brands | Internet Marketing Blog

Twitter launches self-serve ads

Twitter's strategy around monetization can be summed up in three words: "take it slow."

Thanks to hundreds of millions of dollars in funding, Twitter has been able to do something many digital media upstarts can't: explore new ad models at what often seems like a snail's pace, working primarily with a select number of brand advertisers and agencies.

by Patricio Robles 02 December 2011 09:47am 2 comments

Facebook Pages deliver paltry CTRs: report

For major brands, Facebook Pages have become increasingly important. In an effort to be 'liked', many brands are promoting their Facebook URLs in television and print ad campaigns, and are enticing users with coupons and other promotions.

But those investing significant amounts of time and money into creating 'engagement' on their Facebook Pages might want to consider what they're getting in return.

That's because according to a study of 84,000 links posted across more than 5,500 Facebook Page operators in October conducted by Edge Rank Checker, Pages with more than 100,000 fans deliver a paltry CTR of 0.14%.

by Patricio Robles 16 November 2011 16:21pm 16 comments

Google+ Pages: what you need to know

If Google+ is ever going to compete with Facebook, it's clear that Google will need to attract brands and celebrities to its social network.

After all, brands and celebrities have become a fixture on Facebook, with some racking up millions of fans.

Perhaps wisely, Google launched Google+ with a focus on individuals. The logic seems sensible: to build a social network in which individuals can connect with brands and celebrities, you need individuals.

Those individuals, of course, aren't interested exclusively in liking Coca-Cola or posting messages on Lady Gaga's wall; they primarily want to interact with real people.

by Patricio Robles 08 November 2011 13:30pm 4 comments

On Facebook, the most liked get richer

In the past, some search industry observers have suggested that Google has increasingly favored brands in its SERPs.

Supporting the arguments that Google has a brand bias were quotes like those made by Eric Schmidt, Google's now-former CEO, who once stated that the internet was becoming a "cesspool" and that "brands are how you sort out the cesspool".

by Patricio Robles 31 October 2011 12:56pm 2 comments

10 sure fire ways brands can annoy fans and followers

When you work with brands using channels like Facebook and Twitter on a daily basis, you become very familiar with some of the pitfalls companies can fall into - and what results they seem to generate.

I've never been one of those people who likes to kick-up a stink when a brand makes a mistake but I like to keep a close eye on what trends seem to annoy customers most, if only to learn from them for the future.

As well as my own experience, I decided to do a bit of amateur research this week. I asked people to reveal what they find most annoying about brand behaviour on social media platforms, with a particular focus on Facebook and Twitter. Below is the culmination of that research.

by Henry Elliss 16 September 2011 11:45am 14 comments

Buying bloggers: when will brands come to their senses?

The cozy relationships brands have forged with bloggers have been controversial from the start.

Are marketing and PR initiatives that target bloggers smart strategy, or are they little more than a flawed "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine" approach to social media?

The concerns over the latter have been so great that government agencies have scrutinized how brands work with bloggers, and how those bloggers promote those brands to their readers.

by Patricio Robles 08 September 2011 16:19pm 14 comments

Why brands are key to Facebook's success

There has been much written and discussed in the last few weeks about Google+, Facebook and a desire (often more than a reality) for a rivalry between the two.

The truth is that they are very different: one is an intelligent, network-based sharing-and-discussing tool and the other is collection of different tools that users pick and choose from to curate their own experience. These tools become important to the success and survival of Facebook as does every brand that creates a reason for people to use Facebook.

by Matt Rhodes 02 August 2011 11:09am 8 comments

As Facebook grows, ad prices continue to rise

Facebook may or may not have some tough competition in the not-too-distant future, but right now, Facebook is at the top of many brands' lists when it comes to digital marketing initiatives.

Increasingly, that's proving to be a double-edged sword.

by Patricio Robles 18 July 2011 15:33pm 3 comments

Brands want in on Google+

The third time might just be the charm for Google. After watching its first two social networking initiatives, Buzz and Wave, flop, it looks like the search giant may have a hit on its hands with Google+.

Not surprisingly, brands, many of which have learned to eagerly embrace new digital technologies, want to kick the tires on Google+ sooner than later.

by Patricio Robles 15 July 2011 14:51pm 11 comments

Should marketers pay attention to Google+?

Is the third time the charm? Google is certainly hoping so following the beta launch of its latest attempt at building a social network, Google+.

And that hope may not be entirely misplaced. Many of those who have Google+ accounts have positive things to say about the search behemoth's social network.

Perhaps that's because Google has learned from its mistakes, or because it may have been heavily 'inspired' by Facebook.

by Patricio Robles 30 June 2011 16:20pm 6 comments