Geary Fresh

Google Analytics Launches New Features

Google Analytics announced today new product features that they will be launching in the next few weeks. Here are a few brief descriptions:

1. Increased goal completions. The days of only being able to implement 4 goals are over. Now you will have the ability to implement 20 goals; and be able to  assign specific number of viewed pages and/or time spent on site as a goal

2. Mobile websites will now be tracked regardless if the device runs Java Script or not. Mobile applications within the iPhone and Android will now be tracked through Google Analytics to understand how users are engaging with the application. Of course there will be additional coding required

3. Added advanced analysis features allows you to apply filters within the reports for easy analysis and drilling down into the data without having to export

4. Multiple custom variables will allow you to track and define visitors by specific attributes, interactions, and/or behaviors

5. The most attractive improvement that Google Analytics is launching is Intelligence. While reviewing your reports, Google Analytics will alert you when there have been substantial changes in metrics or trends within daily, weekly, or monthly reporting periods. You will also be able to customize and define your own alerts that you want Google Analytics to  monitor.

If you’d like to read more about the features in more depth, check out the Google Analytics Blog.

Do Advertisers Need Manners?

Manners and social etiquette are a cornerstone of society. Of course, there are those that bend or break the rules. There are people who stand too close for comfort, folks that always under tip and guests that wear out their welcome. When unstated social rules are broken, social invitations fall by the wayside and offenders are written off as “weird”.

What happens when advertisers break codes of conduct?

Unfortunately, the brand usually suffers.

A recent example is the uncouth Fox/ Burger King advertisment that included fat jokes about Jessica Simpson, digs at Tony Romo’s performance and the chances of Wade Phillips coaching next year. Besides not being funny, it doesn’t make sense for a fast food chain to bring up fat jokes. As an AdAge article points out, this makes even less sense when the brunt of the jokes is skinnier than most of its consumers.

Burger King’s long time advertising agency had nothing to do with the production of this skit. However, if they had, Burger King would have faced the backlash–not the agency. The lesson learned here is that taking jabs at celebrities can be funny, but they can also cross the line. In my opinion, this one did because the jokes didn’t make sense from a comedic or strategic viewpoint. Going for a shock value is one thing, but if you intend to mock someone, at least loop your advertising agency into the discussion. You pay them for strategic council after all, and hopefully, they went to finishing school.

How will Twitter Impact Holiday Shopping?

Will Cyber Monday have a banner year with the growing adoption of Twitter?

It’s quite possible.

Online research and purchases are a large part of consumers’ holiday shopping process. The social and interactive aspects of it make it a great avenue to gather information, purchase and ship gifts easily. Will this tradition spike this year, as consumers and brands are engaging with one another via Twitter? I think so. Now more than ever, consumers expect to hear from and interact with brands online. If I want to rave about an inspired purchase, I used to go to a review site. Now I send out a tweetcast.

One key difference between Twitter and social shopping sites is that consumers can proactively engage with brands. On a blog or review site, content is geared towards other shoppers, but on Twitter users elicit responses directly from brands.

How do you think Twitter will impact holiday shopping? Here are a few speculations:

1. Shorter limited time offers/ sales

2. Brands will dedicate handles to customer service

3. Lower traffic to product review websites as this will migrate to Twitter

4. Users will ask followers for feedback/ review before a purchase

Social Media is not a Fad. Here’s the Proof.

Social media is a force to be reckoned with–we all know this by know. Watch this video to see the magnitude of this force. As the title implies, it will blow your mind. Here are a few highlights:

1. If Twitter were a country, it would be the forth largest.

2. 25% of search results for the World’s Top 20 brands link to consumer generated content

3. If you were paid $1 per Wikipedia post, you would earn $156.23 an hour

4. YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world

5. 1 out of 8 couples married in the US this year met via social media

Case and point = social media is not a fad

Source: http://socialnomics.net/

Geary Interactive Wins Second Consecutive MIXX Award

Geary Interactive is proud to announce its second MIXX award win in two years. We were honored in the search engine marketing category for our on-going campaign with Covad Communications. The 2009 campaigns added a new persona-driven marketing component and refined its geotargeting focus. Combined, these strategies ensures Covad reaches qualified prospects within its service areas.

Persona-driven marketing: After identifying distinct, viable persona groups, paid search and landing page copy was tailored to resonate with each group. Tone, verbiage and depth of information was customized to give each group the right message that would help aid their purchase decisions.

Geotargeting: Covad refined its targeting strategy by creating technology to further microtarget locations. The goal was to ensure that every dollar spent was within a Covad service area. This completely re-formulated Covad’s search campaign, creative efforts and conversion tactics based on these two strategic pillars, creating a tightly focused customer-centric campaign that drove the best and most efficient results Covad has ever experienced. To read about the MIXX Awards, click here.

Are Online Retailers Ready for a Winter Boost?

In South Korea online shopping numbers have spiked because people are avoiding crowded places–like malls–so they’re less likely to contract the H1N1 flu. With cold weather on the way and holiday shopping just around the corner, are consumers going to opt for online shopping? Will American shoppers avoid malls to keep healthy and warm?

For me, online shopping augments in store purchases. I have never thought, “Geez, I am going to buy product XYZ  online because I just don’t feel like leaving the house.” Weather is not a factor in sunny San Diego, but in other parts of the country weather is a huge factor in what can be accomplished in a day. In this light, I imagine that online activity will spike as temperatures drop.

Is your online revenue channel ready?

Winter window shopping, online purchases and shipping in perilous weather are all about to hit home for digital retailers, so make sure you’re prepped and ready. Promote reliable shipping, price comparisions and winter goodies because as cold weather approaches, your consumers are going to need a break from the elements.

Google the Lead Generation Killer?

There is drama brewing the in the lead generation industry!

If you didn’t catch the news that LendingTree has filed a lawsuit against one of its key service providers, Mortech. Whats dramatic about the lawsuit is not really the lawsuit itself. Let me explain:

Everyone should know who LendingTree is, but there is a good chance you do not know who Mortech is.  Mortech provides real time loan pricing data from 100′s of banks to the mortgage industry. There happens to be a number of different companies that provide the same service, but in this case LendingTree chose to partner exclusively with Mortech.

The drama begins to unfold when LendingTree learns that their exclusive partner is allegedly speaking with Google about providing the same services. The LendingTree suit claims that Mortech infringed on their contract and broke their confidentiality agreement by discussing a similar, if not the same, service that is provided to LendingTree. The drama is not necessarily about the specific lawsuit, but rather the fact that Google is looking at bringing a mortgage pricing engine/lead generation platform to their search results.

Believe it or not, Google is not the first search engine to try this. As a matter of fact,  AOL attempted mortgage lead generation in early 2007 with no success and then Yahoo tried lead generation later the same year, again with no success. Don’t count Google out just because AOL and Yahoo couldn’t make it work. Google is taking a completely different approach with their strategy. You can get an idea of what Google’s plans are by checking out Search Engine Lands 2008 article that covered the launch of the UK version. This beta was different then the upcoming US version in that the rates were added by humans. The US version will include real time rates posted by Mortech’s pricing engine. By doing this Google would eliminate the interaction with the brokers, post accurate rates and then be able to possible sell the inquiries on a CPL.

This is big news for companies in the lead generation industry. Its my guess that LendingTree recognizes this as a major threat and is going to do everything possible to stop or slow down the launch of this new Google service. The lawsuit, while directed at Mortech, is more about stopping Google from becoming a direct competitor in my opinion.

The launch of a service like this will easily take clicks away from companies bidding on mortgage related keywords. I don’t think that can be denied, but will it kill the mortgage lead generation vertical altogether? Of course not. A bigger question that needs to be asked is if this plan is successful will they go into other verticals? If Google can successfully generate and monetize mortgage leads from this new service what is going to stop them from moving into other verticals?

The evolution on online marketing has been slowly moving from the CPM and CPC pricing model to a CPA or CPL pricing model. Google noticed this on 2006 and launched their CPA pricing model within Google Adwords. I think this move into the mortgage lead generation vertical shows that they believe advertisers will continue to make the shift towards CPA based marketing strategies. Google will be able to integrate their own lead acquisition platform into multiple verticals and instead of worrying about cost per clicks, ad variations and conversion rates advertisers will simply be able to buy the leads directly from Google.

What do you think? Is this a long shot or exactly what Google plans on doing? Give me your thoughts.

What do you do when social media backfires?

Great companies, agencies and respected people have all been victims of social media backlash. While it seems more poignant and more rapid, how does negativity on social media differ from other bad press?

In all honesty, it doesn’t.

Pretend I am Jane Doe who has just had an awful experience with Brand XYZ.  In the days before microblogs like Twitter, I would complain to any friend or family member that lent me their ear. These people, if they agree with me, might tell their friends my saga–continuing the cycle of bad publicity.

The difference is reach. Do I reach the same amount of people by telling my friends in person or via a 140-character tweet? I would argue that while a tweet might reach more people, a one-on-one rant results in worse publicity. Without a live audience, I can use metaphors, relate it to a previous experience, and basically complain to my heart’s content.

So which is worse, a tweet with a broader reach or an emphatic personal condemnation?

Either way, brands and businesses do have to be afraid of taking flak on social media. It actually presents an opportunity to make changes and interact with disgruntled consumers. If they’re not happy, figure out why and show that you care. You would do the same with an annoyed consumer in your store or on a customer service call.

Tweet my Chest Contest Winners

We had a great time running our Tweet my Chest contest with iwearyourshirt.com. If you haven’t seen it yet, the video Jason created to promote the contest on his blog. Hilarious.

Congratulations to our contest winners, and thanks to everyone who participated.

Winner of the coveted velcro iPhone t-shirt is @8CMS13, and @Bakkerjoop and @HRbeck both won a t-shirt commemorating the contest.

Thanks again!

Web Analytics Wednesday in San Diego

What a success!

I’m happy to report that the co-sponsored event by Geary Interactive and Quantivo brought in some great individuals from all over San Diego county. We had a raffle drawing, where we gave away 2 books written by Eric Peterson and 2 $50 gift cards to the Apple store.

If you were unable to attend last night’s event, stay tuned as we plan our next event in the coming months!