EMarketing the essential guide to online marketing

reviews foreMarketing:
the essential guide to online marketing first edition
necessary for eMarketing excellence today. I would highly recommend it as both a
Dave Duarte, founder and director of Nomadic Marketing, UCT Graduate School of
Business
marketing being written by South Africans! eMarketing: The Essential Guide to Online
Marketing should be read and referenced by every smart marketer who is dealing with
Bronwen Auret, Online Marketing Specialist, South African Tourism
Stafford Masie, Country Manager, Google South Africa
distilled into this textbook. Furthermore, their contribution to Open Education by
licensing this book under Creative Commons is an initiative I strongly support. Read
Scott Gray, Interactive Marketing, BMW South Africa
Second Edition
eMarketing: The Essential Guide to Online Marketing
Compiled by Sarah Blake
First published 2008 by Quirk eMarketing (Pty) Ltd.
© Copyright 2008, 2009 Quirk eMarketing (Pty) Ltd.
This book is published under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No
Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. This means that you can share and distribute this
work and you can even modify it, as long as you do not use it for commercial gain, you share
all modifications and you credit Quirk eMarketing (Pty) Ltd. For more information, you can
visit www.creativecommons.org or www.quirk.biz/emarketingtextbook.
ISBN: 978-0-620-43063-0
eMarketing: The Essential Guide to Online Marketing
Book design and typesetting by Solveig Bosch. Cover illustration inspired by Craig Raw and
Second Edition
design and illustration by Peter Lehto.
Shumani Printers (www.shumaniprinters.com).
compiled by Sarah Blake
Trademarks
All terms or names used in this book that are known to be trademarks or service marks have
been appropriately capitalised. Quirk eMarketing (Pty) Ltd cannot attest to the accuracy of
this information. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of
any trademark or service mark.
We have also made every effort to obtain permission for and to acknowledge copyright
material. Should any infringement of copyright have occurred, please contact us and every
effort will be made to rectify omissions or errors in the event of a reprint or new edition. You
can contact us on textbook@quirk.biz.
Warning and Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to make this book as complete and accurate as possible, but
no warranties regarding its contents, whether fact, speculation or opinion, are made nor
compiler and Quirk eMarketing (Pty) Ltd shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any
person or entity with respect to any loss or damages arising from the information contained
in this book. Full details of Quirk eMarketing (Pty) Ltd may be obtained via its web site
(www.quirk.biz) or may be requested directly at textbook@quirk.biz.
practices. Quirk has always been an agency fanatical about Open Source technology,
milestones. In fact, when I started Quirk almost 10 years ago, it was yet another one of
my crazy entrepreneurial adventures. I had little idea back then of what Quirk would
grow into today.
the second edition
There are key moments that stand out for me as having shaped Quirk. I count the
When we published the first edition midway through 2008, we thought we had printed
joining of Craig Raw and Janine Carpenter and the experiences learned in building
enough books to last us a year, at which point we would publish an updated version
our first email application in the early days of Quirk as two of them. But there is one
incident that started a journey for me personally; in 2001 a fantastic man named Colin
has been sold. Not only that, over 50 000 people have downloaded the book from our
Palmer invited me to give a talk on email marketing at a Direct Marketing Association
breakfast. It was my first real public speaking experience and I was scared witless, but
So, in time for the 2009 academic year, we are publishing the second edition. It
contains four new chapters: eMarketing strategy, online market research, customer
relationship management and mobile marketing. It also contains six new case studies
to lecture to his third year Business Science Marketing students at the University of
as well as general updates across all the existing chapters.
Cape Town. I had been in that very class only two years before, so I began the lecture
with a mix of nerves and excitement. Two things happened at the end of the lecture
Because things evolve so fast in this crazy world of eMarketing, it is our goal from here
that changed me. The first was the questions from the students. Some were easy, but
to update the book digitally every six months and print a new version once a year. This
is the beginning of that process that needs to involve you just as much as it involves us.
The second was a student who came up to me and thanked me for the lecture, and told
We have already had many students and educators sign up on our site and contribute
me she had learned something valuable. That is still one of the greatest experiences
do the same. With its Creative Commons license, this book is a community resource
Sadly, Colin passed away a few years later, but I learned a huge amount from him in
relevant as it can be.
the time that I knew him and for that I am very grateful. He showed me how rewarding
it is to give someone knowledge; it was enlightening. Thank you, Colin.
From that day on I was hooked. I am passionate about online marketing and I wanted
and missed deadlines, but every minute has been worth it. In particular, I should point
to tell the world and have them share my passion. This has led me to all manner of
out the tireless work of the lovely Sarah Blake. Without her, this book could not have
teaching experiences, from awesome post graduate marketing schools like Red and
come together like it has. Not only did she write a huge amount of it, but she has been
Yellow in Cape Town, to conferences on the other side of the planet.
instrumental in ensuring that we can make this contribution to education with the
confidence that we are doing something of the highest quality.
Over the years, Quirk has continued to grow as a busy agency, meaning my time has
From the bottom of my heart I want to thank my team and everyone who has helped to
opportunities that I would have liked. Thankfully I seem to have infected many of the
QuirkStars to carry the torch without me and Quirk has become a company where we
the lifetime of Quirk, but I can honestly say this is the project I am most proud of. This
are all passionate about sharing our knowledge.
boundaries and limitations is a privilege. I can only hope that others follow across all
spheres of education and understanding. I believe education is the one thing that can
content around the various elements of online marketing. This turned into our
eMarketing 101 series, almost a mini version of this book. When I read about the
do what they can to put it in the hands of others.
Open Education Declaration in September 2007, I knew exactly what Quirk should
do. We needed to take all our knowledge, experience and educational content and
create a textbook that we could share with the world by licensing it under Creative
Commons. The Open Education Declaration was signed in Cape Town and it aims to
Rob Stokes
accelerate efforts to promote open educational resources, technology and teaching
The Cape Town Open Education Declaration is the product of a meeting
in Cape Town of a coalition of educators, foundations, and Internet
pioneers in September 2007. The meeting was organised by the Open
Society Institute and the Shuttleworth Foundation. Linux entrepreneur
learning more accessible, it makes it more collaborative, flexible and
and the sharing of knowledge resonate strongly with us.
To show our commitment to the Open Education Declaration,
all of the contents of this textbook are freely available, as are
supporting materials for lecturers and for students. We know how
quickly things change when it comes to the Internet, so we are
committed to regular updates of this resource. A free download of
the textbook and further materials and resources are available at
www.quirk.biz/emarketingtextbook.
For more information on the Open Education Declaration, and to add
your name to the list of individuals committed to this cause, you can go
to www.capetowndeclaration.org.
Creative Commons recognises that content can be freely shared and
ation Declar
an exciting charitable organisation that is helping creators around
the world to share their work while still being recognised for their
authorship. We have chosen a Creative Commons licence for this work
that means that the contents may be freely shared as well as modified
and shared as long the source material is acknowledged and it is not
used for commercial gain.
For more information on the Creative Commons, please visit
www.creativecommons.org.
About the Open Educ
1. introduction to eMarketing ................. 1
5. search engine marketing .................... 65
the bigger picture ....................... 145
key terms and concepts .............. 201
references ................................... 6
key terms and concepts .............. 68
case study ................................... 146
pros and cons .............................. 216
further reading ........................... 6
the importance of search ........... 68
references ................................... 147
summary ..................................... 216
references ................................... 72
further reading ........................... 148
the bigger picture ....................... 217
2. email marketing ................................. 7
case study ................................... 218
introduction ................................. 8
6. search engine optimisation ................ 73
9. viral marketing ................................... 149
references ................................... 220
history ......................................... 8
introduction ................................. 74
introduction ................................. 150
further reading ........................... 220
key terms and concepts .............. 9
history ......................................... 74
history ......................................... 150
how it works ................................ 10
key terms and concepts .............. 75
key terms and concepts .............. 151
13. online copywriting ............................ 221
tools of the trade......................... 19
how it works ................................ 76
how it works ................................ 151
introduction ................................. 222
pros and cons .............................. 19
tools of the trade......................... 87
summary ..................................... 158
key terms and concepts .............. 222
summary ..................................... 20
pros and cons .............................. 89
the bigger picture ....................... 159
how it works ................................ 223
case study ................................... 20
the bigger picture ....................... 90
case study ................................... 160
neologisms and buzz words ....... 232
references ................................... 22
case study ................................... 90
references ................................... 161
summary ..................................... 232
further reading ........................... 23
references ................................... 93
further reading ........................... 162
chapter questions ....................... 234
further reading ........................... 94
references ................................... 234
3. online advertising ............................... 25
10. online reputation management ........ 163
further reading ........................... 234
introduction ................................. 26
7. PPC advertising .................................. 95
introduction ................................. 164
history ......................................... 26
introduction ................................. 96
key terms and concepts .............. 166
14. web analytics and conversion
key terms and concepts .............. 27
key terms and concepts .............. 97
dell hell ....................................... 166
optimisation ........................................... 235
how it works ................................ 28
history ......................................... 98
how it works ................................ 168
introduction ................................. 236
putting it all together .................. 35
how it works ................................ 98
10 rules to recover ...................... 175
history ......................................... 236
emerging technologies ............... 36
online comparison engines ........ 109
summary ..................................... 176
key terms and concepts .............. 237
the good and the bad .................. 37
tools of the trade......................... 111
case study ................................... 177
how it works ................................ 237
summary ..................................... 39
pros and cons .............................. 112
references ................................... 179
tools of the trade......................... 249
the bigger picture ....................... 40
summary ..................................... 113
further reading ........................... 179
pros and cons .............................. 250
case study ................................... 41
the bigger picture ....................... 114
summary ..................................... 250
references ................................... 42
case study ................................... 115
11. webPR ............................................... 181
the bigger picture ....................... 251
further reading ........................... 43
references ................................... 117
introduction ................................. 182
case study ................................... 251
further reading ........................... 117
history ......................................... 182
references ................................... 253
4. affiliate marketing .............................. 45
key terms and concepts .............. 183
further reading ........................... 254
introduction ................................. 46
Google AdWords Voucher ....................... 119
how it works ................................ 184
history ......................................... 46
top 10 optimisation tips for advertising
webPR tactics ............................. 185
15.mobile marketing .............................. 255
key terms and concepts .............. 47
on google..................................... 120
tools of the trade......................... 193
introduction ................................. 256
how it works ................................ 48
webPR ......................................... 193
why the mobile ............................ 256
tools of the trade......................... 57
8. social media........................................ 123
summary ..................................... 194
key terms and concepts .............. 257
setting up a campaign ................ 58
introduction ................................. 124
the bigger picture ....................... 194
mobile phones ............................ 260
pros and cons .............................. 60
history ......................................... 124
case study ................................... 195
mobile web .................................. 267
summary ..................................... 60
key terms and concepts .............. 125
references ................................... 197
planning to go mobile ................. 273
the bigger picture ....................... 61
how it works ................................ 126
further reading ........................... 198
pros and cons .............................. 273
case study ................................... 62
tools of the trade......................... 144
case study ................................... 274
references ................................... 64
pros and cons .............................. 144
12. web site development and design .... 199
references ................................... 275
further reading ........................... 64
summary ..................................... 145
introduction ................................. 200
further reading ........................... 276
how it works ................................ 200
16. customer relationship management 277
online tools ................................. 327
introduction ................................. 278
case study ................................... 328
why eCRM ................................... 278
references ................................... 330
key terms and concepts .............. 279
further reading ........................... 330
types of CRM in organisations .... 281
putting a value on CRM ............... 282
19. last words ......................................... 331
using CRM ................................... 285
technology and CRM ................... 287
20. glossary ............................................ 335
VRM ............................................. 290
case study ................................... 291
21. index ................................................. 355
references ................................... 292
further reading ........................... 293
22. contributors ...................................... 361
17. market research ............................... 295
introduction ................................. 296
key terms and concepts .............. 297
what is market research ............. 297
quantitative and qualitative
research ...................................... 298
gathering data ............................. 299
online research panels ............... 300
primary and secondary research 300
the internet and secondary
research ...................................... 301
the internet and primary
research ...................................... 302
online surveys: gathering data ... 304
how to get responses .................. 306
conducting research surveys ...... 308
oduction t
summary ..................................... 310
tools of the trade......................... 311
case study ................................... 311
references ................................... 312
further reading ........................... 313
18. eMarketing strategy ......................... 315
introduction ................................. 316
how the internet has changed the world we
market in ..................................... 316
key terms and concepts .............. 317
the internet and the marketing
mix .............................................. 318
developing a marketing plan ...... 322
eMarketing and marketing ......... 326
introduction
Web Father, Tim Berners-Lee releases World Wide Web (www) with scientists from CERN.
has it been so easy to access information, communicate with people all over the globe
and share articles, videos, photos and all manner of media.
The World Bank goes online.
Mainstream media attention increases awareness of the Internet.
The Internet has led to an increasingly connected environment, and the growth of
First Internet publication. Wired, goes on sale.
Internet usage has resulted in declining distribution of traditional media: television,
Mosaic introduces the first web browser with graphical interface and is the forerunner of
radio, newspapers and magazines. Marketing in this connected environment and using
Netscape Navigator.
that connectivity to market is eMarketing.
First online shopping malls and virtual banks emerge as does evidence of spam.
First clickable banner advert is sold by Global Network Navigator to a law firm.
eMarketing embraces a wide range of strategies, but what underpins successful
Amazon is launched by Jeff Bezos.
eMarketing is a user-centric and cohesive approach to these strategies.
Trial dial up systems such as AOL and CompuServe launch.
While the Internet and the World Wide Web have enabled what we call New Media,
Charging is introduced for domain names.
the theories that lead to the development of the Internet were being developed from
Search technology companies such as Alta Vista, Infoseek, Excite and Metacrawler rapidly appear.
Yahoo! is launched on the stock exchange and shares are up nearly 300% on first day.
MP3.com is founded.
a brief timeline of Internet developments
XML is released to enable compatibility between different computer systems.
Google founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
US ARPA (advanced research projects agency) established to lead science and military
technological developments.
AOL and Time-Warner announce they are merging.
MIT research paper of Packet Switching Theory.
Pay-per-Click campaigns are introduced for top ten search rankings.
1961-69 Ongoing research into inter-computer communications and networks.
Google AdWords launches, charging for adverts on a CPM basis.
ARPANET, commissioned by US Defense Department, goes live.
US universities connect up network facilities for the first time.
Google AdWords charges on a PPC basis instead of CPM.
Ray Tomlinson creates first network email application.
eBay topples Amazon as the most visited UK web site.
Development of protocols to enable multi-network Internet opportunities.
CD-WOW loses court case and rights to source cheaper CDs outside EU, undermining the
First international ARPANET connections made.
global concept of the Internet.
HM Queen Elizabeth II sends an email.
Iceland leads the world with broadband penetration: 26.7 inhabitants per 100 have broadband
First spam email is recorded.
compared with 15.9 per 100 in the UK.
Tim Berners-Lee develops rules for the World Wide Web and is credited as the Web Father.
Facebook membership opens to anyone.
Standard network protocols are established: Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet
Technorati notes that a blog is created every second of every day.
Protocol (IP), commonly referred to as TCIP/IP.
Joint Academic Network (JANET) is established, linking higher education institutions.
Firefox 3.0 launches with over 8 million downloads in 24 hours.
Domain Name System (DNS) is introduced.
Internet usage tops 1,407,724,920 worldwide.
A company named Symbolics becomes the first registered dot.com domain.
source: Gay (2007)
National Science Foundation (US) is the catalyst for the surge in funded work into the Internet.
Number of Internet hosts increases significantly in this period.
While the Internet was developed in order for academic and military institutions to share data, it has become a
1988-90 28 countries sign up to hook up to the NSFNET, reinforcing international Internet potential.
sharing tool for anyone with an Internet connection the world over.
how do people access the Internet?
In its simplest form, the Internet is a collection of connected documents or objects.
People connect to the Internet and access content in many different ways. When it
Hyperlinks are what connect these documents.
comes to the physical connection to the Internet, the market presents a number
of options:
A hyperlink is a virtual link from one document on the World Wide Web to another. It
includes the URL of the linked-to document which describes where on the Internet a
Dial-up
The Internet is a world
wide network which
document is. It is what you enter in the address bar of the browser, because it is the
allows for information to
address of that document on the Internet.
WiFi and WiMax
be shared between users
Broadband
(also known as nodes).
A URL provides information to both browsers and people. URLs include domain names
The World Wide Web is
which translate to IP addresses. Every web site corresponds to an IP address, which is
a sub-set of this which
a structured series of dots and numbers indicating where it is physically located. When
And that list goes on. The devices people use vary from mobile phones and handheld
caters specifically for
web sites.
you enter a URL into the address bar of a browser, the Domain Name System record
small devices to personal notebooks and desktop computers. The environment that
indicates where the document is that you are linking to. Many domains can translate
people are in when they access the Internet also differs:
to the same IP address.
At the office or place of work
Domain name:
www.quirk.biz
Libraries and education centres
IP address:
Internet cafes and coffee shops
A domain name looks something like this:
Not only do these environmental factors affect how people use the Internet, but their
www.domainname.com
reasons for using the Internet also have an effect on how they interact online.
But a lot more information can be included in this. Domain names can carry the
For some people, it is primarily a communications channel, and their online activity
following information:
is focused on their email inbox, while for others it may be a research channel, with
subdomain.domain.tld/directory
search engines playing a large role in their online experience.
Domain - the registered domain name of the web site
Having such a diverse audience means that there are many channels available to
Subdomain - a domain that is part of a larger domain
marketers when it comes to eMarketing.
The tld can indicate the country in which a domain is registered, and can also give
what does this all have to do with
information about the nature of the domain.
marketing?
Marketing is about conversations, and the Internet has become a hub of conversations.
The connected nature of the Internet allows us to follow and track these conversations,
and provides entry points for all parties. What follows in this book are ways of conversing
with potential and existing customers using the Internet.
Domain names must be registered and there is a fee for doing so.
references
Crocker, D. Email History,
http://www.livinginternet.com/e/ei.htm,
livinginternet.com, [accessed 18 March 2008]
Oxford University Press, Oxford, England, pp 8-9
Merholz, P. (17 May 2002) Play With Your Words,
www.peterme.com/archives/00000205.html,
peterme.com, [accessed 27 May 2008]
MiniWatts Marketing Group, World Internet Usage and Population Statistics,
www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm,
MiniWatts Marketing Group [accessed 22 June 2008]
Rachel Rosmarin,R (11 September 2006) Open Facebook,
www.forbes.com/2006/09/11/facebook-opens-up-cx_rr_0911facebook.html,
Forbes.com [accessed 22 June 2008]
Sifry, D. (April 17, 2006) State of the Blogosphere, April 2006 Part 1: On Blogosphere Growth,
www.sifry.com/alerts/archives/000432.html,
Stewart, W (1996-2007) Living Internet,
www.livinginternet.com,
livinginternet.com, [accessed 21 June 2008]
Search Engine Watch [accessed 6 June 2008]
further reading
of email, which predates the World Wide Web. Get started with key terms and
www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/Kids.
concepts and then learn how it works with the difference between promotions
His book Weaving the Web: The Original Design and Ultimate Destiny of the World Wide Web covers this in far
more depth.
and newsletters. Learn the 9 steps to executing an email campaign, as well
as the parts of an email. Get started with some basic tools of the trade, the pros
sethgodin.typepad.com
and cons of email marketing, and a chapter summary and a look at how it all
fits together.
introduction
key terms and concepts
At its core, email marketing is a tool for customer relationship management (CRM).
Used effectively, this extension of permission based marketing can deliver one of the
B2B Stands for Business to Business. When businesses sell products/services to other businesses
and not to consumers.
highest returns on investment (ROI) of any eMarketing activity.
B2C Stands for Business to consumers. When businesses sell products/services to consumers.
Simply put, email marketing is a form of direct marketing which utilises electronic
Call to action A CTA is a phrase written to motivate the reader to take action. (sign up for our
means to deliver commercial messages to an audience. It is one of the oldest and yet
newsletter, book car hire today etc.).
still one of the most powerful of all eMarketing tactics. The power comes from the fact
Extremely cost effective due to a low cost per contact
CRM Customer Relationship Management.
Highly targeted
Database In email marketing, the database is the list of prospects to whom emails are sent. It also
Customisable on a mass scale
contains additional information pertinent to the prospects.
Completely measurable
DNS (Domain Name System) DNS converts a domain name into an IP address.
DomainKeys An email authentication system designed to verify the DNS domain of an email sender
and the message integrity.
Double opt-in The act of getting subscribers to confirm their initial subscription via a follow up email
asking them to validate their address and hence opt-in again.
Email marketing is a tool for building relationships with both existing and potential
Hard bounce The failed delivery of email communication due to an undeviating reason like a non-
customers. It should maximise the retention and value of these customers, which
existent address.
should ultimately lead to greater profitability.
House list An email database that a company generates itself without purchasing or renting names.
HTML HyperText Markup Language. HTML emails usually contain graphics and can be interactive.
history
IP Address The Internet Protocol (IP) address is a exclusive number, which is used to represent every
Email is probably ubiquitous to you, but there was a time when there was no email!
single computer in a network.
Email actually predates the Internet, and was first used as a way for users of the same
MWEB, AOL, Yahoo! etc).
computer to leave messages for each other all the way back in 1961. Ray Tomlinson
Open rate The percent of emails determined as opened out of the total number of emails sent.
is credited with creating the first network email application in 1971. He initiated the
Opt-in Give permission for emails to be sent to you.
use of the @ sign and the address structure that we use today (username@hostname)
Opt-out Also known as unsubscribe - The act of removing oneself from a list or lists so that specified
(Crocker). Email was used to send messages to computers on the same network, and
information is no longer received via email.
is still used for this purpose today.
Sender ID A method used by major ISPs to confirm that emails do originate from the domain from
which it claims to have been sent.
It was only in 1993 that large network service providers, such as America Online and
Delphi, started to connect their proprietary email systems to the Internet. This began
SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol is a protocol for sending messages from one server to another.
the large scale adoption of Internet email as a global standard. Coupled with standards
Soft bounce The failed delivery of an email due to a deviating reason like an overloaded mail box or a
that had been created in the preceding twenty years, the Internet allowed users on
server failure.
different networks to send each other messages.
Spam Email sent to someone who has not requested to receive it - EVIL!
SPF Sender policy framework is an extension of SMTP that stops email spammers from forging the
The first email spam dates back to 1978. Spam is defined as unsolicited commercial or
bulk email, and today is said to account for 80 to 85% of all email (Waters, 2008)!
Text Text emails or plain text emails do not contain graphics or any kind of markup.
Unique forwarders This refers to the number of individuals who forwarded a specific email on.
Direct marketing has long played an integral part in marketing campaigns, but the
White list A list of accepted email addresses that an ISP, a subscriber or other email service provider
high cost meant that only large companies were able to pursue this. However, with the
allows to deliver messages regardless of spam filter settings.
growth of the Internet, and the use of email to market directly to consumers, marketers
have found these costs dropping, and the effectiveness increasing.
how it works
If you consider marketing as communicating with current and potential customers,
you will see that every email that is sent from your organisation should be considered
as part of your email marketing plan.
Does that sound a little complicated? Consider an online retailer, www.zappos.com.
Zappos is an online shoe retailer. What are the ways that, as a customer, you might
receive emails from Zappos?
Transaction emails: when you place an order, there will be a number of emails
that you receive, from confirmation of your order, to notice of shipping. Should
you need to return an item, you will no doubt communicate with Zappos via
Newsletters: these are emails which are sent to provide information and keep
customers informed. They do not necessarily carry an overt promotion, but
instead ensure that a customer is in regular contact with the brand.
Promotion emails: should Zappos have a summer sale, they will send an email
relating directly to that promotion.
There are other emails sent by Zappos, for example:
Emails to suppliers
Communication with affiliates
9 steps to executing an email campaign
All of the communication sent out can be used to convey your marketing message.
Every touchpoint will market the organisation. However, here we will focus on
commercial emails.
There are two types of commercial emails:
9 steps to executing an email campaign
Promotional emails: these are more direct and are geared at enticing the user to take
an immediate action.
1. strategic planning
Retention based emails: also referred to as newsletters, these may include
The first part of any email campaign should involve planning around the goals you will
promotional messages but should be focussed on providing information of value to the
need to achieve. These will probably be in line with the goals of your web site, with
user, geared at building a long term relationship with the user.
email marketing being used as a tool to help you achieve those goals.
As with all eMarketing activities, careful planning is called for, as is careful testing
As discussed in the chapter on analytics and conversion optimisation, you will decide
and evaluating, so as to optimise your revenue. Email marketing may be highly cost
on the key performance indicators (KPIs) for your campaign as well.
effective, but the cost of getting it wrong can be very high indeed.
Promotional emails will usually have an immediate goal:
Users make a purchase
Users download a whitepaper
Users request further information
Newsletters tend to focus on longer term goals, and so your KPIs become more
There are a myriad of ways to attract prospects to opt in to a database. Key is an email
important here.
sign-up form on a company web site. Visitors to a web site have already expressed an
KPIs include:
develop that interest further.
ROI can be a goal of the
campaign, and it can be
Click-through rate
Sign-up forms best practice:
used as a KPI.
Number of emails forwarded
Opt-in and double
State your anti-spam stance explicitly, and be clear about how you value
opt-in: the integrity of
the database can be
A successful email campaign is most likely to be the one geared at retaining and
Use a clear call to action.
safeguarded with a double
creating a long term relationship with the reader.
Tell subscribers what they will get, and how often they will get it. Include a
opt in process. An email is
sent to the email address
benefit statement.
supplied, and the user has
Know your audience! They will dictate the interactions.
Ensure the email address is correct by checking the syntax.
to click on a link within
Test to see what works best!
that email to confirm their
2. define list
subscription. This means
Running a successful email campaign requires that a business has a genuine opt-in
Every interaction can be used to ask permission to send emails.
that dud email addresses
are kept out of the
database. This database, the list of subscribers who have agreed to allow a company
Offer something valuable for free, and ask if they would sign up to your
database, and confirms
to send them emails with marketing messages, is the most valuable asset of an email
newsletter at the same time (e.g. white paper, gift voucher, music track).
that the user has granted
campaign.
Add a subscribe box to the checkout process of your retail site.
explicit permission.
Use interactions at trade shows to ask for email addresses.
Permission must be explicitly given by all people to whom emails are sent. Companies
that abuse this can put their reputation in jeopardy, and in some countries, legal action
3. creative execution
Emails can be created and viewed as HTML or as text emails. Bear in mind, though,
that sometimes HTML emails are rendered as text emails.
Growing this database, while keeping it targeted, is a key factor in any email campaign.
Windows computer, and you open up notepad and type there, you will be creating a
should also be considered:
text file. These emails are smaller, and plainer. As these are text only, the copy really
First name, surname and title
counts here.
Date permission granted
Source of permission
HTML emails are the emails with all the bells and whistles. These emails can contain
Gender
Country
this chapter when we have referred to email marketing.
Telephone number
parts of an email
header
Fields such as name, surname and title should be separated in your database. You
build a relationship through creating a perception of familiarity. In other words,
database can stay up to date!
the reader needs to perceive that the newsletter is somewhat unique for them and
Pepper and Rogers refer
sent personally by the publisher. Using a personalised company email address (e.g.
to gathering information
over a period of time as
information a marketer can gather, the better she can customise her marketing
messages. However, the more information a prospect is required to give, the less likely
never overwhelms nor
parches the prospect.
he is to sign up. Further information can be requested over a period of time.
the origin of the newsletter.
subject line
The subject line could be the most important part of an email! Subject lines aid the
reader in identifying the email, and also entice the reader to open it. The subject line is
edition, can build familiarity and help readers to sort their inbox. As with everything
online, testing different subject lines will lead marketers to the formula that works
personalised greeting
personalising it. Occasionally, the subject line can be personalised as well to boost
responses.
it can increase the size of the email, and it can obscure text when images do not
load. Be sure that text is not on the image, but rather can be read without an image
being loaded.
footer
A standard footer for emails helps to build consistency, and is the customary place
to keep the contact details of the company sending the email. At the very least,
this should include the name and contact email of the company. It can also include
unsubscribe link.
unsubscribe link
It is mandatory to have an unsubscribe link on all commercial emails.
Interactive emails are best constructed with lightweight HTML capability allowing the
on. The structure must allow readers to scan and navigate the email easily. The length
of paragraphs, emphasis through bolding and colours as well as sectioning information
with bullets and borders all contribute to a well-structured email.
create content
Email content that is relevant and something that readers will value, is vital to ensuring
the success of an email marketing campaign. Valuable content is informative and
should address the problems and needs of readers. It is important to realise that the
HTML email with mentioned elements shown
reader determines the value of the content, not the publisher.
Successful email campaigns provide value to their readers. This value can vary from
6. deployment
campaign to campaign. Newsletters can offer:
By creating valuable content, establishing the correct frequency, and testing an email
Humour
for display and deliverability, an email marketer should be able to ensure an excellent
Research
delivery rate. Consistency in deploying newsletters also aids in fostering trust and
Information
fulfilling expectation. Emails should be delivered at consistent times, but the best time
Promotions
for best results should be tested.
Email reputation, which can determine whether or not your message is regarded
as spam, is the general opinion of the ISPs, the anti-spam community, and then
test for display and deliverability
The email should be scored to see that it will pass spam filters, and the design should
be tested to ensure that it renders clearly in as many clients as possible. Make sure
An email client is the
software or programme
that images line up, that copy is clear and that all the links work.
to the sender.
that a person uses to
access their email. Some
Emails can be tested for platform compatibility at www.sitevista.com/email.asp.
Becoming an effective email marketer requires constant list cleansing and hygiene. In
of these are web-based,
fact, most lists shrink by 30% each year due to subscribers changing email addresses.
like GoogleMail and
Hotmail, and there are
Make sure you are diligent about maintaining a current opt-in list to achieve maximum
also plenty of software
deliverability via reputation.
clients. As well as many
4. integrate campaign with other channels
versions of Outlook, there
Whilst email marketing can operate as a stand alone marketing campaign, integrating
Tips to help reputation score:
is also Thunderbird,
Eudora, Lotus to mention
message and increase responses.
just a few. And yes, your
and DomainKeys. Use these.
email could look different
on each one of those.
There should never be a disparity between the content, tone or design of an email when
who have a high bounce rate).
and promoted to an email database, or web site information can be summarised
Remember that a huge but inaccurate and outdated database is far less use to
an email marketer than a tightly-maintained, smaller database. Strive to boost
An email white list is a list
of contacts that the user
deems are acceptable to
Custom landing pages, as required, should be created for any promotions being
Ensure email broadcast rates are not too high.
receive email from and
communicated in an email communication.
should not be sent to the
unsubscribed, do so.
trash folder
5. personalise the message
Educate users about white lists.
marketing on a macro scale. Even simple personalisation can see improved results.
When to send mails:
Common sense tells you not on Monday morning or Friday afternoon, but it varies by
audience. Testing will guide you.
When is email an email,
and tailoring content to suit them.
If the recipient has given permission to be sent marketing messages by email, then it
and when is it spam?
Spam is unsolicited bulk
Segmenting a database can allow for customisation across demographics or purchase
the recipient never gave
history. Being able to reconcile browsing activity to an email recipient can give further
permission to be sent that
opportunities for customisation.
Permission must be explicitly given to the company to be allowed to market to that
Optimal number of links in an email for click through rates and conversions
user. Trying to gain explicit permission in a sneaky way will only annoy your users, and
Different copy styles and copy length
might result in your emails being marked as spam.
The effect of video on delivery rates, open rates and conversions
7. interaction handling
As well as the emails strategically planned as part of a campaign (promotional
emails and newsletters) every interaction via email should be considered as part of a
tools of the trade
First up, an email campaign needs a database. A plan for growing this database needs
to be put in place. Most email service providers will also provide tools for managing
Automated emails such as order confirmations and even out of office replies are all
this database.
opportunities to engage with customers. If a company has a particular tone or content
style, this can be reinforced in these interactions.
All emails need to be tested for email client compatibility as well as for any potential
spam problems.
These emails can also be an opportunity to cross-advertise other promotions that a
company is offering.
Email client compatibility can be reviewed at:
www.litmusapp.com
8. generate reports
As with all things eMarketing, tracking, analysing and optimising is key to growth.
Email tracking systems produce statistics in a user-friendly manner.
spamassassin.apache.org
Key measurables for understanding of the performance of email campaigns:
Once an email has been sent, results need to be analysed to pinpoint areas for growth
Number of emails delivered.
for the next campaign.
Number of bounces (and this should be separated into hard bounces and soft
bounces).
Number of unique emails opened: an email can be delivered, but not opened.
Unsubscribes: significant or consistent loss in subscribers is a key indication
that you are not meeting the needs of your subscribers
Permission based email marketing can give the highest return on investment of any
Pass on rate: high pass on rate (forwards) indicates that your list values the
marketing activities. Technology allows mass customisation, allowing personalisation
across a large list of subscribers.
discussion
Open rate does not
emails will organically grow the opt-in list.
When used to foster relationships with a customer base, email marketing can go a
necessarily indicate
whether or not an email
Click-through rates and conversion: This measures the effectiveness of an
long way to increasing the lifetime value of that customer.
has been read. How do
email via the links placed in the content. When a reader clicks through to a
you think a marketer can
web page, these can be easily measured as a percentage against number of
Email marketing is highly measurable, and databases are highly segmentable.
determine if emails are
delivered, opened or sent emails. It reveals which content or promotion was
being read?
the most enticing for the reader.
However, with the increasing numbers of companies and individuals using email
marketing, many consumers are email fatigued. It requires ingenuity, focus and
9. analyse results
dedication to maintain an email database and consistently deliver useful quality emails
Once the reports have been generated, it is time to work out what the numbers are
that will be read.
revealing, and to use this information to improve the next email sent out.
It does not take much for email to be marked as spam, and it can be difficult to recover
With email marketing, split testing across a host of factors will enable campaign
from being branded as a spammer by the ISPs.
optimisation. Some factors to test include:
Open rates across different subject lines and delivery times
summary
Email marketing is a form of direct marketing that can render the best ROI of any
eMarketing tactic. It is:
Highly targeted and customisable
Cost effective
Gaining explicit permission to send email marketing to a person is a prerequisite
for successful email marketing, however all emails sent by an organisation and the
individuals in that organisation can be seen as marketing opportunities.
Successful email marketing requires careful planning and testing. HTML emails need
to be tested across a range of email clients, and should be tested for a spam score,
before being deployed.
All email sent to a list of subscribers needs to provide an easy and accessible
unsubscribe link in the email.
case study: Johnnie Walker
Johnnie Walker South Africa was looking to increase a specific segment of consumers on its email database.
with disposable income. The use of viral email campaign/ refer a friend style tactic was chosen as the necessary
medium. Although an email campaign is a well used tactic within viral marketing, agency teams and client felt
confident due to the beginner to intermediate user level of the list. Connectivity is an issue in South Africa and
most on the database would not have been heavily exposed to these types of campaigns.
would fit into their social value system. Research of the group told us that they were highly social but also
aspired towards older, affluent males of the same culture who had made a success of their lives in the new
South Africa. This older affluent group was also regarded as Johnnie Walker Black drinkers.
web sites. No search engine marketing, banner ads or offline media were used to promote this campaign. Its
success was purely driven by people forwarding the email to others.
technology was used so that prospects could state a case for themselves by nominating five friends worthy of
The email campaign was very successful - 2630 new subscriptions were captured within the first week! Over
the Striding Man Society. Pages specific to the campaign were created for click-throughs and data capturing.
25 000 emails were sent to unique addresses in the duration of the campaign, and it saw over 200% growth in
The email was sent to a list of carefully chosen members of the Johnnie Walker Black / Striding Man
- 29% of prospects who received the viral email from the original list of subscribers, submitted their details,
Society database who fit the required profile. Reminder emails were configured to go out one week after the
first email.
unique click through activity against the viral email.
case study questions
further reading
www.marketingsherpa.com
Why was email an ideal medium to reach this target market?
Why does a brand like Johnny Walker collect email addresses?
How important was personalisation in this campaign?
www.email-marketing-reports.com/blogs.htm
- this one-stop resource provides guidelines, regular articles and links to other excellent blogs in the email
marketing industry.
chapter questions
www.campaignmonitor.com/blog/
- this blog from Campaign Monitor, a leading email newsletter software provider, keeps abreast of industry
trends and best practices.
What are the key differences between direct marketing by email and direct marketing by post?
Why is it important for permission to be gained before marketing by email to a prospect?
www.email-standards.org
Emails that are expected and recognised are more likely to be read. How can a marketer use this
knowledge to increase the readership of emails?
regularly tests how email clients are performing on compatibility.
references
Brownlow, M. Email promotions vs newsletters,
www.email-marketing-reports.com/newsletterspromotions.htm,
email-marketing-reports.com, [accessed 18 March 2008]
Crocker, D. Email History,
http://www.livinginternet.com/e/ei.htm,
livinginternet.com, [accessed 18 March 2008]
Kollas, S. (18 February 2008) 2 email strategies most marketers forget,
http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/18346.asp,
imediaconnection.com, [accessed 18 March 2008]
Pepperrell, S. (27 March 2007) The Seven Deadly Sins of Email Marketing Management,
www.digital-web.com/articles/seven_sins_of_email_marketing,
Digital Web Magazine, [accessed 18 March 2008]
http://www.templetons.com/brad/spamterm.html,
templeton.com, [accessed 18 March 2008]
Waters, D. (31 March 2008) Spam blights e-mail 15 years on
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7322615.stm,
bbc.co.uk, [accessed 18 March 2008]
ertising
3. online
brief history of banner advertising. What follows are the key terms and concepts
required, and then a breakdown of how it works. We look at how to show your
message, and of course how to pay for it. There is an overview of ad servers
and advertising networks and the move towards ad exchanges. Putting it all
together helps you to plan a campaign, and we look at emerging technologies
when it comes to advertising online. Pros and cons are outlined in the good and
the bad, followed by a summary and the bigger picture.
introduction
key terms and concepts
- show and sell
Simply put, online advertising is advertising on the Internet. Online advertising
encompasses adverts on search engine results pages (covered in the chapter on PPC
advertising), adverts placed in emails and other ways in which advertisers use the Internet.
Ad Space The allotted space on web pages available for online advertising.
However, this chapter focuses on display advertising or rich media advertising.
Animated GIF A GIF which supports animations and allows a separate palette of 256 colours for
Whether online or off, the main objective of advertising is to increase sales. As well as
each frame. See GIF.
this, advertising aims to increase brand awareness. Advertising is based on the simple
Banner An online advertisement in the form of a graphic image that appears on a web page.
economics of supply and demand. Advertisers aim to stimulate a consumer need and
then satisfy that need.
Banner Exchange A symbiotic advertising initiative whereby businesses involved promote each
One of the greatest benefits of online display advertising is that the messages are not
Call To Action A phrase written to motivate the reader to take action. (sign up for our newsletter,
restricted by geography or time. Online advertisements are also much more interactive
book car hire today etc.).
than offline advertising. While both online and offline advertising can be disruptive,
Click Through A click on a link that leads to another web site.
interactive online advertising can be designed to be perceived as less so.
Click Tracking Using scripts to track clicks into and out of a web site. Can also be used to shield a
Online display advertising began as simple hyperlinked images shown on a web site and
link from being picked up as a back link to another site.
has since progressed to include video, sound and many other modern technologies. Today,
Click-through Rate The number and percentage of recipients who clicked on a particular URL
messages and interactions can be contained within the advertising display, without ever
included in an email, a web page etc.
taking consumers to a landing page.
user, and allow the web site owner to construct a profile of that user.
Although the Internet provides new scope for creative approaches to advertising, we see
its true advantage when we realise how trackable, and therefore measurable, Internet
CPA Cost Per Action. Refers to the cost of acquiring a new customer. The advertiser only pays when a
desired action is achieved (sometimes called cost per acquisition).
CPC Cost Per Click. Refers to when an advertiser only pays when their ad is clicked upon, giving them
a visitor to their site - typically from a search engine in Pay Per Click search marketing.
history
CPM Cost Per Mille. Refers to Cost per 1000 ad impressions. An advertiser pays each time 1000
Online advertising rapidly followed the developing Internet. And, as consumers are
impressions of their ad are shown.
increasingly spending more time online, and hours spent on the Internet start to eclipse
GIF Abbreviation of Graphics Interchange Format, a GIF is an 8-bit-per-pixel bitmap image format
hours spent watching TV, the medium becomes increasingly important to any advertiser.
using a palette of up to 256 distinct colours. GIFs allow images to be compressed for faster display time.
According to Wikipedia, the first clickable banner advert was sold to a law firm in 1993
Impression Fraud The act of deliberately generating impressions of an advert without the intention
of clicking on the advert. The result is a reduction in click through rate which can affect Quality Score in
by Global Network Navigator. HotWired, an early web magazine, was the first to sell
PPC advertising and the ROI of a banner campaign.
advertising space in large quantities to a number of advertisers. One of the very first
advertisers was AT&T (a US telecoms company), which went online in October 1994.
Impressions The number of times a web page or ad is viewed.
IP Address Used to uniquely identify a computer and/or system on the Internet.
An early banner
Landing Page The page a user reaches when clicking on a paid or organic search engine listing.
ad for AT&T
The pages that have the most success are those that match up as closely as possible with the users
search query.
This was part of a campaign that AT&T was running to promote the Internet to consumers,
Popup Unrequested window that opens on top of the currently viewed window.
and included television and outdoor advertising. Believe it or not, but this was cutting
ROI Short for return on investment.
Traffic This refers to the visitors that visit a web site.
As web technology has developed, so has the technology that is used to create and serve
advertising online.
how it works
Advertising, whether online or offline, has a number of objectives:
how to show your message:
Building brand awareness
Creating consumer demand
types of display advertising
Driving response and sales
There are many different ways to display messages online, and as technology develops,
so does online advertising. Here are some of the most common.
building brand awareness
Making people aware of a brand or product is an important long-term goal for any
interstitial banners
marketer. Once customers know about the brand, the marketer has taken the first
These are banners that are shown between pages on a web site. As you click from one
page to another, you are shown this advert before the next page is shown. Sometimes,
the more business they can do. And the ultimate goal is to do more business and sell
you are able to close the advert.
more of the product.
pop-ups and pop-unders
Online, creative advertising or banner advertising is largely visual, making it an ideal
As the name suggests, these are adverts that pop up, or under, the web page being
channel for promoting brand collateral.
viewed. They open in a new, smaller window. You will see a pop-up straight away, but
will probably only become aware of a pop-under after you close your browser window.
creating consumer demand
These were very prominent in the early days of online advertising, but audience
consumers about what they should want and why they should want it. Modern online
advertising provides a great way to communicate the USPs (unique selling points) of a
browsers. This can be problematic as sometimes a web site will legitimately use a
product, thereby helping stimulate demand.
pop-up to display information to the user.
satisfying consumer demand
map advert
Once the consumer is aware of and desires a product, they need to find out how to
This is advertising placed within the online mapping solutions available, such as
satisfy that desire. If brand building has been effective, they will know that a particular
Google Maps.
brand exists. At this point, it is important for the marketer to show the consumer how
their particular brand or product will best meet that need.
driving response and sales
All forms of online marketing need to drive traffic and sales in the long term. However,
the immediacy of online advertising also drives traffic and sales in the short and
medium terms. Unlike traditional media advertising, online advertising can turn
it is possible to measure accurately how effectively the online advertising campaign
the key differentiator
Online advertising is able to drive instant sales and conversions. Unlike offline
advertising mediums, the consumer can go from advert to merchant in one easy click.
Because of the connected nature of the Internet, online activities are highly trackable
and measurable, which makes it possible to target adverts and to accurately track
and gauge the effectiveness of the advertising. Each display advert can be tracked
for success.
Google Map showing an advert (Holiday Inn)
floating advert
This advert appears in a layer over the content, but is not in a separate window. Usually,
CPI stands for Cost Per Impression. This means the advertiser pays each time the
the user can close this advert. These are sometimes referred to as Shoshkeles, a
proprietary technology. Floating adverts are created with DHTML or Flash, and float
model is CPM or Cost Per Thousand impressions (the letter M is the Roman numeral
for a thousand). This is how a campaign is normally priced when brand awareness or
disappearing into a banner ad on the page.
exposure is the primary goal.
wallpaper advert
This advert changes the background of the web page being viewed. Usually, it is not
CPC stands for Cost Per Click. This means that the advertiser only pays when their
possible to click through this advert.
advert is clicked on by an interested party. CPC advertising is normally associated with
paid search marketing, also called Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising. Banners can be
banner advert
priced this way when the aim is to drive traffic. It is also a payment method sometimes
discussion
A graphic image or animation displayed on a web site for advertising purposes. Static
used in affiliate marketing, when the aim is to drive traffic to a new web site.
When online, adverts can
be interactive. How do you
banners are GIFs or JPEGS, but banners can also employ rich media such as Flash,
think this can be used to
video, JavaScript and other interactive technologies. Interactive technology allows the
increase the effectiveness
viewer to interact and transact within the banner. Banners are not limited to the space
CPA refers to Cost Per Acquisition. This model means the advertiser only pays when
of advertising?
that they occupy; some banners expand on mouseover or when clicked on.
an advert delivers an acquisition. Definitions of acquisitions vary from site to site and
may be a user filling in a form, downloading a file or buying a product. CPA is the
best way for an advertiser to pay because they only pay when the advertising has met
its goal. For this reason it is also the worst type for the publisher as they are only
rewarded if the advertising is successful. The publisher has to rely on the conversion
CPA model is not commonly used for banner advertising and is generally associated
with affiliate marketing.
flat rate
Sometimes, owners of lower-traffic sites choose to sell banner space at a flat rate
i.e. at a fixed cost per month regardless of the amount of traffic or impressions. This
would appeal to a media buyer who may be testing an online campaign that targets
Some of the most common banners, shown in proportion.
niche markets.
standard banner sizes
There are standard sizes (measured in pixels) for banner advertising, whether the
cost per engagement
banner be static, animated or rich media. Creating banners to suit these sizes means
This is an emerging technology in which advertisers pay for the rollover adverts, placed
discussion
that the banners will suit many web sites (advertisers sell space in these sizes as well).
in videos or applications (such as Facebook applications), based on the interactions
And here, size does matter, in that you can expect varying results in click throughs and
implies a level of
conversions across the range of sizes. If you want to know what works best for your
mouseover, action that results in a sustained advert expansion. Once expanded, an
interaction and intent
brand, test.
advert may contain a video, game, or other rich content. It happens without taking
from the user. If you
an Internet user away from her preferred web page, and marketers only pay when an
were using this type of
individual completes an action.
advertising, how would
you measure success?
how to pay:
payment models for display advertising
CPM favours the publisher, while CPA favours the advertiser. Sometimes, a hybrid of
the two payment models is pursued.
As well as a variety of mediums, there are also a number of different payment models
for display advertising.
discussion
Typically, high traffic, broad audience web sites will offer CPM advertising. Examples
Ad servers provide a consistent counting methodology across the entire campaign
include web portals such as www.yahoo.com or news sites like www.news24.com.
How do you think your
campaign objectives
Niche web sites with a targeted audience are more likely to offer CPA advertising to
across the entire media schedule, which includes multiple web sites.
would differ if you were
advertisers with an appropriate product. These can also fall under the umbrella of
advertising car insurance
affiliate marketing.
The ad server also allows sophisticated targeting of display advertising.
vs. organic cat food? What
sort of web sites would
Types of advertising can be seen on a scale from more intrusive (and thus potentially
tracking
you target for each?
The trackability of online advertising is what makes it so superior to pasting pictures
annoying to the consumer) to less intrusive. In the same way, payment models can be
around town in a bid to boost your brand. Not only can an advertiser tell how many
scaled to those that favour the publisher to those that favour the advertiser.
times an advert was seen (impressions), but also how many times the advert was
successful in sending visitors to the advertised web site (clicks). And, as discussed in
When planning a campaign, it is important to know how the advertising will be paid for
the chapter on conversion optimisation, the tracking needs to continue on the web site
and what kinds of advertising are offered by publishers. A lot of this can be solved by
to determine how successful the advert has been in creating more revenue for that
using a company that specialises in advert serving, media planning and media buying.
web site (conversions).
As well as tracking adverts being served and clicked on, advertising networks can also
ad servers and advertising networks
discussion
provide information about the people who saw the advert as well as those who acted
Why do you think knowing
on it. Here is some of the information that can be provided:
the connection type and
Ad servers are servers that store advertisements and serve them to web pages. Ad
Connection type
browser of your users is
Browser
important? Think about
domain, or they can be third-party ad servers which serve adverts to web pages on
Operating System
the advertising that might
any domain. Ad servers facilitate advert trafficking and provide reports on advert
be shown in the USA vs.
performance.
the advertising shown in
South Africa.
An advertising network is a group of web sites on which adverts can be purchased
Many ad servers will set a cookie on impression of an advert, not only on click through,
through a single sales entity. It could be a collection of sites owned by the same
so it is possible to track latent conversions (within the cookie period).
publisher (e.g. AOL, CNN, Sports Illustrated, etc. are all owned by AOL/Time Warner)
or it could be an affiliation of sites that share a representative.
And the best thing? Using this information, the advertising networks can target the
display of advertising, helping advertisers to optimise campaigns and get the most
The advertising network acts as an intermediary between advertisers and publishers,
Cookies are small text
from the advertising spend.
files that allow a web site
and provides a technology solution to both. As well as providing a centralised ad
to capture information
server that can serve adverts to a number of web sites, the networks offer tracking
and reporting, as well as targeting.
targeting and optimising
about a user. A cookie
period is the duration for
Advertising networks serve adverts across a number of web sites, and can track a user
which a web site will store
visiting web sites in the network using cookies or IP addresses.
the benefits of ad servers
that information. See
the Affiliate Marketing
Rather than distribute copies of each piece of creative advertising to each publisher
This means that advertising networks can offer advertisers:
chapter for a description
or media buyer, you can send out a line of code that calls up an advertisement directly
Frequency capping: the network will limit the number of times a user sees
of cookies.
from the ad server each time an advert is scheduled to run. The agency loads the
the same advert in a session.
creative to the server once and can modify rotations or add new units on the fly without
Sequencing: the network can ensure that a user sees adverts in a
needing to re-contact the vendors.
particular order.
Exclusivity: ensure that adverts from direct competitors are not shown on the
The ad servers provide a wealth of data including impressions served, adverts clicked,
CTR and CPC. Most of the ad servers also have the ability to provide performance
Roadblocks: allowing an advertiser to own 100% of the advertising inventory
against post-click activities such as sales, leads, downloads, or any other site-based
action the advertiser may want to measure.
The advertising network can also target adverts based on the business rules of the
advertising exchanges
advertiser or based on the profiles of the users:
Privacy is a big deal, and
the information collected
Geo-Targeting: online advertising has the ability to target markets by country,
Advertising networks are also creating advertising exchanges, where publishers
is kept anonymous.
province or city, and can even drill them down to something as specific as their
Cookies are not only used
can place unsold inventory for bidding. The inventory is sold to the highest bidding
IP address.
by web sites for tracking.
advertiser. Giving advertisers far more control, this type of advertising mimics a PPC
Operating System / Browser Type: markets can further be targeted via
Cookies also allow web
networks or browser types such as Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, etc.
are for audience profiles and space rather than for keywords. It allows publishers to
Connection Type: users can be segmented and targeted according to
fill unsold inventory at the highest available price, and can give smaller advertisers
as language and location.
their Internet connection type, e.g. whether they use broadband or dial up
access to this inventory.
Where a visitor will not
connections.
accept the cookie from
Day and Time: advertisers can choose the time of day or day of the week when
an advertising network,
their adverts are shown. Advertisers can specify when their campaign should
either by opting out or
because their browser
putting itall together
deletes cookies, many
campaign or the product itself.
networks will rely on the
Social Serving: web sites gather personal data about users and then serve
Knowing the various types of display options and payment models available are all
IP address of the visitor to
each user with targeted and relevant advertising. For example, Facebook will
very well, but you might be wondering how to put this all together as you plan your
track which web sites are
allow advertisers to select specific characteristics of users who will be shown
campaign. The very first thing you need to determine when planning display advertising
visited. Even though the
is the goal of your campaign. Are you embarking on a mainly branding campaign? Or
information is anonymous,
there are consumers who
Behavioural Targeting: the advertising network uses the profile of a user (built
is your main focus direct response?
do not like having their
up over previous web sites visited) to determine which adverts to show during
browsing habits analysed
a given visit. Networks can base this profile on cookies or on IP addresses. For
Having determined the goals of your campaign, identify the KPIs (key performance
so that better advertising
example, the network may choose to show adverts for pet insurance on a news
indicators) that will let you know how you are succeeding.
For more on KPIs, head
can be served to them.
page to a user who has visited the pets and animals section of a general media
on over to the Web
site previously.
Online advertising is an acquisition channel. It does not require that users actively
Analytics and Conversion
Contextual Advertising: the ad server infers the optimum adverts to serve,
seek an interaction, as PPC advertising and email marketing do. So, it is crucial that
Optimisation chapter.
based on the content of the page. For example, on an article about mountain
the adverts are placed in front of the audience that is most likely to convert.
bike holidays in Europe, the network would serve adverts for new mountain
bikes, or adverts from travel companies offering flights to Europe, or perhaps
Investigate your target audience: what web sites are they likely to be visiting? It is likely
adverts for adventure travel insurance.
that the type of creative you may use and the payment model you follow will be largely
determined by the web sites on which you wish to advertise.
Contextual advertising
Niche web sites with a smaller, but probably more targeted audience will most likely
can be problematic. For
charge a flat rate for display advertising, or a CPA rate. They could probably be flexible
example, adverts for
the Hilton Hotel could
in display options that they give you, but you will need to take into account their
appear next to newspaper
bandwidth costs if they serve the adverts.
reports of a Paris Hilton
arrest. Adverts for
High traffic web sites with a broad audience will most likely charge on a CPM basis.
yachts showed up next
They will broker their advertising inventory through an advertising network, or even a
to coverage of Hurricane
Katrina in New Orleans.
number of advertising networks.
time to brief your creative team to ensure that you have the optimum banners for
your campaign.
Contextual advertising can be humorous
Your online adverts will need to:
Attract attention
Convey a message
Entice action
Secondly, all advertising needs an appropriate landing page. Whether this involves
creating a micro-site, or merely ensuring users are coming through to an existing page
on the web site, ensure that click throughs are not being wasted. Generally, sending
advertising traffic to your home page is not a good idea as it leaves the user deciding
where to go next.
Animation attracts attention, but be wary of being one of seven animated banners on
a web site. Banners should not be considered in isolation, but rather in the context of
the web site on which they will appear.
Web users respond well to being told what to do, and the content of an online advert
VideoEgg offers in video advertising. The banner will show a video within the video.
should be concise and directional. Examples include:
A little research online will reveal plenty of commentary declaring the decline of
display advertising. Increasingly, consumers are becoming both weary and wary of
advertising. Click through rates on banners are dropping, so the effectiveness of
display advertising is being questioned by some. With the focus in eMarketing on
emerging technologies
tracking and measuring response and engagement, should a company spend money
While we have become used to the Internet as a free medium, where we can read and
keeps it free. And that means that as the way we interact with content changes as
Consider this: anecdotal evidence shows that banner advertising can increase click
technologies evolve, so advertising follows.
through rates on contextual adverts by 249% (Godin, 2006).
It used to be that the level of interaction a web user has with a web site could be
What does this tell us? Measurement should take place across all channels, and no
measured by the number of pages of that web site the user viewed. Now, technology
channel should be utilised in isolation. The best results will be gained through an
such as AJAX and rich media such as video mean that the time spent on a web page
integrated and holistic approach to eMarketing.
can be more meaningful than the number of pages viewed. The key word here is
determine how web sites can quantify the level of engagement with a viewer.
the good and the bad
VideoEgg (www.videoegg.com), which specialises in adverts that appear in video clips
advantages of online advertising
and Facebook applications, introduced a Pay Per Engagement pricing model on its
advertising network in February 2008. With time spent on site increasing, advertisers
banner ads and their similarity with traditional media
are able to utilise that to build more interactive, more time intensive adverts. VideoEgg
about the value of Internet marketing techniques. Traditional buyers of advertising
sustained ad expansion. Once expanded, an ad may contain a video, game, or other of
have been conditioned in a certain fashion and have come to understand advertising
in a certain way.
Banner advertising goes a long way towards bridging the advertising divide. Online
An OPA (Online Publishers Association) study revealed that of the 80% of viewers
ads have a set size, they can look very similar to print ads and they occupy a particular
that reported to have watched a video ad online, 52% have taken some sort of action,
including: checking out a web site (31%), searching for more information (22%), going
easy to understand and it does the things buyers expect advertising to do.
into a store (15%), or actually making a purchase (12%).
Bottom line - if done correctly, online advertising builds brand awareness and
disadvantages of online advertising
increases sales!
technical obstacles
images - display can offer a rich brand building experience
The nature of a lot of display advertising is intrusive, so pop-up blockers can often
Some campaigns are better suited to having images rather than the plain text of a PPC
prevent ads from being served as they were intended by the advertisers.
campaign (although recently PPC image and video ads have been introduced in the
USA). Consider the following types of campaigns:
connection speed
Promoting travel packages: What stirs more emotion - an image of a tropical
Bandwidth can also be an issue, although this is a shrinking problem. However,
campaigns should be planned around demographics in determining the richness (and
Building a brand within a specific sphere: Use banner advertising to brand the
investment) of interaction. For example heart disease medication is likely to appeal to
web sites of every major player in that niche.
an older community, with less money and slower connection speeds.
advertising fatigue
- or interactive rich media that highlight all the exciting new features as you
Consumers are suffering from advertising fatigue, so while new technologies can
mouse-over that part of the car on the image.
provide great results, as soon as the market moves mainstream, it can get saturated.
Digital shadow: Using banner adverts that shadow the above-the-line activity
Consumers are increasingly ignoring adverts.
to drive the message both on and offline.
ad blockers
interactivity
As well as most browsers now blocking pop-ups, there are also extensions available
Since banners can contain rich media, they offer levels of interaction that other
for the Firefox browser, such as AdBlock plus, that will block advertising on web
forms of advertising cannot achieve. It allows your target market to not only see your
pages. Technologically savvy consumers are increasingly using these methods to limit
banner, but to play with it too. Interaction builds a bond and improves the chances of
the advertising that they see.
the consumer remembering your brand tomorrow. Cognitive learning is a powerful
outcome of interactive display advertising.
summary
Online advertising has two main objectives:
a number of other online marketing tactics:
Branding
A few years ago, Flash micro-sites were all the rage , now the same functionality
Direct response and sales
can exist right within the ad. This includes filling in a form or playing a game
The Internet allows for highly targeted and highly trackable display advertising across
a variety of online media.
from within the ad.
Video - viewers can check out video previews or trailers from within the ad.
Some ways that advertisers can use the Internet are:
Interstitial banners
measurability and data gathering
Pop-ups and Pop-unders
Banner ads, like all eMarketing tactics, are measurable. Track click-through rates and
you get an idea of exactly how many people are responding to your call to action. Some
Floating advert
Wallpaper advert
the way to a sale if that is the purpose of the advert.
Banner advert
Advertising can be charged for in a number of ways, including:
case study: BMW South Africa
BMW South Africa has been innovative in its use of online campaigns to complement their offline activities.
When it came to marketing the new BMW 1 Series, BMW knew that drivers of the BMW 1 Series are generally
slightly younger and at a different lifestyle age to the average BMW driver. So, BMW looked at new and innovative
Cost per engagement
ways as well as traditional and tested methods to reach this target market. Over July and August 2007, they ran
an online campaign aimed at raising awareness of the new 1 Series BMW, generating test drive bookings and,
Ad Servers and Ad Networks provide trafficking, tracking and reporting solutions to
ultimately, driving sales leads.
both advertisers and publishers. They allow advertisers to target display adverts based
on parameters, including:
The entire campaign was integrated, from print adverts to the Internet, and aimed at driving people to the
User profile (location, OS, browser, connection type)
web site bmw.co.za/1 where they were encouraged to engage with the campaign. Here, the campaign was an
Behaviour
Frequency and sequencing
BMW 1 Series models were being promoted, a 2-door and a 4-door, the payoff line across all channels of the
Exclusivity
Context of content
BMW targeted individuals utilising a variety of different ad formats, both online and on mobile. These included
Emerging technology allows for an increased level of interaction within an advert, and
standard banners as well as expanding banners that expanded over competitor images.
for advertising to be tailored to engagement media such as online videos and social
network applications.
the biggerpicture:
how it all fits together
Offline advertising and marketing campaigns can be adapted for an online audience,
so as to ensure maximum brand exposure. This can be very effective in enhancing
offline marketing and advertising activity and in ensuring a wider reach.
As mentioned, online advertising can be used as an acquisition channel, reaching out
to a new audience. It can be used to initiate a buying cycle and customer relationship,
which then plays out across other online channels. Addressing advertising and other
channels to complement each other will result in a consistent message, and optimum
results. Online advertising can be used to reach a large audience, and then other
eMarketing tactics can be used to further refine this audience.
Display advertising and affiliate marketing go hand in hand. Affiliate networks also
act as advertising networks, allowing for advertising to be purchased on a
performance basis.
When seeding new products and viral campaigns, display advertising can be used to
reach a wide audience at a low cost. It can expose a campaign to many new users, and
increase the chance that those who are most likely to pass on a message receive it in
the first place.
The target market was reached through motoring and lifestyle associations and adverts were placed in
competitive environments on motoring web sites and on corporate blogs. As well as using mobizines, BMW
partnered with Zoopy, a South African video sharing web site, to tap into an existing community and invite them
Interactive Advertising Bureau. Ad Unit Guidelines
to interact with the brand.
http://www.iab.net/iab_products_and_industry_services/1421/1443/1452,
IAB.net, (accessed 01/05/2008)
The digital media campaign reached over 450,000 individuals and drove over 11% of the test drive bookings
concluded on the BMW web site over the campaign period.
http://www.buzzmachine.com/2006/12/27/size-doesnt-matter-the-distributed-media-economy/,
Buzzmachine.com, (accessed 01/05/2008)
case study questions:
How do you think BMW benefited from adapting existing print advertising for the online campaign?
Describe the target audience of the new BMW 1 series. Why are they suited to an online campaign?
OPA Europe (6 June 2007), Online Publishers Association unveils online video advertising effectiveness study,
Consumers are unlikely to purchase a car online. How would you measure the success of
this campaign?
OPA Europe [accessed 01/05/2008]
chapter questions:
Clickz Network, (accessed 01/05/2008)
Online banner advertising and outdoor display advertising both use images to try to increase sales.
In planning, both need to consider placement so as to be seen by their most likely audience. What
Starcom Mediavest (12 February 2008) New Study Shows that Heavy Clickers Distort Reality of Display
are the key differences?
Advertising Click-Through Metrics,
Why is display advertising an effective acquisition channel?
Go to www.wheels24.com and www.thetimes.co.za. What advertising can you find on the front page
smvgroup.com, (accessed 01/05/2008)
of these two web sites? What products are being advertised, and how are they being advertised?
What can you infer about the target market for these products?
Wegert, T. (21 February 2008) New Ad Networks Service Industry Trends,
The Clickz Network, (accessed 01/05/2008)
references
Dyson, E. (11 February 2008) The Coming Ad Revolution,
further reading
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB120269162692857749-lMyQjAxMDI4MDEyMjYxOTIxWj.html,
online.wsj.com, (accessed 01/05/2008)
Press Release, eMarketer.com, (accessed 01/05/2008)
Godin, S. (October 27 2006) The 249% Solution,
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2006/10/the_249_solutio.html,
4. affiliat
concepts you need for this chapter and the history of affiliate marketing as it
emerged from the murky depths of the adult industry. Looking at how it works,
discover different actions and rewards, how tracking works (and cookies get
involved). Uncover some of the ways that affiliates promote merchants, how
affiliate networks fit into the scheme of things and some handy tools of the
trade for affiliate marketing. There is an introduction to setting up an affiliate
campaign, pros and cons of affiliate marketing and of course a summary of the
chapter, and a look at how it all fits together.
introduction
If you recommend a restaurant to a friend, and that friend visits the restaurant because
key terms and concepts
the cash benefit that the restaurant does!
Action A specified task performed by a user, which results in the affiliate being awarded
Imagine that the restaurant gave you 10% of the bill for every person that you referred
commission. Actions include purchasing a product, signing up for a newsletter or filling in a form.
Affiliate or Publisher* The Affiliate or Publisher markets the products of the Merchant.
a number of businesses that market this way offline. Brokers for insurance products
are an example, but these referrals can be hard to track. Online, they are very easy to
Click Through A click on a link that leads to another web site.
track. This system of reward where compensation is based on referral is called affiliate
Commission The bounty paid by a merchant to an affiliate when the affiliate makes a
marketing, and is used to describe this type of marketing in an online environment.
successful referral.
Affiliate marketing is used widely to promote web sites, and affiliates are rewarded
Cookie Cookies are parcels of text sent by a server to a web browser and then sent back unchanged
for every visitor, subscriber or customer provided through their efforts. Because
by the browser each time it accesses that server. Cookies are used for authenticating, tracking,
and maintaining specific information about users, such as site preferences or the contents of their
of this, affiliates are sometimes viewed as an extended sales force for a web site.
electronic shopping carts.
Affiliates are paid for performance, so affiliate marketing is also referred to as
performance marketing.
CPA Cost per Action. Paid when a certain action is performed by a user.
CPC Cost per Click. Paid when a link is clicked upon.
CPL Cost Per Lead. Commission structure where the affiliate earns a fixed fee for a lead sent to a
history
merchant.
Like many eMarketing innovations, the beginnings of affiliate marketing are to be found
in the Adult industry. Cybererotica was probably the first to run an affiliate campaign
CPM Cost per Thousand (Mil). Amount paid for every 1000 views of an advertisement.
with its CPC programme, where it would reward referrers for each click-through to
EPC Earnings Per Click. Based on historical data and conversions rates, what an affiliate can expect
to earn per click.
Affiliate marketing moved closer to the mainstream, with programmes offered by
Merchant or Advertiser * This is the owner of the product that is being marketed or promoted.
companies such as CDNow (its BuyWeb programme launched in 1994), PC Flowers
Referrer The referrer is the URL of the web page that a user was at before reaching yours. The
& Gifts.com, AutoWeb.com and a handful of others. But the story that is most well
known, and that ensured that affiliate marketing hit mainstream press articles, is that
of the Amazon.com Associates Program.
Revenue Share Commission structure where the affiliate earns a percentage of a sale.
ROI Short for return on investment.
Legend has it that Jeff Bezos (the CEO and founder of Amazon.com) was at a cocktail
party, where a woman there told him that she wanted to sell books through her web
Session The session of activity that a user with a unique cookie spends on a web site during a
site. She did not have the infrastructure to sell the books, but Jeff Bezos realised
specified period of time
that she could send her targeted traffic to Amazon.com where users could buy books,
Traffic This refers to the visitors that visit a web site.
and she could get paid for each successful referral. From this, Jeff Bezos launched
Amazon Associates, the Amazon.com affiliate marketing programme. Referrers are
URL Short form for Universal Resource Locator. This is a unique address that identifies a web site.
rewarded for successful sales that occur as a result of their marketing efforts. The
XML Short for eXtensible Markup Language, XML promises more standardized and organized
growth experienced by Amazon.com as a result of their affiliate programme is well
delivery of data over the Internet. XHTML is the XML version of HTML.
documented, and probably accounts for about 40% of their revenue (according to
information in Amazon.com discussion forums).
* Why advertiser and publisher? Well, the merchant has goods that need to be advertised, and the
affiliate has the medium to publish those adverts. The terms are interchangeable.
types of merchants will have different required actions. The actions and the type of
commission can be summed up as:
Affiliate networks, which act as intermediaries between affiliates and merchants,
purchase amount is awarded
came onto the scene in 1996, with the launch of LinkShare and Be Free. Commission
Junction, another big player, launched in 1998 and was bought by ValueClick (Nasdaq:
and the merchant pays a fixed amount for each click through to their web site.
how it works
question
Here the action could be anything from downloading a white paper or some software
Why do you think a
The core of affiliate marketing is a simple process:
to signing up to a newsletter.
merchant would be willing
to offer a bounty for each
Some of those customers perform a desired action.
download?
The merchant rewards the affiliate for each desired action resulting from the
Firefox 3 runs an affiliate programme to promote the spread of Firefox.
Merchants that offer CPL commissions are usually those that need to convert a lead
into a sale offline. This means that they will generally need to complete the transaction
over the phone with the customer, or that the process is quite complicated. It is typically
insurance companies and banking institutions that will offer this type of commission.
Membership sites which offer a free trial period, such as online DVD rental, can also
use this commission structure.
You might be wondering why merchants are willing to pay for a lead, instead of only for
completed transactions.
The affiliate marketing process.
Well, affiliates prefer this model, as they are not in control of the offline conversion
question
there are many different types of action that can be rewarded, and, most importantly,
How do you think
there needs to be some way of keeping track of the whole process.
merchants may be wary that the leads will not be of a high enough quality. This is
companies can ensure
why they will usually have conversion targets with which the leads generated need to
that the leads they get are
comply as a means of quality control.
qualified?
keeping track of it all, and lastly take a look at some of the many means that affiliates
use to send customers to merchants, and of course, to make themselves cash.
Revenue Share
Revenue sharing is the ideal commission structure as both the merchant and the
action and reward
(or horses for courses)
for the merchant, and the more commission for the affiliate. Web sites where a sale
can be performed instantly are ideal for revenue sharing. Online retailers and instant
online travel agents are perfect examples of merchants who offer a revenue share
be an agreed upon action that will result in an affiliate earning commission. Different
commission. The affiliate earns a percentage of the sale.
Specialised affiliate tracking software is used to track affiliate campaigns, and this
is usually supplied and supported by the affiliate network. Often, the merchant and
the affiliate will also use their own tracking software to make sure that there are no
major discrepancies.
Affiliates send traffic to merchants through links or URLs, and the tracking software
allows each affiliate to have a unique identifier in the URL. These links set a cookie on
Amazon Associates is a popular revenue share affiliate programme.
http://www.firebox.com/product/1201
Merchants tend to structure their commission offering so that affiliates who perform
better, earn a higher commission. For example, a merchant might offer the following
Here is the URL for the same product, but with affiliate tracking:
tiers of commission:
You can see some of the information being recorded. It has been shown in bold in
51 or more sales: 15 % commission
The ID of the affiliate (238)
CPC commission is rarely used, and is primarily a way of driving large volumes of
The ID of the merchant (214)
For a discussion of Click
Fraud, see the PPC
traffic, usually to a new site. An affiliate would be awarded commission for every click
The ID of the programme (3897) (a merchant might have more than one
Do you want to see what
advertising chapter.
through to the merchant web site. Although this type of commission was prevalent
programme on a network)
cookies have been set on
in the very early days of affiliate marketing, it has been largely abandoned due to
The media used (0)
your browser?
click fraud.
The destination of the click
For Mozilla Firefox, go
We have seen that there are different types of actions that can result in commission
Can you spot the original URL in the one with the tracking?
Privacy and click on
being awarded, and that these usually suit the web site that is being promoted.
Show Cookies. You can
This means that any industry that is online can most likely be promoted through
see all the domains
affiliate marketing.
cookie will allow the tracking software to collect the information needed to award the
for which cookies have
been set, and you can
commission. For example, if a customer were to use an affiliate link to purchase a
see when the cookie will
gift from a merchant (using the same URL as before as an example), the following
expire. You can delete
information would be collected:
cookies if you want to.
all together.
Referring URL and affiliate
For Internet Explorer,
Total sale amount for commission
tracking
Date and time of sale
click on Settings under
(the lifeline of affiliate marketing)
Unique order number of sale
Temporary Internet
Files. Click on View
The key to affiliate marketing is being able to track the whole process from potential
All this information will allow the merchant to confirm that the sale is valid, as well as
Files to see cookies set,
customers being sent to a web site through to completed action, so that the merchant
and other temporary
Internet files.
is able to award the correct affiliate with the correct commission. This really is the crux
personal information.
of affiliate marketing.
Affiliate tracking software collects information even if no action is completed.
Affiliates tend to prefer a longer cookie period: it increases the likelihood of being
This is vital to the affiliates and to the merchants to see where they can optimise
awarded commission.
their campaign.
Information collected includes:
Successful tracking is fundamental to any eMarketing campaign, and especially so
Impressions
to affiliate marketing. As affiliates are only paid for performance, should anything go
Clicks
wrong in the tracking process, it is the affiliates that suffer. The merchant will still get
Conversions
All this information helps to build up data in order to strengthen the campaign.
So, it is good to bear in mind some of the problems that can be faced with tracking.
discussion
creative type
impressions
conversions
What data would need to
banner1
be collected? Does this
web site through the links of many different affiliates before finally making a purchase.
differ for different types of
product feed
Who do you think should receive the commission?
affiliate marketing? Think
banner2
of email marketing vs.
PPC for example.
For example: A user sees a banner on a web site that he visits promoting a weekend
Affiliates will use this information to determine the success of their marketing efforts.
in Paris, booked with Eurostar. The user clicks on that banner and checks out the
Remember that affiliates invest money into marketing various merchants, and they
deals on the Eurostar web site. A cookie is set, as the first web site is an affiliate
only get rewarded on commission. An affiliate will use the above information to
of Eurostar.
determine whether or not to promote a merchant, and how much they should invest in
promoting a particular merchant.
discussion
Merchants can use the information on their campaign to determine how best to
the PPC adverts. This has also been placed by an affiliate, but a different one.
Bearing the above in
optimise. For example, if a particular type of banner seems to be doing better than
mind, do you think there
others, they could use that to improve other banners that they offer.
is an advantage to a 999
This time he books the trip. But, which affiliate should be rewarded the commission?
day cookie? What is the
difference between a 999
how long does a cookie last for?
It has become standard practice that the most recent referral is awarded the
day cookie and a lock-in?
If you follow the steps mentioned above to see what cookies have been set on your
commission, though there are some merchants who also offer compensation to other
affiliates involved in sale process. In the example above, the affiliate who placed the
are not just used for affiliate marketing. They are also used to store information so that
PPC advert would get the commission for this sale.
determine for how long a cookie should last. This is called the cookie period.
Cookies getting a bad reputation
When it comes to affiliate marketing, it is up to the merchant to decide what the
cookie period should be. The affiliate is only awarded commission should the desired
happens, then the sale will never be attributed to the affiliate. This practice, however,
action take place within the cookie period. Some merchants make the cookie last for
does not seem to have a drastic effect on numbers, and so most affiliates will calculate
the session only (i.e. if the user only purchases the following day, no commission is
this into their ROI.
rewarded), whereas the standard cookie period for affiliate marketing is 30 to 60 days.
Some merchants offer 999 day cookies, or even lifetime cookies.
Clashing cookies
Merchants will often use some kind of tracking so that they can better optimise their
There are merchants who offer what is called an affiliate lock-in. Here, the first
own marketing efforts. Or, a merchant may make some kind of technical change to
affiliate to refer the customer earns commission on the lifetime of the customer: every
their web site. It is crucial that any of these changes are tested first with the tracking
purchase that the customer makes will earn the affiliate commission.
software, to make sure that it does not create any conflict. It is generally accepted
Seasonality is also a key time for content sites. Web sites can be created specifically
Placing an order by another method
Some affiliates run large opt-in email lists, and they market particular merchant offers
If the customer completes the action, but does not do so online, the affiliate will not
through their email newsletters. Some renegade affiliates would use spam email to
receive commission. So, if a customer visits an online retailer through an affiliate link,
promote merchant offers, but as affiliate marketing has matured, there are usually
but places an order over the phone, the affiliate will miss out on commission.
terms and conditions to prevent such promotion.
how do affiliates promote merchants?
and create cash back or points based shopping sites. There are also some that donate
a percentage of the commission to a charity.
Affiliates are online marketers who are paid on a performance basis. Every type of
marketing strategy will be found in the affiliate world, and affiliates can often be seen
at the forefront of breaking technology and applying it to marketing strategies.
The basic aim of an affiliate is to send targeted traffic (that means customers who are
may promote as many merchants in as many industries with as many tactics as they
wish, but usually affiliates will start to specialise.
Most of the tactics will be the same as those that the merchant employs, but will reach
a different part of the Internet population. Effective tracking takes care of any overlap,
and will help a merchant to adjust their spending for a most effective ROI.
The main types of affiliates can be broken up as:
Personal web sites
Content and niche sites
Email lists
Loyalty sites (points or cash back or charitable donations)
Coupon and promotions sites
Comparison shopping (see also PPC advertising)
GreasyPalm.co.uk is a cashback site that is an affiliate.
Search affiliates (search arbitrage)
Some of the most successful affiliate marketers are those who promote various
Affiliate marketing came to the fore as a way for personal web sites to make money,
merchants through paid search: PPC advertising on search engines. As these affiliates
Arbitrage is the practice
though this now forms a small part of the marketing mix. Affiliate marketing does still
seek to find the highest Earnings Per Click (EPC) for the lowest Cost Per Click (CPC),
of taking advantage of a
provide some income for these web sites. However, we will focus on those endeavours
this is also referred to as search arbitrage.
price differential between
two or more markets.
which are created purely for affiliate marketing.
Affiliates will find any means possible to promote offers. As new products and
used in financial trading.
Content and niche sites are web sites created specifically around a topic, and any
platforms become available, marketers and affiliate marketers find new ways to make
Some might say that
products promoted will carry affiliate tracking. For example, an affiliate might create
them work. Some other examples of affiliates promoting merchants include:
search affiliates trade
a site dedicated to digital cameras, with tips and downloads to help you get the most
in PPC adverts - their
out of your camera. It could review a number of different cameras, and offer links to
Toolbars and other browser extensions
revenue is the EPC - CPC.
purchase those cameras online. All of those links will be affiliate links.
Social network applications
the level of support offered to the merchant. Affiliate networks usually charge the
merchant a percentage of the commission earned by the affiliate (called a commission
override), so that there are incentives for the networks if they perform well. As a rough
guide, this is typically 30% of the commission rewarded to the affiliate.
GoodSearch.com offers a toolbar. Proceeds from affiliate links are shared with charities.
Some leading affiliate networks are:
LinkShare - www.linkshare.com
affiliate networks
TradeDoubler - www.tradedoubler.com
As well as the affiliate and the merchant, there is a generally a very important third
tools of the trade
While some small affiliate programmes and some very large affiliate programmes
(such as Amazon Associates) are run by the merchant, most merchants opt to
what tools does a merchant need to have a successful programme?
use an affiliate network to provide most of the technical solutions required for an
affiliate programme.
Any retailer should have a product feed, either XML or CSV. A product feed basically
Affiliate networks provide tracking solutions, reporting on programmes to both affiliates
that breaks up the information easily, and is standardised. A product feed will probably
and merchants, hosting of creative banners, commission payment options and support
contain the following information for each product:
to both affiliates and merchants. Affiliate networks have many affiliates, and many
merchants, signed up to them, so they are an ideal source for recruiting affiliates if
Product name
you are a merchant, or for finding merchants to promote if you are an affiliate. To the
Product URL
merchants, they provide a one-payment solution, as the merchant will be invoiced for
Product picture
all the commission collectively owed, which is then dispersed to the affiliates.
Product price
Description
Shipping price
Stock status: in stock / out of stock
Affiliates, particularly search affiliates, can use this to promote individual products.
A product feed is made available on a simple URL, and displays content that
affiliates can use in their campaigns. You can view a product feed by visiting
www.prezzybox.com/affiliate/Data/awin.aspx
Merchants need to create a set of banners and buttons that can be placed on affiliate
web sites. At a minimum, the following sizes should be available:
See the online advertising
Affiliate networks act as a gateway between merchants and affiliates.
chapter for examples of
468 x 60 (banner)
banner sizes.
Affiliate networks usually charge the affiliates nothing to join. They can charge a
125 x 125 (square)
merchant a set-up fee, which will cover the cost making sure that the tracking solution
120 x 60 (button)
is successfully integrated, and can charge a monthly management fee, depending on
120 x 600 (skyscraper)
Having interactive banners, such as gift wizards or product searches, mean that
be able to give affiliates compelling reasons why your programme is better.
potential customers can interact with the brand before they even come through to the
With this in mind, you need to determine the goal of your affiliate marketing. If you are
a new business, you might just want to build traffic and brand awareness. Depending
If the merchant or the affiliate network hosts the banners, these can be updated
on what industry you are in, your goal could be new customer leads, or it could be
without the affiliates having to do anything. This means that the message can be kept
increased retail sales. Make sure you are clear on what you want, and that your web
current across all of the merchant campaigns.
site reflects this.
Merchants need to consider who will be keeping tabs and driving the success of
Then, you need to decide whether you are going to run your own programme, from
the affiliate campaign. Merchants might be able to run the programme in-house
affiliate recruitment to tracking and paying, or whether you are going to use an affiliate
with current staffing resources, or can hire an affiliate manager. It is also possible to
outsource the management of the affiliate programme to an agency that specialises
best network or networks to join. Look at:
in affiliate marketing.
Where your competitors are
Who has the kind of affiliates you want
Lastly, merchants need to keep in touch with their affiliates: the networks have
What the joining fees and monthly fees are
channels for communicating with a large number of affiliates, but it is also worthwhile
How much support they can offer you
to interact on some of the affiliate marketing forums in order to keep informed.
What countries the network is in
What tools does an affiliate need?
programme, whether you might outsource your programme management, or whether
Affiliates need to get to grips with the spectrum of eMarketing tactics, and choose what
you already have the resources to run the programme yourself.
works best for them. Paid search affiliates will focus on PPC tactics, while affiliates
running bespoke web sites will probably put a lot of energy into SEO. It depends on
where their talent lies, and where they see a gap in the market.
programmes. Look at:
Commission tiers
For affiliates, keeping up to date with merchants, other affiliates and the industry is
Cookie periods
probably the key to growth. That, and finding the time to put it all into practice! Joining
Creative offerings
forums and keeping tabs with industry leaders will help to do just that.
Which affiliates they work with
Networks
Some notable affiliate marketing forums:
Incentives offered to affiliates
Webmasterworld: www.webmasterworld.com
Affiliates4U forum: www.affiliates4u.com
Product feed
Banners and other creative offerings
Using your competitor research, decide on commission, commission tiers, cookie
setting up a campaign
period and incentives.
go about setting up and launching a new campaign? Affiliate marketing should grow
Test the tracking software on your site, and make sure that it does not conflict with any
other tracking you are using.
long-lasting success.
Recruit affiliates: use your competitor analysis to contact potential affiliates; promote
your programme through affiliate forums; use your affiliate network contact channels
Points. No doubt you will have competitors that affiliates already promote; you need to
to approach affiliates; approach sites that you think fit your user demographic.
is ongoing communication and marketing to your affiliates. You need to make sure
you are on top of validating sales, so they get their commission. You need to ensure
that you stay competitive with your commission offering. And, you need to keep your
Revenue Share
affiliates up to date with any information that could make them send more customers
The most essential element to affiliate marketing is tracking. Tracking software places
period is determined by the merchant. If the user performs the desired action within
pros and cons
the cookie period, the affiliate is awarded commission.
While affiliate marketing certainly deserves increasing recognition for its key role in
growth, it is still a young industry with all the growing pains that that involves.
Affiliate networks are often used as an intermediary between affiliates and merchants.
Affiliate networks provide tracking solutions, reporting and support to both affiliates
What is holding people back?
and merchants.
There are seldom contracts in place between affiliates and merchants. For
Affiliates use a number of means to promote merchants. These include:
a merchant, this means that an affiliate could decide to stop promoting your
Personal web sites
programme, with no notice given. This could lead to a sudden traffic and
Content and niche sites
sales drop, depending on how reliant the merchant had been on that affiliate.
Email lists
Similarly, merchants may decide to terminate a programme, meaning a loss
Loyalty sites (points or cash back or charitable donations)
of revenue for affiliates. Particularly if little notice is given, affiliates might
Coupon and promotions sites
have spent time and money setting up promotions, only to have the campaign
Comparison shopping (see also PPC advertising)
pulled out from underneath. Most infamously, ASOS.com did this a couple of
Search affiliates (search arbitrage)
There is still little to no industry regulation, though the majority of the industry
One of the keys to successful affiliate marketing is ongoing communication between
does strive to best practices. While some affiliates have resorted to shady
merchants and affiliates. This can be thought of the merchant marketing the
practices in the past (with adware and email spam), the majority have banded
together to blacklist this kind of behaviour. The spectre still remains though.
offering.
Some merchants fear a loss of brand control.
Affiliate programmes are not easily scalable.
the biggerpicture
But, of course, there are so many benefits to affiliate marketing:
how it all fits together
As affiliates are marketing in an online environment, every one of the tactics in this
The merchant sales force just got bigger, as well as its branding potential.
book will be employed by affiliates. Some affiliates even run affiliate marketing
There is a very low barrier to entry for both affiliates and merchants.
campaigns for their own web sites!
But as a merchant, how does affiliate marketing fit into the overall marketing mix?
summary
For starters, affiliate marketing can allow merchants to add elements to their
Affiliate marketing is a key tool for any web site seeking growth. In this performance
eMarketing with a fixed CPA. As an example, a merchant might want to promote their
based marketing, merchants reward affiliates commission for successful referrals.
products through PPC advertising, but lacks the expertise to run a campaign. Instead
of paying an agency, the merchant can recruit search affiliates to run PPC advertising,
and the merchant will only ever pay for performance.
Working closely with affiliates, merchants can get many more case studies for
analysing and optimising their web sites, particularly when it comes to conversion. As
affiliates are paid for performance, they will be more than willing to advise on ways to
improve conversion rates.
Affiliate marketing can be used to complement other campaigns, whether they be
offline or online. Making sure that there are banners to support these campaigns, the
merchant can ensure a wider audience for their other marketing efforts.
Affiliate marketing allows for targeted traffic from niche web sites. While the merchant
can focus on a broad spectrum of web sites, affiliate marketing allows for the targeting
In 2007, Prezzybox.com launched a brand new content item for its affiliates: Vidibox. These are video content
of niche traffic sources.
video content units were very successful because the content was unique in the affiliate arena and so had a large
take up amongst affiliates. Being a more interesting way of displaying content, the Vidiboxes attracted a higher
click-through rate, which again made them more appealing to affiliates.
case study: Prezzybox.com
Prezzybox.com is a UK online retailer in a very competitive market: gifts and gadgets. With many other players
respect in the affiliate arena, which is translating to ongoing healthy sales growth. In fact, Prezzybox.com has
in the market competing for the same customers, Prezzybox.com runs a successful affiliate programme that
outgrown its offices twice in six years, and looks set to maintain this successful track record.
sees them leading the way in performance marketing.
Affiliate marketing has played a sizeable role in the growth of Prezzybox.com and now accounts for about 35%
case study questions
of sales. Affiliate marketing has contributed on two levels, namely brand growth and sales generation. In fact,
Prezzybox.com has won several industry awards for its affiliate programme. In 2008, these awards included
Part of affiliate marketing involves marketing a company to affiliates. How has Prezzybox.com
achieved this, and what are the effects of this?
Why does Prezzybox.com communicate differently to its super affiliates?
A substantial element of affiliate marketing is managing relationships with affiliates. The Prezzybox.com affiliate
What made the Vidiboxes enticing to affiliates?
programme and its affiliate managers have been voted best by affiliates, and its affiliate managers are regularly
invited to speak at industry events and conferences. How have they achieved this?
additional considerations when a market is competitive?
Prezzybox.com has a wide affiliate base, and constantly recruits new affiliates via affiliate get-togethers, affiliate
forums and blogs and through keyword searches on Google. Its super affiliates, those affiliates that drive the
majority of affiliate sales, account for about 1% of all affiliates. Zak Edwards, Managing Director of Prezzybox.
chapter questions
What factors should be considered when determining what commissions should be when you are
Super affiliates can be given extra commission as an incentive, and the affiliate managers ensure that these
planning an affiliate campaign? How do these differ for revenue sharing campaigns and
affiliates are up to date with all of the latest offers, new products and promotions. Prezzybox.com communicates
CPA campaigns?
these details to all their affiliates as well. However, they use mass communication for all their affiliates and
What is the difference between a lifetime cookie and a lock-in cookie? How do you think lock-in
one-on-one communication, such as phone calls or instant messenger, with their super affiliates. One of the
cookies affect the commission levels offered by merchants?
features of the affiliate programme is an affiliate resource centre, which has extensive support information for
Why do you think some affiliates run affiliate programmes for their own web sites?
affiliates such as real time product bestseller reports.
would a merchant want to reduce overlap?
references
Collins, S (November 10, 2000) History of Affiliate Marketing,
ClickZ Network [accessed 2 December 2007]
e-Consultancy.com http://www.e-consultancy.com/publications/affiliate-marketing-networks-buyers-guide/,
[accessed 2 December 2007]
Billion in 2006,
MarketingSherpa [accessed 2 December 2007]
My Turnkey Business,
www.myturnkeybusiness.com
[accessed 7 April 2008]
Olsen, S (October 10, 2003) ValueClick buys marketer Commission Junction,
http://www.news.com/2100-1024-5090014.html,
CNET News.com [accessed 2 December 2007]
further reading
ch engine
www.AffiliateProgramAdvice.com
blog.affiliatetip.com
conference.
types of search results: organic results and paid results. We lay the foundation
with key terms and concepts before looking at the importance of search to a
marketer. The three-way relationship between search engines, users and
webmasters follows, and then a look at how search engines work. This leads
to search engine marketing, made up of SEO and PPC, and keywords.
search engine marketing
search engine marketing
Every day, all around the world, millions of people use search engines to find content
pages (SERPs). They are not influenced by financial payment and are therefore also
on the Internet. Search engines are web-based programmes that index the web and
called natural search results. Organic search results need to be consistently reliable
used to refer to the industry that has built up around search engines.
be directly linked to its superior search algorithm which returns highly relevant
organic results.
paid search results
Paid search, also known as Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising, involves the displaying of
sponsored results alongside the organic results. Advertisers bid for placement, and
pay the search engine when their advert is clicked on. Paid search results must be
distinguished from organic results since paid placement introduces bias. PPC adverts
are usually displayed at the top and on the right side of the SERPs. Search engines
attract and keep users through organic search, but they make most of their money
from paid search.
Google is by far the leading player in the market. A comScore study of worldwide
search engine activity, release in October 2007, showed that Google has just over 60%
of the global search engine market share. In Europe, almost 80% of searches are
Search Property
Searches (Billion) Market Share
Worldwide
Google Sites
Yahoo! Sites
Baidu.com Inc.
Microsoft Sites
NHN Corporation
Time Warner Network
Ask Network
Fox Interactive Media
Global search market share. Source: comScore 2007.
organic search results
Organic search results are the primary product of a search engine. These results
are the listings generally found on the left hand side on the search engine results
key terms and concepts
need primarily via search. Search drives targeted traffic (and therefore sales) to web
sites. A web search is a signal of intent from a web user.
Above the fold The content that can be seen on a screen without having to scroll down.
Search engines are the doorway to the Internet.
computing ranking.
According to comScore, 95% of the global Internet population visited a search engine
Browser An application used to access the Internet. Popular browsers include Firefox, Internet
in August 2007.
Explorer and Safari.
Index The databases for keywords created by the search engines.
The search industry is BIG.
The daily search volume numbers are in the hundred millions. According to ComScore
Keyword A word or words used by a searcher on a search engine. In SEO, keywords are the words
figures, there were more than 10 billion searches in the US alone during January 2008!
that a web site is optimised to rank for, and in PPC, keywords are bid on by advertisers.
Keyword phrase More than one keyword can be referred to as a keyword phrase.
To be found you must be visible.
These are not paid for.
If you want your web site to generate a significant amount of traffic, it needs to be listed
Paid search results The listings on a SERP that are paid for.
on the major search engines and listed high up enough to be seen. Statistics show that
users are not likely to view listings beyond the first 30 results, with the top 6 (above the
PPC Pay Per Click is advertising on search engines where the advertiser pays only for each click on
their advert.
Ranking In search, ranking is used to describe the relative position of a web page in the SERPs.
Top of search equates to top of mind awareness.
Search engine A tool for searching the Internet. Users of search engines enter keywords relevant
Beyond traffic, a high ranking web site is valuable for brand perception. Web users
to their search, and the search engine returns results from its databases.
often perceive search engine results as an indication of authority. Search visibility
promotes brand recognition and research has shown that search engine listings can
SEM Search Engine Marketing refers to marketing that is related to search.
stimulate brand recall by 220% (Enquiro, 2007).
search engines for specific keywords.
People trust organic search.
SERP Search Engine Results Page - the page that shows the results for a search on a
Research has shown the people find organic results more relevant and more trusted
search engine.
than paid search results (Enquiro, 2004)
Spider An automated program that scans or crawls web pages to gather information for
search engines.
Catch potential customers at every phase of the buying cycle.
Most purchases are subject to a buying cycle. At different points in that cycle, prospects
Sponsored links The paid search results on a SERP.
are searching with different key phrases. Give them what they want at each phase, and
URL Universal Resource Locator - the address of a web page on the Internet.
more quickly because information is the best way to shorten the buying cycle.
Many people have a search engine as their browser home page.
the importance of search
Often, the home page of a browser is set to a search engine. Many users enter URLs
to a marketer
if they know the URL of a web site, they are finding it through search.
search become essential to a marketer. Search is important for a number of reasons:
a three-way relationship
Search is goal oriented: people use search to find the things they want
- search engines, webmasters and users
and need.
The Internet is a highly competitive environment, with literally billions of pages in
Search engines, Internet users and web site owners are involved in a symbiotic three-
way relationship. Each party depends on the other two to get what they need.
search engine marketing
Users want to find what they are looking for on the Internet.
They use search engines to lead them to web sites, and they favour search engines that
Search engine marketing (SEM) has two arms: search engine optimisation (SEO) and
deliver the most relevant and useful results.
pay per click (PPC) advertising. These correspond to the two types of search results.
Search engines want to make money from selling advertising.
The more users they have, the more advertising search engines can sell. Therefore,
search engines must list their results according to relevance and importance in order
to attract and keep users. In turn, search engines favour sites that are relevant and
useful to users.
search engine marketing
Web site owners, webmasters and online marketers want search
search engine optimisation
pay per click
engines to send traffic to their site.
- long term ROI
- quick low cost setup
Therefore, they need to make sure that their sites are relevant and important in both
- high volume
- highly measurable and trackable
the eyes of the search engines and the users.
- more exposure, branding and awareness
- minimal development time required, if at all
Page and Brin sum it up in their pre-Google paper The Anatomy of a Large-Scale
- tough to quantify
- can be more expensive
Hypertextual Web Search Engine:
- lots of ongoing work
- CPC is climbing
- results can take a while to be seen
- constant monitoring required
advertising involves bidding for placement in the paid search results section of the
what does a search engine do?
Search engines have four main functions:
Both SEO and PPC advertising are based around the same fundamental concept:
They crawl the Web (via spiders).
keywords.
They index the Web documents and pages they find.
Search engines process user queries.
Finally, they return ranked results from the index.
A search engine is made up of a number of parts all working together:
Keywords, or key phrases, are what a user enters into a search engine query to find
A crawling spider, also known as a web crawler, robot or bot, is an automated
web sites. Both SEO and PPC advertising involve selecting the keywords that are
indexing program. It goes from page to page, following links and indexing or
recording what it finds.
have a web site rank in the natural results for its target keywords. In PPC advertising,
the advertiser bids on desired keywords to achieve rankings in the paid results.
and it consists of tens of billions of pages! The search engine creates databases
for keywords, so it knows where to go to when a user enters a query.
The following two chapters deal with the two arms of search engine marketing: search
The engine is the part that does the actual searching. Users input a search
engine optimisation and pay per click advertising.
query by typing a keyword or phrase into the search bar. The engine then
checks its index to find relevant pages and delivers them ordered from most
relevant and important to least relevant and unimportant.
The SERP (search engine results page) is the ordered listing of results for the
references
Brin, S. and Page, L. The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Web Search Engine,
[accessed 3 April 2008]
comScore (21 February 2008) Press Release: Comscore Releases 2008 US Search Engine Rankings,
Comscore Press Center, [accessed 3 April 2008]
comScore (7 May 2008) comScore Releases March 2008 European Search Rankings,
comScore, Inc [accessed 1 June 2008]
comScore (10 October 2007) 61 Billion Searches Conducted Worldwide in August,
comScore, Inc [accessed 9 June 2008]
optimisation
Enquiro Search Solutions (December 2007) The Brand Lift of Search,
Enquiro Search Solutions, Inc
Enquiro Search Solutions (March 2004) Into the Mind of the Searcher,
Enquiro Search Solutions Inc
http://www.eyetools.com/inpage/research_google_eyetracking_heatmap.htm,
www.eyetools.com,
ch engine
Eyetools, Inc [accessed 3 April 2008]
http://www.seomoz.org/article/beginners-guide-to-search-engine-optimization,
SEOmoz.org,
[accessed 3 April 2008]
Google, Google searches more sites more quickly, delivering more relevant results,
http://www.google.com/technology/,
Google.com [accessed 3 April 2008]
the key terms and concepts you need. In how it works, we look at the five
main areas of SEO, namely web site structure, key phrase research, writing
content, all important links and usage data. When it comes to SEO, you also
need to know what not to do. Following all this we have the tools of the trade,
the pros and cons of SEO, and a look at the bigger picture.
introduction
key terms and concepts
With millions of people performing millions of searches each day to find content on the
Internet, it makes sense that marketers want their products to be found by potential
consumers. Search engines use closely guarded algorithms to determine the results
field to an image on a web page, normally with a descriptive function, telling a user what an image is
that are displayed. However, determining what factors these algorithms take into
about and displaying the text in instance where the image is unable to load.
account has lead to a growing practice known as search engine optimisation.
Anchor Text The visible, clickable text in a link.
Backlink All the links on other pages that will take the user to a specific web page. Each link to that
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the practice of optimising a web site so as to
specific page is known as an inbound/backlink. The number of backlinks influences PageRank so the
achieve preferred ranking on the search engine results pages (SERPs). Someone who
more backlinks the better - get linking!
practices SEO professionally is also known as an SEO (search engine optimiser).
Domain Name The name of a web site that distinguishes it from other systems on the World Wide
SEO can be split into two distinct camps: white hat SEO and black hat SEO (with some
Heading Tags Heading tags (H1, H2, H3 etc) are standard elements used to define headings and
grey hat-wearers in between). Black hat SEO refers to trying to game the search
subheadings on a web page. The number indicates the importance, so H1 tags are viewed by the spiders
engines. These SEOs use dubious means to achieve high rankings, and their web sites
as being more important that the H3 tags. Using target key phrases in your H tags is essential for effective
are occasionally black-listed by the search engines. White hat SEO, on the other hand,
refers to working within the parameters set by search engines to optimise a web site
Home Page The first page of any web site. The home page gives users a glimpse into what your site is
for better user experience. Search engines want to send users to the web site that is
most suited to their needs, so white hat SEO should ensure that users can find what
HTML The abbreviation for HyperText Markup Language, read by web browsers. Certain HTML tags are
used to structure the information and features within a web page.
they are looking for.
Hyperlink A link in a document (electronic) that allows you, once you click on it, to follow the link to the
relevant web page.
history
IP Address The Internet Protocol (IP) address is a exclusive number, which is used to represent every
single computer in a network.
By the mid-90s, webmasters had begun to optimise their sites for search engines
Keyword Frequency The number of times a keyword or key phrase appears on a web site.
due to a growing awareness of the importance of being listed by the various engines.
Keyword Phrase Two or more words that are combined to form a search query - often referred to as
Initially, all a webmaster needed to do was submit the URL of a web page for it to
keywords. It is usually better to optimise for a phrase rather than a single word.
be indexed. Search engines relied on the meta data, information that webmasters
Keyword Rankings This term refers to where the keywords/phrases targeted by SEO rank amongst
inserted in the code of a web page, to determine what a web page was about and to
the search engines - if your targeted terms do not appear on the first 3 pages, start worrying.
index it appropriately.
Landing Page The page a user reaches when clicking on a paid or organic search engine listing. The
Industry analyst Danny Sullivan records that the earliest known use of the term
Link A link is a URL imbedded on a web page. If you click on the link you will be taken to that page.
or message board, on July 26, 1997.
Link Bait A technique for providing content that attracts links from other web pages.
Localisation The practice of creating a local version of a website, for a different country/language.
Realising the importance of being ranked highly in search results, webmasters began
that your Meta tags are optimised for the targeted key phrases. Meta tags are made up of meta titles,
sites. To combat this, search engines in turn have developed more complex algorithms
descriptions and keywords.
including a number of other ranking factors.
Personalised Search Personalisation means that search results are personalised to, or vary,
according to what search engines think a user is actually interested in.
While at Stanford University, Larry Page and Sergey Brin developed a search engine,
Referrer When a user clicks on a link from one site to another, the site the user left is the referrer.
called Backrub, that relied on a mathematical algorithm to rank web pages. They
founded Google in 1998, which relied on PageRank, hyperlink analysis as well as on-
queries are being used to find specific sites.
page factors to determine the prominence of a web page. This enabled Google to avoid
Robot.txt A file written and stored in the root directory of a web site that restricts the search engine
the same kind of manipulation of on-page factors to determine ranking.
spiders from indexing certain pages of the web site.
key terms and concepts continued
users. These are also known as on page factors. SEO also involves off page factors
URL Rewriting Presenting search-friendly URLs without question marks, rewriting them on the
including social media and WebPR, are considered off page SEO.
server to their standard format suitable for use in querying dynamic content.
Usability Usability is a measure of how easy it is for a user to complete a desired task. Sites with
SEO is an extremely effective way of generating new business to a site. It is a continuous
excellent usability fare far better than those that are difficult to use.
process and a way of thinking about how search engines see your web site and how
From http://www.google.com/technology/:
Search engine optimisation is a fairly technical practice but it can easily be broken
down into five main areas:
A search engine friendly web site structure
interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But,
A well researched list of key phrases
Google looks at more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; it
Content optimised to target those key phrases
also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves
Link popularity
Emerging trends
PageRank was based on the practice of academic citations. The more times an
1. search engine friendly web site
academic paper is cited, the more likely it is an authority paper on the subject. Page
structure
or web site is linked to, the more likely it is that the community considers that page
an authority.
Search engines encounter two kinds of obstacles:
Technical challenges that prevent the search engine spider from accessing
Ranking highly in search results is vital to web sites, so webmasters have adapted as
content
A competitive marketing environment where everyone wants to rank highly
says it uses more than 200 different factors in its algorithm (which changes over 400
times yearly) to determine relevance and ranking. None of the major search engines
To ensure that search engines can access your content, you must remove technical
disclose the elements they use to rank pages, but there are many SEO practitioners
barriers. Those who wish to achieve the best results must follow best web dev practices.
who spend time analysing patent applications to try to determine what these are.
These best practices are outlined in the chapter on web development and design.
how it works
crawlable is to provide direct, HTML links to to each page you want the search engine
spiders to index. Remember that if a page cannot be accessed from the home page
(where most spiders are likely to start their crawl) it is likely that it will not be indexed
the best results first, they look for signals of:
Relevance
Importance
The chapter on web development and design delves more deeply into building a search
Popularity
engine friendly web site.
Authority
2. well researched key phrases
SEO, also called organic or natural optimisation, involves optimising web sites to
Keyword or key phrase?
achieve high rankings on the search engines for certain selected key phrases.
Key phrases are the very foundation of search. When a user enters a query on a
Key phrases are made up
search engine, she uses the words that she thinks are relevant to her search. The
of keywords, but you can
This is achieved by making changes to the HTML code, content and structure of a web
search engine then returns those pages it believes are most relevant to the words the
get away with referring to
site, making it more accessible for search engines, and by extension, easier to find by
searcher used.
a key phrase as keywords.
Search engines have built a sophisticated understanding of semantics and the way we
Both are terms used by someone looking to book a hotel in Cape Town, but it is likely
that someone looking for a luxury hotel is intending to spend more. That means that
particular lead has a higher value, particularly if you have a hotel booking web site that
so forth. Search engines have also built up knowledge around common misspellings
offers a range of accommodation.
and synonyms and common related searches, so as to try to return the best results
keyword research
How do you know where to start on building your keyword list? It requires a little
Because of this, it is crucial that web sites contain content with keywords that are likely
thought, and a fair amount of research using tools which are readily available to help
to be used by their target audience. Web sites need to appear when their potential
you both grow and refine your list of keywords.
customers are searching for them.
Brainstorm
As a web site owner, or the marketer for a web site, we need to build a list of some of
Think about the words you would use to describe your business, and about the
the terms our potential customers are likely to use to find the things we are offering. A
questions or needs of your customers that it fulfils. How would someone ask for what
big part of keyword research is understanding search psychology. When we build our
you are offering? Consider synonyms and misspellings as well.
key phrase or keyword list, we are tapping into the mental process of searchers and
putting together the right mix of keywords to target.
Bear in mind that people might not ask for your services in the same way you describe
Misspellings are
There are four things to consider when choosing a keyword:
important, but when you
are selling something,
consider what the
If you are selling Tamagotchis, remember that the spelling can be tough to recall, and
misspelling tells you
How many searchers are using that phrase to find what they want? For example, there
about the traffic you are
getting. With everything,
Survey customers and look at your web site referral logs
analyse your traffic to
Look to see what terms customers are already using to find you, and add those to your
assess for quality.
list. If they are already sending you some traffic, it is worth seeing if you can increase
How many other web sites out there are targeting that same phrase? For example,
that traffic.
Use keyword research tools
There are several tools available for keyword discovery, and some of them are free!
Some tools will scan your web site and suggest keywords based on your current
What is the likelihood that the searcher using that key phrase is going to convert on
content. Most will let you enter keywords, and will then return suggestions based on
your site? A conversion is a desired action taken by the visitor to your web site.
past research data with:
Similar keywords
Related to propensity to convert, is the relevance of the selected term to what you
Common keywords used with that keyword
are offering. If you are selling rooms at a hotel at the V&A Waterfront, which of the
Common misspellings
Frequency of the keywords in search queries
conversions?
Industry related keywords
Keywords that are sending traffic to your competitors
How many other sites are targeting your keywords
What is the average value per prospect attracted by the keyword? Depending on the
nature of your web site, the average value per lead varies. Using the hotel example
See Tools of the Trade for some tools that you can use.
again, consider these two terms:
Bearing in mind the factors that make a good keyword, you need to aim for the right
mix of keywords. Low volume terms, with low levels of competition may be a good way
Body content: use the key phrase at least three times, more if there is a lot
the high-value, high-volume areas. It might take longer to get there, but once there,
the revenue can make it all worthwhile.
overdo it! That could look like spam to the search engines.
Bold: use tags around the keyword at least once.
It is a good idea to create a spreadsheet of the list of keywords, where you can also
Alt tag for an image: use it at least once to describe an image on the page.
store information relevant to that keyword.
URL: use a URL rewrite so that it appears in the URL of the page.
Meta description: use it at least once in the meta description of the page. It
should entice users to click through to your site from the SERP.
Keyword
Competition
Propensity to
Meta tags: use the keywords in the meta tags to provide context to the search
or phrase
volume
Convert
engines.
Luxury hotels
on your site. The anchor text describes the page being linked to, and so could
dilute the relevance of the page you are linking from.
This will help you to choose the right keywords to target. These lists should be created
10. Domain name: if possible, use the key phrase in your domain name, although
for the whole web site, and then can be broken down for each page you want to
favour usability or memorable domain names.
optimise.
optimising images
Images should also be optimised with the relevant keywords. Search engines cannot
3. optimising content for key phrases
see images, so rely on the way that an image is described to determine what the image
is about. Screen readers also read out the image descriptions, which can help visually
Once keywords and phrases are selected, we need to ensure that the site contains
impaired readers to make sense of a web site. Lastly, images are sometimes also
content to target those key phrases. We must ensure that the content is properly
shown on the SERPs, and of course one can also search images using most of the
structured and that it sends signals of relevance. Content is the most important part
major search engines.
of your web site. We must create relevant, targeted content aiming at our selected
key phrases.
Content already has several roles to play on your site:
It provides information to visitors.
It must engage with them.
It must convince them to do what you want.
Now it must also send signals of relevance to search engines. You need to use the
keywords on the content page in a way that search engines will pick up, and users
will understand.
Each web page should be optimised for two to three key phrases: the primary key
phrase, the secondary and the tertiary. A page can be optimised for up to five key
phrases, but it is better to have more niche pages than fewer unfocused pages.
Here are some guidelines:
Title tag: use the key phrase in the title, and as close to the beginning as
possible.
H1 header tag: use the key phrase in the header tag, and as much as possible
in the other H tags.
Just as an image can help emphasise the content on a page to a visitor to that page, they
Links help to validate relevance. Text links, by their very nature, contain text (thank
can also help search engines in ranking pages, provided they are labelled correctly.
you, Captain Obvious). The text that makes up the link can help validate relevance. A
Here are some ways to optimise images with key phrases for SEO:
Use descriptive filenames.
used content to send a signal of relevance, the link simply validates that signal.
Use specific ALT tags and Title attributes for the images.
Meta information can be supplied in the image file. Make sure this information
what does a link look like?
is relevant.
Here is the HTML code for a link:
Use descriptive captions, and keep relevant copy close to the relevant image.
Make sure the header tags and images are relevant to each other.
SEO is both a science and an art. Focussing on writing quality content while sticking
http://www.targeturl.com/targetpage.htm is the page that the link leads to.
to a few guidelines when it comes to tags and URLs is the best way to ensure results.
Anchor Text is the text that forms the link.
Remember, you want search engines to rank you highly for your content, but you also
discussion
want to ensure that the content is a pleasure to read.
The link sends a signal that the target URL is important for the subject used in the
Why might a site want to
anchor text.
tell the search engine not
Adding fresh content which carries brand values regularly to your site will also
to follow a link?
encourage the search engines to crawl your site more frequently.
There is a lot more information that can be included in this anatomy, such as instructions
telling the search engine not to follow the link, or instructions to the browser as to
Use your web site and its pages to establish and reinforce themes. Information can
whether the link should open in a new window or not.
always be arranged in some kind of hierarchical structure. Just as a single page can
have a heading and then get broken down into sub-headings, a large web site can have
main themes that get broken down into sub-themes. Search engines will see these
themes and recognise you as a web site with rich content.
URL. Search engines do not count nofollow links for ranking purposes. It was initially
introduced by Google to try to combat comment spam.
4. link popularity
Not all links are created equal
discussion
Links are a vital part of how the Internet works. The purpose of a link is to allow a user
Of course, not all links are equal. Some sites are more trusted than others. So if they
Why would government
to go from one web page to another. Search engines, doing their best to mimic the
are more trusted, then links from those sites are worth more. Likewise, some sites are
and university web sites
behaviour of humans, also follow links.
more relevant than others to specific terms. The more relevant a site, the more value
be considered to have
is transferred by the link. Well known and established news sites, government sites
more authority? What sort
of web sites would they be
Besides allowing search engine spiders to find web sites, links are also a way of
(.gov) and university domains (.ac) are examples of sites from which links can carry
more likely to link to?
validating relevance and indicating importance. When one page links to another, it is
more weighting.
as if that page is voting or vouching for the destination page. Generally, the more votes
a web site receives, the more trusted it becomes, the more important it is deemed, and
Search algorithms also consider relationships between linked sites. By analysing
the better it will rank on search engines.
various things, the engines try to determine if the links are natural links, or if they
are manipulative, artificial links created solely for ranking purposes. Manipulated
Links help send signals of trust. Signals of trust can only come from a third party
links are worth very little compared to natural links and may lead to a drop in search
engine rankings.
The search engine algorithm will also determine the relevancy of the referring web site
trust to unknown sites via links.
to the site being linked to. The more relevant the sites are to each other, the better.
Using Yahoo! search, the following search operators can be used to find these links
how does a web site get more links?
and web sites:
With links playing such a vital role in search engine rankings and traffic for a web site,
Linkdomain:url.com
everyone wants more of them. The more relevant the referring web site is to your web
Link:http://www.url.com/page.html
site, the better the link. There are certainly dubious means to generating links, most
Linkdomain:url.com word
of which can actually result in being penalised by the search engines. However, here
Linkdomain:url.com -site:url.com
you are) go about increasing links to their web sites:
With all link building tactics, make sure that you use your key phrases when
Writing excellent, valuable content that others want to read
communicating. You will be telling people how to link to you, and ensuring that search
If people find your site useful, they are more likely to link to it. It is not necessary, nor
engines notice your authority.
possible, to try to write content that will appeal to the whole Internet population. Focus
on being the best in the industry you are in, and in providing value to the members of
that community. Make sure that value content is themed around your key phrases.
5. emerging trends
Create tools and documents that others want to use
SEO is a constantly evolving activity. As the search engine algorithms become more
Interview experts in your field, and host those interviews on your web site. Think outside
sophisticated, they assess web sites in more complex ways to arrive at suitable search
the box for quirky, relevant items that people will link to. Calculators are popular tools,
results. There are significant changes on the horizon in how search engines will index
and present their results.These changes are aligned with a goal of sorting through the
selling diet books, for example, create a tool that helps users calculate their BMI and
exponentially increasing amounts of data available on the web and giving users better
target weight.
and more targeted search results, which they will find useful.
There are three strong emerging trends for SEO:
Creating a game that people want to play is a great way to generate links. Make sure
Localisation
that the theme of the game is based on the key phrases for your web site, so that when
Personalised Search
others talk about and link to the game, they are using your key phrases!
Software and widgets
These three trends are making optimising web sites for search engines even more
Widgets, browser extensions and other useful software that users love to use all
complex.
help to generate links for a web site. Quirk, has released a Firefox extension called
SearchStatus that is exceptionally useful to the SEO community and is downloaded
localisation and personalisation
thousands of time each month. Each time someone mentions this SEO tool, they link
The first two trends revolve around how the search engines are trying to accommodate
the geographic and personal preferences of a user, so as to present them with the best
contextual results. By localising, the search engines are presenting information in the
language and geographic context of the user.
links to your content. This involves writing content relevant to your industry and then
In personalising search, the search engines are trying to align with what they have
distributing that content.
determined would be more appropriate for that specific user. Personalised search
targets users preferences on two bases: explicitly and implicity.
Competitor analysis
Find out who is linking to your competitors, and which non-competing sites are
Explicit personalised search is based on an interpretation, by the search engines , of
ranking highly for your key phrases. Use this information to identify sites to target for
data and information the users provide directly to search engines, such as location,
link requests.
age langauage and gender.
Implicit personalised search is based on data and information search engines gather
As of 2008, this is a very new area of SEO. It no doubt plays a part in search engine
rankings, and that contribution is set to grow.
So, what does this mean for SEO? When it comes to a web site, it must:
this, the search engines will predict what a user is probably interested in and tailor the
Be valuable enough to attract both visitors and links naturally
results it presents to that user accordingly.
Retain visitors and make sure they return to the web site
Convert visitors
Surveys suggest that users are generally in favour of personalisation and are willing
to trade personal information to benefit from better quality results from the search
engines. Large search engines, like Google, are even offering end-users the opportunity
what not to do
such as Google Search Wiki (launched in 2008).This kind of functionality allows the
Black hat SEO refers to practices which attempt to game the search engines. Should
a search engine uncover a web site that is using unethical practices to achieve search
In 2006, Google found that
(or not) again.
engine rankings, it is likely to remove that web site from its index.
the BMW Germany web
site bmw.de was using a
To optimise a site properly, factors like personalisation and localisation need to be
JavaScript URL redirect
taken into account and the site needs to be honed to:
to send search engine
Central (www.google.com/webmasters). As well as outlining best practice principles,
adapt to how the search engines will measure and index them; and
spiders and web visitors
to different pages, with
how users will expect to be presented with contextualised information.
Avoid hidden text or hidden links.
different content. It was
removed from the Google
usage data
index until the webmaster
Search engines want their results to be highly relevant to web users to make sure that
had ensured that the
web users keep returning to the search engine for future searches. And the best way
guidelines.
duplicate content.
Usage data is the most effective way of judging the true relevancy and value of a web
viruses, trojans, or other badware.
site. For example, if users arrive on a web site and go back immediately, chances are
approaches such as affiliate programs with little or no original content.
a web site and spends a long time on the site, chances are it is extremely relevant.
If your site participates in an affiliate program, make sure that your site adds
When it comes to search engines, relevant valuable sites get promoted, irrelevant sites
value. Provide unique and relevant content that gives users a reason to visit
get demoted.
your site first.
how do search engines access this data?
the search engines.
include keywords used, and web sites visited from the search engine. Search engines
gather data on the click through rate of results, and on bounce rates.
tools of the trade
Most search engines also provide other services, all of which can be used to gather
There are a number of tools available to assist with SEO. Some are made available by
data relevant to search. For Google, some examples include:
search engines, and some are developed by agencies and individuals who specialise in
Google AdWords
SEO. Most are available for free.
Google AdSense
Google Analytics
Google Webmaster Tools
Google Web Site Optimizer
URL: www.google.com/webmasters
Google Checkout
Google provides guidelines to webmasters, and tools to help ensure your web site is
Google Toolbar
being indexed.
pros and cons
Quirk SearchStatus
Optimising a web site for search engines should entail optimising the web site for
URL: www.quirk.biz/searchstatus
users. Done properly, it should result in a better user experience, while ensuring that
Quirk SearchStatus is a Firefox extension that allows you to view easily key SEO
search engines index and rank the web site well.
information related to the page you are visiting. As well as linking to Alexa and Compete
rankings and a Whois look up, Quirk SearchStatus will highlight keywords on a page
However, it can be tempting to focus on the technicalities of SEO while forgetting that
and allow you to easily access link reports from each of the major search engines.
both robots and humans need to read the same web site. One should not be sacrificed
for the other.
Tools from SEOBook.com
URL: tools.seobook.com
Search engines update their algorithms regularly. Each update is an attempt to improve
SEOBook.com provides a number of tools that assist any SEO. For example, Rank
search results, but can result in loss of rankings for some web sites, depending on the
Checker is a Firefox extension that allows you to save a number of keywords and
update. A contingency plan, such as a prepared PPC campaign, needs to be in place to
to perform regular searches on them, giving you the ranking of your chosen URL
cope with a sudden drop in rankings.
for each keyword in the search engines selected. They also have tools to help with
keyword discovery.
As with any eMarketing practice, SEO should not be the only focus of eMarketing
efforts. It works best when part of a holistic eMarketing strategy.
Tools from SEOMoz
URL: www.seomoz.org/tools
SEOMoz provides a wealth of articles and forums, as well as excellent SEO tools and
summary
guides. Some are free, but become a PRO member to access them all.
The average web site receives up to 80% of its new traffic from search engines,
Keyword discovery tools
highlighting the importance of SEO.
There are a number of tools available, some free and some paid for, to assist with
keyword discovery. Some include:
There are two types of search results:
Organic or natural results
Wordtracker - www.wordtracker.com
Paid results
Online forums
Webmaster World (www.webmasterworld.com) is frequented by SEOs and webmasters
aiming to stay current with latest trends and search engine updates.
Search engines use algorithms to rank web pages for signs of:
Relevance
Importance
URL: http://www.google.com/webmasters/docs/search-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf
Popularity
Google provides a free starter guides, useful for anyone new to SEO.
Authority
Google Insights for Search
URL: www.google.com/insights/search
Search engine optimisation is a fairly technical practice but it can easily be broken
This provides valuable information about search terms you may want to target for
down into five main areas:
SEO purposes. It also provides regional interest (i.e. by geography) for search terms,
A search engine friendly web site structure
which is increasingly important as search engines move towards localisation and
A well-researched list of key phrases
personalisation in their search focus.
Content optimised to target those key phrases
Link popularity
the bigger picture
Three major trends are affecting how websites need to be optimised, to get the best
indexing results for website in the search engines:
Localisation
Personalised search
Search engine optimisation can be influenced and enhanced by most other eMarketing
campaigns, and they should all be approached with this in mind.
For example:
PPC campaigns can provide valuable keyword research which can then be fed into the
SEO strategy.
Social media marketing and viral marketing can both generate an enormous number
of links to a web site. Social media such as blogs can be used to add fresh content
regularly to a web site.
Emails sent as part of an email marketing campaign can also be published to web
sites, creating fresh content for the site. Search engines love fresh content.
WebPR aims to generate links to a web site. Make sure that these are optimised for
search engines.
The technical considerations that first needed to be addressed included:
Meta Data
case study: Yachting Partners International
The creation of descriptive and unique Meta Descriptions that included keyword dense copy helped reflect the
content found on each page while also issuing a call to action for the user on the SERPs.
offering services on everything from yacht chartering, acquisitions and sales to construction and management
Title Tags
from their head office in England.
The title tags were optimised to contain keywords that were specific, and unique to the optimised pages. Used
as links on SERPs, the tags were now both keyword rich and enticing.
The yacht business is extremely competitive, whether online or offline. The YPI website needed to stand out
from the crowd and be recognised as the authority on yachting and charter holidays. To ensure that this was
Header tags
possible, the keyword strategy matched these objectives and give YPI prominence on the SERPs.
The HTML header tags, with their new keywords, put emphasis on themes by using properly styled and valid
HTML markup.
The SEO strategy dictated a need for high traffic terms rather than niche, long tail phrases. This would ensure
that YPI was top of sight for important searches. During the keyword research phase, primary keywords were
allocated to the key themes up for optimisation. Secondary and tertiary keywords represented the supporting
terms and any relevant synonyms.
focused SEO efforts.
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Validity
chapter questions
Ensuring valid markups enabled the site to be viewed across various web browsers and operating systems,
while also allowing search engine spiders to easily navigate and index the site and determine the relevance of
Why do links send signals of trust to search engines?
the content.
Why is better to have more niche pages of content than fewer pages that cover a lot of content?
Canonicalisation
Why is it important for search engines to keep updating their algorithms?
This was implemented to ensure that if a user types in, or clicks on a link directing to http://ypi.co.uk that they
If meta data are no longer used for ranking purposes, why do they still have an important role in SEO?
will be redirected to the correct URL, http://www.ypi.co.uk. This is important to avoid losing out on traffic and
404 Error Pages
A customised error page provided an enhanced usability perspective. This assisted users who came upon an
references
error page as a result of clicking on a broken link or who had found the site through a page that was still indexed
but no longer existent.
Brin, S. and Page, L. The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Web Search Engine,
Sitemap
Updated and optimised HTML and XML sitemaps were added to the YPI website for seamless navigation by
Comscore (21 February 2008) Press Release: Comscore Releases January 2008 US Search Engine Rankings,
humans or search engine robots.
Comscore Press Center, [accessed 3 April 2008]
JavaScript
JavaScript elements added enhanced functionality to the site (that is not present in standard HTML).
Cutts, M. (4 February 2006) Ramping up on international webspam,
www.mattcutts.com/blog/ramping-up-on-international-webspam,
Link building, WebPR and PPC
Matt Cutts: Gadgets, Google, and SEO, [accessed 1 June 2008]
WebPR, link building articles and an additional PPC campaign helped to focus the complete Search Engine
Marketing (SEM) package.
http://www.eyetools.com/inpage/research_google_eyetracking_heatmap.htm, www.eyetools.com,
The results that occurred after these changes were implemented really speak for themselves. During the initial
[accessed 3 April 2008]
stages of the optimisation, the Yachting Partners International website had only a handful of inbound links and
indexed pages, but currently has 1350 pages indexed by Google, 7830 indexed by MSN and 1688 by Yahoo! HTML
and XML sitemaps have been implemented to assist with search engine indexing.
http://www.seomoz.org/article/beginners-guide-to-search-engine-optimization,
SEOmoz.org,
Yachting Partners International - www.ypi.co.uk
[accessed 3 April 2008]
Google, Google searches more sites more quickly, delivering more relevant results,
http://www.google.com/technology/,
case study questions
Google.com [accessed 3 April 2008]
When it comes to SEO, why should technical considerations be addressed first?
Sherman, C. (8 March 2005), A New F-Word for Google Results,
What is the importance of optimised header and title tags?
How do sitemaps help to increase the number of pages indexed by the search engines?
SearchEngineWatch.com, [accessed 3 April 2008]
Search Engine Watch [accessed 6 June 2008]
Image credit page 81 www.babazeka.com
further reading
www.seomoz.org
insights from their own SEO efforts, there are also vibrant forums where you can learn from others.
www.seobook.com
www.gottaquirk.com
ertising
www.webmasterworld.com
will need, a history of paid search. Looking at how it works, we consider who
does what and the difference between search and content networks. We look at
what makes up a PPC advert, and all important keyword matching. We look into
various aspects of PPC advertising, and of course planning and setting up a
campaign. There is a brief overview of online comparison engines, the tools
of the trade, and the pros and cons of setting up a campaign. There is a chapter
summary and checking out how it all fits together.
introduction
key terms and concepts
Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising is an advertising system where the advertiser only
pays for each click on their advert.
While it is most often used as an advertising system offered by search engines, such
Click-through A click on a link that leads to another web site.
as Google and Yahoo!, it can also be used for banner advertising (where the advertiser
Conversion Rate
pays for clicks on the advert as opposed to impressions). PPC is also the system on
Actions / Clicks %.
which many shopping engines and directories, such as NexTag and Shopping.com, are
CPA Cost per Action. Paid when a certain action is performed by a user.
based. Sometimes PPC advertising on search engines is referred to as paid search.
CPC Cost per Click. Paid when a link is clicked upon.
CPM Cost per Mil (1000). Amount paid for every 1000 views of an advertisement.
PPC advertising revolutionised the online advertising industry, and today, advertising
CSV file Comma Separated Values file. This can be used to send databases of information separated
into specific column headings.
CTR Click Through Rate: Clicks / Impressions %.
Impression Each time the advert is shown.
provided by search engines, but we will touch briefly on other advertising systems
includes the keywords blue and widgets.
Key Phrase Just like keyword, this is simply a multi-word keyword.
also on the right hand side of the results page.
does not get paid to list these.
replaced Overture as the platform that powers Yahoo! Search Marketing.
Panama The platform that powers Yahoo! Search Marketing.
PFI Short for Pay for Inclusion. Used by various search engines that guarantees that your site will be
PPC Pay Per Click.
the search results are of CPC type.
and historical data.
Ranking This refers to the process by which search engines display web sites so that the most relevant
web sites appear on the top. Search engine optimisation is a technique by which high rankings may
a user enters into a search engine. A search term can have one word, or be made up of
be obtained.
ROI Short for return on investment.
Search Term Another way of saying search query.
SERP Short for Search Engine Results Page, SERPs are the actual results returned to the user based
For the advertiser, the beauty of PPC advertising on search engines is that their
on their search query.
Sponsored Results Search engine results that are paid for by the advertiser.
are searching for a product or service. It allows advertisers to present their offering to
Traffic This refers to the visitors that visit a web site.
a potential customer who is already in the buying cycle.
XML eXtensible Markup Language.
history
You have learned that search engines display results to search queries based on
Selects the keywords for which that advertisement should appear.
proprietary algorithms. Each major search engine uses its own formula to determine
Chooses the maximum amount they are willing to pay for a click on the
what results to display for any term. All of this is available to web users for free! With
advert, and this amount can be unique to each keyword they have selected for
about 80% of web users using search engines as a starting point (Jansen and Molino,
require a way of generating revenue from all that traffic.
The search engine algorithm:
Checks the advert for compliance to editorial guidelines.
In 1996, the Open Text Index search engine began allowing web sites to pay for a
Displays the advert for relevant search queries.
preferred ranking in selected results pages, to mixed response from business owners
and other search engines. However, this was pay for placement, not that different from
maximum bid and the relevance of the advert (which includes factors such as
paid inclusion, where advertisers were paying to appear in the search results, whether
CTR, and ad copy, keyword and landing page relevance to the search).
or not a user clicked through to their site.
In February 1998, GoTo.com launched. This was a new search engine that allowed
search and content networks
web site owners to bid for placement in the search results pages for specific search
terms. Results were ranked according to how much the web site owners were willing
Advertisers can choose to have their adverts displayed on the search network only
to bid, with the highest bid appearing at the top of the page. The web site owner would
(which means on search engines), or they can select to have the adverts displayed on
only pay for each click, as opposed to for appearing on the results page. By July 1998,
the content network.
advertisers were paying up to a dollar for each click! GoTo.com changed its name to
Overture Services Inc in 2001, and was acquired by Yahoo! in 2003. GoTo.com partnered
The search network will include the search engine which owns the platform (so, Google
with portals Yahoo! and MSN to monetise their search queries.
for AdWords), as well as other search engines for which that platform provides paid
results (for example, currently Ask.com uses the Adwords platform for paid results).
and method for influencing a position on a search result list generated by a computer
Provider of
Directory
Engine
Results
Main Results
Results
Results
successfully, lawsuits against other PPC providers, including Google. Overture initiated
AllTheWeb
Crawler
Overture
infringement proceedings under this patent in 2002, and settled with Google after it
AltaVista
Crawler
Overture
Open Directory
had been acquired by Yahoo!. Google agreed to issue 2.7 million shares of common
stock to Yahoo! in exchange for a perpetual license.
AOL Search Crawler
Open Directory
Ask Jeeves Crawler
Google started search engine advertising in December 1999 and launched AdWords
Gigablast
Crawler
Gigablast
in October 2000. AdWords allowed advertisers to place keyword targeted listings, but
Crawler
Open Directory
charged advertisers on a CPM basis. Google launched PPC advertising in February
MSN Search Crawler
Overture
Netscape
Crawler
Open Directory
Crawler
how it works
Crawler
Overture
Suppliers and search engines as of 2007. Source: Sullivan, 2007
Each of the three major search engines (Google, Yahoo!, MSN) has its own PPC
advertising platform, namely AdWords, Yahoo! Search Marketing and adCenter. While
The content network refers to web sites other than search engines which also display
the basic process remains the same for each one, there are some differences.
PPC adverts. For Google AdWords, these are the web sites and blogs which have joined
With PPC advertising, the advertiser:
web site, and then displays appropriate PPC adverts. Typically, the CPC is lower than
Creates the content for an advertisement.
on the search network, but the CTR and conversion rate can be much lower.
Heading: maximum 25 characters
Line 1: maximum 35 characters
Line 2: maximum 35 characters
Display URL: maximum 35 characters
No repeated exclamation marks
No word may be written in capitals only
No nonsense words may be used
discussion
can be verified by a reliable 3rd party source
Why do you think the CTR
Product numbers may be used
and conversion rate are
lower on content PPC
keywords and match types
adverts as opposed to
The above site is running AdSense. Notice how the adverts correlate to the
search PPC adverts?
content of the article.
campaign, but first you need to know a little bit more about the different ways we can
what makes up a PPC advert?
define keywords in a PPC campaign.
Each search engine requires the advertiser to enter the keywords for which their
Text PPC adverts follow the same basic structure:
advert should appear. This list of keywords determines the search queries for which
the adverts could appear.
Heading
Two lines of advert copy,
On www.google.com in the USA there were almost 200 million searches performed
Which can be displayed on one line
www.DisplayURL.com
each day (comScore), and Google estimates that nearly 50% of all searches are unique
(Hursh, 2006). It would be a tough, if not impossible, task to determine all the possible
The URL shown is not necessarily the URL that the user will click through to. When
terms potential customers might use to find you. That is why there are different
writing the copy, these are known as the display URL (what is shown on the advert) and
keyword match types for PPC advertising.
the destination URL (what the actual URL of the page is). The display URL is sometimes
discussion
also called a vanity URL. The aim should be to send users to a web page as specific to
Google AdWords using the following match types:
What is the function of the
their search, and the PPC advert, as possible. This is known as deeplinking.
Phrase
display URL? Do you think
that this is misleading
The display URL must be the same domain as the destination URL. Google will only
to a searcher? Why do
show one advert per display URL.
Negative
you think the display and
the destination URL are
Broad match means that your advert will appear for the keywords you have entered, as
different?
So, an advert might look like this:
well as search terms which contain your keywords and any other words in any order,
as well as some variations of your keywords (misspellings and synonyms).
A dozen red roses for your love;
Fast, free delivery in RSA.
Say you have chosen the following keywords, and this is set to broad match:
www.flowers.co.za/roses
tennis shoes
Your advert could appear for all of the following searches:
The search engines limit the characters in each line. There are also restrictions on
tennis shoes
what you are allowed to write in an advert. Here are some of the editorial guidelines
red tennis shoes
from Google AdWords:
tennis sneaker
history of tennis shoes
domain, only one will be shown. Which advert will be shown is based on the bids being
placed and on the quality of the adverts.
your keywords in them, in the same order, though other words may also be in the
search term.
If you changed the same keywords to phrase match, they would look like:
Your advert would appear for:
tennis shoes
tennis shoes red
But your advert would not appear for:
smart shoes red
Depending on the match type, your advert can appear for more or less
Exact match, denoted by square brackets ([exact match]), means that the advert will
keywords.
only appear for search terms exactly the same as the keywords selected.
Now change the keyword to exact match:
languages and locations
[tennis shoes]
Your advert will appear for searches for:
You are able to target your campaigns, so you know that the traffic you are getting is
tennis shoes
relevant to your product. This is known as geo-targeting.
It would not appear for any other searches.
You can choose the language of the search engine, and the location. For example, you
Negative match, denoted by using a dash in front of the keywords (-negative), means
might only want your advert to show to English searches in Asia, or to English searches
that your advert will not appear in searches using that word, no matter what other
words are used.
bidding and ranking
Use the broad match example, and include a negative match:
Advertisers need to determine the maximum they are willing to pay for a click on their
-tennis
advert, and they need to decide this for each keyword they enter for an advert. This bid
Your advert would appear for:
is the maximum CPC, or Max CPC, that the advertiser is willing to pay for the click.
A Vickrey auction is an
smart shoes red
However, this will not necessarily be the CPC that the advertiser must pay for a click.
auction where bidders do
Your advert would not appear for:
Every time a search query is entered, the search engine runs an auction to determine
not know what bids others
red tennis shoes
the placement of the adverts where advertisers have bid on that search term. This
have placed. It is a sealed
auction. The Vickrey-
auction is known as a Generalised Second Price (GSP) auction, which is a variation on
keyword
Clarke-Groves mechanism
the Vickrey auction.
search term
is the generalisation of
the Vickrey auction that
In the GSP auction, each advertiser will pay the bid of the advertiser below him, plus a
holds that bidders will
bid truthfully. In PPC
red tennis shoes
advertising, this is not
smart shoes red
always the case. Bidders
sometimes bid to push
prices for their competition
Advertisers can assign as many keywords as they wish to an advert, but only one advert
keyword. Here is how the adverts would be positioned, and what they would each pay
instead of to maximise
for each URL will be shown. If two advertisers are bidding to show adverts for the same
their own revenue.
Advertiser
Bid price
Studies repeatedly show that those adverts nearer the top of the page (so the best
ranked) attract the highest CTRs. They get the most clicks. And, the clicks cost the
advertisers more.
Looking at the heat map, you can see that getting in the blue box on Google will most
likely generate even more clicks on an advert. You might think, the more clicks the
As well as the bid an advertiser places on a keyword, the search engine will take a
better, but is this necessarily the case?
number of other factors into account. In the case of Google AdWords, this is known as
Quality Score.
Being in the top position means you will pay more per click. Many clicks at a higher
price may use up your budget quickly. Also, many people click on the top advert
The Quality Score is determined by, among other factors:
The relevance of the keyword to the search term
The relevance of the advert copy to the search term
The relevance of the landing page to the search term
web site from the search engine. When planning a PPC campaign, it is therefore crucial
The historic CTR of that advert
to set up the goals of the campaign, and make sure that these are being met. You can
use your analytics package to set these up. With a goal set up, the advertiser can track
Search engines look at factors such as relevancy to try to ensure that it is not just
how many of the users that click through to the web site follow through to that goal.
having deep pockets that can land advertisers the top spot. Search engines need to
This is called a conversion.
Buying a product
conversion rates and click-through rates
Filling in a form
Downloading a whitepaper
Sending an enquiry
Booking a flight
We know that the CTR of an advert is clicks / impressions %
The conversion rate of an advert is conversions / clicks %
As the advertiser, you also need to know the value of each conversion. You need to
best CTR for maximum ROI.
Impressions Clicks CPC
Total Cost CTR Conversions Conversion Rate CPA
The above table shows how you might adjust bidding strategies based on business
principles.
Example A: bid on a keyword with phrase match.
Example B: bid on the same keyword with phrase match, but bid for a higher
position. The conversion rate of the web site remains the same, but because of
the higher CPC, the CPA increases, although there are more conversions.
A heatmap from Eyetools.com that shows where users look on a SERP.
Example C: bid on the same keyword, but with broad match this time. Because
the traffic is less targeted, the conversion rate on the web site is lower. This
means that the CPA increases again.
The campaign needs to be run according to business rules. A PPC campaign can aim
for maximum conversions, but this is usually at a higher CPA.
budgets
As well as deciding on your CPC bids for your keywords, you are able to determine the
budgets for your campaign. You can set daily budgets, monthly budgets or no budget.
Once your budget is reached, your adverts are paused, so you can be sure that you
never overspend. If you are concerned about overspending, you can set a daily budget.
However, this can mean that your adverts do not run as often as you would wish
The different advertising platforms offer advanced bidding options, all aimed at helping
In the long tail, the sum of the low volume searches matches the high volume searches.
you to run your advertising campaign better. You can bid for placement on the SERP, or
Scheduling allows the
advertiser to show their
you can bid based on how much you are willing to pay for click. You are able to bid for
This is sometimes referred to as the long tail of search. Figuring out those low volume,
adverts only at certain
adverts during certain times of the day only, called scheduling.
niche search terms can do wonders for a PPC campaign. Generally there is not much
times of the day. For
competition for those search terms, and the search term itself is very targeted.
example, an advertiser
which platform should I choose?
might want to time their
There is some theory that different platforms are better for different industries, for
adverts to show at the
usual time for lunch
example, that Yahoo! fares better than Google on travel advertising. However, this
planning and setting up a campaign
breaks.
is subjective, and most large advertisers will run PPC campaigns on a number of
AdWords offers an
platforms. As with most things in eMarketing, it is all about testing.
1. Do your homework
AdWords Starter Edition
For a successful campaign, you need a full online and an offline analysis of the
to see how it works!
There are some small differences with each platform in terms of editorial policy, and
business, customer demographics, the industry and competitors. While it is relatively
You can sign up from
each system has a different user interface. Google AdWords is perhaps the most well
quick to set up a campaign, pre-planning will show dividends later! You need a brand,
adwords.google.com. Just
known, allows users to transact in the currency of their choice, and also offers training
an identity and a clear unique selling point. You only get 3 lines to advertise, you need
programmes and certifications.
to make sure you know what should be in there!
after you click to sign up.
Google AdWords also currently has the best geo-targeting worldwide, although geo-
2. Define your goals
You need to know what you want to achieve with your PPC campaign. Branding
campaigns, for example, are very different to campaigns that increase sales. What do
the long tail
you want users to do once they click on your advert?
Google has estimated that 50% of searches are unique. This means that the sum of
searches which are unique is about the same as the sum of non-unique searches.
3. Budget, CPA and targets
Looking a little more closely at search terms will show a small number of high volume
searches, and then a large number of lower volume searches stretching out to those
Decide how much budget you are going to allocate to your PPC campaign. If your goal
unique searches.
is to increase revenue, your budget might be unlimited so long as revenue is increasing
and you are within your target CPA.
4. Keyword research
You need to determine what keywords potential customers are likely to use when
the home page gives him too many other options to choose from.
searching for the service that you offer. Along with that, you need to know:
What common misspellings a customer might use
What words would show that they are not likely to purchase from you (words
would send that user to www.canon.co.uk. A better campaign would have the user
like free and cheap)
clicking through to www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/Digital_
SLR/EOS_450D/index.asp
As part of your keyword research, you need to look at expected volumes for your
keywords, so you know how to bid on keywords. See Tools of the Trade for some
Landing pages also indicate relevance to the search engine, which can increase the
suggestions.
Quality Score of the advert, and in turn lower the CPC of the keyword. Adding pages to
The bounce rate of the
the web site which are keyword rich can also carry SEO benefits.
landing page also affects
There are also tools which will show you similar or related keywords, so you can expand
the Quality Score of an
your keyword list even further. Again, find suggestions in Tools of the Trade.
PPC campaigns often have thousands of keywords, which can mean that there will
advert. See the web
be a lot of landing pages to be built! Creating dynamic landing pages means that with
analytics chapter for more
information.
5. Write the adverts
a simple script, unique keyword rich landing pages can be created for every search.
Using your keyword research, write compelling adverts to promote your products.
The script will take the keyword that the searcher has used, and insert it in predefined
Adverts can be unique to a keyword, or you can group them and have a number of
places on the landing page. The user will then be landing on a page that is highly
keywords for one advert.
relevant to their search!
Make sure you use an appropriate display URL, and that you target the landing page for
Dynamic landing pages can be created with a simple script that will allow for a landing
each advert. Always include a call to action.
page to be created for every keyword in the PPC campaign.
6. Place your bids
Based on your goals and keyword research, set the maximum bids for your keywords.
online comparison engines
campaign.
As we mentioned, PPC does not only apply to search engine advertising. We have seen
that adverts can be placed on content sites. PPC can also refer to display advertising,
7. Measure, analyse, test, optimise!
where advertisers pay only for each click through to their site, as opposed to each
With conversion tracking in place, you can analyse your ROI down to a keyword level,
impression of the banner. PPC is also used by many online comparison engines.
and then focus on those keywords which are converting best.
You have probably come across online comparison engines when searching for a
Consider seeing how changing the text of your advert can increase the CTR, or perhaps
particular product. Popular comparison engines include:
better your conversion rate. Test different landing pages to see what converts better.
NexTag (www.nextag.com)
PriceRunner (www.pricerunner.com)
Kelkoo (www.kelkoo.co.uk)
landing pages
Pangora (www.pangora.com)
Jump (www.jump.co.za)
PPC advertising is not just about creating adverts and bidding for keywords. The
process continues once a user has clicked on your advert. The page that the user
These engines contract with retailers. The retailers supply the engine with a product
reaches by clicking on an advert is called a landing page.
feed (XML or CSV) which contains the following information:
Product name
Landing pages can make or break an advertising campaign. Poorly executed PPC
Product price
campaigns will send all users to the home page of a web site. Campaigns that convert
Prodcut URL
will make sure that users land on a page that is relevant to their search. The aim is to
Product serial number
Product image
So, what can you do to market your site more effectively through online
Product description
comparison engines?
Product keywords
Measure conversion from the clicks you get from the comparison engine.
Optimise the product feed you supply:
Product names should be clear.
Each product must have a unique URL.
Make sure you are able to describe your product succinctly.
Make sure your price is right:
have much space to entice the user to click through to you!
tools of the trade
The foundation of search marketing is keyword research, and there are a number of
tools that will both aid you in growing your keyword list, and in determining keyword
volumes. Some are free and some are paid for. Many keyword volume tools have relied
on Overture, and as Yahoo! is no longer supporting this tool, the information is not
necessarily accurate. All these tools should be used as guidelines only. Test the data
with your own campaigns to determine what works best for you.
A shopping comparison engine will show offers from a number of retailers.
When a user searches for a product on one of the comparison engines, the engine
will list all retailers who offer that product. When the engines contract the retailers,
they also agree on how much the retailer is willing to pay for each click from the
category to category (consumer electronics, for example, could have a higher CPC than
baby clothes).
When results are shown, priority is given to those retailers who are willing to pay
a higher CPC. However, the user has the option of sorting results by price,
alphabetically, etc.
Online comparison engines form an important part of the online marketing mix for an
online retailer. As well as comparing products from different retailers, they also offer
users the chance to review products, as well as retailers. Many users prefer to start
their product search on a comparison engine, as they can see a variety of prices for the
same product in one place.
Keyword volume tools:
2. Bidding wars and climbing CPCs
www.freekeywords.wordtracker.com
High traffic keywords are expensive, and the battle to stay on top means that the CPC of
www.yooter.com/keyword/overture.php
tools.seobook.com/general/keyword
result in burning through your campaign budget quickly, with nothing to show for it.
Google Trends
What can you do? Keep focused on your campaign goals and ROI, and keep investigating
Keyword suggestion tools:
to find the (cheaper) niche keywords that work for you.
adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal
www.keyworddiscovery.com/search.html
3. You gotta keep an eye on things
tools.seobook.com/keyword-list/generator.php
PPC campaigns require a lot of monitoring, and the bigger your campaign gets, the
Google AdWords has an Ad Preview Tool, which allows you to see where your advert
more time this takes. PPC advertising can provide a fantastic ROI, but you need to
would appear on the page (without using the search engine and thus skewing data).
check in and tweak regularly to make sure that it continues to perform for you.
This can be accessed at adwords.google.com/select/AdTargetingPreviewTool
What can you do? Make sure that you have allocated the time required to run a
Some paid services that aid with keyword research are:
successful campaign. There are also tools available that make managing large
www.wordtracker.com
campaigns easier.
www.keywordsecret.com
www.nichebot.com
But remember, there are all the good reasons below (and many, many more!) why PPC
works for you:
No to low cost barrier
lists. Getting to grips with functions such as concatenation will be useful.
You only pay for traffic; there are minimal set-up fees involved.
Tracking every cent
pros and cons
PPC advertising allows you to track your advertising spend down to a keyword
Targeted advert placement
PPC campaigns are relatively quick to set-up, can provide high volumes of traffic, and
You can make your advertising relevant with the many filters available when
selecting where to show your adverts.
ought to be aware of.
PPC advertising lets you place your advert in front of people who are
1. Click fraud
searching for your product. It lets you provide a solution, as opposed to
Click fraud occurs when your advert is clicked on by someone who is not a legitimate
creating an interruption. What more could you want?
potential customer. Because an advertiser has to pay for every click on his advert,
sometimes unscrupulous competitors can click on the advert to force the payment.
There are even automated bots that can click on adverts, costing advertisers
summary
millions!
PPC advertising usually refers to the advertising system offered by search engines in
The search engines, however, have taken measures to combat this. Advertisers can
which an advertiser pays for each click on his advert. Online comparison engines also
Google said in February
report suspected click fraud, and the search engines will refund invalid or fraudulent
run on a PPC basis, where advertisers provide a product feed for listings.
2007 that click fraud
clicks after investigation.
accounts for only 0.02% of
PPC advertising is keyword based. On search engines, the CPC is determined by an
clicks. You can read more
What can you do? Keep an eye on your campaign. Any sudden leap in CTRs should be
on their blog: adwords.
auction, known as a Generalised Second Price auction.
investigated, and you should pay particular attention to see if the conversion rate drops
blogspot.com/2007/02/
invalid-clicks-googles-
(which would indicate potential fraud) or stays the same. Pause the campaign if you
Search targeted advertising refers to PPC adverts displayed on the SERPs. These are
overall-numbers.html
suspect fraud, and alert the search engine.
listed above and alongside the organic search results, and are marked as Sponsored.
Content targeting refers to PPC adverts being displayed on content pages, such as
case study: Southern Sun
blogs and other web sites.
Southern Sun (www.southernsun.com) launched a new web site in May 2006. The changes included an updated
The success of an advert may be determined by its CTR, but the success of a campaign
look and feel, a greater quantity and quality of information, and better booking functionality. As often happens
will be determined by its conversion rate.
with a site re-launch, Southern Sun lost all of the previously good organic search engine rankings. A new web
site needs time to climb up the search engine rankings, and it can take a minimum of three months before it
starts receiving organic traffic. Southern Sun could potentially have lost out on bookings because of the decrease
in organic traffic. Therefore, they required a way of ensuring that their site:
Continued to receive a steady flow of bookings despite temporarily poor organic rankings
Received enough traffic to analyse user behaviour and responses
Elements for a successful campaign:
Received enough traffic to generate trust from search engines and climb up the SERPs as fast as
Research your industry
possible
Define your goals
Allocate budgets and target CPAs
With the new site, Southern Sun hoped to increase the number of bookings made online, and to tap into the
Keyword research
international tourist and business travel market. This meant they needed to migrate a significant amount of their
Relevant adcopy with clear call to action
offline promotions and special offers to their web site in such a way as to attract a favourable online response.
Bidding so as to maximise ROI
Measure, analyse, test, optimise!
Quirk eMarketing, the online agency for Southern Sun, set up a PPC campaign with the intention of:
Sending traffic to the site
Attracting international traffic
the bigger picture
Split-testing campaigns
how it all fits together
Separate campaigns were built for:
Local vs. international traffic
Brand and hotel-specific vs. place-specific
PPC advertising and SEO (search engine optimisation) should go hand in hand to create
Special offers and campaigns vs. normal traffic
an effective SEM (search engine marketing) strategy.
Quirk did an extensive keyword research exercise to identify high traffic generating keywords in order to get as
PPC provides an excellent resource to research keyword volumes and conversion
much traffic as possible, as well as niche long tail keywords for better cost per conversion. Keywords specific
success. The knowledge can then be used to improve the SEO of a site, as you will
already know the relevance of these keywords to your intended audience. In turn,
tourists.
improved SEO rankings can help to reduce the CPC of your PPC campaign, and together
with your PPC campaign, can see improved CTRs throughout.
Furthermore, adverts were set up which tested the best marketing message i.e. whether people responded
PPC advertising can also help to give your brand immediate search engine presence
The Southern Sun brand
for your offline campaigns, when these might not yet be highly ranked in the natural
A special offer
search results. PPC advertising can also be used together with online reputation
A wide variety of hotels and brands
management. If a company is unable to combat negative search results through
Location and convenience
the natural rankings, they are always able to bid for PPC adverts that can present
Facilities
their view.
As a result, Quirk could assess whether different groups of people were influenced by different adverts, as
keyword research had been done according to customer groups.
In order to determine whether people responded better to special offers and campaigns or just hotel and area
details, landing page split tests were conducted. Tracking for various different stages of the hotel buying process
references
was implemented, including the hotel room quote and the final thank you for payment page so that it would
become evident where any drop-offs occurred.
Alexa, (April 3 2008) Traffic History Graph for Google.com,
http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/google.com,
One of the great advantages of PPC is that it gets immediate results. As soon as the new site went live, so did
Alexa.com, [accessed 3 April 2008]
the PPC campaign, which meant traffic from day one. The traffic generated by the PPC advertising ensured that
the site was noticed by search engines and was trusted as a valid South African hotel site.
Ellam, A (March 2003) Overture and Google: Internet Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising Auctions,
http://faculty.london.edu/mottaviani/PPCA.pdf,
Split testing revealed some very interesting and useful behaviours and trends:
London Business School, [accessed 3 April 2008]
The overall best response was to the adverts containing the Southern Sun brand, particularly from
the local South African market. This was very positive for Southern Sun and gave them a distinct PPC
http://www.eyetools.com/inpage/research_google_eyetracking_heatmap.htm, www.eyetools.com,
[accessed 3 April 2008]
Search marketing is driven by meeting a need, whereas offline marketing involves creating a need. Split
testing picked up that the (very successful) offline marketing campaigns were not so successful when
Google, (January 31 2008) Financial Release,
actively marketed through PPC, and that they do better when advertised from within the web site. The
http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/pressrel/revenues_q407.html,
campaign had an average booking rate of 0.38%. The landing pages that supplied a list of hotels in an
Google Press Center, [accessed 3 April 2008]
area or offering a service far outperformed this with an average booking rate of 3.45%.
International traffic responded differently to various offers and hotel details compared to local traffic.
In general, there was a better response locally with an ROI of 780% vs. 430%.
http://www.google-watch.org/cgi-bin/cookie.htm, Google-watch.org,
[accessed 3 April 2008]
Running a PPC campaign when you launch or re-launch a site will:
Jansen, Bernard and Molino, Paulo (2006) The effectiveness of Web search engines for retrieving relevant
Test site structure and browser behaviour
ecommerce
Allow you to assess from where traffic comes, so you can test and optimise presentation of your product
http://ist.psu.edu/faculty_pages/jjansen/academic/pubs/jansen_ecommerce_ipm2006.pdf,
to your customers
pp. 1077 [accessed 3 April 2008]
case study questions
Sullivan, D. (23 March 2003) Search Engine Results Chart,
What information from the PPC campaign could be used to help to optimise the web site?
SearchEngineWatch.com, [accessed 3 April 2008]
Why does a PPC campaign give instant traffic while SEO does not?
What is the importance of landing pages in a PPC campaign? What sort of different landing pages do
Sullivan, D. (April 20 2006) Searches Per Day,
you think would be used?
SearchEngineWatch.com, [accessed 3 April 2008]
chapter questions
further reading
What is the difference between the display URL and the landing page URL, and what is the function
www.ppchero.com
How is the content network different to the search network? How do the differences affect
the advertiser?
on all things PPC
What is the importance of long tail keywords in a PPC campaign?
Both PPC advertising and SEO are based on keywords. How can PPC advertising and SEO be used to
www.gordonchoi.com
complement each other?
Google AdWords Voucher
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voucher included with this book.
Look on the inside of the front cover to find your unique reference number.
Go to www.quirk.biz/emarketingtextbook/voucher.
you your voucher code!
Use the voucher to set up your Google AdWords campaign!
If you are new to Google AdWords, Google offers a Starter Edition of its AdWords accounts.
Turn over for Top 10 Optimisation Tips for Advertising on Google and voucher terms
and conditions.
*Voucher terms and conditions are available on www.quirk.biz/emarketingtextbook/voucher.
Vouchers are available with printed versions of the textbook, and not with the online version.
Google AdWords Voucher
Google AdWords Voucher
Make your core keyword list specific and relevant Be specific and relevant to your
Convey the relevance of your site and give a clear reason to click To encourage
but tend to be less relevant to any particular search. Use words that define your business,
including products and technologies, brand names, taglines, industry jargon, and words
top line of the text. Make it clear to users why they should click.
searched for on your site.
Expand your list by adding variations and related terms Since more specific keywords
choose the destination page on your site and fine-tune it to match the goal of the
campaign. Incorporate any tracking mechanisms your metrics require. Above all,
make the connection between your ad and its destination page clear. Customers
singulars, and keywords similar or related to those on your core list. If available, mine
keyword lists from related campaigns and leverage keyword generation tools.
right place and that it is relevant to their search.
Refine your list by eliminating overbroad and ineffective keywords Regional advertisers
and niche businesses should avoid keywords so broad that they spill beyond the target. If
ertising on googl
consider your keywords and creative in the context of your overall campaign.
you occupy a limited niche or serve a local audience, your keywords should reflect that.
Are they consistent with the marketing objectives? Are they as specific and
relevant as possible? Does the messaging map back to the goal? Then launch
your campaign, gauge the results, and tune your keywords and creative for
maximum effectiveness.
Target the geography you serve Use geographic keywords to target a local or regional
Top 10 Optimisation Tips for Advertising on Google kindly supplied by Google
irrelevant pitches to search users in Johannesburg. You can also target your campaign by
Inc. For more information, visit www.google.com/adwords.
country and by language to help focus your message on your true audience.
Target ad delivery with keyword matching options Refine your targeting using keyword
matching options. Broad match, the default, displays your ad when all the words in your
keyword appear in the search query. Phrase match requires that the words appear in the
same sequence; exact match requires exactly that. Negative keywords exclude searches
for which your ad would be irrelevant and are useful in targeting ambiguous keywords:
untargeted phrases and make them negative keywords.
Google AdWords voucher Terms and Conditions:
Group your keywords intelligently Grouping keywords according to content clarifies
One promotional credit per customer. Promotional credit is available only to new Google AdWords customers whose accounts are less
possibilities for keyword expansion, helps streamline campaign management, and lets
than 14 days old at the time you enter your promotional code. Use of Google AdWords and redemption of the promotional credit is
subject to ad approval, valid registration and acceptance of then current Advertising Terms and Conditions and an account activation fee
you write specific, targeted ad creative for each group. Group keywords by category, by
(currently ZAR 50). The promotional credit will be automatically credited to your new Google AdWords account once you have entered
your promotional code and billing preferences. You will be charged for any advertising charges that exceed the promotional credit, and
you are solely responsible for the payment of any taxes incurred. If you do not wish to incur additional charges beyond the promotional
credit then you should monitor your account and pause or delete your campaign before or once this amount has been reached. The
promotional credit is non-transferable and may not be sold or bartered. If you indicate that your Google AdWords account should be
Check your keywords on Google Once you have a workable keyword list, give it a test
subject to a different currency to the one in which your promotional credit has been awarded, then the actual amount of the promotional
drive on Google. The search results should be similar in subject matter and content to
top 10 optimisation tips
credit may be subject to foreign currency fluctuations. Using American Express as a payment method on Google.co.za/ads, you can only
set up a campaign in USD. Offer may be changed or revoked at any time for any reason by Google Ireland Limited and/or any affiliated
company offering the AdWords service in your country. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Google and AdWords are trademarks
message to an audience that will find your site relevant.
of Google Inc. and are registered in the US and other countries. Your use of this voucher and/or the promotional credit constitutes your
acceptance of these terms and conditions.
8. social
of the history of this phenomenon, followed by the key terms and concepts
media for bookmarking and aggregating, for creating and sharing content,
social networks for connecting and blogging and podcasting for creating content
and opinion. We take at look at marketing using social media and how social
the trade, and of course we end with the pros and cons, a summary and a look
at how it all fits together.
introduction
Developers began creating tools that made it easier for anyone to start a blog. Blogger,
a popular blogging platform, was launched in August 1999 and acquired by Google in
jungle with no clear structure.
2003. In 2001, Wikipedia, probably the most well known wiki, was created.
The many facets of social media are also called Web 2.0, consumer generated media,
Technorati, which tracks blogs and tagged social media, launched in 2002. As of April
citizen media and new media. In fact, comparing social media to traditional media is
2008, Technorati was tracking 112.8 million blogs and noted in 2007 that 1.4 new blogs
probably the most useful way of defining what exactly this means.
were being created every second.
Most simply put, social media are media (from written to visual to audio to audio visual)
Social media is not just about blogging, though, and several platforms that made
that are designed to be shared. Sharing means that it is easy to comment on, that it is
sharing other kinds of content easier have come to the fore. Flickr, the online photo
easy to send, and that there are no high costs associated with viewing the media. And,
sharing tool, launched in February 2004 and was bought by Yahoo! in June 2005.
because of the connected nature of the Internet, it means that sharing, commenting
and viewing can all be tracked and measured.
By this stage, the social media buzzwords and neologisms were being picked up by
Traditional Media
Social Media
word of the year.
Fixed, unchangeable
Instantly updateable
Commentary limited and not real-time
Unlimited real-time commentary
key terms and concepts
Limited, time-delayed bestseller lists
Instant popularity gauge
Blog A blog is a type of web site that allows users (bloggers) to post entries on different topics and often
Archives poorly accessible
Archives accessible
allows readers to comment on these posts.
Limited media mix
All media can be mixed
Blogosphere The world of blogs, bloggers and blog posts.
Committee publishers
Individual publishers
Bookmarking Saving the web address of a web page or web site so that it may be easily referred to.
Infinite
Bookmarks can be managed with a browser, or with an online tool.
Sharing not encouraged
Sharing and participation encouraged
Chicklets In social media, chicklets are little buttons that makes it easy to share or save information
Control
Freedom
using social media services.
Crowdsourcing Harnessing the skills, talents and ideas of a broader community, usually through
The Internet, and the software developed to run on it, has made it simple for anyone
social media.
to publish and distribute. It has also made it simple for anyone to access the content
Flog A fake blog is known as a flog.
that has been published.
Folksonomy Categorisation or taxonomy based on social media tags.
The realm of social media is about collaboration, users generating content, sharing
well as audio clips and publishing them online, either to be viewed by anyone or by a restricted group
and, most of all, it is about connecting.
which can be chosen by the user.
Permalink A unique URL which points to the permanent location of a single blog post and its
associated comments and TrackBacks.
Blogs are probably the best known example of social media. One of the earliest online
Ping Packet Internet Groper - a utility that verifies a link or a connection to the Internet.
journals recorded was www.links.net, the online diary of Justin Hall, which he kept for
Social network In the online sense, this refers to a type of web site model where individual members
11 years from 1994 (Harmanci, 2005). From the very first days of the Internet, early
become part of a broader virtual community.
adopters used it to create personal content.
Tag In social media, tags indicate or label what content is about.
Taxonomy Classification and division into ordered categories, usually hierarchical. In social media,
taxonomy can refer to the categorization of content on the Internet.
TrackBack A mechanism used in a blog that shows a list of entries in other blogs that refer to a post
to the sidebar of his web site peterme.com:
on the first blog.
Vlog A video based blog, also called a video blog.
Wiki A simple web site that can be edited in real time by a number of users.
YouTube, the online video sharing web site, previewed in May 2005 and launched six
easy to access and user-friendly format. Now owned by Yahoo!, the primary function of
del.icio.us is to allow you to store all of your bookmarks online and then to allow you
which allows for users to share 140 character tweets, launched in October 2006.
to access those bookmarks from any computer anywhere in the world. del.icio.us is
more of a community based tool in comparison to the other social bookmarking tools
out there, as it allows others to see your bookmarks. Essentially it lets you identify
other people whose interests and concerns parallel yours and grants you access to all
of their bookmarks as well.
how it works
Check out del.icio.us/quirkemarketingtextbook to see some of the URLs we think are
Social media has changed the world we market in, and can be used as an integral part
relevant to your eMarketing studies and career.
Alexa is a service that
of an online marketing campaign. Social media is all about the ways that we create,
ranks the popularity of
connect and share online.
Digg (www.digg.com), Muti (www.muti.co.za) and Reddit (www.reddit.com) are sites
web sites. It is based on
the Internet habits of users
bookmarking and aggregating
where users submit content which other users can then vote on. Popularity, based
on votes, moves the submitted content up and down lists which are available on
of the Alexa toolbar as well
as the Quirk SearchStatus
these sites. Submitting and voting requires registration, but there are many, many
Firefox extension, so these
rankings are based on a
If there are web sites that you visit often, or that you would like to keep as a reference
percentage of the global
generating plenty of traffic each day.
Internet population.
you store the URL so that you can locate it again easily. It also gives you a personal
library of web sites that you can store on your computer.
Appearing on the top of these lists generates a huge increase in traffic for the content
sites, so much so that servers can crash if the leap in visitors is unexpected. Getting
Social bookmarking sites, however, allow you store these links online, use tags to
into the top listings is a prize eyed by many a marketer, but any attempt to manipulate
describe them and share these lists with other users. Some of these sites let you
listings usually backfires and can generate plenty of community backlash.
submit URLs that other users vote on, while others allow you to use the tags saved to
browse through the lists and libraries that have been generated.
The communities around these sites differ demographically, and this is reflected in the
content. For example, Digg has been technology focused, while Reddit tends to have
Web sites which want to encourage users to submit content to bookmarking and
more general news.
aggregating sites use chicklets. These are buttons placed around the content that
make it easier to submit and share the article.
Stumbleupon (www.stumbleupon.com) lets you explore the Web through your interests,
based on how other Web users tag content. Users select categories of interest and
Some Internet
These services allow you to see what the community of web users finds useful,
commentators refer to this
interesting or humorous. You are able to find other users with similar interests to
Web using the category of your choice. The service will randomly show you a web site
taxonomy as a folksonomy
- a way of categorising
yours, and explore the web sites that they have found that you might not have come
that has been submitted to that category.
content that the community
across yet.
creates, as opposed to
Stumbleupon allows users to explore the web based on the taxonomy applied by other
hierarchical categorisation
Social bookmarking allows like-minded people to share interesting and relevant content
users. Instead of looking to search engines for relevance, users are instead appealing
by a central body.
with one another easily. It can also be an excellent tool for members of a company or
to the knowledge of a community.
organisation to earmark relevant web sites and articles. Content submitted to a social
bookmarking or aggregating site can dramatically increase traffic to a web site, and
Technorati (www.technorati.com) started life as a real-time blog search engine but
expose the site to many new eyeballs.
has since evolved to incorporate other forms of user generated content including
images and videos. According to technorati.com/about, Technorati finds itself tracking
del.icio.us (del.icio.us) is a social bookmarking site which was created in 2003 by
over 112 million blogs and 250 million pieces of tagged social media as of early
Joshua Schacter and today boasts over 3 million users (Arrington, 2007). It was
2008. Internationally it is THE blog aggregator and an essential tool for anyone who
designed to be a site which would help Internet users organise online media in a quick,
operates online.
The key word here is free: there are no fees for joining, whether you are uploading
content or viewing content (although premium paid for memberships can allow you
tagged a post, the better chance it has of being picked up by a relevant search. Instead
further features). This means that these sites attract an enormous audience. In fact,
of contributors being separated into categories it is the content of each individual
according to Alexa rankings, YouTube is the second most visited site in the world!
Many of these services also encourage distribution of their content. YouTube allows
videos to be embedded easily into other web sites, and Flickr has generated a number
Technorati can also be used to keep tabs on Internet buzz, both to monitor online
of applications and widgets that allows the images to be shown all over the web (and
reputation and to see what trends are emerging.
even printed onto cards and stickers via www.moo.com).
bookmarking and aggregating as marketing tools
Most of these web sites rely on advertising to support the free services they offer and
Seeing how users categorise your content will give you an idea of how your web site
some have a premium paid for membership version which is without adverts.
and company are perceived by your audience. It might be remarkably different to what
you think they see you as. Look at what other web sites are tagged similarly. You might
video sharing
find new competitors, and possibly new ideas.
YouTube (www.youtube.com) is essentially a web site which, by using Flash technology,
allows users to upload, view and share videos with the rest of the connected world.
You can also use these services to share what other URLs your company finds
These videos can range from music, movie and television clips to homemade amateur
interesting. This can be a useful resource to add to an online press room, as well as a
videos and vlogs.
A vlog is a video blog.
utility that fanatics of your company would get really excited about.
YouTube has 60% of all online video viewers with up to 79 million viewers in an evening
To create link love and traffic, investigate what sort of content your target audience
(Yen, 2008) and over 65,000 videos uploaded every day. This makes it both the premier
loves voting for, and get creating that content. A word of warning: never do the
online video site and social video sharing site online. This implies that most video
consumption on the Web is already based on social media, and that there are over 130
these communities.
million online viewers of video overall (ibid, 2008). YouTube was acquired by Google in
Organic growth is the only way to go here. It might take time as you build your reputation
YouTube make it the second largest search engine.
and worth amongst the community, but the end result can be very worthwhile.
YouTube is a complex site offering numerous features, yet it is simple to use. While it is
As a content provider, make sure you have the appropriate chicklets added to your
possible for unregistered users to watch most of the publicly available videos, a quick,
content to make it easier to share.
straightforward registration process allows members to upload an unlimited number
of clips, comment on and add video responses to them and subscribe to content feeds
that catch their attention and interest. Frequently enhanced functionality and clever
features on YouTube continually push this site to deliver bigger and better services to
its ever-increasing user base.
Chicklets can be standard, like on www.gottaquirk.com on the left, or can be
adapted as www.timesonline.co.uk have done on the right.
Many marketers have adopted the opportunities afforded by YouTube. There are two
aspects of marketing through YouTube - self-promotion of people and products such
as music videos, movie previews, interviews, video-advertisements, and sponsored
adverts, supplied by Google AdWords.
YouTube may be the first content sharing site that comes to mind, but users share
images, audio and information as well as video. If it can be created, it can be shared.
YouTube has changed the way we view video adverts. Marketers, such as BMW, have
There are many sites that facilitate that sharing of videos, images and audio, and they
shown that if an advert is good enough, many people will choose to watch it. BMW
are exceptionally popular. From Flickr to YouTube, they have all tapped into the fact
has created a BMW South Africa channel on YouTube, and has uploaded many of
that we love to create content for others to view.
their adverts. One of them has been viewed over a million times since August 2006.
These are people who have chosen to watch this advert at a media cost of zero! Other
Essentially, a wiki is a piece of software which users can create and edit online, using
advertisers have realised that far longer adverts can be created and uploaded. As long
simple mark-up language via a web browser. They support hyperlinks and have a
as the content is good, there will be viewers. Time constraints are not the same as they
simple text syntax for creating new pages and links between internal pages. In its
are for TV networks.
most basic form, a wiki is a web site that supports user collaboration through a variety
of functions.
There are numerous types of wiki software available that share the following
characteristics:
Create and update documents: Wiki users have the ability to create and update
documents easily.
Review versions: Most wikis store each version of a document. This functionality
makes it easy for users to view the various modifications that a document has
undergone over time.
Community-oriented tools: Most wikis provide users with an ability to
engage in some form of discussion about the documents on which they
are collaborating.
Wikis can be open to all, such as Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org) and Wikitravel
(www.wikitravel.org); they can be open to or aimed at certain communities only, such
Savvy marketers also realise the potential of watching for organic mentions of their
as Geek Dinner attendees (geekdinner.pbwiki.com); or they can be private and open
setting up your own wiki,
brand, and then capitalising on this. An unknown teenage girl, with the YouTube
only to individuals within an organisation. Internal wikis are exceptionally useful for
www.pbwiki.com provides
free wikis and has a host of
account name Bowiechick, made a 75 second video clip about her break-up with
creating knowledge bases within organisations and companies.
features.
a boyfriend. While making the clip she played with some of the effects on her new
webcam, like putting ears on her head and a moustache on her face with its facial
tracking software. Three days after uploading the video, 178,000 people had seen
this video and 900 had commented on it. The comments had nothing to do with the
break up but with the Logitech webcam she had used in the video. Following this, the
(Sandoval, 2006).
The medium of online video sharing also means that conferences are able to generate
a far greater audience than ever before. The companies that sponsor or run these
conferences are able to engage with a larger audience by making freely available
excellent examples of organisations that increase interest by making their remarkable
presentations available for free.
WikiWikiWeb software in 1994 and installed it on the web site of his software consultancy
language.
A wiki can be edited by anyone who can access it!
Wikipedia: the most famous wiki of all
Wikis can be used when creating an event with a network. Encouraging users to
Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org) is a free, web-based, content encyclopaedia that is
interact allows them greater connection and ownership of the outcome, and provides
rated one of the top ten visited sites in the world. Originally created in 2001 by James
a means for ongoing communication.
Wales and Larry Sanger, this online encyclopaedia has received both praise and
criticism. Roughly 15 times the size of Encyclopaedia Britannica, with more than 9
million articles in over 250 languages, this encyclopaedia is increasing in size at an
exponential level (Wikipedia: About). However, with the increased adoption of this tool,
of the online community
criticism has also increased as to the validity of the definitions.
Idea Bounty
(www.ideabounty.com)
All definitions seen on Wikipedia are written by a collaborative team of volunteers
powerful and cost effective method of achieving business goals through the use of
is a perfect example of
from around the world. Anyone can submit a definition and these can then be edited
the masses. Simply put, business and corporates invite the public to submit ideas
crowdsourcing in action,
utilising a potentially
by anyone who has access to the Internet. This combination of contributors leads to
and innovations for new and existing products, in exchange for a once-off or a small
massive online global
a democratic way of including the most up to date information. Since definitions are
percentage of future royalties.
think tank in order to
reviewed frequently, it should decrease the amount of bias and inaccuracy, while
come up with innovative
building a unique social network with people of similar interests contributing.
Social media has spurred on this innovation, and has allowed the business world to tap
ideas according to briefs
into the consumer psyche with little financial outlay.
submitted by brands who
register on the site.
All Wikipedia definitions should also be referenced externally. Although anyone can
contribute to Wikipedia, there is a permission ranking system which has been instituted
to maintain the level of credibility that is associated with Wikipedia. Further measures
include a discussion tab on most articles where academics can question the validity of
the sources and its content.
Social networking refers to the forming and substantiating of online social networks
for communities of people. The communities are people who share interests and
Wikipedia articles tend to rank highly in the SERPs, so the allure of a link to your web
activities, or are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others. And
site from a relevant article is tempting indeed. Wikipedia has instituted a policy that all
to complete the definition of online social networking: the building of these social
that Wikipedia is indicating
networks requires the use of software.
to the search engines that
they do not necessarily
Wikipedia is a useful research tool. With so much information on the Internet, many
Social networking is all about using the tools of the Internet to connect and
endorse the web sites
users are starting to look at a human edited (as opposed to search engine algorithm
being linked to.
build relationships with others. Social networking sites such as Facebook
distilled) way to embark on research. For a company to be reachable via a link from
(www.facebook.com), MySpace (www.myspace.com) and LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com)
In 2007, Facebook
this research base can very traffic and reputation worthy.
allow users to create personal profiles and then interact with their connections through
launched Beacon, a
sharing media, sending messages and blogging. Not only do social networking sites
service that shared a
Companies should also take note of what is being written about them on Wikipedia,
allow you to interact with the members of your own virtual Rolodex, but they allow you
and make transparent efforts to correct information.
to extend beyond your personal network.
activities on select web
sites with their list of
content creating and sharing as a marketing tool
Facebook friends, and with
Facebook. This caused
Content sharing sites, from video to photos to music to knowledge, provide marketers
existing solely online. In the realm of social networking, it is unnecessary to have met
an outcry, as Facebook
with a snapshot of how users interact with and perceive their brand. Most of the
someone in order to connect with them.
users did not want to
sites have RSS feeds available, where marketers can keep a tab on mentions of
have freely available the
their brand.
Personal profile pages remove much of the anonymity of the Internet. Users of
list of purchases that
they had made. Facebook
social networks reveal a great deal of information about themselves, from basic
quickly amended the way
These sites and services allow marketers the opportunity to capitalise on the creativity
demographics such as age, gender and location, to nuanced and detailed lists of likes
Beacon works, but the fact
of their consumers to further amplify their brand. By making content easily available,
remains that they are able
and removing restrictions on use of that content, companies can nurture creative
to collect this data about
interactions that are likely to spread.
Users tend not to be aware of the data that is amassing regarding their online profile,
their users.
creating content and opinion
users are making available.
Social networks can be general, such as Facebook, or niche, such as LinkedIn or
discussion
Dopplr (www.dopplr.com). LinkedIn is a network for professionals. Members connect
Everyone has an opinion, and the Internet allows for everyone to share their opinion.
to others that they know professionally, and are able to recommend members that they
Blogs and podcasts have emerged as social media that are being embraced across the
Facebook profile likely to
Internet population.
differ from their LinkedIn
have worked with. Dopplr is a social network for frequent travellers. Members can
profile?
share their trips, and make plans to meet up when schedules overlap.
blogging
Many social networks, including Facebook, Orkut (www.orkut.com) and MySpace, have
A blog is a web site where entries (blog posts) are typically displayed in reverse
opened up their platform to outside developers, allowing the development of applications
chronological order. Technorati, a blog and social media tracking engine, defines a
for the members of the social networks. Generally, use of an application requires a
member to allow the application developer access to their personal information.
comments on blog posts. A typical blog will feature text, images and links to other
blogs and web sites related to the topic of the blog.
social networking as a tool for marketers
Social networks, free for their members, tend to rely on advertising for their revenue.
Blogs range from the personal to the political and everything in between. They can
Because of demographic information collected by the social networks, advertisers are
able to target their adverts to a particular audience.
immediate family and friends, and others rival leading newspapers in terms of reach
the right place for every
and readership. Blogs are mostly textual, but can comprise solely of images, videos,
company to be marketing
Applications are another way to market products. Creating a useful application that
audio or any combination of these.
in. First, determine if your
target market is using the
well as allowing a company to collect detailed information on their users. However,
According to Technorati data, there are over 175,000 new blogs created and over 1.6
social network, and next
determine if it is the right
although Facebook applications were the big marketing story of 2007, there are few
place to be marketing
The power of blogs is that they allow anyone to publish and share ideas, and anyone
Profiles are not limited to people. Bands, for example, have found immense success
can read and respond to these. They have given consumers and companies a voice and
with creating MySpace profiles for their band and using the profile as a means of
blogging has opened up a world of information sharing possibilities.
connecting with their current and potential fan base.
The basic elements of a blog post are:
www.facebook.com/pages/Quirk-eMarketing/6639858751.
unique URL, or permalink, for the blog post.
Marketers can also use social networks to identify how users are perceiving or
such as Technorati in categorising blog posts.
interacting with their brand, and open up new avenues of communication with them.
For example, if you are marketing a bar, look to see how many people are using a
social network to organise events at your bar. Find a way of rewarding those who are
below blog post.
bringing you extra customers.
Some other elements of a blog include:
Social networks are also an avenue for members to voice frustrations and annoyances,
and these should be closely watched by marketers to gauge sentiment.
used by the blogger.
Archives are usually categorised by date.
RSS readers can be integrated with an email client, can work offline or can be
Keeping up to date with the latest industry news.
online only. Some are free, and some are not. Look at your email client to see if
RSS stands for Really
Building relationships with other bloggers in the community.
Simple Syndication and
you can set one up there, or try www.bloglines.com, www.google.com/reader or
Commenting on other blogs
allows for information
www.feeddemon.com. Find the one with the features that suit your needs.
to be syndicated, well,
For corporate blogs, it is important to outline a strategy and establish guidelines before
simply. It means that
RSS readers are a useful way to keep up to date with blogs, as most supply an RSS feed
starting the blog, especially as there will most likely be a number of contributors.
instead of you visiting
of their posts. Still confused? Take a look at commoncraft.com/rss_plain_english.]
various web sites for
Transparency and honesty are important, but companies need also to be aware of
updates and information,
information is packaged
Whether blogging as an individual or a company, there is plenty to be gained from the
defined to the parties involved. While certain topics can be restricted, ultimately the
and sent to your RSS
process. You can:
bloggers should be granted the freedom to express both negative and positive points
reader. Information is
Create an online identity.
of view about the approved topics.
supplied by web sites in
Create a voice for yourself or your company.
a standard feed format,
Promote engagement with your audience
and your RSS reader
Positive claims are more believable if the blogger is able to express negative views as
knows how to turn that
Create a community.
well. For example, Robert Scoble in his popular blog www.scobleizer.com admitted
into something that makes
sense to you. As soon as
blogging and SEO
was an employee of Microsoft at the time. This honesty gave him a credible voice, and
an RSS feed is updated, i.e.
Search engines value regular, fresh content, and by blogging you can create just that.
so his positive views on Microsoft are respected by the community.
new information is added,
The more you post, the more often search engines will spider your site, looking for
it appears in your RSS
reader.
additional, relevant content. Basing your blog on your keyword strategy created in the
Corporate blog content should be:
SEO process can also aid your web site in ranking for those key phrases. Blogs, by their
Industry relevant
social nature, can also increase the incoming links to your web site.
Appealing to your target market
Transparent and honest
Using a blog platform that has been designed to be search engine friendly is crucial
Personal and entertaining
to harnessing the SEO power of blogging. Some features of SEO-friendly blogging
software include:
Posted regularly
Each blog post should be assigned a unique page which can be easily
accessed and indexed by the search engines. This is called a permalink.
promoting blogs
Pages should be able to be tagged with keywords relevant to your SEO
strategy.
blogs will still be active by the end of the year - in fact only 55% of blogs make it past
Each post should be able to have its own unique meta data (title, description
the first three months (Sifry, 2006). Longevity rests in the hands of the blogger, but
and key phrases).
here are some tips to raise the profile of a blog:
Social bookmarking functionality should be built in.
engines, many Internet users do in fact visit them while looking for
corporate blogging
dirhp)and BlogCatalog (www.blogcatalog.com).
with staff, investors, industry members, journalists and prospective customers.
Ping web services with updated content: Sites like Ping-o-Matic
Blogging also helps to foster a community around a brand, and provides an opportunity
(pingomatic.com) and Feed Shark (feedshark.brainbliss.com) offer a service
to garner immediate feedback on developments. This is an audience made up of players
whereby they ping multiple web services, blog directories and search engines
key to the success of a company: that makes it important to get blogging right.
to let them know that a blog has fresh content.
Use TrackBacks: If a blogger writes a new entry commenting on, or
Generally the tasks that a blogger undertakes include:
referring to, an entry on your blog, and both blogging tools support the
Writing posts.
TrackBack protocol, then the commenting blogger can notify your blog with a
Replying to comments from readers.
Monitoring other blogs within the industry.
links to, all the commenting entries below the original entry. This allows for
conversations spanning several blogs that readers can easily follow.
of community.
Make use of aggregators: Examples of aggregators include Technorati,
Amatomu and Afrigator.
Use traffic generating tools like MyBlogLog: The MyBlogLog
(www.mybloglog.com) widget allows you to see who in the MyBlogLog
community has visited your site and they can see if you have visited their site
in return. Bloggers will more often than not click through to your site from
this widget, as they are interested in learning more about who is reading their
blog. If they like what they see when they get there, they may become regular
readers.
microblogging
Microblogging is a form of blogging that allows a user to publish short text updates,
usually limited to 200 characters that can be viewed by anyone or restricted to a
specified community as specified by the micro-blogger. This can be accomplished
using various communication tools such as Instant Messaging (IM), via the web, text
messaging on your mobile phone, even a Facebook application. Microblogging can
also refer to the publishing of short posts using a limited number of images, audio or
video files. Currently, the most popular text micro-blogging service is called Twitter
(www.twitter.com), which was launched in July 2006. Other similar sites includes
the likes of Jaiku (www.jaiku.com), Identi.ca (www.identi.ca), as well as Yammer
(www.yammer.com). Examples of rich media based microblogs include Tumblr
(www.tumblr.com), Streem (www.streem.us) and Soup (www.soup.io). On Twitter,
posts are called tweets and are limited to 140 characters. Despite frequent disruptions
A Twitter feed, appearing at www.twitter.com/robstokes.
or URLs to interesting articles.
Above are some guidelines for corporate blogging, but marketers do not need to be
Twitter has also become massively popular due to the nature of its immediacy. Major
bloggers to use this tool. As with all other social media, blogs provide a snapshot
news events such as the Mumbai attacks in November 2008 were extensively covered
of audience sentiment regarding a brand. Marketers can also listen to blog activity
by Twitterers, and breaking news can also regularly be found here first. A year on year
around competitors in order to gain market insights.
increase by 600% to 3.5 million visitors. Twitter has entered the mainstream, with
Although blogging is the best way to respond to and engage with bloggers, companies
public figures such as Barack Obama (www.twitter.com/barackobama) and Britney
can also interact with bloggers by commenting on relevant posts. Demonstrating the
Spears (www.twitter.com/britneyspears) having set up accounts.
capacity to listen to bloggers, and then responding using the same medium, can reap
tremendous benefits with this community.
blogs as a marketing tool: listen and engage
Blogs are powerful because of their reach, their archives (information is seldom
podcasting
deleted and is thus available long after it has been posted) and the trust that other
A podcast is a digital radio (or video) programme downloadable from the internet.
consumers place in them. For a marketer, they present opportunities to learn how
others perceive your brand and to engage with your audience. Some brands get this
right; some get it wrong.
Oxford American dictionary. Podcasts started as audio blogs. People then figured out a
way of distributing them using the same RSS feeds that were being used to distribute
podcasts as a marketing tool
blog post information. It was then possible to subscribe to a podcast as one would a
Podcasts offer an incredible opportunity for marketers. The bottom line is that you
blog. Suddenly you could listen to a whole range of programmes and voices whenever
now have a way of getting content to your target markets without having to persuade a
and wherever you wanted. It was radio without a station telling what you could hear
media channel to carry it or to pay huge advertising rates.
and when. Just as blogs have allowed people to become writers without having to deal
Podcasts are:
with a media channel controlled by someone else, podcasting has allowed anyone who
fancies it to become a broadcaster.
it to a specific target market.
any podcast you subscribe to is automatically downloaded every time you log on.
Most people use iTunes. Go to http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/ for loads more
information on podcasting and a huge list of available podcasts. You can listen on your
the comments, you are actually having a conversation with your market.
to have an iPod to listen, the name came from the fact that the iPod was taking off at
Relatively inexpensive.
are usually free.
However, the content must be:
Creating a podcast
unsubscribe as it is to subscribe. Quality content is what keeps listeners
Podcasts are usually recorded and edited using home equipment and done for the
coming back.
Go and have a look at Paul
or Quicktime Pro. These packages make it quite simple to record, mix and format the
embedded in a web site, there is no point at all in producing an audio version
(www.paulcolligan.com).
audio files correctly. Just like bloggers, though, many podcasters are trying to figure
of a company brochure as a regular podcast. Consumers are losing faith in
out ways of making money from their podcasts and turning listeners into revenue.
he knows how you can make
the content of traditional media. Even if editorial is not actually paid for, a lot
money via podcasting.
of the time it has been influenced in some way by advertisers. Although there
A lot of people are producing music podcasts. This has meant a huge move to
are podcasts that carry adverts, people can fast forward straight past them
circumvent traditional rights issues about downloading music from the Internet. There
and the chance of real success lies in branded content.
This is not about advertising or even just product information. It is about coming up
want their music to be available via the net for all who want to hear it.
with ideas for real programmes that, through informing or entertaining, enhance your
Radio stations have realised that they have a whole new way of using their content.
They began packaging their output so that fans could listen to their favourite shows
whenever they wanted to (without the music). The BBC is awash with podcasts
social media and marketing:
(www.bbc.co.uk/podcast). In South Africa, 5Fm was the first station to use them. Now
rules of engagement
became the first example
of a BBC local radio
East Coast Radio.
programme to enter the
Social media implies a democratisation of information, and requires authenticity and
podcast arena. The Naked
openness from those who would deliberately use it for marketing. Relying on the
Scientists has since gone
Educators and teaching institutions have latched on to podcasting as a way of
connected Internet, it means that good stories as well as bad stories spread and stick
on to become one of the
sharing content and providing tuition for learners who cannot be present at lectures
around. Jeff Jarvis may have had problems with Dell in 2005, but you can easily find all
most downloaded science
or tutorials.
podcasts internationally,
relevant communication with a quick Google search.
returning a larger
The corporate world is also realising that podcasting can add huge value to their
audience via podcast than
Although engaging publicly with a wide audience, marketers need to remember that
the live aired programme.
they are communicating with individuals. While marketers should engage in the
www.thenakedscientists.com
conversation, and can lead it, they cannot control it.
marketing to content creators
the benefits of social media
The influence of bloggers means that they should form a part of any PR strategy (see
to marketers
the WebPR chapter for further details).
People are finding it easier to switch off or ignore traditional advertising,
Supply content creators with the tools and resources so that they can easily talk about
particularly through traditional media environments such as TV or radio.
your product.
Social media gives brands the opportunity to interact with customers
marketing to content consumers
through targeted communications which customers can choose to engage
with on their terms. For example a consumer may visit a branded YouTube
Social media allows anyone to have a say, and the same tools that are available to
channel as opposed to deliberately ignoring advert breaks on television.
individuals are available to companies. Company blogs allow a brand to build a
personality and to interact with its target market. Entertainment created and spread
like the content they will share it with their communities.
via social media increases brand touch points. Using the same channels that are
Social media allows you to create an online community for your brand and its
available to your consumer aids in understanding the consumer, and evens the plane
supporters.
of conversation.
Social media can tie in nicely with any of your other online marketing tactics
- a holistic eMarketing strategy is always the best strategy.
When using social media to reach out to content consumers, go to where your
Social media allows you to engage with an online community and allows you
consumers are. The media used is dictated by your users.
to connect your brand to the appropriate audience.
Social media has created a forum for brand evangelists. Companies should
For example, a nightclub for students can create a Facebook group to advertise its
embrace as well as monitor this as users with negative opinions of your
weekly specials, and interact with fans, while Land Rover enthusiasts would probably
brand have access to the same forum.
be more comfortable with a forum.
The various platforms allow you to access a community with similar interests
to your own - networking without borders.
With all interactions, marketing messages need to be labelled as marketing messages,
The numerous interactions allow you to garner feedback from your
with a disclaimer added if necessary. Trying to hide them as something else will only
communities.
decrease authenticity.
Feedback from social media sites helps drive both future business as well as
marketing strategies.
marketing to content sharers
Content sharers are content consumers who also pass your message on, whether by
dislikes, behaviour etc. Never before has this much information been
using chat or email, or by sharing a link on a blog or submitting your content to a
available to marketers - market research just got a whole lot cheaper.
bookmarking or aggregating service. They are a crucial link in the chain that passes
Niche targeting just got a whole lot easier!
your message around. Make it as easy as possible for sharers to share by using
chicklets and unique and easy to read URLs.
There are huge risks as well as opportunities. Social media facilitates a two-way
conversation between customer and company. This necessitates that the company
advertising on social media platforms
While marketers can use the tools of social media to convey their message, also
audience.
important are the user characteristics that define a social media web site. Social media
allows users to express themselves, and this means that demographic information can
be compiled to allow for more useful and targeted advertising. This presents many
social media has changed
opportunities for targeting advertising, and for finding creative ways to reach an advert
the traditional media landscape
fatigued demographic.
To keep up with their audiences, traditional media have had to adapt. This has
changed the way that they publish, both online and off, as well as how they can
sell advertising.
summary
For example, many newspapers now publish their content online as well as in their
Social media is also known as consumer generated media and it refers to the creation
print publications. Online, they can allow for instant commentary on their articles. It
and sharing of content by consumers on the Internet. It has allowed a democratisation
allows an instant snapshot of what their readers think, which can then be used to
of the Internet, where all Internet users now also have the opportunity to be creators
make editorial decisions. Print stories can be supplemented online with video, and this
as well as consumers of content.
has been embraced by many news organisations. Visit www.thetimes.co.za to see how
one newspaper is using video online.
Social media refers to the online technology platforms that allow users to:
Bookmark and aggregate content.
As mentioned, TV adverts can be placed online for free via channels such as YouTube.
Create and share content.
This opens adverts to a new audience, and allows for adverts that can be created
without the restrictions of television. Adverts can be extended, and now additional
footage can become as important as the advert. Quality adverts are voluntarily and
Most social media services are free to all participants and rely on advertising for
deliberately viewed, as opposed to deliberately ignored.
revenue. Social media provides targeted demographic information to advertisers
looking to direct their advertising.
tools of the trade
As a creator of content, there are a plethora of platforms for the budding social media
the bigger picture
enthusiast. Throughout the chapter, we have listed the URLs for some of the most
how it all fits together
popular services, most of which are free.
Social media can have SEO benefits for a web site, particularly when a company
Instead of going back through the chapter, visit del.icio.us/quirkemarketingtextbook.
engages in the various social media. By using the services of social media, either to
Use the tags to navigate to the social media tools you need to get started.
create or share content, web sites can attract links, all helping to enhance search
pros and cons
engine rankings. Companies can also use their SEO keyword strategy to focus their
social media efforts.
Social media allows marketers insights into their demographic and the chance to
Social media can provide a targeted network for online advertising, allowing detailed
engage with their audience in a channel selected, and preferred, by the audience.
demographic information to play a role in media planning and buying. Companies
can also make use of the increased engagement of consumers to create engaging
It allows marketers to capitalise on the creativity of their consumers to spread their
advertising for these mediums, such as advertising within videos and social network
message further, often at very low costs.
applications, or merely making use of increased time on page metrics to create more
intricate advertising.
Lastly, social media provide avenues for establishing direct, personal contact on a
level not available to traditional marketing campaigns.
Affiliates often use the new opportunities presented by social media to find new avenues
for targeted traffic, resulting in revenue growth for the company being marketed
However, companies need also be aware that bad messages spread as well as good
ones, and the connectedness that can prove so useful can also be a conduit for negative
messages to be distributed.
Social media play a crucial role in viral marketing, due to the large, connected
audience; in online reputation management (ORM), due to the way that users talk
This new landscape is one in which the customer really is king, and any attempt to
about brands; and in WebPR. Social media are used to express opinion, and so are
dethrone the king can have dire consequences. Efforts to control the conversation in
the bedrock of ORM. Any company or brand that is hoping to communicate to this
social media are soon found out, can backfire horribly.
connected audience, needs to learn to listen to social media. ORM is all about the tools
of listening, and using social media to guide the conversation.
Any company embarking on a social media strategy needs to be sure to monitor their
reputation online. It is crucial to know what is being said in order to be able to respond
Viral marketing, online reputation management and WebPR are expanded on in the
and communicate in the social media sphere.
following chapters.
case study: FNB and Idea Bounty
In the case of FNB, crowdsourcing, supported by social media, resulted in substantial PR value and an excess
of ideas from which to choose, as well as the successful integration of consumers into the company. Their use
of Idea Bounty allowed for the growth of brand awareness and close relationships with a large prospective
Top 100 index, with First National Bank (FNB) its retail and
client base.
commercial banking brand. FNB employs 25 000 people in
South Africa and serves over 6 million customers.
First National Bank: www.fnb.co.za
Idea Bounty: www.ideabounty.com
The nature of banking in South Africa is rapidly changing though and FNB is striving to remain at the forefront
of social developments with progressive marketing and advertising strategies. One of the early adopters of
holistic eMarketing in the finance sector, FNB is a proponent of social media as a way to reach their consumers
case study questions
and engage with them. FNB uses Facebook as a way to communicate with its community of clients and fans, as
well as having pages that promote FNB sponsored events such as the FNB Whiskey Live Festival. These groups
How do you think institutions such as banks can make use of social media? How would they measure
inform consumers about promotions, events and happenings within the financial services industry, allowing two
success?
way communication and a high level of consumer engagement.
What do you think some of the challenges are for bank when it comes to the social media channel?
What are the benefits of crowdsourcing to an organisation such as FNB?
In October 2008, a segment of FNB, FNB Premier Banking, took their commitment to social media one step
further: the bank committed itself to a rapidly growing social media tactic known as crowdsourcing through
the newly launched social think tank Idea Bounty (www.ideabounty.com). In contrast to the traditional agency
model in which creative output is paid for in accordance with the amount of resources assigned to the project,
chapter questions
Idea Bounty opens up advertising briefs to the global community, allowing anyone, anywhere to come up with
the most creative solution. Brands then pay for the idea that they like the best, though if no idea is up to scratch,
Visit www.timesonline.co.uk. List the ways that this print publication is embracing social media.
Why is transparency so important to marketing using social media? Has this halted or accelerated the
use of social media for marketing?
What is the difference between advertising using social media and marketing using social media?
What are the benefits of social media to each, and what are the challenges?
references
Alexa (April 2 2008)
www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/digg.com,
Alexa, [accessed 2 April 2008]
Alexa (April 2 2008)
www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details/youtube.com,
Premier Banking clients. The campaign was promoted through a number of on- and offline channels, with a
Alexa, [accessed 2 April 2008]
heavy emphasis on social media. This holistic approach meant that FNB promoted their involvement through
discussions on their fan page and through channels such as Twitter, with the support of the Idea Bounty team,
Arrington, M. (September 6 2007) Exclusive: Screen Shots and Feature Overview of Delicious 2.0 Preview,
who use their blog, Facebook and Twitter to drive conversation around this creative strategy.
www.techcrunch.com/2007/09/06/exclusive-screen-shots-and-feature-overview-of-delicious-20-preview,
TechCrunch [accessed 2 April 2008]
While The FNB brief was live, over 800 creatives registered on the Idea Bounty site. Out of these, 130 ideas were
Comscore Press Release (8 February 2008) U.S. Internet Users Viewed 10 Billion Videos Online in Record-
submitted in response to the brief. During the campaign, the site was visited over 7000 times, and the online
Breaking Month of December, According to comScore Video Metrix,
community was kept very busy, talking about FNB, proving that word of mouth spreads fast and social media
engagement is contagious and has the potential to amass great creativity.
[accessed 27 May 2008]
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Merholz, P. (17 May 2002) Play With Your Words,
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Sifry, D. (April 17, 2006) State of the Blogosphere, April 2006 Part 1: On Blogosphere Growth,
www.sifry.com/alerts/archives/000432.html,
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technorati.com/about,
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CNN Money: Fortune, [accessed 2 April 2008]
further reading
term followed by key terms and concepts. In how it works there are a couple
of short case studies to look at viral marketing in action, and we then look at
www.gottaquirk.com
the steps required when you are preparing to go viral. With a viral campaign
launched, now what? shows you how to be prepared, and we look at astroturfing.
www.mashable.com
There is a summary of the chapter, and the bigger picture shows how viral
marketing fits into the marketing mix.
introduction
key terms and concepts
ARG Alternative Reality Game - a game that takes place in both the real world and in a fantasy world,
chapter, you learned some of the ways that marketers can tap into the media that
and usually involves an online component.
Astroturfing Covert and manipulative use of word of mouth.
of mouth marketing, and online that same message can be passed on through
Brand awareness A measure of how quickly a brand is called to mind.
social media.
Buzz Online excitement and word of mouth is referred to as buzz.
Call to action
Viral marketing is a form of word of mouth marketing which aims to result in a message
Copy that encourages users to take a particular action.
spreading exponentially. It takes its name from a virus, because of the similarities that
Exponential growth If growth more than doubles with each iteration, it is exponential.
marketers aim to emulate:
Mashup When content from two or more sources is combined.
Pass on To share content with another person.
It is easily passed on.
Seed The process of initiating a viral campaign through strategic online placement.
Seed audience The initial audience from which viral growth starts.
Viral marketing campaigns can have other similarities with a virus. Viruses often
spread by masking their true intentions. Some viral marketing campaigns are similar
Word of mouse Word of mouth is sometimes referred to as word of mouse online.
Word of mouth Information that is passed between people, as opposed to messages from a
nature of people to spread, and so do viral marketing campaigns.
company to people.
Viral marketing campaigns are not as easy as they may appear. They require careful
preparation, and a little bit of luck..
how it works
history
Viral growth occurs when a message is spread exponentially. Viral marketing
campaigns work when a message is spread exponentially and it results in a desired
outcome for a brand. Viral marketing utilises electronic means to spread messages. It
harnesses the electronic connectivity of individuals to ensure marketing messages are
referred from one person to another.
developed, so have the electronic tools for passing on information.
Viral marketing campaigns can be tricky and unpredictable. However, the lure of
Word of mouth has existed as long as there have been words and mouths, but it is a
exponential growth, at a very low marginal cost, means that they are being attempted
fairly recent phenomenon in the world of marketing. Positive word of mouth can have
more often.
a tremendous impact on a brand, and can take up little to nothing of the marketing
MSN Hotmail: from zero to 30 million
tricky and unpredictable.
MSN Hotmail, the webmail service purchased by Microsoft, grew to 30 million members
As the connected nature of the Internet has allowed for easier spreading and tracking
attributed to the sign-up link that was in the footer of every email sent with the service.
of word of mouth information, it has become possible to see how this can be modelled
When the company launched, every outgoing message from this platform contained an
on the spread of a virus in a population.
advertisement for Hotmail and a link to its web site at the bottom of the email. As people
emailed their friends and colleagues, they were also advertising the service. Recipients
could simply click on the link and sign themselves up, and as they continued to email
friends from their new account, the message spread within existing social networks and
was passed along with little effort from the company. Hotmail went from zero to 30 million
users within the first 3 years and today has over 260 million users worldwide.
There are two types of viral marketing campaigns:
Viral campaigns can also drive direct response, from newsletter sign-ups, to
Organic or in the wild campaigns
collaboration on consumer generated media, to purchases that can be directly
Amplified or controlled campaigns
correlated to the campaign.
organic viral marketing
Stormhoek and Threshers: a voucher frenzy
Organic or in the wild viral campaigns grow with little or no input from the marketer.
Threshers is a off-licence chain in the UK. Stormhoek, a South African winery, is one
Sometimes, a message is passed around in a viral nature without any intention from
of the brands that they sell. In November 2006, Threshers put a voucher on its web site
the marketer. Usually this happens with negative messages about a brand, but can
offering 40% off all wines and champagnes between 30 November and 10 December.
also be a happy coincidence for a brand if the message is positive.
Stormhoek, who had a large following online through their blog www.stormhoek.com,
Organic word of mouth is credited with the sudden increase in the popularity of Hush
MacLeod, a partner in the winery who was also working with Stormhoek on their online
Puppies shoes in the mid 1990s. Word of mouth increased sales from an all time low of
strategy, also posted the voucher to his popular blog, www.gapingvoid.com.
30,000 in 1994, to 430,000 in 1995 and four times that the following year.
On Monday 27 November there were 37,000 downloads of the voucher, Tuesday saw
This is an example of an organic viral campaign:
56,000 downloads, and on Friday 1 December, the day the promotion started, the voucher
It was not planned (though it was very welcomed!) by Hush Puppies
was downloaded 715,000 times.
Participants made an active choice to pass on the message
When successful, this type of campaign can build tremendous brand equity at a
marginal cost. Because the communication takes place directly between consumers,
the marketer has to be prepared to let go of their brand so that the message and flow
of communications is not restricted. This is vital in ensuring the viral campaign is a
success as people are more likely to try a new product or fulfil the campaign goal if
their friend or trusted source referred them.
controlled viral marketing
Amplified or controlled campaigns have been strategically planned, have defined goals
for the brand being marketed, and usually have a distinct method of passing on the
message (that can be tracked and quantified by the marketer).
The Hotmail example above is a controlled campaign:
By 5 December, the voucher had been downloaded 3.5 million times. BBC News reported
The goal was to grow membership
The emails being sent were automatically passing on the message
offer, Threshers reported a 60% increase in weekend sales, with many stores selling one
A viral campaign can be an important part of an eMarketing strategy. Viral marketing
in some shops.
campaigns contribute in a number of ways:
With correct planning, a viral campaign can providing plenty of link love for
The Threshers web site (www.threshergroup.com) saw 30,000 downloads of the voucher,
your SEO strategy. Campaigns should be built with that in mind. While there
about 1% of the total downloads. Stormhoek found that being at the centre of a viral
might be a microsite created for the viral campaign, ensure that it is easy to
marketing phenomenon saw branding and sales increase. As well as resulting in television
link to the main web site.
and print press mentions, sales of Stormhoek wines increased at other stores as well and
It can be difficult to measure brand awareness, but this is usually the chief aim
not just at Threshers. There was no promotion or discount at the other stores.
of any viral campaign. Bear that in mind, and make sure that the campaign is
targeting the right demographic, and that branding is clear without detracting
Stormhoek has won awards for its innovative use of social media to disrupt the wine
from the social nature of a viral campaign.
market and increase wine sales, and Christmas 2006 saw that happen once again.
preparing to go viral
Using controversial or enticing names for viral content makes it more likely that your
audience will want to investigate further. For videos, thumbnails are exceptionally
Viral campaigns are unpredictable. As the market becomes saturated with more
important in enticing visitors to hit the play button.
campaigns competing for attention, it is increasingly difficult for marketers to ensure
a hit. However, careful planning means that you are ready when your campaign takes
3. Make your content easy to share
off. Careful planning also means that you have given the campaign the best chance
of success.
The easier a message is to pass on, the more likely it will be passed on. Emails should
1. Define the aims of the campaign, and how you will measure success
A video created by your department and watched by millions of people on the Internet
Viral marketers can make use of existing social media, both as an environment in
is certainly an attractive proposition, but if it does nothing to contribute towards your
which to host your message, and a means to share your message. Using a popular
business goals, it is a fun but pointless exercise. Can this medium reach your target
video hosting site, such as YouTube, for a viral video makes it easy for users to embed
market?
the video onto their own sites, for example.
Determine if your campaign will be aimed at building brand awareness, driving traffic
For best response, personalise emails automated by the sharing process (with subject
to your web site, growing anticipation for a new product, building lots of SEO links or
making sure customers make a purchase right away. Viral campaigns should always
SEO practice, tell users how to link to your content.
should try to influence the anchor text being used.
4. Make it as simple as possible for users to get involved
2. Plan a message or content that users want to share
For campaigns that require interaction, it should be as easy as possible for users to
sign-up and get interacting. Lengthy sign-up forms asking for lots of information will
On the Internet, there is a lot going on. For a campaign to be worthy of sending on, it
slow and can even halt your campaign.
has to stand out from the clutter. You need to be original.
5. Be authentic and transparent
Make something scarce
Make something free and abundant
see the attempt blowing up in their faces. Studies have shown that branding does not
Be very interesting
have a significant detrimental effect to the contagious nature of a viral campaign.
Be very informative
A mashup is when content
Be very educational
from two or more sources
6. Provide an incentive for sharing and interacting
Be very unusual
is combined. Search for
Be a little cryptic
The greatest incentive for users sharing your content is social currency: create
watch some examples
something that they want to share. People like to be seen by their friends and
Create something users want to copy
colleagues as resourceful, caring or humorous, and the content you create should tie
Present the tools for a mashup
in with those values. Tailoring your content for your target market will give you even
better results.
Burger King created the web site Subservient Chicken (www.subservientchicken.com),
where anyone could tell a man dressed up in a chicken suit what to do. It is very funny,
Incentive can be financial: a gift voucher for every 5 friends the campaign is sent to.
and quite bizarre. It got a lot of traffic. Hotmail made their email service available to
Or, users could be entered into a competition for every 10 friends they refer. However,
anyone. Gmail, when launching, made it invite only, and ensured that the invites were
scarce. People talked about both services a lot.
currency works for a brand too; it will increase their brand equity.
7. Make the message available
ARGs are often used
TubeMogul (www.tubemogul.com) and VidMetrix (www.vidmetrix.com) both provide
successfully as viral
tracking and audience analysis for online videos.
marketing campaigns.
Sophisticated ARGs (alternative reality games) usually involve hiding messages and
One prominent successful
making them cryptic, but for the most part, marketers want their campaign to be
10. Get lucky
campaign was I Love Bees
very available. Research your target market, and make sure that they can access your
for the launch of Halo 2.
campaign easily based on their usual online habits.
Do a quick search online
Careful planning and great content with an enticing incentive should all result in a
campaign that is successful. A little bit of luck is usually required for a campaign to fly.
With any successful campaign, the spread of the message can usually be traced to
several core influencers: those people responsible for the viral growth. Influencers
tend to affect a large number of people, either by sending the message to lots of
people, or causing lots of people to want to emulate them. However, influencers are
difficult to identify prior to success, and so seeding a campaign should attract as large
an audience as possible.
Be aware, as well, that editorial mentions in traditional media can also create a
huge amount of traffic for a campaign, so press releases still need to be part of the
seeding process.
Using forums and inciting blog comments can all help to get content out there.
8. Use a strong call to action
Viral Marketing uses communities to broadcast your message
Be sure that the medium does not eclipse your message. If you have taken the time to
create compelling and engaging content, make the most of the interaction you have with
a potential customer. Be very clear about the action you want the user to take next:
Send this video to a friend.
now what?
Forward to a friend.
With a viral campaign flying around the connected Internet, a company should be ready
to capitalise on the benefits of the campaign.
9. Track and analyse, and optimise
be prepared for the traffic
Monitor interactions with your brand from consumers, so you can see growth and
Anticipate wild success and ensure that the server can cope with the additional traffic.
response. Make sure you are aware of the many ways that users could be talking about
Nothing will kill a campaign faster than it being unavailable, and this has happened
you. The chapter on online reputation management provides guidelines for the process
countless times.
of listening online. If the campaign is growing, but the message is not as intended,
there might need to be some adjustments made.
Ensure that all parties know about the viral marketing campaign, so that they can
be prepared for any feedback that arises from this. If there is a cryptic element
Analyse what elements of the campaign work, so that when the next one is launched,
involved, or information that should not be released, ensure that all employees know
these can be optimised.
about this.
Tracking software ForwardTrack (forwardtrack.eyebeamresearch.org) shows the
If the campaign is to increase sales, be sure that there is sufficient stock in place.
geographical spread of a campaign over time, and also lets participants see the spread
of the campaign. This tracking solution can become a part of the marketing of the
viral message.
start relationships
With millions of people being exposed to a brand, a company should plan to make the
Viral marketing campaigns can be unpredictable, but careful planning can go a long
most of this first contact. As well providing all the tools to send a campaign on, a well
way to ensuring success.
planned campaign will also ask their audience permission to keep in touch with them.
Build on the nature of the campaign, and ensure that future communications are not
Define the aims of the campaign and determine how success will be
far removed from the viral campaign.
measured.
Create something that people want to share.
prepare a marketing success report
Use social media to ensure that content is easy to share.
Consider the additional traffic and traction if the campaign becomes a case study,
Remove all barriers to participation.
archived and accessed by marketers, journalists and other interested parties. Make
Be authentic.
the most of this additional latent traffic avenue by preparing useful case studies,
Provide incentives.
screenshots and contact details. Even though the viral marketing campaign may be
Make the message available.
over, make sure it appears in online conversations and continues to generate traffic
Use a strong call to action.
and links for your company.
Track, analyse and optimise.
10. Get a little lucky.
If possible, keep relevant web sites up and running, and games still available once a
campaign has finished.
Campaigns that experience rapid exponential growth (go viral) can reach a large audience
in a short space of time at a very low cost, making viral marketing very attractive.
getting it wrong: astroturfing
the bigger picture
can also be a viral campaign killer.
Successful viral marketing relies on a solid understanding of social media. Most
viral marketing messages are hosted, shared and even created with the tools of
Astroturfing usually occurs in the seeding period of a campaign. Employees may
social media.
use fake names to try to seed a campaign on forums, in blog comments and through
services such as Digg (www.digg.com). Communities are quick to pick up on false
Viral marketing campaigns can increase the links to a web site, and can therefore be a
commentary, and this can be disastrous for a campaign. As with all social media
valuable SEO resource and tactic. Using SEO knowledge, the campaign can be created
interactions, transparency and authenticity can be far better for traction.
so as to maximise the value of those links.
summary
Email marketing can be turned into potential viral marketing with the simple addition
Viral campaigns can be seeded in a number of ways, including online advertising, to
of mouth. People with similar interests, needs and lifestyles tend to pass on and share
ensure maximum audience.
interesting and entertaining content.
ORM provides plenty of tools for establishing the success and reach of viral campaigns.
When sponsored by a brand, the message builds awareness of a product or service and
can provide qualified prospects for the organisation to pursue.
case study: Firebox.com and Speedy Santa
case study questions
Firebox.com, a leading UK gifts and gadgets etailer, briefed agency Inbox.co.uk to create the most popular
Why do you think leader boards were an important contributing factor to the success of this campaign?
Christmas viral of December 2004. The viral concept also needed to drive traffic to the Firebox.com site to boost
How did Firebox.com capitalise on the success of the game?
sales of toys and gadgets. Inbox.co.uk created an addictive game based on a simple idea: drag Santa around his
How was the game suited to its target audience and time of year?
Lapland track in the quickest time.
Players were given a global position at the end of each lap, and every player who completed a lap of the Firebox
chapter questions
The hook: a system of private leagues was devised where players could invite four friends or colleagues to join a
Using the right medium to reach your audience is important. How does the Threshers voucher case
leader board. Everyone in that league was emailed a personal URL and scores were updated in real-time.
study illustrate this?
Why is transparency so important in viral marketing?
Are viral campaigns better suited to a niche audience, or a mass audience?
Why is planning to important to viral marketing campaigns?
references
BBC News, (1 December 2006) Web Discount Frenzy at Threshers,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6198828.stm, BBC.co.uk,
[accessed 10 May 2008]
Edelman (2008) Edelman Trust Barometer,
www.edelman.co.uk/trustbarometer,
Edelman, [accessed 10 May 2008]
Gladwell, M (2002) The tipping point: How little things can make a big difference,
Back Bay Books, New York
Hopkins, H. (5 December 2006) Threshers Voucher Creates Storm Online,
http://weblogs.hitwise.com/heather-hopkins/2006/12/threshers_voucher_creates_stor.html,
Hitwise.com, [accessed 10 May 2008]
These leagues proved a big hit and created a lot of office buzz. Within four days, the game was number one in
the FHM Top 100 games. The Speedy Santa game was played over 22 million times in the run-up to Christmas.
Inbox Digital, New viral game for dotcom,
On average, people played the game over 60 times each. 87% of people who played the Firebox Speedy Santa
game clicked through to the Firebox.com site, at a cost to Firebox of under 4p per click-through. And they each
Inbox Digital, [accessed 10 May 2008]
Microsoft Corporation (8 February 1999) MSN Hotmail: From Zero to 30 Million Members in 30 Months,
www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/1999/02-08hotmail.mspx,
have ever run, generated hundreds of thousands of pounds in revenue and bringing the Firebox brand to tens of
Microsoft Corporation, [accessed 10 May 2008]
Rayport, J. (December 1996) The Virus of Marketing,
www.fastcompany.com/magazine/06/virus.html,
issue 06, FastCompany.com, [accessed 10 May 2008]
Rubberrepublic The Likelihood That People Will Share Branded Versus Non-branded Content,
Available Online at:
http://www.viralmanager.com/strategy/research_documents/The_Impact_of_Branding_on_Virals,
Viralmanager.com, [accessed 10 May 2008]
Stormhoek (24 November 2004) Private Sale at Threshers,
http://www.stormhoek.com/archives/2006/11/private_web_onl.php,
Stormhoek.com, [accessed 10 May 2008]
Winery - is Changing the way That Wine is Communicated and Sold Forever,
management
[accessed 10 May 2008]
further reading
www.gottaquirk.com
www.adverblog.com
10. online r
and the key terms and concepts are outlined for this chapter, followed by an
example of what can happen when a company does not listen and manage
its online reputation. We discuss how it works outlining the significant steps
of listening, analysing and influencing. The 10 rules to recover from an
online brand attack are a practical approach to ORM, followed by a summary
and the bigger picture.
introduction
about blogs, about how their customers now have a voice; about how their customers
are a community -- a community often in revolt; about how they could find out what
before they become revolts; about how they could become a better company with the
help of their customers.
- Jeff Jarvis on his blog, Buzzmachine.com, in 2005.
Online conversations are taking place all the time: about politics, about Britney
Spears, about a pet dog, about just about anything. People everywhere are engaging in
when it comes to viral marketing. Consumers trust each other, and search engines
find that trust very relevant. Increasingly, CGM is showing up in the top results of the
SERPs (search engine results pages).
The use of social media has equipped consumers with a voice and a platform, and
the ability to amplify their views. The connected nature of the Internet makes these
views easy to share, and the accessibility of social media tools makes it easy for
other consumers to respond. Whether positive, negative or just slightly off-centre,
consumers are making their views known.
Added to this, is the rising prevalence of CGM in search results. Entries that companies
have no control over are ranking highly in brand search results. A Google search on
to engage with their customers; who appear honest and transparent and who listen
to their consumers, benefit from a growing fan base of loyal customers who can
then turn into passionate spokespeople. Companies who ignore the voices of their
customers will see diminishing loyalty, and a growing resentment among the vocal
online consumers.
Companies, and individuals, need to listen to what is being said about them, and learn
how to respond to and engage with their consumers in this world of shifting power.
key terms and concepts
The series of posts began on 21 June 2005, in a post that has elicited over 250
Alexa rank A number indicating how popular a web site is compared to other sites, based on
comments to date. The laptop Jeff Jarvis had just bought was clearly not functioning
information returned by the Alexa Toolbar and SearchStatus. The number is the index of a given site in
long ordered list of popularity, the most popular site at index 1, the second most at index 2 and so on.
BrandsEye BrandsEye is Online Reputation Management (ORM) software, developed by Quirk
home to assist him, the person would not have the parts necessary to fix his machine.
eMarketing, which allows for real-time monitoring of a brand on the Web. BrandsEye combines
human subjectivity with sophisticated technology, allowing the quantifying and benchmarking of online
The post ends:
reputation.
Consumer generated media Information that is published online by individuals. This refers to
videos, photos, blogs, audio and more. It is also referred to as social media.
Jeff Jarvis catalogued the repeated failings of Dell customer service, from emails sent
to him that used the wrong name, to many time inefficient diagnostic tests that Dell
Dell Hell The term used by Jeff Jarvis when his Dell computer malfunctioned, and he had a hard time
wanted him to carry out, and still after much to-ing and fro-ing he had a computer that
getting appropriate customer service.
did not work and a warranty that seemed useless. His posts continued to attract many
Feed reader An RSS aggregator that lets you view all your RSS feeds in one place.
comments, and he often spoke directly to Dell in his blog, exhorting them to listen and
to respond.
Flog A fake blog.
Keyword In online reputation management, a keyword is a term that is used when searching the
Internet for mentions.
President for US Consumer Business and sent him an email detailing the ongoing
Mentions
saga that was not being resolved. Predictably, Jeff Jarvis received a phone call, and
In online reputation management, mentions refer to the instances when a selected brand,
company or staff members are talked about online, usually by clients or consumers.
eventually the matter was resolved when he obtained a refund in early July 2005.
Online reputation The aggregation of sentiment from mentions of an entity online will give its online
reputation.
showed in the falling consumer confidence in Dell. It may not be directly related to
ORM Online reputation management - understanding and influencing the perception of an entity
online.
Really Simple Syndication abbreviates all the content most web sites on the World Wide Web
contain in order to provide you with specific content you want. RSS allows you to receive / syndicate this
information without requiring you to constantly open new pages in your browser. Also see RSS Reader.
SERP The search engine results page - what is seen on a search engine when a search is performed.
dell hell -
what can happen when a company does not listen
the failure of his Dell computer and the failure of Dell customer service. His blog
posts resonated with many readers who added their own comments of misery at the
hands of Dell customer service. These posts caused the first popular study of the
influence of blogs on brands, and have come to be definitive of the effects of a brand
not listening.
http://www.buzzmachine.com/archives/cat_dell.html.
Company
company. Crucially, customers can, and do, tell Dell what features they want in a
laptop, and Dell then feeds this into its product development.
Key products
Key personnel (names, job titles, etc)
how it works
Industry
Conferences
Online reputation management uses the tools of the Internet to monitor and analyse a
Patents
On the Web, reputation matters. Many communities have their own reputation
Competitors
management for members, such as eBay, Digg and Reddit. This is based on the feedback
Brand names
Product launches
to transact within the community. Generally, participation, engagement and response
Web site updates
Job vacancies
Web sites which place an emphasis on the reviews of the community, such as
For example, if Apple were to use these tools to monitor reputation, some keywords
IMDB.com for movies or Amazon.com for books, have algorithms which determine
used might be:
their most trusted reviewers, and they base some of their rankings on the opinions of
that part of their community.
Company
When shifting to the greater community of the Internet, participation, engagement and
Macbook, iPod, Macbook Air, iTunes
Industry
Consumer Electronics Show Las Vegas
out there, connected via hyperlinks and crawled regularly by search engine spiders.
Competitors
Microsoft, Creative
simple (though possibly time-consuming) to listen to the chatter online. Customers are
It is also important to track common misspellings, all related companies and all
not using channels designated by a company to talk about that organisation, but the good
related web sites.
news is that the Internet makes it easy for a company to use the channels that customers
have selected.
Tracking the names of people key to a company can highlight potential brand attacks,
or can demonstrate new areas of outreach for a company.
ORM keywords
ORM allows a company to track mentions of itself, its staff, its products, its industry
Brand names, employee names, product names and even competitor names are
and its competitors. In fact, the tools allow for the tracking of anything; it just comes
not unique. To avoid monitoring too much, identify keywords which will indicate that
down to deciding what is relevant to you.
a post has nothing to do with your company, and negative match that keyword in
your searches.
Google Video Search: video.google.com/videosearch
appear in a post about the health benefits of fruit. Finding keywords that will indicate
Video Search relies on the data that has been added to describe a
video, and will return results based on keyword matches.
There are several search engines which focus solely on tracking blogs, news and
how to track: CGM and search
other social media, and can provide trends for searches. As well as providing regular
Thankfully, ORM does not entail hourly searches on your favourite search engine to
updates of new postings, these search engines can also provide an overview over a
see what is appearing on the SERPs. Although, being aware of your search space is
certain period of time.
vital as well. There are a number of search engines that allow for narrowing a search
Blogpulse: www.blogpulse.com
to particular media or industries. And RSS means that these results can be updated
Blogpulse tracks conversations and trends and supplies an RSS feed
regularly and kept conveniently in one place.
for updates.
Technorati: www.technorati.com
Monitoring all mentions means that the following need to be tracked:
Technorati tracks blogs and tagged social media.
Remember RSS from the
social media chapter? It
Twitter
Keeping track of blogposts is one thing, but mentions of a company can also appear in
means that you can keep
blog comments and on forum postings. The following two services assist in monitoring
track of everything in one
Forums
comments and forums.
central place.
Comment boards
Photos
Boardtracker: www.boardtracker.com
Videos
Boardtracker monitors popular forums and provides alerts via SMS for
Job listings
keywords mentioned in a thread.
Events
Co.mments: co.mments.com
Patents
RSS alerts can be created for mentions of a keyword in the comments
Web site changes
of blogposts.
And many more!
Yahoo! has a number of social media companies under its umbrella, and most provide
There are a number of different tools that monitor these areas, and supply the results
the opportunity to monitor mentions via RSS.
via email alerts or RSS feeds. Below are some free tools that are available.
Flickr: www.flickr.com/search
RSS updates for searches on a particular keyword will reveal when a
Google has several bespoke search services, and periodically adds more to the list.
brand name has been used in tagging a photo.
With the services below, an RSS feed is available for the search (Google Alerts sends
Yahoo! Upcoming: upcoming.yahoo.com
weekly or daily emails with updates), so that all updates can be available through a
feed reader.
related to the keyword you have selected.
Google Alerts: www.google.com/alerts
Del.icio.us: del.icio.us
Google Alerts will send an email when the keyword is used in either a
An RSS feed can be created for URLs tagged with keywords, or for new
news item or a blog post.
bookmarking of a URL.
Google News: news.google.com
Yahoo! Pipes: pipes.yahoo.com/pipes
Google News searches all news items for mentions of a keyword.
Yahoo! Pipes allows anyone to set up a custom buzz monitoring tool
Google Blog Search: blogsearch.google.com
with bespoke filters.
Google Blog Search searches all blog posts for mentions of a
keyword.
There might be web sites that a company would like to monitor for keyword mentions
Google Patent Search: www.google.com/patents
that do not offer RSS feeds. Using a service such as Rollyo (www.rollyo.com) allows the
Google Patent Search allows you to keep track of all filings related to
creation of a custom search engine which will search those specific sites only.
an industry, and searches can be done to see if there are patent filings
which might infringe on other patents.
Listening is the first step to getting involved in the conversation surrounding a company.
Your database might look something like this:
Using search tools and RSS feeds means that information can be accessed quickly and
URL of mention
Sentiment
Source
Credibility
Action
in one place, without the need to visit hundreds of web sites.
PositiveExample.com/123
Example News
Contact journalist
NegativeExample.com/abc
Contact blogger
There are also a number of paid for services on the market that will assist in monitoring
and aggregating this information.
As a marketer, the first step in looking at who is saying what is to take stock of the
messages being sent by your own company. This includes: all web sites and domains
BrandsEye (www.brandseye.com) is a tool launched in 2008 that does just that.
owned by a company, all blogs maintained by employees (whether company blogs or
Not only does it track mentions, but it allows the user to assign sentiment and
personal blogs) and all blogs maintained by ex-employees. An audit should give an
idea of the content that is available to the public and what that content is saying.
(www.trackur.com) is another tool that monitors the volume of mentions, but provides
limited analysis.
With regular RSS updates declaring that selected keywords have been used in some
form of social media, a growing list is being created of mentions surrounding a brand.
Even in the democratised world of the Internet, not all mentions are equal. They vary
the conversation
in terms of positivity or negativity and influence. Not all mentions require action from
a company. Some require drastic measures to be taken. But all, no matter how quiet
The best way to show that you are listening is by responding. Online, there are many
or how loud, are an indication of consumer sentiment.
channels available to companies to respond to the conversation and to become an
active participant in it.
Whether a post is positive, negative or indifferent can be quickly assessed by reading
it. Influence can be a little harder to establish.
what if everything being said is nice?
A fantastic position to be in is that every possible mention that includes your company,
Indicators such as traffic, links and subscriber numbers can all assist in
its employees and products, is overwhelmingly positive. Well done. However, that does
assessing the influence of a blog. There are also services such as Blog Influence
not mean that there is nothing to do. Consumers want to know that a company is
(www.bloginfluence.net) and Social Meter (www.socialmeter.com) which will show
listening; it needs to respond. Positive comments should be acknowledged.
the audience and reach for an entered URL. However, statements, particularly
inflammatory ones, should still be monitored as traffic can increase substantially and
All of these mentions can also indicate new avenues for marketing and growth.
quickly online.
what if everything being said is neutral?
Influence can also assist in establishing the credibility of the author. Factors which can
Then it sounds like the company is very boring. As Seth Godin (www.sethgodin.com)
BrandsEye uses the
mentions to generate
the age of the blog.
a reputation score. The
reputation score is based
is no one talking about the company at all.
on an algorithm that
The source should also be looked at: is the mention a news item or a tag on photo from
uses a number of factors,
what if negative things are being said?
including the number and
Negative statements should be seen as an opportunity for growth. Negative statements
frequency of mentions,
To be able to monitor reputation over time, in can be a good idea to aggregate the
can be complaints or criticisms, and both should be dealt with.
the sentiment of the
information into a spreadsheet or database along with the factors mentioned above. It
mention and the influence
of the mention.
is necessary to determine what is important to the reputation of the company you are
Complaints are from stakeholders who have had dealings with a company. By
monitoring, and perhaps adapt factors accordingly.
complaining, this customer is giving the company the opportunity to make things
10 rules to recover
right and is probably indicating where the company can improve. Usually, the skilled
from an online brand attack
customer service department of a company should deal with these.
If a complaint is online, the resolution should be there as well, although you can try to
These 10 rules to recovery should provide a practical approach for brands facing an
have it taken offline first. Even though the customer service will likely take place either
online threat.
over email or by phone, posting a comment in a blog post, for example, will show the
1. humility
community that the company both listens and responds.
Before you can recover from an online brand attack, you have to be aware that your
Criticism need not necessarily come from customers, but it is important to be aware of
brand can be attacked - no matter how big it is or how untouchable it may seem.
it. If a criticism includes false information, it should be corrected. And if the criticism
2. listen
is true, then it should be dealt with as such.
Once you have a clear understanding of the scope of the possible effects of an online
responding
Responding involves recognising that consumers dictate the channels of communication,
and that a company needs to go to the consumer, not the other way around.
evolved. Use this understanding to guide your actions.
3. act immediately!
In South Africa, vodacom3G is the name of a Vodacom representative who monitors the
One of the easiest ways to solve the majority of brand attacks is to respond quickly.
forum mybroadband.co.za and resolves complaints and queries and offers assistance.
A brand that shows it is listening and does indeed care, will go far when it comes
www.mybroadband.co.za
Instead of directing customers to an FAQ section on a Vodacom site, Vodacom has
to ensuring a solid online reputation. A conscious reaction is the only way forward
to see how Vodacom
followed their consumers to the channel that the consumers prefer.
is using the forum to
- acknowledging what has been said and reacting accordingly.
interact with customers.
Not only do Vodacom resolve questions on the forum, but they also use it to provide key
information that consumers are wanting.
If the mention of your brand is factually incorrect, in a friendly tone, send the blogger
(90% of the time it will be a blogger) evidence that they are wrong, ask for removal or
her directly. At a last resort, use the comments to make contact with the blogger.
retraction of the entry, and offer to keep them informed of future news. If no action is
taken by the blog author, then add a comment.
When responding, be transparent and honest. Remember that emails can be
reproduced on blogs. At all times, remember that you are engaged in conversation,
not a dictation.
Apple came in for heavy
then send your side of the story and try as hard as you can to take it offline.
criticism from fans when
influencing
it dropped the price of the
6. keep the negative pages out of the search engines
In the chapters on WebPR and social media there are guidelines for companies to
Keeping more people from reading negative things about your brand is imperative.
just two months after
lead the conversation using the tools of social media. Influencing and leading the
it launched. Steve Jobs
What you can do is knock them off the first page of the results with basic SEO topped
conversation can also have the consequence of there being more results that are lead
from Apple responded
with some social media page setups such as Squidoo and MySpace or forum posts.
by your company in the SERPs.
within days with a candid
voucher for customers
Companies can also get proactive by purchasing negative name domains, such as
7. maintain communication
who had bought the more
www.companynamesucks.com, to prevent angry customers from buying these and
expensive phone. You can
having them hitting the SERPs.
read his letter at www.
apple.com/hotnews/
Participate in industry forums and chat rooms. Build genuine credibility as a member
openiphoneletter
Lastly, take a look at negative brand name searches on major search engines, and
your brand.
the bigger picture
8. engage in the conversation
ORM should monitor all mentions of a brand and guide a brand in using social media
Keep your brand in the face of consumers by engaging in the conversation. This could
to communicate. It can help to identify hotspots for viral word of mouth marketing, and
be done by making use of blogs, communicating with customers and being as open
should be used to ensure that that word of mouth is positive.
and honest as possible. Engaging in, and leading, the conversation allows you to build
an authentic voice. If a crisis hits, you will be well placed to respond in a way that
WebPR works hand in hand with ORM. ORM tools are used to listen, and WebPR helps
is authentic.
a company to respond and engage.
ORM can also identify new sources for possible link growth for an SEO strategy. Every
mention can be used to build links, and to report on the links obtained. ORM tools can
all people want. They give you their money; they just want some good service and
help to identify what keywords and key phrases to target (and which are being targeted
respect in return.
10. be prepared
ORM should also be used for determining the success of any marketing campaign that
No brand is immune to an online brand attack. The best brands have strategies in
is not directly related to sales. It can show growing brand recognition as well as
place to immediately identify a reputation crisis and respond to it quickly enough to
consumer sentiment.
stop the negative word of mouth spreading.
If all else fails, apologise and move on.
case study: four South African banks
Bottom line - by making bloggers familiar with your voice, you will be better placed to
respond to criticism. Consumers can spot last-minute corporate fire-fighting - they
should know and trust your voice already.
the online reputation of four prominent South African banks was measured for the period 26 November 2006 to 13
February 2007.
summary
Banks, and particularly their customer service, generate a lot of conversation, both online and off. BrandsEye was
used to monitor mentions of the banks, to filter out duplicate mentions, and to generate a daily reputation score for
Conversations are taking place all the time on the Internet, and it is crucial for
each bank that could then be measured over time.
companies to be aware of what is being said about them. Customers are now dictating
the channels of communication, and companies that cannot engage with their
consumers in this way stand to lose them.
ORM is about using the tools of the Internet, the same tools that customers are using,
to monitor, analyse and ultimately influence the conversation. Companies need to
learn to listen and engage.
There are many free and paid for tools available for monitoring online conversations,
and with most it is easy to set up custom RSS feeds that will update with any new
mentions. Mentions need to be analysed for sentiment, credibility, influence and
source, and appropriate action to be taken.
Responses should be swift, factual, transparent and honest. The best way for a company
to influence the conversation is to be involved in it through the tools of social media.
ORM can help a company to gain an inherent understanding of how consumers
perceive and interact with their brand, and thus can provide a platform for planning
marketing campaigns.
Changes in reputation, especially jumps such as for Bank 4 just after 26 December, can then be correlated to real
references
world events.
Beal, A. (27 August 2007) Buzz Monitoring: 26 Free Buzz Tracking Tools,
Bank 1 has superior customer service levels, and this is shown in the reputation score. However, towards the end
http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2007/08/26-free-tools-for-buzz-monitoring.html,
of January, Bank 1 experienced a backlash from local government when attempting to launch a public-service
MarketingPilgrim.com, [accessed 03/03/2008]
campaign. The offline media coverage was far reaching, loud and venomous, and within a short while the effects
Blackshaw, P. (22 January 2008) Search and Reputation: Your Brand Standing Is Your Shelf Landing,
surprising. While the ORM tool picked up a number of negative mentions, these were in fact directed at local
government for seemingly coercing the bank into withdrawing their campaign.
The Clickz Network, [Accessed 03/03/2008]
Elixir Systems (2006) Online Reputation Management, Accessed online at:
stronger and stronger. Having their hand forced created a sense of empathy with the public, with the majority
http://www.sempo.org/learning_center/articles/ElixirSystemsOnlineRepMgmt.pdf,
7845 EAST REDFIELD ROAD, SUITE 101, SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA 85260, elixirsystems.com, [accessed 03/03/2008]
opinions, a number of respondents actually jumped to its defence. With an already high online reputation score, not
only did Bank 1 survive what could have potentially been a major crisis, but their reputation thrived as a result.
Hoffman, T. (12 February 2008) Online reputation management is hot -- but is it ethical?
Bank 2 on the other hand had the lowest reputation score throughout the investigation although tending
ComputerWorld.com, [accessed 03/03/2008]
to the positive towards the end of the test period. Their poor customer service levels, as perceived by their online
customers, were negatively affecting their online reputation.
Jarvis, J. (July 1 2005)
http://www.buzzmachine.com/archives/cat_dell.html,
BuzzMachine, [accessed 03/03/2008]
was criticised, Bank 1 was offered as a suitable alternative.
Jarvis, J (August 29 2005) My Dell Hell,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2005/aug/29/mondaymediasection.blogging,
Guardian.co.uk, [accessed 03/03/2008]
case study questions
Kinzie, S. & Nakashima, E. (2 July 2007) Calling In Pros to Refine Your Google Image,
For Bank 1, media coverage regarding their public service campaign was negative, while social media
WashingtonPost.com, [accessed 03/03/2008]
How would you recommend that Bank 2 combats negative mentions on forums?
Bank 1 appears to be on the top of their game. What would you recommend to them to maintain and
further reading
grow their reputation?
www.brandseye.com/blog
chapter questions
www.gottaquirk.com/blog/0/18
When dealing with complaints or criticism, why should a company try to take them offline first?
- posts from Quirk on ORM on their blog, Gottaquirk, highlighting real life ORM
How do think a company can encourage customers to use established customer service channels as
opposed to social media, and what are the benefits of doing so?
www.marketingpilgrim.com/category/reputation-management
Choose a company, and use at least one of the services listed in the chapter to gain an overview of
- insights from Andy Beal and others at Marketing Pilgrim on ORM, including how tos and tools
its online reputation. Find a positive mention, a neutral and a negative mention, and determine the
influence of each. What action would you recommend to each?
http://notetaker.typepad.com/cgm/
Vodacom has a representative on the forum www.mybroadband.co.za. Visit the forum and consider
- Pete Blackshaw provides insights on ORM, social media and WebPR
the style the representative, vodacom3G, uses when posting. Does it sound corporate, or like an
individual? What is the effect of the style that the poster uses?
online and the key terms and concepts needed. We look at how its works,
and then outline various WebPR tactics, including online article syndication,
optimising press releases and social media tactics such as the social media
press release, blogging and on online press room. We have a brief look tools of
there is a summary and a look at the bigger picture to put things in context.
introduction
However, the road has been rocky, and traditional PR has in some instances struggled
to cope with the new rules of engagement.
those persons whose mutually beneficial relationships with the organization are
Traditional PR (public relations) has focused on crafted press releases and company
image. It has provided for a controlled release of information, and a communication
process that relies on journalists and traditional media such as newspapers. This modus
operandi has been enormously impacted by the spread and influence of the Internet.
Whilst the Internet provides excellent tools to the PR industry, the shift in
communications afforded by the Internet has also caused a ruckus in the world of
public relations. Information is freely available and accessible to a far greater audience,
However, a 2005 experiment showed that press releases can garner a better ROI than
as opposed to being controlled through a select group of journalists. Communication is
taking place in the realm where the consumer feels most comfortable, as opposed to
the channels dictated by the company.
key terms and concepts
PR needs to follow this shift, especially as consumers are increasingly turning to
Backlink A link at another site, leading to your site and also called an incoming link. These are seen
(Edelman, 2006).
as indications of popularity by search engines.
Boilerplate
The Internet provides savvy PR professionals with plenty of tools for listening to and
Standard wording about an organisation that usually appears at the foot of a
press release.
engaging with a far wider community, and can have immense benefits for companies
that are willing to be transparent in their communications. It also allows companies to
CGM Consumer generated media is another word for social media.
engage in a more immediate form of communication.
Key phrase Word or words being optimised for by a web site. Also used to refer to words that are
used by users of search engines.
WebPR collectively stands for the ways in which you can get your message out online.
It is used to connect with customers and enhance brand awareness, exposure and
Online press room A part of a web site aimed at providing journalists with pertinent corporate
information, such as PR contacts, images and press releases.
SEO (search engine optimisation) efforts using various online channels like article
directories, press release sites, industry related sites, online newsrooms, blogs,
ORM Online reputation management - ensuring that you know what is being said about you online,
forums and social media.
and that you are leading the conversation.
Press release Also called a news release, this is an electronic or paper document issued to the
media with the intention of gaining news coverage. It follows established layout guidelines.
RSS Real Simple Syndication is an easy way of syndicating content, and aggregating content. RSS
allows for users to access the information on a web site without all the extra bumf.
history
SEO Search engine optimisation - making sure that you are achieving optimal rankings by the
search engines.
As communication tools became available with the spread of the Internet, so they
Social media The media that is published, created and shared by individuals on the Internet,
such as blogs, images, video and more.
stories, and developed new channels for promoting them. With the rise of social media,
and especially the growing influence of bloggers, it became clear that PR officers
Syndicate Making content available for distribution among selected clients.
needed to reach out to more than just journalists.
Traditional media Newspapers, magazines, television and publishing houses are the realm of
traditional media.
how it works
The most important component to successful PR is to listen to your customers. Not
Establishing long-term, trusting consumer relationships through online article
only are they telling you what they want, you will also be able to tell how well your
syndications, press releases and blogs aids a company to craft online credibility,
Social media, ORM and
messages are being received. In the chapter on online reputation management (ORM),
placing it in a better position to respond to future criticism. These tools also help build
WebPR are all intertwined
the tools used to listen online were discussed.
engine optimisation (SEO) benefits.
all about conversations,
and how to listen to the
If PR is about connecting with your customers, it should also be about
chatter and how to get
responding to them by engaging with them in conversation, in the channels where that
While it used to be that messages were dispersed to journalists who would then
involved in it as well.
conversation is taking place.
broadcast them to a reading public, today that practice does not always exist to
disseminate the information being transmitted. This provides tremendous opportunity
Thirdly, WebPR allows you to build your own voice. Though you cannot control the
for companies to be fully involved in engaging with their customers.
message, you should lead the conversation through transparent communications.
listen to your customers
realise its communication potential.
ORM will enable a company to listen to what is being said about them online. Particularly
important is to regularly monitor all channels that a customer might use to contact or
talk about a company. This includes forums and consumer action web sites, as well as
keeping track of mentions on personal blogs.
webPR tactics
online article syndication
Not only does this allow a trend to emerge of general sentiment related to the company,
but it will also highlight issues that need attention.
respond to others
It involves writing articles that are in no way a direct promotion of your site. These
ORM described the tools that can be used to find out what is being said about a
are not press releases; they are written to provide information and valuable content.
company online. A key function of WebPR is to respond to those conversations with
Articles are submitted to online article directories, from where they are picked up and
a consistent voice. Consumer generated media can and must be responded to. Being
republished on other sites.
publicly available, and publicly searchable, means that consumer generated media
forms part of the public perception of a company. As discussed in the chapter on ORM,
As the articles contain links and keywords relevant to your site, the benefits for search
cannot control.
articles - so they need to be broad, informative and not just thinly disguised adverts.
Blogs and forums are key starting points for responding. Responding in these mediums
links to your site and many article directories will allow you to include a backlink in the
what to consider
body of the article as well. The aim: the article gets republished on many web and blog
sites in the weeks after it is published. In order to ensure your site remains the search
this worthy outreach backfiring. An authentic voice works best, as does a thick skin.
there first. Online article syndication not only allows you to introduce fresh, optimised
conversations.
content to your site but enables you to generate valuable SEO backlinks.
build your own voice
Articles containing relevant information are value-adding and therefore attract links
Whether or not a company has a web site, it most likely has a web presence. Not only are
naturally. And, if published on a third party site, should carry a link back to your own
businesses listed in online directories, but are also mentioned in consumer generated
web site. This drives visitors to the site that are automatically predisposed to your
media. However, companies need to pay attention to the voice that is presented by
brand, and are therefore are more likely to engage and buy the products on offer.
their online presence, and use the tools of the Internet to enhance that voice.
writing an article for online syndication
Once you have done this, you will then need to convert the article into HTML. The
Choose a topic
HTML is very basic, and while the different directories have their own HTML guidelines
which you will need to familiarise yourself with, the standards tags are as follows.
them, you will be able to write targeted, key phrase rich articles. Listening to the
To bold: phrase you wish to bold
conversations around your brand, and seeing what customers are saying, can also
To italicise: phrase you wish to italicise
lead you to topics relevant to your web site and your customers. Refer to your SEO
To underline: phrase you wish to underline
strategy, and the keywords you are targeting, to create articles that complement your
To list: lines you wish to list
SEO efforts.
To create a paragraph:

paragraph here

To insert a line break:

Optimise the article and publish it to your own site
Using SEO and web copy guidelines, ensure that the content is optimised for search
engines, as well as engaging for readers. Publish the article to your own web site first,
For each directory, the submission guidelines will indicate requirements for the text.
to establish the authority of your web site. Doing this will:
Allow you to reap the SEO benefits of fresh, optimised copy.
Submit the article to directories
Enable your site to be regarded as the expert on that subject.
Publishing the articles to directories means they can be picked up and republished on
other sites, which contributes significantly to link building efforts. There are hundreds
of online article directories out there but you need to be selective when choosing which
Firstly, the article needs to be optimised for your web site. Implement all the tactics
ones to submit to. The good article directories usually allow up to 4 links to be placed
covered in the online copywriting chapter, such as correct meta data, optimised title
in each article.
and key phrases, optimal use of tags and links. Once it is live, you will need to wait
for it to be indexed by the search engines: if you type the article title into the search
Here is a list of 10 directories that you could publish your articles to:
engine and it returns the page with your article on it as a result, it has been indexed
www.ezinearticles.com
www.goarticles.com
www.postarticles.com
The article then needs to be edited for syndicating. Different directories have their own
www.uberarticles.com
requirements and guidelines which need to be adhered to.
www.ezine-writer.com.au
www.article-hangout.com
For example, some directories require that all links to your web site in the body of the
www.articledashboard.com
text, bar one, would need to be removed, as well as all mentions of your company as
www.simplysearchforit.com
www.amazines.com
the article. This can tell readers more about your company, and the information they
10. www.newarticlesonline.com
can access by visiting the site. You will be able to add two or three links in this section,
depending on the directory. Send one link to the home page and the other(s) to pages
These directories all allow 3 to 4 links, they all give statistics on how the articles are
within the site.
to be able to preview it to ensure that no mistakes were made during the HTML
Most directories allow the inclusion of keywords relevant to the article. Ensure these
conversion process.
are relevant to the article and that you include the key phrases for which you have
optimised the article . These key phrases will allow readers to find your articles, using
All of the above article directories are free, though you will need to register for
the search function on the directories. This is also called tagging your article.
an account.
Many directories also allow a description. This description will be displayed, along
with the title of the article, when someone has searched the directory for a key phrase
do this to ensure that the articles are actually useful and relevant rather than simply
or category for which you have tagged your article. The description should entice the
advertorials. It will then be approved and available to read on the site. From here
user to read your article, so it needs to be succinct and gripping.
people who are interested in republishing the article on their own sites/blogs can do
so as long as they reproduce the content exactly as you have submitted it. If the article
Like articles, you will need to write a description and allocate keywords to the press
discussion
is well-written and informative it has the capacity to go viral which is the ultimate goal
release. You will need to ensure that all media contact information is listed. Each
Journalists usually
site will specify exactly what information is required. Very few of the press release
extract information from a
sites allow you to convert your releases into HTML (especially the free release sites).
press release and supply
Apart from the keywords, the category you select for your press release is extremely
commentary when they
Monitor its progress
write an article. How do
important so be sure to have a good look at the categories the site offers and make
you think the fact that the
A bit of basic online reputation monitoring will enable you to keep an eye on where
sure that you select the most appropriate one.
press releases are now
being read directly by the
Most of the sites offer a free option and a paid option. The paid option provides a
public affects the press
host of additional benefits, and it is worth considering paying for a membership to one
release?
press releases: optimised for search
benefits of online press releases
and for social media
Online press releases allow for almost instant publishing of news online.
The press release is a stalwart of public relations. It is a standardised format for releasing
A well written press release can garner top rankings in the news engines
information. Originally intended to provide information to journalists, press releases are
(Google News, Yahoo! News, MSN News etc). Adequate optimisation can also
increasingly being read without going through the journalists first. PR has also realised
results in higher SERP rankings.
the tremendous impact of bloggers, and many PR professionals are using the same
Content is syndicated quickly via RSS.
press releases in their communications with bloggers. And today, journalists are also
Links are built naturally and effectively from online publishing.
bloggers, and bloggers are the new citizen journalists, so the lines are becoming even
Distribution is increased beyond your contact list.
further blurred.
Reach is far greater than that of a traditional press release.
Reach and distribution can be easily tracked online.
Newswires, like article directories, allow for online submission of press releases.
In turn, these are syndicated via RSS, and so are picked up by the news engines,
Here are some press release sites to consider
such as Google News, Yahoo! News, MSN News. Many people pick up their news via
www.i-newswire.com
these online news engines, which aggregate news from a number of publications
and newswires, and so the press release is becoming an ever more crucial means of
www.pressexposure.com
reaching a growing audience.
www.1888pressrelease.com
www.sanepr.com
As well as promoting conversation around your company and its products, online press
www.pressbuzz.com
releases should drive traffic to your site. To achieve this, press releases need to be
www.pressbox.com
optimised to contain related key phrases and links. Not only is this important for the press
www.pressreleasepoint.com
releases being picked up by news engines, but there are many journalists who will simply
reproduce the copy of a well-written press release. Ensure that these reproductions
social media press release
positively impact your SEO efforts by optimising your press releases for key phrases
Blogs and other consumer generated media (CGM) are sometimes referred as citizen
journalism. The reach and influence of CGM means that press releases are often finding
their way to the inboxes of content creators. While many journalists are becoming
eyes on the subject, and journalists also need to be able to find all of the information
disillusioned with the standard press release format, the press release can be seen as
they need on a company web site.
over hyped corporate speak by time sensitive and transparency focused bloggers.
Pitching to bloggers can be a sensitive task, and there are some guidelines outlined in
Blogging takes a company right into the heart of the conversation, and demonstrates
regular commentary, that is spoken in the voice of the company. Additionally, blogging
For information on
teaches companies how to engage personally with their customers.
blogging, be sure to read
the chapter on social
online press room
As the Internet increases the ease of access to information, an essential part of WebPR
is ensuring that pertinent information is easy to access. Making sure that journalists,
customers and investors are able to find all key company information quickly and easily
means that you are able to slip into that conversation that much more easily.
A 2003 Nielsen Norman study found that when a journalist uses a corporate web site
to find basic information, they were successful only 73% of the time (Nielsen, 2003).
Journalists often work to tight deadlines, and having the required information on hand
could make the difference to whether a company is written about and not. An online
this chapter, but PR firms such as Edelman and Shift Communications have created
templates for a Social Media Press Release (SMPR), designed to communicate facts
more clearly and concisely, and to use the tools provided by social media.
This is the outcome of an evolving conversation between PR companies, journalists
and bloggers. It is a work in process, and there is plenty being said both for and against
www.edelman.com/news/
this approach, but it is an elegant example of PR firms listening to the conversation,
for some examples of the
engaging and responding.
Edelman version in action.
blogging
Writing a blog is one of the best ways for a company to build its own voice in the new
world of social media and citizen journalism. Not only do blogs play a role in SEO
(with fresh content written with key phrases in mind), they also play a strategically
important role in reaching out to customers.
An online press room must have:
In the US, the beauty PR industry has been noticing the power of bloggers, and some of
Company history
the cosmetics houses send samples and swag (an industry term for gifts) to bloggers
Key executive biographies
as well as journalists (Schaefer 2008). There is a difference, however. Journalists
Pertinent background information
are generally restricted in the value of the gift they are allowed to accept, and tend
Logos and images in a variety of sizes, resolutions (for web and for print)
to reveal when reviewed products are free samples. The publishing houses need to
and formats
maintain an unbiased reputation. Bloggers, however, are self publishers, and can
All press releases
make up their own rules as they go along. Some of them accept lavish gifts in return
Multimedia gallery (video, audio and visual)
Contact information
and not a journalist.
PR representative
Company
Search function
tools of the trade
RSS / email alerts
Tagging capabilities
WebPR is about engaging in a conversation, so the essential tools that are
Information in a variety of formats
required are:
Tools for listening.
Keeping the information accessible and accurate saves time for both the PR team and
Tools for responding.
for the researcher, and shows an openness to communication.
Tools for tracking success.
pitching to bloggers
RSS feeds tracking mentions of pertinent keywords are the best way to get an overview
Although many journalists are bloggers, bloggers are not journalists. They do not have
of mentions of a brand or company. These are outline in detail in the online reputation
to answer to their editor or publisher. They generally do not write to pay their bills;
management chapter.
they tend to write about things that they are passionate about. They measure success
in number of comments, trackbacks and traffic.
Responding can take place through the various social media channels such as:
Twitter
To pitch effectively to bloggers, you need to understand these subtleties. There are
Forums
many useful blog posts by bloggers who get pitched to often, that offer guidelines for
the PR industry. The effective PR hack will take note.
Online article directories and press release directories are also crucial to publishing
and spreading information. Having a thorough and up to date online news room
As with journalists, building a relationship is the best way to pitch to a blogger.
ensures that relevant information is available.
Remember, journalist or blogger, you are reaching out to an individual.
The most important tool: relationship building. Whether with journalists, bloggers or
Read their blog, and engage.
consumers, transparent conversations are paving the way for effective public relations.
Make pitches personal and relevant.
Provide accurate key information. Be descriptive but concise.
Do not try to spin a story.
Show you are aware of who is talking about you, and who is talking about
their blog.
Be transparent.
There is no question about it: the media landscape has changed, and those who need
Provide links to images, logos and press releases. Never send large
to broadcast messages in the new media need to adapt along with it.
attachments.
The Internet allows for greater distribution and reach of all messages, but it does
mean that companies can no longer control these messages in the ways that they
used to. Public Relations on the web allows companies increased access to what their
PR and ORM go hand in hand; neither can be effective without the other. While ORM
customers are saying, and a direct channel to respond to that.
listens to the conversation, PR responds to and seeks to create conversation. Too
much talking means that a brand can be perceived as an out-of-touch loudmouth.
So many new recipients of information requires more work from the PR team. As
However, going to the other extreme and spending too much time listening, means
well as building relationships with journalists, you also need to include bloggers and
that the conversation can go in the wrong direction. A balance needs to be achieved to
other generators of content. The rules of engagement are changing, and power is
make sure the conversation is moving forwards.
increasingly moving from the companies who create messages to those that they need
to broadcast it for them.
WebPR complements the social media strategy for a brand. Effective WebPR leverages
summary
PR has moved into a new and exciting era - it is now also online. WebPR is used to
enhance brand awareness, exposure and SEO efforts using various online channels
case study: Pilkington Self-Cleaning Glass
like article directories, press release sites, industry related sites, online newsrooms,
blogs, forums and social media sites.
Writing articles for online syndication both provides useful information to potential customers and enhances SEO
efforts. Quirk, the digital agency for Pilkington Self-Cleaning Glass (www.pilkingtonselfcleaningglass.co.uk), has
Effective PR is about listening and responding, and the Internet has provided tools to
been writing articles based on key phrases that are being promoted on the web site.
enhance these activities.
Once a key phrase (i.e. self-cleaning glass / conservatory glass) has been selected, research then reveals what
information consumers are searching for. An informative article is then written, which is usually two pages in length
Companies can listen to the conversation using ORM tools. Companies should respond
around the selected key phrase.
by going to the customer conversation, whether that means commenting on blogs or
forums or by some other means of engagement.
The article is then submitted to 8 online article syndication sites. As each article contains 3 links and is submitted to
8 directories, 24 links are garnered as soon as the article is published.
Companies can use the Internet to build their own voice online. Tactics include:
Online article syndication
Articles containing valuable content tend to attract links naturally and are republished on other sites. Over the last
Press release directories
two years, 20 articles have been written and published for Pilkington Self-Cleaning Glass. Each has been republished
Corporate blogging
WebPR uses the Internet to enhance and update established PR practice. Optimising
The following article was written in January 2006 and was published to 8 directory sites from which it garnered 24
press releases for both search engines and social media increases online reach,
distribution and reputation. A resourceful, accessible and well-managed online press
Google search, which is a maximum 1017 quality links.
room is crucial.
The Use of Glass in Architecture
The Internet means that companies no longer control the conversation. With WebPR, a
By Sarah Manners
company can engage in the conversation, and with transparency, influence it.
or for worse, to change our architecture. And this only becomes possible if we take away the closed character
the biggerpicture
from the rooms in which we live. We can only do that by introducing glass architecture, which lets in the light of
Effective WebPR is a link building exercise in a holistic SEO strategy. Content optimised
A New Architectural Era
for search engines and then syndicated creates both authority for the originating site
Built in Hyde Park, London to house the Great Exhibition in 1851 the Crystal Palace is commonly considered as
as well as backlinks to that site. Optimised press releases can have the same effect,
a significant turning point in architectural history. This magnificent structure built from steel and glass paved
and when picked up by established media publications, backlinks can carry a lot of
the way for further exploration of glass as an architectural element. The glass sail of the new Milan trade fair
and Louvre pyramid are other stunning example of the use of glass as a structural as well as a design element.
weight.
Other examples of glass architecture include the London Bridge, Agbar and Federazija Towers as well as the
With each passing day glass becomes a more important element in architecture not only in grand public
Tokyo International Forum.
structures but also in the lives and homes of families across the world. The beauty of glass lies in its simplicity,
it enables us to be enveloped by nature while living comfortably in doors.
While the use of glass in construction was previously quite limited to grand designs and office buildings it is
starting to become a core structural and design element in many homes. Glass facilitates natural light and
opens up rooms allowing smaller spaces to look bigger as well as facilitating a natural indoor/outdoor flow
which often enhances the tranquillity as well as the value of your home. Glass is also relatively inexpensive
About The Author
and fully recyclable, an important consideration in the current era of heightened environmental consciousness.
Many architects, designers and construction companies recommend Pilkington when it comes to glass. Having
Glass use in construction has increased dramatically due to the rapid changes in glass production and
technology. Previously glass was thought to be quite a fragile building material and many steered away from
it because of this. Modern glass, however, is not only spectacular to look through but it is safer, stronger and
greatest products and is an ideal material in glass architecture.
energy efficient.
Glass in the home
In the past glass was mainly utilized for windows to allow some air and light in to rooms. Today glass is utilized in
the construction of several elements of exterior and interior architecture. Exterior glass architecture includes
case study questions
conservatories. All of which allow homes to be bathed in natural sunlight with gorgeous outdoor views. Interior
Why is it important to research what consumers look for once you have chosen your key phrases?
glass architecture can be used for staircases, elevated walkways and even as traditional walls. There are some
houses in which all of the walls are actually glass. Such high quantities of glass previously compromised other
How is the article different from a press release?
aspects such as the heating and cooling requirements. Often glass architecture would incur high heating costs
What key phrase is being targeted, and how is it being used in the article?
in winter and cooling costs in summer. Fortunately such great progress has been made in the glass industry
that we now have access a variety of different kinds of glass each with fantastic benefits. One such example is
glass with spectrally-selective qualities, which allows light to stream into the house without being harmful or
degenerative to occupants and their belongings.
chapter questions
Caring for your Glass
To keep your glass looking great and streak free you will need to ensure that it is cleaned often. Try a few
What are the main differences between a traditional press release and a social media press release, and
different cleaning solutions before you decide which one to use, options vary from store bought to home made
what are the similarities?
solutions. Many use products such as ammonia, vinegar, borax, alcohol or Epsom salts to clean glass. An
important point to remember is that when using your own solutions never combine an acid and an alkaline, for
What is the difference between optimising a press release for search and optimising a press release for
example vinegar and ammonia, as they neutralise on another. After washing use a dry cotton towel rather than
social media?
paper towels or newspaper as they tend to disintegrate and leave deposits on your glass. For a great shine a dry
How do you think social media has changed the role of a public relations professional?
blackboard eraser can be used.
To keep frost from accumulating on exterior windows during the winter, add two cups of antifreeze or rubbing
alcohol to each gallon of wash water. For deposits of paint, resin or glue wet the surface and then scrape
references
them off using a razor blade scraper. Take care to scrape in one direction only in order to avoid scratching
the surface.
Carton, S. (2005) How Is Information Passed Around the Web?,
Another option, and a fantastic one at that, is the breakthrough technology that has brought us self-cleaning
glass. An ultra-thin coating is applied to the glass during the manufacturing process; this coating has two highly
Clickz, [accessed 28 May 2008]
beneficial effects on the glass. First organic residue on the glass broken down by the ultraviolet wavelengths in
Cohen, H. (2006) More Than a Press Release: Extending Your Online PR Efforts,
form droplets and in turn eradicates streaking. Rain water flows down the glass in a sheet and washes the dirt
is making the lives of homeowners far easier and is giving home owners absolutely no reason to hesitate to use
Clickz, [accessed 28 May 2008]
of glass in the construction of their homes. What could be better than bright, open rooms with excellent outdoor
views facilitated by huge sheets of glass, without having to spend your days cleaning them?
Modern day architectural trends have elevated the way we think about the use of glass in our own homes. It is no
longer simply a material for windows and the occasional sliding door; it is a design component in its own right.
Edelman News [accessed 28 May 2008]
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Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage
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further reading
the industry tackles the changing world of PR
for any online marketer
web development and design, going right into how it works, with a break for key
terms and concepts. We look at three crucial elements of web sites: usability,
search engine visibility, and aesthetic design. Landing pages are touched
on, followed by the pros and cons, a summary and the importance of web site
development and design in the bigger picture of eMarketing.
introduction
key terms and concepts
Web development and design are at the heart of successful eMarketing, yet many
marketers do not understand the importance of laying solid foundations here. Like
Above the fold All the content that can be seen on a screen without scrolling down.
building a house, solid foundations are key to stability, longevity and even scalability.
Developing a web site involves more than choosing colours and header images.
Accessibility The degree to which a web site is available to users with disabilities or technical
limitations.
While it is tempting to focus on the design aesthetics of web sites, and eye-catching
Alt tag Textual information that is displayed if an image cannot be displayed; used by search engines to
determine what an image is.
web sites can be converting web sites, it is important to remember that a web site is a
marketing tool which should be increasing revenue for the company. Web sites should
Breadcrumb links Links, usually on the top of the page, that indicate where a page is in the
be built to serve the needs of the user. A web site is not something that users stare at
hierarchy of the web site.
Client-side Operations that take place before information is sent to the server.
needs are served, the web site will be more likely to enable the company to achieve
CMS Content Management System - a system that is used for updating content of a web site.
their goals.
Common page elements Items which appear on every page of a web site.
CSS Cascading Style Sheets - an approach to web design that aims for lightweight code and standards
While designers tend to talk about vision and can find conventions constraining, users
compliant web sites.
of web sites like conventions. They like web sites that just work, without any thinking
DOM Document Object Model - a web standards approach to representing HTML and XML documents
on their behalf.
as objects.
Dynamic parameter The elements of a URL that are dynamically generated.
how it works
Flash A proprietary technology used to show video and animation; can be bandwidth heavy and
unfriendly to search engine spiders.
HTML HyperText Markup Language - the code that is used to write most web sites.
Usability is the number one element that needs to be considered when developing a
Information architecture The layout and structure of a web site, which should be according to
site. Search engine visibility is the second most important factor. No one can negate
information hierarchy and categories.
Meta data Information that can be entered about a web page and the elements on it that provide
context and relevancy information to search engines; these used to be an important ranking factor.
in mind that there are some web sites which are designed to be found in other ways
Navigation How a web user moves through a web site, and the elements that assist the user.
Nofollow link Nofollow is an attribute of a hyperlink, indicating to search engines that the link is not
endorsed by the web site.
that sites need to be so ugly that they turn visitors into stone. It just means that design
needs to be hinged on usability and search engine visibility rather than vice versa. Web
Open source Unlike proprietary software, open source software makes the source code available so
that other developers can build applications for the software, or even improve on the software.
sites can still be gorgeous; they just need to fulfil other goals as well - the key here is
usability and conversion orientated design.
Robots Exclusion Protocol A protocol used to indicate to search engine robots which pages
should not be indexed.
While it is critical that a site is built for optimal crawling,
SERP Search engine results page - what you see when you use a search engine.
the structural design
indexing and ranking by search engines (its search engine
Server-side
Operations that take place on the server.
visibility), the site also needs to be worthy of traffic. It
Design
Sitemap On a web site, a page that links to every other page in the web site, and displays these links
aesthetic presentation of a
needs to be built for users. It should be usable and
organised according to the information hierarchy.
accessible with great content and conversion
URL Universal resource locator - the web address is unique to every page on the Internet.
to refer to aesthetic
oriented design. Fortunately, optimising a site
Search Engine Visibility
presentation.
for usability and accessibility usually enhances
search engine friendliness.
W3C World Wide Web Consortium which oversees the Web Standards project.
XML eXtensible Markup Language - a standard used for creating structured documents.
Usability
usability
Accessibility makes web sites easy to use and easy to scale. In some countries,
accessibility is a legal requirement of government web sites. Some key points of
accessibility include the following:
Just like in Hansel and
Gretel, breadcrumb links
help to show the user the
Ensuring that the web site and all its functions are compatible across a range
what to do; they are just able to do it.
path they have taken in
of browsers, including text only and mobile browsers.
the web site. Unlike the
Make sure that the web site is functional to users who might have a disability.
Use standard conventions, such as links that are distinct (blue and underlined is
fairy story, these ones
Some ways of doing so include the easy increasing or decreasing of text size
standard), menus top or left and the logo in the top left hand corner. Search boxes are
Common page elements
and using meaningful descriptive tags in the code for when the site is accessed
you navigate through the
are those elements which
web site.
through a screen reader.
are on every page of
buttons. Following standards for important elements that are familiar to web users
the web site. These can
Not designing for high bandwidth users only, but instead making sure that low
means that they know immediately where to look for or how to use them. Important
include main navigation,
bandwidth users do not have to wait for heavy page loads to access your web
elements (such as menus, logos, colours and layout) should be distinct, easy to find
a search box, a link to the
site (unless you have a good marketing reason for keeping those users out!).
and consistent throughout the web site.
home page and sign up
discussion
Having a search box (which works!) available.
Scaling and scalability
The information architecture of a site is crucial to usability. Topics and categorisation
Content needs to be written so that users can grab the information they need in as
web sites can scale?
little time as possible. Text can be made more easily readable by:
not company structure. An intuitively designed structure will guide the user to
their goals.
Highlighting or making bold key phrases and words
Using bulleted lists
The sitemap should be available from every page, and should clearly show the
Using paragraphs to break up information
information architecture of the web site. Dynamic sitemaps can be employed so that
Using descriptive and distinct headings
the sitemap is updated automatically as information is added to the web site.
On the page, use an inverted pyramid style, or newspaper style, for your copy. The bulk
As well as carefully thought out information architecture, the navigation should guide
of the information should be at the top of the page, to make for easy scanning.
users easily through both top-level and deeper pages. Navigation should also let the
user know where they are in the site (especially as not all users arrive via the home
page!). Breadcrumb links, clear page titles and URLs and menu changes all help to
show the user where she is.
Never resize windows or launch the site in a pop-up.
crawl Flash sites.
automatic sound, scrolling text, unusual fonts, etc).
Usability and accessibility guidelines are useful for checking that all elements have
been dealt with. MIT Information Services and Technology provides a usability checklist
online at: web.mit.edu/is/usability/usability-guidelines.html
On the next page is a copy of some of the items on the MIT checklist. Use it see how
your favourite web site measures up.
VisitBritain.com uses breadcrumb links and menu changes so that the user knows where they are in
the web site.
Navigation
Rating Explanation for Rating
labelling things correctly: URLs, alt tags, title tags and
Current location within the site is shown clearly
meta data
URLs, alt tags, title tags and meta data all describe a web site and its pages to both
Major/important parts of the site are directly
accessible from the main page
you below!) Chances are, clear descriptive use of these elements will appeal to both.
Site map is provided for a large, complex site
Easy to use search function is provided, as needed
URLs should be as brief and descriptive as possible. This may mean that URLs require
Language and Content
Rating Explanation for Rating
server side rewriting so as to cope with dynamic parameters in URLs. Does that sound
Important information and tasks are given
a little heavy? The examples below should make this clearer:
prominence
Information of low relevance or rarely used
Comparison of URLs for Cube World, a toy for sale on both sites:
information is not included
Related information or tasks are grouped:
- on the same page or menu
- in the same area within a page
Gizoo.co.uk - www.gizoo.co.uk/Products/toysgames/Interactive/CubeWorld2.htm
Language is simple, without jargon
Paragraphs are brief
Links are concise, expressive, and visible--not
Dynamic parameters are
buried in text
but they make little sense to the user.
question marks (?) and
Terms are defined
ampersands (&).
Architectural and Visual Clarity
Rating Explanation for Rating
The second example is far more user friendly, and clearly indicates where in the site
the user is. You even start getting a good idea of the architecture of the web site from
Site is easily scannable for organization and
meaning
More than two dynamic parameters in a URL increase the risk that the URL may not be
Site design and layout is straightforward and
concise
spidered. The search engine would not even index the content on that page.
White space is sufficient; pages are not too dense
Lastly, well written URLs can make great anchor text. If another site is linking to yours
Unnecessary animation is avoided
and they use just the URL, the search engine will do a better job of knowing what the
Colors used for visited and unvisited links are
easily seen and understood
page is about if you have a descriptive URL.
Some of the usability guidelines from the MIT checklist.
Have you ever waited for a page to load, and seen little boxes of writing where the
search engine visibility
Since search engines read text, not images, descriptive tags are the only way to tell
Search engine traffic is vital to a web site; without it, chances are the site will never
them what the images are, but these are still essentially for users. Text readers for
fulfil its marketing functions. It essential that the search engines can see the entire
browsers will also read out these tags to tell the user what is there. Meaningful
publicly visible web site, index it fully and consider it relevant for its chosen keywords.
Search engine optimisation has its own chapter in this textbook, but here are the key
considerations when it comes to web development and design.
Title attribute
Meta tags
Just as you can have the alt tag on an image HTML element, you can have a title attribute
Meta tags are where the developer can fill in information about a web page. These tags
on almost any HTML element - most commonly on a link. This is the text that is seen
are not normally seen by users. If you right click on a page in a browser and select
when a user hovers over the element with their mouse pointer. It used to describe
the element, or what the link is about. As this is text, it will also be read by search
engine spiders.
Title tags
Title tags, what appears on the top bar of your browser, are used by search engines to
These are the meta data. In the past, the meta tags were used extensively by search
determine the content of that page. They are also often used by search engines as the
engine spiders, but since so many people used this to try to manipulate search results,
link text on the search engines results page, so targeted title tags help to drive click-
they are now less important. Meta data now act to provide context and relevancy rather
the search engine results page (SERP) as the snippet of text to describe the web page
being linked to. This is illustrated in the image above. If the description is accurate,
be used by the search engine. And if it meets all those criteria, it also means the link
is more likely to be clicked on by the searcher.
search engine optimised copy
The chapters on online copywriting and search engine optimisation provide details on
writing copy for online use and for SEO benefit. When it comes to web development,
the copy that is shown on the web page needs to be kept separate from the code that
tells the browser how to display the web page. This means that the search engine
spider can discern easily between what is content to be read (and hence scanned by
the spider) and what are instructions to the browser. CSS (cascading style sheets) can
take care of that, and is covered further in this chapter.
The following text styles cannot be indexed by search engines:
Text embedded in a Java Application or a Macromedia Flash File
If an XML file is used
for the content in a
Text only accessible after submitting a form, logging in, etc.
Macromedia Flash File,
then the content can be
If the search engine cannot see the text on the page, it means that they cannot spider
easily read by search
and index that page.
engine spiders.
information architecture
Well organised information is as vital for search engines as it is for users. An effective
link structure will provide benefits to search rankings, and helps to ensure that a
search engine indexes every page of your site.
Make use of a sitemap, linked to and from every other page in the site. The search
engine spiders follow the links on a page, and this way they will be able to index the
whole site. A well planned sitemap will also ensure that every page on the site is within
The title tag appears in the browser and on the SERP, and the meta description can apper on th SERP.
a few clicks of the home page.
There are two sitemaps that can be used: an HTML sitemap which a visitor to the web
Visiting the second URL will show a text file with:
site can see, use and make sense of and an XML sitemap which contains additional
User-agent: *
information for the search engine spiders. An XML sitemap can be submitted to search
Disallow: /
engines to promote full and regular indexing. Again, a dynamically generated sitemap
will update automatically when content is added.
Here, User-agent: * means that the instruction is for all bots. If the instruction
is to specific bots, it should be identified here. The Disallow: / is an instruction
Using a category structure that flows from broad to narrow also indicates to search
that no pages of the web site should be indexed. If there are only certain pages or
engines that your site is highly relevant, and covers a topic in-depth.
directories that should not be indexed, they should be included here.
discussion
canonical issues: there can be only one
For example, if there is both an HTML and a PDF version of the same content, the wise
Why do you think web site
Have you noticed that sometimes several URLs can all give you the same web page?
web master will instruct search engine bots to index only of the two to avoid being
301 re-direct? It
owners would want to
For example:
penalised for duplicate content.
keep search engines out
tricky again! You can
of certain pages, or even
get more detail here:
http://www.websitename.com
The robots.txt file is publicly accessible, so although it does not show restricted
whole web sites?
www.gottaquirk.com/
http://websitename.com
content, it can give an idea of the content that a web site owner wants to keep private.
post/1066/setting-up-
http://www.websitename.com/index.html
A robots.txt file needs to be created for each subdomain.
301-redirects.
All the above can be used for the same home page of a web site. However, search
Here is a robots.txt file with additional information:
engines see these as three separate pages with duplicate content. Search engines look
for unique documents and content, and when duplicates are encountered, a search
User-agent: *
engine will select one as canonical, and display that page in the SERPs. However, it
Disallow: *.mp3 , *.wmv , *.swf , *.rm ,
will also dish out a lower rank to that page, and all its copies. Any value is diluted by
Request-rate: 1/5
having multiple versions.
Crawl-delay: 5
Visit-time: 0001-1300
Lazy webmasters sometimes forget to put any kind of redirect in place, meaning that
Instructions to search engine robots can also be given in the meta tags. This means
that instructions can still be given if you only have access to the meta tags and not to
the robots.txt file.
Having multiple pages with the same content, however that came about, hurts the web
all versions to a single, canonical version.
Make sure that both visitors to your web site and search engines can see it all by
following these guidelines:
robots.txt
A robots.txt file restricts a search engine spider from crawling and indexing certain
pages of a web site by giving instructions to the search engine spider, or bot. This is
considered broken and in need of fixing.
called the Robots Exclusion Protocol. So, if there are pages or directories on a web site
Validate your HTML and CSS in accordance with W3C guidelines.
that should not appear in the SERPs, the robots.txt file should be used to indicate this
Make sure all forms and applications work as they ought to.
to search engines.
Keep file size as small as possible and never greater than 150K for a page. It
ensures a faster download speed for users, and means that the content can be
If a search engine robot wants to crawl a web site URL, e.g.
fully cached by the search engines.
http://www.web sitename.com/welcome.html it will first check for
http://www.web sitename.com/robots.txt
design
Design also affects the accessibility of a web site. You need to take into account screen
resolutions, as designing for the biggest screen available could leave many of your
users scrolling across and down to see the web page. Subtle shading, background
With the foundations of usability and search engine visibility in mind, it is time to turn
colours to text and fancy fonts can also mean that many users cannot even see your
to making it all presentable: the design of the web site.
web site properly.
Looks may not matter to search engines, but they go a long to assuring visitors of your
discussion
Unknown
credibility, and of turning them into customers.
Screens just keep getting
bigger, so does that
mean that web sites
Every web site needs to be designed with clear goals (or conversions) in mind.
should as well? What
Conversions take many forms and may include the following:
about users that never
button on browser? How
effective do you think
sales data for laptops is
in determining optimal
screen resolution?
Before designing a web site, research your audience and competitors to determine
expectations and common elements to your industry. Mock up every layer of interaction.
This means that before any coding begins, there is clear map of how the web site
Figures show that screen resolution just keeps getting higher.
design to establish credibility
Source: www.w3schools.com
Here are some of the cues that visitors use to determine the credibility of a web site:
using CSS
visitor that there is a real person behind the web site, and that they are in
easy reach.
(www.w3c.org/Style/css/).
workings of a company and are especially interested in learning more about
the head honchos. Include employee pictures and/or profiles. It puts a face to
In the early days of the web, designers tended to use tables to lay out content for
an organisation.
a web page, and many web sites still do so today. However, different browsers, and
even different versions of browsers, all support code differently, resulting in web sites
potential customers what your current customers have to say about your
that only work on certain browsers, or bulky code to cope with all the different
organisation. Trust is vital and this is one way to encourage it.
versions required.
Feature logos of associations / awards - if you belong to any relevant industry
associations or have won any awards, feature them. Not only does this go a
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) (www.w3.org) was created in 1994 and since
then has been responsible for specifications and guidelines to promote the evolution of
your game, a notch above the competition.
the web, while ensuring that web technologies work well together. The Web Standards
Link to credible third party references - this is a way to assert your credibility
without tooting your own horn.
Keep content fresh and updated.
vastly reduce cross browser compatibility problems, such as web sites displaying
differently in different browsers.
exceptionally unprofessional and while the large majority of readers may not
pick them up, the one or two who do will question your credibility.
Include a portfolio of past work.
Web standards include:
HTML (HyperText Markup Language)
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
XML (eXtensible Markup Language
XHTML (eXtensible HyperText Markup Language)
DOM (Document Object Model)
CSS is standard layout language. It controls colours, typography and the size and
placement of elements on a web page. Previously, web developers have had to
create instructions for every page in a web site. With CSS, a single file can control the
appearance of an entire site.
CSS allows designers and developers to separate presentation from content. This has
several key benefits:
Sites are easier to maintain and update, and are more accessible
Content may be updated easily by someone who is not a web designer or
developer
Global changes can be applied quickly and easily
Reduce bandwidth and page loading times
Increase cross-browser compatibility
To see CSS in action, visit www.csszengarden.com where you can make a single HTML
Joomla! is an open source CMS. Above you can see how the CMS allows you to
page look very different, depending on which one of the many designer-contributed
manage the articles on the web site.
style sheets you apply to it.
using a CMS
CMS stands for Content Management System. As the name implies, a CMS is used to
Here are some key features to look out for when selecting or building a CMS:
manage the content of a web site. If a site is updated frequently and if people other
Meta and Title Tag customisation: the CMS should allow you to enter your own
than web developers need to update the content of a web site, a CMS is used. Today,
meta tags for each page, as well as allow full customisation of title tags for
many sites are built on a CMS. The CMS can also allow content of a web site to be
updated from any location in the world.
HTML tag customisation: the CMS should allow for full customisation of title
tags, such as nofollow links.
See the chapter on search
A CMS can be built specifically for a web site, and many web development companies
URLs: instead of using dynamic parameters, the CMS should allow for server-
engine optimisation for an
build their own CMS which can be used by their clients. A CMS can also be bought
side rewriting of URLs. It should allow for the creation of URLs that are:
explanation of nofollow
pre-built, and there are many open source pre-built CMS available, some of which
static
rewritable
keyword rich
A CMS should be selected with the goals and functions of the web site in mind. A CMS
Customisable navigation: a good CMS will allow flexibility when it comes to
needs to be able to scale along with the web site and business that it supports, and not
creating the information architecture for a web site. For the purposes of adding
the other way round!
additional content for search engines, a CMS should not require that all content
pages be linked to from the home page navigation. This allows content to be
Of course, the CMS selected should result in a web site that is search engine friendly.
added for SEO purposes, without adding it to the main navigation.
301 redirect functionality: it is imperative that a CMS offers the ability to put
Client-side validation relies on JavaScript, which is not necessarily available to all
in place 301 redirects to prevent penalisation for duplicate content on
visitors. Client-side validation can alert a visitor to an incorrectly filled in form most
different URLs.
quickly, but server-side validation is the most accurate. It is also important to have
Customisable image naming and alt tags for images: a good CMS will allow
a tool to collect all of the failed tests and present appropriate error messages neatly
you to create custom alt tags and title attributes.
above the form the user is trying to complete. This will ensure that correctly entered
Robots.txt management: ensure you are able to customise the robots.txt to
data is not lost, but repopulated in the form to save time and reduce frustration.
your needs, or that this can at least be managed using the meta tags.
Searching of content: make sure you are able to include a useful site search.
International character support: the Internet has afforded the opportunity
to conduct business globally, but this means that web sites need to make provision
Be aware when building clean, descriptive and dynamic URLs from CMS content.
for non-English visitors. It is advisable to support international characters via UTF-8
encoding; both on the web site itself and in the form data submitted to it.
(http://www.web sitename.com/cape/storm) and someone changes the heading to
Search-friendly sessions: sessions can be used to recognise individual visitors
discussion
engines will index this as a new page, but with the same content as the URL which had
on a web site, useful for click-path analysis. Cookies can be used to maintain sessions,
Why does URL rewriting
the old heading. Bear this in mind before adding dynamic parameters to your URLs.
but URL rewriting can be used to compensate for users who not have cookies activated.
create a moving target for
This means that as visitors move through a web site, their session information is stored
a search engine spider?
Finally, using a CMS system that supports standards compliant HTML and CSS is very
in a dynamically generated web address.
important - as without it inconsistencies may be rendered across various browsers.
It also ensures faster loading time and reduced bandwidth, makes mark-up easier to
Search engine spiders do not support cookies, so many web sites will attempt URL
maintain, supports SEO efforts and ensures that every single visitor to a web site, no
rewriting to maintain the session as the spider crawls the web site. However, these
matter what browser they are using, will be able to see everything on the site.
URLs are not liked by search engine spiders (as they appear to create a moving target
for the robot) and can hinder crawling and indexing. The work-around: use technology
technical considerations
to detect if a visitor to the site is a person or a robot, and do not rewrite URLs for the
search engine robots.
Auto generated human readable and XML sitemaps: sitemaps are
focus. Here are some technical considerations vital for a good web site:
exceptionally important, both to visitors and to search engines. Technology can be
Proprietary vs. open source:
implemented that automatically generates and updates both the human readable and
an important consideration when building a new
XML sitemaps, ensuring spiders can find new content.
site, and all avenues should be explored. Open source software is fully customisable
and benefits from a large developer community. Propriety software usually includes
RSS feed generation: Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is an absolute necessity.
support in its price.
With all the millions of web and blog sites in existence web users can no longer afford
URL rewriting:
to spend time browsing their favourite sites to see if new content has been added. By
it is vital that important URLs in your site are indexable by the
enabling RSS feeds on certain sections on the site, especially those that are frequently
search engines. Ensure that URL rewriting is enabled according to the guidelines in
updated, users will have the content delivered directly to them. Visitors should be able
this chapter. URL rewriting should be able to handle extra dynamic parameters that
to pick and choose the sections they like to get updates from via a feed.
might be added by search engines for tracking purposes.
GZIP compression: this helps to speed up download times of a web page, improving
landing pages: bespoke parts of the
user experience.
Server-side form validation: form validation is the process whereby the data
entered into a form is verified in order to meet certain preset conditions (e.g. ensuring
A landing page is the page users are directed to from any campaign designed to drive
that the name and email address fields are filled in).
traffic to a specific URL. The traffic to a landing page could be from a banner or PPC
ad, an email, a print ad, TV or radio spot or from direct marketing. Users are being sent
there for a very specific reason:
Web sites should be built for users first and foremost. The development and design of a
Enter a competition (lead)
web site should ensure that all necessary content can be accessed by search engines.
Buy a product (sale)
Subscribe to a newsletter (sign-up)
Web sites should be designed and developed for best use by both people and
search engines.
As far as landing pages go, first impressions really do count. They need to capture
the user immediately and make them want to complete the desired action. Users
Key considerations include:
who land on these pages make the decision to complete the desired action based on
Well thought out information architecture and clear navigation
two criteria:
Standards compliant HTML and functionality that works across all browsers
Whether the page looks complicated or time consuming
Descriptive naming of elements so that web sites make sense without images
Whether it is relevant to their needs
and when accessed by text reading browsers
Effective design and benefit statements can help users to make the decision to
Design should enhance user experience and guide a visitor seamlessly through a web
complete the desired action.
site, as opposed to distracting visitors from their goals.
guidelines for successful landing pages
Focus the page on a single call to action. These are purpose built, purpose driven
the bigger picture
pages and extraneous information should be avoided.
This chapter may be towards the end of the book, but web development and design can
The landing page does not need to carry the same navigation of the web site, and can
be seen as the thread that holds eMarketing together. After all, web sites are the first
look slightly different (though a large deviation in style is not advised). The aim is to
keep users on a path to the goal.
Whatever campaign is being run, there is no doubt that it will involve a web site. The
Landing pages can detract from SEO efforts, as there might be many similar landing
pages created. Use the robots.txt file to keep search engine spiders out.
With the crucial role that search engines play in the way that people access the Internet
pros and cons
and visit web sites, web development and design goes hand in hand with SEO. And of
course, campaigns such as PPC campaigns, email marketing campaigns and even
There are no cons to designing a web site for your users first and foremost. It can
require some creative thinking when it comes to ensuring that wacky ideas are
into the mix again.
accessible and usable, but the benefits of taking the time to ensure that web sites are
coded according to best practice will show in the longevity of the web site.
Web site owners want their web site to be talked about, and linked to, for all the right
reasons. Sometimes the best way to know what parts of your web site are and are not
Beautiful web sites do not need to be sacrificed for standards compliancy.
summary
Successful web site development and design is all about foundations, and the resulting
web site usually forms the foundation of any eMarketing to follow. Make sure you
successful web site are:
Almost all eMarketing is designed to get users to a web site where they
Usability and accessibility
Search engine visibility
eMarketing activities.
case study: Wicked Uncle
On the product pages, all product images were increased in size, and more
images were included so that web users could see the product from a variety
Wicked Uncle (www.wickeduncle.com) had just launched their new web site (and business), when they realised
of angles. Gifts for boys and gifts for girls were colour-coded to ensure easy
navigation. The helpline was prominently displayed on each page, as was
presents, and the layout of their web site was a hindrance. Even though they had just launched, a web site
an easy add to cart button. Pertinent information showing whether the item
redevelopment was in order.
was in stock, and how long it would take to ship, was also easily available.
A birthday reminder tool was implemented on the web site. When a user
reminders of the birthday coming up. This has been very successful and has
The shopping process is exceptionally smooth, with functionality being carefully thought out. Within the process,
the user is able to register different children with their own delivery address. The colours used in the shopping
cart complement the web site, but are unique to the cart, so it stands out. There is always a clear indication of
what the next step in the check-out process is.
Lastly, for those shoppers in a hurry, the web site features a 1-Minute Gift Finder. With a new web site that is
easy to use, Wicked Uncle was able to run campaigns to drive targeted traffic to the web site.
case study questions
Selling gifts online can be difficult as the shopper cannot see the actual product they are buying. What
are some ways that the web site design aims to overcome this?
How is the web site able to be used for a number of eMarketing activities?
The aim of the redevelopment was to make a gift buyable in under a minute.
As well as this, the new web site would also allow Wicked Uncle to build up a
chapter questions
database of users so that they could start one to one marketing to a database
of subscribers. The look and feel of the first web site was maintained, but the
web site was restructured to be more usable, and to make the content more
requirements inform the web development and design process?
available to search engines.
Visit a retail web site, such as www.amazon.com and a news web site, such as www.news.bbc.co.uk, and
identify the common page elements of each. What elements are common to both web sites?
The site was previously built to be 800 x 600, which is a resolution used by only
What are the differences between an HTML site map and an XML site map?
7% of the target market. The new web site was built in 1024 x 768, which not
A picture may be worth a thousand words to web site visitors, but can be fairly meaningless to search
only allowed more room but is also much better suited to the target market. More than 92% of the target UK
engine spiders. How can this be combated by webmasters?
market has high resolution monitors.
references
http://www.seomoz.org/article/beginners-guide-to-search-engine-optimization,
SEOmoz.org, [accessed 3 March 2008]
second edition, New Riders, Berkeley
MIT Information Services Department, Usability Guidelines,
http://web.mit.edu/ist/usability/usability-guidelines.html,
MIT Information Services and Technology, mit.edu, [accessed 3 March 2008]
Seebach, P. (13 March 2001) The cranky user: How not to make you site accessible,
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/library/us-cranky1.html,
IBM, [accessed 3 March 2008]
Zeldman, J (2006) Designing with Web Standards (2nd Edition),
New Riders, Berkeley
copywriting
further reading
web sites and web design in a completely different way, and both will give you a solid background in building
web sites that work.
www.alistapart.com
on building user friendly, standards compliant web sites
13. online
www.smashingmagazine.com
is king, and gives you the key terms and concepts needed for this chapter. How
it works discusses personas and the importance of layout and some HTML
basics. Writing online, you will need to look at short copy, which includes the
all important call to action, features and benefits, and writing PPC adverts.
Long copy still requires attention to the elements that make sure you are getting
read, and we look at the all important SEO copywriting. The Web is full of
the trade.
introduction
how it works
When it comes to the Internet, content is king! The copy on a web page is a hardworking
When writing for the web, it does not mean that traditional approaches to copywriting
multi-tasker. It needs to provide information to visitors, engage with them and convince
need to be ditched. The foundations remain. The first step you need to take is to
them to take a desired action as well as conveying brand ethos. It also needs to provide
research your audience, understand their needs and write copy that solves their
context and relevance to search engines. And it needs to achieve all this without
problems while engaging with them.
appearing to be trying too hard.
Knowing your audience will guide you in determining the topics that they want, and
Whatever your involvement with the Internet and eMarketing, copywriting is
help you to organise information in a way that makes sense to your audience. It will
Sometimes it helps to
fundamental. Whether writing an email to a colleague or PPC adverts for a new
direct the tone of your copy, as well as the content.
write for just one person.
product launch, learning how to write effective online copy will make you a better
Pick out someone you
communicator.
However, the Internet has lead to an audience of one (Price and Price, 2002). What does
know who fits your
audience, or make
this mean? While your audience is not literally one person (and if it is, thank your mum
someone up, and write
Online copywriting involves everything from the copy of a web site, to the content of
for reading your web site, but spend some time on growing your readership), it is not
for that person. In
an email and all things in between. From 800 word WebPR articles to three line PPC
a vast, vaguely defined crowd. Instead, online we have many niche audiences who are
copywriting, this person
used to being addressed as individuals. Online, many of the individuals in our audience
who fits your audience is a
also exchange information via blogs, forums and other forms of social media.
persona.
Holly Buchanan of Future Now (www.futurenowinc.com) sums this up with three
questions you should ask:
Who is my audience?
key terms and concepts
What actions do I want them to take?
What information do they need in order to feel confident taking action?
Above the fold The content that appears on a screen without a user having to scroll.
personas
Active verb A word that conveys action or behaviour, and in a call to action, tells a prospect
site. Creating a profile is all about considering the needs and desires of your web site
Benefit The positive outcome for a user that a feature provides.
visitors. For example: how do they make purchase decisions: do they compare lots of
Call to action Also, CTA: words used to encourage a prospect to take a particular action.
service providers before selecting one, do they make lists of questions and call in for
assistance with decision making, or do they make purchase decisions spontaneously
Dynamic keyword insertion In paid search advertising, this allows keywords used in
based on a special offer?
searches to be inserted automatically into advert copy.
Feature A prominent aspect of a product which is beneficial to users.
Web site copy can be structured in such a way that it caters for several personas, but
you need to spend time understanding their needs before you are able to write copy
Mass customisation Tailoring content for many individuals.
that addresses these needs.
Persona A character used to represent a group of visitors to a web site.
Understanding the profiles of your readers is an important process, and the best copy
PPC Pay Per Click usually refers to advertising on search engines.
usually results from extensive time spent figuring out your audience.
Sender alias The name that is chosen to appear in the sender or from field of an email.
copy that is easy to read
Search engine optimisation - aiming to improve rankings in search engines.
SERP Search engine results page - what you see when you perform a search on a search engine.
Online copy is judged at first glance by readers not just on its content, but first and
foremost on its layout. It needs to appear to be easy to read before a user will choose
A good online copywriter will also be able to use basic HTML to layout copy, knowing
While clever word play in headings and titles can attract some attention, online these
that it is the appearance of the page that will get his words read. It should be easy for
need to be written as descriptively as possible. The copy is multi-tasking: not only is
users to skip and skim the copy, and it should be easy for them to find the parts that
it informing visitors of what to expect, it is also telling search engine spiders what the
are most relevant to them.
page is about.
Online copy should be easy to scan. This means making use of:
Bulleted and numbered lists
learning to use HTML
Short paragraphs
Clear and concise headings
Bold and italics
on the Internet. HTML tags tell browsers how to present content. HTML tags are in the
Descriptive links
When writing online copy, you can use an HTML editor, where you insert the tags
yourself, or a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor which works in a similar
Before
way to a word processor.
Tea has been drunk for thousands
Worldwide, tea sales are increasing as people
of years, and as people are
are becoming more health conscious. Here
Basic HTML is not hard to use, and will help you to layout your content. Here are some
growing more health conscious,
are some tips on making the perfect cup
basic HTML tags:
tea sales are increasing. Personal
preference plays an important role
use fresh water (for maximum oxygen)
To bold: phrase you wish to bold
in making the perfect cup of tea.
warm the teapot first
To italicise: phrase you wish to italicise
use one teabag per person, and one for
To underline: phrase you wish to underline
maximum oxygen in the tea, and
To list :lines you wish to list
warming the teapot first is standard
To create a paragraph:

paragraph text

practice. Tradition dictates one
The perfect cup of tea is based on personal
To insert a line break:

teabag per person, and one for the
preference and taste. Tea can be served with:
pot. Tea is served with milk, lemon,
honey or sugar, according to taste.
honey or sugar
The tags also help search engines to identify how the content has been laid out on
Because visitors need to decide quickly whether or not to read a page, the most
important information needs to be at the top of the page. Start with the summary or
The best way to get to grips with HTML is to start using it online, where you can see
how the tags work.
short copy
Online copy often has only a small amount of space and short amount of time to get a
message across to a visitor, and entice them to take action. This is especially true of
banner advertising and PPC adverts on search engines, but also is important across all
eMarketing disciplines. Probably the most important short copy is the call to action.
A crucial element to online copywriting is the call to action (CTA). Users scan web
pages and look for clues as to what to do. Tell them.
A call to action is a short, descriptive instruction that explicitly tells a web visitor what
For example, consider a home entertainment system. Features could include surround
to do. Banner advertising usually involves a clear call to action, and they can also be
sound and a large flat screen television. The benefit: a cinema quality experience in
used in paid search advertising. Call to action copy is not limited to short copy: email
your own home.
newsletters and promotions should also make use of call to action, and we even see
them all over web pages.
Persuasive writing makes use of features, benefits and active verbs to create appealing
messages for your personas:
Use active verbs for
Any time that there is an action that you want a web visitor to take, a call to action
sentences in the active
should instruct the visitor what to do. This means using active verbs when you write,
Enjoy cinema quality movie nights in your own home with a surround sound home
voice. This sentence is in
and crafting hyperlinks to be clear instructions that resonate with your visitor at each
entertainment system.
the active voice. Passive
step in the conversion process.
verbs can be used, but tend
PPC adverts
to make for less instructive
Passive sentence:
copy. Passive voice is being
PPC adverts have a very limited space, and very limited time, to get a message across,
used in this sentence.
When your email has been received, an order number will be issued.
work hard to ensure a top return on investment.
Active sentence:
Send us an email, and we will issue you with an order number!
PPC adverts follow the same basic structure:
A good call to action resonates with the action that the visitor needs to take, as opposed
Heading
to the technical function that is performed. For example, if a user has entered an email
Two lines of advert copy,
Refer to the chapter on PPC
Which can be displayed on one line
www.DisplayURL.com
editorial guidelines.
displayed in bold in the advert. This makes the advert stand out more, and can improve
click-through rates.
might look like this:
There is only one way to know what call to action works best on a web page, in an
email, on a banner or in an advert: test, test, test!
A dozen red roses for your love;
features and benefits
Fast, free delivery in RSA.
Writing compelling copy means conveying to readers why they should perform an
www.flowers.co.za/roses
action. While features may seem all important, you need to communicate the benefits
of the features to the user.
Using keywords in the advert copy can help to improve click-through rates. However,
Feature: a prominent aspect of a product or service which can provide benefit
campaign! The paid search advertising platforms have a neat tool to bypass this
to users. It describes what the product does.
problem: dynamic keyword insertion.
Benefit: the positive outcome for a user that a feature provides. It can be the
emotional component of what the user gets out of the product.
Dynamic keyword insertion allows for the search term used to be inserted into the
advert copy. This means that you can write one advert, and every time it appears for a
Features and benefits are very different. Features are what are important to the
different search term, that search term will be inserted into the advert. In the copy for
company that provides the product or service. Benefits are what are important to those
the advert, it looks like this:
who decide to use the product or service.
{keyword:alternative word}
The brackets indicate that this is where the dynamic keyword should go. The copywriter
long copy
also needs to select an alternative keyword to show if the search term used does not
fit into the space available.
Online copywriting is not just about short, sharp call to action copy, however web users
tend to scan pages quickly to determine whether or not they will read further. Even
explain this best.
when writing longer copy, you need to take this into consideration.
Advert text created:
Longer online copy allows you to foster a relationship with a reader, whether it is on
a blog, through email communications or through articles and news releases. With
Brand New {KeyWord:Phones}
more words and space available to use, you are able to build a voice and a personality
Huge selection of phones. Great prices.
into your writing.
{Keyword:phones} in stock. Free shipping!
www.BestDealer.com
getting read: titles and subject lines
Titles and subject lines are there for a very important reason: they inform a reader
Adverts as seen by searchers:
whether or not they are likely to want to read further. They are the gateway to
your content.
Ad 1 - Keyword: nokia n90
Consider the following two titles:
Brand New Nokia N90
Guide to online copywriting
Huge selection of phones. Great prices.
Ten steps to online copywriting that sells
Nokia n90 in stock. Free shipping!
www.BestDealer.com
The second title conveys more information to the reader, information that helps the
reader to make a decision to read further.
Ad 2 - Keyword: samsung d500
Subject lines are like titles for emails, and can make the difference between an email
Brand New Samsung D500
being deleted instantly and being opened and read. Subject lines also work hand in
Huge selection of phones. Great prices.
Samsung D500 in stock. Free shipping!
an inbox, and are used to determine relevance, familiarity and trust.
www.BestDealer.com
Ad 3 - Keyword: motorola razor silver
can recognise your emails easily. With familiarity and trust established using this field,
the subject line can be used more creatively.
Brand New Phones
Huge selection of phones. Great prices.
As with a title, use the subject line to make clear what the email is about. For example,
Phones in stock. Free shipping!
if there is a promotion in the email, consider putting it in the subject line as well.
www.BestDealer.com
Titles, headlines and subject lines need to be both persuasive and enticing. Consider
what need your copy is meeting for your readers, and express that first.
With some limited word count available, it can seem a daunting task to communicate
information that entices the right traffic to click-through, and differentiates you from
copywriting for seo
your competition. Testing variations of copy is the best way to determine what works
As well as the copy on the web page, HTML tags and Meta data are also used by
best for your campaign.
an SEO copywriter. In addition to assisting you with structuring your content, these
tags indicate relevancy and context to search engines. Some of the tags are used by
screenreaders, and so they assist visitors with disabilities to access your content. The
Meta description can also be used by search engines on the search engine results
headings and sub-headings
pages (SERPs).
Spiders assign more relevance to the text used in headings, so it is important
to use your key phrases in the headings on your page. It also helps to structure
A keyword refers to the word or words that are used in a search query. Multi word
your content.
keywords are sometimes referred to as key phrases.
Heading structures:
The first step in SEO copywriting is keyword research. Having identified the themes
of your web site and web pages, keyword research should be used to identify what
keywords your target audience uses when searching for you.
Each page should be optimised for a primary key phrase, and can be optimised for a
Having a good heading hierarchy is important as spiders use it to move through
secondary and tertiary key phrase as well. Usually a web page is optimised for three
your page. The hierarchy indicates what is more important and how the content is
key phrases, but can be optimised for up to five (though only if the page is very long).
Any more than that and you are better off creating new, niche web pages.
page copy
In the chapter on search engine optimisation, there is more detail on the process of
The number of times you use the key phrases is entirely dependant on how long the
keyword discovery and keyword selection.
page of copy is. You want to optimise the page for the key phrases without their use
being overt.
Below are guidelines for using key phrases on a web page:
For SEO effectiveness, a page of web copy should not be less than 250 words. On a 250
word page you could use the primary key phrase eight times (this includes use in Meta
Each page on a web site
The main key phrase for the page should be used in the URL for the page. Often, the
data, headings, title and body copy) and the secondary key phrase four times.
must have a unique URL,
URL is generated from the page title, so using the key phrase in the page title should
title, Meta keywords and
ensure that it is in the URL as well.
The page should not be so long that the user needs to scroll and scroll and scroll
discussion
Meta description.
again to get to the end of it. If you find the page is getting exceptionally long, consider
Why should you avoid
page title
breaking it into different sections. This way you could add more pages of optimised
requiring the user to scroll
many times to read a page
copy focused on one theme, instead of one very long page.
of content?
(and the search engine spiders, of course) what the main theme of the page is. The
page title is limited to 66 characters (including spaces). The key phrase should be used
links to your optimised page
as close to the beginning of the title as possible.
The text used to link from one page to another is considered important by the search
engine spiders, so try to ensure that your key phrase is used when linking to the
meta description
optimised page. The anchor text of links should include the key phrase of the page
The Meta description is a short paragraph describing the page content. This summary
being linked to, and not the page being linked from.
is usually shown on the SERPs if it contains the search term searched for, which means
Keyword stuffing refers
that it needs to entice users to click-through. The spiders use the Meta description to
images: alt text and title tags
to putting too many
deduce the topic of the page and the use of targeted key phrases is important here.
keywords into the Meta
Copy is limited to no more than 166 characters (including spaces).
in the caption. It is used in HTML to attribute a text field to an image on a web page,
keywords tagging, and
using keywords that are
normally with a descriptive function, telling a user what an image is about and
meta keywords
not relevant to the web
displaying the text in instances where the image is unable to load. While this is handy
page. Search engines can
The Meta keywords are a list of the words and phrases that are important on a web
penalise this as a spam
page. The use of targeted key phrases is important here, but remember: no keyword
but they can read the alt text. The image title tag is what shows when you hover with
practice.
stuffing. The meta keywords are limited to 200 characters (including spaces).
your mouse over an image and can also be read by the search engine spider.
neologisms and buzz words
Sometimes the World Wide Web is referred to as the Wild Wild Web as it can seem to
sure your content is read. Internet users have a deluge of information vying for their
be an environment where anything goes. The ever expanding numbers of social media
attention, so you need to make it easy for a user to choose to read your content. Titles
participants play fast and loose with grammar.
and subject lines should be compelling, while providing clear information as to what
the content is.
With new services and products being developed daily, it can feel like the list of new
words, and new ways to use words, is building faster than you can keep up with it.
Copywriting for SEO involves optimising copy for select key phrases in order to give
context to search engines. A page can be optimised for up to five key phrases, but it is
usually one that has been in heavy use by the Internet audience for the three years
usually optimised for three of them. SEO copywriting involves the meta data and title
preceding its entrance into a dictionary.
tags, as well as the copy that is read on a page.
vocabulary every day. For best copywriting, know your audience and use the language
that resonates most strongly with them.
Firefox is a free, open
tools of the trade
source browser developed
by the Mozilla Foundation.
As well as having improved
and safer browsing, you
Always remember that you are writing for your users first and foremost. If your content
The SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook) formula from Harry McLaughlin can be
can download extensions
is aimed at cutting-edge early-adopters, then litter it with the latest buzz words. If your
used to calculate the reading level of copy that you have written. A SMOG calculator,
that let you customise your
audience does not know the difference between Firefox and Internet Explorer, then be
and instructions for use, can be found on his web site:
browser. You can download
cautious when using a word that did not exist the day before.
www.harrymclaughlin.com/SMOG.htm .
it for free from
www.mozilla.org.
Users dictate your copy.
Alternatively, flesh.sourceforge.net offers a Java application that produces the Flesch-
Kincaid Grade Level and the Flesch Reading Ease Score of a document.
summary
For an online dictionary and an online thesaurus, you can visit:
www.dictionary.reference.com and www.thesaurus.reference.com.
Copywriting is fundamental to any eMarketing activity. The underpinning factor for
These both source a number of reference sources.
copywriting success is to write for your users first and foremost.
The very first step for effective copywriting is to research your audience and
understand their needs. Then you can write copy that engages with them and solves
on this web site than you originally planned!
their problems. Profiling your audience involves creating personas to whom the copy
may be addressed.
When it comes to keyword research, there are a host of tools available. Some are
listed below:
Online copy needs to be easy to read, and so layout is important. Copy should be made
SEO Book - tools.seobook.com/firefox/seo-for-firefox.html
easy to scan by effective use of paragraphs, bulleted lists and highlighting important
words by making them bold.
AdWords - adwords.google.com/select/Login
One of the most important aspects of online copywriting is a strong call to action. Web
users look for instructions and indications of what they should do. A call to action
www.seochat.com/seo-tools/keyword-suggestions-google
should tell them exactly what to do.
When it comes to long copy, compelling title and subject lines are important to make
chapter questions
When writing for the web, why are descriptive titles better than titles which play on words?
Why does web copy need to be easy to read?
For some real online copywriting practice, choose an article in a magazine or newspaper, and rewrite it
for an Internet audience.
references
Buchanan, H. (17 March 2008) What is Web Copy and How Should I Use It?,
www.grokdotcom.com/2008/03/17/what-is-web-copy,
FutureNowInc.com [accessed 17 June 2008]
sion optimisation
Google, How do I use keyword insertion? (tutorial),
Google AdWords Help Center [accessed 17 June 2008]
New Riders, Indiana
http://www.seomoz.org/article/beginners-guide-to-search-engine-optimization,
SEOmoz.org, [accessed 3 April 2008]
further reading
ytics and
resource. The web site for the book is www.webwritingthatworks.com.
www.copyblogger.com
www.wordwise.typepad.com
- Dan Santow of Edelman posts regularly on his blog with practical tips for improving your writing, whether it
concepts for web analytics and conversion optimisation. How it works focuses on
be emails to colleagues, blog posts, news releases or articles, and includes updates on neologisms, web words
the building block terms of web analytics, including tracking and the analysing
data. Tools of the trade provides some useful analytics package providers, as
well as online resources for analysing behaviour. Pros and cons highlight the
providing 101 links to the best online copywriting references on the Internet:
www.grokdotcom.com/2007/10/29/copywriting-101
importance of tracking and optimising, followed by a summary and the bigger
www.grokdotcom.com/2007/11/13/copywriting-101-part-2
picture.
introduction
key terms and concepts
A/B split test testing two variables for statistically significant influence.
Click path the clicks taken by a visitor to a web site in one visit.
Come opening day your store is inundated with visitors and potential customers. And
yet, you are hardly making any sales. Could it be because you have one cashier for
Conversion a visitor completing a target action.
Conversion funnel a defined path that visitors should take to reach the final objective.
walls is chasing customers away before they complete a purchase. While it can be
Count raw figures captured for analysis, these are the most basic web analytics metric.
difficult to isolate and track the factors affecting your revenue in this fictional store,
move it online and you have a wealth of resources available to assist you with tracking,
Event a step a visitor takes in the conversion process.
analysing and optimising your performance.
Goal the defined action that visitors should perform on a web site or the purpose of the web site.
Heat map a data visualisation tool that shows levels of activity on a web page in different colours,
To a marketer, the connected Internet offers more than new avenues of creativity. By
reds and yellows showing the most activity and blues and violets the least.
its very nature, the Internet allows you to track each click to your site and through your
Hit every request to the server is recorded as a hit, mistakenly used in web analytics as an indication of
site. It takes the guesswork out of pinpointing the successful elements of a campaign,
a successful web site.
JavaScript
where to look, knowing what to look for, and knowing what to do with the information
a popular scripting language that is also used in web analytics for page tagging.
Key performance indicator (KPI) a metric that indicates whether a web site is achieving
Log files text files created on the server each time a click takes place, capturing all activity on the
Multivariate test testing many variables to determine statistically significant influences
Testing, analysing and optimising are not new to marketing. Being able to gauge the
on outcomes.
success of any campaign is crucial to growth.
Page tags JavaScript files embedded on a web page and executed by the browser.
Ratio an interpretation of data captured, a ratio can be between counts, ratios or a ratio and a
Early web analytics packages came to the fore in the mid 1990s, a couple of years after
count metric.
the first Mosaic browser launched. Early analysis reflected the nature of the early web,
Referrer
focussing only on hits with some very basic click stream analysis. With one page web
the URL that originally generated the request for the current page.
sites being the norm, it was enough to know how many clicks came to the web site.
Segmentation filtering visitors into distinct groups based on characteristics so as to analyse visits.
Traffic meant you were doing well. You can still see hit counters on some web sites
Visitor an individual visiting a web site that is not a search engine spider or a script.
today. The web sites usually look as sophisticated as this tool.
However, as web sites became more complex, and as more people had access to the
Internet, better analysis became more important. Measuring hits was, and is, not
how it works
enough. In fact, measuring hits is a fairly meaningless task. Web analytics split into two
types of tools: page tags and log files. Both continue to become more sophisticated,
When it comes to web analytics and conversion optimisation, it is all about preparation.
capturing information about visitors to a web site, and recording detailed information
It is not just about collecting data, you need to know what data you are going to use.
related to their time on the site.
Once data has been collected, you need to analyse it and let the numbers inform your
optimisation tasks.
There are several log file analysis tools which cost nothing to use. Sophisticated page
tag web analytics became available for free when Google bought Urchin in March 2005
goals, events and KPIs
and launched Google Analytics as a free service. Are you wondering what the difference
The key to the success of any web site or online campaign is that it is designed with
clearly defined goals in mind. These will be used to measure the success of the web
site or campaign, and are crucial to maintaining focus within online activities.
The goal of a web site or campaign may depend on the type of industry, but usually it
There are also other pointers, or indicators, that you are achieving your goals. These
will be an action that results in revenue for the company. The goal of a web site is also
are factors that can be optimised to ensure that your ultimate goal is being met. In web
intrinsically linked to the action that you want visitors to perform.
analytics, these are referred to as key performance indicators (KPI). These need to be
defined so you monitor the entire process to achieving your web site goal. They can
Although a web site has an ultimate goal, the process of achieving that goal can
also give clues as to what factors you need to work on so as to reach your goal.
be broken down into several steps. These are called events or micro-conversions.
Events and KPIs are not
Analysing each step in the process is called funnel analysis or path analysis and is
the same thing. Events
critical to understanding where problems in the conversion process may lie. The clicks
can be seen as steps
Here are some example goals and KPIs for different web sites:
a visitor makes once landed on a site, whether they follow the desired steps or not, are
towards a goal and
are usually an action
referred to as a click path.
Hospitality ecommerce site, such as www.expedia.com
performed by a visitor.
Goal: increase bookings
KPIs are indicators that
Goal: decrease marketing expenses
being met.
Conversion rate
Cost per visitor
Average order value
News and content sites, such as www.news24.com
Goal: increase readership and level of interest
Goal: increase time visitors spend on web site
Length of visit
Average time spent on web site
Percentage of returning visitors
KPIs help you to look at the factors that you can influence. For example, if your goal
is to increase revenue, you could look at ways of increasing your conversion rate (that
is the number of visitors who purchase something). One way of increasing conversion
For example, on a hotel web site, the ultimate goal is that visitors to the site make a
rate could be to offer a discount. So, you would have more sales, but probably a lower
booking on the web site with a credit card.
average order value. Or, you could look at ways of increasing the average order
value, so the conversion rate would stay the same, but you increase the revenue from
Each step in the process is an event which can be analysed as a conversion point.
each conversion.
Event 1: perform a search for available dates for hotels in the desired area
Once you have established your goals, events and your KPIs, you need to be able to
Event 2: check prices and amenities for available hotels
track the data that will help you analyse how you are performing, and will indicate how
Event 3: select a hotel and go to checkout
you can optimise your web site or campaign.
Event 4: enter personal and payment details and confirm booking (conversion)
KPIs and events break down the factors and steps that can be influences so as to
achieve the goals of the web site. They allow you to see on a micro level what is
number of visitors who progress from one step to the next will go a long way to
affecting performance on a macro level.
improving the overall conversion rate of the site.
tracking and collecting data
Page tagging service providers usually offer a greater level of support. This is
because it is a third party service, whereas log file analysis software is often
managed in-house.
Currently, there are two main technology approaches for collecting web analytics data:
log file analysis and page tagging.
Because of the different methods of collecting data, the raw figures produced by the
two services will differ. Sometimes, both are used to analyse a web site. However,
Log file analysis software reads the records, called log files, on the web server, which
raw figures not matching up should not be a problem. It is through interpreting these
record all clicks that take place on the server. Web servers have always stored all the
figures that you will be able to understand how effective your eMarketing efforts are.
clicks which take place in a log file, so the software interprets data which has always
been available. A new line is written in a log file with each new request. For example,
Web site analytics packages can be used to measure most, if not all, eMarketing
clicking on a link, an Ajax call or submitting a form will each result in a new line
campaigns. Web site analysis should always account for the various campaigns being
being written.
run. For example, generating high traffic volumes by employing various eMarketing
tactics like SEO, PPC and email marketing can prove to be a pointless and costly
Page tagging, on the other hand, sends information to a third party server, where
exercise if the visitors are leaving your site without achieving one (or more) of your web
statistics can be generated. The browser executes JavaScript code which communicates
with the tracking software.
possible into active customers.
Pixel tracking can be used to track email campaigns. Here, a tiny transparent 1 pixel
what information is captured
by 1 pixel is placed in the email. When you load the images in the email, you will also
There are three types of web analytics metrics:
load the tiny image that tracks your activity.
What you should know:
Log file analysis
determine your success in reaching your goals
Log files are normally produced by web servers, so the raw data is readily
available. Page tagging, however, requires changes to the web site.
Caching is when a
In analysis, metrics can be applied to three different universes:
discussion
browser stores some of
the information for a web
Why would you want to
page, so it can retrieve the
information will be captured.
look at the activity of a
campaign (PPC) or visitor type (new visitor vs. returning visitor)
page more quickly when
Log files are in a standard format, so it is possible to switch vendors and still
single visitor? Why would
you return to it. If a web
you want to segment the
be able to analyse historical data. Page tagging is proprietary to each vendor,
page is cached by your
traffic for analysis?
so switching can mean losing historical data.
browser, when you look at
Here are some of the key metrics you will need to get started on web site analytics.
the page again, it will not
Building block terms:
send a request to the web
engine optimisation.
server. This means that
Log files record failed requests, whereas page tagging only shows
that particular visit will
successful requests.
not show in the log files.
Page tagging, however,
Page tagging
would capture this visit.
one or more page views within a specified period of time
But, some browsers do
JavaScript makes it easier to capture more information (for example:
not support JavaScript,
more times within a period of time. Each individual is only counted once.
and page tagging would
analysis to capture this information, but it will involve modifying the URLs.
not capture those visits.
Page tagging can report on events, such as interactions with a Flash movie,
This is why there is often
ever in the period of time being analysed
that log file analysis cannot.
a discrepancy in the
A repeat visitor may be
numbers reported by the
Page tagging can be used by companies that do not run their own
time period being analysed
either a new visitor or a
two services.
web servers.
return visitor.
These are the most basic web metrics. They tell you how much traffic your web site
Conversion metrics:
is receiving. Looking at repeat and returning visitors can tell you about how your web
For the most up to date
site creates loyalty. As well as growing overall visitor numbers, a web site needs to
browser or the server
definitions, visit www.
grow the number of visitors who come back. An exception might be a support web site
webanalyticsassociation.
org to download the latest
definitions in PDF format.
Other metrics which apply to eMarketing tactics include:
Visit characterisation:
email is considered open
experience resulting from a defined marketing effort
In order to test the success of your web site, you need to remember the TAO of
conversion optimisation:
Analyse
Optimise
A search referrer, visit
then need to analyse these results, and then take appropriate actions. And the testing
referrer and original
begins again!
referrer are all external
referrers. An original
referrer will send new
visitors to the web site.
number of times it was seen (impressions)
analysing data
The visit referrer if for
returning visitors.
by the number of visits in that same period
A number is just a number until you can interpret it. Typically, it is not the raw figures
that you will be looking at, but what they can tell you about how your users are
These are the terms that tell you how visitors reach your web site, and how they move
interacting with your web site.
through the web site. The way that a visitor navigates a web site is called a click path.
Looking at the referrers, both internal and internal, allows you to gauge a click path
how and what to test
that visitors take.
prong approach to web analytics:
Content characterization:
views of that page
Analysing outcomes metrics that shows how many visitors performed the
goal actions on a web site
viewed a number of times
Testing and analysing data that tells us about the user experience
Behaviour data: intent
When a visitor views a page, they have two options: leave the web site, or view another
search terms used to find the web site can tell you a great deal about what problems
page on the web site. These metrics tell you how visitors react to your content.
visitors are expecting your site to solve.
Bounce rate can be one of the most important metrics that you measure! There are
a few exceptions, but a high bounce rate usually means high dissatisfaction with a
Click density analysis, segmentation, metrics that define the visit and content can all
be used to gauge the intent of your visitors.
Outcomes: meeting expectations
At the end of the day, you want people who visit your web site to perform an action that
room for improvement. Look at user intent to establish how your web site meets the
determine how outcomes can be influenced.
The trinity approach to analytics.
A crucial, and often overlooked, part of this analysis is that of internal search. Internal
content. While a great deal of time is spent analysing and optimising external search
goes a long to way to determining how effective a web site is in delivering solutions to
Analysing each step in the conversion process.
visitors.
Internal and external search data are likely to be very different, and can go a long
The above image shows how analysing each event can show where the web site is not
way to exposing weaknesses in site navigation and the internal search itself, and can
meeting expectations.
expose gaps in inventory on which a web site can capitalise.
After performing a search, 100 visitors land on the home page of a web site. From there,
For example, consider the keywords a user might use when searching for a hotel web
80 visitors visit the first page towards the goal. This event has an 80% conversion rate.
site, and keywords that might be used by a the user when on the web site.
Twenty visitors take the next step. This event has a 25% conversion rate. Ten visitors
convert into paying customers. This event has a 50% conversion rate. The conversion
Keywords to search for a hotel web site:
rate of all visitors who performed the search is 10%, but by breaking this up into events
Cape Town hotel
we can analyse and improve the conversion rate of each event.
Bed and breakfast Cape Town
Experience: why users acted the way they did, and how that can be
Once on the web site, the user might use the site search function to find out further
influenced
information. Keywords they might use include:
Determining the factors that affect user experience involves testing to determine
Table Mountain
why users do what they do. Understanding why users behave in a certain way on your
web site will show you how that behaviour can be influenced so as increase
Babysitting service
successful outcomes.
Analytics tools can show what keywords users search for, what pages they visit
Testing can be performed in a number of ways:
after searching, and, of course, whether they search again with a variation of or
A/B split testing
different keywords.
Multivariate testing
Listening labs
Single page heat maps
In a listening lab, a moderator asks a user to perform tasks on a web site, and asks
A/B split testing
them to describe what they are thinking and doing. These exercises can provide
A/B split testing measures one variable at a time to determine its effect on an outcome.
important information that looking at data cannot.
Different versions are created for the variable you want to test. For example:
Two email subject lines for the same email to see which produces a superior
Single page heat maps
Companies such as Crazy Egg (www.crazyegg.com) have software that can show you
exactly where users click on a web page, regardless of whether they are clicking on
in increased sales
Different copy styles on PPC adverts to see which gives a higher CTR
In these cases, only one variable is tested at a time, and all other elements on the web
page, in the email or part of the PPC advert remain the same. You can test more than
one version of the variable; it just means that you will need to test for longer.
Traffic is then randomly distributed to the different versions, and the outcomes are
measured for each version of the variable. The results are then interpreted to see
if there is a statistically significant difference between the variables. The version
producing the best results can then be employed.
discussion
Why should traffic be
huge amounts of traffic to a different version of a web page to determine success. In
randomly distributed to
fact, it can be risky to do so.
the different versions?
Multivariate testing
Multivariate testing allows you to test many variables at once, and still determine
which version of each variable has a statistically significant effect on your outcomes.
For web sites, there are a number of vendors who will host pages that are being tested
in this way remotely, if you do not have the technology to do this in-house.
Multivariate testing allows you to test, for example:
It produces information that helps you know what areas of a web site are clickable, but
Subject lines and copy style for emails
attract few or no clicks, and areas are not clickable but have users attempting to click
Colour, font size and image size for web sites
there. This can show you what visual clues on your web page influence where your
visitors click, and this can be used to optimise the click path of your visitors.
The combinations are endless, and because of that, it is easy to get stuck analysing
every tiny detail. Successful testing relies on having clear objectives to begin with, and
There are many factors that could be preventing your visitors from achieving specific
sufficient traffic to warrant such detail.
end goals. From the tone of the copy to the colour of the page, everything on your web
site may affect conversions. Possible factors are often so glaringly obvious that one
Listening labs
tends to miss them, or so small that they are dismissed as trivial. Changing one factor
A listening lab could also be called a watching lab, as this involves watching users
interact with your site and listening to their comments. Professional listening labs can
jump to the wrong conclusions.
set up fairly easily in a quiet part of an office.
There are many techniques that can be used to improve conversion rates, depending
on which area is being improved. A better landing page, for example, can reduce the
drop-off between a PPC click and adding a product to the shopping cart. And reducing
that drop-off can go a long way to improving the cost per acquisition (CPA). The table
Connection speed, operating system, browser
below shows how small changes in conversion rate can make a big difference to
Consider the effects of technology on the behaviour of your users. High bounce rate
for low bandwidth users, for example, could indicate that your site is taking too long
Total Cost
Conversion Rate Conversions CPA
to load. Visitors who use open source technology might expect different things from
your web site to other visitors. Different browsers might show your web site differently
Geographical location
Do users from different countries, provinces or towns behave differently on your web
site? How can you optimise user experience for these different groups?
First time visitors
How is the click path of a first time visitor different to a returning visitor? What parts of
the web site are more important to first time visitors?
One of the most important aspects of conversion optimisation is keeping visitors
focused on their goals. To do this, it is important to maintain a highly visible and
influential click path from the landing page to the goal/action page that is as short as
possible. The more links and irrelevant distractions that are present on a site, the less
likely visitors are to remain focused on achieving your desired objectives.
The very first thing you need when it comes to web analytics, is a web analytics tool for
Find out if people are looking for something specifically and whether it can be tied
gathering data. Some are free and some are paid for. You will need to determine which
package best serves your needs. Bear in mind that it is possible to switch vendors with
specific keywords and are clicking through on designated links or (more importantly)
log file analysis software without losing historical data, but it is not as easy to do so
are coming through a PPC campaign. Again, keep them focused on the defined goal
with page tagging software.
- rather let them enter where they are most comfortable thereby keeping the path to
conversion as short as possible.
Below are some leading providers:
segmentation
Google Analytics (page tagging analysis) - www.google.com/analytics
Every visitor to a web site is different, but there are some ways we can characterise
ClickTracks (log file and page tagging) www.clicktracks.com
groups of users, and analyse metrics for each group. This is called segmentation.
AWStats (log file analysis) - awstats.sourceforge.net
Webalizer (log file analysis) - www.mrunix.net/webalizer
Some segments include:
Referral URL
these in-house, there are a number of third party services that can host these for
Users who arrive at your site via search engines, those who type in the URL directly
and those who come from a link in an online newspaper article are all likely to behave
differently. As well as conversion rates, click path and exit pages are important metrics
A basic split test calculator is available at www.usereffect.com/split-test-calculator.
anything be done to improve their experience?
Crazy Egg (www.crazyegg.com) is strange sounding name, but this tool can help you to
Landing pages
see exactly where visitors are clicking on a web page.
Users who enter your web site through different pages can behave very differently.
What can you do to affect the page on which they are landing, or what elements of the
landing page can be changed to influence outcomes?
pros and cons
the bigger picture
Tracking, analysing and optimising is vital to the success of any marketing efforts,
how it all fits together
and even more so with online marketing efforts. eMarketing allows for easy and fast
tracking, and the ability to optimise frequently.
Tracking, analysing and optimising are fundamental to any eMarketing activity. The
Internet allows for sophisticated data gathering, so it is possible to track almost every
However, it can be easy to become fixated on figures instead of using them to optimise
detail of any campaign.
campaign growth. Generally, macro, or global metrics should be looked at before
starting to analyse micro elements of a web site.
Most analytics packages can be used across all eMarketing activities, allowing for an
integrated approach to determining the success of campaigns. While it is important
Testing variables is vital to success. Results always need to be statistically analysed,
to analyse each campaign on its own merits, the Internet allows for holistic approach
and marketers should let these numbers make the decisions. Never assume the
to these activities. The savvy marketer will be able to see how campaigns affect and
enhance each other.
summary
The connected nature of the Internet has made it possible to reach out to far greater
audiences, and for people around the world to interact, create and share. The
same connected nature is what makes it possible for web site owners to track and
The trackability of the Internet allows for analysis at every level of an eMarketing
analyse how users around the world interact with their web site, and to optimise it for
campaign, which should lead to improved results over time.
those users.
The foundation of successful analysis and optimisation is to determine campaign and
business goals upfront and use these to determine KPIs for that campaign. Analysing
case study: Firefox 3
metrics which are not indicators of success will detract from timely optimisation.
Web analytics packages come in two flavours: log file analysis and page tagging
analysis, although some packages combine both methods.
Web sites with high volumes of traffic have the opportunity to test regularly and make sure that they are
optimising conversions. Online retailers such as Amazon.com make frequent small changes, hardly noticed
Metrics are either:
by their visitors, to ensure that they are converting as many visitors into buyers as possible. Likewise, the high
Counts
Ratios
before rolling them out to all users.
KPIs, which are either counts or ratios
Firefox is a free open-source browser that is currently used by about 15% of the market, and is gaining market
Data can be analysed to infer user behaviour and intent, outcomes achieved and user
share. When launching version 3 of the browser, Firefox 3, Firefox developer Mozilla (www.mozilla.org) aimed
experience. Testing to optimise user experience can demonstrate ways to influence
to enter the Guinness Book of Records for most software downloads in 24 hours starting 17 June 2008. The aim
user behaviour so that more successful outcomes are achieved.
was 5 million downloads. Firefox 2.0 registered 1.6 million downloads on the first day it was made available on
24 October, 2006
Testing can be performed via:
Listening labs
Mozilla wanted visitors to the web site to perform one action: download Firefox. With a publicised record
A/B split testing
attempt, it was necessary to make the process as smooth as possible. The landing page for Firefox 2 was already
Multivariate testing
One page analytics
right. The non-standard shape stands out from the background of the page, and has been given a persuasive
Segmenting the audience allows for analysis and optimising for specific groups
of the browser has also been split over two lines in the Firefox 3 download button.
The download button and the placement of the Firefox logo (the fox around the globe) have had a subtle revision.
The logo is now clearly integrated into the download button. On the Firefox 3 page, the hyperlinks are not
underlined, emphasising the single purpose of the download button.
Did it work? Mozilla records that there were over 8 million downloads of Firefox 3 in its first 24 hours of release
case study questions
Why do web sites with high traffic volumes have the opportunity to test frequently?
The text on the download button was changed, as was the layout of the text. What do you think the
effect was of each change?
What tests would you set up to decide how effective each change is? Describe how the tests would work.
So, with something that works, what can be done to make it work better?
chapter questions
What is the difference between goals, events and KPIs? Consider www.facebook.com and
www.boingboing.net and list what you think the goals of each web site are, and what events and KPIs
would be used to measure these.
How can site search data be used to optimise a web site?
Why should changes be tested with a small number of web visitors before being rolled out?
references
Burby, J. Brown, A. & WAA Standards Committee, (August 2007) Web Analytics Definitions
http://www.webanalyticsassociation.org/attachments/committees/5/WAA-Standards-Analytics-Definitions-
Volume-I-20070816.pdf,
Web Analytics Association, Washington DC. [accessed 03/03/2008]
With the new download page, the download button is in the same basic design, but with a few nuanced changes.
GrokDotCom (2004) Help yourself to a KPI!
Firstly, the name and version of the browser has changed position on the page. It has moved from a large on-
www.grokdotcom.com/topics/helpyourselftoakpi.htm,
GrokDotCom by FutureNow. [accessed 03/03/2008]
Gorell, R. (18 June 2008) Firefox 3: How to Convert Seven Million Visitors in a Day,
www.grokdotcom.com/2008/06/18/mozilla-firefox-3-download,
GrokDotCom by FutureNow [accessed 19/06/2008].
Kaushik, A. (26 June 2006) Are You Into Internal Site Search Analysis? You Should Be,
www.kaushik.net/avinash/2006/06/are-you-into-internal-site-search-analysis-you-should-be.html,
Kaushik, A. (10 August 2006) Trinity: A Mindset & Strategic Approach,
www.kaushik.net/avinash/2006/08/trinity-a-mindset-strategic-approach.html,
Kaushik, A. (20 October 2007) Kick Butt With Internal Site Search Analytics,
www.kaushik.net/avinash/2007/10/kick-butt-with-internal-site-search-analytics.html,
further reading
Web Analytics: An Hour a Day by Avinash Kaushik
www.grokdotcom.com
optimisation oriented.
www.kaushik.net/avinash
15. mobil
- Avinash Kaushik is an analytics evangelist, and his regular insights are essential reading for any eMarketer.
outline of some of the limitations of the mobile phone. Learn the key terms
and concepts you need to grasp the basics. Find out why mobile phones are for
more than phone calls and learn how to reach your audience by tailoring
websites for mobile, and gaining insight into getting users to the Mobile
Web. Find some useful stuff on planning to go mobile and catch an overview into
the pros and cons of mobile marketing. Piece it all together with a case study
showing how AtPlay made mobile work for the Peugeot 107 campaign.
introduction
key terms and concepts
The mobile phone is a small gadget that has had a huge impact on our day to day
3G Third Generation of mobile communications systems. 3G networks enable network operators to
lives. It has already had a profound impact on the way we communicate and conduct
offer users a wider range of more advanced services while achieving greater network capacity.
ourselves daily. This continues to be felt as the mobile phone enables new ways to
Basic Phones These are standard handsets that can make and receive voice calls, send and
market and new markets in which to transact.
receive text messages and make use of USSD services.
The Internet transformed our world in two fundamental ways: it has given anyone
CRM Stands for Customer Relationship Management. Mobile marketing is an important and useful
with access to the Internet the opportunity to interact easily with others (and with
tool for communicating with clients. Need to know more about it? See the chapter in this book on
companies and brands), and through search, it has made information easily available.
Content and information have become readily available, and importantly, available for
CSC Common Short Codes. Users send messages to shortened numbers, usually to get something
free on the Internet. Developed as a platform for academics to share information, the
in return, like a competition entry for example.
Web has a strong ethos of free content.
EDGE A faster version of GSM wireless service. It enables data to be delivered at rates up to 384
Kbps on a broadband connection.
Mobile phones, particularly as developing technology means that new and better
Featurephones These are handsets that offer additional functionality and often include a camera
features are being packed into ever smaller devices, add to the interactivity and search-
and additional storage space. Often they can access the Internet, but they generally have a standard
ability of the Internet with several fundamental features native to the mobile phone
numeric keypad.
and the way we use it. These unique benefits are explored further in this chapter.
GPRS General Packet Radio Service. Delivers wireless packet data services to GSM customers.
While the Internet and the personal computer have had a profound impact on the world
GPS Global Positioning System. Satellite-based positioning technology that allows a GPS receiver to
we transact in, it is the mobile phone that presents an exciting opportunity for even
calculate its position anywhere on earth with great accuracy.
more of the world to access the benefits of these inventions.
GSM Global System for Mobile Communications. Most widely used of the three digital wireless
telephone technologies. Uses a variation of time division multiple access.
Consider that there are 1.3 billion people worldwide with access to the Internet. Of
Handset A portable or mobile phone.
Mini Browser Small, simple browser used on mobile phones: E.g. Opera Mini.
population. And of that 3.2 billion, 2.5 billion were active users of SMS text messaging
MMS Multimedia Message Service. An extension on SMS, allows picture, sound or low quality videos
to be sent on a wireless network.
in 2007 (Ahonen, 2008).
Mobile Network The facilities and technology that make a public mobile telecommunications
service possible.
the mobile phone as a marketing platform.
Operator A function which operates on or modifies other functions.
QWERTY A full keypad, similar to the one found on computers.
why the mobile
Smartphones The handsets have advanced capabilities and allow users to add applications to
their phones. They usually have a QWERTY keypad and include 3G and Wifi capabilities.
SMS Short Message Service. Electronic messages sent on wireless network.
cameras, video recorders, MP3 players, calendars, notebooks, messaging devices,
USSD Unstructured Supplementary Service Data. Works on all existing GSM phones. Provides
and they can even make voice calls. However, it is not the aforementioned plethora of
session-based communication, enabling a variety of applications.
features that makes the mobile phone such an attractive device. The following seven
WAP Wireless Application Protocol. A set of standards that allows web access on mobile devices.
features (Ahonen, 2008) are what turn mobile phones into something truly remarkable
for marketers:
WiFi Short for Wireless Fidelity. WiFi is a means by which portable devices may connect to the
internet wirelessly.
The mobile phone is personal.
The mobile phone has a built-in payment system.
The mobile phone is always carried.
This is perhaps the key feature of the mobile phone, and one reason why content for
The mobile phone is always on.
mobile phones in many areas generates as much or more revenue than content for the
The mobile phone has a built-in payment system.
The mobile phone is available at the point of creative inspiration.
The mobile phone can provide accurate audience measurement.
this built-in payment mechanism, paying for content and downloads has been built into
The mobile phone captures the social context of media consumption.
the way that consumers use their phones. There is less of an expectation that goods
and services will be free.
If you consider your relationship with your mobile phone, the above features should
There are also a number of services that turn the mobile into a virtual wallet or
make sense. However, a few facts and figures never hurt anyone, so here goes:
bankcard, bringing banking and payment services to people all around the world.
The mobile phone is personal
single service that all online newspapers in the world combined (Moore, 2008). Similar
would not share their phone with anyone (and 90% of those surveyed in Japan would
cases can be made for games, music and other mobile content.
not share their phone). While laptops do present a personal connection to the Internet,
they are not as personal a device as the mobile phone.
The implication for marketers: Consumers are willing to pay for services and content
on their mobile. Advertising is not the only way to generate revenue for content.
The implication for marketers: Respect for privacy and permission is exceptionally
important in all aspects of marketing, and particularly so when it comes to mobile
The mobile phone is available at the point of creative inspiration.
phones.
As the mobile phone is always carried and always on, it is always available as a creative
tool. Phones today feature a number of tools that let users act on creative impulse, from
The mobile phone is always carried.
taking photos and videos, to becoming a scribbling pad on which to jot down ideas.
What do you take with you when you leave your house? Wallet, keys and mobile phone.
What do you keep always near you when you are in your house? Mobile phone. According
The implication for marketers: The feature can be used to encourage interactivity with
to 2007 research by Morgan Stanley, 91% of mobile phone owners keep their phone
campaigns created for mobile. It presents the mobile as a useful tool in viral campaigns
within one metre, 24 hours a day. People have their phones with them at all times of
based on consumer generated content.
the day, even in the bathroom.
The mobile phone presents accurate audience measurement.
The implication for marketers: Messages sent to recipients can be read and acted on
While the Internet is vastly superior to other media in its ability to track and measure
immediately. Unlike, for example, email which requires that the recipient be in front
advertising and marketing campaigns, it is eclipsed by the mobile phone. Every
Accurate measurement
of their computer and connected to the Internet, messages sent to mobile phones will
transaction made on a mobile phone can be uniquely tracked to that mobile phone
is not available in all
most likely be accessed within minutes of being received.
number, whether the transaction be a voice call, an SMS message or accessing the
countries due to network
guidelines.
Internet.
The mobile phone is always on.
The implication for marketers: Aggregated data provides extensive profiling and
Messages and services can be sent and acted on at all times of the day.
segmenting opportunities for targeting the right audience. Campaigns can also be
accurately measured and tracked for ROI. Bear in mind as well that this accurate
The implication for marketers: Similar to the previous feature of the phone, the fact
measurement means that mobile phone users have far less anonymity than Internet
that the phone is always on changes the services and messages that can be developed
users. Even though at least 50% of mobile phones worldwide are on a prepaid or pay-
for the phone. It also means that marketers need to be perhaps even more sensitive
as-you-go type of contract (which means that the network operators do not have the
with their marketing communications. Not many people would appreciate an SMS at
4am informing them of a special offer.
transaction made by the phone user can still be measured.
The mobile phone captures the social context of media
Featurephones offer features additional to a basic phone, including cameras and
consumption.
increased storage, as well as the ability to access the Internet. Featurephones usually
This represents emerging thinking on the benefits of the mobile. Because of the nature
have a standard numeric keypad.
of the mobile phone to be able to accurately track transactions to any particular phone
The Mobile Marketing
number (user), it can track transactions between mobile numbers (users). This means
Smartphones offers advanced capabilities and features over featurephones, notably
Association has an in-
that sophisticated data mining can identify patterns that indicate information about
allowing users to add applications to their phones. These phones run a full featured
QWERTY refers to a full
depth glossary of mobile
and preferences of mobile phone users. Not only can alpha users be identified, but
operating system, most have 3G as well as WiFi capabilitities and generally have a
keypad, similar to the
marketing terminology
they may be identified within their social context.
keyboard of a computer.
available as a free
QWERTY keypad.
download from their
website:
The implication for marketers: This information will represent rich data that can be
Note that there is not yet an industry standard definition of a smartphone, and many
www.mmaglobal.com
used to both create and market products, content and services online.
featurephones are now being developed with technology similar to smartphones.
Smartphones tend to have bigger screens than featurephones.
limitations of the mobile phone
The mobile phone is a feature packed gadget used all around the world by almost half
benefits, it does come with its own challenges.
The mobile phone is small. This means that it has a small screen and a small keypad.
While some phones have a full QWERTY keypad, many have the standard numeric
keypad. When it comes to the mobile web, consider that phones do not have a mouse.
There are a few models that have touchscreens, but for the most part, navigation of the
mobile web is through the keypad or scroll buttons on the phone.
Mobile phones are also even less standard than PCs. Not only do phone models present
a myriad of screen sizes, there are also several operating systems and browsers that
are used by mobile phones.
Use of more advanced features of phones can require an extensive education process.
While mobile phones have a host of features, these devices are for the most part
under-used.
how to reach your audience
mobile phones:
Just as the Web is used in a myriad ways as a marketing, advertising and distribution
more than phone calls
channel, so is the mobile phone. There are a number of technologies available to reach
a mobile audience. Some of the most prevalent are detailed further.
There are three categories of mobile phones.
Mobile phones started as literally phones that are mobile (thank you again, Captain
Obvious). Before we look at mobile phones as device used to access the World Wide
Basic phones can make voice calls, send and receive SMS messages and make use of
Web, to take photographs or as a device to make payments, we need to address its
USSD services (USSD services are explained further in this chapter).
primary function: communication. The primary use of a mobile phone is to enable
communication, either through voice calls or through messages. Messaging services
on a mobile phone use either Short Message Service (SMS), to send text messages,
or Multimedia Message Service (MMS), which supports graphics, audio, photos and
SMS and marketing
video as well as text. Messages can, of course, also be sent via email depending on the
With twice as many SMS users worldwide than email, SMS should be a no-brainer
for marketers. However, mobile phone users have proved reluctant to hand over their
phone number for marketing messages, perhaps fearing a similar deluge of spam for
which email has such a poor reputation.
This is changing to some extent, with the prevalence of short codes being used in
SMS supports messages of about 160 characters in length, though it is possible to
marketing and advertising campaigns. As consumers are so comfortable with using
string several messages together to send longer messages. Messages can be sent
Do u find it tricky to
text messages for their communication, no extensive education process is required to
transl8 txt msgs?
from one phone to another, or from a PC to a phone and vice versa.
have consumers access marketing campaigns based on short codes.
www.transl8it.com
translates from text speak
SMS also supports a service known as common short codes (CSC). Short codes are
Short codes can be used to receive messages from consumers, and to send messages
into every day English and
phone numbers (short ones, as the name implies) to which users can send a text
back again.
to consumers. Short codes can be either dedicated (used by one company and
message from a mobile phone, usually to get something in return. Short codes can be
presumably for one campaign) or shared. When short codes are shared, keywords in
used to sign up for services, to enter competitions or to indicate permission (or to end
the text message are used to separate the messages. There are two standard keywords
permission) to receive marketing messages. Messages sent to short codes can also be
that should always elicit a standard response:
Another standard number
is the international
emergency number which
prepaid airtime or monthly airtime bill.
is in use in most countries
mini case study: short codes for short term insurance
sending messages
Metropolitan Life, a South African insurance company, launched a new service
Once prospects have given you permission to communicate with them and their mobile
called Cover2Go in 2007. Cover2Go is aimed at those on lower incomes in South
number, timely messages can be sent to their mobile phone. These can be promotional
Africa and has made innovative use of mobile phone technology in order to reach
or sales messages, such as special offers in stores or information about upcoming
its target market. Cover2Go insurance can be purchased by SMS, and a single
events. On many phones, prospects need to at least open an SMS messages in order to
transaction can purchase instant life insurance for 6 days.
delete. As well as this, mobile phones are generally kept with a prospect at all times,
meaning that messages are more likely to be read very soon after they have been
All a customer needs to do to purchase cover is to SMS their name and identity
broadcast.
number to a premium rate short code. The system, powered by Clickatell, replies
with a confirmation and policy number, requests the name of a beneficiary, and
There are several ways that SMS messages can be utilised to complement an existing
reminds the policyholder to inform an associate about the life insurance. All this
marketing strategy.
SMS updates can be an exceptionally useful tool for CRM (customer relationship
management). In the travel industry, hotel and airplane reservations can be sent by
accessible to this market. The use of SMS technology ensures that the insurance
mobile phone, with updates being sent close to the time of travel. These short messages
makes it easy to pay for the insurance.
When it comes to insurance claims or order processing, SMS updates as to the progress
Cover2Go: www.cover2go.co.za
of a claim or order can reduce call centre volume, and go a long way to ensuring that a
Clickatell: www.clickatell.com
client feels valued and cared for.
promotions
SMS messages present a way to send timely sales promotion information to a large
number, and in return they would receive a unique code with which to claim their
database for a relatively low cost. These can be targeted to a particular time of day
discounted tickets.
when prospects are most likely to be out shopping. SMS messages can also be used
when promoting events.
In return, Orange then sent the list of prospects who requested discounts information
about the movies being shown at their local cinema. How did Orange know which was the
local cinema? Simple: all they had to do was match the unique code to the number it was
carry a strong call to action.
sent to and the cinema it was used at (source: www.flytxt.com/mobile-carriers.html).
receiving messages
Short codes are often used to receive messages from prospects or customers. They
provide a fast, instant and trackable means for the public to enter competitions, voice
opinions or make requests. And even better for a company, the costs can often be
MMS messages are messages that contain graphics, audio, video or images as well as
passed on to the consumer, meaning that it can be a cost effective way to receive
text. These messages do allow for richer information to be sent to prospects, but the
marketing messages.
costs are considerably higher. They use WAP (Wireless Access Protocol) to download
rich content onto mobile phones.
As short codes can be shared, keywords can be used to separate communications and
campaigns. For example, a user might be asked to text the word LUXURY to a number
MMS messages are particularly useful in viral campaigns, whether encouraging
in order to enter a competition.
participants to use their phones to create content (photographic, audio or video) or
encouraging users to pass on content.
entering competitions
Requiring less data entry time than entries by postcard, SMSes to a short code are a
Because there is no standard screen size across all mobile devices, MMS messages
hassle free way to run competitions. Entries can be almost immediately entered into a
may display differently on different phone models.
database, with fast automatic responses to ensure that the consumer knows her entry
has been received. In addition, costs can be passed on to the consumer by charging
entry SMSes at premium rates.
bluetooth and infrared
text to donate
Most modern mobile phones present an array of means for connecting. As well as
Network and other
A concept that is being taken up by the fundraising community, text messages can be
using the cellular network, many phones have 3G and WiFi capabilities, and the ability
charges means charities
sent by donors to donate a fixed amount to a campaign. The fixed amount is deducted
to connect via Bluetooth or infrared.
do not receive the full
donation.
text to participate
devices within range of the phone can request to connect to the phone and exchange
Text messages provide an almost instantaneous way to elicit response from an audience,
messages and data. This can be used to send location specific marketing messages,
whether it be to a radio programme, TV show, newspaper or magazine advertising or
such discount codes in a shopping mall.
billboard. Some newspapers allow readers to send SMS messages instead of lengthy
letters to the editor.
Outdoor display advertising can be fitted to send Bluetooth messages to people within
Smart phones are
range of the advertising. The messages can contain further information to offer a
susceptible to receiving
combining the two
richer, longer lasting, experience. Note that these messages are often unexpected,
viruses via Bluetooth, so
this is not necessarily the
Once users have indicated their interest by sending a text message, a company can
so care must be taken not to be intrusive. There should be marketing collateral easily
ideal channel to reach
then send messages back to them. In the UK, the mobile phone network Orange ran
available and accessible that describes what the campaign is about.
smart phone users.
a successful campaign around movies. All Orange customers could go the movies for
half price on a Wednesday. All they had to do was text the word MOVIE to a particular
USSD can be used to provide information to, and collect information from, customers
USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) is an alternative messaging system
and potential customers. However, from a marketing and advertising perspective, its
to SMS and is available on most GSM networks. Unlike SMS, USSD is a protocol that
take up has not been as great as that of SMS. While USSD services are more cost
allows for a query and response type of action between the customer and a service
effective than SMS services and can allow for more detailed data to be collected, SMS
centre, where these transactions can be seen to be similar to a session on a website.
services are often preferred by the customer. SMS short codes are easier to remember
USSD services are usually initiated by the user who enters a code on his phone and
than USSD codes, and the concept of sending a text message is more familiar to
then sends that as a request to the network. The code differs from the number an SMS
the customer.
is sent to because it includes the symbols # and *. For example, *100# can be used
to check the balance of a prepaid service on some networks. These services are often
used by networks to provide a service to a customer, such as balance requests, adding
mobile web
credit to a prepaid contract or to pass on credit to another mobile phone user. A popular
As much as web sites need to cater for a number of browsers, they now need to cater
discussion
USSD for another user to phone him. The requested number receives an SMS informing
for a number of devices as more and more people are using their mobile phones,
Why do you think that
her of the request. Often, this SMS message also includes an advertising message.
PDAs and other mobile devices to connect to the Internet. However, visits from mobile
visits from mobile phones
devices are likely to be quite different to visits from PCs. Visits from mobile phone users
are different to other web
A USSD query often initiates a session where the response from the service includes
are likely to be more purpose driven or task specific, as opposed to leisurely browsing
visits? How can this be used
in marketing strategy?
a simple text menu with further options or a response with instructions for the user.
Users need to respond within a limited time frame, usually 30 seconds but up to 2
minutes, in order to maintain the session. If the session is not maintained, the user will
Just as with PCs, mobile phones can have different operating systems and different
need to initiate the service again.
browsers, both affecting the way that web sites and web pages are viewed and used. In
addition to this, web pages are viewed on far smaller (and non-standard) screens, and
Users can select menu options by returning a message with the number of the
navigation is controlled through a keyboard or limited scrolling device. There are also
appropriate menu selection. This continues until the appropriate content has been
a number of different ways that mobile phones and devices connect to the Internet. In
displayed.
particular, mobile phones can use either the GSM network (where access is via GPRS,
EDGE or 3G, depending on availability) or Wifi enabled devices can connect to wireless
It is a rudimentary navigation, but with far faster response times and lower costs when
networks.
compared to SMS or to mobile browsing.
WAP stands for Wireless Application Protocol and is a technology platform aimed at
USSD and marketing
making web sites accessible to mobile phones, despite the small screens and keypad
USSD is being used as a payment application, turning the mobile phone into a virtual
limitations. WAP is essentially a wireless data connection and browser that can read a
wallet.
pared down version of HTML. If a phone has only WAP access, it can only access web
sites that have been developed for this type of access.
USSD is exceptionally useful as self-service customer service, and is attractive
to customers when it is offered for free. Advertising can easily be displayed in the
More sophisticated phones and devices, and increasingly almost all phones sold are
messages returned when using this service.
falling into this category, can use HTML browsers that have been specifically designed
for mobile phones. These are pared down versions of browsers that run on PCs or
Voting, such as for reality TV programmes, and entering of competitions can all be
notebooks, and have been specifically designed to take into account the limitations of
handled through USSD. USSD services allow greater flexibility than SMS services as
mobile devices. In particular, browsers need to accommodate both the low bandwidth
they allow a query and response type of interaction as opposed to a single message to
and the low memory capacity of mobile devices. Mobile browsers also need to cater for
perform these tasks. This allows the marketer to request additional information from
the navigation limitations of mobile devices as well as the fact that navigation is not
consumers using these services.
standard across the various models of phones.
When it comes to web sites and mobile phones, there are three options for
Here are some tips when it comes to designing or optimising websites for mobile:
The chapter on web
webmasters:
Keep it simple - Flash is, for now, still only a dream on most phones. Animated .gif
development and design
Do nothing and hope that the web experience is not too painful for mobile
images are probably your best bet if you want movement, but make sure the main
has more information
visitors.
message is contained in the first frame, as this at least will be displayed.
on using CSS and W3C
Make sure that your web site is built using W3C compliant CSS so that it can be
Stay away from tables - Most devices will ignore tables and content will get
standards when building
more easily navigated by mobile visitors.
web sites. If you are
completely scrambled. Rather use lists where possible.
commissioning an agency
Build a separate version of your web site tailored to mobile visitors.
Have sufficient links at the top and bottom of each page to easily navigate to other
to build a web site for you,
and mobile is important,
have a touch screen device, scrolling using the keypad is never much fun.
ask to see what the web
the web site to be created fairly easily. For example, http://mobilepress.co.za/ from
Keep it portrait - As most devices are still only able to display content in portrait
site will look like without
Younique allows for web sites and blogs based on the WordPress platform to be made
mode, it is important to keep horizontal scrolling down to a minimum - avoid it
presentation mark up or
mobile browser friendly. A quick search on Google will also give instructions on how
on a mobile phone.
completely if possible. Some browsers may resize content to fit the width of the
to make small changes to your code in order to create a mobile friendly version of a
screen, so keep this in mind - it might distort the graphical impact. Depending
website.
on requirements, aligning content to the left or centre of the screen works
quite well.
tailoring web sites for mobile
Transparency is not guaranteed to work - Hover effects on anchor tags are not
Some web sites are more likely to be accessed from mobile phones than others, and
savvy web masters can make sure that visitors have an excellent experience by building
is bound to give problems on a number of devices.
mobile versions.
JavaScript and Ajax is another grey area - Even though a couple of WAP browsers
sparingly, if at all.
accessing a web site from a mobile phone a user is generally very task driven, time
sensitive and is also likely to be location aware.
Task driven means that the user has a very specific purpose for visiting a web site, and
is available to web users, regardless of the device they are using to access the Web. So
W3C publishes guidelines
the web site needs to help the user to achieve their objective with minimum fuss. For
while web sites should be optimised for presentation on various devices, proponents of
for mobile web standards as
example, a user might want go to a web site to check the score of a cricket match.
well as for web standards.
These can be accessed at
Time sensitive means that the user is even less likely to be able to spend time hunting
www.w3.org/TR/mobile-bp
for a solution to their problem, but instead expects to achieve tasks quickly. For example,
getting users to the mobile web
a user en route to the airport may want to check to see if her flight is on time.
Creating content and web sites is one thing, but how do you actually get users to access
Location aware means that the location of the user often plays a large role in
them via their mobile phone?
determining her objectives. For example, a user might be looking for restaurant
suggestions in a town she is holidaying in.
WAP push messages are messages sent to a mobile phone that direct the user towards
These need to be factored in when creating web sites for mobile users. Mobile web
WAP content. Whilst they may appear similar to SMS messages, these are a different
sites need to be easy to navigate, should not contain more information than they need
type of message. The WAP push message contains a link that a user can follow to
access WAP content.
Sending rich messages to mobile phone users can be tricky to handle. Until there is
number of barcode readers that can successfully read the barcode.
increased general awareness of the types of messages that can be sent to and from
mobile phones, MMS messages can represent a problematic push marketing medium.
Two dimensional barcodes are often also referred to as tags. These tags can be used in
However, a WAP push message can direct users to rich content, enabling a sense of
offline advertising and marketing campaigns to push consumers towards specific web
Semacode is the name of
user control over content viewed.
sites. Instead of having to remember and type in a URL, a user simply has to photograph
the company who have
the tag in order to visit the website.
developed software for
2D barcodes
reading 2D bar codes. They
have an application that
Tags can be printed on billboards, on magazine pages, on t-shirts, in fact, on just about
integrates Semacode tags
anything. The image here is the tag for www.quirk.biz. Download the software to your
with Facebook. Check it out
mobile phone, photograph it, and visit the Quirk web site on your mobile!
at www.semacode.com
mobile URLs
Most companies now think nothing of including their web site address on marketing
collateral. However, in many cases, when this collateral is being viewed by potential
customers, it is the mobile phone that is closer to hand than the PC. Remember, the
phone is always carried and always on. Some organisations are cognisant of this and
are now printing their mobile web site URLs instead of or as well as their standard web
site address.
mobile search
Internet search has become an integral part of our lives, and is an important part of the
Internet, the needs of the user are different when compared to search on a PC.
The limitations of the device, the mobile phone, and the needs of the user are what
drive the differences for mobile search.
The 2D barcode for www.quirk.biz
Firstly, with smaller keypads, whether QWERTY, touchscreen or numeric, users are
Two dimensional barcodes are similar to one dimensional barcodes in that they can
likely to enter shorter queries into search engines on mobile phones. Search engine
be scanned to access the information encoded, but two dimensional codes can contain
results need to be displayed on a smaller screen, and need to be easy to navigate.
a lot more information. In addition to this, with appropriate software, these codes can
be photographed with a mobile phone, which then unpacks the information contained
Users are more task driven when using mobile phones to search, seeking concise
within the barcode.
information which answers their queries as opposed to using search as part of a
discovery process.
Does that sound a little complicated? Essentially, the software that can be installed on
the mobile phone turns the phone into a scanner. Information such as URLs, telephone
Natural Search
numbers or business names can be encoded in the barcode. When the code is scanned,
Just as with search on a PC, there are two types of search listings for mobile phones:
the information is displayed on the phone. If this is a URL, for instance, the user can
natural or organic results and paid for results. Optimising web content for mobile
then visit that web site without having to enter any additional information into the
search involves optimising content for mobile use in general. Navigation needs to be
simple to use without a mouse, and website owners should consider ensuring that
content most relevant to the mobile user is readily available.
There are two encoding types in use: Datamatix (DM) or Quick Response (QR) barcode.
These can be open-standard, or proprietary. The type of barcode affects the amount of
Paid Search
information that may be stored in the barcode, while the standards used can affect the
Mobile search engines are seeking to create revenue from their services through
offering paid listings in a similar fashion to traditional search. As technology
advertising can be served to particular demographics. MXit also allows organisations
develops, so search providers are able to offer more sophisticated targeting options
to set up profiles that users can connect with and chat with. These can be celebrities
to advertisers. Geo-targeting can be incredibly specific, allowing businesses to offer
targeted advertising when a customer is located nearby.
Kinekor, who distribute movie information via the MXit channel.
applications
planning to go mobile
There is no doubt that the mobile phone presents an enticing marketing opportunity and
and widgets can be created that are specifically for the mobile phone. For example,
market space. Early movers in the mobile space have seen remarkable success, and
some have made remarkable amounts of money. How do you prepare to go mobile?
users can download a Java application to their phone that gives them access to their
Gmail account. The application presents a user experience that has been tailored to the
As with any marketing activity, planning and setting goals is key. What do you want your
mobile phone, and can even be tailored to a particular handset.
campaign to achieve? How can mobile be used to help you achieve those goals?
Secondly, you need to consider your audience. Who do you need to reach? What sort
manner of Web applications.
of phones and features of their phones do they have and, importantly, use? iPhone
applications may be more fun to develop than a campaign based on SMS, but iPhone
As of 2008, widgets represent a marketing opportunity for products and companies
applications can only reach iPhone users, while SMS can reach almost everyone who
reaching out to a tech savvy, affluent community. Widgets can be products on their
has a mobile phone.
own, such as the Baby Monitor for the iPhone, or they can be used to market other
products, such as a widget that provides easy access to the blog BoingBoing.net.
Thirdly, how will users actually access your campaign? Do you need permission first
to send them messages, or will you be advertising or marketing the campaign to get
them to access it?
You also need to choose partners for your campaign for their technology and distribution
networks, and of course for their expertise. Ensure that the partners you choose adhere
application that was developed in South Africa for use on mobile phones and PCs. It
runs on GPRS / 3G mobile phones which have Java support, as well on PCs using the
Adobe Flash player. It allows users to send and receive text and multimedia messages
Lastly, you need to determine how mobile fits into your overall marketing strategy. Will
to and from other users who are connected to the Internet, whether it be between
mobile be complementing existing services and campaigns, or will you be developing
mobile phones, PCs or between the two. The messages are sent and received via the
campaigns, goods and services specifically for the mobile environment?
Internet instead of using SMS technology, and also allow users to exchange messages
with other IM programmes such as MSN Messenger. Although the networks do charge
for data costs, this is usually far cheaper than SMS costs, which has driven the large
pros and cons
uptake of this service, 9 million registered users, particularly in the youth market.
The mobile phone has many benefits (there are those seven unique features after all),
As well as being a chat platform, MXit allows its users to customise their profiles
but comes with its own challenges. The reach of the mobile phone alone makes it a very
by downloading skinz, wallpapers and emoticards, has its own ecommerce platform
attractive marketing channel.
(supported by its currency, Moola), and a music platform.
Many mobile marketing mediums need little audience education, but marketers need
MXit for marketers
to be aware of creating more complicated campaigns and applications. If there is an
There are many similarities between web-based social networks and MXIt when
extensive education process required in order for a campaign to succeed, it probably
it comes for opportunities for marketers. MXit provides social profiling, so that
needs to be rethought.
Because the mobile phone is so personal, permission and privacy need to be at the
their friends and family. Taking a photo of the encrypted image with a Semacode enabled camera phone meant
foundation of any mobile campaign. Unlike an email or webpage where there is space
that the users could navigate directly to the voting page via their mobile device.
available on-screen to explain privacy and permission, there is very little real estate
on the mobile to do so. Ensure that you have very clear permission to market to the
phone numbers on your database and that it is easy for users to opt out of receiving
downloaded within an hour.
your messages.
case study questions
How did the use of mobile increase interactivity with this campaign?
How was mobile used to complement other campaign channels?
How was the success of the campaign measured? What other metrics could be used to judge the
campaign to a web and mobile market.
success of a campaign like this?
chapter questions
It can be considered that SMS to the mobile phone is what email is to the Internet. In what ways is this
true, and how can this be used by marketers?
Using your favourite search engine, see if you can find the mobile marketing association in your
country and the code of conduct for marketers. Do you think this can be better communicated to
consumers?
Privacy and permission are important factors in eMarketing and mobile marketing. How can these be
communicated when using the mobile phone as a marketing channel?
references
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mobile is to the internet, what TV is to radio
http://www.communities-dominate.blogs.com/brands/2008/05/deeper-insights.html
(accessed on 15/12/2008)
The mobile chat network, MXit, has 9 million users in the country and was the perfect portal to seed a
Ahonen, T (10 December 2008) Communities Dominate Brands: Trillion with a T, the Newest Giant Industry
comprehensive campaign - along with support across other social networks such as Facebook and MySpace.
has arrived: the Money and Meaning of Mobile
http://www.communities-dominate.blogs.com/brands/2008/12/trillion-with-a.html
campaign reached out to the younger, style conscious generation on MXit who may not be buying cars just yet,
(accessed on 15/12/2008)
but are influential with their car-purchasing parents.
BBC News (24 October 2008) Texts Tackle HIV in South Africa
The first step was to create a branded splash screen and Peugeot 107 profile. The 107 MXit profile fed information
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7688268.stm BBC News
(accessed on 14/11/2008)
Dushinski, K (18 July 2008) Text-To-Donate Alive and Well in U.S.
Templates of the car allowed the public to design their dream Peugeot 107 and it was up to the voters to pick the
http://www.mobilemarketingwatch.com/text-to-donate-alive-and-well-in-us/
winner. The finalists were all sent T-shirts featuring a unique Semacode, or barcoded URL address, to give to
Mobile Marketing Watch - (accessed on 14/11/2008)
Fehrenbacher, K (16 March 2007) 10 Things to Know About Short Codes
http://gigaom.com/2007/03/16/10-things-to-know-about-short-codes/
(accessed on 14/11/2008)
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http://www.eyeline.mobi/blog/category/ussd/ Eyeline
(accessed on 14/11/2008)
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Moore, A (May 2007) Mobile as the 7th Mass Media: an SMLXL white paper
management (CRM)
http://smlxtralarge.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/smlxl-m7mm-copy.pdf
(accessed on 03/12/2008)
Moore, A (November 2008) The glittering allure of the mobile society: an SMLXL white paper
http://andrewgrill.com/download/AlanMoore_Allure_Mobile_Society.pdf
(accessed on 03/12/2008)
Press Release (2006) Clickatell: Get Instant Cover Before Travelling; Metropolitan Life and Clickatell introduce
(accessed on 14/11/2008)
elationship
further reading
www.communities-dominate.blogs.com
www.brysonmeunier.com
- Bryson Meunier explores search for mobile phones.
centric and customer-driven CRM and why it is critical to your success, the
www.mmaglobal.com
types of CRM, putting a value on CRM, and how to use it to inform your
- The Mobile Marketing Association has plenty of useful white papers, research reports and case studies.
blog.admob.com
way of looking at relationships. Piece everything together with a case study
- The Life and Times of AdMob
on PG Glass and the success of their CRM strategy.
introduction
If anything, the Internet and the World Wide Web have highlighted the importance of
key terms and concepts
a customer-focused approach to business and marketing. It may seem obvious now,
but the heydays of mass media marketing seemed to assume that people could be
persuaded to purchase anything, provided there was sufficient advertising to promote
Analytical CRM Software that assists a business in building customer relationships and
analyses ways to improve them.
stuck to the walls of shops and restaurants, the customer did not have much of a voice
outside of that shop or restaurant.
Collaborative CRM Umbrella term for all the interactive options for serving customers. It is
people-based customer support that includes: collaborative browsing, web-based text and voice
chat, desktop sharing, application sharing, file transfer and phone support.
Move forward a few decades to an increasingly connected society and market place,
Conversion Funnel A defined path that visitors should take to reach the final objective.
social media. It is easier for consumers to connect with one another, albeit virtually, to
share experiences with services and products.
CRM Customer Relationship Management.
Customer
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is, as the name suggests, about managing
A person who buys or uses goods or services. A person with whom a business must
relationships with customers. It should imply a customer-focused approach to
business focussed on fostering real relationships with these important stakeholders:
eCRM Electronic Customer Relationship Management.
customers.
Lead A potential customer.
Often, online marketing is referred to as eCRM (electronic customer relationship
management). This appears to underline the importance of technology in CRM. It also
customer contact (sales, marketing and service).
highlights the most important consideration of any eMarketing tactic: customers.
Salesforce Automation A type of program that automates the business task of sales
associated with effective implementation, productivity and forecasts.
managed.
VRM Vendor Relationship Management. The emerging school of thought that incorporates the
Without customers purchasing goods or services, most businesses would not have
tools, technology and services that make it easy for customers to manage relationships with
a revenue stream. But it can be difficult to shift from realising this important fact to
vendors.
implementing it into day-to-day business decisions and strategy.
A successful relationship with a customer is based on meeting (and perhaps even
exceeding) their needs. It is in determining what problems the customer has, and in
Take, for example, two people booking an overseas holiday. One is a 23 year old recent
providing solutions to those problems.
graduate who is visiting Argentina for three months with a friend; one is a 38 year old
mother of two young children planning a family holiday to Thailand. If they both walked
Maintaining good customer relationships is critical to the success of a business. The
into a travel agency, the travel agents would make judgements on their dress and
costs associated with a acquiring a new customer are generally far higher than the
appearance to determine how they will aid each of them in booking their holiday (and
cost of maintaining an existing customer relationship. This is why is investing in CRM
how much commission the agent will be able to earn). The travel agent will also ask
should result in increasing revenue for the business.
further face to face questions to try to sell additional services to these two customers.
For the 23 year old, additional services might include travel insurance that covers
The cycle of CRM starts with determining what problems potential customers might
extreme sports activities and a calling card that allows her to call home from anywhere
have, and then presenting solutions to those problems. Solutions are implemented,
in the world. For the 38 year old, additional services could include babysitting services
and then ongoing service maintains the relationship with the customer.
included at a hotel reservation.
Seat the two potential travellers in front of their computers, and you no longer have
within a business, all employees can access the same information recorded over time
human travel agents to make snap judgements based on appearance or to try to sell
additional services based on the type of traveller they see. Of course, you also no longer
organisation looks up the customer, he can see every interaction the organisation has
have the overhead costs of a travel agency and agents. However, web technology does
had with the customer, what previous queries have been raised, and how these have
allow for similar, and often superior, judgements and sales opportunities.
been solved in the past.
For example, both travellers are likely to have started researching their trips using a
Bespoke CRM software also enables businesses to automate much of the sales cycle,
search engine. Creating landing pages tailored to the types of searches being made
freeing salespeople to spend time on creating personal relationships where it matters
can allow the opportunity to tailor the products being presented to each traveller.
Technology can also be used to allow the online business to interact personally with
Technology, of course, has also changed the ways that customers can contact
a web visitor, and also to provide the visitor with information they might not get in a
companies. In the chapters on social media and online reputation management
travel agency - unbiased reviews from other customers. Technology can and should be
(ORM), the importance of letting the customer select communication channels was
used to treat different customers differently.
highlighted. Customer relationships are no longer driven by telephone contact centres,
but instead blogs, Twitter, email and instant messenger (IM) are all used as customer
Web technology allows for customer related marketing decisions to be made and
service channels both pre and post sale.
tested relatively quickly, and adjusted as required.
For example, in 2002, Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com launched free shipping for orders over
customer-centric and customer-driven
limit enabled Amazon to test the effect of the offer on its bottom line and still retract
it if necessary. Over the months, the order threshold for free shipping dropped, and
execution of business plans, and another having customers driving the direction of
a business. Many new, web-based businesses rely on the latter for their business
to succeed, and actively encourage customers to take the lead and add value to the
delivery fee.
business. Services such as Flickr (www.flickr.com), Delicious (www.delicious.com) and
Twitter (www.twitter.com) are examples of services that are user-driven rather than
eCRM uses technology in a number of ways to cement CRM into the way that
user-centric. They provide tools that enable users to make the service their own, often
organisations conduct themselves. Once a business shifts its focus to consumer needs,
by allowing outside developers access in order to create supplementary services.
they will find that all these technologies feed each other. However, the fundamental
principle of eCRM is to remember that technology should be used to enable customer
Savvy organisations can also provide tools to customers to drive their business, passing
relationships, not replace meaningful relationships.
on tasks to customers that might ordinarily have been performed by the organisation.
For example, many airlines now allow travellers to check-in online prior to arriving at
Firstly, the data that is collected online should be used to build meaningful profiles of
the airport. Although they are giving travellers convenient tools and increased options
potential customers, and that information should be used in fostering relationships.
when it comes to checking in, the airlines are also outsourcing the check-in process
Web analytics tools gather a wealth of data that can inform customer relationships,
to their travellers. As more travellers select to check themselves in, staff costs for
from search keywords used to reach a website, to navigation paths on a website. It
airlines can be reduced. The travellers are doing the job for free.
is even possible to capture this kind of information against specific customers when
discussion
they perform an action such as purchasing or subscribing on a website. Without the
Why is knowing what
keywords purchasing
customer knowing, the referral source of their visit and even an indication of their
types of CRM
customers use helpful for
in organisations
navigation path can be captured along with their order or registration details and
stored for future use.
CRM should infuse every aspect of a business (in the same way that marketing should
Bespoke CRM software enables businesses to manage all customer and lead information
infuse every aspect of a business), but it is useful to look at the different ways that CRM
across all departments in a centralised place. No matter whom a customer speaks to
is implemented.
Operational CRM refers to the most obvious channels that relate to customers: the
a sales perspective (turning the people who know about your service or product
front end of a business and its customer service. From a web technology point of view,
into people who have purchased your service or product); or
operational CRM informs the web site a customer sees as well as their entire online
a service perspective (ensuring that people who have interacted with you are
user experience. Technology also enables effective customer service from providing
satisfied and delighted).
numerous contact channels, to presenting technology that records all customer
contacts.
Effective CRM across all three channels can also create a powerful new marketing
and referral force for a company: its happy customers. Delighting customers fosters
Analytical CRM analyses data collected by a business to determine information
positive word of mouth.
about customers that can inform sales and marketing decisions. Data mining is
a crucial step to effective CRM. Web analytics and conversion optimisation can be
While CRM is a customer centric approach to doing business, CRM needs to be
Data mining is the analysis
seen as part of the CRM process. Data collected about the nature of visits to your
of large volumes of data
in order to determine
website can be used to make informed decisions about where to focus attention based
patterns, correlations,
on customer behaviour. Past purchasing behaviour of customers can be analysed to
The first step to any CRM initiative is to understand the value of a customer relationship
relationships and trends in
predict future purchasing behaviour. Data can be used to segment customers, and so
to a business. While this is unique to each customer, data mining can be used to
the data.
communications can be tailored.
determine the value of segments of customers.
For example, Amazon.com uses the purchase history of a customer to make
recommendations to that customer for future purchases. Thus, a customer who
Relationship
Cost of acquiring and maintaining
has purchased a number of cookbooks in the past will be sent offers related to
by customer
customer relationship
cookbooks. Amazon.com also looks at the purchase behaviour of customers who buy
preferences. This process is referred to as collaborative filtering.
The revenue generated by a customer is literally the sales made to the customer. This
can be calculated on a one-off basis directly related to the cost of the acquiring that
Sales force automation uses CRM software to manage sales cycles and to collect
particular sale, or it can be calculated over the lifetime of the customer relationship.
customer sales data. The software enables businesses to track leads, schedule
However, referrals made by a customer can also be included as part of the revenue
transactions and communications with potential and existing customers and to
generated by the customer.
generate detailed reporting on the sales process. There are numerous software
providers, some of which are listed later in this chapter.
The cost of acquiring the customer refers to the marketing and advertising channels
used to acquire that customer. In eMarketing, this is the CPA (cost per acquisition) of
Collaborative CRM refers to a process, which combines customer data across
any of the channels used to acquire a customer. The benefit of eMarketing is that it is
all facets of a company. For example, queries regularly submitted to the technical
highly measurable and trackable, enabling a relatively accurate calculation of CPA.
support or customer service arm of a business can be used to inform website updates
(updating content on the website to address a query that is regularly submitted) and
The lifetime value of a customer refers to calculating the costs of both acquiring and
to inform product development. Instead of various departments collecting their own
retaining a customer against all purchases made over the lifetime of the customer
customer data and using this in isolation, data is collaborated so that all channels are
relationship. One can also look at customer value in terms of the referrals that a
making informed decisions based on an entire customer experience.
customer generates for a company.
putting a value on CRM
For example, a potential customer looking to purchase a digital camera is likely to
search on Google for cameras. As a company selling digital cameras, your excellent
PPC advert and compelling offer attracts the potential customer who clicks through to
Broadly, CRM can be looked at from:
your website. Impressed with your product offering, she purchases a camera from you,
a marketing perspective (increasing the number of people who know about
and signs up to your email newsletter as part of the payment process.
your service or product);
Analysing the spend on your PPC campaign against the sales attributed to the campaign
mini case study: customer service as PR
will give the cost per acquisition of each sale. In this case, this is the cost of acquiring
the new customer.
Zappos (www.zappos.com), a US online shoe retailer, bases much of its success
on its customer service. It offers free shipping on all its purchases, as well as free
As she has now signed up to your newsletter, each month you send her compelling
returns. In fact, goods are shipped with a pre-printed return label, making the
information about products she might be interested in. If you have taken note of her
process straightforward for customers. Zappos also invests heavily in its customer
obvious interest in photography, these newsletters could be focused on photography,
service team, empowering each member of the team to do what they need to do
and highlight additional products she can use with her new camera. The costs
to delight customers.
associated with sending these emails are the costs of maintaining the relationship
with the customer. When she purchases from you again, these costs can be measured
For example, Zaz LaMarr blogged about her experience with Zappos. Have some
against the repeat sales she is likely to make.
mini case study: defining loyalty and customer value
Zappos arranged to have UPS come pick up the shoes. And then sent her flowers.
While most companies define customer loyalty based on the repeat purchases of
Yahoo! shows nearly 2,000 links to her blog post, which has generated comments
happy customers, some businesses are built around one-off purchases. Wedding
photography is one of those businesses. With so much time and effort invested in
each customer relationship, how can this be returned into repeat business?
Bella photography focuses on ensuring that its very satisfied brides refer their
service to friends and family. In fact 18% of new business comes from these
referrals.
There is no doubt that Zappos customer service costs are high. Not only is shipping
free, but their customer service team has been given the authority to make
They also offer services to wedding guests, such as allowing them to make
gestures like the one above. The return to Zappos in terms of goodwill is almost
orders of wedding photos themselves, which increases their customers for each
immeasurable (although, their online reputation is excellent), but no doubt leads
wedding.
to increased referrals and sales and customer loyalty.
Source: http://www.insidecrm.com/features/new-definition-loyalty-102308/
Source:
http://consumerist.com/consumer/above-and-beyond/zappos-sends-
When it comes to the marketing channel, CRM initiatives can be used both in the
acquisition of new customers and in the marketing to existing customers (which can be
increase overall revenue. In terms of CRM, this can be either to increase revenue
seen as acquiring new sales from existing customers).
generated by each customer, to increase the number of customers or to reduce the
costs of acquiring a customer, or a combination of all three.
using CRM
It is important to align CRM initiatives with business goals, so that success of the
to inform your eMarketing tactics
initiatives can be measured.
The chapters in this book have focused on the tactics of eMarketing. Managing customer
relationships should be built into each tactic and all eMarketing activities.
It is here especially that CRM goals can be set across marketing channels, sales
channels and service channels.
Successful email marketing stems from a very basic customer need: privacy and
permission. The very first step required in using email to establish a relationship with
a customer is in gaining their permission.
technology and CRM
Data mining and segmenting customer databases allows for email marketing to be
tailored to customers, while emails allow for extensive personalisation on a mass
Technology, and especially the technology enabled by the Internet, has had enormous
repercussions for CRM. In many cases, technology has helped to streamline many
CRM processes as well as to cut the costs of CRM initiatives.
Email is often the primary point of contact for all customer service related messages,
from automated emails dealing with the administration of orders, to contacts with the
talking to customers: customer service
customer service team.
It is amazing how much technology has changed the ways we communicate with each
Online advertising is a double-edged sword when it comes to CRM. It can be a very
other. In the same way, it has changed the way that organisations and companies can
effective acquisition tool for new customers, but intrusive advertising can attract
communicate with us.
needs and presents solutions to them, hopefully attracting attention without being
overly intrusive.
Perhaps one of the first customer service developments to come from the Internet
is customer service over email. It is standard for websites to have contact addresses
Affiliate marketing started by making the most of existing relationships other parties
as well as telephone numbers, adding an additional channel for customer contacts.
have with potential customers. Affiliate marketing can be an excellent sales and
Emails can also be automated to keep customers informed of progress of a transaction,
acquisition channel, but is not without its problems from a CRM perspective. Another
whether it be shipping goods bought online, or the progress of an insurance claim.
entity is acquiring leads on your behalf, which can mean a loss of control when it comes
Each action within an organisation can trigger an automatic email, serving to ensure
to the messages used to attract leads. Ensure effective communication with affiliates
customers feel informed at every step.
so that they are sending the right message to your leads.
mobile
Search engine marketing, whether search engine optimisation (SEO) or pay per click
Similarly to automated emails, the mobile phone is also being used to keep customers
advertising (PPC) starts with customer intent. Existing customer data can indicate
informed of the progress of transactions. SMS messages can be automated in the
where to focus search engine marketing efforts, especially when it comes to analysing
same way that emails are, again ensuring customer peace of mind.
call centres
The use of social media is based on customer needs and preferences. Online
Technology such as VOIP (voice over IP) means that voice calls can be routed cheaply
reputation management tracks social media in particular (as well as other online
over the Internet. Thousands of people keep in touch around the globe with services
sources) to establish consumer sentiment. This valuable data should then be used
such as Skype (www.skype.com), and this has impacted call centres as well.
tool for turning delighted customers (who are expressive online) into advocates for an
Using similar technology, phone calls can be routed to call centres in any location
organisation. Lastly, social media allows several new communication channels for an
around the globe. Many companies in developed nations have located their customer
organisation, enabling customer communications and customer service to take place
call centres in developing nations, where staff and other overhead costs are far lower.
where the customer feels most comfortable.
The Internet means that these calls can be routed for a lower cost than in country calls,
with minimal loss of call quality. That means that a UK customer calling Lastminute.
Effective web development and design starts with customer needs, and should focus
com to book a flight, for example, could in fact be speaking to someone in India.
on the experience of web user. Designing for customers first and foremost should
give web visitors a seamless experience, presenting your goods and services to them
The staff in these call centres undergo extensive training on the culture of the people
without effort on their behalf.
they will be speaking to, as well as on the ethos of the company they represent. Even
though a customer is speaking to someone on another continent, it is imperative for
Through all of the eMarketing tactics, effective analytics is the most useful CRM tool.
the business that the experience matches their brand as closely as possible.
It allows each channel to be measured on its merits, and the customers acquired by
each channel can be analysed.
IM and chat rooms
Instant messenger (IM) allows fast, instant text based chat. Services such as Windows
chat with someone about the products on offer. The web visitor can then either close
Live Messenger, GTalk and Jabber keep people around the world (and in the same
the window and continue on their own, or can choose to chat. If the latter is chosen, a
room!) connected. IM can also be an effective customer service channel.
customer service representative will then commence to chat to the consumer.
This can be extremely effective for complicated or expensive purchases. At the point of
decision-making, the organisation can provide personal support and reassurance.
managing interaction data
CRM software can be used to automate lead and sales processes, and to collect
customer information in a centralised place.
Organisations are large, and a customer may speak to any member of an organisation,
depending on the nature of the communication. It would be extremely frustrating for
the customer to have to explain all previous dealings with the organisation with each
communication, and it can be extremely frustrating for an organisation not to know who
has spoken previously with a customer and what was dealt with.
Fortunately, there are many technology options that help to record all this information
in one place, whether it be related to potential, current or past customers.
As well as enabling recording of data, most of these services can also schedule elements
Example of an IM pop-up on the Rackspace web site.
of the sales process, and set reminders where appropriate for follow up action.
Some notable examples include SalesForce (www.salesforce.com), Genius
When potential customers are on a web site, they may have very quick questions or
(www.genius.com) and Highrise (www.highrisehq.com) from 37 Signals.
concerns that they need to have addressed before proceeding with an order. Sending
an email with these questions can mean a lengthy period before these questions are
Bespoke technology tailored to business problems can have remarkable results. The
answered, and they may be loath to pick up a phone to have the queries answered. In
chapter case study highlights this.
instances such as these, an IM service can easily, quickly and at low cost, solve these
queries.
analysing data
There are two main ways that IM is integrated onto web sites. The first is customer
initiated, and the second is initiated by a script on the web page being viewed.
One of the most powerful features of interactions and transactions over the Internet is
that everything is tracked and recorded in server logs (see the chapter on web analytics
Customer initiated IM involves indicating clearly to a customer that the IM channel is
and conversion optimisation), providing a wealth of data that can be analysed to make
available, while giving clear instructions on how to use it. Many free chat clients may be
business decisions.
easily integrated in this way, such as Skype and Meebo (www.meebo.com).
Importantly for CRM, this means that the acquisition source of customers may be
A script can also be used to initiate a chat with a potential customer. When a web visitor
recorded, and analysed against sales data for customers from the source. This leads
has been on a web page for a fixed period of time without performing any action (such
to a very accurate ROI (return on investment) calculation and indicates where CRM and
as clicking on a link), a window can appear in the browser asking if they would like to
marketing efforts should be focused.
The key to effective use of technology in CRM is integration. Ensure that all channels
case study: Virtual Works and PG Glass
can be tracked, and that that information is usable to all parties within an organisation.
Knowing where your customers come from, but not what they purchase is pointless:
Like many service industries, the glass replacement industry is about speed, efficiency and convenience. If a
these two metrics need to be compared in order to produce actionable insights.
possible.
a new way of looking at relationships
Glass constantly looks for ways to serve customers faster and more responsively than the competition. So when
figures revealed that there are now nearly 5 million regular Internet users in South Africa, the company went
Vendor Relationship Management (VRM) is the reciprocal of CRM. VRM in this context
about finding better ways to exploit the web channel for competitive advantage.
describes an emerging, progressive school of thought, technology, tools and services
that help customers to manage relationships with vendors. VRM tools and services are
still very much in their infancy, as is the concept of VRM.
Internet was capable of vastly more than simple brochureware hosting and was determined to put web and
VRM seeks to address the imbalance of power when it comes to customer and vendor
site capabilities.
relationships. Traditionally, vendors collect and hold information about a customer,
If you are interested in
and use it to get the most out of their relationship with the customer. For many
reading further about
After extensive research, PG Glass selected The Virtual Works to supply the specialist expertise and systems
revenue for the lowest cost from a particular customer or group of customers. VRM
to start: www.vrmlabs.net/
notes that customers can be far better custodians of data that is very useful to vendors.
vrm-in-a-nutshell
a service request on the web site without having to navigate through the whole site to find a solution. The system
history, and makes recommendations based on that history. However, the customer
right PG Glass franchise - and instantly distributes the enquiry to the mobile phone of the right person on the
PG Glass side. The technology sends a reference number to the customer and then tracks the service fulfilment
were purchased as gifts and therefore are not indicative of personal preferences.
using customisable rules to automatically alert PG Glass staff and managers to workflow delays by email
and SMS. Detailed reports provide the PG Glass team with service measures and benchmark data in order to
The goal of VRM, however, is not to make sure that vendors have access to this
immediately identify service interruptions or areas requiring improvement, as well as the information required
information, instead it is to give customers the power over the information that is
to identify and reward employees for superior service performance. The system securely stores customer data
shared with vendors. Traditional CRM locks that data into a single relationship, while
in a unified system, making it available via a password and user ID protocol to PG Glass franchisees over the
VRM seeks to give the customer the power to share pertinent data with vendors as he
Internet on demand.
sees fit. These relationships can be controlled by the customer as opposed to by the
vendor.
VRM is a dynamic way of looking at customer-vendor relationships. Although the terms
and tools may be new, the principles and the frustration with current practices are
The results so far have shown that investing in technology to implement and maintain CRM is not only vital
increase in Internet generated leads, which translates into a significant increase in sales and an impressive ROI
For more information on VRM, visit the Project VRM wiki at the following webpage
on the technology investment.
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/projectvrm/Main_Page, read the blog for the project at
http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/vrm/ or visit VRM Hub at www.vrmhub.net or VRM Labs
at www.vrmlabs.net.
Other paybacks to PG Glass following the strategic application of Web services include:
Regan, K, (24 January 2003) Amazon Posts Profit, Makes Free Shipping Permanent,
http://www.crmbuyer.com/story/20562.html
positively impacted the PG Glass brand.
E-Commerce Times
(accessed on 17/11/2008)
delivery.
cost Internet channel. The costs of lead distribution and administration have also reduced thanks to
the Internet system.
further reading
performance benchmarks.
www.insidecrm.com
- As you might guess, articles devoted to CRM.
PG Glass: www.pgglass.co.za
The Virtual Works: www.virtualworks.co.za
www.churchofthecustomer.com
- Customer focused business practice.
references
blogs.law.harvard.edu/vrm
- A good place to follow VRM.
1LiveBusiness (14 May 2007) Meebo Launching Media-Enabled Chat Rooms **Article
http://www.1ivebusiness.com/news/1850/
www.cluetrain.com
(accessed on 17/11/2008)
- The Cluetrain Manifesto - you should read this.
Band, W (1 October 2007) The Right CRM Metrics For Your Organisation Forrester Research Inc
Edwards, J (29 November 2007) Get it together with Collaborative CRM
http://www.insidecrm.com/features/collaborative-crm-112907/
(accessed on 17/11/2008)
LaMarr, Z (7 July 2007) I Heart Zappos, Writing-Coking-Life
(accessed on 17/11/2008)
Lewis, N (23 October 2008) Marrying CRM to a New Definition of Loyalty
http://www.insidecrm.com/features/new-definition-loyalty-102308/
(accessed on 17/11/2008)
Marco, M (October 16 2007) Zappos Sends You Flowers
http://consumerist.com/consumer/above-and-beyond/zappos-sends-you-flowers-311369.php
The Consumerist
(accessed on 17/11/2008)
researet
key terms and concepts of market research, quantitative and qualitative
research, how to go about gathering data and the distinction between primary
and secondary research. Learn about online research communities,
conducting research surveys and get to grips with the valuable tools of the
trade. Wrap things up with a chapter summary and a case study showing how
introduction
key terms and concepts
While the Internet was developed as a military project, the World Wide Web was
developed as a tool for academics to allow information to be shared freely. This
Focus Group A form of qualitative research where a group of people are asked questions in an
foundation of the Web as an information tool has had profound effects on the markets
interactive group setting. From a marketing perspective, it is important tool for acquiring feedback
we transact in.
regarding new products and various topics.
ORM Online Reputation Management- the understanding and influencing of the perception of an
Consider that consumers are able to research companies and products easily,
entity online. This entails ensuring that you know what is being said about you, and that you are
gathering information to compare prices and service with a few clicks of the mouse.
leading the conversation.
Consumers are also able to share likes and dislikes easily, whether that information is
shared with companies or with friends.
Primary Research The collection of data to present a new set of findings from original research.
Qualitative Data Data that can be observed but not measured. Deals with descriptions.
Quantitative Data Data, which can be measured or defined. Deals with numbers.
Secondary Research Collection of existing research data.
few web searches will reveal plenty of sources that can be compared and verified. If a
company is wanting to gauge the demographics of visitors to their website, an online
survey may be offered to website visitors. Thirdly, online reputation management tools
allow companies to track consumer sentiment expressed online.
what is market research?
Market research is a process that aids business decisions. It involves systematically
gathering, recording and analysing data and information about customers, competitors
and the market.
Research can be based on primary data and information, or secondary data and
information. Primary research is conducted when data or information are gathered
for a particular product or hypothesis. This is where information does not exist already
or is not accessible, and so needs to be specifically collected from consumers or
businesses. Surveys, focus groups, research panels and research communities can all
be used when conducting primary market research.
Services such as PriceRunner, shown above, allow consumers to research product prices
Secondary research uses existing, published data and research as a source of research.
Likewise, the Web has an impact on market research. Its foundations in academia
It can be more cost effective than conducting primary research, and the Internet opens
make it ideal for secondary research, with reports and data filed, indexed and available
a wealth of resources for conducting this research. However, the data would have
via a few savvy searches. Technology can also be used to easily, and accurately, conduct
originally been collected for solving problems other than the one at hand, so might not
surveys. The connected nature of the Web also makes it possible to record data about
be sufficiently specific. That being said, secondary research can be useful in identifying
problems to be investigated through primary research.
For example, when researching the penetration of broadband in a particular market, a
Research can also be classified as qualitative or quantitative. Qualitative research
can be classified as exploratory. Qualitative research aids in identifying potential
The following table aims to look at the main differences between quantitative and
hypotheses, whereas quantitative research puts hard numbers behind these
qualitative research.
hypotheses. Qualitative research seeks to find out what potential consumer perceptions
and feelings exist around a given subject. This research can often be used to advise
the design of quantitative research, which relies on numerical data to demonstrate
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
statistically significant outcomes.
Assumptions
Assumptions
The Internet is a useful tool for both primary and secondary research, and can be used
to gather both qualitative and quantitative data. In fact the communities on the Web
can be viewed as one large focus group, regularly and willingly sharing their opinions
difficult to measure
relationships can be measured
on products, markets and companies. Today, organisations transacting online have
a wealth of research information freely available to them, and sophisticated tools for
Purpose
Purpose
gathering further data.
Market research should produce information that leads to actions.
Approach
Approach
quantitative and qualitative research
Quantitative research gathers data that can be statistically analysed to determine
results. Data must be formally gathered, and should be collected to test a hypothesis
Researcher Role
Researcher Role
as opposed to determine a hypothesis.
Qualitative data can be more difficult to quantify. Typically, because base sizes are
smaller and not necessarily representative of the market under investigation (as it can
Source: http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/siegle/research/Qualitative/qualquan.htm
be more expensive and time consuming to gather and analyse the data), qualitative
With larger sample sizes,
data cannot be taken as quantified. It is however valuable in aiding a researcher in
qualitative data may be
interpreting the market perspective. It is possible to combine approaches, producing
analysed quantitatively.
data that can be used both qualitatively and quantitatively.
gathering data:
quantitative and qualitative research
For example, in the chapter on online reputation management, tools that can track
brand name mentions are outlined. This data can then be analysed qualitatively, where
the researcher can examine the mentions and use their judgement to determine
Both quantitative and qualitative research can be conducted
sentiment, or quantitatively, where mentions can be assigned numeric values across a
using primary or secondary data, and the Internet provides
Sample size is an important factor in
an ideal tool for both avenues.
conducting research, and that sample should
online reputation algorithm.
be representative of the population you are
targeting as a whole. If your business transacts
Web analytics packages are a prime source of data. Using
both online and offline, beware that using only
When both qualitative and quantitative research are used, usually qualitative research
data such as search terms, referral URLs and internal
online channels for market research might not be
takes place first to get an idea of the issues to be aware of, and then quantitative
search data can lead to qualitative assumptions about
representative of your target market. However,
research tests the theories put forward in qualitative research.
the consumers visiting a website. However, when data is
if your business transacts only online, offline
measurable and specific, such as impressions and click
channels for your market research are less
through rates, this leads to quantitative research.
necessary.
online research panels
cost. Notably, the origins of the Web as a network for academics to share information
and online research communities
make it a useful tool for researching existing research reports.
Research panels and research communities are two means for conducting research.
Whereas research panels are primarily used when conducting quantitative research,
research communities primarily provide quantitative data. The Internet comes to the
fore when considering research communities, as social media such as social networks
and blogs already provide the framework for people to connect and interact with each
other. Most panels, whether online or offline, are not about member-to-member
quantitative data. Research communities primarily use discussions, driven online by
blogs and other media sharing communities.
For example, for the launch of a new product a company might want to determine
what customers have in their fridge. Quantitative analysis would be to develop a survey
Sources of primary and secondary research data.
that could be completed by a representative sample of their target market, aimed at
discovering what consumers have in their fridges.
the internet and secondary research
Qualitative analysis would be to go to a community photo sharing site, such as
discussion
Qualitative research and
www.flickr.com, and use a simple search to look at the photos the members have uploaded
Market research based on secondary resources uses data that already exists for
quantitative research
analysis. This includes both internal data and external data, and is useful for exploring
must both be presented
the market and marketing problems that exist.
in such a way that they
Surveys are an ideal means of gathering quantitative data, provided they are designed
can lead to actionable
in such a way that the answers are assigned values that can be measured statistically.
Research based on secondary data should precede primary data research. It should be
insights. How would you
See later in this chapter for a consideration of survey design.
use a community tool such
used in establishing the context and parameters for primary research.
as Flickr when presenting
this data?
Focus groups have long been a stalwart of market research, and the Internet provides
Uses of secondary data:
a means to conduct regular focus groups. Focus groups can consist of one person,
The data can provide enough information to solve the problem at hand,
such as in a listening lab when testing the usability of a website, or can be of the entire
thereby negating the need for further research.
Internet population, such as when looking at global search data.
Secondary data can provide sources for hypotheses that can be explored
through primary research.
If your online audience is large enough and vocal enough, their opinions can and should
Sifting through secondary data is a necessary precursor for primary
be tracked and measured as part of a market research process. Be aware, however, to
research, as it can provide information relevant to sample sizes and audience,
account for the bias in this group.
for example.
The data can be used as a reference base to measure the accuracy of primary
research.
primary and secondary research
Companies that transact online have a wealth of data that exists due to the nature of
the Internet that can be mined. Every action that is performed on the company website
See the chapter on web
The Internet is a useful tool when conducting both primary and secondary research.
is recorded in the server logs for the website.
analytics and conversion
Not only are there a number of free tools available when it comes to calculating things
optimisation for details of
such as sample size and confidence levels (see Tools of the Trade for some examples),
Customer communications are also a source of data that can be used, particularly
how to use web analytics.
but it is also an ideal medium to reach large numbers of people for a relatively low
communications with a customer service department. Committed customers who
either complain, comment or compliment are providing information that can form the
Primary research can be used to explore
foundation for researching customer satisfaction.
a market and can help to develop the
In 2005, General Motors launched a blog called Fast Lane. They said:
hypotheses or research questions that must
Social networks, blogs and other forms of social media have emerged as forums
be answered by further research. Generally,
where consumers discuss their likes and dislikes, and can be particularly vocal about
qualitative data is gathered at this stage. For
talk about us - they have an opportunity to come and talk directly to
companies and products. This data can, and should, be tracked and monitored to
example, online research communities can be
and others, taking their comments to become a better company
The chapter on online
establish consumer sentiment. If a community is established for research purposes,
used to identify consumer needs that are not
reputation management
this should be considered primary data, but using social media to research existing
being met and brainstorm possible solutions.
feedback. Just about every discussion we have on the FastLane
goes into detail on using
sentiments is considered secondary research.
Further quantitative research can investigate
the Internet to track and
has become an important source of customer research, eliciting
monitor online mentions
what proportion of consumers share these
comments and feedback from committed consumers. Source:
of a product, company or
The Internet is an ideal starting point for conducting secondary research based on
problems and which potential solutions best
http://www.commoncraft.com/interview-michael-wiley-gm-fastlane-blog
published data and findings. But, with so much information out there, it can be a
meet those needs.
daunting task to find reliable resources.
online research communities
Although online communities are a valuable resource for secondary research,
The first point of call for research online is usually a search engine, such as
example of an online research community that aids gathering of research data. The
www.google.com or www.yahoo.com. Search engines usually have an array of advanced
blog can be used as a means to elicit feedback to a particular research problem. This is
features, which can aid online research. For example, Google offers:
qualitative data that can aid the company in exploring their research problem further.
listening labs
discussion
Learning how to use search engines to find the information you need is a valuable skill
When developing websites and online applications, usability testing is a vital process
Whom would you select
in using the Internet for research.
to participate in listening
Listening labs involve setting up a testing environment where the use of a website or
lab exercises? How do you
Many research publications are available online, some for free and some paid for. Many
application by a consumer may be observed.
think the demographic of
of the top research companies feature analyst blogs, which provide some industry data
your population affects the
and analysis for free. Some notable resources are:
outcome of these tests?
www.e-consultancy.com
conversion optimisation
www.jupiterresearch.com
www.hitwise.com
Conversion optimisation aims to determine the factors of an advert, website or
www.pewinternet.org (US data)
webpage that can be improved so as to make the website convert best. From PPC
www.worldwideworx.com (SA data)
advertising, to email subject lines to shopping cart design, tests can set up to test what
variables are affecting the conversion rate of visitors to the website.
the internet and primary research
In the chapter on web analytics are details and tools for running tests, such as A/B
split testing and multivariate testing.
Primary research involves gathering data for a specific research task. It is based on
data that has not been gathered beforehand. Primary research can be either qualitative
or quantitative.
online surveys: gathering data
Questions in the survey should be brief, easy to understand and, most of all,
When developing surveys you can combine qualitative data with quantitative data
easy to answer.
for data to be captured immediately, and data analysis can be performed easily and
quickly. By using email or the Web for conducting surveys, geographical limitations for
types of survey questions
collecting data can be overcome cost effectively.
1. open-ended types
Developing technology also allows for sophisticated and user-friendly surveys to
Open-ended questions allow respondents to answer in their own words. This usually
If there are enough
be compiled. For example, as opposed to indicating impressions on a sliding scale,
results in qualitative data.
respondents to an open-
respondents can indicate emotional response.
ended question, the
responses can be used
Example:
quantitatively. For example,
What features would you like to see on the website for the eMarketing textbook?
you can say with some
_____________________________________________________
thought that case studies
multiple answers)
These questions give respondents specific responses to choose from. This results in
Metaphorix uses animations when creating surveys: www.metaphorix.uk.com
quantitative data.
Example:
Compare the images above to the following survey question:
Do you use the eMarketing textbook website? Choose one that applies.
Rate how you feel about a brand:
negative
neither positive nor negative positive
developing surveys: asking questions
What features of the eMarketing textbook website do you use? Check all that
The success of a survey in gathering useful data is largely determined by the design of
- Case studies
the survey, and particularly by the questions that are asked. A survey can comprise of
- Free downloads
any number and types of questions, and these should be structured in such a way that
- Additional resources
more complicated questions only appear once users are comfortable with the survey.
3. ranked or ordinal questions
Be careful when creating questions that you do not introduce bias by asking leading
These questions ask respondents to rank items in order of preference or relevance.
questions.
Respondents are given a numeric scale to indicate order. This results in quantitative
Example of leading question bias:
Example:
Example question:
Rate the features of the eMarketing textbook website, where 1 is the most useful
We have recently introduced new features on the website to become a first class
and 4 is the least useful.
web destination. What are your thoughts on the new site?
- Case studies
Replace with:
- Free downloads
What are your thoughts on the changes to the website?
- Additional resources
4. matrix & rating types
According to Survey Monkey, the ways in which the surveys are administered play a
These types of questions can be used to quantify qualitative data. Respondents are
role in response rates for surveys and these can be relative:
asked to rank behaviour or attitude.
Mail: 50% adequate, 60-70% good to very good
Phone: 80% good
Example:
Email: 40% average, 50-60% good to very good
The eMarketing textbook website is a useful tool for further studies.
Online: 30% average
Face to Face: 80-85% good
The eMarketing textbook website is a useful tool for further studies.
Rating scales can be balanced or unbalanced. When creating the questions and
answers, choosing balanced or unbalanced scales will affect whether you are
collecting data where someone can express a neutral opinion or not.
Above, an incentive is offered for completing a survey.
Response rates can be improved by offering respondents an incentive for completing
the survey, such as a chance at winning a grand prize, a lower priced incentive for
every respondent, or even the knowledge that they are improving a product or service
that they care about.
There is a train of thought that paying incentives is not always a good thing. Amongst
how to get responses:
less affluent or educated respondents it may predispose them to feel that they need to
incentives and assurances
you may attract respondents who are in it just for the reward. One approach could be to
run the survey with no incentive with the option to offer one if responses are limited.
Designing the survey so as to assure respondents of the time commitment, and privacy
receive valuable data that will aid in making business decisions. But what is in it for
implications, of completing the survey can also help to increase responses.
the respondents?
conducting research surveys:
4. Create your questionnaire - What you will ask
a step-by-step guide
Keep the survey and questions simple and ensure that the length of the survey does
not overwhelm respondents. A variety of questions can be used to make sure that the
As with all things eMarketing, careful planning goes a long way to determining success.
survey is not repetitive.
As market research can be an expensive project, it is important that planning helps to
determine the cost vs. the benefit of the research. Qualitative research and secondary
research are critical steps in determining whether a larger scale research project is
to try to collect too much data, or you will likely overwhelm respondents.
called for.
5. Pre-test the questionnaire, if practical - Test the questions
Bear in mind that many tasks that fall under the umbrella of research should be
Test questionnaires to determine if questions are clear and that it renders correctly.
ongoing requirements of eMarketing activities, such as conversion testing and
Ensure that test respondents understand the questions, and that they are able to
optimising and online reputation management. Polls and small surveys can also be
answer them satisfactorily.
conducted regularly, and non-intrusively, among visitors to your website.
6. Conduct interviews and enter data - Ask the questions
1. Establish the goals of the project - What you want to learn
Run the survey! Online surveys can be completed by respondents without your being
Secondary research can be used to give background and context to the business
present, you just need to make sure that you get it in front of the right people. A survey
problem, and the context in which the problem can be solved. It should also be used
can be sent to an email database or can be advertised online.
to determine alternative strategies for solving the problem, which can be evaluated
through research. Qualitative research, particularly using established online research
7. Analyse the data - Produce the reports
communities, can also help in determining what the business problems are that need
Remember that quantitative data must be analysed for statistical significance. The
to be solved. Ultimately, determine what are the actions you will be considering after
reports should aid in the decision making process and produce actionable insights.
the research is completed, and what insights are required to make a decision on those
actions.
2. Determine your sample - Whom you will interview
room for error
You do not need to survey the entire population of your target market. Instead, a
representative sample can be used to determine statistically relevant results. See
With all research, there is a given amount of error that needs to be dealt with. Errors
Tools of the Trade for some online calculators for determining sample size.
may result from the interviewers administering a questionnaire (and possibly leading
the respondents) to the design and wording of the questionnaire itself, sample errors
In selecting a sample, be careful to try to eliminate bias from the sample. Highly
and respondent errors. Using the Internet to administer surveys and questionnaires
satisfied customers, for example, could give very different results to highly dissatisfied
removes the bias that may arise from an interviewer. However, with no interviewer to
consumers.
explain questions, there is potential for greater respondent error. This is why survey
design is so important, and why it is crucial to test and run pilots of the survey before
3. Choose research methodology - How you will gather data
going live.
The Internet provides a multitude of channels for gathering data. Surveys can be
conducted online or via email. Online research panels and online research communities
Respondent error also arises when respondents become too used to the survey
can all be used for gathering data. Web analytics can also be used to collect data,
process. There is the possibility of respondents becoming desensitised. There is even
but this is passive form of data collection. Determine what will provide you with the
a growing trend of professional survey takers, especially where there is an incentive
information you need to make decisions. Be sure whether your research calls for
involved. The general industry standard is to limit respondents to being interviewed
qualitative or quantitative data as this determines the methodology as well.
once every six months.
tools of the trade
Sample error is a fact of market research. Some people are just not interested in,
nor will ever be interested in, taking part in surveys. Are these people fundamentally
www.surveymonkey.com: for creating online surveys
different, with different purchasing behaviour, from those who do? Is there a way of
finding out? To some extent, web analytics, which tracks the behaviour of all visitors to
Split test calculator: www.usereffect.com/split-test-calculator
your website, can be useful in determining the answer to this question.
Sample size calculators:
When conducting any survey, it is crucial to understand who is in the target universe,
www.rogerwimmer.com/mmr/samplesizecalculator.htm
and what the best way to reach that target universe is. Web surveys exclude elements
www.rogerwimmer.com/mmr/mmrsampling_error.htm
of the population, due to access or ability. It is vital to determine if this is acceptable to
www.rogerwimmer.com/mmr/mmrsampling_error99.htm
the survey, and to use other means of capturing data if not.
Internet Usage World Stats: www.internetworldstats.com
conducting research:
Google Insights: www.google.com/insights/search/
Silverback usability testing software: www.silverbackapp.com
Regular research is an important aspect of the growth strategy of any business, but it
can be tough to justify the budget necessary for research without knowing the benefit
case study: BrandsEye
to the business. Conducting research can cost little more than the time of someone
who works for a company, depending on the skills base of employees, or it can be an
BrandsEye (www.brandseye.com) is an online reputation management tool that was launched in March 2008. It
scours the Internet in near real-time for mentions of specific keywords and then develops a reputation score based
expensive exercise involving external experts. Deciding where your business needs are
on those mentions. Online reputation monitoring tools are fairly new to the online scene which meant that business
on the investment scale depends on the depth of the research required, and what the
and technical developments following the launch of BrandsEye relied heavily on feedback from users, and potential
expected growth will be for the business. When embarking on a research initiative, the
users, of the system.
cost to benefit ratio should be determined.
Testing should be an ongoing feature of any eMarketing activity. Tracking is a
characteristic of most eMarketing, which allows for constant testing of the most basic
hypothesis: is this campaign successful in reaching the goals of the business?
summary
course, one of the businesses that the tool has been tracking from day one is BrandsEye itself. While mentions are
quantitatively analysed to generate a reputation score, they can all be qualitatively analysed to determine sentiment
from specific individuals and to highlight product features that may be improved.
Market research is the gathering and analysing of data for the purpose of understanding
a market and making business decisions. Information can be gathered about
BrandsEye requires a rapid rate of development to ensure its product remains competitive. With a relatively small
customers, competitors and the market.
number of vocal individuals discussing its industry online, BrandsEye decided that traditional, and expensive, focus
groups and surveys were out. These could instead be replaced by real-time analysis and one-to-one consumer
Research can be conducted based on secondary data, which refers to information or
engagement. BrandsEye also realised that in the relatively new field of online reputation measurement and
data that is already published or recorded, or based on primary data, which are data
management it was important to have online evangelists on board in order to, over time, heighten brand awareness
gathered specifically for a particular research problem.
amongst its big business target market.
Research can also be qualitative or quantitative. The Internet provides the tools for
In the week following its launch there were over a 120 conversations about BrandsEye from many smaller companies
online research communities for gathering qualitative data, while online tools such as
and individuals. They loved the service, but found the price prohibitive. Over the next three months more than 300
surveys and web analytics packages are ideal for gathering quantitative data.
Hobson, N (May 2005) The GM FastLane Blog - the poster child for executive blogs
http://www.nevillehobson.com/resources/fastlane/
(accessed on 29/09/08)
While big business sales continued to grow, BrandsEye realised that the more people who engage with its more
product, the more feedback they could collect and with that increase the rate of market-driven development.
LeFever, L (21 February 2005) Interview with Michael Wiley of the GM Fastlane Blog
Secondly, the comments made them realise that there was a considerable untapped market amongst small
http://www.commoncraft.com/interview-michael-wiley-gm-fastlane-blog
businesses and individuals.
(accessed on 29/09/08)
Instead of conducting focus groups, BrandsEye found that one already existed! Using feedback from early
Marketing Week (3 July 2008) Press Release: Virtual worlds are the reality,
commenters, BrandsEye developed a small business and blogger product. The service was priced to be accessible
(accessed on 29/09/08)
Since the launch of the new service, BrandsEye has grown considerably. Several new features have been added in
direct response to market needs. BrandsEye has seen an over 800% turnover increase for its big business offering
Press Release (May 2008) Survey Design, Creative Research Systems,
and a 2 500% increase in the overall number of accounts. It just took a little research.
http://www.surveysystem.com/sdesign.htm
(accessed on 29/09/08)
BrandsEye: www.brandseye.com
Survey Monkey (12 June 2008) Smart Survey Design, SurveyMonkey,
http://s3.amazonaws.com/SurveyMonkeyFiles/SmartSurvey.pdf
(accessed on 29/09/08)
case study questions
University of Leeds, Information Systems Services. (12 August 2008) Guide to the Design of Questionnaires,
How is the data used both quantitatively and qualitatively?
http://iss.leeds.ac.uk/info/312/surveys/217/guide_to_the_design_of_questionnaires
Why was BrandsEye able to conduct consumer research without conducting focus groups? What are
(accessed on 29/09/08)
the limitations of doing this that they would need to be aware of?
further reading
chapter questions
www.pluggedinco.com/blog/
What are some of the challenges of using the Internet for market research?
- A blog from PluggedIN, a qualitative market research agency
In what ways can the Internet be used as a focus group?
How does the Internet change the role of the researcher when it comes to market research?
http://blog.freshnetworks.com/category/topics/onlineresearchcommunities/
references
Carr, R, (17 February 2005) Qualitative vs. Quantitative Testing
http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/5097.asp
(accessed on 29/09/08)
Foley, M (22 September 2008) Research communities vs. research panels
http://www.pluggedinco.com/2008/09/22/research-communities-vs-research-panels/#more-309
(accessed on 29/09/08)
18. eMark
Mix, some key terms and concepts around strategy, a guide to developing a
marketing plan, the correlation between eMarketing and Marketing, using
online tools for gathering market intelligence and an eMarketing strategy
in action. Put everything you have learned into context with a case study about
introduction
A strategy is a long-term plan of action aimed at achieving a particular outcome. Tactics
had a huge impact in the way products are sold and marketed, and importantly has seen a significant shift in the
refer to the immediate actions taken to execute a strategy. While most of the chapters
balance of power between businesses and consumers. Where marketing once was seen as a one way broadcast
in this textbook refer to the tactics that the Internet has afforded to marketing, the
channel, with customer wants and needs driven by focus groups, today effective marketing is based on a two-
essential first step to executing any online campaign is in the planning: strategy.
way conversation that happens person to person.
Strategy comes from the Greek strategos, which itself is derived from two words:
However, the Internet does not necessarily mean throwing out the rule book of marketing and business
stratos for army, and
foundations and principles. Instead, the Internet provides a new environment in which to build on these
ago for leading.
principles. Profit is still revenue less cost. The Internet does not change that.
Tactic also comes from Greek: taktika for deploying or arranging.
key terms and concepts
In wars and business, a strategy usually intends the same outcome: winning.
B2B Stands for Business to Business. When businesses sell products/services to other
Treatises on strategy abound. The Art of War was written by Sun Tsu in the 6th century
businesses and not to consumers.
BC, and this ancient Chinese text on military strategy today often forms the foundation
of business strategy. Move forward a few millenia, and a course in marketing will
B2C Stands for Business to Consumers. When businesses sell products/services to consumers.
the time that the framework for the Internet was being researched and developed,
Brand Distinctive name or trademark that identifies a product or manufacturer.
economists and academics were laying the foundation for principles still leading
C2B Stands for Consumer to Business. When consumers sell products/services to businesses.
marketing thought today.
C2C Stands for Consumer to Consumer. When consumers sell products/services to other
consumers.
how the internet
Clicks and Mortar A business model by which a company integrates online and offline
presences.
has changed the world we market in
Cluetrain Manifesto A set of 95 theses organised as a call to action for businesses operating
within a newly connected market place.
Competitive To have good enough value to compete against commercial rivals.
Digital Available in electronic form; able to be manipulated and read by a computer.
Marketing plan A written document detailing the actions necessary to achieve marketing
objectives.
Profit Money made from a product/service after expenses have been accounted for.
Revenue Yield of income from a particular source.
Grid showing types of markets
ROI Short for Return On Investment which is the ratio of cost to profit.
The connected Internet has had a far greater impact on marketing and business than
Strategy A set of ideas that outline how a product line or brand will achieve its objectives. This
the ubiquitous email newsletter and the need for search engine optimisation. It is not
guides decisions on how to create, distribute, promote and price the product or service.
only the way in which products and services can be marketed that has changed, but
new products and services are being developed as well. It has changed the types of
Tactic Specific details or parts of a strategy that will contribute to accomplishing a goal. Can be
products that can be sold, changed the market for products in terms of geography,
a method or an action.
the internet and the marketing mix
Digital products can exist because of the Internet. The very framework of the Internet
allows for products such as software and digital music to be distributed. The Internet
Developing technology, naturally, has an effect on all of these, and the Internet in
as a distribution medium is what makes these products possible.
particular has seen fundamental shifts not only in the means available to promote
products, but also in the placement, or distribution of products. Although tools for
research, retention, distribution and product creation have changed dramatically, the
With customers able to easily access pricing information from a number of suppliers
fundamental principles of marketing still guide strategy.
with relative ease, the Internet is growing a market of near perfect competition (Porter,
2001). The prevalence of search engines and of shopping comparison websites,
products and services
such as www.pricerunner.com and www.nextag.com, make it easy for customers to
Products and services are what a company sells. From fast moving consumer goods
compare product prices across a number of retailers. The temptation for companies to
to digital products such as software to services such as consultancy, the Internet has
differentiate themselves on price has lead to decreased prices for many commodities,
allowed for a plethora of new products.
from the regularly reduced pricing of books on Amazon.com to ticket prices on low cost
airlines such as EasyJet (www.easyjet.com) in Europe.
Technology allows for mass customisation of products, seen in a growing trend of letting
customers customise goods online before they are created. For example, NIKEiD (www.
placement or distribution
nikeid.nike.com) and Converse (www.converse.com) both allow customers to create
Particularly for digital products and services, the Internet gives companies access to a
their own trainers based on a number of preset options, that will then be manufactured
global marketplace. Product distribution and markets no longer have to be dictated by
to the customer requirements. In a similar fashion, computer products can be built to
location. With efficient delivery and shipping channels, products that are not digital can
specifications, as the costs of offering this type of service to customers is reduced by
also benefit from a far wider market place. The Internet allows the basic foundations
the Internet.
of mail order businesses to flourish online with a catalogue that is cheaper to produce
and update, and cheaper to distribute: a website. In the travel industry, travel agents
stopped issuing paper tickets as of 31 May 2008 (http://www.iata.org/stbsupportportal/
et/). Nearly all aeroplane tickets are now e-tickets.
Technology such as APIs, SOAP services, RSS and XML allow information and services
to be distributed throughout the world. For example, the API for a hotel reservations
An API is an Application
database, Starfish Luxury Travel Distribution (http://starfishinteractive.com/),
Programming Interface.
allows a diverse range of websites to offer instant online bookings for hotels in the
Essentially, an API gives
instructions and rules for
inventory. Partners with booking engines include http://starfishinteractive.com/,
communicating with another
http://www.spaworld.tv/ and http://www.timesonline.co.uk/.
programme or database.
This allows, for example,
This is both a huge opportunity and a huge challenge for businesses. On the one hand,
different companies and
it can allow niche products and markets to flourish in a global space. On the other hand,
developers to build different
front-end systems that all
it can be tempting for a marketer to try to reach too many markets at once. A global
communicate with the same
market place is also not yet fully supported by national banking and tax legislation.
database.
promotion
The Internet as an information and entertainment medium naturally lends itself to be
used to promote products. The online promotional mix is an extension of the offline,
but with some significant differences: online promotion can be tracked, measured and
targeted far more sophistically than offline. Advertising, personal sales, promotions-
based marketing and public relations can all be conducted through the online medium.
Converse allows customers to create their own shoes
These tactics are developed further in this textbook.
new Ps and new marketing
problems. For example, in PPC advertising, data is gathered that over time will indicate
the optimal keywords and maximum CPC bids for effective bidding.
Well known marketing guru Seth Godin says that marketing is actually about five
elements (http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/06/five-easy-piece.html)
Data - that which we observe (and made the easier to gather and mine
people talking to people. This is not a new phenomenon brought on by the World Wide
through the use of the Internet)
Web. Instead, the Web has served to act as a global focus group, with participants
Stories - everything you do and say
eager to share their thoughts, discoveries, likes, dislikes and any other sentiment.
Products (services) - the physical manifestation of the story
or customer
Technology has allowed for mass customisation, not just in marketing messages, but
Connection - the end goal: creating a relationship
in content and product creation. It has seen brands that allow customer participation
in spreading and even creating their messages and products succeed. The growth
But Seth Godin is not the only smart marketer challenging the four Ps. Iris Mootee
of social networks online, and the recognised importance of product reviews in the
(http://blog.futurelab.net/2007/07/web_20_and_the_marketing_new_4.html)
buying cycle is reflected in peer-to-peer communities. Lastly, the Internet is useful in
forward four new Ps for marketing in the connected environment:
tracking and gathering data, which can be mined and analysed for opportunities for
Personalisation
growth.
Participation
Peer-to-Peer Communities
What recent approaches to marketing strategy have in common is one growing theme:
Predictive Modelling
customer centric marketing.
personalisation
The strength of the Internet is demonstrated in the way it underlines connections. The
Databases and the use of cookies to remember web visitors allow for online experiences
to be tailored to particular web visitors. Amazon makes use of personalisation to
to another. These technical connections are mirrored in the need for marketing to
recommend books to customers based on their past purchases.
participation
customer centric marketing
With the growth in social media and consumer generated content, customers are
demanding, and taking, a stake in the brands that they use. Savvy companies can
encourage participation through onsite reviews and allowing customers to upload
Customer centric marketing infers that by understanding the needs of the customer
images and video, and all companies should be aware of the many ways that consumers
first and foremost, business outcomes will be achieved. Looking at the marketing mix
are participating.
from a customer centric perspective should result in products and strategies that are
meeting the needs of potential customers, as opposed to a need to invest in expensive,
peer-to-peer communities
interruptive advertising to convince customers of a need that they do not have.
Peer-to-peer communities can be seen to work with customer participation. Through
Products
detractor. Equipping an engaged and active customer base with the tools to spread a
Products and services should be designed from a customer perspective, based on
message should be an integral part of a long-term eMarketing strategy.
their needs.
predictive modelling
The connected nature of the Internet allows for every action online to be tracked,
When considering pricing from a customer perspective, it is tempting to believe that
measured and stored. Huge amounts of data, both anonymous and identifiable, are
the lowest price is best. While that can attract customers in the short-term, focusing
being stored daily. Analysis of this data can provide insight into solving marketing
on the value of the product and the services offered with it is a better strategy for long-
term growth. The customer approach to pricing considers value. The key is to build a
An eMarketing strategy should not be created in isolation to an offline strategy.
long-term cost advantage.
Instead, marketers need to take a holistic view of all business objectives and marketing
opportunities. Offline and online activities should complement each other, both having
Placement
the potential to reach different audiences in different ways. However, the Internet is
The customer centric approach to placement recognises that you cannot dictate the
exceptionally useful as a research and information tool in the strategy process.
manner in which customers find you online: from the search engine and keywords they
could use to find your service, to the browser and device they are using when accessing
Step 1: Know Yourself and Know Your Market
your website.
The starting point for any business and marketing strategy is to know who you are.
Promotion
The Internet was not created as a marketing tool: it was created to share information.
discovery is always advised). While this can, and should, be re-addressed periodically,
The number of people accessing the Internet, the amount of time spent online and the
start by looking at what the business problems are right now, so that a strategy can be
commerce that takes place online make it an attractive marketing environment.
developed that solves these problems.
What is the nature of the organisation now?
developing a marketing plan
Who are the customers and what are their needs? How can the organisation
fulfil the needs of the customer?
What is the social context that the organisation operates in?
Step 2: Strategic Analysis
With a solid understanding of where the organisation is right now, further analysis
systematically evaluates the organisations environmental and social context, objectives
and strategies so as to identify weaknesses and opportunities.
market in which an organisation is transacting. However, this framework for analysis
was developed before the Internet, which has disrupted the markets in which we
operate.
Production and distribution costs in many industries have been drastically lowered;
the barriers to entry and costs of switching are reduced. This means that there are
more competitors in the market as the barriers to entry for new organisations is
reduced, and that cost is less likely to inhibit customers from switching to a competing
product as there are less likely to be high costs associated with doing so. Perhaps
most importantly, the bargaining power of end users is increased as they have greater
access to information when making a purchase decision.
Often, the Internet migrates competition primarily to price (Porter, 2001). This means
Steps to creating a strategy
that organisations seek to attract and retain customers solely through offering
services and goods at a lower price, though this is not necessarily the best strategy
for companies to follow. Strategic differentiation comes from the value that a company
Step 3: Set Marketing Objectives
can provide to a consumer.
Marketing objectives are the desired outcomes of the marketing plan. What are the
specific goals that will indicate the success of the marketing strategy?
These should be unique to an organisation, and are based around the outcomes that will
make money for the organisation. This is a strategy, so the focus is on long-term success.
Establish milestones that will indicate that the strategy is on the path to success.
Step 4: Generate Strategies and Tactics for Achieving
Objectives
of your organisation and its objectives, consider strategies and tactics that will help
you to meet these objectives.
For example, an objective could be the acquisition of new customers. A tactic could be
display advertising on content websites that reflect your target market.
If customer retention is the objective, an email newsletter strategy can help to build
relationships with an existing interested database of prospects.
Step 5: Evaluate Strategies
After generating strategies, they need to be evaluated against the needs and resources
for a full analysis of the strategies generated.
competitors
When analysing competitors, it is not only product and price that lead the discovery
process. While there may be obvious competitors in the same industry, an organisation
valuable search engine traffic
In identifying competitors, analyse the needs of your customers, and determine how
else customers might fulfil those needs. Products and services are not only competing
Considering the customised Converse shoes: the customer needs are not likely to
individuality and self-expression. NikeID is an obvious competitor, but so is a service
like Face Your Manga (www.faceyourmanga.com) that allows web users to create
custom Manga avatars to use online.
SWOT analysis
For each strategy, a SWOT analysis reveals the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities
OUTCOME
and Threats afforded by a strategy (and of course can be used to evaluate the plan in
its entirety).
Email Marketing
Customer Retention
Online Advertising
Branding, Acquisition
SWOT analysis will reveal the feasibility and the attractiveness of the strategies
Affiliate Marketing
Sales, Branding
generated.
Customer Retention and Acquisition
The needs of the organisation include:
Acquisition
Long-term goals
Social Media
Branding and Participation
Short-term objectives
Viral Marketing
Acquisition and Branding
Customer Retention, Branding, Participation
The resources of the organisation include:
Acquisition and Branding
In house talent and staff
Budget
Contracted agencies
online tools
for gathering market intelligence
Step 6: Implement
In the chapter on online reputation management, many tools were detailed which
allow an organisation to gather information related to their business and those of
competitors. These same tools also prove invaluable for market research, especially
when keywords monitored are chosen to reflect industry trends.
Step 7: Track, Analyse, Optimise
Search data for both SEO and PPC
SpyFu www.spyfu.com
Quirk SearchStatus www.quirk.biz/searchstatus
messages. This means that eMarketing can be tracked, the data can be analysed and
this can then feed back into the planning to optimise the marketing strategy.
Watching competitor activities
The Internet allows you to track each tactic on its own, and then intelligent analysis
ChangeDetection www.changedetection.com
should allow you to consider how these tactics work together.
Google Alerts www.google.com/alerts
BrandsEye www.brandseye.com
eMarketing and marketing
Google Patent Search www.google.com/patents
Trends and market research
eMarketing refers specifically to marketing using the Internet, but holistic strategies
Google Insights www.google.com/insights/search
allow companies to make the most of their budget through integrating online and
Flickr www.flickr.com
offline activities. eMarketing should not be seen as separate or an afterthought to a
Delicious www.delicious.com
marketing strategy. Instead, businesses should focus on their customers, and use the
Google AdWords External Keyword Tool
channels most likely to reach their target market based on budget.
www.adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal
The cornerstone of a successful eMarketing strategy is flexibility. With near real-
When researching competitors, never forget the basics: visit their websites! Not only
time reporting, the likely success of any campaign or channel can be gauged quickly.
can you gather basic price and product information, but it can be relatively easy to
Flexibility allows for focus to be shifted as new opportunities and challenges arise.
discover information about their marketing initiatives such as affiliate marketing.
For best results in making use of social connections, existing social networks should also be utilised. Even
though the bespoke social network my.barackobama.com was the hub of the campaign, profiles were created
The 2008 US Presidential election was historic for many reasons and was keenly followed worldwide. Barack
on all major social networking websites to enable the campaign to reach out to supporters in as many channels
as possible. Profiles, groups and pages were created on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to name just a few. In
turnout and raise funds with savvy use of the Internet to support their campaign. While with hindsight it may be
fact, photographs from election night were released by the Obama campaign on Flickr. Top viewed videos on the
plain to see how much the campaign got right, when Barack Obama started campaigning for the Democratic
as the underdog.
The campaign also made excellent use of a number of other eMarketing tactics, all carefully co-ordinated to
make supporters feel as engaged and involved in the campaign as possible. While Hillary Rodham Clinton raised
The World Wide Web appears daunting to many big businesses and organisations. In politics, especially, few
have to date incorporated the tools of the Web into successful campaigns. As with business, the Web was seen
as an emerging channel in politics. This meant that the candidates that Obama was running against, in both the
campaign for the Democratic nomination and in the presidential campaign, were focused on traditional tactics
less. Even small donors felt that they, personally, were making a difference.
for gathering support. Not being the frontrunner, Obama needed to engage with voters in new ways in order to
The Obama campaign used every interaction opportunity to collect information that would allow them to connect
community connections.
further with potential supporters, from email addresses, to mobile phone numbers and zip codes for precise
email marketing. In fact, in what was probably the largest mass SMS communication to date, the Obama
shared by many businesses and organisations trying to reach out to a younger audience. They find that traditional
channels, such as television advertising, are having less and less of an impact. Instead of watching television,
Search is playing an increasingly important role in current affairs, and with that comes online reputation
younger people are turning to the Internet and their mobile phones for entertainment and for interacting with
management. All candidates realised this, and made good use of search marketing to complement their other
their friends. Savvy brands who want to reach this market are turning to the same channels.
media campaigns.
The Obama campaign realised early on that without the traditional support enjoyed by the other candidates,
they would need to find new ways to raise funds and reach voters. As the Edelman Trust Barometer consistently
my.barackobama.com, that supporters could use to self-organise events, connect with other supporters and
receive feedback and support from the campaign. According to Quantcast figures, this network saw over a
people turned to their favourite search engine to find out more. The Obama campaign ran a PPC campaign,
million visitors each month, eclipsing 2 million visitors in some months.
buying contentious search terms, and advertising a website that portrayed their side of the story:
www.fightthesmears.com. Timely PPC and a well-run website helped them to mange their reputation online.
The swelling grassroots support was channelled and supported by the Obama campaign, leading to an
unprecedented number of volunteers and donations that helped the campaign to victory in the US presidential
elections. However, like any organisation that has found success in reaching out to its constituents in remarkably
new ways, that success carries with it a lot of expectation. After feeling so heavily involved in the electoral
campaign, many supporters are now expecting to be as involved in the new presidency. Barack Obama has
continued to use social media channels to reach out. He now conducts a weekly address, not on television, but
on YouTube. Americans are invited to follow his transition team, and offer their thoughts and suggestions, on
the website www.change.gov.
has changed worldwide expectations of politics and the Internet. Savvy use of social networks and tools that
encouraged and enabled mass participation may have made all the difference to this campaign.
Sources: Grove, L (11/12/2008) World According to ...David Plouffe, Portfolio, http://www.portfolio.com/views/
Online Contributions Add Up to Huge Fund-Raising Edge for Obama, New York Times, http://www.nytimes.
VP Text Message, http://www.nielsenmobile.com/html/press%20releases/ObamaSMSVPMessage.html; Pew
Internet (06/01/2009) Post-Election Voter Engagement, http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/271/source/rss/
report_display.asp; Quantcast Audience Profile, http://www.quantcast.com/my.barackobama.com; Rollyson, C
archives/229-Web-2.0-Case-Study-Barack-Obamas-Use-of-Social-Media.html
case study questions
How did the Obama campaign make the most of the opportunities afforded by grassroots support?
Why is the Internet so well suited to a grassroots organising strategy?
Why is the success of the campaign also a challenge to Obama as he assumes office?
chapter questions
Why, when it comes to eMarketing in particular, is flexibility important in strategy?
The textbook stresses the important of tracking, analysing and optimising for any eMarketing
campaign. Why?
What is the difference between a strategy and a tactic?
references
Porter, Michael E (2001) Strategy and the Internet, Harvard Business Review 2001,
Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation (pp 62 - 78)
Simon, H. A. (1971), Designing Organizations for an Information-Rich World, The Johns Hopkins Press,
ISBN 0-8018-1135-X.
http://marketing.wharton.upenn.edu/ideas/pdf/Armstrong/EducationalMaterials/Dont_do_SWOT3.pdf
(accessed on 16/09/08)
further reading
last words
The Internet is a dynamic and exciting environment. It has changed the way we
For an updated list of resources and links, visit del.icio.us/quirkemarketingtextbook.
communicate and express ourselves, and it has forced companies and individuals to
change the way they do business.
keep you informed during your eMarketing career.
With this textbook, you have a solid guide to the tools and tactics of online marketing.
The QuirkStars blog regularly on www.gottaquirk.com. We have regular tips from our
Each of the tactics on their own can do wonders to boost your business, but the best
eMarketing strategists, as well as round-ups of some the best Internet campaigns.
eMarketing strategy comes from an integrated, customer-centric approach.
And you should definitely sign up for the Quirk newsletter for a fortnightly fix of all the
best that there is in the world of eMarketing: www.quirk.biz.
As marketing geeks the world over will tell you, markets are conversations. The Internet
has given customers a platform for responding to the marketing and advertising
messages that they are being exposed to, revealing opportunities for companies and
brands to engage in two way conversations instead of one way broadcasts. It has
revealed the declining effectiveness of one size fits all mass communication, but
instead allows for cost effective mass customisation.
further reading
Due to the nature of the Internet, eMarketing campaigns are highly trackable and
measurable, and can be targeted and customised. Response and awareness can be
www.cluetrain.com
measured and monitored through online reputation management tools. Companies
and customers can use the same social media platforms to express themselves and
communicate with each other.
del.icio.us/quirkemarketingtextbook
keeping up to date
www.gottaquirk.com
With the Web being so dynamic, we can only ever hope to offer you the foundations
for your eMarketing in a printed textbook. Every chapter includes some of the best
resources we know of from industry experts that will help you to keep up to date with
this exciting medium.
This book is also supported by an online resource centre at
well as more case studies showcasing the techniques outlined in this book.
This book is licensed under a Creative Commons because we want you to get involved
in making this a community resource of the best eMarketing knowledge that there is.
Please join us on the web site to offer your feedback and suggestions.
saryos
A/B Split Test
Testing two variables for statistically significant influence.
Above The Fold
The content that can be seen on a screen without having to scroll down. In email
a text field to an image on a web page, normally with a descriptive function, telling a
marketing, this refers to the portion of an email that can be viewed in the preview
user what an image is about and displaying the text in instance where the image is
unable to load. Also called Alt Tag.
Accessibility
The general term used to describe the degree to which a system is usable by as
Anchor Text
The visible, clickable text in a link.
many people as possible without modification. In one context it refers specifically
Animated GIF
A GIF (type of image file) which supports animations and allows a separate palette
to people with disabilities and their use of assistive devices such as screen-reading
of 256 colours for each frame.
web browsers.
Analytical CRM
Software that assists a business in building customer relationships and analyses
Action
A specified task performed by a user, which in affiliate marketing results in an
affiliate being awarded commission. Actions include purchasing a product, signing
Apache
An open source web server, Apache HTTP Server is the most popular web server
up for a newsletter or filling in a form.
Active Server Pages
Alternative Reality Game - a game that takes place in both the real world and in a
fantasy world, and usually involves an online component.
dynamically-generated web pages. ASP of this variety is marketed as an add-on
This search engine formally known as Ask Jeeves was founded by Garrett Gruener
and David Warthen. Ask Jeeves allowed users to ask questions in everyday language
Active Verb
A word that conveys action or behaviour, and in a call to action, tells a prospect
and became an extremely popular engine. As Google, MSN and Yahoo! began
indexing pages faster, Ask Jeeves suffered. Though its user base is still significantly
The allotted space on web pages available for online advertising.
smaller than those of the big three, Ask.com remains a popular engine.
AdSense
Text and image advertisements by Google that appear on content web sites.
Abbreviation of Application Service Provider, essentially a business that provides
Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A lot faster than ISDN, ADSL is a high speed
computer-based services to customers over a network.
method of accessing the Internet.
Astroturfing
Covert and manipulative use of word of mouth.
Advertiser
Autoresponder
A nifty program designed to send an automated response to incoming emails.
Affiliate
Stands for Business to Business. When businesses sell products/services to other
businesses and not to consumers.
Affiliate Forum
An online community of affiliate enthusiasts where members can read or post
Stands for Business to Consumers. When businesses sell products/services to
topics on any topics linked to affiliate marketing.
consumers.
Affiliate Marketing
An agreement between two sites in which one site - the affiliate, agrees to feature
Back Button
This button, which is located at the top of a web browser, allows you to go back to a
content or an advertisement designed to drive traffic to another site. In return the
page from which you navigated.
affiliate site receives a percentage of sales generated by traffic it sends towards
Backlink
All the links on other pages that will take the user to a specific web page. Each link
to that specific page is known as an inbound/backlink. The number of backlinks
Abbreviation of Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, AJAX is a web development
influences PageRank so the more relevant backlinks the better.
technique for creating interactive web applications. AJAX increases usability and
Bandwidth
The amount of data a connection is capable of moving, generally measured in bits
per second.
Banner
An online advertisement in the form of a graphic image that appears on a
Alexa Rank
A number indicating how popular a web site is compared to other sites, based on
information returned by, among other sources, the Alexa Toolbar and Quirk Search-
Banner Exchange
Status. The number is the index of a given site in long ordered list of popularity, the
services and web sites on an exchange rather than paid basis. Also known as link
most popular site at index 1, the second most at index 2 and so on.
exchange.
Algorithm
An algorithm is a mathematical, computational or statistical method that is
Benefit
The positive outcome for a user that a feature provides.
pre-determined to take a number of variables into account and output a single,
Black Hat
A term coined by the SEO industry to define the unethical techniques some search
quantifiable number that is a function of all of the variables. A good example of
engine optimisers use to get their sites ranking at number 1. These practises
a commonly used algorithm is the one used by Google to determine which pages
include keyword stuffing, hidden text and duplication of content. The immediate
should rank more highly on the SERPs. Another example is the algorithm used by
results may be astounding but the long-term results are detrimental as black hat
BrandsEye to take into accounted tagged and weighted criteria, to calculate a single
SEO techniques are a no go with the search engines: employ these tactics at your
Reputation Score.
Blacklists
Blacklists are lists of IP addresses belonging to organisations that have been
CAPTCHA
identified as spammers. The ISPs use these lists to filter out spam and block
messages from these IP addresses from reaching their final destination.
user to complete a simple test to prove the user is human and not a computer. The
A blog is a type of web site that allows users (bloggers) to post entries on different
most common test is by typing in the content of a distorted image of numbers and
topics and can allow readers to comment on these posts.
text that a computer is unable to read.
Blog Comment
A facility whereby users can remark or provide feedback on a particular post.
Due to the fact that some individuals or companies have abused this system by
Click Fraud
The act of generating invalid clicks on an advert. Deliberate invalid clicks may be
automatically spamming blog comments with links to their web sites, many
generated by competitors to waste the media budget of an advertiser or by site
comment systems are now moderated or by invitation only.
owners hosting the advert in order to increase profits from the clicks.
Blogosphere
The world of blogs, bloggers and blog posts.
Click Path
The clicks taken by a visitor to a web site in one visit.
Blogroll
A collection of links to other blogs. It is usually found on the home page of
Click Tracking
Using scripts to track clicks into and out from a web site. Also can be used to shield
most blogs.
a link from being picked up as a back link to another site.
Boilerplate
Standard wording about an organisation that usually appears at the foot of a
Clicks and Mortar
A business model by which a company integrates online and offline presences.
press release.
Click-through
The number of times a link was clicked by a visitor.
Bookmarking
Saving the web address of a web page or web site so that it may be easily referred
Click-through Rate
The total clicks on a link divided by the number of times that link was shown,
to. Bookmarks can be managed with a browser, or with an online tool.
expressed as a percentage.
Bookmarks
The list of all web sites you have bookmarked are your bookmarks.
Client-side
Transactions that take place before information is sent to the server.
Bounce Rate
Single page view visits divided by entry pages.
Cluetrain Manifesto
A set of 95 theses organised as a call to action for businesses operating within a
Bounces
The number of emails that were unable to reach their final destination due to a hard
newly connected market place.
or soft bounce.
Content Management System - A script or program for maintaining web sites,
Bounces (single page
Visits that consist of one page, even if that page was viewed a number of times.
particularly the content.
view visits)
Collaborative CRM
Umbrella term for all the interactive options for serving customers. It is people-
Distinctive name or trademark that identifies a product or manufacturer.
based customer support that includes: collaborative browsing, web-based text
Brand Awareness
A measure of how quickly a brand is called to mind.
and voice chat, desktop sharing, application sharing, file transfer and phone sup-
BrandsEye
BrandsEye is online reputation management (ORM) software, developed by
Quirk eMarketing, which allows for real-time monitoring of a brand on the Web.
Commission
The bounty paid by a merchant to an affiliate when the affiliate makes a successful
BrandsEye combines human subjectivity with sophisticated technology, allowing
referral.
the quantifying and benchmarking of online reputation.
Common Page
Items which appear on every page of a web site.
Breadcrumb Links
Links, usually at the top of the page, that indicate where a page is in the hierarchy
Elements
Consumer Generated
Information that is published online by individuals. This refers to videos, photos,
Browser
An application used to access the Internet. Popular browsers include Firefox,
blogs, audio and more. It is also referred to as social media.
Internet Explorer and Safari.
Contextual Advertising Advertising on content web sites rather than on search sites where adverts are
Online excitement and word of mouth is referred to as buzz.
placed based on the content of the web site.
Consumer to Business. When consumers sell products/services to businesses.
Conversion
A visitor completing a target action.
Consumer to Consumer. When a consumer sells products or services to other
Conversion Funnel
A defined path that visitors should take to reach the final objective.
consumers.
Conversion
Two phase process which is made up of analysing the collaborative effect of your
A cache is a temporary copy of a collection of data. If accessing the original data is
Optimisation
eMarketing efforts and optimising their effect in turning visitors into customers.
proving to be time-consumin), then users can access the cache thereby not having
Conversion Rate
The percentage of visitors to a web site that perform a desired action, such as making
to reload the original data.
a purchase or filling out a form. For example, if 30 visitors out of 100 subscribe to a
Call To Action
A CTA is a phrase written to motivate the reader to take action (sign up for our
newsletter for example the conversion rate is expressed as 30%.
newsletter, book car hire today etc.).
Cookie
CAN-SPAM
identify the user, store unique variables, and allow the web site owner to construct
a profile of that user.
Raw figures captured for analysis, these are the most basic web analytics metric.
Document Object Model - a web standards approach to representing HTML and
Cost Per Action. Refers to the cost of acquiring a new customer. The advertiser only
XML documents as objects.
pays when a desired action is achieved (sometimes called cost per acquisition).
Domain Name
The name of a server that distinguishes it from other systems on the World Wide
Cost Per Click. Refers to when an advertiser only pays when their ad is clicked
Web: our domain name is quirk.biz.
upon, giving them a visitor to their site - typically from a search engine in Pay Per
DomainKeys
An email authentication system designed to verify the DNS domain of an email
Click search marketing.
sender and the message integrity.
Cost Per Lead. Commission structure where the affiliate earns a fixed fee for a lead
Dotcom
An enterprise that only conducts business online. These enterprises do not have
sent to a merchant.
physical stores; the products/services they offer are sold online.
Cost per Mil (1000). Amount paid for every 1000 views of an advertisement.
Double Opt-in
The act of getting subscribers to confirm their initial subscription via a follow up
Customer Relationship Management.
email asking them to validate their address and hence opt-in again.
Cross Marketing
Marketing other products or services to an existing customer. Cross marketing
Download
Transferring files from one computer to another. When you are online you are
enhances the ability for generating further sales. Also known as Cross Selling.
downloading files from a web site server to your PC.
Cross Selling
See Cross Marketing.
Dynamic Keyword
In paid search advertising, this allows keywords used in searches to be inserted
Insertion
Crowdsourcing
into advert copy.
Harnessing the skills, talents and ideas of a broader community, usually through
social media.
Dynamic Parameter
The elements of a URL that are dynamically generated.
Common Short Codes. Users send messages to shortened numbers, usually to
Dynamic Site
Content such as text, image and form fields on a web page that change according
get something in return, like an entry to a competition for example.
to user interactivity.
Cascading Style Sheets. This is a language used to describe how an HTML document
Electronic Customer Relationship Management
should be formatted. Cascading Style Sheets provide the ability to separate the
A faster version of GSM wireless service. It enables data to be delivered at rates
layout and styles of a web page from the data or information.
up to 384 Kbps on a broadband.
Customer
A person who buys or uses goods or services. A person with whom a business
Electronic Payment
Payment and receipt of payment via the Internet.
Also known as electronic mail, email is essentially mail that is electronically trans-
Customer Life Cycle
The progressive steps a customer goes through when purchasing, using or
ferred from PC to PC. Email allows you to send messages to anyone, anywhere in
considering a product or service.
the world instantly.
Cybersquatting
Cybersquatting occurs when a domain name that contains the name of a well-
Email Newsletter
Like a traditional print newsletter but delivered to your inbox rather than to your
known brand/subject/trademark i.e. emarketing.com is purchased with no intent
to be developed but rather to be sold off to the highest bidder.
eMarketing
The process of marketing a brand using the Internet.
Data Mining
The process of analysing large amounts of data for patterns. This process can be
Encryption
Mathematical algorithms are used to encrypt data in order to protect it from
used to predict buying habits, credit card purchases and cross sale capabilities.
unauthorised use.
Database
In email marketing, the database is the list of prospects to whom emails are sent.
Entry Page
The first page of a visit.
It also contains additional information pertinent to the prospects.
Earnings Per Click taken from the total amount earned divided by the number
Dead Link
A link to a page that no longer exists: spiders check these types of links and
eventually eliminate them from search engine results. Also see Link Rot.
A recorded action that has a specific time assigned to it by the browser or the server.
Deep Linking
Also, a step a visitor takes in the conversion process.
search engines index a mirrored copy of content normally inaccessible by search
Exit page
The last page of a visit.
engine spiders.
Exponential Growth
If growth more than doubles with each iteration, it is exponential.
Dell Hell
The term used by Jeff Jarvis when his Dell computer malfunctioned, and he had a
External Referrer
A URL that is outside of the web site.
hard time getting appropriate customer service.
Directory
Directory web sites provide an ordered listing of registered web sites in different
categories. They are similar to an e-version of Yellow Pages. Yahoo! and Excite are
Favicon
This small, nifty icon identifies a bookmarked site.
the best known examples of directories.
Feature
A prominent aspect of a product which is beneficial to users.
Domain Name System - DNS resolves a domain name into an IP address.
See RSS and RSS Reader.
Feed Reader
An RSS aggregator that lets you view all your RSS feeds in one place.
Handset
A portable or mobile phone.
A technology used to show video and animation on a web site; can be bandwidth
Hard Bounce
The failed delivery of email communication due to an undeviating reason like a non-
heavy and unfriendly to search engine spiders.
existent address.
A fake blog is known as a flog.
Hardware
The body of your PC, hardware comprises all the physical components of a computer
Focus Group
A form of qualitative research where a group of people are asked questions in an
(monitors, keyboards, printers, drives etc).
interactive group setting. From a marketing perspective, it is important tool for
Heading Tags
Heading tags (H1, H2, H3 etc) are standard HTML elements used to define headings
acquiring feedback regarding new products and various topics.
and subheadings on a web page. The number indicates the importance, so H1 tags
Folksonomy
Categorisation or taxonomy based on social media tags.
are viewed by the spiders as being more important that the H3 tags. Using targeting
Forward Button
This button allows you to go forward again once you have used the back button.
key phrases in your H tags is essential for effective SEO.
Frames
An HTML technique used to combine two or more HTML documents within a single
Heatmap
A data visualisation tool that shows levels of activity on a web page in different
web browser screen. Frames can often cause accessibility and usability issues and
colours, with reds and yellows showing the most activity and blues and violets
their use is largely discouraged by good designers.
Frequency
This is the interval, at which email efforts such as newsletters are repeated,
Hidden Text
A black hat technique where the keywords are invisible to the naked eye as they are
(weekly/monthly etc.).
Frequency Cap
Frequency caps are present to limit the number of times we are exposed to the
unethical technique and sites will be penalised for employing it.
same online advert.
File Transfer Protocol is a standardised method of moving files across
browser to view a particular page or image.
the Internet.
Home Page
The first page of any web site. The home page gives users a glimpse into what your
Geographical
Also Geotargeting. Used to allow you to see where your visitors come from and to
Targeting
give them specific information that is relevant to them.
House List
An email database that a company generates itself without purchasing or
Abbreviation of Graphics Interchange Format, a GIF is an 8-bit-per-pixel bitmap
renting names.
The abbreviation for HyperText Markup Language, read by web browsers. Certain
reduced without degrading their quality.
The defined action that visitors should perform on a web site or the purpose of the
As an example, HTML emails usually contain graphics and can be interactive.
Hyperlink
A link in a document (electronic) that allows you, once you click on it, to follow the
Google
link to the relevant web page.
pages in over 30 languages to searchers all over the world. Google began life as the
Internet Information Services, a web server from Microsoft.
research project of two graduate students, Sergey Brin and Larry Page.
Instant Messaging is a technology that allows its users to communicate in real-
Google AdSense
This program allows sites to display adverts from Google AdWords and earn revenue
time. Essentially your IM system alerts you when a contact on your list is online; you
from the hits that generate traffic.
can then initiate a chat session.
Google AdWords
Impression Fraud
The act of deliberately generating impressions of an advert without the intention
of clicking on the advert. The result is a reduction in click through rate which can
Googling
affect Quality Score in PPC advertising.
General Packet Radio Service. Delivers wireless packet data services to GSM
Impressions
The number of times a web page or ad is viewed.
customers.
Inbound Link
Global Positioning System. Satellite-based positioning technology that allows a
The searchable catalogue of documents and pages created by a search engine. Web
GPS receiver to calculate its position anywhere on earth with great accuracy.
spiders index web sites with the search engines by scanning or crawling them.
Grey Hat SEO is what occurs when white hats try and push the limits of what they
Information
The layout and structure of a web site, which should be according to information
Architecture
hierarchy and categories.
away with it for very long. See Black Hat.
Internal Referrer
A URL that is part of the same web site.
Global System for Mobile Communications. Most widely used of the three digital
Internal Site Search
A search function specific to a web site.
wireless telephone technologies. Uses a variation of time division multiple access.
Internet
A worldwide system of interconnected computer networks; the Internet connects
GZIP Compression
Software that compresses a web site in order to speed up download times.
millions of individuals from every corner of the globe.
Internet Explorer
Lame-Ass Syndrome
This unfortunate yet common syndrome results in sites that will not function
Internet Press Release An element of WebPR, an Internet press release is exactly the same as a traditional
without the WWW in the URL; it is caused by System Administrators presenting
press release but is released online rather than in print and can be optimised to
signs of severe DNS laziness.
form part of an SEO strategy.
Landing Page
The page a user reaches when clicking on a paid or organic search engine listing.
IP Address
The Internet Protocol (IP) address is a exclusive number which is used to represent
The pages that have the most success are those that match up as closely as pos-
every single computer in a network.
sible with the users search query.
Landing page
The page intended to identify the beginning of the user experience resulting from a
Internet e.g. MWEB, AOL, Yahoo! etc).
defined marketing effort.
A programming language which allows multifaceted and graphical customer
A link is a URL embedded on a web page, if you click on the link you will be taken
applications to be written and then accessed from a web browser.
JavaScript
A popular scripting language that is used on web sites to perform client side
Link Bait
A technique for providing content that attracts links from other web pages.
actions without requiring full page refreshes. Examples include web analytics for
Link Checker
These tools are used to check your site for broken hyperlinks. Very useful.
page tagging and page animation.
Link Exchange
When two sites agree to link to each other.
Junkmail
Link Popularity
A measure of the quantity and quality of other web pages that link to a web site.
KEI Analysis
Keyword Effectiveness Indicator. It is designed to measure and quantify the quality
When you click on a link and receive an error message or a notification that the
and worth of search terms.
web site has been moved. This highly frustrating phenomenon known as link rot
Key Performance
A metric that indicates whether a web site is achieving its goals.
is detrimental to SEO as spiders cannot keep up with the changes. This could be
Indicator (KPI)
solved by a redirect link being inserted.
Key Phrase
Word or words being optimised for by a web site. Also used to refer to words that are
An open source operating system based on UNIX. Linux is used to run web servers
used by users of search engines.
and desktops.
Keyword
A word or words used by a searcher on a search engine. In SEO, keywords are the
Load Time
The length of time it takes for a page to open completely in the browser window.
words that a web site is optimised to rank for, and in PPC, keywords are bid on by
Local Area Network
LAN. A network of workstations sharing a server within a relatively small geographic
advertisers. In online reputation management, a keyword is a term that is used
area, like in an office.
when searching the Internet for mentions.
Log Analyser
Keyword Density
This relates to the number of times a keyword/key phrases appear on a web
files, click-through paths and other analytical data based on the users behaviour.
page. This divided by the total number of words that appear on a page gives you a
Log Files
Text files created on the server each time a click takes place, capturing all activity
for keyword stuffing.
Marketing Mix
The four elements businesses need to consider for the success of their marketing
Keyword Frequency
The number of times a keyword or key phrase appears on a web site.
efforts: Product, Price, Place and Promotion. The focus that is placed on each one
Keyword Phrase
Two or more words that are combined to form a search term/query - often referred
is entirely dependant on the goals of the marketing strategy.
to as keywords. It is usually better to optimise for a phrase rather than a single word
Mashup
When content from two or more sources is combined.
as more searches will search for a phrase rather a than word as they want more
Mass Customisation
Dynamically tailoring content for many individuals.
specific and relevant content.
Mentions
In online reputation management, mentions refer to the instances when a selected
Keyword Rankings
This term refers to where the keywords/phrases targeted by SEO rank amongst
brand, company or staff members are talked about online, usually by clients or
the search engines - if your targeted terms do not appear on the first 3 pages, start
consumers.
worrying.
Merchant
This is the owner of the product that is being marketed or promoted. Also referred
Keyword Research
The process of researching what searchers are searching for, copy optimisation
revolves around the selection of the best keywords/key phrases. There are a
multitude of keyword research tools out there, which will help you discover the best
Meta Data
Information that can be entered about a web page and the elements on it that
possible keywords for which to optimise web sites.
provide context and relevancy information to search engines; these used to be an
important ranking factor.
Keyword Stuffing
Repeating keywords/phrases over and over ad nauseum, this is done in the hopes
Meta Description Tag
A short paragraph describing the page content. This summary is usually shown on
stuffing.
the SERPs if it contains the search term searched for. The spiders use the meta tag
description to determine the topic of the page and the use of targeted key phrases
is important here.
Meta Keyword Tag
A list of the words and phrases that are important on a web page, the use of targeted
Nofollow Link
Nofollow is an attribute of a hyperlink, indicating that the link is not necessarily
key phrases is important here - but remember no keyword stuffing.
endorsed by the web site and ignored by search engine spiders.
Meta Tags
Online Press Release
Press release distributed over the Internet. It is aimed at a broader segment of
important that your Meta tags are optimised for the targeted key phrases. Meta tags
reader including social media, consumers and journalists.
are made up of meta titles, descriptions and keywords.
Online Press Room
A part of a web site aimed at providing journalists with pertinent corporate
Meta-Search Engines
A search tool that will allow a user to conduct a search across two or more
information, such as PR contacts, images and press releases.
search engines and directories. Examples of meta-search engines include Clusty
Online Reputation
The aggregation of sentiment from mentions of an entity online will give its online
and Dogpile.
reputation.
Mirror Sites
Duplicates of a site usually found on a different server. These sites are used to trick
Open Rate
This is also referred to as the read rate. This is the number of emails that are
search engines and are usually considered a Black Hat tactic which the search
opened in an email marketing campaign as a proportion of the total emails sent.
engines will most often penalize by removing both the mirror and original sites
Open Source
Unlike proprietary software, open source software makes the source code available
from the index.
so that other developers can build applications for the software, or even improve
Multimedia Message Service. An extension on SMS, allows picture, sound or low
on the software.
quality videos to be sent on a wireless network.
A file containing a list of RSS URLs. Often used for sharing feeds amongst users.
Mobile Network
The facilities and technology that provide a public mobile telecommunications
Opt-in
Give permission for emails (or any other direct marketing) to be sent to you.
service possible.
Opt-out
Also known as unsubscribe - the act of removing oneself from a list or lists so that
Moblog
A blend of the words mobile and weblog. A moblog, consists of content posted to the
specified information is no longer received via email.
Internet from a mobile or portable device, such as a cellular phone or PDA. Moblogs
Organic Search
These are the listings generally found on the left hand side in search engines,
generally involve technology which allows publishing from a mobile device.
and are not influenced by direct financial payments. Listings are results based on
MSN Search was developed by Microsoft and comprised a search engine, index,
factors such as keyword relevancy within a web page: SEO is used to boost success.
and web crawler. On September 12 2006 MSN Search evolved into MSN Live
Also see Natural Search.
Search which offers users the ability to search for specific types of information
Original Referrer
The URL that sent a new visitor to the web site.
using search tabs that include web, news, images, music, desktop, local, and
Online reputation management - the understanding and influencing of the
Microsoft Encarta.
perception of an entity online. This entails ensuring that you know what is being
Multivariate Test
A test used when testing many variables to determine statistically signicant
said about you, and that you are leading the conversation.
influences on outcomes.
Outbound Links
These links will, once clicked on, take users to another site.
Natural Search
These are the listings generally found on the left hand side in search engines,
Unit of content (so downloads and Flash files can be defined as a page).
and are not influenced by direct financial payments. Listings are results based on
factors such as keyword relevancy within a web page: SEO is used to boost success.
Page Exit Ratio
Number of exits from a page divided by total number of page views of that page.
Also see Organic Search.
Page Tags
JavaScript files embedded on a web page and executed by the browser.
Navigation
How a web user moves through a web site, and the elements that assist the user.
Page Views
The number of times a page was successfully requested.
Netiquette
Like etiquette but on the net, netiquette are the social rules that govern online
Page Views Per Visit
The number of page views in a reporting period divided by the number of visits in
interactions. An example of a net no-no would be IMing someone in caps (this
that same period.
PageRank
PageRank gives a ranking or score to every web page on the Internet based on the
Netizen
A word derived from net and citizen. Unlike a newbie, a netizen is an experienced
web user. Someone who has spent a significant (if not disproportionate) time on
1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest. Anything above 5 means your site is
doing well!
Network
A group of two or more computer systems linked together in a LAN or a WAN.
Paid Search
Placing ads for products or services on search engines (listings appear at the top of
New visitor
A unique visitor who visits the web site for the first time ever in the period of time
the page and on the right hand side) and on content sites across the Internet. These
being analysed.
ads are typically small snippets of text linked to merchandise pages. See PPC.
Newbie
To share content with another person.
often unaware of netiquette. You have to start somewhere, right?
Pass On Rate
The number of times a piece of information or content is forwarded to others.
Newsgroup
An online discussion group.
Pay Per Click
PPC - buying sponsored adverts on search engine results pages and content pages,
while only paying for those ads on a performance basis. See Paid Search.
Pay Per Lead
Similar to Pay Per Click, PPL is an advertising payment model in which payment is
Referrer
The URL that originally generated the request for the current page.
made on leads not just clicks.
Repeat Visitor
A unique visitor with two or more visits within the time period being analysed.
Personal Computer.
Reputation Score
Permalink
A unique URL which points to the permanent location of a single blog post and its
reputation management software. It is derived from an algorithm that takes into
associated comments and TrackBacks.
account all the relevant mentions of a brand, and the significance that the user has
Persona
A character used to define a group of users to a web site.
attached to them. This significance is ascertained through the process of tagging
Phishing
each mention to rank across a number of weighted criteria that include sentiment
information, such as passwords and credit card details. Often this is done by
masquerading as a party the victim is likely to trust (another person or reputable
reputation as it fluctuates over time, and also allows comparison between a brand
business) via some form of electronic communication like email, IM or even
and its competitors.
telephone.
Return Visitor
A unique visitor who is not a new visitor.
Packet Internet Groper - a utiltity that verifies a link or a connection to
Revenue
Yield of income from a particular source.
the Internet.
Revenue Share
Commission structure where the affiliate earns a percentage of a sale.
Plug-in
An extension that adds on to the capabilities of a major software package.
This stands for Return on Advertising Spend and indicates the amount of revenue
Podcasting
Publishing audio programs via the Internet, allowing users to subscribe to a feed
garnered from each referrer. It is calculated by dividing the total amount of revenue
of new files. Podcasting enables independent producers to create self-published,
garnered by the total amount of revenue spent on the advertising campaign.
Robot.txt
A file written and stored in the root directory of a web site that restricts the search
software (a type of aggregator), which periodically checks for and downloads new
engine spiders from indexing certain pages of the web site.
content automatically.
Robots Exclusion
A protocol used to indicate to search engine robots which pages should not
Pop-up
Unrequested window that opens ontop of the currently viewed window.
Protocol
be indexed.
Pay Per Click is advertising on search engines where the advertiser pays only for
Short for Return On Investment which is the ratio of cost to profit.
each click on their advert.
Really Simple Syndication. RSS allows you to receive/ syndicate this information
Profit
Money made from a product/service after expenses have been accounted for.
without requiring you to constantly open new pages in your browser.
Press Release
Also called a news release, this is an electronic or paper document issued to
RSS Reader
This is how you read you RSS Feeds. These desktop news readers or aggregators
the media with the intention of gaining news coverage. It follows established
display new content from the RSS feeds that you have signed up to. Also known as
layout guidelines.
RSS Aggregator.
Publisher
Salesforce Automation A type of program that automates the business task of sales associated with effec-
Purity Point
tive implementation, productivity and forecasts.
is the best while 1 is the poorest. This decimal number is based on the number of
Scripting Language
A high level language used to control what the user sees on a site or to manipulate
bounces and their type, compared to the amount of emails sent.
the data stored on a server.
Quality Score
Quality Score is the basis for measuring the quality of keywords and determining
Search
Searching is the process of finding information on the Internet using search
engines.
Search Engine
A tool for searching the Internet. Users of search engines enter keywords relevant
landing page.
to their search, and the search engine returns results from its databases.
Ranking
In search, ranking is used to describe the relative position of a web page in
Search Engine
The practice of writing content specifically designed for chosen key phrases. This
Copywriting
enhances spiderability and results in higher rankings on search engines.
An interpretation of data captured, a ratio can be between counts, ratios or a ratio
Search Engine Listing
The listing of pages in the results pages (SERPs) of a search engine in response to
and a count metric.
a search query.
The number of unique users who have viewed an online advertisement.
Search Engine
Reciprocal Link
This is when a site agrees to link to another site providing that the other site links
Optimisation
back to it in return.
Search Engine
Supplying a URL to the search engines to make them aware that the web site and
Referrer
The referrer is the URL of the web page that a user was at before reaching yours. The
Submission
its pages actually exist and alerting them of updated content in the hopes of faster
and more regular indexing.
a user used a search engine to find your web site, the key phrases they used to find
Search Query
Same as Search Term.
your site will be embedded in the referring URL. Intelligent log analysers can then
Search Referrer
The URL has been generated by a search function.
take this data to track how many visitors originate from each key phrase.
Search Term
Search terms are the words entered by the searcher. search engines will then
Solaris
The operating system used on Sun Systems computer servers, known for its
look for these words in their index and return matching results. Also known as
robustness and scalability.
Search Query.
Email sent to someone who has not requested to receive it - EVIL!
SearchStatus
An awesome toolbar extension for Firefox and Mozilla that allows you to see how
Sender policy framework - an extension of SMTP that stops email spammers from
any and every web site in the world is performing. Designed by QuirkStar Craig
Raw, SearchStatus provides extensive search-related information about any site.
Spider
An automated program that scans or crawls web pages to gather information for
Security Protocols
An abstract or concrete protocol that performs a security-related function and
search engines.
applies cryptographic methods.
Splash Page
This is a page, usually animated and containing some kind of variation of the phrase
The process of initiating a viral campaign through strategic online placement.
Seed Audience
The initial audience from which viral growth starts.
Split Testing
Creating hypothesis and testing by randomly sending visitors to either option in a
Segmentation
Is used to filter visitors into distinct groups based on characteristics so as to
statistically equal manner, and measuring which has the best conversion rate.
analyse visits.
Sponsored Advert
Also known as Pay Per Click (PPC).
Search Engine Marketing refers to marketing that is related to search. It comprises
Sponsored Links
The paid search results on the SERPs.
Stakeholder
Sender Alias
The name that is chosen to appear in the sender or from field of an email.
Sender ID
A method used by major ISPs to confirm that emails do originate from the domain
Strategy
A set of ideas that outline how a product line or brand will achieve its objectives.
from which it claims to have been sent.
This guides decisions on how to create, distribute, promote and price the product
or service.
in the search engines for specific keywords.
Subject Line
The title of the email communication. As it is the first element of the communication
Search Engine Results Page - the page that shows the results for a search on a
that will be seen, it needs to be attract attention and entice the user to open
search engine.
Server
A computer that delivers information and software to other computers linked by a
Syndicate
Making content available for distribution among selected clients.
network.
In social media, tags indicate or label what content is about.
Server-side
Transactions that take place on the server.
Taxonomy
Classification and division into ordered categories, usually hierarchical. In social
Session
A session is a lasting connection between the user and a web site.
media, taxonomy can refer to the categorization of content on the Internet.
Single Page Visits
Visits that consist of one page.
Text Emails
Text emails or plain text emails do not contain graphics or any kind of markup.
Site Architecture
The design and planning of web sites involving the technical, aesthetic and functional
Third Party Cookie
Some web sites store information in a small text file on your computer called a
elements that combines to create a web site.
cookie. A third party cookie either originates from, or is sent to, a web site different
Site Refinement
from the one you are currently visiting. These third-party cookies can either be
Sitemap
On a web site, a page that links to every other page in the web site, and displays
persistent, meaning they remain on the system after your session, or temporary,
these links organised according to the information hierarchy.
meaning they are removed from your system.
Short Message Service. Electronic messages sent on wireless network.
Title Tags
browser when they view the web page. Title tags should be a brief and accurate
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol - a protocol for sending messages from one server
to another.
Touch Point
Every instance the consumer comes into contact with a brand.
Social Bookmarking
A web based service to share Internet bookmarks. Del.icio.us and Digg are examples
of social bookmarking services.
TrackBack
A mechanism used in a blog that shows a list of entries in other blogs that refer to
a post on the first blog.
Social Currency
Tracking
Measuring the effectiveness of a campaign by collecting and evaluating statistics.
Social Media
The media that is published, created and shared by individuals on the Internet, such
as blogs, images, video and more.
Tracking Codes
Social Network
In the online sense, this refers to a type of web site model where individual members
Traditional Media
Newspapers, magazines, television and publishing houses are the realm of
become part of a broader virtual community.
traditional media.
Soft Bounce
The failed delivery of an email due to a deviating reason like an overloaded mail box
Traffic
This refers to the visitors that visit a web site.
or a server failure.
Unique Forwarders
This refers to the number of individuals who forwarded a specific email.
Unique Visitors
The number of individual people visiting the web site one or more times within a
White Hat
period of time. Each individual is only counted once.
The most common operating system for servers on the Internet.
White List
A list of accepted email addresses that an ISP, a subscriber or other email service
Uniform (or Universal) Resource Locator - the unique address of a web page on the
provider allows to deliver messages regardless of spam filter settings.
Internet. For example, http://www.gottaquirk.com.
Wide-Area Network
WAN - a network of computers that are relatively far apart and are connected via
URL Rewriting
Presenting search-friendly URLs without question marks, and rewriting them on
telephone lines or radio waves.
the server in their standard format suitable for use in querying dynamic content.
Widget
A window or a text box for user interaction. An area on a page hosted by a third
Usability
Usability is a measure of how easy it is for a user to complete a desired task. Sites
party, generally used for a small application or syndicated content.
with excellent usability fare far better than those that are difficult to use.
A wiki is an online collaborative tool that allows numerous users to access and
Unstructured Supplementary Service Data. Works on all existing GSM phones.
edit web page content freely and creatively. It supports links to web sites, images
Provides session-based communication, enabling a variety of applications.
and text and can be used for a host of functions, including project planning and
Unique selling point (or proposition) - what makes your offering different to your
document building.
Word of Mouse
Word of mouth is sometimes referred to as word of mouse online. Online news and
Visit Duration
The length of time in a session.
gossip, spread through blogs, newsgroup postings, IM and email.
Visit or Session
An interaction by an individual with a web site consisting of one or more page views
Word of Mouth
Information that is passed between people, as opposed to messages from a
within a specified period of time.
company to people.
Visit Referrer
The URL that originated a particular visit.
WordTracker
WordTracker is an online tool that helps web site owners and search engine
Visitor
An individual visiting a web site that is not a search engine spider or a script.
business and most likely to be used as queries by search engine visitors.
A video based log, also called a video log.
The World Wide Web is the complete collection of files written in various mark-up
Vendor Relationship Management. The emerging school of thought that incorpo-
languages on the Internet.
rates the tools, technology and services that make it easy for customers to man-
eXtensible Markup Language - a standard used for creating structured documents.
age relationships with vendors.
XML promises more efficient and organized delivery of data over the internet.
World Wide Web Consortium, an organisation which oversees the Web Standards
XHTML is the XML version of HTML.
project. www.w3c.org.
One of the most popular search engines on the net, Yahoo! began its life as the
Wireless Application Protocol. A set of standards that allows web access on mobile
bookmark lists of two graduate students, David Filo and Jerry Yang. Their bookmark
devices.
list just never seemed to stop growing, and today Yahoo! serves billions of page
Web Analytics
A software tool that collects data on web site users based on metrics to measure
views worldwide.
its performance.
Zone-file
In computer networking, a zone file is a database element of the domain name sys-
Web Browser
tem (DNS) used by BIND and other DNS server software. A zone file typically con-
tains information that defines mappings between domain names and IP addresses
Web Design
The layout and structure of a web page. Web design is not solely about making the
and can also contain reverse mappings which can resolve IP addresses into domain
Web Server
A remote third-party computer whose job it is to deal with requests coming from
web browsers.
Web Standards
Best practices for building web sites. The web standards are issued by the W3C.
The network as a platform for content and functionality. This includes delivering
and allowing multiple users access to dynamic web applications and content;
online collaboration, generation and distribution of data and a richer interactive
user-experience through web site applications that enhance value and ease-of-
use. Web2.0 is often considered to include RIAs (Rich Internet Applications) built in
AJAX, Flash, Java applets or ActiveX.
Public relations on the Web. Online press releases and article syndication promote
brands as well as drive traffic to sites.
171-177, 179, 182, 185-186, 193-195,
222, 228, 251, 273, 287, 292, 298, 302,
Folksonomy 125, 127
Accessibility 164, 200-201, 203, 211, 216
del.icio.us 126-127, 144, 171, 333
AdSense 86, 99-100
Dell Hell 166-168, 175, 179
Brand Awareness 26, 28, 31, 38, 59, 147,
AdWords 3, 86, 97-101, 104, 106-107, 112,
Digg 127, 147, 158, 168
151-152, 154, 182, 194, 311
Google 3, 26, 29, 53, 62, 66-67, 72, 74, 76,
119-121, 129, 233-234, 327
Dopplr 134
BrandsEye 166, 172-173, 177, 179, 295,
78, 83, 86-88, 92-93, 96-101, 104-107,
Affiliate 31-33, 40, 45-64, 87, 217, 286, 327
Dynamic Keyword Insertion 222, 227-228
111-112, 116-117, 119-121, 125-126,
Ahonen 256, 275-276
Breadcrumb Links 201-203
129, 136-137, 141, 164, 167, 170-171,
Alexa 88, 117, 127, 129, 147, 166
Browser 3-4, 29, 33-34, 39-40, 47, 51-52,
179, 186, 188-189, 195, 227-228,
Amatomu 138
eBay 3, 66, 168
55, 61, 68-69, 83-84, 116, 125-126,
232-234, 236, 249, 251, 268, 272, 283,
Amazon.com 46, 168, 219, 251, 280, 282,
131, 137, 166, 206-207, 211, 214, 230,
EDGE 26, 257, 267, 330
232, 236-237, 240, 243, 249, 251-253,
Google AdSense 86, 99
Analytical CRM 279, 282
Email 2, 5-23, 27, 35, 42, 52, 54-55, 60-61,
257, 267-268, 288, 322
Google AdWords 3, 86, 99-101, 104, 106,
90, 136, 142, 151, 154, 159, 167, 170,
112, 119-121, 129, 234, 327
Apple 140, 165, 169-170, 175, 272
174, 192, 210, 214, 216-217, 219, 222,
Google Analytics 86, 236, 249
226, 229, 240-241, 243, 246, 256, 258,
GottaQuirk 76, 94, 128, 148, 162, 179, 208,
262-263, 274-275, 281, 283, 285-288,
Astroturfing 149, 151, 158
291, 303-304, 307-309, 316, 325, 327,
Call To Action 9, 13, 27, 38, 91, 108, 114,
GPRS 257, 267, 272
AtPlay 255, 274, 361
151, 156, 159, 216, 221-222, 225-226,
Grokdotcom.com 234, 253-254
eMarketing 1-6, 8, 10, 18, 20, 37-38, 40,
46, 53, 58, 61, 89-90, 106, 115, 127,
CAN-SPAM 9
134, 143, 146, 148, 152, 162, 166,
Click Fraud 50, 112
199-200, 217, 219, 222, 225, 232, 241,
Click Path 237-238, 242, 247-249
Hotmail 16, 151-152, 154, 161
BBC 22, 140, 153, 161, 219, 275
243, 250-251, 275, 277-278, 283,
Clickatell 262, 276
285-286, 305-306, 308, 310, 315-320,
Cluetrain Manifesto 293, 317, 321, 333
Blog 3, 6, 23, 42-43, 64, 93-94, 112,
Idea Bounty 133, 146-147
124-125, 127, 129, 135-142, 146, 148,
eMarketing Strategy 89, 143, 152, 315-320,
Collaborative CRM 279, 282, 292
Impression Fraud 27
153, 156, 158, 162, 164, 166-167,
Commission Junction 48, 57, 64
Information Architecture 201-202, 207,
170-175, 179, 183, 185, 190-192, 198,
Consumer Generated Media 124, 145, 153,
215, 229, 232, 234, 254, 272, 276, 285,
164, 166, 183-184, 189
Internet Explorer 34, 51, 68, 137, 232, 344
290, 292, 303, 305, 313, 320, 330, 333
Facebook 3, 6, 31, 34, 36, 133-134, 138,
Contextual Advertising 34
Blogosphere 6, 125, 137-138, 148
142, 146, 148, 253, 271, 274, 329
Conversion Funnel 237, 279
Blogpulse 171
Feed 52, 57, 59, 109, 111, 113, 135-137,
Conversion Optimisation 11, 33, 35,
JavaScript 30, 87, 92, 215, 237, 240, 269
BMW 41-42, 87, 129-130, 361
139, 166, 170-171, 215, 259, 280, 326,
235-254, 282, 289, 301, 303
Jeff Jarvis 141, 164, 166-167
BoingBoing 253, 272
Cookie 27, 33-34, 47, 51-54, 59, 61, 63, 87,
Johnnie Walker 20-21
Bookmarks 124-125, 127
Feed Reader 166, 170, 342
Bounce rate 17, 109, 242, 249
Firebox 51, 160-161, 205, 361
Bounces 17-18, 242
Firefox 3, 34, 39, 49, 51, 68, 84, 88, 127,
Crowdsourcing 125, 133, 146-147
Key Phrase 73, 75, 77-78, 80-81, 96-97,
Brand 10, 16, 22, 26, 28, 30-31, 33,
137, 232-233, 251, 253-254, 327
183, 186, 195, 197, 230-231
37-38, 40, 42, 58-60, 62-63, 69, 72, 82,
Flash 30, 38, 43, 129, 201, 203, 207,
CSS 201, 207, 209, 211-212, 214, 268
Keyword 62, 68, 70, 75, 77-81, 88, 90-91,
107, 114-116, 120, 130, 132, 134, 136,
Customer Relationship Management 8-9,
95-99, 101-106, 108-109, 111-115,
138-139, 141-143, 145-147, 150-152,
Flickr 125, 128-129, 171, 281, 300, 327,
120-121, 136, 145, 166, 169-171, 213,
154-156, 158, 160, 163-164, 166-169,
222, 227-228, 230, 233-234, 327, 346
Podcast 139-141, 232
230-231, 234, 237, 240, 271, 275, 280,
Porter 316, 319, 323-324, 330
286, 302, 316, 322, 324, 329
Landing page 26-27, 36, 75, 99, 104,
Natural Search 67, 71, 114, 271
Prezzybox 57, 62-63, 361
Search Engine Listing 27, 75
108-109, 116, 215-216, 242, 247-248,
Navigation 92, 200-202, 204, 213, 216-217,
Profit 293, 317
Search Engine Optimisation 3, 68, 71,
219, 244, 260, 266-267, 271, 280
73-94, 97, 114, 182-183, 185, 204, 207,
Lead 2, 8, 14, 47, 49, 60, 70, 74, 78-80, 83,
Nofollow Link 201
213, 222, 230, 240, 286, 316
141, 174, 184, 186, 210, 216, 223, 250,
Nokia 130, 228
Quality Score 27, 97, 104, 109
Search Query 27, 70, 75, 97, 103, 120, 230
279-281, 289, 292, 299-300, 319, 324,
Quirk 4, 84, 88, 94, 115, 119, 127, 134,
Search Term 96-97, 102-104, 107,
148, 162, 166, 179, 195, 208, 270-271,
227-228, 230, 286, 350
Link 4, 13-14, 18, 20, 27, 47, 51, 54, 61, 63,
Obama 138, 315, 328-330
SearchStatus 84, 88, 127, 166, 327
70, 75-77, 81-85, 88-89, 92-93, 97, 125,
Online Advertising 25-43, 57, 96, 145, 159,
Seed 151, 158, 274
128, 132, 142, 151-152, 155, 159, 177,
SEM 68, 71, 92, 114
183, 185-187, 194, 201-202, 204,
Online Copywriting 186, 207, 221-234
Reddit 127, 168
SEO 58, 65, 68, 71, 73-77, 82, 84-90, 92-94,
206-207, 210, 225, 231, 240, 242, 248,
Online Press Room 128, 181, 183, 191-192,
Referrer 46-47, 75, 237, 242, 349
109, 114, 116, 136, 145, 152, 154-155,
Reputation Score 17, 172, 177-178, 298,
159, 175, 177, 182-183, 185-186, 188,
Online Reputation 114, 128, 145, 156,
190, 194-195, 207, 213-214, 216-217,
Link Exchange 27
163-179, 183-184, 188, 193, 281,
Revenue Share 47, 49-50, 61
221-222, 229-231, 233, 241, 286, 327
Link Popularity 77, 82-84, 89
285-286, 297-298, 302, 308, 311-312,
Robots Exclusion Protocol 201, 208
SERP 68, 70-71, 81, 97, 104, 106, 165-166,
LinkedIn 133-134
Robots.txt 208-209, 214, 216
189, 201, 206-207, 222
LinkShare 48, 57
Online Reputation Management 114, 145,
ROI 8, 12, 20, 27, 47, 53-54, 71, 97, 105,
Seth Godin 6, 43, 173, 320, 330
Log Files 47, 236-237, 240
156, 163-179, 183-184, 193, 281, 286,
108, 113-114, 116, 183, 259, 289, 291,
Sitemap 92, 201-202, 207-208
Long Tail 90, 106-107, 115-116, 183
297-298, 302, 308, 311-312, 327, 329,
Smartphone 261
RSS 132, 135-136, 140, 166, 170-172, 176,
SMS 119, 171, 256-264, 266-267, 269,
Open Rate 9, 12, 18, 246
183, 188-189, 192-193, 198, 215, 319,
272-273, 275, 287, 291, 329
MarketingSherpa 23, 48, 64
Open source 201, 212-214, 232, 249
Social Media 77, 90, 123-148, 150, 153,
Mashup 151, 154
Operational CRM 279, 282
155, 158-159, 164, 166-167, 170-172,
Mass Customisation 16, 19, 22, 222, 318,
Opt-in 9, 12-13, 17-18, 55
174-179, 181-183, 185, 188-191,
Opt-out 9
Salesforce automation 279
193-195, 197-198, 223, 232, 278, 281,
Meta Data 74, 91, 93, 136, 186, 201, 205,
Organic Search 27, 66-69, 75, 105, 113,
Search 2-3, 5-6, 21, 26-27, 31, 35, 54-55,
286, 300, 302, 320, 327-330, 332
57-58, 61, 65-117, 120-121, 127-129,
Social Network 40, 55, 125, 132, 134, 145,
Meta Description Tag 345
132, 135-137, 141, 145, 154, 156,
Meta Keyword Tag 346
Overture 97-99, 111-112, 117
164-166, 168, 170-172, 174-175, 179,
Spam 2-3, 8-9, 12, 14, 16-20, 22, 55, 60,
Meta Tags 75, 81, 207, 209, 213-214
182-186, 188, 192, 194-195, 197,
74, 81, 83, 132, 230, 263
Metropolitan Life 262, 276
199-210, 212-220, 222, 225-231,
Spider 68, 70, 77, 136, 207-208, 215, 231,
Microsoft 66, 112, 137, 151, 161, 169
Page Tags 236-237
233-234, 237-238, 240, 242-245, 248,
MMS 257, 262, 265, 270
PageRank 74-76
253-254, 256, 268, 271-272, 275-276,
Split Testing 18, 116, 245-246, 250, 303
Mobile Network 257, 259
Paid Inclusion 98
280, 283, 286, 299-300, 302, 311, 316,
Sponsored Links 68, 96
Mobile Phone 138, 255-276, 287, 291, 329
Paid Search 31, 35, 55, 58, 67-69, 71,
319, 322, 324, 327, 329, 349-350
Stakeholder 278-279
Moore 259, 276
95-96, 222, 226-227, 271
Search Engine 3, 6, 21, 26-27, 65-94,
Steve Krug 202, 220, 246
Multivariate Test 237
Panama 97
96-99, 101, 103-105, 109, 112,
Stormhoek 153, 162
pbwiki 131
114-115, 117, 127-129, 132, 136, 145,
Strategy 54, 89-90, 93, 114, 136-137,
Persona 222-223
164, 166, 168, 170-171, 182-183,
142-146, 152-153, 162, 177, 185-186,
MySpace 133-134, 175, 274
Peugeot 107 255, 274
185-186, 188, 199-201, 203-210,
194-195, 263, 267, 273, 277-278, 286,
PG Glass 291-292
212-213, 215-216, 219-220, 222, 225,
It takes a village to raise a child, and a lot of people to publish
a book! Our acknowledgement and thanks go to:
Stumbleupon 127
Firstly to all the QuirkStars who have made this happen the second time around - this
SWOT 316, 325-326
W3C 92, 201, 209, 211, 268-269
Syndicate 166, 183
WAP 257, 265, 267, 269-270
Damian Burke
Web Analytics xi, 35, 109, 235-254, 280,
Janine Carpenter
282, 289, 299, 301, 303, 308, 310
Sue Cilliers
Tactic 20, 146, 159, 278, 285, 316-317,
Web Standards 201, 211-212, 220, 269
WebPR 77, 84, 90, 92, 142, 145, 174, 177,
Emma Drummond
Tag 75, 80-81, 124-125, 127-128, 135, 172,
179, 181-198, 222, 327
Heidi Edelmuller
201, 206-207, 213, 231, 236, 271,
Wicked Uncle 218-219
Widget 138, 272
Daniel Kolossa
Taxonomy 125, 127
Wiki 86, 125, 130-132, 290
Lyndi Lawson
Technorati 3, 125, 127-128, 135, 137-138,
Wikipedia 26, 125, 131-132
Wikitravel 131
Time Magazine 3, 126
WordTracker 88, 112, 233
Peter Lehto
TrackBack 125, 135, 137
World Wide Web 2-4, 6-7, 75, 92, 166, 201,
TradeDoubler 57
211, 232, 261, 278, 296, 321, 328
Sarah Manners
Shaun Oakes
Traditional Media 2, 28, 37, 123-124, 141,
XML 3, 47, 57, 92, 97, 109, 201, 207-208,
143-144, 148, 156, 182-183
Kat Scholtz
Twitter 126, 138-139, 146, 170, 193, 281,
Yachting Partners International 90, 92
Richard Watson
Yahoo! 3, 9, 32, 66, 85, 92, 96-99, 106, 111,
Urchin 236
125, 127, 171, 188-189, 285, 302
Usability 76, 81, 92, 198-204, 210, 216,
ontrib
Kelly Wheeler
Younique 268
Special thanks to the following, who are not QuirkStars and who have given so
YouTube 3, 126, 128-130, 143-144,
generously of their time and knowledge anyway...
USSD 257, 260, 266-267, 276
147-148, 154-155, 329
Justin Beneke
Solveig Bosch
Video 19, 26, 30-31, 36-39, 41-43, 63,
Zappos 10, 285, 292
Dave Duarte
- mobile marketing guru
125-126, 128-130, 132, 138-140, 144,
Zoopy 42, 359
Zak Edwards
147, 154-156, 171, 183, 192, 201, 256,
Dr Richard George - Senior Lecturer, School of Management Studies at University
Viral Marketing 20, 38, 90, 145, 149-162,
Virtual Works 291-292
Andy Hadfield
- Online Strategist, FNB
Vlog 125, 129
- www.atplay.biz
Vodacom 174, 178
Sarah Larter
- Associate Account Director, Millward Brown SA
VRM xii, 279, 290, 293
Jayne Morgan
information
Walter Pike
- constructive critic, www.aaaschool.co.za