With television commercials validating the importance of online social media portals like Twitter and Facebook, the battle for domination in the social media marketing arena is leaving many feeling confused and dazed. After all, as the language of the Tweet-osphere cuts communications to 140 characters or less, it also add a unique brand of instant [...]
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Level 343 Articles
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Social Media Marketing: Four Reasons to Join the Revolution
14 Oct 2009 | 5:00 am -
SEO Techniques: Does Any Optimizer Really Know What To Do?
6 Oct 2009 | 2:00 amEverybody knows that search engines no longer care about meta descriptions. Everybody knows that header tags don’t matter. Everybody knows that there has to be a 5.6% keyword density in written content. What else does everybody know? And who the heck is “Everybody”? Most people visiting this blog are looking for a “how-to”. They’re trying to [...] -
Social Media Marketing: Top Five Best Time Investments
1 Oct 2009 | 5:00 amThe first rule of any good marketing campaign is “go where the people gather!” Although this marketing strategy is certainly not an epiphany, the onset of the new frontier of marketing encompassing social media and networking has added confusing complexity to the old game of marketing. With new social media networks virtually popping up on [...] -
Your Website Code May Not Be As Clean As You Think
22 Sep 2009 | 4:59 amTrue story: About two weeks ago, I came across a website that listed top SEO companies – well-known SEO companies at that. The website had used a site validator to see how clean the top SEOs’ site codes were. I stared in shock and then started gloating. Several of the top name SEO companies had more [...] -
The Cost of Optimization – Time Equals Money
1 Sep 2009 | 5:00 amLately, I’ve noticed an increasing amount of questions about SEO. Not “What is SEO”, but more specific questions about the practice and providers. A surprising number of people have misconceptions about what an SEO provider does, and many of these questions deal with the cost, the time, what’s involved and the results. The main question, [...]
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SEO Theory Blog
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Beware new comment spam
30 Oct 2009 | 12:16 pmOnce again Google shows us just how uncoordinated a very large organization can be. Webmaster Central is telling us they will now discover new Web pages through comment feeds in ATOM/RSS format. Why... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Another 20 Hard Core SEO Tips
16 Oct 2009 | 9:00 amIt’s a little early to say that publishing “20 Hard Core SEO Tips” articles has become a tradition for SEO Theory but I definitely have been thinking about writing this article for... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Why Brent Payne’s PageRank Sculpting report is bogus
5 Oct 2009 | 12:44 pmThere is no doubt that Brent D. Payne is a very smart guy and an extremely successful search engine optimization strategist. He is the Director of SEO for Tribune Technology, managing the strategies... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
Link Zinged by Jim Boykin, I think
29 Sep 2009 | 12:05 pmDisclaimer: This article reflects my personal experience and represents only my opinions. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer, co-workers, or... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] -
The Laws of SEO – How The Searchable Web EcoSystem Works
16 Sep 2009 | 9:30 amMost people think of search engine optimization as if it is something that only marketers engage in, whereas over the past couple of years I have tried to show that any one of the three members of... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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Neuromarketing
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Emsense Raises $9 Million
3 Nov 2009 | 9:09 amNeuromarketing firm Emsense has raised $9 million in additional capital. The new round was led by an investment from Technology Partners with existing investor the Foundry Group also participating. This funding will allow EmSense to continue its global expansion in support of its many market research partners. The funds will also enable the company [...] -
Want Some Emotion with That Website?
3 Nov 2009 | 5:01 amAs a web community guy, one of the most common problems I see is the failure to communicate emotion properly when people interact online. A remark intended as humorous can be perceived as a personal attack, or an expression of sympathy can be taken as cruel sarcasm. While I always suggest caution (particularly [...] -
College Branding: What if Harvard Moved Next Door?
2 Nov 2009 | 5:06 amWhy do most college branding efforts end up as meaningless pablum? I think it’s because most colleges have been relatively insulated from the effects of devastating competition. In fact, historically there have been major barriers to competition in the cozy world of higher education. The biggest have been geography, cost, and reputation. [...] -
Scent Marketing vs. Social Media
30 Oct 2009 | 5:23 amThe other day, Ad Age’s CMO Strategy Section ran a column by Harald Vogt on scent marketing. Vogt may not be entirely impartial on the topic – he is the founder and chief marketer of the Scent Marketing Institute – but he makes some good points when he questions why so few marketers employ [...] -
Sugar as Brain Food
29 Oct 2009 | 5:22 amThis isn’t great news for dieters, but sometimes sugar can be a good thing. Roy Baumeister, a psychologist at Florida State University, had subjects perform a mentally taxing task – watching a video while being careful to ignore random words scrolling across the bottom of the screen. (Apparently, it takes quite a bit [...]
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MarketingProfs - Smart thinking ... pass it on.
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Four Case Studies: How These (Very Different) B2B Organizations Are Succeeding With Social Media
3 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amEven though B2C companies get the lion's share of coverage about the benefits of social media, B2B organizations of vastly different sizes and industries are making striking gains in employing these technologies to increase their market share and solve revenue challenges. -
The Three Most Popular Social Networks for Business (and Why You Should Use Them)
3 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amAn ancient proverb states that a "cord of three strands is not easily broken." By way of analogy, I hypothesize that the more individual connections to a particular person you have, the stronger your overall relationship with that person will be. In constructing my social graph (i.e., my network of connections), ... -
Marketing: Beware of 'Outkicking the Coverage'
3 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amAlthough football metaphors abound in business, this article explores the idea of "outkicking your coverage," which is when an overly strong player can actually be harmful to a team's performance. "Outkicking" refers to when an exceptional punter kicks the ball so far down the field that the runner for the receiving ... -
Making Your Email 'Social-able'
3 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amTake a minute and think about the folks with whom you socialize. You may have a professional network (LinkedIn) and a personal network (Facebook). You may tweet for fun or business, or for both—or maybe you just follow some sports figures on Twitter to keep up to date on the ... -
Proving ROI for Search-Engine Optimization
3 Nov 2009 | 8:00 amSearch-engine optimization (SEO) provides several return on investment (ROI) measures that can have a positive impact on a company's bottom line far more visibly than most marketing tactics. Yet despite all the potential, and the many SEO success stories, it can still be surprisingly difficult to make a case for investment ...
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Social Media Marketing Strategy, Tactics, and Tools
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Chess and Business
7 Nov 2009 | 12:20 amIf you have been a reader of this blog for a while then you know that I’m a chess lover. In fact, I named my company Chess Media Group after my passion and interest for chess. I have always applied chess concepts and principles to various aspects of business and personal life. The ability to think ahead and to develop creative strategies is something (among many things) that is synonymous in both chess and in business. If you don’t play chess then I highly recommend that you learn how; once you start playing you will quickly see how you can take lessons and concepts… -
There’s More to Social Business Than Twitter and Facebook
6 Nov 2009 | 12:57 amCall it Enterprise 2.0 or social business, the semantics don’t really matter here. The point is that we are seeing a shift in how organizations are functioning internally and how they are interacting with their consumers (externally). We’re going to get into this in much greater detail in upcoming posts but for now let’s start off with the basics. There are essentially two social business challenges that companies must face; internal and external. Internal challenges can be things such as supply chain inefficiencies or lack of internal knowledge sharing. External… -
Is Enterprise 2.0 a Crock?
4 Nov 2009 | 9:50 amUPDATE: Just want to make a quick note here and say that the conference itself was great; filled with lots of valuable information, interesting companies, and intriguing discussions. This post isn’t about the conference, it’s about the approach that companies have towards the E2.0 shift…carry on. I’m at the Enterprise 2.0 conference in San Francisco for the past 2 days and after speaking with and listening to many large organizations talk about it both publicly and privately I’ve come to believe that E 2.0 is complete BS. Let me clarify that, I believe that E… -
Chess Media Group Partners With Biz 360 and I Join the Biz 360 Advisory Board!
3 Nov 2009 | 10:33 amI’ve been hinting at some exciting news over the past few weeks and I’m finally ready to announce what that news is. Two exciting things have happened; the first is that Chess Media Group has partnered with Biz 360, the second is that I am now on the advisory board for Biz 360. I’m going to explain what both of these things mean in a minute but first wanted to say how I excited I am for both the partnership and the advising opportunity. I had a chance to spend some time with Brad Brodigan (the CEO of Biz 360) and after chatting about where he wants to take his… -
The Technology Problems With Social Media ROI
2 Nov 2009 | 12:02 amA few weeks ago I wrote about some of the business problems or challenges that exist with social media ROI. Today I want to address some of the technology challenges. Keep in mind that I’m not a very technical person so if you have something you want to add or contribute to the post please let me know. Note, we are mainly talking about enterprise size clients. Customer tracking There are many companies that have a solid online presence, in fact many of these companies have hundreds of thousands of online connections, but the trouble is being able to understand how to bring the…
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SEOmoz Daily SEO Blog
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Whiteboard Friday - How SEOs Know SEO
5 Nov 2009 | 2:11 pmPosted by great scott!So what's the trick? How do these folks who run around calling themselves SEOs actually know SEO? Do they just make it up? Is there a class you take somewhere? This week Rand looks at exactly this question: where do these guys (and gals) learn the stuff they know and how do they stay on top of the ever-changing search landscape to make sure they're putting forth best practices for their clients and projects? Watch this week's Whiteboard Friday to learn where you should focus your efforts if you want to learn SEO. You'll find it's not as complicated as… -
SEOmoz 2009 Search Spam PubCon Party
5 Nov 2009 | 3:57 amPosted by jennitaThis post really doesn't need much of an introduction, so I'll get right down to it. Pubcon is coming! Pubcon is cooommiiinnnnggggg! It seems like the whole industry might just shut down for a week while we take over Las Vegas (I hope they're ready for us). This would probably be a great time for spammers to come in and take over our SERPs since we'll be busy in sessions, going to parties, meeting new people... and gambling (DUDE! It's Vegas). SEOmoz will be representing in full force this year. Although we don't have a booth, you'll find us lurking in all corners of the… -
What Makes a Link Worthy Post - Part 2
4 Nov 2009 | 11:52 amPosted by chenryThis post was originally in YOUmoz, and was promoted to the main blog because it provides great value and interest to our community. The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of SEOmoz, Inc.What really makes a blog post worth linking to? In my last post, What Makes a Link Worthy Post - Part 1, I took a look at the 3,800 blog posts on SEOmoz and did some analysis on a few different aspects of the posts and their affect on the number of in linking domains (ILDs). Some of the results were very interesting to me and it made me want to… -
24 Hours Without Privacy
3 Nov 2009 | 9:11 amPosted by Danny Dover Warning: This post has very little to do with SEO. It will apply to you and your work but not in the way that you are familiar with. It is an experiment for both of us. He wakes up at 7:31 AM just like the day before. With ignorance as his shield, he ventures out into a world without privacy. The young man (a title given to him by his mother) sits submissively in his bed and idly scans e-mail on his phone. Another notice from his bank, a forwarded e-mail from his friend, five new e-mails from his co-workers, and an intimate message from a girl he met last weekend at… -
30 SEO Problems & the Tools to Solve Them (Part 1 of 2)
2 Nov 2009 | 3:49 pmPosted by randfishEvery day, SEOs are challenged in their jobs to solve problems big and small - some are technically complex, others are merely time consuming, repetitive and tedious. At SEOmoz, we love to build, use and recommend tools to help solve these issues. Tools and automation aren't always the right answer, but for many of the challenges we face, they're a welcome ally in the battle for effectiveness and efficiency. In this first of the two part series on the subject, I'll be covering tools on SEOmoz. My next segment will focus on tools across the web. #1: View Source Sucks…
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Micro Persuasion
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Five Incredibly Useful Things You Can Do Without Ever Leaving Facebook
6 Nov 2009 | 5:31 pmI have been spending a fair amount of time on Facebook since they updated the news feed feature, mostly because I can get a quick read on what's new. I like how they show you "trends from friends." In the process, I am discovering that it's becoming a one-stop shop for many of my day-to-day activities. Here are five things that I recently found you can do right from within Facebook without having to leave...1) Read, search and post tweets via Twitgether, a full-featured Twitter client2) Watch TV streams via Hulu 3) Catch up with the local weather, using WeatherBug4) Read… -
Moms More Influenced Offline, While Kids Are Online
6 Nov 2009 | 4:53 pmTwo new studies point to a growing divide in how moms and kids communicate and are influenced...First up, Nielsen/Pete Blackshaw's Pocket Guide to Social Media and Kids: "In the hands of children and tweens, today’s cell phones are primarily used as text messaging devices, cameras, gaming consoles, video viewers, MP3 players, and incidentally, as mobile phones via the speaker capability so their friends can chime in on the call." And, via AdAge, parents are relying more on offline conversations to make decisions: "A study due out next week from the Parenting Group found that while… -
PR Pros on Press Releases - Meh
3 Nov 2009 | 4:01 pmMarketingCharts uncovers some fresh data on how PR people feel about press releases. It's ugly."(only) 49% of today’s professional communicators say they think press releases are 'as useful as ever,' according to recent poll of corporate communicators conducted by Ragan Communications and PollStream."And on why we can't kick the drug..."The poll also found that another 33% of the the 401 respondents see press releases as 'a necessary evil that won’t go away soon,' in large part because of disclosure rules for public companies set forth by the US Securities and Exchange Commission."And how… -
Three Ways to Thrive in the Age of Streams
3 Nov 2009 | 10:12 amThe images above should strike fear in any one who seeks attention - be it a brand, a politician or an individual. They come from Nielsen. The first (87) is the number of domains the average American visits in a month. The second (2600) is the number of web pages the average American visits in a month. This funnel is small when you think about the infinite choices we have today - an era of information abundance. And given that human attention doesn't scale, I anticipate these stats will remain stable. So how do you break through? Here are three steps I am considering in my work as a… -
Defining Media, Cross-Mating Elephants and Zebras
3 Nov 2009 | 9:34 amFive years ago there was media and social media and the two were distinct. You know what was what. It was like there elephants and zebras. You knew the difference. Today all media is social, all social is media. It's impossible to separate the two. The media all actively use social technologies to innovate, converse and collaborate with their audiences. Meanwhile, social content from friends - be it tweets or status updates or videos - all should be considered media. Yes, the elephants and the zebras have cross-mated. My colleague overheard me say this and he drew this little doodle for…
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Blogging Pro
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WPWorldMap.net: Mapping Out WordPress Users From All Over the Globe
6 Nov 2009 | 11:27 amWe all know that there are millions of Wordpress users all over the globe. Wouldn’t it be nice to see where they are located? With WPWorldMap.net, now you can! WPWorldMap.net is a new website created by Oliver Schloebe of WPSeek.com that lets Wordpress users mark their location onto a map for others to see. Each marked location reveals user profiles complete with personal information, a link to their blogs, and also their Twitter accounts. Powered by Google Maps, the site is relatively easy to use. To map yourself all you need to do is to place a pin marker on your location and then… -
Wordpress Launches Plugin Compatibility Beta
4 Nov 2009 | 8:48 pmBefore, there was no way of finding out whether your plugins would still be compatible if you would upgrade your Wordpress other than crossing your fingers and trying it out for yourself. If no problems were encountered then, hooray, lucky you. If problems did arise then you have no choice but to revert back to the previous version and hope that the plugin developers would make haste in making their plugin compatible. This is the main reason why most people are afraid to upgrade to the latest version of Wordpress. Thank God Wordpress is always on the lookout for better ways of making things… -
Why Its Good to Test Your Blog on Different Browsers
4 Nov 2009 | 6:44 pmFrom the web design perspective, the relationship most bloggers have with their blog’s design is quite limited. More often than not, bloggingfolk use web design templates designed and developed by another person so the determination of the blog’s look and feel aspect becomes more like a shopping task. But once the template has been selected, one big assumption oftentimes arises: This template works in all browsers. Blog templates are never 100% working, especially with some broken browsers (*cough*IE6*cough*) still out there. It’s good practice to test the browser yourself… -
How Concerned Should Bloggers Be About SEO?
28 Oct 2009 | 8:11 amSearch Engine Optimization (SEO) was such a buzzword in the early 2000’s because most web folks noticed a change in behavior in the internet users. What’s that behavior? People used search engines as their primary starting point in their web usage. By now, tips are all over the web on how to make your blog search engine optimized and how to get to the top SERP (search engine result page) for keywords related to your niche. But while it is generally accepted to be aware and avail of the basic SEO techniques, most bloggers are concerned that they are not concerned about SEO enough. -
WordPress Users Still Await podPress’ Return
25 Oct 2009 | 2:56 pmAny of you remember podPress? Yes, I’m talking about the popular podcasting plugin developed by Dan Kuykendall of MightySeek which halted development back in 2007. PodPress was supposed to have resumed development back in August but two months has already passed and no news about its progress has been revealed at all. Supporters of the plugin have been trying to contact the author for confirmation but to no avail. Rumors are circulating that podPress might not continue its development but some argue that this is not possible as there are already sponsors backing it. Whatever the reason…
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Weekly Ramble
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Dream on
2 Nov 2009 | 8:52 amDream on…greatness comes from marrying actions and dreams: http://weeklyramble.wunderman.com/ad-tech/tweet Now – let me add another twist. Truth. Truth is what we often mistake for credibility; facts (which we often mistake for truth); proof of our positions and points of view and a general certitude that we are right and others are wrong. Needless to say, the more on the fringes you are, the more your truth is the truth – the only truth; the ultimate truth. In politics it always amazes me how many True positions can be found around one seemingly simple issue; in life it’s astonishing… -
Tweet
26 Oct 2009 | 7:57 amTweet, BBM, IM, ICQ, Ping, Email, Post, Call, Fax (still) – all are methods of communication that allow us to correspond quickly and efficiently. And they are all ways that allow us to answer questions, make our opinions known, get a point across and, in general, feel in control of the communications stream – 24/7. To that end – we carry devices that enable our connectivity – Microsoft Windows based, Google platformed, Apple supported, Nokia sourced, RIM facilitated. Our Smartphones, iPhones and BlackBerries are always on – instant response mechanisms that enhance our control and… -
Millions long for immortality
19 Oct 2009 | 8:17 amFame and fortune. Your name in lights. Stardom! Who doesn’t want a shot at it? The question is how do you achieve it? Some people just seem to have the knack for it; others work hard at it; there are those that actually earn it; some stumble into it; and others pursue it forever and never achieve it. Think Paris Hilton for the knack; think Madonna for the hard work; think Captain Sully Sullenberger as one who deserves it; think Susan Boyle as the stumbler; and the ground is littered with the remains of those who have tried – and tried hard – but never achieved it. So you have to ask… -
Are you the person who brings your significant other a blanket knowing they will be cold?
12 Oct 2009 | 7:53 amAre you the person who brings your significant other a blanket knowing they will be cold? Have you noticed that a great waiter, in any restaurant, knows when you want service; anticipates your needs; pours and serves before you ask? Don’t you envy the people who always seem to have tissues, corkscrews or a sweater? How proactive are you? By that I mean how often are you ahead of any issue? Any opportunity? Any challenge? And there you have it. Anyone can do it when asked; anyone can be prepared for specifics; anyone can be seriously “buttoned up.” But how many of us are really ahead of… -
What would you do if your computer crashed?
5 Oct 2009 | 9:20 amWhat would you do if your computer crashed? How about if your smartphone ran out of juice? The microwave blew a fuse? Or if, God forbid, you lost your Internet connection? What would we do? Some of us (yes – me too) can’t keep our fingers off our mobile devices and start getting the shakes if we sit in a meeting where they are prohibited. I added the microwave scenario because I have a friend who has never, ever turned on the burner on his stove – and has lived in the same place for years. So what would you do? How would you cope? Get work done? Eat? … I am serious – think about…
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Lip-Sticking
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A Lip-sticking Podcast with Melanie Notkin
6 Nov 2009 | 5:07 amThis Lip-sticking podcast is with Melanie Notkin of Savvy Auntie, a smart, talented, and well-connected women who happens to be a PANK: Professional Aunt, No Kids. We were both on the Maria Shriver blogger call a couple of weeks ago, and we both came away shaking our heads. For me, the Shriver Report was more about how the celebrities of the world could help the poor Moms of the world, and less about the "women's nation" Maria touted. For Melanie, the Shriver Report left out a large faction of women - the PANKs, who make up almost 50% of the female population in this country. I hope you'll… -
Are You Showing Your Face on Facebook?
5 Nov 2009 | 7:59 am…or another unsightly part of your anatomy, further south? By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter People are still figuring out how to use FB in their business. And, I think it can be a valuable tool, depending on your industry and target customer. Facebook - unlike LinkedIn (which is all business, or should be) - is/can be a combination of personal and professional - which is both good and bad. Where's the line? It's your decision; what works for one may not for another. (All "rules" aside.) As Yvonne noted in another post, My Facebook is not your Facebook. To be… -
Traveling from South Carolina to Chicago...Covering PMA's Annual Marketing Law Conference
4 Nov 2009 | 8:55 amBy Guest Blogger, Donna DeClemente, Donna's Promo TalkThe last couple of days I've spent in Myrtle Beach, SC visiting my parents who moved down here about three years ago from New York. My mom's been battling breast cancer which spread to her lungs, so it's been rough on her and my dad, especially the last couple of months. She seems to be improving from an infection she caught a month ago. That's the thing with cancer, it doesn't always kill you. But once you have it any little thing your body catches can. Anyhow, I've been trying to talk them into hooking up the old computer that all us… -
Come to my Social Media Seminar
4 Nov 2009 | 6:39 amTrue story: Recently I received an email from someone I did not know, about a topic I am quite familiar... the subject line was: How to Create & Monitor Your Social Media. I, along with dozens of others - whose emails were displayed in the CC column NOT the BCC, were invited. Turns out I likely met the sender at a conference. It seems to be common practice to add conference attendees to your email marketing list, with or without permission, which is why I received this invitation. We can discuss the inaccuracies around doing that (really, just because we met over coffee at a… -
Kicking & Screaming all the Way to Facebook
2 Nov 2009 | 3:33 amby Guest Blogger, Lena West, Chief of Social Media Strategy at xynoMedia It's bedtime, but little Caleb wants a story. And after the story, he needs to pee. Then, he needs a glass of water. And, then he wants you to leave the light on. And, then he wants a kiss goodnight. And, then...and, then...and, then.He knows it's time for bed. He's sleepy as a cat. He knows sleep is unavoidable and yet he keeps holding onto that one last minute of being awake. The above scenario usually ends up with Caleb falling into some sort of crying/whining jag and then eventually passing out in sleep from sheer…
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Branding Strategy Insider
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9 Digital Trends For 2010
5 Nov 2009 | 9:10 pm1: Facebook replaces personal emailQuestion: Google has it, Hoover has it (in the UK anyway), TiVo had it, lost it and has somewhat got it back. Xerox had it, but nobody really cares anymore. So what is it?It's when a brand name becomes the verb associated with its use. So rather than searching, you Google, or TiVo when digital recording a television show. Arguably an even more powerful synonym is when a brand becomes a noun, such as Polaroid, for instant developed photographs, although that didn't end so well.The newest one would seem to Facebook, although it has too meanings.'I Facebooked… -
The Anti-laws of Luxury Marketing #16
2 Nov 2009 | 9:10 pm16. Keep celebrities out of your advertisingIn traditional marketing, stars of stage and screen are very often used in advertising: there is nothing like a David Beckham for selling sunglasses or shaving cream. Nestlé has also got in on the act, with premium brand Nespresso calling on the services of George Clooney, and Nescafé recruiting the famous English soccer player Ian Wright. Nestlé, the world’s number one in food marketing, knows what it’s doing.However, using celebrities to promote luxury products is extremely dangerous. A luxury brand is courted by the stars, in the same way… -
Brands and the Ladder of Life
1 Nov 2009 | 9:10 pmOne of the typical questions marketing people ask themselves is, What’s the lifetime value of a customer?Presumably a company benefits by keeping its customers satisfied over an extended period of time. Nice idea in theory, but this kind of thinking often leads a company down the wrong path.Take Saturn, for example. Here was a brand built on the ultimate in customer satisfaction. Comfortable showrooms, no high-pressure sales people, no haggling over prices. ‘A different kind of company. A different kind of car.’The first Saturn model, the S series, was wildly successful. For a number of… -
Uniting Naming and Promotion
31 Oct 2009 | 9:10 pmX-13D? What kind of name is that for something you pop into your mouth?Doritos turned naming conventions upside down with its savvy plan in 2007 to generate buzz – and, oh yes, a new name – for its new flavored chips. How? By submitting suggestions on the Web, prompted by these eye-catching black bags of cheeseburger-like chips with the 'classified' moniker.“This is the X-13D flavor experiment,” said the text box on the bag. “Objective: taste and name Doritos flavor X-13D.” This was followed by directions to a website that linked to yet another website. And when snack-happy teens… -
When The Name You Want Is Taken
30 Oct 2009 | 9:05 pmYou've just found out the name you want for your brand is owned by somebody else. So, the temptation is to say, "Let's move on."Not so fast. Names are property, and can be bought and sold (or leased) like real estate.Coors licensed the name of its upscale beer Irish Red from a long-defunct brewery. Yves St. Laurent bought the name of its Opium fragrance for only $200 from two elderly perfumers.The 1999 relaunch of National Airlines came about after the new owners paid $175,000 to buy the name at a bankruptcy sale from defunct Pan Am. (Pan Am had acquired the carrier in 1980.)Not that long…
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Geekissimo
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MP3Gain, livellare il volume delle tracce audio
7 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amMi è capitato diverse volte di inserire di ascoltare della musica al computer ed all’improvviso, quando comincia una nuova traccia, le casse impazziscono e mi fanno letteralmente saltare dalla sedia, mentre cerco freneticamente la manopola dell’altoparlante. Questo spaventoso problema è dovuto al dislivello, spesso molto accentuato, tra i volumi dei brani presenti nella play list. Oggi proveremo a risolvere questo problema grazie ad un software dedicato. Il suo nome è MP3Gain ed è freeware. Durante l’installazione, vi verrà chiesto di scegliere quali componenti… -
Facebook Dislike, un plugin per dichiarare cosa non ci piace sul social network più noto della grande rete
7 Nov 2009 | 5:00 amE’ oramai da tempo che su Facebook, abbastanza di frequente, appaiono numerose richieste da parte dei suoi utilizzatori al fine di vedere affiancato al celebre comando “Mi piace” ciò che ad esso dovrebbe contrapporsi, un comando di disapprovazione, il fatidico “Non mi piace”. Nonostante le lamentele generali, ad oggi, il noto social network non sembra aver ancora preso in considerazione le proposte fatte dagli utenti, i quali, seppur quasi rassegnati all’idea di non poter esprimere la propria disapprovazione, continuano a non demordere, speranzosi che Facebook accolga la proposta… -
Windows 7 e Adobe Reader: come abilitare l’anteprima dei PDF sui sistemi a 64-bit
7 Nov 2009 | 3:00 amPer misteriosi motivi che, a quanto pare, ci verranno svelati solo il 21 dicembre 2012 da Roberto Giacobbo in persona, Adobe non si è ancora decisa a rattoppare un bug del suo popolare reader risalente a Maggio 2008 che non consente agli utenti di Windows Vista e Windows 7 a 64 bit di visualizzare le anteprime dei PDF in Explorer ed Outlook. Sembra evidente che tocca ancora una volta a noi geek rimboccarci le maniche e provvedere autonomamente a mettere la situazione a posto. Smanettando un po’ nel registro di Windows, si riesce infatti a sistemare il tutto e visualizzare le anteprime dei… -
deadPxl: sfondi astratti per tutti i gusti
7 Nov 2009 | 1:00 amIntristiti dal grigiore che le condizioni atmosferiche delle ultime ore hanno portato sulle nostre belle città? Tranquilli, ci pensiamo noi a tirarvi un po’ su il morale. Come? Ma che domande, ovviamente con una bella raccolta di wallpaper astratti gratis pronti a portare un po’ di colore e fantasia sulle scrivanie virtuali dei vostri sistemi operativi. I wallpaper che stiamo per andare a conoscere sono tutti opera di deadPxl, uno degli artisti che ha deciso di pubblicare, e condividere con il mondo intero, le sue opere d’arte digitali sul popolare sito Internet deviantART. -
Digg introduce i Trending Topics
7 Nov 2009 | 12:00 amFra i servizi web più attivi del momento, in termini di aggiornamenti e novità, c’è Digg. Abbiamo più volte trattto degli importanti aggiornamenti di Digg e veniamo a voi con questo ulteriore segno della sua trasformazione. Digg ha visto tempi migliori di quelli che sta attualmente vivendo. Il traffico in entrata è purtroppo drasticamente calato da quando sulla scena hanno fatto la loro comparsa servizi di micro-blogging, come Twitter per intenderci, i più tradizionali servizi di tracking delle news hanno subito un duro colpo. L’attenzione degli utenti sempre maggiormente si…
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Matt Cutts
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Gaping hole costume for Halloween 2009
31 Oct 2009 | 3:49 pmThis year for Halloween I tried to do a see-through hole in your body costume: It worked okay, but not great. The biggest problem was that I didn’t have a gadget lying around the house that could output live composite video. Both my normal video camera and my digital camera had exhausted batteries that wouldn’t recharge, which is a gadget fail on my part. And while my Flip video camera is tiny and it can output pre-recorded video through a composite cable, it can’t output live video (?!). Lame. I didn’t care enough to buy a new battery-operated gadget that could send… -
Export your Google Docs data
25 Oct 2009 | 8:56 pmOne of my favorite personal blog posts is about not trapping users’ data. In late 2006, Eric Schmidt declared “We would never trap user data.” Many of the major Google properties (search, Gmail, Calendar) make it trivial to export or download your data. In the past, Google Docs would let you export a single doc at a time, but Google Operating System runs down exactly how to batch export your Google Docs. For each type of document (text document, presentation, spreadsheet, etc.) you can choose what file format to get. I had about 81 personal docs (~13MB) and it only took… -
One million video views!
21 Oct 2009 | 9:54 pmThis year we’ve been making and posting videos on an official webmaster video channel, and earlier today we hit our one millionth video view. Making these little movies has been a ton of fun and we’ve covered dozens of topics for site owners. We decided to celebrate in a couple ways. First, we added captions to all 150+ videos (over 11 hours of information). That’s important because for movies with captions, you can translate the captions into different languages. Now if you want to watch my videos but see the captions in Portuguese or German or Turkish, you can! The second… -
Happy Diwali for 2009!
17 Oct 2009 | 8:35 amHey everybody, I just wanted to wish you a Happy Diwali! I hope that everyone has a wonderful festival of lights. It’s a good time today for introspection and reflection on the past year, and for hope for the year to come. Whether you celebrate with firecrackers, sweets, or appreciation for what you hold to be good and true–I hope you have a wonderful Diwali! -
Learn more about robots.txt
6 Oct 2009 | 10:10 pmWe made a video about how Google handles the robots.txt file. You can watch it if you want: This answers a couple questions such as: - Why is my url showing up in Google when I blocked it in robots.txt? Did you fetch that url? - How do I make that url disappear from Google? I hope the video helps if you have questions.
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PR 2.0
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Rumors of the Death of Blogs are Greatly Exaggerated
6 Nov 2009 | 4:02 amSource: feministingEach year at Blogworld Expo, Technorati CEO Richard Jalichandra presents The State of the Blogosphere as one of the event’s prestigious keynotes. For those who are unfamiliar with Technorati, it serves as a directory and search engine for the blogosphere as well as a benchmark for the ranking of blogs worldwide.While there has been much discussion about the relevance and even demise of blogs as the statusphere and micro updates gained traction in addition to earning prominence in the mainstream spotlight, the reality is that blogs are a vital ingredient to the media… -
RT @Twitter: New Retweet Feature Goes Live
5 Nov 2009 | 7:29 pmSource: TwitterThis is breaking news at the moment, therefore this post will update as new information trickles in.Twitter is making good on its recent promise to introduce new features to bring users back to Twitter.com.Similar to the way that it rolled out Lists, Twitter is incrementally releasing its new Retweet feature initially previewed in August 2009.As described by @Biz, co-founder of Twitter:Retweet is a button that makes forwarding a particularly interesting tweet to all your followers very easy. In turn, we hope interesting, newsworthy, or even just plain funny information will… -
Social Media Influencers are not Traditional Influencers
5 Nov 2009 | 4:19 amSourceGuest post by Damien Basille, follow him on Twitter | Read his blogAs more and more brands are moving all of their ad spend online, defining how influence affects their return on investment is necessary and must be done as soon as possible. While some are making inroads to define these calculations many are overlooking the fact that influence affects everything. Without factoring in the real issue of different types of influence you run into a number of problems, for instance focusing on one group of influencers over another or getting broad sweeping numbers instead of knowing exactly… -
The Future of the Embargo
3 Nov 2009 | 4:25 amCreditIn media and blogger relations, PR typically wields two powerful tools to help boost the effectiveness of pitching and potential placement of news: the embargo and the exclusive.In the case of an exclusive, a story is usually packaged prior to official release for one particular writer, fully understanding their style, nuances, and audience. If the story is accepted, it is not pitched to any other media outlets until after the story runs. The benefit for PR is that it can bank on the publishing of a guaranteed, high profile story. The advantage for the reporter is that they maintain a… -
Twitter Releases New Widget for Lists
2 Nov 2009 | 7:14 pmTwitter recently expanded its new Lists service to users network-wide and in doing so, injected a sense of excitement, confusion, and also utility. Lists represent a significant milestone for Twitter as it transcends asynchronous conversations and and broadcast messages into a form of intelligence gathering, education, entertainment, and news.Twitter Lists are also stirring controversy as many believe that it sets the foundation for a new level of establishing a metric for influence. Whereas prominence was measured by the number of followers as well as the friends-to-follower ratio, now the…
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Make the Logo Bigger
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My dog is delish!
6 Nov 2009 | 10:44 amIn spirit, according to the sample of Rachael Ray dog food I got in the mail. Nutrish! The package looks like bad candy design from the 1970s, and the actual sample bag inside looked even more odd. Felt like the back of a recipe card for some reason. (Dog ate it so I suppose it’s okay from a “dogs will eat anything’ perspective. Of course, dogs also eat their own puke and sniff each other’s butts.) Have to wonder if this move puts her regular brand on par with dog food too much though. Ya think? -
“Hy-Tech Autobaby, may I help you?”
6 Nov 2009 | 7:31 amAs brilliantly as I think Rhett & Link have put “bad” local on the map, they still can’t replicate the well-meaning intentions of the DIY small business crowd. Oh sure, E*TRADE has CGI coming out of it’s diapers, but it’s hard to beat an auto baby operator. Experience the difference!(Via Mat. O.) -
“First, ya gotta know your product.”
5 Nov 2009 | 9:14 pmChevy trucks didn’t just fly out the door in 1941 by themselves—you had to sell them, mister! -
Hot Pockets—It’s what’s for viral.
5 Nov 2009 | 9:07 pmThey’re back. But lose the mascot and just let the skaters do cool shit while eating... Hot Pockets. -
Flickr represent.
5 Nov 2009 | 9:04 pmOld school jazz vinyl covers from the 1960s? Nailed.(Tip to Zeke.)
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The Marketing Minute
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How do you see your clients
5 Nov 2009 | 10:21 pmA client of ours, E-Myth Benchmark, who does excellent work with small business leaders (including yours truly) has this philosophy about their clients:"Our clients are much greater than they know. It's our honor to help them discover that truth about themselves."Imagine if every time you answered the phone, shot off an e-mail or met with a client, you were filled with that attitude. How might that change the dynamics of your relationship? How would a bit of reverence change your company's culture?I've said it before....if you can't… -
Free chapter chock full of marketing "ah ha!"
3 Nov 2009 | 7:30 pmI love many things about blogging and social media. But the #1 reason I love it is because it has afforded me the opportunity to meet some really wonderful, smart people. And sometimes it feels as though we've known each other forever. That's certainly true for me of Gavin Heaton, CK, Lori Magno, Luc Debaisieux and many others. But there's this agency guy named Jay Heyman who lives in New York City -- and he and I connect in a whole different way. For some odd reason, we end up writing posts on the same subject or about the same subject on a regular basis! Which of… -
What I'm reading (11/01/09)
1 Nov 2009 | 6:57 amSorry I've been lax with this feature in October. It wasn't that I was not reading....but I've been on the road and at conferences just about all month and I just didn't have time to get this post built.None the less, here's what I've been reading these past few weeks and my take on each. Word of Mouth Marketing by Andy Sernovitz (buy it here) If you think you've already read this book -- you haven't. Andy did a revised version in early 2009 and added lots of new case studies, worksheets and even some new chapters. So don't be fooled. -
How to make time for social media: Twitter
31 Oct 2009 | 6:53 pmAs I traverse across the country talking about social media, whether it's with clients one-on-one or with conference attendees from a stage -- the "I don't have time" mantra is a common response to the conversation. I'm with you. I get the time crunch thing. I'm caught between that same rock and hard place. But...I have figured out some ways to create time/time savers when it comes to social media. So, I thought I would share what works for me, with the hopes that you can steal some of these ideas/tools. I'm not saying… -
If they'll play on your site, they'll pay on your site
29 Oct 2009 | 2:00 amLast year, I told you about Meijer, a 180 big box store in the Midwest and the very cool promotion they unleashed on Chicago and Cincinnati around Halloween. Their headless horseman rode wild through the streets...having some fun scaring the downtown crowd. Well this year, they've upped the ante. They've created a 3D experience where you can "put on a mask" and record a Halloween greeting. Basically, it's a digital hologram called augmented reality. (Kevin Dugan explains it better than I can.)Using this technology and your webcam, you can…
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Repubblica.it > Homepage
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Fed Cup, l'Italia parte bene Dalla Pennetta il punto dell'1-0
7 Nov 2009 | 5:26 amTennis Fed Cup, l'Italia parte bene Dalla Pennetta il punto dell'1-0 La brindisina supera 6-3 6-1 la Glatch e regala alle azzurre il vantaggio nella finale di Reggio Calabria contro gli Stati Uniti (15:26 07/11/2009) -
E' ancora Stoner Pole a Valencia
7 Nov 2009 | 5:24 amMOTOGP E' ancora Stoner Pole a Valencia Nell'ultimo Gp stagionale l'australiano e la sua Ducati si confermano i leader dell'ultimo scorcio 2009. Dietro Casey, gli spagnoli Pedrosa e Lorenzo. Rossi soltanto quarto, scatta dalla seconda fila (15:24 07/11/2009) -
Cuba, la blogger Yoani Sanchez fermata e maltrattata dalla polizia
7 Nov 2009 | 4:57 amLa 34enne denuncia di essere stata prelevata con un amico mentre andava a una manifestazione"Sono stata sequestrata nel peggior stile mafioso, con violenza verbale e fisica" Cuba, la blogger Yoani Sanchez fermata e maltrattata dalla polizia Gli agenti ai passanti: "Questi qui sono controrivoluzionari. Non v'immischiate" (14:57 07/11/2009) -
Ruffini cacciato da Raitre, è polemica Protestano anche Floris e la Dandini
7 Nov 2009 | 4:53 amDure critiche alla decisione annunciata del cd di Viale MazziniE l'Usigrai attacca: "Scandalose nuove nomine" Ruffini cacciato da Raitre, è polemica Protestano anche Floris e la Dandini Franceschini: "Il governo rispetti l'autonomia della terza rete" (14:53 07/11/2009) -
Pd, Bersani proclamato segretario "Adesso prepariamo l'alternativa"
7 Nov 2009 | 4:51 amDemocratici in assise a Roma. In platea Franceschini e Marino"Costruiamo un partito nuovo e popolare. No al leaderismo" Pd, Bersani proclamato segretario "Adesso prepariamo l'alternativa" Cinquencento circoli nei luoghi di lavoro. Il rilancio della questione morale"Pronti al confronto ma sulla giustizia pesano gli interessi del premier" (14:51 07/11/2009)
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Why Advertising Sucks
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File under “Things that Keep on Happening”
6 Nov 2009 | 5:21 amShe’s 44, the single mom of a 13 year-old boy.The only job she’s had in her life is at this company – She’s been here for 20 years.She’s always been pro corporate.She’s put in her share of “over time” – nights, weekends, cancelled vacations, etc.She even “went the extra mile” during her arduous chemo sessions.She’s the epitome of team player and all that crap.Yesterday, she was laid off. -
The Terminal was sort of based on a true story. WTF?
5 Nov 2009 | 2:31 pm -
Holy Jesus... I got my Prenatals.
4 Nov 2009 | 10:12 amJust a quick update. So... I bought my Prenatal pills today. We both went to the pharmacy and stood in the supplement section together. I took that bottle and I swear to you, my eyes got teary eyed. We were all smiles, gave each other a kiss and went on our way. This is actually happening!!! I'm still choked up. Whoa. What an experience this is turning out to be. -
Just because you're called a copy doesn't mean you have to
3 Nov 2009 | 7:12 pmAs time passes by and I'm two weeks away from having been a full year away from advertising, something becomes abundantly clear, people will continue to shove out knockoff ideas without one hint of remorse. If anything I'm proud of my 5 year stint and all the freelance work I did is that I never copied from anyone and was actually fortunate enough to have people copy some of the work I produced -
Marge, give me more of a reason to help make donut holes
3 Nov 2009 | 6:59 pmIf you haven't heard, Marge Simpson "posed" nude for Playboy. Seeing as Marge missed out on my top 69 fictional women, it comes as no surprise that what I've been able to see of the Blue haired mistress left me wondering why she didn't show more. Trust me, when I heard she was posing, curiosity bit me on the balls and it was an itch I almost scratched by buying the mag. Then I said, let me wait a
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ProBlogger Blog Tips
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Blogging is Rocket Science
7 Nov 2009 | 6:07 amToday’s post is by Kevin Sanders of Strong and Fit. Do you ever have those moments when seemingly random, unrelated thoughts kind of merge together in your mind? This happened to me a couple of weeks ago. I remembered a documentary I watched on the space shuttle years ago. Something was said about the percentage of fuel it burns within the first two minutes of liftoff. It stuck in my mind and I tried to find the information on Google. No luck. Then I remembered that one of my family members (Dale Hutchens, Ph.D.) works with NASA. He is a chemical engineer who was directly involved with… -
Six Ways To Make More Money As An Affiliate
6 Nov 2009 | 5:15 amBy Johnny B. Truant I’m going to go out on a limb and say that affiliate marketing is the easiest way to make money online. You don’t have to create a product or develop a service, you don’t need huge amounts of focused traffic the way you do with AdSense, (I started using AdSense a year ago and just recently passed the $100 minimum payout), and you don’t need to do a ton of advertising or SEO to make it work. All you really need is an audience to whom you can refer products and services. Of course, the above statement is true in the same way it’s true that you… -
The Paint By Numbers Guide To Artful Blogging
6 Nov 2009 | 5:15 amA Guest Post by Greg Hayes from Live Fit Blog. Do you subscribe to the idea that blogging is an art form? I do. Britannica Online defines art as “The use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others.” If you’re a blogger, then by definition, you most certainly engage in the following activities during the creation of content: Creative Writing Web Page Design (Aesthetics) Idea Development (Novelty) Social Media (Shared Experiences) When we start our blog, we read the A-list bloggers, and they repeat the… -
14 Types of Stories You Can Tell On Your Blog
4 Nov 2009 | 6:18 amYesterday we explored WHY stories can be such a powerful communication tool on your blog. Today we’ll look at 14 types of stories that you might like to try on your blog. 14 Types of stories can you tell on your blog Personal Discovery Stories – tell how you discovered a lesson. These stories show your readers how similar you are to them and also might give some practical advice on how they might learn from your experience. Stories as Analogies and Illustrations – tell a story that on the surface has nothing to do with your topic but which illustrates a principle that is relevant. -
Why Stories are an Effective Communication Tool for Your Blog
3 Nov 2009 | 6:18 amAs I write this it is the first Tuesday morning of a new month and I’m sitting in a local coffee shop going through my ‘start of the month routine‘. It involves a large lattè (everything else hinges on this) and some delving into my blogs metrics to see how they’ve been performing. While I do keep track of the traffic stats of my blogs each day I like to set aside an hour or two at the start of each month to go a little deeper and do some more analysis of trends on my blogs – I find that when I do this I notice things that I can build on to continue momentum on…
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Il Sole 24 ORE - Prima Pagina
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Al G-20 la proposta di Gordon Brown: «Tassiamo le transazioni finanziarie»
7 Nov 2009 | 6:48 amG-20 al via: ripresa fragile, cautela su «exit strategy»Al G20 in corso a St. Andrews, in Scozia, il primo ministro britannico Gordon Brown ha invitato i 20 ministri finanziari e banchie...articoli correlatiWall Street chiude positivaA Milano bene PrysmianIntesa Sanpaolo avvia la "fase due": è l'ora della semplificazioneMigliorano i conti di Alitalia: ridotte le perdite nel terzo trimestreImpregilo, calano i ricavi ma l'anno si chiuderà in positivoMutui famiglie. Abi: stop alle rate da febbraio -
Stoner in pole, Rossi quarto
7 Nov 2009 | 6:22 amNell'ultimo appuntamento della stagione resta da assegnare il titolo della 250. Occhi su Marco Simoncelli...articoli correlatiL'Inter a Kiev per spezzare la maledizione della ChampionsGiorgio Di Centa portabandiera azzurro alle Olimpiadi invernali di VancouverInter, vittoria da brivido a Kiev Fiorentina a valanga sul DebrecenEuropa League, vincono Roma e Genoa. Pesante sconfitta per la LazioMilan e Pato all'esame di Udine -
Milan e Pato all'esame di Udine
7 Nov 2009 | 6:22 amContrordine, cari fratelli afflitti dalla sindrome da imperitura influenza calcistica. Il pallone nostro è vivo e vegeto e lotta fino all'ultimo secondo... (di Giuseppe Ceretti) ...articoli correlatiL'Inter a Kiev per spezzare la maledizione della ChampionsGiorgio Di Centa portabandiera azzurro alle Olimpiadi invernali di VancouverInter, vittoria da brivido a Kiev Fiorentina a valanga sul DebrecenEuropa League, vincono Roma e Genoa. Pesante sconfitta per la LazioStoner in pole, Rossi quarto -
Rosy Bindi presidente del Pd.Bersani:«Rafforziamo il partito»
7 Nov 2009 | 5:52 amAlla Fiera di Roma la deputata è stata eletta presidente del partito. Vicepresidenti Marina Sereni e Ivan Scalfarotto. Il neosegretario Bersani: «Il Pd si deve rafforzare sul territorio. Apriremo 500 nuovi circoli nei luoghi di lavoro». Franceschini: «Il Pd sia la casa di tutti» e critica l'uscita di Rutelli ...articoli correlati«Mai pensato al Quirinale». Berlusconi risponde alle domande di RepubblicaNapolitano all'Anm: la giustizia sia al servizio del cittadinoIncontro Berlusconi-Casini: «Udc da sola alle regionali»Maroni: «Anche in Italia cellule di Al Qaeda»Il Cipe sblocca… -
Acer D250 «Android», ecco come va il pc bonsai con due sistemi operativi
7 Nov 2009 | 5:17 amDue è meglio di uno. Due sistemi operativi al posto di uno solo offrono più rapidità e immediatezza d'uso. Ecco Acer Aspire One D250 che monta due os: uno di origine smartphone,...articoli correlatiSky inizia lo sbarco sul Digitale terrestre con CieloIn giro per Roma con la prima auto elettrica in libera vendita dalla prossima estateSiem Reap, il nuovo volto della CambogiaLa memoria è più forte della pauraSalone della moto al via: le novità in anteprima
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Delicious/tag/blogging tips
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The Oscar the Grouch Guide to Building a More Remarkable Blog | Copyblogger
7 Nov 2009 | 6:36 amYou might have an Elmo blog, a Cookie Monster blog, or a Big Bird blog. (How you define those is up to you.) But some of the smartest and most successful bloggers out there bear more in common with the show’s least-likeable character: Oscar the Grouch. -
14 Types of Stories You Can Tell On Your Blog
7 Nov 2009 | 5:36 am -
Earning by blogging
7 Nov 2009 | 4:21 amEarning by blogging is possible and one can really earn enough to become a full time blogger. Many people have left their 9Am to 5PM jobs and started blogging full time from comfort of their home at free time or at leisure. They are able to devote more time with their families, enjoy watching their children grow up, going to school and learning! -
The Oscar the Grouch Guide to Building a More Remarkable Blog | Copyblogger
6 Nov 2009 | 4:48 pm -
10 Simple Steps To Increase Blog Traffic Via StumbleUpon
6 Nov 2009 | 4:39 pm
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Blogging Without A Blog
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If He Can, She Can
7 Nov 2009 | 3:02 amI’ve been wanting to use this photo for a long time. After rereading the comments on the “Large Gender Gap Evident In Blogosphere” post, today is the perfect day. Many who commented on the gender gap post were surprised the ratio of male to female bloggers was so large (66.7% males vs 33.3% females). Some doubt the accuracy of the numbers as the survey was done by Technorati, a site that appears to be dominated by males. But, that’s not the topic for today’s post. Today we’re talking about female bloggers. Today’s Lesson When I started blogging in… -
Large Gender Gap Evident In Blogosphere
3 Nov 2009 | 11:06 pmBloggers come from all walks of life. In fact, many people enjoy blogging as it is nondiscriminatory. It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or woman, rich or poor, old or young, educated or not; the door to blogging is open. However, it appears more men walk through the door to blogging than women. Today’s Lesson Technorati recently released their “State of the Blogosphere 2009″ findings. From a questionnaire to which 2900 bloggers responded, Technorati compiled an extremely comprehensive report which includes (but in not limited to) the following information with… -
How Branding Works In Blogosphere
31 Oct 2009 | 2:42 pmIn November of 2008 I wrote a post titled Are Domain Names Over Rated which included a fun “test” where the readers were asked to match the blog name, the name of the author and their avatar (or gravatar -globally recognized avatar). It was an experiment to find out if it is our name, our avatar or the name of our blog which helps to brand us in blogosphere. From the comments received on the post, it appears our avatars may hold the most weight. I’ve also read for proper online branding, we should use the same photo or avatar on all sites we frequent, such as blogs, Twitter,… -
Would You Wait 17,520 Hours?
27 Oct 2009 | 1:31 pmMany of us have read we can have some kind of success with blogging. Maybe it will be a book deal. Maybe it’s the fact money can be made with a blog. For some, just being able to share their knowledge is enough For others, success is measured differently. Some won’t quit until they see their name “in lights”, whereas others wait until their blog propels them into a business and/or leads to financial freedom. But, what happens when what we read can happen, isn’t happening? How long do we wait? Today’s Lesson Before I started blogging, I analyzed what the… -
Seize The Opportunity – A Pro Speaks
24 Oct 2009 | 1:51 amIn his post titled, A New Way To Find Work That You Love Tom Volkar of Delightful Work states, We agree that to be authentic means to be genuine, open, unpretentious, honest and forthright. We also agree that authenticity is good for us. But we tend to disagree on how to get there, especially when it comes to our life’s work. With blogging, many of us hope our efforts will lead to some sort of business, book deal or profession which will align with our true calling , however like Tom said, “We tend to disagree how to get there”. For this reason, I’ve asked Tom to join…
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acleareye.com
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Broken windows and broken brands
6 Nov 2009 | 12:16 pmYears back two researchers argued that rampant crime in the city is the inevitable result of disorder. If a window in a building is broken and left unrepaired, people walking by will conclude that no one cares and that no... -
912 words on naming 2010
3 Nov 2009 | 10:59 amI just read another one of Stuart Elliott's advertising pieces in the New York Times. Is it just me or does his stuff read like a parody of the ad business? In this breakthrough article, Elliott sincerely discusses the pressing... -
The three habits of highly irritating management gurus
29 Oct 2009 | 3:30 pmThat's the title of a recent article in The Economist, which refers to Stephen Covey, Jim Collins, Tom Peters and other management guru's rules as "nothing more than wet fingers in the wind." In addition to the author's disparaging discourse,... -
The one style of leadership
26 Oct 2009 | 12:29 pmI just read a short piece in Forbes Magazine titled Four Styles of Leadership. In it the author, Rich Karlgaard, places leadership styles into the following categories: visionary, empathetic, humble servitude, and moral/ethical. He describes each style by providing examples... -
Brand is Not a Four-Letter Word
21 Oct 2009 | 7:34 amI was recently shocked by a comment made on a post I wrote for a Spanish website. Someone actually compared "branding" to the notorious Nazi Joseph Goebbels' propaganda principles. I'm not kidding. Here's the link (it's in Spanish): http://tinyurl.com/yz88c9x This...
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Brand Insight Blog
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Marketing Strategy vs. Tactics
1 Nov 2009 | 11:31 amby John Furgurson I’m appalled. A successful marketing guy asked me a question recently — a real no-brainer — which led me to believe he didn’t know the difference between strategy and tactics. How can that be? He’s held several high-paying marketing positions. He’s college educated in Marketing 101. He’s gotta know this stuff. So I started doing some research online and I’ve found the problem: The internet! There’s more misinformation than information out there. More nonsense than common sense. Even some of the biggest gurus in the industry have posted conflicting… -
On-line shopping — The best thing ever for MANkind.
25 Oct 2009 | 9:27 pmby John Furgurson Twenty five years ago I couldn’t imagine getting all my Christmas shopping done from the comfort of the man den. The idea of a world without malls was pure fantasy, right up there with that scene from Flashdance where Jennifer Beals dances in place until she’s raining sweat. But today, it’s reality. Men really do have an alternative to the drudgery of shopping. It’s called e-commerce. For men, shopping harkens back to cro-Magnon days when we’d hunt down the things we NEEDED to survive. Men shop alone, in order to be more stealthy and less visible to people who… -
If you got hit by a bus, what would happen to your brand?
9 Oct 2009 | 11:05 amby John Furgurson Death and taxes. Death and taxes. The two are always lumped together as inevitable parts of life. So why, as business people, do we obsess over taxes and ignore the issue of death? Nothing derails a small business faster, and more dramatically, than death. When a partner or key employee dies, or experiences a death in the family, the business suffers. No two ways about it. The question is, is your brand strong enough to survive a devastating personal loss? My dentist lost his 3-year-old daughter in a drowning accident. How do you go back to drilling teeth after that? My… -
A feel-good brand in a bummed-out world.
19 Aug 2009 | 4:35 pmby John Furgurson It’s being dubbed a “”depressed economy.” There are nightly reports on our current “ecomonic dulldrums,” and the “downturn” in consumer spending. But if you sift through all the doom and gloom you’ll find that some brands are thriving in this “challenging economic environment.” How do they do it? Here’s the secret: Make people smile! It’s as simple — and as difficult — as that. If your product or service can elicit genuine smiles, you’ve got a winning brand. Because happiness is contagious. And when people are experiencing stress… -
F15 Fighter vs. the 787 Dreamliner — Why corporate mergers are seldom good for brands.
14 Aug 2009 | 5:49 pmby John Furgurson In 1997 Boeing and McDonnell Douglas agreed on a merger. Like most corporate marriages, the deal looked great on paper: Boeing’s strength — commercial jetliners — was McDonald Douglas’ weakness. And vice-versa. Boeing’s shortcomings on the military side would be bolstered dramatically by partnering with McDonald Douglas, maker of the F15 Fighter, the Apache helicopter, the Tomahawk missile, and many other successful weapons systems. Two global brands, both looking to shore-up the weakest parts of their business. Two diametrically opposed corporate cultures. The…
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The mind-mapping.org Blog
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Help boost mind-mapping.org ! [Update]
25 Oct 2009 | 4:13 amPlease vote for mind-mapping.org at http://eg-search.net/enter.php?user=sun_vivi&desc=Mindmapping%2C+concept+mapping+and+info…&req=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mind-mapping.org%2F It’s at position no. 10 right now. Help take this ads-free site to the top! Much appreciated – thank you. [Updated 31/10/2009: We've reached position #2 in terms of number of voters, so far, but the rating is the highest of all, as 4.8 out of 5. Thank you gain.] Vic -
Creately, CUECards, MindDecider, SpicyNodes and Inflow
19 Oct 2009 | 8:37 amI’ve done separate posts about two recent findings over the last couple of days: Diagramic and the filling in of a historical entry. Time now for the remaining new items in Mind-mapping.org: Creately Creatley is a nice on-line diagram-drawing software with mind mapping as one of the type of diagrams supported. It has a free version, and a Plus version with a rather special subscription scheme: Pay what you think it’s worth, provided you spare at least US$1/month! Creately can make Flowcharts, Network Diagrams, Organizational Charts, UML Diagrams, Sitemaps, SWOT templates,… -
Welcome to the ancient mindmapping-software vaults
18 Oct 2009 | 6:30 amDid you know that unless you dig deep, you’re only seeing part of mind-mapping.org? If you click through to the link above, for now, you’ll see 284 entries. Observant readers will see that the top line adds “from a total of 349″. So what’s with the missing 65? That’s where all the dead mind mapping and similar software packages go to their final rest. If you want to see them, go to the “Refine software list” tab, uncheck “Current software” and check “Historical software.” Then press “Show selected… -
Diagramic – text to diagram
17 Oct 2009 | 1:24 amUp till now, I’ve known of three text-to-diagram applications: Mappio, Text2mindmap and Diagrammr. Now I’ve come across another: Diagramic. I just added it to mind-mapping.org. It’s a little web-based application, and as it stands it is fun but only useful for very simple cases. Here’s an image with data I took from a paper by Scavarda, Bouzdine-Chameeva and others, about causal maps: I made this with simple text like this: “Cognitive maps” -> “Undirected graphs” “Cognitive maps” -> “Directed graphs”… -
Tweet, tweet, tweet
9 Oct 2009 | 12:48 amFeedburner tells me I have well over 3,000 subscribers to my feed. I was surprised when I saw that. And humbled. My posts are sporadic, and yet still people follow this blog. Thank you folks! Now, please come and follow me on Twitter, and you’ll be more up to date, with between-post happenings. You won’t find out what I had for breakfast, when I got out of bed, or if it’s been a bad day for Vic. Just tweets about mind mapping software news and related topics. If you’re not using Twitter yet, you may be staying away because you think it’s all about…
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Macworld
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Speedmark 6: Macworld Lab's new benchmark suite
6 Nov 2009 | 2:01 pmThe Macworld Lab has been hard at work tweaking Speedmark, our overall system performance testing tool, to better accommodate Snow Leopard and to test the Macs on which it runs. -
Bugs & Fixes: Magic Mouse loses its way
6 Nov 2009 | 1:05 pmA pair of irritating symptoms have made Ted Landau's experience with Apple's latest mouse less than magical. -
xGestures updated for Snow Leopard
6 Nov 2009 | 12:52 pmxGestures is a program that allows mouse movements to trigger menu items, keystrokes, and AppleScripts; it's recently been updated to work with Snow Leopard. -
Review: SketchBook Mobile for iPhone
6 Nov 2009 | 12:31 pmAutodesk's app is one of the better painting and drawing apps on the iPhone. It's the rare app that appeals to both novices and professionals. -
AT&T profiles specific cities in bid for coverage
6 Nov 2009 | 11:46 amAT&T's CTO said the carrier is improving coverage using specific calling models for each city, and moving toward IPv6.
