There's still time to meet your 2010 resolution to become Google AdWords certified

Long lines at the shops got you down? Dreading yet another ugly sweater party or family cookie exchange? Kicking yourself for not becoming Google AdWords certified in 2010?

No need to fret, there’s still plenty of time left in the year. To become Google AdWords certified, you'll need to pass the Google Advertising Fundamentals Exam and one of the three advanced exams (Search Advertising, Reporting and Analysis, or Display). You can register for exams here, and take them from the comfort of your own office or home -- the perfect activity to do while sitting in front of a cozy fire waiting for mysterious, magical home invaders to bring you gifts. As a bonus, you’ll be able to give your company the holiday gift of another certified individual to add to its profile page!

We’ve made it easy for you to prepare for the exams. The AdWords Learning Center offers text lessons (some with interactive modules) for each topic on the exam, which you can review at your own pace. In addition, if you can’t quite squeeze in training this year, we have numerous AdWords Seminars for Success in early 2011 in a number of major cities throughout the US.

For more information, please visit the Google AdWords Certification Program homepage.


Posted by Nathania Lozada, Inside AdWords crew

Are You Ready for the Mesh Economy?

As a result of the social media phenomenon, a new economy is emerging. Entrepreneur and author Lisa Gansky has written a book that not only introduces us to the new connected economy where access is more important than re-inventing the production process, but she provides easy-to-follow blueprints for building successful businesses.

"The Mesh is a major trend which will shape business in the next decade." – Forbes

In the new economy, according to Lisa Gansky, companies use social media, wireless networks, and data from every possible source to access products and services without the same financial burdens as in previous generations and without adding to the carbon footprint. In Gansky’s words, “The Mesh is reshaping how we go to market, who we partner with, and how we invite participation and engage new customers…If you embrace the Mesh, you’ll discover how your business can inspire customers in a world where access trumps ownership.”

An excellent example of a successful business in the Mesh economy is Zipcar. This car rental agency is nothing like the rental car companies of years past. Instead of visiting airports or agencies in downtown urban hotels, Zipcar locations are strategically placed around cities for quick and easy access. Customers are able to make reservations via the Internet and then either use a code to unlock the cars or a smartphone App to unlock the car’s doors. The company’s founders made sure that all cars were washed, serviced, and available in just the right parking spots so that they would be accessible to the largest customer base.

Upon further analysis though, Zipcar is more of an information business that shares cars. The company collects information about who uses the cars, for what purpose, and for how long. Zipcar is then able to tweak its business model and make its offerings more customized. For example, if a customer rents cars to go skiing, perhaps, there are partnership opportunities with nearby ski resorts, restaurants en route to the ski resorts, clothing stores near the ski resort, etc. The Mesh ecosystem evolves as each new partner is added. As Gansky explained, “Good Mesh businesses are smart about combining more frequent customer contact with enhanced information sources to create and refine superior experiences, partnerships, products and offers.”

Here are the characteristics of a Mesh business:

1. The core offering is something that can be shared, within a community, market, or value chain, including products, services, and raw materials.
2. Advanced web and mobile data networks are used to track goods and aggregate usage, customer, and product information.
3. The focus is on shareable physical goods, including the materials used, which makes local delivery of services and products – and their recovery – valuable and relevant.
4. Offers, news, and recommendations are transmitted largely through word of mouth, augmented by social network services.

There is no doubt that these concepts make sense, but you may be asking yourself, “Why the Mesh, now?” There are five reasons that make the Mesh economy viable:

1. The economic crisis has bred distrust of old companies.
2. The crisis has also encouraged people to reconsider what’s valuable and important to them.
3. Climate change is forcing up the cost of doing business, including the making and selling of throwaway goods.
4. The growing population and greater urbanization create densities that favor Mesh businesses.
5. Information networks of all kinds have matured to the point where businesses can provide better and more personalized services exactly when needed.

So, is your company ready to join the Mesh economy? Here are some action items:

1. Identify shareable physical assets.
2. Identify a category, or a service or product, and go to market before anyone else.
3. Define the market and your core offering.

The Mesh economy will not be a fit for every company, but it may make sense to consider aligning your company in some manner. In the book, an abridged listing of a directory of over 1,000 Mesh ventures is included (the full list can be found online) ranging from arts and crafts to books and writing to gardening to goods swap to health/fitness to technology. Check it out – you never know when or how your company might be positioned to join the Mesh ecosystem.

Check out the Mesh Directory: www.meshing.it

Buy or share The Mesh (Amazon typically has the best prices) or visit your local library; also check out Swap.com.

Follow The Mesh on Twitter: http://twitter.com/sharethemesh

Follow Lisa Gansky on Twitter: http://twitter.com/instigating

Connect on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mesh-Directory/139581839396226

Watch Lisa Gansky at Web 2.0 Summit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX3iY-Ztg_c

Watch Lisa Gansky discuss the power of the consumer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSV1BAM9U1Y

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Around here it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! This picture was taken yesterday, Dayton, Ohio. With Christmas just a week away we would like to take this time to wish you a very happy holiday season.

Before you start using up those last vacation days before the end of the year, take a moment and reflect on 2010. Both professionally and personally. Here's hoping you accomplished what you could and have something to show for your hard work.

Happy holidays from the MarketMatch family!

Make it a great Friday. Enjoy your weekend and until we talk again.

Debbi

Significant advances for Display Ad Builder

On the Google Display Network, we've been working hard to make display advertising accessible to everyone, no matter what your size or budget. In 2008, we launched Display Ad Builder to help you design display ads in minutes for free. Now, 100 new advertisers try Display Ad Builder every day.

Today we are announcing a number of improvements to Display Ad Builder to help you achieve all your marketing goals, from driving conversions to building your brand.

Quickly manage hundreds of ads with bulk copying and editing
With the newest version of AdWords Editor, you can now copy your Display Ad Builder ads across campaigns and make basic bulk edits, including ad names, destination and display URLs, and ad statuses. AdWords Editor makes it easier to customize your display creatives. For example, you could create an ad for marathon training tips, make multiple copies of the ad, then go into Display Ad Builder to customize the creative to mention the Chicago marathon for users in Chicago and the Philly marathon for Philadelphia.

Sample Display Ad Builder ad copied using AdWords Editor and then customized based on user location.
click for full size image

If you're already using AdWords Editor, you'll be prompted to upgrade automatically. Just follow the instructions to keep your unposted changes. If you’re not using AdWords Editor, visit our website to learn more and download it.

Drive engagement with social and expandable templates
Display Ad Builder also can help build your brand and engage users with our new social and expandable templates. We are testing social templates, which include the latest tweets from your Twitter account in the creative. Social templates are really useful if you want to run timely promotions that change daily. You can run a new tweet, instead of creating an entirely new creative. Social templates can also help you build your Twitter follower base.

An ad created using one of Display Ad Builder's social templates.
click for full size image

We've also released expandable templates, which encourage more interaction from interested users by increasing your ad’s real estate on the page. When a user clicks on your expandable ad, it expands to twice its width or height, depending on the format.

Create the perfect ad by customizing your templates
We're also launching template customization to give you greater flexibility to create the ad you want. You can now move text boxes and images where you want within the template. Also, text boxes can be resized, so you can include more content. Combine these new features, with 180 templates, nearly 100 fonts, and unlimited color options to chose from.

Now you can move around text boxes and pictures and re-size text boxes to customize templates to fit your needs.
click for full size image

Never tried Display Ad Builder? Try our free demo to see how it works. To start creating your ads, go to your ‘Ads’ tab in a new or existing campaign in your AdWords account. Then, click ‘New Ad’ and select ‘Display Ad Builder.’


Posted by Nathania Lozada, Inside AdWords crew

The "New Facebook" Business Page Layout: How to Get Notified of Facebook Business Page Activity (Comments, Likes, Wall Posts, etc.) - A "Tutorial Thursday" Post

I happened to be on Facebook the evening of 12/16/2010 when the "New Facebook" (or #NewFacebook for us tweeters) was prematurely pushed LIVE for a short period of time (around 40 minutes).  The post below describes what I saw and includes a sneak peak of some (expected) new features.  According to Facebook (courtesy of Mashable.com), "Facebook accidentally went live with a handful of prototype features earlier today, including a site-wide yet short-lived overhaul of Pages. Roughly 45 minutes after the mistaken update, Facebook disabled the site, reverted back to its previous state and then tweeted apologetically about the downtime. But that brief span of time was enough for Facebook members and Page admins to get a sneak peak at new features in the works."

If you're curious about what I saw, the post is below.  Following the tutorial is still a bit premature...stay tuned for updates!

Original Post (12/16/2010):
Facebook Launches New Business Page Format to Include Business Page Activity Notifications

It’s an exciting day for those of us who manage Facebook business pages!  Did you know that Facebook has launched notifications within the Facebook business page environment?

In other words, you can now be notified of Facebook business page activity, comments, likes, wall posts, etc. without relying on third-party software or workarounds!  This is a "Tutorial Thursday" & Facebook Friday post all in one!  I hope you'll come back often for future tutorials and my other themed days (see horizontal navigation along the top of this blog). 

How to View Facebook Business Page Activity/Notifications:

1. Login to Facebook
2. Click on Account & Manage Pages on top right-hand side of your screen
   
   
   
3. Select your business page (click “Go to Page”)
   
4. Click on “Login as Page” at the top of your biz page
   
5. Look to your “notifications” global icon at the top of your screen. Click on the notifications icon to expand.
   
   
6. You’ll see your business page interactions! This is what many of us have been hoping and asking for…being able to clearly see all page interactions in one handy place.  What makes it even better is those of us who are personal facebook users are already comfortable with the notifications feature.

Other changes I noticed:
~ The "tabs" that typically display horizontally on a business page have been moved just below the profile photo (see below)



~ For those of us who installed the FBML app to allow for a "Welcome" screen with clickable graphics, the new default appears to be the old "information" tab. Stay tuned...


Laura Catherine Otero is a marketing professional and blogger in Charleston, SC who has been active in social media since 2005.  If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing to this blog via Email or  RSS. Laura can also be found on Twitter (@LauraCatherineO), Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

She is accepting clients in need of:
Website Design ~ Social Media Management ~ Facebook Business Page Design
Twitter Profile Design ~ Blog Design ~ Logo Design ~ Print Design
Press Release Writing and Distribution ~ Email Marketing ~ And More
Contact Laura to discuss your unique marketing needs!

Introducing the Big Small Business Plan

A few weeks ago we asked you about wishes for your business in 2011, and yesterday we shared what you said. Near the top of your list: growing your small business. Some of you even said you're ready to leave the word "small" behind. At Google, we’re all for dreaming big. So today we’re introducing something we’re calling the Big Small Business Plan. If you already use AdWords, here’s how it works: just install free AdWords Conversion Tracking and spend $100 on AdWords between now and February 15, 2011. When you do, we’ll match your $100 investment with a $100 advertising credit. But don’t wait until the new year to get started, as you must register for this offer by December 31. Call it an early New Year’s resolution!

Why AdWords Conversion Tracking? This free tool shows you which of your keywords and ads lead to sales (or whatever action you want customers to take on your site). Armed with this information, you can make the smart advertising decisions that will really grow your business in 2011. Plus, an extra $100 won’t hurt, will it?

By the way, if you know of other businesses not yet using AdWords, the Big Small Business Plan will go to work for them, too. If they sign up for AdWords by December 31 and spend $100 by February 15, we’ll give them the $100 credit.

Thanks, as always, for advertising with Google. We wish you truly big success in 2011!

Posted by Gordon Zhu, Inside AdWords crew

TIME Magazine's 2010 “Person of the Year”

Since 1927, TIME Magazine has chosen a man, woman, or entity that, in the words of the publication, “for better or worse, has most influenced events in the preceding year.” TIME has made it absolutely clear that its list is not an academic or objective study of the past but, instead, a contemporary perspective of what was important during the year just ended.

The winners list contains heroes and villains, objects, entire generations, and oddities. Starting in 1927 with aviator Charles Lindbergh, other famous individuals include Adolph Hitler (1938), Astronauts Anders/Borman/Lovell (1968), and Ayatullah Khomeini (1979). Some of the more unusual winners include:

• U.S. Scientists (1960).
  
• Twenty-Five and Under (1966).
• American Women (1975).
• The Computer (1982).
• Endangered Earth (1988).
• The Peacemakers (Mandela, De Klerk, Rabin & Arafat) (1993).
• The Whistleblowers (Women who blew the whistle on Worldcom, Enron & the FBI) (2002).
• You (In the words of TIME, “Yes, you. You control the Information Age. Welcome to your world.” (2006).

Did you predict who TIME would pick for 2010? This year’s Person of the Year is Mark Zuckerberg, the founder, CEO, and face of Facebook. At 26, he is the second youngest to receive the honor. TIME explained his importance as “creating a new system of exchanging information” and “changing how we all live our lives.”

When Zuckerberg was a sophomore at Harvard University, he created Facebook for his fellow college students. Over the years, adults the world over have joined Facebook, and the company surpassed MySpace as the number one social network two years ago. Facebook users now post a billion pieces of content including photos and messages on a daily basis, according to TIME’s announcement. Facebook has maintained ad prices and also makes money from a credits program which lets people buy virtual items for online games. However, everything in the Facebook world is not golden. As Facebook has expanded, so have users’ concerns about privacy. After lawmakers and advocacy groups complained that Facebook shares too much personal data, the company introduced privacy controls in May and said it was reducing the amount of user information that is publicly available – but information security professionals do not agree.

While there is no question that Facebook has evolved, and many people have Facebook accounts for personal or business use – including this blogger – there were other candidates better suited for this recognition:

• Consider the residents of the Gulf Coast, who despite re-building after the effects of Katrina, were forced to start over AGAIN during 2010 as a result of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Countless individuals inspired the nation and the world with their unyielding dedication and spirit.
• Another consideration is Betty White, who, at age 88, resurrected her career and introduced herself to new generations of fans. Her activities during 2010 include an amusing commercial during the 2010 Super Bowl, a wildly successful guest-hosting of Saturday Night Live for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award, a starring role in a new television series, and a deal to write two books. In addition to her lifetime support of animals and service on the Board of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, White has proven that senior citizens can be productive members of society – as well as in Hollywood.
• One final consideration would have to be the Chilean miners who were stuck underground for 69 days – and all survived. They represent perseverance, hope, and survival.

Oh well, only 12 months until TIME announces the Man, Women, Person, Object, or Oddity of 2011. Let the countdown begin!

To read the article from TIME Magazine:

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2036683_2037181,00.html