSE IT!
If you make the commitment to blog then you must blog and blog consistently, and I have failed you. The feedback we got when we began this blog was wonderful. You all saw the value in what we were communicating with you, but have consistently delivered our blog to you inconsistently.
Blogs are a very important tool. For many non-business it is an avenue to praise a business or express dissatisfaction with customer service. For others, it is a way to communicate a message, promote a service, or even get the word out on a new idea.
Here's the ultimate lesson I have learned about blogging... The commitment to blog is a promise you make to communicate with the people who want to listen to what you have to say. When you deliver on your promise inconsistently the people who used to want to listen to what you have to say become indifferent. This is a bad thing.
It is my intention to do a few things with this blog entry.
1. Make certain that all the bank-marketing-gurus who are considering implementing a blog for their bank understand that it is a promise you are making to the on-line community to deliver information consistently. It is a very powerful marketing tool that should not be taken lightly.
2. Apologize to you for not being consistent in our delivery of information and try to earn back your trust and loyal readership.
3. Recommit to the consistent delivery of this blog.
I, Jenna Rowland, PROMISE to blog at a minimum, every other Monday, starting TODAY.
You can write it down on your calendar...I will be back on Monday, November 5 with new words of marketing wisdom to share with you.
So, in a nutshell, don't be afraid to explore new media to promote your bank and your ideas. The opportunities are endless...did you know Wells Fargo has a branch in Second Life (not sure what that is? email me and I will show you...jrowland@marketmatch.com...more than $1million were spent there in the last 24 hours).
Try a blog, or at least think about it. It's free, it's easy, but it IS a promise that you make to your loyal readers. New media is an avenue to new opportunities. Find the one that reflects the essence of your brand and go for it!
See you on November 5!
Jenna
p.s. If you set up a RSS feed you will know when we have new posts on our blog!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Exciting Announcements at eMetrics Today
Today at the eMetrics Summit in Washington, D.C. Brett Crosby announced several Google Analytics features that will be rolled out over the coming weeks. Here's a rundown.
First, you'll be able to use Google Analytics to track site search activity. Simply edit any of your Google Analytics profiles to enable "Site Search" and you can find out what people search for on your site and where these searches lead. Located in the Content section of your Google Analytics reporting interface, Site Search reports show you the keywords and search refinement keywords people use, the pages from which people begin and end their searches. You can also see how search on your site affects site usage, conversion rates, and e-commerce activity. (BTW, if you don't have a search box on your site, you might want to try the free and newly launched Google Custom Search Engine.)
We'll begin a limited beta test of the new Google Analytics Event Tracking capability. These new reports are designed to help you understand how people use and interact with Ajax, Flash and multimedia on your site without artificially increasing your pageview metrics. In order to provide a way for you to define and track a wide variety of applications and interactions, there will be a new tracking module called ga.js. Using ga.js on your site instead of urchin.js means you can continue to take advantage of the latest advanced tracking enhancements (such as Event Tracking) as we release them. Although we suggest everyone upgrade to the new JavaScript, if you aren't interested in Event Tracking and you're already getting all the information you need from Google Analytics, you don't need to change your tags.
We'll also initiate a limited beta test in the coming weeks of our new Outbound Link Tracking feature. This feature will report on links visitors clicked on your site that direct them to another site. If you have already used the "Urchin Tracker" to track your outbound links, you may want to avoid changing your code twice by waiting to upgrade your JavaScript to ga.js until this feature is fully rolled out.
Finally, Brett announced the Urchin Software from Google limited beta. Urchin is a software product that you run on your own servers. Its reporting interface is similar to the previous Google Analytics interface. If you would like to participate in the limited beta, please contact one of our Authorized Consultants.
First, you'll be able to use Google Analytics to track site search activity. Simply edit any of your Google Analytics profiles to enable "Site Search" and you can find out what people search for on your site and where these searches lead. Located in the Content section of your Google Analytics reporting interface, Site Search reports show you the keywords and search refinement keywords people use, the pages from which people begin and end their searches. You can also see how search on your site affects site usage, conversion rates, and e-commerce activity. (BTW, if you don't have a search box on your site, you might want to try the free and newly launched Google Custom Search Engine.)
We'll begin a limited beta test of the new Google Analytics Event Tracking capability. These new reports are designed to help you understand how people use and interact with Ajax, Flash and multimedia on your site without artificially increasing your pageview metrics. In order to provide a way for you to define and track a wide variety of applications and interactions, there will be a new tracking module called ga.js. Using ga.js on your site instead of urchin.js means you can continue to take advantage of the latest advanced tracking enhancements (such as Event Tracking) as we release them. Although we suggest everyone upgrade to the new JavaScript, if you aren't interested in Event Tracking and you're already getting all the information you need from Google Analytics, you don't need to change your tags.
We'll also initiate a limited beta test in the coming weeks of our new Outbound Link Tracking feature. This feature will report on links visitors clicked on your site that direct them to another site. If you have already used the "Urchin Tracker" to track your outbound links, you may want to avoid changing your code twice by waiting to upgrade your JavaScript to ga.js until this feature is fully rolled out.
Finally, Brett announced the Urchin Software from Google limited beta. Urchin is a software product that you run on your own servers. Its reporting interface is similar to the previous Google Analytics interface. If you would like to participate in the limited beta, please contact one of our Authorized Consultants.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Your next coffee table e-book
Learning about Google Analytics just got easier with the recent release of Justin Cutroni's new e-book, Google Analytics Shortcut published by O'Reilly Media. The downloadable e-book is separated into sections and offers advice for users of all skill levels, starting with "Getting Setup Correct," and moving on to more advanced tips and advice on avoiding configuration mistakes.
Justin is a Google Analytics Authorized Consultant with Epikone. I consider Justin to be a trusted source and have consulted him on a number of complex web analytics issues. He always impresses me with his industry knowledge and how many subtle details he knows about Google Analytics. Justin plans to update his book twice a year and free downloads of updated material will be available to everyone who has purchased the book so that as we continue to roll out new features and capabilities, Google Analytics Shortcut will remain up-to-date.
Justin is a Google Analytics Authorized Consultant with Epikone. I consider Justin to be a trusted source and have consulted him on a number of complex web analytics issues. He always impresses me with his industry knowledge and how many subtle details he knows about Google Analytics. Justin plans to update his book twice a year and free downloads of updated material will be available to everyone who has purchased the book so that as we continue to roll out new features and capabilities, Google Analytics Shortcut will remain up-to-date.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Literature Insights for Hispanic Marketing
I am happy to announce that the Florida State University Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication released today a paper by Holly McGavock with my collaboration. This paper shows how insights from popular Latin American and US Hispanic literature can inspire marketing and advertising. This is an important first effort at systematizing the link between popular culture and marketing to US Hispanics. The full paper can be found at http://hmc.comm.fsu.edu/.
In McGavock’s words “Marketing messages are designed to travel to the consumer‘s heart and mind. Today, marketing communication is found everywhere, from subway walls to cell phones to internet sites to the television programs and movies we see on a daily basis. Consumers have learned, for the most part, how to tune out messages which don‘t appeal to or connect with them. Marketing, then, is becoming a much more sophisticated practice which requires practitioners to have an intimate knowledge of their consumers in order to connect with them on a deeper level. This is further evidenced by the increased presence of account planners in advertising agencies, whose job it is to find the insights in market research which help creatives make advertising which breaks through the clutter to reach consumers.
The same concept also applies to Hispanic marketing. For many years advertisers were able to sell their products simply by translating ―general market‖1 advertisements into Spanish and advertising on Spanish-language television networks. However, as spending in Hispanic marketing has grown, this market too has grown cluttered with advertisements, leading Hispanics in the US to feel overwhelmed by the number marketing messages and available information sources. Account planners are now popping up in the major Hispanic advertising agencies across the US. Their goal, like the goal of those in the general market, is to understand consumers and translate that understanding into insightful communication with consumers.
Much research has been done regarding the character, values and beliefs of US Hispanics. However, the search for insights requires looking for new and non-traditional sources of information. The culture of a people manifests itself in many different areas, all of which are of interest to marketers looking to understand consumers. Culture manifests itself in, among other things, traditions, clothes, music and literature. A closer examination of the literature of a people can reveal much about its culture. Furthermore, literature has the advantage of allowing the reader to experience the story as if he or she were actually a part of it. “
In McGavock’s words “Marketing messages are designed to travel to the consumer‘s heart and mind. Today, marketing communication is found everywhere, from subway walls to cell phones to internet sites to the television programs and movies we see on a daily basis. Consumers have learned, for the most part, how to tune out messages which don‘t appeal to or connect with them. Marketing, then, is becoming a much more sophisticated practice which requires practitioners to have an intimate knowledge of their consumers in order to connect with them on a deeper level. This is further evidenced by the increased presence of account planners in advertising agencies, whose job it is to find the insights in market research which help creatives make advertising which breaks through the clutter to reach consumers.
The same concept also applies to Hispanic marketing. For many years advertisers were able to sell their products simply by translating ―general market‖1 advertisements into Spanish and advertising on Spanish-language television networks. However, as spending in Hispanic marketing has grown, this market too has grown cluttered with advertisements, leading Hispanics in the US to feel overwhelmed by the number marketing messages and available information sources. Account planners are now popping up in the major Hispanic advertising agencies across the US. Their goal, like the goal of those in the general market, is to understand consumers and translate that understanding into insightful communication with consumers.
Much research has been done regarding the character, values and beliefs of US Hispanics. However, the search for insights requires looking for new and non-traditional sources of information. The culture of a people manifests itself in many different areas, all of which are of interest to marketers looking to understand consumers. Culture manifests itself in, among other things, traditions, clothes, music and literature. A closer examination of the literature of a people can reveal much about its culture. Furthermore, literature has the advantage of allowing the reader to experience the story as if he or she were actually a part of it. “
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