There is, to my mind, no reason to need to create any ‘case’ for social media any longer. Profitable companies get it.
As evidence, PR Firm Burston-Marsteller did a survey of Fortune 100 companies. 79% of these companies are using at least one of Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, or a blog.
65% of Fortune 100 companies have Twitter Accounts. In the US, the average Fortune 100 company has 6.6 ‘official’ Twitter accounts.
| Dan Culberson | Posted in New Media | No Comments »
What is it? Bounce rate refers to the percentage of visitors who bounce away from your website after arriving without ever clicking a link to other pages on your site. It is calculate by the following formula:
What does it mean? If your bounce rate is high, visitors are not engaging with your content, not able to use your navigation, or going elsewhere to find content because it either isn’t on your page or isn’t easy to find.
What’s considered a good bounce rate? There’s no real answer to this question as there are just too many variables. Generally 20% is considered really good. Over 35% means there’s room for improvement. Anything over 50% quite often means your site has serious problems.
How do I improve bounce rate? Ah, the million dollar question. Here are few tips that can help, plus the real answer at the bottom.
Make sure your site is accessible and meets web standards. This is where hiring a professional web developer who understands everything going on behind the visitor experience and who has an appreciation for standards is key. But also, keep your audience in mind — if you’re selling widgets to a primarily male audience, make sure your site can be viewed by the 7% to 10% of men who are red-green colorblind.
The best way to improve your bounce rate, and really all web key performance indicators, is to perform the following steps:
It is only by trying different permutations of your website that you can get a handle on what works for your audience, and what sends them off to Google to search out your competitors. Try 1 call to action for a few days, make note of how many people followed through with a click, and then try something different until you get a bounce rate you can accept.
If you’d like more information on understanding or improving your website, contact me.
| Dan Culberson | Posted in Web Analytics | No Comments »
The Olympic Winter Game coverage from Vancouver has sparked some interesting ads. Some good thinking from someone at Visa had a ‘Congratulations on your first gold medal at home’ ad in the can–ready to be played at the first commercial break following that event.
But perhaps the most perplexing ad, for me, is this one showing American athlete Phelps swimming his way through solid objects to the games in Vancouver–with the help of a Sub, of course.
Setting aside Subway’s attempt (and success) in angering McDonald’s, did anyone at Subway realize swimming is a summer Olympic sport?
| Dan Culberson | Posted in Getting Noticed, Marketing | No Comments »
A lot of things suck in this world, but none perhaps as much as the band Nickelback. I’m sorry if you’re fan - I don’t mean to offend you - but seriously, these guys are bad. Cringe-worthy cliches over bad guitar rock. There is so much good music out there, why are people listening to this? I just don’t understand.
It’s not just me. Lots of people think they suck. Check out (no, actually you should join) this Facebook group trying to get a pickle more fans than Nickelback.
They suck so much that we’ve turned them into a verb - to “Nickelback” something is to lamely produce something for mass consumption with little care for its originality or creativity. It’s something we see a lot in advertising and communication. Just nickelback it and get it out the door.
So let’s agree to two things, 1) stop listening to Nickelback and 2) stop Nickelbacking creative. And the world will be a better place.
| Allan Gates | Posted in Marketing, Music | No Comments »
The Superbowl is the, well, Superbowl of advertising, where companies spend vast gobs of cash to buy 30 seconds of attention. It may have been money well spent as viewership of the game (which mercifully saw the repugnant Colts go down in flames before the Rudy-like story of the Saints) set new records in Canada and the U.S.
It’s great fun to watch the ads during the game - unless you live here in Atlantic Canada. Nope here we are forced watch things like the ludicrously, obscenely bad ad for Permacrete - the company that’s been ruining football games with an ad that was produced on a Commodore 64. Boycott.
ANYWAY, a lot of people are murmuring that the ads sucked this year. I saw a few (online, of course) that didn’t. I really liked this Google ad - smart, fast-paced and fun. It showed me how their product could change my life.
This ad for Dodge probably really resonated with the type of guys who want a car like this…
This ad for the Letterman show was timely and funny - largely for what was unsaid.
And can you really go wrong with Meagan Fox? I mean, really?
And for historical context, let’s recall the iconic 1984 ad from Apple, still regarded as one of the best ever…absolutely brilliant. (And reflecting a brand ethos that continues to this day.)
| Allan Gates | Tags: ads
Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
A new report from PEW internet contains interesting insights and data related to how older people and younger folks use the internet.
Of particular interest to me was the data around blogging. Only half as many online teens say they blog now as compared to 2006, but the popularity of blogging among adults has remained steady.
| Dan Culberson | Posted in Blogging, Marketing | No Comments »
Progress Magazine has a created a website about their initiative to recognize the best employers in Atlantic Canada. The deadline for applying is this Friday, February 5th.
We didn’t have a hand in the creation of there website or the initiative, but we definitely know some clients who are great employers.
| Dan Culberson | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
So did you hear? MLA for Fredericton-Nashwaaksis TJ Burke is officially a supah-staaah. He’s on TMZ. I mean if that’s the not the big-time, what is?
Here’s how a guy from Freddy-beach goes viral:
A week ago, American Idol broadcasted an audition by 62 year-old Larry Platt, who wowed audiences with his original ditty: Pants on the Ground. You can view it in all its glory on YouTube. The best part was Simon saying: “I have an ‘orrible feeling that song could be a hit.” Since then - millions of hits on YouTube.
Sun Jan 24, after making a comment in the Legislature about Opposition Leader David Alward’s CBC interview regarding NB Power, TJ hits YouTube and goes global. Since then he’s got almost 40,000 hits and 50 comments.
Mon Jan 25, TMZ posted the video on their site: “‘Pants on the Ground’ Used in Political Attack” As of today, there are 53 comments associated with their posting.
Tues Jan 26, CBC news posted the following article on their website: “Rapping MLA an Internet Sensation”
So how did TJ go viral? What did he do right?
1. He was topical - right now everyone is trying to put the words “Pants on the Ground” into a sentence to get big laughs. Don’t deny it, you know it’s true.
2. He was timely - stuff like this has a very short life cycle. You gotta get in and get out - fast.
3. He was unexpected - um, politicians just don’t do that sort of stuff.
4. He was gutsy - funny is hard.
The above points are four of the eight “Factors for Goin’ Viral”. The more factors you’ve got, the bigger you go. Can you figure out what the remaining four are?
| Katie Bowden | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
@uptownsaintjohn - Regularly tweets about Saint John happenings and events
@operabistro - Tweets the lunch special almost every day
@rockwoodpark - Follow for news about events and happenings at the park
@feelgoodsj - Store specials and news about the products they carry
@jessevergen - Saint John Alehouse’s chef tweets about what’s new at the Alehouse and some general food news
@jesuisprest - Brunswick Square fashion central
@UrbanDeli - Great food, good tweets
@attheboardwalk - Tweets about events and specials at Boardwalk bars and restos
@sjtheatre - Follow the Saint John Theatre Company, a truly remarkable organization that delivers great entertainment value
@DirectorSteve - Speaking of the Saint John Theatre Company, Stephen Tobias is the companies Executive Director and also delivers some good Tweets
@cfmh1073fm - Saint’s John’s campus and community voice on the airwaves
@urbanplans - Tweets about urban development in Saint John and elsewhere
@lisahrabluk - SJ Freelance writer and journalist, but also the brains and muscle behind Saint John 225 celebrations
@RedBallInternet - Ok, they’re technically in Moncton, but they just announced they’re bringing Red Ball coverage to Saint John soon.
Follow someone on Twitter we should’ve included? Please tell us about them in the comments.
| Dan Culberson | Posted in Follow me... | 2 Comments »
We’ve all seen the images and stories emerging from Haiti in the last couple of days. This is just a quick blog post to encourage you to donate to Red Cross Canada’s relief efforts.
| Dan Culberson | Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
