Ryan Sommer

A Silicon Valley native and PR professional with a tech writing background, specialized in consumer web launches, product review programs, social media momentum initiatives, and blog relations in U.S. and European markets.

Being at the forefront of social media PR, I understand SEO's "white hat" relationship with it very strongly, and I am well versed with new tracking and reporting methods that come along with it.

In 2010 I relocated to the UK in order to work as part of global marketing team for a consumer web product, and I have worked in London ever since through freelance consulting to the burgeoning startup scene and with the digital marketing intelligence community Econsultancy.

Specialties: Branding, identity, community building, community relations, market research, social media relations, user acquisition, web browsers, mobile, desktop software, social networking, web standards, open source, identity/OpenID, design, music, gadgets, blogging, SEO, content marketing

Aaron Kahlow: 'Big Data has zero to do with any campaign or its size' #IMW13

As part of our Integrated Marketing Week speakers series, we have a great line up of experts in the digital and integrated marketing space. Our third interview features Aaron Kahlow from the Online Marketing Institute.

Aaron's mission statement for the OMI is to enable professionals to execute efficient campaigns, drive higher ROI, and advance personal career goals.

Read on to find out Aaron's current thoughts around "big data," the state of search and more.

by Ryan Sommer 24 April 2013 18:30pm 0 comments

Integrated Marketing Week 2013: Jonathan Salem Baskin on "Search is not broken"

As part of our Integrated Marketing Week speakers series, we have a great line up of experts in the digital and integrated marketing space. Our second interview features Jonathan Salem Baskin who also spoke at JUMP 2013 in New York.

Jonathan Salem Baskin founded Baskin Associates in 2003 to put decades of experience in digital marketing to good use for clients. We featured insights he contributed to AdAge ("a social campaign that does nothing but entertain is as artificially opaque as the worst output of the bad old days of mass media") in this 2010 post.

Read on to find out Jonathan's current thoughts around the state of search, "big data" and more.

by Ryan Sommer 10 April 2013 16:34pm 1 comment

Five great UX presentations on Slideshare

While Slideshare presentations can be light on words, many of the most important UX principles still come across through the visuals alone.

Here are some favourites from our internal staff and expert network...

by Ryan Sommer 10 April 2013 10:58am 0 comments

How to use content marketing and Twitter Cards to boost your app downloads

Twitter's efforts to bring more eyeballs, and thus ad revenue, back to its web experience and branded apps have given content marketers reason to jump for joy.

Here is a breakdown of the current expanded tweets ecosystem, and some targeted strategy for app-based businesses.

by Ryan Sommer 03 April 2013 16:19pm 2 comments

How to create non-news driven content for SEO and content marketing

Savvy marketers know that content marketing is key when it comes to building up a relationship with other sites, social networks, and syndication partners.

Whether or not you agree with slapping the (buzz)phrase 'content marketing' across many of the already commonly used SEO tactics, everyone can agree the technology to find, distribute and track how content delivers ROI (meaning influencer tracking, social analytics, custom CRMs) has really kick-started an interest in the field.

We’ve written broadly on content strategy in the past, but in this post I thought I’d share a bit more about our internal approach to a specific area of content creation.

by Ryan Sommer 02 April 2013 11:37am 4 comments

Shawn Burns, Vice President SAP on multichannel and Integrated Marketing Week

Digital is no longer just a channel, but instead is becoming the center point for customer behavior both on and offline.

This is one of several themes that will be explored at Integrated Marketing Week (#IMW13) and below Shawn Burns, Vice President SAP who is speaking at the event, tells us why.

by Ryan Sommer 28 March 2013 17:21pm 0 comments

Start Me Up! A profile of Clickit Digital

Clickit Digital recently launched out of New York's "Start Up Alley" to help clients target their perfect customers everywhere across online leads, search, display, social media and video.

With such a lofty premise/propostion, we were excited to get an inside scoop from the founders.

by Ryan Sommer 02 April 2013 15:42pm 0 comments

Start Me Up! A profile of fresh

Backed By Yammer’s David Sacks, fresh launched a site for verified consumer gadget reviews last month.

We recently spoke with the team to find out more about their plans.

by Ryan Sommer 27 March 2013 17:10pm 0 comments

How to replace Google Alerts for superior competitor analysis

If you work in search, PR or content marketing, you may have experienced an alarming drop off in Google Alerts recently.

Search pioneers and industry specific verticals that rely heavily on tracking competitors via Google Alerts have recently noticed the feed slow to a trickle of what it used to be, but the show must go on!

So, here are some ingenious alternatives from the experts to keep you plugged in.

by Ryan Sommer 21 March 2013 16:37pm 6 comments

Four examples of digital excellence from #TheDigitals judges

To celebrate the launch of our new digital marketing and ecommerce awards, #TheDigitals, I've rounded up four examples of innovation and digital marketing excellence cited by judges over the course of our Q&A series with them.

The Digitals celebrate, recognise and award excellence in digital marketing and ecommerce.

The awards will draw the best of the best from around the globe, and with extended entires your submission can still make the cut if you get it in before the new deadline of March 26!

by Ryan Sommer 18 March 2013 11:52am 0 comments