Google Places Devoured by Google+ Local
Welcome to the Era of Google+ Local “Wait, what?” you might say. Ending a year of speculation as to how (it was never really an “if”) Google+ Pages for Businesses would impact Google Places, yesterday Google flipped the switch on the integration. 80 Million Google Place [...]
Thinking “Out of the Envelope”
You have all heard the tired phrase, “thinking out of the box”. Even though it has been used over and over again, there is a good reason for it. That’s because it continues to work. Most creative folks live to think out of the box every [...]
SEM vs. SEO – Aren’t They the Same Thing?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) are commonly used interchangeably. However, there are distinct differences between the two and it’s important to understand them both in order to effectively enhance and drive traffic to your website. SEM SEM uses current search engine technology [...]
Templating 101 – Top Tips for Building Effective Branded Marketing Materials
As SproutLoud’s Implementation Manager, it is my job to guide new clients in how to use our marketing resource management system for effective marketing. When I take a new client through the implementation process, one of the first discussions that we have is regarding templates. Templates [...]
So Happy Together – How Agile Can Align Marketing and Development
In a recent blog post on Digiday, Joe Lozito suggests an interesting paradigm shift about how Marketers need to think like Developers. He contests that, “Any kind of digital marketing execution — from an online banner to a mobile app to a Facebook page to a [...]
How Well is Your Brand Localizing your National Online Marketing? Take this Simple Test
If you are a national brand, chances are you have a pretty hefty budget for your online marketing efforts. In some industries, its a virtual dogfight – and only the best succeed while the rest die trying. But what if there was a better, easier and [...]
Want to Know What Makes Your Customers Tick? Just Ask.
Understanding how to retain customers is one of the most important lessons for a company. And when a five percent increase in customer retention can potentially augment revenue by more than 100 percent, building customer loyalty should always be top priority.* So what makes your customers [...]
Outsourcing Doesn’t Have to be a Dirty Word
The new millennium has ushered in a dizzying array of new media and marketing opportunities, with more arriving on the scene daily. With the rapid increase and evolution of media, corporate marketing departments and resources can have trouble keeping pace. And pity the local small business [...]
Don’t Get Caught in the Media Hypestorm
The latest victim of its own success is Pinterest. At least, that’s what one would believe by scanning the latest media headlines touting the fall of Pinterest engagement. Social media, flash sales, and QR codes have all experienced similar industry backlash. So what’s really happening here? [...]
Why Designers Love to KISS
Have you ever struggled with getting a design look just right? Spent countless hours tweaking and contemplating over its composition? Chances are the design is just too busy. The most successful designs are the simple ones. If you look at some of the biggest and most [...]