Jan 25, 2012

When Google launched its Google+ social network, the marketing world (along with everyone else) barely noticed. When Google decided to make this social network a bigger part of search results, marketers had little choice but to sit up and take action.

 Over the last week or so, we at Motivity  have spent a fair amount of time talking to clients and constituents about Google’s latest move, and what’s emerging is a picture of concern and skepticism. But don’t fret yet. And don’t get so caught up in the controversy that you fail to evaluate the marketing implications.

 Is Participation Mandatory?

Many of the advertisers I have spoken to feel they are being forced into participation in Google’s social platform because of the recent addition of Search Plus Your World

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Every time Google tries something new, site owners panic and hit the blogs, desperate for any sort of
tidbit that will help them get ahead of the latest “shift” in the algorithm. While Google’s mathematical page ranking system has been dancing since
day one with updates on a secret schedule, last week’s change is one big deal in sea of big deals.

Scrambling to adjust the whole lot for every change Google initiates is counterproductive. Simple best practices like
a good content strategy focusing on delivering relevant and — as if it were possible– unique information to the world are best practice staples in search
marketing.

So what’s really different in this latestupdate?

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He shared data from a survey of 1,300 adult Twitter users. The survey focused on a special kind of Twitter user–all the
survey respondents said they “frequently tweet” and had used Twitter to complain about something.

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Motivity Marketing CEO Kevin Ryan gave a
group of students pointers on how to get a job in digital marketing.

Here are Ryan’s top 10 pieces of advice:
1. Always remember your ethicsclasses. You will be happier because you will be a better person.

2. Always hit your deadline and stay dedicated to writing, even if it means missing nights out and fun times
with friends. Also, educate yourself with free tools, so you can say you have experience with them.

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Google has made its +1 button ubiquitous on web sites and search results. Now, Google is using the +1 to add a social layer to display
advertising.

Starting in October, ads distributed on Google’s Display Ad Network will have a +1 button, allowing consumers to “like” an ad and share that endorsement to people they’re connected to via Google’s social network Google +.

It’s an extension of what Google started doing earlier this year when it added the +1 button to search results and search ads, allowing users to endorse those ads, and showing that endorsement and photo to their connections.

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Google Inc. boss Larry Page says his company has agreed to pay $12.5 billion for Motorola Mobility, mostly to gain control of patents that would help defend its Android smartphones from rival Apple and its iPhones.

From Wall St. to Silicon Valley, a lot of telecom-watchers are buying that line. “Google’s primary objective is to acquire Motorola’s sizeable patent portfolio,” Raymond James & Assocs. analyst Todd Koffman told clients in a report today.

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Probably Not, but Big Adjustments Lie Ahead for Search Advertisers

Search ad formats are in a constant state of motion. Since sponsored ads first appeared on the scene, tweaks to how ads appear and what makes people click have kept marketers on their toes.

In recent history, search ads have gone from being called “sponsored” to being called “ads.” Ads now have reviews and extensions. Last September, “instant search” changed the way search results appear. As you type, ads and search result listings became visible.

Earlier this week, Google made a related change: Google Instant Previews. Scrolling over a listing gives you a glimpse of what comes after the click, meaning more transparency for users and fewer clicks for Google.

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Resist the Temptation to Misrepresent Your Capabilities or Steal Someone Else’s PowerPoint

Search marketing is a complicated array of best practices, commonly held tactics and a secret underworld of marketing tricks that no one talks about. In the not-so-distant past, acquiring new clients was a matter of basic credentials and maybe a case study or two. Today, pitching search marketing — even as a component of an overall digital presence — is big business with billions at stake. Even small- to mid-size search advertising accounts (representing the vast majority of search advertisers) have become highly competitive.

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One Company’s Algorithms Determine Winners and Losers on the Web, but Don’t Expect the Feds to Worry

Search bias. Search neutrality. Search integrity. The debate over bias in search results has never been hotter. Is Google’s ranking system corrupt in favor of its own properties? Maybe, but the task of proving that is a cast-iron bitch and it should be least of your concerns.

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