Generated by All in One SEO Pro v4.9.3, this is an llms-full.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site.
# Will Marlow
## Posts
### [Blog](https://willmarlow.com/blog/)
**Published:** September 5, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
---
### [LLM SEO Explained: How to Get Your Content Cited in AI Tools](https://willmarlow.com/llm-seo-explained-how-to-get-your-content-cited-in-ai-tools/)
**Published:** June 18, 2025
**Author:** Mladen Krstović
**Content:**
# LLM SEO Explained: How to Get Your Content Cited in AI Tools
by [Mladen Krstović](https://willmarlow.com/author/mladen/ "Posts by Mladen Krstović") | Jun 18, 2025 | [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/), [Original Blog](https://willmarlow.com/blog/originalblog/), [Search Engine Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/blog/search-engine-optimization/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/llm-seo-explained-how-to-get-your-content-cited-in-ai-tools/#respond)
Traditional SEO was built for ranking pages. But today’s LLM-driven search is built for retrieving passages.
In tools like Google AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity, users no longer search with simple keywords. These LLMs, or Large Language Models, are using natural language prompts filled with context, constraints, and intent. The systems answering them analyze your content at the passage level, looking for dense, context-matched, self-contained answers.
What this means:
- Pages don’t rank since only chosen passages are retrieved
- Keyword coverage isn’t enough—entities, intent, and structure now matter more
- You don’t compete for one query; you actually compete across a hidden matrix of synthetic queries
- Formatting is no longer cosmetic since semantic chunking drives retrievability
In simple words, LLMs are now extracting and remixing different pieces of content that fit the full logic of a user’s prompt. If your content doesn’t align with the system’s reasoning, it doesn’t show up, no matter how high you rank.
This guide will walk you through how to fix that. We will cover:
- How LLMs interpret prompts using entities and fan-out logic
- How to structure content for modular, standalone retrievability
- How to optimize for scenario-based prompts instead of keywords
- How to engineer content to be cited, not just crawled
Let’s dive right in!
## **Example #1: LLM SEO Strategy for the Face Painting Ideas Page**
Let’s take an example of a fictional client who runs a face painting school. They have a landing page dedicated to face painting ideas, but their page has a cluttered layout. They have too many images per face painting idea, and they also have too many tutorials.
Why is this a problem for such a visual service?
Well, this can easily overwhelm readers, especially beginners, with visual clutter, dilute topical focus, and make it difficult to scan or act on the content. This is called a cognitive load, and it can reduce the clarity of the presented content, and then this results in lower engagement, meaning that people are not going to interact with the content shown, and they can click away.
## **First Step: UX Optimization Recommendations**
Right off the bat, we would suggest that the client:
- Reduces the number of multimedia files per idea
- Limits each section to 1 featured image + 1 core tutorial
This makes each idea easier to scan, less cognitively overwhelming, and allows the content to breathe.
Now let’s move on to the LLM optimization!
## **Second Step: LLM Optimization**
So, how can we use LLM SEO principles for clarity, retrievability, and contextual alignment? We now know that real users are no longer searching by using simple keyword phrases like: “best face painting ideas.”
Instead, users are now entering complex, scenario-rich prompts into Gemini, ChatGPT, or Perplexity, such as:
“What are the best face painting ideas for a Disney-themed kids’ birthday party with characters like Elsa, Buzz Lightyear, and Moana?”
“Creative face painting ideas for school carnival booths that are quick to apply and feature animals like tigers, butterflies, and unicorns.”
“Show me the most popular face painting designs for Halloween 2025, especially for characters like Wednesday Addams, Spider-Man, and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour look.”
“Face painting inspiration for music festivals like Coachella or Burning Man—ideas with neon, glitter, tribal patterns, and cosmic themes.”
You can see that each of these prompts contains multiple entities and context signals:
- Event type (birthday party, carnival, music festival)
- Target audience (young kids, teens, adults)
- Skill level (quick design, beginner-friendly)
- Character or theme (Elsa, Tiger, Coachella-style)
To match these prompts, each painting idea on the client’s page needs to:
- Be framed as a standalone, context-aware passage
- Include the relevant entities (event, age, design, difficulty, theme)
- Use formatting that’s LLM-friendly: bullet points, bold sub-labels, and clear visual separation.
## **Before vs After: From Traditional SEO to LLM SEO**
How does this look in action? Now we will show you an example of legacy SEO copy and how we can easily format it.
“Face painting is one of the most fun activities for kids and adults alike. Unicorns are always a huge hit when it comes to popular face painting ideas, and there are so many ways to do unicorn face painting! You can paint a unicorn on the cheek, forehead, or even do a full face if you want something extra special. Glitter and rainbows make everything better, and it’s all about creativity. You don’t need to be an expert either—just follow these simple steps and you’ll wow everyone at any event. Unicorns are magical, colorful, and loved by everyone!”
What are the issues with this approach?
- ❌ Written for broad readability, not retrieval
- ❌ Focused on surface descriptions, not user scenarios
- ❌ No entities or structured context (e.g., age group, event type, skill level)
- ❌ Lacks discrete, standalone passages that LLMs can extract
- ❌ Uses filler language and vague adjectives (“super cute,” “WOW your clients”)
- ❌ Overwhelming with visuals and lacks semantic clarity
And now let’s look at the LLM-optimized content:
“Unicorn face paint is a magical and beginner-friendly design for girls, perfect for birthday parties, school fairs, and fantasy-themed festivals. Artists can either paint a full unicorn mask or a smaller character design above the eye using pastel colors, sparkles, and one-stroke techniques.
👧 Age group: Girls aged 3–9
🎉 Occasions: Birthday parties, school fairs, and festivals
🎯 Skill level: Beginner
🧰 Techniques: One-stroke rainbow, white linework, optional glitter
🎨 Color palette: Pastel rainbow with white and gold accents
🧑🎨 Tools: Round brush, pastel split cake, skin-safe glitter gel
🦄 Characters: Classic unicorn, baby unicorn, winged unicorn (pegacorn), sleepy unicorn
Tutorial: Easy Unicorn Eye Design
- Load pastel colors and sweep a rainbow shape above the eye.
- Paint a simple unicorn head and horn in white using a round brush.
- Add stars or chunky glitter to complete the effect.
👉 Watch the full video tutorial →”
Why does this approach work?
This structure allows LLMs to:
- ✅ Include retrievable entity combinations (e.g., “unicorn + pastel + beginner + one-stroke”)
- ✅ Match to parent or artist-led prompts that describe context, not just keywords
- ✅ Pull and cite this passage independently, without the rest of the page
- ✅ Target specific user contexts (e.g., “face paint for birthday parties for 3–9 y/o girls”)
Simply put, every idea is in one standalone, optimized module. And see how that was so much easier to read and scan?
Let’s take a closer look at the differences between traditional and LLM-optimized SEO copy:
Aspect: Purpose Traditional SEO Copy: Target known keyword intent and drive organic visibility
LLM-Optimized Copy: Match real user prompts and LLM retrieval logic
Aspect: Writing Style Traditional SEO Copy: Clear and accessible, often guided by keyword presence and readability
LLM-Optimized Copy: Specific, contextual, structured
Aspect: Content Structure Traditional SEO Copy: Logical flow of information, often paragraph-based
LLM-Optimized Copy: Modular, clearly labeled sections for each idea
Aspect: Audience Relevance Traditional SEO Copy: Broad appeal across segments and intents
LLM-Optimized Copy: Scenario-specific (e.g., “ages 3–9, birthday parties, beginner-friendly”)
Aspect: Entity Usage Traditional SEO Copy: Entities included when relevant, sometimes generalized
LLM-Optimized Copy: Explicit (e.g., unicorn, pastel colors, one-stroke technique, glitter)
Aspect: Retrievability by LLMs Traditional SEO Copy: Structured for human readability and crawlability, less optimized for passage-level chunking
LLM-Optimized Copy: High (self-contained, chunkable, prompt-aligned)
Aspect: Prompt Fit Traditional SEO Copy: Designed for searcher queries and SERP features, not always aligned with natural language prompts
LLM-Optimized Copy: Optimized to match scenario-rich prompts with entities and context
## **Quick Summary**
So, what have we learned so far?
Each painting idea on the page should be optimized as:
- A modular answer block to prompt-style queries
- A modular answer block containing event type, audience, skill level, theme, design specifics, and media
This ensures:
- Better UX for scanning and focus
- Better semantic match with LLMs
- Higher retrievability for voice search, AI Overviews, and assistant-style browsing
Now that we’ve covered that, let’s move on to a more complex example.
## **Example #2: LLM SEO for the Best Organizational Chart Software**
In traditional search, users would often simplify queries, like “best organizational chart software.” But, as we already mentioned, in today’s LLM-powered search interfaces (Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity), queries look more like:
“What’s the best org chart software for a healthcare organization with 1,000 employees, mostly remote teams, and HIPAA compliance?” or:
“What’s a good org chart builder that works on Mac, syncs with Slack and Google Workspace, and costs under $50/month?”
Does this mean that LLMs don’t rank pages? Correct! They are extracting passages that match an entire contextual need. Which means that they have additional context from the user, such as:
- Industry context (e.g., healthcare, law firms)
- Size of organization (e.g., 20-person startup vs 2,000+ enterprise)
- Functional roles (e.g., HR, IT)
- Technological stack (e.g., Slack, Mac, Google Workspace)
- Constraints and criteria (e.g., HIPAA, SOC 2, <$50/month)
So, unless you write specific, retrievable passages that match these complex combinations of user attributes, your content will not be cited by LLMs, even if your page ranks #1 on Google!
How to fix this?
## **First Step: Understand the Topic and Its Entity Space**
This step is about moving beyond the keyword to fully understand the semantic landscape of the topic. You’re not just targeting “best organizational chart software” – you’re mapping the entities that shape user needs, LLM comprehension, and retrievability.
Understanding the entity space of your topic is critical not just for content coverage, but for understanding what user context will look like when people search using LLMs. Every prompt a user types is composed of one or more entities (e.g., industry, tool, compliance requirement), and your goal is to know what those entities are before you even start writing.
When someone asks Gemini or ChatGPT: “What’s the best org chart software for a 1,000-person healthcare company using Slack with HIPAA needs?”, this isn’t just a long query; it’s a multi-layered prompt filled with contextual cues and entities that the LLM will try to understand and reason through.
Here’s what the LLM breaks down internally from the prompt above:
- Organization size (1,000 employees): implies enterprise-grade tools.
- Industry (healthcare): suggests the need for sector-specific solutions.
- Tech stack (Slack): signals that collaboration tools must be compatible.
- Compliance requirement (HIPAA): filters for platforms with verifiable regulatory safeguards.
If your content doesn’t contain a passage that speaks to all, or at least most of these elements, it will likely be skipped!
To highlight, LLMs look for passages that mirror the structure of the prompt, not just the keyword. You need to write for scenarios, not just terms.
### What Even Are Entities?
Let’s take a step back. What are entities, you might be wondering?
Entities are the named people, places, products, categories, and standards that LLMs recognize and use to build semantic relationships, such as:
- Brands (Lucidchart, Pingboard, Creately)
- Features (real-time collaboration, drag-and-drop interface, template libraries)
- Standards (HIPAA, SOC 2, GDPR)
- Roles (HR, IT manager, compliance officer)
- Integrations (Slack, Google Workspace, PowerPoint, HRIS)
LLMs use entity co-occurrence and embedding similarity to understand what your content is about and whether it’s relevant to a user’s prompt, meaning if you don’t include the right entities, your content won’t show up, because the model doesn’t see it as relevant. If your content doesn’t answer the question or scenario implied by the prompt, it won’t be selected either. LLMs are looking for passages that not only contain the right terms but deliver the complete, context-specific answer a user would expect.
Understanding your entity space also means understanding how users describe problems. You can use LLMs not only to list entities, but also to help structure those entities into an ontology, a conceptual model of how tools, features, roles, and needs relate to one another.
E.g., Advanced Prompt to ChatGPT:
“Act as a technical content strategist. Build a structured ontology for the topic ‘organizational chart software.’ Include classes such as product features, user types, industry applications, integrations, pricing tiers, and compliance needs. Output the relationships and hierarchy in a table or bullet format that could be used for content modeling.”
To illustrate how to structure entities meaningfully, here’s a sample ontology – a conceptual map of how relevant concepts relate to one another in the domain of organizational chart software:
Relationship: has_feature Entity & Entity Instance: Product Features > Real-time collaboration, drag-and-drop editor, templates, PDF export, auto-sync Relationship: used_by Entity & Entity Instance: User Types > HR managers, IT admins, team leads, executives, and compliance officers Relationship: used_in_industry Entity & Entity Instance: Industry Use Cases > Healthcare, education, tech startups, government, non-profits Relationship: integrates_with Entity & Entity Instance: Integrations > Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, HRIS, SharePoint Relationship: offers_pricing_tier Entity & Entity Instance: Pricing Tiers > Free, under $10/month, mid-tier ($10–50), enterprise pricing Relationship: supports_compliance_with Entity & Entity Instance: Compliance Needs > HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR So, now that you know your entities, what should you do with them? You want your content to reflect these entities naturally in paragraphs, headings, tables, comparisons, and even schema markup. That way, your passages are aligned with how LLMs represent and retrieve knowledge, increasing your visibility, and how users naturally structure their prompts. You’re not just writing content; you’re creating answers that reflect the way people describe their needs to AI.
## **Second Step: Query Fan-Out**
This step uses LLMs or specialized tools to generate the kinds of natural-language queries that real users ask, representing follow-ups, clarifications, and constraints. It mimics the way users interact with LLMs in real time.
LLMs don’t just process one query; they simulate user conversations. People start with a broad question, then clarify, add constraints, or ask for comparisons, such as:
“Best org chart software for a healthcare org?”
“Does it support HIPAA?”
“What about Slack integration?”
“Can I use it on a Mac?”
Now, how should you generate fan-out prompts?
Prompt this to ChatGPT/Gemini: “Act as an SEO strategist for a SaaS company. Based on the topic ‘best organizational chart software,’ generate 25 diverse, high-context prompts a user might input into an AI assistant like ChatGPT or Gemini during the search and decision process. Cover different industries, compliance needs, integrations, budget levels, features, and company sizes.”
Tools: [Qforia](https://qforia.streamlit.app/), [AlsoAsked](https://alsoasked.com/)
Here are also some sample fan-out prompts:
- “Best organizational chart software for a 2,000-person healthcare enterprise needing HIPAA compliance and Slack integration”
- “Free org chart builder for nonprofits with remote staff and Mac compatibility”
- “Lucidchart vs OrgChart Now for medium-sized legal firms”
- “Best org chart software for startups scaling past 100 employees”
- “Org chart tools under $25/month that integrate with HRIS systems”
- “Visual org chart builder for schools using Google Workspace”
- “Best drag-and-drop org chart creator with PowerPoint export”
- “What org chart tools let me automate updates from our employee directory?”
- “Affordable alternative to Visio that runs in-browser and supports SOC 2 compliance”
- “Which org chart platforms work best for hybrid teams and include collaboration features?”
This fan-out set will guide you on what you need to answer, which entities must be included, and how specific your content needs to be. The goal here is to simulate every major intent path a user could take around your core topic.
## Third Step: Build a Query Matrix
This step is about organizing the prompts you generated in Step 2 into a structured view of user intent. You’re no longer guessing what topics to cover; you’re now categorizing prompts into clear themes that represent the real-world needs of your users.
Think of this as creating a coverage map of questions that you need to answer. You’re grouping queries by shared intent, not by keyword volume or search difficulty. This is not technical, it’s intuitive: what kinds of things are people asking about?
Here’s what you need to do:
1. Review your fan-out prompts (Step 2).
2. Group them into buckets based on intent themes, such as:
- Industry
- Budget
- Features
- Compliance
- Comparison
- Platform
3. For each group, pick example prompts that capture the full context a user might describe.
4. Use this matrix to plan which types of passages you need to write.
Here are some examples:
Intent Theme & Example Prompt Industry > “Best org chart software for law firms with 50-100 staff” Budget > “Free org chart builder for NGOs” Compliance > “HIPAA-compliant org chart for hospitals” Features > “Org chart tool with Slack + HRIS integration” Comparison > “Lucidchart vs Pingboard for remote teams” Platform > “Org chart tool that works offline on Mac” By organizing your prompts by intent, you will be able to:
- Identify all the different situations users need answers for
- Ensure you’re not missing an entire use case (like budget buyers or Mac users)
- Create a repeatable structure for scaling LLM-ready content
We build this matrix because it’s not realistic to write content for every single possible prompt variation. Instead, by grouping prompts by recurring intent patterns, we can focus on the most common and meaningful use cases, and write 2–3 high-quality, context-rich passages per group. This balances completeness with practicality and ensures the page addresses real user needs in a scalable way.
Let’s look at the comparison table once again:
Traditional SEO vs LLM SEO Build keyword clusters vs Build prompt + entity-based matrices Focus on page-level structure vs Focus on passage-level, context-matched coverage Write general content by topic vs Write precise content that matches real-world user context This structure becomes your semantic coverage plan. LLMs aren’t looking for one answer; they’re matching subtopics. If you fail to address the core scenarios, your brand won’t be represented in that part of the conversation.
## Fourth Step: Structure Content Using the AI Mode Framework
You are probably wondering how you should structure your content, your landing page copy, and your blog posts. Let’s look at the core content traits that you can use for AI mode. Also, remember that these are not optional. They are signals that LLMs rely on to figure out what to retrieve, rephrase, or cite when answering complex prompts.
Trait: Reasoning Target
Description: Each passage must answer a full prompt
Why It Matters: LLMs use vector + logic to validate self-contained relevance
Trait: Fan-Out Compatible
Description: Include recognized brands, tools, and features
Why It Matters: Ensures matchability to the semantic concepts embedded in prompts
Trait: Citation-Worthy
Description: Include numeric values, features, pros/cons, and statistics
Why It Matters: Increases trust and likelihood of being cited
Trait: Composition-Friendly
Description: Use bullets, tables, TL; DRs, and headings
Why It Matters: Makes passages easily chunked by LLMs
(Learn more about how[ AI mode works](https://ipullrank.com/how-ai-mode-works).)
When a user types a complex prompt, LLMs don’t just scan it for matching phrases; they reason through sub-decisions that are implied within the prompt.
Example Prompt: “Best org chart tool for a healthcare organization with HIPAA compliance and Slack integration”
The LLM interprets this by silently asking itself:
1. What tools are considered high-quality org chart platforms?
2. Which ones are HIPAA-compliant?
3. Which ones work well for healthcare orgs?
4. Do they integrate with Slack?
Each of these is a reasoning step. Your content needs to match them, not just in general, but explicitly and clearly within retrievable passages. You’re not just matching a prompt, you’re matching its implied logic path.
To satisfy this path effectively in your content, use these formatting patterns:
- Mini-FAQs: Each Q&A pair should answer a single real-world prompt fully.
- Tables: Comparison tables (e.g., one software vs the other similar software) are highly chunkable and citation-friendly.
- Bulleted Feature Lists: Clear formatting makes semantic parsing easier.
- Use-case callouts: “Best for HR teams in remote settings” adds context that LLMs can match.
- TL;DR summaries: Include a 1–2 sentence takeaway for each section.
- Stat Blocks: Isolated statistics with sources improve citation likelihood.
- Pros and Cons Boxes: Highlight tradeoffs clearly for reasoning engines.
- Step-by-Step Instructions: Numbered processes enhance task-oriented retrievability.
- Quote Blocks: Authoritative expert insights increase trust and passage-level value.
- Persona-Based Segments: Structure responses by persona types (e.g., “For IT admins…”).
- Semantic Headings: Use question-based or intent-labeled H2s/H3s (e.g., “Which tool is HIPAA-compliant?”).
- Inline Comparisons: “X vs Y” phrasing within body paragraphs supports comparative fan-out.
Think of your content as a modular knowledge base, not a linear article. Each module should be optimized to stand on its own, include high-value entities, and be surfaced in response to a specific context-rich prompt.
## Fifth Step: Write Optimized Passages
We now know that each passage is a retrieval-ready block; a self-contained unit of content that directly answers a full-context AI prompt. The LLM is not retrieving your whole page; it’s just looking for the single most semantically aligned passage that fits a user’s situation.
Writing optimized passages means anticipating the exact combinations of:
- User needs (e.g., a nonprofit on a tight budget)
- Entities (e.g., specific tools, pricing, platforms)
- Functional outcomes (e.g., Slack integration, PDF export, compliance)
These passages become the actual surface that gets retrieved, cited, or paraphrased by LLMs.
Let’s take a look at this example for a user prompt:
“What’s the best org chart tool for a hospital that needs HIPAA compliance and remote team access?”
And here’s an example of an optimized passage on a fictional website:
“Z and Y are popular org chart platforms for healthcare organizations. Both offer HIPAA-compliant architecture, including encrypted data storage, role-based access control, and audit trails. These tools support remote access while maintaining regulatory compliance, making them suitable for multi-site hospitals.”
Why is this an optimized passage?
- Entity instances used: name of org chart platforms, HIPAA, encrypted data, access control, audit trails, healthcare organizations, remote access, multi-site hospitals
- Context matched:
- Industry: healthcare
- Constraint: HIPAA compliance
- Tech requirement: remote access
- Scale: multi-site
Let’s take a look at another user prompt:
“Is there a low-cost org chart software for nonprofits with fewer than 50 people that integrates with Google Workspace?”
And here’s also another example of an optimized passage:
“Y starts at just $5/month and includes drag-and-drop templates, real-time collaboration, PDF export, and integration with Google Workspace. It’s well-suited for nonprofits and budget-conscious teams under 50 people.”
Why is this an optimized passage?
- Entity instances used: name of the software, $5/month, drag-and-drop, real-time collaboration, PDF export, Google Workspace, nonprofits, teams under 50
- Context matched:
- Audience: nonprofit
- Budget: <$10/month
- Tech stack: Google Workspace
- Scale: small teams
Now what would be a good passage if a user is interested in comparing two software products? For example, a user would type this prompt:
“Z vs Y for distributed teams with HRIS integration”
Optimized passage could look something like this:
“Z offers powerful diagramming tools with HRIS integrations and team collaboration features, but Y stands out for remote teams with real-time org chart updates, Slack sync, and employee profile customization. For distributed HR teams, Y may offer more relevant remote-first features.”
This works because you have:
- Entity instances used: actual names of the products, HRIS, Slack, remote teams, employee profiles
- Context matched:
- Comparison format
- Remote/distributed team needs
- Integration: HRIS, Slack
Depending on your product, you can always highlight if it’s compatible for Mac users, whether it offers offline access, if it integrates with other industry standard software such as Microsoft Teams, Slack and others.
### Why Does This All Matters in LLM SEO?
LLMs operate on semantic similarity between the user’s prompt and your content passage. They’re looking for answers that demonstrate:
- Precision (does it match the full context?)
- Structure (can it stand alone?)
- Entities (are key people/brands/tools explicitly named?)
Your content needs to function like a library of answer modules, not a blog post. The better your passages match these full-context prompts, the more likely you are to be cited, paraphrased, or linked as a source. Think in paragraphs, not pages. Each paragraph is a potential LLM result.
## Sixth Step: Add Structured Data and Semantic Markup
LLMs use structural cues and not just raw text to identify content that’s specific, trustworthy, and well-organized. Adding semantic markup helps models interpret your content more accurately.
How do you do that?
For example, use schema.org markup for:
- SoftwareApplication (for tool listings)
- FAQPage (for Q&A content)
- Product (for pricing, features, comparisons)
- Review or Rating
Example: Use @type: SoftwareApplication to describe a tool’s integrations, platforms, and compliance. This reinforces your content’s structure and relevance across both search engines and LLMs.
## Seventh Step: Build Topical Density Around the Core Theme
We all wish to be true, but publishing one great page won’t be enough. LLMs favor domains that exhibit deep topical authority. You need to show coverage across the full conceptual neighborhood. Which means, more pages and more content!
How should you approach this?
- Publish case studies – they are often a perfect representation of user scenarios
- Link to related use cases (e.g., onboarding workflows, compliance challenges)
- Publish support content for each intent cluster in your query matrix
- Interlink using semantically meaningful anchor text
Example: From your org chart landing page, link to your blog posts like “HRIS integrations for org chart software” or “Org design templates for remote teams”. The more dense and relevant your content ecosystem, the more likely you’ll appear across diverse LLM prompts.
## Eight Step: Extend Retrieval via External Surface Area
LLMs don’t only cite your blog. They pull from docs, community posts, forum threads, technical Q&As, product pages… Your goal is to get retrievable surfaces in as many locations as possible.
How can you do that?
- Post your best passages as answers on Reddit, Quora, and StackOverflow
- Include structured summaries in help docs or support articles
- Get listed on review platforms (e.g., G2, Capterra) with language that mirrors real prompts
- Build case studies rich with context
The more places your passages live, the more likely they’ll be pulled into LLM conversations.
## Ninth Step: Track the Metrics That Matter in the LLM SEO Era
Traditional SEO KPIs were built for a web of 10 blue links and single-intent queries. In the AI Mode era, they leave you blind to what matters most: visibility without clicks, brand mentions without links, and decision influence without attribution.
While legacy SEO metrics can be still useful, they’re incomplete in today’s online world because…
- You might rank #1 for a term, but still not appear in any LLM-generated answers if your content doesn’t match the full logic of the prompt.
- LLMs generate zero-click answers. Your traffic may drop, even when your visibility increases.
- Bounce rate and dwell time don’t reflect LLM usage at all, especially when your content is cited, but never clicked.
In LLM SEO, visibility ≠ traffic. The value is in being cited or referenced, even if there’s no click.
Let’s look at some goals and metrics.
Goal: LLM Visibility
Metric: Citation Frequency
What It Tells You: Whether your content is appearing in LLM answers (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity)
How to Track It: Tools like[ Peec.ai](https://www.peec.ai/),[ Xofu](https://www.xofu.com/), or prompt manually testing
Goal: Brand Impact
Metric: Brand Search Volume
What It Tells You: Users saw your brand in an AI result and searched for it directly
How to Track It: Google Search Console → Branded keyword impressions & clicks
Goal: Brand Entry
Metric: Direct Traffic
What It Tells You: People typed your URL or came from “dark” AI referrals with no clear source
How to Track It: GA4 → Traffic source: “Direct” (watch for surges post-publication)
Goal: Conversion Attribution
Metric: Branded Conversions
What It Tells You: Users who already knew your brand (often LLM-driven) took action
How to Track It: GA4 or CRM: Conversion paths that start with direct or branded search
Goal: Content Suitability
Metric: Passage Retrievability Score
What It Tells You: Is your content written in modular, prompt-aligned blocks LLMs can extract?
How to Track It: Manual review; check for format: bullets, FAQs, TL;DRs, and entity inclusion
Goal: Prompt Fit
Metric: Prompt Alignment Coverage
What It Tells You: How well your content answers common user prompts with entities, constraints, and reasoning
How to Track It: Simulate prompt sets using ChatGPT or Qforia; check if your content matches real scenarios
Goal: Entity Density
Metric: Key Entity Inclusion
What It Tells You: Whether your pages include the brands, tools, standards, and use cases LLMs need to match prompts
How to Track It: Content audit: Highlight and map entity types per passage or section
Goal: Brand Surface Area
Metric: External Presence of Answer Modules
What It Tells You: How often your content (or its ideas) appears in forums, reviews, support docs, etc.
How to Track It: Search for your content/snippets across Reddit, Quora, G2, support hubs, etc.
And now let’s move on to the probably most important question that you may have: which tools for LLM SEO are a must?
## Basic LLM SEO Tool Stack
Here is a streamlined set of tools to support the most important steps in LLM SEO and LLM-driven content planning:
Purpose: Entity Mapping & Ontology
Tool: ChatGPT
What It Does: Build structured ontologies and map relevant entities to your topic
Purpose: Prompt Simulation
Tool: ChatGPT
What It Does: Generate realistic, scenario-based prompts that users might ask an LLM
Purpose: Prompt Clustering & Fan-Out
Tool: Qforia\*
What It Does: Automate prompt expansion
Purpose: Topic Exploration
Tool: AlsoAsked
What It Does: Visualize related follow-up questions based on real user behavior
Purpose: Brand Visibility Tracking
Tool: Peec.ai / Xofu.com\*
What It Does: Analyze whether your brand appears in LLM-generated answers, track citations, benchmark competitors, and refine content based on what LLMs retrieve
\*Qforia and Xofu are currently free tools
## Some Final Words…
LLM SEO isn’t just about ranking pages; it’s about writing content that can be retrieved, cited, and used by language models responding to real user prompts.
This guide introduces a practical framework for:
- Mapping user intent through prompt simulation
- Structuring content around context-rich scenarios
- Embedding entities and formatting for modular retrieval
By focusing on clarity, relevance, and structure, you too can create content that serves both users and LLMs and meets the evolving standards of AI-driven search.
Marketing is undergoing a profound transformation driven by AI. By staying informed and proactive, businesses can harness these changes to their advantage. If you’re ready to take your marketing efforts to the next level and leverage AI-driven strategies,[ contact Will Marlow Agency](https://willmarlow.com/contact-will-marlow-agency/) today to see how we can help.
Interested in learning more about AI, SEO or marketing in general?
Check out our previous blog posts:
- [The Shift Towards AI in Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/the-shift-towards-ai-in-marketing/)
- [13 Mistakes Small Business Owners Make When Using SEO](https://willmarlow.com/13-mistakes-small-business-owners-make-when-using-seo/)
- [How ChatGPT Will Impact Google Search](https://willmarlow.com/how-chatgpt-will-impact-google-search/)
**Categories:** Digital Marketing, Original Blog, Search Engine Optimization
**Tags:** ai, artificial intelligence, large language models, llm, SEO
---
### [The Shift Towards AI in Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/the-shift-towards-ai-in-marketing/)
**Published:** January 20, 2025
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# The Shift Towards AI in Marketing
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Jan 20, 2025 | [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/the-shift-towards-ai-in-marketing/#respond)
(Photo by [Solen Feyissa](https://unsplash.com/@solenfeyissa?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/a-close-up-of-a-cell-phone-with-an-ai-button-_XtH7BBRPtA?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash))
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing marketing with tools like [ChatGPT](https://chatgpt.com/), [Gemini](https://gemini.google.com/), and others. Google predicts that the shift towards AI will be more impactful than the shift from desktop to mobile. These tools are fundamentally changing how information is surfaced. These innovations do not stop there; they are also driving the creation of new advertising formats, such as [Performance Max (P-Max) campaigns](https://ads.google.com/home/campaigns/performance-max/). Google claims that the AI push in 2025 may rival or even surpass the mobile revolution in its impact ([1](https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-plans-major-ai-push-in-2025-reshaping-search-marketing-450029)), fundamentally transforming how users discover information and interact with businesses. One of the most significant shifts involves moving beyond traditional keyword-based advertising. This means marketers need to adapt their strategies to remain effective in a changing digital advertising space.
## The Future of Search and Organic Traffic
Gartner predicts that organic search traffic will decline by 25% by the end of 2026 ([2](https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-02-19-gartner-predicts-search-engine-volume-will-drop-25-percent-by-2026-due-to-ai-chatbots-and-other-virtual-agents)), with informational searches (“What are \_\_\_\_\_?”) being the most affected. As AI systems like ChatGPT and Gemini improve, they’ll increasingly serve as primary sources for informational queries, reducing the need for users to visit traditional search engine results pages. This also means that the role of your website is shifting. As AI-driven platforms evolve, users may arrive at your website armed with more information than ever before. While strict informational content remains valuable, companies should prioritize offering:
- Compelling calls to action
- Unique offers
- Informational products that provide added value
This shift necessitates a conversation with your marketing team about the type of website your company should maintain. Does it offer more than just static information? Is it optimized for AI-driven user journeys?
## How Do We Get Into ChatGPT, Gemini, and Others?
To position your business for success in the AI-driven marketing era, consider the following steps:
- Publish detailed, useful content on your website to establish credibility.
- Create high-quality content offsite, such as articles in trade publications or press releases distributed via platforms like Business Wire.
- Leverage structured data opportunities from sources like Wikipedia to enhance visibility.
- Build third-party mentions and backlinks to demonstrate authority and relevance to AI platforms.
## The Importance of Satisfying Users
Google’s algorithm increasingly prioritizes content that satisfies user intent. Metrics like bounce rate are key indicators of whether your content meets expectations. Ensuring that users engage deeply with your content can improve rankings across both traditional and AI-powered search engines.
## Should You Use P-Max and Other AI Advertising Formats?
Performance Max and other AI-powered advertising formats are worth exploring. To make the most of these tools:
- Conduct at least one AI-driven advertising test per month.
- Review and update your conversion tracking to align with your specific optimization goals.
- Decide in advance which metrics to optimize for when configuring the AI algorithm.
- For B2B and highly technical industries, adoption of AI advertising may be slower, but early experimentation can yield valuable insights and competitive advantages.
## Non-AI SEO/SEM Factors Still Matter
While AI is reshaping marketing, traditional SEO and SEM tactics remain relevant. For instance:
- Google confirmed in October 2024 that it treats distinct website sections differently based on how they stand out ([3](https://www.impressiondigital.com/blog/october-2024-google-algorithm-and-search-industry-updates/)).
- Links remain a critical ranking factor, with 96% of the top 10 Google results having more than 1,000 backlinks from unique domains ([4](https://searchengineland.com/link-importance-google-top-10-study-443024)).
- 60% of Google searches now end without a click, underscoring the need for content that engages users directly on search engine results pages ([5](https://searchengineland.com/google-search-zero-click-study-2024-443869)).
## Final Thoughts
Marketing is undergoing a profound transformation driven by AI. By staying informed and proactive, businesses can harness these changes to their advantage. From creating high-quality content to experimenting with new advertising formats, the opportunities are vast for those willing to adapt. If you’re ready to take your marketing efforts to the next level and leverage AI-driven strategies, [contact Will Marlow Agency](https://willmarlow.com/contact-will-marlow-agency/) today to see how we can help.
Also, check out more in our presentation below.
**Categories:** Digital Marketing
---
### [The Why and How of Google Ads Account Verification Process](https://willmarlow.com/the-why-and-how-of-google-ads-account-verification-process/)
**Published:** May 22, 2024
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# The Why and How of Google Ads Account Verification Process
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | May 22, 2024 | [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/), [Google Ads](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-ads/), [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-analytics/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/the-why-and-how-of-google-ads-account-verification-process/#respond)
You’ve got an email notification from Google that you should start your Google Ads account verification process. Now what?
It is a standard procedure in which Google tries to match the account with the company and the billing information.
The process is quite simple: you’ll need company and personal documents that should confirm that the account is associated with your company.
You will need to submit the following documents to Google:
1. A scan of one of the documents related to the company. That could be any of the below documents:
– A letter or notice issued or stamped by the IRS, such as CP 575 that confirms your Employer Identification Number (EIN)
– A copy of the organization’s Form 8871, 8872, or 990 from the IRS website
– A state-issued certificate of business registration or incorporation
– Your organization’s most recent SEC filing, including Form 10-K, 10-Q, or 8-K
– A business credit report from Experian, Equifax, TransUnion, or Dun & Bradstreet
AND
2. One of the personal documents from the list below:
– Driver’s License
– State ID
– U.S. Passport or Passport Card
– Green Card
Additional tips:
Double-check the date on your personal document to make sure it’s not expired.
Ideally, the personal document should belong to the person listed in the company’s IRS document as a company representative.
When sending a personal document, please remember that all four edges of the document must be visible. Also, you will need both sides of that document scanned.
There is usually a deadline for completing the verification process and it will be indicated in Google’s email notification.
Need assistance? [Get in touch with our Google Ads specialists](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/) and we can help you with this process.
**Categories:** Digital Marketing, Google Ads, Google Analytics
---
### [12 Lessons We Learned from Working With Child-Oriented Brands (& Small Local Businesses)](https://willmarlow.com/12-lessons-we-learned-from-working-with-child-oriented-brands-and-small-businesses/)
**Published:** October 17, 2023
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# 12 Lessons We Learned from Working With Child-Oriented Brands (& Small Local Businesses)
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Oct 17, 2023 | [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/), [Google Ads](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-ads/), [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-analytics/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/12-lessons-we-learned-from-working-with-child-oriented-brands-and-small-businesses/#respond)
(Cover photo by [Carlos Magno](https://unsplash.com/@soucarlosmagno?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/DzcULYvMSYY?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash))
Here at the [**Will Marlow Agency**](https://willmarlow.com), we’ve had the opportunity and privilege to help our small local business clients (many of which are child-oriented brands) build their name and digital presence across the country.
We wanted to share knowledge, tips, and tricks we’ve learned over the years in setting up marketing campaigns with child-focused brands and small local businesses hoping this can help you as well.
(1) Poaching keywords is a real thing. Your competitors will target your brand name if they can see value in it. They will target your brand name alongside the industry keywords and in that way try to direct traffic to their site. So people who are searching for your brand can unintentionally end up on your competitors’ websites instead, who are child-oriented brands as well.
(2) **Geo-targeting** is extraordinarily important in order to avoid self-competing for keywords with other members of your ecosystem. This, of course, applies to you in case you have various subdivisions, shops, centers, or any location-specific representation.
(3) **Measuring Bottom of funnel (BOFU) conversion rates** and optimizing here is more important than generating a lot of superficial interest (since most franchises focus on vanity metrics, such as the number of likes).
(4) **Tap into local holidays or state-wide holidays**. Offer discounts or gifts that align with your child-oriented brands and offer. Offer a promotional discount code for all purchases one week before Easter or Christmas, and use the holiday cheer to your advantage.
(5) **Targeting parents passively on the platforms** they live on is highly valuable for generating brand recognition and new interest. Think whether Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or any other social media platform is your golden ticket. Depending on the children’s age your product is meant for, figure out which parents’ age bracket you are targeting.
(6) **Continually updated, seasonally relevant images/videos** showing kids having fun/learning are highly important. For example, you wouldn’t promote your products or services with images of children having fun in the snow in the middle of July.
(7) **Seasonally appropriate ad messaging** is also a key way to convey freshness since many landing pages are not updated with the season. You can keep the landing pages in a more general tone of voice and rich in evergreen content, while your promotional content can be in tune with the current season.
(8) What better way to lure new clients than with **a free sample or a free service**? Offering a trial visit (free or even low cost) is a highly effective CTA and gets new families in the door.
(9) **Ad messaging should focus on benefits** parents are critically concerned about and should be highly tailored to the age group depending on your brand or product, e.g., 0-2: milestone development, socialization; 3-5: school readiness, socialization, energy-burning; 6-12: progressive skill growth, certified instructors, confidence building, etc.
(10) **Specific knowledge about the local target audience** should be mined to identify parents’ pain points and corresponding benefits for their kids. For example, some communities are very concerned about germ/illness prevention measures, while others find any such discussion alienating. This could vary significantly by business location (e.g. Silicon Valley parents were way more concerned about COVID precautions than parents in some other areas of the country).
(11) **Budgets should be redistributed monthly (or possibly even more frequently) based on individual product or service availability**. Saving spend during low-interest times is a great way to conserve budget for times when there is higher-than-average demand. This should also be applied seasonally–e.g. if your products/services are summer-related, save your money by ceasing campaigns during the colder months.
(12) It is **critical to drop users to the landing page most relevant to the ad they saw** (this is rarely the home page). It is also important to provide information in a simple-to-navigate format, with a clear, easy-to-find CTA so they can convert on the same page. With every added step (click) potential clients will drop off. If they can’t quickly find what they are looking for, they are bound to leave your website.
**Looking for a trustworthy digital marketing partner?**
You are at the right place.
[Contact our specialists today](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/).
**Will Marlow Agency** is a data-driven™ digital marketing agency based in the Washington DC-area, and we work with clients all around the world on PPC, SEO, Content, CRM, and Marketing Automation. We are Google and Microsoft Ads Certified Partners.
**Want to learn more? Check our latest blog posts:** • [13 Mistakes Small Business Owners Make When Using SEO](https://willmarlow.com/13-mistakes-small-business-owners-make-when-using-seo/)
• [How ChatGPT Will Impact Google Search](https://willmarlow.com/how-chatgpt-will-impact-google-search/)
• [Instagram Dos and Don’ts for the Business User](https://willmarlow.com/instagram-guidelines-business-dos-and-donts/)
**Categories:** Digital Marketing, Google Ads, Google Analytics
---
### [13 Mistakes Small Business Owners Make When Using SEO](https://willmarlow.com/13-mistakes-small-business-owners-make-when-using-seo/)
**Published:** August 30, 2023
**Author:** Dragan Stojanovic
**Content:**
# 13 Mistakes Small Business Owners Make When Using SEO
by [Dragan Stojanovic](https://willmarlow.com/author/dstojanovic/ "Posts by Dragan Stojanovic") | Aug 30, 2023 | [Search Engine Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/blog/search-engine-optimization/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/13-mistakes-small-business-owners-make-when-using-seo/#respond)
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a vital aspect of any small business’s online presence. It helps increase visibility, attract organic traffic, and improve conversions, playing a key role in establishing the brand in the digital marketplace. However, many small business owners make certain mistakes that hinder the effectiveness of their SEO efforts.
These mistakes are often due to misconceptions, lack of experience, or a failure to recognize the complexity of SEO strategies. In this article, we will discuss:
1\. Lack of Keyword Research
2\. Ignoring Security and Technical SEO Aspects
3\. Ignoring On-Page Optimization
4\. Neglecting Local SEO
5\. Not Utilizing Quality Content
6\. Overlooking Mobile Optimization
7\. Neglecting Website Speed
8\. Ignoring User Experience
9\. Failing to Build High-Quality Backlinks
10\. Neglecting Social Media Presence
11\. Lack of Consistent Monitoring and Analysis
12\. Relying on Outdated Techniques
13\. Inconsistent Branding and Messaging
## Introduction
Small business owners often face challenges when implementing SEO strategies, a vital but complex aspect of online marketing. They may lack the necessary knowledge or resources, leading to mistakes that can negatively impact their online visibility and growth.
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/seo-mistakes-1.jpg)
By understanding these mistakes and learning how to avoid them, small business owners can optimize their SEO efforts and achieve better results. This introductory section will set the stage for the details that follow, including practical guidance for each area of concern.
## 1. Lack of Keyword Research
One of the significant mistakes small business owners make is not conducting thorough keyword research. Keyword research is crucial as it helps identify the terms and phrases potential customers use to search for products or services.
Without proper keyword research, businesses may fail to target the right audience and miss out on valuable organic traffic, leading to lower conversion rates and lost revenue opportunities. To avoid this mistake, small business owners should invest time in **researching relevant keywords and incorporate them strategically into their website content, meta tags, headings, and URLs**. Utilizing tools like **Google’s Keyword Planner** can be beneficial in this process.
Actionable Tips:
- Use tools like [Google’s Keyword Planner](https://ads.google.com/home/tools/keyword-planner/) to identify relevant keywords.
- Incorporate these keywords into content, headings, and URLs.
## 2. Ignoring Security and Technical SEO Aspects
Technical SEO and website security are often overlooked by small business owners but are vital to the overall SEO strategy. Ignoring technical elements such as site architecture, HTTPS, crawl errors, and XML sitemaps can make it harder for search engines to properly index and rank the website.
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/seo-mistakes-2.jpg)
Additionally, a lack of security measures can lead to vulnerabilities and potential attacks that erode trust and damage the site’s reputation. Investing in technical SEO audits, implementing secure protocols (such as SSL certificates), and regularly monitoring for potential security breaches can enhance a website’s performance, security, and trustworthiness. Engaging with technical SEO specialists can further ensure that all critical aspects are addressed.
You can analyze this for free (with a limit of 500 URLs) with [Screaming Frog Website Crawler](https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/). Here you can see what pages are declared with an HTTP and redirect them to an HTTPS version of that page.
Actionable Tips:
- Download Screaming Frog and crawl your website.
- Check for HTTP pages, Internal redirections, and 404. Then fix them.
## 3. Ignoring On-Page Optimization
On-page optimization plays a crucial role in SEO success. Small business owners often overlook the importance of optimizing their web pages for search engines. This includes optimizing meta tags, headings, and image alt tags, and ensuring proper keyword placement within the content.
By ignoring on-page optimization, businesses miss the opportunity to send clear signals to search engines about their website’s relevance and content, resulting in lost ranking opportunities. Small business owners should focus on creating unique and compelling meta titles and descriptions, optimizing headings with relevant keywords, and incorporating SEO-friendly URLs. Implementing schema markup can also boost visibility.
Actionable Tips:
- Crawl your website with Screaming Frog and check the Page Title, Meta Description, and H1 columns.
- See if there are any missing, multiple, or duplicate Page Titles, Meta Descriptions, and H1.
- Replace the missing, duplicates, and multiples with a well-crafted copy that includes the main keyword you want that page to rank for. (Use the [SERP Simulator](https://mangools.com/free-seo-tools/serp-simulator) to help you stay in the optimal character range)
- Implement the right heading structure and optimize headings with relevant keywords.
## 4. Neglecting Local SEO
Local SEO is vital for small businesses targeting a specific geographic area. Neglecting local SEO can hinder a business’s visibility in local search results, making it difficult for nearby customers to find them. Small business owners should **claim their Google Business Profile listing, optimize it with accurate contact information, business hours, and respond to customer reviews**.
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/seo-mistakes-3.jpg)
Furthermore, optimizing website content with locally relevant keywords and obtaining local citations can significantly improve a small business’s visibility in local search results. These efforts can translate into higher foot traffic and localized online engagement.
Actionable Tips:
- Claim and optimize your [Google Business Profile](https://www.google.com/business/) listing.
- Include locally relevant keywords on your site.
- Add the website to all relevant local and industry directories so you build citations.
- Actively respond to customer reviews.
## 5. Not Utilizing Quality Content
Content is the backbone of any successful SEO strategy. Small business owners often make the mistake of not investing in high-quality, relevant content. Poorly written or irrelevant content fails to engage readers and hampers search engine rankings.
Low-quality content can tarnish a brand’s reputation and diminish customer trust. To avoid this mistake, small business owners should create informative and engaging content that aligns with their target audience’s interests.
**Regularly publishing blog posts, articles, or guides can establish authority, attract organic traffic, and generate backlinks from other reputable websites**. Collaborating with industry experts or influencers can add credibility to the content.
Actionable Tip:
- Produce informative and engaging content relevant to your niche. This is how you build topical authority.
- Collaborate with experts or influencers.
- Consider publishing regular blog posts to establish authority.
## 6. Overlooking Mobile Optimization
In today’s mobile-dominated world, neglecting mobile optimization is a grave mistake. With a significant portion of internet users accessing websites through mobile devices, small business owners must ensure their websites are mobile-friendly and provide a seamless browsing experience.
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/seo-mistakes-4.jpg)
A poor mobile experience can deter potential customers and result in lost sales opportunities. By utilizing responsive design, optimizing page load speed, and improving mobile navigation, small business owners can enhance the user experience and improve their search engine rankings. Mobile-first indexing should also be a priority!
Actionable Tips:
- Check if your page has a [mobile-friendly design](https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly).
- If not, get in contact with your developer team to optimize for a responsive design.
- Improve mobile navigation for a seamless browsing experience.
## 7. Neglecting Website Speed
Website speed is a critical factor in SEO and user experience. Slow-loading websites frustrate visitors and discourage them from exploring further. This can lead to high bounce rates and negatively impact conversion rates.
Moreover, search engines consider page speed when determining search rankings, adding another layer of importance to this aspect. Small business owners should optimize their website’s speed by compressing images, enabling browser caching, and minimizing the use of external scripts and plugins.
Regular monitoring and optimization of website speed can significantly enhance user experience and search engine visibility. Utilizing tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can provide actionable recommendations.
Actionable Tips:
- Compress images ([TinyJPG](https://tinyjpg.com/) is a great tool for this) and enable browser caching.
- Minimize external scripts and minify JavaScript and CSS.
- Utilize tools like [Google PageSpeed Insights](https://pagespeed.web.dev/) for guidance.
- Use a content delivery network (CDN).
## 8. Ignoring User Experience
A positive user experience is vital for both visitors and search engines. Small business owners often make the mistake of neglecting user experience factors such as intuitive navigation, clear call-to-actions, and easy accessibility. This can lead to confusion and dissatisfaction among users, which impacts both retention and conversion rates.
By analyzing user behavior, conducting usability tests, and optimizing the website’s structure and design, small business owners can create a seamless and enjoyable user experience. This, in turn, improves the chances of visitors staying longer, engaging with the content, and converting into customers.
The inclusion of interactive elements and visual aids can further enhance the user experience.
Actionable Tips:
- Analyze user behavior in Google Analytics (or HotJar for you advanced ones) and conduct usability tests.
- Implement a simple and intuitive website architecture that provides a simple flow to the user.
- Include interactive elements and colorful buttons to create an enjoyable experience and increase the conversion rate.
## 9. Failing to Build High-Quality Backlinks
Backlinks from reputable and relevant websites are essential for SEO success. Small business owners sometimes overlook the importance of building high-quality backlinks, focusing solely on quantity rather than quality.
Without a strong backlink profile, it becomes challenging to establish credibility and authority in the eyes of search engines, which ultimately affects search ranking. Small business owners should focus on developing a link-building strategy that involves reaching out to industry influencers, participating in guest blogging, or creating shareable content that naturally attracts backlinks.
Building relationships with other industry professionals can also facilitate the acquisition of valuable links.
Actionable Tips:
- Develop a link-building strategy with influencers, guest blogging, and shareable content.
- Build relationships with industry professionals.
- Launch PR campaigns.
## 10. Neglecting Social Media Presence
Social media platforms provide excellent opportunities for small businesses to connect with their target audience, increase brand visibility, and drive traffic to their websites. However, many small business owners fail to leverage social media effectively, either due to a lack of understanding or a belief that it doesn’t impact SEO.
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/seo-mistakes-5.jpg)
By establishing a strong social media presence, actively engaging with followers, and sharing valuable content, small business owners can improve their online visibility, attract potential customers, and enhance their SEO efforts.
Connecting with social media influencers, running targeted ad campaigns, and participating in community discussions can further strengthen a brand’s social media presence.
Actionable Tip:
- Regularly share content that resonates with your audience’s needs and interests.
- Build relationships by engaging with industry influencers and consider deploying targeted advertising campaigns to reach specific segments of your audience more effectively.
## 11. Lack of Consistent Monitoring and Analysis
SEO is an ongoing process that requires consistent monitoring and analysis. Small business owners often make the mistake of neglecting this aspect, missing out on valuable insights and opportunities for improvement. Without regular monitoring, it’s easy to overlook trends, changes, or issues that can affect SEO performance.
By utilizing tools like [Google Analytics](https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/#/) and [Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/), small business owners can track website performance, monitor keyword rankings, and analyze user behavior. This data provides valuable insights to refine SEO strategies and make data-driven decisions for better results. Regular reporting and collaboration with SEO experts can further enhance this process.
Actionable Tips:
- Use Google Analytics to see how your pages are performing. See what the competition is doing as inspiration on how to improve the page’s content (DO NOT COPY OTHER PEOPLES WORK!)
- Use Google Search Console to see what pages are indexed. If there is an important service page that is not indexed try to index it ASAP.
## 12. Relying on Outdated Techniques
SEO is a dynamic and constantly evolving field. Strategies and techniques that may have been effective in the past can become obsolete or even detrimental as search engines update their algorithms. Small business owners who rely on outdated techniques risk falling behind the competition and seeing their search engine rankings plummet.
Regularly updating SEO strategies, staying abreast of industry changes, attending SEO workshops, and consulting with SEO professionals can help small business owners adapt to the ever-changing landscape. Implementing current best practices and avoiding outdated tactics like keyword stuffing, hidden text, or link farms ensures long-term success and sustainability.
Actionable Tips:
- Avoid outdated tactics by informing yourself from Authoritative SEO Blogs.
- Consult with professionals to ensure you’re implementing the best practices.
## 13. Inconsistent Branding and Messaging
Inconsistent branding and messaging can confuse visitors and weaken the overall impact of a small business’s online presence. Branding consistency across all digital platforms, including the website, social media, email marketing, and advertising, reinforces the brand identity and builds trust with the audience.
Any discrepancy in messaging, visual elements, or tone can create confusion and detract from the brand’s credibility. Small business owners should establish clear brand guidelines and ensure that all content creators and marketing teams adhere to them. Regularly reviewing and updating content to maintain consistency can strengthen brand recognition and loyalty.
Actionable Tips:
- Establish clear brand guidelines (colors, fonts, tone of voice, messaging).
- Ensure consistency across all pages and digital platforms.
## Conclusion
SEO is a multifaceted and complex aspect of digital marketing that offers substantial benefits to small businesses willing to invest time and effort into it. The common mistakes highlighted in this article are pitfalls that many small business owners fall into, often due toa lack of knowledge or resources.
By recognizing these mistakes and implementing the suggested remedies, small business owners can optimize their SEO strategy and significantly improve their online visibility, traffic, and conversion rates. The insights and tips provided in this article can serve as a roadmap for small business owners looking to enhance their online presence and achieve better results. The digital marketplace is competitive, but with the right approach, small businesses can stand out, attract more customers, and realize their full potential.
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/seo-mistakes-6.jpg)
## Frequently Asked Questions
### 1. How long does it take to see results from SEO efforts?
SEO is a long-term strategy, and results can vary depending on various factors such as competition, industry, and the extent of optimization. Generally, it takes several months to start seeing noticeable improvements in search rankings and organic traffic. Patience and consistent efforts are key to achieving sustainable SEO results.
### 2. Can I do SEO for my small business without professional help?
While it is possible to learn and implement basic SEO techniques for your small business, seeking professional help can significantly improve your chances of success. SEO professionals have in-depth knowledge and experience in optimizing websites, conducting keyword research, and developing effective strategies tailored to your business goals.
### 3. How often should I update my website content for SEO purposes?
Regularly updating your website with fresh, relevant, and engaging content is beneficial for both users and search engines. Aim to publish new content consistently, whether it’s in the form of blog posts, articles, or other formats. However, prioritize quality over quantity and focus on providing value to your target audience.
### 4. Is it necessary to hire an SEO agency for small businesses?
Hiring an SEO agency can benefit small businesses that lack the time, resources, or expertise to handle SEO in-house. An experienced SEO agency can provide comprehensive strategies, technical optimizations, and ongoing monitoring to help your small business achieve better search engine visibility and drive organic traffic.
### 5. Can I rely solely on paid advertising and neglect SEO?
Paid advertising can be an effective way to generate immediate traffic and visibility. However, neglecting SEO means missing out on the long-term benefits of organic search traffic. SEO helps build a strong foundation for your online presence, improves organic rankings, and reduces reliance on paid advertising in the long run.
**Dragan Stojanović** is an SEO Specialist at the Will Marlow Agency. Aside from spending his working hours between SEMRush and Screaming Frog, Dragan is always on the lookout for clients’ website performance–figuring out how they can reach the heights of Google’s search engine.
Want to learn more about digital marketing? Check out:
- [How ChatGPT Will Impact Google Search](https://willmarlow.com/how-chatgpt-will-impact-google-search/)
- [3 Tests To Determine if Your Page Speed is Sabotaging Your SEO](https://willmarlow.com/3-tests-to-determine-if-your-page-speed-is-sabotaging-your-seo/)
- [How to Create Google Analytics 4 Audiences Using Google Tag Manager](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-create-google-analytics-4-audiences-using-gtm/)
**Categories:** Search Engine Optimization
---
### [Top 3 Ways to Utilize the Google Ads Performance Planner to See into the Future](https://willmarlow.com/top-3-ways-to-utilize-the-google-ads-performance-planner-to-see-into-the-future/)
**Published:** July 13, 2023
**Author:** Srdjan Radakovic
**Content:**
# Top 3 Ways to Utilize the Google Ads Performance Planner to See into the Future
by [Srdjan Radakovic](https://willmarlow.com/author/sradakovic/ "Posts by Srdjan Radakovic") | Jul 13, 2023 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/), [Google Ads](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-ads/), [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-analytics/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/top-3-ways-to-utilize-the-google-ads-performance-planner-to-see-into-the-future/#respond)
Ever wondered what it would be like to be able to predict the future? Ever got the infamous “What budget do you recommend?” question from a client? Ever been unsure of what the trends are like for your industry?
Well, as always, the granddaddy overlord Google came through once again and created something you might just find INSANELY helpful – the [Google Ads Performance Planner.](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9230124?hl=en)
All right, now that you’re hooked, let me explain what the Performance Planner is and how it works.
## What Is the Performance Planner Anyway?
The PP – for short (and yes, I will keep on calling it this, because it is funny and I have the mind of a 5-year-old) is Google’s response to the demand in predictability for the spending of your advertising bucks. It allows you to create data-based plans on your advertising spend and how changes to your campaigns might affect future performance.
You can use it to:
- Forecast future [campaign performance](https://www.webfx.com/blog/marketing/google-ads-performance-planner/)
- Explore how changes to campaign settings would affect them
- Understand seasonality and upcoming trends
- Manage and calculate budgets for optimal performance
Now, how the heck does one program do that? Well, my friend, we’re living in the future now –I’m also disappointed by the lack of jetpacks – but what does excite me is AI. PP is able to use billions of search queries – usually updated every 24 hours – to run simulations against your current campaign performance and use that data to guide you in key decisions on your next steps of optimization.
PP simulates relevant ad auctions over the last 7-10 days while taking into account variables like seasonality, competitor performance, and the quality of your landing page.
If you’re unsure where to find it, worry not, we got you. You can either go to Google’s learning resource [Skillshop](https://skillshop.exceedlms.com/uploads/resource_courses/targets/962577/original/index.html?_courseId=15288#/page/62502aa8618e290c73721de3) or to make things easier here’s a simple graphic pointing you in the right direction.
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/image3.png)
Now, let’s get to what this title of the article promised – how do you use it, and more importantly how accurate is it?
## The Top 3 Practical Ways You Can Use the Performance Planner
### 1. Budgeting
- If you keep on getting the infamous “Limited by budget” marking on your campaigns, well good news – now you can actually see where Google thinks your spend needs to be to reach your goals. Simply select the campaign that’s struggling and create a plan for the period you want to forecast. [](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/image2.png)
- Then pick and choose what your main goals are – think of what the purpose of your campaign will be. Is it more top-of-funnel oriented? Choose Impression share. Mid funnel? No sweat – just pick clicks. You get the picture, but if you don’t – here’s a somewhat cool graphic to illustrate.
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/image4.png)
### 2. Increasing Your Results
- Clients always want more results. It’s the nature of the marketing game. Sometimes you just can’t be sure what it’s going to take to get to those 30 leads per week. Luckily, PP is here to help out. Just select [Conversions or Conversion value ](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6270625?hl=en&sjid=10074323829221494450-NA)as your main metrics to focus on and let the magic commence. You don’t even have to say ABRACADABRA (though you can, it’s more fun and we won’t judge you).
- If you need to stay within specific targets just select the one most important to you – spend, volume, or cost per acquisition. Google’s AI will take that into account while creating your custom plan.
### 3. Generating Different Scenarios
- So you’ve created your perfect scenario – great! It’s going to be there as your main plan in the Explore Forecast tab. The gray dot on the line will represent your existing setup and the blue one your forecast. Now, here’s the wonderful thing – instead of creating a new plan, you can just glide along the line to see even more scenarios. Find the perfect sweet spot in seconds.
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/image1.png)
Important note: While Google does pull A LOT of data, however, your campaigns need a certain amount of data for this tool to be useful to you. If you don’t have any campaigns available, just come back in a month or so and check if you have enough data to start planning!
## Final Thoughts
Now, I may have overhyped it by a bit (okay, a lot – sue me) but that doesn’t mean this tool isn’t really helpful right now – and it’s only getting better with time. The AI prediction models are improving day-by-day, and more data is the one thing Google for sure isn’t lacking in. So why not give it a shot and see how you can start utilizing it in your daily work!
Want to learn more? Check out our previous blog posts:
- [On Google Ads Algorithms](https://willmarlow.com/on-google-ads-algorithms/)
- [11 Ways to Improve Google Ad Performance (without increasing budget)](https://willmarlow.com/11-ways-to-improve-google-ad-performance/)
- [3 Questions To Ask In Order To Determine Perfect Google Ads Budget](https://willmarlow.com/3-questions-to-ask-in-order-to-find-the-perfect-adwords-budget/)
**Srđan Radaković** is a Digital Marketing Manager at Will Marlow Agency. Srđan is agency’s sweet talker, and his communication skills are our secret sauce when it comes to client relations.
**Categories:** AdWords, Google Ads, Google Analytics
---
### [Lookup And RegEx Tables in Google Tag Manager](https://willmarlow.com/lookup-and-regex-tables-in-google-tag-manager/)
**Published:** May 22, 2023
**Author:** Ivan Vatović
**Content:**
# Lookup And RegEx Tables in Google Tag Manager
by [Ivan Vatović](https://willmarlow.com/author/ivatovic/ "Posts by Ivan Vatović") | May 22, 2023 | [Google Ads](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-ads/), [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-analytics/), [Google Tag Manager](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-tag-manager/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/lookup-and-regex-tables-in-google-tag-manager/#respond)
Imagine you have a client that has 10 franchised businesses across the USA. Same templated websites, goals, offers, etc. What works on one, works on all the others. The client wants you to implement conversion tracking and advertise their businesses. Let’s say that the best way to do it is to have a separate Google Ads account for each business.
Now, you have several options. One, you can implement 10 unique GTM containers on each website, build 10 triggers, 10 Google Ads conversion tags, and set up 10 conversions in each Google Ads platform. That would work, but it would take a lot of manual work. And what if you have 60 such businesses?
If you implement the same GTM container on all websites, you can use either Lookup Table or RegEx Table variables and do the same work but with less effort.
## Lookup Tables
Before we take on a technical setup, let me cover why you should even care about this. If your goal is to only track a page view of the Thank You page as a conversion, you can use a lookup table to enter each URL (example1.com/thank-you.html, example2.com/thank-you.html, etc.) and based on which page (business) the user is, the appropriate Google Ads Conversion label (example) would be outputted.
Think of it as a simple IF-THEN statement.
If the URL is example7.com/thank-you.html then the output of the Lookup table variable is 71234568 which is the Google Ads Conversion label for the business number 7.
Same for all other businesses. You don’t have to make 10 triggers and tags, just two variables (Google Ads Conversion Labels and IDs). Then you need one trigger (page URL contains “thank-you”) and one Google Ads Conversion Tag. You would just add the appropriate Lookup variables to the ID and Label fields. Much simpler and much less time-consuming.
Still not sure you got it, or you want to see how to actually make it happen? Let’s go!
You can find them in GTM under Variables > User-Defined Variables > New > Variable Configuration > Utilities > Lookup Table
You will see this:
*Looks easy but a bit alien as well*
Input variable: choose what will you use as your IF statement. In our example, that’s the page URL.
Now we need to add each URL EXACTLY as it is. So our finished variable should look like this:
*I used only four rows because I’m lazy*
Now repeat the process for Google Ads Conversion Label. The neat part is that you can recycle the URLs. If you have a lot of them you can use a spreadsheet and import that, but that’s a topic for another time.
Now your Google Ads Conversion Tag, the only one you will need for all 10 businesses, would look like this:
*One of a few cases when easy, peasy, lemon, squeezy doesn’t turn to difficult, difficult, lemon, difficult*
You may have noticed that the Lookup table works with exact matches (think exact negative keyword in Google Ads). But what if we need more?
Enter RegEx tables.
## RegEx Tables
What is RegEx? It’s short for Regular Expression. I won’t dive deeper into RegEx, but I can recommend you [THIS](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhzKDrUiJVk) YouTube video that explains it pretty well.
Now, let’s make it interesting and use the same example but a different goal. The client is really impressed by your GTM skills and now wants you to implement GA4 tracking for all 10 businesses. Let’s also say you need 10 GA4 properties, each business will have it’s own. Again, you can do it by making 10 GA4 config tags. But, since you’re already going with one GTM container for all websites, let’s go down that road. As we said, Lookup Table works with exact matches (URLs in our case). So we can’t use that. We will RegEx table variable.
Look for it in the same place as you did for Lookup Table. When you open it, it looks the same. Let’s choose Page URL again. However, instead of entering exact URLs, we will enter each domain using RegEx because we want our GA4 tag to fire on all pages.
Our strategy is to have a GA4 Config tag for all businesses, but GA4 measurement ID (same as tracking ID for UA) will fire based on the URL. If the user is on the example4.com website, the variable will output GA4 measurement ID for GA4 for business 4. The variable will act like a sorting hub.
Ok, let’s implement this. Btw, if you want to test your RegEx, I recommend RegExr ([LINK](https://regexr.com/)) or RegEx101 ([LINK](https://regex101.com/))
Now our tag looks like this:
*Useful and saves time, doesn’t it?*
The regEx ((http|https):\\/\\/example1.com) is used to include HTTP and HTTPS options, but since most websites now use only HTTPS you might not need it. I wanted to show you an example use of RegEx.
That takes care of the variable, you just need to add it to the tag so it would look like this:
*Again, this is the only tag you’ll need for all X number of businesses*
If you want to play with these variables but don’t have a 10 templated businesses handy, you can use your sandbox website, or any website for that matter, and configure the Lookup table to fire on a specific page and output specific event name (works for UA and GA4). If the URL contains sample page output the event name sample\_page\_view or something similar.
I hope this will save you some time and make your life easier.
Have fun 🙂
Want to learn more about digital marketing? Check out our other blog posts:
- [On Google Ads Algorithms](https://willmarlow.com/on-google-ads-algorithms/)
- [How to Create Google Analytics 4 Audiences Using Google Tag Manager](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-create-google-analytics-4-audiences-using-gtm/)
- [How ChatGPT Will Impact Google Search](https://willmarlow.com/how-chatgpt-will-impact-google-search/)
**Ivan Vatović** is a PPC Specialist and Trainer at the Will Marlow Agency. Keeping up to date with the latest Google Ads releases, Ivan is in charge of educating our team on the most important industry news and changes. He’s the go-to person to ask for anything related to Google Analytics 4 and Google Tag Manager.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** Google Ads, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager
---
### [Thoughts on PPC Bidding Automation](https://willmarlow.com/thoughts-on-ppc-bidding-automation/)
**Published:** March 31, 2023
**Author:** Ivan Vatović
**Content:**
# Thoughts on PPC Bidding Automation
by [Ivan Vatović](https://willmarlow.com/author/ivatovic/ "Posts by Ivan Vatović") | Mar 31, 2023 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/), [Google Ads](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-ads/), [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-analytics/), [Original Blog](https://willmarlow.com/blog/originalblog/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/thoughts-on-ppc-bidding-automation/#respond)
I believe in PPC bidding automation. With PPC automation, I made (my clients) fortune, and I build my campaigns in PPC automation fashion. I give the algorithm freedom, but I teach it using good input. To master the output (conversion), you must master the input.
###
### My Beginnings and the Adwords Era
I stepped into the world of PPC in 2020. From my perspective, that was an interesting time because, at that time, bidding automation (more precisely smart bidding strategies) was becoming more prevalent. Before this point, my vision of working in Google Ads was collecting data, and optimizing based on that data. This premise still holds very true, but today I view it from a bit different perspective.
Let me explain.
I started PPC from zero. Before I actually started working, my touch-points with PPC were various courses. At that time, most of them were focused on the manual processing of data and manual adjustments. I imagined my day would be analyzing the keyword data, time of day performance, specific ad copy segments, etc. Two of these three things are still part of my work, but now I have an assistant working for me 24/7. And like any assistance, it requires guidance, in the case of the algorithm, it requires good input. It takes on some more manual tasks, and I can now focus more on the strategy, the big picture, and finding new ways to reach audiences – all the things I consider old-school advertising, but in a digital age.
*Google AdWords Logo*
###
### The Step Back and Google Ads Era
I must admit, it took me some time to think about my mindset and a bit more to start changing it. I didn’t want to give up control of all the small touch points. I felt I would be less good as an advertiser. Moving away from [Quality Score](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6167118?hl=en#:~:text=Quality%20Score%20is%20a%20diagnostic,available%20at%20the%20keyword%20level.), learning that its metrics we see in the columns are not part of the auction as well as learning that making [bid adjustments](https://www.optmyzr.com/blog/which-bid-adjustments-work-with-my-bid-strategy-on-google-ads/) (location, audience, demographic) is not only NOT recommended but outright ignored when using most smart bidding strategies – those were all big changes for somebody new to the industry and just getting comfortable with the “Google Adwords” way.
However, I must also admit that I like this change in our industry of paid digital advertising (not that I have a choice, mind you). My PPC work today is occasionally more based on the work outside of Google Ads: making sure to implement Google Ads Enhanced conversion tracking, work in GTM, landing page optimizations, making sure the leads are processed in a good way in the CRM, feeding back the lead data from CRM back to the algorithm, using Optymize to gain CRO insights, trying to learn more about my audiences from Spark Toro, leaning on cross-platforms for additional strategic observations (LinkedIn, in general, is pretty much up to date live database from which you can draw industry, seniority and other data to push your overall PPC strategy).
Now, I don’t want to give a false impression that, in my view, PPC is now just to let the algo go wild. That’s the opposite of a good way. Automation today is more of an upgrade – it gives us more freedom to do good advertising, closer to what it really is, rather than just be automatons pulling levers. Even at my time (oh dear!), we had scripts to optimize keyword bids for page position. Good PPC foundations are still valid today.
I can summarize this very well using the currently prevalent topic – migration from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4. In UA, we had to use the Category/Action goal structure. I liked it, but it was rigid. In GA4, we can name our events how we like (to a degree), and using the custom parameters, we can build the structure we want. But, this ups the game. We have more freedom, but also more responsibility to build a future-proof system that helps us and our clients ask the right questions.
*Google Ads Logo*
###
### Brave New World
Before I give you my take on the future of PPC, let me take you back again to the beginnings I mentioned earlier – the year 2020. Besides Google not showing all terms in the Search Term Report, even the ones that converted, at that time RSA was pushed to the front as the main ad format for Search (now the only one), and page position script was no longer working as that item was removed from the reports. A bit later, we saw the birth of [Performance Max](https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/performance-max/), and Microsoft replaced manual CPC with [Enhanced CPC for Bing Advertising](https://searchengineland.com/microsoft-ads-to-replace-manual-cpc-with-enhanced-cpc-by-end-of-april-345917).
The direction in which things are going and will go is clear – using machine learning to help advertisers be more effective. That means using machine learning to build models that will learn based on data and over time reduce the gap between the expected outcome and the actual outcome. I truly hope we will never have a 100% accurate prediction model, in advertising or the real world. In a way, we are now mentors to an AI child that is learning about the world and behavior patterns.
I remember in 2020, a rumor about Google Ads shutting down manual CPC, even keyword targeting (reminder, we lost Placement targeting for Video campaigns). Many people feared that PPC advertisers will lose their job. I would say that in today’s world of abundant data, where both you and your competitors have a wealth of information at your disposal, SAME information, we have to kick up the notch and master automation.
It’s no longer about data access, it’s about catching the right data and using the machine to output those strategies for us. If I keep the same mindset that I had in 2020, I will become extinct. Luckily, I stepped into the world of PPC at a peculiar time, I feel blessed that I caught a glimpse of both worlds, and I am content that early on I caught the wind of automation and that it piqued my interest. That’s why I can honestly say that I’m glad how things are going in PPC – exciting times are ahead of us.
Want to learn more about digital marketing? Check out our other blog posts:
- [On Google Ads Algorithms](https://willmarlow.com/on-google-ads-algorithms/)
- [How to Create Google Analytics 4 Audiences Using Google Tag Manager](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-create-google-analytics-4-audiences-using-gtm/)
- [How ChatGPT Will Impact Google Search](https://willmarlow.com/how-chatgpt-will-impact-google-search/)
**Ivan Vatović** is a PPC Specialist and Trainer at the Will Marlow Agency. Keeping up to date with the latest Google Ads releases, Ivan is in charge of educating our team on the most important industry news and changes. He’s the go-to person to ask for anything related to Google Analytics 4 and Google Tag Manager.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Google Ads, Google Analytics, Original Blog
---
### [How to Create Google Analytics 4 Audiences Using Google Tag Manager](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-create-google-analytics-4-audiences-using-gtm/)
**Published:** March 13, 2023
**Author:** Mila Dimitrijevic
**Content:**
# How to Create Google Analytics 4 Audiences Using Google Tag Manager
by [Mila Dimitrijevic](https://willmarlow.com/author/mdimitrijevic/ "Posts by Mila Dimitrijevic") | Mar 13, 2023 | [Google Ads](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-ads/), [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-analytics/), [Google Tag Manager](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-tag-manager/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-create-google-analytics-4-audiences-using-gtm/#respond)
As professional digital marketers, we’re facing constant changes in our industry. It’s important to stay up-to-date with new digital marketing tools that are necessary for our data-driven approach. The next big change that’ll come our way is the migration from Google Universal Analytics (a tool used to track in-depth user engagement across the entire websites and apps) to the new Google Analytics 4 (GA4) property – the deadline for migration is July 1st, 2023.
To get ahead of this newest update, this blog post offers you a step-by-step guide on how to create Google Analytics 4 audiences with the use of Google Tag Manager. This handy tool allows us to manipulate non-essential website codes in a user-friendly environment.
## What Are GA4 Audiences and What’s Their Purpose?
First, let’s go over what *Google Analytics 4 audiences* actually are.
Audiences are groups of users that share the same attributes you consider meaningful to your business. What we mean when we talk about audience attributes is their level of engagement, which is defined by metrics, dimensions, and/or events.
Also, you can use these selected groups to show ads to them, which makes them interesting groups for the business – this is called retargeting.
Thus, audiences can be mid to bottom of the funnel, depending on the level of engagement. The more engaged the audience is, the more it goes to the bottom of the funnel. (Want to learn more about funnels? Check [this](https://www.skyword.com/contentstandard/how-the-marketing-funnel-works-from-top-to-bottom) out.)
In the new GA4, there are multiple upgraded features when it comes to the audience part compared to the Universal Analytics.
GA4 is based on events, therefore with the use of Google Tag Manager, now we have the ability to be very creative when it comes to creating GA4 events, from which we can create different remarketing groups/audiences to show our ads to.
## How to Create Google Analytics 4 Audiences Using GTM?
As an example, we will segment avid readers of your blog section by grouping users who spent more than 3 minutes on any blog post. Although this is not a definitive indicator of engagement (somebody might have to walk away from their computer while your page is open in their browser), this segmentation will give you better data-driven insights into your community and it will give you additional options if you want to target them with tailored advertising campaigns.
In order for you to be able to create this particular audience, the first step will be to navigate to Google Tag Manager and create a Timer trigger.
This is the part where you can be creative by using various trigger types (such as scroll depth, page view, Youtube video, timer, etc) to create different audiences. Basically, you can create an audience based on all available triggers.
Before the next step, let’s explain a bit more about the Timer trigger. The most important segment of this trigger is an interval – “The number of milliseconds between firing events”. Also, we have conditions such as limit – “The maximum number of times to fire the event” and Page URL containing /blog – we need this condition to make sure that part of our audience is users who spent 3 minutes only on our blog page, not the entire website, or some other page on the site.
The next step in the process will be to create a GA4 event tag in Google Tag Manager, which will later be used as an audience attribute. This tag will have a timer trigger that we created in the previous step.
Once you’re done with the tag creation, you will select the “Preview” button, in the right side corner of your GTM homepage, where you will test if the previous one is working properly.
Once you’ve entered the “Preview” mode, you will take a closer look at the “tags not fired” part. This is the part where you should see your GA4 event tag.
After successfully spending 3 minutes on the blog page of the website in the “Preview” mode, you should be able to see your tag in the “Tags fired” part. So now you are sure that your tag is working properly, and you’re ready to publish the changes you made in your GTM workspace, by clicking on the “Submit” button on the upper right side.
##
## Creation of Custom Audience in GA4
After you’re done with the GTM part, now you’ll create a custom audience in GA4, to which you will attribute the timer event you’ve created in GTM. Note that the GA4 event you’ve created previously in GTM can take up to 24-48 hours to appear in GA4. Once the event appears, you will be able to test this audience in debug view in GA4, and also you’ll be able to see the audience summary on the right.
And now we’ve come to the final steps. Firstly, you can create an audience trigger and test your audience in the debug view of GA4. Secondly, you’ll link your Google Ads account in order to be able to see the created audience in Google Ads. Note that you can be visible in the debug view of GA4 only when you are in the preview mode of GTM, or you’ve enabled the Google Analytics Debugger extension.
And congrats! You’ve created your engagement-based audience!
As previously mentioned, the digital marketing industry is known for its fickle nature. Keeping up to date with the latest trends and updates can be challenging even for a seasoned marketer.
Therefore, if you need assistance with:
- Transitioning to GA4
- Creating ad campaigns
- Maintenance of your Google Ads account
or you just need a thorough analysis of your Google Analytics, Will Marlow Agency is here at your service. Our team of data-driven PPC experts will assist you through every step of your digital marketing journey.
[Contact us today!](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/)
Want to learn more about digital marketing? Check these out:
- [Instagram Do’s and Don’ts for the Business User](https://willmarlow.com/instagram-guidelines-business-dos-and-donts/)
- [Why You Should Have Access to the Facebook Audience Interests (Full List)](https://willmarlow.com/why-you-should-have-access-to-the-facebook-audience-interests/)
- [On Google Ads Algorithms](https://willmarlow.com/on-google-ads-algorithms/)
**Mila Dimitrijević** is a PPC Analyst at Will Marlow Agency. She is responsible for analyzing Pay-Per-Click campaigns and monitoring their performance. By applying her analytical skills and tools, she is optimizing the outcomes of all PPC activities.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** Google Ads, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager
---
### [On Google Ads Algorithms](https://willmarlow.com/on-google-ads-algorithms/)
**Published:** February 23, 2023
**Author:** Ivan Vatović
**Content:**
# On Google Ads Algorithms
by [Ivan Vatović](https://willmarlow.com/author/ivatovic/ "Posts by Ivan Vatović") | Feb 23, 2023 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/), [Google Ads](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-ads/), [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-analytics/), [Original Blog](https://willmarlow.com/blog/originalblog/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/on-google-ads-algorithms/#respond)
Before the automation of Google Ads, there was the manual way. In a sense, the latter is still available, but making such adjustments might be ill-advised in well-developed accounts with good past performance. The reason for this is that it might reduce the efficiency of smart bidding algorithms. By the way, you should know that [most common bid adjustments are outright ignored](https://www.optmyzr.com/blog/which-bid-adjustments-work-with-my-bid-strategy-on-google-ads/) when using almost all of the smart bidding strategies, such as Target CPA or Maximize Conversions.
In this text, we will take a look at automation and the types of algorithms. To be honest, you probably won’t find many actionable insights to boost your campaigns starting tomorrow. But, if you like PPC and if you find the topic of PPC automation intriguing, you might enjoy the next 5 to 10 minutes. 🙂
*Algorithms (Image source: Andrej Sizov, Unsplash)*
###
### Google Ads (PPC) — Your Good Assistant
PPC algorithms all are about using the input to estimate output. Some experts say that the goal of algo is to get more conversions, which is true, but it’s a limited view in my opinion. The goal of the algorithm is to leverage machine learning to improve itself in real time, based on real-world data, shortening the gap between the predicted outcomes and the actual outcome. This is why I don’t use manual CPC anymore at all. It’s focused on the keyword (exact match, anybody?) and modern smart bidding strategies are focused on the people. This is why I also stopped caring if my audience of 24-29-year-old males liked the blue or the red CTA button on the landing page.
Google knows where people are going. Google knows where the user is in the funnel because it knows that the user visited 3 competing websites, how many pages they visited, and whether they watched a YouTube video about the product they are considering buying. In a sense, Google Ads algorithms are prediction models based on user behavior data. This is why I don’t think CPC is the key metric in performance-based prospecting campaigns (in many cases, an increase in CPC is a good sign), and that is why the quality score shown to us in the platform interface is not a primary metric and it isn’t used in auctions (if you don’t believe me, believe Google’s official help doc available [HERE](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6167118?hl=en#:~:text=This%20score%20is%20measured%20on,keyword%2C%20compared%20to%20other%20advertisers.)). To be fair, some form of Quality Score is used in the auction, but that is not public domain.
I’ve been in the PPC for only 2 years, so I haven’t really worked in the AdWords era, but from what I do know, many decisions and actions had a bit of a time lag. To be fair, the internet from 2016, consequentially advertising, e-commerce, and lead generation, was vastly different from what we consider standard today. Even if we used scripts, they would adjust bids once a day, maybe even every hour. But that was all far from real-time.
Google today uses thousands of individual signals, ranging from gender, location, online behavior habits, seasonality, and the influence of real-world patterns such as weather, elections, etc. to predict the best possible bid, and consequently the outcome of the auction. All this data is collected, processed, and applied for each search on Google’s search engine page, in real time. We mustn’t forget that Google is all about relevancy. Money – yes, ads – yes, but if the users are not happy, they’ll go elsewhere, and Google will end up like Yahoo and Altavista (You can read more on this topic on [medium.com](https://medium.com/swlh/6-reasons-why-yahoo-failed-6004d67e86ff), [University of Maryland](https://onlinebusiness.umd.edu/blog/what-happened-to-yahoo-in-6-points/), and [Feedough](https://www.feedough.com/why-yahoo-failed/#:~:text=Unsuccessful%20Acquisitions,-Yahoo!%20invested%20a&text=Before%20Yahoo%20purchased%20Flickr%20in,the%20community%20it%20had%20built.)). No human can achieve this task successfully. No human can process that much data in milliseconds. Only the machine can do it. And how does it manage all this?
###
### Toddler & AI
Let’s start from the beginning. In the early days, people were programming computers to perform specific tasks. This is similar to how we teach toddlers some basic life skills. When I was potty-training my daughter, the teaching process went like this: when you think you need to pee, tell daddy. Then we walk to the bathroom, then we take the potty, then we drop the pants, then we sit on the potty, then we do the business. I had to teach her each step in a particular order.
It was a pleasure watching her learning process about the garbage can. At first, I instructed her to throw the garbage in the garbage can. The next stage was when she started asking me about many things, can she dispose of them in the garbage can. It included everything from actual trash, pencil-sharpening waste, eaten apple, milk cartons, egg shells, dirty plates, ill-behaving toys, etc. Naturally, more than once I had to take wrong “inputs” from the garbage (data exclusion). It was my job to instruct her on the principles and core concepts of what we throw away and how.
Over time, she got the gist of it and was mostly able to handle garbage on her own, occasionally asking me for some out-of-the-ordinary things or seeking confirmation. Now, she is almost five, and she can make real-time decisions based on the changing variables, such as throwing kitchen towels in the garbage but not the toilet and also taking into account the frequency of said action and self-moderation if we’re using the last one, and daddy forgot to buy a new roll. 🙂
And just to confirm my analogy that toddlers and young kids are like algorithms – when they finally learn something, you think to yourself: “OK, that’s done”, they stop doing it for whatever reason, and you need to figure out why.
###
### Oldest Algorithms
Back to the topic, a key aspect came with machine learning – when the machine was able to teach itself how to perform a task in a given situation. It’s no coincidence that chess was used for this. A famous example of machine learning in this scenario is Google’s AlphaZero (DeepMind team) winning over Stockfish 8 (find more interesting facts on [PNAS](https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2206625119) website). AlphaZero was self-taught and learned only by playing against itself. It took 4 hours to learn the game.
Patrick Gilbert in his book “[Join or Die: Digital Advertising in the age of Automation](https://www.joinordiebook.com/)” draws an interesting parallel with Harry Potter and Sorcerer’s Stone, where the three protagonists each solve the tasks in the three rooms. However, none of them would be able to solve all three, or any task outside of their “specialty” for that matter. However, machine learning algorithms would.
In the next chapter, I will take a look at several types of algorithms and machine learning principles.
*Look, Dad! Somebody 3D printed the Save icon (Image source: Fredy Jacob, Unsplash)*
Want to learn more? Check out our other blog posts:
- [How ChatGPT Will Impact Google Search](https://willmarlow.com/how-chatgpt-will-impact-google-search/)
- [Keeping Your PPC Accounts Secure: Tips to Protect Your Business](https://willmarlow.com/keeping-your-ppc-accounts-secure/)
- [Why You Should Have Access to the Facebook Audience Interests (Full List)](https://willmarlow.com/why-you-should-have-access-to-the-facebook-audience-interests/)
**Ivan Vatović** is a PPC Specialist and Trainer at the Will Marlow Agency. Keeping up to date with latest Google Ads releases, Ivan is in charge of educating our team on the most important industry news and changes. He’s the go-to person to ask anything related to Google Analytics 4 and Google Tag Manager.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Google Ads, Google Analytics, Original Blog
---
### [How ChatGPT Will Impact Google Search](https://willmarlow.com/how-chatgpt-will-impact-google-search/)
**Published:** February 17, 2023
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# How ChatGPT Will Impact Google Search
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Feb 17, 2023 | [Original Blog](https://willmarlow.com/blog/originalblog/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/how-chatgpt-will-impact-google-search/#respond)
We are starting to get questions from customers and partners about the potential impact on advertising of [ChatGPT](https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt/), a new artificial intelligence tool that may actually give technology the ability to think like people. In this post, I will share my thoughts on the implications of ChatGPT on ad agencies, Google Search, and SEM in general. To be clear, ChatGPT is probably the first of many major breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and machine learning, and ultimately, the ramifications for the world are enormous, and that’s why people are focused on what ChatGPT means for the world’s biggest industries. Here are my six most important observations about what to expect from ChatGPT.
**1.** **First**, ChatGPT is going to predict human behavior more than just search, and so, I think the financial services, health care industry, and other implications are at least equally as interesting as the implications for search. I think that in all likelihood, these industries provide an easier path to monetization than search, because you don’t need to necessarily put it in front of consumers instantly.
**2.** **Secondly**, by starting with different industries, I think that ChatGPT will iron out its rough edges, and that is super important, because a tool like ChatGPT, in my opinion, needs to be almost flawless, because it is trying to be a “single source of the truth.” So, if it is inaccurate, people are NOT going to tolerate that as an alternative to Google. Google doesn’t need to be 99% flawless, it just needs to be about 80% flawless, because the Google model of aggregating results is more forgiving, as it always gives searchers at least 10 results, but in reality, it provides far more than that – if some are bad, doesn’t need to ruin the experience the way it would for ChatGPT. This makes ChatGPT similar to voice dictation tools like Alexa, which only took off after the tool hit a very high threshold of reliability.
**3.** **Third**, from a marketing agency perspective, ChatGPT provides tools that agencies can leverage in the near term to create content, including landing pages, that may boost results for ongoing campaigns. This cuts both ways, and will also empower businesses to continue the trend of moving digital marketing IN HOUSE rather than relying exclusively on external agencies.
**4.** **Fourth**, as it matures, I anticipate a proliferation of tools that are powered by ChatGPT – I would anticipate that they may be integrated with Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Bing, all of which are aligned with [Microsoft](https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/9/23546144/microsoft-openai-word-powerpoint-outlook-gpt-integration-rumor) (which has invested $1 billion in ChatGPT). If this comes to pass, I believe that we may see these apps answering questions that would have previously been answered on Google, and thus reducing Google’s pool of searches to sell advertising against. Essentially, this would have the likely effect of driving UP the cost-per-click, due to the same number of advertisers chasing a smaller number of searches.
**5.** **Fifth**, It is important to note that the vast majority of Google searches are one word, or two word searches. It is impossible to know for sure, but it is very likely that these one word, or two word searches, are too simple for a tool like ChatGPT to be necessary or deliver value. It is very likely that more complex (and rare) searches are the true value of ChatGPT, and it does not pose much of a threat to the vast majority of Google’s search share.
**6.** **Sixth**, and finally, it is also likely that Google will continue to benefit from the last click purchase phenomena, in which consumers do their research in many, many places, but then head directly to either Google.com or Amazon.com to make their final purchase — thus, as tools proliferate that capture attention, they may not be able to break Google’s connection as the most common place to end the search journey before making a purchase.
We hope these thoughts on ChatGPT are helpful to you as 2023 gets underway, and we will be following closely to advise our clients, and revise our expectations, as we learn more about this new tool.
Find out more:
- [Instagram Do’s and Don’ts for the Business User](https://willmarlow.com/instagram-guidelines-business-dos-and-donts/)
- [Why You Should Have Access to the Facebook Audience Interests (Full List)](https://willmarlow.com/why-you-should-have-access-to-the-facebook-audience-interests/)
- [3 Tests To Determine if Your Page Speed is Sabotaging Your SEO](https://willmarlow.com/3-tests-to-determine-if-your-page-speed-is-sabotaging-your-seo/)
**Will Marlow is the founder and CEO at the Will Marlow Agency. Besides being a full-time entrepreneur, Will is also a wrestling coach, as well as the host on [Road to CEO podcast](https://redcircle.com/shows/road-to-ceo).**
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [What Is User-Generated Content (UGC)? 5 UGC Campaigns That Changed the Game](https://willmarlow.com/what-is-user-generated-content-ugc/)
**Published:** February 6, 2023
**Author:** Nina Bovan
**Content:**
# What Is User-Generated Content (UGC)? 5 UGC Campaigns That Changed the Game
by [Nina Bovan](https://willmarlow.com/author/nbovan/ "Posts by Nina Bovan") | Feb 6, 2023 | [Content Creation](https://willmarlow.com/blog/content-creation/), [Content Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/content-marketing/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/what-is-user-generated-content-ugc/#respond)
Let’s begin with storytime. If you’re anything like me, you didn’t get a chance to have a formal marketing education. Back when I was in school, our parents expected us to become lawyers, bankers, or doctors. Since I’m writing these lines, of course, I didn’t take any of those paths. (My parents still have no clue what my job actually consists of, but they were incredibly supportive and I can’t thank them enough.)
However, since I never had the opportunity to learn any marketing skills at school, every day I go out of my way to find and read books, blogs, and newsletters so that I can keep up. During my teens and in my early adulthood, I spent a ridiculous amount of time on social media – not always posting, but figuring out how they all run and what types of content there are.
So, why did UGC catch my attention? Well, first of all, it has that appeal of authenticity. Nothing is shoved down your throat, it isn’t aggressive, and people actually have fun with it. UGC is a great way to engage customers of all ages. It taps into our inherent need; the need to participate, the need to be seen. And we love our 5 minutes of fame (or in the case of Instagram Stories – 24 hours).
Sounds interesting? Well, read on to learn more about UGC and see a few of the most popular UGC campaigns that engaged millions of people worldwide – some of them even still ongoing!
## How to Define User-Generated Content?
User-generated content (or consumer-generated content) is any brand-specific content posted on social media by customers. It can be an Instagram photo, TikTok video, or Google review – you name it.
*Or a TripAdvisor comment.*
Thanks to Instagram and TikTok evolving, now the whole idea around influencer marketing is simply publishing content that in some way promotes a certain product or service. Even though influencers are profiting from signing sponsorships with brands, the user-generated content is at its core organically posted content.
What better way to market your product than to repost non-paid content from an excited fan? That kind of authenticity is hard to come by. This digital word-of-mouth is something you should consider since according to the Nielsen Consumer Trust Index, an [astounding 92% of consumers trust organic UGC](https://www.zdnet.com/article/nine-out-of-ten-consumers-trust-ugc-more-than-traditional-advertising/) more than they believe traditional advertising messaging. Also, Hypetrain recently posted on LinkedIn its latest findings that [ads featuring UGC content generate 5x greater click-through-rates](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6993969635050074114/). Which shouldn’t come as a surprise, because whom are you going to trust? Your friend who suggested you an awesome restaurant or a sponsored ad from the said restaurant?
There are instances when particular products sold out thanks to viral TikTok videos; the latest case was with [Clinique’s Black Honey](https://www.byrdie.com/tiktok-loved-clinique-black-honey-lipstick-5205490) lip tint. Putting aside the potential viral factor, companies should turn to UGC since it costs them $0. That’s right – hop on social media, create a unique hashtag and ask people to share their experiences through carefully curated images or videos, and watch amazing content pour in!
## Tips and Tricks for Running a Great UGC Campaign
Starting your very own UGC campaign isn’t simple as just slapping together a visual and a hashtag. Devising a plan of action is key when it comes to enticing people to create cool and original content.
Here are some of the crucial steps that you should incorporate into your campaign.
### 1. Decide on the Content Type
Do you want highly curated images? Authentic and unpolished reels? Do you want funny content? These are all the questions you should ask yourself. Decide whether you want to shape your campaign as a new TikTok trend, as a contest, or just a simple nudge of your customers to share their thoughts and experiences.
### 2. Create a Unique Hashtag
Besides the practical factor of finding content related to your product or service easier, a unique hashtag will help you stand out. Short and sweet is always the best way to go, but this also depends on your target audience, the focus of your campaign, and so much more.
### 3. Always Ask for Permission to Share UGC
Yes, your audience is sharing photos and videos of your product, but you MUST ask for permission to share their content. This is important online etiquette and it’s also a professional approach.
### 4. Credit the Original Creator
This is also a step that goes without saying, but crediting the original creator is not only decent and respectful – it shows that you appreciate your customers and their creativity and willingness to give you a shoutout and share their positive opinion of your brand,
### 5. Install a Reward System
Another great idea to motivate your customers to get involved is to come up with a reward system. There were instances where people shared content that directly impacted sales. Brands reached out to these folks, sent them free products, or even said thank you in monetary means.
## How Famous Brands Approach UGC Campaigns
Now that we covered the basics, let’s turn to real pros and see what they’ve been up to.
### Starbucks: White Cup Contest
Back in 2014, the coffee giant turned to its signature takeaway cups. They are mostly known for bearing often misspelled customers’ names, but this time the company decided to change the narrative of their iconic white cup.Inspired by photos their customers were already posting on social media, Starbucks decided to launch [\#WhiteCupContest](https://storybox.io/blog/2017/7/25/tourism-queensland-best-job-in-the-world-z3csp). They invited people to doodle away on their paper white cups and share their works of art online. The response was immense; over 4,000 entries in just 3 weeks!
You can see the winning cup below, drawn by Brita Lynn Thompson, which was then turned into a limited series of plastic reusable cups:
And here are some other contestants’ cups:
*White Cup Contest cup depicting space; Image source: Storybox.io*
*White Cup Contest cup depicting planet Earth; Image source: Storybox.io*
### Coca-Cola: Share a Coke
First started in Australia in 2011, the [Share a Coke campaign](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Share_a_Coke) turned into a global event. The idea was so simple – by switching the famous Coca-Cola logo for a name on a bottle, the company instilled in the consumers the wish to find a bottle with their name. And then share it online, of course!
The campaign was active in over 80 countries and lasted for more than 7 years. The scope of names was expanded to include nicknames, song lyrics, and destinations. Besides winning numerous awards, Coca-Cola sold millions of bottles and cans branded in other peoples’ names!
Take a look at one of their [campaign videos](https://youtu.be/sGjQnGio5mw).
### Crocs: CrocTok
The power of TikTok is undeniable at this point, and that’s something marketers at Crocs tapped into. Formerly known as [“ugly, but comfortable”](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2007/07/how-crocs-conquered-the-world.html) and least loved shoe on the internet, Crocs found their audience and amassed millions and millions of fans and views on TikTok.
Their quirky design and customizable decoration got extremely popular and social media users started sharing their Crocs collections through hashtag #CrocTok. And the rest is history.
*@\_valex3 on TikTok*
### Apple: Shot on iPhone
In March 2015, Apple launched a simple enough campaign promoting iPhone 6 camera capabilities. What started as an outdoor campaign soon found its home online where it stayed until today.
This campaign turned into a worldwide challenge with users continuing to post their most awe-inspiring photos [shot on iPhone](https://www.socialsamosa.com/2020/08/shot-on-iphone-campaign-list/). Can it get simpler than that?
Currently, there are over 26 million photos shared just on Instagram and the number is only growing. Each time a new iPhone hits the market, the challenge is revived. Apple’s marketing team cracked the code as the rest of the mentioned companies; tap into your customers’ creativity and share it with the world.
*“A Drop of Freedom” (lily) by Daniel Olah (@danesduet). Shot on iPhone 13 Pro Max.*
### Canva: Canva Design Challenge
Okay, so you may be wondering now: this is all great, but how to create a UGC campaign revolving around a digital product? This is where Canva takes the stage.
Their weekly design challenge is as simple as it sounds – each week Canva’s newsletter subscribers will receive a new theme for the design challenge. They can create their design and share it with the online community on Instagram and/or Twitter using the hashtag [\#CanvaDesignChallenge](https://www.canva.com/q/canva-challenge-terms-conditions/). The ones selected by the Canva team will receive a prize package!
##
## Instead of a Conclusion
The main takeaway is to think of your product or service in an unexpected way. Let’s be honest, most of these campaigns are fairly straightforward – you are using and reshaping a product in a new way. Another important aspect is that all of these campaigns (except the Share a Coke one) tapped into customers’ imagination and creative spark.
Allowing your customers the freedom to reinvent your product can give you ideas on how to advertise it better. Feeling the pulse of your online community, tuning into the kind of content they are sharing, and embracing their lingo; those are all key steps you need to take to communicate with them.
##
## Some Final Words
Approaching advertising in today’s digital climate may seem daunting. There is a lot to cover, no doubt, but focusing your efforts and attention on everything will only lead to exhaustion and not desired results. Even if you pour all your energy and enthusiasm into garnering traction for your UGC campaign, without an analytical approach and previous assessment, your efforts may be in vain.
Figuring out what is the perfect fit for your brand is the first step, and that’s where we come in.
Will Marlow Agency is data-driven, which means that before we come up with marketing campaigns, we dive into analytics and find the best custom solution for you. Need a hand when it comes to marketing? [Get in touch with us today!](https://willmarlow.com/services/)
Check out more of our blog posts:
- [Instagram Do’s and Don’ts for the Business User](https://willmarlow.com/instagram-guidelines-business-dos-and-donts/)
- [Why You Should Have Access to the Facebook Audience Interests (Full List)](https://willmarlow.com/why-you-should-have-access-to-the-facebook-audience-interests/)
- [3 Tests To Determine if Your Page Speed is Sabotaging Your SEO](https://willmarlow.com/3-tests-to-determine-if-your-page-speed-is-sabotaging-your-seo/)
**Nina Bovan is a Content Specialist at Will Marlow Agency. Creating content according to clients’ wishes is her main forte, but always with a dash of sass.**
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** Content Creation, Content Marketing
---
### [Keeping Your PPC Accounts Secure: Tips to Protect Your Business](https://willmarlow.com/keeping-your-ppc-accounts-secure/)
**Published:** January 17, 2023
**Author:** Ana Spasic
**Content:**
# Keeping Your PPC Accounts Secure: Tips to Protect Your Business
by [Ana Spasic](https://willmarlow.com/author/aspasic/ "Posts by Ana Spasic") | Jan 17, 2023 | [Cybersecurity](https://willmarlow.com/blog/cybersecurity/), [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/), [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-analytics/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/keeping-your-ppc-accounts-secure/#respond)
We live in a digital world where Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising has become an integral part of our everyday lives. However, with the convenience of using PPC platforms such as Google Ads comes the risk of having your account compromised by hackers or fraudsters.
In 2021, the average number of cyberattacks and data breaches increased by 15.1% from the previous year, according to this [Forbes study.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckbrooks/2022/06/03/alarming-cyber-statistics-for-mid-year-2022-that-you-need-to-know/?sh=71c99fae7864) Also, they found that the main causes of these attacks come from misconfigurations, human error, poor maintenance, and unknown assets.
While there’s not much we can do about stopping these attacks and breaches, we can change our own behavior and maintenance strategies. To help you with that, we will dive deep into the warning signs that your Google Ads account may be compromised and showcase various measures you can take to protect your business from potential security threats.
## \#1 Suspicious Login Attempt
You’re watching television, minding your own business when suddenly, your phone buzzes with a notification. It’s a security alert from Google, informing you of a suspicious login attempt to your account – this is probably a scenario most of us have experienced.
*Image source: Photo by Brett Jordan on Pexels*
In some cases, the suspicious login attempt may turn out to be a false alarm, such as a forgotten device or a curious child. However, it’s always a good idea to stay vigilant and take action to protect your account and your personal information from potential threats.
After revoking access to the unauthorized attempt, it is best to immediately change your password to prevent the person from accessing your account even if they managed to guess or steal your password.
### Pro tip: Create a Strong Password
Password-cracking technology has come a long way and hackers nowadays don’t need much to gain access to your system. Passwords used for online accounts must be strong and unique.
What this means in practice is that:
- all passwords should contain at least 8 characters;
- they should include a mixture of different character types (e.g. symbols such as @?!%#);
- they shouldn’t contain any personal information (e.g. your nickname, your date of birth, your pet’s name or any information that is widespread and available);
- they shouldn’t be used on other online services (e.g. don’t use the same password for your work email and your Instagram account).
In addition to these steps, you should also get a password manager. Password managers can generate strong passwords for you while also storing them in a secure, encrypted environment. You only have to remember one single master password, and the password manager will take care of the rest.
## \#2 Unusual Activity
Missing data, deleted files, edited information – these can be a sign that you have allowed access or authorization of your account to an unreliable source.
When you connect a device or application to your Google account, you’re giving it access to your personal information and data. This can include your emails, contacts, calendar, and documents.
While many of these connections may be legitimate and necessary, others may be outdated or even malicious. When installing a third-party application, we strongly recommend that you provide it full access only if you trust it.
### Pro tip: Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Perhaps the most effective way to protect your online accounts is to enable two-factor authentication on as many accounts as possible. This method uses secondary information along with the password which adds another layer of security to your account to help keep intruders out.
The additional verification typically consists of a code sent as an SMS message to a trusted device or a prompt sent to a smartphone. For a low-risk online activity this method can be adequate, but for websites that store your personal information you should be upgrading your security – this is where authenticator apps come into play.
This form of 2FA uses a software-generated time-based, one-time passcode which removes the chance of hacker interception and makes this method the most popular form of two-factor authentication. When the Authenticator app is up and running, it’s time to remove the weakest link in the chain – getting codes via SMS messages. Before making this change, make sure that you have at least one other alternative form of verification – for example, a secure recovery email address – and that you’ve saved backup codes for the account.
Now, even with an easy-to-guess password, unless an attacker has your mobile phone, they’re unlikely to gain access to an account with this method enabled.
### Pro tip: Update Your Antivirus
Antivirus software can detect threats and eliminate dangerous processes on your device by scanning files, web pages, networks and more. When you have an antivirus installed, most viruses are countered way before they harm your system and frequently even without your knowledge.
Keep in mind that if you forget to update your antivirus regularly, it will not be effective. Most of them have automatic updates enabled by default, but it’s good practice to double-check that they’re happening.
## \#3 Unfamiliar Emails
Suspicious activity on your Google account can include a sudden increase in spam messages or emails being sent from your account without your knowledge. According to Google, 50% of users who fall victim to hacking, report that they noticed suspicious activity on their account before realizing that it had been hacked.
Phishing has been the most common attack technique for cybercriminals for a number of years, but due to the increasing sophistication of phishing scams, learning how to spot a phishing attack is becoming more important than ever.
According to the [APWG’s Phishing Activity Trends Report](https://docs.apwg.org/reports/apwg_trends_report_q2_2022.pdf?_gl=1*11nz8sn*_ga*NzA5NzA5MDE0LjE2NjgwMjA0Mzk.*_ga_55RF0RHXSR*MTY2ODAyMDQzOC4xLjAuMTY2ODAyMDQzOC4wLjAuMA..&_ga=2.175889570.1439191950.1668020439-709709014.1668020439), in the second quarter of 2022, phishing attacks hit an all-time high with a total of 1,097,811 recorded attacks. This new record makes this quarter the worst one that APWG has ever observed when it comes to phishing.
Most phishing attacks are sent via email and due to their sophistication, they often evade detection by email filters. However, learning about some common features of phishing emails can help prevent attacks and network infiltration by the attacker.
### Pro tip: Ways to Recognize a Phishing Email
1. Demanding urgent action – Commonly used tactic amongst cybercriminals is to ask you to act fast and provide personal details. Often, they’ll urge you to act now to claim a reward or to avoid getting your account suspended. Keep in mind that most organizations and financial institutions will not ask for personal information via email or suspend your account if you do not update your personal details within a certain period of time.
2. Poorly written emails – Another way to spot phishing is bad spelling and the incorrect use of grammar. Most companies have the spell check feature on their email client turned on for outbound emails, therefore your emails originating from a professional source are expected to be free of grammatical and spelling errors.
3. Inconsistencies in email addresses, links and domain names – Always look for discrepancies in these. If the email contains embedded links, hover the pointer over the link to check if the domain names match. It could be completely different or it could be a popular website with a misspelling, so look carefully.
4. Suspicious attachments – If you didn’t request or expect to receive a file from the email sender, the attachment should always be approached with a healthy dose of suspicion. Especially if they have an unfamiliar extension or one commonly associated with malware (.zip, .exe, .scr, etc.).
If you spot any of these common signs of phishing emails, don’t interact with any links or attachments. You can forward the email to the government’s Anti-Phishing Working Group and delete the email immediately after.
## \#4 Unexpected Changes to Your Account Settings
When it comes to managing your Google Ads account, granting the right access level to the people is essential. But you have to be careful – by granting the wrong access level, you open yourself up to potential disasters such as unexpected spending, unauthorized changes to your account, or even account suspension.
Google Ads offer three main access levels and each level has its own set of roles and responsibilities, and it’s important to understand them to ensure that you’re granting the right level of access to the right person and how it can affect the management of your account.
- Admin level – gives the user full control over your account, including the ability to add or remove other users, view performance data, and make changes to your billing information. It is typically reserved for account managers and other high-level employees who need to make important decisions about the account.
- Standard level – gives the user the ability to create and manage campaigns, view performance data, and receive alerts. This level of access is typically granted to employees such as marketing managers and agency members who need to create and optimize campaigns.
- Read-only level – gives the user the ability to view performance data and receive alerts, but they don’t have the ability to make changes to the account. In most cases, this level is reserved for employees who need to view performance data but don’t need to make changes to the account.
You can easily review and remove access in the top navigation menu of your Google Ads account – by clicking on the Tools and settings icon, selecting Access and security under the Setup section.
### Give Access Only to Trustworthy Agencies and Professionals
At Will Marlow Agency, we understand that PPC management itself can be a complex and time-consuming task. That’s why we make it our mission to take the burden off your shoulders while providing maximum security and following industry best practices to keep your account and data safe.
## To Sum It Up
There is no silver bullet that will solve or defend against cyberattacks. Nevertheless, a lot of the potential issues can be managed with a multilayered approach and an early risk detection. Knowing what data you have, how it’s managed, and how to protect it is the key in this proactive approach.
With the right systems and strategies in place, you will never be taken by surprise when a breach occurs. And remember – the cost of investing in a proper cybersecurity infrastructure is always lower than covering the costs of the damage later.
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You may also be interested in these:
- [Instagram Do’s and Don’ts for the Business User](https://willmarlow.com/instagram-guidelines-business-dos-and-donts/)
- [Why You Should Have Access to the Facebook Audience Interests (Full List)](https://willmarlow.com/why-you-should-have-access-to-the-facebook-audience-interests/)
- [3 Tests To Determine if Your Page Speed is Sabotaging Your SEO](https://willmarlow.com/3-tests-to-determine-if-your-page-speed-is-sabotaging-your-seo/)
**Ana Spasić is an Office manager at Will Marlow. She has a proven track record of effectively managing and organizing office operations. She is committed to staying up to date with the latest cybersecurity trends and implementing cybersecurity protocols to ensure the company’s sensitive information is safe and secure.**
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, Google Analytics
---
### [Will Marlow Agency Awarded as a Top Google Marketing Solutions Provider 2022](https://willmarlow.com/will-marlow-agency-awarded-by-martech/)
**Published:** January 11, 2023
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
What a way to end the previous year! We are happy to announce that our agency has been selected as a [Top Google Marketing Solutions Provider for 2022](https://google-marketing.martechoutlook.com/vendors/top-google-marketing-solution-companies.html) by MarTech Outlook. This annual listing consists of 10 companies that are at the forefront of providing Google Marketing solutions and transforming businesses of all sizes along the way.
## Our Road to Success
As a Google Ads Partner, [Will Marlow Agency](https://willmarlow.com) holds numerous certifications in search advertising, display advertising, and analytics. At its founding, our agency initially focused on providing clients with premium PPC services. From writing ads to A/B testing, our team covers each Google Ads segment to assure successful campaigns.
Over time, our agency expanded its portfolio of services, and today we offer a wide range of PPC, SEO, content, sales, and CRM services. We are building cohesive marketing strategies and campaigns that can help our clients set clear objectives.
> “A holistic, KPI-aligned marketing strategy is crucial to client success,” said Bojana Obradović, Director of Digital Services at Will Marlow Agency. “Our data-driven SEO metrics inform content creation, ensuring that our clients have healthy, high-performing websites. As a result, we’re able to increase client visibility on the organic side, while delivering compelling advertising campaigns that meet clients’ marketing objectives.”
## Client-Centric Approach and Continuous Education
Two aspects make us different – our client-centric approach and our continuous learning. Each of our clients has a dedicated digital marketing manager, who guides them every step of the way. Pinpointing the pain points in clients’ marketing approach is the first step towards building a strong foundation.
Another thing that gives us a headstart is our passion for knowledge. Company training is a part of our daily routine, and it helps us stay on top of the latest trends and Google Ads platform updates.
> “As the digital landscape continues to evolve at breakneck speed, agencies must be able to pivot quickly to address emerging trends and requirements,” said Will Marlow, CEO of Will Marlow Agency. “It’s part of our job to learn continuously, and understand and introduce new ways of doing things, in order to create high-impact campaigns that deliver results.”
We also built [Royku](https://royku.com/), a website that aggregates all our knowledge in one place. We decided to create this instructor-led training that can help other digital marketing professionals and even our clients improve or learn digital marketing skills, everything from PPC, SEO, Google Analytics, and more.
## Other Will Marlow Agency Achievements
In addition to last year’s MarTech Outlook award, Will Marlow Agency was also awarded back in 2020 as one of their [Top SEO/Consulting Service Companies](https://seo.martechoutlook.com/vendor/will-marlow-agency-demystifying-the-world-of-seosem-cid-450-mid-57.html). This [recognition](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/will-marlow-agency-recognized-among-top-ten-seo-companies-by-martech-outlook-magazine-301156535.html) is the result of our growth into several digital marketing practice areas to better serve our clients and meet their success metrics.
[Our agency](https://www.designrush.com/agency/profile/will-marlow-agency) was also recently recognized by DesignRush as one of the [Top 30 PPC Management Companies in the USA](https://www.designrush.com/agency/paid-media-pay-per-click/us). DesignRush is one of the biggest B2B marketplaces for finding the right agencies for projects. Trusted by top brands, DesignRush is a valuable resource for picking the right business partner either for your web, logo, packaging, or app design.
Ending 2022 on a high note, last but not least, our podcast [Road to CEO](https://redcircle.com/shows/road-to-ceo) was chosen as one of the [30 Best CEO Podcasts You Must Follow in 2023](https://blog.feedspot.com/ceo_podcasts/) by Feedspot. Here’s to another successful year ahead!
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Company News
---
### [3 Tests To Determine if Your Page Speed is Sabotaging Your SEO](https://willmarlow.com/3-tests-to-determine-if-your-page-speed-is-sabotaging-your-seo/)
**Published:** January 10, 2023
**Author:** Julijana Spasic
**Content:**
# 3 Tests To Determine if Your Page Speed is Sabotaging Your SEO
by [Julijana Spasic](https://willmarlow.com/author/jspasic/ "Posts by Julijana Spasic") | Jan 10, 2023 | [Search Engine Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/blog/search-engine-optimization/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/3-tests-to-determine-if-your-page-speed-is-sabotaging-your-seo/#respond)
It does not take years of experience in SEO to know that the favorite answer to any question for every SEO specialist is: “It depends.” But website speed is one of the simplest factors because in essentially every normal scenario, faster is always better.
So how do you know if your website is slow enough to trigger a penalty? Or better still, is your page speed working against your SEO results?
*Image source: Photo by Carlos Muza on Unsplash*
## \#1: Niche Assessment & Page Speed – Analyze Your Competitors
The first clue to whether you should focus your efforts on your page speed is by assessing your niche. Is your website slower than your competitors, peers, and partners? If your website is slower than the industry average, you can expect to see suboptimal bounce rates, time on site, return visits, and conversion rates compared to your competitors, and this may be the best way to see if you need to invest in better site speed in 2023.
Yes, a page built only with HTML, without any images and media, will lead you to 100/100 on the Page Speed Insights test, but is it truly important for your business or website?
The answer, in many cases, is simple – no. In principle, you should always strive to minimize excesses that can slow down your website, but sometimes, it is much better to make a website that will be user-friendly & that will be attractive to your clients.
## \#2: Listen to Your Visitors!
This is probably the most underutilized tactic in improving SEO – ask your customers, partners, and employees whether they are ever frustrated by slow load times on your website. This type of “voice of the customer” feedback is tremendously valuable in discovering whether you have a problem with page load time – if your customers are telling you there’s a problem, it is very likely that Google already agrees with them, and are penalizing you for it.
## \#3: Use Google Analytics to Isolate Slow Pages
Google Analytics is one of the best tools for measuring the speed of individual pages on your website. (And it is important to point out that you shouldn’t confuse overall website speed with individual page load times. It is common for a website to be relatively fast loading overall, but to have a few pages that drag down the site average, and with Google Analytics, you can easily see which pages are the problem areas.
### So How Do You Fix a Slow Website?
If you determine that your website speed IS hurting you, here’s what you should know:
First, although site speed is NOT all about your website host, if you are using a cheap hosting service, your website may be on a shared hosting server with hundreds of other websites, and this may be slowing your website down – moving to a dedicated hosting service will solve this problem.
Second, it is important to have an SEO professional optimize your code. If you minimize the excess CSS, JavaScript, and HTML, your website will almost always load faster. Furthermore, by removing code comments, formatting, and unused code and compressing images and media, you can fasten your web page even more. The formula is generally easy – the simpler your website is, the faster it will be. This explains how eCommerce websites will almost by default, be slower than most industries. Hundreds or even thousands of products that one webshop can encompass drags a lot more code, imagery, and demanding technology/platform.
Third, limit javascript in general on your website. GoogleBots can have trouble crawling pages created with JavaScript, which can harm SEO.
Fourth, review the size of files and images on your website – we often see high resolution photos and videos that are creating a heavy weight on page load times, and these images and files can be reduced tremendously without sacrificing any image quality.
You can go beyond these four recommendations of course, and for important campaigns, we always recommend using a tool like [Screaming Frog](https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/) to meticulously find every factor that is dragging your speed down unnecessarily. But if you follow the four steps above, you will more than likely be able to improve your website speed, and, as we have already noted, faster is almost always better when it comes to SEO.
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You may also be interested in these:
- [Two Amazing Reports To Measure Year-Over-Year SEO Results in Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/two-amazing-reports-to-measure-year-over-year-seo-gains-in-google-analytics/)
- [How To Use Systems-Thinking To Drive SEO Success](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-use-systems-thinking-to-drive-seo-success/)
- [13 Key Takeaways from My SEO Lecture At Georgetown University](https://willmarlow.com/13-key-takeaways-seo-lecture-georgetown-university/)
**Julijana Spasic is an SEO Specialist at the Will Marlow Agency. Always curious and on alert, she is on a mission to disentangle the newest SEO riddles to help fellow websites ascend to the top of SERPs.**
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** Search Engine Optimization
---
### [Why You Should Have Access to the Facebook Audience Interests (Full List)](https://willmarlow.com/why-you-should-have-access-to-the-facebook-audience-interests/)
**Published:** December 28, 2022
**Author:** Sandra Stanojevic
**Content:**
# Why You Should Have Access to the Facebook Audience Interests (Full List)
by [Sandra Stanojevic](https://willmarlow.com/author/sstanojevic/ "Posts by Sandra Stanojevic") | Dec 28, 2022 | [Facebook](https://willmarlow.com/blog/facebook/), [Facebook Ads](https://willmarlow.com/blog/facebook-ads/), [Facebook Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/facebook-marketing/), [Facebook Targeting](https://willmarlow.com/blog/facebook-targeting/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/why-you-should-have-access-to-the-facebook-audience-interests/#respond)
One of the most common struggles when expanding your audience on Facebook, typing a certain segment in a detailed targeting section, is that the list of available interests seems limited in a way or even irrelevant to you. That is the moment when you are telling yourself “There have to be more audiences available!” (at least, I did).
I’m here to tell you, yes, there are more of them, and you should definitely have access for every single Facebook Audience Interest available. Are you ready to find the key to “unlock” the full list of Facebook Interests for your Audience Targeting expansion?
## What Are Facebook Interests?
Before we begin explaining where to find all available Facebook Interests, we should define what interests actually mean, when speaking about Facebook Advertising.
As Interest Explorer.io mentioned in their [definite guide](https://interestexplorer.io/facebook-interest-targeting/#:~:text=Facebook%20interest%20targeting%20is%20the,specifically%20interested%20in%20the%20subject.): “Facebook uses many data points to determine the interests of their users. It’s a combination of the Facebook pages users like, the content they engage with on Facebook and even off the platform (the Facebook tracking pixel is embedded on millions of websites). This means you can be assigned an interest because you actually liked or followed an eponymous Facebook page. But you can also get it when you comment on a friend’s post about a certain topic.”
Now that we understand how the algorithm is grouping the Facebook users into the interest, we can proceed and find out what are their main categories.
### The Main Categories of Interests
As mentioned, the main interest categories are:
- Business and Industry
- Entertainment
- Family and Relationships
- Fitness and Wellness
- Food and Drink
- Hobbies and Activities
- Shopping and Fashion
- Sports and Outdoors
- Technology
As you can see, this list of categories is too broad. What you actually need is a specific number of people who share an interest in the same stuff, and in the case of our industry, that would be the people who are sharing an interest in your product or its characteristics.
## Facebook Audience Interests List
Let’s assume that you/your client are selling cat toys, and you want to advertise for it on Facebook. You created the account, you have prepared ads, made the budget plan, and now is the time to select your audience. You want to use detailed targeting based on the interests we discussed earlier, but when you type “cat toys” which is the exact thing you need, you will get the following result:
*A preview of Facebook detailed targeting for “cat toys”*
As you can see, the Ads Manager is showing us the only one available result, and what else you can see is that this audience is way too broad. It may look like “the bigger – the better” approach is the way to go, but this is not a great strategy for everyone, because you want to advertise to the people who have the most chances to buy your product/service.
Next, let’s type just “cat” to check if there are any other interests available.
*A preview of Facebook Ads Manager showcasing the interest results for “cat”*
As you can see, the Ads Manager will show only up to 25 results based on what you typed. However, it will not always be relevant to what you are searching for. You probably are asking the same question I asked myself and my colleagues: “So, how am I supposed to know what is the exact name of the Facebook Audience Interests I want to target?”
Fortunately, we found a way to access the full list of available audience interests and all of them are different sizes, so we can spend our budgets more efficiently and probably get more conversions, considering we are targeting the right people.
This option is one from the Meta for Developers section, and it is called Graph API Explorer, where you will generate the Access Token which will help us to “unlock” the full list of Facebook Audience Interests.
We will explain the whole process in the following steps.
## Graph API Explorer and How to Get Access Token
First of all, you should Google-search for Facebook/Meta for Developers, once you are on this page you should click “Get Started” or “Log In”. In this step, you will be signing up for a developer’s account, but you don’t need to be a developer to actually use some of these features.
Next thing, you should proceed to “Creating an App” and select an app type (according to your needs, we can recommend choosing “None” considering it has a combination of permissions we will need for this purpose).
*A preview of creating an app by choosing the app type*
Then click next, and then just type the name of the app, add your Facebook/Meta email address and then select a Business Account, if you have one (this is optional), and then click create the app, then confirm your password.
*A preview of creating an app by providing the basing information*
What you will see next is Dashboard. As you can see, there are a lot of options to explore, but what you need is actually under the Tools section, so click on it, and then click Graph API Explorer.
*A preview of dashboard after the app is created*
So you should make sure that you selected the proper app, select the User Access Token, and then Generate Access Token.
*A preview of generating Access Token via Graph API Explorer*
You will see the pop-up window, asking you to confirm your password or to continue with your profile.
*A preview of Log In pop-up*
Now you have your Access Token which has a short expiration time, of only a few hours. You will probably want to have the one that will last longer, so what you need to do is click on the blue icon (number 1 on the photo below), and then Open in Access Token Tool (2).
*A preview of a time-limited Access Token*
When a new window opens, click on the Extend Access Token (1), and then copy the Token, as represented in the photo below.
*A preview of a Extended Access Token*
One of the final steps is to open the Facebook Interests Expander tool, which you can find [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18bB6hEog8YsErMsVQCvb6Cii7HrjO0u91v42dBs3TKg/copy). Make yourself a copy, open it, and click on the “Creds” tab.
*A preview of Interest Expander Tool*
Click on the A1 cell, and paste an extended Access Token you generated before, between = (equals) and “ (the quotation mark), hit ENTER, and your Facebook Interests Expander tool is ready to use!
## Facebook Interests Expander Tool – How to Use
As we previously learned, the Ads Manager itself provides a maximum of 25 interests available based on your search query, and those interests are not always relevant to what you need. But with the Facebook Interests Expander tool, you can easily access every single one of the existing interests.
This tool is pretty simple to use. The only thing you need to do is to type the desired query in the yellow field, click any field, and voila – the data is populated!
*A preview of interests populated by desired search query*
Unlike the Ads Manager which showed us 25 interests in total, this tool provided an amazing 102 results. Of course, you can find some irrelevant audience interests here, too, but most of them are pretty good to use. Just copy the name of the interest that is relevant to your needs and paste it into the Ads Manager’s Detailed Targeting browser. Let’s see an example:
*A preview of implementation newly discovered interest*
Thank me later!
## Our Final Words
Finally, we’ve got to the part where we’ll explain why you should have access to the full list of Facebook Audience Interests.
As we are familiar with the Digital Marketing industry, and we know that every campaign requires the optimal amount of budget, we want to make sure we are spending it in the most efficient way, as nobody wants to pay for irrelevance. That said, we can have the greatest eye-catching visuals, the perfectly convincing ad copy, the high daily budget, etc, but if we don’t target the right audience, we cannot expect higher ROAS.
Facebook Interests Expander is a great tool that can help you find and choose the right audience for your business, based on their interests. Make your decision on which one to use from the table, either if it is based on the Audience Size Lower/Upper Bound, Topic or Disambiguation Category which can be found in the top row.
Sometimes it is great to narrow the audience, so you can get the best of it. For example, use the Audience Interest of some brand that only its users know what it represents (like Whiskas, PurePet, Royal Canin, etc), in that way you will show your ads to the most specific people, who are the most likely to convert.
If you need any assistance with your advertising effort, [we can offer you a wide range of digital marketing services](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/)!
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
You may be also interested in these:
- [Instagram Do’s and Don’ts for the Business User](https://willmarlow.com/instagram-guidelines-business-dos-and-donts/)
- [11 Ways to Improve Google Ad Performance (without increasing budget)](https://willmarlow.com/11-ways-to-improve-google-ad-performance/)
- [10 Reasons Why Businesses Should be Using Microsoft Ads](https://willmarlow.com/10-reasons-businesses-should-use-microsoft-ads/)
**Sandra Stanojević is a PPC Analyst in the Will Marlow Agency Team who is responsible for analyzing Pay-Per-Click campaigns performance, using analytical skills and tools to optimize outcomes from all PPC activities.**
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** Facebook, Facebook Ads, Facebook Marketing, Facebook Targeting
---
### [Instagram Do’s and Don’ts for the Business User](https://willmarlow.com/instagram-guidelines-business-dos-and-donts/)
**Published:** December 20, 2022
**Author:** Marija Markovic
**Content:**
# Instagram Do’s and Don’ts for the Business User
by [Marija Markovic](https://willmarlow.com/author/mmarkovic/ "Posts by Marija Markovic") | Dec 20, 2022 | [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/), [Instagram](https://willmarlow.com/blog/instagram/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/instagram-guidelines-business-dos-and-donts/#respond)
Social Media is undoubtedly one of the fastest-growing channels for driving awareness, engagement, and brand loyalty online.
A platform we’ve seen many businesses moving to in the last couple of years is Instagram, a photo and video-sharing platform that allows users to upload media that can be edited, organized by hashtags and geotagging, then shared publicly or with preapproved followers. This functionality, along with Instagram’s TikTok-like Reels, allows brands to “creatively express their brand story, educate their audience, and get discovered by people who may love their business.”
But before becoming the next big trend on ‘the Gram,’ you need to understand the platform’s rules and community guidelines.
Instagram’s policy is quite simple; to be a part of their community, you must play by their rules. If content creators violate these terms, this can prompt Instagram to delete your content, disable your account, and restrict you in a way the platform deems suitable.
So, let’s talk about what your business should and shouldn’t do on Instagram to help you reach this platform’s full potential.
## What Content Are You Allowed to Share on Instagram?
One of the first things Instagram focuses on in its guidelines is the **content creators can share on the platform.**
When it comes to content sharing, you should:
1. **Share only content (photos/videos/stories) that you have taken or have the right to share.** Anything you post on your profile is your content, and you own it. The main thing to remember here is to post only authentic content taken by you or created by you.
2. **Post content that is appropriate for a diverse audience.** Because of the variety of the audience on Instagram, it is important to share content with good intent. People with children like to share photos/videos of their children, which is allowed on the platform, but Instagram can sometimes remove the images for safety reasons. Pictures regarding breastfeeding and birth/after-birth moments are allowed on Instagram. Health-related content is also allowed, breast cancer awareness, for instance.
You should NOT:
1. **You should not copy, steal or post any content you do not have the right to and isn’t yours.**
Posting content from another source online (that isn’t yours) or a user on Instagram without proper credit to the original creator is against Instagram’s terms and policies and is generally just lousy internet etiquette. Stealing content can lead to Instagram deleting your posts or possibly deleting your account. For a good reason, Instagram is stringent regarding intellectual property.
2. **Nudity is not allowed on Instagram and violates its community guidelines.**
Even if the content is for artistic expression or creative purposes, it’s best to steer clear. The only exceptions to this rule are product photos with reasonably covered models (think swimsuits) and depictions of antiquities, paintings, or sculptures that are not overtly sexual.
An example would be; Leda and the Swan. Creator: Nyulassy, Alexander. Circa 1862.
## Can Businesses do Giveaways on Instagram?
While the goal is to [keep the platform spam-free](https://transparency.fb.com/en-gb/policies/community-standards/spam/?source=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fcommunitystandards%2Fspam) so everyone can freely use it, giveaways are something that Instagram allows businesses to use to promote their products and services in a fun and engaging way. An example would be a business in the UK that promotes natural hair cosmetics for curly hair, called Flora & Curl:
[](https://www.instagram.com/p/ChenqW0sQQb/?hl=en)
Giveaway Dos:
1. Users can create giveaways for products, services, and experiences.
2. Users can use giveaways to encourage others to like, follow, and share content. (Example in the image above).
Giveaway Do Nots:
1. Instagram prohibits using giveaways if you offer money in the giveaway in exchange for likes, followers, comments, or any other type of engagement. In general, Instagram does not allow users/businesses to offer money.
2. Users are not allowed to buy likes or followers. It is also not allowed to buy shares or to pay anyone to share your posts. Repetition of any sort, whether comments or content, and frequently contacting users to gather more likes, followers, and shares without consent are strictly forbidden.
## Respect Community Members: Build a Community that Celebrates Diversity
Instagram is meant for individuals to express themselves and their creativity through their interests, hobbies, experiences, or businesses. Therefore Instagram takes care that each user helps create and promote a continual positive community.
Given this, you should:
1. Promote a community of shared ideas, inclusivity, and diversity.
2. Encourage deeper conversation and idea sharing around topics of importance to communities and society.
You should NOT:
1. Use content that is hate related, or contains hate speech. This is not tolerated on Instagram.
2. You should not post any content that contains threats or content that specifically targets, demeans, or humiliates individuals.
3. You should not post any content that uses personal information as a means to blackmail or torment, harass or bother other users.
4. Any violence or attack that is based on a user’s race, ethnicity, nationality, sex/gender, religion, disabilities, and diseases is not allowed on the platform.
5. Do not use threats of any kind, including (but not limited to):
– Threats of harm to the public and personal safety of others;
– Threats of theft;
– Threats of vandalism;
– Threats of financial harm.
6. Any encouragement for users to take into self-injury can lead to accounts being disabled if it is reported.
Instagram reviews all user reports of threats and determines whether a post is harmful to the user, whether the content should be deleted, or if Instagram should take harsher measures. If an account is suspended, the user will receive this message from the platform:
In addition, Instagram has the right to remove any content that includes victims/survivors of self-injury if other users target them for humor.
The platform does allow stronger conversation and discussion around people featured in current news-related stories. Discussions and conversations about people whose profession requires them to have large audiences/followers are also allowed.
The only situation Instagram allows hate speech to be shared is if the reason behind it is to challenge or bring it out in the open.
## Abiding by Law: Instagram’s Efforts to Fight Against Criminal Activities
Like many social media platforms, Instagram doesn’t allow users to break the law. Due to that, this part does not include “what you should do” and “what is allowed on the platform.”
1. Instagram prohibits any praise of terrorism, organized crime, and hate groups.
2. Offer of sexual services is not allowed on Instagram.
3. Buying or selling of the following is also banned:
– Firearms;
– Alcohol;
– Tobacco products;
– Non-medical or pharmaceutical drugs.
4. Instagram has the right to remove content that is considered an attempt to trade/co-ordinate selling of non-medical products and donate or gift non-medical products.
5. Instagram has the right to remove content that is believed to be the admission of personal use of non-medical drugs unless in the context of recovery.
6. The sale of live animals and any coordination of selling live animals/endangered species, as well as poaching and selling their parts is strictly prohibited.
7. The platform has zero tolerance for any type of sexual content involving minors and threatening to post images of others.
8. If a user is promoting online gambling, real money games, and online lotteries, it is important to get permission from the platform.
For any attempt to break the law or circumvent it, Instagram has the right to delete content and the account itself.
## Raising Public Awareness on Instagram
Newsworthy events are allowed on Instagram. So if a user or business wants to raise awareness for current events, you should stick to the following:
1. Only use content to raise awareness among the public.
2. Use a caption to warn about content bringing awareness to violence, content that could be “triggering” for individuals, or content that may not be suited for younger audiences.
Since Instagram has a diverse audience with a large range of age groups, the platform reserves the right to remove content and generally only allows content that is suitable for everyone.
## Some Final Words
Because of the easygoing nature of the platform and the interactiveness of the content types, Instagram can be a really enjoyable and effective way to promote your business. So, don’t be afraid to spend time building and maintaining a presence on Instagram. Just remember to follow the Instagram guidelines at all times to create a safe and pleasant environment for everyone.
Read more on [our blog](https://willmarlow.com/our-blog/)!
**Marija Markovic is a Manager of Technical Services at the Will Marlow Agency team. She specializes in the execution of digital marketing projects such as Search, Display, Shopping, Mobile, and Video. In addition to helping clients accomplish their business goals, she is dedicated to helping the team learn, improve and grow so that our agency performs at its best.**
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** Digital Marketing, Instagram
---
### [Should B2B Companies Collect Personal Email Addresses?](https://willmarlow.com/should-b2b-companies-collect-personal-email-addresses/)
**Published:** August 10, 2021
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Should B2B Companies Collect Personal Email Addresses?
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Aug 10, 2021 | [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/), [Landing Page Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/blog/landing-page-optimization/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/should-b2b-companies-collect-personal-email-addresses/#respond)
All B2B marketers dealing with lead generation inevitably face the following question: should you collect personal email addresses from leads, or should you force leads to use a business email address on the forms on your website?
This isn’t necessarily a question of lead generation, as much as it is lead qualification (though it does play into lead generation later on). Many businesses argue that money, time, and resources are wasted on trying to qualify leads that have come in through marketing channels with personal email addresses. And while they aren’t technically wrong, it’s important to note some reasons why individuals use personal email to fill out forms in the first place:
- Not sales-ready / too early in the buyer journey
- Reduce unnecessary contact/increase anonymity (for self or company)
- Reduce spam
- Building trust in a brand
- Competitive or personal research
- Start-up company without a company email
- Consultant to another company
- Looking for a job
- Do-it-yourself-er (someone who wants to implement your solution themselves, and only want a template)
Now that we know why people could be using their personal email, we can return to the burning question: Should you accept them as a B2B marketer?
The answer depends on the business itself and its success metrics. And both options have their share of pros and cons.
If your business is looking for continued growth in traffic and form fills (quantity over quality approach), accepting personal emails will help reach those numbers. Not to mention that while personal emails often convert at lower rates than business emails, they open the targeting net much wider than restricting a form would. The con here, of course, is that more time and energy is spent on qualifying contacts.
On the other hand, businesses looking to restrict form fills only to accept business emails tend to have a much clearer idea of their buyer personas and narrow the focus of resources and time on those who are most likely to convert into a sale. Limiting forms to business emails is limiting the lead pool and reducing the number of form fills overall.
Don’t worry if you’re still not 100% sure what solution is best for you. Here are some best practices for landing page form fills to get you going in the right direction:
1. Your B2B landing pages should at least ASK for business email addresses. Even if you aren’t going to require it in the form. You can do this in the contact form itself (Either in the header or the description of the email input).
2. But, if someone ignores that request using Gmail, Yahoo, or any other email platform, you should let them proceed.
3. Then, you should “score” the lead appropriately. That is, if your leads that have personal email addresses “close” at a lower rate than leads that use business email addresses, you should score those leads lower.
4. Add lower scored leads to a ‘nurture list’. This is a cycle of long-term email or contact correspondence that you use to mature contacts over time. Consequently, this is the model that is followed (in different ways) by some of the leading B2B companies, including Payoneer, [com](http://salesforce.com/), Tableau, Eloqua, Slack, [Justworks.com](http://justworks.com/), Melio, [c2fo.com](http://c2fo.com/), and more.
5. Update scoring criteria over time as you watch the behaviors of your leads on your website. For example, someone who uses a personal email and finds their way to your ‘open job positions’ page may not be a quality lead, but someone who uses their personal email and visits four or five products/services pages might be.
Bojana, as a Manager of Digital Marketing Services on the Will Marlow Agency Team, works to establish and maintain the growth of the agency’s team and ensures company standards of high-quality delivery. Her main goal is the continued improvement of team expertise so that ad delivery meets and exceeds customer’s expectations.
## AdWords Keyword ROI Calculator
The ROI Calculator will help you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use Keyword Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
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**Categories:** Digital Marketing, Landing Page Optimization
---
### [11 Ways to Improve Google Ad Performance (without increasing budget)](https://willmarlow.com/11-ways-to-improve-google-ad-performance/)
**Published:** January 29, 2021
**Author:** Ashley Kirchmyer
**Content:**
# 11 Ways to Improve Google Ad Performance (without increasing budget)
by [Ashley Kirchmyer](https://willmarlow.com/author/ashleyk/ "Posts by Ashley Kirchmyer") | Jan 29, 2021 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/), [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/), [Landing Page Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/blog/landing-page-optimization/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/11-ways-to-improve-google-ad-performance/#respond)
One of the most common questions we get is: will adding more budget to your Google Ads campaign improve your performance?
Inevitably, in every engagement, we are asked this question in some way, shape, or form.
**The answer is no, not necessarily.**
Some situations call for increased budgets, but before you start throwing your hard-earned cash at a Google Ads campaign, consider these 11 ways to improve your ad performance (without touching your daily budget).
1. **Check Your Settings**
It seems like such an obvious thing, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, we’ve found that we often overlook the simplest answers in trying to find the root cause of a poor performing campaign. Check to make sure you have not unintentionally restricted your performance by assigning settings that are more harmful than helpful. Some examples of this might be setting goals that restrict your bidding strategies, not allowing Google to optimize best performing ads, or selecting the wrong networks for a campaign.
2. **Try Expanding or Restricting Geography**
Speaking of settings, consider your geotargeting. If your targeting is too limited, your audience might be too small to perform (especially if your keywords are hyper-specialized). On the other hand, If you have a limited budget and large geography to cover, you might be spreading that budget too thin to compete with others bidding for the same keywords. Find out where you have the best performance and narrow your focus there.
3. **Try a Different Bid Strategy**
Google Ads has a wide range of bid strategies for advertisers to utilize – both those you manage yourself (manual and enhanced manual CPC), and those automated by Google (Smart bid strategies). Take some time to understand the pros and cons of all of them, test them in your campaigns, give your campaigns plenty of time to complete the learning algorithm and build on the performance.
4. **Are You Reaching KAL Nirvana?**
KAL Nirvana refers to when there is optimal Keyword-Ad-Landing Page alignment in an account. Your Keywords match your ads, which match your Landing Page. It’s a pretty simple but effective rule to live by. Ensure that you’re using your keywords in the headlines of your ads, and that the content of the ads relates to the content on the page you’re sending people to.
5. **Check Your Quality Score**
We can’t talk about KAL alignment without also talking about Keyword Quality Score. Quality Score is a measure by Google, on a scale of 1-10, how ‘deserving’ of a keyword you are on average. The factors affecting Quality Score are: Ad Relevance, Landing Page Experience, and Expected Click-Thru-Rate. If you’ve checked your KAL alignment, then Ad Relevancy and most of the Landing Page Experience should be taken care of. But Expected CTR tends to be a little harder to pin down. Make sure that you’re making your ads compelling at the same time you include all those Keywords. If the ad is boring and not compelling, you will have a low CTR, and potentially, a low Expected CTR (We’ll speak more to this a little later).
6. **Try Expanding or Restricting Keywords**
When it comes to keywords, there are typically three major points you’ll want to check off.
1.) if you have too few Keywords, or those words are highly restricted (by either match type or hyper-specificity), you’ll want to check to see if there are any missed keyword opportunities. You can do this through the search terms report, the keyword planner, or going to a 3rd party site to see if there are related terms you might have missed. 2.) Like geography, having too many Keywords in your account might limit your performance, especially if you have more expensive terms than others (or more popular traffic-wise, but not necessarily driving conversions). Focus on the most valuable keywords first and then expand later once you see a flow of leads.
3.) If you feel like you have a good balance of keywords, but performance still seems poor, or you are driving a lot of irrelevant traffic, make sure you are updating your Negative Keyword list frequently to get rid of clicks that have nothing to do with people interested in your products or services.
7. **Try New Ad Copy**
Let’s face it if your ad copy is boring, the likelihood that someone will choose you over a competitor is pretty slim. Even if you followed the KAL alignment rules, it does not guarantee a click – just reasonable placement. Give your audience a reason to click on your ad. Rely on benefit statements that speak directly to a pain point you solve. Answer their questions directly in your ads.
8. **Try a Different Offer**
**98% of searches done online are done on Google.** If you do business in a highly saturated market (or even if you don’t), you’re competing with everyone else who wants to provide similar services as you. If the first instinct you had in launching keywords was sending all your traffic to a sign-up or contact us page, and you do not see the performance, it might be time to take a couple of steps back up the content funnel. In the age of information, people need trust signals. Just like you would not buy just any car without knowing that the brand is good, your potential leads are not just going to take your word that you’re the best solution to their problem. Give your audience content around their pain points. Educate them on the solutions available. Earn their trust. Then you can send them to your contact page.
9. **Try a Different Campaign or Network**
You must ask yourself if you are reaching your target audience in the right way. Sometimes, it might be better to find your audience before they find you – in which case, a display campaign with in-market or custom intent audiences may be best for you! Maybe getting traffic to your site is not the problem – it’s getting people to sign up or purchase once they’re there! A highly targeted remarketing campaign may be exactly what you need.
10. **Try a Different Platform**
Hear me out – I know this seems like we’re saying spend more money just on a different advertising source, but the truth of the matter is, Google isn’t for every business. It would help if you also kept in mind where your intended audience would consume your advertising the best. A small, local design company may find that Google is too competitive for their budget. But Facebook and Instagram allow them to showcase their capabilities to other local business owners. Also, consider that Microsoft Ads may be a cheaper alternative to reaching your audience on a search engine ([Learn more about Mircosoft Ads HERE](https://willmarlow.com/10-reasons-businesses-should-use-microsoft-ads/)).
11. **Give It Time**
This one might seem like a cop-out, but consider this: on average, it takes between 7-14 days for Google to complete its initial learning phase of any new campaign (according to Google’s algorithm). But it takes four weeks before Google has enough data to start optimizing a campaign based on performance. Give your advertising a chance to optimize. (And don’t make significant changes while it’s in a learning phase. That will reset the clock!)
Advertising is not a perfect solution. It’s not the instant gratification some people make it out to be. It takes time and constant optimization and testing, and an understanding of how the system works. So, before you touch your wallet, ask yourself if there is room for improvement elsewhere. We guarantee there is.
Need help optimizing your campaigns? [We would love to hear from you!](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/)
Ashley Kirchmyer is a Digital Marketing Manager on the Will Marlow Agency Team who loves helping clients understand every aspect of the digital marketing process and how it affects their bottom line. She holds certifications in Google AdWords Search and Display, as well as a certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords Keyword ROI Calculator
The ROI Calculator will help you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use Keyword Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Digital Marketing, Landing Page Optimization
---
### [10 Reasons Why Businesses Should be Using Microsoft Ads](https://willmarlow.com/10-reasons-businesses-should-use-microsoft-ads/)
**Published:** July 10, 2020
**Author:** Ashley Kirchmyer
**Content:**
# 10 Reasons Why Businesses Should be Using Microsoft Ads
by [Ashley Kirchmyer](https://willmarlow.com/author/ashleyk/ "Posts by Ashley Kirchmyer") | Jul 10, 2020 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/10-reasons-businesses-should-use-microsoft-ads/#respond)
When Google makes up nearly 88% of searches online in the US alone (in the last year), we get pretty used to hearing: “Who even uses Bing anymore?”
The answer is: Actually, more than you might think. And discounting the platform and its associated advertising Microsoft (formerly Bing) Ads may just prove to be a major missed opportunity.
Here are 10 reasons you may want to consider Microsoft Ads for your business:
1. Microsoft Ads reached 7% of searchers who are not reached through Google – that’s an audience of ***22 Million+ people who you can’t reach through Google Ads***.
2. Bing has 3 different search engines: Bing, Yahoo, and AOL, so when you run ads on one, you’ll actually show on all three. This also means searchers on all Bing, Yahoo, and AOL owned and operated sites, as well as various partner sites (Like MSN, Yahoo Finance, etc.).
3. Lack of competition makes highly competitive industries like Law, Career/Employment, Real Estate, and Manufacturing cheaper, in cost per click.
4. In fact, the cost in Microsoft Ads is lower in general, spending 50-75% less than it’s Google campaign counterparts.
5. **40% of Bing users are 35+, and nearly half of its users report an annual income of $75,000 per year (with a third of its audience reporting $100,000 income per year)**.
6. Low search? No Problem. We find that Google will block keywords that have too low of search volume from being advertised on. Bing, has a significantly lower threshold on what is considered “Low Volume”.
7. Functionally, Microsoft Ads is the same as Google Ads – you can even import your campaigns from Google Ads to Microsoft Ads, reducing time and hassle.
8. There are some differences in the platforms. Extensions (image extensions) and capabilities (Quality score tracking all the way through the campaign level) that Google doesn’t have in the search network.
9. Microsoft Ads has search audiences for keyword campaign targeting that Google does not (specific industry types for b2b targeting, while Google focuses on end-users for b2c).
10. You can use LinkedIn Targeting to focus campaign efforts in Bing’s search network, using industry, Job Function, and companies to show ads to only the most relevant searches.
Like with most things, Microsoft Ads may not be for every business. But, ignoring it may be a substantial missed opportunity. Not sure if Microsoft Ads is right for your business? [Come chat with us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/)!
Ashley Kirchmyer is a Digital Marketing Manager on the Will Marlow Agency Team who loves helping clients understand every aspect of the digital marketing process and how it affects their bottom line. She holds certifications in Google AdWords Search and Display, as well as a certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords Keyword ROI Calculator
The ROI Calculator will help you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use Keyword Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords
---
### [Why Facebook Conversion Tracking Does Not Match Google Analytics Goals](https://willmarlow.com/difference-between-facebook-conversion-tracking-google-analytics/)
**Published:** August 2, 2019
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Why Facebook Conversion Tracking Does Not Match Google Analytics Goals
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Aug 2, 2019 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/difference-between-facebook-conversion-tracking-google-analytics/#respond)
Why Do You See a Discrepancy in Conversion Tracking Results Between Facebook and Google Analytics?
As you probably know, you can track conversions using the tools within an ad platform, and you can also track conversions for the same campaigns using separate third-party analytics platforms like Google Analytics. But when you run ad campaigns on Facebook, you are very likely to encounter a big [discrepancy between the number of conversions](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/147965221941551) you see recorded by Facebook, and the number of conversions you see recorded by Google Analytics for the same exact campaigns.
But there are some very clear reasons for why this happens, and you should read the rest of this post to understand why that is.
The discrepancy between Google Analytics and Facebook Ads boils down to five big areas:
1. Non-linear Conversions
2. View Through Conversions
3. Cross Device Conversions
4. Dependency on Javascript
5. Time of Conversion Difference
Below we are going to look at each of these five areas in detail.
1. **Non-linear conversions.** First, Facebook tracks indirect non-linear conversions, meaning that if a user clicks your Facebook ad and views your site, leaves your site, then returns the next day and makes a purchase, Facebook attributes that conversion to Facebook. Google Analytics does not. Google Analytics is best at tracking direct last-click conversions — when a user clicks your Facebook ad, views your site, and converts right then and there without leaving.
2. **View Through Conversions.** Second, Facebook conversion reports use a default 28-day window for click-through conversions and a one-day (24-hour) window for view-through conversions. By uniquely tracking view-through conversions, Facebook takes credit for a conversion even if a Facebook user only sees your Facebook ad without clicking it, then visits your website and makes a purchase. Furthermore, Facebook doesn’t differentiate between the two types of conversions: click-through conversions and view-through conversions are combined into a single data point for total conversions. Meanwhile, view-through conversion tracking is something Google Analytics can’t do for ANY type of campaign. Google Analytics records this conversion type as a direct source conversion, which means that, as far as Google Analytics is concerned, the same user typed your web address into their browser without being influenced by another campaign. (And tracking parameters like UTM codes can’t help you here, because those are directly tied to “clicks” and not “views.”) In other words, Google Analytics has no idea the user saw your Facebook ad.
3. **Cross Device Conversions**. Facebook also tracks cross-device conversions (mobile to desktop, desktop to tablet, and so on) better than Google Analytics does. This is because whereas Google Analytics installs a single-location cookie to track a user’s activity on a single device, Facebook tracks activity using its Facebook user profiles (and the on-site Facebook Pixel).
4. **Dependence on Javascript.** Google Analytics is entirely dependent on javascript within the browser, and people have the ability to turn off javascript, AND even if they don’t turn it off, javascript has a tendency to “fail” periodically. There is no known solution to this, but Facebook does NOT have the same dependency, and therefore it will pick up conversions that are not recorded in Google Analytics when this happens.
5. **Time of Conversion Difference**. Finally, Facebook records the conversion based on the time someone viewed the ad, and NOT the time that they completed the purchase, made the donation, or otherwise “converted.” So, if someone views/clicks the Facebook Ad on July 28, but converts on August 2nd, the conversion will be recorded as July 28th. Meanwhile, Google Analytics will record the conversion as August 2nd. This last reason should not impact the total number of conversions recorded for a campaign, but it will lead to a discrepancy in a given date range when you are analyzing results.
All five of these reasons help explain two things: (1) first, you are likely to see a big discrepancy when comparing your Facebook Ad campaign conversion data to your Google Analytics conversion data, and (2) secondly, the discrepancy is going to lean towards MORE conversions recorded in Facebook, and fewer recorded in Google Analytics.
But to be clear, it is still a smart move to track conversions using both systems, which is a best practice that we adhere to whenever possible — and doing so will result in better data for your campaigns, as long as you are aware of the “rules” that each conversion tracking system follows.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords ROI Calculator
The AdWords Calculator will help you measure profitability on keyword-by-keyword-basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
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**Categories:** AdWords
---
### [How To Protect Your Google Grant from Getting Canceled](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-protect-your-google-grant-from-getting-canceled/)
**Published:** March 21, 2019
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# How To Protect Your Google Grant from Getting Canceled
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Mar 21, 2019 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-protect-your-google-grant-from-getting-canceled/#respond)
I wanted to write the post below to share with you the most important things you need to know in order to avoid getting your Google Ad Grant canceled in the coming year. But before I do that, I’ll give you a quick summary on what a Google Ad Grant is, who it is useful for, and how the program has changed in the last twelve months.
**What Is A Google Ad Grant?**
First of all, a Google Ad Grant (formerly known as a Google AdWords Grant) is a program exclusively available for 501c3 nonprofits (not limited the United States), and through which Google offers $10,000 per month (every month) in free advertising to the nonprofits that qualify.
The $10,000 per month is “use-it-or-lose-it” money, which means that it re-sets every month that the grant is renewed. If you only spend $300 in March, then the rest of the money does NOT roll over into April. Which is why we like to be as aggressive as possible in spending the money each month. Furthermore, the $10,000 is spent on a daily basis, and in order to spend the full amount, you’ll need to max out your daily budget at approximately $330/day.
It is important to note that the entire grant is reserved for keyword targeted ads. No remarketing or display ads, and no Google Shopping campaigns.
**Who Qualifies for a Google Ad Grant?**
Almost any nonprofit in the United States qualifies. Of course, Google reserves the right to reject anyone who applies, but in our experience almost any 501c3 in good standing is likely to get approved.
**How Do You Prevent Your Google Ad Grant from Getting Canceled**
Until 2018, Google Grants were almost never canceled, but last year Google implemented some new rules that you need to be aware of, and if you follow our recommendations below, you are likely to keep your grant in good standing month over month:
1. First, you need to make sure that someone is in charge of your grant. And this person needs to be monitoring the Google Grant alerts that are emailed once a month (usually by the 19th or 20th) to indicate which parts of the Google Ad Grant are out of compliance. For instance, if you have keywords with quality scores that are too low, then this report will flag them and you’ll be able to correct them. If your click-through-rate is below the minimum required 5%, this will let you know.
2. Second, don’t just rely on the automated grant report to let you know when something is out of compliance. We recommend setting up alerts to tell you if quality scores dip too low.
3. Third, be very careful with branded keywords. You are not allowed to use “one-word” keywords in Google Grants, but they make exceptions for branded phrases. That said, we have found that Google will often make mistakes with branded keywords, and they MAY erroneously cancel your grant based on misinterpreting which keywords are branded and which are not. If you care deeply about targeting one-word branded keywords, then you need to make sure you have a Google rep who can help you flag which ones are branded, and can quickly fix any accidental cancelations if they cause trouble.
4. Fourth, we recommend taking an “ad first” approach to managing your account, and we also recommend planning out a 12-month strategy that involves new ad writing every month — this will help you satisfy the requirement that you actively manage your account each month, and that you only adopt keywords that are highly relevant to your campaigns. Before 2018, you might have been able to take a “keyword first” approach, whereby you quickly expand your keyword targeting in huge ways and pair those keywords a top performing static ad, or perhaps a dynamic keyword ad, and then optimize your keywords only after the volume increases. We don’t recommend this approach for Google Grants, because Google will cancel your grant if you don’t maintain a tight alignment between keyword and ad text relevance, and if you force yourself to write the ads first, and then pick keywords second you’ll be likely to ensure that you stay aligned with Google’s requirements.
I hope these tips are helpful as you utilize your Google Ad Grants in 2019, and if you have any additional tips or questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** AdWords
---
### [SEO & SEM During COVID-19: Episode 1](https://willmarlow.com/seo-sem-during-covid-19-episode-1/)
**Published:** May 27, 2020
**Author:** Ashley Kirchmyer
**Content:**
# SEO & SEM During COVID-19: Episode 1
by [Ashley Kirchmyer](https://willmarlow.com/author/ashleyk/ "Posts by Ashley Kirchmyer") | May 27, 2020 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/seo-sem-during-covid-19-episode-1/#respond)
As you may know, our CEO, Will Marlow, has started hosting a video series on Facebook Live episodes that teach marketers and business owners the basics of SEO and SEM as a way of helping people prioritize marketing during the COVID-19 lockdown. We will be posting the materials (links to videos, PPT decks, etc.) in this blog space as they become available for your reference.
Below is all the relevant information from episode one of SEO/SEM During COVID-19, and we hope you find it useful!
Click [here](https://www.facebook.com/robchevez/videos/10223420579843115/) to watch the full first episode on Facebook Live.
Highlights from Episode 1:
- How to audit your own website tags
- How to see how much money your competitors are spending on Google Ads
- How to use Screaming Frog to read (and later edit) page title tags and meta description tags
- How to find out what websites are linking to you and your competitors
- How to see what ads your competitors are running on Facebook, and how much they spend on each one.
- How to do keyword research to start to build your “audience” on Google
**[Episode 1: SEO & SEM During COVID-19](//www.slideshare.net/WillMarlow/episode-1-seo-sem-during-covid19 "Episode 1: SEO & SEM During COVID-19")** from **[Will Marlow Agency](https://www.slideshare.net/WillMarlow)**
In the next episode, Will talks about Google Search Console, and we’ll post the details from that soon!
Ashley Kirchmyer is a Digital Marketing Manager on the Will Marlow Agency Team who loves helping clients understand every aspect of the digital marketing process and how it affects their bottom line. She holds certifications in Google AdWords Search and Display, as well as a certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords Keyword ROI Calculator
The ROI Calculator will help you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use Keyword Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords
---
### [4 Week SEM/SEO Action Plan for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19](https://willmarlow.com/4-week-sem-seo-action-plan-for-businesses-impacted-by-covid-19/)
**Published:** March 26, 2020
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# 4 Week SEM/SEO Action Plan for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Mar 26, 2020 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/4-week-sem-seo-action-plan-for-businesses-impacted-by-covid-19/#respond)
We wanted to put to together an outline of digital priorities to help your business or organization assess the impact that COVID-19 may be having on your digital strategy. This includes some concrete actions you can take now to mitigate the negative impact, and identify new opportunities. If you read the blog post below, we will attempt to assist you in planning for the next four weeks ahead.
Before diving into the details, the summary of the 4-week guidance covers the following topics:
1. **Week 1 – keyword research**: do a fresh round of keyword research to see if search behavior has changed
2. **Week 2 – keyword rankings**: check your current keyword rankings to see if you have dropped in any key areas
3. **Week 3 – landing page impact**: check your landing pages for any immediate volume or conversion impact
4. **Week 4 – systems audit**: audit your website for technical SEO issues, and your Google Ads account for any waste.
**Keyword Research Review (WEEK 1)**
First, it is important to assess whether you rank for all the keywords that the people you serve are using to find you. It is possible that there are new needs that have arisen with COVID-19. As are result, you may need to add additional keyword tags to your website, or add additional keywords to your Google Ads or Google Grants account, in order to reach the people you serve. It is also important for most businesses to rapidly shift to a new protocol of posting the maximum amount of client communication on your website and social media accounts. This will help the people who you already serve, but it will also help new customers find you via the additional keywords in the new content.
**Keyword Ranking Analysis (WEEK 2)**
Second, we advise that you check which keywords you currently rank for in order to see if any rankings have shifted. In order to find which keywords you rank for, you will need to look in two different places. First, you should look in your Google Search Console account in order to see a comprehensive list of your SEO keyword rankings. We recommend looking at the last 14 days, as well as the last 3 months, in order to see which keywords you rank for “consistently,” as well as how those keywords have changed over the last 14 days. Based on what you find, you should consider adding new keyword targeting to the pages on your website, as well as writing blog posts on new topics for which you don’t yet appear. Below, you can see inside one of our Google Search Console accounts in order to see how the data should look when ranking stays relatively constant over the last three months, and if you scroll further within your own account, you will see the actual keywords themselves, and how much each one has risen or declined:
The second place you will want to look to review your current keyword ranking is within your Google Ads account (if you have ads running). This is a similar process to checking your keyword ranking within Google Search Console, but unlike in Google Search Console, there are multiple factors under your control that may or may not cause keywords to decline. In addition to checking for changes in keyword volume, you should look at your Change Log to see if keyword bids were adjusted up or down, if Campaign budgets changed, and, finally, you should check to the Auction Insights tool to see if competition has increased or decreased. In some cases, we have seen cost-per-click decrease within campaigns, which is likely due to a pullback from some competing advertisers.
**Review Your “Change Report” for SEO Landing Pages (WEEK 3)**
For at least the next four weeks, we pulled the paywall down on the training lesson on Royku that shows you how to create a landing page “change report,” which you can access [here](https://royku.com/lesson/advanced-seo-techniques/how-to-create-an-seo-landing-page-change-report/). This lesson will show you how to check whether specific pages on your website have increased or decreased in either total SEO volume, or total conversions from SEO, and it is critical to assessing whether your keyword ranking is actually impacting your website. Unlike a keyword ranking report which deals in more abstract metrics, this SEO change report will show you the actual impact of SEO traffic to your website, and we recommend running the report several times over the next four weeks.
**If Possible, Complete A Full SEO and Google Ads Audit (WEEK 4)**
Now is a very important time to make sure that you don’t have any wasted opportunities stemming from your website SEO fundamentals, as well as any wasted budget within your Google Ads accounts, and we recommend auditing your Page Title Tags, Meta Description Tags, 404 Pages, Internal and External Linking, and other factors that drive results for your organization. And on the Google Ads side, we recommend analyzing all aspects of your advertising in order of “expense” — in other words, working your way down from the most expensive ads to the least expensive, the most expensive landing pages to the least expensive, the most expensive keywords to the least expensive, and so on.
These audits can generally be completed within approximately four weeks, and you can of course expedite these actions in order to accomplish them more quickly, but the audits should be “informed” by the keyword research, keyword changes, and SEO landing page changes you may have identified in weeks one through three. We hope that this is helpful to you as you think about your priorities over this challenging period.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** COVID-19 Impact, SEM, SEO
---
### [3 Questions To Ask In Order To Determine Perfect Google Ads Budget](https://willmarlow.com/3-questions-to-ask-in-order-to-find-the-perfect-adwords-budget/)
**Published:** September 30, 2019
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# 3 Questions To Ask In Order To Determine Perfect Google Ads Budget
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Sep 30, 2019 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/3-questions-to-ask-in-order-to-find-the-perfect-adwords-budget/#respond)
One of the most common questions we get is: how much money should I spend per month on Google Ads (FKA, Google AdWords)? For obvious reasons, this is a key question for clients who are both new to Google Ads, as well as clients who have been using Google Ads for years. But setting your budget should NOT be a mysterious process, and so we laid out a 3-step questionnaire you can use to decide the perfect Google Ads budget.
1. **First, ask yourself: how aggressive do you want to be?** Or, more specifically, what are you trying to achieve with your Google Ads campaign? Do you need to generate 1,000+ new customers per month, or 1,000+ new customers per DAY? The answer to that question is going to be a huge determining factor in your perfect budget.
2. **The second question builds on the first question: do you care more about *volume* or *efficiency?*** Both are smart priorities, but you should think about which one matters more to you. If you are a VC-backed tech company that just finished raising a series B funding round, I can answer for you: you care about volume, and *not* efficiency, and if you don’t understand that, then the VC on your company’s board is probably going to fire you. But if you are like most companies, then you probably need to spend some time thinking about which matters more. If you are in a highly competitive space, or if you have a limited time to launch a new product, then you might pick volume. But if you want steady, methodical growth, you should lean towards efficiency. The answer will help us determine your budget in the steps below.
3. **The third question starts to get more technical: who is your audience and what is the pain point they are relieving with your product?** In other words: what is the keyword universe that we should use for Google Ads. For instance, if you run an e-bike rental company in the DC-area, then we can quickly map out the basic keyword universe using the Google Keyword Planner in order to determine a floor and ceiling for your budget.
Here’s how it works (using a fictional e-bike rental company as an example):
*If you are the owner of an e-bike rental company, and you tell us that you want 10 new leads per month, you care about efficiency over volume, and your target audience is people who want to ride an e-bike for short, 2-hour rides in the DC area, then we would use the Google Keyword Planner to pick highly selective keywords to plan a low budget campaign for you. First of all, in order to get 10 new leads a month, we would assume a 10% conversion rate, which means we need a bare minimum of 100 clicks per month, which requires 2,000 impressions per month (assuming a 5% click through rate), and given the focus on efficiency vs. volume, we should only pick the very best keywords to start with.*
Once we have gone through the exercise above (aiming for 2,000 impressions in order to get 100 clicks and 10 conversions), we need to use the Google Keyword Planner to estimate the cost-per-click, and to find the actual keywords for the campaign. For instance, if you look at the screenshot below, you’ll see that some keywords are generic (“ebike rental”) and other keywords are much more specific (“electric bike rental dc”). For an “efficient” campaign, we start with the geo-targeted phrases, which tend to convert at a higher rate, and cobble together a projected 2,000 impressions per month. Then, we use the same Google Keyword Planner data to see the projected cost of the 100 clicks per month (see the “high range” in the final column to the right).
In this fictional example, you would arrive at the absurdly low budget of $97.50 per month in Google Ad spend — which would be perfect for a client that wants to prioritize efficiency, get 10 new leads per month, and only wants to target DC area e-bike rental prospects.
I hope that this post is helpful to you, because I understand that determining your level of investment in Google Ads is one of the most stressful questions for any business owner or marketer, but if you follow this process (starting with the three questions above), it should become a little less mysterious.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
## AdWords Keyword ROI Calculator
The ROI Calculator will help you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use Keyword Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
**Categories:** AdWords
---
### [Two Amazing Reports To Measure Year-Over-Year SEO Results in Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/two-amazing-reports-to-measure-year-over-year-seo-gains-in-google-analytics/)
**Published:** February 21, 2019
**Author:** Ashley Kirchmyer
**Content:**
# Two Amazing Reports To Measure Year-Over-Year SEO Results in Google Analytics
by [Ashley Kirchmyer](https://willmarlow.com/author/ashleyk/ "Posts by Ashley Kirchmyer") | Feb 21, 2019 | [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-analytics/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/two-amazing-reports-to-measure-year-over-year-seo-gains-in-google-analytics/#respond)
With 2018 freshly behind us, we recently finished analyzing year-over-year performance for all of our clients, and we wanted to share two reports that will help you answers the following question: *simply put, how well is your SEO going?*
We follow a simple process to create two reports in Google Analytics that answer this question in the following ways:
**Report #1: Year Over Year SEO Improvement by Search Engine**
*This report shows you exactly how many unique visitors and conversions you received by search engine. And if you are creating these reports from scratch, it will also form the base for the other two reports that follow.*
**Report #2: Year Over Year SEO Improvement by Landing Page**
*This report shows you which landing pages gained or lost traffic — it let’s you drill down into the first report to find the specific causes of increase and decline.*
You’ll be able to download the template for each of these reports below, but we wanted to walk you through the creation process so that you understand how we do it.
**How To Create Report #1: Year Over Year SEO Improvement by Search Engine**
1. Start by navigating within Google Analytics to your pre-built “Source/Medium” report by clicking ***Acquisition*—>*All Traffic*—>*Source/Medium***.
2. Next, click “**Edit**” in the top right corner of the Google Analytics interface.
3. Third, you are going to filter out everything but organic traffic. This means you will see only the free traffic from Google, Yahoo, Bing, Baidu, and any other search engines.
4. Fourth, you are going to delete all metrics except for unique visitors and goal completions. You can add other metrics back in later if you want, but for now we want to focus on answering the question about whether SEO is improving or not, and those two metrics are all that matter.
5. Name your report “1. SEO Growth by Search Engine” and hit “Save.” As you are doing this, your screen should look like this: 
6. Once you save this report, you will see a report with lots of jagged lines that look something like this: 
7. We strongly recommend that you “smooth” this jagged chart out by selecting the “Month” plotted option above the chart. 
8. Once you’ve done this, you are all done creating your first report, and you will be able to scroll down and see which search engines are increasing, which are decreasing, and how you have done for each of the last 12 months compared to the previous year. Analyzing our own data, the first observation we would make is that January and February of 2018 were terrible, and that SEO really improved starting in April 2018.
**How To Create Report #2: Year Over Year SEO Improvement by Landing Page**
1. You’ll be happy to see that creating report #2 is significantly easier, because you start by duplicating report #1 in the following way: navigate to **Customization—>Custom Reports and select “Copy”** from the Actions dropdown menu, just like in the screenshot below. 
2. Next, change the name of the report to “2. SEO Growth by Landing Page.”
3. Third, change the Primary Dimension from “Source/Medium” to “Landing Page.”
4. Hit “Save” and you’re done!
5. You should note that the aggregate data by month is going to be the same as in the previous chart, and so you don’t need to smooth it out, because the real value of this second report is to scroll down and see which landing pages have risen and fallen in results year over year. For instance, as you can see from the screenshot below, there is drastically different SEO performance for the #1 page and for the #4 page. The first page increased by 40%, and the fourth best decreased by 40%. Obviously, it might make sense to optimize the page that has declined, and to take lessons from the page that is significantly improved. 
As promised, you can use the following template links to simply download and apply each of the two reports to your own Google Analytics account here, and we hope that this has been helpful for you.
**How To Create Report #1: [Year Over Year SEO Improvement by Search Engine](https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/template?uid=Bb4VQtfwRjif1mH5506fLg)**
**How To Create Report #2: [Year Over Year SEO Improvement by Landing Page](https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/template?uid=zZUReHE3QPmIsJVSqAA4dg)**
Ashley Kirchmyer is a Digital Marketing Manager on the Will Marlow Agency Team who loves helping clients understand every aspect of the digital marketing process and how it affects their bottom line. She holds certifications in Google AdWords Search and Display, as well as a certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
## AdWords Keyword ROI Calculator
The ROI Calculator will help you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use Keyword Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
**Categories:** Google Analytics
---
### [The 9 Most Important Things To Know About Attribution Modeling](https://willmarlow.com/nine-important-things-to-know-about-attribution-modeling/)
**Published:** August 28, 2018
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# The 9 Most Important Things To Know About Attribution Modeling
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Aug 28, 2018 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/), [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/nine-important-things-to-know-about-attribution-modeling/#respond)
Every week a different member of our agency gives a presentation to the full team on an interesting digital marketing topic, and our Ad Platform Manager, [Dubravka](https://willmarlow.com/our-team/), recently gave a great presentation on “attribution modeling” that we wanted to share, because this is a topic that we discuss with clients on a regular basis. You will find her 17-slide PPT deck below, and here are the eight major things you need to know to introduce yourself to attribution modeling:
The Eight Things You Need To Know About Attribution Modeling
1. **First, here is the definition of an “attribution model”**: an attribution model is the rule/rules that determines how credit is assigned to the touch points along the conversion path
2. **Second, it is all about the “conversion path.”** Many marketers follow a “Rule of 7,” which states that a prospect needs to see a marketing message 7x before they turn into a customer. There are many studies that show different numbers, but the bottom line is that the number is always going to be greater than 1, which is why attribution modeling is necessary.
3. **Third, you need to understand that “conversion tracking” is a completely separate thing.** Conversion tracking is the definition of a “conversion” itself — a purchase, a lead, an enewsletter subscriber. Once you define the conversion, you need to know which type of ad or channel preceded the conversion, and that is where attribution modeling comes in.
4. **Fourth, it helps to think about several common scenarios that lead to attribution issues — the mobile vs. desktop issue, and the non-brand vs. brand issue.** The mobile vs. desktop issue is where you see lots of traffic originating on mobile devices, but all the conversion are occurring on desktop. This type of situation results in the potentially false conclusion that desktop is more valuable than mobile, when in reality the sales are driven by mobile research followed by desktop purchases. If you remove the mobile traffic, you may see a decline in desktop conversions. This is similar to the second scenario, the non-brand vs. brand issue, in which you see non-brand keywords that drive the majority of spend and volume, but you see brand keywords that drive the bulk of the conversions. Again, the issue comes down to non-brand keywords being responsible for product research, and brand keywords being responsible for the final conversion. This scenario is easier to solve with sophisticated attribution modeling, because all searches occur on the same device.
5. **Fifth, it all started with “[last click](https://willmarlow.com/last-click-attribution/)” attribution.** This is very simple, because it literally awards credit to the “last click” that precedes a conversion. This is still the most common attribution model, because many non-professional marketers pick this setting as the default for their campaigns, and it reinforces the problems described in point #4 (the mobile vs. desktop issue, and the brand vs. non-brand issue.)
6. **Sixth, the most common “simple” attribution model that professional marketers recommend is “[first click](https://willmarlow.com/first-click-attribution/)” attribution,** which is exactly the opposite of “last click,” in that it attempts to award ALL credit to the first channel that drove a visitor to your website — the theory being that the first visit is what marketers can control most directly, and therefore it is a big step up from the flawed “last click” model, that favors things like desktop traffic, brand keywords, and direct traffic, all of which are true.
7. **There is now a proliferation of new attribution models that Dubravka highlights that give a more nuanced understanding of the conversion path that customers follow, including**:
1. Time-Decay Attribution Model: this is where the touch points that are “closest” in time to the conversion get the most credit. In other words, the more time that passes, the less credit is awarded. This might be good if your customers know you and you don’t need to spend money and time to acquire them, you just need to re- engage them over and over again, then the last interaction is the most important one.
2. Linear-Attribution Model: this is where all touchpoints are treated equally.
3. Position-based Attribution Model: this is also referred to as a “u-shaped” attribution, because the most credit goes to the first and last touch points, and equal credit is awarded to the middle touch points.
4. Data-driven Attribution Model (DDA) — this is the newest, and requires a minimum of 600 conversions and 15,000 clicks over 30-day period, and this attribution model is greyed out in the account if those minimum numbers are not hit. We expect to see much more of this in the future, as it improves.
8. **Here’s what happens when you change attribution model:** Conversions will not be associated with the last click (or whatever your previous attribution model was), and instead, fractional conversion credit will be redistributed to previous days. There is no loss in conversions, just a redistribution. Over time, conversion credit on the day of the change will normalize as it will receive fractional conversion credit from future conversions.
9. **Which attribution model is best?** This depends on: the resources and time you have for data analysis, your business model, and also the “anticipated” journey customers will follow as they make purchase decisions. We always recommend collecting as much “useful” data as possible, with the emphasis on “useful.” If you simply collect as much data as possible, you will build up so much noise that you won’t be able to understand what you’re looking at. But if you pick an appropriate attribution model that fits your business, budget and resources, then you will find yourself with data that let’s you refine your marketing plan in very useful and interesting ways!
We hope you found these points, and the slides below, useful, and wish you luck with your campaigns!
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Digital Marketing
---
### [12 Things Nonprofits Need To Know About GDPR](https://willmarlow.com/12-things-nonprofits-need-to-know-about-gdpr/)
**Published:** May 16, 2018
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# 12 Things Nonprofits Need To Know About GDPR
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | May 16, 2018 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/12-things-nonprofits-need-to-know-about-gdpr/#respond)
As many of you know, GDPR is coming on May 25, and lots of people are still preparing for the new privacy laws, and I wanted to write a blog post specifically addressed to nonprofit leaders who feel like they need more background on what GDPR means for them. So, what follows are the top twelve things that nonprofits need to know in order to be prepared for GDPR:
1. First, GDPR is all about “data protection,” which means that it applies to any “personal data” that you collect on your website OR by other means. If you maintain an email list, a list of donors, or a any other type of personal data, GDPR applies to you.
2. Second, the penalties (from the European Union) apply to nonprofits as well as private companies, and they are very steep: 4% of global revenue or €20m euros, whichever is greater. There is no nonprofit exemption for this.
3. Third, GDPR is a European law, but it is written in such a way that it can apply to any organizations that collect data on EU citizens, which is why I recommend speaking to your own legal counsel.
4. Fourth, it is quite possible that the United States (for example, this [ballot initiative in California](https://martechtoday.com/potential-ballot-initiative-bring-gdpr-like-privacy-rules-california-211270)) will follow the EU and issue similar rules, so complying with GDPR may simply keep you ahead of US-based privacy laws.
5. Fifth, you need to know what is “defined” as personal data, and there are 9 important things:
1. Names
2. Addresses
3. Social Security numbers
4. Photos
5. Email addresses
6. Banking information
7. Social media posts
8. Medical information
9. IP addresses, and in some cases other website data like “cookies”
6. Practically speaking, this means several things for nonprofits — the first of which is that you need to obtain consent from individuals when collecting data. In other words, you’ll need to add extra checkboxes to your website forms, for one thing.
7. The second legal requirement is that you can’t collect excessive data from individuals — for example, you can’t require that someone provide you with a phone number in order to allow them to download a PDF white paper, or to give you their marital status when making a donation.
8. The third legal requirement is that you cam’t keep data longer than necessary. This means that you are supposed to delete data after you use it. One practical implication of this is that many companies are adding a checkbox on their forms that allow visitors to indicate whether they want their data to be stored longterm.
9. The fourth requirement is that consent must be “proactive” — you can’t have a checkbox that is defaulted to “Yes.” For instance, a donor must actively check . box that says something like, “Yes, I agree…”
10. The fifth requirement is that there must be a clear privacy policy that explains exactly how data is stored, and what it is used for.
11. The sixth requirement is that there must be a process in place for individuals to request that all of their personal data be deleted at any point within 30 days. To me, this is essentially a much more formal “unsubscribe” or “do not contact” process.
12. Furthermore, organizations must have a plan for dealing with data breaches, which involves contacting the appropriate authorities within 72 hours.
In my opinion, these twelve points above are the most important things to know about GDPR if you are a nonprofit leader, but I do recommend speaking to a legal counsel before making changes or decisions on how you want to proceed with compliance, but hopefully this will help you understand your options in the coming weeks.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords
---
### [8 Things You Need To Know About Google Shopping Campaigns](https://willmarlow.com/8-things-you-need-to-know-about-google-shopping-campaigns/)
**Published:** March 22, 2018
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# 8 Things You Need To Know About Google Shopping Campaigns
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Mar 22, 2018 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/8-things-you-need-to-know-about-google-shopping-campaigns/#respond)
We get questions regularly from clients about Google Shopping campaigns, and so we wanted to write a quick blog post to clarify some of the most confusing aspects of Google Shopping. With that said, here are the twelve things you need to know about Google Shopping campaigns:
1. First, they are intended for businesses that sell physical products on their websites — think about websites like Best Buy, or Walmart.
2. Second, they are the only “ads” in Google search that include pictures. So, if you sell products that are well-represented in photographs, this could be a good option for you.
3. Third, they are completely inaccessible to “professional services” companies. For instance, an ad agency like the Will Marlow Agency can’t possibly use them, because we don’t sell products that you can take a picture of.
4. Fourth, if you want to do Google Shopping ads, you have six website requirements that are non-negotiable before you can get started. You need: (a) clear contact information, (b) a privacy policy, (c) a return policy, (d) a secure (SSL) checkout, (e) payment options listed on your website, and (f) the option for “guest checkout.” Google won’t allow you to advertise with Google Shopping Ads if you only allow payments from people who create accounts on your website.
5. Fifth, you need a Google Merchant Center. This is pretty straightforward, but it is a separate step that is not required for any other type of Google Ad campaign. You will use the Google Merchant Center to essentially “run” the campaign.
6. Sixth, you need to somehow create a “product feed.” The product feed is the central part of your Google Shopping campaign, and it is a bit complex. Essentially, you need to figure out the most efficient way to create a product feed, which you can think of as a huge Excel file, that contains product and campaign data. You’ll connect this Excel feed full of product data to your Google Merchant Center, and through that to your AdWords campaigns, in order to run the ads themselves. You can use this super helpful [Google shopping template](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1J5E02vud0s8vxYBKBQPHHurdCFBgywhI_HVzKYo3OWk/edit?usp=sharing) powered by Google Sheets which will give you a better idea of what a feed will look like for you or your clients. If you use a tool like Shopify, however, you can skip this manual step and connect directly via the Google API, which makes your life a bit easier.
7. Seventh, it is important to note that although everyone likes to say that you don’t pick keywords for Google Shopping campaigns, you do in fact pick keywords, because your product name, description, and other fields double as your keyword targeting. So, if you don’t have a good understanding of keywords, or if your product names are generic, you are likely going to have a very poorly optimized Google Shopping campaign.
8. Finally, for the reason above, some people prefer the manual feed creation over the automated feed creation that is enabled by products like Shopify, because with manual feeds you have more control over keyword targeting.
There you have it: the top 8 things you need to know about Google Shopping campaigns. I hope this was helpful, and if you still have questions, I’d be happy to discuss whether Google Shopping is a good fit for your business and goals.
P.S. And as an added bonus, if you aren’t sure if you know what Google Shopping ads look like, here is an example of five Google Shopping ads below that are returned for the keyword “Apple iPad.”
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Google-Shopping-Ads.png)
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords Keyword ROI Calculator
The ROI Calculator will help you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use Keyword Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
**Categories:** AdWords
---
### [A 3-Step Process for Marketing Teams Bracing for GDPR](https://willmarlow.com/3-step-process-marketing-teams-bracing-gdpr/)
**Published:** March 19, 2018
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# A 3-Step Process for Marketing Teams Bracing for GDPR
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Mar 19, 2018 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/), [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/3-step-process-marketing-teams-bracing-gdpr/#respond)
If you are worried about what GDPR (the General Data Protection Regulations from the EU that take effect May 25, 2018) means for your business, we are here to help.
First, you are not wrong to be concerned. The penalty for noncompliance on GDPR is outrageously high: either €20 million, or 4% of global revenue, whichever is the greater amount.
Second, complying with GDPR is very complex. So, in order to simplify things, we wanted to present you with three resources:
1. First, we drafted this [33-point GDPR checklist ](https://willmarlow.com/checklist-get-ready-gdpr/)of questions to ask to see if you are ready for the new rules. If you go through this list and feel good about your answers, chances are you are ready for GDPR.
2. Second, we prepared a longer blog post about the details of[ GDPR as it relates to marketers](https://willmarlow.com/what-gdpr-means-for-adwords-campaigns/) for those of you who want to really dig into the deeper issues.
3. Third, we are preparing detailed recommendations for our clients to that focus specifically on their businesses, and we’re happy to do this for you. We are literally making recommendations about which fields to add to your forms, and what language to add to your privacy policies.
That said, we are not lawyers, we can’t give definitive legal advice, and it is a very good idea for you to consult with your own counsel on GDPR, but we are more than happy to help you get ready for compliance, and also to take the big steps necessary to make sure your website and landing pages, as well as your remarketing campaigns, are all GDPR compliant as soon as possible.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## AdWords ROI Calculator
The AdWords Calculator will help you measure profitability on keyword-by-keyword-basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
**Categories:** AdWords, Digital Marketing
**Tags:** AdWords, GDPR, General Data Protection Regulations
---
### [A 33-Point Checklist To Get Ready for GDPR](https://willmarlow.com/checklist-get-ready-gdpr/)
**Published:** March 14, 2018
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# A 33-Point Checklist To Get Ready for GDPR
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Mar 14, 2018 | [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/checklist-get-ready-gdpr/#respond)
We wrote a huge blog post about how to understand and prepare for GDPR. That blog post is longer than we usually write, and we wanted to do a condensed version to help people quickly get to the point of how GDPR impacts them, and know whether they are ready. If you need to know the basics, you should refer to the earlier, longer post [about GDPR](https://willmarlow.com/what-gdpr-means-for-adwords-campaigns/).
So with that said, here is a checklist that you should go through to understand whether you are ready for GDPR:
1. Do you have a privacy policy on all form pages of your website that lists the ways that you are in compliance with the six principles of GDPR?
2. Has your privacy policy been updated to reflect the new definition of personally identifiable information” such that includes basically everything, including anonymous cookies that were previously excluded from the definition?
3. Do you have a checkbox on all your forms that allows people to select an option that says “Do Not Keep My Data”?
4. Does your privacy policy include information about how you plan on using the data you collect?
5. Does your website allow people to change their mind and withdraw consent?
6. Does your privacy policy include a section that indicates how long you will store data?
7. Does your privacy policy describe how you are protecting data from third party access?
8. Does your privacy policy provide contact information (name and contact details) for people to reach out with questions about your data collection policies, and how to change previous consent agreements?
9. Does your privacy policy describe who internally (categories are fine) with whom the data is shared?
10. Does your privacy policy describe any information on international data transfers?
11. Does your privacy policy include an explanation of an individual’s right to access, rectify, erase, or object to the processing of data;
12. Does your privacy policy acknowledge the right to lodge a complaint with supervisory authority?
13. Does your privacy policy acknowledge whether the provision of personal data is a statutory or contractual requirement, or a requirement necessary to enter into a contract, as well as whether the data subject is obliged to provide the personal data and of the possible consequences of the failure to provide such data?
14. Does your privacy policy highlight (if appropriate) the existence of automated decision-making including profiling, meaningful information about the logic involved, as well as the significance and the envisaged consequences of such processing for the data subject?
15. Does your privacy policy include the legal basis for processing data?
16. Are you aware that personal data is obtained from sources other than the data subject, such as third party data providers, you must provide some additional information about the data and source. Refer to Article 14 if applicable.
17. Do you have a checkbox or link on all forms on your website that allows people to consent with a “YES” or a “NO” to agree to data processing?
18. Do you have a checkbox or link on all forms on your website that includes the data and time on which the consent policy was last updated?
19. Do you have a checkbox or link on all forms on your website for “consent notes” (containing the purpose of data processing and a history of consent provided that is documented here) — the value here should capture the purpose of capturing the data; the way the data was obtained, and any previous consent purposes?
20. Do you have a checkbox or link on all forms on your website to “Correspondence Opt-Out” — letting people opt-out of correspondence easily?
21. Do you have a checkbox or link on all forms on your website to enable them to opt-out of cookie collection or web tracking?
22. Do you have a policy internally allowing people to tell you verbally that they opt-out of tracking and communication if they don’t want communications?
23. Do you have a policy internally allowing people to tell you via email that they don’t want communications?
24. Do you have a policy internally allowing people to tell you send you written communications in some form that tells you that they don’t want communications via certain channels?
25. Do you have a process for maintaining lists within your email system, CRM, and other databases to document preferences from individuals on whether and how often they want to receive information from you?
26. Are you prepared to respond to individuals who request information to confirm that their data is being processed, and to respond within one month?
27. Have you defined roles that define internally who has access to what data?
28. Have you limited access only to those individuals who must have access to data?
29. Are you prepared to review access regularly to make sure all data access to necessary and compliant?
30. Are you storing data in an encrypted manner?
31. Do you have a “hover” feature on your website that explains further details about how data is being used, and the definitions you adhere to? For instance, a hover field that allows people to know what they agreeing to if they check the box next to “Do Not Keep My Details”?
32. Do you have an “Email Subscription Center” that let’s people specify exactly what they receive from you, how often, and whether they want to opt-out?
33. Do have link that allows people to click “Opt Out of Website Tracking” in order to avoid things like retargeting and tailored ads in the future?
These are the 33 best questions we can come up with in order to help people know whether they are ready for GDPR, which takes effect on May 25, 2018, but we hope you do three things if you are still uncertain: (1) reach out to us by email to talk; (2) talk to your lawyer; or (3) read this more detailed post on what GDPR means in greater depth. We hope this is helpful as you get ready for the upcoming regulations!
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords Keyword ROI Calculator
The ROI Calculator will help you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use Keyword Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** Digital Marketing
**Tags:** GDPR, General Data Protection Regulations
---
### [What GDPR Means for AdWords - All Things GDPR](https://willmarlow.com/what-gdpr-means-for-adwords-campaigns/)
**Published:** March 14, 2018
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# What GDPR Means for AdWords – All Things GDPR
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Mar 14, 2018 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/what-gdpr-means-for-adwords-campaigns/#respond)
As most people know by now, the European Union has come up with new data collection rules that are making life complex for marketers like us, and we wrote this up in order to help our clients find clarity on what GDPR (General Data Protection Requirements) means for them, and we hope you find it useful.
(We also wrote this companion piece with [33 questions to ask about GDPR](https://willmarlow.com/checklist-get-ready-gdpr/) if you aren’t sure if you are ready for GDPR or not.)
Just to be clear, we aren’t lawyers, and your own legal team needs to provide counsel as this relates to your business – the info below is purely for informational purposes and shouldn’t be relied on for legal advice. With that said, here are our findings on what GDPR means for businesses and advertisers, and what you need to do in order to be compliant with the new rules!
# The Basics of GDPR
1. First, GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation, and it is a European Union regulation that changes the way data is collected by businesses within the European Union.
2. It takes effect on May 25, 2018.
3. There are six key principles of GDPR:
- transparency – telling people how the data will be used
- honesty – only using the data for the purposes specified at time of collection
- limits – only collecting data that is necessary for the purpose you specify
- accuracy – making sure the data is accurate
- storage – only storing the data for as long as necessary for the intended purpose
- protection – preventing loss or theft of data in a proactive way
4. There is an unlisted SEVENTH requirement for accountability: you need to be able to show how you are in compliance with the principles on demand. (In my opinion, this should have been a seventh principle, but no one asked me.)
5. GDPR applies to anyone who does business with Europeans or people in Europe. Specifically, GDPR applies to any organization inside or outside the EU who is marketing products or services to, and/or tracking EU citizens, whether they are inside or outside the EU and the EEA (European Economic Area). This basically means GDPR applies to any business.
6. What are the **penalties for noncompliance**? Very large. The maximum fine for a single breach is either €20m euros, or 4% of annual worldwide revenue. This is crazy. (To put it in perspective, if Google (aka Alphabet, Inc.) is in breach, the fine would be around $4b-$5b.)
# What GDPR Means for Marketers
1. For advertisers and marketers, here are the most important things to know:
- You need to be upfront and clear on consent.
- You need to be ready to demonstrate your compliance with the six principles of GDPR — so you need an internal GDPR policy.
- For the purpose of marketers like us, here is what consent means under GDPR: “any freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous indication of the data subject’s wishes by which he or she, by statement or by a clear, affirmative action, signifies agreement to the processing of personal data relating to him or her.”
- The key part you need to know about consent is: you need both “affirmative action” that captures consent and you must also be “specific” about how the data will be used. Make sure you think about that in relation to your website disclosures.
- Furthermore, you need to make sure that a customer can change their mind at any time — and withdraw consent.
- Let’s recap what we’ve learned about GDPR to this point: first, you need to update your forms to make sure people know (1) what they are consenting to, (2) how you will use the data, (3) the fact that they can change their mind in the future (4) how you are protecting their data from breach; and (5) how you will provide evidence of your compliance.
# A List Recommendations To Be Compliant With GDPR
Given all the points above, here is what we recommend, based on [Article 13](https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection_en) of GDPR:
1. Link to a online Privacy Policy/Notice/Statement on every form on your website that discloses:
- The identity and contact details of the Controller and their representative to the EU and DPO (if applicable)
- The purposes of the processing of data for which their personal data is intended;
- Recipients or categories of recipients with whom the data is shared;
- Information on any international data transfers;
the period of time for which the personal data will be stored or the criteria used to determine the period;
- An explanation of an individual’s right to access, rectify, erase, or object to the processing of data;
- The right to withdraw consent to processing data (if appropriate);
- The right to lodge a complaint with supervisory authority.
- Whether the provision of personal data is a statutory or contractual requirement, or a requirement necessary to enter into a contract, as well as whether the data subject is obliged to provide the personal data and of the possible consequences of the failure to provide such data;
- The existence of automated decision-making including profiling, meaningful information about the logic involved, as well as the significance and the envisaged consequences of such processing for the data subject.
- The legal basis for processing
- If personal data is obtained from sources other than the data subject, such as third party data providers, you must provide some additional information about the data and source. Refer to Article 14 if applicable.
2. Specifically, here are the checkboxes and links you need to use:
1. A link or checkbox to a “consent to data processing” (the value can be a “YES” or a “NO” for their answer;
2. A link or checkbox to consent as of the last update (the value is the data and time that GDPR Consent was updated;
3. A link to the “consent notes” (containing the purpose of data processing and a history of consent provided that is documented here) — the value here should capture the purpose of capturing the data; the way the data was obtained, and any previous consent purposes.
4. A link to GDPR Consent Operational Program – detailing how you ensure that you respect and handle consent agreement.
5. A link to “Correspondence Opt-Out” — letting people opt-out of correspondence easily.
6. A link to enable them to opt-out of cookie collection or web tracking.
# A Summary of Next Steps on GDPR
Here is a quick summary of what you need to do:
1. Every form on your website needs a link to a privacy policy that says how the data will be used; why it is being collected, and how long it will be stored.
2. Every form should have a checkbox that says something to the effect of: “Do Not Keep My Details.”
3. Every form should have a “hover” field that gives additional input on what someone is agreeing to — for instance, a question mark next to “Do not keep my details” that reveals additional information such as “By checking this box, you are opt-ing out of receiving additional offers and information from us in the future.”
4. If you want to have a newsletter, you need to create a publicly available “Email Subscription Center” — this should allow people to enter their name and email address, and allow them to control the type of information that they subscribe to. An email subscription center should allow someone to check boxes specifying the frequency of communication, type of communication, and whether they subscribe or unsubscribe. It should also give customers a path to contact you to remedy any questions they have on emails they receive.
5. You should have a link in multiple places that clearly states: “Opt Out of Website Tracking.” — this page should be cookie’d and the cookie should be used purely for exclusion and suppression purposes. There should also be a link that indicates what someone needs to do in order to stay suppressed. For instance, if they click on the homepage without clicking the “Opt-out” link again, the cookie may need to be re-set.
6. Here is an example of Marketo’s “Email Subscription Center” which provides a good model:
We also recommend including the following ways that customers can provide or revoke consent:
1. They tell you verbally that they don’t want communications.
2. They tell you via email that they don’t want communications;
3. They send you written communications in some form that tells you that they don’t want communications via certain channels;
4. We recommend maintaining lists within your email system and CRM to document any of these preferences.
5. And regarding data access, individuals have the right to request to obtain confirmation that their data is being processed and, if so, to access their personal data.
6. Furthermore, you must respond to requests for access within one month of the request;
7. Finally, in order to be compliant with the “Accountability” principle of GDPR, we recommend that you do the following:
1. Create a policy that identifies the roles of anyone who has access to data;
2. State that internally individuals should have access to data only insofar as access is necessary to fulfill their role with respect to the data;
3. Review access regularly, we recommend doing so at specific intervals, to make sure roles are being accurately assigned, and no one has access to data unnecessarily;
4. Keep all data in an encrypted manner via HTTPS and other means as appropriate.
# Conclusion
This blog post represents our understanding of GPDR as it relates to digital marketers after consulting with lawyers, other marketers, and reading the EU’s GDPR guidance, This is a lot of information, and it does not represent definitive information as it relates to your business – we recommend speaking to your own legal counsel, but we also hope this is helpful in helping you understand and prepare for GDPR.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords Keyword ROI Calculator
The ROI Calculator will help you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use Keyword Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords
---
### [The Only Two Things You Need To Know About Facebook's 2018 Algorithm Update](https://willmarlow.com/two-things-need-know-facebooks-2018-algorithm-update/)
**Published:** January 15, 2018
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# The Only Two Things You Need To Know About Facebook’s 2018 Algorithm Update
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Jan 15, 2018 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/two-things-need-know-facebooks-2018-algorithm-update/#respond)
Mark Zuckerberg announced a major change to the [Facebook Newsfeed algorithm](https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/10104413015393571) on January 11, 2018, and this blog post below highlights the only two things you need to know about it. And as a bonus, I’ll tell you why this Facebook algorithm update reminds me of Google’s SEO announcements in 2009, 2011, and 2013.
Here’s what you need to know:
- **First, if you are a business, you need to produce content that your customers interact with in a way that’s similar to how they would interact with posts from their friends and family.** If you don’t, you’re going to see your results from Facebook plummet.
To this point, Zuckerberg says: “I’m changing the goal I give our product teams from focusing on helping you find relevant content to helping you have more meaningful social interactions.” This is a huge change, because the goals given to the product team are going to drive future changes as the Facebook News Feed continues to evolve — so you can expect more changes coming soon, and you can expect them all to support this overall strategy of maximizing social interactions, and penalizing what Facebook refers to as “passive content.” Zuckerberg leaves no room for doubt about what this means for businesses: “…You’ll see less public content like posts from businesses…and the public content you see more will be held to the same standard–it should encourage meaningful interaction between people.”
- **Second, this algorithm update makes businesses much more dependent on advertising.** Even if businesses do a great job creating engaging content, much of it is still going to be invisible due to the increased focus on personal connections, and this means businesses are going to need to pay for promoted posts if they want their content to be seen at all.
And this second point is why Facebook’s January 2018 algorithm update reminds me of Google circa 2009, 2011, and 2013 — the years of Panda, Penguin and keyword encryption. All three of those Google updates were aimed at preventing businesses from manipulating Google via SEO, which also made people more dependent on Google advertising.
Facebook is doing the same thing: business content is going to mostly evaporate, and if businesses want to keep playing in the Facebook ecosystem, they are going to need to shift more dollars into Facebook Ads.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## AdWords Keyword ROI Calculator
The ROI Calculator will help you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use Keyword Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
**Categories:** AdWords
---
### [How To Use Gmail Ads (aka, Gmail Inbox Targeting)](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-use-gmail-ads-aka-gmail-inbox-targeting/)
**Published:** October 5, 2017
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# How To Use Gmail Ads (aka, Gmail Inbox Targeting)
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Oct 5, 2017 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-use-gmail-ads-aka-gmail-inbox-targeting/#respond)
One of the often overlooked options in AdWords is the “Gmail Ads” feature, or “Gmail Inbox Targeting” as we refer to it.
Below you’ll learn (1) what this is, (2) when to use it, and (3) how to set it up.
**What Are Gmail Ads (aka, Gmail Inbox Targeting)?**
Gmail Ads are ads that that show up people’s Gmail account, above their unread emails. Here is what one of these ads look like the majority of people, who do not click on the ads themselves. (To see what the ads look like in fully expanded form, scroll to the bottom of the post.)
**When Are Gmail Ads A Great Idea?**
Gmail Ads work really well if you have a particularly weak or vulnerable competitor. This is because you can target people who receive emails from one of your competitors already. So, your competitor will go through all the effort of building up a great email list, and you can then run a campaign that reaches all gmail recipients of their emails. This is an awesome tactic, but it only works if you can make an extremely compelling offer.
There are other ways to target Gmail Ads, but this one is by far our favorite way to do it, and in fact, we avoid using most of the other methods, as we have found them to be less effective. *To summarize: we use Gmail Ads only when we want to run a “counter-competitive” campaign against a vulnerable competitor.*
**How Do You Setup Gmail Ads?**
This is pretty easy, and so we will omit the details (which you can find [here](https://support.google.com/adwords/answer/6105478#ad_specs)) and we will leave you with the dimensions necessary for the ads themselves.
If you follow the instructions below in creating the ads, you’ll be ready to launch your campaign in a matter of hours.
**Collapsed Ad Specifications:**
- **Logo (upload):**up to 144 x 144 pixels (only visible for mobile traffic in collapsed view, and then on desktop for visitors who expand the ad)
- **Advertiser Name:**up to 20 characters long – either a recognizable name or the domain name of advertiser.
- **Subject Line:** 25 characters max, and Google recommends making this some form of “offer,” a percentage discount, or some compelling announcement.
- **Description:** 100 characters max. This is for your call-to-action and summary.
- **Display URL:** 255 characters max.
**Expanded Ad Specifications**
- **Image (upload):**650 x \[300–1000\] pixels
- **Accepted image formats:**JPEG, JPG, PNG, GIF (non-animated)
**Maximum image size:** 800KB
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords Keyword ROI Calculator
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[Use Keyword Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
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**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** AdWords, gmail ads, gmail inbox ads
---
### [13 Key Takeaways from My SEO Lecture At Georgetown University](https://willmarlow.com/13-key-takeaways-seo-lecture-georgetown-university/)
**Published:** September 12, 2017
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# 13 Key Takeaways from My SEO Lecture At Georgetown University
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Sep 12, 2017 | [Search Engine Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/blog/search-engine-optimization/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/13-key-takeaways-seo-lecture-georgetown-university/#respond)
I was honored to be asked by [Bret Peters](https://twitter.com/petersbret) to teach a class on advanced link building and keyword research at Georgetown University a few days ago, and I wanted to share my slides, below. One of the reasons I enjoy giving presentations to classes like his is that: (a) the students ask great questions, which forces you to focus and re-visit some of your assumptions, and (b) the act of preparing the presentation forces you to re-visit and re-organize your thoughts on important topics, like the role of link building, and how to do proper keyword selection. Here are some of my major takeaways, and I hope you find the slides useful:
1. Link building was previously, and still is, one of the most important ways to drive results in SEO.
2. With link building, as with much else in SEO, your constant enemy is spam – it will kill your rankings.
3. It’s better to have one link from a great university like Georgetown, or a great website like the Washington Post, than to have 50 links from crummy websites.
4. You should evaluate SEO tools based on how much transparency they give you. Tools like Moz’s [open site explorer](https://moz.com/researchtools/ose/) are great in part because they tell you how they reach their scores and conclusions — without the backend data, the tools are useless.
5. Don’t over-rely on tools. Too many SEO professionals want to live their life without talking to others. Never use the link disavow tool, for instance, until you’ve tried to talk to the owner or manager of a website that you want to disavow, and simply ask them to remove the link. If they do that, you’re way better off than if you resort to the disavow tool.
6. The best way to start your competitive research is by googling your #1 phrases, and see who else comes up. No fancy keyword research necessary.
7. The best way to start your keyword research is to ask one reliable customer what they would Google in order to find your product or service. Or better yet, ask them to do a Google search in front of you, and see what they do (i.e., ask them to use Google to find a dentist).
8. You can structure your link building campaigns initially based on competitive data – see what links your competitors have, and then see which of those sites you “deserve” a link from.
9. Google Search Console should be your best friend as an SEO expert.
10. If you want to have a mobile optimized website, you should get to know the “Fetch & Render” tool within Google search console. This is too little used.
11. Modern-day link building should be focused on “quality content creation” and “quality link attraction.” Easier said than done, but you can’t replace it.
12. Sometimes your best bet is to get other sites to include you in their content — don’t even try to displace them. For instance, you’ll never displace Wikipedia for most of the keywords it ranks for. But you may be able to be incorporated into the Wikipedia articles, which can drive your lower rank.
13. You can do a very advanced keyword “gap analysis” using nothing more than the Google Keyword Planner, and the keyword data from within Google Search Console and Google Analytics. With a little math around your normal CTR when you rank in position #1, #2, and #3, you can see the size of the opportunity if you gain additional ranking slots in those positions for new keywords.
I hope this information, and the slides below, are helpful to you as you think through your SEO plans for yourself and your clients!
**[Advanced Topics in SEO: Link Building & Keyword Selection](//www.slideshare.net/WillMarlow/advanced-topics-in-seo-link-building-keyword-selection "Advanced Topics in SEO: Link Building & Keyword Selection")** from **[Will Marlow Agency](https://www.slideshare.net/WillMarlow)**
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords ROI Calculator
The AdWords Calculator will help you measure profitability on keyword-by-keyword-basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** Search Engine Optimization
**Tags:** SEO
---
### [The Most Commonly Used Inbound Marketing Tools](https://willmarlow.com/commonly-used-inbound-marketing-tools/)
**Published:** August 10, 2017
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# The Most Commonly Used Inbound Marketing Tools
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Aug 10, 2017 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/), [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/commonly-used-inbound-marketing-tools/#respond)
A lot of people want to know what tools we use for managing AdWords accounts, and also for doing SEO work. If you want a full list of all the tools we use, you can see this [marketing toolbox](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/the-digital-marketing-toolbox/) that we update regularly, but if you just want to see the tools we truly rely on, you can see the list below. You won’t see certain obvious tools like Google Analytics or Google Webmaster Tools listed below, because those tools are obviously important for all accounts. Instead, you’ll see the tools that we rely on, but that are technically optional, or subjective.
And as a bonus, after we show you the most important tools we rely on, we’ll share five tools that we do NOT use, and why we don’t use them.
With that said, below are the tools we use most commonly for AdWords and SEO.
1. Google Keyword Planner: this is the most extensive, valuable tool for understanding keyword phrases, how competitive they are, and how much search volume they have on a monthly basis historically.
2. SEMRush: this tool is a great tool for gathering competitive intelligence, and specifically used for finding all the display ads that competitors have or are currently running.
3. SpyFu: this is another competitive intelligence tool, and it let’s us pull in the monthly budgets that competitors are spending, what keywords they are targeting, and what text ads and landing pages they are running .
4. Screaming Frog: this pulls in all the raw SEO data from any website you want to crawl. It tells you about broken pages, 301-redirects, page title tags, meta description tags, image alt tags, and lots and lots of other essential SEO data.
5. Google AdWords Editor: this let’s us manage huge AdWords accounts at scale. It also let’s us make tons of offline changes without going live with them, until they are all ready.
So, those are the five tools we use constantly for clients. But there is an important group of tools that we do NOT use: bid management tools.
Specifically, we do NOT use:
1. Kenshoo,
2. Marin,
3. IgnitionOne,
4. Acquisio, and
5. Adobe AdLens (which has changed its name a number of times).
These are all world-class bid management tools, and we aren’t casting judgment on you if you decide that you want to use one of them. But WE don’t use them, because we don’t like sacrificing the control that they require you to give up, and we choose to instead focus on building and optimizing custom campaigns that are aligned with our clients objectives.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords ROI Calculator
The AdWords Calculator will help you measure profitability on keyword-by-keyword-basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Digital Marketing
---
### [The Most Important Display Ad Dimensions](https://willmarlow.com/the-most-important-display-ad-dimensions/)
**Published:** December 21, 2016
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# The Most Important Display Ad Dimensions
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Dec 21, 2016 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/the-most-important-display-ad-dimensions/#respond)
The Google Display Network (which let’s you run ads on more than 1 million websites, including the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal), offers a bewildering variety of ad dimensions for you to pick from. If you are making all of your ads yourself, it can seem overwhelming, so I wanted to write this post to give you two easy ways to decide which ad dimensions to focus on.
1. First, if you simply want your ads to run on the greatest number of websites, you should simply pick the most commonly accepted ad dimensions. These are:
- 120×600 (Skyscraper)
- 160×600 (Wide Skyscraper)
- 300×600 (Half Page)
- 468×60 (Banner)
- 728×90 (Leaderboard)
- **300×50 (Mobile Banner)**
- **320×50 (Mobile Banner)**
- **320×100 (Large Mobile Banner)**
2. Secondly, if you know which websites you want your ads to run on, you should simply use the Google Display Network placements interface to see which dimensions they accept. Per the screenshot below, you can see that the Washington Post accepts 16 different ad dimensions.
The full list of ad dimensions, accepted as GIFs, JPGs, PNGs, SWFs, and ZIP files, are as follows:
- 200×200 (Square)
- 250×250 (Square)
- 240×400 (Rectangle)
- 250×360 (Referred to as “Triple widescreen,” not sure why)
- 300×250 (Inline Rectangle)
- 336×280 (Large Rectangle)
- 580×400 (Netboard Skyscraper)
- 120×600 (Skyscraper)
- 160×600 (Wide Skyscraper)
- 300×600 (Half Page)
- 300×1050 (Portrait Leaderboard)
- 468×60 (Banner)
- 728×90 (Leaderboard)
- 930×180 (Top Banner)
- 970×90 (Large Leaderboard)
- 970×250 (Billboard)
- 980×120 (Panorama Mobile)
- 300×50 (Mobile Banner
- 320×50 (Mobile Banner)
- 320×100 (Large Mobile Banner)
If you want more help in using the Google Display Network, you should take a look at the courses we’ve built on our training site, including this [free lesson on identifying which ad dimensions](https://willmarlowtraining.com/lesson/google-display-network/how-to-find-out-which-dimensions-are-accepted-by-websites-for-ad-placements-301/) are accepted by specific websites on the Google Display Network.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords ROI Calculator
The AdWords Calculator will help you measure profitability on keyword-by-keyword-basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** Ad Dimensions, Google Display Network
---
### [How To Use Systems-Thinking To Drive SEO Success](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-use-systems-thinking-to-drive-seo-success/)
**Published:** April 17, 2017
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# How To Use Systems-Thinking To Drive SEO Success
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Apr 17, 2017 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-use-systems-thinking-to-drive-seo-success/#respond)
This blog post is intended for anyone who has struggled to find the time to invest in SEO, which is to say nearly 100% of people who have ever considered implementing an SEO plan. The fact is, the most common reason for SEO failure is due to the inability to allocate the proper time to create optimized SEO content. But this doesn’t need to be the case.
The fact is, there is a simple way to avoid the time-trap as it relates to SEO, and to ensure that zero time is ever wasted on another SEO project: you need to start applying “systems-thinking” instead of “project goals” to your SEO plan.
## The Typical Goal-Based SEO Approach (Bad)
Here is what this means: a normal “**project**” approach to SEO typically starts with some version of the following: a content audit followed by keyword research, followed by a gap analysis, followed by a competitive set review, and finally resulting in an SEO plan for creating content that that addresses the “gap” you identify in your industry. This typical approach will predictably flounder because the people who are best suited to create the content are busy doing their normal jobs, as SEO is not their only responsibility. Or, it may flounder because the first few pieces of content will have predictably bad results, and won’t hit their traffic goals.
## The Systems-Based SEO Alternative (Great)
By contrast, the alternative “systems-based” approach to SEO (hat tip to Dilbert creator [Scott Adams](http://blog.dilbert.com/post/102964992706/goals-vs-systems)) by definition cannot possibly fail. This is because it starts with you designing systems that accomplish your SEO goals automatically, while avoiding taking a “keyword-first” approach described above. Essentially, you need to create “dual-purpose” content, which means that even if it fails to accomplish its SEO objectives, it will still accomplish other critical objectives.
Here are some examples of this from my own websites:
1. I produced an entire training website ([willmarlowtraining.com](https://willmarlowtraining.com) that is full of 175 distinct AdWords + SEO lessons, in order to train my own internal team members, and to drive new sources of revenue.
2. I created a microsite full of public facing inbound marketing reports ([marlowmetrics.com](http://www.marlowmetrics.com)) that highlight different ways to make SEO and marketing dashboards.
3. I created the [AdWords ROI calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator/) to show clients how to know whether a paid search campaign is profitable or not, and I use this calculator during sales presentations regularly.
All three of the items listed above are different types of **dual purpose** content, and this means that they cannot possibly fail, which cannot be said of most pure SEO content, which is a failure if it doesn’t hit its SEO targets. This is why it pays to take a “systems” approach to SEO, rather than a “project-” or “goal-based” approach.
I’d love to hear what you think of this, and if you try it, I’d love to know what type of results you get.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords ROI Calculator
The AdWords Calculator will help you measure profitability on keyword-by-keyword-basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** SEO strategies, SEO Systems
---
### [Why Company Culture Is Important for Marketing Agencies](https://willmarlow.com/why-company-culture-is-important-for-growing-marketing-agencies/)
**Published:** April 13, 2017
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Why Company Culture Is Important for Marketing Agencies
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Apr 13, 2017 | [Company News](https://willmarlow.com/blog/company-news/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/why-company-culture-is-important-for-growing-marketing-agencies/#respond)
People are often skeptical when they hear companies talk about mission statements, values and culture, because we’ve heard about so many companies that behave horribly despite having nice-sounding values. As one famous example, the outrageously corrupt Enron displayed its company values for all to see in their lobby, and they were: Respect, Integrity, Communication and Excellence. Obviously, there was a huge disconnect between values and practice.
That said, as we grow the Will Marlow Agency, we are consciously focusing on the culture we have, and the culture we want. And we think that all marketing agencies should do some version of this, and here’s why:
1. If you know your company culture, you can hire people who are more likely to thrive in their job.
2. If you know your company culture, you can hire people who are more likely to get along with the other team members.
3. If you know your company culture, you can more easily decide how to allocate funds for unplanned or unexpected circumstances.
4. If you know your company culture, you can make decisions more quickly – this goes for all team members.
At our agency, we care about company culture so much that we put together a 62-slide deck that we share with all team members, and that we revisit as a team on a regular basis, and that we make available to anyone who wants to see it, below. We’d love to know what you think, and we hope that this helps you get to know our company a bit better.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
## AdWords ROI Calculator
The AdWords Calculator will help you measure profitability on keyword-by-keyword-basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
**Categories:** Company News
**Tags:** corporate culture, marketing culture
---
### [What AdWords Sitelinks Look Like, and Why They're Important](https://willmarlow.com/what-adwords-sitelinks-look-like-and-why-theyre-important/)
**Published:** February 1, 2017
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# What AdWords Sitelinks Look Like, and Why They’re Important
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Feb 1, 2017 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/what-adwords-sitelinks-look-like-and-why-theyre-important/#respond)
There are 10 different types of “ad extensions” that are available within Google AdWords, and I wanted to share this quick post to highlight what the first (and for most advertisers, the most important) type of ad extensions looks like in practice: in the screenshot below, you’ll see exactly what sitelinks look like when you search for the keyword “red cross giving” for the American Red Cross.
As you can see, this query triggers an ad with a normal looking headline, as well as four additional links highlighted in blue beneath the ad itself. You cans see that in terms of space on the page, the sitelinks take up 2x as much space as the ordinary ad itself. If the Red Cross did NOT use sitelinks, then it is possible that their competitors would be “above the fold” when someone searched for “Red Cross Giving,” and the competitors would have a chance to steal some of that great branded traffic.
Furthermore, the sitelinks serve a solid purpose: they allow you to give more options to a searcher. If someone looks for “red cross giving,” then you can probably assume that most people would have the intention to make a donation to the Red Cross, BUT you would have no idea whether they wanted to “give blood” or “give money.” With sitelinks, you are able to have both options available conveniently underneath the ad.
Many keywords are ambiguous by nature (just like “red cross giving,” and so it’s great to make your ads bigger in order to provide more options to your visitors.
In any case, I started this post with the intention of simply sharing a screenshot so you can see exactly what sitelinks look like on a Google SERP, and got carried away in my explanation, but I hope you’re now motivated to make sure that all of your ads are utilizing them in order to give you better positioning vis-a-vis your competitors, as well as to provide more options for your searchers.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## AdWords ROI Calculator
The AdWords Calculator will help you measure profitability on keyword-by-keyword-basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** AdWords Ad Extensions, Sitelinks
---
### [Four Basic Ways To Setup Form Fill Conversion Tracking](https://willmarlow.com/four-basic-ways-to-setup-form-fill-conversion-tracking-in-adwords/)
**Published:** December 30, 2016
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Four Basic Ways To Setup Form Fill Conversion Tracking
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Dec 30, 2016 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/), [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-analytics/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/four-basic-ways-to-setup-form-fill-conversion-tracking-in-adwords/#respond)
There are three easy ways to measure “form fill” conversions in Google AdWords and Google Analytics, and I wanted to lay them out in a simple blog post for anyone who, like we do, lives or dies by conversions.
Before I lay out three methods for tracking form fill conversions, I wanted to quickly define what a form fill conversion is. Essentially, a “form fill conversion” is a conversion that is counted every time a form is filled out on a website. If your goal is to generate inbound leads for a sales team, then you likely need to have several landing pages that are optimized to generate “form fills” from potential customers who your sales team will then follow up with. (You can read more about the different types of conversions, starting with form fills, at this blog post here.)
Without further ado, here are three ways to measure form fill conversions:
1. **Javascript on a “Thank You” Page.** The first way to track form fill conversions is via a “thank-you” page The “thank-you” page is method is often abbreviated “TY” and it refers to the page that someone sees after they click “submit” on a form — they are re-directed to a page that says something like, “Thank you for downloading this report,” or “thank you for requesting a quote,” and you simply need to install javascript that tracks all the people who see the TY page. You can generate the javascript within AdWords — this is the most common way to setup conversion tracking in AdWords.
2. **A Destination-URL Goal in Google Analytics.** The second way to track form fill conversions is via a “destination URL goal” in Google Analytics, which you then “import” into Google AdWords. This is very similar to the first method above in that you need a “thank-you” page in order to set a destination-URL goal — if you are not able to edit the javascript directly on a website for your client, then you may have an easier time setting up a destination URL goal to track AdWords conversions. Furthermore, the advantage to using a Destination-URL goal in Google Analytics is that you will also be able to track conversions made from other sources in addition to AdWords conversions. It is a good idea to setup redundant conversion tracking via methods #1 and #2 in order to see if there is a discrepancy in the number of conversions recorded by each.
3. **Event Tracking Button Goals.** This is similar to method #2, in that it involves creating a goal in Google Analytics and then importing it into AdWords. It is very easy to setup if you have access to a Google Analytics account and if you event tracking is already in place. If event tracking is not setup, then you will need to add a bit of javascript to the buttons, but for some landing pages, it is easier to setup javascript on buttons then it is to setup a “thank-you” page redirect.
4. **Advanced Segments in Google Analytics.** This is really a fall back method that is NOT a true replacement for any of the conversion tracking methods listed above. The problem with this method is that it cannot be used to import results into AdWords, and so you can’t capture as much data with advanced segments. But, if you are struggling to get the other methods setup and working (and you also have an established “thank-you” page), it is a great idea to create a segment that captures only traffic that hits your “thank-you” page, and then if you look at your Google Analytics source/medium report, you will see all source mediums that sent traffic that ultimately converted. Again, this isn’t a long-term solution, but it is a great way to view the data from another angle. Another great thing to know about this is that advanced segments are the only tactic that you can use that will provide “historical data” — in other words, the three methods listed above will only track data moving forward. But, if you create an advanced segment, you can see any conversions that would have taken place for the entire lifetime of the thank-you page.
As you can probably imagine, option #1 may be great for one client, whereas option #3 may be ideal for another client. And even though option #4 is not a viable standalone solution, it has an advantage that none of the other three methods provide.
The big problem with all three methods is that they all depend on javascript to some extent, and javascript sometimes misfires, some users may have javascript disabled, and there are perhaps other reasons why some conversions will go unrecorded.
But despite the flaws of any and all of the conversion tracking methods above, it is absolutely essential that you setup form-fill conversion tracking to measure success as best as possible for your clients, so I hope this post is helpful to you as you understand your options.
## AdWords ROI Calculator
The AdWords Calculator will help you measure profitability on keyword-by-keyword-basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Google Analytics
**Tags:** AdWords ROI, Conversion Tracking, Lead Generation Tracking
---
### [5 Steps For Setting Up LinkedIn Conversion Tracking](https://willmarlow.com/5-steps-how-to-setup-linkedin-conversion-tracking/)
**Published:** December 23, 2016
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# 5 Steps For Setting Up LinkedIn Conversion Tracking
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Dec 23, 2016 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/), [LinkedIn Ads](https://willmarlow.com/blog/linkedin-ads/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/5-steps-how-to-setup-linkedin-conversion-tracking/#respond)
This post is meant to give you a quick understanding on how to setup [LinkedIn conversion tracking](https://www.linkedin.com/help/lms/answer/67514?query=conversion%20tracking). Here are the 5 things you need to know:
1. First, the LinkedIn conversion tracking script is called the “Insight Tag” and it needs to be placed within a standalone web page. Like all javascript tags, this means that you can’t use it for PDF views (but we can give you another conversion tracking method for that).
2. To find your unique LinkedIn Insight Tag, you need to login to your LinkedIn “Campaign Manager,” and click on “conversion tracking” in the top right of the page – then select the account you want to track. You don’t need to specify subdomains if they are relevant — just pick your top-level domain.
3. Once you see the tag, you simply need to place the tag (sometimes referred to as “code” or “script”) on every page of your website where you want to track conversions – LinkedIn recommends placing the Insight Tag right before the end of the tag. At a minimum, you MUST place it on the “thank you” pages that people see once they complete an action (that is, on the pages that say, “Thank you for requesting a quote!” or something like that).
4. Now that the Insight Tag is on your website, you need to go back to the LinkedIn interface and fill in the “conversion name, “conversion value,” and the counted URLs. Your agency should handle this part, because it is important to come up with a consistent naming structure for easy analysis later on.
5. The final step is for you to enter the URL where you are tracking conversions, and LinkedIn specifies that this is typically the “Thank You” page. If you did NOT specify the “Thank You” page, and instead specified every page, then there would be no difference between a visitor and a conversion, which defeats the purpose of conversion tracking. The point of this last step is to identify the URL that signals that a conversion has taken place. Once you have saved this conversion, you’ll see it as an option to use in any subsequent campaigns that you create, so you won’t need to keep going through the same steps every time you create a new LinkedIn Ads campaign.
So there you have it – you should now have all the information you need to setup and track conversions from your LinkedIn Ads campaign.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords ROI Calculator
The AdWords Calculator will help you measure profitability on keyword-by-keyword-basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords, LinkedIn Ads
**Tags:** LinkedIn Ads, LinkedIn PPC
---
### [Here's An Excel Template for AdWords Expanded Text Ads](https://willmarlow.com/heres-an-excel-template-for-adwords-expanded-text-ads/)
**Published:** September 2, 2016
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Here’s An Excel Template for AdWords Expanded Text Ads
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Sep 2, 2016 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/heres-an-excel-template-for-adwords-expanded-text-ads/#respond)
With the deadline for transitioning from standard AdWords text ads coming up on October 26, a lot of people are working hard to write new “expanded text ads” in their AdWords accounts, and so I wanted to share a spreadsheet that you can download here that will give you an easy way to draft ads that comply with the new rules. This spreadsheet is especially useful if you need to get input on text ads from individuals who are not experts in AdWords. Just send them this spreadsheet, and they’ll be able to fill in the blanks without knowing precise character limits.
Here are some things to keep in mind about expanded text ads:
- The biggest change with expanded text ads is that they follow the 30-30-80 format, instead of the old 25-35-35 that has been the norm for years. This means that you have 30 characters for the first part of the headline, and 30 characters for the second part of the headline, and then you have 80 characters for “description line.”
- The description line is really awesome, because even though it is limited to 80 characters, it feels huge in comparison to the old text limits.
- To put things in perspective, the old limits gave you a total of 95 characters for your ads, and you now have 140 characters, which is the same as a Tweet.
- There are two reasons why Google shifted to the new text ad format: (a) first, the new structure displays better on mobile than the old structure, and mobile is the future for Google. And (b) Google got rid of the sidebar ads earlier this year, and so this structure makes a lot more sense for ads that always run across the center of the Google search result page.
Feel free to download this [Expanded Text Ad template](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/16-0902-Expanded-Text-Ad-Template.xlsx) as you write your new ads, and I hope you find it helpful.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## AdWords Calculator
The ROI Calculator will help you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** AdWords Ads, AdWords Excel, Expanded Text Ads
---
### [Why You Shouldn't Care That P&G Is Cutting Targeted Facebook Ads](https://willmarlow.com/why-you-shouldnt-care-that-pg-is-cutting-targeted-facebook-ads/)
**Published:** August 15, 2016
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Why You Shouldn’t Care That P&G Is Cutting Targeted Facebook Ads
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Aug 15, 2016 | [Facebook Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/facebook-marketing/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/why-you-shouldnt-care-that-pg-is-cutting-targeted-facebook-ads/#respond)
Last week Proctor & Gamble announced that it was cutting back significantly on “targeted” Facebook Ads, and some people mistakenly assumed that this was a big blow to Facebook, or a big black eye for Facebook’s targeted ads. (For those of you who don’t know, the announcement made a lot of headlines, because P&G is the world’s largest advertiser, spending around $2.6 billion per year on its brands.)
But P&G should NOT be doing targeted Facebook Ads, and that doesn’t have anything to do with how powerful or weak Facebook Ads are. P&G shouldn’t be using targeted Facebook Ads because P&G wants to reach *everyone*, and when you want to reach everyone, hyper-targeting is overrated.
But if you are not P&G, and you don’t have a $2.6 billion budget to spend on your ads, then you should ignore the fact that P&G is cutting its Facebook budget. If you want to reach only high school biology teachers, and you don’t want to reach Middle School earth science teachers, then Facebook is an awesome system. You can hypertarget down to the grade-level, or just about any other level you want. It might not be great for P&G’s mega-brands, but it’s fantastic for the vast majority of businesses that are trying to reach targeted audiences.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## AdWords Keyword ROI Calculator
The ROI Calculator will help you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use Keyword Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
**Categories:** Facebook Marketing
**Tags:** Facebook Ads
---
### [How To Improve SEO Rankings Via Intermediary Landing Pages](https://willmarlow.com/improve-seo-rankings-via-intermediary-landing-pages/)
**Published:** July 20, 2016
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# How To Improve SEO Rankings Via Intermediary Landing Pages
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Jul 20, 2016 | [Search Engine Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/blog/search-engine-optimization/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/improve-seo-rankings-via-intermediary-landing-pages/#respond)
One of the reasons why I love AdWords is that it is very simple. You identify the best keywords and optimize your campaigns to target them, and then you measure results. It is a very simple universe, once you learn the rules.
SEO is completely different because (a) the rules are intentionally obscured by Google, and (b) there are far more variables at play.
In this blog post, I want to highlight one SEO tactic that is often overlooked, but can be hugely valuable — **targeting intermediary SEO pages**.
**How To Target Keywords Via Intermediary Landing Pages**
When you think of targeting keywords for SEO, you are almost always going to think about how to get your own website (or another page you own) to rank #1 for a given keyword. This is by far the most common focus for SEO consultants, but it ignores a huge number of opportunities that are available through *intermediary pages.*
An intermediary landing page is a landing page that relates to your business but is owned by neither you nor one of your competitors. Two of the most common intermediary landing pages are Yelp and Wikipedia. Both pages are hugely visited and dominate search results in a wide variety of industries. And if you are not represented on them, then you are essentially limiting your SEO footprint to pages that you can dislodge.
For instance, let’s look at the results below for the keyword “lawn mowing service va. You will see that there are five intermediary page results highlighted in red from homeadvisor.com, thumbtack.com, Yelp.com, and yellowpages.com. Meanwhile, there are only TWO lawn mowing companies that are ranking for the keyword. This means that you really only have TWO spots that you could possibly dislodge to get onto this search engine results page, but you could almost instantly get into the mix by targeting those intermediary pages.
Keep in mind that this isn’t an either-or situation: you should be targeting intermediary pages AND direct pages. In an ideal world, you should be #1 for the ad result, #1 for the SEO result, and represented positively on all the intermediary pages. To be sure, that’s not easy to do, but your strategy should aim to hit all the low hanging fruit to give your business the greatest overall visibility, and intermediary pages should be a big part of that.
Also, for those of you who want to go really deep on this topic, I’ve created an 10 minute 15 second video lesson on intermediary landing page targeting that you can access as a part of my premium [online SEO training course](https://willmarlowtraining.com/course/advanced-search-engine-optimization-training-videos/).
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords ROI Calculator
The AdWords Calculator will help you measure profitability on keyword-by-keyword-basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** Search Engine Optimization
---
### [We're Officially One of the First Premier Google AdWords Partners](https://willmarlow.com/were-officially-premier-google-adwords-partners/)
**Published:** July 18, 2016
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# We’re Officially One of the First Premier Google AdWords Partners
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Jul 18, 2016 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/were-officially-premier-google-adwords-partners/#respond)
Ever since I founded this company back in 2012, we have been Google Partners, and this partnership has been great, because it has given us access to the Google team on a weekly basis, access to new advertising features before they’re released to the general public, and it has helped focus our attention on Google best practices (to stay current on all the required exams). As of last week, Google announced a brand new Google Premier Partners program, and we’re honored to be included from day one. As more information becomes available, we’ll let you know, but here is the new Google Partner badge that we’ll be adding throughout the site:
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/premier-google-partner-CMYK-search.jpg)
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords ROI Calculator
The AdWords Calculator will help you measure profitability on keyword-by-keyword-basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** Google AdWords Partner, Google Premier Partner
---
### [A Primer On Google's "Personalized Search"](https://willmarlow.com/a-primer-on-googles-personalized-search/)
**Published:** July 6, 2016
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# A Primer On Google’s “Personalized Search”
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Jul 6, 2016 | [Search Engine Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/blog/search-engine-optimization/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/a-primer-on-googles-personalized-search/#respond)
One of the most frustrating things about measuring keyword rankings is that Google serves “personalized” results for every user. This means that when you search for something like “The Prime,” you may get one series of results from Google, while someone else may get a very different series of results.
For example, look at the screenshot below. Both searches were conducted within moments of one another by two marketing pros who were in different locations. Both searched for the keyword “the prime.” Notice that everything highlighted in red below varied significantly from search-to-search. Out of 17 search results, 9 changed substantially in between searches, and remember that both were conducted within seconds of one another. If the CEOs of all the companies represented in the searches below had paid an SEO firm to optimize for that keyword, the only CEO who would have been somewhat happy would have been Jeff Bezos, as Amazon ranked #1 for one search, and #2 for the second search.
**Why Does Google Do This?**
There are actually two very simple reasons why Google does this, and they both boil down to A/B testing:
1. First, Google does this because they want to see which links get the most clicks, and in what position they perform best. One of the most under-appreciated ranking factors is “click through rate,” which is a calculation of how many people *click* on your ad after *seeing* your ad. If 100 people see your ad (or organic search result, in this case) and 10 people click on it, you have a 10% CTR.
2. The second reason Google does this is that some keywords are inherently more *[ambiguous](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-deal-with-ambiguous-keywords-keyword-research/)* than others. If you search for “The Prime,” you may be looking for an apartment building in Arlington, Virginia, or you may be looking for a book by Kulreet Chaudhary. Or you may be a slow typer, and so your keyword “The Prime” is actually an unfinished thought for “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.” Google doesn’t actually know what your intent is, in any of those cases, and so it needs to test things out. If it finds out that 90% of people who type in “The Prime” end up clicking on the Wikipedia link for *The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,* then my guess is that Google will start replacing some of the other links with topics related to that.
The trend of personalized search is not going away, and it is a good idea for you to use the screenshot below as an example of how Google changes things up from person to person in fairly dramatic ways, even when two searches occur moments from one another.
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Screenshot-2016-07-06-19.31.41.png)
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords ROI Calculator
Measure AdWords profit on keyword-by-keyword basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** Search Engine Optimization
**Tags:** Search Engine Optimization, SEO
---
### [The Anatomy of A YouTube TrueView In-Stream Ad](https://willmarlow.com/the-anatomy-of-a-youtube-trueview-in-stream-ad/)
**Published:** July 5, 2016
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# The Anatomy of A YouTube TrueView In-Stream Ad
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Jul 5, 2016 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/the-anatomy-of-a-youtube-trueview-in-stream-ad/#respond)
There is a lot of interest in YouTube advertising these days, and so I wanted to share the “anatomy of a TrueView In-Stream Ad,” which is by far the most popular and common type of video ad on YouTube. The key features of this type of YouTube ad are as follows:
1. As an advertiser, you pay only if someone does not skip the ad for at least 30 seconds or 50% of the ad. This “choice” is where the name “TrueView” comes from, although you could argue that this is a bit of a passive choice to view the ad.
2. This is primarily a branding ad format, as almost all video ads are, but you do get two opportunities for a display URL, at the top of the ad in the form of a video title, and at the bottom of the ad.
3. The clickable video title lets you direct traffic to your YouTube page, which you should do primarily if you have additional video content that you think will push leads further along the sales funnel.
4. The clickable display URL at the bottom left of the video works just like any normal display URL works in Google ads. In the example below, it points to wordpress.com, but you can in fact point to any page within wordpress.com, so you can and should direct traffic to an optimized landing page. That said, don’t expect these types of ads to drive tons of immediate traffic and clicks, because most people will watch the ad and take some action later, bypassing the landing page.
I hope the image below is helpful as you explore your options with YouTube ads, as they can be an incredibly powerful ad format to grow you brand and connect with consumers.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## AdWords ROI Calculator
The AdWords Calculator will help you measure profitability on keyword-by-keyword-basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** TrueView Ads, Video Advertising, YouTube Ads
---
### [Has Google Increased the Limits of the Google Keyword Planner?](https://willmarlow.com/google-raised-limits-of-keyword-downloads-in-keyword-planner/)
**Published:** June 1, 2016
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Has Google Increased the Limits of the Google Keyword Planner?
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Jun 1, 2016 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/google-raised-limits-of-keyword-downloads-in-keyword-planner/#respond)
This will probably be interesting only to those of us who spend a lot of time researching keywords, but it appears that Google has doubled the limit on the number of keywords you can download on in the [Google Keyword Planner](https://willmarlow.com/google-keyword-tool/). Below you can see a screenshot from keyword research that I was doing for a client yesterday, and the download limit is set to 1,727, instead of approximately 800, which was the previous limit. If this change is permanent, then it is definitely a time saver for keyword research.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## AdWords Keyword ROI Calculator
The ROI Calculator will help you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use Keyword Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** Google Keyword Planner, Keyword Research, Keyword Targeting
---
### [Examples of Facebook PPC Ads from Political Campaigns](https://willmarlow.com/examples-of-facebook-ppc-ads-from-political-campaigns/)
**Published:** March 14, 2016
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Examples of Facebook PPC Ads from Political Campaigns
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Mar 14, 2016 | [Facebook Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/facebook-marketing/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/examples-of-facebook-ppc-ads-from-political-campaigns/#respond)
My career began in politics, and I occasionally take a break from working with high growth companies to advise or consult for political campaigns and super PACs, and so I wanted to put together a “cheat sheet” with examples of political ads that have been running on Facebook.
These types of crib sheets are useful in the formative stages of planning on ad campaign, because they show you a wide range of possible messages and approaches, from fundraising solicitations, to Get-Out-The-Vote campaigns, to issue awareness promotions, to online petitions, and more.
If you’re planning your own campaign, I hope you find these examples helpful.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** Facebook Marketing
**Tags:** Facebook Ads, Facebook Advertising, Facebook PPC, Political Advertising
---
### [Using a Two-Step Landing Page to Maximize Conversions](https://willmarlow.com/using-a-two-step-landing-page-to-maximize-conversions/)
**Published:** March 5, 2016
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Using a Two-Step Landing Page to Maximize Conversions
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Mar 5, 2016 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/using-a-two-step-landing-page-to-maximize-conversions/#respond)
Landing page optimization is a huge part of successful online advertising, and there is one strategy that I particularly like, which I call the “two-part landing page strategy.” This is where you identify at least two goals for a campaign, and then you make sure that you accomplish both of those goals in sequential steps.
In the example below, for instance, you’ll see a simple landing page from a company called Domo, where they are asking people to fill-in three pieces of information: full name, email address, and registration type. You submit the information by clicking “Next”, and only then do you get hit with the bigger ask, which is for a credit card.
If Domo setup a standard one-page landing page, then they would end up getting an equal number of credit card conversions and email address conversions. But by smartly chunking out their landing pages, they are inevitably going to end up with a large list of people who are interested in their offer but not ready to buy, and a smaller list of people who are both interested in their offer and made a purchase.
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Screenshot-2016-03-05-09.22.48.png)
This is an incredibly smart approach to landing page design, because it capitalizes on the concept of micro-conversions and standard conversions, which you can think of as base hits vs. home runs. To grow your business, you should never throwaway micro-conversions, because if you plan them right, they should be edging you closer and closer to captured revenue.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** Conversion Rate Optimization, CRO, landing page optimization
---
### [Presentation at the Reston Chamber of Commerce on Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/presentation-reston-chamber-of-commerce-on-google-analytics/)
**Published:** February 26, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
On March 12 I’m going to give a presentation at the Reston Chamber of Commerce about Google Analytics, which is a tool I use everyday to analyze website traffic. In fact, I think that Google Analytics is the best tool available for calculating the ROI of almost any marketing tactic.
The presentation is titled, *Learn What Your Customers Want: How to Analyze Your Website Traffic.* And if you attend, here are some of the things I will be highlighting:
- How to identify underperforming pages on your website that are failing to “sell” your business;
- How to get ideas for blog topics based what your customers actually care about;
- How to identify the most valuable traffic sources to your website;
- How to find out if your website performing well from mobile devices;
- and I will also answer any audience questions that come up during the hour.
And you can check out some of my other presentations [here](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/marketing-presentations/).
*Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant (specialty in Google AdWords, Bing and Yahoo Ads) who loves helping businesses get found by customers in search results, and he holds four certifications*:* Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, and certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional. He also spends a lot of time using Excel.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Google Analytics
**Tags:** Google Analytics, Web Analytics
---
### [How To Use Multiple Credit Cards for Your Facebook Ad Campaigns](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-assign-different-credit-cards-to-facebook-ppc-campaigns/)
**Published:** February 14, 2016
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# How To Use Multiple Credit Cards for Your Facebook Ad Campaigns
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Feb 14, 2016 | [Facebook Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/facebook-marketing/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-assign-different-credit-cards-to-facebook-ppc-campaigns/#respond)
There are times when it seems like Facebook is purposefully trying to discourage advertisers from spending money on their network. For instance, they have made it tremendously difficult for agencies to use more than one credit card on behalf of their clients. Unlike in a Google AdWords MCC account, which allows each AdWords account to draw from its own credit card, Facebook Business Manager accounts force all pages to draw from a single credit card. Until now. This post is for anyone who needs to run Facebook advertising campaigns that hit different credit cards. It may seem convoluted, but if you follow this 12-step process, you will be able to manage ad campaigns for all your clients, and each one will be assigned the right credit card.
Unfortunately, your client is going to need to take steps 1 through 12, because they are going to need to create a Business Manager account. Once they have a Business Manager account, then the business manager account can do two things: (1) grant access to someone like you in order to run campaigns and (2) accept any credit card you or the client wants to place in it. This means that you will have effectively solved your problem: you will be able to login to your personal Facebook account just like FB’s terms of services require, and you’ll be able to toggle between different Facebook Business Manager accounts that each have their own credit card.
### **Step 1 – Your client will start to create a Facebook Business Manager account.**
### **Step 2 – Your client will choose a name for their Facebook Business Manager account, although the name itself doesn’t really matter.**
### **Step 3 – Your client will create a Facebook Business Manager Profile.**
### **Step 4 – Your client will bask in the glory of their newly created (and still useless) Facebook Manager account.**
### **Step 5 – Your Client Will Click (per screenshot below) “Claim Assets” and then “Page”.**
### **Step 5 – Your client will then locate (from the dropdown menu) and select the Facebook page that they want to run ads for. This part may seem confusing, because they are already an admin of this page, but they still need to “claim” it. Following this step will actually move the page to the Facebook Manager account itself, which is necessary for any of this to work.**
### **Step 6 – As you can see in the screenshot below, you may need someone who is already managing the account to approve the request for claiming ownership, although in practice this may happen automatically.**
### **Step 7 – Now, your client needs to create an ad account, assuming that this does not already exist. You’ll see below that your options are “claim”, “request access,” and “create new” – these are fairly self-explanatory. The only thing that is confusing is the fact that Facebook draws a distinction between a “page” and an “ad account,” and just because you have one, does not mean you have the other. So, your client needs to create both in order to give you full access to run their Facebook PPC campaigns.**
****
### **Step 7(b) – alternatively, from the screenshot below, you see that you can also create the ad account from directly within the Facebook Business Manager account.**
### **Step 8 – Next, your client needs to name their ad account. This should be a descriptive name that summarizes the purpose of the account.**
### **Step 9 – If you’ve done this successfully, you’ll see the confirmation message below.**
### **Step 10 – Next, your client needs to click into the newly created ad account, and add a billing method, per below.**
### **Step 11 – Finally, from within the Facebook Business Manager account, your client needs to click “Add New” and “People.”**
### **Step 12 – This is it. The last step. Your client needs to add the email address that you use to login to your Facebook account. Once that happens, you will be able to accept their invitation, and from then on you can toggle between your normal Facebook Business Manager, and this new Facebook Business Manager that they created, each one with its own credit card and portfolio of Pages and ad campaigns.**
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** Facebook Marketing
**Tags:** Facebook Ads, Facebook Business Manager, Facebook PPC
---
### [Visualizing Every Task from Remember the Milk for 2015](https://willmarlow.com/visualizing-every-2015-remember-the-milk-task/)
**Published:** January 4, 2016
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Visualizing Every Task from Remember the Milk for 2015
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Jan 4, 2016 | [Company News](https://willmarlow.com/blog/company-news/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/visualizing-every-2015-remember-the-milk-task/#respond)
I use Remember the Milk to track every one of my client activities here on a daily basis, and I also use heavyweight BI tools like Logi Analytics and Tableau to visualize data. With 2015 in the past, I wanted to see what the 10,511 completed tasks looked like when displayed by month, year, and category in a business intelligence tool. I would not call this a useful data visualization, but it’s fun to see how many actions I’ve taken for client throughout the year and month, and it’s also fun to drill down into the different categories to see the types of activities that take the most time, in order to see how we can make things more efficient.
### All Tasks by Month
### All Tasks by Category for All of 2015
### All Tasks by Tactical Category (keyword research, ad text optimization, etc.)
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** Company News
---
### [How To Isolate Subdomains Using RegEx in Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-isolate-subdomains-using-regex-in-google-analytics/)
**Published:** November 16, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# How To Isolate Subdomains Using RegEx in Google Analytics
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Nov 16, 2015 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/), [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-analytics/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-isolate-subdomains-using-regex-in-google-analytics/#respond)
Google Analytics has improved tremendously over the last few years in terms of reducing our need to customize the javascript, and to do other things that require technical expertise. Unfortunately, you still need to get fancy with RegEx occasionally, which I consider to be more of a technical area, and less of an analytical or creative area. And so I want to share a blog post to help you use RegEx to do one of the most commonly requested tasks, which is to isolate a subdomain.
For instance, you might want to do analysis on your blog, and so you need to isolate a subdomain such as blog.yourwebsite.com, or you might want to create a special Google Analytics remarketing list that only hits visitors of a certain subdomain, such as “training.yoursite.com.” Either of these scenarios can be accomplished with RegEx, and I wanted to provide a blog post here that gives you an example that you can apply to your own account.
So, here goes:
Isolate a subdomain such as “blog” on a website like “blog.yourwebsite.com”:
- Include Filter
- Filter Field: Hostname
- Filter Pattern: **^blog\\.yourwebsite\\.com$**
And this is what it looks like:
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screenshot-2015-11-03-12.50.53.png)
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Google Analytics
---
### [Why Your Website Is Not a Lead Source](https://willmarlow.com/not-list-website-lead-source/)
**Published:** October 7, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Why Your Website Is Not a Lead Source
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Oct 7, 2015 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/), [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-analytics/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/not-list-website-lead-source/#respond)
I look at a lot of marketing dashboards, and one of the most common mistakes I see is this: website is often listed as the number one source of leads, sales, opportunities, or revenue. But tracking your website as a “source” is actually a bad practice, and you should do everything you can to avoid it.
Here is why: the source is the thing that brings someone to your website. Your website is the content that convinces the visitor to do business with you. If you categorize sources and content separately like this, it is actually going to be very beneficial to your business, because it will help you understand how to improve results by investing in the right types of marketing areas.
## Finding the Best Traffic Sources
Consider this scenario: 100 visitors come to your website from keyword “A” and 100 visitors come to your website from keyword “B.” The traffic from keyword “A” turns into customers at 5x the rate as as the traffic from keyword “B.” This means that the two traffic sources (keyword “A” and keyword “B”) have a vastly different value to your business, despite the fact that they are both passing through the same website.
Therefore, you might rightly conclude that you should spend more money driving more traffic from keyword “A” to your website. If you were not tracking things at the “source” level and instead simply lumped all traffic and customers under the “website” category, you wouldn’t be able to improve your results by focusing on the more profitable keyword while cutting the less profitable one.
## Finding the Best Content or Landing Pages
Now, consider this alternative scenario: you decide to do a split test where you send 50% of keyword “A” to one page on your website, and your send the other half of the traffic from keyword “A” to another version of the page. You may find that one of those pages leads to an uptick in conversions (I’ve seen different versions of pages on the same site lead to 1500%+ differences in sales).
In that case, you would have the same exact traffic source, but you could conclude that a different message/information/layout/color scheme results in consistently higher performance. In this scenario, you could invest your marketing dollars in changing the other pages of your website to more closely match the highest performing version. And again, this insight would be entirely lost if you grouped all your sales under a general “website” category.
It may seem nit-picky, but it makes a huge difference at the end of the day if you create a testing and measurement framework that clearly labels sources as sources, and content as content.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Google Analytics
**Tags:** Google Analytics, Marketing Dashboards, Marketing KPIs
---
### [A Minor Bug In Google AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/a-minor-bug-in-google-adwords/)
**Published:** November 2, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# A Minor Bug In Google AdWords
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Nov 2, 2015 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/a-minor-bug-in-google-adwords/#respond)
Even with all of Google’s resources, talent, and money, it’s good to remember that even Google has bugs and glitches, as you can see below. For the last two years, at the end of every month, I’ve received an invoice for certain AdWords accounts that have a “due date” set to December 31, 1969, which is 29 years before Google was actually founded. This appears to be a bug that Google doesn’t care much about, probably because the invoices are all directed at nonprofits that receive Google Grants, and so they won’t pay them anyway.
But I find that it’s helpful to remind yourself that Google’s products DO have bugs in them periodically, which is why it pays to have an expert managing your AdWords accounts, because they can distinguish between actual bugs on the one hand, and things that are just difficult to accomplish on the other.
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screenshot-2015-11-02-10.16.46.png)
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** AdWords, AdWords Bug, AdWords Grant, Google Bug, Google for Nonprofits, Google Grant
---
### [First Click Attribution vs. Last Click Attribution in Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/click-attribution-vs-click-attribution-google-analytics/)
**Published:** March 5, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# First Click Attribution vs. Last Click Attribution in Google Analytics
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Mar 5, 2013 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/), [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/blog/google-analytics/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/click-attribution-vs-click-attribution-google-analytics/#respond)
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/8356681430/ "The NYC Skyline from Brooklyn Bridge Park by WilliamMarlow, on Flickr")
I’ve always been a fan of [last click](https://willmarlow.com/last-click-attribution/) attribution in web analytics. Basically, this means that if a sale or ‘conversion’ takes place on a website, I am comfortable giving the ‘last click’ that brought the visitor to the website full credit for the sale or conversion.
Here are three reasons why I like this approach:
1. These ‘last click’ sources represent big money-makers for most companies, and so as a first order of business you should lock down exactly what those big money-makers are, and make sure you are getting 100% of them before trying to get fancy with your keyword strategy.
2. For many businesses, you discover that conversions and sales are made by surprising keywords — regardless of whether you use last-click or first-click attribution. Again, this means that last-click analysis will give you plenty of room to grow between the low hanging fruit and these more complex terms.
3. Finally, I’ve never been comfortable with the idea that any web analytics platform would be capable of successfully tracking user behavior across a significant amount of time (or ‘sessions’). In other words, I felt like the data would be more accurate if you reduced the time between the click and the action you are measuring — ergo, ‘last-click’ would be better than ‘first-click.’ I’m starting to doubt that this third reason is relevant.
But I’ve started to change my mind on this topic recently, because I’ve been seeing more and more companies that are getting 99% of their conversions for keywords that include their name. If someone types in your business’s name, I refer to this as [‘branded traffic,’](https://willmarlow.com/branded-traffic/) because it indicates that someone is already familiar with your particular brand. And if 99% of your sales are coming from branded traffic, then this information is basically useless, because it obscures the fact that every single visitor who converted initially heard about you from some other source.
It is possible that by switching to [first click attribution](https://willmarlow.com/first-click-attribution/), you could peer deeper into a more useful category of traffic — the traffic that is ‘meeting’ you for the first time and that is starting down the path toward a sale or conversion. Now, first-click analysis isn’t necessary for everyone. I still stand by the point that you need to discover your most profitable ‘last click’ keywords before you do anything else. If you fail to do that, you might as well cut a whole in your pocket.
But if you are one of those companies that I have been seeing more and more of lately, where 99% of your sales/conversions are coming from branded/name keywords, then you need to look into some type of analytics model that let’s you learn more about how those customers first heard about you, because those are the keywords that you want to buy more of.
*Will Marlow wears several hats — he is [certified by Google](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/) in both Google AdWords and Google Analytics, and by Microsoft in Bing Advertising.*
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Google Analytics
**Tags:** Google AdWords, Google Analytics
---
### [A Look At Our New Logo](https://willmarlow.com/look-new-logo/)
**Published:** July 13, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# A Look At Our New Logo
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Jul 13, 2015 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/), [Company News](https://willmarlow.com/blog/company-news/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/look-new-logo/#respond)
We just gave our logo a refresh here at Will Marlow, LLC, and we wanted to highlight the changes below.
- We reduced the “text footprint” of the logo by removing six words and 35 characters by replacing “*Certified in Google AdWords, Google Analytics and Bing Ads*” with the much more streamlined “Google Certified Partner.”
- We also changed the color of the “W” from a burnt taupe to a solid black, which is more consistent with the other colors used across the site.
- And finally, and most obviously, we changed the long horizontal format of the logo to a more stacked format, which we think has more immediate visual impact.
**Our OLD logo (2011-2015):**
**Our NEW logo (2015-onward):**
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Company News
**Tags:** AdWords
---
### [How To Run AdWords for Venture-Backed B2B Companies](https://willmarlow.com/run-adwords-venture-backed-b2b-companies/)
**Published:** August 11, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# How To Run AdWords for Venture-Backed B2B Companies
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Aug 11, 2015 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/run-adwords-venture-backed-b2b-companies/#respond)
I specialize in managing AdWords and PPC for high growth B2B companies, and that means that I spend a lot of time with B2B companies that have recently won a series A or Series B venture round.
Interestingly, there are at least 5 things that all venture-backed B2B companies have in common when it comes to AdWords strategy:
1. **High Cost-Per-Click (CPCs).** There is no getting around it – CPCs are very high when it comes to venture-backed B2B companies. There are three main reasons for these high CPCs: (1) first, many B2B companies sell expensive products, which means that each sale is very valuable, and under Google’s auction-model for keyword bidding, you can expect prices to gravitate upwards, regardless of industry. This is also true in the consumer world for expensive products, such as automobiles and new homes, where CPCs are also very high. Second (2), if you are a VC-backed company, you are also competing with other VC-backed companies, and this hot competition is going to drive prices upward even more. And (3) volume is often very low in the B2B space. There are far more people using entertainment or consumer-oriented keywords than there are people looking for B2B or enterprise keywords, which again drives prices upward as companies bid on a small pool of keywords. The challenge is to keep things profitable even with huge CPCs.
2. **Tracking results and doing CPA calculations.** They need to track everything, and measure results in great detail. This is because they need to be able to go back to their venture capitalists and tell them how much it costs to get each customer (cost-per-acquisition), and therefore how much they need to spend to hit their targets on time.
3. **Maximizing Growth.** Generally speaking, a high growth B2B company is in a race with competitors — this means short term profit can be sacrificed for long-term gains. This doesn’t mean that you can spend any amount to win customers, but it does mean that you may sacrifice short term profitability to lock up the market. Typically, you don’t win a series A or series B round of funding if the VCs don’t think that you can “win” in a new category, which means that you need to execute much faster than the competitors.
4. Multiple Attribution Models. Most B2B companies have a relatively long sales cycle. In the consumer world, someone might buy a product after seeing an ad once or twice. But in the B2B world, where there are strict budgets and multiple layers of approval, you need to anticipate a longer sales cycle, and therefore you want to know which ad brings a customer into the top of the sales cycle (awareness) and which ads bring customers into the bottom of the sales cycle (signing a deal). Using more than one attribution model let’s you do this.
5. Connecting at least three data sources for analysis: almost every B2B company uses salesforce.com as its CRM. At this point, SFDC is the standard, and you *need* to make sure Google Analytics is connected to Salesforce.com. This is because Google Analytics is not permitted to include personally identifiable information (PII), and Salesforce.com is nothing but personally identifiable information. By allowing Salesforce to talk to Google Analytics, you can find out which keywords, conversions, ad types, etc., are related to actual deals that close. This means that you can tie AdWords activity to real revenue, not just clickstream data. And to make matters even more interesting, most B2B companies use a lead automation platform like Marketo, Hubspot, Eloqua, or Pardot. This means that the data needs to move between Google AdWords and Google Analytics, to a lead automation tool, to a CRM. If you do that, you’ll end up with a “closed loop system” that accurately measures the ROI of your AdWords program, and all of your other advertising programs.
There are lots of other things that are unique or specific to managing PPC for high growth B2B companies, but in my experience, these five are the most important, and the most universal. That said, email me or let me know if you think that there are other things that should be added to my list!
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** AdWords for Enterprises, B2B AdWords
---
### [The Best Three Options for B2B Advertising on YouTube](https://willmarlow.com/top-3-options-for-b2b-advertising-youtube/)
**Published:** September 15, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# The Best Three Options for B2B Advertising on YouTube
by [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/ "Posts by Will Marlow") | Sep 15, 2015 | [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/blog/adwords/) | [0 comments](https://willmarlow.com/top-3-options-for-b2b-advertising-youtube/#respond)
If you are a B2B company that is planning to launch a YouTube campaign, you need to be very careful about how you do your targeting, but there are three YouTube advertising options I would highly recommend using to reach B2B leads and customers.
1. **Nurture Your Repeat Site Visitors With TrueView in-stream ads + a Remarketing Audience.** This is where you can target your video ads to show to people who have visited your website and who haven’t converted, or who have converted, but who you want to convert at a higher level. With TrueView in-stream, your ad would run before or during another video that someone wants to see, and after 5 seconds they would be allowed to skip the video. You only pay if someone watches the entire video or at least 30 seconds of it.
2. **Nurture Current Customers To Get More From Products With TrueView in-Stream Ads + Remarketing Audience.** Lots of B2B products are complex, require expertise to use, and so if you sell a B2B product that doesn’t get used, you’ll quickly lose the customer. So, you can create a remarketing audience focused exclusively on people who are already customers, and hit them with pre-roll and mid-stream video ads that they can skip if they aren’t interested. The videos should be designed to be in-depth tutorials or other videos that draw people into your products, and get more engagement.
3. **Keyword Targeted In-Display Videos Ads.** These ads would promote videos on YouTube Search pages, and my favorite way to use them is for pure lead generation, so you would target the same keywords that drive your best results from SEO and AdWords. If you don’t know what your top performing keywords are elsewhere, then you probably are not ready to be running YouTube advertisements anyway, because you’re likely allowing easier revenue opportunities to slip through the cracks elsewhere.
You’ll notice that none of these three categories include interest, demographic or any type of overly broad targeting. This is because B2B customers cross demographic and interest lines, and so you are likely going to waste a lot of money if you rely on those types of targeting criteria. (The opposite is true for B2C companies — for example, if you are selling Axe body spray, you know that your audience is exclusively males age 18-24.)
If you’re a B2B company, you won’t go wrong with a YouTube advertising campaign along the lines described above, and you can always expand from here if you like the initial results.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** Video Advertising
---
### [Six Things You Need To Know About Programmatic Advertising](https://willmarlow.com/six-things-need-know-programmatic-advertising/)
**Published:** June 24, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A lot of people are talking about (and spending a lot of money on) programmatic advertising. And since there is a lot of confusion about what programmatic advertising is, I thought I’d share the six most important things you need to know before you spend money on it.
**1. First, programmatic advertising is not new.** Programmatic advertising is a fancy word for “automated advertising.” The reason it’s not called automated advertising is because automated advertising is full of waste, and often you can’t fix the waste even when you identify it, because everything is automated.
**2.** **Second, programmatic advertising is very common.** You can use Google AdWords to do different types of programmatic advertising, and you can use lots of other systems to do this as well.
**3. Third, if you do programmatic advertising, you should still setup conversion tracking.** For whatever reason, people think that just because they are doing programmatic advertising, they don’t need to measure results. That is a huge mistake. Since programmatic advertising is simply an automated version of digital advertising, you can still measure results, and if you want to get good results, you’d better not gloss over this fact.
**4.** **Fourth, there is no reason that you can’t mix programmatic advertising with manual or rule-based ads.** For many companies, the best strategy is to blend three types of digital advertising: (1) manual bidding and targeting; (2) rule-based bidding and targeting, and (3) programmatic/automated. You use programmatic advertising to cast a wide net and see what performs best; then you use manual bidding and targeting to focus on the strongest elements of your campaign; and finally, you use rule-based bidding and targeting to make the manual elements efficient at scale.
**5. Building on point number four, you should know that the biggest single advantage of programmatic advertising is size and speed.** If you need to spend millions of dollars in a month, starting from zero, then you will probably need to have some heavy duty programmatic advertising elements to your campaign. And, given your budget, you will also need to be prepared to waste some of those dollars. The key is to setup a strong conversion tracking net so that you see which dollars are wasted, so that you don’t waste them twice. And if you have more modest budgets, or if you have a longer ramp up time, then programmatic is not where you should start your planning.
**6. And finally, as a general rule, programmatic advertising works best for companies that sell low-cost consumer products that have mass appeal.** If you are a B2B company or almost any type of services company, it is much better to target by behavior or keyword, because these types of targeting capture buying intent rather than just matching up “like with like,” which is essentially what programmatic advertising is all about.
I hope these six points are helpful to you as decide how to plan your company’s advertising strategy, and if nothing else, I hope they demystify the current buzzword that seems to be dominating the digital advertising industry at the moment.
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** AdWords, PPC, Programmatic Advertising
---
### [How To Test Your Final URLs in AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/test-final-urls-adwords/)
**Published:** July 7, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Since we are all getting familiar with Google’s new Final URLs at the same time, I thought I’d share a quick lesson learned, which will hopefully save you time as you update and optimize your AdWords accounts.
Before the advent of Final URLs, it used to be that you could click any ad in your AdWords account, and you would automatically go to the landing page, and you would see all the URL parameters. This is no longer true.** Now, if you click on ad in your account, you will go to a naked landing page that has zero parameters, and you’ll probably think that you made an error in putting the parameters in your ad.
However, this is actually NOT the case. Now, in order to troubleshoot your Final URLs, instead of clicking the ads in your account, you’ll need to edit the ad, and click “test.” Then, if you get a green go signal like in the screenshot below, you’ll also see a small speech bubble appear. If you hover your mouse over the speech bubble, you’ll see a another popup that reveals a “Click URL.” This is the URL you would want to click in order to get the experience of one of your users clicking an ad.
## **How To Test That a URL Is Working**
## **How To Click a URL and See What a User Sees**
Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping high growth companies optimize and improve their PPC results: and he holds seven certifications: Google AdWords Search, Display, Mobile, Shopping, and Video Certification, Google Analytics Certification, as well as certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** Final URLs
---
### [How To Deal With Ambiguous Keywords When Doing Keyword Research](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-deal-with-ambiguous-keywords-keyword-research/)
**Published:** January 2, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Is Blue Moon really the most searched for beer of 2013?
Google recently published its list of the top Google Trends of 2014, but they made an enormous mistake with one of their charts. As you can see in the image to the right, they crowned Blue Moon as the “most searched for” beer of 2014. This seemed a bit suspicious to me, and after a few minutes of research, I discovered why Google was in all likelihood mistaken to include it at the top of the list, and if you read my explanation below, you will get a better understanding of how to avoid making keyword research mistakes when you encounter “ambiguous keywords.”
Here is what I did:
- First, I looked at the keywords themselves for clues. Of the top 4 beer brands displayed to the right, “Bud Light” and “Bud Light Platinum” are not at all ambiguous. Both mean beer. However, Kingfisher is a type of beer, a type of bird, and may refer to many types of fish, and it is also a word that can be trademarked by many, many businesses as part of a larger name. Meanwhile, Blue Moon might refer to the phases of the moon, the song “Blue Moon Rising,” or other products whose names incorporate the words “Blue Moon.” Therefore, the volume around the keywords “Kingfisher” and “Blue Moon” are going to be inflated right off the bat.
- Then, I used [Google Trends](https://willmarlow.com/google-trends/) to take a look at the monthly distribution of keyword searches for “Blue Moon” — you’ll see in the graph below that during an ACTUAL Blue Moon in 2013, the keyword searches skyrocketed:
- Then, using the [Google Keyword Planner](https://willmarlow.com/google-keyword-tool/), I took a look at the actual keyword volume distribution over the months of 2013 for the phrase “blue moon” — you’ll see that the spike was very meaningful, with more than 4x the searches during the peak as all the other months of the year:
- Then, I dove into the actual queries themselves that are related to the term “Blue Moon” to see if people are highly interested in some specific alternative topics that use the phrase “blue moon” but that are NOT the beer (you’ll see below that there is plenty of evidence of this). In fact, it appears that people searching for “the blue moon” and “a blue moon” are far more prevalent than people looking for beer specifically:
- Lastly, you can do an old-school SEO trick by going to Google.com, and searching for the following: “allintitle:blue moon cafe” which will reveal how often a keyword appears in the page title tags of websites. In this case, you can see that 20,000+ pages are using “blue moon cafe” in their page title tags. This is of course additional evidence that probably most of the keyword searches for “blue moon” are NOT people who are hoping to find beer.
There is tremendous evidence, as you can see, that suggests that “Blue Moon” does NOT deserve the title of the most searched for beer of 2013. But my real purpose in writing this post is to show you the perils of ambiguous keywords. Obviously, if you are one of the thousands of businesses who use some variation of the keyword “blue moon” in your name, you certainly don’t want to pay for 1,000 clicks for every one potential customer. You could blow through an AdWords budget worth hundreds of thousands of dollars on “Blue Moon” before you ever showed your ad to a potential customer.
You deal with ambiguous keywords like these through proper use of match types, geo-targeting, unambiguous ad text, day-parting, and by using other features in Google AdWords that allow you to target potential customers, rather than just paying for irrelevant clicks.
*Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant (specialty in Google AdWords, Bing and Yahoo Ads) who loves helping businesses get found by customers in search results, and he holds four certifications*:* Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, and certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional. He also spends a lot of time using Excel.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** AdWords, Google Keyword Planner, Google Keyword Tool, Google Trends, Keyword Research, Pay-Per-Click, PPC
---
### [Finally...the new website for Will Marlow, LLC!](https://willmarlow.com/welcome-to-the-new-website-for-will-marlow-llc/)
**Published:** October 8, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Today I have officially launched the new website for Will Marlow, LLC.
I created this new design because I have expanded my consulting business, and I needed a website that reflects all of the services I provide, and how they are related to one another. At the simplest level, I help people do two things: (1) raise the visibility and awareness of their companies, and identify new leads and customers for their companies.
My focus is on **Search Engine Marketing (SEM).** And Search Engine Marketing includes all of the following things:
- [Google AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/google-adwords/) and other types of Pay-Per-Click advertising
- [Search Engine Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/) to drive targeted free traffic from search engines
- [Web Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/) to tell you which of your marketing campaigns are actually working.
- [Digital Public Relations](https://willmarlow.com/digital-public-relations/) to both monitor, protect, and enhance your organization’s online reputation, and to generate visibility for your organization by connecting with reporters, bloggers, and other influencers to carry your message to new audiences.
In many cases I help clients decide which of these areas will produce the best ROI for them.
But right now, it is clear to me that Google AdWords represents the biggest area of growth for my company. This is where I see the biggest challenges in execution, and the biggest opportunities for driving revenue for my clients in the short and long-term. Following Google AdWords, the place where I’m spending the most time with clients is in organic Search Engine Optimization, which is excellent, because the smartest thing that a client who is succeeding with AdWords can do is enhance their SEO so that over the long-term they don’t need to pay for every single click that they get. If you discover through AdWords that ten related queries are driving huge traffic and revenue for you, wouldn’t you like to figure out how to get those queries without paying for each one?
In any case, I wanted to offer this blog post as an explanation for why I launched the redesign of this website and blog, and to explain that from now on, this website will serve both as a blog where I share ideas, and also as the homepage for my business, where I help clients one-on-one with lots of different types of Internet marketing.
*Will Marlow is the Owner of Will Marlow, LLC, where he helps clients with a wide range of Search Engine Marketing (SEM) activities. He is certified by Google in Google AdWords, Google Analytics, and Google Business Photography. He is followed by over 7,000 people on Twitter, and 6,000 people on Google+.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Digital Marketing
**Tags:** Search Engine Marketing, SEM
---
### [Don't miss opportunities, and what you can learn from John Updike](https://willmarlow.com/dont-miss-opportunities-and-what-you-can-learn-from-john-updike/)
**Published:** September 2, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
> *“My purpose in reading has ever secretly been not to come and judge but to come and steal.” – [John Updike](http://www.midlandcollegefoundation.org/news/davidson/updike.php)*
Some of you know that photography is one of my hobbies (any of the photos you see on this blog are ones that I’ve taken). I try to be selective about the photos that I share on [Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/williammarlow), which I use essentially as a photojournal. But until a few weeks ago, I did not “brand” my Flickr feed in any meaningful way, and this almost cost me a missed opportunity for promoting my business and this blog.
I want to credit [Jason Calacanis](http://calacanis.com/) (who is half entrepreneur, half media powerhouse), for giving me the idea to brand my Flickr feed. Jason always includes links to his Twitter feed, his business, and his weekly podcasts in the description of all [his photos](http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasoncalacanis/) on Flickr.
So I copied him to see how much traffic I would get. Immediately after doing this, a great food blog called [Pretty Food & Drink](http://prettyfoods.tumblr.com/post/971045468) decided to use one of my Flickr photos (above) in one of their posts, and it attracted over 1000 comments, as well as many click-throughs to my original Flickr photo.
If I hadn’t put a link to my blog (or business, or school, or charity) in the description of the Flickr photo, all of those new visitors would have hit a brick wall when they saw the photo. They may have liked it, or hated it, but most of them would not have had any option to get to know me better. Now, I have some new subscribers who may have found me in a very roundabout way, but I’m glad to have them here.
This illustrates one reason why it’s important to periodically audit your website and social media presence to make sure you aren’t missing any opportunities to accomplish your goals. In my case, I care about my subscribers. In your case, you may care about donors, volunteers, or customers. Whatever opportunities you’re looking for, you need to make sure you aren’t missing any easy ones, because once they’re gone, they don’t come back.
**Will Marlow is a digital strategist/online marketing consultant. He’s the co-creator of AlumniFidelity, which is a Web 2.0 fundraising platform for colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event.**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Jason Calacanis, John Updike, Social media marketing, Web design, Web presence
---
### [Don't try too hard](https://willmarlow.com/dont-try-too-hard/)
**Published:** June 28, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Sometimes, when marketers try *too* hard, it can backfire.
Here’s an example: I was in Barnes and Noble yesterday, and a very nice salesman wanted me to buy one of the Barnes and Noble e-Readers (the black and white screened “Nook,” which competes with the iPad and the Kindle for business).
When I asked him about the quality of the black and white screen, he responded by saying, “Think of the world according to [Ansel Adams](http://www.anseladams.com/aboutAAG.html).” Now, I *love* Ansel Adams, and I *did* respect the enthusiasm of this sales rep. But for better or worse, I think we live in a world that likes the bright colors of Andy Warhol more than the black and white of Ansel Adams, and I don’t believe for a second that Barnes and Noble will be able to get people to think of a black and white screen as a positive. Rather than telling me to channel the artistic sensibility of Ansel Adams, I think that Barnes and Noble should focus on the facts, and point out that its e-Reader and the Kindle are *at least* $300 less than the iPad, which is the only color alternative, and if all I care about is reading books, the color of the font will probably be a shade of gray on the iPad anyway.
**Will Marlow is an online marketing and fundraising consultant. He co-founded AlumniFidelity, which provides a Web 2.0 fundraising platform to colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event.**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Kindle, Nook
---
### [Case study: Birthright Israel's word of mouth strategy](https://willmarlow.com/case-study-birthright-israels-word-of-mouth-strategy/)
**Published:** August 6, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I received an invitation yesterday to attend a barbecue from an old friend from college. He just returned from a “Birthright Israel” trip, which is a Jewish-Israeli charity that pays ([over $400 million over the last ten years](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthright_Israel)) to bring Jewish people who live in other countries to visit Israel for 10 day trips.
I just learned that upon return from the trip, Birthright Israel will reimburse the travelers for the costs associated with a welcome home party for themselves and as many guests as they wish to invite. All the traveler needs to do is take a photograph of all the guests with the food and drinks, and they will be reimbursed.
From a word of mouth marketing perspective, this is very, very smart. If you are spending a huge amount of money on one key, necessary activity that is responsible for most of your costs, you need to continually ask yourself: how can I derive *more value* from that activity? For example, if you have a fundraising event or a reunion once a year, but you don’t arrange for a photographer (or if you don’t position disposable digital cameras at strategic locations for the guests to use), then you lose out on gaining lots of permanent assets that you could use to promote next year’s event. You’re already paying for the cost of the event – if you pay a little more, you can exponentially increase impact.
Or, if you are doing anything that is truly remarkable (in other words, something that people *like* to talk about, such as traveling), but you aren’t encouraging people to talk to their friends in a number of ways about it (both offline at a party, or online on Twitter and Facebook), you’re missing out on very important opportunities.
**Will Marlow is a digital strategist/online marketing consultant. He’s the co-founder of AlumniFidelity, which is a Web 2.0 fundraising platform for colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event.**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** viral marketing, WOMMA, word of mouth marketing
---
### [Presentation On Web 2.0 Marketing @ Annual Mensa Regional Gathering](https://willmarlow.com/my-presentation-on-web-2-0-marketing-annual-mensa-regional-gathering/)
**Published:** May 7, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
> *Networking is valuable when the relationships are real.” **Seth Godin***
Lately I’m starting to get more invitations to speak at events about Web 2.0 marketing and online communications. Although I don’t have a video of the presentation I gave last week, I couldn’t resist posting this thirty second interaction that took place before I went in front of the group at an annual Mensa “Regional Gathering” that took place last Saturday in Maryland.
I wanted to say thanks to my friend Anne Hamilton for inviting me to speak to this group on “Web 2.0 marketing.”
The rough notes from my presentation are below.
**Web 1.0 through 3.0**
- Web 1.0 = a static web page that talks to you.
- Web 2.0 = a dynamic web page that talks to you, but that also let’s you talk back.
- Web 3.0 = a dynamic Internet that analyzes the way you interact with different web pages based on multiple, data collecting user profiles you choose to maintain (primarily, your Facebook profile, your Google profile, etc.,) and based on your actions, you are served customized content.
**The challenge with Web 2.0 marketing**
- The Internet is ruled by conventions. Within a split second, we know two things: (1) where the advertising is, and (2) how to ignore it.
- We also know where the content we care about is: it comes from our friends’ Facebook posts, in comments, in uploaded photos and videos, in the blog posts of people we trust, and other places where real people are talking online.
- So how do you get real people to carry your message? Ask them to. Make it really *easy* for them. Reward them for helping.
**Where do you begin?**
- **There are 200 million blogs, 400 million Facebook profiles, 25 billion items shared on Facebook last month alone. How do you get noticed in all this?**
- **Easy. Start with your customers, your donors, *fans*. These are people you *know.* Forget the intimidating numbers. Start with the people who *love* you the most. Engage them. Get them to take specific online actions that will bring in their friends and family naturally.**
- **The secret is: you can’t start huge. *To succeed with social media, you need to be like a baby: you start small, stay close to the people who love you, and you slowly get big.***
**One example**
**AlumniFidelity started with simple personal fundraising pages that people could use to raise money for any cause they supported (we have since changed the model significantly). A 12-year old girl who was doing a report for her school on the worldwide disappearance of the honeybees [found us](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/SavetheHoneyBees.html), and she used our platform to raise money for Penn State’s Entomology Department, which was doing great research into this problem. This young girl took the initiative to raise cash from her friends and family for Penn State without being asked to do so. That’s rare. And for every *one* person who will do something like this spontaneously, there are *hundreds* of people who are just waiting to be asked.**
**Ask them. They’re waiting to help you, and that’s what Web 2.0 marketing is all about.**
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Mensa, Regional Gathering, RG, Web 2.0 marketing
---
### [How Many Standard Reports Are In Google Analytics?](https://willmarlow.com/standard-reports-google-analytics/)
**Published:** January 26, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/standard-reports-ga.png)Where to find the Standard Reports in Google Analytics
Most of my clients know that I love [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/google-analytics/) (which exists in order to tell you WHO-WHAT-WHEN-WHERE-HOW people use your website. But I hate the standard, out-of-the-box-off-the-shelf-one-size-fits-all reports that come with Google Analytics. If you want to use Google Analytics like a pro, and actually get REAL value out of it (which all website owners SHOULD want), you need to setup custom reports. But that said, for anyone who is just learning about Google Analytics, I wanted to give you the quick rundown of what the standard reports are.
Here are the facts:
- Google Analytics comes with **78 standard reports** that each fall in to five categories.
- The **five categories** of standard reports include: real time reports, audience reports, traffic source reports, content reports, and conversion reports.
- **Real-Time Reports:** these four reports give you information about what is happening on your website RIGHT NOW. Where people are located in the world who are on your website right now, how they got to your website, etc. This is a fun report to look at, especially if your website has lots of traffic.
- **Audience Reports:** these 13 reports give you the details about who is coming to your website (that is, the *your audience*), what languages they speak, where are they located in the world, are they NEW visitors to your site, or are they return visitors, what devices they use to visit (iPhone, iPad?), etc.
- **Traffic Sources Report:** this is the biggest category (25) of standard reports, and it covers all the different paths that people took to find your website. This is the category that tells you the following: did people type your URL directly into their browser, what words did they type into Google/Yahoo/Bing in order to find your website? What landing page appeared after they typed the phrases into a search engine? Are people visiting your website because of your monthly E-Newsletter or your daily Tweets and Facebook updates? You can learn it all. (Some of the reports here can only be activated by linking your Google Analytics account to a Google Webmaster Tools account.)
- **Content Report:** With 21 reports, this is the second biggest category, and it tells you all about your website’s content: what content is most popular? Where do people spend the most time? Which is the biggest entrance page, and which is the biggest exit page? What links are people clicking on? What PDFs are people downloading?
- **Conversion Reports:** the 15 reports in this category are both very useful, and the hardest to activate and use of all the standard reports. Each one typically requires consulting to activate — but once activated, these reports show you the “outcomes” of your website. Basically, the idea is that you should ask yourself the following question: why does my website exist? Some of the answers to that question can be addressed in this section. For instance, if you sell a wide variety of products on your website, then you should enable e-commerce tracking so that you can see where your best customers are coming from, and how they behave. If you need people to download whitepapers or eBooks, you should have conversion tracking installed by setting up Goals to make sure that you can see which visits resulted in a PDF download. And for some websites that have a structured “conversion path,” you’ll want to define a sales funnel that you can measure against.
So there you have it. These are the 78 standard reports that are found in every instance of Google Analytics, and even though I typically recommend ignoring almost all of them in favor of three to four carefully created custom reports, these standard reports do a good job of illustrating the type of information you can extract from Google Analytics.
*Will Marlow is certified by Google as a [Google Analytics Qualified Individual](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/) (in addition to being a certified AdWords Partner). You can follow him on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/willmarlow).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Digital Marketing
**Tags:** Google Analytics
---
### [An Alternative Offer for Trada Customers](https://willmarlow.com/alternative-offer-trada-customers/)
**Published:** April 2, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I was sorry to hear that Trada is going out of business. I respected their innovative approach to SEM, and I hope that any affected employees or customers will feel free to reach out to me if they think I can be helpful to them.
**An Alternative to Automated AdWords Management**
The SEM industry is still relatively new, and innovative companies like Trada are an important part of the ecosystem. Trada attempted to create an automated and distributed method of optimizing AdWords campaigns. My approach is very different: I optimize AdWords campaigns manually through methodical planning, data analysis, and implementation. My approach will never be automated, and that’s the right fit for my customers. It protects you against paying for a one-size-fits-all AdWords campaign, and it certainly protects you against the interruption of service that comes from the closure of a vendor like Trada.
If you are a Trada customer, and you want to avoid working with another high risk PPC vendor, I want to highlight the fact that agencies like mine offer a valid alternative. I am a certified [Google AdWords Partner](https://www.google.com/partners/#a_profile;idtf=5552773398), and I have worked with clients that range from $1,000/mo to $1,000,000 per month in PPC budget, and I’d love to help you get back on your feet.
**Be Your Own AdWords Manager**
(Finally, I have also launched a brand new [marketing training company](http://willmarlowtraining.com) (still in beta, but accepting early users) that offers training to you and your employees in SEM, SEO, and web analytics. This means that you may not need an AdWords manager at all, if you don’t want one.)
Whichever direction you want to go, please call me at 202.577.3350, or email me at , if you think I can be helpful to you.
*Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping businesses get found by customers in search results, and he holds four certifications*:* Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, and certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** AdWords Management, Trada, Trada Alternative, Trada Offer
---
### [What's the Problem with Newspapers?](https://willmarlow.com/whats-the-problem-with-newspapers/)
**Published:** January 4, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
What’s the problem with newspapers?
It’s not complicated: Print revenue = shrinking. Print costs = constant. Online revenue = growing, but small, and online revenue isn’t mature enough to replace the print revenue, yet. Right?
Brand new paperless news organizations with nothing to lose are bathing in money. Famous angel investor Marc Andreessen pumped money into [Talking Points Memo](http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/) in 2008, and in the middle of 2009 the blog [The Business Insider](http://www.businessinsider.com/) closed its third round of investment in a $5 million round led by Andreessen. Estimates for the value of the paperless [Huffington Post](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/) range from $100 million to $200 million. [TechCrunch](http://www.techcrunch.com/) and [Mashable](http://mashable.com/) are each estimated between $50 million and $100 million, and there are *plenty* of other examples of flourishing paperless news companies.
Even though I’m someone who is sentimentally attached to the print edition, I think a hard break with regularly scheduled print editions is a better move for newspapers than the slow, painful decline that most are going through right now (like just went down at the [Washington Times](http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2009/12/30/washington-times-layoffs-how-they-went-down/)).
Here’s an opportunity: if a great newspaper like the Washington Post eliminates 90% of its printing costs, it could print an occasional “Premium Edition” that is far higher quality and sells more like a book. This strategy would be a variation of Seth Godin’s theory of [souvenir publishing](http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451b31569e2011571894b19970b), where most of his content is given away free, but his work creates demand for a printed book periodically.
PS – There are going to be tons of other ways for people to build innovative business models for news organizations. Click [here](http://www.bonnier.com/en/content/digital-magazines-bonnier-mag-prototype) for a cool new prototype of what online magazines may look like on tablet computers.
*Will Marlow is the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which helps schools and nonprofits improve their online fundraising results. Email him at .*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** journalism, journalist, Media, newspapers
---
### [Will Marlow Training Is Now In Beta!](https://willmarlow.com/will-marlow-training-now-beta/)
**Published:** February 14, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
You may have noticed that I have been quiet on social media and this blog recently. I’ve been hard at work on two things: (1) managing client accounts, and (2) preparing for the launch of [Will Marlow Training](http://willmarlowtraining.com), which is where I will provide online training in AdWords & PPC, Google Analytics, and SEO. I just “soft launched” this new venture, and already there are 53 training videos prepared, with many more to come.
My longterm plan is to run both businesses in parallel: my day-to-day job of running AdWords accounts, optimizing SEO, and analyzing data in Google analytics will feed my ability to make new “how to” training videos to help other people do the same thing for themselves or for their clients.
Here are some details you might want to know about Will Marlow Training:
1. The videos offer in-depth, organized training for people who want to be online marketing pros.
2. I started making these videos in order to train clients and consultants in various techniques and tactics.
3. I expect to make lots of changes to Will Marlow Training, in order to make it a more and more effective source of training for other marketers.
I’m very excited about this launch, and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or feedback, I’d love to hear it!
*Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping businesses get found by customers in search results, and he holds four certifications*:* Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, and certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Digital Marketing
**Tags:** Google AdWords, Google Analytics, SEM
---
### [Jerry Seinfeld Can Teach You The #1 Rule On Landing Page Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/jerry-seinfeld-can-teach-1-rule-landing-page-optimization/)
**Published:** August 2, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
If you have only have 11 seconds to spare, and you desperately want to know the most important lesson about landing page optimization, then I suggest you follow Jerry Seinfeld’s advice:
> ***“One click that’s it! You need me to click twice? I don’t even want it anymore. You think I got nothing to do but click? You make it one click or I am OUTTA HERE!”***
*Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping businesses get found by customers in search results, and he holds four certifications*:* Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, and certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Digital Marketing
**Tags:** landing page optimization
---
### [Goodbye, "Unique Visitors" and "Visits," Hello "Users" and "Sessions"](https://willmarlow.com/goodbye-unique-visitors-visits-hello-users-sessions/)
**Published:** April 17, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
In order to keep us all on our toes, Google decided to change the name of two of the most important metrics in Google Analytics: **unique visitors** and **visits**. (For the record, Google has done this without making any official announcement.)
From now on, unique visitors will be “users” and visits will be “sessions.”
This change doesn’t bother me, because I use Google Analytics so much that I instinctively understand why they made the change: for years, the Google Analytics team has struggled to explain what the concept of a *session* is. In many ways, it is easier to simply use the word *session* to denote whenever someone, anyone, anywhere, visits a website and sticks around for a defined amount of time.
**The Difference Between Sessions & Users**
A person could leave and return to a website 50 times in an hour and have 50 sessions. But it is all just one person. Hence the other name change: unique visitors is gone. It has always been odd (in my opinion) that Google would make the distinction between a visitor and a unique visitor, and for years I have created custom reports for clients that make “unique visitors” the hero, because really that’s what clients want to know.
You can see an example of one of my custom reports below, with “Sessions” and “Users” replacing “Visits” and “Unique Visitors.”
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/New-Google-Analytics-Terms-Sessions-and-Users.jpg)
*Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant (specialty in Google AdWords, Bing and Yahoo Ads) who loves helping businesses get found by customers in search results, and he holds four certifications*:* Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, and certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional. He also spends a lot of time using Excel.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Google Analytics
**Tags:** Google Analytics, Sessions, Unique Visitors, Visits
---
### [We Are Now Certified in the AdWords Google Display Network](https://willmarlow.com/certified-adwords-google-display-network/)
**Published:** April 5, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Since I have been spending a lot of time in the [Google Display Network](https://willmarlow.com/google-display-network/) lately, I decided to go ahead and pass the Google AdWords Advanced Display Network exam the other day (scored 93%).
When I first started using Google AdWords, I wasn’t a big fan of the display network, because it seemed too traditional. In the display network’s early days, it wasn’t much more exciting than buying ads in a newspaper or on a billboard, which at the time I didn’t think was very hip. But the display network has come a long way. You can now do behavioral targeting, remarketing, motion ads, lots of different types of [video](https://willmarlow.com/trueview-ads/) ads, and you can do really cool types of analysis and tracking, such as measuring [view-through-conversions](https://willmarlow.com/view-through-conversions/) and other cool actions like the rate at which people put their mouse over your ad but fail to click. Basically, the display network is really cool, and if you disagree, I’d love to try to change your mind.
And if I can’t change your mind, then maybe my little buddy can. After all, his picture below is probably the most memorable part of this entire blog post, which illustrates how powerful images can be — and if you want to use images on AdWords, the Google Display Network is your only option.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/8621017310/ "Are you sticking your tongue out at me? by WilliamMarlow, on Flickr")
*Will Marlow is a search engine marketing professional, and holds three *[certifications](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/)* from Google (Google Analytics and Google AdWords) and one certification from Microsoft as a [Bing Ads Professional](https://willmarlow.com/bing-ad-accredited-professionals-virginia/).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** Google AdWords, Google Analytics
---
### [Google Trusted Photographer (Certified)](https://willmarlow.com/google-trusted-photographer-certified/)
**Published:** June 1, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Google sent me a nice “badge” below to certify the fact that I’m a Google Trusted Photographer. You can find much more information about my work as a Google Photographer over on my [panoramic photography](http://www.willmarlowphotography.com/blog) website.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Digital Photography
---
### [How To Use Google Analytics To Discover What Your Customers Want](https://willmarlow.com/use-google-analytics-discover-customers-want/)
**Published:** March 22, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Last week I gave a presentation at the Reston Chamber of Commerce titled, “Discover What Your Customers Want – With Google Analytics,” and I promised to make the PowerPoint slides available via Slideshare, and the notes available on this blog. I hope you find both useful, and if you have any questions about my presentation, or the services I offer, I hope you’ll get in touch with me!
**Presentation Notes:**
**Slides 1-5: Why Does Google Analytics Matter?**
- Google Analytics is the most commonly used tool for measuring visitor behavior on your website, and allows you to do things like see what’s popular, measure progress towards specific goals, and test different versions of messages.
- At least 10,000,000 websites use Google Analytics.
**Slides 5-18: What Is Listening?**
- Listening is about looking for answers to questions like: what content is most popular? How are people finding my website? Do visitors from one traffic source behave differently than visitors from another source?
- Although standard aggregate reports are interesting for about five minutes, soon you’ll want to move toward [custom reports](https://willmarlow.com/custom-report/) that are created specifically for your business.
- In addition to using custom reports, you should make use of basic and advanced [filters](https://willmarlow.com/report-filters/) to simplify the data your viewing, and to isolate the most important information.
**Slides 19-27 – What Is Measurement All About?**
- Unlike listening, measuring is all defining clear outcomes, and then seeing what makes them happen. You’re going to make use of Goal tracking and e-Commerce tracking here.
- With goal tracking, you can measure lots of things like which keywords lead to inquiries, which traffic sources lead to phone calls, which paid ads lead to revenue, etc.
- e-Commerce tracking is an advanced feature that should be absolutely required for any business that makes direct sales online. This allows you to literally overlay real dollars earned with just about any Google Analytics report.
- *Important Tip:* you need to make sure you have a “thank you” or “receipt confirmation” page for goal tracking and e-Commerce tracking to work. These pages are ONLY seen by people who complete an important action (e.g., buy something from you, or send you an email), and so we use this page to isolate your most important website traffic segment: people who *convert*.
**Slides 28-31 – How Do You Test Things With Google Analytics?**
- This is all about one of the newest additions to Google Analytics: experiments. Don’t just pretend to do an A-B test, which is what 99% of companies do, such as when they “test” one subject line in an email against another subject line in an email. Google Analytics now let’s you run REAL experiments. They do the heavy lifting of determining statistical significance, and making sure that the different versions of pages are served in even rotations.
I hope you find these notes useful, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to let me know!
*Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant (specialty in Google AdWords, Bing and Yahoo Ads) who loves helping businesses get found by customers in search results, and he holds four certifications*:* Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, and certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional. He also spends a lot of time using Excel.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Google Analytics
---
### [How To Get Around Google's (Not Provided) Keywords](https://willmarlow.com/get-around-googles-not-provided-keywords/)
**Published:** January 27, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
One of the most commonly asked questions about Google search engine marketing is this: what do we do now that [Google is encrypting](http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2296351/Goodbye-Keyword-Data-Google-Moves-Entirely-to-Secure-Search) nearly all keyword data that marketers previously used to optimize their websites? Is there any way to get any of this keyword data back?
Even though it appears that traditional keyword data is gone for good, there is actually a very simple way to get a huge amount of keyword data back. But it involves two things: (a) expertise in Google Analytics, and (b) a different way of thinking about keyword targeting.
First, I want to talk briefly about keyword targeting, because we all need to change the way we think about keyword research. In the early days of the web, it was possible to identify two or three keywords that had a huge amount of volume, work hard, and get to rank #1 for those keywords. But this has gotten harder and harder to do, because the biggest websites have locked down the most obvious phrases, AND because Google has gotten so much more sophisticated about delivering [personalized search](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Personalized_Search) results to different people depending on unique factors. Both of these trends make traditional SEO very difficult to do, which is why I’m pushing people to think about something called “topic targeting” instead of keyword targeting.
In other words, you should stop thinking about which keywords you want to rank for, and **start thinking about which topics on which you want to be known as a leading authority**. This will play to your strength, it will play to Google’s strength, and everyone will win. Instead of saying, “I want to target a keyword like ‘blue microchip data center,'” you should be producing content that reveals your expertise in microchips and data centers. Your SEO strategy should be organized to communicate the value you provide on the topics you’ve targeted – this will be a much better way of generating qualified leads through SEO.
OK, for those of you who patiently waded through my thoughts on SEO topic targeting, I want to reward you by showing you that you can actually measure the success of topic targeting, despite Google’s (Not Provided) keywords. It sounds complicated, but I made the video below to show you exactly how it looks in Google Analytics.
**How To Get Around Google’s (Not Provided) Keyword Data**
1. Use an Advanced Filter to make sure you are looking at organic visits to your website.
2. Set the Primary Dimension to “Landing Page” instead of keywords.
3. Optional: apply a Secondary Dimension of “Keyword” to your landing page report, or to selected landing pages, in order to see the historical keywords associated with those landing pages.
4. Optional: use the Google Keyword Tool to create a keyword list with monthly search volume around the topics targeted by the landing pages you are reviewing.
5. Make an excel spreadsheet that groups landing pages by the different topics you have targeted.
6. Optional: apply a monthly or year-over-year comparison to see trends in traffic related to the topics you’ve targeted.
If you prefer to watch rather than read, I made this video which shows you how to do some of the harder aspects of isolating the right organic data by landing page, which I hope is helpful to you.
*Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant (specialty in Google AdWords, Bing and Yahoo Ads) who loves helping businesses get found by customers in search results, and he holds four certifications*:* Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, and certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional. He also spends a lot of time using Excel.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Google Analytics, Search Engine Optimization
**Tags:** (Not Provided) Keywords, Google Analytics, Keyword Research, Search Engine Optimization, Topic Targeting
---
### [How To Create 28 Keywords from Just Two Actual Words](https://willmarlow.com/create-28-keywords-actual-words/)
**Published:** June 3, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/google-keyword-tool.png)This blog post will show you three things:
1. How keywords are different from *actual* words;
2. How different [keyword match types](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-match-type/) can change one keyword into another keyword;
and
3. How you can create *lots* of keywords by using the 7 different keyword match types as well as different word combinations.
Keywords are important to anyone who interested in advertising using Google, Yahoo or Bing, because keywords are the building blocks of search engine marketing — but they function very differently from actual *words.* This is why you can create a staggering number of keywords from just a handful of words. As I will show below, you can create at least 28 different keywords using only the words ‘blue’ and ‘shoes.’
**How Are Keywords Different from Regular Words?**
This topic will be easier for you to understand if you stop thinking about keywords as *words.* Keywords are representations of *thoughts* as expressed by characters that are typed into a search engine, or more simply, keywords are simply *thoughts.*
In addition to that, there are 7 keyword match types: *broad match, modified broad match, phrase match, exact match, negative broad match, negative phrase match,* and *negative exact match*. Each one works differently, and each one can be applied to the same keyword to change how it works in AdWords. (In another post I’ll go into more depth about how each different keyword match type affects keyword behavior in AdWords.)
**How To Create 28 Keywords Using Just Two Actual Words**
So here is how two words (in this example, ‘blue’ and ‘shoes’) can be used to create 28 different *keywords:* you can create four broad match keywords, five modified broad match keywords, four phrase match keywords, four exact match keywords, three negative broad match keywords, four negative phrase match keywords, and four negative exact match keywords.
Here they are:
**Broad Match (word order *matters* for broad match):**
- blue shoes
- shoes blue
- blue
- shoes
**Modified Broad Match (word order doesn’t matter for modified broad match):**
- +blue +shoes
- +shoes blue
- shoes +blue
- +blue
- +shoes
**Phrase Match:**
- “blue shoes”
- “shoes blue”
- “blue”
- “shoes”
**Exact Match:**
- \[shoes blue\]
- \[blue shoes\]
- \[blue\]
- \[shoes\]
**Negative Broad Match:**
- -blue shoes
- -blue
- -shoes
**Negative Phrase Match:**
- -“blue shoes”
- -“shoes blue”
- -“blue”
- -“shoes”
**Negative Exact Match:**
- -\[blue shoes\]
- -\[shoes blue\]
- -\[blue\]
- -\[shoes\]
So there you have it. Using just two works, we have created 28 different keywords. This should help you understand why it was necessary for Google to limit standard AdWords accounts to a maximum of 50,000 keywords. It should also help you understand why 50,000 keywords is insufficient for many advertisers, and they often request (and *get*) exemptions from Google in order to go *beyond* 50,000 keywords in their account.
By the way, if I happened to miss any possible keywords that could be created, please let me know in the comments!
**Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping people find awesome keywords, and holds four *[certifications](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/):* Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, and certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** Keyword Match Type, Keyword Research
---
### [How To Download Your Personal Facebook Data](https://willmarlow.com/download-personal-facebook-data/)
**Published:** December 12, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A lot of people don’t realize it, but any Facebook user can download their personal Facebook data at any time in a big ZIP file. I discovered how to do this because I recently decided to delete my Facebook profile, because I wanted to focus only on the Facebook Company page for Will Marlow, LLC.
In any case, here is what I learned: the primary reason that you should periodically download your Facebook data is in case you ONLY have access to certain photos on Facebook. If that’s the case, you’ll potentially lose your photos if you ever lose access to (or delete) your Facebook account.
But I also learned that your Facebook data includes lots of interesting things:
1. The names of all the friends who you have ever deleted
2. Any “friend requests” you have sent out that people have ignored 🙂
3. Your entire “poke” history 🙂
4. A big list of people who you have hidden from your News Feed
5. An entire record of your login information (days/times) going back to 2009 — at least, I think that this is what the data is showing, but I could be wrong.
6. And finally, you can see a list of **every ad that you have ever clicked on Facebook.**
The only really interesting piece of information was **\#6**. I was fascinated to see all the ads I’ve ever clicked on Facebook, but looking at the data does *not* make me feel particularly good about Facebook advertising. For one thing, I haven’t clicked on many ads, period. But secondly, I only see one ad that I really *meant* to click ([The Dollar Shave Club](http://www.dollarshaveclub.com/) – because I love their video). But even in that case, I didn’t buy the product.
The experience of downloading my Facebook user data has reinforced one thing: businesses should be using Facebook to build communities, not to sell products. And if you don’t think that building a community is valuable, then don’t waste your time (and everyone else’s) on Facebook.
**How To Download Your Own User Data On Facebook**
It’s easy to download your own Facebook data. Just follow these steps:
1. Login to Facebook.
2. Click on “Account Settings”
3. Click on “Download a Copy of Your Facebook Data.”
4. THEN before you enter your password to initiate the download, click on the link that says “Expanded Archive.” This gives you the comprehensive user data that you really want — refer to the image below to see what this looks like.
I hope that this post was helpful, and I would love to hear if you find anything useful or interesting when you’re looking at your own Facebook user data
*Will Marlow is the founder of Will Marlow, LLC, one of the only Google Certified AdWords Partners in Northern Virginia. He is also certified in Google Analytics, and Google Business Photography. [Follow him on Twitter @willmarlow](http://www.twitter.com/willmarlow) or email him at . Or follow Will Marlow, LLC on Facebook [here](http://www.facebook.com/willmarlow).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Digital Marketing
---
### [How To Use AdWords Impression Share Report To Build SEO Keyword List](https://willmarlow.com/adwords-impression-share-report-build-seo-keyword-list/)
**Published:** February 26, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The AdWords Search Impression Share Report.
The [Impression Share report](https://willmarlow.com/impression-share-report/) is an awesome tool in AdWords, because it tells you how often your ads are actually showing up divided by the number of times when they could show up. A lot of advertisers get frustrated when they setup their first AdWords campaign, follow *all* the best practices, and then they start running Google searches…but they don’t see their ads! If you’re in this position, you should login to AdWords and check your report showing your “Impression Share” for a given Campaign or Ad Group. If you are hoping to hit every single person who is running Google searches on your chosen keywords, but you only have 5% Impression Share, then you’re actually only hitting 5% of your target audience. Obviously, Impression Share is important.
But this blog post is not actually about Impression Share as it relates to AdWords. (I’ll cover many of the traditional issues related to Impression Share in AdWords in a future post.) For now, I want to discuss how you can use your Impression Share report to help build your keyword list for Search Engine Optimization.
**How To Use Your Impression-Share Report for SEO**
This is actually a very simple idea. If you are running a Google AdWords campaign every month for certain targeted keywords, you should use your Impression Share report to learn which keywords you’re having the most trouble with. For instance, if you have 90% Impression Share for 10 ad groups, and only 30% Impression Share for two ad groups, then you should look at the keywords in those two ad groups to identify any keywords that you can target with SEO. Then, add those keywords to your SEO keyword list. That way, you can start to go outside AdWords to raise your “Share of Search,” which is a term that I just invented as I was writing this post to refer to the number of times your website is appearing in either paid or organic search results across all search engines.
*Will Marlow is a digital marketing consultant who specializes in increasing your “Share of Search” across all relevant search engines. He is [certified by Google](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/) in Google AdWords and Google Analytics.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** Google AdWords, SEO
---
### [What Is a Professionally Run AdWords Account?](https://willmarlow.com/professionally-run-adwords-account/)
**Published:** March 1, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Some of the things your AdWords manager should think about.
I’m a big fan of the [SimpleMind iPad App](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/simplemind-for-ipad-mind-mapping/id378174507?mt=8) that allows you to make cool looking visualizations like the one above. I was thinking about how many things you need to do to run an AdWords account in a responsible way, and I decided to create a quick mindmap to organize some of the big things that I think about when I’m running an AdWords account — you’re looking at the result..
In my opinion, a professionally-run AdWords account is one that is systematically working to identify the most valuable keywords, display placements, ad text, or display options for an advertising campaign.
The difference between AdWords and most other types of advertising is that AdWords is all about *testing*, right from the beginning. No one really knows which keywords or ad text or landing page combinations are going to work best. Setting up an account properly in a way that is well-organized is only the first step — the second step is testing, and a professionally-managed AdWords account is going to *produce useful data* so that it will get better over time.
*Will Marlow wears several hats, but one of them is that of professional AdWords/PPC manager. He is [certified by Google](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/) in AdWords and Google Analytics.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** Google AdWords, PPC
---
### [How Many Bing Ad Accredited Professionals Are There In Virginia?](https://willmarlow.com/bing-ad-accredited-professionals-virginia/)
**Published:** March 3, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
As of yesterday, **there are now six Bing Advertising Accredited Professionals in Virginia**, including Will Marlow, LLC. You can now find us included in the Microsoft-Bing “[Find a Pro Directory](http://advertise.bingads.microsoft.com/en-us/find-a-pro-directory?CompanyID=7345).”
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Bing-Ads-Accredited-Professional.jpg)
Many businesses never make it beyond Google, but this can be a big mistake. My approach is to start with Google and identify the most profitable keywords, and then make sure to get 100% of those keywords wherever I can find them. Once you get 100% of the low-hanging fruit on Google, Bing, and Yahoo, then you should go back to Google to find more keywords that might require more work to discover. Of course, for the biggest budget campaigns, you might launch on day one with Google, Yahoo, and Bing simply because you need to capture the greatest market share right off the bat, and that’s a good reason, too.
*Will Marlow wears several hats, but one of them is that of professional AdWords/PPC manager. He is [certified by Google](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/) in AdWords and Google Analytics, and by Microsoft as a Bing Ad Accredited Professional.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Digital Marketing
---
### [Importing 4 Google Analytics Metrics Into Google AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/importing-4-google-analytics-metrics-google-adwords/)
**Published:** March 19, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Importing Four Google Analytics Metrics Into Google AdWords
As I discussed [in my last post](https://willmarlow.com/import-google-adwords-data-google-analytics/), one of the first things you should do with your AdWords account is properly link it to Google Analytics. This is the best way to do advanced analysis on your Google AdWords budget. But after you go through these steps, you’ll then have the option to import four measly pieces of data from Google Analytics into Google AdWords. So, why would you want to do this?
For the most part, you can see all your AdWords data in Google Analytics, so there is no need to see your Analytics data in AdWords. But, unless I’m mistaken, there is some AdWords data that doesn’t make it into Google Analytics. For instance, I don’t think you can view impression share data in Google Analytics, and I also don’t think you can see quality score data. Now, I’m not sure if those metrics would be very useful in Google Analytics, but there are times when I want to see my keyword quality score side-by-side with things like [bounce rate](https://willmarlow.com/bounce-rate/), time-on-site, pages per visit, and new visitors, which are the four metrics you can pull into AdWords from Google Analytics.
These four metrics all have one thing in common when you apply them to your AdWords campaigns: they attempt to describe the overall quality of the traffic you’re paying for, especially bounce rate, which measures the number of visitors who leave your website instantly after they arrive. I love using metrics like bounce rate because they let you optimize a campaign without increasing your budget, which is a great way to make your boss or client happy.
*Will Marlow is a search engine marketing professional, and holds two *[certifications](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/)* from Google (Google Analytics and Google AdWords) and one certification from Microsoft as a [Bing Ads Professional](https://willmarlow.com/bing-ad-accredited-professionals-virginia/).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Google Analytics
**Tags:** Google AdWords, Google Analytics
---
### [Why Should You Import Google AdWords Data Into Google Analytics?](https://willmarlow.com/import-google-adwords-data-google-analytics/)
**Published:** March 16, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
If you manage an AdWords account, one of the first things you need to do is make sure that you link Google AdWords to Google Analytics, which would be a lot easier to do if Google Analytics didn’t have five separate “Admin” tabs that look identical but perform different functions.
I’ve recently had several clients ask me why this is necessary, because the interface of Google AdWords looks somewhat similar to the interface to Google Analytics.
**Google AdWords Alone Is Not An Analysis Tool**
The answer is simple: Google AdWords is only capable of ***reporting*** data, not ***analyzing*** data. And reporting only answers questions about quantity: how many clicks, how many impressions, what’s the [click-through-rate](https://willmarlow.com/click-through-rate-ctr/), how much money are you spending? Analysis is different. Google Analytics let’s you get beyond the “how much” questions, and closer to the “why” questions.
For instance, with Google AdWords you can see how many visitors came to your website from a specific keyword and even how many of those visitors completed a specific action (bought something, filled out a form, etc etc). But Google Analytics goes much, much deeper than that.
**Advanced Analysis with Google Analytics**
If you paid for 100 visitors from a specific keyword for instance, and none of those visitors became customers, you might check the [bounce rate](https://willmarlow.com/bounce-rate/) with Google Analytics. Did 99% of them leave your website after viewing just one page? Maybe if you made that landing page stickier or more compelling you could reduce that bounce rate by 10-20%, which would give you a shot at converting more of those visitors into customers.
Or maybe you find out that you are bringing 100 visitors to your website, but most of them are “return visitors,” and so they are not eligible to become customers or leads, so you’re just paying for traffic that already knows about you.
Or maybe you’ll learn from Google Analytics that 30% of your traffic is not converting in any measurable way, but most of that traffic is clicking immediately on your “contact us” page to look for your phone number or address, which means that you should setup some processes for tracking offline conversions.
The bottom line is that if you use Google AdWords without Google Analytics, your going to be forced to optimize the account based on a limited amount of data, which is not an optimal situation.
*Will Marlow wears several hats as a search engine marketing professional, and holds two *[certifications](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/)* from Google (Google Analytics and Google AdWords) and one certification from Microsoft as a [Bing Ads Professional](https://willmarlow.com/bing-ad-accredited-professionals-virginia/).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Google Analytics
**Tags:** Google AdWords, Google Analytics
---
### [How To Verify A Google Analytics or Google AdWords Qualified Individual](https://willmarlow.com/verify-google-analytics-google-adwords-qualified-individual/)
**Published:** March 10, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Google has made it very easy to verify whether a Google Partner has really passed all the necessary tests. They have made it possible to create a link that shows all the tests that an individual has passed, the date they took the most recent tests, and the date that their current certification will expire. You can see my tests/certifications from Google right [here](https://googlerecords.starttest.com?code=I0072FD6DF274FF75F36DF672F177007996AAD1DC).
*Will Marlow wears several hats, but one of them is that of professional AdWords and Bing PPC manager. He is [certified](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/) by Google in AdWords and Google Analytics, and by Microsoft as a Bing Ad Accredited Professional.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Digital Marketing
---
### [How To Enable Facebook Commenting On Your WordPress Website - 4 Steps](https://willmarlow.com/enable-facebook-commenting-wordpress-website-4-steps/)
**Published:** April 22, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I’ve had three requests in the last month to help someone configure a website so that readers are allowed to leave comments using their Facebook profiles, so I thought I would share the process in this blog post.
There are two obvious benefits to doing enabling Facebook commenting on your website: first, doing so makes it easier for people to leave comments, so hopefully your posts will generate *more* comments overall. And second, as people leave comments, they’ll have the option (but not the obligation) to share their comments directly on their Facebook timeline. This will of course give your blog much more exposure as people leave comments, because their friends will see their comments as well as the blog post you wrote that inspired their friend to comment in the first place. This is one of the smarter ways to “**socialize**” your website and expose it to people who would otherwise not know that it exists.
Here are the steps you need to go through to allow people to comment on your blog using their Facebook account:
1. Visit [this page here](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/plugins/comments/). This is what you’ll see.[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/facebook-step-1.png)
2. Then click \***get code\*,** and you’ll see this:[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Facebook-Step-2.png)
3. You’ll need to insert the code that’s in the first box into a field that appears on all pages of your website.
4. For step 4, you’ll take the the code in the second box and put that in the footer of each of your blog posts or website pages where you want to allow people to leave comments. Note that you’ll always put a different URL in the second code snippet, because it will need to be drawn from the page that you are updating.
And that’s it. I’m sure one of my friends who is an expert in web development can figure out a more elegant way to do this, but to me this seems to be a solid way to enable Facebook commenting on any WordPress post or page. If you have any thoughts on how to do this better, or if you see any problems with what I’ve setup, please feel free to embarrass me in the Facebook-enabled comments below.
*Will Marlow knows a lot more about search engine marketing (PPC and SEO) than he does about WordPress. He holds four [certifications in PPC advertising](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/): Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, Google Analytics Certification, and Bing Ads Certification.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Facebook
**Tags:** Facebook, WordPress
---
### [Why Keyword Research Is Dead](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-research-is-dead/)
**Published:** May 17, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
*(Note: the blog post below is about keyword research as it relates to SEO, and not AdWords. Keyword research is definitely not dead when it comes to paid search.)*
I spend about an hour or two each week optimizing this website for [SEO](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization/), but I don’t target any specific keywords. You may find this surprising, but I’ve been able to successful pull in the targeted traffic that I want without spending ANY effort on targeting individual keyword phrases.
**Topic Targeting Is the New Keyword Targeting**
I pulled the colorful piechart on the right from Google Analytics for this website. It shows the breakdown of all the keywords that contained the word “AdWords” that generated an impression for my website over the last two weeks. As you can see, the phrase “Google AdWords Certified Partner” triggered 600 impressions, for 24.3% of the total. The remaining 2,000 impressions that included the word “AdWords” were things like “AdWords Manager,” “AdWords Qualified Individual,” and “AdWords Professional.”
But instead of doing traditional [keyword research](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-research/), I did “topic targeting” to get these results. **Topic targeting** is a lot easier than keyword research, because it basically consists of asking the question: what topic do you want to be known as an authority on? For me, that’s simple: search engines, AdWords, PPC, and and several others.
Then, within those topics, I started writing useful content that explores specific aspects of each. As a force of habit, I will still refer to the [Google Keyword Tool](https://willmarlow.com/google-keyword-tool/) in many situations to see if a blog post should be modified slightly to hit a more strategic keyword, but 90% of the time, doing so isn’t critical or even helpful.
As Google’s SEO Oracle Matt Cutts says [in this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQmQeKU25zg&feature=youtu.be&t=4m37s), Google is starting to care much, much more about websites that are *authorities* on a given topic, and this means that keyword research in the old-fashioned sense is going to be less and less relevant for most businesses.
**Will Marlow is a search engine marketing professional, and holds three *[certifications](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/)* from Google (Google Analytics and Google AdWords) and one certification from Microsoft as a [Bing Ads Professional](https://willmarlow.com/bing-ad-accredited-professionals-virginia/).**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Search Engine Optimization
**Tags:** Keyword Research, SEO
---
### [Why AdWords Is Better Than Traditional TV Advertising](https://willmarlow.com/adwords-better-than-traditional-tv-advertising/)
**Published:** April 8, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/8608989770/ "Happy Easter, All! by WilliamMarlow, on Flickr")
A legendary PR and advertising guru, Howard Bragman, likes to say that in 1985 you could get [85% market penetration](http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-192341493.html) by buying ads on three TV networks, whereas nowadays you’d need to buy more than 1,200 ads to reach 85% of the market. This is a revealing statement on the fragmentation of television, but it is totally irrelevant to 99% of business owners out there, because most businesses would be crazy to buy a network TV ad, regardless of the market penetration they would get — because there’s too much waste involved. Why not hunt with a harpoon instead of a trawler?
Here’s another statistic: you can use the Google Search and Display Networks to reach more than 90% of Internet users in the next 20 minutes. But even with that, rather than hitting everyone, you need to narrow things down so that you only pay to reach ***actual prospects***.
Here’s what I mean by narrowing things down:
- Pick tight **keywords** (only show up when people are looking for your products, services or brand)
- Use the **Site & Category Exclusion Tool** (make sure your ads don’t run on sites you know that your customers don’t visit)
- Use good **Negative keywords** (prevent your ads from showing up when people search for your chosen keywords but also include undesirable terms like “free”)
- Use **Managed Placements** (only run your ads where you want them to run)
- Use **Day-parting** (only buy ads at certain times of day)
- Definitely use **geotargeting** (only run your ads in specific regions where qualified customers might be)
- Get to know the **IP-Exclusion Tool** (prevent your competitors from seeing your ads and copying them, or clicking on them)
- **Optimize for keyword-level conversions** (see which keywords are associated with conversions or even revenue, and focus on *those)*
These are the types of tools and tactics I like to use to make sure we aren’t spending money on wasteful ads. If broadcast TV were capable of doing that type of targeting, they would have nothing to worry about.
*Will Marlow holds four [certifications in PPC advertising](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/): Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, Google Analytics Certification, and Bing Ads Certification.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** Google AdWords, PPC Advertising, Traditional Advertising
---
### [Who Has the Most To Worry About AdWords Enhanced Campaigns?](https://willmarlow.com/who-should-worry-about-adwords-enhanced-campaigns/)
**Published:** July 24, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I watched these baby birds fledge on my porch last month.
As most of you know, **today** was the very last day to upgrade your AdWords campaigns to “[Enhanced Campaigns.](https://willmarlow.com/enhanced-campaigns/)” This means that, as of today, Google is *automatically changing your AdWords account,* even if you don’t want them to.
**Here are the people who have the most to worry about enhanced campaigns:** businesses who do NOT want to be targeting mobile traffic with their AdWords accounts, and who previously setup their campaigns to target only desktop traffic. Basically, the switch to enhanced campaigns means that by default all AdWords campaigns will be targeting mobile, tablet, and PC visitors. This is very controversial in general, but it could really kill the ROI of small-budget AdWords campaigns if if suddenly half your clicks are going toward mobile visitors when you weren’t expecting it.
So here’s what you do: go into your new “enhanced campaign” and find the “bid adjustment” in your settings. You’ll probably see that Google has automatically selected to bid 20% less for mobile traffic than PC traffic. If you don’t want ANY of your advertising dollars going toward mobile visitors, you need to change this setting to -100% for mobile traffic. This will effectively eliminate all mobile traffic. However, if you’ve neglected your AdWords account for this long, and failed to upgrade to “enhanced campaigns” manually over the last three months, then it’s safe to say that you should *not* fix this yourself, and you should instead get a professional to audit your entire AdWords account, because I can virtually guarantee that there will be lots of other places where we can tighten things up for you. 🙂
**Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant who loves helping people find awesome keywords, and holds four [certifications](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/)*:* Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, and certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords
**Tags:** Enhanced Campaigns, Google AdWords, PPC
---
### [What Local Businesses Need To Know About Google Places Ranking](https://willmarlow.com/local-businesses-google-places-ranking/)
**Published:** September 29, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
If you run a local business, then you may have noticed that in the last year Google has drastically changed the way you need to do SEO. In large part this is because of the rising importance of your Google+ Local Page (formerly known as Google Places) for your business.
Basically, if you create an awesome Google+ Local page for your business, then you will have a **much better** chance of staying at the top of Google search results in your local community. Sounds great, right? It is actually ***not great*** for local businesses that compete across a 15-50 mile geography, because at the moment, Google appears to be using proximity as their most important factor in determining “relevance,” which means that Google local business listings are much, much more difficult to improve than they used to be.
To illustrate this, I did an experiment last week. You’ll see three screenshots below that show three different [search engine results pages](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-results-page-serp-2/). Each search was identical: it contained the exact same search terms, and it was conducted on the same day, the same computer (cookies cleared and not logged into any Google products), and by the same person. The only difference is physical location: (1) the first was conducted in Arlington, Virginia, (2) the second was conducted in Reston, Virginia, and (3) the third was conducted in Washington, D.C. You’ll see that the identical search terms yielded eight different business listings. Absolutely no overlap, despite only traveling five miles between one search, and 15 miles between another. There was actually only ~20 miles difference between the first and last search.
**Here is the Google results page for “custom home builders” with the AdWords ads in red, the traditional organic results in blue, and the Google+ Local results in green.**
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/dc.png)DC\_custom-home-builders-Google-Search
**Here is the same view, but after the search was conducted in Arlington, Virginia:**
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/arlington_.png)Arlington\_custom-home-builders-Google-Search.png
**And here is the search engine results page when the search was conducted in Reston, Virginia:**
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Reston.png)Reston\_custom-home-builders-Google-Search
You can learn at least two things from these screenshots: **first,** the green section changes 100% each time. This means that Google’s local listings are heavily influenced by (no real surprise) how local you are. For some businesses, this is good. If you are the only dogwalker in in a hyperlocal area, and you don’t *want* customers who are too far away from your homebase, then you should be doing backflips. But if you are a custom home building company, or any midsize business that has customers who span a 10, 25, 50, or 100 mile orbit, then you need to focus on areas *other* than your Google local listings. (Note: you should *not* ignore your business’s Google+ page under any circumstances, but for some businesses, you need to be realistic about how much direct business or SEO juice you will really gain from it.
The **second** thing you can learn from these screenshots is that the AdWords placement *does* overlap a bit. These specific screenshots were edited down for space, but everything contained in the images are accurate, which means that when I did the search from Arlington and then from Reston, I saw different local listings, but I saw some of the same AdWords ads, which means if you want to *control* your appearance in search, Google is making its paid AdWords service more valuable and reliable than SEO, which is certainly something to keep in mind.
*Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant (specialty in Google AdWords, Bing and Yahoo Ads) who loves helping businesses get found by customers in search results and holds four [certifications](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/)*:* Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, and certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Search Engine Optimization
**Tags:** Google Local Listings, Google Places, Google+ Local, SEO
---
### [PPC vs. SEO: Is AdWords Really Necessary?](https://willmarlow.com/ppc-vs-seo-adwords-really-necessary/)
**Published:** November 17, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/10404128155/)I took this photograph of the sunrise in Cape May, New Jersey.
I put together the PowerPoint deck below to answer a simple question: if you invest a sufficient amount in SEO, is AdWords really necessary? This is a question that I get a lot.
Some people think that AdWords is a great short term tactic, but long-term you should aim to get traffic for free. Other people think that AdWords is unnecessary because more clicks tend to go to organic results.
But my opinion is different: I think it comes down to real estate on the search engine results page, and how Google allocates organic results and paid results for companies in your industry. Take a look at the slide deck below and flip to slide #7, and observe that for the hotel industry, 80% of search engine results are for paid ads. For any type of hotel, it would be crazy to NOT use paid ads, because there is virtually no chance that they would ever appear on page one, given that only TWO organic results are showing up above the fold. Meanwhile, if you look at slide #8, you’ll see that if you are interested in capturing 100% of the personal branding results for the term “Will Marlow,” you can do so with a 100% organic strategy.
The point of this presentation is to show that you should think of AdWords and SEO as two sides to the same coin, and you should use each to generate the maximum amount of profitable traffic to your website, and you should let the data speak for itself.
*Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant (specialty in Google AdWords, Bing and Yahoo Ads) who loves helping businesses get found by customers in search results and holds four [certifications](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/)*:* Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, and certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Search Engine Optimization
**Tags:** AdWords, Google AdWords, Pay-Per-Click, PPC, Search Engine Optimization, SEO
---
### [The Role Of Content Diversity In SEO](https://willmarlow.com/analyze-web-content-diversity-seo/)
**Published:** December 18, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
In my opinion, when it comes to SEO, people spend far too much time optimizing existing content on their website instead of creating *new* content. (This is sort of like the way people spend too little time on *ad text* writing in Google AdWords, and too much time tinkering with the precise geographical boundary settings, or some other factor.) I think that this comes from the fact that most SEO consultants have a technical background, and may be afraid of the creative side of SEO.
So in this post I’m going to pull an SEO report for my own website, and use it as an example of the importance of content type and content diversity in driving SEO results. Take a look at the color coded table below. You’ll see the following things:
1. Static pages that are found on every website on earth (the homepage, for example, and the “About Me” subpage, account for only two of the top 20 SEO landing pages.
2. Blog posts account for over 50% of SEO landing pages, and my [marketing glossary](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/) pages account for 40%!
3. When you dig deeper in Google Analytics, you learn that the numbers look even better when you create an advanced segment to isolate only NEW visitors to your website. When you do that, the static pages account for even less as a percentage of unique visitors to the website.
Take a look at the data below — the simplest conclusion is this: without blog posts, and without creating the marketing glossary, I would have missed out on 68% of all SEO visits, and 85% of all NEW visits.
I hope these charts are helpful to you as you think through your own SEO strategy, and if you need an objective opinion on your plans (or someone to chop up your website data to find meaning in the madness!), I’m happy to help.
*Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant (specialty in Google AdWords, Bing and Yahoo Ads) who loves helping businesses get found by customers in search results, and he holds four certifications*:* Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, and certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional. He also spends a lot of time using Excel.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Search Engine Optimization
**Tags:** Google Analytics, Organic Traffic Reports, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, SEO Reports, Web Analytics
---
### [Four Excel Tips for PPC Pros](https://willmarlow.com/four-excel-tips-ppc-pros/)
**Published:** November 27, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Screen-Shot-2013-11-26-at-5.25.23-PM.png)Excel is an absolutely essential tool for pay-per-click pros. I use it (along with other tools) at every stage of a pay-per-click advertising campaign: planning, researching, organizing, building, executing, measuring and reporting results. I’ve stubbed my toes more than a few times in trying to get excel to do what I want it to do, and with that in mind, I thought I would pass along some of the most helpful (basic) formulas to you. If there are formulas or other tricks that you use that you would like to share with me, I’d love to hear from you and add to this list.
- Take ALL keywords in an excel spreadsheet, and convert them to modified broad match:
- **=SUBSTITUTE(“+”&A2,” “,” +”)**
- Add a keyword (where a “comma” is the keyword) to any cell in Excel:
- **=A1&”,”**
- Sort fields in excel by word count (great for keyword research, when you are working with enormous lists of keywords that need to be prioritized):
- **=IF(LEN(A2)=0,0,LEN(TRIM(A2))-LEN(SUBSTITUTE(TRIM(A2),” “,””))+1)**
- Search for matching keywords:
- **=IF(ISNUMBER(FIND(“social media”,A2)),”true”,”false”)**
There are plenty of other things that I do with Excel (sorting, filtering, and even using macros to do more complex tasks), but I’ve found those four formulas above to be very helpful on more than one occasion, so I thought I’d share them with you, and I hope you find them useful too.
*Will Marlow is a search engine marketing consultant (specialty in Google AdWords, Bing and Yahoo Ads) who loves helping businesses get found by customers in search results, and he holds four certifications*:* Google Analytics Certification, Google AdWords Search Certification, Google AdWords Display Certification, and certification as a Bing Ads Accredited Professional. He also spends a lot of time using Excel.*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords, Google Analytics
**Tags:** Excel for PPC, Excel Tips
---
### [How Many Google AdWords Certified Partners Are There?](https://willmarlow.com/google-adwords-certified-partners-there/)
**Published:** January 1, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Google makes it a bit difficult to find out exactly how many [Google Certified Partners](https://willmarlow.com/google-certified-adwords-partner/) there are in the United States, so I decided to count them in sets of five using the [Google Partner Search](https://adwords.google.com/partnersearch/) tool. Here are some of the numbers that I found:
- There are only **308** AdWords Certified Partners in the United States
- There are only **five** that have Virginia addresses\*
- There is only **one** that has an adorable dog as a company mascot.
\*It is easier to count the total number of AdWords Certified Partners in the entire United States than it is to count them in each state, because companies can have multiple addresses, so the same company may have secondary addresses that show up in multiple states.
*Will Marlow is the founder of Will Marlow, LLC, one of the only Google Certified AdWords Partners in Northern Virginia. He is also certified in Google Analytics, and Google Business Photography. Follow him on Twitter [@willmarlow](http://www.twitter.com/willmarlow) or email him at . Or follow Will Marlow, LLC on [Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/willmarlow).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** AdWords
---
### [15 Years of Progress](https://willmarlow.com/15-years-of-progress/)
**Published:** December 18, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Back in America pre-1995, this was the communication landscape:
- 9,000 commercial radio stations
- 1,100 television stations
- 11,000 periodicals
- 11,000 newspapers.
How have things changed? Despite the best efforts of media executives to extinct themselves, there are still thousands of commercial radio stations, network TV stations, periodicals, and at least a few dozen newspapers left in America.
There are also: - 200 million blogs – (the cost of publishing ideas has plummeted)
- 38 billion emails exchanged every day (the cost of sharing information has plummeted)
- On a bad month for YouTube, 100 million people view over 6 billion videos (the cost of auditioning has plummeted).
Sometimes I just like to look at the numbers to help me think about how much the world has changed since 1995, all of 15 years ago.
PS – If you need to be inspired about how much technology and social media has transformed the way we communicate, check out this [awesome video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8).
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Media, newspaper decline, newspapers
---
### [How To Use Facebook To Promote Your Website](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-use-facebook-to-promote-your-website/)
**Published:** November 3, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Everyone tries to use Facebook to promote their website. Some people are successful, and other people are not. There is one thing, however, that separates the obvious success stories from the obvious failures, and by reading this very short post, you can save yourself at least a week’s worth of research and planning, if you’re like most people who are just starting out.
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/8136400202_0aa8a39a291.jpg)Winston was prepared for Hurricane Sandy, and he hopes you were too.
**The Mistake**
Here’s the mistake: you have content on your website, and you want to share it with people on Facebook, so you take the link to your website and you drop it right into Facebook. Then you stop. That’s it. That’s the mistake.
**What You Should Be Doing Instead**
Here’s what you should be doing instead: each time you post on Facebook your post should actually include two elements: an original piece of visual content that is uploaded directly to Facebook itself and lives on Facebook, as well as a link to your website.
That way, you have one big piece of content that people can interact with without leaving Facebook (by liking, re-sharing, and commenting) and they also have a link that they can click on to visit your website to get to know you better. Ideally, once they click on the link, they should find a piece of richer content that rewards them for visiting your website. If they find the exact same thing on your website that they saw on Facebook, then they are very unlikely to visit your website in the future, and I would advise you to STOP using Facebook to promote your website, or at least don’t include a link to your website in every post.
**But Don’t Just Take My Word For It**
I wrote this post because I saw a really cool Facebook page that has [21,000+ fans](https://www.facebook.com/Pixdaus). I found them after they used one of my photos of [Winston](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/5976796676/in/set-72157626201810222/)). When they started the page in October 2011, they posted links on the Fan Page with simple descriptions. All of those initial posts had zero comments.
Then, at the end of October 2011, someone must have told them to start doing things differently, and they started posting big beautiful photos right on Facebook, and the text of those photos would include a link to their website. The first time they did this, they had **56 likes and 36 re-shares.** For the last twelve months, they have never strayed from their posting strategy, and one of their recent posts had almost **500 Likes and 275 re-shares.**
**Why Do People Resist This?**
I have participated in lots of Facebook strategy sessions, and there is usually a lot of agonizing over whether to follow this posting strategy or not. Typically, people resist this method because they want to force people to visit their website in order to interact with their content. They think that if they only give people one option (to visit their website) that that will yield the best outcome, even if it doesn’t translate into the highest possible amount of interactions. But the reality is that that approach yields close to zero interactions, and ultimately everyone abandons it in favor of the two pronged posting strategy.
So save yourself some time, and just start doing it this way from the beginning.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Digital Marketing
**Tags:** Facebook, Social media marketing
---
### [How to manage multiple Facebook administrators on your fan page](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-manage-multiple-facebook-administrators-on-your-fan-page/)
**Published:** April 17, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/original_pillars_of_the_capitol.jpg.scaled1000.jpg)
Creating a social media content team within your company is one of the best ways to generate a high volume of posts for Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks. Most of the time, you won’t be successful if one person alone is supposed to create 100% of the content.
But if you have ten Facebook administrators on your team, sometimes it’s best for those administrators to leave a comment under their own name in response to something someone else wrote, or to “Like” a post under their own name. (It looks a bit silly when a fan page “likes” something it wrote itself.)Here’s how you solve the problem of multiple admins posting under the name of a Facebook fan page:
1. Each admin needs to login to Facebook
2. Visit the Facebook fan page
3. Select “Manage”
4. Select “Edit Page”
5. Select “Your Settings”
6. UN-select “Posting Preferences,” — this will have the effect of changing the default that currently forces you to post under the name of your Facebook fan page.
This allows admins to “Like” posts, comment under their own voice, etc.
You should send these instructions to anyone who is an admin of your page.
*Will Marlow wears two hats: first, he is a marketing/communications consultant for high growth companies. Secondly, he is a [Google Trusted Photographer](http://willmarlowphotography.com/google-trusted-photography/) who creates virtual tours of businesses and venues for Google Street View.*
*Follow [Will on Twitter here](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlow).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Facebook
---
### [Why I'm not using Posterous for my new blog](https://willmarlow.com/why-im-not-using-posterous-for-my-new-blog/)
**Published:** May 1, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
As most of you know, I’m a huge fan of Posterous. I think it’s a great blogging platform. And for photo sharing it’s top notch. So, you might be wondering why I’m not using Posterous for [**my new photography blog**](http://www.willmarlowphotography.com/blog), since I’m such a big fan.
Here’s why. I’m certified by **[Google in Google Analytics](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/ABpAGIanEm)**, because a big part of my marketing work involves analyzing website behavior and marketing campaigns. I need to be able to use Google Analytics in order to evaluate the effectiveness of advertising, social media, and other campaigns that generate website traffic. This helps me better advise someone on whether they should put more money/time into different marketing channels. And, long story short, Posterous doesn’t allow me to customize the JavaScript snippets in Google Analytics the way I need to.
Basically, with Posterous, you can install Google Analytics (which is a big step up from some other blogging platforms), but you can’t get fancy with it. I need to be able to do e-commerce tracking, event tracking, and other fun things that aren’t possible with Posterous. To be sure, 90% of bloggers don’t need to get fancy with Google Analytics. But I do, because I enjoy it, and also because my clients need it from me, which means I should be using Google Analytics as much as possible on my own. Google Analytics is a constantly evolving product, so it helps me to use my own websites as sandboxes to test new ideas, and to refine my strategies.
It is also a tradeoff between speed and flexibility. At one time in my life, speed was the priority. (For new bloggers, speed should almost always be the priority.) When it comes to speed, Posterous wins hands down. You can launch and maintain a beautiful website/blog in a fraction of the time that WordPress consumes. But now, I need flexibility, because I am going deep on Google Analytics, as well as on some other things, and that means I need a self-hosted WordPress website.
Here’s a virtual tour I released this week:
*Will Marlow wears two hats: first, he is a marketing/communications consultant for high growth companies. Secondly, he is a [Google Trusted Photographer](http://willmarlowphotography.com/google-trusted-photography/) who creates virtual tours of businesses and venues for Google Street View.*
*Follow [Will on Twitter here](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlow).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Google Analytics Consulting, Google Analytics Virginia
---
### [My next big project (and my new blog)](https://willmarlow.com/my-next-big-project-and-my-new-blog/)
**Published:** April 30, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
April was a big month for me. I launched a new blog, and started a new business project. The new blog is all about photography, and so is my new project. Specifically, I became a **[Google Trusted Photographer](http://maps.google.com/help/maps/businessphotos/get-started.html)** in April, which means I am now creating virtual tours of businesses for Google Maps and Google Places.
Essentially, I visit a wide variety of businesses in Virginia, Maryland and DC (and I’m willing to travel, although there are other Google photographers in other places), and I take hundreds of photographs in each location. Then, I use Google software to turn the photoshoot into a virtual tour that gets added to Google Maps. It’s fascinating work, lots of fun, and it means I get to spend a lot of time talking to business owners, which I love doing.
I’m continuing to spend at least 50% of my time as a marketing consultant with several clients. For example, I recently started working with a great advertising agency in Virginia, where I’m running digital advertising campaigns, including AdWords campaigns, social media campaigns, as well as advising and contributing on other projects. I’m also advising a number of startups currently.
I will continue to update this blog. But I’m also going to be writing for **[WillMarlowPhotography.com](http://www.willmarlowphotography.com)**, which is where I’m sharing my photography and tours. I’d love it if you’d
I hope you’ll check out my new blog, navigate one of the virtual tours, and consider subscribing. I’ll be sharing all my new completed tours (three new ones are coming this week), and I’ll offer discounts on photography services to subscribers periodically.
I hope you like the new blog, and don’t hesitate to ask me any questions about the program. You can see one of the tours embedded below.
Also, if you are familiar with any businesses in DC, Maryland, or Virginia that you think would benefit from having a virtual tour, I would love an introduction.
*Will Marlow is a digital marketing consultant who specializes in search engine optimization, Google AdWords (certified), Google Analytics (certified), social media, and blogging. He is also a Google Trusted Photographer who creates virtual tours of businesses. Follow him on [Twitter here](http://www.twitter.com/willmarlow).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Google Maps for Businesses
---
### [Event Photography](https://willmarlow.com/event-photography/)
**Published:** April 15, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Since 2009, I have periodically served as the photographer for several Northern Virginia charities. Here are some of the events I’ve covered:
- October 17, 2009: **Reston Interfaith** *Help the Homeless Walk*
- November 21, 2009: **Reston Interfaith** *Thanksgiving Food Drive*
- August 21, 2010: **FACETS** *On Target*
- October 23, 2010: **FACETS** *A Taste of Fall*
- November 7, 2010: **FACETS** *Help the Homeless Walk*
- February 17, 2011: *Fall in Love with* **FACETS**
- October 21, 2011: **FACETS** *A Taste of Fall*
- December 10, 2011: **Reston Chamber of Commerce** *Tinsel & ‘Tinis Xmas Party*
- February 2, 2012: **Reston Interfaith** *Best of Reston Kickoff*
- March 11, 2012: **Let’s Help Kids** *Annual Gala*
- April 12, 2012: **Reston Interfaith** *Best of Reston*
After each event, I give the charity all of the photographs to use however they like. You can see a very small selection of the photographs published on [my Flickr page here](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/sets/72157629818868967/).
Here is some information about each of the charities (quoted from their websites) below:
**About Reston Interfaith**
“Reston Interfaith has assisted over 250,000 people in need since 1970. Reston Interfaith helps people build more stable lives by connecting them to vital resources that solve their needs for housing, childcare, food or financial assistance.” Learn more about [Reston Interfaith here](http://www.restoninterfaith.org/).
**About FACETS**
“Helping parents, their children, and individuals who suffer the effects of poverty in the Fairfax, Virginia area since 1988.” Learn more about [FACETS here](http://facetscares.org/).
**About Let’s Help Kids**
“LHK was started by a kid to help other kids, and our mission is to help elementary-school aged children whose families are experiencing financial hardship by providing them with special items or experiences that they otherwise could not afford.” Learn more about [Let’s Help Kids here](http://www.letshelpkids.org/about/).
*Will Marlow is a marketing consultant who specializes in Google AdWords, search engine optimization, and social media. He is certified by Google in Google Analytics and Google AdWords. Learn more about [Will Marlow here](http://www.willmarlow.com/about-me-153).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [One Quick Tip for Protecting Your Privacy on LinkedIn](https://willmarlow.com/one-quick-tip-for-protecting-your-privacy-on-linkedin/)
**Published:** October 24, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Many people don't know this, but under the default settings, when you view someone's profile on LinkedIn, they will be notified that someone from your company has been looking at their profile. Of course, if you work for a small company, or even if you don't, this information is something many people would rather not broadcast. To change your privacy settings, just login to LinkedIn, then click on "Account and Settings," Profile Views, then select the third option, "Don't Show Users That I've Viewed Their Profile." Or just follow the picture map I've included on this post. I hope this post is helpful!
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/LinkedIn_Accounts_and_Settings.jpg)
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/LinkedIn_Profile_Views_Save_Ch.jpg)[See the full gallery on Posterous](http://www.willmarlow.com/one-quick-tip-for-protecting-your-privacy-on)
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** AlumniFidelity, LinkedIn, Online Fundraising Consultant, Privacy, Privacy Protection, Social Media, Will Marlow
---
### [This Is What It Looks Like to Get Kicked Off Twitter](https://willmarlow.com/this-is-what-it-looks-like-to-get-kicked-off-twitter/)
**Published:** November 19, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Suspended_Account_Image.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
Glad to be back 😉
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Posterous, Suspended, Twitter, Will Marlow
---
### [How To Be Outstanding, Or What Happened When My Car Was Towed Last Night](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-be-outstanding-or-what-happened-when-my-car-was-towed-last-night/)
**Published:** December 29, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Last night my car was towed from a restaurant’s parking lot while I was eating dinner inside. The owner of the restaurant stopped preparing sushi to personally drive me and my party to the towing lot to retrieve the car. The owner could have handled this problem in any number of *acceptable* ways, and most of those acceptable ways would have resulted in me repeatedly telling a story to my friends about how my car was towed while I ate dinner at his restaurant, and how inconvenient it was. Now, I will instead tell the story about how he personally drove me across town to retrieve my car after it was towed.
It is NOT difficult to be outstanding. With apologies to my hero , you just need to think about all of the things that people have done for you over the years that you have loved and remembered, and do those things for others, always. If you do this, you’ll leave a lasting impression on the people you meet.
*Will Marlow is the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which helps schools and nonprofits improve their online fundraising results. Email him at .*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Best of WM, PR, Public Relations, Virginia
---
### [How to Buy a Used Camera from a Stranger (Craigslist Advice)](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-buy-a-used-camera-from-a-stranger-craigslist-advice/)
**Published:** January 9, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
*Tomorrow or possibly Monday I’ll resume my Twitter Experiment Series, and I’ll explain what I hope to learn from unfollowing 12,000+ people. (*[*Email*](mailto:will@alumnifidelity.com) *me if you want me to know you aren’t a spammer.) As I like to do on weekends sometimes, I’m taking a break to think about photography, and thought I would share my thoughts on how to avoid getting ripped off when buying a used DSLR (in this case a Nikon) used from a stranger 😉*
As far as I’m concerned, buying a used DSLR camera and lens (which both get expensive) from a stranger on Craigslist is *not* a bad idea. But if you do so, here are some tips to make sure you don’t get ripped off. Bring a laptop and a newspaper with you, and snap a few pictures of the the newspaper with the camera. Try to take a picture of the front page of newspaper, and take a few shots that fill the frame completely with text of equal size (this will let you see if there’s weird distortion or focusing problems). See the images below for some examples.
Then, if it’s a Nikon camera like the D80, upload the pictures onto a Flickr account while you’re with the seller. Next, use Flickr to expand the photos to a large size, so you can check for distortions in the lens, or other quality problems with the pictures you just shot.
Then, click on “More Properties” from Flickr. This will reveal the “”, and if you scroll down the page and look for “Shutter Counter.” This will tell you how many pictures the person took using the camera. In other words, if the person says that it’s barely been used, but the Shutter Counter reads 100,000+ actuations, then the seller is a liar, and he’s probably lying about other problems with the camera too. If you’re buying a Canon camera, do a quick Google Search on “shutter counter” and use the specific model of the camera. It’s a little harder to extract this data on Canon cameras, but it’s generally still possible, and you should never buy the camera without first knowing if the seller is telling the truth about its history.
Most people are honest and won’t try to rip you off, I expect. But whether your buying cameras, or anything else, it’s helpful to know the likeliest traps before you shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars for a product from someone you don’t know.
To give you my full opinion, however, I always recommend to new photographers that their first camera be a [Nikon D40](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KJQ1DG?ie=UTF8&tag=wilmar07-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000KJQ1DG), which you may as well buy new (they don’t lose significant value with age), which you can buy without worrying about any of this on [Amazon.](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KJQ1DG?ie=UTF8&tag=wilmar07-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000KJQ1DG)
**Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .**
[](http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/willmarlow/ZV5MliOJd7abggzgUPSoClnlfhItWIOzg2ry1uWWDXAk3JaVOvoLKpqhIpEq/newsprint.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/newsprint_2.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/newsprint_3.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/newsprint_4.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)[See the full gallery on Posterous](http://www.willmarlow.com/how-to-buy-a-used-camera-from-a-stranger-crai)
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Nikon, Nikon D40
---
### [Results from Day 1 - Did Bots or People Disappear?](https://willmarlow.com/results-from-day-1-did-bots-or-people-disappear/)
**Published:** January 13, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Twitterholic.jpg)
As this chart from Twitterholic shows, less than 24 hours after unfollowing 12,000 people, I was unfollowed by over 3,500 followers!
My first observations/conclusions are as follows:
1. So far, no one from the list of people I interact with regularly has unfollowed me.
2. There were LOTS of bots and spammers following me, who were only interested in a recipricol follow (which I’m happy to lose).
3. There is a big advantage to following back your followers, in that you can always tell if someone is following you just by looking at their feed. If I don’t ever go back to a 1:1 ratio, not being able to know this will take some getting used to.
4. I am going to add the initial people back very quickly, because I miss the DMs that this group sends me (I don’t miss DMs from spammers or bots).
and lastly,
5. There are many people who take the “follow back” ethic very seriously and personally. I received more than one email angry email suggesting that I was being very rude. If that’s the case, I apologize. I tried to take precautions against this by warning people in the days leading up to this experiment (which served the dual purpose of telling me who is *reading* my Tweets). In any case, my reason for doing this experiment was not to be rude, but to learn more about the dynamics of following/unfollowing on Twitter, and for the next several days I’ll be monitoring what happens.
(PS – Interestingly, although my goal was to make it down to zero before adding people back, Twitter’s odd numbering system never let me get down below 92 people on my follower list, despite not having a record that I was following anyone. In addition to that, Tweets from people who I no longer followed continued to show up in my feed until I replaced them with newly re-followed people.)
**Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Social Media, Social Media Plan, Social media strategy, Twitter, Twitterholic, Unfollow
---
### [Results from Day 2 - Charting the Decline](https://willmarlow.com/results-from-day-2-charting-the-decline/)
**Published:** January 14, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Day_Two_Twitterholic.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
I will continue to chart what happens to my Twitter following for the next several days.
It appears that the greatest decline occurred within 10 hours of unfollowing my list, when 80 percent of the follower loss occurred.
By yesterday at 11:30AM (12 hours after hitting zero), I had lost 3,500 followers. After that, I lost about 100 followers every six hours, and the rate appears to be slowing. It seems likely that I've lost all the people who use applications to automatically unfollow people who don't follow them back, and now I am being unfollowed by people who do so manually. (I predict that the rate of unfollowing will continue to slow until the weekend (starting tomorrow), and then there will be a larger uptick when weekenders login to clean their lists.
It is still too early to hypothesize about what impact will come to my @reply rate, my click through rate, or my re-tweet rate. So far, however, those stats don't seem to have changed at all.
Thanks so much for sticking with me as I conduct this experiment!
**Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [Results from Day 3 of Twitter Experiment (with Chart)](https://willmarlow.com/results-from-day-3-of-twitter-experiment-with-chart/)
**Published:** January 15, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Twitterholic_Day_3.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
In 24 hours, I have lost another 100 followers. (Remember, on the first night, I lost almost 2,000 followers, which must include all the people who use applications to auto-unfollow people who are no longer following them.) As the chart shows, my follower count stands at 8,893.
Although it is still early to look at the results for RTs and @replies, here's something interesting to chew on: In the last 12 hours, I have been retweeted or @replied approximately 23 times on one post. This is WELL ABOVE average, and a new record for any of my Tweets (my viral Tweets are typically retweeted three or four times).
This surge of retweets can be explained by two things, I suspect. First, as Twitter guru Guy Kawasaki (@guykawasaki) says, the best thing you can do to get retweeted is to Tweet good shit, and the Tweet that was responsible for almost all of the RTs and @replies was about how in just several days, the amount of money donated via text message to Haitian disaster relief has surpassed the total amount of money given to all charities and causes via text message last year. (*That* is interesting, and highly retweetable.)
But the second explanation is that, as I guessed, Twitter reach is not dependent solely on maximizing the number of followers you have. I had 12,700 followers on Monday. Yesterday, I had 8,940 followers. But after losing over 25% of my followers due to my own massive unfollowing, my Twitter reach (as measured simply by @replies and retweets) rose by a factor of more than 5x.
Prediction for the weekend: I still expect to see a more rapid loss of followers over the weekend, as some people tend to update their Twitter feeds only on Saturdays.
**Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Posterous, Twitter, Twitter Influence, Twitterholic, Unfollow, Unfollow Experiment
---
### [Results from Day 4 of Twitter Experiment](https://willmarlow.com/results-from-day-4-of-twitter-experiment/)
**Published:** January 16, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Twitterholic_Day_4.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
On Monday I am going post some analysis of the results of my Twitter Experiment. To give the summary for those of you just joining me, on January 12th I had 12,701 followers on Twitter, and I was following almost all of them, which gave me a 1:1 Following/Follower ratio. In approximately 12 hours, I unfollowed all 12,000+ followers, and I promptly lost over 3,000+ followers, and I continued to lose about 100 followers every six hours thereafter. Currently, I have 8,822 followers, and I’m barely following any of them. As people @reply me, retweet me, or as I become interested in different Twitter feeds, I am slowly rebuilding my following list (hopefully without any spammers or bots or affiliate marketers).
Interestingly, it looks as if my @reply and RT rate are going up, as is my clickthrough rate. My prediction at the outset was that these rates would stay constant rather than rise, and I believe that this uptick could be the result of “deepening” my connection to the portion of my followers who are real people (as well as simply the buzz generated by my dramatic, wholesale unfollowing). I still predict that overall my RT, @reply and clickthrough rates will generally stay constant, but as time passes this will become clearer.
I conducted this experiment for two reasons. The first was to test the Guy Kawasaki Twitter strategy, which partly consists of following back people who follow you out of courtesy. I originally subscribed to this strategy, which is how my following list became so unwieldy. The second reason is that, in my view, a solid social media plan involves two initial stages. The first stage is to “introduce” yourself or your company to a community of individuals who share your interests. The second stage of building a social media presence is to *deepen* your relationship with your community by producing content that can’t be found elsewhere, and that can’t be produced without an investment of time, planning and risk. I’ll expand on the topic of *deepening* your social media presence soon.
**Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [Facebook Is Doing "Split-Testing" Testing Right Now](https://willmarlow.com/facebook-is-doing-split-testing-testing-right-now/)
**Published:** February 5, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Split-testing, or A/B testing, is one of the most important concepts in designing new features on a website. Anyone can do it for a very small amount of money (if you know how), but I wanted to share a real-time example of split-testing in action.
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Facebook_A.jpg)
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Facebook_B.jpg)[See the full gallery on Posterous](http://www.willmarlow.com/facebook-is-doing-split-testing-testing-right)
Facebook is currently testing a new user-interface, which means they may be gearing up for a major overhaul. My fiance (Photo A) logs into Facebook and sees the new layout, while I (Photo B) login to Facebook and see the old version. Facebook’s analysts will measure the clicks of group A and compare them to group B, and if the analysts determine that group A is more productive or optimal against its metrics, they’ll implement the changes for *all* of Facebook’s users. Click the images above to see the different layouts that Facebook is testing.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Facebook, Software development, Split-testing, Website optimization
---
### [Four Essential (Free) Tools for Growing Your Online Presence](https://willmarlow.com/four-essential-free-tools-for-growing-your-online-presence/)
**Published:** February 6, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Neighbors_Dog_2_copy.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
If you are serious about using the Internet to communicate with customers, alumni or donors, you also need to be serious about measuring your success. If you don’t measure your results, you have no way of knowing if you’re improving, and you’ll have no way of knowing if you should do more of the same, or more of something else.
1. [Google Analytics](http://www.google.com/analytics/). Install it on all your websites even if you don’t plan on analyzing it. (It will collect data *now* that can be dissected *later*.) At first it will tell you basic stuff like how many people find you via Twitter, Facebook, or your blog – but later it will tell you more interesting things, like how the quality of the visitors varies depending on how the visitor finds you.)
2. [Website Grader](http://websitegrader.com/). This will literally “grade” your website, and the report that it generates will go a long way to teaching you about search engine optimization, site indexing, and how your site should be (and *is*) built. If you aren’t a techie, this application will generate a report that will help you ask the right questions of the people who maintain your site. It may also convince you to find new people to help take you to the next level of online communication.
3. [Yahoo Site Explorer](http://siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com/). Other than Flickr and Delicious, this is probably the only Yahoo product I use. It will quickly tell you how many links are pointing to your site. The more you measure things, the more you learn how difficult it is to get accurate measurements; there are lots of good reasons for why each measurement tool seems to give you a different reading, but the primary takeaway from this is that you should use lots of tools and look for trends, not exact reports.)
4. [Bit.ly](http://Bit.ly). Whenever you send out a link, you should use a [bit.ly](http://bit.ly) link from your [bit.ly](http://bit.ly) account, because this will tell you how many times the link was clicked, where else the link was placed, and the countries in which the clicks took place.
There’s more voodoo in the field of analyzing web traffic than there is in Louisiana, and using these four free tools will give you an idea of the *limitations* of web analytics. Each tool will give you different data, even when they each claim to be measuring the same thing. This shouldn’t discourage you. You can extract tremendously valuable insights from the data, but you should be wary of people who offer you easy, simple answers. As you get more advanced, you’ll be more comfortable combining all of this “clickstream” data with the softer *qualitative* data you get from talking to your people on the telephone, over email, and in surveys.
And before you ask, the answer is yes, the picture at the top of this post doesn’t have anything to do with this topic. It’s just a picture I took this morning of a dog having a good time in the snow.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [Some Things Get Better With Age](https://willmarlow.com/some-things-get-better-with-age/)
**Published:** February 8, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Some things get better as they get older. Like the book in this picture, which my minister lends to every couple she marries. She lent it to me and Amy, and if we find passages that are meaningful to us that we want to include in our wedding ceremony, we’ll put a new sticky note to mark the section and jot notes about it. As we look, we’ll get to see what other couples chose to include in their own wedding ceremonies. You couldn’t buy a book as valuable as this. There’s only one like it, and it took about 20 years to make.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Old Books, Wedding
---
### [Opportunities in Social Media (or the Bright Side of a Blizzard)](https://willmarlow.com/opportunities-in-social-media-or-the-bright-side-of-a-blizzard/)
**Published:** February 9, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Where I live in DC, we just got the largest snowfall in 90 years, and now we’re preparing for another blizzard that could drop an additional ten inches. Most news coverage talks about all the negative impacts of the blizzard, but flip that coin over and you can use it to engage your audience. If you work for a school or nonprofit and you have valuable equipment stored outside, take photographs or videos and share them online via your Facebook or Flickr profile. If you work for a nonprofit that helps low-income people or the homeless, send an emergency announcement to your supporters letting them know that the weather has increased the need of the people you serve. If the blizzard damaged the grounds of your school’s campus, use Facebook to ask your students and alums to submit their own photographs of the damage by uploading them online.
If you run a consumer business, evaluate how much productivity you would have saved if your staff had been better prepared to work from home. (Maybe you can use this as an opportunity to jump-start a year-long telework program that may make your workforce happier and more productive.) Opportunities are everywhere. If you’re a photographer or videographer, go out and take pictures and gather footage. This snowfall is the largest accumulation in 90 years, and the photos you take today could be stock photography for the next 90 years.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Facebook, Flickr, nonprofits, Social Media
---
### [My most popular posts](https://willmarlow.com/my-most-popular-posts/)
**Published:** February 10, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
These posts are the most popular ones I’ve written in terms of the number of “unique views” and retweets. Enjoy.
**[Dear Universities: An Open Letter About Social Media and Fundraising](http://www.willmarlow.com/dear-universities-an-open-letter-about-social)**
**[8 Things You Need to Know About Facebook’s Plans to Take Over the World](http://www.willmarlow.com/8-things-you-need-to-know-about-facebooks-pla)[8 Things You Need to Know About Google Buzz](http://www.willmarlow.com/eight-things-you-need-to-know-about-google-bu)**
**[Cause a Flood](http://www.willmarlow.com/cause-a-flood)**
**[The Secret to Getting Your Organization Quoted in the Media (Part 1)](http://www.willmarlow.com/the-secret-to-getting-your-institution-quoted)**
**[The Secret to Getting Your Organization Quoted in the Media (Part 2)](http://www.willmarlow.com/the-second-step-to-getting-your-institution-q)**
**[What To Do If You Accidentally Hit “Send”](http://www.willmarlow.com/what-to-do-if-you-accidentally-hit-send)**
**[Three Things That Happen When You Poll Your Customers](http://www.willmarlow.com/three-things-that-always-happen-when-you-poll)**
**[How to Write Discoverable Blog Posts](http://www.willmarlow.com/discoverable-blog-posts)**
**[Twitter Unfollowing Experiment](http://www.willmarlow.com/twitter-experiment-part-1-an-intro-to-my-twit)**
**[How To Be Outstanding](http://www.willmarlow.com/how-to-be-outstanding-or-what-happened-when-m)**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [What To Do Before Your Change Your Website (or How I Optimized This Blog)](https://willmarlow.com/what-to-do-before-your-change-your-website-or-how-i-optimized-this-blog/)
**Published:** February 10, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I wanted to share the thought process behind the way I customized this blog. As with any web project that I’m involved with, I began by setting the goals of the blog (what do I want to accomplish?), then choosing the tactics I would focus on (of all the things I *could* do in order to advance my goals, which few things can I do *really* well?), and then articulating a theme that will help me make any tough tie-breaking decisions.
1. The goal: (a) maintain high quality traffic growth and (b) maintain high reader loyalty.
2. The tactics: (a) deliver clear content and (b) make it easy for readers to feel engaged with me.
3. The theme: a clean, minimalist layout with no unnecessary flourishes.
By starting with this outline, it was easy to optimize the blog without wasting time on enhancements that I was likely to change my mind about later. I created an “anchor” section that stays the same, whether you’re viewing the homepage of the blog or any of the blog posts. This anchor section includes two informational sections – an “About me” page and “My most popular posts,” both of which are important for new visitors to the blog.
The “anchor” section also includes three ways for readers to easily subscribe to the blog. You can subscribe to the blog by email, or through Posterous, or you can follow me on Twitter. These options are available to readers from the home page or from each individual blog post.
Other ways I optimized the blog include: (1) making the header solid black instead of soft grey; (2) displaying the number of page views and favorite count for each post beneath the final “subscribe” option, in order to prevent this information from interrupting the “anchor” section; (3) moving the Posterous “login” prompt to the bottom right of the page, and (4) removing entirely the universal navigation tab from the top left of the page.
If I had started out with different goals (say, for example, the goal of maximizing monetization through advertising), I would have made different choices and ended up with a different blog. If I hadn’t started out with any goals, I have no idea what choices I would have made, and I have no idea what type of blog I would have ended up with.
PS – If anyone wants to pay me the compliment of using my blog layout for their own blog, or if you know someone who shares my goals and priorities, and you think they should use this layout, send me an [email](mailto:will@alumnifidelity.com) and I’m happy to send you the code you’ll need.
**** Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** SEO, Web design, Web optimization
---
### [A list of ways I optimized this blog](https://willmarlow.com/a-list-of-ways-i-optimized-this-blog/)
**Published:** February 15, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
If you want to take your blogging to a high level, you should make sure you have a blog that is customized to help you advance your specific goals. My top priorities for this blog are: (1) delivering useful, clear content to my readers, and (2) making it easy for readers to subscribe to my blog. These may be simple goals, but pursuing them ruthlessly means you need to remove all distracting elements from the blog, and making sure that all elements that remain serve a purpose. When you have a minimalist style, any dumb parts will stand out like a sore thumb.
As you know, I started with the default Posterous settings, which are excellent, and made the following customizations:
1. Rather than keeping the “login” navigation at the top right of the page (above the fold), I moved it to the bottom right, below the fold (which is the same thing that @guykawasaki does with his [Alltop](http://holykaw.alltop.com/) page.
2. I increased the size of the header by 2x.
3. I posted a hidden “About me” page, and posted a link to that page to serve as a replacement for the default Posterous “profile” page, which I hid from view. Posterous’s default profile page is great for the social networking aspects of the platform, but it is a huge distraction and source of confusion to most of my readers, who don’t care that I happen to use Posterous’s platform.
4. I removed the faint text that said, “Contributors,” along the right side of the page, because I’m the sole writer of this blog.
5. In addition to letting readers subscribe via Posterous’s default subscription path, I added a Twitter button AND a Feedburner email field. For some reason it was tricky to get all these options to display consistently whether you were reading from a specific post OR just reading from the blog homepage, but I eventually figured out how to get it right, which is important because for my blog this is part of the “anchor” section, which readers rely on to navigate the site.
6. I posted a hidden “Most popular posts” page and put the link beneath the “About me” page. These are the two “informational anchors” on the site. Beneath these two links, you have the three “engagement anchors,” which include a Twitter button for people to subscribe via Twitter, a Feedburner email subscription field, and the default Posterous subscription button, for fellow users of Posterous. (Note: I wanted to keep a link that said “Follow me on Posterous” because that is one of the few nods to Posterous on the blog, and I want to give the platform credit for powering this site.)
7. I purchased a custom domain name ([www.willmarlow.com](http://www.willmarlow.com))
8. When you view a blog post, rather than seeing the view count and the number of times the post has been “Favorited” in the top part of the page, I moved that information down lower, because I needed that prime real estate for the anchor section (and because the importance of that information is debatable).
9. I removed the Posterous tag from the top of the page.
I will continue to optimize the blog by making minor changes designed to make the blog more readable and user friendly, and I’m appreciative of any feedback you may have for things I’m doing right and things I’m doing wrong. Please don’t hesitate to let me know what you think. And if you share my goals, I’m happy to send you what you need to use my optimized blog template as your Posterous “theme.”
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Popular blogging, SEO, Social Media, Web optimization
---
### [Presentation on Online Fundraising @ the Annual Meeting of Collegiate Honor Societies](https://willmarlow.com/presentation-on-online-fundraising-the-annual-meeting-of-collegiate-honor-societies/)
**Published:** February 19, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The Executive Director of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, Steve Loflin ([@sloflin](http://www.twitter.com/sloflin)) invited me to Boston to make a short presentation about online fundraising at the Annual Meeting of Collegiate Honor Societies. I’m making the presentation today at 3:00, and I wanted to share some of my notes below.
**Intro to online fundraising**
- **Fundraising is about two things: (1) relationships and (2) storytelling. For all 35 of my clients, no one ever gets a donation unless there is a relationship between the donor and the place they are making a gift. In recent years, there’s been a trend that has reshaped fundraising in some incredible ways. A second type of relationship has started mattering more than ever. That’s the relationship between a donor and her friend. Using any number of online tools, after someone makes a donation, they can now alert large numbers of friends and in some cases they can even solicit them on behalf of the organization to match their gift. This phenomenon is changing the way schools, nonprofits, and political organizations are allocating their resources.**
- **No longer do you want to spend close to 100% of your resources on soliciting new donors and cultivating current donors. Instead of that, organizations are spending more and more resources on enabling their current donors to tell their friends and family about their own donations. What’s the ROI on this type of activity?**
- **Traditional “new donor acquisition” methods tend to net a “.03%” conversion rate of prospect to donor. We see friend-to-friend techniques netting a conversion rate of about 30%. **That means that by some important measurements friend-to-friend fundraising is 100x more effective at new donor acquisition than traditional fundraising.****
**The long history of friend-to-friend fundraising**
- **People have always known that friend-to-friend fundraising is the most effective way to raise money, but until five or six years ago, it was too expensive to do on a large scale.**
- **Previously, “friend-to-friend” fundraising was limited to large donors who give $25,000 or more. It was cost-effective to organize those large donors to ask their friends to match the gifts.**
- Additionally, on a smaller scale, many organizations have a history of distributing pre-stamped stationary and pens to encourage current donors to contact their friends. Problem with this was that if the materials went unused, the organization operates at a loss.
**Where things stand**
- Online fundraising pages. This is a very simple concept where you take all of the friend-to-friend communication and you put it online on a single personal fundraising page.
- Eliminate production costs and greatly reduce the resources required to communicate with the volunteers = a very compelling return on investment.
- Add in non-fundraising communication platforms like Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter to supplement tools that are geared specifically for fundraising. This ensures that the focus stays on fundraising even as activity migrates to large social networks.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
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**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** AlumniFidelity, Annual Meeting of Collegiate Honor Societies, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, NSCS, Online Fundraising, Social Media, Social Media Fundraising
---
### [Local businesses: you make your money at the margins with social media](https://willmarlow.com/local-businesses-you-make-your-money-at-the-margins-with-social-media/)
**Published:** March 1, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
If you’re a local/community business, and you want to use social media to accomplish your business goals, the most important thing you should know is this: you make your money at the margins. In fact, in social media, you do *everything* at the margins. Why is this? Because not *every* customer will write a favorable review on Yelp. Not *every* customer will publicly become your “fan.” Not *every* customer will comment or “like” your status on Facebook. But those customers who *do* all of these things will send the message to their friends and family that you’re a great business. And when that message is delivered from a trusted source, it can be *very* powerful. So before you jump into social media, embrace the fact that you should paint with a light brush. You’re working at the margins, and it’s a profitable place to be.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [My reading list](https://willmarlow.com/my-reading-list/)
**Published:** February 26, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
These are the most helpful blog posts I’ve read about entrepreneurship since founding AlumniFidelity.
**Technology blog posts**
[Minimum desirable product](http://andrewchenblog.com/2009/12/07/minimum-desirable-product/) by Andrew Chen
[Minimum viable product](http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2009/03/minimum-viable-product.html) by Eric Ries
[Product design debt versus technical debt](http://andrewchenblog.com/2009/11/25/product-design-debt-versus-technical-debt/) by Andrew Chen
[What’s your viral loop? Understanding your adoption engine](http://andrewchenblog.com/2007/07/11/whats-your-viral-loop-understanding-the-engine-of-adoption/) by Andrew Chen
[Continuous deployment for mission critical systems](http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2009/12/continuous-deployment-for-mission.html) by Eric Ries
[High availability: concurrency control](http://saasinterrupted.com/2010/02/05/high-availability-principle-concurrency-control/) by Ashish Soni
[Why vanity metrics are dangerous](http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2009/12/why-vanity-metrics-are-dangerous.html) by Eric Ries
[Six tips for improving high bounce/low conversion pages](http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/2009/08/tips-for-improving-high-bounce-low-conversion-web-pages.html) by Avinash Kaushik
**Business blog posts**
[The only thing that matters](http://web.archive.org/web/20070701074943/http://blog.pmarca.com/2007/06/the-pmarca-gu-2.html) by Marc Andreessen
[A hacker’s guide to investors](http://www.paulgraham.com/guidetoinvestors.html) by Paul Graham
[The consumerization of enterprise venture capital](http://billburnham.blogs.com/burnhamsbeat/2009/12/the-consumerization-of-enterprise-vc.html) by Bill Burnham
[Business ecology and the four customer currencies](http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2009/12/business-ecology-and-four-customer.html) by Eric Ries
[Top ten rules for web startups](http://evhead.com/2005/11/ten-rules-for-web-startups.asp) by Evan Williams
[Lifestyle companies vs VC-backable startups: walk before run?](http://andrewchenblog.com/2009/10/27/building-lifestyle-companies-versus-vc-backable-startups-is-it-walk-before-you-run/) by Andrew Chen
[If your product is great, it doesn’t need to be good](http://paulbuchheit.blogspot.com/2010/02/if-your-product-is-great-it-doesnt-need.html) by Paul Buchheit
[Two ways to hold entrepreneurs accountable](http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/01/hold_entrepreneurs_accountable.html) by Eric Ries
And as a bonus, below are the books that I’ve found to be the most helpful.**Books**
[Crossing the Chasm](http://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Chasm-Marketing-High-Tech-Mainstream/dp/0066620023) by Geoffrey Moore
[The Art of the Start](http://www.amazon.com/Art-Start-Time-Tested-Battle-Hardened-Starting/dp/1591840562) by Guy Kawasaki
[Built to Last](http://www.amazon.com/Built-Last-Successful-Visionary-Essentials/dp/0060516402) by Jim Collins
[Web Analytics: An Hour A Day](http://www.amazon.com/Web-Analytics-Hour-Avinash-Kaushik/dp/0470130652) by Avinash Kaushik
[Don’t Make Me Think](http://www.amazon.com/Think-Common-Sense-Approach-Usability/dp/0789723107) by Steve Krug
[What They Don’t Teach You at Harvard Business School](http://www.amazon.com/What-Teach-Harvard-Business-School/dp/0553345834/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272297459&sr=1-1) by Mark McCormack
[Ogilvy on Advertising](http://www.amazon.com/Ogilvy-Advertising-David/dp/039472903X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1272297414&sr=8-1) by David Ogilvy
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [Don't make assumptions](https://willmarlow.com/dont-make-assumptions/)
**Published:** March 6, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
When it comes to building a website or any type of software, it’s important to make as few assumptions about how you think people will use your product as possible. (This is especially important if you want to be taken seriously by veteran software developers and Internet entrepreneurs, who are very big on the concept of split testing *everything* (read about that [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/what-is-ab-testing)).
But what do I mean when I say that you shouldn’t make assumptions about user-behavior? Here’s an example of funny user-behavior that I wouldn’t have predicted, but that I learned about today. Apparently there is a not insignificant number of people out there who think that every link on the Internet requires a double-click – in other words, they treat all links as if they were icons on a desktop, and they rapidly click them two times whenever they want to use them. This is harmless behavior, of course, because it doesn’t prevent anyone from accomplishing their goals on the Internet. But there is an nearly infinite number other behaviors, some of which *are* harmful, and if you tried to guess them all in advance you’d fail miserably.
Here is an example of a more harmful behavior. Google redesigned its Chrome Internet Browser because they noticed that a lot of people were attempting to type search terms into the URL field. With a normal browser, that would be a *very* frustrating experience. Rather than trying to educate those folks on how to use the browser properly, Google simply enhanced their browser so that people *could* type search terms into the URL field.
The point is, people will use your website the way that makes sense to *them*, not you. And if you listen to what they have to say, you can make your website a much nicer place to be.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Software development, Web development, Website development
---
### [Taking good pictures](https://willmarlow.com/taking-good-pictures/)
**Published:** March 8, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Photography and videos are tremendously important for communicating on the Internet. Why? Because people do not want to **read** online. People consume information on the Internet primarily through videos and pictures, not written words. You can argue with me on this point all you want, but you’re better off just accepting the fact that your message will reach more people if it’s framed by pictures and videos. (If the New York Times needs to supplement its written words with pictures and videos, so do unknown bloggers and websites.)
This means that you would benefit tremendously if you equip yourself to take high quality, professional looking photographs on a regular basis. Here’s one of the biggest tips I can give you: often, the biggest difference between professional-looking photos and amateur photos comes down to the time of day. I was speaking with a veteran advertising producer who told me that he used to hate getting up at three in the morning to prepare for a photo shoot that had nothing at all to do with a sunrise, but the fact is, the quality of light two hours after sunrise and two hours before sunset is magical on film. Those two two-hour chunks of time are when 80% of important outdoor movie scenes and magazine pieces are shot.
If you want your pictures or videos to look professional, the early bird still gets the worm. **Recommendations (and no, I don’t make a dime if you click these links and buy these products):** I typically recommend that brand new photographers buy a [Nikon D40](http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Digital-18-55mm-3-5-5-6G-Zoom-Nikkor/dp/B000KJQ1DG) (shown in the picture above), because it has a fantastic auto-mode, but it will also let you switch to manual to learn much more advanced techniques and grow as a photographer. And I used to recommend that people buy the [Canon HV30](http://www.amazon.com/Canon-HV30-Definition-Camcorder-Stabilized/dp/B00114PN1U), but I don’t shoot videos for fun the way I take pictures for fun, so that recommendation may be out of date. However, the number one reason I recommended that particular video camera is that it has an external microphone receiver, which let’s you easily replace the cruddy built-in microphone with a much higher quality microphone – it amazes me that most camcorders don’t have the capability of accepting an external microphone.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Nikon, Nikon D40, online communications, Photography, storytelling, Videography, Videos
---
### [Two quick tips for using shortened links with bit.ly](https://willmarlow.com/two-quick-tips-for-using-shortened-links-with-bit-ly/)
**Published:** March 9, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Two things are important in a URL shortening service: (1) you don’t want the links to ever “expire” (unless you *do* want this to happen) and (2) you want the link shortening service to provide some amount of analytics.
This is why [bit.ly](http://bit.ly) is currently the standard free service for most people who shorten a lot of links. Anytime you shorten a longer link with [bit.ly](http://bit.ly) you get a whole list of analytic data to tell you how many people clicked on the links; what countries they were in when they clicked; how many people picked up your link and used it elsewhere, and a few other things. Also, you can take ANY [bit.ly](http://bit.ly) link you see anywhere and add a “+” sign to the end, and it’ll show you all sorts of data, like in this image. (I suspect that some quasi-famous Twitterers and bloggers *don’t* use [bit.ly](http://bit.ly) exactly for this reason: they don’t want to let the world know that their influence isn’t as vast as they think it should be.)
[](http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/willmarlow/YilQzpt8Jl9lljlds4fckOdvFbz1ooC96FYRvFGfMMiFnh5Acyw8fJ9VhFIV/Bitly.jpg)
Here’s another cool thing you can do with [bit.ly](http://bit.ly): you can create a custom **[bit.ly](http://bit.ly)** link to help telegraph where the link goes. For example, a link to my blog could be “” instead of a bunch of messy random characters.
The need to use link shortening services like this is one reason why *trust* is so important in the online world. If you don’t trust me, or you don’t *know* me, then you have no way of knowing if I’m trying to conceal a malicious link behind a [bit.ly](http://bit.ly) mask. This is why it’s important to post regular, relevant updates on your blog or social media feeds. Trust is something that accumulates over time, and as more and more people begin to trust you, that accumulated trust becomes validation for new visitors who are meeting you for the first time.
**Leave a comment on this blog below.**
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [When should you add new features to your website or blog?](https://willmarlow.com/when-should-you-add-new-features-to-your-website-or-blog/)
**Published:** March 26, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
You should never use a new feature just because it’s awesome. This is because “awesome” isn’t awesome unless it advances your goals.
My blogging platform (Posterous) added a new feature recently: this feature allows you to add “page breaks” into your blog posts, so that if someone is visiting your blog homepage, they would get to read perhaps the first paragraph, and then they would need to click “read more” to get the rest. Most people think that this feature is nice because it allows you to fit more content on your blog homepage, but the point of it is actually very different. If people can read your entire blog post (or, in fact, multiple blog posts if they scroll down the page) without clicking on anything, their entire visit on your website would be registered as “0.0 seconds,” because analytic software always measures time on a website by subtracting the time stamp on page one from the time stamp on page two. If there is no page two, your metrics look really boring because the visit will show up as zero seconds in duration, despite the fact that it could have lasted for 30 minutes. Combine this with the fact that blogs typically don’t require lots of clicking, and you get really boring data on blog traffic. I doubt I’ll use this feature, because even though it helps optimize your blog for analyzing traffic, it *de*-optimizes your blog for delivering content. (This is because people frequently read blog posts by *scanning* them, and it may be a tidbit in the last paragraph of a blog post that convinces them to become a subscriber.) I care about delivering content, not analyzing time stamps. The features you choose to add on your website or blog should always be determined by *your* goals, and nothing else. Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at . 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Web Analytics, Website optimization
---
### [Six great (free) sources of images and photos](https://willmarlow.com/six-great-free-sources-of-images-and-photos/)
**Published:** March 22, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The other day, I crowdsourced a question to my friends on Google Buzz. I essentially asked people to tell me about awesome sources on the Internet for free images that you can use for your website or blog. One of my resolutions is to improve this blog by incorporating more photography, video and images in my posts. Click [here](http://www.google.com/buzz/W.B.Marlow/gJHjbCSAHtX/Do-you-know-of-any-online-resources-that-are) to read the full conversation on Google Buzz, and to see who provided these answers.
Here are some helpful ways for you to quickly find new images to put on your blog or website:
1. Do a Google search for images, advanced options, and search for ones that are “labeled for reuse.”
2. In fact, Google Images let you search based on whether images are “labeled for reuse,” or “Labeled for commercial reuse,” or “Labeled for reuse with modification,” or “Labeled for commercial reuse with modification.”
3. Use [webshots.com](http://webshots.com/). [graphics.com](http://graphics.com/), [stockimage.com](http://stockimage.com/)
4. [](http://stockimage.com/)Use stock exchange:
5. Use [www.doverbooks.com](http://www.doverbooks.com/) and sign up for their newsletter. They send you a link for free graphics each week from their work.
6. If you use the Firefox plugin Zemanta with your blog, it loads Creative Commons photos that fit with your post based on the words in the post. (Today’s image is from Zemanta.)
And as a bonus, click [here](http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/) for an awesome search engine (courtesy of [Seth Godin](http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/01/neat-resource-of-vintage-ads.html)) that pulls up vintage ads that fit your search terms. Usage rights for them vary, but it’s a really fun tool to use.
Whenever possible, I’m going to use my own camera to produce the images for this blog, but these are great resources, and I hope you find them useful. (And, of course, let me know if I’ve left any great sources off this list – I’d love to revise this blog with new resources!)
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Images, JPG, JPGs, Photography, Stock photography
---
### [This is my 100th blog post](https://willmarlow.com/this-is-my-100th-blog-post/)
**Published:** April 3, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Wine.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
My hero Seth Godin once wrote that the first are the hardest, and by the time you write that many posts you’ll have developed a habit that will be hard to break. This is my 100th blog post since last November, and I can already feel positive momentum, which is always spurred on by new subscribers, all of you who leave comments or email me, and all the other feedback I get. Of course, I might also feel the positive momentum simply because I’m getting married six hours from now, and I feel positive momentum everywhere.
Shoes are shined, I now know how to tie a bow tie, and there are bottles of wine on the bar that are lined up like little Malbec soldiers. I can’t wait to see Amy. 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [Three things I learned from my honeymoon](https://willmarlow.com/three-things-i-learned-from-my-honeymoon/)
**Published:** April 7, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Amy and I went on a mini honeymoon, and we had a great time. We stayed on [an organic farm](http://brightwoodvineyardandfarm.com/index.html) and bed and breakfast in Madison County, Virginia, where I had to resist the urge to offer unsolicited online marketing advice (they are such a unique, interesting, and well-run farm that they would *really* benefit from tweaking a few things on their website and adding a few social media elements to their marketing plan).
I learned from my honeymoon that: (1) after an awesome wedding, all you want to do is talk about your wedding, so it’s a good idea to plan for a honeymoon that’s conducive to that, (2) it’s good to disconnect from the Internet and leave work behind for a few days, and (3) being married is great.
I’m glad to be back at work, taking phone calls, and picking up right where things left off last week.
[](http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2010-04-09/hssiahgjokDApcHwnchflGDsjcyrelFyvjuvbqDGnEkinamsGhAggCnmtret/Seated_2.JPG.scaled1000.jpg)
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his university and charity clients engage in “friend-to-friend” fundraising campaigns. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, Georgetown’s Capitol Breast Care Center, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [Is your website simple, or rewarding?](https://willmarlow.com/is-your-website-simple-or-rewarding/)
**Published:** April 9, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Indo.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
A lot of people who design websites or manage social media profiles are focused (smartly) on making things simple. This is generally a good thing, because visitors to your website need to be able to find what they’re looking for, and they need to be able to accomplish whatever they came to do. But simplicity isn’t the *only* thing you should go for. You should also try to make visitors feel “rewarded” for digging deep and spending time on your site. Seth Godin regularly breaks the number one rule of web development (*[Don’t make anyone think!](http://www.willmarlow.com/how-people-really-use-websites))* by making people think, but he then rewards his visitors for thinking by giving them useful and interesting information. Two of my favorite ways that he does this are by using a picture of his head to reveal the crucial “persistent navigation” of his blog, and placing [distinct](http://sethgodin.typepad.com/) [links](http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/04/revisiting-conspicuous-consumption.html) in words that run next to one another, with each link directing to its own relevant landing page.
As most of you know, I also like posting photographs that *don’t* necessarily correspond to the topic of a blog post, but which give subscribers a bit of insight into my life, like the photo here from my wedding reception on Saturday.
Simplicity is important, but it’s not the *only* thing you need to do to build a good online presence.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Web development
---
### [Baby steps toward success with social media](https://willmarlow.com/baby-steps-toward-success-with-social-media/)
**Published:** April 13, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
> *“Baby steps, baby steps, baby steps through the office, baby steps out the door — it works!” – Bill Murray, *What About Bob?**
Today I read a [great blog](http://www.problogger.net/archives/2010/04/14/success-in-blogging-is-made-of-little-victories/) post by Darren Rowse over at Problogger, which was in turn about a great post by [Chris Brogan](http://www.chrisbrogan.com/little-victories/), both of which focused on the importance of little victories in being successful in the authors’ fields. Embracing little victories on your way to success with *social media* is one of the biggest topics I talk to clients about. Say, for example, your goal is to transition from a 100% paper-based direct mail marketing system to a more balanced (and less costly) operation that relies 25% on direct mail, and 75% on electronic channels like email, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. After you plot out the best route to migrate your valuable direct mail contacts over to the more efficient e-channels, you should be prepared for a long-flight with constant course correction. The good news? If you pick your goals right, and plan your tactics well, you should be very confident that the payoff will be big with social media, whether in reduced costs, increased revenues, or both. But it won’t come all at once, so just repeat the ‘baby steps’ mantra. 🙂
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** online community manager, Social Media, Social media manager
---
### [The importance of a personal network for social media managers](https://willmarlow.com/the-importance-of-a-personal-network-for-social-media-managers/)
**Published:** April 16, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
If you manage a social media plan for an organization, one of your most important assets is your personal network. (Don’t think for a second that professional social media managers have a substitute for this.) One of the reasons that the social media space scares so many people is that in order for you to succeed in social media, you need to be authentic, and that means you need to be able to *write* almost as fast as people *talk*. Between posting content to Facebook, your blog, a Twitter feed, or any other channels you use, and leaving and responding to comments from Fans, you are inevitably going to have typos and mispillings occasionally, as well as ideas that sound good at first, but on later inspection, need to marinate more before you put them out for public consumption. This is *nothing* like the old print world.
What saves you from embarrassing typos and poorly-written content? Your personal network. (OK – you yourself as the author need to be capable of producing good content 95% of the time, but no matter how good you are, you will occasionally write something that you need to run past an editor.) You have two options: You can ask your friends, family and trusted acquaintances to review your writing *prior* to posting it online, or you can (like me) post it online and then solicit feedback from a select circle of people – but either way, your personal network will boost the quality of your work significantly. Don’t underestimate this.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Marketing, Social Media, Social media marketing
---
### [Who benefits from the Icelandic Volcano Crisis (and how we've been preparing for it)](https://willmarlow.com/who-benefits-from-the-icelandic-volcano-crisis-and-how-weve-been-preparing-for-it/)
**Published:** April 18, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The last time the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland exploded 187 years ago, it didn’t stop erupting for over ***a year***, according to the [Washington Post](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/16/AR2010041600744.html?sid=ST2010041802278).
(As an aside, one thing that I love about this crisis is that, unlike almost any other crisis that humankind is ill-prepared to deal with, I haven’t heard ***anyone*** jumping up and pretending to be an expert on what’s going to happen next, or what we should do in the meantime.) But back to the topic at hand – here’s who benefits from the Icelandic Volcano Crisis: (1) Skype, (2) GoToMeeting, (3) and all the entrepreneurs focused on using the Internet to make physical distance irrelevant to business and personal communications. That’s a lot of entrepreneurs. When you look at the essence of a lot of companies, you’ll see that eliminating physical distance one way or another is the main thing that they’re doing, whether it’s Twitter, [Brazen Careerist](http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/about-brazen-careerist/), LinkedIn, Facebook, Squidoo, Wikipedia, [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/home/about), Skype, eBay, Google, Amazon, Cisco, Flickr, Apple, [Etsy](http://www.etsy.com/) or tons of others. In that way, we’ve been preparing for something like the Icelandic volcano eruption for a long time. **Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**
PS – The photo was taken by Baldvin Hansson and sent to [TechCrunch](http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/18/volcano-shut-down-europe-pics/), and then posted to Flickr [here](http://www.flickr.com/photos/baldvinh/sets/72157623876808932/), along with a bunch of other great photos he took from a small plane while circling the volcano.
PSS – Want to be the only person who knows how to pronounce the name of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano? Click [here](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Eyjafjallaj%C3%B6kull.ogg) to listen to the correct pronunciation. Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Eyjafjallajokull, eyjafjallajokull volcano, Volcano
---
### [Why doesn't Google advertise on its homepage?](https://willmarlow.com/why-doesnt-google-advertise-on-its-homepage/)
**Published:** April 21, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Google.jpg.scaled1000.jpg)
For one thing, they have a policy of *only* showing advertising that is “relevant,” and you can’t think about relevancy until someone types in a search query. For example, if I type in the search, “Dogwalker rates in Washington DC,” Google may decide to show me an ad that links to a local dogwalking company. But until I type something into the Google search bar, Google doesn’t know enough about me.
But another reason is that Google’s brand is heavily wrapped up in its clean, ad-free homepage, and it probably doesn’t want its homepage to turn into something like the image above (which would make Google *feel* like all the other search engines).
**Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).** Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Google+
---
### [How many books about your field have you read?](https://willmarlow.com/how-many-books-about-your-field-have-you-read/)
**Published:** April 26, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
> *Until you’ve got a better answer, you copy.* – David Ogilvy
One thing I love about having a blog is that it is a phenomenal way to keep a record of things that are important to you. (Note: this isn’t the *only* reason to have a blog, but it’s definitely a huge benefit.)
For example, I was reading David Ogilvy’s book, *Ogilvy on Advertising,* last night when I came across a passage referencing an interaction he once had with a lackluster subordinate. He asked the subordinate copywriter how many books on advertising he had read. The subordinate responded that he preferred *intuition* over *knowledge*. Ogilvy responded with a quote from King George V’s private surgeon, who remarked that the thing that distinguishes a great surgeon from other surgeons is that a great surgeon “*knows more* *than other surgeons do*.” I agree that in any field I can think of, a broad base of knowledge is a key ingredient to success.
But for someone like me, who can much more easily recall the contents of books than their titles, I refer to the “[My reading list](http://www.willmarlow.com/my-reading-list-9)” blog post to remember all the business and marketing books that I liked the most. I just added *Ogilvy on Advertising* to that post. He has a lot of good ideas to copy.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** David Ogilvy, Reading, Reading lists
---
### [8 things you need to know about Facebook's plans to take over the world](https://willmarlow.com/8-things-you-need-to-know-about-facebooks-plans-to-take-over-the-world/)
**Published:** April 28, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
*“Today, the Web exists as a series of unstructured links between pages.”* – **Mark Zuckerberg**
*“Even when you’re…at [www.washingtonpost.com](http://www.washingtonpost.com), you are essentially on Facebook.”* – **The Washington Post Privacy Policy**
If you haven’t heard about Facebook’s ambitious new plans already, you should expect to read about Facebook’s new moves in the near future, and for a long time to come. This post is an early analysis about what the changes mean for you, both as a Facebook user, and as a marketer.
Facebook’s new “enhancements” are likely to change the way *everyone* surfs the Internet. Make no mistake: Facebook’s new announcements are *huge*. Without further introduction, here are the eight things you need to know about what Facebook is doing right now:
1. **What is Facebook up to?** The first big change that Facebook announced is called the “Open Graph.” The “Open Graph” is Facebook’s attempt to pull in all the important websites on the Internet and place them under a Facebook umbrella. When the [Facebook CEO said](http://apps.facebook.com/feightlive/) that “Today the Web exists as a series of unstructured links between pages” his point was that very shortly things will not be unstructured. Facebook wants to be the structure that connects the links between pages on the Internet. Let that sink in for a minute. It helps to think about the difference between this approach and the approach taken by Google. Both Facebook and Google want to understand the Internet. But Google looks at the Internet from the outside and tries to decode what’s going on. Facebook is trying to impose order on the Internet, so that it can be the only company to have a view of what’s going on under the tent.
2. **How does the Open Graph work?** Facebook has made it really easy for any website in the world to add Facebook’s “social features,” and by adding the social features, each website will make itself a part of Facebook’s Open Graph. This means that an e-commerce website that sells funny t-shirts can add a “like” button next to each t-shirt design. As you browse the t-shirts and “like” different products, your Facebook news feed will be updated back on Facebook for all your friends to see. The e-commerce website benefits because all your friends will see two things: (a) a link back to an article of merchandise, and (b) the fact that a friend of theirs “likes” that merchandise. Facebook benefits because they see and analyze how their 400 million members are behaving on the Internet. That’s the graph. Instead of hopping from one website to another anonymously, Facebook sees it all, and each time you register an opinion, Facebook has a new data point. But that’s not all.
3. **What else will Facebook do with the Open Graph?** It will allow any website in the world to give you a “custom experience.” You’ll see what products the Facebook relevancy engine thinks you’ll like most. You can already see this over at the Washington Post. You don’t need to be logged in anywhere other than at Facebook, and then you’ll see personalized “social” content on the Washington Post’s website. For example, when I went to the Washington Post today, I saw a little box that told me which of my friends had commented or “liked” certain articles, and I also saw other content that was promoted by people outside of my network. This is really interesting (especially for someone like me, who was a former Capitol Hill Press Secretary), because this is a huge step away from human beings determining the news, in favor of computers telling us what to read. Granted, the computers are telling us what to read based on actions taken by humans, but it is still a major shift away from the days when the Editor-in-Chief of a major newspaper would determine what made the front page. Now, the machine chooses. As the Washington Post says about this new development, “Even when you’re…at [www.washingtonpost.com](http://www.washingtonpost.com), you are essentially on Facebook.”
4. **Does all of this mean that Facebook is becoming more important than Google?** No. Facebook is going to be the most important “internal” marketing factor for almost all websites. You won’t be able to design a website visually without thinking about Facebook. But Google will still be the most important “external” factor in designing and marketing websites. You will *still* need to design your website’s architecture (all the hidden, mostly non-visual elements of a website) with Google in mind. In other words, the art of making sure your website appears in Google searches will still be important, but the art will get simpler, due to the fact that great content will have a better chance of rising to the top by means of Facebook optimization, even if a website is hindered by poor Google optimization.
5. **So why is all of this scary?** Because change is scary. The status quo is that you surf the web anonymously, because no website talks to one another right now. (For example, even though I personally own more than one website, I can’t tell you exactly how much of my traffic is identical, because user analytic data generally dies when it goes from server to server. So if you read my [blog](http://www.willmarlow.com), and then you visit my [startup](http://www.alumnifidelity.com), I will only know that there was a visitor on each website. I can’t tell that it was the same visitor. Facebook’s knowledge about your Internet browsing behavior is going to be mind-boggling, and it *won’t be anonymous*. Facebook will be able to know not only that visitor X visited a website, but that visitor X is named Will Marlow. I don’t mean to be a scaremonger, but Facebook is going to realize the dream of mapping out a massive “network of influence” across the Web, and that’s a topic that needs its own blog post.
6. **How important is “sharing”?** A lot of these controversial changes boil down to this: Facebook wants to know what items on the Internet are “sharable.” So how important is sharing? Answer: very important. On Facebook alone, the 400 million Facebook users shared over 25 billion things last month. Facebook’s dream is to allow anyone to share anything across its servers, regardless of what website you’re on. This gives Facebook data on which items are more important than others, based on how the item was shared and how many people shared it.
7. **What else is Facebook up to?** Facebook is allowing a toolbar to be added to ANY website anywhere in the world, that will contain virtually 100% of Facebook’s functionality to that site. For example, if you visit your local jewelry store’s website, you can also have a “Facebook chat” with someone using the Facebook chat system. Again, the upside to the e-commerce site is that all of a sudden, their website has become way more interesting and compelling courtesy of Facebook, and the upside to Facebook is that it will know what its members are doing on all of the world’s e-commerce websites.
8. **Why will Facebook succeed?** Because they are making things *easy*. Because they are enormous, and they are growing faster than ever. Because the value that they deliver to every website (literally, every website that I can think of) is too compelling. It will be impossible for websites to resist Facebook’s Open Graph. My guess is that almost all the big websites, and many of the small ones (you don’t need an IT staff to get going) will join before 2011, if not before the start of May.
So what’s the bottom line? All of this is a little scary, but I’m also excited by the thought of making the Internet more social. As you can see, there’s already a Facebook “like” button at the bottom of this post. I hope that this early look at Facebook’s plans was helpful.
**Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**
PS – My friend [Amy Rowe](http://www.flickr.com/photos/trentamynadia/) took the photograph above of the tulips on one of the tables at our rehearsal dinner.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, Open Graph
---
### [With social media, should you always want more followers?](https://willmarlow.com/with-social-media-should-you-always-want-more-followers/)
**Published:** May 19, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I was recently talking to a journalist about the following question: should businesses (or schools or nonprofits) care about the *quantity* of followers they have, or the *quality* of their followers on social media platforms like Twitter, Buzz, Facebook, and elsewhere?
But the more important question that executives in all industries are struggling with is this: what is the return on investment of social media? How much should we *invest* in social media? How much will we get out of a social media plan? This high level of uncertainty is at the core of any new social media marketing campaign, just like it’s at the core of any new business, or any new product launch. So what do you do? You need to begin *systematically eliminating uncertainty* from your social media plan. Rather than focusing on the number of followers you have (10? 200? 4,000?) you need to define exactly what you hope to achieve with social media, and then you need to begin achieving those goals. In other words, if you have 10 followers on Twitter, but you can point to specific positive outcomes that resulted from your Twitter marketing, like sales that are linked to Twitter discount codes, or ticket sales through that channel, or even softer goals like reduced customer service costs or an increased number of positive customer interactions, then you can begin eliminating the uncertainty that’s preventing your success with social media. (*And* this will allow you to come up with a responsible budget for scaling your social media marketing.) So the short answer is: quality is king. There’s nothing sillier than someone on Twitter who has 50,000 followers, zero engagement and nothing to show for it.Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at . 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Social Media, Social media marketing
---
### [An introduction to the Clean Social Media Methodology](https://willmarlow.com/an-introduction-to-the-clean-social-media-methodology/)
**Published:** May 25, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I’m writing a series of posts that I’m titling, “The Clean Social Media Methodology,” and this blog series is my attempt to introduce people to a very simple way of approaching social media marketing. I chose to call this the **Clean Methodology** for two reasons. First, the Clean Methodology specifically counters the perception that social media marketing is always messy and confusing – it doesn’t need to be either. And second, my own thinking on the Clean Methodology was strongly influenced by [Eric Ries](http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2008/10/about-author.html), who is the author of something called the Lean Startup Theory, which is a management theory for building and scaling startup companies. (If you’re interested in learning more about the Lean Startup Theory, I highly recommend reading Eric Ries’s essays over at [Startup Lessons Learned](http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/).)
**What is the Clean Social Media Methodology?**
The Clean Social Media Methodology can be summarized like this: today, the social media marketing experience is defined largely by a high level of uncertainty, and in order to achieve success using social media channels, you must begin systematically reducing this uncertainty. And by reducing the degree of uncertainty you face you will help reveal your optimal social media strategy.
Consider the following questions: what actions should you take to begin your social media marketing campaign? Should you post videos, Tweets, a blog? Should you podcast? How often should you leave comments? Should you allow comments from anyone, or should they be moderated? How often should you produce original content? How often should you share the content of others? Should you address your competitors by name? Should you ask your readers questions? What actions should you take to acquire new subscribers? Do these actions differ from what you need to do to retain your current subscribers? How do you identify your most loyal or valuable followers? How should you measure success? And two of the most important questions: how should you determine a social media marketing budget, and what type of return on investment should you expect for all your efforts?
Many people have a hard time answering these questions with any degree of certainty. In fact, even people who have seemingly effective social media strategies often answer these questions by pointing to the examples set by high profile social media marketers, or other soft metrics.
I will lay out the Clean Social Media Methodology in a series of blog posts that are aimed at helping people systematically eliminating the uncertainty they face, and helping you answer questions like these in a satisfying way. The result will be a much cleaner social media marketing experience, whether you are marketing a nonprofit, a school annual fund, a local business, or an ambitious corporate campaign.
The Clean Social Media Methodology stands in stark contrast to the **toolbox-first** approach to social media, which essentially seems to state that you should begin your social media marketing campaign by looking at where your customers are congregating on the Internet, and trying to engage them in conversations in the most popular venues. This “toolbox” approach is obviously very technology-centric and it’s easy to see why it’s so attractive: (1) it’s simple, and (2) it makes logical sense. The problem is that it is highly limiting. It is a *good* way to begin engaging with customers, but it is a *bad* way to achieve measurable progress against business goals. Further, the Clean Social Media Methodology is able to take the valuable elements of the toolbox approach, but it is able to focus your efforts on the **Minimum Feasible Effort** (apologies to Eric Ries), and this allows you to extract tremendous effort from your social media actions.
More to follow – specifically, in the next post, I will explain the Minimum Feasible Effort and explain why that concept is so important to achieving your social media goals.
Photo caption: I took the photo at the top of this post on a visit to a great charity called the [Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program](http://www.nvtrp.org/) that I’m happy to be working with.
**Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**
**Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity which provides a Web 2.0 platform to colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He is also an Internet and social media marketing consultant. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Lean startup theory, Social media marketing
---
### [Don't forget about your launch party](https://willmarlow.com/dont-forget-about-your-launch-party/)
**Published:** May 26, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
> *“Like babies, products get the most attention when they’re new.” David Ogilvy*
[Seth Godin](http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/05/pfffft-the-danger-of-premature-shipment.html) regularly writes blog posts that are so good that it’s worth writing reactions to them. He did that the other day, when he wrote about the danger of [premature shipment](http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/05/pfffft-the-danger-of-premature-shipment.html). He accurately pointed out that we don’t live in a world where you work, work, work, and all your work culminates in a single grand opening or a launch party that drives most of your results. Rather, we live in a work, release, revise world where you ship quickly and often, get feedback, make your product better, and constantly build toward success.
What’s the danger in this? Sometimes we *under*hype the actual launch party. Because it’s no longer any big deal to us. This is definitely a problem, and I’ve noticed that good publicists are now in the position of reminding their clients that the launch is still a great (maybe the best) opportunity to grab attention for your product or business.
It used to be *easy* to celebrate milestones, because there were so few of them. Now, the nature of business has changed, and the constant communication we have with customers via Twitter and other social media has made us feel *blase* about big events. Whatever you need to do, don’t miss out on opportunities.
Soon I’ll write the next installment in my [Clean Social Media Methodology](http://www.willmarlow.com/an-introduction-to-the-clean-social-media-met) series.
**Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**
**Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity which provides a Web 2.0 fundraising platform to colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He is also an Internet and social media marketing consultant. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** David Ogilvy, Seth Godin
---
### [Why be an entrepreneur? (Or what we can learn from Theodore Roosevelt)](https://willmarlow.com/why-be-an-entrepreneur-or-what-we-can-learn-from-theodore-roosevelt/)
**Published:** June 13, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Too many people think that the main motivator to start a business is to achieve personal wealth. I was just re-reading Edmund Morris’s outstanding biography of our 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt, and came across a great passage about his failed attempt to be a rancher. (He invested about $80,000 in a cattle ranch in the North Dakota Badlands in the 1880s, and he lost almost all of his money in the aftermath of a blizzard that killed off most of the cattle.) About this venture, his Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer had this to say:
> *Although his Dakota venture had impoverished him, he was nevertheless rich in nonmonetary dividends. He had gone West sickly, foppish and racked with personal despair; during his time there he had built a massive body, repaired his soul, and learned to live on equal terms with men poorer and rougher than himself. He had broken horses with Hashknife Simpson, joined in discordant choruses to the accompaniment of Fiddlin’ Joe’s violin, discussed homicidal techniques with Bat Masterson, shared greasy blankets with Modesty Carter, shown Bronco Charlie Miller how to “gentle” a horse, and told Hell-Roaring Bill Jones to shut his mouth. These men, in turn, had found him to be the leader they craved in that lawless land…”If it not been for my years in North Dakota,” he said long afterward, “I never would have become President of the United States.”*
**Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**
**Will Marlow is an online marketing and fundraising consultant. He co-founded [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which provides a Web 2.0 fundraising platform to colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** North Dakota, President Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt
---
### [Five important tech questions get answered (plus a new vanity plate)](https://willmarlow.com/five-important-tech-questions-get-answered-plus-a-new-vanity-plate/)
**Published:** July 1, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Even though the last one is the only one that I phrase as a question, I get asked about the following things a lot:
1. Netbook = content creation.
2. iPad = content consumption.
3. Blackberry = calculator that makes phone calls.
4. iPhone = computer that makes phone calls (the difference is the App Store, which could be renamed the “software store”).
5. **Why is AT&T the most hated phone carrier?** Because they have the exclusive rights to provide service to the iPhone, but they didn’t realize that the iPhone users would surf the Internet on their phones 5000% (that is the actual spike) more than other customers, and that usage overloads the AT&T network and causes dropped calls. (Also, they got the exclusive rights to the phone because they were the only service provider that agreed to let Apple design the phone without their input, and all the other service providers wouldn’t agree to that.
PS – I think I’ll continue to add photos of vanity plates I see around town to my posts for the next week or two, and see how people like it.
**Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**
**Will Marlow is an online marketing and fundraising consultant. He co-founded [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which provides a Web 2.0 fundraising platform to colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [Tear down the brick wall](https://willmarlow.com/tear-down-the-brick-wall/)
**Published:** July 6, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
It used to be that a website was like a brick wall. You would visit the website for your school, or a charity, or a business, and you saw a bunch of information on the webpage that someone from that organization posted, and that was it. You couldn’t get any further than the brick wall. (Early on, some websites posted real email addresses and bios of people who you could interact with from the organization, but that is basically like installing peepholes in the brick wall.)
The smartest people who run websites today are tearing down the brick wall completely, and replacing it with glass rotating doors that you can see through and walk through. **How do you do that?**
- If you run a theater website and someone buys tickets for one of your shows, you shouldn’t just give them a dead receipt (i.e., a brick wall) you should give them a page that lets them write a short testimonial about how much they are looking forward to the show, and link them to a page where other fans have done the same thing.
- If you run a nonprofit and someone registers to be a volunteer at your next event, let them also signup to recruit two additional volunteers, and don’t force them to do it without help. Give them tools to send email, import contacts, connect to their Facebook and Twitter account, and let them trigger their own reminders well in advance of the event.
- If someone makes a donation to your school or nonprofit, give them the opportunity to create a personal fundraising page (like the type that [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com) enables) that allows them to become a fundraiser, and not just a one-time donor.
- Rather than showing only official photography on your website, make sure that there is a method for submitting photographs that your fans take at events, or launch parties, or from old events that may have taken place years ago. You should make it easy for anyone to subscribe (and also to *un*subscribe) to receive updates when new photos and videos are posted.
The point is, the next generation of Internet marketing for all organizations is this: when a fan/customer/donor *stops* engaging with you, it should be because they are satisfied that they have done everything that they want to do with you. The worst thing you can do is to put up a brick wall that prevents an energetic fan of yours from doing more to carry your goals forward.
**Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**
**Will Marlow is a digital strategist/online marketing consultant. He co-founded [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which provides a Web 2.0 fundraising platform to colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Social Media, Social media marketing, Web development, website design
---
### [Where Microsoft missed the mark on their phone](https://willmarlow.com/where-microsoft-missed-the-mark-on-their-phone/)
**Published:** July 13, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Aim_to_please_2.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
> “If you see a stylus, it means they failed.” – Steve Jobs discussing Microsoft’s next smartphone.
Microsoft pulled its new smartphone (the *Kin*) off the shelves after just 45 days. In D.C. yesterday, Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer said, “In the case of phones, I’ve said this many times before: We missed.”
Here’s where I think they missed the target: the Kin has buttons, not a touch screen. I know many people love buttons on a device, but here’s the problem with buttons: you need to learn what the buttons do. *Then,* after you’ve learned what the buttons do, you need to learn what happens on the screen when you touch the buttons. These are two distinct things, and for lots of people, it is very frustrating to learn devices like this. Contrast that with a high quality touch screen: all you need to learn is what happens when you touch the screen. On a device like a phone or a computer, the difference between one layer of complexity (a touch screen) and two layers of complexity (buttons and a user-interface) is staggering.
The goal of both hardware and software is to make the user experience completely intuitive and natural. Microsoft should take a page from Apple and ditch buttons on their next product, just like they ditched the stylus.
**Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**
**Will Marlow is a digital strategist/online marketing consultant. He’s the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which is a Web 2.0 fundraising platform for colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** License plate, Microsoft, Steve Ballmer, User experience, Vanity plate
---
### [The revolution in social media](https://willmarlow.com/the-revolution-in-social-media/)
**Published:** July 15, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/igetit.jpg)
A lot of people think that all the different social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr, *etc.)* are more complicated than they really are. Every social media platform, however, has one thing in common: they all make *publishing* possible. That is the key to the social media revolution.
YouTube (publishing videos), Flickr (publishing photos), Blogger (publishing words), Twitter (publishing short sentences), and Facebook (publishing details of your life) all make publishing different things easier. Each one of these platforms is a piece of a larger revolution in publishing. They will always just be satellites orbiting the sun of a larger revolution.
That’s why you can be sure that social media (defined as *publishing* on the Internet) will not fade in relevance, even while any specific platform (Friendster, MySpace) may balloon in popularity one day, only to fade into obscurity the next.
**Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**
**Will Marlow is a digital strategist/online marketing consultant. He’s the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which is a Web 2.0 fundraising platform for colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Facebook, Flickr, LinkedIn, Social Media, Twitter
---
### [Why blogs are better than social networks for achieving marketing goals](https://willmarlow.com/why-blogs-are-better-than-social-networks-for-achieving-marketing-goals/)
**Published:** July 20, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
In addition to writing this blog, I also have a large social media presence [on Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/willmarlow) and [Google Buzz](http://www.google.com/profiles/W.B.Marlow#buzz). Through a survey that I did awhile back, and through simple observation, I can say that my social media presence is responsible for driving a very large portion of my blog readership. (As a new blogger, and as a blogger who lacked a pre-existing subscriber base, social media platforms have been invaluable to me for finding readers and subscribers.)
The fact that social media is so great leads many people to ask: why do you need a blog at all? Aren’t blogs just relics of the 1990s?
The answer is definitely ‘No,’ blogs are not at all displaced by social media tools. Here is how you should think about it:
*Your blog is your house. Your social media platforms are the doors and pathways you use to lead people into your house. You can replace “blog” with website if you want, but in that case your website needs to be substantial and compelling enough to draw people in and keep them interested, otherwise you should get a blog to accomplish that.*
The bottom line is this: my blog has gotten me a handful of speaking engagements, a handful of new business opportunities, and introductions to many, many interesting people. My social media platforms, on the other hand, have gotten me: blog subscribers. (**Hint: I love it when people ****[subscribe](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US)**** to my blog by email; click **[here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US) to subscribe!**)**
I am exaggerating slightly to say that my social media platforms *only* introduce people to my blog, and that from there I interact with new people. I do interact with lots of people on social media platforms. And on some occasions I have made very interesting acquaintanceships *only* through a social media platform. But for the most part, none of the platforms allow you to engage with someone in a way that is as deep as it is on a blog. Why is that? Because blogging takes *effort*. Way more effort than creating a Twitter, Google Buzz, LinkedIn or Facebook account. And people *respect* effort. If you invest the time to create and customize and update a blog, that is a *big* statement about who you are, and what your priorities are. When people who share your values and priorities find your blog, it is a great opportunity to meet them.
This is why a blog, or another equally substantial online property, is the cornerstone of most successful social media marketing campaigns.
****Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).****
**Will Marlow is a digital strategist/online marketing consultant. He’s the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which is a Web 2.0 fundraising platform for colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** social networking
---
### [If you're already remarkable](https://willmarlow.com/if-youre-already-remarkable/)
**Published:** July 29, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/4839513079_d8829400e0_b.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
Your only marketing challenge is to make it *really* easy for your customers, friends and fans to talk about you. The state of Montana, where I’m on my honeymoon right now, fits into this category. Anyone who happens to drive through Montana notices its beauty, and some people (like me) feel compelled to take photographs and share them with other people. Therefore, from a marketing perspective, the state of Montana has a simple challenge: encourage and allow visitors to share their experiences with their friends by maintaining [an active Facebook page](http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#%21/GlacierNationalPark?ref=ts), encouraging photography competitions, sponsoring Artist-in-Residence programs, etc., all of which are done here.
Life is easy when you are naturally remarkable. For the rest of us, we need to do everything Montana does (i.e., enable our customers, friends and fans to talk about us in a variety of ways), but we also need to work really, really hard to *be* remarkable. PS – You can check out some more of [my photos](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/sets/72157624574975956/) from Montana, including beautiful waterfalls, mountains, and a black bear that was about 40 feet away from me, [on Flickr here](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/sets/72157624574975956/). ****Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).****
**Will Marlow is a digital strategist/online marketing consultant. He’s the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which is a Web 2.0 fundraising platform for colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Glacier National Park, Montana, Social media marketing, word of mouth marketing
---
### [The most important thing about Old Spice's social media marketing campaign](https://willmarlow.com/the-most-important-thing-about-old-spices-social-media-marketing-campaign/)
**Published:** August 10, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
If you produce a brilliant 30 second TV commercial, and people love it, you can always pay for more 30 second spots to show your commercial again and again. But if you produce an amazing social media marketing campaign with YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, like [Old Spice](http://www.youtube.com/user/OldSpice) did, you don’t need to repeatedly buy airtime. The Old Spice videos have been seen over 128 million times on Youtube.
However, there is a much more important point here, which is this: Old Spice controls its Twitter feed, its YouTube channel, and its Facebook profile. The campaign generated over 100,000 Twitter followers for Old Spice, and over 100,000 YouTube subscribers, and over 785,000 Facebook Fans for Old Spice. These social media properties will pay dividends to Old Spice for years to come.
Even if you don’t hit a viral homerun like Old spice did, you can still steadily grow your social media properties. With social marketing, you don’t *buy from a media company.* You *are a media company.*
****Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**** **Will Marlow is a digital strategist/online marketing consultant. He’s the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which is a Web 2.0 fundraising platform for colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Old Spice, Old Spice Guy, Social media strategy
---
### [Do you really want more traffic on your website?](https://willmarlow.com/do-you-really-want-more-traffic-on-your-website/)
**Published:** August 12, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I was just speaking to an executive at a university Annual Fund who told me that she wanted to use social media platforms to drive more traffic to her website.
If you can relate to this desire, I need to stop you right there. You need to understand something: you *don’t* want more traffic. More traffic by itself has zero value. You want: more donors, more volunteers, more customers, and more satisfied “readers” who visit your site regularly to read your new content. If you optimize your website so that every year you get more donors, more volunteers, and more happy subscribers, you’ll win promotions, raises, praise and other good things. If you optimize your website simply to generate generic traffic, pretty soon you’ll be asking yourself why you wasted your resources to do that. ****Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).****
**Will Marlow is a digital strategist/online marketing consultant. He’s the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which is a Web 2.0 fundraising platform for colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** university, Web Analytics, Web design, Web traffic
---
### [Dear universities: an open letter about social media and fundraising](https://willmarlow.com/dear-universities-an-open-letter-about-social-media-and-fundraising/)
**Published:** August 24, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Dear universities,
Many of you want to use social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to supplement your arsenal of fundraising tools, and that’s great. The challenge is that social media platforms are different from almost all other types of communication tools. In order to *pull* value in from social media platforms, you need to *push* value out to your intended audience. Here’s how you should do it: first, forget about fundraising. Instead, focus on the students, prospective students and alums who need *your* help. Specifically, use Twitter and Facebook to give them information that will help them succeed in their classes, find internships, connect with fellow alums, find jobs, and stay in touch with one another. Use these platforms to announce the achievements of people in your community. Use Flickr and YouTube to post videos of homecoming, sports events, reunions, and undergrads having a great time succeeding on campus. Use social media platforms to make announcements whenever any of your grads are mentioned positively in newspapers or blogs. Write posts that show how proud you are of your community. In short, don’t focus on using social media platforms to do *fundraising*. Instead, focus on using social media platforms to deliver value. Then, when you are fundraising, point to your social media presence as one of the many ways that you enhance the lives of the alumni without spending money on glossy direct mail. This will not hurt your fundraising prospects. **Hint:** a major reason to go with this strategy is that prospective students, current students, and recent grads are the quickest cohorts to connect with you on social media platforms, but each cohort is generally slower to connect than the last. This has nothing to do with how web-savvy the users are. It’s simply because prospective students need the most information from you, because they need to decide if your school is the best fit for them; current students are willing to connect with you, because you can deliver them information that will help them succeed while on campus; and recent grads are similarly interested in connecting, because they need your help to find mentors and jobs. The slowest cohort of all to connect with you on social media? That would be the donors themselves, who need the least from you. The way to get *them* involved is to show them how much value you’re delivering to their fellow alums who need help. Sincerely,
Will Marlow
Internet Advisor, Social Media Strategist and Fundraising Consultant****Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**** **Will Marlow is a digital strategist/online marketing consultant. He’s the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which is a Web 2.0 fundraising platform for colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
**\*I took the photo above on Saturday, August 21, 2010 at an event to help the recently homeless in Fairfax, Virginia, which was put on by [FACETS](http://twitter.com/facetscares), a great charity where my wife works.**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** online communications, Social Media, Universities
---
### [Why I use Twitter](https://willmarlow.com/why-i-use-twitter/)
**Published:** September 11, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
People who don’t use Twitter sometimes ask me why I started using Twitter. The reason is simple: I was the cofounder of a [startup company](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), and all startup companies have **zero credibility**: they have no customers, no track record, no glossy sales materials, no industry relationships, and an untested product. You improve those things slowly, which we have done. But on day one, you need to do everything you can to demonstrate, among other things, that *you are who you say you are*.
Twitter is a no brainer for that. With Twitter, I can have a conversation with a customer, and later when that customer Googles me and my company, she can see that I think and write about the same issues that we talked about. She can also see that I spend seven days a week thinking and writing about those same issues that she cares about. And, over time, she can see that I’ve done that for a long time. That’s one source of credibility, and that’s what drew me to Twitter in the first place. But gradually, as my company grew, I began to interact with people and Twitter became more valuable as a source of new connections and relationships. In my next post, I’m going to tell you why this has led me to create a brand new Twitter feed for myself, [@willmarlowchats](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlowChats). ****Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).****
**Will Marlow is a digital strategist/online marketing consultant. He’s the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which is a Web 2.0 fundraising platform for colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .** 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** AlumniFidelity, Social Media, Twitter
---
### [Great content vs. great conversations (or why I have two Twitter accounts)](https://willmarlow.com/great-content-vs-great-conversations-or-why-i-have-two-twitter-accounts/)
**Published:** September 15, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
There is a tension on Twitter between content and conversations. Should you publish compelling, interesting original content, or should you aim for having compelling, interesting conversations with others?
The answer depends on your goals. If you want to establish yourself as [a subject matter expert](http://startups.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/09/how-to-get-more-followers-work-become-a-thought-leader.html), or a thought leader, then you should create a Twitter account that doesn’t look like one long stream of inside jokes that have no logical string connecting them together. But if you want to connect with the greatest number of people, then you need to interact and converse with people through Twitter. (Of course, if one of your primary goals is to provide customer support through Twitter, or to answer questions of incoming students to your school, for example, then the number of Tweets you write should only be limited by the number of people who need your help.) The Twitterers who I admire most, like DC’s [Patrick Ruffini](http://www.twitter.com/PatrickRuffini), or the always interesting [Mitch Kapor,](http://www.twitter.com/mkapor) do a great job of producing interesting content *and* interesting conversations. This is how I aspire to use Twitter, and for those of you who [follow me here, ](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlow)I don’t plan on changing the style of that Twitter feed: I will continue to publish my own original content, and I will continue to promote interesting content of others, and I will also periodically interact with people as long as the interaction has some public value. But in addition to that account, I recently created [a second Twitter account, @willmarlowchats](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlowChats). This is because there are many times when I want to chat with someone via Twitter, but I don’t want to force all my followers to participate in the conversation. So, for those of you who are interested, over the next six months or so, I will be conducting an experiment: I will maintain two Twitter feeds, one which is optimized for producing unique content, and the other that is optimized for having conversations. It will be fun to see which one is more popular, and which one attracts more followers over the long run. **PS –** Since creating the new Twitter feed, I’ve posted almost almost 75 times, and they were almost all @replies. Without the second Twitter account, those conversations would never have taken place.
****Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**** **Will Marlow is a digital strategist/online marketing consultant. He’s the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which is a Web 2.0 fundraising platform for colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .** **PS – I took the photo above in Montana, when I was dangerously close to a black bear in Glacier National Park. At one point, the black bear started to lumber slowly in my direction, and it reminded me of being in a bull ring in Pamplona, Spain in 2005 when a bull started moving in my direction.** 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [How to REALLY increase the rate of subscribers to your blog](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-really-increase-the-rate-of-subscribers-to-your-blog/)
**Published:** September 22, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
If you really want to get more subscribers to your blog, you need to keep two lists: (1) a list of blogs, forums and Twitter accounts that occupy your space where you plan on regularly leaving high quality comments. Commenting makes you part of the discussion, and high quality contents will drive traffic back to your own site. And (2) you need to keep a list of blogs that you want to submit guest posts to. If you want to build a blog *subscriber* list, you aren’t just looking for people who like your content. You’re looking for blog ***subscribers*** who like your content. Not everyone uses Google Reader to subscribe to blogs. Not everyone subscribes to blogs period.
This means that if you want more subscribers to your blog, you are better off writing a guest post on another blog that has 100,000 likeminded ***subscribers*** than you are writing an Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal, which has 1 million subscribers. Why? Lots of people will read the Wall Street Journal, but they aren’t the type of people necessarily who will subscribe to your blog. (Note: if the Wall Street Journal wants to publish your Op-Ed, say YES and THANK YOU. Sometimes there are more important things than subscribers.) But back to the point of this post: these two lists (first, a list of places to comment, and second, a list of places to submit guest posts) are crucial to growing your online community. Right now I am practicing what I preach on both counts, and I’ll let you know how things go. By following an aggressive guest posting strategy, I may end up posting less frequently on this blog, but I expect to maintain a pace of one or two posts a week here. For me, the two blogs at the top of my list for where I would like to submit guest posts are [ProBlogger](http://www.problogger.net) and [CopyBlogger](http://copyblogger.com), because I think my posts and topic are most relevant to those audiences. Right now I’m working on a guest post that I plan to submit to ProBlogger or CopyBlogger about how you can build an enduring blogging empire by following the lessons laid out in the Godfather Trilogy.****Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).****
**Will Marlow is a digital strategist/online marketing consultant. He’s the co-founder of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which was the first Web 2.0 fundraising platform for colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** subscribers
---
### [A sneak peak into my page views for this blog](https://willmarlow.com/a-sneak-peak-into-my-page-views-for-this-blog/)
**Published:** September 24, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Page_Views_for_WillMarlow.com_.jpg)
Page views are not a great indicator of the reach of a blog, in my opinion. For one thing, one visitor can “view” a page 100 times, which is why “unique visitors” is also important to take into consideration. Also, page views can be driven up by temporary events, such as an extraordinarily popular or newsworthy post, but if those page views don’t get translated into an increased number of subscribers and return visitors, you may never see those hits again.
But, as my web analytics hero [Avinash Kaushik](http://www.kaushik.net) says, the actual numbers are less important than the *trend of the numbers.* I wanted to share these numbers now in this screenshot, because (a) the trend is positive, and (b) I would like to return three or six months from now to see if the trend upward continues, and to see if we can’t reach some interesting conclusions about what drives true blog growth. Just as a satisfying side note, when I started this blog not long ago, I felt good when one of my posts had *500 page views*, let alone over 20,000 page views like my post from July 20th. And my most recent blog post has had over 3,300 page views in approximately 48 hours. PS – As another interesting side note: we are one month away from this blog’s one year anniversary.****Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).****
**Will Marlow is a digital strategist/online marketing consultant. He’s the co-founder of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which was the first Web 2.0 fundraising platform for colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [Why some people hate the Internet (and what to do about it)](https://willmarlow.com/why-some-people-hate-the-internet-and-what-to-do-about-it/)
**Published:** October 4, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
We all know people who hate the Internet, or claim to hate the Internet. But most of those people don’t really hate the Internet, they really just hate websites. Because somewhere along the line they were traumatized by a website that made them feel stupid.
This is why, when you’re designing a website, one of your goals should be: avoid making users feel stupid. Make your site easy to navigate, helpful, and intuitive. Make links and buttons look “clickable.” Make text scannable. Watch real people as they navigate your site, and look for areas that cause them to stumble or pause. Too often we focus on wowing people, impressing others with our technical abilities, knocking their socks off with bells and whistles on our websites. A website that is easy to use, helpful and intuitive is a beautiful thing.****Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US), or grab the [RSS here](http://feeds.feedburner.com/WillMarlowblog).****
**Will Marlow is an online marketing consultant. He can help you [build an awesome](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/egkmFomEuE) website. He’s also the co-founder of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which you should check out if you care about fundraising for schools and nonprofits. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** User experience, UX, Web design, Web development
---
### [You will probably lose money at first](https://willmarlow.com/you-will-probably-lose-money-at-first/)
**Published:** October 7, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Most good things will require you to lose money upfront. University and nonprofit fundraisers know this, because:
- Most fundraising events in the first year will lose money.
- Almost all “new donor acquisition” mailings will lose money.
They make money by *maintaining* and *strengthening* the relationships they have with *current* donors.
There is an important lesson here. Treat your current donors and customers in a way that makes them want to be loyal to you, and don’t divert your resources too far in the direction of folks who may *one day* be donors or customers, but who aren’t today.****[Click ](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US)[here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US) to get my new posts delivered by email, or grab the [RSS here](http://feeds.feedburner.com/WillMarlowblog).****
**Will Marlow is an online marketing and website consultant. You may want to [hire him to help you grow your business](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/egkmFomEuE). He’s also the co-founder of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which you should check out if you care about fundraising for schools and nonprofits. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [Reputation management is the new PR](https://willmarlow.com/reputation-management-is-the-new-pr/)
**Published:** October 14, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I’ve been thinking a lot about online reputation management lately. It used to be that reputation management was all about how to make sure that when someone Google’d your name, good things came up in the top ten search results, and bad things didn’t.
About six months ago, [I was interviewed](http://www.scribd.com/doc/31732375/10-0319-WBM-Quote-Theage-com-Au-How-to-Push-Bad-News-From-Google) by a reporter who asked me how you could “suppress negative search results on Google.” My answer then was: don’t think about things that way. The Google team earns $20 billion every year by finding and delivering *relevant* content. Don’t try to trick them, because it won’t work, and most attempts to do so are unethical anyway. Instead, you need to create *new* content that is *more relevant* than the content that you don’t like. Take Michael Vick, for example. He was caught **killing puppies**, which, in this country, is arguably considered more evil and outrageous than killing people. Any PR strategy that involved suppressing those negative news stories would have failed more miserably than BP’s attempts at suppressing the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico by using trash to plug the hole. Instead of suppressing old stories, Michael Vick became the spokesman for the Humane Society. He created *new* stories that competed for attention with the old stories.Your focus should always be on creating interesting, relevant content, and positioning your content so that it’s easily discoverable. The technical side of reputation management is still important — you need to understand (as best you can) *how* Google and other search engines deliver results. But you need to understand the rules so that you can *follow them*, not so that you can break them. In my next post, I’ll cover how reputation management has changed in the last few years.
PS – I took the photo of the two dogs above (Lexie and Zeus) in Michigan last week. [More photos from the trip here](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/sets/72157625016786973/with/5072111492/).
****[Click ](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US)[here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US) to get my new posts delivered by email, or grab the [RSS here](http://feeds.feedburner.com/WillMarlowblog).****
**Will Marlow is an online marketing and website consultant. You may want to [hire him to help you manage your business’s online reputation](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/egkmFomEuE). He’s also the co-founder of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which you should check out if you care about fundraising for schools and nonprofits. Email him at .** 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** online reputation management, reputation management
---
### [How has reputation management changed in the last five years? (Part 2 of 2)](https://willmarlow.com/how-has-reputation-management-changed-in-the-last-five-years-part-2-of-2/)
**Published:** October 21, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Gray_Catbird.jpg)
When it comes to online reputation management, five years ago you only needed to deal with Google search results. Facebook and Twitter, however, are soon going to drive more traffic and “click-throughs” than Google, if they haven’t already surpassed Google. The key question to ask, then, is this: what’s the difference between the information that we find on Google and the information we find on Twitter and Facebook?
**Google vs. the Social Networks**
The key difference is that Google answers your *specific* question, whereas Twitter and Facebook give you insight into general topics and trends. Google is still the most important resource for people who are conducting “due diligence” on a company or product, which means that for reputation management, Google is *still* the place you need to start. But, in my opinion, Twitter and Facebook are where opinions are *created, grown and cemented.* And what happens on Twitter and Facebook ends up on Google (Twitter’s CEO gives you proof [here](http://twitter.com/#!/ev/status/20939662484), in under 140 characters), and if you’re in the field of reputation management, this means that you need a strategy to monitor what is being said, participate in the conversation as appropriate, and produce content that contributes to the discussion. Today, if your strategy only focuses on Google, you’ll always be in catchup mode. **Will Marlow is an online marketing and website consultant. You may want to [hire him to help you manage your business’s online reputation](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/egkmFomEuE). He’s also the co-founder of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which you should check out if you care about fundraising for schools and nonprofits. Email him at .** 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** online reputation management, Search Engine Optimization, SEO
---
### [Your website will reflect your personality](https://willmarlow.com/your-website-will-reflect-your-personality/)
**Published:** October 28, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Your website will reflect your personality. (Whether you want it to or not.)
- If you are a careless person, your website will be sloppy.
- If you’re an artistic person, your website will be unique.
- If you’re an angry person, your website will be confrontational.
- If you’re a meticulous person, your website will be *consistent* throughout.
- If you’re a disorganized person, your website will be hard to navigate.
- If you’re an arrogant person, your website will be abrasive.
- If you’re a thoughtful person, your website will informative and easy to use.
I just finished helping my friend and business associate finish a website for his excellent company, and I look forward to linking to it soon in this space. I’ll take care to highlight the areas of the project that I contributed to, but I’ll do that primarily to emphasize how talented he is.
His new website does a wonderful job of reflecting the personality of the business that it represents: it is high-quality, meticulous, unique, balanced, thoughtful, direct, clear, and beautifully designed. It communicates key things about the business’s brand to visitors, and I look forward to seeing the reaction that people have to the final product. **PS – I took the picture above last Saturday when I was the official (volunteer) photographer at FACETS charity auction. [FACETS is a great nonprofit](http://www.facetscares.org/) that provides support/assistance to the homeless in Fairfax, Virginia. (The dessert in the photo was donated to the event by Natalia’s Elegant Creations, [a fantastic bakery](http://www.nataliaselegantcreations.com/) in Falls Church, Virginia. [More photos here](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/sets/72157625105069173/).** **Will Marlow is an online marketing consultant. He can help you [build an awesome](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/egkmFomEuE) website. He’s also the co-founder of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which you should check out if you care about fundraising for schools and nonprofits. Email him at .** 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [The importance of understanding technology](https://willmarlow.com/the-importance-of-understanding-technology/)
**Published:** November 4, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/pumpkin_row.jpg)
If you’re responsible for handling online communications and marketing for any organization, you need to understand both marketing *and* technology.
**Case in point:** an election was held on Tuesday. Some of the races in Virginia were very close, including one near where I live. I just received an email from one of the candidates (two days after the final votes were cast) urging me to vote. The first sentence of the email was: “Have you voted yet?” I can tell that the people who sent me the email clicked the “send” button on time. I’m sure they *hoped* the email was going to hit me on Tuesday, when I still had time to vote. But it didn’t get to me until today. *Thursday*. Two days too late. If you have an important message, like “Don’t forget to vote in the next eight hours!” it won’t do any good if your email hits peoples’ inboxes 48 hours after the polls close.
From the outside looking in, it’s impossible for me to tell if the campaign team should blame the company that provides their E-Newsletter software, or if they should blame themselves for being too aggressive in sending out emails over the course of the campaign. (My hunch is that they should blame the E-Newsletter company, because the company probably did not have a good plan in place to schedule E-Newsletter requests on election day, when the load on their servers was guaranteed to be far higher than normal. But if that’s the case, the fault *still* lies with the campaign, because the campaign needs to insist that the E-Newsletter provider develop a plan and stick to it on a critical day like that. You can’t leave anything to chance when things are that important.) **Will Marlow is an online marketing consultant. He can help you [send out an E-Newsletter](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/egkmFomEuE) that not only reaches your prospects on time, but also wins more people over to your point of view. He’s also the co-founder of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which you should check out if you care about fundraising for schools and nonprofits. Email him at .** 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Online marketing
---
### [Measure everything](https://willmarlow.com/measure-everything/)
**Published:** December 14, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/marketingactivities.jpg)
This is pretty much how I feel about marketing.
Soon, I’ll explain why I’ve sent this blog into temporary hibernation recently.***Will Marlow is a blogger in DC. Follow him [on Twitter here](http://www.twitter.com/willmarlow).*** 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [How to avoid an E-Newsletter #fail](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-avoid-an-e-newsletter-fail/)
**Published:** December 24, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/e-newsletterfail.jpg)
Lots of people like to send out E-Newsletters that have a big pretty image and zero text. If you like to send out E-Newsletters like that, a lot of people will see nothing but a blank email, like this one. (It’s a *very* successful E-Newsletter if you have anywhere near 50% of recipients clicking “display images.”) You should always include at least enough text in an E-Newsletter that anyone who doesn’t want (or know how) to download the images can still take something away from it, otherwise a lot of people are going to see nothing but whitewash.
***Will Marlow is a blogger in DC. Follow him [on Twitter here](http://www.twitter.com/willmarlow).***
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Online marketing
---
### [How a Big Hairy Audacious Goal Can Make Your Blog More Memorable](https://willmarlow.com/how-a-big-hairy-audacious-goal-can-make-your-blog-more-memorable/)
**Published:** June 27, 2011
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/themostdramaticviewofdcatnight.jpg)
One thing that bloggers struggle with is the challenge of making their blog more memorable to first-time visitors. One of the most useful metrics you should be tracking in Google Analytics is how many **“return visitors”** you are getting. If you aren’t getting many return visitors, you’re probably also failing to grow your blog.
Most people focus on making their blog STICKIER, and this is generally a good thing. You can make your blog *stickier* by **optimizing the structure of your blog**, and having strong, well-placed calls to action that lead visitors to provide you with their contact information, or by offering multiple convenient ways for people to subscribe to get updates from the blog (RSS, email subscription, Twitter links, newsletter options, etc). **Don’t get me wrong: stickiness is important**, and you need to nail down all of these things in order to make sure you convert a good percentage of visitors into repeat visitors/subscribers/customers. But making a blog *stickier* isn’t the *only* thing you should do. You should also try to make your blog more **memorable**. This takes *creativity,* and it requires you to think like a marketing pro. Here’s what you do: you need to identify some **key messages and metaphors that crystallize the reason that your blog exists in the first place.** It’s not easy — this is how marketers make their money. Here’s a great example. A few weeks ago I did research to identify the best photography blogs, and I looked at about 20 different photoblogs. The next day, without consulting my notes, the only two blogs that I was able recall were [Digital Photography School](http://www.digital-photography-school.com/), which I was already familiar with due to its connection with [Darren Rowse](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darren_Rowse), and [Thomas Hawk’s photography blog](http://thomashawk.com/). Why did I remember Thomas Hawk’s blog? Because on his [About Thomas Hawk page](http://thomashawk.com/about-thomas-hawk), he says that he has an obsessive compulsive goal of **publishing 1 million photographs before he dies**. That qualifies as a BHAG, or Big Hairy Audacious Goal, which Jim Collins talks about in *[Built to Last](http://www.amazon.com/Built-Last-Successful-Visionary-Companies/dp/0887307396).* According to Jim Collins, almost all of the world’s best companies embrace BHAGs that seem impossible at first, but that serve to push the company to greater and greater levels of success. In the case of blogging, however, a BHAG can also be like a “handle” that a first-time visitor can get her hands around to pick up the blog, and carry it with her. In a world of 150 million blogs, you need to find lots of ways to crystallize for your readers exactly *why* your blog exists, otherwise you’ll be forgettable, even if you have high quality content. A [Big Hairy Audacious Goal](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Hairy_Audacious_Goal) is just one way you can make your blog more memorable, but it’s something that has probably never occurred to most bloggers like it did to Thomas Hawk, and hopefully it will get you thinking about all the different ways you can differentiate your blog, like a marketer works to differentiate any product or company. *Will Marlow is a PR specialist, blogger, and photographer who lives in Northern Virginia. One of his BHAGs is to take at least one high quality photograph of every monument, memorial, statue, and iconic building in Washington, DC. [Here ](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/sets/72157626892785086/)[are some of those photographs](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/sets/72157626892785086/). You should [follow him on Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlow).* 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** darren rowse, photographer, Photography, Popular blogging, Public Relations, thomas hawk, Washington
---
### [Why Social Media Managers Are Like Janitors](https://willmarlow.com/why-social-media-managers-are-like-janitors/)
**Published:** July 1, 2011
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/A_muddy_Golden_Retriever_-_Fe.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
The social media landscape is a pretty messy place. Your job, as a social media manager or digital PR pro (or whatever you call yourself) is to *organize things,* and *clean them up.* How do you do that? You make **lists, lists, lists,** and more lists.
[Lists are something that come naturally to PR pros](http://www.willmarlow.com/the-second-step-to-getting-your-institution-q), and they need to start coming naturally to social media marketers. Think of it like this: if there are 50 million people who [post 5 million photos every day](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flickr) on Flickr, only 250,000 of them leave comments, write testimonials, or Fave the photos that they like. And, of those 250,000, there are probably just a few thousand that care about the same things that you care about. Just by realizing *that*, you have cleaned up the Flickr universe tremendously, reducing it from 50 million people to 250,000, to a few thousand, or preferably a number small enough to fit on your list. Your job is to **edit, edit, edit**, until your lists are small, manageable, CLEAN, and powerful. Before you can accomplish anything as a social media manager, you need to clean things up first.*Will Marlow is a PR specialist, blogger, and photographer who lives in Northern Virginia. The photograph of the Golden Retriever above will be featured as the lead photograph on the July 18th edition of the [A-Town Dog Blog](http://www.arlingtondogparks.posterous.com). You should [follow Will Marlow on Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlow).* 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Digital Public Relations, PR, PR Pro, PR Pros, Public Relations, Social media manager, Social Media Optimization, social media pro, social media pros
---
### [How To Get Attention for Your Content On Social Media](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-get-attention-for-your-content-on-social-media/)
**Published:** July 6, 2011
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/5903971444_a988b7db85_b.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
A lot of people say that [content is king](http://searchengineland.com/from-seo-to-social-media-content-is-still-king-13461#) in social media marketing. I’ve been guilty of saying this myself. But the problem is, it’s *not* true.
Content (even *great* content) is a *commodity*. Having outstanding content is merely *table stakes* for success in social media. What is *not* a commodity is *engagement* with key influencers.
Here’s an example. I took the photo above on Monday night. It is now Wednesday, and in the last two days over [100 people have commented](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/5903971444/) on this photograph, [86 people have “favorited” it](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/5903971444/favorites/), and it was featured on [DCist here](http://dcist.com/2011/07/photo_booth_kapow.php#photo-18). There are lots of better photographs of the July 4th fireworks in DC, but this one has been seen by more people than many of them, and I am *not* a professional photographer. The reason that this photograph has generated more *engagement* than a lot of the other July 4th fireworks photographs, is that I enjoy connecting with people who care about DC, and I regularly engage with them in lots of different ways, on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlow), Facebook, and [Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/WilliamMarlow).
To reiterate, you will NOT succeed without high quality content. If that picture was terrible, it would have generated zero comments and favorites. Low quality content is probably the most common cause of failure in social media campaigns. But saying that you need great content for social media is like saying you need copper to make a penny. True, but not particularly insightful.
So from now on, when you see an outstanding social media campaign, don’t just analyze the content. Think about the *engaged network* that pushed the content to the top. When you see content that gets thousands of Likes, Tweets, Comments, Shares, Faves, etc., you can bet that the buzz got started with lots of emails, InMails, phone calls, Direct Messages, gchats, and other one on one communications between influencers.
*Will Marlow is a PR specialist, blogger, and photographer who lives in Northern Virginia. You should [follow Will Marlow on Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlow).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Digital Public Relations, Flickr, Marketing, Photography, Social Media, Social media marketing
---
### [Why Google+ Will NOT Kill Facebook](https://willmarlow.com/why-google-will-not-kill-facebook/)
**Published:** July 12, 2011
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/flower.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
Whenever a new social networking product is launched, the question of whether it will KILL its rivals always comes up.
But for those of you who are loyal to Facebook, never fear. Google+ will NOT kill Facebook. Here’s why. Google+ is not in the business of being the virtual glue that holds together your real world relationships. **That’s Facebook’s mission.** Facebook wants to make your real world relationships *richer* by letting you share, chat, and interact in a safe place online. **Google+** doesn’t do that. It doesn’t even TRY to do that. Instead, **Google+ wants to be the catapult that helps you launch your message/product/company/idea to greater and greater numbers of people more effectively.** It also wants to be the net that you use to pull in the best information from the people you respect. That is Twitter’s business, and my guess is that Google [has a weakened Twitter](http://adage.com/article/digital/biz-stone-departure-leaves-full-time-founder-twitter/228487/) (there are no full-time founders left at Twitter day-to-day) in its crosshairs right now, but most people are missing that story. Just look at the reviews of Google+. My hero Thomas Hawk wrote a [great analysis of why Google+ is great for promoting photography](http://thomashawk.com/2011/07/top-10-tips-on-google-for-photographers.html/comment-page-1#comment-616236). He’s mostly correct in what he says, but the very fact that Google+ is great for photographers is evidence that it is NOT competing in an area that Facebook cares about.
**By the way, if anyone wants an invite to Google+**, just let me know in the comments below, by email, or send up smoke signals. *Will Marlow is a PR specialist, blogger, and photographer who lives in Northern Virginia. You should [follow Will Marlow on Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlow).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Digital Public Relations, Facebook, Google+, PR, PR Pros, Public Relations, Social Media, Social media marketing, Will Marlow
---
### [The Eight Things You Need to Know About Google Plus](https://willmarlow.com/the-eight-things-you-need-to-know-about-google-plus/)
**Published:** July 18, 2011
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/5770546332_0553e3885f_b-1.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
Most people have heard about Google+ by now, which is Google’s latest attempt at launching a social network. Whenever a major new social media product is launched, I publish a guide explaining the most important eight things you need to know about it. I did this for [Google Buzz](http://www.willmarlow.com/eight-things-you-need-to-know-about-google-bu), and I did it for [Facebook’s Open Graph](http://www.willmarlow.com/8-things-you-need-to-know-about-facebooks-pla), and those were two of my most popular posts. Now that I’ve had about a month to get to know G+, I wanted to share the **Eight Things You Need to Know About Google Plus**, and I hope it’s helpful to you.
1. **Why is Google Plus important?** It’s important for lots of reasons, but here’s the most significant: Google is directly tying its new social media platform to its search results, and Google search is the most important search engine in the world. Google Plus influences search results in two important ways: (1) it lets Google deliver more personalized results to people who use G+, and (2) it influences aggregate search results delivered to users everywhere by helping Google understand which websites are spammy and which ones are popular and relevant. If you have NOT created a Google Plus account, you can see an example of the first point right now. When you are logged into Google (not Google Plus, but just regular Google), you’ll see a +1 next to all search results in the Google results page. When you click the plus one, this is basically like casting a vote in favor of the page, and Google will use that vote as part of its famous algorithm for delivering search results and advertisements. So right off the bat, forget the significance of Google+ as a social network. Think of Google+ as a key component of the Google search product that drives $20 billion a year in advertising revenue.
2. **Is Google Plus REALLY that important, or is it just marketing hype?** As a trained marketer myself, I DO admire the [excellent job that the Google team has done in selling this social network](http://prbreakfastclub.com/2011/06/29/google-plus-launch/) to the public. But don’t be cynical: it IS important. Here is the proof: Google is like Warren Buffett, [the third wealthiest person in the world](http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/10/billionaires-2010_Warren-Buffett_C0R3.html), with $50 billion in personal wealth. Warren Buffett’s biggest challenge at this point is identifying opportunities that are worth his time. This is also Google’s biggest challenge. A $100 million opportunity isn’t worth his sweat, and it’s not worth Google’s sweat either. They can’t waste their time on small potatoes. And Google Plus is driving A LOT of energy of Googlers. It’s huge. They are investing their brand, their engineering talent and time, and their marketing dollars in pushing this product. That means that they see a big opportunity. Now, they might be wrong, like they were [with Google Buzz](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Buzz), which is probably NOT a multi-billion dollar asset, but for now, marketers and PR folks like you and me need to take this seriously, because Google is taking it seriously.
3. **So how do you use Google Plus?** This is where Google Plus is winning a lot of praise. Using Google Plus is pretty easy. You create an account, and you add people to different circles that you want to receive information from, and you can easily switch between multiple streams to see information on different topics. G+ provides very few restrictions on how you share content and information. This post is NOT a tutorial on using Google Plus, so look elsewhere for that — the focus here is on WHY Google Plus is important. Point number three is simply that Google Plus is important because it’s intuitive, easy and fairly enjoyable to use, and this is driving a lot of its usage right now.
4. **How Is Google Plus Different from Facebook?** I love this topic, but I know a lot of people disagree with me here. In [my last post I wrote that Google Plus is an *information-centric* social network](http://www.willmarlow.com/why-google-will-not-kill-facebook), whereas Facebook is a *relationship-centric* social network. Think about it: with Facebook, you get **zero value until someone acknowledges** and agrees to have a relationship with you. You need reciprocal friendships on Facebook. But on Google Plus, you can get value without a relationship with someone. I can add people to circles without their approval. To me, this is the **defining difference between Facebook and Google Plus**, and I think it’s the reason that Google Plus doesn’t compete directly with Facebook. I think that this difference is Facebook’s defining attribute, and key strength. The growth of a reciprocal network like Facebook is going to be slowed by the very fact that connections are made in two steps: (step 1 = friend request and step 2 = friend acceptance). Google Plus grows through a **one-step process**: friend request. Asynchronous networks like Twitter and Google Plus are trying to compete on different terms: **they want to be the best places to curate useful information**, and to deliver useful information to tribes of followers (my [apologies to Seth Godin](http://www.amazon.com/Tribes-We-Need-You-Lead/dp/1591842336), for borrowing his term).
5. **So who does Google Plus compete with?** See point #4, but I think that Google Plus competes directly with any asynchronous social network, primarily Twitter. Google Plus is in the information business, and I am surprised that so many people disagree with me on this, because [Google itself has a global mission of organizing the world’s information](http://www.google.com/about/corporate/company/). So why wouldn’t they create an information-centric social network? Google Plus sees a multi-billion dollar opportunity to do two things: (a) create a great social network that people spend lots of time on, and (b) protect the integrity and value of their search engine results. Both of these goals are key to Google’s motivation here. Killing Facebook is not on Google’s mind, and if it were to happen it would be a secondary benefit.
6. **Why do people want to USE Google Plus?** This is a complicated question. Different people want to use it for different things. A professional “search engine optimizer” wants to use it to influence search results for clients. Most PR pros want to use it the same way they use Twitter, to share information with their personal network, and to expand their personal network. (On that note, [you should add me to your circles on G+](https://plus.google.com/114313615710604492651/about).) Casual users want to share photos, videos, and long-form writing. The casual user is the greatest mystery in the world to me, because I am not one of them. I use social media platforms for targeted purposes, like driving traffic to websites, creating sales leads, establishing new relationships, strengthening existing relationships, and for deepening my understanding of best practices when creating new web experiences on my own.
7. **How is Google Plus different from LinkedIn?** Simple: LinkedIn (and Facebook) requires a reciprocal relationships before you get ANY value. Stop right there. This is the only difference that really matters, because it defines how you use LinkedIn, as well as Facebook, and thus it also defines how you use Google Plus.
8. **How is Google Plus different from Twitter?** Both Twitter and Google Plus are asynchronous social networks, which means you don’t need a reciprocal relationship to follow someone on Twitter or Google Plus. To me, this is the **defining similarity between Google Plus and Twitter**. Following this similarity, there is **ONE** **KEY DIFFERENCE** between Google Plus and Twitter, which is that with Twitter, everything you say is chronological, and all posts on Twitter are equal. If I want to make a comment on someone else’s Tweet, I need to make a new Tweet myself. That is to say, **the concept of a sub-level comment or a second-tier comment does not exist in Twitter**. There is a **democracy of posting in Twitter,** because before I post anything I need to ask myself whether it is something that I want EVERYONE to see. Google Plus, on the other hand, let’s you comment on someone else’s post without adding anything to your own G+ stream. *Huge difference there.* Following this key difference, you need to look at differences at the *feature* level, like this: Twitter has follow limits, which Google Plus currently does NOT. Twitter has character limitations of 140 characters, which Google Plus does not. Twitter has much more severe limitations on how “rich media” like videos and images are displayed, and Google Plus tries to outdo Twitter here by presenting media in a more intuitive, richer way. I’m not here to make predictions about whether G+ will last or not, but I will say that people CLAIM that they don’t like limitations on social media, but I think the built-in limitations of Twitter are a strength, and help explain why it has been such a powerful communications tool.
This is my early analysis of Google Plus, and I hope you found it useful as you try to get value from Google’s new social network.
By the way, as a bonus tidbit, if I were smarter about SEO, I would have formatted this post differently. You see, the web “likes” short content for **s**earch **e**ngine **o**ptimization purposes. The reason why academic websites and newspapers get killed in SEO by websites like **About.com** and **Wikipedia**, is that Google wants to deliver the EXACT answer to a searcher’s question, it doesn’t want to give someone a ten page article that may or may not contain the right information buried inside for the individual to sift through and discover. So, if I were trying to optimize my blog for search engine optimization, it would have been a better choice for me to publish eight different posts that each focused on eight different things you need to know about Google Plus, instead of firing off all eight in a single post. My outlook on this, however, is that you can break the SEO rules as long as you KNOW the rules. In this case, I’m breaking the rules because I think this topic holds together much more strongly as a single, cohesive post, rather than eight separate posts. In this case, I choose to “write for humans” rather than writing for Google, which is important to do, even if you care about SEO. *Will Marlow is a PR specialist, blogger, and amateur photographer who lives in Northern Virginia. The photograph above is a hand-held shot at the WWII Memorial in DC, and it’s part of a series he’s doing on the [monuments, memorials, buildings, and historic places in and around the District of Columbia.](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/sets/72157626892785086/) You should [follow Will Marlow on Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlow).* 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Digital Public Relations, G+, Google Buzz, Google+, PR and Social Media, Search Engine Optimization, SEO
---
### [When Should a Startup Invest in PR?](https://willmarlow.com/when-should-a-startup-invest-in-pr/)
**Published:** August 1, 2011
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/winston_belly_up.jpg.scaled1000.jpg)
A big mistake that startups make is thinking that a company needs to be a certain (specific) size before it should begin investing seriously in public relations. **That’s the wrong way to look at it.**
Instead, you should ask yourself: **what does our company care about?** What do we need to accomplish, and how does PR fit in? For example, most startups care about three things: (1) finding new customers, (2) retaining more current customers, and (3) shortening sales cycles. PR can help with all of those things, but you need to know what you care about most before you pick a strategy, and certainly before you pick tactics.
Public relations is never a one-size-fits-all discipline. Some companies need to invest in PR before they earn their first dollar in revenue. Other companies are better off spending their resources elsewhere until they’re ready to scale their operations. So don’t wait until you hit some magic revenue number.
Invest in PR at the moment when you’re ready to benefit from shining a spotlight on your website / product / company / idea. (By the way, asking the question, “What do we care about” is a good idea no matter what type of organization you work for, and it’ll help you avoid making lots of bad decisions, with PR or anything else.)
*Will Marlow is a PR specialist, blogger, and amateur photographer who lives in Northern Virginia. The dog in the photograph above would like you to rub his tummy. You should [follow Will Marlow on Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlow).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Digital Public Relations, Lean startup theory, Public Relations, Startups
---
### [Three Reasons Why Twitter Is Better Than Google+ for Personal Branding](https://willmarlow.com/three-reasons-why-twitter-is-better-than-google-for-personal-branding/)
**Published:** August 9, 2011
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/winston_and_paw.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
This post could also have been named, “Why Twitter is the Ultimate Tool for Personal Branding.”
I’ve been on Google+ since it’s early beta days, and I like the social network very much. It’s a fantastic system for sharing information, and connecting with people. I am being followed by [2,400 people](https://plus.google.com/114313615710604492651/posts)[ on G+](https://plus.google.com/114313615710604492651/posts), and although I’m being followed by [7,200+ on Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlow), it took me a lot longer to reach that level of influence on Twitter (I’ve been on Twitter since 2006). In my opinion, Twitter is enormously valuable for personal branding **because it is optimized for delivering crucial information after a brief glance, in under ten seconds.** This is why Twitter can serve as a “living resume” that constantly keeps people updated on your real priorities. Google+ fails at this. And it fails badly. But all hope isn’t lost. G+ is still useful, and if you’re interested in this topic, you should read this to the end, and I’ll make sure to explain why Google+ can help you accomplish some key branding and communications goals in the last paragraph. Here are the three reasons why Twitter is better than Google Plus for personal branding: 1. **Twitter allows only one type of posting.** You post to your timeline on Twitter, and it doesn’t matter if you’re responding to someone else’s post, or if you want to make a comment on something you’ve already posted. You can only post to YOUR timeline on Twitter, and you can only do so in reverse chronological order. On Google+ it is *very* different. You can post on your feed, or you can make a comment on a post that you’ve already made, or you can make a comment on someone else’s feed. This means that a quick glance at your Google Plus profile doesn’t reveal much about you. It doesn’t tell someone how often you post, or how often you interact with others, and it doesn’t reveal what’s most important to you. Twitter, due to its rigid, top-line posting format, immediately reveals what you care about. [Chris Brogan cares about talking to people](http://www.twitter.com/chrisbrogan). [Guy Kawasaki cares about posting interesting things](http://www.twitter.com/guykawasaki).
2. **Google+ let’s you hide key information about third party validation.** On Google+, you can hide how many people you’ve added to circles. You can also hide how many people have added *you* to circles. You can’t do either of those things on Twitter, which means that a quick glance at a Twitter profile will reveal how much third-party validation the person has, based on how many people are following them. \*\*In fact, the only third party validation that is automatically available on G+ is the number of times people have +1’d your posts, and the number of times people have commented on your posts. Coupled with the first point I made above about the ability to make non-top-level comments on G+, this actually creates a perverse incentive for people on Google+ to prolong stupid conversations to boost the number of comments that are made on their posts. This incentive is absent on Twitter.
3. **On Google+, you can selectively hide your posts.** This creates a huge amount of uncertainty for anyone who takes a quick glance at your profile. Unlike on Twitter, Google+ reveals nothing about a person’s priorities after a quick glance. On Twitter, you can make ALL your posts private, or ALL your posts public, but there is no uncertainty about a users posting habits, because private accounts are clearly marked.
The power of Twitter is that you can get a lot of value out of it in a short amount of time, and by spending more time, you can get more and more value out of it. This means that people have an incentive to find and follow new people on Twitter, because they feel like they can rapidly AND accurately assess a new Twitter user. (Contrast this to the pre-Twitter world: no one wanted to sign up for E-Newsletters because they were afraid that they would be inundated by spam from the company. The perceived cost of taking a chance on receiving information from an unknown company was much higher.)
**So what’s so good about Google+?** Google+ is optimized for allowing you to share rich experiences with people, like photographs and videos, and long-format comments. This means that Google+ can be a great supplementary social media profile. After people get to know you elsewhere, like on Twitter, you may benefit tremendously from giving them the option to engage with you on G+, just like photographers often give people the option to engage with them on Flickr. But don’t expect G+ to perform the revolutionary role that Twitter has performed since its creation, which is its role as the ultimate tool in personal branding.*Will Marlow is a PR specialist, blogger, and amateur photographer who lives in Northern Virginia. The dog in the photograph above does not need your pillow, just his paw. You should [follow Will Marlow on Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlow).* 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** G+, Google+, personal branding, Twitter
---
### [This Is the Only Thing That's Free About Social Media Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/this-is-the-only-thing-thats-free-about-social-media-marketing/)
**Published:** August 24, 2011
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/border_collie.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
People often think that social media is attractive because it’s free. But this is a simple misconception. Social media isn’t free. Social media *simply scales for free*, but it won’t scale at all without an upfront investment.
Just look at [Rebecca Black](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_Black), who is famous for performing what many people think is the worst song ever written, and the [worst music video ever produced](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0). Her mother [invested $4,000](http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/exclusive-rebecca-black-fighting-ark-music-factory-over-friday-20110401) in making the video, and now it has made more than enough money for her to pay for college. If you want sensational results with social media, you need to invest whatever is necessary for your particular social media program to begin to scale, because **scaling happens for free**, which means you can reach far more people than you’d be able to pay to reach through advertising. The key question on everyone’s mind at this point should be: how much does it cost for content to scale? The answer depends entirely on who you want to reach with your content, and the nature of the content itself. Proctor & Gamble has probably spent millions of dollars by now on its successful [Old Spice Guy campaign](http://www.youtube.com/user/OldSpice), and they will probably continue to spend, because even though it may not be as successful as Rebecca Black’s $4,000 video, it is no doubt generating more exposure than they could have paid the same amount of money to get. At the other end of the spectrum, many people choose to go with a content only marketing approach on social media. This is similar to Seth Godin’s “drip marketing,” where you create new, valuable content on a daily basis for your audience, eventually building an online portfolio of compelling content that draws your customers into your universe and earns their trust. [CopyBlogger](http://www.copyblogger.com/content-marketing/) is hands down the best source of information on content marketing, and despite never having spent a dime on advertising, the CopyBlogger Media company is generating seven figures in revenue with well-over 50% margins. Their upfront investment was in the form of design, hosting, travel, and conference costs. At this point, however, after six years CopyBlogger is now built on a solid foundation, and they benefit tremendously from free scaling. For those of you who choose to pay for advertising in addition to having a social media program, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is treating those two programs as completely separate. I’ve worked with a number of clients who started by separating the two programs completely. But your goal should always be to bring in only NEW people through paid advertising, and once they know you, you should be able to interact with them freely via your preferred social media channels. If this isn’t a part of your marketing strategy, then you’re going to pay too much for your advertising over time, and your social media program will probably never scale. I think that some people have resisted social media marketing all along because they instinctively believe that there is no such thing as free ice cream. For those of you who feel that way, I’m on your side. Social media marketing is fantastic, but only if you’re willing to make the investment in time and resources to start to scale. *Will Marlow is a Public Relations and digital marketing specialist. The photograph of the salivating dog above was also featured in this week’s issue of the [A-Town Dog Blog](http://www.arlingtondogparks.posterous.com).* 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Digital Public Relations, PR, PR and Social Media, Public Relations, Social Media, Social Media Plan, Social media strategy
---
### [How to Use Mythology to Create a Great Brand Experience](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-use-mythology-to-create-a-great-brand-experience/)
**Published:** September 22, 2011
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/lincoln_two_lights.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
Marketers can learn from ancient mythology.
For example, we learn from [Joseph Campbell](http://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Campbell-Power-Myth-III/dp/B00005MEVQ) that in just about every culture, a God cannot be reduced through multiplicity. The God can show up in thousands of places, and in thousands of forms, simultaneously without diluting its power. This means that whether a God appears in a burning bush, a bowl of cereal, or descends from a cloud, the God always carries the same meaning and power. This should be the aspiration of every great brand. Whether your brand appears on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, fliers, in print ads, on TV, or elsewhere, it should carry the same standards of excellence. This also means that one of the biggest threats to brands these days is the pressure to do too much (and to be too many places) in the social media space. But you can look at one of the 21st century’s greatest marketers, Seth Godin, for an example of how you can successfully resist the pressure to overextend yourself. Seth Godin didn’t get on Twitter until *last year.* He didn’t get on Facebook until *last year*. And once he finally adopted those platforms, his first order of business was managing his fans expectations. He makes it very clear that he *only* uses Twitter and Facebook to post his new blog entries, which is where he spends his time. He doesn’t try to halfheartedly interact with people, to respond to comments, or to post interesting observations. This ensures that when people experience the Seth Godin brand, **they never get a diluted version.** Whether they experience him on Facebook, Twitter, or anywhere else, they always get the same thing. This means he may miss some opportunities by not using Twitter or Facebook to their full potential, but it also means that he doesn’t diminish his own message, just like one of the Gods in Joseph Campbell’s books. *Will Marlow is a PR specialist, marketer, and amateur photographer who lives in Northern Virginia. You should [follow Will Marlow on Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlow).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** joseph campbell, Marketing, mythology
---
### [Get More Out of Social Media By Using Simple Incentives](https://willmarlow.com/get-more-out-of-social-media-by-using-simple-incentives/)
**Published:** October 10, 2011
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
[](http://marlowlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/reston_oktoberfest_carnival.jpg.scaled.1000.jpg)
*“Give me enough medals, and I’ll win any war.”*
*“A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon.”*
*-Napoleon Bonaparte*
If you want to know why some people are able to achieve their marketing goals using social media, and other people are *not*, you should spend some time thinking about incentives. You can pay an army of bloggers to write about you, but once you stop paying them, they’ll stop writing. But if you survey your company / nonprofit / association, you’ll find employees / board members / customers who are willing to share their expertise in exchange for something *other* than money: recognition and respect. As long as you show sincere appreciation and offer public recognition to these volunteer writers, they’ll keep writing.
On a related note: over the weekend I volunteered as a “Beer Captain” at the Reston (Virginia) Oktoberfest, put on by the [**Reston Chamber of Commerce**](https://www.facebook.com/RestonChamber), where my wife is the Director of Communications. You may need to get creative, but you should apply this lesson to your social media strategy. Give people fun titles (like “Beer Captain”), ask them to join expert panels, and be sure to publicly acknowledge their accomplishments. If you do this in a thoughtful way, they’ll not only contribute more often, but they’ll push themselves to live up to your standards.
**Will Marlow is a PR specialist, marketer, and social media consultant. He took the above photograph at Reston’s Oktoberfest. You should [follow Will Marlow on Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/WillMarlow) or [Google+](https://plus.google.com/114313615710604492651/posts).**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Napoleon Boneparte, Popular blogging, Social Media
---
### [Digital marketing isn't all about digital](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-isnt-all-about-digital/)
**Published:** May 23, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
As a digital media consultant, I spend most of my time on digital marketing issues. And ever since I received my [Google AdWords certification](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/pwzggouuyf) from Google, I’ve been spending an increasing amount of time on paid search advertising. But it’s important to know that the number one factor that influences search behavior is television. Which is why for some campaigns, TV commercials are incredibly important.
For example, I’m working on a campaign to promote a new website ([Sort My Meds](http://www.sortmymeds.com)) that is revolutioning medicine distribution. One of the biggest challenges in health care is the question of how to help people understand how to take multiple medications on a daily basis. Sort My Meds, created by [Medicine-on-Time](http://www.medicine-on-time.com), works with pharmacies to package your medicine daily, along with dosage instructions baked right into the packaging, and delivers the medicine to your home. This is an awesome product, and in my opinion, a TV commercial is one of the most effective ways to carry the message.
Meanwhile, SEO and PPC ads help make sure that the people who see the TV commercials are able to find the website and get their free trial of the product.
I’d love to know what you think of the commercial, embedded below. If you watch the whole video, you can see that this agency knows how to have a good time.
*Will Marlow is a digital marketing consultant who specializes in search engine optimization, Google AdWords (certified), Google Analytics (certified), social media, and blogging. He is also a Google Trusted Photographer who creates virtual tours of businesses. Follow him on [Twitter here](http://www.twitter.com/willmarlow).*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Medicine on Time, PPC, Sort My Meds
---
### [Know your audience](https://willmarlow.com/know-your-audience/)
**Published:** June 8, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
My business partner and I released a video “introduction” to our startup last week. You can watch it embedded below.
A common response to the video that we heard from people who we respect was this: it’s too long. I’d love to hear your opinion on this in the comments. (This post continues beneath the video embed.)
The common wisdom says that people have short attention spans, and that you need to keep things short and punchy in order to sell.
In many circumstances, I agree with this common wisdom, but it’s more important to know your audience than to follow the common wisdom. [AlumniFidelity is a startup](http://www.alumnifidelity.com) that helps schools of all kinds conduct modern online fundraising campaigns, and the audience of this video is primarily university “advancement” executives. These individuals are: (1) very interested in the details of new products, (2) very proactive about discovering new technology that will help them do their jobs more effectively (because they are ethically responsible for conducting fundraising in a cost-effective way), and (3) they have (relatively) long attention spans.
The point can be made that AlumniFidelity has customers of all sizes and types, and some of our customers are volunteer-run nonprofits. Those types of customers may prefer a video that is short and sweet, and omits a lot of the detail of the 10 minute video.
I agree with that, too, and I think the right move for AlumniFidelity is not to produce one video for ALL potential customers, but to produce lots of videos for each market segment that we serve.
PS – It’s also interesting to think about what David Ogilvy has to say on the topic of long writing. He considered direct mail to be his “secret weapon,” and he was famous for saying, “The more you tell, the more you sell,” because he favored long copy to short copy. Regardless of whether Ogilvy is correct that long copy sells more than short copy in all instances, his opinion reinforces the point that the answer to your question should be given to you by your audience.
**Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**
**Will Marlow is an online marketing and fundraising consultant. He co-founded [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com), which provides a Web 2.0 fundraising platform to colleges, nonprofits and secondary schools. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** AlumniFidelity, Video production
---
### [Sometimes it's a good idea to change your social media/blogging routine](https://willmarlow.com/sometimes-its-a-good-idea-to-change-your-social-mediablogging-routine/)
**Published:** May 13, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
> *“There’s no sense in being precise when you don’t even know what you’re talking about.” – **John von Neumann***
When I am coaching clients on blogging and social media strategies, one of the most important themes is discipline. At the beginning of your plan, you need to formulate a strategy that you have confidence in. You need to write down the steps you are going to follow to execute your strategy (if you don’t write it down, it won’t happen). And you need to build in multiple ways to measure success and progress. (Measuring your success all along the way is crucial, because by measuring your results in the [right way](http://www.kaushik.net) you’ll be able to fine tune your plan to achieve better results.
But what about straying from your plan? As someone who reads [Avinash Kaushik](http://www.kaushik.net) regularly, I won’t ever advocate randomly changing your strategy, because that’s a quick way to get lots of information and no insights. But radically altering something in your plan, like doubling the number of posts you make, or reducing the number of posts by 50%, can teach you things you would never have learned if you had just “stayed the course.” For example, I have a client who reduced her posts by 50%, then posted a survey, and this allowed her to speak directly to her most loyal, most consistent subscribers. By reducing her activity, she was able to learn quite a bit about her most loyal subscribers, and this has allowed us to refine her communications strategy in a way that will deliver more value to this core group, and to create more of them in the process. The von Neumann quote above, courtesy of [Ben Horowitz](http://bhorowitz.com/), should never be too far from the mind of anyone who spends time in the social media space.Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. He would love to help you market your business on the Internet, boost the fundraising numbers for your school or nonprofit, or sellout your next big event. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Social Media, Social media marketing
---
### [What's the real value of social media for communicators?](https://willmarlow.com/whats-the-real-value-of-social-media-for-communicators/)
**Published:** March 30, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
‘s an article in the Wall Street Journal that says that some entrepreneurs are questioning how valuable social media really is. The premise of the article is simple: some people have done great things for their business with social media, but other people haven’t, so what’s the real value of social media tools for marketers? The nice thing about this particular story was that it highlighted a great example of a business that used Twitter in a disciplined way to achieve an *understandable* goal: the company uses social media tools like Twitter to first *listen* to what customers are saying, and then it responds to them by providing information that helps them decide whether to make a purchase or not. It’s not rocket science. The companies (and schools and nonprofits) that are doing well with social media channels have one thing in common: they know *why* they are spending time on social media. If your marketing department can’t clearly articulate what success with social media looks like, then you’re in trouble.
At the most basic level, social media tools make it very easy for you to talk to customers, and they make it easy for your customers to tell their friends. This is the surface potential of social media, and most people hang out around the surface. But one level beneath the surface, your job is to define a few “high value actions” that you want people to take using certain social media channels, and then you need to make a plan that (you hope) will lead to the regular occurrence of those “high value actions.” You need a way to measure how often they are happening, and you need a way to analyze how effectively they are leading to customer conversions. The reason why you see articles like that recent one in the Wall Street Journal that question the true effectiveness of social media in general is that, on the surface, social media *looks* simple, and so it’s tempting to not think through your strategy in a very deep way. But when you dig a little deeper, you put yourself in a position to really benefit from all those rich customer interactions that are possible on social media channels.Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his university and charity clients engage in “friend-to-friend” fundraising campaigns. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, Georgetown’s Capitol Breast Care Center, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [Don't forget about email](https://willmarlow.com/dont-forget-about-email/)
**Published:** March 29, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
One of the most important things you can do to market your organization or yourself is to have a simple email strategy, and there are two things that will make your email strategy effective: (1) you need to have a process in place by which you add high quality/relevant names to your list, and (2) you need to have a disciplined process of writing content to send out to your list. It isn’t much more complicated than that. When good things happen (you get a new client, you’re quoted in a newspaper, your company merges, you make a significant donation to a great charity, the little league team you coach wins a tournament, perhaps your startup releases a groundbreaking new feature — all of these things are good opportunities to send a quick, short email to your distribution list.
And you constantly should be building your list by adding names whenever: (1) you meet potential clients; (2) you meet executives or former executives in your industry; (3) you meet potential partners; (4) investors show interest in staying in touch; (5) or whenever friends or acquaintances express genuine interest in hearing updates from you. And you should of course make it really easy for people to add themselves to a distribution list on your website. But bad things will happen to you if you lose your discipline and just start adding any email address you find to your list and spam out poorly composed content that no one cares about. Keep in mind: the more people you email who do NOT respond to you, or who don’t EVER correspond with you by email, or (the worst case) who have abandoned their email account, the more likely you are to be [**blacklisted**](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNSBL) by the major email providers. When you get blacklisted by Yahoo or AOL or Gmail, this means that instead of sending an email that lands in someone’s inbox, your email will get caught in their “spam” filter and land in a junkmail folder. Your emails should be intimate, should invite responses of some kind, and should only be sent to people who want to hear from you. This blog post is particularly relevant to my former colleagues, the press secretaries on Capitol Hill. Press secretaries are in a very fun position – they have an easier time than most people in getting the attention of reporters who cover politics, which means they sometimes feel like they don’t need to spend time on basic things like keeping their distribution lists clean of dead email addresses. I was lucky to have started as a deputy press secretary in an office that had the basics down cold, and when I left to be the press secretary in another office, one of the important skills I took with me was a respect for fundamentals. And in this case, if you don’t diligently keep your lists “clean,” you will slowly erode the “deliverability” of ALL your emails, and if that happens, it doesn’t matter how influential you are, because no one will see your message. Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his university and charity clients engage in “friend-to-friend” fundraising campaigns. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, Georgetown’s Capitol Breast Care Center, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at . 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [How to avoid "chattering" in your social media strategy](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-avoid-chattering-in-your-social-media-strategy/)
**Published:** March 19, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The enemy of a good social media plan is chatter. Chatter is what gives ALL social media a bad name. For example, if a major nonprofit or school were to update their Twitter account with a Tweet that said, “Isn’t it a beautiful day out?” That’s borderline chatter, and I would never feel comfortable with that type of update.
But how do you make sure that each post or update advances your goals and avoids pointless chatter? The biggest problem that leads to chatter (and this is a problem that wrecks many social media campaigns) is that people don’t know *why* they are using social media. If you don’t know *why* you are blogging in the first place, you’ll never keep it up (most corporate blogs are abandoned after just a handful of posts). If you don’t know *why* you are on Twitter, pretty soon you’ll be telling people about the weather.
Here’s how you avoid chatter: identify the two or three of the highest value actions that you want to see on social media. This may be when a donor writes a positive letter and posts it on Facebook telling people how great you are. It may be when a customer posts a picture of herself at one of your events with a caption that says how wonderful your last event was. It may be when you post a video and two dozen people leave encouraging comments. Maybe it’s when you see that 20% of your sales traffic is originating from Facebook from your special promotions. Whatever the actions are, you should know them, and you should always keep them in mind when you are thinking about your next post – chances are, this will keep your content far away from topics like the color of your socks.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Facebook, Social media marketing, Social Media Plan, Twitter
---
### [Driving positive word of mouth online](https://willmarlow.com/driving-positive-word-of-mouth-online/)
**Published:** March 18, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I talk to a lot of people about how to make sure that the Internet is filled with positive stories about their organizations. Recently I was talking to a reporter who was writing a story about “Googlewashing,” which is a term I don’t like, because it implies that you are somehow removing negative stories from Google, and that’s simply *impossible* (just ask *any* celebrity who has ever tried to remove a sex tape from the Internet).
I was in the story that the reporter ended up writing, and in my quote I outline exactly the same strategy that I advise to most clients: 1. Don’t think in terms of concealing negative stories – think in terms of promoting and generating positive stories.
2. Call the customers who are the most appreciative of you, and the ones you have the strongest connection to. Tell them *how* they can tell their friends about you (writing online reviews, leaving comments on your Facebook wall, etc.) These are activities that many of them will be more than happy to do for you.
3. Write your own regular blog, at least two or three times a week, telling your story (this is easier than it sounds for most organizations, because if you’re providing a unique or high quality service, there are lots of stories you can tell).
4. Have someone *audit* the quality of the code of your website and web properties (like your blog, for example) to make sure that everything you’re doing is search engine optimized.
If you do all of these things, you should be getting three or four positive customer reviews every week or month, and you’ll make sure that if there’s ever a bad review, on day one you’ll already have positive reviews to balance things out. No one expects that any business will have positive interactions with 100% of customers, and a handful of negative reviews can even serve to validate the fact that your customer reviews are uncensored and legitimate. As long as most customers love you and are willing to talk about you, you don’t need to worry about the very rare negative review. Certainly don’t spend any time attempting to discover some secret, non-existent method of “Googlewashing.” That’s just time you’ll have wasted that you could’ve spent interacting with customers who might end up producing a genuine, positive writeup.
**You can read the full news story .**
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** AlumniFidelity, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Optimization, Will Marlow quoted, WOMMA, Word of mouth, word of mouth marketing
---
### [My survey results](https://willmarlow.com/my-survey-results/)
**Published:** March 15, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I wanted to share the results of the survey that many of you participated in a few weeks ago. Getting to hear real feedback from people is a very powerful thing, and if you run a blog I highly recommending including a periodic survey every now and then.
The results of my survey are as follows:
- 70.8% of you said you were very likely to recommend my blog to a friend. 20.8% said that they were only somewhat likely to recommend my blog to a friend, and 8.3% said that they were unlikely.
- 62.5% of you said that my posts were almost always interesting or useful. 29.2% said that only about half of my blog posts were interesting; and 8.3% said they were almost never any good.
- The third question, which let readers tell me anything they wanted me to know about how I could improve the blog, yielded really interesting insights, such as that many of you want to see me responding to all comments on the blog, add more color to the layout, and possibly the most interesting comment was that many of you found me through Google Buzz, and you were just now getting to know the blog. (Some people also suggested specific topics/questions that you thought I should answer in a blog post, and I’ll do my best to do posts on all of them eventually.)
Thanks so much for participating in the survey.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [When is paying for software better than getting it free?](https://willmarlow.com/when-is-paying-for-software-better-than-getting-it-free/)
**Published:** March 11, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
There are *lots* of awesome free tools on the Internet. And since I feel like I’m always recommending that people use free tools whenever possible, I thought I would lay out the case for paying money for certain tools. In my opinion, you should pay for an online tool whenever:
1. The tool you need is unique and you have no other options;
**or**
2. You’re also buying the resources and expertise of the company supplying the software.
If you feel the same way that I do about this, you can do *a lot* with free software, and then you can save your money for the tools that really make a difference. Just yesterday I saw [this blog post](http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/the-world/article/how-to-set-up-google-mail-across-a-small-company-joe-moreno) about how Google will provide free email hosting to institutions with 50 or fewer employees. (That means you can have a gmail interface, but it could come from . *That’s* a cool free tool.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Google Enterprise software, Google+, Software
---
### [I was quoted in this story about Toyota's social media strategy](https://willmarlow.com/i-was-quoted-in-this-story-about-toyotas-social-media-strategy/)
**Published:** March 9, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I just noticed that I was quoted in about Toyota’s social media strategy. I was interviewed because of my background cofounding [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com), which helps schools and nonprofits execute modern online fundraising campaigns, as well as for my former profession advising political candidates on their communication strategies. You can read the full story . If you want me to send you updates like this, or to receive new blog posts by email, just subscribe by putting your email address in the field below and clicking “subscribe.”
Subscribe by email to get updates on things like this, and to receive this blog:
[](http://feedburner.google.com)
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** AlumniFidelity, Toyota, Toyota recall, Will Marlow, Will Marlow quoted
---
### [About this blog](https://willmarlow.com/about-this-blog/)
**Published:** March 5, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I write this blog in order to help non-technical people who want to understand technical things. I do this because in the last five years, the line that separates technical and nontechnical roles has blurred for lots of people. Take journalists for example. Journalists shouldn’t just write a story anymore. They should write a story AND promote it online to make sure that even if they’re fired from their newspaper, they’ll have an online readership that may follow them to their next assignment. *That’s* a valuable asset.
There are tremendous opportunities for non-techies to expand their horizons, and my goal with this blog is to seek out complex topics (like search engine optimization, website development, formulas for viral marketing, online fundraising, etc.) and make them understandable and useful. (To be sure, one of the ways I do that is by leaning on people who are a lot smarter than me.)
The following questions guide me as I decide what to post on this blog:
1. Would someone at a business, a university, a startup, a corporate marketing office, or a nonprofit potentially find this information useful?
2. Would I personally regret forgetting the information?
3. Has the topic already been covered elsewhere in a similar way?
I definitely want to hear what readers think, and periodically I may post a (very, very short) survey to get feedback on how I’m doing. But if I don’t do a survey, you can still leave comments, send me an [email](mailto:will@alumnifidelity.com), or connect on [Google Buzz](http://www.google.com/profiles/W.B.Marlow#buzz) or [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/willmarlow).
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [ I want to hear from you](https://willmarlow.com/i-want-to-hear-from-you/)
**Published:** March 4, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Now that this blog is five months old, and now that I written over 85 posts that seem to have been well received by readers, I would love to hear from YOU, my readers/subscribers, to give me some feedback on how I’m doing.
When I first started, I didn’t know if anyone would be interested in reading my blog, and I’m sincerely grateful for each of you who stops by.If you have a moment, I’d love to hear from you in this anonymous, three question survey. Please click the link below and let me hear from you.
[Click here to take survey](http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SNS3XSZ)
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Survey, Will Marlow survey
---
### [Can Twitter or Facebook really boost your search engine optimization (SEO)?](https://willmarlow.com/can-twitter-or-facebook-really-boost-your-search-engine-optimization-seo/)
**Published:** March 2, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
One huge myth is that if you use Twitter or Facebook to link to your website from your status updates, you’ll increase your Google PageRank (in other words, your website will get pushed to the top of search results), because Google famously “counts the number of links” to your website to determine how “relevant” your website is. Lots of links = great search engine optimization, right? But you can think of the major Internet companies as co-conspirators in a plot to determine “relevancy,” because back in 2005 they all decided that whenever someone links to a website in the “user generated content” area of another website, they would start inserting an invisible “nofollow” tag. This means that ALL links in a Twitter feed have a hidden “nofollow” tag embedded in them (same with Facebook), and this makes them invisible to search engines. To be clear, this means that the target of the link doesn’t look any more attractive in the eyes of Google, Yahoo or Bing.
I know this will be painful for some people to hear, but if you use Twitter and get retweeted 50,000 times and drive tons of new visitors to your website, your search engine optimization won’t change a bit because of it. This means that you need to be ready to *engage* those thousands of new visitors so that they become daily or weekly or monthly visitors who love your site and products.
PS – Did you know that the word “Page” in Google PageRank does *not* refer to “webpage,” but to Larry Page, the Co-founder of Google and creator of the Google PageRank system? Just another fun Internet fact.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Facebook, Google+, Larry Page, Online myths, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, SMO, Social Media Optimization, Social media strategy, Twitter
---
### [How to apply the so-what rule to social media goals](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-apply-the-so-what-rule-to-social-media-goals/)
**Published:** February 27, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The thing that separates a good goal from a bad goal is this: a good goal is something that you can take *meaningful* action to accomplish, and a bad goal is something that you have little influence over. One of my jobs is helping organizations develop social media strategies, and one of the biggest problems I see is that people set goals like the following, “I want to have 10,000 followers in six months,” or “I want to have 30,000 blog subscribers in a year.” The problem I have with goals like that is *not* that they are too ambitious. Ambition is GREAT. The problem is that those goals can only be advanced by tactics, and you need to implement the same or similar tactics whether you want 10,000 subscribers, 20,000 subscribers, or a million subscribers. In other words, those goals may be *measurable,* but they are *not actionable.*
*For an example from my own social media strategy, my initial goal with my Twitter feed was simply to create an online place where people could get all the most important news and analysis about online communications, fundraising, education, and entrepreneurship. I wanted my Twitter feed to be a type of “resume” that would communicate to my clients and investors that I was immersed in the details of my company. That’s something that I have complete control over. And once I was satisfied that I had accomplished it, I was able to think about adding other goals, such as creating a new pipeline for speaking engagements.*
To borrow a phrase from my hero [Avinash Kaushik](http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/), after you set any goal you should ask yourself: “So what?” If there isn’t an obvious answer to that question, you should find new goals. Your goals shouldn’t just be things that you hope will happen somehow someday, they should be like those little flags that tell the slalom skiers where to go if they want to win the gold medal in Toronto.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** online communications, Social Media, social media goals, Social media strategy
---
### [Concurrency control, and how to satisfy 100% of your customers](https://willmarlow.com/concurrency-control-and-how-to-satisfy-100-of-your-customers/)
**Published:** February 26, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The concept of “concurrency control” is very important for startups. Concurrency control is the practice of knowing the number of visitors that your website can handle, and only allowing that precise number of visitors to enter the website. In other words, if your website can handle 1,000 visitors, you would make sure that the 1001st visitor gets a message to come back later. (If you want a more in depth look at this topic, read by Ashish Soni over at Saas Interrupted.)
Why is this such an important thing for startups? Because startups need to satisfy their earliest customers above and beyond those customers’ expectations. You can’t allow a traffic surge to degrade the experience of ALL of your users, because those first users aren’t just customer, they’re the reference base that you need to launch your company into the huge market of “later adopter” (read “pragmatist”) customers, which is where most of your buyers live.
(Of course, the 1,001st visitor who is asked to come back later will NOT be a satisfied reference, especially if this is a common experience for her. To prevent *that* from happening, you need to monitor your site traffic diligently to make sure that your site is set up for the right amount of traffic.)
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
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**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [Fundraising partnerships](https://willmarlow.com/fundraising-partnerships/)
**Published:** February 24, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
When are fundraising partnerships a good idea? You shouldn’t look for a partner who will solve all your problems, because that rarely works out. You should seek a partner who will solve one specific problem (if your organization has lots of problems, you’re better off with your head down trying to solve them yourself than seeking a partner who will do the work for you), and who will in turn be grateful for something that you can do for them.
The classic example is when a nonprofit has a large donor list/membership base, but lacks a clear and compelling cause for donors to donate. In this case, this nonprofit may consider forming a partnership with a new organization that lacks a large donor list/membership base but that has a compelling cause. The two organizations may each benefit from a partnership on a specific fundraising event, because each organization brings value to the table and can help the other succeed and do good work.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Online Fundraising
---
### [Eight things you need to know about Google Buzz](https://willmarlow.com/eight-things-you-need-to-know-about-google-buzz/)
**Published:** February 22, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Google launched Buzz 13 days ago, and after spending some time getting to know it better, I wanted to write a quick introduction for people who are still wondering (a) how it works, (b) how it’s different from other social media platforms and (c) why they might want to use it.
In everyone’s favorite list format, here are the answers to those questions:1. Google Buzz works in the following way: you access your Google Buzz account through Gmail, and the service allows you to post “updates” which have no character limitation. Your posts can include rich media like pictures and videos. Gmail has over 200 million users, which means that the scope of Google Buzz is huge, because each Gmail user was given a default Buzz account along with followers from among their email contacts. As you post updates, the people in your Buzz network can leave comments, register a “like,” or send you a message.
2. Unlike Twitter, which has **one** feed that shows everything you say (whether you’re writing your own original post, or commenting about someone else’s post), Google Buzz let’s you comment on someone else’s feed without using your own feed to do it. This means you can have conversations with thousands of people, while only updating your own feed at your own pace.
3. Unlike Twitter, there are no follow limits on Google Buzz. This means you can follow thousands of people, and potentially earn lots of follow backs. Buzz can get away with this for two reasons: (1) 13 days is not long enough for spammers to flood the system with noise, and (2) it is not yet open to third party apps the way Twitter is, so every time someone follows someone else on Buzz, they physically need to follow them. This places a natural limitation on the amount of following that can be done, which itself is a protection against spam that doesn’t exist on Twitter.
4. On the same topic of follower numbers, unlike Twitter (or Posterous), you don’t need to display the names of the people who are following you OR the number of people who you are being followed by and are following.
5. If you comment on someone else’s Buzz update, you’ll start getting updates in your inbox when other people comment on that thread. This is jarring at first. It makes it look like you actually have email in your inbox. However, it appears that Google simply wants to bring these updates to your attention separately from all the other Buzz noise, because if you’ve commented on it you’ve highlighted its importance. This feature will definitely annoy some people, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Google introduces filtering options. Many people consider their inboxes to be sacred and don’t want non-email to fill it up. However, this aspect of Buzz underscores the fact that Buzz is really an “email-based” social media tool, which is where it derives a lot of its uniqueness. Even if the hype that is surrounding Buzz right now dies away, it may have strong staying power due to its email roots.
6. So how is Google Buzz the same as Twitter and Facebook? All three platforms occupy the same *category*: they are *all* (to borrow Chris Brogan’s term). This means that Buzz is a great place to meet new people, have new conversations, and to develop a new traffic stream to your primary web base, which should be a blog or a website that you use to deliver real value and host your most important work.
7. So why would you want to use Google Buzz? If you are interested in truly interacting with people, the features on Buzz are creating lots of rich interactions. I have over 8,000 followers on Twitter, and far fewer followers on Buzz, but I can already see that my Buzz posts are generating as much or more engagement than my Twitter posts. It is important to avoid fake success metrics like follower counts and fan lists when measuring success in online media. It’s much better to look at the number of comments, clickthrough numbers, re-posts, “favorites,” “likes,” and links. These measures are much harder to fake, and right now the features on Buzz (*and* its early adopter user-base) have made for the most engaged/engaging platform around.
8. The final point I’d make about Buzz is that if you divide the world between Twitter and Facebook, you’d see Twitter as the best tool for “pushing” information to lots of people, and you’d see Facebook as the best tool for “pulling” information in from the people you choose to connect with. In my opinion, the strength of Google Buzz is much more in its ability to let you “push” information out than pull it in, which makes it more of a threat to Twitter. But it took more than 13 days to build Google Buzz, and it’ll take longer than 13 days to reach a final verdict on where the platform is headed. I hope this was a useful early analysis for you.
**Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
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**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Facebook, Google Buzz, Google+, Social Media, Twitter
---
### [How schools should approach "online community building"](https://willmarlow.com/how-schools-should-approach-online-community-building/)
**Published:** February 17, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A few years ago, it was very fashionable for schools to invest heavily in building custom social networks that were designed for their alums to use. The upside of building your own social network is that you own all the data, and you make all the big decisions that determine what happens on the social network. The downside of building your own social network, however, includes:
1. You can’t begin accruing any benefits until you successfully get your alums to create user-names and passwords, and get them to actually spend time on the social network.
2. You need to spend a lot of time making decisions that don’t advance any of your goals but are necessary in order to create a positive user-experience for your alums (these decisions include things like placement and size of buttons, navigation of the site, and all the things that companies like Facebook invest millions of dollars in figuring out).
What’s the alternative to building your own social network? The alternative is what I call “online community building.” This involves identifying all the primary social networks where your alums and donors spend time, and establishing a presence (or an “[outpost](http://www.chrisbrogan.com/using-outposts-in-your-media-strategy/),” to borrow a term from Chris Brogan) that connects you to the community. You accomplish this by following the rules and conventions of each specific social network – remember, if your alums are spending time on Facebook or Twitter, it means that they themselves are largely acknowledging that they respect the rules and conventions of the platforms.
You create value by focusing on your innate advantages: (1) you are organized, and you can keep your alums and donors updated on events and news; (2) you have access to key members of the community, and can provide interviews, pictures and videos; (3) and centrality – you are at the center of things, and you can use social media to enable your volunteers to help you deliver content to the community. I’ll have more to say about online community building for schools and charities in the future. The important thing to keep in mind is that focusing on this approach allows you to spend your time on the things that you’re good at, which include connecting to your alums in a way that they appreciate, and on the other hand outsourcing the decisions that generate zero value for you, such as determining the layout of a registration page, or the size of a “submit” button.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
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**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Facebook, online community building, Social Media, Social Media for Higher Ed, Social Media Optimization, Twitter
---
### [Reading the tea leaves](https://willmarlow.com/reading-the-tea-leaves/)
**Published:** February 16, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
One reason that some social networks are worth so much money is the potential for them to produce insights using all their member behavior that can be sold or used to make optimal decisions. For example, [this article](http://nyti.ms/914bCs) talks about a small online dating website that uses a mathematical formula to help people optimize their profile to get more dates. Among the insights the company finds is that men shouldn't look directly into the camera in their profile pictures, and women shouldn't highlight their body in their photos. Why is this sort of data so valuable? Because the data gets better over time as the sample size grows, and by definition the company that produces the data is the only one who can offer it. Of course, this is all predicated on the data being able to deliver actionable information to people. So when Facebook provides its data to an advertiser, it can make tons of money because it's giving the advertiser a great reason to buy more ads at a higher price from Facebook. It remains to be seen how compelling other social networks like this dating website will be.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Read more about Will Marlow [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/EfzJlhziDq), or email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [How to make great fundraising videos](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-make-great-fundraising-videos/)
**Published:** February 12, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
*Disclaimer: rules were made to be broken. Feel free to break these. *Don’t forget that people don’t read on the Internet. They consume information through (1) “chunks” of text that are “scannable,” (2) pictures, (3) videos, and (4) audio clips. If you want to communicate with a donor, one of your best bets is to use video, because you can convey very complex messages to lots of people, and in order to get a donation from anyone, you need to communicate the fact that they have a relationship with you AND that their gift will have an impact on something they care about.**
1. Fundraising is all about storytelling. But getting money is all about *asking* for money. Don’t forget to do either one.
2. But know whether your video is primarily about (a) storytelling or (b) solicitation of funds. It is important to release some videos that are *not* strictly solicitations, because prospects will stop watching your new videos if they think that you only produce them to solicit funds…**Click [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/pInvHoccEk) to read all 7 rules for making awesome fundraising videos.**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Online Fundraising, Online fundraising strategy, Video production
---
### [About Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/)
**Published:** February 10, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I create leads and targeted visibility for products / companies / websites / ideas.
I love helping people get the right kind of attention for their businesses.
Here are some highlights from my background and career:
- I am [Google AdWords Certified](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/pwzggouuyf).
- I am [Google Analytics Certified.](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/ABpAGIanEm)
- I co-founded [AlumniFidelity](http://www.willmarlow.com), which is the first peer-to-peer fundraising platform designed to help schools execute social media-based fundraising campaigns.
- I was the Press Secretary for [Congressman Doc Hastings](http://hastings.house.govqq).
- I was the Director of Online Communications for [Co](http://wolf.house.gov)[ngressman Frank Wolf](http://wolf.house.gov).
- Since 2009, I’ve served as the event photographer at 11 charity events in Northern Virginia — [details here](http://www.willmarlow.com/private/mJfCpobtaB).
Here’s a nice article that was written about me in the National Journal when I left Capitol Hill to co-found AlumniFidelity. Click the image below to read the article.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/3597849839/ "Will Marlow in the National Journal by WilliamMarlow, on Flickr")
****Email me anytime: [w.b.marlow@gmail.com](http://mailto:w.b.marlow@gmail.com).****
You can also get my attention on Twitter, where I’m [@willmarlow](http://www.twitter.com/willmarlow). My Twitter stream is where you’ll find links to my new blog posts, updates about some of the companies and organizations I work with, occasional updates about my personal life, and some of my photography.
**A little more about me**
Capitol Hill was where I first learned the fundamentals of PR and digital communications. My first job after college was for Congressman Frank Wolf. Despite knowing basically nothing at the time about online communications, I was put in charge of designing a [new website for my boss](http://www.wolf.house.gov), setting up an E-Newsletter and building up the subscriber base for it, as well as integrating social media into his communications strategy.
Later, I co-founded AlumniFidelity based largely on what I learned about online fundraising and digital communications in the political space. The concept of “friend-to-friend” fundraising goes back a long time, well before the invention of the Internet, but online friend-to-friend fundraising was pioneered in the political world by people who later worked for Barack Obama. I saw how awesome it was in 2006, and I wanted to build a system that could help schools, athletic teams, and charities.
We founded AlumniFidelity in 2007, and today [**AlumniFidelity**](http://www.alumnifidelity.com) has over 50 clients, including the University of Virginia, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Georgetown’s Capital Breast Care Center, Towson University, and my alma mater, William and Mary.
In Q4 of 2010, I joined **[LogiXML](http://www.logixml.com)** (a venture capital-backed business intelligence company) to help them get publicity in places like InformationWeek and Information Management, which is an early-stage software startup in the business intelligence (BI) industry. LogiXML provides software that helps organizations do interesting and useful things with data. Ever since co-founding AlumniFidelity (a SaaS-based company that itself pushes off lots and lots of data), I have been fascinated by the business intelligence industry, because I believe that the most interesting things that are happening right now are happening due to innovations in the way we visualiz, represent, and consume data. I helped LogiXML get covered in over 30 major publications like InformationWeek, Information Management, Dr. Dobb’s Journal, the Financial Times of London, and others.
I periodically work under the business name *Marlow Marlow Strategies*.
**About this blog**
Just so you know, I am doing my best to keep this blog optimized for two things: (1) delivering content and (2) engaging with my readers. To this end, there are only two levels of navigation. Everything is organized chronologically or from the “anchor navigation” along the right side of every page. For those of you who like to “search” a website, you have that option too. I let people connect with me on Twitter and you can also subscribe by email or RSS. In the “anchor navigation,” I include four crucial sections: “About me,” “About this blog,” “My most popular posts,” and “My reading list.” These four sections should give you everything you need to know about me and this blog. I also do my best to make it easy to [contact me](http://mailto:w.b.marlow@gmail.com).
**Some photographic highlights…**
Here is me with my boss Congressman Doc Hastings in a radio studio back in 2007:
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/3342016101/ "Doc and I do not look happy. by WilliamMarlow, on Flickr")
And here I am with my first boss, Congressman Frank Wolf, who I served as Deputy Press Secretary for two and a half great years from 2005 to mid-2007. The image below was scanned from a photograph that he signed as I was leaving the office, which you can read in the top right hand corner.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/3270647247/ "Will Marlow and Congressman Frank Wolf, my former boss by WilliamMarlow, on Flickr")
Here is me with [my hero Buzz Aldrin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzz_Aldrin) back in 2005.
[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/3270646655/ "Will Marlow and Buzz Aldrin, back in 2005 by WilliamMarlow, on Flickr")
Will Marlow
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**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Public Relations, Will Marlow, Will Marlow PR
---
### [Don't Make This Blogging Mistake](https://willmarlow.com/dont-make-this-blogging-mistake/)
**Published:** February 7, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Some new bloggers make the mistake of modeling their blog posts on newspaper op-eds or, even worse, on long-form magazine pieces. The problem is that a blog derives 100% of its credibility from the author, whereas a newspaper or a magazine derives its credibility from lots of sources. For example, every time you pick up a newspaper, you know that an entire team of writers, editors and fact-checkers were working together to produce the product that you’re holding, and you also know that if they consistently fail to adhere to some commonly accepted journalistic conventions (story structure, ethical-sourcing), the publisher and the investors will fire the team that produced the content you’re about to read and replace them with new reporters, editors and fact-checkers. Even though we all know that many newspapers fall short of our expectations, we still grant them more credibility than we grant to solitary bloggers who produce all their own content by themselves.
If you’re a new blogger and you hope to earn the trust of readers, your best bet is to make people think, “Hey, that’s pretty interesting” as quickly as possible. If you can do it with a picture, or a comic strip, or a single sentence, all the better. And if you do it enough times, your readers will begin to trust that you won’t waste their time.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [How Do Things "Go Viral"?](https://willmarlow.com/how-do-things-go-viral/)
**Published:** February 4, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A lot of people think (or hope) that one of their ideas or marketing materials will somehow “go viral,” but most people don’t put much time into thinking about what actually causes something to spread virally. Without doing too much math, here’s the basics of how something spreads virally: You start with your initial userbase (let’s say it’s 100 users). A percentage of your userbase (for easy math, let’s say 10%) will invite 10 people to check out your idea or product. Of those 10 invites they send out, let’s assume 10% accept the invitation and become new users. You add these new users to your original userbase. But you also should assume (for easy math) that your attrition rate is 10%, so you subtract 10% from your initial userbase. This represents one wave of viral growth that will then repeat itself to continue the trend. (In this example, of course, you’re losing the same number of users that you’re gaining.)
But here’s how it gets tricky: you can assume that your viral growth will get worse over time, because in the second, third, and fourth waves of growth, you can expect more and more invitations to go out to the same people, which means your conversion rate (which started out at 10%) may plummet as invitations reach people who are already users, or who have already rejected invitations. So people begin adopting it at a lower rate, while your attrition rate is likely to stay the same. This means that each wave of growth is smaller, until eventually it stops. As [Andrew Chen](http://andrewchenblog.com/2008/03/05/facebook-viral-marketing-when-and-why-do-apps-jump-the-shark/) explains it, each “new batch of users needs to exceed the previous batch in order to “go viral.”
What can you do with this information? Well, the most important thing you can do is set measurable goals for viral activity to guide your decisions and planning to avoid wasting time and resources. If you know what you’re looking for (adoption rate; conversion rate of new users; attrition rate of your base over time; the size of the universe of users), you can actually measure the factors that have the greatest impact on your success and you can learn how to improve results over time. Like most useful things, viral activity isn’t guided by one enormous X-factor that either is present or absent. If you know the rules, you can make it happen.
PS – If you want to go deeper into viral models, follow this [link](http://andrewchenblog.com/2008/03/05/facebook-viral-marketing-when-and-why-do-apps-jump-the-shark/) to read Andrew Chen’s stuff. I will return to this topic periodically, and I hope my posts are helpful on this subject, but if there’s a better place than Chen’s blog to go for an in depth, technical analysis of viral products and marketing, I’m unaware of it.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Best of WM, Replication, Software adoption, Viral adoption, viral marketing
---
### [Voluntary Change](https://willmarlow.com/voluntary-change/)
**Published:** February 2, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I was recently invited to Boston to give a talk at the Annual Meeting of the [Association of Collegiate Honor Societies](http://www.achsnatl.org/) about opportunities to engage members using the Internet. My friends at [The National Society of Collegiate Scholars](http://www.nscs.org/) invited me, and I’m very excited.
I love talking to groups of people who work in industries that are undergoing intense voluntary change. Change is frequently unpleasant, and for that reason it’s generally avoided. Once an organization or an industry realizes that changes are necessary, and embraces the changes, it means that the opportunities presenting themselves must be enormous. And that’s an exciting time. Right now, it’s a very exciting time to help people modernize their fundraising
We’ve all seen newspaper stories that talk about the disappointing results of online fundraising, but those stories are all about aggregate results. And we’re still at the stage of social media fundraising where lots and lots of people aren’t doing it well, which means aggregate results don’t tell the story. The individual successes, like the way [Charity: Water](http://www.charitywater.org/) uses Twitter, or the way [ActBlue ](http://www.actblue.com)uses fundraising pages, or even in the private sector when in merchandise via Twitter — all of these successes show that there are tremendous opportunities to accomplish your goals using online tools, which makes it a very exciting time to be in this business.
I’m looking forward to speaking in Boston, and seeing what I learn from the audience
PS – Even though I stand by my statement that we’re still at the stage where aggregate numbers don’t tell the full story, the aggregate numbers are beginning to tell a positive story. For example, in four days, more money was donated to help the Haiti via text message than was donated in all of 2009 by that medium.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
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**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Innovation, Marketing
---
### [How Much Do You Measure?](https://willmarlow.com/how-much-do-you-measure/)
**Published:** February 1, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I think it would be interesting if Nielsen's BookScan unit installed tracking chips randomly on books, to measure reading trends.
This would tell us:
1. How much time people spend with their books opened.
2. How many books are *never* opened or read.
3. How many books are opened repeatedly.
4. How many books seem to be read more than once.
5. How many books are only read at night.
6. How many books are only read during commuting time.
7 Which pages people like to linger on.
8. Which books seem to be read immediately following other books.
Of course, we already do this (and more) on websites, and the more that devices like the iPad and Kindle catch on, the more information like this we'll know about peoples' reading habits in general. Going forward, I think there need to be better disclosures on websites and products about what information is collected, because (1) people ought to have a better understanding about what type of footprint they leave, and (2) businesses, schools and charities need to have a better understanding of what type of information they should be gathering, and how they should be using it.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** iPad, Kindle, Marketing, Privacy, Web Analytics
---
### [Cause a Flood](https://willmarlow.com/cause-a-flood/)
**Published:** January 30, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Yesterday on the fourth annual “” (a Microsoft-invented holiday), Microsoft released a study that showed two interesting things: (1) 70% of employers have admitted to rejecting job applicants after finding negative info about them online, and (2) 86% of employers said that positive online information can increase a job applicant’s chances of getting hired.
After reading I feel more strongly than ever that a flood of positive information will *always* outweigh a few isolated negative reviews or bad press hits about your company. People care about trends, not exceptions. If you generate good news about yourself in the media, on Facebook, on Twitter, on your blog, on consumer review sites, on someone else’s blog, on YouTube, or in other places where people spend time, then your trend will be *positive,* and that’s what will matter. No one will care about isolated hiccups, as long you consistently demonstrate good character online.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [What To Do If You Accidentally Hit "Send"](https://willmarlow.com/what-to-do-if-you-accidentally-hit-send/)
**Published:** January 29, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I once heard a great story about someone who accidentally sent an email containing embarrassing personal information to the wrong recipient. The information in the email was potentially embarrassing to the sender, but it wasn’t John Edwards-scale traumatizing, and the sender decided to use an interesting tactic to deal with the error. Rather than contact the recipient and explain the error, or ask that the recipient to delete the email without reading it, she simply sent the recipient 20 more identical emails – with the embarrassing sections omitted, of course. This way, the recipient read the most recent email and assumed they were all identical, and deleted the rest without ever noticing that the first email contained a unique section.
This should also make you think twice if you ever receive a large number of seemingly duplicate emails from someone.
**Did you like reading this blog post? Sign up to get my new blog posts delivered by email by clicking [here](http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=WillMarlowblog&loc=en_US).**
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Best of WM, Will Marlow
---
### [The Second Step to Getting Your Institution Quoted in the Media](https://willmarlow.com/the-second-step-to-getting-your-institution-quoted-in-the-media/)
**Published:** January 28, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
*(This is the second of two posts on getting your organization quoted in news stories. Click* [*here*](http://www.willmarlow.com/the-secret-to-getting-your-institution-quoted) *for the first post in this series.)*
The second step to getting your organization quoted in the news is pretty easy. All you need to do is: (a) read the newspaper and (b) keep a record of the names of reporters who write stories that you wish you were quoted in. If you’re disciplined about clipping only relevant news stories and saving the names and contact information for the right reporters, you’ll quickly have a powerful list of journalists to talk to.
Some people get cocky with their press list. They indiscriminately blast out mass emails to reporters, newscasters and producers, hoping that they’ll get lucky and find an interested reporter, and sometimes they do. But this strategy will rarely result in a productive, long-term relationship with a reporter, a relationship in which the reporter relies on you for information, tips, and quotes when she needs to quickly produce a story.
To get that type of productive relationship, you should think about what you can do for the reporter, not just what the reporter can do for you. So, take all the data you’ve been compiling on your industry that I discussed in the [last post](http://www.willmarlow.com/the-secret-to-getting-your-institution-quoted), and build your talking points around the data. Once your data begins to tell a story, that’s the moment you should pick up the phone to make phone calls. Since you’ve been diligently reading the newspaper and saving relevant stories, you’ll know exactly who will be interested in the story your data is telling. For example, if you wish you had been quoted in the controversial [Washington Post story](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/21/AR2009042103786.html) from April 22nd about the supposedly dismal results of Facebook Causes (written by Kim Hart and Megan Greenwell), you might call them up and say something like: “I know you are interested in stories about philanthropy and technology, and I thought you might be interested in taking a look at some of the data we have been collecting about our online fundraising results. Our data shows that 25% of our donors have interacted with us on Facebook, but if you look only at our new donors, over 75% of them reached us through Facebook…Not only that, but both numbers have increased 2% a month for the last six months. The data shows some other interesting trends that I’d love to talk to you about…” That’s the type of conversation you want to have with a reporter who covers your industry. If you do it enough, and if you provide honest and accurate information that you can back up with data, you will earn long-term trust and attention. Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [The Secret to Getting Your Institution Quoted in the Media](https://willmarlow.com/the-secret-to-getting-your-institution-quoted-in-the-media/)
**Published:** January 27, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
(This is the first of two posts on getting your organization quoted in news stories.)
Measure *everything* you can. That way when reporters are writing stories about trends in your industry, they won’t need to settle for the abstract general statistics that are usually the impetus for their story in the first place. Most schools and charities don’t track nearly as many facts about their fundraising as they could. According to a study of 550 major schools, two thirds don’t even track the total number of online gifts they receive. If you’re one of the few schools that tracks this information, you’re in a position to be a tremendously valuable resource for any reporter writing a story on fundraising trends. And if your numbers show that your online gifts are rising while other gifts are falling, or if your online giving is falling at a slower rate than the national average, the reporter will be thrilled to be able to highlight your numbers (along with a short, positive explanation for why you’re beating the odds) to give validity to their story. And if you’re one of the few organizations tracking detailed trends in your fundraising efforts, it’s also very likely that you’ll be using that data to outperform the competition, which means you’ll be glad when the reporter highlights how great you are in her story. [Back when I was the Press Secretary for a Congressman on Capitol Hill](http://www.willmarlow.com/about-me-153), I didn’t need to worry about any of this. I could say, “My boss just did such and such,” or even, “My boss is thinking about such and such,” and the next day, or later that afternoon, there would be a story quoting me or my boss on TV or in print. Outside of Capitol Hill, life isn’t that easy for most people. If we want to get all the benefits of being highlighted favorably in a news story, we need to illustrate how we fit into a trend that the reporter is writing about. And the best way to establish your credibility for this is to have as many unique statistics as possible about whatever you’re doing. So measure everything. Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [The Most Helpful Advice I've Received On Blogging](https://willmarlow.com/the-most-helpful-advice-ive-received-on-blogging/)
**Published:** January 26, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Here is the most helpful advice I’ve received so far on blogging. Some points seem to contradict other points, but I’ve found it all helpful when taken together.
1. If you’re a true novice, start with a Twitter account, and just post updates with links to stories and blogs that interest you and your niche.
2. Do your blogging on Posterous, because it’s a new blogging service and they are trying REALLY hard to be the best (and they’re doing a great job).
3. Install Google Analytics, but then ignore the results.
4. Buy a custom domain, so that if you ever want to change blogging services you can carry your domain with you.
5. Just start writing, and don’t worry too much about what niche you’re blog will fill, or even what topics you’ll cover longterm. The priority is finding your voice.
6. Use Google Reader, and read A LOT of blogs regularly.
7. Comment on other blogs as often as you can, but only comment when you have something interesting to say.
8. Quality is more important than quantity.
9. Don’t worry too much about quality, because in the beginning absolutely no one is reading your blog :), and you can always go back and erase posts later. The most important thing is to find your voice, and you’ll only do that if you write regularly.
10. Your priority should be posting *regularly*, not with high frequency.
11. Stop ignoring Google Analytics. Start looking at your Google Analytics reports and take note of your most popular posts.
12. Look at which keywords people type into Google to find you. Write about those topics more.
13. Be honest with readers. They’ll only be interested in your writing if you’re honest.
14. Add [Avinash Kashik](http://www.kaushik.net/) to your Google Reader, and take his posts seriously about Google Analytics. You’ll learn a lot about how your readers are interacting with you if you read him carefully.
If you have advice that you would add to this, [email](mailto:will@alumnifidelity.com) me or post your points in the comments below.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web 2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Marketing, Popular blogging, viral marketing
---
### [If You Write a Blog](https://willmarlow.com/if-you-write-a-blog/)
**Published:** January 26, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
or if you update a Twitter stream, or a Facebook profile, or anything else in the social media universe, you should never under any circumstances write a post apologizing for your failure to write regular posts. It’s perfectly acceptable to start with a beta version of something, but never an amateur version.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [How People (Really) Use Websites](https://willmarlow.com/how-people-really-use-websites/)
**Published:** January 24, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
One book I highly recommend for learning about how to design a usable website is *[Don't Make Me Think](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321344758?ie=UTF8&tag=wilmar07-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0321344758)* by Steve Krug. This book should be your starting point if your job depends on you understanding the fundamentals of maintaining or designing a functional website. It takes about two to three hours to read, and each page has useful insights.
One observation that he makes early on is that when people are hurried (as are most visitors to your website) they don't look at multiple choices and then pick the most optimal choice. They scan for the first solution that appears to be *acceptable.* Once they find an acceptable solution, they test it out. If it works, they're happy. If it doesn't, they're not. This means that most people "muddle" their way through a website by scanning pages.
This is why most well-designed websites organize their information in clear, segmented chunks that are easily scannable. When you're designing a website, you should always strive to optimize it for the way people will actually use it, not the way you hope they will use it. And if your job in any way depends on designing or improving a website, reading Steve Krug's [book](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321344758?ie=UTF8&tag=wilmar07-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0321344758) will be time well spent.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Steve Krug, website design, Website optimization, websites
---
### [Hasn't That Been Done Before?](https://willmarlow.com/hasnt-that-been-done-before/)
**Published:** January 23, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
When you get ready to do a new business venture of almost any kind, you should expect a lot of people to ask, "Isn't somebody already doing that?"
The answer is: I hope so. If no one is doing it, or planning it, or offering a different version of it, there is likely no developed market for your business. Competitors add legitimacy to your plans. They help "soften" the market by reaching out to customers. They also commit themselves financially to a specific way of doing things, and they create huge costs for themselves if they ever need to quickly change directions. They help prove or disprove the viability of risky plans, and they pay the full cost for their mistakes.
The presence of competition isn't a reason to avoid a new business venture. The whole point of a new venture is to offer customers a compelling reason to hire *you*, instead of the other options.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** new venture, Startup, Startups, venture capital
---
### [Treating the Disease and Not the Symptoms - Why We Work for Nonprofits](https://willmarlow.com/treating-the-disease-and-not-the-symptoms-why-we-work-for-nonprofits/)
**Published:** January 22, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
One great thing about my job is that I regularly get approached by nonprofits that are doing really cool things, and I sometimes get to become involved in their projects, which is both rewarding and educational.
Yesterday I spoke with someone who I was introduced to via Twitter, and he told me about a he’s working with that needs help fundraising. Essentially, this charity aims to end the cycle of intergenerational incarceration. The thing he told me that struck a chord was that most Departments of Correction will predict how many beds they will need in the future by a simple equation: they add up the number of children the current convicts have, and they expect 70% of the kids to end up in prison. Rather than using tax dollars to pay for prison beds *now,* I would much rather help generate revenue that can be used to give the kids the support they need to stay outside the penitentiary and to live productive, happy lives.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [Three Things That Always Happen When You Poll Your Customers](https://willmarlow.com/three-things-that-always-happen-when-you-poll-your-customers/)
**Published:** January 21, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
According to my hero Steve Krug, who wrote the classic book on how to design a “usable” website, *[Don’t Make Me Think](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0321344758?ie=UTF8&tag=wilmar07-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0321344758)*, the same three things happen every time you conduct “user testing”:
1. You confirm some things you already knew.
2. You learn some new things about the way people actually use your website, and what they value about it, and
3. You get “whacked over the head” with at least one big surprise that let’s you improve your website significantly.
These three things have happened every time I’ve conducted “user testing” on the website projects I’ve done. But they also seem to happen in lots of other situations when I or my clients conduct customer polls. One of the best feelings in the world is to get “whacked over the head” with a great, free insight from one of your customers about how you can solve her problems even more effectively.
PS – This is the first time I’m putting a link to Amazon.com in this blog that is an “affiliate” link to a product. I’m experimenting with this practice and may continue to do it periodically, and if you object to it, I’d love to hear from you. You should know that I’ll only do this when I strongly endorse a book or product.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** polling, User testing, voice of the customer, website design, websites
---
### [The Point of the Official Retweet Button](https://willmarlow.com/the-point-of-the-official-retweet-button/)
**Published:** January 20, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A lot of people who are very knowledgeable and experienced at leveraging Twitter do not understand the point of the “Retweet” button that Twitter launched last year. It doesn’t make sense to them for a number reasons, including:
1. It was unnecessary, because retweeting is one of the most popular activities on Twitter and it needed no encouragement to continue.
2. Twitter is famous for its lack of features, so in the absence of a need to change behavior (see point 1) it makes things more confusing as to why Twitter would spend time and energy on this particular new feature.
3. It makes retweeting even more confusing than it already is for new users, because it gives two options that seem to accomplish the same thing in different ways, with some users preferring one way and other users preferring a different way.
The reason for the new feature, however, is all about monetization. One of the cool things about Twitter is that every Tweet is equal. Twitter streams are all about timelines. If a good Tweet is shared with people, who share it with their own friends, the viral spread is organic and rapid. This awesome characteristic, however, makes Twitter very difficult to “search” because one Tweet looks the same as all the other Tweets (with the exception of Tweets that are favorited more often than others). And “search” (that is, “searching for relevant Tweets”) is one of the most promising ways for Twitter make money (and for it to make good on the $1 billion valuation it earned recently).
So it shouldn’t be surprising that Twitter introduced the retweet button, which seems to be an effort to minimally dilute the experience while adding a layer of potential for it to increase the likelihood that the company will produce significant value. The big question is, are people using the retweet button enough? (For the record, it seems that my followers are retweeting me the old way at a ratio of about 4:1, with four penciled in retweets for every one “push-button” RT using the new feature.)
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** monetization of social networks, ReTweet, revenue, Twitter
---
### [The Value of Knowing the Ending](https://willmarlow.com/the-value-of-knowing-the-ending/)
**Published:** January 19, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
When John Irving writes a novel, he always starts out with the . Once he knows the ending in detail, he begins writing all the parts of the story that lead to the ending. This writing method reminds me of the business method that lots of entrepreneurs follow, in which they have a clear vision of what things will look like eventually, even though they can’t predict the precise path to follow to get there. In both cases, I think there are lots of roads that lead to Rome. The important thing is knowing the destination.
PS – Before John Irving adopted this writing method, he wrote three commercially unsuccessful books that he claims couldn’t get published by a new author today…
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** John Irving, Writing
---
### [Viable, Fundable or Proof of Concept?](https://willmarlow.com/viable-fundable-or-proof-of-concept/)
**Published:** January 18, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
*(I'm going to wait a few more days before updating results of my Twitter Experiment, because data is still changing and I'd like to let a little more time pass. In addition to updating results, I'll let you know on this blog what I plan to do next with my Twitter feed. As always, let me know by email if you have questions about anything you're reading here, .)*
I had a discussion recently with a friend who is planning a company that he expects ultimately will be a strong venture capital play. We talked about the difference between three things that are relevant to companies that want venture capital: (1) proof of concept, (2) viability and (3) fundability. Essentially, **proof of concept** means that your idea has at least one buyer, and the buyer is getting some measure of satisfaction from your product. This is different from **viability**, which means that your company is on its way to self-sustaining revenues. And both are distinct from **fundability**, which means your business has the potential to fundamentally change the lives of a large number of people (and would provide a 10x return on a BIG cash investment).
In a crummy economy, unless you have a track record as an exec who has managed/scaled a successful company, more and more VCs want to see your company producing self-sustaining revenues. This shows them that you're capable of implementing, not just imagining. In other words, the 1990s is two decades behind us, and the fact that a good idea with a little market interest was enough to get VCs to open their wallets in 1999 is irrelevant. In 2010 you need to do everything short of scale it to get interest from pro investors.
Is any of this a bad thing? Not at all. But if you start a startup today, you should know that the seas won't part after you demonstrate proof of concept or viability, but without those two benchmarks you won't be able to make the case that you're fundable either. If you want an interesting take on this theme, check out [a great post](http://billburnham.blogs.com/burnhamsbeat/2009/12/the-great-abdication-consumer-internet-venture-capital-and-angels.html) by Bill Burnham over at *Burnham's Beat*.
Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Investment, Investors, Proof of Concept, VC, Venture capitalists, Viability
---
### ["Discoverable" Blog Posts](https://willmarlow.com/discoverable-blog-posts/)
**Published:** January 17, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
There’s a difference between a “discoverable” blog post and a “popular” blog post. For example, recent blog post was about how my car was unfairly towed while I was eating dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, and how the owner stopped preparing food to personally drive to the towing lot. My most [“discovered” blog post](http://www.willmarlow.com/facebook-tip-how-to-know-if-one-of-your-frien), however, was about a little-known Facebook application that let’s you keep track of how many friends have unfollowed you on Facebook.
My most popular posts are viewed by lots of people all at once virally, but “discoverable” posts are viewed by a few people every day, Monday through Sunday, by people who have never heard of me before, but who ask Google a question, and who are given my blog as one of the potential answers.
In other words, one important way to “introduce” yourself to people through a blog is by answering questions that *persist* over time among the people you’re interested in knowing. (Quick hint: It’s most helpful to answer questions that no one else is answering.)
PS – As a quick update to my blog post on how to find out who has “unfriended” you on Facebook, follow [this link](http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/40027) to find a very helpful program that Facebook can’t remove that can help you keep track of who has unfollowed, if you’re interested in knowing that.
**Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Popular blogging, Search, SEO
---
### [Post Moved!](https://willmarlow.com/post-moved/)
**Published:** January 15, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Sorry for the confusion – click [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/results-from-day-3-of-twitter-experiment-with-0) for the post you’re looking for!
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [Day One of Twitter Experiment: Unfollowing 12,000+ People](https://willmarlow.com/day-one-of-twitter-experiment-unfollowing-12000-people/)
**Published:** January 12, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Today I am beginning to unfollow 12,000 people, making my way down to zero. Currently, almost everyone I am following is also following me back. And starting last Friday, I began informing my "followers" of this experiment, and anyone who has been paying attention to my feed has had ample time to hear me announce that I am culling faux-followers, and that I will quickly begin to add people back who I interact with, or who reach out to me, or who I am interested in.
I wrote about what I hope to learn from doing this.
On I wrote about why I am doing this.
Today I just want to write briefly about which Twitter tools I am starting with. I am going to use Tweepi, which my friend [Russ Dean](http://twitter.com/russ_dean) helpfully turned me on to, and once I get beneath a certain level (say, around 10,000), I will use Twitter Karma, which works for Twitter accounts that are not humongous, but begins to fail when it needs to deal with too much information.
I will report back on whether these two tools are sufficient, or if I stumble upon others, or if I end up needing to unfollow folks by hand!
**Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Social Media, Social Media Experiment, Twitter, Twitter Influence, Unfollow, Web Analytics, Will Marlow
---
### [Twitter Experiment Part 2: What I Hope to Learn from Unfollowing 12,000+ People](https://willmarlow.com/twitter-experiment-part-2-what-i-hope-to-learn-from-unfollowing-12000-people/)
**Published:** January 11, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
On I wrote about my plan to do an experiment in which I unfollow 100% of the people I’m following right now, and then I’ll re-follow only people who are not spammers or bots, and who I’m actually interested in. I am keeping a list right now of people who I interact with, or know, or who I find interesting, and I’ll re-follow that list very quickly after I hit zero. If you want to be added to that list, just @reply me, or send me a DM, or email me at .
On Friday I talked about WHY I was doing this. In this post, I want to talk about a few things that I hope to LEARN from doing this.
I look forward to learning: 1. How many people unfollow me, and thus, how many people on Twitter are only interested in following people who follow them back.
2. What happens to my “click through” rate.
3. What happens to my @reply and DM rate.
4. Whether this generates new word of mouth buzz and leads to new followers.
5. What this does to the overall visibility of my Twitter presence.
Confession: I’m also hopeful that I will be able to provide more evidence that having a large following is NOT a good measure of influence on Twitter. I believe that there is a misconception going around that a Twitter feed is only valuable if it “reaches” hundreds of thousands of strangers, as evidenced by huge follower lists. Firstly, I think that Twitter can be valuable even if it reaches ONE person who you wouldn’t have reached with another mechanism. Secondly, I think that huge follower lists are faux-metrics. Hopefully my experiment can illustrate why the second point can be misleading, and possibly it can help people appreciate their small but committed core of followers, who are the source of true value on Twitter.
**Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Social Media, Social Media Experiment, Social Media Plan, Twitter, Unfollow, Will Marlow
---
### [One Reason Facebook is Worth Billions of Dollars](https://willmarlow.com/one-reason-facebook-is-worth-billions-of-dollars/)
**Published:** January 10, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
*(Tomorrow I’ll re-continue my posts outlining my next steps in my Twitter experiment to unfollow 12,000 plus people and only re-follow legitimate accounts. [Email](mailto:will@alumnifidelity.com) me with questions on that.)*
Some people have a hard time understanding why Facebook is so valuable.
It’s not just the fact that it has 350 million active users. The more important point is that before any one of those users does something on Facebook, they need to *login*. That means that, unlike the great majority of websites, which analyze aggregate data and trends, Facebook has names attached to activities. They can measure what *you* do. Not just what nameless “visitors” do. For this reason, and for a few other good reasons, Facebook has tremendous advantages that get it closer to understanding *why* you do things. This is the same reason why Google hit such a home run with Gmail. People login (and stay logged in) to Gmail all day. Then, when they search, their searches can be indexed in a personal search history.
The bottom line is, this type of system makes it a lot easier to put the right ad in front of the right person at the right time to get them to buy something. That’s why Marc Andreessen can say that Facebook will one day “” and he’s not crazy, even though Apple’s 2009 reven ue was $32 billion.
**Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, Bowling Green State University, Randolph Macon College, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Facebook, Google+, Marc Andreessen, Valuation, Web Analytics
---
### [Twitter Experiment Part 1: An Intro to My Twitter Strategy, and What I Plan To Do](https://willmarlow.com/twitter-experiment-part-1-an-intro-to-my-twitter-strategy-and-what-i-plan-to-do/)
**Published:** January 8, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
(Click [here](http://www.willmarlow.com/twitter-experiment-part-2-what-i-hope-to-lear) for the second part of this post.)
Before I get to the problem with my Twitter strategy (and what I intend to do about it), I want to explain a few things first.
As of today, I have 12,730 followers on Twitter. The way I’ve built my following is fairly simple. I post updates that are focused on my expertise (education technology, charitable fundraising, and web marketing), and I make myself easy to find for people who are interested in the same topics, I update at regular intervals daily, and I follow back individuals who follow me unless they are a spammer or look weird. In addition to this, I have been on Twitter for awhile, and in my early days I proactively sought out other like-minded and interesting Twitterers and I introduced myself to them by following them. Many times they followed me back, @replied me, or interacted with me offline. I also talk to people via Twitter, respond to DMs, and maintain public profiles on Flickr and at this blog at [www.willmarlow.com](http://www.willmarlow.com) to give my followers more insight into my personality and my work. In addition to all of this, as the cofounder of [AlumniFidelity.com](http://AlumniFidelity.com), I am regularly interacting with customers, investors, and end-users who are tech-savvy. This has led to lots of my followers. I also never engage in obnoxious spam activity or use obnoxious Twitter “clients” that alienate the people who I hope to interact with. One problem with my Twitter strategy is that my liberal “follow back” approach (like [Guy Kawasaki](http://www.twitter.com/guykawasaki), I follow people back as part of Twitter courtesy), I have accumulated a large number of spammers and faux-followers in my following column, which I have recently gotten sick of. It occurred to me that I’m currently following a large number of feeds that I don’t read, and the fact that I’m following them increases their own credibility (spammers try to build up followes for that reason, I’m compiling a list of users who I interact with regularly, or whose insights I appreciate, or who I happen to know are legitimate users, and I’m going to unfollow all 12,400 people, with the exception of this relatively small list. If you are NOT a spammer, and I’m currently following you, please @reply me or DM me if you want me to add you to my private list of people who I will follow back after I hit zero. I’m not sure how long it will take me, but starting in 6 days, I’m going to unfollow all 12,400 people, until I reach zero, and then I will slowly begin adding followers who I’m truly interested in.
To summarize: problem = I’m following too many spammers and bots on Twitter. Solution: unfollow everyone, and re-follow only a select number of people who I am actually interested in.
As always, send me an [email](mailto:will@alumnifidelity.com) if you want to chat about any of this. **Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Best of WM, Social Media, Social Media Experiment, Social Media Plan, Twitter, Unfollow, Will Marlow
---
### [What Makes a Good (Free) e-Book](https://willmarlow.com/what-makes-a-good-free-e-book/)
**Published:** January 7, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I like the free e-book format as “primers” for some topics, and I hope more are written in the future.
In my opinion, for a topic to make a good free e-book like this, you want to make sure (1) there is a high level of interest in the topic (people are *looking* for the information using search engines), (2) the topic is somewhat new, so people don’t yet know where to go for a definitive explanation of the topic, and (3) the topic should be something that truly rewards the reader for digging a little deeper.
I wish someone like [Avinash Kaushik](http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/) would write a good, free e-book primer on Google Analytics, for example. (In that case, it could basically be a re-ordering and slimming down of his selected blog posts.) Something like Google Analytics has a high level of interest; it’s a relatively young thing, and it’s practically worthless if you don’t understand some basic concepts behind it. Or, more positively, it’s something that can help you revolutionize your business if you understand it a little bit.
Here are some other topics that I think are owed free explanatory e-books:
(1) Photo editing using free and purchased software.
(2) HTML
(3) Video production using free and purchased software
(4) Adwords
I think that as iPhones and Kindles and tablet computers keep getting more market share, more books won’t just be made *available* as e-books. More books will be written specifically *to be* e-books. They’ll incorporate graphics and videos and links, and readers will seek them out as the go-to source for more and more subjects. I think they’ll go to the e-book right after their interest is whetted by the Wikipedia article, or possibly before.
**Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** publishing, self-publishing, viral marketing
---
### [The Three Things That Make Software Valuable](https://willmarlow.com/the-three-things-that-make-software-valuable/)
**Published:** January 6, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Software is valuable when it lets you: (1) do things better/faster/easier than before, or (2) when it is so powerful it lets you do new things you could never have imagined doing before (creating a pro-quality video using Vegas and sharing it using YouTube), or lastly, (3) when it lets you predict the future before it arrives (e.g., installing web analytics software in your web site to analyze traffic patterns, or creating spreadsheet models to graph performance in different scenarios).
If you're building or selling software, you should know what value-category your product fits into, because knowing the value-category of your product will help you make decisions about how to update/enhance/evolve/fix it over time in a way that makes logical sense. **Will Marlow co-founded AlumniFidelity to help his clients reposition their fundraising to benefit from Web2.0 technology and marketing techniques. He’s working with clients such as UVA, the College of William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University, and he loves nothing better than a thorny marketing challenge. Email him at .** 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [Let Yourself Be Found (Flip the Switch)](https://willmarlow.com/let-yourself-be-found-flip-the-switch/)
**Published:** January 5, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Proctor & Gamble, currently the world’s 8th largest corporation and over 170 years old, was the first company to put a toll-free 1-800 number on all of its product packaging. The first year after doing so, it received 200,000 phone calls from customers offering ideas or complaints. P&G, with revenues of almost $80 billion in 2009, spends hundreds of millions of marketing dollars aimed at identifying and locating customers. But all it needed to do was flip a switch and suddenly 200,000 customers reversed the process and started finding P&G.
Nonprofits, schools, and companies are beginning to think of social media the same way. Just turn on the channel (with a blog, a Facebook profile, Twitter, YouTube, or a specialty service like [AlumFi](http://www.alumnifidelity.com)), and let your donors, volunteers, and customers find you. Take their messages seriously. Respond to them over the same social network with which they contacted you. You’ll have richer communications, better relationships with your base, and a better year overall than you would otherwise have had.
*Will Marlow is the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), where he helps schools such as the University of Virginia, William & Mary, the University of Oklahoma, and Bowling Green State University, as well as about 25 other schools and nonprofits, with online fundraising and marketing campaigns. Email him at .*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Facebook, Marketing, PR, Social Media, Twitter
---
### [The Ideal Journalist](https://willmarlow.com/the-ideal-journalist/)
**Published:** January 3, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I was having a discussion with a journalist the other day about what combination of skills/traits are desirable in a journalist today.
We came up with some interesting thoughts. According to us, the ideal journalist (without the support of a staff) should: 1. Be a great photographer.
2. Be a great videographer.
3. Be very well-versed in Photoshop and Vegas, not to *manipulate* images, but to build mashups of photos and videos to supplement stories.
4. Be a near-daily blogger to keep the most loyal readers updated on what she’s doing.
5. Be an active “Twitterer,” Tweeting both her own stories and the stories she *wishes* she wrote (that is, for creation *and* curation).
6. Use “[bit.ly](http://bit.ly)” links to track how many people click on her stories, so she could talk about how many readers she brings with her to whichever company she writes for.
7. Use Google Analytics or some other tracking software in her blog so she understands which of her story formats were most popular and successful, and she improve her presentation over time.
8. Be comfortable responding to readers in comment fields all across the web, and would setup various alerts to notify her when a reader was talking to her or mentioning one of her stories.
9. Have an online bio where she lays out her modus operandi, her standards, her skills, her background, and what readers should expect of her.
10. Have good grammar. Personally, I think the only journalists who will have any job security or steady work in the years to come will be those who have a strong personal connection to their most loyal readers. And to do that they need to *understand* how to produce stories that are optimized for the Web, not optimized for paper. PS – If a journalist can do all this, and they manage to build a daily traffic of 2,500 unique visitors, a rough estimate for how much revenue they would get from advertising would be $60,000 a year. That would be cool, especially because if you’re smart enough to build that level of traffic, you’re probably smart enough to develop other streams of revenue to supplement it. *Will Marlow is the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which helps schools and nonprofits improve their online fundraising results. Email him at .*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** journalism, journalist, Media, newspapers
---
### [Usability Testing on a Shoestring](https://willmarlow.com/usability-testing-on-a-shoestring/)
**Published:** January 2, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A lot of times we get really fancy when we need to do things like “usability testing.”
Someone I trust recently described a great way to do usability testing for your website for just $30.00.
1. Pick three of your friends who you *don’t* work with.
2. Give each of them $10.
3. Sit down with each of them in turn, and ask them to make a donation on your website, but don’t give them any instructions.
4. Watch what they do, and take notes. How long does the process take them from start to finish?
Do they find you by searching in Google?
Do any of them *fail* to make a donation?
Do they get sidetracked by anything?
Do they look frustrated?
Does any part of the process confuses them?
Where do their eyes go when they reach your website? You can learn more by spending $30 in this way than you can by spending weeks or months thinking about the way that *you* think your website should work. And even if your web site doesn’t have anything to do with donations, you can still learn a lot from an informal focus group like this. Because when it comes to the user-experience of your web site, what *you* think is just a guess until you ask.
*Will Marlow is the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com), which helps schools and nonprofits improve their online fundraising results with peer-to-peer, social-based fundraising. Email him at .*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** modular, modules, nonprofits, Online Fundraising, schools, Software, Software development
---
### [Communicating in 2010](https://willmarlow.com/communicating-in-2010/)
**Published:** January 1, 2010
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Many people focus on the content of their message. They refine and tweak and improve their message, and when they really nail it they may land an op-ed in the Washington Post, or their video may go viral, or some other great thing will happen to get them attention.
But the thing that seems to separate the most impressive modern communicators (people like Seth Godin and Guy Kawasaki and Apple and Google and Barack Obama) isn’t the content of their message, it’s their *delivery*. (And they don’t use every social media platform or megaphone available. But the things they *do*, they do *really* well.) Obama maximizes his time in front of the teleprompter, Godin writes a great blog post *every* day, Guy Kawasaki Tweets 60 times an hour, Apple famously doesn’t touch any social media at all, and like Google it has employee evangelists who each have their own style and portfolio.
For these people and companies, the messaging itself seems effortless. It’s the delivery they work on.
*Will Marlow is the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com), which helps schools and nonprofits improve their online fundraising results. Email him at .*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** AlumniFidelity, Obama
---
### [What is A/B Testing?](https://willmarlow.com/what-is-ab-testing/)
**Published:** December 31, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A reader pointed out that I referred to something in a called “A/B testing,” but I did not define it. Essentially, A/B testing is something you do when you are re-designing a web site or building new software, in order to find out if a new change will be popular among your users. You set up an A/B test in which one visitor to your web site (visitor “A”) sees the original feature, and another visitor to your web site (visitor “B”) sees the *new* feature, and then you compare the behavior of Group A and Group B. The results of this type of test frequently are among the strongest factors in determining which features become a part of a web site. (When it comes to building a company like [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com), which has products that *live exclusively* on the web, A/B testing should be done as often as possible to help you make sure the product fits the market the way you want it to.)
It used to be that A/B testing was the type of thing that only major companies like Google did. But now it takes *know-how* more than money to make A/B testing a part of your operation. The cost is really the *time* it takes you to learn how to use the free tools (or the fees you pay to the consultant you hire to do the work for you). You can begin with two free tools in Google Analytics and Google Website Optimizer, and you can get started with A/B testing on your web site. Why do you want to know about A/B testing? Because, people, in another day it will be 2010, and staring at shapeless, uninterpretable masses of data hasn’t been cool since the 1990s. 🙂
*Will Marlow is the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com), which helps schools and nonprofits improve their online fundraising results. Email him at .*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Marketing, site development, Software development, Split-testing, web marketing, Website optimization
---
### [Is It a Technology Problem or a Human Problem?](https://willmarlow.com/is-it-a-technology-problem-or-a-human-problem/)
**Published:** December 30, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Some people look for technology to solve all their problems, and after they spend a lot of money, they realize that they have the same problems that they had before, and they get upset.
Examples of this include:
- People who think oil and coal cause pollution, and who ignore the fact that there are widespread human behaviors that are wasteful regardless of how clean the technology is;
- Doctors who prescribe medication to treat patients who might benefit more from simple exercise (this one is more the fault of the patients, in my opinion);
- Amateur photographers who buy the latest full-frame, 21-megapixel pro-model camera from Canon, but who wouldn’t even read the guidebook for a Nikon D40;
- Companies that focus on adding new features or “enhancements” to their software, rather than addressing the core reasons why people aren’t buying or using their software in the first place.
We’re on the verge of the 7th decade since the invention of the computer, and I know it’s heresy for a technologist to point people away from technology. But to solve a problem, you need to know its cause. And if you are honest with yourself about which of your problems can be solved by the latest innovations, then your quality of life will go up.
*Will Marlow is the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which helps schools and nonprofits improve their online fundraising results. Email him at .*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Software, Startup, Technology
---
### [What Do You Do When Your Traffic Dips?](https://willmarlow.com/what-do-you-do-when-your-traffic-dips/)
**Published:** December 28, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A great question was emailed to me the other day from a reader who is a social media marketer who uses Google Analytics to measure aggregate traffic patterns, but also does useful A/B testing.
He wanted to know what actions I would take if I saw a significant dip in my traffic.
This is a great question, because it points to the fact that most aggregate traffic data is NOT actionable. If traffic goes up, is it due to the actions I am taking, or the actions YOU are taking, or is external events that are driving the dip?
But it IS useful to have a yearly calendar of expectations and predictions regarding your traffic, and it’s useful to know what feeds your traffic, and what patterns your visitors follow when they’re on your site. But in general, all of this aggregate info is a base from which you expand on.
The most immediately actionable piece of information from aggregate data is this: when there is a general dip, it’s a good time to do a risky promotion, because the consequences of failure are lower. (It’s also good timing to do site maintenance, or other unpopular activities.)
But if you are going to *do* a risky promotion because traffic is dipping, you’ll need to combine the promotion with an A/B test to make it truly useful.
What do you do when your traffic dips?
*Will Marlow is the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which helps schools and nonprofits improve their online fundraising results. Email him at .*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [The Top Five Things to Come Out of the Last 10 Years](https://willmarlow.com/the-top-five-things-to-come-out-of-the-last-10-years/)
**Published:** December 27, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I’ve noticed a number of fairly negative commentaries summing up the decade that’s ending on December 31st, which made me want to point out some of the great things that have happened over the last ten years.
1. Wikipedia was founded in January 2001 (something that is useful enough to receive 7 billion page views a month);
2. Facebook was founded in 2004 (350 million of us like this enough to signup);
3. YouTube was founded in February 2005, and I think it will be remembered as a true watershed for changing human behavior and communications in a profound way
4. An African American was elected President.
5. And over the last ten years, Americans donated **$2.6 trillion** to charity (in the year 2000, Americans gave [$203 billion](http://www.allbusiness.com/personal-finance/individual-taxes-tax-deductions/816710-1.html), and by 2007 charitable giving began exceeding [$300 billion](http://www.pgdc.com/pgdc/us-charitable-giving-estimated-be-30639-billion-2007) each year.
I think the last decade was all about moving us forward in our desire to connect with one another and interact, which will hopefully make us happier and more productive in years to come.
Plus I got engaged in 2009, which puts another positive spin on the decade.
(Have I forgotten any events or trends you’d mention?)
*Will Marlow is the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which helps schools and nonprofits improve their online fundraising results. Email him at .*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Last decade, Obama, Top 5, Top Five, wikipedia, YouTube
---
### [The Cost of Building a Business in 1995 vs. Today](https://willmarlow.com/the-cost-of-building-a-business-in-1995-vs-today/)
**Published:** December 26, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I was just reading the 2005 by Ryan McIntyre about the plummeting cost of doing a startup, and thought I’d share the comparison of prices for hosting services in 1995 versus 2005.
- Bandwidth: $**1100**/megabit/month in 1995 vs. **$128**/megabit/month in 2005
- Cage Space: **$175**/sqft/month in 1995 vs. **$25**/sqft/month in 2005
- Disk Storage: **$1,300,000**/TB in 1995 vs. **$3,300**/TB in 2005 (SCSI RAID)
- 1-CPU Server: **$25,000** in 1995 vs. **$1,000** in 2005 (web server class machine)
- 4-CPU Server: **$360,000** in 1995 vs. **$38,000** in 2005 (with 16GB RAM)
Most investors and entrepreneurs LOVE talking about the low costs of doing an Internet-based startup these days.
Which is why I was very glad to read Bill Burnham’s about the true costs of building an *enterprise* startup, and why plummeting software costs don’t totally change the game for enterprise startups.
Burnham has three main points (all true) as to why “enterprise startups” (think Blackboard or SalesForce.com) are different from “consumer-startups” (think Google or Twitter):
(1) enterprise customers don’t do “betas,” — that is, they won’t buy anything that’s not ready for prime time;
(2) enterprise customers need customer support and sales attention (which Google is learning as it begins to enter the enterprise space for the first time); and
(3) enterprise customers want an inherently stable infrastructure, which costs money to build and maintain.
The only PS I would add to Burnham’s post is that cloud computing has a fundamentally different value proposition for enterprise businesses than it has for consumer businesses. Enterprise businesses use the cloud to deliver *better* software, not simply *cheaper* software. An enterprise product (whether cloud-based or not) needs to be *fantastic* to be viable, because being cheap isn’t good enough.
And to make a truly fantastic product for enterprises, you need to follow an *iterative* development process to find the right product-market fit. That is, you would never dream of building a software package alone in a room with four engineers and unveiling it to your enterprise customers at a grand opening. You need to build a *non-beta* product that is ready for market, make sales, get customer feedback, do [A/B testing](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A/B_testing), get customer feedback, expand your reference-base, incorporate customer feedback and A/B test results into new features, and repeat until the product *fits* the market, and you’re ready to scale. (Of course, this is similar to the process you follow when building consumer software, too, but in this case you need to factor in the higher costs for doing it (1) to a higher non-beta standard for each iteration, (2) doing it in a stable environment, and (3) incorporating sales and support resources starting on day one.
In other words, falling hosting costs may have reduced the overall price tag (with those cost savings coming primarily *early* in the process), but bandwidth and “cage space” aren’t the only things that you need to pay for when you set out to build a fantastic enterprise company.
*Will Marlow is the co-creator of [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com/), which helps schools and nonprofits improve their online fundraising results. Email him at .*
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Ryan McIntyre, Software development, Startups
---
### [Christmas Presents](https://willmarlow.com/christmas-presents/)
**Published:** December 25, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
This year I gave two types of Christmas presents (with the exception of my gift to Amy, which was a Nikon DSLR): (a) photographs, and (b) AlumniFidelity t-shirts. The older I get, the more I appreciate gifts that are homemade. I hope you can enjoy the holidays with your family today.
These are some of the photographs I printed and framed for friends and family. 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [More Best Practices with Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/more-best-practices-with-google-analytics/)
**Published:** December 24, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
This is a follow up to a recent post I wrote on . Yesterday I noticed that Google provides “Alert Templates” which make it easy to keep track of changing trends in your web traffic. I took Google’s suggestions (with a few minor edits), and now the system is set to email me to let me know of the following traffic trends hitting any of my sites on any given day:
- Traffic Decreases by more than 50%
- Unique visitors decreases by more than 50.0%
- Percent new visitors decreases by more than 50.0%
- Average time on site decreases by more than 50.0%
- Traffic *increase* by more than 50%
- Unique visitors *increase* by more than 50.0%
- Percent new visitors *increase* by more than 50.0%
- Average time on site *increase* by more than 50.0%
With these eight new alerts, my daily/weekly Google Analytics routine has grown to 19 data points (Click for the other eleven trends that I follow with Google Analytics.)
As before, don’t hesitate to email me if you use Google Analytics in a creative way (such as for A/B testing by bringing in Google Optimizer), or if you simply use it to follow different trends in your site traffic that you find useful. .
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [The Power of Small Things](https://willmarlow.com/the-power-of-small-things/)
**Published:** December 23, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
An [MIT meteorologist](http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/obit-lorenz-0416.html) did an experiment with mathematical formulas that showed that the pressure of a butterfly’s wings beating in Brazil can cause a Tornado in Texas. If we lived in a more optimistic world, would the meteorologist have demonstrated that the butterfly’s wings could produce so much pressure that they can actually *prevent* a tornado from developing?
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [The Most Valuable People to Work With, and the Story of Little Tuppen](https://willmarlow.com/the-most-valuable-people-to-work-with-and-the-story-of-little-tuppen/)
**Published:** December 22, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The rarest and most valuable people in a startup company are the ones who not only understand their role, but can perform that role, even when things that should happen first, don’t happen first. If you can’t find these people, you can still *be* one of them yourself.
Without these types of people, the first part of a startup would feel like the story of Little Tuppen, whose mother needed water to help her stop coughing, and everyone wanted to help, but they all wanted her to do a different task before they would lift a finger. (The stream told her to see the tree, the tree told her to see the boy, the boy told her to see the cow, the cow told her to see the blacksmith…)
In the earliest days, this may be your feeling when you approach your very first investor, who wants you to have traction, or the very first clients, who want to know who your other clients are, or the VCs, who want to know about the other companies you’ve built and exited, or the potential partners, who want to work for a startup as long as it’s already scaling halfway up the hockey stick.
Your only hope is to *be* the type of person you’re looking for, and be grateful (I am) for all of those great people who find *you*.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Little Tuppen, Seed-stage, Startup, Startups, VC, VCs, Venture capitalists
---
### [Facebook Tip: How to Know if One of Your Friends "Unfriends" You on Facebook](https://willmarlow.com/facebook-tip-how-to-know-if-one-of-your-friends-unfriends-you-on-facebook/)
**Published:** December 21, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
There is a Facebook application that is surprisingly difficult to find called the "Friend Tracker." Once you set it up, it will tell you how many friends you have added, and how many friends have "unfriended" you, in the days since you last refreshed it. If you want it, .
Any thoughts on why this Facebook application isn't more popular? Is there a more popular version that i'm not aware of? Or do people simply not want to know who has unfriended them?
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [The Fall of Search Engine Optimization (Or How Bing Actually Did Something Useful)](https://willmarlow.com/the-fall-of-search-engine-optimization-or-how-bing-actually-did-something-useful/)
**Published:** December 20, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Every so often, I do some quick keyword searches for my company, my clients, and my own name, to see how everyone is doing regarding search engine optimization.
Two things are notable. Number one, it looks like the black art of search engine optimization (SEO) is rapidly losing relevance, and it’s being replaced by the much simpler art of social media optimization. Which means, essentially, that search engines will now be able to find you largely by your own social media conversations on Twitter, Facebook, and on your blog. You still need to make your content “search engine friendly” so that you don’t make it hard for Google to find you, but the complicated voodoo is being replaced by activities that you do. Number two, much to my surprise, when I entered the same search criteria in both Google and Bing, Bing told me something useful that Google did not. Bing told me that someone had linked to my blog from Twitter without letting me know. I was happy to find out so that I could thank the person, but the point is, Google didn’t tell me about this and Bing did. Now, it’ll take A LOT more than this to win even 1% of my search loyalty, but I was surprised that given the same search criteria, Bing scored a point on Google on my scorecard. PS – If you ever find yourself in a conversation with someone who tells you that Twitter or Facebook is a fad that could disappear because they don’t do anything useful, and you don’t know what to say to them, remember that people *still* pay big money for “search engine optimization.” Twitter and Facebook displace this costly marketing activity with a non-cash alternative. In other words, rather than *paying* for SEO, smart businesses are *using* social media. That’s the opposite of *useless.* 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Google+, Search, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, Social Media Optimization
---
### [The Most Exciting Part of Your Business Plan](https://willmarlow.com/the-most-exciting-part-of-your-business-plan/)
**Published:** December 19, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
You’re not going to change the world by building a *sales force*, even if you build the equivalent of Napoleon’s Army to sell your products.
If the most exciting thing in your business plan is the number of sales reps you hope to hire once you get serious funding, you are *not* likely to get the funding.
If a company is *fundable* (not merely *viable*) your sales force will manage the demand for your products as your company flies through the tornado. The tornado doesn’t wait for the presence of your sales force to materialize.
This is what Marc Andreessen means when he starts talking about how the goal of any seed stage company is to find the right “product/market fit.”
The most exciting part of your business plan is the potential for you to change the world by finding a new “” that everybody wants, but that only you have built. If the most exciting part of your business plan is something else, your plan is probably *not* very exciting.
PS – Here are some for entrepreneurs from Carl Grant ([@carlgrant](http://www.twitter.com/carlgrant)). These resources are VERY helpful if you’re raising capital for your company, whether you’re talking to venture capitalists or anyone else.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Marc Andreessen, Product-Market fit, Sales force, Sales reps, Whole Product
---
### [The Difference Between Yahoo (YHOO) and Google (GOOG)](https://willmarlow.com/the-difference-between-yahoo-yhoo-and-google-goog/)
**Published:** December 17, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Venture Capitalist (who was an early investor in both Yahoo and Google), once said, “Google was built on a foundation of Larry's and Sergey's intellectual pursuits. Yahoo was built on the foundations of Jerry's and David's interests.”
This is a nice way to describe the differences between Yahoo and Google. The real difference is that Yahoo is about marketing. Google is about technology.
Yahoo says: “If we put ‘X’ advertisement on ‘Y’ page, which will be viewed by ‘Z’ audience, we’ll have XYZ profit in Q1.” This is straightforward and common.
Google says, “If we build such and such amazing product, and the dogs eat the dog food, we’ll learn X squared about our audience, and, when we eventually place an advertisement, it’ll be seen by the right people at the right time, and we’ll make 10x as much money as another company placing the same ad.” This is not straightforward, but it’s pretty exciting.
PS – Another way to think of Google is the way Geoffrey Moore talks about it. Google has a tremendous media property ("Search") and a tremendous monetizing engine ("Adsense") and this creates tremendous profits that fund Google's many, many experiments, which makes Google's stock price essentially an option on all the businesses that MAY eventually pay off.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [How to Get More from Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-get-more-from-google-analytics/)
**Published:** December 16, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I use Google Analytics (often) but on a regular basis I only use it for a few basic things.
If you feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of data that Google Analytics presents you with, it can help for you to simply define what you want to know. For example, here are some things I like to know: 1. How many people visit my web sites each day.
2. How long the average visitor stays.
3. How many pages the average visitor views before leaving.
4. How many visitors stay longer than 3-5 minutes.
5. How many “New” visitors there are on a weekly basis.
6. I like to see where my traffic comes from (Twitter, Facebook, Google, etc.,)
7. Which pages are the most popular.
8. If certain popular pages in particular get a high percentage of traffic from referral sites like Twitter.
9. How long people tend to stay on my most popular pages (and to compare that with the average for the site in general).
10. Which times of day are the busiest.
11. And I am interested in tracking total unique visitors and page views recorded on AlumniFidelity’s many donation portals, and I divide that number by the amount of donations recorded to get a “completion” statistic, and I periodically look for events that seem to move this statistic one direction or another. The value of this data is pretty self-explanatory. But you can do so much with programs like Google Analytics that I’m just beginning to scratch the surface. Do you use Google Analytics more extensively? Let me know if you’d like to discuss ways to draw more from the data. And: if you could know *anything* at all about your web traffic and visitors, what would it be? 
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Google Analytics, Google+, site analytics, Site data, Site metrics, Site traffic, Web site, Web statistics
---
### [Competitive Advantage](https://willmarlow.com/competitive-advantage/)
**Published:** December 15, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
My hero Geoffrey Moore often pushes businesspeople to think about their business in terms of core and context.
The core activity is everything you do that makes you strategically different (that is, better) than your competitors. Core is where you create value. Everything else that you do (activities that don’t make you better) is context. You want to put as many dollars as possible into core processes, because you expect to make those dollars back in spades.
And you want to get as much of the context as possible for free. For example, if you sell a database system to universities, you’re willing to pay web developers a lot of your money to make your database even better than it already is. But you won’t pay those same web devopers to build you a proprietary internal email system if you can avoid it, because that would cost you money without differentiating you in any positive way from your competitors.
It sounds easy to push your resources into core activities. The challenge is what Geoffrey Moore refers to as “mission critical context.” This is the stuff that doesn’t give you value, but if it fails, the failure could be catastrophic. Middle managers like to tie up a lot of resources in this area under the label “mission critical.” The only way I know to fight this problem is to (1) be aware of the tendency of organizations to lose their competitive advantages by slowly adding resources to (non) mission-critical context activities, and (2) evaluate all context thoroughly before committing resources to them. If something is truly mission-critical, by all means, you have a responsibility to protect that area. But if you are spending money on an activity that creates zero value and there is no good reason for doing so, stop doing it.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Geoffrey Moore, Mission Critical
---
### [The Most Important Marketing Skill](https://willmarlow.com/the-most-important-marketing-skill/)
**Published:** December 14, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Does your product solve a problem? Or does it fulfill a desire? This is an important distinction.
If you are solving a problem, your marketing challenge is all about getting the word out to your customers. If you're selling a cure for their sickness, they need to know where to go and who to see to cure their disease.
But if you are fulfilling a desire, your marketing challenge is not about simply communicating with a large number of people. To market a product that fulfills a desire, you need to paint a vivid picture for your customer – the customer needs to see and feel in their mind how your product fulfills their ambitions. That's a different task.
In all likelihood, however, your business will need to solve problems *and* fulfill desires, at different times and for different customers.
The most important marketing challenge is to know which situations call for which approach.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [What to Expect (Part 2)](https://willmarlow.com/what-to-expect-part-2/)
**Published:** December 13, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Another blog I write is [www.willmarlow.wordpress.com](http://www.willmarlow.wordpress.com), and that blog follows a fairly rigid format.
When I write a post for that blog, I simply ask the question: Is this topic something that a client of mine (a school or nonprofit executive) will likely find useful? If the answer is yes, I either keep or finish writing, and add the new post. (After I write a post, I will sometimes send an email to a specific client letting them know about it, in case I have reason to believe that they will find it particularly useful.) My clients are universities, secondary schools and nonprofits, and they hire me and [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com) to help with their online fundraising campaigns, and specifically to help them manage peer-to-peer, or social media based fundraising campaigns.
Along with my last [post](http://www.willmarlow.com/what-to-expect), this should explain why I keep two separate blogs.
PS – My fiance Amy designed the [header](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2522/4182127722_1da27ba51e_b.jpg) on my client blog.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [What to Expect](https://willmarlow.com/what-to-expect/)
**Published:** December 12, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I have two separate blogs. This ([www.willmarlow.com](http://www.willmarlow.com)) is my personal blog, and my posts here stem from my role as a co-founder of AlumniFidelity, and my experience operating a technology startup company.
Before posting to this blog, I try to ask the following questions: 1. Would someone else who is working at a startup, a university, a nonprofit, or a boring corporation potentially find the information useful?
2. Is this something that I wish someone else had already written about?
3. Is this post interesting enough that I would regret forgetting it? The three questions above don’t tell me *what* to write about, however. They only tell me when I’m *finished* writing a post.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Posterous
---
### [Here's a 1-2-3 Guide to Adding a Favicon to Your Posterous Blog](https://willmarlow.com/heres-a-1-2-3-guide-to-adding-a-favicon-to-your-posterous-blog/)
**Published:** December 11, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I love Favicons, which are are the tiny (16×16 square images, to be specific) that appear in the URL, or in the browser link, or in the tab of your browser when your blog or website is being viewed.
(If you want to see some examples of Favicons that may inspire you, [here is a great catalogue](http://www.fineicons.com/en/favicon-gallery) of some of the best ones out there.)
Even though the Favicon is a relatively minor part of your web site’s visual experience, I have always thought that the Favicon goes a LONG way in making your web site or blog look polished. Which is why I was glad when my Posterous friends [Rohan](http://imrohan.com/) and [Nischal](http://posterous.com/people/10Ef4kI08Qp) tipped me off that it was possible to manually customize your Favicon on Posterous. I opened up the code and successfully added my favorite Favicon (which you should be able to see now), and I thought I’d include the steps for anyone else to do the same thing.
To change the Favicon on your Posterous blog, use the following steps:
1. Select the image file you want to use for your Posterous Favicon. Note: images MUST be square, and they MUST be 16×16 pixels.
2. Upload your 16×16 square image to the Web. I uploaded my Favicon to my [Flickr account here](http://www.flickr.com/photos/williammarlow/4176722546/).
3. Take the image location (if you used Flickr like I did, you simply click “Share,” then select “Grab the HTML, and copy the part of the code that ends in the “.jpg” or “.png” or whatever image file you used.
4. Then you’ll need to “Enable Advanced Theming” for your Posterous blog, and by doing a “Find Replace,” get rid of the default Favicon image, which is written like this: “/images/favicon.png,” and replace it with the new Flickr image location.
5. Save changes and you’re done.
I hope this post will help folks get even more out of their Posterous accounts. Let me know if there is a better way to accomplish any of this, or if you have trouble following the steps I outlined.
(Quick aside: I’m curious if [Guy Kawasaki](http://holykaw.alltop.com/) will soon change his Alltop page’s Posterous Favicon. I have always been interested by the way he and his company use Posterous; they have one of the most highly customized and impressive accounts I’ve seen, yet they put up with a generic little Posterous Favicon.)
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Posterous, Social Media, Web development
---
### [Twitter 102: An Introduction to the ReTweet](https://willmarlow.com/twitter-102-an-introduction-to-the-retweet/)
**Published:** December 10, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
This post is intended for people who are either new to Twitter, or who have been Tweeting for awhile and would like to get more out of Twitter by understanding one of the most common Twitter use cases, the ReTweet.
**ReTweet (or, RT):** as a verb, to ReTweet is to re-post something posted by another user, usually preceded with “RT” and “@username” to give credit to an original poster.
(Quick aside: ReTweet was one of the words that the Oxford English Dictionary [made a big deal](http://www.theblogismine.com/2009/11/16/unfriend-is-the-new-oxford-word-of-the-year-2009/) about adding this year from social media. The word “Unfriend,” however, beat it out for the new word of the year.)
**What’s the point of ReTweeting?** ReTweeting showcases the powerful viral nature of Twitter, because as people ReTweet interesting posts, good ideas have more opportunities to reach more of Twitter’s 40 million-plus users. Also, from an individual point of view, if a user is commonly ReTweeted, it shows that his/her Twitter followers are truly reading their posts, and this is valuable information since there are some effective ways for people to “inflate” their Twitter following, and to create a misleading impression of their actual influence. It seems nearly impossible, however, to fake the number of ReTweets you have.
**How to do you increase the frequency that people ReTweet you?** The first thing you should do is make sure you yourself know why you are on Twitter, and what you want to say and accomplish. For example, if you are a health clinic trying to build relationships with neighborhood donors, you should Tweet about your health expertise (interesting news health stories, public health announcements, news regarding the treatments you offer, news about donations and how they help you serve the community, etc.).
Second, you should proactively follow a handful of people who are interested in the same things you are writing about. (Just look at their profile bio, and their Twitter stream to find out what they are interested in.) This is a way of saying hello on Twitter. If they are in fact interested in what you have to say, they will likely follow you back. Quick tip: make sure you have just Tweeted something relevant to them before you follow them, so that when they take a quick look a *your Twitter stream and bio*, they will be able to recognize that you aren’t a spammer or a bot. This outreach is very important at first, because it will introduce you to people who are interested more in *what you have to say* and less in *who you are.* That is to say, if your sister or best friend are following you on Twitter, they may be fully satisfied by nothing more than reading your posts. You want to engage with people who want to pull-in and push-out information from you.
Rather than going into a detailed list of the many *specific tactics* that you can master to increase the frequency with which you are ReTweeted, I am instead going to give you [this link here](http://holykaw.alltop.com/how-you-can-get-retweeted) to a great blog post by [@GuyKawasaki](http://www.twitter.com/guykawasaki), and just share a few fundamentals. The hard part is introducing yourself to the right audience and knowing your Twitter goals and objectives (i.e., what do you want to say and whom are you speaking with?). Once you have that solid framework in place, all you need to do is regularly ReTweet some fellow Twitterers, and they will begin to return the favor. (And pay attention to Guy Kawasaki’s tactical tips to help make sure your material is highly “retweetable.”)
**One final tip**: Every time you get ReTweeted, add that person to a public or a private list that identifies them as someone who has ReTweeted you. As the number of people who ReTweet you grows, you can make an organized effort to *stay engaged* with these people by ReTweeting them, and @replying ot them before doing so for others. This will help you with the challenge of follower *retention* and not just follower *acquisition,* which is what most people focus on exclusively.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** AlumniFidelity, ReTweet, RT, Social Media, Twitter
---
### [How to Learn from Google's Beta Tag](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-learn-from-googles-beta-tag/)
**Published:** December 9, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The *beta* tag is one of Google’s brilliant hallmarks.
The *beta* phase (it can actually last *forever*) solves one of the key challenges in software product development. The first challenge (*unsolved* by the beta phase) is to build software that solves a serious consumer or business problem, which is no small task. But the second challenge (once your software solve a serious customer problem) is that you can *never* figure out how human beings will actually *use* your software once they get their hands on it. That is, unless you have a strong beta program and you watch a large number of your users in action, and you learn from them.
Google is the master of using *emergent* data. Don’t design Gmail. Let your beta testers play with your new email system until the right patterns emerge, and let *them* design Gmail for you. Same with Twitter. Let the right features emerge, don't airdrop them in from corporate HQ.
Having a strong beta culture is all about knowing when to stop inserting your own preferences and opinions into things, and letting the end users tell you how the product should be designed. That’s when the software gets designed right.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Google+, Software, Software development, Startups
---
### [How to Stay Ahead of the Game in 35 minutes](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-stay-ahead-of-the-game-in-35-minutes/)
**Published:** December 9, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
For the last 42 days, there has been a YouTube video of an awesome presentation about trends in high tech by my hero Geoffrey Moore (below). Over the last 42 days this video has been viewed a grand total of 617 times, according to the YouTube statistics. Anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of cloud-computing, and how consumer software is entering the enterprise world, would be interested in watching this.
If you're like me, you appreciate finding a very, very valuable bit of content like this presentation by Geoffrey Moore, and you appreciate it *even more* when you know that less than 1000 people are interested enough to watch it, which means that you'll be gathering uncommonly held data. Or, to think of it another way, you like knowing that you are the 618th person to watch the high tech video, and you're NOT the 502,219th person to watch [Porn Stars and Tiger Woods](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIMRmAjcte0) in the last 24 hours.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Geoffrey Moore, Google+, Startups, Tiger Woods
---
### [Here’s to Putting All Your Eggs in One Basket (re-reading Crossing the Chasm)](https://willmarlow.com/heres-to-putting-all-your-eggs-in-one-basket-re-reading-crossing-the-chasm/)
**Published:** December 8, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Sometimes it’s a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket. This is one of the key lessons of the startup bible, *Crossing the Chasm*, which I’m re-reading right now.**
The *Chasm* is the place where many high-tech startups die. It’s the gap between the early market of *innovators* (people who are enthusiastic about buying a groundbreaking product that is only 80 percent complete) and the *pragmatists* (the people who look at a product that is 80 percent complete and say, Where’s the other 20 percent?).
In order to leap across the *Chasm*, you need to commit to building the “whole product” for at least one target customer. Rather than making the common mistake of building a product that’s got *something* for all your potential target customers, you need to give just one target customer *everything.* If you do that, you’ll get your first round of pragmatist customers, who will be your reference base as you seek to get *more* pragmatist customers. (Don’t forget: there are *a lot* more pragmatists than there are innovators, so you’ll want your reference base to be full of pragmatists so they can tell their friends.)
I regularly recommend Geoffrey Moore’s book to other people who work at startups. For now, this book, along with the sequel, *Inside the Tornado* and Guy Kawasaki’s *Art of the Start*, stands alone as required reading for entrepreneurs, in my opinion. If anyone has suggestions for books that they would recommend to entrepreneurs, please let me know at , or [@willmarlow](http://www.twitter.com/willmarlow), or in comments below, or let me know when you run into me on the street 🙂
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** Art of the Start, Geoffrey Moore, Startup, Startups, Technology
---
### [Wikipedia Is Losing Its Most Important Eyeballs](https://willmarlow.com/wikipedia-is-losing-its-most-important-eyeballs/)
**Published:** November 24, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
My friend DJ Smith over at [WebDrivenGuy](http://webdrivenguy.posterous.com/thousands-of-wikipedia-editors-quit-every-mon) just posted the story about how Wikipedia is losing thousands of page creators each month.
Even though I love Wikipedia, I also love reading stories like [this](http://www.businessinsider.com/chart-of-the-day-wikipedia-editors-2009-11?utm_source=Triggermail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SAI%20Chart%20Of%20The%20Day,%20Monday%2011/23/09).
This is a great illustration of one of the most disruptive aspects of Web 2.0: when you build a modern web platform, your challenge is not to build an online destination that attracts 347 million page views each month (which is Wikipedia’s current monthly traffic). Your challenge instead is to build a platform that attracts a small segment of people, but that engages these folks in an *intense* way, and gives them something productive to do that can be shared with others.
If you succeed in doing this, you’ll join the ranks of YouTube, Blogger, Flickr, Wikipedia, eBay, Facebook, MySpace, craigslist, Squidoo, wordpress, Digg, TypePad, Topix, Photobucket, Scribd…and, although my company is a hybrid model, I’d include [AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com) in there, along with plenty of others.
**Quick side-note:** don’t be fooled by corporations that create instant hits like Hulu, which are backed by content that cost hundreds of millions of dollars to create and market. That sort of site isn’t a modern web platform. Everything about these sites are supported by dollars that were generated elsewhere, and they just happen to be on the web.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** AlumniFidelity, Twitter, web 2.0, wikipedia
---
### [My Pictures from Reston Interfaith's Thanksgiving Food Drive](https://willmarlow.com/my-pictures-from-reston-interfaiths-thanksgiving-food-drive/)
**Published:** November 21, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
---
### [How to Create Innovation in Your Organization](https://willmarlow.com/how-to-create-innovation-in-your-organization/)
**Published:** November 17, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I attended a good panel this morning organized by the people at [Ogilvy PR](http://www.hostingimagesemail.com/OPR/exchange/111109/) in DC. The topic was innovation in organizations, and there were some great panelists.
We ran out of time, but I would have loved to discuss the dynamic between the *outward-facing* guys and *inward-facing* guys within companies. My own attitude has been that a company should do its best to create tension between the outward-facing team (maybe led by the CEO), and the inward-facing team (led by the COO). Both teams are essential to stimulating innovation. The trick is, even though you want to foster *tension* between the outward and inward forces, you need the *outward* force to win often enough to keep people very busy.
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** AlumniFidelity, Innovation, Mason Business Alliance, Startups
---
### [One (Often Overlooked) Way Obama Affects the Economy](https://willmarlow.com/one-often-overlooked-way-obama-affects-the-economy/)
**Published:** November 8, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
First of all, this post is NOT intended to be a political statement or judgment, merely an observation. The only provocative aspect of this post is that the title could have been, “One Way the Government Affects the Economy,” but instead I chose to use Obama’s name because my example comes from his policies.
Last Friday my company ([AlumniFidelity](http://www.alumnifidelity.com)) was selected to give a presentation to a room full of private investors at something called a [Grubstake Breakfast](http://www.businessalliance.org/grubstake.html), where investors evaluate new companies to see if they want to invest in them. We were selected to appear along with four other companies out of a pool of 40 under consideration.
As many of you know, AlumniFidelity sells software and consulting services to schools and nonprofits to help them find new donors and lower the costs of their online fundraising. The other FOUR companies that were selected to present were ALL health care companies. Typically, this Grubstake tries to showcase a *wide* variety of companies.
The consensus in the room was that due to the stimulus, as well as Obama’s general focus on health care, right now investors and entrepreneurs want to focus on certain types of health care businesses that can be expected to profit from government spending.
When it comes to major industries, it is not a groundbreaking revelation that government spending has a major impact on shaping the economy. However, I was surprised to see an example of government policies shaping such *early-stage* investment and entrepreneurial activity. Especially since the government hasn’t even started spending money that would affect these companies, and the health care policies themselves are not even finalized in any form.
Again, I’m not casting judgment or making a political statement. (And, for the record, my company actually benefited, because we stood out from the crowd as the only alternative for people who simply weren’t interested in the health care industry.)
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** AlumniFidelity, Investors, Mason Business Alliance, Obama, Online Fundraising, Online Fundraising Consultant, Politics
---
### [Learn Who Has "Favorited" Your Tweets](https://willmarlow.com/learn-who-has-favorited-your-tweets/)
**Published:** November 6, 2009
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The three most common measures of influence on Twitter are:
(1) How many followers you have
(2) How often someone re-tweets or mentions you in their own Tweets
and
(3) How many times people click on your shortened URLs, which contain useful analytic data (this is my favorite measure).
But here is a cool Twitter application that will let you know if people have added your Tweets to their own list of "Favorites" on Twitter. This is interesting data both in specific and in aggregate, usually it goes unnoticed because there is no built-in counter that broadcasts this information on Twitter (like Follower count, for example).
Just visit this URL: . Then use the instructions on the interface to reveal your most popular Tweets and your most recently favorited Tweets.
What others ways do people like to measure influence on Twitter? Are there offline ways that any of you like to measure Twitter? Let me know in comments, or on Twitter itself, or by emailing me at (make the subject: "Twitter Influence Blog" to help me see and respond quickly).
Will Marlow
[See Full Bio](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/) [ ](https://willmarlow.com/author/willmarlow/)
**Categories:** Original Blog
**Tags:** AlumniFidelity, Marketing, Online Fundraising, Social Media, Twitter, Will Marlow
---
## Pages
### [New Home Page](https://willmarlow.com/)
**Published:** June 18, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
# your premier partner in digital marketing
### **Get it Right the First Time with Data-Driven Advertising**
Will Marlow Agency is a digital marketing agency based in the Washington DC area, serving clients worldwide on PPC, SEO, Content, CRM, and Marketing Automation.
*Maximize your digital presence with our tailored strategies
and expert insights.*
[Get Your Free Ad Audit](https://willmarlow.com/get-your-free-ad-audit/)
How we can help your GROWTH AND LEADS
## **Our Services**
Our tailored services can make your brand stand out amidst the digital noise. Harnessing the power of PPC campaigns, we don’t just drive traffic to your platform – we engineer it into a flow of qualified leads and opportunities for your business.
From crafting content that resonates with your audience to optimizing your online visibility through SEO strategies, we can boost your website’s presence on search engines.
Additionally, our expertise in CRM, particularly with HubSpot, enables us to streamline your customer interactions and pipeline growth.
[](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=7038)
#### [PPC Advertising](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=7038)
[](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=7026)
#### [Advanced SEO](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=7026)
[](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=6949)
#### [Content Creation](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=6949)
[](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=370795)
#### [Sales & Marketing Automation](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=370795)
What our clients say about us
## **Testimonials**
### Peter Lovasz
##### SVP Protect, CoreLogic
Your team's exceptional agility, unwavering professionalism, and flawless execution were the key factors in making our event an outstanding success.
### Rob Chevez
##### The Caza Group
I have worked with Will and his team for over three years and my experience with them has been a 10+. I was just going over our numbers and our returns have been awesome – for every $1.00 we spend we make $5.85! Thank you Will!
### Melody Murphy
##### Metro United Way
In our first year, Will Marlow Agency helped us increase our Google AdWords traffic by more than 1,349%, which led to 130,000+ site visitors – mostly new. Since working with their team, Google AdWords has been the #1 traffic referral to our site. The numbers speak for themselves.
### Scott Noon
##### Share My Lesson
Will Marlow Agency immediately pulled answers out of Google Analytics and taught my team to find answers for ourselves. Data on keywords that were driving leads, what locations were driving sales, and what pages on the website produced results were now in our hands.
### Keith White
##### Network for Good
Over the course of 18 months, Will Marlow Team helped us grow lead volume by 8.4x, while at the same time producing a 3.7x cost reduction, which took us from 200 leads per month at $158.04 CPL, to 1,675 leads per month at $43 CPL.
### Slater Crosby
##### The Little Gym of Edina/St. Louis Park
They are extremely professional and have even caught local market issues extremely fast which has prevented me from raising my keyword price to cost-prohibitive prices in order to outbid the competitors. I could not be happier that I’m working with the WMA team.
### Christian Bourgeois
##### Studio Red
After only 10 months working with the Will Marlow Agency, we have seen significant growth in our inbound leads. In the first 3 months working with them, they had already brought in as many leads as we had received in the prior 9 months combined.
### Debbie Villarreal
##### The Little Gym of Mountain View
The Will Marlow Agency has made improvements in our advertising allowing us to reach our advertising potential. The weekly check-ins allow us to make immediate changes to our budget and/or the focus of our ads. I highly recommend Will Marlow Agency.
### Adam Stone
##### The Little Gym of Chicago
We have been working with WMA for nearly two years and our experience has been nothing short of amazing. We have worked with others that claim that they will increase digital traffic and in the end they pale in comparison to the results that Will and his team have provided.
### Wendy McGee
##### The Little Gym of Fort Worth SW
The Will Marlow Agency team took the initiative to help with website traffic issues and even reached out to TLGI when it was outside of the scope of service that we were paying for. Since working with them our inquiries have increased by 25%.
### Kat Azima
##### Denteo Marketing Group
The Will Marlow Agency is the only Google PPC agency you should work with if you want to drive quality leads to your business. They have delivered double-digit growth so far and I would safely say that I would not trust anyone else with my PPC advertising.
### Amy Plumley
##### FiscalNote
Will Marlow's team is an outstanding resource for all things PPC, GoogleAds, and Analytics. I hired them to audit and optimize my GoogleAds account, and they worked fast, were thorough, stayed focused on ROI, and provided excellent follow-up support.
### Hulya Aksu
##### Modern DC Publishing, LLC
I invited Will to speak on the topic of applying social media to business goals, and he gave an outstanding presentation. He is also a big advocate of using hard data to measure results. I highly recommend him both as a speaker and as a marketing consultant.
### Julianne Yurek
##### Hardwood Artisans
With Will’s help, we can now measure and analyze our GoogleAds investment, which lets us see what works and what doesn’t. I highly recommend working with Will if you need GoogleAds training either one-on-one, or for your team.
### Rick Henneberg
##### WBN
I hired Will to bring his marketing and PR expertise to my business, and I look forward to working with him for a long time. He has a great ability to look at the big picture, and to always stay focused on the most important things.
### Craig Marshall
##### Christopher Drummond Beautys
We brought in multiple Google Analytics consultants before Will Marlow, but he was the only one who understood what we were trying to accomplish, and was able to give us what we needed. We are now able to accurately measure the impact of our advertising campaigns in granular detail.
### David Abramson
##### Logi Analytics
As a marketer, Will takes the time to understand the big picture of what makes a company unique, and to let that drive his marketing priorities. I would definitely recommend working with him.
### Arman Eshraghi
##### Logi Analytics
It is a pleasure to work with Will Marlow. He has an analytical mind and is knowledgeable about traditional marketing, as well as how new digital tools should best be used to drive awareness. I would highly recommend working with him if you have the opportunity.
## **Feeling frustrated with your ad performance?**
**Let’s turn things around with a free ad audit.**
Click now to uncover actionable insights and take your campaigns to the next level.
[Get Your Free Ad Audit](https://willmarlow.com/get-your-free-ad-audit/)
Get a black belt in digital marketing
## **Royku Digital Training**
Royku is your online source for instructor-led training in digital marketing skills like PPC, SEO, Google Analytics, and more. Individually paced classes are taught by expert instructors to help you quickly master the skills you need.
We teach more than just theory here. We give you the tools and the know-how to implement your training immediately.
[See all courses](https://royku.com/)
Real-life stories from CEOs and entrepreneurs
## **Road to CEO Podcast**
Welcome to the Road to CEO, the podcast where you get in-depth interviews with executives about their journeys as CEO — hosted by Will Marlow.
### Rand Fishkin
MOZ Founder
### Chris Savage
CEO and co-founder of Wistia
Also available on podcast platforms:
[](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/road-to-ceo/id1581100300)
[](https://open.spotify.com/show/0nucO6fi7V6HwEwVt6I8fo#)
---
### [Services Rate Card](https://willmarlow.com/services-rate-card/)
**Published:** January 11, 2024
**Author:** Ashley Kirchmyer
**Content:**
# 2026 Services Rate Card
## SEM Services and Packages
### Standard SEM Package\*
Subscription fee billed monthly, includes one ad platform support (i.e., Google)
#### $1495.00
### Starter SEM Package\*
Subscription fee billed monthly, includes one ad platform support (i.e., Google)
#### $795.00
### Additional Advertising Platform Support\*
Subscription fee billed monthly for each additional ad platform: Bing, Facebook (&IG), LinkedIn, Twitter, AdRoll, etc.
#### $795.00
### Premium SEM Package\*
Subscription fee billed monthly, includes multi ad platform support
- Everything in Standard, plus…
- Support for unlimited ad channels included: FB, LI, Bing, AdRoll, other 3rd party ad platforms as needed
- Increased availability for weekly client calls from 30 min up to 2-3 hours per week
- Provide daily support interactions as needed
- Setup a customized results dashboards or equivalent reporting for the client
#### $4995.00
### Upgrade to a Premium SEM Package from Standard SEM
- Billed Monthly in addition to Standard Pricing amount for the specific account
- Support for unlimited ad channels included: FB, LI, Bing, AdRoll, other 3rd party ad platforms as needed
- Increased availability for weekly client calls from 30 min up to 2-3 hours per week
- Provide daily support interactions as needed
- Setup a customized results dashboards or equivalent reporting for the client
#### $3500.00
### Landing Page Hosting and Development
Billed monthly, per client account
#### $500.00
### CallRail Phone Tracking Service
Call plans vary from $50 – $150 plus usage, but they include implementation, reporting and ongoing support, billed monthly
#### $0.00
### Google Tag Manager Configuration & Deployment
For any staff time, billed hourly, related to administration and configuration of GTM.
#### $175.00
### Google Analytics Conversion to V4
For any staff time, billed hourly, related to conversion of GA accounts to GA4
#### $175.00
### Special Projects – Principal Consultation Time
For any additional out of scope project work involving a Principal, billed hourly. (i.e., travel to client for full day training)
#### $300.00
### Staff Time
General project staff time billed monthly
#### $75.00
\* Monthly Subscription Fee: This fee is the minimum amount billed monthly for each named client account, in advance, at the beginning of the monthly service period based which is based on the calendar start date of the agreement. If a named client’s monthly PPC spend (not budget) exceeds a $10,000.00 threshold in the given monthly period, then the monthly fee will be 10% of the PPC spend for that month. The total pre-paid amount billed in a given month for digital ad spend driven services is netted off the 10% total billed. Any amount due over the minimum amount billed will be billed in arrears for the given month. Exceeding the threshold does not change the minimum monthly subscription fee. If the client exceeds the threshold and the 10% fee is less than the monthly subscription fee then there is no additional billing triggered.
## SEO Services and Packages
### Standard SEO Package
Subscription fee billed monthly, Enhanced SEO optimization and content mapping recommendations.
#### $1495.00
### Premium Advanced SEO Package
Subscription fee billed monthly, Enhanced SEO optimization and content mapping recommendations.
#### $4995.00
### Upgrade to a Premium SEO Package from Standard SEO
- Billed Monthly in addition to Standard Pricing amount for the specific account
- Implementation of technical SEO recommendations as necessary
- Weekly SEO calls instead of Monthly
- Provide daily support interactions as needed
- Setup a customized results dashboards or equivalent reporting for the client, including: Keyword ranking, brand monitoring, performance and site health overview, competitor monitoring
#### $3500.00
### Premium SEO Audit
- One time fee billed at project commencement
- Price of Audit can be applied to a future SEO engagement if started in 2024.
#### $3000.00
### Standard Additional URL Support Package
SEO for each additional URL requires an additional SEO service package. Existing clients receive a 20% discount for each additional SEO service package required after the first package.
#### $1195.00
### Premium Additional URL Support Package
SEO for each additional URL requires an additional SEO service package. Existing clients receive a 20% discount for each additional SEO service package required after the first package.
#### $3995.00
### SEO On-site Technical Configuration
For any staff time, billed hourly, related to SEO on site tactics, for non-Word Press sites
#### $175.00
### Google Tag Manager Configuration & Deployment
For any staff time, billed hourly, related to administration and configuration of GTM.
#### $175.00
### Google Analytics Conversion to V4
For any staff time, billed hourly, related to conversion of GA accounts to GA4
#### $175.00
### GA4 Conversion Package – Standard
Fixed Fee per account, includes: Install GA4, Setup GA4, Migrate or Setup GTM, Add tagging to the site (TY page only), Basic event setup Basic Targeting (All visitors, converters), 1 Retargeting segment, Lead generation conversions.
#### $999.00
### GA4 Conversion Package – Intermediate
Fixed Fee per account, includes: Install GA4, Setup GA4, Migrate or Setup GTM, Multiple conversions in GTM, Add tagging to the site (multiple conversion types), Basic event setup, Setup data stream, Enable Google audience signals (multiple custom triggers, custom parameters, multiple GA4 events), E-Commerce (purchase event only), Tailored conversion tracking, Basic Targeting (All visitors, converters), 3 Retargeting segments, User engagement (2 pages, scroll, timer), Lead generation conversions, E-commerce (add to cart, category of products).
#### $2499.00
### GA4 Conversion Package – Custom
Fixed Fee per account, includes: Install GA4, Setup GA4, Migrate or Setup GTM, Multiple conversions in GTM, Tailored coding in GTM, Add tagging to the site (custom), Setup enhanced measurement, Basic event setup, Setup data stream, Enable Google audience signals (custom), E-Commerce (native e-comm in GA4: revenue, product data, etc.), Tailored conversion tracking, Basic Targeting (All visitors, converters), Unlimited retargeting segments, User engagement (2 pages, scroll, timer), Lead generation conversions, E-commerce (add to cart, category of products), E-commerce (Dynamic re-marketing).
#### $4999.00
### Special Projects – Principal Consultation Time
For any additional out of scope project work involving a Principal, billed hourly. (i.e., travel to client for full day training)
#### $300.00
### Staff Time
General project staff time billed monthly
#### $75.00
## Sales & Marketing Automation Services and Packages
### Marketing Automation Support
For any staff time, billed hourly, related to the implementation, configuration, and administration of Hubspot, Eloqua, Pardot, SharpSpring, Marketo, and Slate marketing automation systems.
#### $175.00
### Salesforce CRM Administration
For any staff time, billed hourly, related to the implementation, configuration, and administration of Salesforce.com, integrations, and advanced automations
#### $175.00
### Lead Generation Campaign Management
For any staff time, billed hourly, related to the research, planning, coordination, and execution of email-based lead generation campaigns
#### $175.00
### Business Development Representative Time
Time billed monthly, per hour for BDR level deliverables
#### $75.00
### Contact Resourcing and List Building
Price per BriteVerified contact resourced 1 – 10,000 Contacts
#### $0.85
### Contact Resourcing and List Building
Price per BriteVerified contact resourced 10,001 – 25,000 Contacts
#### $0.75
### Contact Resourcing and List Building
Price per BriteVerified contact resourced 25,000+ Contacts
#### $0.65
### Email Validation
BriteVerify re-verification of existing contacts for quarterly email hygiene, per contact
#### $0.03
### Hubspot CRM & Marketing Automation Platform License
Various pricing plans and options, call for quotation
#### $0.00
### Special Projects – Principal Consultation Time
For any additional out of scope project work involving a Principal, billed hourly. (i.e., travel to client for full day training)
#### $300.00
## Content & Creative Services and Packages
### Landing Page Hosting and Development
Billed monthly, per client account
#### $500.00
### Content Creation
For Blogging, White Paper Creation, Press Release writing, web, email, or other content writing support, billed hourly
#### $175.00
### SEO On-site Technical Configuration
For any staff time, billed hourly, related to SEO on site tactics, for non-Word Press sites
#### $175.00
### Special Projects – Principal Consultation Time
For any additional out of scope project work involving a Principal, billed hourly. (i.e., travel to client for full day training)
#### $300.00
### Staff Time
General project staff time billed monthly
#### $75.00
---
### [About the Will Marlow Agency](https://willmarlow.com/about-our-agency/)
**Published:** June 20, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Meet The Talent Fueling Your Growth
# About Us
Will Marlow founded the Will Marlow Agency with a simple goal in mind: to deliver ultra-premium Google Ads services for any client who cares about **doing things the right way**.
Every metric and action is “**data-driven**,” pushing and improving marketing campaigns to the greatest extent possible. We aim to eliminate the uncertainty and confusion that most clients feel about their digital ad campaigns.
We have built a reputation for delivering ultra-premium, highly-informed, and super-creative digital marketing services to clients who want the very best marketing for their business.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-will-marlow-agency/)
#### 14
years in service
#### 12
certifications
#### 300+
satisfied customers
#### 100%
COMMITMENT
Meet the people who will help you and your business grow
## **Meet Our Team**
Our team shares three core values: **Pursuit of knowledge. Helpfulness. Hard work.**
## Will Marlow
#### Founder & CEO
## Will Marlow
#### Founder & CEO
## Paul Gallagher
#### Board Member
## Paul Gallagher
#### Board Member
## Ana Spasić
#### Operations Manager
## Ana Spasić
#### Operations Manager
## Ashley Kirchmyer
#### Special Projects Program Manager
## Ashley Kirchmyer
#### Special Projects Program Manager
## Dušan Karalić
#### Director and Acting CFO
## Dušan Karalić
#### Director and Acting CFO
## Reva Joy Henderson
#### General Manager - Agency Services
## Reva Joy Henderson
#### General Manager - Agency Services
## Francisco Mattioli
#### Sr. Digital Marketing Manager
## Francisco Mattioli
#### Sr. Digital Marketing Manager
## Yuri Baretto
#### Sr. Digital Marketing Manager
## Yuri Baretto
#### Sr. Digital Marketing Manager
## Juan Carlos Cortés
#### Digital Marketing Manager
## Juan Carlos Cortés
#### Digital Marketing Manager
## Odette Ramírez
#### PPC Analyst I
## Odette Ramírez
#### PPC Analyst I
## Renato Novaes
#### PPC Analyst II
## Renato Novaes
#### PPC Analyst II
## Patty Kittredge
#### Content Specialist II
## Patty Kittredge
#### Content Specialist II
## Aaron Lechlak
#### Google Tag Manager Expert
## Aaron Lechlak
#### Google Tag Manager Expert
## Janko Veselinović
#### Marketing Operations Specialist
## Janko Veselinović
#### Marketing Operations Specialist
## Branislav Jereminov
#### PPC Analyst I
## Branislav Jereminov
#### PPC Analyst I
## Ksenija Golubović
#### Content Specialist I
## Ksenija Golubović
#### Content Specialist I
## Nebojša Selaković
#### Customer Success Manager
## Nebojša Selaković
#### Customer Success Manager
## Milo
#### Director of Cuddling
## Milo
#### Director of Cuddling
## **Not getting the results you want from your marketing?**
Let’s turn things around.
We can bring your marketing to the next level.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=6918)
---
### [New Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
**Published:** September 4, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### ALL THE MOST IMPORTANT DIGITAL MARKETING TERMS
# Digital Marketing Encyclopedia
We created this digital marketing encyclopedia as a resource for our clients, potential clients, partners, and anyone else who cares about digital marketing topics. Our focus is on search engine marketing, PPC, SEO, and other areas of digital marketing, and we hope you find it useful.
### **0-9**
##### • 301 Redirect
A **301 redirect** is an important concept in SEO because you use it to tell a search engine that a website’s URL has “moved permanently.” So, if you change the name of your company, and thus change your website’s URL, you would want to add a 301 redirect to your old website for two reasons:
(1) to automatically redirect all traffic to your new website, and
(2) to pass all the ‘link juice’ that your previous website had attained onto your new website.
##### • 404 Error Message
A **404 error message** is the page you see when trying to find a webpage that doesn’t exist or that was deleted. As a webmaster, you want to make sure that visitors don’t commonly hit 404 pages, because that is going to harm your SEO, and it will also annoy your visitors.
Some consultants recommend using a 301 redirect whenever you have a 404 error (which can have the effect of sending someone from a page that doesn’t exist to a page that does exist, like the homepage). Users can find it annoying when they try to visit a webpage that they believe is there, and they get randomly sent to another page they didn’t ask for.
You should create a fun, custom 404 page that shows how creative you are, and only use a 301 redirect on broken pages if you need to preserve your link juice, or if you are getting lots of inbound traffic to the page for some reason.
### **A**
##### • A/B Test
**A/B Testing** (or **Split Testing**) is a method of testing which of two options is better. An easy example is when you create one ad campaign but have two different versions of ads that randomly show in the first phase of the campaign. This type of A/B test is easy to conduct in Google Ads, and you can quickly see which version (version A or B) performs better in terms of click-through rate (CTR).
One mistake that people often make with A/B testing is that, at the beginning of their campaign, they assume they are starting with a “good A” and “good B” and so they just need to see which is better. But if you are at the start of your campaign, you have no idea which is better, or if either is any good. So when you are starting, you need to first find the right “A” before you can think about fine-tuning the messaging.
##### • Ad Impression
An **ad impression** refers to the number of times your ad has been seen by someone. Google defines a view as an ad that has been seen for at least three seconds. This means that your ad can be viewed by people who haven’t even completed their search query.
##### • Ad Network
An **ad network** (in the online space) is a company that brings together advertisers (for example, a local dentist) to a website that wants to sell ad space. In the absence of an ad network, a dentist would need to email or call every website that wanted to show an ad. Every website would need to devote resources to negotiating prices, terms, and conditions for selling ad space. Both sides benefit by working with an ad network (most commonly, the Google Display Network) to connect advertisers with websites that want to run ads. At the same time, an ad network like the Google Display Network can take on the challenge of providing both a sophisticated targeting system and an easy-to-use reporting framework.
##### • Ad Rank
**Ad rank** is the order in which your ad appears on a search engine results page (SERP). There are two variables: the first is your bid (how much are you willing to pay), and the second is your quality score.
Google will recalculate your ad rank every time someone searches on the terms that trigger your ad, so you can never simply say that you want your ad to appear at #1 all the time. Rather, it is a constantly moving target, and you need to analyze which ad position seems to drive the best ROI for you. Typically, the most desirable ad positions are not simply a top 10 result, but whatever top positioning allows your ad to show most prominently on the page. Usually, the premium real estate on a search engine results page is reserved for the top three ads.
##### • AI Optimization
**AI optimization** involves making AI systems perform better, including improving AI model training, streamlining decision-making, optimizing content for AI search engines, and enhancing user experience. Techniques for AI optimization vary, from training AI with larger datasets and adding regularization to content strategies like using clear language and structured data for better AI comprehension. Businesses use AI optimization to improve efficiency, boost discoverability, and ensure accurate representation in digital experiences.
**AI Optimization as it pertains to marketing (content and search)** focuses on making digital content more understandable and discoverable by AI.
##### • Attribution Model
An **attribution model** is the framework that determines how you attribute credit for a conversion in web analytics. In other words, do you give credit for a sale to the last ad that a consumer saw before they made a purchase? Or do you attribute a sale to the first ad that a consumer saw, that first exposed the consumer to your product? Google Analytics, for one example, is set up by default to attribute conversions to the “last interaction” or final touchpoint before a conversion or a sale takes place. There are many ways to create a custom attribution model that assigns different weightings to touchpoints that may occur along the way to a sale or conversion.
As a side note, last-click attribution tends to favor search engine marketing, because many “searchers” are searching for products because they are prepared to immediately buy them. In contrast, first-click attribution tends to favor display advertising, because even though most customers don’t buy something immediately after they are exposed to a display ad, they may convert at some point in the future.
### **B**
##### • Backlink
A **backlink** is any “incoming” or “inbound” link to your website. This means that anytime someone links from their website to your website, they have created a “backlink.” Backlinks are an important part of search engine optimization, which is why we create entire link building campaigns that are focused on increasing the number and quality of incoming “backlinks” to your website.
##### • Bounce Rate
**Bounce Rate** is a fundamental metric to monitor in Google Analytics, indicating the percentage of visitors who land on your website and then leave without interacting further. A “bounce” occurs when a visitor views only one page on your site without triggering any additional actions, such as clicking to another page, filling out a form, or interacting with any other content.
In the newer **Google Analytics 4 (GA4**), the concept of bounce rate has evolved. While GA4 doesn’t directly focus on “Bounce Rate” as it was defined in Universal Analytics, it introduces more comprehensive engagement metrics. For instance, “**Engaged Sessions**” in GA4 refers to sessions where a user stays on a page for more than 10 seconds, has two or more page views, or triggers a conversion event. This approach provides a deeper understanding of user behavior beyond just tracking single-page visits.
Regarding **Time on Site**, GA4 provides more sophisticated ways to measure user engagement. Instead of only tracking the duration based on page views, GA4 offers metrics like “**Average Engagement Time**“, which measures how long users are actively engaging with your site or app content. This metric accounts for user interactions more accurately, even on single-page sessions where visitors may spend a significant amount of time reading or watching content without navigating to another page.
This shift in GA4 means that user engagement is tracked more accurately, giving you better insights into how visitors interact with your site, whether they are bouncing or actively engaging with your content.
##### • Branded Keywords
**Branded keywords** are keywords that refer specifically to your company’s name, or any word that is associated with your brand. This means that people who search for you via branded keywords are looking for you. These keywords should be very cheap on Google Ads, the CTR should be an order of magnitude higher than most of your other keywords, and they should also lead to conversions at a higher rate than any other type of keyword. Typically, when you are assessing the results of your SEM or SEO work, you want to report the results of your branded keyword separately from non-branded keywords.
##### • Branding
The term **branding** comes from the days when cattle ranchers needed a way to differentiate their cattle from the cattle of their competition — they did it by burning a unique brand into the cattle’s rear end. Nowadays, branding is basically the same: it is the art of creating the perception (through words, images, packaging, and positioning) that there is nothing quite like your organization or product in the world. Branding is based on the concept of uniqueness.
Too often, marketers want to skip immediately to selling. But when you do it correctly, branding will enable you to “pre-sell” your products by positioning your company in the mind of your prospect in a desirable way in advance.
### **C**
##### • CAN-SPAM Act
The CAN-Spam Act (2003) is the law that lays out the rules that businesses must follow when sending emails to customers and potential customers. Some of the primary takeaways of the CAN-spam act are that emails must include an ‘opt-out’ provision so that recipients may unsubscribe, and that unsubscribing must require no more than visiting a single page on a website. Also, you can’t obtain emails in unscrupulous ways, such as buying or trading email lists without the consent of the people on those lists.
The most important thing to think about is that 99% of the time people hate receiving emails that they didn’t ask to receive, so if your marketing strategy is relying on this practice, you are probably heading for low results.
In many ways, the CAN-Spam Act is way too loose. It does NOT require businesses to get permission in advance of sending email messages as long as the emails were obtained properly. It also overrides many state laws that would have stronger restrictions against spam email.
Fun fact about the law: the name is an acronym for “Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing.”
##### • Click-Through-Rate
Click-through rate (CTR) is an incredibly important concept in search engine marketing. The simplest definition is that click-through rate is the percentage of people who click on your ad after seeing your ad. (In mathematical terms: CTR = Clicks/Impressions.)
With both Google Ads and organic SEO, your success can be improved in only three ways:
(1) getting more people to see your ad or snippet;
(2) getting more people to click on your ad or snippet; or
(3) getting more people to become a customer (i.e., convert) on your landing page.
In other words, search engine marketing is a “constrained system.” And one of those constraints is the CTR.
With Google Ads, your CTR is one of the key components of your quality score. In SEO, your CTR is going to determine whether you maintain your ranking.
Basically, you can think of Google (and more broadly, all search engines) as a democracy: people vote by clicking. So your CTR will determine your success.
##### • Contextual Targeting
Contextual targeting on the Google Display Network involves selecting specific keywords or topics, allowing Google Ads to place your ads on websites that align with these interests. This approach is designed to simplify ad management by letting Google’s algorithms handle placement based on content relevance.
While contextual targeting is less hands-on compared to more advanced targeting options, it still provides a level of control over where your ads appear. It can be effective for reaching a broad audience but might not offer the precision of techniques like placement targeting or demographic targeting.
For advertisers with smaller budgets, contextual targeting can be a cost-effective way to expand reach without requiring extensive manual management. However, if you have a limited budget, you may still want to consider more targeted approaches to ensure your ad spend is used efficiently.
Overall, contextual targeting remains a relevant and useful tool within Google Ads, providing a straightforward method for reaching audiences based on the content they are engaging with.
##### • Conversion
A conversion is defined as a visitor to your website who takes a desired action, such as making a purchase or completing a form. Tracking conversions is crucial because it directly ties to metrics that impact your return on investment (ROI). Regularly evaluating and refining your conversion metrics ensures they align with your business goals and provide actionable insights.
Many businesses fall into the trap of focusing on “non-conversion” metrics, such as total traffic, return visitors, or traffic sources without considering their impact on actual business outcomes. For instance, reporting that “total traffic increased” or “return visitors are up” without connecting these metrics to tangible results can lead to disengagement from the data. Instead, highlight insights like, “total visitors increased by 30%, but overall sales surged by 150%, attributed to targeted traffic from three specific keyword phrases.”
To optimize your results, ensure your conversions are closely aligned with your business objectives and set up your website to accurately measure and analyze these conversions.
##### • Conversion Rate Optimization
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the systematic process of enhancing all aspects of your web presence to better achieve your business goals. It starts with defining which conversions are most valuable to your business and then involves measuring the costs and ROI associated with generating those conversions. By taking CRO seriously, you can reduce the cost per lead and sale, while improving the effectiveness of all your marketing channels.
Effective CRO not only helps in lowering acquisition costs but also contributes to overall improvements in your marketing performance, ensuring a better return on your investment.
##### • Cost Per Impression
Cost Per Impression (CPM), also known as Cost Per Mille, refers to the pricing model where ads are valued based on the number of times they are shown, with the “Mille” representing 1,000 impressions. Unlike pay-per-click (PPC), where you pay for each click, CPM charges you based on the number of ad views.
CPM is typically used when the goal is to increase awareness or visibility, rather than drive immediate clicks. The focus is on ensuring that as many people as possible see the ad, even if they don’t interact with it.
While CPM can be effective for certain campaigns, such as brand awareness or large-scale visibility efforts, CPC is often preferred in digital advertising due to its accountability. CPC measures user engagement more directly, as a click indicates a conscious action and allows for analysis of subsequent interactions on your website. This level of insight is not available through impressions alone.
Although CPM is still relevant in some contexts like TV and print advertising, in digital platforms like Google Ads, CPC is generally favored for its ability to track and measure direct engagement.
##### • Customer Buying Cycle
Customer Buying Cycle is a five-stage model that helps advertisers understand and address the different stages of a customer’s decision-making process.
The stages are:
1. Awareness — The customer recognizes a need and becomes aware that your business could be a solution.
2. Consideration — The customer evaluates your business along with other options to determine the best fit for their needs.
3. Preference/Intent — The customer shows a preference for your product or service over competitors and is inclined to choose you.
4. Purchase — The customer is ready to make a purchase and complete the transaction with your business.
5. Re-Purchase — The customer is satisfied with their initial purchase and is likely to buy from you again in the future.
### **D**
##### • Digital Public Relations
Digital Public Relations (Digital PR) involves applying traditional public relations practices in the online realm. The distinction between traditional PR and digital PR often blurs, as both involve engaging with influential individuals or entities to share valuable information with their audience. These influencers can range from high-profile journalists and bloggers to local opinion leaders and public officials.
The success of Digital PR hinges on building relationships based on trust and value. If you fail to earn trust or provide meaningful value, your digital PR efforts may not yield the desired results.
When executed effectively, Digital PR can be a powerful component of modern search engine optimization (SEO). By securing endorsements or mentions from reputable influencers, you can enhance your credibility and improve your visibility in search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing.
##### • Dynamic Search Ads
Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs) are a type of Google Ads campaign that automates ad targeting based on the content of your website, rather than relying on pre-selected keywords. Instead of manually choosing keywords, you allow Google to use its crawling technology to automatically generate and display ads based on the content of specific pages on your site.
Key benefits of Dynamic Search Ads:
- Ease of Setup and Maintenance: DSAs are particularly useful for businesses with large and diverse product inventories, as they require minimal manual management and adjustments.
- Broad Coverage: They enable you to target a wide range of landing pages and product categories without the need to constantly update keywords.
Considerations:
- Limited Control: Google automatically generates ads based on the content it crawls from your site.
DSAs are well-suited for companies with extensive product catalogs or frequent changes in inventory, where managing individual keyword campaigns would be impractical.
### **E**
##### • Enhanced CPC
Enhanced CPC (ECPC) is a bidding strategy in Google Ads that combines elements of both manual and automated bidding. With ECPC, you set individual bids for your keywords, similar to manual CPC bidding. However, ECPC allows Google to automatically adjust your bids to maximize conversions.
How Enhanced CPC works:
- Bid Adjustments: Google can increase your bid by up to 30% for clicks that are predicted to be more likely to convert. Conversely, it can reduce your bid for clicks that are less likely to convert.
- Hybrid Approach: This strategy blends the control of manual bidding with the optimization power of automated bidding, helping to improve conversion rates while allowing for bid adjustments based on conversion likelihood.
ECPC is designed to help you achieve better results by leveraging Google’s machine learning to optimize bids for conversions, while still giving you control over your maximum bid amounts.
### **F**
##### • First-Click Attribution
First-Click Attribution is an attribution model in web analytics where the first interaction that brings a visitor to a website receives full credit for any subsequent sale or conversion. This model gives recognition to the initial touchpoint that introduced the visitor to your brand, regardless of other interactions that may occur before the conversion.
However, in most web analytics platforms, including Google Analytics, the default attribution model is often set to last-click attribution. In this model, the most recent click before the conversion receives all the credit. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) offers a variety of attribution models, including first-click attribution, but also emphasizes data-driven models that consider the impact of multiple touchpoints in the conversion path.
This approach allows for a more nuanced understanding and crediting of customer interactions leading to conversions.
##### • Flexible Bid Strategies
Flexible Bid Strategies in Google Ads allow you to automatically adjust bids to achieve specific goals for one or more keywords. You can use these strategies selectively, applying different strategies to different keywords while maintaining manual control over others.
Here are five notable types of flexible bid strategies:
1. Maximize Clicks: This strategy aims to increase the number of clicks you receive for a particular keyword, ideal for businesses prioritizing traffic volume.
2. Target Search Page Location: This strategy adjusts bids to help your ads appear in a specific position on the search engine results page (e.g., the top of the page). It’s useful for businesses wanting to secure a prominent spot for their keywords.
3. Target Outranking Share: This strategy adjusts bids to help you outrank a specific competitor’s ads. It’s effective when you need to consistently surpass a key competitor. Note that while it can drive up bids, the quality score remains a crucial factor in ad ranking, so the highest bid doesn’t always guarantee a top position.
4. Target Cost-Per-Acquisition (CPA): This strategy sets bids to achieve as many conversions as possible within your specified cost-per-acquisition. It’s suitable for businesses that can calculate how much they can spend to acquire a customer based on their revenue per sale.
5. Target Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): This strategy adjusts bids to maximize the value of conversions while aiming for a specific return on ad spend. It’s beneficial for businesses with diverse products and varying revenue levels per conversion, as it helps optimize the overall conversion value.
These strategies help you automate bidding to meet specific goals and manage your budget effectively in Google Ads.
##### • Flexible Conversion Counting
Flexible Conversion Counting in Google Ads is a method of counting conversions that provides clearer and more flexible reporting compared to the traditional “one-per-click” and “many-per-click” conversion categories. It introduces new metrics: “Conversions” and “Converted Clicks.”
Key points of Flexible Conversion Counting:
- Conversions: This metric counts the number of conversions for which a specific action was completed. It includes all conversions attributed to a single click, regardless of the number of actions taken.
- Converted Clicks: This metric counts the number of clicks that resulted in one or more conversions. It provides insight into how many individual clicks led to any type of conversion event.
Benefits of Flexible Conversion Counting:
- Better Insights: Allows advertisers to separate and analyze different types of conversions, such as revenue-generating actions (e.g., product purchases) and non-revenue actions (e.g., whitepaper downloads).
- Enhanced Reporting: This helps you understand the quality and impact of various conversions by distinguishing between different types of conversion actions and their effects on your business goals.
This approach helps advertisers gain a more nuanced understanding of their conversion data, allowing for better optimization and analysis of advertising performance.
##### • Frequency Capping
Frequency capping is a key concept in digital advertising that involves limiting the number of times a single user sees your ad. Frequency refers to how often the same individuals are exposed to your ad, and managing it is crucial for maintaining ad effectiveness and avoiding ad fatigue.
How frequency capping works:
- Automatic Frequency Capping: Some platforms, like Google Ads, offer automated frequency capping for remarketing campaigns. This ensures that users see your ads a limited number of times, helping to prevent overexposure and maintain a positive user experience.
- Manual Frequency Capping: On platforms like Facebook Ads, you may need to set frequency caps manually. Ads can lose effectiveness as frequency increases, leading to diminished returns and potentially annoying your audience.
Why it matters?
- Avoiding Ad Fatigue: High ad frequency can lead to ad fatigue, where users become too accustomed to seeing the same ad, reducing its impact and potentially causing negative feelings toward your brand.
- Improving User Experience: By controlling ad frequency, you ensure that your ads are seen enough times to be effective without overwhelming your audience or causing discomfort.
Remarketing Context: In remarketing campaigns, where ads are shown across various contexts, frequency capping helps to balance visibility with user comfort, preventing the feeling of being overwhelmed by your ads.
### **G**
##### • Google Ads
Google Ads is the advertising platform that generates a significant portion of Google’s revenue. The name “AdWords” was previously used but has been rebranded to Google Ads. Google Ads encompasses various forms of advertising across Google’s network, which includes both search and display advertising.
Key components of Google Ads:
- Search Advertising: Ads appear in Google search results when users search for specific keywords. This helps advertisers target users actively seeking products or services related to those keywords.
- Display Advertising: Ads are shown on websites within the Google Display Network, which includes millions of partner sites. This method helps advertisers reach a broader audience as users browse different sites.
Google Ads offers a robust and versatile platform for managing and optimizing advertising campaigns, with features that include various bidding strategies, audience targeting options, and performance tracking tools.
##### • Google Ad Grants
**Google Ad** **Grants** is a program that provides $10,000 per month in in-kind advertising to eligible non-profit organizations. This allows nonprofits to advertise their causes on Google Search, potentially attracting donors, raising awareness, and recruiting volunteers. The program aims to help non-profits reach a wider audience and amplify their impact by utilizing Google’s advertising platform.
[Learn more about the Google for Nonprofits program here.](https://www.google.com/nonprofits/offerings/google-ad-grants/)
##### • Google Analytics
Google Analytics remains one of the most widely used tools for analyzing website traffic and visitor behavior. This free tool can be easily installed on any website, providing immediate insights into who is visiting, where they come from, and how they interact with your site. The data collected is anonymized, allowing you to track trends and assess the effectiveness of your website’s marketing efforts.
As an indicator of its prevalence, Google Analytics is implemented on approximately 55% of the world’s top 1,000,000 websites.
However, it’s important to approach Google Analytics with a clear strategy. While it offers powerful insights, its complexity can lead to information overload. To avoid this, focus on setting up Google Analytics to track and report on specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that align with your revenue goals, such as newsletter signups, product purchases, or email inquiries. Configure it to deliver regular updates via email or log in to review the data efficiently.
Resist the temptation to get lost in the vast amounts of data. Instead, use Google Analytics to measure progress toward your defined objectives. By aligning your analytics setup with your goals, you’ll find it to be a valuable tool in optimizing your website’s performance without falling into the trap of analyzing unactionable information.
##### • Google Business Profile
Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business) is a free tool provided by Google that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google Search and Google Maps. By creating and verifying a Google Business Profile, businesses can provide essential information such as their location, hours of operation, contact details, and website link. This profile also enables businesses to engage with customers through reviews, posts, and photos, and it helps improve local search visibility. It is an essential tool for businesses to attract and inform potential customers, and it plays a crucial role in local SEO strategies.
##### • Google Display Network
Google Display Network (GDN) is a key component of Google’s extensive advertising ecosystem, complementing its well-known Search Advertising Network. The GDN encompasses a vast array of websites, apps, and online platforms where businesses can display their ads. While it may not always receive as much attention as Google’s search ads, the Display Network is a formidable advertising tool in its own right.
The Google Display Network reaches over 90% of internet users, with access to more than 2 million websites and apps. This expansive reach includes over 700 million unique users globally, generating billions of impressions and page views each day. This extensive network enables advertisers to target audiences across a wide range of sites, effectively enhancing brand visibility and engagement.
##### • Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is a free tool provided by Google to assist with keyword research for search engine marketing campaigns. It is an essential resource for understanding how people are searching for your products, services, or the problems you address.
Using Google Keyword Planner, you can:
- Discover the volume of searches for specific keywords related to your business.
- Identify additional relevant search queries that may not have been initially considered.
- Evaluate the level of competition for various keywords.
This tool is typically the first step in keyword research, providing valuable insights to help you refine your search strategy and optimize your campaigns.
##### • Google Partners
Google Partners is a program designed by Google to recognize and support digital marketing agencies and professionals who demonstrate expertise in Google Ads and other Google advertising products. Agencies and individuals who are part of the Google Partners program have access to a range of benefits, including advanced training, certification opportunities, and exclusive resources. To achieve and maintain Google Partner status, members must meet specific performance standards, including managing a certain amount of ad spend and demonstrating proficiency in Google Ads. This program helps businesses find qualified partners to manage and optimize their Google advertising campaigns effectively.
##### • Google Trends
Google Trends is a tool provided by Google that allows users to analyze the relative popularity of search terms over time and across different regions. For search marketers, Google Trends offers valuable insights for keyword research by revealing patterns and trends in search behavior. For example, if you are researching the keyword “blue moon” for a beer ad campaign, Google Trends can show you that search volume spikes during actual blue moon events. This information helps you understand that many searches might be related to the astronomical event rather than potential customers interested in the beer, allowing you to refine your targeting strategy accordingly.
### **I**
##### • Impression Share
Impression Share is a metric in Google Ads that measures the percentage of times your ads are shown compared to the number of times they were eligible to appear. It helps you understand how often your ads are being displayed relative to the potential opportunities.
For example, if you own an ice cream parlor and have a 10% Impression Share for the keyword “ice cream,” it means your ads appear only 10% of the time when users search for “ice cream.” This implies that 90% of the time, users are seeing ads from competitors or no ads at all.
Understanding and managing your Impression Share is crucial for optimizing your ad campaigns. For established Google Ads accounts, you should prioritize high-value keywords based on conversion tracking and other performance data. Ideally, aim for an Impression Share of 80% or more for your top-performing keywords to maximize visibility and drive revenue. For keywords with uncertain ROI, budget constraints may affect your Impression Share, but having a clear view of your best-performing ad groups and their Impression Share is essential for effective campaign management.
### **K**
##### • Key Performance Indicator (KPI)
Key Performance Indicators are units of measurement that help any type of organization measure progress toward specific goals. For instance, if your CEO wants you to increase the number of monthly donors to your nonprofit, then you might start by measuring three things:
(1) the number of new monthly donors;
(2) the number of people who download an information packet about the benefits of becoming a monthly donor;
(3) the number of new monthly donors who agree to tell five friends about their donation, etc.
Essentially, the point is that you can identify KPIs that help you measure progress toward larger strategic goals. One of the most important tools for measuring KPIs is Google Analytics. Google Analytics is a free tool that collects the same types of data for every website that uses it — it is up to you to identify which KPIs matter to you, and then you need to structure Google Analytics to measure them.
##### • Keywords
Keywords are the foundation of any search engine marketing campaign. Whether you’re focusing on Google Ads and other forms of paid advertising, or organic SEO, the keywords you choose are the building blocks of your search strategy. Selecting the right keywords from the start sets you up for success; choosing the wrong ones can mean that even if you do everything else right, you might still fall short of your goals.
It’s important to remember that keywords aren’t just single words—they are often phrases or combinations of words. This is why, even though there are fewer than 200,000 words in the English language, it’s not uncommon for a Google Ads account to contain over 250,000 keywords or even more than a million in some cases.
The key to effective keyword selection is understanding the thought process of your potential customers. Don’t just choose keywords that you think would lead people to your site; instead, put yourself in their shoes and develop a keyword list that reflects how they might search for solutions to the problems that bring them to your website.
##### • Keyword Match Type
Keyword match types determine how closely a user’s search query needs to match your chosen keyword for your ad to be displayed. For example, if you select the broad match type and choose the keyword “red balloon,” your ad could appear for a wide range of searches, such as “hot air balloon ride.” While this might seem like an extreme example, a broad match is designed to cast a wide net. It’s ideal for campaigns with a large budget looking to quickly attract traffic from a variety of searches.
To refine your keyword strategy, you can use SEO tools to identify the actual search queries that triggered your ad. You can then use conversion tracking to determine which queries are driving valuable actions and decide whether to add those specific terms to your account as keywords.
There are four primary match types in Google Ads: broad match, phrase match, exact match, and negative match. The broad match modifier, which used to offer a middle ground, has been phased out and replaced by an enhanced version of broad match.
##### • Knowledge Graph
The Knowledge Graph was launched by Google in 2012 as a major initiative to help users find answers directly within Google’s search results, without needing to visit third-party websites. Essentially, instead of navigating to a Wikipedia page or another site to learn about a topic, the Knowledge Graph provides quick answers directly on Google.com.
Here’s how it works: the Knowledge Graph is a vast database that compiles information from various reputable sources like the CIA World Factbook, Wikipedia, and other authoritative databases. It covers a wide range of popular topics. For instance, if you search for a famous individual, Google displays a Knowledge Panel on the right side of the search results page. This panel provides quick facts, related information, and links to further reading, allowing users to access information directly on Google without leaving the site.
The purpose of the Knowledge Graph is to provide users with accurate and concise information quickly, which improves the search experience by reducing the need to click through to potentially unreliable or “spammy” websites. This approach helps Google maintain its reputation as a reliable source of information. Because of this, it has become increasingly challenging for marketers to own “informational search queries,” as Google often prioritizes its Knowledge Panels and other rich results for these types of queries.
To compete in this landscape, marketers and content creators need to provide in-depth, specialized content that goes beyond the basic information found in the Knowledge Graph. Alternatively, many businesses focus on “transactional search queries”—searches where users are looking to make a purchase or complete a specific action—as these types of queries are less likely to be covered by the Knowledge Graph and can directly drive revenue.
### **L**
##### • Landing Page
A **landing page** is a type of webpage that serves as the entry point or first page a visitor sees when they arrive on a website. It’s where visitors “land” after clicking a link, whether from an ad, an email, or a search engine result.
In the context of Google Ads, advertisers have complete control over which landing page each of their ads leads to. This allows them to choose the most relevant page based on the specific keywords and ad copy being used. However, when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO), website owners have less direct control over which page a user might first encounter. Many people don’t realize that a significant portion of visitors often enter a website through pages other than the homepage. In fact, for some websites, internal pages or specific content pages may receive more traffic than the homepage itself, especially if those pages are well-optimized for search queries or provide highly relevant content.
Whether your focus is on SEO or Google Ads, landing pages are a critical element that needs to be carefully aligned with your overall digital marketing strategy. The flow from keywords to ad copy to the landing page should be seamless and coherent. In paid search campaigns, this means ensuring that the keywords you bid on are closely related to the ad text and the content of the landing page. For example, if your ad is targeting users searching for “best running shoes,” the landing page should directly relate to this keyword, ideally showcasing a range of running shoes with clear calls to action.
For SEO, it is important to optimize various pages across the site for different relevant keywords, ensuring that users searching for specific topics, products, or services find content that directly answers their needs and provides a good user experience. This could mean creating multiple landing pages that are specifically designed to attract organic traffic for various search intents, such as informational content, product pages, or service overviews.
Ultimately, the key to running successful digital search campaigns is ensuring that all elements—keywords, ad text, and landing pages—are well-coordinated. A tightly aligned approach helps improve ad relevance and quality scores in Google Ads, enhances user engagement, and increases the likelihood of conversion, whether your goal is to generate leads, make sales, or build brand awareness.
##### • Last-Click Attribution
**Last-click attribution** is a web analytics model that assigns credit for a sale or conversion to the last interaction a user had before making a purchase. Essentially, if someone visits your website and orders flowers, a web analytics system should be able to identify the customer’s most recent source of traffic. Did the customer come from a Google search for “romantic flowers,” click on a Facebook post, or perhaps see an ad in a newspaper and later visit the site directly? Last-click attribution would credit the most recent of these interactions as the decisive factor for the conversion.
However, this model has significant limitations because it oversimplifies the customer journey. Many customers visit a website multiple times through different channels before finally making a purchase or completing a desired action. A person might first discover your business through an organic search, return later via a display ad, and finally convert after clicking on an email campaign. Last-click attribution gives all the credit to the final step in this sequence, ignoring the earlier touchpoints that may have played a crucial role in driving the final conversion.
Most web analytics tools default to last-click attribution, which can lead to an incomplete understanding of your marketing effectiveness. One of the main drawbacks of this approach is that it often skews data heavily toward branded keyword traffic. For many businesses, a large percentage of conversions are attributed to people searching directly for the company’s name or branded terms. While it may seem that these branded searches are highly effective, this view can be misleading. Customers are not inherently aware of a brand; they must first be introduced to it. Therefore, the real value often lies in the earlier interactions—such as non-branded keyword searches, social media engagement, or referral traffic—that initially brought the user to the website.
To better understand the full customer journey and optimize marketing efforts, businesses should consider alternative attribution models. Multi-touch attribution models, such as linear, time decay, or position-based models, assign value to multiple touchpoints along the conversion path. These models provide a more nuanced view of how various channels contribute to a conversion over time. Understanding which keywords, ads, or content pieces initially attracted a customer and what kept them engaged can provide deeper insights into what marketing strategies are genuinely effective. This more comprehensive approach allows businesses to allocate marketing resources more effectively, improve ROI, and ultimately drive more growth by nurturing prospects through every stage of the customer journey.
##### • Link Bait
**Link bait** refers to content specifically designed to attract a high number of inbound links to a website, which is a crucial aspect of any effective link-building strategy. The idea behind link bait is to create content that is so valuable, entertaining, insightful, surprising, or emotionally resonant that other websites are naturally inclined to link back to it. This could include anything from a highly informative article or a comprehensive guide to a funny video, an inspiring story, or a unique infographic.
The reason for creating link bait is tied directly to search engine optimization (SEO). Google and other search engines view inbound links—links from other websites pointing to your site—as a key indicator of a site’s authority and relevance. These links act as a form of endorsement or validation, signaling to search engines that the content is valuable and trustworthy. The more high-quality inbound links a page receives, the higher it is likely to rank in search engine results compared to competitors’ pages.
Google’s algorithms are designed to identify and reward high-quality websites while filtering out spammy or low-quality sites. Because of this, inbound links serve as a critical metric for determining a site’s credibility. The logic is straightforward: if many reputable websites link to a particular page, it must be offering something of value that users find useful or engaging. In contrast, spammy websites typically lack these types of endorsements and, as a result, do not perform well in search rankings.
##### • Link Building
**Link building** is the practice of strategically developing and acquiring “link relationships” for a specific website or network of websites. It is a crucial component of search engine optimization (SEO) because search engines like Google use the quantity and quality of inbound links—links from other sites pointing to your website—as a major factor in determining your site’s ranking in search results. The more high-quality links your site has from reputable and relevant websites, the more likely it is to rank higher than your competitors in search engine results pages (SERPs).
There are several methods to execute effective link-building campaigns, each with its approach and benefits. One of the most fundamental strategies is to create high-quality, shareable content, often referred to as “link bait.” This type of content is specifically designed to be so valuable, interesting, or unique that other sites naturally want to link to it. Examples of link bait include comprehensive guides, original research studies, infographics, compelling blog posts, and viral videos—anything that provides significant value or entertainment to users and encourages sharing.
Beyond creating link-worthy content, other link-building tactics include guest posting on reputable sites, reaching out to industry influencers or bloggers to request backlinks, participating in relevant forums or communities, submitting your site to reputable directories, and even engaging in digital PR campaigns to earn links from news websites and authoritative industry publications.
However, it’s important to focus on building high-quality links rather than just accumulating a large number of links. Search engines not only look at the number of links but also assess the quality, relevance, and authority of the sites linking to you. Links from reputable, high-authority websites carry more weight than those from low-quality or irrelevant sites. Additionally, search engines are getting better at detecting and penalizing manipulative link-building practices, such as buying links or using automated link-building tools, which can lead to a drop in rankings or even a manual penalty.
Overall, a successful link-building strategy is about earning genuine, high-quality links through valuable content, strategic partnerships, and ethical outreach efforts. This helps improve your search engine rankings and drives more targeted traffic to your site, boosts your domain authority, and enhances your online reputation.
### **M**
##### • Microsoft Advertising
Microsoft Advertising, previously known as Bing Ads, is an online advertising platform that enables businesses to create and manage pay-per-click (PPC) ad campaigns across the Microsoft Search Network, which includes Bing, Yahoo, and AOL. It offers a range of targeting options, including demographic, geographic, and keyword-based targeting, allowing advertisers to reach specific audiences with their ads. The platform provides tools for setting budgets, tracking performance, and optimizing campaigns to improve ad visibility and return on investment. Microsoft Advertising also integrates with other Microsoft products, such as LinkedIn, to enhance targeting and audience reach.
##### • Microsoft Advertising Certified Professional
A Microsoft Advertising Certified Professional is an individual who has completed the certification program provided by Microsoft Advertising. This certification demonstrates a deep understanding of Microsoft Advertising’s tools, features, and best practices for managing effective pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns. Certified professionals are skilled in areas such as campaign setup, optimization, performance analysis, and audience targeting. Achieving this certification signifies proficiency in leveraging Microsoft Advertising to drive successful digital marketing results and is often used to validate expertise in the field for clients and employers.
##### • Negative Keywords
Negative keywords are terms that prevent your ads from being shown in search results for specific queries, and they are exclusively used in paid search campaigns. Unlike SEO, where keywords determine how your site ranks in organic search results, negative keywords help refine and control the audience that sees your ads, ensuring that you only reach users who are likely to be interested in your products or services.
One common negative keyword is “free,” as many businesses aim to avoid attracting users who are looking for no-cost options, which can lead to lower-quality leads. For example, if you offer premium legal services, you wouldn’t want your ads to appear for users searching for “free legal advice” or “pro bono lawyers,” as these terms are unlikely to lead to paying clients.
To apply negative keywords effectively, you first identify the keywords that are relevant to your campaign and that you want to target. Then, you select terms that are likely to attract irrelevant or low-value traffic and add them as negative keywords. For instance, if you’re a Virginia-based lawyer targeting the keyword “top Virginia lawyer,” you might add “pro bono” as a negative keyword to avoid showing your ads to users specifically searching for free legal services.
By using negative keywords strategically, you can improve the relevance of your ads, increase the efficiency of your ad spend, and enhance the overall performance of your paid search campaigns. This approach ensures that your ads are shown to a more targeted audience, ultimately leading to higher quality leads and better return on investment.
### **O**
##### • Off-site SEO
Off-site SEO encompasses all the strategies and activities that influence how your website is perceived by users and search engines from outside your website. It’s an essential aspect of search engine optimization that focuses on building your site’s reputation, authority, and visibility across the web.
Some key elements of off-site SEO include:
- Link Building Campaigns: This involves acquiring high-quality backlinks from reputable websites to enhance your site’s authority and credibility. Quality links from relevant sites act as endorsements, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy.
- Creating Link Bait: This strategy involves producing highly compelling, valuable, or unique content designed to attract backlinks naturally. Examples include in-depth guides, eye-catching infographics, or viral videos. Effective link bait not only drives traffic but also encourages other sites to link to your content, boosting your SEO performance.
- Directory Submissions: Listing your website in relevant online directories helps build citations and increase visibility. While less impactful than they once were, submitting to high-quality directories can still contribute to your site’s credibility and local SEO efforts.
- Digital Public Relations: This involves engaging with online media and influencers to gain coverage and backlinks. Effective digital PR can enhance your brand’s reputation, increase your website’s visibility, and attract high-quality links from news sites and industry publications.
- Citations: Citations are mentions of your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites, particularly in local business directories and review sites. Consistent and accurate citations help improve your local search rankings and build trust with search engines.
- Social Media Campaigns: Active engagement on social media platforms can drive traffic to your website, enhance brand awareness, and foster user interactions. Social signals, such as likes, shares, and comments, can indirectly influence SEO by generating buzz and encouraging link-building.
Overall, off-site SEO focuses on building your site’s authority and reputation through external factors. While you can’t control these elements directly, implementing effective strategies and engaging with the broader online community can significantly enhance your site’s search engine performance and overall visibility.
##### • On-site SEO
On-site SEO involves all the techniques and practices applied directly to your website to improve its visibility and ranking in search engine results. This aspect of SEO focuses on optimizing various elements within your site to ensure that search engines can effectively crawl, index, and understand your content.
Key components of on-site SEO include:
- Page Title Tags: These are crucial for both search engines and users, as they appear as clickable headlines in search engine results pages (SERPs). Crafting descriptive, keyword-rich titles helps improve relevance and click-through rates.
- Meta Description Tags: While not a direct ranking factor, meta descriptions provide a summary of your page content and can influence click-through rates. Writing compelling, keyword-focused meta descriptions encourages users to visit your site from the SERPs.
- Header Tags (H1, H2, etc.): Header tags structure your content and help search engines understand the hierarchy and main topics of your page. The H1 tag typically denotes the primary heading of the page, while H2 and other header tags are used for subheadings.
- On-Site Content Creation: Regularly updated, high-quality content that incorporates relevant keywords is essential for attracting and engaging visitors. This includes blog posts, landing pages, product descriptions, and more. Creating valuable and relevant content improves your site’s relevance and authority.
- Technical SEO: This includes various behind-the-scenes elements that affect how search engines crawl and index your site. Key aspects include:
◦ Sitemap: An XML sitemap helps search engines discover and index all the important pages on your site.
◦ 301 Redirects: These are used to permanently redirect users and search engines from old URLs to new ones, preserving link equity and improving user experience.
◦ Site Speed: Ensuring fast loading times enhances user experience and can positively impact rankings.
◦ Mobile-Friendliness: With mobile-first indexing, having a responsive design is crucial for SEO and usability.
On-site SEO is often seen as the foundational aspect of search engine optimization. It involves ensuring that your website is technically sound, well-structured, and optimized for relevant keywords. Once these elements are properly addressed, you can shift focus to off-site SEO strategies, which build your site’s authority and enhance its visibility through external factors like backlinks and social media engagement. Balancing both on-site and off-site SEO is essential for achieving and maintaining high search engine rankings.
##### • Organic Traffic
Organic traffic refers to the visitors who come to your website as a result of unpaid search engine results. Unlike paid traffic, which is generated through ads, organic traffic is driven by your website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) without direct payment for placement.
Search engines like Google are designed to organize and present the world’s information to users effectively. Search engines aim to provide the most relevant and high-quality results when a user searches for information, products, or services related to your business. If your website is well-optimized, it can appear in these search results, driving traffic to your site without the need for paid advertising.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving your website’s visibility and ranking in search engine results. This involves various techniques and strategies to make your website more attractive to search engines. Key aspects of SEO include:
- Keyword Optimization: Researching and incorporating relevant keywords and phrases that potential visitors are likely to search for.
- Content Quality: Creating valuable, engaging, and informative content that meets the needs of your target audience.
- Technical SEO: Ensuring that your website is technically sound, including optimizing page load speed, mobile-friendliness, and proper indexing.
- On-Page SEO: Optimizing individual pages by including keywords in titles, headers, meta descriptions, and throughout the content.
- Off-Page SEO: Building authority and credibility through activities like link building, social media engagement, and online PR.
By effectively implementing SEO practices, you increase the likelihood that search engines will recognize your site as a valuable resource and rank it higher in search results, thereby driving more organic traffic to your website. This traffic is considered more sustainable and cost-effective compared to paid traffic, as it relies on the quality and relevance of your website rather than ongoing advertising spending.
### **P**
##### • Paid Traffic
Paid traffic is the type of website traffic that comes from advertising efforts, as opposed to organic traffic, which is earned through search engine optimization (SEO) without direct payments. With paid traffic, you use advertising platforms like Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, or social media ads to drive visitors to your website.
Here’s how paid traffic works:
1. Advertising Platforms: You use platforms such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads to create and manage your advertising campaigns. These platforms allow you to bid on specific keywords or target audiences that are relevant to your business.
2. Bidding Process: Rather than directly buying traffic, you are bidding for ad placements. You set a maximum bid for how much you are willing to pay per click (PPC) or per thousand impressions (CPM). The ad platform uses this bid, along with other factors like ad quality and relevance, to determine where and when your ad will appear.
3. Ad Placement: When users perform searches or browse online content that matches your targeting criteria, your ads may appear in search engine results, display networks, or social media feeds. Your ad’s visibility depends on factors like your bid amount, the quality of your ad, and the competition from other advertisers.
4. User Interaction: Users who see your ad can choose to click on it, which directs them to your website. If they engage with your site, they are considered paid traffic. This process is different from organic traffic, where users visit your site based on search engine rankings or other non-paid means.
5. Performance Measurement: Paid traffic campaigns can be monitored and adjusted in real-time. Metrics such as click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, and cost per acquisition (CPA) help you evaluate the effectiveness of your ads and optimize your campaigns for better results.
Paid traffic is a valuable tool for driving targeted visitors to your website quickly and can complement your organic SEO efforts. While it involves ongoing costs, it provides immediate visibility and the ability to target specific keywords or demographics that may not be easily reached through organic means alone.
##### • Pay-for-Performance SEM
Pay-for-performance search engine marketing is a compensation model where marketing consultants or firms are only paid based on the actual results they deliver, such as inbound leads or generated revenue. This approach contrasts with traditional models where firms are paid a fixed fee or retainer regardless of the outcomes.
In this model, consultants or agencies receive payment solely for the tangible results they achieve. This could mean being compensated for each lead generated, sale closed, or revenue earned as a direct result of their marketing efforts. This model can be attractive to businesses because it aligns the consultant’s or firm’s incentives with the business’s goals, potentially reducing upfront costs and ensuring that the marketer is motivated to deliver high-quality results.
However, some marketing firms are reluctant to adopt this model due to several challenges. Key concerns include:
- External Factors: Lead and sales volumes can be influenced by numerous factors beyond the control of the marketer, such as market conditions, competition, or changes in consumer behavior.
- Short-Term Focus: The pressure to deliver immediate results can lead to a focus on short-term gains rather than long-term strategies. This might involve prioritizing quick wins over more strategic, foundational work that builds lasting value.
- Neglecting Foundational Work: Foundational aspects of marketing, such as brand building or developing a robust SEO strategy, may not produce immediate results but are crucial for long-term success. Pay-for-performance models can discourage investment in these areas, impacting overall campaign effectiveness.
- Challenges in Partnership: Successful marketing often requires a collaborative, long-term partnership between businesses and their marketing consultants. The Pay-for-Performance model can strain this relationship, as it emphasizes measurable outcomes rather than fostering a deeper, strategic partnership.
- Market Practice: While Pay-for-Performance can work well in certain scenarios, especially with well-defined and trackable leads or sales, it is less common among top-tier marketing firms. These firms often prefer models that allow them to invest in a broader range of marketing activities, including those that may not show immediate returns but contribute to sustained success.
Overall, while the Pay-for-Performance model offers a performance-based approach that can align incentives, it may not be suitable for all types of marketing engagements, particularly those requiring a more strategic, long-term focus.
##### • Pay-Per-Click PPC
Pay-per-click (PPC) is a model of online advertising where advertisers are charged based on the number of clicks their ads receive. This method is widely used across various digital advertising platforms, such as Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, and social media networks like Facebook and LinkedIn.
Here’s an expanded and updated overview of PPC:
1. Cost Structure: With PPC advertising, you pay only when a user clicks on your ad, rather than paying for ad space upfront or based on impressions. This cost-per-click (CPC) model ensures that you are only spending money on users who have demonstrated interest by clicking through to your website or landing page.
2. Popularity and Accountability: PPC is one of the most prevalent forms of online advertising due to its accountability and measurability. Unlike traditional advertising methods, such as print or billboard ads, where costs are incurred regardless of engagement, PPC provides detailed data on ad performance. You can track metrics such as click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and cost-per-conversion, allowing for precise measurement of return on investment (ROI).
3. Bid-Based System: Advertisers participate in an auction system where they bid on keywords relevant to their target audience. The amount you bid, along with the quality and relevance of your ad, determines your ad’s placement on search engine results pages or other ad networks. Higher bids and better ad quality can improve your ad’s visibility and position.
4. Ad Placement: PPC ads can appear in various formats, including search engine results pages (SERPs), display networks, social media feeds, and more. Advertisers have the flexibility to target specific keywords, demographics, locations, and interests, enabling highly targeted advertising campaigns.
5. Budget Control: PPC allows for precise budget management. You can set daily or monthly budgets, control bids for individual keywords, and adjust spending based on performance. This control helps ensure that your advertising budget is spent effectively and aligned with your campaign goals.
6. Optimization and Flexibility: PPC campaigns offer the ability to continually optimize and refine your ads. By analyzing performance data, you can make adjustments to improve click-through rates, lower costs, and increase conversions. This ongoing optimization helps maximize the effectiveness of your advertising efforts.
Overall, PPC advertising provides a highly effective and measurable way to drive targeted traffic to your website, with costs tied directly to user engagement. Its ability to deliver actionable insights and adapt in real time makes it a valuable component of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy.
### **Q**
##### • Quality Score
Quality Score is a metric developed by Google, and now adopted by other search engines as well, to assess the effectiveness and relevance of your ads. It’s designed to gauge how well your ad aligns with the search queries and overall user experience. While it may seem enigmatic, Quality Score is essentially a comprehensive evaluation of several key factors.
Initially, Google Ads relied primarily on Click-Through Rate (CTR) to measure ad performance. Since Google aims to deliver relevant and engaging ads to users, higher CTRs indicate better ad relevance and user satisfaction, which in turn generates more revenue for Google. As the platform evolved, Google introduced Quality Score to provide a more nuanced evaluation of ad effectiveness.
Quality Score encompasses several elements, including:
1. CTR: The proportion of people who click on your ad after seeing it. A higher CTR generally signals that your ad is relevant to the user’s search query.
2. Ad Relevance: How closely your ad matches the intent behind the search query. An ad that directly addresses the user’s query is considered more relevant.
3. Landing Page Experience: The quality and relevance of the landing page that users are directed to after clicking on your ad. A well-designed, user-friendly landing page with relevant content enhances the overall experience.
4. Historical Performance: Your account’s historical performance, including CTR and ad relevance, can impact your Quality Score. A consistent track record of good performance can positively influence your score.
Although Quality Score may seem complex, focusing on improving CTR remains crucial. A high CTR demonstrates that your ads are engaging and relevant, which is a significant factor in determining your Quality Score. Beyond CTR, optimizing ad relevance and ensuring a high-quality landing page will further enhance your Quality Score and overall ad performance.
In summary, while Quality Score involves multiple factors, prioritizing CTR and aligning your ads with user intent and landing page quality is fundamental to achieving a higher score and maximizing the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns.
### **R**
##### • Remarketing
Remarketing is Google’s specialized approach to re-targeting, designed to reconnect with users based on their previous interactions with your website or app. Essentially, remarketing allows you to serve targeted ads to individuals who have previously visited your site or engaged with your content.
The process begins when a user visits your website and a tracking cookie is placed in their browser. This cookie helps track their behavior and interactions. Later, when these users browse other sites within the Google Display Network—such as popular sites like The New York Times or The Washington Post—they may encounter ads from your business, reminding them of their previous visit.
Remarketing is particularly effective because it targets users who have already shown interest in your offerings. For instance, if a user starts the process of registering for an event on your website but doesn’t complete it, remarketing allows you to display ads that specifically encourage them to finish their registration. This targeted approach increases the likelihood of re-engagement and conversion, as the ads are relevant to the user’s previous actions and interests.
In addition to traditional display ads, remarketing can be applied across various platforms and ad formats, including search ads, social media ads, and video ads. By customizing your ads based on user behavior, remarketing helps you stay connected with potential customers and reinforces your message, ultimately driving higher conversion rates and maximizing the return on your advertising investment.
##### • Report Filters
In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), filters allow you to refine and focus the data in your reports, helping you to isolate the information that is most relevant to your analysis. Here’s how filtering works in GA4:
1. Basic Filters: These let you quickly narrow down your data based on simple criteria. For instance, you can filter your reports to display only data from a specific country, or sessions that include a particular event. You enter the filter criteria directly into the search or filter field to adjust the data view instantly.
2. Advanced Filters: GA4 provides more sophisticated filtering options through its Exploration reports. Advanced filters allow you to apply multiple conditions and metrics to create detailed and customized data views. You can combine different dimensions and metrics to isolate specific subsets of data, such as users who performed certain actions or visited specific pages.
In GA4, filters are integrated into various reporting and analysis tools. For more complex filtering, you can use the Exploration reports within the Analysis Hub, where you can apply dynamic filters and analyze data in depth.
These filtering features are essential for tailoring your data analysis to your needs, enabling you to gain precise insights and make data-driven decisions.
### **S**
##### • Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) encompasses both paid and organic strategies aimed at increasing a business’s visibility and driving value through search engines. SEM is a broad term that integrates various methods for enhancing a website’s presence and performance in search engine results pages (SERPs). Here’s a more detailed look at SEM:
1. Paid Search Marketing: This aspect of SEM involves using paid advertising platforms to promote your business. The most well-known platform is Google Ads, where you bid on keywords to display ads to users searching for those terms. Paid search can also include other platforms like Microsoft Advertising and various social media networks. These ads appear at the top or bottom of search results and are often marked as “sponsored” or “ad.” Paid search allows for precise targeting and can drive immediate traffic to your website.
2. Organic Search Marketing: This component focuses on improving your website’s visibility through natural, non-paid methods. The primary technique here is Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which involves optimizing various elements of your website—such as content, meta tags, and site structure—to improve its ranking in search engine results. SEO strategies also include link building, improving site speed, and ensuring mobile-friendliness. Unlike paid search, the results from SEO take longer to achieve but can provide long-term benefits and sustainable traffic.
Overall, SEM integrates these paid and organic methods to create a comprehensive approach to search engine visibility. By combining both strategies, businesses can maximize their search engine presence, drive targeted traffic, and achieve their marketing goals effectively.
##### • Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a crucial component of search engine marketing (SEM), focusing on driving organic (unpaid) traffic to your website. Unlike paid search campaigns, where you invest money in advertising, SEO aims to enhance your website’s visibility in search engine results without direct payment for clicks.
Since its inception in the mid-1990s, SEO has evolved significantly. Initially, there were two primary approaches: the “write for machines” strategy, which emphasized technical optimization to cater to search engine algorithms, and the “write for humans” strategy, which focused on creating engaging user-centric content. Today, these approaches are increasingly integrated, reflecting the growing sophistication of search engines.
Modern SEO recognizes that search engines, like Google, prioritize user experience and relevance. While technical optimization—such as ensuring proper site structure, using relevant keywords, and optimizing page load speeds—remains essential, the focus has shifted towards creating valuable, user-friendly content. Search engines now employ advanced algorithms and machine learning to assess factors like content quality, user engagement, and intent, making it critical for SEO strategies to align with these human-centric signals.
SEO encompasses both on-site and off-site optimization:
- On-site SEO involves optimizing elements within your website, such as meta tags, header tags, and content structure, to improve relevance and crawlability.
- Off-site SEO focuses on external factors, such as building high-quality backlinks and leveraging social media, to enhance your site’s authority and trustworthiness.
As search engines continue to advance, the integration of technical precision with a deep understanding of user intent and experience remains at the heart of effective SEO practices.
##### • Search Engine Results Page (SERP)
A search engine results page (SERP) is the webpage displayed by search engines, like Google, after a user submits a search query. SERPs are designed to provide users with relevant information as quickly and efficiently as possible, and their layout and features are continually updated to enhance user experience and maximize ad revenue.
The primary components of a SERP include:
1. Organic Results: These are listings that appear due to their relevance to the search query, as determined by search engine algorithms. They are not paid for; instead, their placement is earned through search engine optimization (SEO). Organic results often include snippets—brief excerpts from web pages that provide a preview of the content. These snippets are drawn from meta tags, page titles, and the page content itself. Optimizing these elements is crucial for improving your visibility in search results.
2. Paid Results: These are advertisements that appear on the SERP, typically labeled as “Sponsored” or “Ad.” Paid results are part of pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, where advertisers bid on keywords to have their ads displayed. Unlike organic results, paid listings are created and controlled by advertisers, allowing them to craft specific ad copy and landing pages.
In addition to organic and paid listings, modern SERPs may include:
- Local Pack: A section highlighting local businesses relevant to the search query, often displayed with a map.
- Featured Snippets: Special boxes that provide direct answers or summaries pulled from a website, positioned above the organic search results.
- Knowledge Panels: Information boxes that appear on the right side of the SERP, offering detailed information on a topic, entity, or person based on Google’s Knowledge Graph.
Appearing in both organic and paid results for the same keywords can significantly enhance visibility and click-through rates. However, achieving this dual presence depends on your budget and SEO efforts. While SEO focuses on optimizing your site’s content and structure for better rankings in organic results, PPC allows you to target specific keywords and control ad placements and messaging.
To optimize organic results, you need to focus on various aspects of on-site SEO, including improving page content, metadata, and technical elements. This helps search engines understand and rank your website effectively, contributing to higher organic visibility on the SERP.
##### • Search Lost IS (Budget)
The Search Lost IS (Budget) report is a valuable tool within Google Ads that helps you understand how budget limitations impact your ad performance. Impression Share (IS) represents the percentage of total possible impressions that your ads receive. The Search Lost IS (Budget) metric specifically indicates the proportion of impressions you are missing out on due to insufficient budget.
For example, if your Search Lost IS (Budget) is 10%, it means that your ads are not being shown 10% of the time they could be due to budget constraints. This provides insight into how much more exposure you could gain if you were to increase your budget.
To interpret this data effectively:
1. Budget Allocation: Use the report to identify areas where increasing your budget could lead to higher visibility and more clicks. This is especially useful in identifying high-performing keywords or campaigns where additional funding could significantly enhance performance.
2. Revenue Impact: If you are accurately tracking the return on investment (ROI) of your keywords, you can estimate the potential revenue loss associated with your current budget limitations. This helps in making informed decisions about whether to adjust your budget to capture missed opportunities.
3. Optimization: Regularly reviewing this report can guide you in reallocating the budget more efficiently. It helps prioritize spending on campaigns and keywords that offer the highest potential for increased traffic and conversions.
The counterpart to this report is the Search Lost IS (Rank) metric, which measures the percentage of impressions lost due to your ad’s rank being lower than competitors’. While the Search Lost IS (Budget) focuses on the impact of insufficient budget, the Search Lost IS (Rank) highlights opportunities lost due to factors like ad quality and bid amounts.
Overall, the Search Lost IS (Budget) report is crucial for optimizing your budget strategy and ensuring that you’re maximizing the potential of your ad spend.
##### • Search Lost IS (Rank)
The Search Lost IS (Rank) report provides insights into how often your ads are not appearing due to a low Ad Rank. Ad Rank determines the position of your ad on the search engine results page (SERP) and is influenced by factors such as your bid amount and Quality Score. Quality Score itself is based on the relevance of your ad, the expected click-through rate (CTR), and the landing page experience.
If your Search Lost IS (Rank) is 40%, it indicates that your ads are not showing 40% of the time because your Ad Rank is lower than the threshold required for them to appear. This typically happens when your bid is too low or your Quality Score needs improvement.
Here’s how to use this information effectively:
1. Bid Adjustments: Evaluate and adjust your bids for keywords where you have a high Search Lost IS (Rank). Increasing your bid can help improve your Ad Rank, leading to more frequent ad appearances.
2. Quality Score Improvement: Enhance your ad relevance, optimize your landing pages, and work on improving your CTR to boost your Quality Score. A higher Quality Score can lead to a better Ad Rank even with lower bids.
3. Competitive Analysis: Check how your Ad Rank compares to competitors. If they have a higher Ad Rank for the same keywords, you might need to improve your ad and landing page quality or increase your bids to compete effectively.
4. Performance Monitoring: Regularly monitor the Search Lost IS (Rank) alongside other metrics to understand how changes in bid strategies or ad quality impact your ad visibility.
The counterpart to the Search Lost IS (Rank) is the Search Lost IS (Budget) report, which highlights how often your ads are missing out on impressions due to insufficient budget. While Search Lost IS (Rank) focuses on issues related to Ad Rank, Search Lost IS (Budget) addresses limitations related to your campaign’s financial constraints.
By addressing both the factors of Ad Rank and budget, you can optimize your ad performance and ensure that your ads are reaching the maximum number of potential customers.
##### • Semantic Targeting
Semantic keyword targeting is a method used to enhance the relevance of your search advertising campaigns by focusing on the underlying meaning behind users’ search queries. Unlike traditional keyword targeting, which often emphasizes the exact match of search terms, semantic targeting aims to capture the broader context and intent of the search, making it more adaptable to variations in language and phrasing.
In practice, semantic keyword targeting involves selecting keywords that reflect the general concepts or themes related to your business, rather than relying solely on specific phrases. This approach is particularly beneficial for capturing a wide range of search queries, including long-tail keywords that may not have high search volumes but are highly relevant to your audience.
To implement semantic keyword targeting in platforms like Google Ads, you would typically use broad match or modified broad match keyword settings. These match types allow your ads to be triggered by variations of your keywords, including synonyms, related searches, and misspellings, providing greater flexibility in capturing relevant traffic.
Over time, as you gather data on which keyword variations drive the most traffic or conversions, you can refine your strategy by incorporating more precise syntactic targeting. This involves focusing on specific keyword phrases and their order to gain more control over your ad targeting and optimize for better performance. Syntactic targeting allows you to fine-tune your keyword strategy based on actual user behavior and search patterns, leading to more effective and efficient ad campaigns.
##### • Session
In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), a session represents a period of user activity on your website or app. Unlike Universal Analytics, where sessions are defined by a 30-minute inactivity window or a change in campaign source, GA4 introduces a more flexible approach to sessions.
In GA4:
1. Session Start: A session begins when a user starts engaging with your site or app. It is triggered by any user interaction that GA4 tracks.
2. Session End: Sessions in GA4 can end in several ways:
- Inactivity: A session will automatically end after 30 minutes of inactivity. This inactivity period can be adjusted if needed.
- Midnight: The session resets at midnight (based on the user’s local time), creating a new session for the new day.
- New Session Trigger: When a user returns to your site or app through a different traffic source or campaign, a new session is created, providing better tracking for campaign effectiveness.
In GA4, a single user can have multiple sessions, and each session includes all the interactions and engagements during that period. Sessions are used to aggregate data for reports, and GA4 emphasizes events and user-centric analysis over session-based tracking.
Understanding how GA4 manages sessions is crucial for accurate reporting and analysis, as it impacts metrics related to user engagement, traffic sources, and overall site performance.
##### • Shopping ads
Shopping ads are visually rich advertisements that appear on search engine results pages (SERPs) and other online platforms, displaying product images, prices, and store names. These ads are generated through a merchant’s product data feed, which includes detailed information about the products they sell. When users search for a specific product, Shopping ads provide a more detailed and visually engaging result compared to traditional text-based ads.
Key features of Shopping ads include:
- Product Image: A visual representation of the product.
- Product Name: The name of the product being advertised.
- Price: The cost of the product.
- Retailer Name: The name of the store or business offering the product.
- Prominent Placement: Shopping ads often appear at the top of search results or in dedicated sections, increasing visibility.
Shopping ads are primarily managed through platforms like Google Ads, where advertisers create and optimize their product listings to attract potential buyers. These ads are particularly effective for e-commerce businesses, as they allow users to see relevant product information before clicking through to the retailer’s site.
##### • Snippet
A snippet refers to the portion of a search engine results page (SERP) that displays key information about a webpage. It consists of the elements beneath the page title and above the URL, typically including the meta description, and sometimes other details like structured data (rich snippets).
In SEO, snippets are crucial for attracting users to your site. They are created from the content of your meta tags and on-page elements, such as the meta description, which provides a summary of what the page is about. Here’s a breakdown of snippet components:
- Title: The clickable headline for a given search result.
- URL: The web address of the page.
- Meta Description: A brief description that summarizes the page’s content, intended to entice users to click through.
Snippets serve a similar function to ad text in paid search campaigns, as they aim to persuade users to click on the link and visit the site. Effective snippets can significantly impact your click-through rate (CTR), which is a critical metric for both SEO and user engagement.
Search engines like Google sometimes use structured data to enhance snippets, displaying additional elements like star ratings, product prices, or event dates. These enhanced snippets, known as rich snippets, provide more detailed information and can improve visibility and CTR.
For more insights on optimizing snippets and understanding how they are generated, refer to resources from SEO experts or Google’s guidelines on structured data and meta tags.
##### • Syntactic Targeting
Syntactic keyword targeting focuses on selecting keywords based on their specific sequence or order in search queries. This approach contrasts with semantic targeting, which centers on the broader meaning or intent behind the keywords.
In syntactic targeting, you use keyword match types like exact match, phrase match, and modified broad match to control precisely when and where your ads appear:
- Exact Match: Ads are shown only when a search query exactly matches the selected keyword. This offers the highest level of control but may limit your reach.
- Phrase Match: Ads appear when a search query contains the exact phrase of your keyword, potentially with additional words before or after. This allows for some variation while maintaining a focus on specific keyword sequences.
- Modified Broad Match: Ads are triggered when the search query contains the exact words or close variations of the selected keyword, although the sequence may vary. This match type provides a balance between reach and relevance.
Syntactic keyword targeting requires more effort because you must anticipate and include various keyword sequences and match types to capture all relevant search queries. It involves creating comprehensive keyword lists and regularly reviewing performance to adjust your strategy as needed.
This approach provides precise control over ad placements and costs, ensuring that your ads appear only for the most relevant search queries. However, it may be more complex to manage compared to semantic targeting, which focuses on understanding and targeting the underlying intent behind search queries.
By effectively combining syntactic targeting with semantic insights, you can enhance the relevance of your ads and improve overall campaign performance.
### **T**
##### • Time Shifting
Time shifting refers to the practice of recording television or radio programs on a personal device to watch them at a later time, rather than during their original broadcast slot. This technology has transformed advertising by not only allowing viewers to consume content at their convenience but also enabling them to skip through commercials entirely. As a result, advertisers face challenges in reaching audiences at specific, predetermined times, and must adapt to new viewing habits facilitated by advancements in recording and streaming technologies.
Originally associated with recording TV or radio programs using devices like VCRs or DVRs (Digital Video Recorders), time shifting now encompasses a broader range of media consumption practices:
- Streaming Services: Platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ allow users to watch content on-demand, which means time shifting is seamlessly integrated into how people consume media today.
- Catch-Up TV and On-Demand Channels: Many TV networks and cable providers offer services that let viewers watch shows they missed at their convenience, further advancing the time-shifting concept.
- Ad Skipping: With the rise of DVRs and streaming platforms, ad-skipping technology has become prevalent. Viewers can fast-forward through commercials, which poses challenges for traditional advertising models.
##### • Traffic Sources
Traffic sources refer to the various channels through which visitors arrive at your website. In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), understanding your traffic sources involves analyzing detailed data about where your visitors come from and how they interact with your site. Here’s what you should monitor regularly:
- Primary Traffic Sources: GA4 categorizes your traffic sources into channels like Organic Search, Paid Search, Social Media, Direct, and Referrals. Understanding these channels helps you identify which sources drive the most traffic to your site.
- Keywords Driving Traffic: Although GA4 does not provide direct keyword reporting due to privacy changes, you can integrate GA4 with Google Search Console to gain insights into the search queries that lead visitors to your website.
- Quality of Traffic: Use GA4’s metrics such as Engaged Sessions, Engagement Rate, and Average Engagement Time to evaluate the quality of your traffic. These metrics reveal how users interact with your site and how effectively different sources contribute to meaningful engagement.
- Conversion Performance: In GA4, conversions are tracked as Events. You can set up and analyze these events to determine how well various traffic sources contribute to your desired outcomes, such as purchases or sign-ups.
By regularly reviewing these aspects in GA4, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of your traffic sources and make data-driven decisions to optimize your marketing strategies.
##### • TrueView Ads
TrueView Ads are a format of video advertising available through Google Ads, specifically designed for YouTube. With TrueView Ads, you only pay when viewers actively choose to watch your video, ensuring you’re charged for engaged viewers. There are several types of TrueView ad formats:
1. TrueView In-Stream Ads: These ads play before, during, or after another video on YouTube. Viewers see an initial 5 seconds of your ad before being given the option to skip. You only pay if the viewer watches at least 30 seconds of the ad (or the full duration if it’s shorter) or interacts with the ad.
2. TrueView In-Feed Ads: These ads appear in YouTube search results, as well as on YouTube’s watch pages and across the Google Display Network. They appear as clickable thumbnails and titles, and you pay only when viewers choose to watch the ad.
3. TrueView for Action Ads: Designed to drive specific actions like website visits or sign-ups, these ads can be shown on YouTube and across the Google Display Network. They include a call-to-action button that encourages viewers to engage with your business directly.
4. TrueView for Shopping Ads: These ads appear alongside your video content, featuring product information and links. They are aimed at driving sales by allowing viewers to learn more about your products and make purchases directly.
These TrueView formats help businesses target their audience effectively while only paying for engaged viewers, making them a popular choice for both small and large businesses.
### **V**
##### • View-through Conversions
View-through conversions occur when a user views an ad but does not click on it, and later visits your website and completes a conversion action. This metric is used to measure the effectiveness of display ads in influencing user behavior, even if the user did not directly interact with the ad.
- Availability: View-through conversions apply to ads displayed on the Google Display Network (GDN) and YouTube.
- Measurement: Google Ads tracks view-through conversions using a tracking pixel placed on your website. If a user sees an ad and then later visits your site and converts, this interaction is recorded as a view-through conversion.
- De-duplication: Google Ads automatically de-duplicates view-through conversions. This means that if a user initially sees an ad (resulting in a view-through conversion) and later clicks on a different ad before converting, only the click conversion will be counted, avoiding double-counting.
Including view-through conversions in your analysis helps in understanding the full impact of your display advertising campaigns on user behavior and return on investment (ROI).
## **Not getting the results you want from your marketing?**
**Let’s turn things around.**
We can bring your marketing to the next level.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-will-marlow-agency/)
---
### [New Blog](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-blog/)
**Published:** August 20, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Ideas, Strategies, and News from our Agency
# Blog
Here we share insights, tips, and updates on a wide range of marketing-related topics. Whether you’re looking to stay ahead in your industry, learn something new, or simply enjoy reading about the latest marketing trends, you’ll find something interesting.
Explore our latest articles below.
[](https://willmarlow.com/llm-seo-explained-how-to-get-your-content-cited-in-ai-tools/)## [LLM SEO Explained: How to Get Your Content Cited in AI Tools](https://willmarlow.com/llm-seo-explained-how-to-get-your-content-cited-in-ai-tools/)
by [Mladen Krstović](https://willmarlow.com/author/mladen/ "Posts by Mladen Krstović") | Jun 18, 2025 | [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/), [Original Blog](https://willmarlow.com/blog/originalblog/), [Search Engine Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/blog/search-engine-optimization/)
Traditional SEO was built for ranking pages. But today’s LLM-driven search is built for retrieving passages.In tools like Google AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity, users no longer search with simple keywords. These LLMs, or Large Language Models, are using...
[read more](https://willmarlow.com/llm-seo-explained-how-to-get-your-content-cited-in-ai-tools/)
---
### [SMA Services](https://willmarlow.com/sma-services/)
**Published:** October 16, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Elevate Your Brand with Sales and Marketing Automation
# SMA Services
Leveraging Sales and Marketing Automation (SMA) is crucial for driving efficiency, enhancing customer engagement, and achieving your business objectives.
With SMA tools we can streamline your marketing processes, allowing you to deliver personalized experiences and generate quality leads. By implementing data-driven strategies, we can enhance your online presence, nurture customer relationships, and boost conversions.
With our expertise in sales and marketing automation, you’ll transform your approach to reaching and converting your audience, ensuring success.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=6918)
**HUBSPOT** **EMAIL MARKETING**
**CAMPAIGNS****WORKFLOWS**
**REPORTING** **SALES funnel**
**CRM INTEGRATIONS****analytics**
**personalization****LEAD NURTURING**
**segmentation**
Custom SMA Services Designed for Your Success
## **SMA Service Offerings**
#### Email Marketing
- Boost engagement and conversions with targeted, automated messages
- Deliverables: Personalized email campaigns, automated drip sequences, performance reports
#### Customer Relationship Management
- Enhance interactions and streamline processes with a unified approach to customer engagement
- Deliverables: CRM setup and integration, contact management, automated workflows
#### Lead Generation and Nurturing
- Attract and engage potential customers with targeted strategies and personalized follow-ups
- Deliverables: Lead capture forms, targeted outreach campaigns, lead scoring, nurturing sequences
#### Personalization and Segmentation
- Deliver tailored experiences and targeted messaging to boost engagement and conversions
- Deliverables: Customized content, audience segmentation, dynamic content strategies, behavior-based triggers
#### Analytics and Reporting
- We measure performance and gain insights to optimize marketing strategies and drive results
- Deliverables: Performance dashboards, campaign analytics, conversion tracking, trend reports
#### Sales Automation
- We can streamline your sales processes and increase efficiency with automated workflows and tools
- Deliverables: Automated lead management, sales pipeline tracking
## **Client Testimonials**
### Peter Lovasz
##### SVP Protect, CoreLogic
Your team's exceptional agility, unwavering professionalism, and flawless execution were the key factors in making our event an outstanding success.
### Rob Chevez
##### The Caza Group
I have worked with Will and his team for over three years and my experience with them has been a 10+. I was just going over our numbers and our returns have been awesome – for every $1.00 we spend we make $5.85! Thank you Will!
### Melody Murphy
##### Metro United Way
In our first year, Will Marlow Agency helped us increase our Google AdWords traffic by more than 1,349%, which led to 130,000+ site visitors – mostly new. Since working with their team, Google AdWords has been the #1 traffic referral to our site. The numbers speak for themselves.
### Scott Noon
##### Share My Lesson
Will Marlow Agency immediately pulled answers out of Google Analytics and taught my team to find answers for ourselves. Data on keywords that were driving leads, what locations were driving sales, and what pages on the website produced results were now in our hands.
### Keith White
##### Network for Good
Over the course of 18 months, Will Marlow Team helped us grow lead volume by 8.4x, while at the same time producing a 3.7x cost reduction, which took us from 200 leads per month at $158.04 CPL, to 1,675 leads per month at $43 CPL.
### Slater Crosby
##### The Little Gym of Edina/St. Louis Park
They are extremely professional and have even caught local market issues extremely fast which has prevented me from raising my keyword price to cost-prohibitive prices in order to outbid the competitors. I could not be happier that I’m working with the WMA team.
### Christian Bourgeois
##### Studio Red
After only 10 months working with the Will Marlow Agency, we have seen significant growth in our inbound leads. In the first 3 months working with them, they had already brought in as many leads as we had received in the prior 9 months combined.
### Debbie Villarreal
##### The Little Gym of Mountain View
The Will Marlow Agency has made improvements in our advertising allowing us to reach our advertising potential. The weekly check-ins allow us to make immediate changes to our budget and/or the focus of our ads. I highly recommend Will Marlow Agency.
### Adam Stone
##### The Little Gym of Chicago
We have been working with WMA for nearly two years and our experience has been nothing short of amazing. We have worked with others that claim that they will increase digital traffic and in the end they pale in comparison to the results that Will and his team have provided.
### Wendy McGee
##### The Little Gym of Fort Worth SW
The Will Marlow Agency team took the initiative to help with website traffic issues and even reached out to TLGI when it was outside of the scope of service that we were paying for. Since working with them our inquiries have increased by 25%.
### Kat Azima
##### Denteo Marketing Group
The Will Marlow Agency is the only Google PPC agency you should work with if you want to drive quality leads to your business. They have delivered double-digit growth so far and I would safely say that I would not trust anyone else with my PPC advertising.
### Amy Plumley
##### FiscalNote
Will Marlow's team is an outstanding resource for all things PPC, GoogleAds, and Analytics. I hired them to audit and optimize my GoogleAds account, and they worked fast, were thorough, stayed focused on ROI, and provided excellent follow-up support.
### Hulya Aksu
##### Modern DC Publishing, LLC
I invited Will to speak on the topic of applying social media to business goals, and he gave an outstanding presentation. He is also a big advocate of using hard data to measure results. I highly recommend him both as a speaker and as a marketing consultant.
### Julianne Yurek
##### Hardwood Artisans
With Will’s help, we can now measure and analyze our GoogleAds investment, which lets us see what works and what doesn’t. I highly recommend working with Will if you need GoogleAds training either one-on-one, or for your team.
### Rick Henneberg
##### WBN
I hired Will to bring his marketing and PR expertise to my business, and I look forward to working with him for a long time. He has a great ability to look at the big picture, and to always stay focused on the most important things.
### Craig Marshall
##### Christopher Drummond Beautys
We brought in multiple Google Analytics consultants before Will Marlow, but he was the only one who understood what we were trying to accomplish, and was able to give us what we needed. We are now able to accurately measure the impact of our advertising campaigns in granular detail.
### David Abramson
##### Logi Analytics
As a marketer, Will takes the time to understand the big picture of what makes a company unique, and to let that drive his marketing priorities. I would definitely recommend working with him.
### Arman Eshraghi
##### Logi Analytics
It is a pleasure to work with Will Marlow. He has an analytical mind and is knowledgeable about traditional marketing, as well as how new digital tools should best be used to drive awareness. I would highly recommend working with him if you have the opportunity.
## **Not getting the results you want from your SMA?**
Let’s turn things around.
We can bring your marketing to the next level.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-will-marlow-agency/)
---
### [PPC Service](https://willmarlow.com/digital-advertising-services/)
**Published:** September 14, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Elevate Your Brand with Targeted PPC Campaigns
# PPC Services
We’ll assess your marketing efforts and develop a digital advertising strategy tailored to your business goals, ensuring that every dollar spent on ads delivers tangible results. Our team seamlessly integrates with your business, handling all aspects of strategy, budget adjustments, and daily PPC management.
Managing digital campaigns and tracking their performance can be overwhelming. We simplify the process, providing measurable results that align with your business goals.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=6918)
Custom PPC Services Designed for Your Success
## **PPC Service Offerings**
#### Search Engine Advertising
- Managing campaigns on Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising
- Keyword targeting, location targeting, and demographic targeting
#### Social Media Advertising
- Running campaigns on Meta (Facebook and Instagram), X, and LinkedIn
- Audience segmentation, ad placement optimization, and data-driven ad strategies
#### Video Advertising
- Creating and managing campaigns on YouTube and Meta
- Custom video targeting, platform-specific optimization, and performance analysis
#### E-commerce Advertising
- Driving sales with campaigns on Google Shopping and Meta to reach customers
- Product listing optimization, dynamic retargeting, and conversion tracking
#### Lead Generation
- Generating high-quality leads through targeted campaigns, powered by HubSpot
- Lead nurturing, CRM integration, and conversion-focused strategies
## **Client Testimonials**
### Peter Lovasz
##### SVP Protect, CoreLogic
Your team's exceptional agility, unwavering professionalism, and flawless execution were the key factors in making our event an outstanding success.
### Rob Chevez
##### The Caza Group
I have worked with Will and his team for over three years and my experience with them has been a 10+. I was just going over our numbers and our returns have been awesome – for every $1.00 we spend we make $5.85! Thank you Will!
### Melody Murphy
##### Metro United Way
In our first year, Will Marlow Agency helped us increase our Google AdWords traffic by more than 1,349%, which led to 130,000+ site visitors – mostly new. Since working with their team, Google AdWords has been the #1 traffic referral to our site. The numbers speak for themselves.
### Scott Noon
##### Share My Lesson
Will Marlow Agency immediately pulled answers out of Google Analytics and taught my team to find answers for ourselves. Data on keywords that were driving leads, what locations were driving sales, and what pages on the website produced results were now in our hands.
### Keith White
##### Network for Good
Over the course of 18 months, Will Marlow Team helped us grow lead volume by 8.4x, while at the same time producing a 3.7x cost reduction, which took us from 200 leads per month at $158.04 CPL, to 1,675 leads per month at $43 CPL.
### Slater Crosby
##### The Little Gym of Edina/St. Louis Park
They are extremely professional and have even caught local market issues extremely fast which has prevented me from raising my keyword price to cost-prohibitive prices in order to outbid the competitors. I could not be happier that I’m working with the WMA team.
### Christian Bourgeois
##### Studio Red
After only 10 months working with the Will Marlow Agency, we have seen significant growth in our inbound leads. In the first 3 months working with them, they had already brought in as many leads as we had received in the prior 9 months combined.
### Debbie Villarreal
##### The Little Gym of Mountain View
The Will Marlow Agency has made improvements in our advertising allowing us to reach our advertising potential. The weekly check-ins allow us to make immediate changes to our budget and/or the focus of our ads. I highly recommend Will Marlow Agency.
### Adam Stone
##### The Little Gym of Chicago
We have been working with WMA for nearly two years and our experience has been nothing short of amazing. We have worked with others that claim that they will increase digital traffic and in the end they pale in comparison to the results that Will and his team have provided.
### Wendy McGee
##### The Little Gym of Fort Worth SW
The Will Marlow Agency team took the initiative to help with website traffic issues and even reached out to TLGI when it was outside of the scope of service that we were paying for. Since working with them our inquiries have increased by 25%.
### Kat Azima
##### Denteo Marketing Group
The Will Marlow Agency is the only Google PPC agency you should work with if you want to drive quality leads to your business. They have delivered double-digit growth so far and I would safely say that I would not trust anyone else with my PPC advertising.
### Amy Plumley
##### FiscalNote
Will Marlow's team is an outstanding resource for all things PPC, GoogleAds, and Analytics. I hired them to audit and optimize my GoogleAds account, and they worked fast, were thorough, stayed focused on ROI, and provided excellent follow-up support.
### Hulya Aksu
##### Modern DC Publishing, LLC
I invited Will to speak on the topic of applying social media to business goals, and he gave an outstanding presentation. He is also a big advocate of using hard data to measure results. I highly recommend him both as a speaker and as a marketing consultant.
### Julianne Yurek
##### Hardwood Artisans
With Will’s help, we can now measure and analyze our GoogleAds investment, which lets us see what works and what doesn’t. I highly recommend working with Will if you need GoogleAds training either one-on-one, or for your team.
### Rick Henneberg
##### WBN
I hired Will to bring his marketing and PR expertise to my business, and I look forward to working with him for a long time. He has a great ability to look at the big picture, and to always stay focused on the most important things.
### Craig Marshall
##### Christopher Drummond Beautys
We brought in multiple Google Analytics consultants before Will Marlow, but he was the only one who understood what we were trying to accomplish, and was able to give us what we needed. We are now able to accurately measure the impact of our advertising campaigns in granular detail.
### David Abramson
##### Logi Analytics
As a marketer, Will takes the time to understand the big picture of what makes a company unique, and to let that drive his marketing priorities. I would definitely recommend working with him.
### Arman Eshraghi
##### Logi Analytics
It is a pleasure to work with Will Marlow. He has an analytical mind and is knowledgeable about traditional marketing, as well as how new digital tools should best be used to drive awareness. I would highly recommend working with him if you have the opportunity.
## **Not getting the results you want from your content?**
Let’s turn things around.
We can bring your marketing to the next level.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-will-marlow-agency/)
---
### [Careers](https://willmarlow.com/agency-careers/)
**Published:** July 17, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### join our team
# Careers
Are you passionate about staying ahead of the curve in search engine marketing, pay-per-click advertising, web analytics, and content?
Look no further! We’re not just an agency but a premium **Google Certified Partner** committed to excellence.
We would like to hear from you if you think you have what it takes to run sophisticated advertising campaigns across diverse industries.
***We’re hiring!***
[See our open positions](#positions)
What makes us different
## **Why Choose Will Marlow Agency?**
#### Cutting-Edge Expertise
As a Google Certified Partner, we thrive on innovation. Our team is at the forefront of digital advertising trends, ensuring that our clients receive top-notch solutions.
#### Creators of Royku
We take pride in being the brains behind [Royku](https://royku.com/), one of the most comprehensive online digital advertising training platforms. When we tackle complex digital challenges for our clients, we enrich our online curriculum and empower our staff with the latest knowledge.
#### Diverse Clients
Our work spans across diverse industries, from e-commerce to healthcare. If you’re ready to run sophisticated advertising campaigns that make an impact, we want to hear from you.
## **Ready to take your career
to the next level?**
apply now
## **Current Openings**
## **Digital Advertising Analyst**
[3](#)
We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join our team! This is an opportunity for someone eager to learn and grow in the world of digital marketing. You’ll work alongside experienced professionals while developing your skills in a fast-paced, rewarding environment.
Key Responsibilities:
- Assist in the creation, management, and optimization of paid search campaigns.
- Conduct competitive analysis to identify opportunities for campaign improvement.
- Help in writing ad copy that resonates with target audiences.
- Monitor campaign performance.
- Use tools like Google Ads, Bing Ads, and Google Analytics.
- Test and experiment with different ad formats, bidding strategies, and targeting options.
Desired Skills:
- Willingness to learn new tools, techniques, and platforms in the digital marketing space.
- Attention to detail and analytical thinking.
- Strong collaboration skills and a problem-solving mindset.
- Familiarity with Google Ads and/or Bing Ads is a plus but not required.
- Basic understanding of Google Analytics is a plus.
Benefits:
- Opportunity for career growth and development in digital marketing.
- Ongoing training and mentorship from experienced professionals.
- Fully remote work.
- Competitive salary and benefits package.
If you’re looking for an exciting new job opportunity and wish to learn, grow, and contribute to a dynamic team, we’d love to hear from you!
Please fill out the form to apply for this position:
Your full name:
Your email:
Your LinkedIn profile:
Submit your application
## **Why does culture matter?**
By promoting a meaningful company culture, we will have an easier time knowing if you will enjoy working with us.
[Learn more about us](https://willmarlow.com/about-our-agency/)
---
### [Culture](https://willmarlow.com/agency-culture/)
**Published:** June 21, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Our set of shared values and ideals
# Company Culture
Why does culture matter?
By promoting a meaningful company culture, we will have an easier time knowing if you will enjoy working with us. A great company culture is our way of making a place we can enjoy together.
Why is culture extra important for marketing agencies like us? Because we are a people business. A product company invests more in product than in people.
An agency invests more in people than in product.
**Hiring towards culture is a key part of our growth strategy.**
[See our Careers page](https://willmarlow.com/agency-careers/)
What does an agency do?
## **We Solve Problems**
As a **data-driven agency**, we eliminate uncertainty for our clients.
**Our job**: To help our clients grow.
**Our mission**: to make our clients feel like geniuses.
We hire people who share our three core values:
#### Pursuit of knowledge
#### Helpfulness
#### Hard work
**Who do we hire?**
People who want to be helpful.
People who want to be experts.
As Steve Jobs said,
## **WE ARE HERE TO MAKE A DENT IN THE UNIVERSE.**
This happens when you are happy with the people around you and the work you are doing.
What makes us succeed as an agency?
## **Investing in the Right People**
We promote people who:
#### Want to be continuous, life-long learners
#### Aren't satisfied by easy answers
#### Ask the same questions repeatedly in order to dig deeper
#### Make our clients look like heroes inside their companies
#### Productively, solve problems before they appear
#### What We Don’t Care About?
We don’t care **where you live**.
We are not limited by geography.
We don’t care about **impressive-sounding degrees and certifications.** We value your credentials but care more about what you can do.
And finally, we don’t care about **BS**.
There is too much BS in marketing. And we want to remove it all. We have our work cut out for us.
#### What We Care About?
Never brag about clicks, impressions, or traffic. Focus on **leads, conversions, sales, and revenue.**
Explain or question **why a marketing idea is good or bad.**
**Stay ahead** of the client in questioning the ROI of a campaign. Know that you are not spending money on ads. You are **investing**.
Talk about recent accomplishments and current priorities. Ask yourself how you can communicate impact through data.
WHAT’S THE POINT OF BUILDING A POSITIVE CULTURE?
**We are pursuing excellence, and hiring the right people will help us succeed.**
People like being around like-minded people
## **We Want You to Love Your Job**
Studies show that the #1 predictor of happiness at work is whether you like the people you work with.
Remember these maxims:
- If the answer isn’t hell yes it should be no.
- Clausewitz’s first principle: act with the utmost concentration.
- Unhappiness is caused chiefly by an excessive focus on the self.
- The little things are the big things.
## **Sounds like a perfect match?**
If you love our culture and mission, then we would love to hire you, promote you and reward you.
[See our Careers page](https://willmarlow.com/agency-careers/)
---
### [Resources](https://willmarlow.com/resources/)
**Published:** July 17, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Discover the Tools Behind Our Success
# Resources
At our marketing agency, we believe in breaking down barriers rather than building them. We’re passionate about sharing our expertise, demystifying the digital landscape, and empowering others to thrive.
Why? Because we’ve been there—navigating the ever-evolving world of marketing tools, platforms, and programs can be overwhelming. Our resource page isn’t a secret vault—it’s an open invitation. Consider it your backstage pass to the inner workings of our campaigns, from data analytics to content creation.
Whether you’re a fellow marketer, a business owner, or a curious soul, dive in. Explore the tools that fuel our creativity, drive our results, and keep us ahead of the curve.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=6918)
### Google Ads ROI Calculator
ROI Calculator helps you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use ROI Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=6928)
### Digital Toolbox
We don’t keep secrets. Here’s a list of the tools we use.
[Browse the Toolbox](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=6941)
Get a black belt in digital marketing
## **Royku Digital Training**
Royku is your online source for instructor-led training in digital marketing skills like PPC, SEO, Google Analytics, and more. Individually paced classes are taught by expert instructors to help you quickly master the skills you need.
We teach more than just theory here. We give you the tools and the know-how to implement your training immediately.
[See all courses](https://willmarlow.com/marketing-presentations/)
### Digital Encyclopedia
Browse common advertising and marketing terms.
[Access Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
### Presentations
We speak to diverse audiences on inbound marketing.
[Access Presentations](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=6944)
## **Not getting the results you want from your marketing?**
**Let’s turn things around.**
We can bring your marketing to the next level.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-will-marlow-agency/)
---
### [Get Your Free Ad Audit](https://willmarlow.com/get-your-free-ad-audit/)
**Published:** March 12, 2025
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Optimize your ad spend with expert insights – no strings attached
# Get More Clicks & Conversions with a Free Ad Audit
Are your ads working as hard as they should?
Did you know that:
- 97% of Google Ads campaigns underperform or fail because of poor or inadequate tracking and analytics?
- 98% of Facebook ads fail to maximize engagement leading to wasted ad spend and missed conversions?
- 99% of LinkedIn ads struggle to drive meaningful interactions making it crucial to refine targeting and optimization strategies?
Find out how we can help you understand how your ad accounts are optimized, irrespective of if you are already working with another agency or handling this in house.
[](#down)
***Our goal is to make you the digital advertising rockstar in your company — take the audit to your boss and present these insights as your own game-changing strategies!***
## **What You’ll Receive from the Ad Audit**
**Visual Overview:** A screen-shared walkthrough highlighting key issues and challenges within your ad accounts.
**Actionable Insights:** A concise, 3-5 point action plan detailing steps to enhance ad performance.
**Personalized Consultation:** A 30-minute session to address your specific questions and concerns regarding your ad strategies.
[](#down-1)
## **Let’s Fix Your Ads – Tell Us a Bit About Your Business**
## **Still on the Fence? Read What They Say About Us…**
#### Ryan Starks
[**Rising Team**](https://risingteam.com/)
*We got an Advertising Audit from Will Marlow, and in just 30 minutes of reviewing the results, we walked away with quick fixes that added immediate value and deeper insights that sharpened our strategic thinking for 2025 go-to-market planning.*
*It’s free, packed with useful takeaways, and honestly a no-brainer if you’re investing in digital ads—you’re leaving insights on the table if you don’t give it a look.*
---
### [New Contact](https://willmarlow.com/contact-will-marlow-agency/)
**Published:** August 20, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Get in Touch with Us Today
# Contact Us
We’re here to help! Whether you have questions, need more information, or are ready to get started, our team is eager to assist you. Reach out to us through the form below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
### How can we help you today?
#### Washington, D.C. USA
#### Charlottesville, USA
#### Belgrade, Serbia
#### Lisbon, Portugal
---
### [Terms](https://willmarlow.com/terms/)
**Published:** May 5, 2017
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Indemnification**
Client agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Will Marlow, LLC against any and all claims, losses, penalties, causes of action, damages, liability, costs, expenses (including but not limited to reasonable attorneys’ fees) or claims caused by or resulting indirectly from your use of the Service, without limitation or exception, including your violation of any third-party’s rights, (including, without limitation, infringement of any copyright trademark, service mark, trade secrets, right of privacy or publicity or any other third party right). The terms of this section shall survive the termination of your relationship with Will Marlow, LLC.
By completing our online sign up form, or confirming an order by phone, and giving us your credit card information or paying by check indicates that you have read and understood the Will Marlow, LLC Terms Page and thus is bound by the terms and conditions stated herein. All transactions entered to us using your credit card or check is binding. The Client agrees to the terms and conditions contained in this Terms Page. The Client also states that he or she is empowered to enter into this agreement on behalf of the organization or business.
**Limitations of Liability**
Will Marlow, LLC’s services liability under this agreement for any direct damages of any kind will not exceed an amount equal to the amount paid by client to Will Marlow, LLC through the date Will Marlow, LLC’s services liability to client accrues. In no event shall Will Marlow, LLC be liable for incidental or consequential damages or lost profits.
**Privacy Policy of This Website**
We will never share any information collected on this website (willmarlow.com) or other websites (Facebook, Google) to third parties. We will use all information for the purpose of following up or communicating with our visitors in ways that we think will be helpful to them, and we will honor any requests to delete any contact information in the event that someone does not wish us to contact them. Our policy is to protect all information that is given to us to the greatest extent possible. The details of specific terms between the client and Will Marlow, LLC, are strictly confidential, and not to be disclosed with any third parties.
---
### [Thank You!](https://willmarlow.com/thank-you/)
**Published:** March 21, 2025
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
# Thank you for submitting the form!
We’ve received your details and will be in touch soon.
---
### [SEO Audit Example](https://willmarlow.com/seo-audit-2023/)
**Published:** July 25, 2023
**Author:** Ashley Kirchmyer
**Content:**
# Website Gap Analysis & SEO Audit Example
---
### [Testimonials](https://willmarlow.com/testimonials/)
**Published:** July 17, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Hear from our satisfied clients
# Testimonials
Our clients’ success stories speak volumes.
Discover how our tailored solutions have transformed businesses, increased ROI, and exceeded expectations. Read what our satisfied clients have to say about their experiences working with us.
At Will Marlow Agency, we’re passionate about driving results. Our team of experts combines creativity, data-driven insights, and cutting-edge strategies to propel your business forward.
Whether you’re a startup looking to make your mark or an established brand seeking a fresh perspective, we’re here to transform your vision into reality.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=6918)
#### Peter Lovasz
### **SVP Protect, CoreLogic**
*Your team’s exceptional agility, unwavering professionalism, and flawless execution were the key factors in making our event an outstanding success*
#### Rob Chevez
### **The Caza Group**
*I have worked with Will and his team for over three years and my experience with them has been a 10+. I was just going over our numbers and our returns have been awesome – for every $1.00 we spend we make $5.85! Thank you Will!*
#### Wendy McGee
### **The Little Gym of Fort Worth SW**
*The Will Marlow Agency has provided exceptional customer service from day one. They took the initiative to help with website traffic issues and even reached out to TLGI when it was outside of the scope of service that we were paying for. Since working with them our inquiries have increased by 25%.*
#### Debbie Villarreal
### **The Little Gym of Mountain View**
*The Will Marlow Agency has made improvements in our advertising allowing us to reach our advertising potential. The weekly check-ins allow us to make immediate changes to our budget and/or the focus of our ads. I highly recommend Will Marlow Agency.*
#### Kat Azima
### **Denteo Marketing Group**
*The Will Marlow Agency is the only Google PPC agency you should work with if you want to drive quality leads to your business. I have been working with the team for over a year and they have been an excellent partner along the way. They have delivered double digit growth so far and I would safely say that I would not trust anyone else with my PPC advertising.*
#### Julianne Yurek
### **Hardwood Artisans**
*I’m very happy that we hired Will to help us with Google Ads training. He is making it possible for us to manage our Google Ads effectively in-house, which is perfect for Hardwood Artisans. With Will’s help, we can now measure and analyze our Google Ads investment, which let’s us see what works and what doesn’t. I highly recommend working with Will if you need Google Ads training either one-on-one, or for your team.*
#### David Abramson
### **Logi Analytics**
*As a marketer, Will takes the time to understand the big picture of what makes a company unique, and to let that drive his marketing priorities. I would definitely recommend working with him, because he’s a very effective writer, creative, up on all the latest digital tools, and he reaches out to all stakeholders in a business in order to align marketing with the rest of the company.*
#### Adam Stone
### **The Little Gym of Chicago**
*We have been working with WMA for nearly two years and our experience has been nothing short of amazing. We have worked with several other companies that claim that they will increase digital traffic and in the end they pale in comparison to the results that Will and his team have provided.*
#### Scott Noon
### **Share My Lesson**
*Will Marlow was immediately able to start pulling answers out of Google Analytics in real time and to teach my team to find answers for ourselves. Data on keywords that were driving leads, what regions, states, cities were driving sales, and what pages on the website were most important for driving results were now in our hands in real time…Their work allowed me to save thousands of dollars as well as time.*
#### Arman Eshraghi
### **Logi Analytics**
*It is a pleasure to work with Will Marlow. He has an analytical mind and is knowledgeable about traditional marketing, as well as how new digital tools should best be used to drive awareness for a business. He is also meticulous, and I would highly recommend working with him if you have the opportunity.*
#### Amy Plumley
### **FiscalNote**
*Will Marlow is an outstanding resource for all things PPC, Google Ads, and Analytics. I hired him to audit and optimize my Google Ads account, and he worked fast, was thorough, stayed focused on ROI, and provided excellent follow up support. Will can provide value those new to Google Ads as well as organizations who need to supplement their Marketing department and activities. I would highly recommend working with him.*
#### Hulya Aksu
### **Modern DC Publishing**
*I invited WIll Marlow to speak on the topic of applying social media to business goals to a highly informed group of a business leaders, and he gave an outstanding presentation. He is extremely knowledgeable about social media, user generated content, and online advertising. His perspectives are very focused, interesting and useful. And he is also a big advocate of using hard data to measure results. He is very generous with his time, and I highly recommend him both as a speaker and as a marketing consultant.*
#### Craig Marshall
### **Christopher Drummond Beauty**
*We brought in multiple Google Analytics consultants before Will Marlow, but he was the only one who understood what we were trying to accomplish, and was able to give us what we needed. Based on his work, we are now able to accurately measure the impact of our advertising campaigns in granular detail. He understands the big picture of what’s important for a business, and he has a real mastery of Google Analytics. Will is fast, a great communicator, and knows how to connect with the right people to solve complex problems.*
#### Keith White
### **Network for Good**
*Our three year digital advertising partnership with the Will Marlow Agency has been tremendously productive. Working with their team has been spectacular, and the results really do speak for themselves: over the course of 18 months they helped us grow lead volume by 8.4x, while at the same time producing a 3.7x cost reduction, which took us from 200 leads per month at $158.04 CPL, to 1,675 leads per month at $43 CPL. They are a stellar team and have deep expertise in data-driven marketing across Google, Facebook and LinkedIn.*
#### Melody Murphy
### **Metro United Way**
*I highly recommend the The Will Marlow Agency for more targeted traffic from Google. In just our first year, they helped us increase our Google Ads traffic by more than 1,349%, which led to more than 130,000 visitors to our website, most of which were new visitors. Since working with their team, Google Ads has been the #1 traffic referral to our site. Our experience with them has been has been outstanding and the numbers speak for themselves.*
#### Rick Henneberg
### **WBN**
*I hired Will to bring his marketing and PR expertise to my business, and I look forward to working with him for a long time. He has a great ability to look at the big picture, and to always stay focused on the most important things. He’s well-organized, dedicated to his work, and passionate about helping others understand marketing strategy and tactics. He also has a very, very wide knowledge of web marketing, PR, and social media — for one example, he helped take our Twitter account from 50 followers to almost 1,500 followers in about two weeks. Simply put, he’s the ideal person to lead a marketing team.*
#### Slater Crosby
### **The Little Gym of Edina/St. Louis Park**
*When I opened up our location 12 years ago my strategy was to partner with the best of the best in all aspects of running our gym. I tried maintaining Google AdWords myself as well as using AdWords specialists who partnered with TLGI. We had moderate success but it was not perfect. I switched to working with WMA one and a half years ago and I could not be happier. They review and manage the ad accounts daily and give detailed weekly reports on how the accounts are preforming. The team makes weekly tweaks if needed. Regular phone calls are conducted to talk about how the campaigns are running and what changes that need to be made. They are extremely professional and have even caught local market issues extremely fast which has prevented me from raising my keyword price to cost prohibitive prices in order to outbid the competitors.*
#### Christian Bourgeois
### **Studio Red**
*After only 10 months working with the Will Marlow Agency, we have seen significant growth in our inbound leads. In the first 3 months working with them, they had already brought in as many leads as we had received in the prior 9 months combined. We have seen the growth continue, over time, and in the first quarter of this fiscal year have seen almost 2x the number of leads come in as compared to the year before. They have helped us expand on the regions we market to, as well as increase our impression share overall. They have gone above and beyond by helping us perfect our own internal marketing strategy through helping us better target potential leads and grow our brand presence.*
## **Not getting the results you want from your marketing?**
Let’s turn things around.
We can bring your marketing to the next level.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=6918)
---
### [New Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/google-ads-roi-calculator/)
**Published:** August 26, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Determine the best keyword bid prices for your campaigns
# Google Ads ROI Calculator
Our Google Ads ROI Calculator is a tool that helps demystify one of the most commonly asked questions about Google Ads: how much money should you spend for each keyword or on a campaign? If each keyword gets a unique bid price, how can you possibly know whether one keyword is worth $10, and another keyword is worth $1? The keyword calculator will show you the formula to keep your bid prices profitable.
### Tips for Using the Calculator
In the first field, enter the amount of money that you plan to spend on Google Ads for an entire month. Enter “2000,” for example, if you plan to spend $2,000 per month.
In the next field, enter the amount of money that you charge for your product or service. For example, enter “500” if your average order size is $500.00.
In the third field, enter your profit margin. If you make a 25% profit on each unit sold, put “25” here.
In the fourth field, enter your estimated bid price. You will change many times to test different prices, so don’t worry about getting this right. You could try starting with “5” for example, to indicate a $5 keyword bid.
Finally, enter your anticipated “conversion rate.” If you think that one out of every ten visitors will turn into a customer, for example, you should put “10” for 10%.
### Tips for Using the Calculator
Don’t let Google determine the amount you should pay for keywords without understanding how cost per click will impact your ROI.
To get started, just enter the following metrics (be sure to fill in ALL fields). You can then play with the values to see how to improve the results and profitability of your Google Ads campaign.
Please fill out this form and then click Calculate
What is your monthly Pay-Per-Click budget?
$
How much does your product or service cost?
$
How much profit do you make per sale?
%
What is your estimated keyword price?
$
What percentage of visitors will convert from the ads?
%
[ Calculate ](#results)## Expected Results:
The results will populate automatically once you click the Calculate button above.
Conversion Target - Clicks per Month:
Conversion Target - New Clients Per Month:
Monthly Revenue:
$
Monthly Net Profit:
$
Estimated Customer Advertising Acquisition Cost:
$
Pre-Advertising Profit Per Sale:
$
Post Advertising Profit per Sale:
$
Return on Investment (ROI):
%
You are paying people to buy your product
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS):
%
1 Dollar Spent on advertising returns: cents
## **Not getting the results you want from your marketing?**
**Let’s turn things around.**
We can bring your marketing to the next level.
Get in Touch with Us
---
### [New Toolbox](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-toolbox/)
**Published:** August 26, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Our Everyday Digital Tools, platforms, websites, apps
# Digital Toolbox
Our Digital Toolbox is designed to give you an insider’s look at the tools and platforms that power our strategies and enhance efficiency. By sharing these resources, we hope to provide valuable insights and help you leverage the best technologies for your own digital marketing endeavors.
### Advertising, Google Analytics, Keywords
– [Google Trends](http://www.google.com/trends/) – Discover trends by taking the world’s pulse with this tool
– [Google Keyword Planner](https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?service=adwords&continue=https://adwords.google.com/um/gaiaauth?apt%3DNone%26dst%3D/ko/KeywordPlanner/Home%26dst%3D/ko/KeywordPlanner/Home%26ltmpl%3Djfk&hl=en_US<mpl=jfk&passive=86400&skipvpage=true&sacu=1&sarp=1&sourceid=awo&subid=ww-en-et-awhp_nelsontest_con) – The first place you should go to start your keyword research
– [Keywords Toaster](https://keywordstoaster.worldofsolomon.com/) – Designed for accomplishing daily PPC & SEO tasks
– [Capitalize My Title](https://capitalizemytitle.com) – Making title capitalization easy
– [Contadu Keyword Clustering](https://app.contadu.com/tools/keywords-grouper) – Analyse thousands of keywords in seconds – for free
– [Reclaim Google Analytics](https://support.google.com/analytics/contact/adminleft_ga) – Recover access to an abandoned Google Analytics account
### Search Engine Optimization
– [Screaming Frog](https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/) – Website crawler that helps you improve onsite SEO
– [SEM Rush](http://www.semrush.com/) – Provides valuable info on what you currently rank for, among other things
– [Convert Case](https://convertcase.net/) – Text tool that helps you change between lower and upper case letters
– [Small SEO Tools](https://smallseotools.com/) – Over 300 tools for everything you could think of, SEO and way beyond
– [SEO Review Tools](https://www.seoreviewtools.com/) – 66 real-time free SEO tools
– [Blacklist Check](http://whatismyipaddress.com/blacklist-check) – Find out if your host or an IP address has been blacklisted
– [CopyScape](http://copyscape.com/) – Find out if someone has scraped your website’s content
– [URL Redirect Checker](http://www.webconfs.com/redirect-check.php) – Find out if your website is getting hurt due to faulty 301-redirects
– [Safe Browsing Diagnostic](http://www.google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site=http://YOURDOMAIN) – Diagnose your website through Google’s eyes
– [WooRank](http://www.woorank.com/) – SEO audit checker for websites
– [PageSpeed Insight Tool](https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/) – Helps you identify problems that slow down your website
– [Google Search Console](https://search.google.com/search-console/) – Measure your site’s Search traffic and performance
### Graphic and Web Design
– [Canva](https://www.canva.com/) – Free-to-use graphic design tool for social media, presentations, etc.
– [Photopea](https://www.photopea.com/) – Free online open-source alternative to some paid design tools
– [Huemint](https://huemint.com/) – Color palette generator and visualizer
– [unDraw](https://undraw.co/) – Open-source illustrations for any project
– [color-hex](https://www.color-hex.com/) – Everything you need to know about colors online
– [Google Fonts](https://fonts.google.com/) – Free fonts for use natively or online
– [Remove.bg](http://remove.bg) – Remove background of any image
### Writing, Content Creation, Social Media
– [Grammarly](https://app.grammarly.com/) – Free spellchecker and grammar checker all in one website/extension
– [Ludwig](https://ludwig.guru/) – Free linguistic search engine that helps you nail down your perfect sentence
– [Hemingway Editor](https://hemingwayapp.com/) – Alternative to Grammarly, an all-in-one editor
– [WordCounter](https://wordcounter.net/) – Not sure how many words you’ve typed? Check it here
– [Power Thesaurus](https://www.powerthesaurus.org/) – Free and easy-to-use thesaurus for writers
– [Later](https://later.com/) – Social media scheduling tool
– [Linktree](https://linktr.ee) – Tool for adding more than one link “in bio” for Instagram
– [Caption Video](https://new.express.adobe.com/tools/caption-video) – Adobe’s free video captioning tool
– [Exploding Topics](https://explodingtopics.com/) – Find more trending topics to write on
– [Buyer Persona](https://www.semrush.com/persona/) – Create your free buyer persona
### Miscellaneous
– [Google Alerts](https://www.google.com/alerts) – Monitor the web for specific terms or interesting news
– [Octoparse](https://www.octoparse.com/) – Web-scraping/Web Automation
– [Bulk URL Opener](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/bulk-url-opener-extension/hgenngnjgfkdggambccohomebieocekm?hl=en) (Chrome extension) – Need to open a bunch of URLs? Use this
– [DownThemAll](https://www.downthemall.net/) – Downloads all files be it multimedia or CSS, JS, or HTML
– [Voidtools](https://www.voidtools.com/) – Simple tool for searching files on a local machine
– [JSFiddle](https://jsfiddle.net/) – Test your JavaScript, CSS, HTML, or CoffeeScript online
– [Loom](https://www.loom.com/) – Free online screen recording tool
– [Visualping](https://visualping.io/) – Monitor changes on either your or your competitors’ websites
– [Domain Dossier](http://centralops.net/co/DomainDossier.aspx) – Get all the info you want on a domain’s age, ownership, and history
– [Trademark Search](http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/) – Find out if someone has trademarked a word or phrase
– [DownForEveryoneOrJustMe](http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com/) – Check if a website is actually down, or if it’s just you
– [Percentage Calculator](http://www.percentagecalculator.net/) – No explanation necessary
– [Uptime Robot](https://uptimerobot.com/) – Monitor website’s “uptime”
– [Built With](https://builtwith.com/) – Find out what websites are built with
## **Not getting the results you want from your marketing?**
**Let’s turn things around.**
We can bring your marketing to the next level.
Get in Touch with Us
---
### [New Presentations](https://willmarlow.com/marketing-presentations/)
**Published:** August 26, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Discover Key Digital Strategies
# Presentations
Explore our Presentations page to gain insights into digital marketing strategies and trends.
Featuring insights from Will Marlow, the founder and CEO of our agency, these presentations cover Google analytics, SEO tactics, and effective strategies in digital marketing. Will is also available as a guest speaker and educator, bringing expert knowledge to your team.
### Learn What Your Customers Want
- Learn both the limits and potential of Google Analytics
- Learn how to customize Google Analytics for your specific needs
- Learn about setting up conversion tracking to identify outcomes
### Intro to Google Remarketing
- What is remarketing and retargeting
- How can you prevent overexposing your audience to ads
- How can you make remarketing a top producer of leads/sales
### The Google Display Network
- What websites make up the Google Display Network
- What can you do with the Google Display Network
- How you can reach 90% of world internet users via the “GDN”
- How to avoid wasting huge sums on Display targeting
### What is SEO?
- How SEO works
- Measuring SEO results
- What is onsite SEO
- What is off-site SEO
## **Not getting the results you want from your marketing?**
**Let’s turn things around.**
We can bring your marketing to the next level.
Get in Touch with Us
---
### [Content Services New](https://willmarlow.com/content-services/)
**Published:** September 4, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Elevate Your Brand with Engaging Content
# Content Services
High-quality content is a vital component of any successful marketing strategy. Content is the bridge that connects brands with their audiences, driving engagement, building trust, and ultimately converting visitors into loyal customers. Whether through blog posts, social media, or compelling web copy, well-crafted content resonates with readers, provides value, and influences decision-making.
With data-driven insights and SEO best practices, our content services are designed to enhance your online presence, increase traffic, and boost conversions.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=6918)
**BLOG POSTS** **WEBSITE COPY** **Ad Copy**
**Newsletters****EMAIL CAMPAIGNS**
**Brochures** **Press Releases** **E-BOOKS**
**Social Media Posts****INFOGRAPHICS**
**Product Descriptions** **LANDING PAGE MOCKUPS**
**PRESS RELEASES****WHITE PAPERS**
Custom Content Services Designed for Your Success
## **Content Service Offerings**
#### Content Strategy Development
- Customized content strategies that align with business goals and target audience
- Deliverables: Editorial calendar, audience personas, competitive analysis
#### SEO Content Writing
- Writing content optimized for search engines while maintaining readability and engagement
- Deliverables: Blog posts, case studies, product descriptions, white papers
#### Social Media Content
- Creating content tailored for various social media platforms to drive engagement and brand awareness
- Deliverables: Social media posts, graphics, videos, captions
#### Copywriting
- Writing persuasive and compelling copy for marketing materials, ads, and more
- Deliverables: Ad copy, brochures, collateral, email marketing campaigns
#### Landing Page Copy and Mockups
- Designing and writing high-converting landing pages tailored to specific campaigns and goals
- Deliverables: Custom landing page copy, wireframes, and visual mockups
## **Client Testimonials**
### Peter Lovasz
##### SVP Protect, CoreLogic
Your team's exceptional agility, unwavering professionalism, and flawless execution were the key factors in making our event an outstanding success.
### Rob Chevez
##### The Caza Group
I have worked with Will and his team for over three years and my experience with them has been a 10+. I was just going over our numbers and our returns have been awesome – for every $1.00 we spend we make $5.85! Thank you Will!
### Melody Murphy
##### Metro United Way
In our first year, Will Marlow Agency helped us increase our Google AdWords traffic by more than 1,349%, which led to 130,000+ site visitors – mostly new. Since working with their team, Google AdWords has been the #1 traffic referral to our site. The numbers speak for themselves.
### Scott Noon
##### Share My Lesson
Will Marlow Agency immediately pulled answers out of Google Analytics and taught my team to find answers for ourselves. Data on keywords that were driving leads, what locations were driving sales, and what pages on the website produced results were now in our hands.
### Keith White
##### Network for Good
Over the course of 18 months, Will Marlow Team helped us grow lead volume by 8.4x, while at the same time producing a 3.7x cost reduction, which took us from 200 leads per month at $158.04 CPL, to 1,675 leads per month at $43 CPL.
### Slater Crosby
##### The Little Gym of Edina/St. Louis Park
They are extremely professional and have even caught local market issues extremely fast which has prevented me from raising my keyword price to cost-prohibitive prices in order to outbid the competitors. I could not be happier that I’m working with the WMA team.
### Christian Bourgeois
##### Studio Red
After only 10 months working with the Will Marlow Agency, we have seen significant growth in our inbound leads. In the first 3 months working with them, they had already brought in as many leads as we had received in the prior 9 months combined.
### Debbie Villarreal
##### The Little Gym of Mountain View
The Will Marlow Agency has made improvements in our advertising allowing us to reach our advertising potential. The weekly check-ins allow us to make immediate changes to our budget and/or the focus of our ads. I highly recommend Will Marlow Agency.
### Adam Stone
##### The Little Gym of Chicago
We have been working with WMA for nearly two years and our experience has been nothing short of amazing. We have worked with others that claim that they will increase digital traffic and in the end they pale in comparison to the results that Will and his team have provided.
### Wendy McGee
##### The Little Gym of Fort Worth SW
The Will Marlow Agency team took the initiative to help with website traffic issues and even reached out to TLGI when it was outside of the scope of service that we were paying for. Since working with them our inquiries have increased by 25%.
### Kat Azima
##### Denteo Marketing Group
The Will Marlow Agency is the only Google PPC agency you should work with if you want to drive quality leads to your business. They have delivered double-digit growth so far and I would safely say that I would not trust anyone else with my PPC advertising.
### Amy Plumley
##### FiscalNote
Will Marlow's team is an outstanding resource for all things PPC, GoogleAds, and Analytics. I hired them to audit and optimize my GoogleAds account, and they worked fast, were thorough, stayed focused on ROI, and provided excellent follow-up support.
### Hulya Aksu
##### Modern DC Publishing, LLC
I invited Will to speak on the topic of applying social media to business goals, and he gave an outstanding presentation. He is also a big advocate of using hard data to measure results. I highly recommend him both as a speaker and as a marketing consultant.
### Julianne Yurek
##### Hardwood Artisans
With Will’s help, we can now measure and analyze our GoogleAds investment, which lets us see what works and what doesn’t. I highly recommend working with Will if you need GoogleAds training either one-on-one, or for your team.
### Rick Henneberg
##### WBN
I hired Will to bring his marketing and PR expertise to my business, and I look forward to working with him for a long time. He has a great ability to look at the big picture, and to always stay focused on the most important things.
### Craig Marshall
##### Christopher Drummond Beautys
We brought in multiple Google Analytics consultants before Will Marlow, but he was the only one who understood what we were trying to accomplish, and was able to give us what we needed. We are now able to accurately measure the impact of our advertising campaigns in granular detail.
### David Abramson
##### Logi Analytics
As a marketer, Will takes the time to understand the big picture of what makes a company unique, and to let that drive his marketing priorities. I would definitely recommend working with him.
### Arman Eshraghi
##### Logi Analytics
It is a pleasure to work with Will Marlow. He has an analytical mind and is knowledgeable about traditional marketing, as well as how new digital tools should best be used to drive awareness. I would highly recommend working with him if you have the opportunity.
## **Not getting the results you want from your content?**
Let’s turn things around.
We can bring your marketing to the next level.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-will-marlow-agency/)
---
### [SEO Services New](https://willmarlow.com/seo-services/)
**Published:** September 14, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Elevate Your Brand with effective seo strategy
# SEO Services
A strong Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy is crucial for driving organic traffic and enhancing your online visibility. From technical analysis to optimizing your website’s structure, our SEO services are designed to boost your search engine performance and attract high-quality leads.
We use data-driven insights and industry best practices to ensure your website stands out in search results and meets your business goals. By focusing on comprehensive SEO techniques, we help you increase traffic, enhance user experience, and achieve sustainable growth.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=6918)
**SEO AUDIT** **KEYWORDS Research**
**ON-PAGE SEO****TECHNICAL SEO**
**LOCAL SEO** **OFF-PAGE SEO**
**SEO STRATEGY****Sitemaps**
**Meta descriptions** **SEO REPORTING**
**meta titles****Content audit**
Custom SEO Services Designed for Your Success
## **SEO Service Offerings**
#### SEO Audits
- In-depth analysis of website performance to identify areas for improvement
- Deliverables: Site health report, action plan, prioritized recommendations
#### SEO Reporting and Analytics
- Comprehensive tracking and analysis to measure SEO performance and ROI
- Deliverables: Monthly performance reporting, KPI tracking
#### Keyword Research & Keyword Mapping
- A data-driven approach to uncover high-value keyword opportunities and strategically align them with your website’s content to maximize search visibility and organic traffic
- Deliverables: Keyword list, search volume analysis, competition analysis, keyword-to-page mapping, content optimization recommendations, gap analysis
#### On-Page & Off-Page SEO
- On-page SEO ensures your content is tailored to both users and search engines, while off-page SEO boosts your site’s credibility and rankings through authoritative external signals
- Deliverables: Title tags, meta descriptions, content optimization, internal linking, backlink profile, outreach strategy recommendations, disavow file
#### Technical SEO
- Optimization of website infrastructure to improve search engine crawling and indexing
- Deliverables: Site speed enhancements, mobile optimization, structured data implementation
#### Site Architecture & Crawlability
- Ensuring optimal site structure and crawlability to enhance search engine access
- Deliverables: XML sitemap, robots.txt analysis, URL structure optimization
#### Comprehensive SEO Review & Holistic SEO Approach
- A thorough evaluation of on-page, off-page, and technical SEO factors, paired with an integrated strategy that combines these tactics for sustainable growth and ongoing optimization
- Deliverables: Keyword ranking analysis, backlink profile review, content gap analysis, strategic plan, competitive analysis, continuous optimization plan
#### SEO Strategy & Data-Driven Decision Making
- Tailored SEO strategies aligned with your business goals and market demands, backed by data-driven insights to continuously refine and improve performance
- Deliverables: SEO roadmap, goal setting, performance benchmarks, traffic analysis, conversion tracking, custom dashboards
## **Client Testimonials**
### Peter Lovasz
##### SVP Protect, CoreLogic
Your team's exceptional agility, unwavering professionalism, and flawless execution were the key factors in making our event an outstanding success.
### Rob Chevez
##### The Caza Group
I have worked with Will and his team for over three years and my experience with them has been a 10+. I was just going over our numbers and our returns have been awesome – for every $1.00 we spend we make $5.85! Thank you Will!
### Melody Murphy
##### Metro United Way
In our first year, Will Marlow Agency helped us increase our Google AdWords traffic by more than 1,349%, which led to 130,000+ site visitors – mostly new. Since working with their team, Google AdWords has been the #1 traffic referral to our site. The numbers speak for themselves.
### Scott Noon
##### Share My Lesson
Will Marlow Agency immediately pulled answers out of Google Analytics and taught my team to find answers for ourselves. Data on keywords that were driving leads, what locations were driving sales, and what pages on the website produced results were now in our hands.
### Keith White
##### Network for Good
Over the course of 18 months, Will Marlow Team helped us grow lead volume by 8.4x, while at the same time producing a 3.7x cost reduction, which took us from 200 leads per month at $158.04 CPL, to 1,675 leads per month at $43 CPL.
### Slater Crosby
##### The Little Gym of Edina/St. Louis Park
They are extremely professional and have even caught local market issues extremely fast which has prevented me from raising my keyword price to cost-prohibitive prices in order to outbid the competitors. I could not be happier that I’m working with the WMA team.
### Christian Bourgeois
##### Studio Red
After only 10 months working with the Will Marlow Agency, we have seen significant growth in our inbound leads. In the first 3 months working with them, they had already brought in as many leads as we had received in the prior 9 months combined.
### Debbie Villarreal
##### The Little Gym of Mountain View
The Will Marlow Agency has made improvements in our advertising allowing us to reach our advertising potential. The weekly check-ins allow us to make immediate changes to our budget and/or the focus of our ads. I highly recommend Will Marlow Agency.
### Adam Stone
##### The Little Gym of Chicago
We have been working with WMA for nearly two years and our experience has been nothing short of amazing. We have worked with others that claim that they will increase digital traffic and in the end they pale in comparison to the results that Will and his team have provided.
### Wendy McGee
##### The Little Gym of Fort Worth SW
The Will Marlow Agency team took the initiative to help with website traffic issues and even reached out to TLGI when it was outside of the scope of service that we were paying for. Since working with them our inquiries have increased by 25%.
### Kat Azima
##### Denteo Marketing Group
The Will Marlow Agency is the only Google PPC agency you should work with if you want to drive quality leads to your business. They have delivered double-digit growth so far and I would safely say that I would not trust anyone else with my PPC advertising.
### Amy Plumley
##### FiscalNote
Will Marlow's team is an outstanding resource for all things PPC, GoogleAds, and Analytics. I hired them to audit and optimize my GoogleAds account, and they worked fast, were thorough, stayed focused on ROI, and provided excellent follow-up support.
### Hulya Aksu
##### Modern DC Publishing, LLC
I invited Will to speak on the topic of applying social media to business goals, and he gave an outstanding presentation. He is also a big advocate of using hard data to measure results. I highly recommend him both as a speaker and as a marketing consultant.
### Julianne Yurek
##### Hardwood Artisans
With Will’s help, we can now measure and analyze our GoogleAds investment, which lets us see what works and what doesn’t. I highly recommend working with Will if you need GoogleAds training either one-on-one, or for your team.
### Rick Henneberg
##### WBN
I hired Will to bring his marketing and PR expertise to my business, and I look forward to working with him for a long time. He has a great ability to look at the big picture, and to always stay focused on the most important things.
### Craig Marshall
##### Christopher Drummond Beautys
We brought in multiple Google Analytics consultants before Will Marlow, but he was the only one who understood what we were trying to accomplish, and was able to give us what we needed. We are now able to accurately measure the impact of our advertising campaigns in granular detail.
### David Abramson
##### Logi Analytics
As a marketer, Will takes the time to understand the big picture of what makes a company unique, and to let that drive his marketing priorities. I would definitely recommend working with him.
### Arman Eshraghi
##### Logi Analytics
It is a pleasure to work with Will Marlow. He has an analytical mind and is knowledgeable about traditional marketing, as well as how new digital tools should best be used to drive awareness. I would highly recommend working with him if you have the opportunity.
## **Not getting the results you want from your content?**
Let’s turn things around.
We can bring your marketing to the next level.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-will-marlow-agency/)
---
### [test](https://willmarlow.com/test/)
**Published:** November 4, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
---
### [Testimonial Slider Test](https://willmarlow.com/testimonial-slider-test/)
**Published:** September 14, 2024
**Author:** Petar Kosic
**Content:**
### Elevate Your Brand with Targeted PPC Campaigns
# PPC Services
We’ll assess your marketing efforts and develop a digital advertising strategy tailored to your business goals, ensuring that every dollar spent on ads delivers tangible results. Our team seamlessly integrates with your business, handling all aspects of strategy, budget adjustments, and daily PPC management.
Managing digital campaigns and tracking their performance can be overwhelming. We simplify the process, providing measurable results that align with your business goals.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/?page_id=6918)
Custom PPC Services Designed for Your Success
## **PPC Service Offerings**
#### Search Engine Advertising
- Managing campaigns on Google Ads and Microsoft Advertising
- Keyword targeting, location targeting, and demographic targeting
#### Social Media Advertising
- Running campaigns on Meta (Facebook and Instagram), X, and LinkedIn
- Audience segmentation, ad placement optimization, and data-driven ad strategies
#### Video Advertising
- Creating and managing campaigns on YouTube and Meta
- Custom video targeting, platform-specific optimization, and performance analysis
#### E-commerce Advertising
- Driving sales with campaigns on Google Shopping and Meta to reach customers
- Product listing optimization, dynamic retargeting, and conversion tracking
#### Lead Generation
- Generating high-quality leads through targeted campaigns, powered by HubSpot
- Lead nurturing, CRM integration, and conversion-focused strategies
What our clients say about us
## **Testimonials**
#### Peter Lovasz
### **SVP Protect, CoreLogic**
*Your team’s exceptional agility, unwavering professionalism, and flawless execution were the key factors in making our event an outstanding success.*
#### Rob Chevez
### **The Caza Group**
*I have worked with Will and his team for over three years and my experience with them has been a 10+. I was just going over our numbers and our returns have been awesome – for every $1.00 we spend we make $5.85! Thank you Will!*
#### Melody Murphy
### **Metro United Way**
*In our first year, Will Marlow Agency helped us increase our Google AdWords traffic by more than 1,349%, which led to 130,000+ site visitors – mostly new. Since working with their team, Google AdWords has been the #1 traffic referral to our site. The numbers speak for themselves.*
#### Scott Noon
### **Share My Lesson**
*Will Marlow Agency immediately pulled answers out of Google Analytics and taught my team to find answers for ourselves. Data on keywords that were driving leads, what locations were driving sales, and what pages on the website produced results were now in our hands.*
#### Keith White
### **Network for Good**
*Over the course of 18 months, Will Marlow Team helped us grow lead volume by 8.4x, while at the same time producing a 3.7x cost reduction, which took us from 200 leads per month at $158.04 CPL, to 1,675 leads per month at $43 CPL.*
#### Slater Crosby
### **The Little Gym of Edina/St. Louis Park**
*They are extremely professional and have even caught local market issues extremely fast which has prevented me from raising my keyword price to cost-prohibitive prices in order to outbid the competitors. I could not be happier that I’m working with the WMA team.*
#### Christian Bourgeois
### **Studio Red**
*After only 10 months working with the Will Marlow Agency, we have seen significant growth in our inbound leads. In the first 3 months working with them, they had already brought in as many leads as we had received in the prior 9 months combined.*
#### Debbie Villarreal
### **The Little Gym of Mountain View**
*The Will Marlow Agency has made improvements in our advertising allowing us to reach our advertising potential. The weekly check-ins allow us to make immediate changes to our budget and/or the focus of our ads. I highly recommend Will Marlow Agency.*
#### Adam Stone
### **The Little Gym of Chicago**
*We have been working with WMA for nearly two years and our experience has been nothing short of amazing. We have worked with others that claim that they will increase digital traffic and in the end they pale in comparison to the results that Will and his team have provided.*
#### Wendy McGee
### **The Little Gym of Fort Worth SW**
*The Will Marlow Agency team took the initiative to help with website traffic issues and even reached out to TLGI when it was outside of the scope of service that we were paying for. Since working with them our inquiries have increased by 25%.*
#### Kat Azima
### **Denteo Marketing Group**
*The Will Marlow Agency is the only Google PPC agency you should work with if you want to drive quality leads to your business. They have delivered double-digit growth so far and I would safely say that I would not trust anyone else with my PPC advertising.*
#### Amy Plumley
### **FiscalNote**
*Will Marlow’s team is an outstanding resource for all things PPC, GoogleAds, and Analytics. I hired them to audit and optimize my GoogleAds account, and they worked fast, were thorough, stayed focused on ROI, and provided excellent follow-up support.*
#### Hulya Aksu
### **Modern DC Publishing, LLC**
*I invited Will to speak on the topic of applying social media to business goals, and he gave an outstanding presentation. He is also a big advocate of using hard data to measure results. I highly recommend him both as a speaker and as a marketing consultant.*
#### Julianne Yurek
### **Hardwood Artisans**
*With Will’s help, we can now measure and analyze our GoogleAds investment, which lets us see what works and what doesn’t. I highly recommend working with Will if you need GoogleAds training either one-on-one, or for your team.*
#### Rick Henneberg
### **WBN**
*I hired Will to bring his marketing and PR expertise to my business, and I look forward to working with him for a long time. He has a great ability to look at the big picture, and to always stay focused on the most important things.*
#### Craig Marshall
### **Christopher Drummond Beautys**
*We brought in multiple Google Analytics consultants before Will Marlow, but he was the only one who understood what we were trying to accomplish, and was able to give us what we needed. We are now able to accurately measure the impact of our advertising campaigns in granular detail.*
#### David Abramson
### **Logi Analytics**
*As a marketer, Will takes the time to understand the big picture of what makes a company unique, and to let that drive his marketing priorities. I would definitely recommend working with him.*
#### Arman Eshraghi
### **Logi Analytics**
*It is a pleasure to work with Will Marlow. He has an analytical mind and is knowledgeable about traditional marketing, as well as how new digital tools should best be used to drive awareness. I would highly recommend working with him if you have the opportunity.*
## **Not getting the results you want from your content?**
Let’s turn things around.
We can bring your marketing to the next level.
[Get in Touch with Us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-will-marlow-agency/)
---
### [Our Team](https://willmarlow.com/our-team/)
**Published:** October 24, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# About Our Team
Our team shares three core values: Pursuit of knowledge. Helpfulness. Hard work. Meet the people who will help you and your business grow.
## Will Marlow
*CEO, Head of Search & Analytics*
## Paul Gallagher
*Partner & Head of Client Services*
## Ana Spasić
*Office Manager*
## Ashley Kirchmyer
*Special Projects Program Manager*
## Danijela Nikolic
*People Experience Leader*
## Dušan Karalić
*Director and Acting CFO*
## Marko Prokić
*Country Manager*
## Nebojša Selaković
*Customer Success Manager*
## Emily Fariel
*Practice Lead, Sales & Marketing Automation Services*
## Kate DeVagno
*Practice Lead, Content Services*
## Milica Dabović
SEO Manager
## Ivan Vatović
*PPC Supervisor II*
## Julijana Spasić
SEO Supervisor I
## Marija Marković
Manager of Digital Marketing Services
## Anja Živanović
*Digital Marketing Manager I*
## Francisco Mattioli
*Digital Marketing Manager I*
## Milica Kovačić
Digital Marketing Manager I
## Janko Veselinovic
BDR / SMA Analyst I
## Scott Rutt
*SMA Analyst*
## Nina Bovan
*Content Specialist I*
## Patty Kittredge
*Content Specialist II*
## Dragan Stojanović
SEO Specialist I
## Mladen Krstovic
SEO Specialist II
## Ivana Kvrgic
PPC Analyst I
## Katarina Nikitović
PPC Analyst I
## Lazar Kajčić
*PPC Analyst I*
## Sandra Stanojević
*PPC Analyst II*
## Tamara Jonev
PPC Analyst I
## Tamara Raseta
*PPC Analyst I*
## Aaron Lechlak
*Google Tag Manager Expert*
## Milo
Director of Cuddling
## Get In Touch.
If you are interested in working together, send us an inquiry and we will get back to you as soon as we can!
[Contact Us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/)
---
### [Data-Driven Search Engine PPC Services](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/)
**Published:** October 27, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Data-Driven Search Engine PPC Services
The Will Marlow Agency began as a 100% ad platform-focused agency, and while our team and services have grown, we’ve never forgotten our roots.
Since our founding, we’ve specialized in search engines and other digital platforms, both pay-per-click campaigns and search engine optimization campaigns. Our goal with PPC is always the same: to generate measurable results and real value for our clients.
## Our Ad Services
### Google Search Ads
### Display & Shopping Ads
### Grants for Nonprofits
### Google Political Campaigns
### Microsoft Ads
### PPC Partnership & Subcontracting
## Premier Partners, Certified Specialists
As certified advertising partners in Google Ads and Microsoft Ads, we have proven our expertise and commitment to delivering exceptional results for our clients. With certifications across both platforms, we’ve demonstrated our in-depth knowledge and our ability to create and manage highly effective advertising campaigns of all types, including search, display, shopping, video, and more.
[  ](https://www.google.com/partners/agency?id=5552773398)
We’re excited to share that our agency has been named a
2024 Premier Partner (the highest recognition) – which puts
us in the top 3% of all Google partner agencies worldwide!
Our agency is proud to be a certified 2024 Microsoft Advertising Partner
### Want to Know More About PPC?
---
### [The Will Marlow Agency](https://willmarlow.com/home/)
**Published:** July 31, 2014
**Author:** Amy Marlow
**Content:**
## [ULTRA-PREMIUM. HIGHLY INFORMED. SUPER CREATIVE.](https://willmarlow.com/client-onboarding-form/)
[Let's Get Started](https://willmarlow.com/client-onboarding-form/)
## [READY TO FEEL LIKE AN ADVERTISING GENIUS?](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/)
[Check Out Our Client Resources](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/)
## [GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME WITH DATA-DRIVEN ADVERTISING](https://willmarlow.com/services/)
[View Our Services](https://willmarlow.com/services/)
#### PPC ADVERTISING
Premium pay per click for high growth companies.
#### ADVANCED SEO
Maximize the potential of natural search.
#### CONTENT CREATION
Engage & convert more visitors no matter what the traffic source.
#### SALES & CRM
Build and manage your sales funnel from first visit to raving fan.
#### WEB ANALYTICS
Measure everything. Know the ROI of all marketing activities.
TESTIMONIALS
What Our Clients Are Saying
I have worked with Will and his team for over three years and my experience with them has been a 10+. I was just going over our numbers and our returns have been awesome – for every $1.00 we spend we make $5.85! Thank you Will!
Rob Chevez
###### The Caza Group
In our first year, Will Marlow Agency helped us increase our Google AdWords traffic by more than 1,349%, which led to 130,000+ site visitors – mostly new. Since working with their team, Google AdWords has been the #1 traffic referral to our site. The numbers speak for themselves.
Melody Murphy
Metro United Way
Will Marlow Agency immediately pulled answers out of Google Analytics and taught my team to find answers for ourselves. Data on keywords that were driving leads, what locations were driving sales, and what pages on the website produced results were now in our hands.
Scott Noon
Share My Lesson
[Read More Testimonials](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/testimonials/)
# YOU ARE WHAT YOU KNOW
##### Check out our most recent blog posts.
[](https://willmarlow.com/llm-seo-explained-how-to-get-your-content-cited-in-ai-tools/)
## [LLM SEO Explained: How to Get Your Content Cited in AI Tools](https://willmarlow.com/llm-seo-explained-how-to-get-your-content-cited-in-ai-tools/)
by [Mladen Krstović](https://willmarlow.com/author/mladen/ "Posts by Mladen Krstović") | Jun 18, 2025
Traditional SEO was built for ranking pages. But today’s LLM-driven search is built for retrieving passages.In tools like Google AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity, users no longer search with simple keywords. These LLMs, or Large Language Models, are using...
---
### [Privacy Policy](https://willmarlow.com/privacy/)
**Published:** November 16, 2023
**Author:** Ashley Kirchmyer
**Content:**
# Privacy Policy
Last Updated: [11/16/2023]
This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and share personal information when you visit our website [[willmarlow.com](https://willmarlow.com/)] (the “Site”).
By using the Site, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.|First of all, we will NEVER sell your information to any other website. We will also never use your information for any purpose other than to stay in touch with you, and if you prefer that we don’t do that, just let us know.
Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of personal information when you visit our Site:
1. 1. Information You Provide: When you fill out contact forms, subscribe to our newsletter, or interact with our Site in other ways, you may provide us with your name, email address, and other contact information.
2. Automatically Collected Information: We may collect information about your device and browsing activity on our Site, such as your IP address, browser type, and the pages you visit.
How We Use Your Information
We may use your personal information for the following purposes:
1. 1. Communication: To respond to your inquiries, send you updates, and provide customer support.
2. Marketing: To send you newsletters, promotions, and other marketing materials (you can opt-out at any time).
3. Improvement: To analyze how users interact with our Site and improve its functionality and user experience.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activity on our Site. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings.
Third-Party Disclosure
We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer your personal information to third parties without your consent, except as required by law.
Security
We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, or alteration. However, no data transmission over the internet or storage system can be guaranteed to be 100% secure.
Your Rights
You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal information held by us. To exercise these rights or if you have any questions about your personal information, please contact us at using the contact form on our website.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. The date of the latest revision will be indicated at the top of this page.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us using the contact form on our website.
---
### [Resources](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/)
**Published:** December 5, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# **Resources**
## *Search Engine Marketing and Analytics Resources*
## AdWords ROI Calculator
ROI Calculator helps you pick the perfect keyword bid prices.
[Use Keyword Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Presentations
We speak to diverse audiences on inbound marketing.
[Access Presentations](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/marketing-presentations/)
## Digital Encyclopedia
Browse common advertising and marketing terms.
[Access Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
## Digital Toolbox
We don’t keep secrets. Here’s a list of the tools we use.
[Browse the Toolbox](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/the-digital-marketing-toolbox/)
## Blog
Updates from our team.
[Read the Blog](https://willmarlow.com/our-blog/)
## Testimonials
Read client testimonials.
[What Our Clients Say](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/testimonials/)
# Need To Talk To An Expert?
[Let's Talk](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/)
---
### [Our Blog](https://willmarlow.com/our-blog/)
**Published:** October 26, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Search Engine Marketing Blog
SEM & SEO: Ideas, Strategies, and News from the Will Marlow Agency
[](https://willmarlow.com/llm-seo-explained-how-to-get-your-content-cited-in-ai-tools/)## [LLM SEO Explained: How to Get Your Content Cited in AI Tools](https://willmarlow.com/llm-seo-explained-how-to-get-your-content-cited-in-ai-tools/)
by [Mladen Krstović](https://willmarlow.com/author/mladen/ "Posts by Mladen Krstović") | Jun 18, 2025 | [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/), [Original Blog](https://willmarlow.com/blog/originalblog/), [Search Engine Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/blog/search-engine-optimization/)
Traditional SEO was built for ranking pages. But today’s LLM-driven search is built for retrieving passages.In tools like Google AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity, users no longer search with simple keywords. These LLMs, or Large Language Models, are using...
---
### [Keyword Return on Investment Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator/)
**Published:** March 2, 2016
**Author:** Paul Gallagher
**Content:**
# Google Ads ROI Calculator
Determine the best keyword bid prices for your Google Ads campaigns.
## **WHAT IS THE ROI CALCULATOR?**
The “Keyword ROI Calculator” is a tool that helps demystify one of the most commonly asked questions about Google Ads: how much money should you spend for each keyword or on a campaign? If each keyword gets a unique bid price, how can you possibly know whether one keyword is worth $10, and another keyword is worth $1? The keyword calculator will show you the formula to keep your bid prices profitable. This is a technique you can use throughout your entire Google Ads account in order to avoid paying too much.
To get started, just enter the following metrics (be sure to fill in ALL fields). You can then play with the values to see how to improve the results and profitability of your AdWords campaign.
What is your monthly Pay-Per-Click budget?
$
How much does your product or service cost?
$
How much profit do you make per sale?
%
What is your estimated keyword price?
$
What percentage of visitors will convert from the ads?
%
## Expected Results:
Conversion Target - Clicks per Month:
Conversion Target - New Clients Per Month:
Monthly Revenue:
$
Monthly Net Profit:
$
Estimated Customer Advertising Acquisition Cost:
$
Pre-Advertising Profit Per Sale:
$
Post Advertising Profit per Sale:
$
Return on Investment (ROI):
%
You are paying people to buy your product
Return on Ad Spend (ROAS):
%
1 Dollar Spent on advertising returns: cents
[Calculate](#results)
### **How to Use the Calculator?**
Don’t let Google determine the amount you should pay for keywords without understanding how cost per click will impact your ROI.
Click here to watch a video on how to use the [Google Ads ROI Calculator](https://willmarlowtraining.com/lesson/how-to-use-the-adwords-keyword-roi-calculator-901/).
# Helpful Tips for Using the Calculator
You can find the ideal keyword bid price by filling in the first five fields in the keyword ROI calculator. For example:
1. in the first field, enter the amount of money that you plan to spend on AdWords for an entire month. Enter “2000,” for example, if you plan to spend $2,000 per month.
2. In the next field, enter the amount of money that you charge for your product or service. For example, enter “500” if your average order size is $500.00.
3. In the third field, enter your profit margin. If you make a 25% profit on each unit sold, put “25” here.
4. In the fourth field, enter your estimated bid price. You will change many times to test different prices, so don’t worry about getting this right. You could try starting with “5” for example, to indicate a $5 keyword bid.
5. Finally, enter your anticipated “conversion rate.” If you think that one out of every ten visitors will turn into a customer, for example, you should put “10” for 10%.
## What to Learn More and Get Other Helpful Tips?
---
### [Google AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/google-adwords/)
**Published:** October 8, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Experts in Google Ads Campaigns
90% of consumers use search engines to conduct product or solution research. Advertising on Google can help you reach these searchers as they are looking into the product or solutions your business has that can help them, as well as supplement your other marketing channels and efforts.
At the Will Marlow Agency, our entire team is certified by Google in Google Ads, as well as Google Analytics (and also Bing/Yahoo Advertising), with specializations in Search & Keyword Campaigns, Display Campaigns, Shopping Campaigns, Local Campaigns and more.
Here are some of the things that we can do for you:
- Comprehensive keyword research to find the best keywords for your business
- Competitive research (including how much money your competitors are *spending*, and the keywords they’re targeting)
- Writing and testing ad copy
- Creating “motion ads” for the display network
- Running a/b tests on both ad copy *and* landing pages
- Geotargeting to reach only your target audience
- Linking Google Analytics and Google AdWords to perform complex analysis of results
- Regular reporting to help you track the ROI of your spend
- Having regular conversations with Google representatives to stay up-to-date on new features and issues
- Monitor, track, and prevent any click fraud from happening
- Using Google Analytics to do advanced e-commerce tracking
- Running regular “impression share” reports ensuring that you are capturing the most profitable keywords within your budget
- Setting up “conversion tracking,” “goal tracking,” and other systems for measuring results at the keyword-level
- Running call-tracking reports
- Employing all match-types and using strategic bid prices to spend your advertising budget wisely
- Using negative keywords to exclude irrelevant traffic.
We made a mindmap below to visualize some of the things we bring to the table as we optimize Google Ad accounts:
What’s on the mind of your Google AdWords Manager
One of the most obvious examples of awesome keyword targeting would be a locksmith who wants to display an ad to anyone within five miles who uses a mobile device (phone or tablet) to search for a query such as “locksmith.” You can imagine that almost everyone who searches Google for the word locksmith from their iPhone, Blackberry, or Android phone is guaranteed to be locked out of their house or car, and if they are within 5 miles, that $2.00 ad would have just gotten the locksmith a new customer. But similar examples could be shown for almost all types of businesses and organizations. 90% of consumers use search engines to conduct product research. Your ads can be designed to help them do their research, and help them solve their problems. If you do that, you’ll have an outstanding ROI of your Google Advertising investment.
Google Ads, more than any other paid advertising system, is a “reputation-based” system because Google only wants to show “high quality” search results. The best advertisers, therefore, are able to pay less money to get better results, simply because Google trusts them more. This may sound unfair, but it does lead to higher quality advertisements on the Internet, and when you are dealing with search engine advertising, this directly benefits the consumer, because it means consumers will have an easier time finding what they’re searching for. This is one reason why it is so important to understand all of Google’s latest best practices and tips, which is why we maintain multiple Google certifications, and why we have weekly calls with our Google rep, which provides additional resources to help make our client’s success with AdWords.
We would love to speak with you about the campaigns we manage actively each month, the AdWords audits we have performed, and what we are prepared to do for you.
[  ](https://www.google.com/partners/agency?id=5552773398)
### Let’s Talk Google Ads
---
### [Contact](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/)
**Published:** September 16, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Contact the Will Marlow Agency
---
### [SEO](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/)
**Published:** August 10, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Full Service SEO Management
## Take Organic Traffic to the Next Level
Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, refers to your website’s ability to pull in “free” traffic from the world’s major search engines. And whether you invest a lot or a little in SEO, you don’t want to be *invisible* to search engines.
Here is the bottom line: for the average website, at least 75% of traffic should be coming from organic SEO, and you should be getting more SEO traffic every year.
If you are interested in improving your website’s SEO, here are four services we offer (click each to learn more):
- [SEO Audits](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/seo-audit/)
- [SEO Monitoring](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/seo-personal-branding/)
- [SEO Reputation Management](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/seo-personal-branding/) (formerly known as SEO Personal Branding)
- [SEO Strategic Plans](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/seo-strategic-plan/)
If you want to talk about how we can help you improve your SEO performance fill out this form:
---
### [AdWords Grants](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/adwords-nonprofits/)
**Published:** January 26, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Google Ad Grants for Nonprofits
## Maximize your Google Ad Grant Dollars
Google allows any nonprofit in the United States to apply for a grant that is worth up to $10,000 per month in free AdWords advertising. If you work with us to manage your Google Grant, you get three things:
- We will handle all aspects of managing your relationship with Google, including grant renewal
- Your staff will be required to do zero work
- We will provide monthly reports that show your results, and we will lead discussions with you and your team about which campaigns would be best for the future.
We are proud to have helped nonprofits in the United States secure over $1,000,000 in yearly AdWords ads from Google through the Google Grants program. We have special reduced rates for nonprofits, and we will manage every aspect of your Google AdWords Grant, including:
- Applying for and securing the Google Grant itself
- Setting up all of your campaigns
- Selecting your keywords
- Writing your ads
- Organizing the architecture of your Google AdWords account
- Selecting the best landing pages on your website
- Doing A/B testing to find the best landing pages and ads
- Giving you recommendations for making improvements to your website and landing pages
- Geotargeting your campaigns to make sure they run in the countries and regions where your supporters are likely to be
- Analyzing traffic through Google AdWords and Google Analytics on an ongoing basis to optimize results
- Reporting results to your team, and explaining the implications and opportunities presented by the data.
### Talk to a Nonprofit Marketing Expert
If you represent a nonprofit, fill out this form to discuss whether or not you qualify to receive a $10,000/month Google Ads Grant.
---
### [Client Questionnaire](https://willmarlow.com/client-onboarding-form/)
**Published:** September 29, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Digital Marketing Services Free Consultation Questionnaire
**Free consultation:** By filling out the form below in as much detail as possible, you will be entitled to a **free 1-hour consultation** from our team.
---
### [Free Search Engine Marketing Consultation](https://willmarlow.com/free-search-engine-marketing-consultation/)
**Published:** January 4, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
---
### [SEO Audit](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/seo-audit/)
**Published:** November 27, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# SEO Audits
There are generally three types of clients who need an SEO assessment: (a) businesses or individuals setting up a brand new website and want to make sure that they’ve done it right; (b) people who have *never* invested a dime in SEO, and want to find and correct basic mistakes, and finally (c) big companies who suspect that they are losing lots of traffic due to poor SEO optimization.
In each case, here is our process of analyzing SEO (depending on your needs):
- Use several third-party tools (starting with Screaming Frog and Moz), and crawl each page of your website
- Setup Google Analytics, or make sure the Google Analytics tracking code is working properly on each page of your website
- Manually look at each page of a website
- Identify and analyze all of your page title tags, meta tags, H1 headers, alt-tags, and other on-page SEO factors
- Track every website that is “linking” to your website
- Setup Google Webmaster Tools, and Bing Webmaster Tools
- Use the Google Keyword Tool to create a “Gap Analysis” that identifies the amount of traffic that you *could* get if you targeted keywords more effectively
- And finally, we talk to you about your specific goals, and your other marketing tactics, in order to make sure we understand the big picture of what brings visitors to your website
After we do all of those things, our team compiles the results of the assessment into a well-organized, nicely formatted document that lays out exactly what you need to do to get your website working the way you want it to.
### Want to talk about getting an SEO Audit?
---
### [About Will Marlow Agency](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow-agency/)
**Published:** October 24, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# About the Will Marlow Agency
[w](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/)
#### [About Will Marlow Agency](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/)
[](https://willmarlow.com/our-team)
#### [Meet Our Team](https://willmarlow.com/our-team)
[](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/)
#### [Google Certifications](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/)
[](http://willmarlow.com/culture/)
#### [Our Culture](http://willmarlow.com/culture/)
[](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/testimonials/)
#### [Testimonials](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/testimonials/)
## Get In Touch
[Let's Talk Today](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/)
---
### [Services](https://willmarlow.com/services/)
**Published:** October 24, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Services
[](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/google-adwords/)
#### [Google AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/google-adwords/)
[](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/adwords-nonprofits/)
#### [Google Grants](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/adwords-nonprofits/)
[](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/)
#### [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/)
[](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/)
#### [Advanced SEO](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/)
[\]](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/)
#### [Pay Per Click](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/)
[](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/agency-partner/)
#### [Agency Subcontracting](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/agency-partner/)
[Z](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/multivariate-ab-testing/)
#### [A/B Testing](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/multivariate-ab-testing/)
[|](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/)
#### [SEO Reputation](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/)
[T](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/google-adwords-remarketing/)
#### [Remarketing](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/google-adwords-remarketing/)
[\[](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/google-analytics-audit/)
#### [Google Analytics Audits](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/google-analytics-audit/)
[m](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/seo-audit/)
#### [SEO Audits](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/seo-audit/)
[](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/seo-strategic-plan/)
#### [SEO Strategic Plans](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/seo-strategic-plan/)
[N](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/bing-yahoo-ppc/)
#### [Bing Ads](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/bing-yahoo-ppc/)
[](https://willmarlow.com/ppc-pay-per-click/video-advertising/)
#### [Video Advertising](https://willmarlow.com/ppc-pay-per-click/video-advertising/)
[1](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/custom-reporting/)
#### [Custom Reports](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/custom-reporting/)
[](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/online-political-advertising/)
#### [Political Ads](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/online-political-advertising/)
## Learn How To Maintain SEO Through a Website Redesign
[Get Report](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign/)
---
### [Thank you for contacting Will Marlow, LLC](https://willmarlow.com/contacting-marlow-llc/)
**Published:** December 17, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Thank you for contacting us! We’ll be in touch soon.
---
### [Culture](https://willmarlow.com/culture/)
**Published:** February 2, 2017
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Company Culture
If you share the values and traits that we admire, we would love to work with you!
**[The Culture of a Marketing Agency](//www.slideshare.net/WillMarlow/the-culture-of-a-marketing-agency "The Culture of a Marketing Agency")** from **[Will Marlow Agency](https://www.slideshare.net/WillMarlow)**
---
### [eBook: The Ultimate Facebook Ads Inspiration Guide [238 Pages]](https://willmarlow.com/the-ultimate-facebook-cheat-sheet-188-pages/)
**Published:** April 22, 2017
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# eBook: The Ultimate Facebook Inspiration Guide
Learn to recognize and write great ads on Facebook by seeing what 200+ companies have tried.
We are big believers in knowing our competition. In that spirit, we like to put together “cheat sheets” with hundreds of ads for our team to review for inspiration, and to better understand the competitive landscape.
Here is the most recent Facebook Ads deck that we’ve created: it has 101 FB ads that are being run by B2B companies, B2C companies, political campaigns, and nonprofits, and we hope you find it helpful.
This is an embedded [Microsoft Office](https://office.com) presentation, powered by [Office Online](https://office.com/webapps).
$
#### 230 examples of Facebook Ads
$
#### Use as inspiration and planning for Facebook campaigns
$
#### Mobile + desktop ads included
$
#### B2B, B2C, and more
---
### [About](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/)
**Published:** August 6, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Will Marlow founded the Will Marlow Agency with a simple goal in mind: to deliver ultra-premium Google AdWords services for any client who cares about doing things the right way. Every metric and action is “data-driven,” pushing and improving marketing campaigns to the greatest extent possible.
We aim to eliminate the uncertainty and confusion that most clients feel about their digital ad campaigns. This is why we publish a list of the [tools](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/the-digital-marketing-toolbox/) we use, and it’s also a reason why we’re so open on our [blog](https://willmarlow.com/blog/) about the techniques we rely on.
A lot of agencies like to guard their secrets — that’s not our style. We have built a reputation for delivering ***ultra-premium, highly-informed, and super-creative*** digital marketing services to clients who want the very best marketing for their company.
All of our team members hold multiple certifications in digital marketing, including certifications from Google in Google Ads (formerly AdWords) Search, Google Ads Display and Google Analytics, as well as Microsoft Ads (formerly Bing) Accredited Professionals.
If you like what you’ve read so far, we encourage you to reach out to us directly, or to speak with one of our [referenceable clients](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/testimonials/), because our goal is to live up to Seth Godin’s phrase,
> **You are not your resume, you are your work.**
---
### [Testimonials](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/testimonials/)
**Published:** October 8, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# From Our Clients
*Our three year digital advertising partnership with the Will Marlow Agency has been tremendously productive. Working with their team has been spectacular, and the results really do speak for themselves: over the course of 18 months they helped us grow lead volume by 8.4x, while at the same time producing a 3.7x cost reduction, which took us from 200 leads per month at $158.04 CPL, to 1,675 leads per month at $43 CPL. They are a stellar team and have deep expertise in data-driven marketing across Google, Facebook and LinkedIn.*
Keith WhiteChief Revenue Officer, Network for Good
*I highly recommend the The Will Marlow Agency for more targeted traffic from Google. In just our first year, they helped us increase our Google AdWords traffic by more than 1,349%, which led to more than 130,000 visitors to our website, most of which were new visitors. Since working with their team, Google AdWords has been the #1 traffic referral to our site. Our experience with them has been has been outstanding and the numbers speak for themselves.*
Melody MurphyDirector, Digital Engagement, Metro United Way
*I have worked with Will and his team for over 3 years and my experience with them has been a 10+. I was just going over our numbers and our returns have been awesome – for every $1 we spend we make $5.85! Thank you Will!*
Rob ChevezCEO, The Caza Group
*Will Marlow is an outstanding resource for all things PPC, AdWords, and Analytics. I hired him to audit and optimize my AdWords account, and he worked fast, was thorough, stayed focused on ROI, and provided excellent follow up support. Will can provide value those new to AdWords as well as organizations who need to supplement their Marketing department and activities. I would highly recommend working with him.*
Amy PlumleyDirector of Marketing, FiscalNote
*I hired Will to bring his marketing and PR expertise to my business, and I look forward to working with him for a long time. He has a great ability to look at the big picture, and to always stay focused on the most important things. He’s well-organized, dedicated to his work, and passionate about helping others understand marketing strategy and tactics. He also has a very, very wide knowledge of web marketing, PR, and social media — for one example, he helped take our Twitter account from 50 followers to almost 1,500 followers in about two weeks. Simply put, he’s the ideal person to lead a marketing team.*
Rick HennebergCEO, WBN
*Will Marlow was immediately able to start pulling answers out of Google Analytics in real time and to teach my team to find answers for ourselves. Data on keywords that were driving leads, what regions, states, cities were driving sales, and what pages on the website were most important for driving results were now in our hands in real time…Their work allowed me to save thousands of dollars as well as time.*
Scott NoonGeneral Manager, Share My Lesson
*When I opened up our location 12 years ago my strategy was to partner with the best of the best in all aspects of running our gym. I tried maintaining Google AdWords myself as well as using AdWords specialists who partnered with TLGI. We had moderate success but it was not perfect. I switched to working with WMA one and a half years ago and I could not be happier. They review and manage the ad accounts daily and give detailed weekly reports on how the accounts are preforming. The team makes weekly tweaks if needed. Regular phone calls are conducted to talk about how the campaigns are running and what changes that need to be made. They are extremely professional and have even caught local market issues extremely fast which has prevented me from raising my keyword price to cost prohibitive prices in order to outbid the competitors.*
Slater CrosbyOwner, The Little Gym of Edina/St. Louis Park
*The Will Marlow Agency has made improvements in our advertising allowing us to reach our advertising potential. The weekly check-ins allow us to make immediate changes to our budget and/or the focus of our ads. I highly recommend Will Marlow Agency.*
Debbie VillarrealOwner, The Little Gym of Mountain View
*The Will Marlow Agency has provided exceptional customer service from day one. They took the initiative to help with website traffic issues and even reached out to TLGI when it was outside of the scope of service that we were paying for. Since working with them our inquiries have increased by 25%.*
Wendy McGeeOwner, The Little Gym of Fort Worth SW
*I invited WIll Marlow to speak on the topic of applying social media to business goals to a highly informed group of a business leaders, and he gave an outstanding presentation. He is extremely knowledgeable about social media, user generated content, and online advertising. His perspectives are very focused, interesting and useful. And he is also a big advocate of using hard data to measure results. He is very generous with his time, and I highly recommend him both as a speaker and as a marketing consultant.*
Hulya AksuCEO, Modern DC Publishing, LLC
*We brought in multiple Google Analytics consultants before Will Marlow, but he was the only one who understood what we were trying to accomplish, and was able to give us what we needed. Based on his work, we are now able to accurately measure the impact of our advertising campaigns in granular detail. He understands the big picture of what’s important for a business, and he has a real mastery of Google Analytics. Will is fast, a great communicator, and knows how to connect with the right people to solve complex problems.*
Craig MarshallCEO, Christopher Drummond Beauty
*After only 10 months working with the Will Marlow Agency, we have seen significant growth in our inbound leads. In the first 3 months working with them, they had already brought in as many leads as we had received in the prior 9 months combined. We have seen the growth continue, over time, and in the first quarter of this fiscal year have seen almost 2x the number of leads come in as compared to the year before. They have helped us expand on the regions we market to, as well as increase our impression share overall. They have gone above and beyond by helping us perfect our own internal marketing strategy through helping us better target potential leads and grow our brand presence.*
Christian BourgeoisProject Manager, Studio Red
*We have been working with WMA for nearly two years and our experience has been nothing short of amazing. We have worked with several other companies that claim that they will increase digital traffic and in the end they pale in comparison to the results that Will and his team have provided.*
Adam StoneOwner, The Little Gym of Chicago
*The Will Marlow Agency is the only Google PPC agency you should work with if you want to drive quality leads to your business. I have been working with the team for over a year and they have been an excellent partner along the way. They have delivered double digit growth so far and I would safely say that I would not trust anyone else with my PPC advertising.*
Kat AzimaCEO, Denteo Marketing Group
*I’m very happy that we hired Will to help us with AdWords training. He is making it possible for us to manage our AdWords effectively in-house, which is perfect for Hardwood Artisans. With Will’s help, we can now measure and analyze our AdWords investment, which let’s us see what works and what doesn’t. I highly recommend working with Will if you need AdWords training either one-on-one, or for your team.*
Julianne YurekDirector of Marketing, Hardwood Artisans
*As a marketer, Will takes the time to understand the big picture of what makes a company unique, and to let that drive his marketing priorities. I would definitely recommend working with him, because he’s a very effective writer, creative, up on all the latest digital tools, and he reaches out to all stakeholders in a business in order to align marketing with the rest of the company.*
David AbramsonDirector of Product Management, Logi Analytics
*It is a pleasure to work with Will Marlow. He has an analytical mind and is knowledgeable about traditional marketing, as well as how new digital tools should best be used to drive awareness for a business. He is also meticulous, and I would highly recommend working with him if you have the opportunity.*
Arman EshraghiFounder and CTO, Logi Analytics
## See What We Can Do To Drive Results for You Today
[Let's Talk Advertising](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/)
---
### [Digital Marketing Toolbox](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/the-digital-marketing-toolbox/)
**Published:** December 4, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Digital Marketing Toolbox
Tools are only useful if you know what to do with them. Below you'll find a list of the tools that we find useful right now for search engine marketing, search engine optimization, and other digital marketing tasks.
**Research Tools**- [Google Trends](http://www.google.com/trends/) — discover trends by taking the world’s pulse with this tool.
- [Google Keyword Planner](https://accounts.google.com/ServiceLogin?service=adwords&continue=https://adwords.google.com/um/gaiaauth?apt%3DNone%26dst%3D/ko/KeywordPlanner/Home%26dst%3D/ko/KeywordPlanner/Home%26ltmpl%3Djfk&hl=en_US<mpl=jfk&passive=86400&skipvpage=true&sacu=1&sarp=1&sourceid=awo&subid=ww-en-et-awhp_nelsontest_con) — the first place you should go to start your keyword research.
- [Keyword Grouping Tool](http://www.wordstream.com/keyword-grouper) — sorts jumbled keyword lists into interesting “groups” for you.
- [Keyword Typo Generator](http://www.seochat.com/seo-tools/keyword-typo-generator/) — generates various common misspellings of keywords.
- [Open Site Explorer](http://www.opensiteexplorer.org/) — discover where your competitors are getting their inbound links.
- [Ubersuggest](http://ubersuggest.org/) — gives you all the Google auto-complete words for a base keyword.
- [SEM Rush](http://www.semrush.com/) — provides valuable info on what you currently rank for, among other things.
**Monitoring Tools**
- [Bing Webmaster Tools](http://www.bing.com/toolbox/webmaster) — should be required for any website.
- [Bizible](http://www.bizible.com/) — autotagging for Bing Ads.
- [Google Search Console (fka Google Webmaster Tools](https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/) — should be required for any website.
- [Google News Alerts](http://www.google.com/alerts) — should be required for any ongoing PR campaign.
- [Pingdom](http://www.pingdom.com) — monitor a website’s “uptime.” Should be required for any website.
- [Uptime Robot](https://uptimerobot.com/dashboard#mainDashboard) – monitor a website’s “uptime” – like Pingdom.
- [Trademark Complaint Form](https://services.google.com/inquiry/aw_tmcomplaint) — lodge a complaint against a competitor’s ads.
**SEO Audit Tools**
- [Bad Neighborhood Checker](http://www.bad-neighborhood.com/text-link-tool.htm) — find out if any of the links on your website are dead OR malicious.
- [Blacklist Check (website)](http://whatismyipaddress.com/blacklist-check) — find out if your host or an IP address has been blacklisted.
- [Broken Link and Image Checker](http://www.internetmarketingninjas.com/broken-links-tool/) — self-explanatory, and very useful to check your website.
- [CopyScape](http://copyscape.com/) — find out if someone has scraped your website’s content.
- [Google Analytics Debugger](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-analytics-debugger/jnkmfdileelhofjcijamephohjechhna?hl=en) — tells you exactly what problems exist in your analytics tags.
- [Google Tag Assistant](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tag-assistant-by-google/kejbdjndbnbjgmefkgdddjlbokphdefk?hl=en) — let’s you see exactly what tags are on any page.
- [MetaTag Analyzer](http://www.scrubtheweb.com/abs/meta-check.html) — get a quick diagnosis of your website’s metatags.
- [SEO Browser](http://www.seo-browser.com/index.php) — see your website as a search engine would see it
- [URL Redirect Checker](http://www.webconfs.com/redirect-check.php) — find out if your website is getting hurt due to faulty 301-redirects.
- [Safe Browsing Diagnostic]() — good way to diagnose your site through Google’s eyes.
- [Screaming Frog](http://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/) — the tool of choice for on-page SEO analysis.
- [Securi SiteCheck](http://sitecheck.sucuri.net/scanner/) — find out if there is malware or other problems on your website.
- [WooRank](http://www.woorank.com/) — free SEO audit checker for websites.
- [PageSpeed Insight Tool](https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/) — this helps you identify problems that slow your site from loading.
- [Fetch as Google](https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/googlebot-fetch) — this is a part of GSC but is so important it deserves its own listing.
- [Google Test My Site](https://testmysite.thinkwithgoogle.com/) — tests a website for mobile speed, desktop speed, and mobile friendliness.
- [Google Mobile Friendly Test](https://search.google.com/search-console/mobile-friendly) — tests a specific webpage for mobile friendliness.
- [Google Page Analytics](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/page-analytics-by-google/fnbdnhhicmebfgdgglcdacdapkcihcoh?hl=en) — provides a visual breakdown of where users are interacting on a webpage
- [Reclaim Google Analytics](https://support.google.com/analytics/contact/adminleft_ga) — this let’s you recover access to an abandoned Google Analytics account.
**Competitive Intelligence**
- [BuiltWith](http://www.builtwith.com) — this is a fun tool to run quick tests on websites.
- [ChangeDetection](https://www.changedetection.com) — get pinged when your competitor updates their website.
- [Domain Dossier](http://centralops.net/co/DomainDossier.aspx) — get all the info you want on a domain’s age, ownership, and history.
- [MixRank](http://mixrank.com/) — find out what your competitors ads look like, how long each has run.
- [SpyFu](http://www.spyfu.com/) — find out what keywords your competitors are buying, and how much they spending.
- [Trademark Search](http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/) — find out if someone has trademarked a word or phrase.
- [Way Back Machine](http://archive.org/web/web.php) — here you’ll find what any website looked like back in the day.
- [Follow](https://app2.follow.net/#domains) – find display ads and other interesting things.
**Timesavers**
- [Bulk Domain Search](http://www.godaddy.com/bulk-domain-search.aspx) — for finding out domain name availability faster than one URL at a time.
- [DownForEveryoneOrJustMe](http://www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com/) — we all need to know if a website is actually down, or if it’s just us.
- [Website Spell Checker](http://www.internetmarketingninjas.com/online-spell-checker.php) — find typos on a website.
- [Google Analytics Event Code Generator](http://www.seoweather.com/google-analytics-event-tracking-code-generator/) — automatically generates the code for event tracking.
- [Google URL Builder](https://ga-dev-tools.appspot.com/campaign-url-builder/) — create new URLs to track the ROI of email, social media, and other things.
- [Facebook URL Builder](https://www.facebook.com/business/google-analytics/build-your-url) — create new URLs to track the ROI of Facebook Ads
- [Firebug](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/firebug/) — this let’s you check javascript code.
- [Scrapy](http://scrapy.org/) — scrape data from a website and put it in structured form.
- [Percent calculator](http://www.percentagecalculator.net/) — no explanation necessary.
- [What Is My IP Address](http://whatismyipaddress.com/) — find your IP address (of computer or servers).
- [GIF Optimizer](http://gifgifs.com/optimizer/) — reduce the size of GIF files for display campaigns.
- [Image Compressor](http://compressjpeg.com/) — reduce the size of JPGs and PNGs for display campaigns.
- [Adwords Wrapper](http://www.adwordswrapper.com/cgi-bin/aw.cgi) — appends Google Adwords match type symbols to a list of keywords you provide.
- [Hubspot Blog Title Generator](https://www.hubspot.com/blog-topic-generator) — creates a list of blog titles using provided keywords.
- [Canva](https://about.canva.com/) — free quick design tool to create images for blog post headers and social media posts.
**Social Media Monitoring & Measurement**
- [SocialCrawlytics.com](https://socialcrawlytics.com/) — tells how many times a specific page has been shared.
- [SocialOomph](https://www.socialoomph.com/) — high quality social media scheduling service.
Are there tools out there that you use that you’d like to share? Feel free to return the favor and let us know what your favorite tools are. [Contact us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/) anytime.
## Advanced Training
We created Will Marlow Training to train staff and clients.
[Get Training](https://willmarlowtraining.com/?utm_source=willmarlow.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=digitalmarketingtoolboxcta)
# Contact Us
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# Location
### Reston Map
Headquarters
---
### [Google Analytics Audit](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/google-analytics-audit/)
**Published:** February 13, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
In order for you to unlock the enormous value that is contained in Google Analytics, you need to make sure that it is installed properly, and collecting data accurately.
Here are some of the things that go into one of our Google Analytics audits:
- We analyze every page of your website to make sure the tracking script is properly installed and firing correctly
- We interview your team to find out what type of information they would like to get from Google Analytics, and how often they need to get it
- Based on your input, we customize the tracking script to setup advanced features like e-commerce tracking, phone tracking, goal tracking, event tracking, subdomain and cross-domain tracking, and any other advanced features that will make the data more valuable to you.
- We create custom reports, scheduled reports, dashboards, and shortcut accessible reports, to make sure your team is able to get data in the form that is most useful to them.
Whether you have a 5-page website, or a 5,000 page website, you need to be confident that you are looking at accurate data, and if you’d like us to help you, [contact us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/) by phone or email.
---
### [SEO Monitoring](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/seo-monitoring/)
**Published:** November 27, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
If you have your SEO on autopilot, you may be headed for trouble. But if you are like 99% of companies, an SEO problem might go undetected for months or years, causing the damage to get worse.
But we can setup an early warning system for you. If SEO declines by a certain percentage day over day, week over week, or month over month, our team will be alerted by text or email, and your team can receive the same alerts. This way, no SEO problem can go undetected for long, and when one occurs, we can pinpoint (and fix) the problem immediately.
[Contact us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/) for details on our SEO monitoring and early warning systems.
---
### [Web Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/)
**Published:** January 26, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Do you wonder who is on your website? Where your traffic is coming from? Which of your landing pages are working, and which aren’t? Answering these types of questions is one of our favorite things to do.
No matter who you are, what type of organization you work for, or what you are trying to accomplish, if you have a website, you should also have Google Analytics setup, because it will reveal all the information that you need to know about your customers, supporters, fans, foes, and anyone else who visits your website. But it is not always an easy tool to use, and it is not an easy tool to setup correctly if you’re new to it.
Will Marlow, LLC was founded by a Google Analytics Qualified Individual, and [Google Analytics consulting](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/) has always been at the core of what we do for clients. In fact, we use Google Analytics in every engagement we do.
Here are four of our specific Google Analytics services:
- [Conversion tracking](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/multivariate-ab-testing/)
- [A/B Testing and Multivariate Testing ](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/multivariate-ab-testing/)
- [Custom Reports](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/custom-reporting/)
- [Google Analytics Audit](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/google-analytics-audit/)
[Contact us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/ "Contact us") via email or give us a call at 202.577.3350 to discuss how we can help you get control of your data.
---
### [The Ultimate LinkedIn Ads Cheat Sheet](https://willmarlow.com/the-ultimate-linkedin-ads-cheat-sheet/)
**Published:** April 22, 2017
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# LinkedIn Ads Guide
Learn from the best practices and mistakes of others with this LinkedIn crib sheet.
$
#### Quickly browse 90+ pages of LinkedIn Ads
$
#### Focuses exclusively on most effective newsfeed ads
$
#### Includes advertisers of all types and sizes
$
#### Both desktop + mobile ads
[](https://www.slideshare.net/WillMarlow/90-examples-of-linkedin-ads-for-inspiration)
#### [Click here to download the full PowerPoint.](https://www.slideshare.net/WillMarlow/90-examples-of-linkedin-ads-for-inspiration)
---
### [Click-Through Rate (CTR)](https://willmarlow.com/click-through-rate-ctr/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Click-through rate (CTR)** is an incredibly important concept in search engine marketing. The simplest definition is that *click-through rate is the percentage of people who click on your ad after seeing your ad.* (In mathematical terms: CTR = Clicks/Impressions.)
With both AdWords and organic SEO, your success can be improved in only three ways: (1) getting more people to *see* your ad or snippet; (2) getting more people to *click* on your ad or snippet; or (3) getting more people to become a customer (i.e., *convert*) on your landing page. In other words, search engine marketing is a “constrained system.” And one of those constraints is the CTR.
With AdWords, your CTR is one of the key components of your quality score. In SEO, your CTR is going to determine whether you maintain your ranking.
Basically, you can think of Google (and more broadly, all search engines) as a democracy: people vote by clicking. So your CTR will really determine your success.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
---
### [Last Click Attribution](https://willmarlow.com/last-click-attribution/)
**Published:** March 2, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Last Click Attribution
**Last-Click Attribution** refers to a web analytics model in which the “last click” is given credit for a sale or conversion. In other words, if someone comes to your website and orders some flowers, you should have a web analytics system in place that tells you *where* that customer came from. Did they come from an advertisement in a newspaper, or the natural search keyword ”romantic flowers,” or did they find you after they followed your post on Facebook? But the great flaw in web analytics packages is that many visitors come to your website multiple times before converting, and you need to choose whether you want the credit for a sale to go to the “[first click](https://willmarlow.com/first-click-attribution/)” that brought them to you, or to the “last click” that brought them to you. Most web analytics packages are defaulted to “last click” analysis.
One of the flaws with last click analysis is that for many, many businesses, 99% of the conversions and sales come from branded keyword (your name) traffic. But this obscures the true source, because no one is born knowing your name — and so if you want to move the needle for search, you really need to know the keyword traffic that introduced them to your site, not that drove the click.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
## AdWords ROI Calculator
Use this tool to measure profitability on keyword-by-keyword basis.
[Use Calculator](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-return-on-investment-calculator)
---
### [Political Advertising](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/online-political-advertising/)
**Published:** January 30, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The Will Marlow Agency was founded by a former Press Secretary from Capitol Hill, and we understand how to manage, plan, and spend advertising budgets wisely on behalf of political campaigns. We can find you some of the cheapest Facebook likes imaginable from potential voters, get your campaign videos saturated across your district or among your target audience before election day, and reach specific groups of people who are motivated by your issues in a very short amount of time.
- **Customer Match Targeting.** Using your own email list, we can run ads on multiple ad networks to reach voters with specifically targeted and priced ads. This is a powerful capability in order to both *include* and *exclude* certain audiences, to make sure that your campaign is reaching as many *new* voters as possible.
- **Facebook Custom Audience Targeting.** We can use your email lists, phone bank lists or (even Facebook user IDs or mobile advertiser IDs) in order to reach highly targeted groups with Facebook ads of all kinds.
- **Facebook Lookalike Audience Targeting.** After starting with the information you provide on your target audience and building FB “custom audiences,” we then build sophisticated lookalike audiences that expand the reach of your campaign to additional potential voters who share key traits or opinions.
- **Facebook Remarketing.** We can make your ads and videos follow voters around Facebook for the duration of the campaign.
- **Google Remarketing.** Using the Google Display Network, we can make your campaign ads follow voters around as they visit more than 1 million websites (including the Washington Post and the New York Times) for the duration of the campaign.
- **Competitive Targeting.** We can make sure your ads appear alongside of voters who are doing research for the election, including looking for information on other candidates.
- **YouTube Political Ads.** We specialize in YouTube Skippable video ads (which viewers can skip after watching the first 5 seconds) as well as non-skippable video ads. We recommend a mix of both types of ads for political campaigns, and will help you find the right mix of short vs. long-format video advertising.
If you are running a political campaign and want to make sure you have an airtight digital advertising engine to back you up, we should talk.
[Send us an email](mailto:will@willmarlow.com) or give us a call at 202.577.3350.
---
### [How We Work With Clients](https://willmarlow.com/selected-services-and-retainers/)
**Published:** November 4, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Selected Service Offerings
Pricing will be determined by campaign size, complexity, and monthly budget.
## PPC Retainers
Active PPC Management
- DEDICATED SUCCESS MANAGER
- PPC SITE AUDIT
- EXPERT WILL MARLOW REVIEW
- FULL PPC IMPLEMENTATION
- POST-LAUNCH OPTIMIZATION
- EXPERT TRAINING SITE USERS
- ONLINE METRICS SITE ACCESS
- CUSTOMIZED DASHBOARD
- CLICK FRAUD PREVENTION
- IMPRESSION SHARE REPORTING
- FULL CALL TRACKING
- EXPERT ANALYSIS CALL FROM WILL
- LANDING PAGE OPTIMIZATION
- MONTHLY PPC OPTIMIZATIONS
- FULL BING ADS MANAGEMENT
- FULL LINKEDIN PPC CAMPAIGNS
- FULL FACEBOOK PPC
- DIRECT LINE TO WILL MARLOW
- QUARTERLY ACCOUNT REFRESH
- ANNUAL AUDIT & RE-ASSESSMENT
## SEO Audits
Maximizing SEO Results
- FULL SEO AUDIT
- SEO TECHNICAL AUDIT
- FULL GOOGLE ANALYTICS AUDIT
- SEO CONTENT PLAN
- KEYWORD RESEARCH
- SEO COMPETITIVE RESEARCH
- CONVERSION TRACKING AUDIT
- SEO GAP ANALYSIS
- SEO DIFFICULTY ANALYSIS
- SEO RESOURCE PLANNING
- CUSTOM SEO REPORT CREATION
## Google Analytics Audit
GA Services
- CHECK GOOGLE ANALYTICS SCRIPT ACROSS ALL PAGES
- VERIFY CUSTOM JAVASCRIPT
- CROSS DOMAIN TRACKING
- CREATE MAXIMUM OF 10 CUSTOM REPORTS
- SETUP CUSTOM DASHBOARD
- SETUP GOAL TRACKING
- SETUP AUTOMATED ALERTS
- SETUP MONTHLY EMAIL REPORTS
- EVENT TRACKING
- GOOGLE ANALYTICS TRAINING
---
### [Presentations](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/marketing-presentations/)
**Published:** November 17, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Presentations
Will Marlow will speak to your team or audience about the latest Google trends, tactics or strategies, or other topics in digital advertising and marketing. Below you can browse some of the presentation slides he uses.
$
#### How To Learn What Your Customers Want Using Google Analytics
$
#### Learn Both The Limits and Potential of Google Analytics
$
#### Learn How To Customize Google Analytics for Your Specific Needs
$
#### Learn About Setting Up Conversion Tracking To Identify Outcomes
$
#### What Is Remarketing and Retargeting
$
#### How You Can Prevent Overexposing Your Audience To Ads
$
#### How Can You Make Remarketing A Top Producer of Leads and Sales
$
#### PPC vs. SEO: Is AdWords Really Necessary
$
#### How To Find an Integrated SEO and PPC Approach
$
#### How To Funnel AdWords Data Into SEO
$
#### What's Possible With AdWords That Is NOT Possible With SEO
$
#### What's Magical About the AdWords API
$
#### Who Should Consider Tapping the AdWords API
$
#### How Much Does An AdWords API Project Cost
$
#### What Websites Make Up the Google Display Network
$
#### What Can You Do With The Google Display Network
$
#### How You Can Reach 90% of World Internet Users Via the "GDN"
$
#### How To Avoid Wasting Huge Sums On Display Targeting
**[What Is SEO? A Guide to Search Engine Optimization](//www.slideshare.net/WillMarlow/what-is-seo-a-guide-to-search-engine-optimization "What Is SEO? A Guide to Search Engine Optimization")** from **[Will Marlow, LLC](//www.slideshare.net/WillMarlow)**
$
#### An Answer To The Question: What Is SEO?
$
#### How SEO Works
$
#### Measuring SEO Results
$
#### What Is Onsite SEO
$
#### What Is Off-Site SEO
---
### [Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
**Published:** November 19, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Digital Marketing Encyclopedia
All the most important digital marketing terms
We created this digital marketing encyclopedia as a resource for our clients, potential clients, partners, and anyone else who cares about digital marketing topics. Our focus is on search engine marketing, PPC, SEO, and other areas of digital marketing, and we hope you find it useful.
- [301 Redirect](https://willmarlow.com/301-redirect/)
- [404 Error Message](https://willmarlow.com/404-error-message/)
- [+1 Button](https://willmarlow.com/1-button/)
- [Accelerated Ad Delivery](https://willmarlow.com/accelerated-ad-delivery/)
- [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/google-adwords/)
- [Ad Network](https://willmarlow.com/ad-network/)
- [Ad Impression](https://willmarlow.com/ad-impression/)
- [Ad Rank](https://willmarlow.com/ad-rank/)
- [Attribution Model](https://willmarlow.com/attribution-model/)
- [A/B Test](https://willmarlow.com/a-b-test/)
- [Backlink](https://willmarlow.com/backlink/)
- [Behavior Flow Report](https://willmarlow.com/behavior-flow-report/)
- [Bing Ads Accredited Professional](https://willmarlow.com/bing-ads-accredited-professional/)
- [Bounce Rate](https://willmarlow.com/bounce-rate/)
- [Branded Keywords](https://willmarlow.com/branded-keywords/)
- [Branding](https://willmarlow.com/branding/)
- [CAN-Spam Act](https://willmarlow.com/can-spam-act/)
- [Click-Through-Rate](https://willmarlow.com/click-through-rate-ctr/)
- [Contextual Targeting](https://willmarlow.com/contextual-targeting/)
- [Conversion](https://willmarlow.com/conversion/)
- [Conversion Optimizer](https://willmarlow.com/conversion-optimizer/)
- [Conversion Rate Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/conversion-rate-optimization-cro/)
- [Cost Per Impression](https://willmarlow.com/cost-per-impression-cpm/)
- [Customer Buying Cycle](https://willmarlow.com/customer-buying-cycle/)
- [Custom Report](https://willmarlow.com/custom-report/)
- [Digital Public Relations](https://willmarlow.com/digital-public-relations/)
- [Dynamic Search Ads](https://willmarlow.com/dynamic-search-ads/)
- [Enhanced Campaigns](https://willmarlow.com/enhanced-campaigns/)
- [Enhanced CPC](https://willmarlow.com/enhanced-cpc-ecpc/)
- [Facebook Edge Rank](https://willmarlow.com/facebook-edge-rank/)
- [First-Click Attribution](https://willmarlow.com/first-click-attribution/)
- [Flexible Bid Strategies](https://willmarlow.com/flexible-bid-strategies/)
- [Flexible Conversion Counting](https://willmarlow.com/flexible-conversion-counting/)
- [Frequency Capping](https://willmarlow.com/frequency-capping/)
- [Google AdWords Certified Partner](https://willmarlow.com/google-certified-adwords-partner/)
- [Google AdWords Individual Qualification](https://willmarlow.com/google-adwords-individual-qualification/)
- [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/google-analytics/)
- [Google Analytics Individual Qualification](https://willmarlow.com/google-analytics-individual-qualification/)
- [Google Display Network](https://willmarlow.com/google-display-network/)
- [Google Keyword Planner](https://willmarlow.com/google-keyword-tool/)
- [Google Trends](https://willmarlow.com/google-trends/)
- [Google Trusted Photographer](https://willmarlow.com/google-trusted-photographer/)
- [Google Panda](https://willmarlow.com/google-panda/)
- [Google Penguin](https://willmarlow.com/google-penguin/)
- [Google+](https://willmarlow.com/google-google-plus/)
- [Google+ Local](https://willmarlow.com/google-local/)
- [Graceful Degradation](https://willmarlow.com/graceful-degradation/)
- [Impression Share Report](https://willmarlow.com/impression-share-report/)
- [Key Performance Indicator (KPI)](https://willmarlow.com/key-performance-indicator-kpi/)
- [Keywords](https://willmarlow.com/keywords/)
- [Keyword Match Type](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-match-type/)
- [Keyword Research](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-research/)
- [Knowledge Graph](https://willmarlow.com/knowledge-graph/)
- [Landing Page](https://willmarlow.com/landing-page/)
- [Last-Click Attribution](https://willmarlow.com/last-click-attribution/)
- [Link Bait](https://willmarlow.com/link-bait/)
- [Link Building](https://willmarlow.com/link-building/)
- [Link Schemes](https://willmarlow.com/link-schemes/)
- [Negative Keywords](https://willmarlow.com/negative-keywords/)
- [Off-site SEO](https://willmarlow.com/off-site-seo/)
- [On-site SEO](https://willmarlow.com/on-site-seo/)
- [Organic Traffic](https://willmarlow.com/organic-traffic/)
- [Paid Traffic](https://willmarlow.com/paid-traffic/)
- [Pay-for-Performance SEM](https://willmarlow.com/pay-for-performance-sem/)
- [Product Listing Ad](https://willmarlow.com/product-listing-ad/)
- [Pay-Per-Click PPC](https://willmarlow.com/ppc-pay-per-click/)
- [Quality Score](https://willmarlow.com/quality-score/)
- [Reciprocal Linking](https://willmarlow.com/reciprocal-linking/)
- [Remarketing](https://willmarlow.com/remarketing/)
- [Report Filters](https://willmarlow.com/report-filters/)
- [Search Engine Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-marketing-sem/)
- [Search Engine Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization/)
- [Search Engine Results Page (SERP)](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-results-page-serp-2/)
- [Search Lost IS (Budget)](https://willmarlow.com/search-lost-budget/)
- [Search Lost IS (Rank)](https://willmarlow.com/search-lost-rank/)
- [Search Query](https://willmarlow.com/search-query/)
- [Semantic Targeting](https://willmarlow.com/semantic-targeting/)
- [Session](https://willmarlow.com/session/)
- [Sitewides](https://willmarlow.com/sitewides/)
- [Snippet](https://willmarlow.com/snippet/)
- [Syntactic Targeting](https://willmarlow.com/syntactic-targeting/)
- [Tailored Audiences](https://willmarlow.com/tailored-audiences/)
- [Time Shifting](https://willmarlow.com/time-shifting/)
- [Traffic Sources](https://willmarlow.com/traffic-sources/)
- [TrueView Ads](https://willmarlow.com/trueview-ads/)
- [View-through Conversions](https://willmarlow.com/view-through-conversions/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
# Guide: Maintain SEO Through Website Redesign
[Get Free Report](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign/)
---
### [Test Post](https://willmarlow.com/test-post/)
**Published:** October 27, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Welcome to My Blog
Here is a basic blog layout with a right sidebar
[](https://willmarlow.com/llm-seo-explained-how-to-get-your-content-cited-in-ai-tools/)## [LLM SEO Explained: How to Get Your Content Cited in AI Tools](https://willmarlow.com/llm-seo-explained-how-to-get-your-content-cited-in-ai-tools/)
by [Mladen Krstović](https://willmarlow.com/author/mladen/ "Posts by Mladen Krstović") | Jun 18, 2025 | [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/), [Original Blog](https://willmarlow.com/blog/originalblog/), [Search Engine Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/blog/search-engine-optimization/)
Traditional SEO was built for ranking pages. But today’s LLM-driven search is built for retrieving passages.In tools like Google AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity, users no longer search with simple keywords. These LLMs, or Large Language Models, are using...
---
### [First-Click Attribution](https://willmarlow.com/first-click-attribution/)
**Published:** March 2, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# First-Click Attribution
**First-Click Attribution** is a type of web analytics model in which the first click that brings a visitor to a website is given credit for any sale or conversion that ultimately takes place. This is typically NOT the default setting for most web analytics packages, including Google Analytics, which are setup to attribute conversions to the most recent or [last click](https://willmarlow.com/last-click-attribution/) that brings someone to a website.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
---
### [Attribution Model](https://willmarlow.com/attribution-model/)
**Published:** September 13, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# Attribution Model
An **attribution model** is the framework that determines how you *attribute* credit for a conversion in web analytics. In other words, do you give credit for a sale to the last ad that a consumer saw before they made a purchase? Or do you *attribute* a sale to the first ad that a consumer saw, that first exposed the consumer to your product. Google Analytics, for one example, is setup by default to attribute conversions to the “last interaction” or final touchpoint before a conversion or a sale took place. There are many ways to create a custom attribution model that assigns different weightings to touchpoints that may occur along the way to a sale or conversion.
As a side note, last click attribution tends to favor search engine marketing, because many “searchers” are searching for products because they are prepared to immediately buy them. In contrast, first click attribution tends to favor display advertising, because even though most customers don’t buy something immediately after they are exposed to a display ad, they may convert at some point in the future.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
## Data-Driven Training
We created Royku to train marketers in data-driven marketing.
[Get Training](https://royku.com/)
## Lesson Templates
[Download](http://get.willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign-2/)
---
### [Maintain SEO Through A Website Redesign](https://willmarlow.com/maintain-seo-through-a-website-redesign/)
**Published:** October 26, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
### Maintain SEO Through a Website Redesign (1 of 4)
"
### Maintain SEO Through a Website Redesign (2 of 4)
###
"
### Maintain SEO Through a Website Redesign (3 of 4)
###
"
### Maintain SEO Through a Website Redesign (4 of 4)
## Go Back To Other Resources
[Get Started](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/)
---
### [Video Advertising](https://willmarlow.com/ppc-pay-per-click/video-advertising/)
**Published:** October 25, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# We love video advertising.
$
#### We've made hundreds of videos for our own company
$
#### Videos drive more than 50% of our leads and sales
$
#### We can do the same thing for you
It should be no surprise that we love video advertising. We were one of the first companies to get certified, and at this point videos drive more than 50% of our own leads and sales, and provide a core component of our branding. This makes us an ideal partner for almost any company trying to get more from video advertising.
# Let's Talk About Video Ads
[Let's talk video](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/)
---
### [Google Certifications](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/)
**Published:** December 9, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
%
### Google Certified
### Areas of Expertise
### Years Experience
# View Our Certifications
We have multiple certifications from Google and Microsoft, and all of them help us deliver the most premium search engine marketing services possible to our clients.
Here is the list of current certifications that we hold:
- Certified in Google AdWords Search Advertising
- Certified in Google AdWords Display Advertising
- Certification in Google Analytics
- Certified in Bing and Yahoo Search Advertising
- The full company itself is a certified Google AdWords Partner at the business-level.
All of the advertising certifications require annual tests to ensure that we maintain the highest level of knowledge in these constantly changing platforms. Google doesn’t publish the exact number of partners who hold as many certifications as we do, but we have calculated the number to be [fewer than 50 nationwide](https://willmarlow.com/google-adwords-certified-partners-there/).
## Google AdWords AdWords Partner
E
#### Maintains Individual Google Certifications
E
#### Maintains Minimum Number of Clients With Spend Above Minimum Threshold
## Google AdWords Mobile Certified
E
#### Mobile Now Accounts for More Than 50% of Searches
E
#### Most companies lack a well-defined mobile strategy
## Google AdWords Video Certification
E
#### Video advertising is fastest growing segment of digital advertising
E
#### Promoted video combines lead gen and branding components
## Google AdWords Display Certification
E
#### The Google Display Network includes More Than 1 million websites
E
#### Display targeting includes most types of remarketing and retargeting
E
#### Combining the Google Display Network with Google Search allows you to reach 90% of the world's Internet users
## Google AdWords Shopping Certification
E
#### Google Shopping (formerly Product Listing Ads) are perfect for companies with large product inventories
E
#### Google Shopping is the only type of search advertising that allows images to display in the Google search engine
## Bing Ads Accredited Professional
E
#### Bing Ads is especially relevant for campaigns targeting low tech audiences
E
#### Display targeting includes most types of remarketing and retargeting
E
#### Bing Ads makes up 20% of the total search opportunity for many companies
## Google Analytics Individual Qualification
E
#### Google Analytics is at the heart of every engagement we do
E
#### Google Analytics allows advanced conversion tracking, measurement, and A/B testing
E
#### This is the most commonly used web analytics tool
## Check the Status of Current AdWords Certifications
E
#### View our AdWords partner page for current certifications
E
#### We're in the official Google AdWords Partner Directory
## Get In Touch With Google AdWords Certified Partner
[Get in Touch](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/)
---
### [Some Companies We've Worked With](https://willmarlow.com/companies-worked/)
**Published:** October 8, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
---
### [Agency Training](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/agency-partner/)
**Published:** January 26, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
If you’re an advertising agency, PR agency, or an interactive marketing firm, then I’m happy to provide you with AdWords muscle. I can either train your own team, or I can step-in and manage and optimize your client accounts.
We understand the unique needs of agencies, both for winning and keeping business, and we are prepared to make you look great in front of your clients, and to help you maintain and grow your business.
Read about our [PPC services](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/), or if you are ready to talk, give us a call at 202.577.3350 or [email us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/) to get the conversation started.
---
### [Contextual Targeting](https://willmarlow.com/contextual-targeting/)
**Published:** July 26, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Contextual targeting** is a type of targeting on the Google Display Network in which you select specific keywords or topics and then allow AdWords to identify websites that are a good fit for your keywords and targets. This is an AdWords technique that allows you to run ads with minimal management, control, or precision, and is not typically going to be used by professional AdWords managers. Furthermore, it is not recommended for advertisers who have very small budgets, because with a small budget you are likely going to want to carefully control how the money is spent, where your ads run, and how often they appear in each placement.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Ad Network](https://willmarlow.com/ad-network/)
**Published:** March 31, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
An ad network (in the online space) is a company that brings together advertisers (for example, a local dentist) to a website that wants to sell ad space. In the absence of an ad network, a dentist would need to email or call every website where wanted to show an ad. And every website would need to devote resources to negotiating prices, terms and conditions for selling ad space. Both sides benefit by working with an ad network (most commonly, the [Google Display Network](https://willmarlow.com/google-display-network/)) to connect advertisers with websites that want to run ads. At the same time, an ad network like the Google Display Network can take on the challenge of providing both a sophisticated targeting system and an easy to use reporting framework.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Careers](https://willmarlow.com/careers/)
**Published:** March 2, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Do you want be on the cutting edge of search engine marketing, pay-per-click advertising and web analytics?
Will Marlow, LLC is an ultra-premium Google Certified Partner agency, and we are also the creators of Will Marlow Training, one of the world’s most comprehensive online digital advertising training companies in the world. Whenever we solve complex digital problems for our clients, we expand our online curriculum, and we make sure that our staff is well-versed in the solution. We are always interested in expanding our team, and if you think you have what it takes to run sophisticated advertising campaigns across diverse industries, we want to hear from you.
**Current Openings**
- Google Analytics Analyst
- PPC Analyst
Please fill out the application below.
Your Name:
Your Email:
Position:
Your LinkedIn Resume:
Cover Letter:
Δ
---
### [A/B Testing](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/multivariate-ab-testing/)
**Published:** November 27, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The beauty of digital advertising is that you can improve it constantly. We believe in continuous A/B testing, as well as multivariate testing — for ad text, keywords, and landing pages.
This means that we can take care of all aspects of copy testing, layout testing, and color testing, as well as testing anything else you might want to learn about.
[Contact us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/) for details on how we can improve your existing A/B tests, or get you setup with a process for running A/B and multivariate tests from scratch.
---
### [Conversion Tracking](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/conversion-tracking/)
**Published:** November 27, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Conversion tracking includes many different things, but here are the four that we specialize in, and *all* of them let us measure results at a granular level (aka, keyword-level, or ad text level, for example):
- **Goal tracking** with Google Analytics, where we work together to define certain outcomes that we think are desirable, and then measure progress against those goals.
- **Conversion trackin**g with AdWords, where we generally drop a piece of javascript into a hidden “thank-you” page that registers a conversion after a certain activity has been completed.
- **Advanced Segmentation** via Google Analytics, which allows us to isolate traffic that meets certain characteristics, which essentially allows us to produce reports and dashboards isolating only the traffic that converts. The advantage here is that this is the only option that allows you to analyze historical traffic.
- **eCommerce tracking**, which is the only option that requires you to alter the code on your website. But the advantage with e-commerce tracking is that this is the only type of conversion tracking that records specific revenue amounts in real-time. With the other types of conversion tracking, you can assign dollar values to conversion types, but this let’s you record product types, quantities, and actual revenue transactions that take place on your website.
Each of these activities can be called “conversion tracking,” because they are all about measuring outcomes on your website, and they should really be a fundamental part of your web marketing strategy. Conversion tracking is generally the most important part of your executive level reports, but these activities are also what help us make bid price adjustments, develop content strategies for SEO, make smart display ad buys, and do other things that determine the ROI of your marketing budget.
[Send us an email](mailto:will@willmarlow.com) or give us a call to get started: 202.577.3350. Whether you decide to work with us or not, we’re happy to give you a $300 AdWords credit after our call.
---
### [Case Studies](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/case-studies-digital-marketing/)
**Published:** October 8, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Below are three examples of case studies that describe AdWords projects that we completed for clients — each of the projects below led the client to engage us in a long-term relationship.
## **Reduced Cost-Per-Conversion from $385 to $30**
***Problem**: our client was spending $385 to generate new sales leads from its AdWords campaigns, but each customer was only worth approximately $75, which made AdWords too expensive.*
***Solution**: We changed all the keywords in the account from broad match to a mix of phrase match, exact match, and modified broad match, and switched from automated bidding to manual bidding, in order to better control when ads were shown, and how much we paid for each click.*
***Outcome**: Within three months, this client was generating conversions for a cost of $30, instead of $385, while still earning $75 from each conversion. This client subsequently doubled their AdWords budget to capitalize on the cheaper conversions.*
## **Eliminating Waste In Google AdWords**
***Problem**: Client was spending $5,000 per month on Google AdWords, but had not looked at the account for six months.*
***Solution:*** *In a single day, we conducted an intensive 6-hour AdWords audit to review all critical areas of the account. During that time, we discovered that this business had spent $24,000 ($2,000 of their $5,000 monthly budget) on purchasing irrelevant, wasteful, and useless traffic.*
****Outcome***: We were able to re-direct the $2,000 that was being wasted each month towards keywords that corresponded to the target audience, thereby boosting monthly leads and sales.*
## **Improved Customer Targeting With Google AdWords**
***Problem**: Another client was spending $35,000 per month on AdWords, but was not confident that their consultant was spending their money wisely.*
***Solution**: We conducted a 7-day AdWords audit that identified the strengths and weaknesses of the AdWords account, and discovered that the client’s account was not targeting traffic in a strategic way. We then improved the account by (1) picking more focused, specific keywords; (2) introducing more phrase- and exact-match keywords; (3) switching from automated bidding to manual-CPC to lower cost-per-click; (4) adding a flexible bid strategy that targeted top-of-page position for the highest priority keywords, and (5) segmenting the account in a more meaningful, distinct way to easily spot any areas of waste in the future.*
***Outcome**: In this case, our optimization resulted in reducing the cost-per click from $10 per click to $3 per click, and (more importantly) we reduced the cost per conversion by 50 percent. At the end of the day, this client is now paying less money to Google, and we continue to optimize their account every month.*
---
### [Flexible Bid Strategies](https://willmarlow.com/flexible-bid-strategies/)
**Published:** May 9, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Flexible bid strategies** allows you to automatically adjust bids in pursuit of a particular goal for one or more keywords in your account. For instance, you can choose a flexible bid strategy that aims to “maximize clicks” for one keyword, while choosing another flexible bid strategy to always aim for position number one on the page. The nice thing about flexible bid strategies is that you can use them *selectively*, which means you can choose a flexible bid strategy for one keyword, while retaining manual bidding control over other keywords.
Here are five interesting types of flexible bid strategies:
1. *Maximize clicks*: this bid strategy aims to maximize the number of clicks you receive for a particular keyword, and is a good option for companies whose top priority is total traffic volume.
2. *Target search page location*: this bid strategy adjusts bid prices to appear in a specific spot on the search engine results page, and it is commonly used by companies that want to appear in the number one spot for a group of keywords.
3. *Target outranking share*: this bid strategy automatically adjusts bids to help you outrank your competitor’s ads. This is very powerful if you have a one primary competitor who you care about outranking. It is interesting to note that if two companies are both using this bid strategy, they will each see bid prices rise until one of them hits their maximum bid limit, but at the end of the day, the highest bidder is not guaranteed top position, because quality score is still an important factor in ad rank.
4. *Target cost-per-acquisition (CPA)*: this bid strategy sets bids to help you maximize the number of conversions without exceeding the cost-per-acquisition that you define. This is great for companies who know exactly how much money they make from each sale, and who can therefore calculate how much they can spend to “acquire” customers.
5. *Target return on ad spend (ROAS)*: this bid strategy automatically adjusts bids to maximize conversion *value*, which is helpful to companies that sell a variety of different products at different price points. This bid strategy allows you to optimize with the knowledge that conversion type A may generate $400 in revenue, while conversion type B may only generate $50 in revenue.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [301 Redirect](https://willmarlow.com/301-redirect/)
**Published:** December 6, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A **301-redirect** is an important concept in SEO, because you use it to tell a search engine that a website’s URL has “moved permanently.” So, if you change the name of your company, and thus change your website’s URL, then you would want to add a 301-redirect to your old website for two reasons: (1) to automatically re-direct all traffic to your new website, and (2) to pass all the ‘link juice’ that your previous website had attained onto your new website.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Dynamic Search Ads](https://willmarlow.com/dynamic-search-ads/)
**Published:** May 9, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Dynamic Search Ads** are a type of Google search advertising that does not involve keywords. With traditional Google search advertising, you select keywords that are used to trigger your ads. With Dynamic Search Ads, you allow Google to automatically show your ad based on a “crawl” of certain pages of your website. The main benefit of Dynamic Search Ads is that they are *easy* to setup, and *easy* to maintain, but they are only appropriate for companies that have huge product inventories and varieties and that lack the ability to make daily campaign adjustments. With Dynamic Search Ads, you lose the ability to write your own ad text or select your highest priority keywords, but you gain the ability to drive traffic to a huge number of landing pages on your site.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Semantic Targeting](https://willmarlow.com/semantic-targeting/)
**Published:** May 9, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Semantic keyword targeting** refers to selecting keywords that capture the “meaning” of a user’s search. With semantic targeting, the order of the keywords does not matter. This is very powerful when you are first starting an AdWords campaign, or if there are a large number of low volume, long-tail keywords that customers use to find you. To implement semantic keyword targeting in AdWords, you would select broad or modified broad match keywords. Over time, you may find that certain keyword variations are more important than others in either volume or conversions (or both), and at that point you may want to explore more [syntactic targeting](https://willmarlow.com/syntactic-targeting/) in which the order of words matters, and which offers you more control.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Syntactic Targeting](https://willmarlow.com/syntactic-targeting/)
**Published:** May 9, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Syntactic keyword targeting** refers to selecting keywords in a specific keyword “sequence.” This type of targeting can be done with exact match, phrase match, and modified broad match, and it gives you precise control over when your ads will run, and how much you will pay. However, it involves more work, because you need to make sure that you are picking all the variations of keyword queries, and generally you need to buy them in multiple match types. This contrasts with [semantic targeting](https://willmarlow.com/semantic-targeting/), in which you simply target the meaning behind the searcher’s query.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Negative Keywords](https://willmarlow.com/negative-keywords/)
**Published:** May 9, 2015
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Negative keywords** are keywords that *prevent* your ad from running, and they *only* apply to paid search campaigns — there is no concept of negative keywords in SEO. One of the most common negative keywords to select is the word “free.” This is because most companies do *not* want to target visitors who are looking for free products or services.
For instance, if you are a lawyer, you might want to pay for a keyword such as “top virginia lawyer,” but you might not want to pay for the keyword “top virginia lawyer pro bono.” In this case, you would add “top virginia lawyer” as the keyword, and then add “pro bono” as the negative keyword.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [SEO Reputation](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/seo-personal-branding/)
**Published:** November 3, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
In order to protect your reputation, you should aim to “own” the #1, #2, and #3 results in Google, Yahoo, and Bing. In fact, you should aim to own all Google results for your name, and doing so is easier than you think. For example, look at the screenshot below: you’ll see that a Google search for “Will Marlow” yields results that are all “owned” by this company, Will Marlow, LLC.
We can help you “own” your name, your brand – even if think you’re too late, and you need someone to help remove negative information that is already showing up on Google.
Call us at 202.577.3350, or [email us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/) to discuss SEO reputation management..
---
### [Bing Ads Management](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/bing-yahoo-ppc/)
**Published:** October 27, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
In addition to our certifications from Google, we are also certified by Microsoft as a [Bing Ads Accredited Professional](https://willmarlow.com/bing-ads-accredited-professional/), which covers both Bing and Yahoo PPC. Bing and Yahoo might be a whole lot smaller than Google, but sometimes you can find cheaper clicks and higher conversion rates if you target the right keywords with Bing and Yahoo.
From a technical perspective, Bing and Yahoo have modeled themselves after Google AdWords, which makes managing Bing and Yahoo relatively easy for companies who have well-optimized AdWords campaigns. In fact, in many cases we don’t charge clients extra for Bing and Yahoo campaigns if they are already running larger AdWords campaigns. Oftentimes, the strategy for Bing Ads is to import only the top performing elements of an AdWords campaign, and then to make adjustments based on conversions and other results.
[Send us an email](mailto:will@willmarlow.com) or give us a call to get started: 202.577.3350.
---
### [Custom Reports](https://willmarlow.com/web-analytics-2/custom-reporting/)
**Published:** November 10, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Google Analytics comes with around 75 “pre-built” reports, and none of them were built with your business in mind. This is a problem. You need custom reports that show you metrics that matter for your business. And this problem is easily solved. Here is what we can do:
1. We create custom reports in Google Analytics that measure things you care about.
2. We schedule these custom reports so that you receive them either as emails in your inbox, or via custom dashboard, with helpful labels such as “CEO’s Monthly Report” or “Marketing Team’s Weekly Lead Status.”
3. We create custom ad hoc custom reports on-demand that answer specific questions about your website.
4. Finally, we create scheduled reports of important information on your website that Google only makes available for a temporary amount of time before erasing – giving you a permanent archive of key metrics.
5. And in some cases, we use advanced data visualization tools like Logi Analytics or Tableau, to combine data from different sources for advanced analysis.
Call us at 202.577.3350 or [email us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/) to discuss how we can help you get control of your marketing data.
---
### [SEO Strategic Plan](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization-2/seo-strategic-plan/)
**Published:** December 5, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
With the right strategic SEO plan, you will find yourself spending less money in order to get more customers. You will also be able to erase the looming fear that you are missing out on huge revenue opportunities by making simple Google mistakes on your website.
We can help you create a strategic SEO plan that will give you a tactical blueprint for improving your SEO month after month., and the process starts by us asking big picture questions about your business, your goals, and your team.
And after creating an SEO strategy that looks at the big picture of your business, you will find that the tactical questions below will be easily answered:
- Should you re-write page title tags, alt tags, or meta tags?
- Should you upgrade your hosting to improve site speed?
- Should you install a caching plugin?
- Should you write blog posts 2x a week, or once a month?
- Should you focus on link building?
- Should you learn about citations?
- Should you create a new “microsite?”
- Should conduct a link building campaign?
- Should you focus on your social media profiles?
- Are your 301-redirects working properly?
- Do you have too many on-page links?
- Do you need to worry about Google Panda, Penguin, or Hummingbird?
- Have you done enough keyword research, and how should you use your keyword lists?
Without a proper SEO strategic plan, these questions will be paralyzing. But with a plan, they will all be easily answered.
Call us at 202.577.3350 or [email us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/) to talk about creating you an SEO Strategic Plan.
---
### [Google Remarketing](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/google-adwords-remarketing/)
**Published:** July 7, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Google Remarketing is one of the most controversial types of digital advertising available to you. This tactic makes your ads follow people around on the Internet. If someone visits your website *once*, you can choose to target ads at them over the next 30 to *540* days. This makes it affordable for your ads to show up on prestigious websites like the Washington Post, the New York Times, and almost anywhere else your potential customers go.
The reason why remarketing is used by so many advertisers is because it *works,* and it’s measurable.
Remarketing is a simple but powerful type of digital advertising.
In our experience, remarketing has the second best ROI of any type of digital advertising, behind only [*branded keywords*](https://willmarlow.com/branded-keywords/). This is because you are limiting your audience only to those people who have visited your website, and this pool of people are your most likely customers. Secondly, you are only paying when someone *clicks* your ad. The assumption is that people would not be clicking your ad if they didn’t want to return to your website to finish their business with you.
But, as with all types of digital advertising, remarketing is all about measurement — this means that you should only continue running remarketing ads if they are profitable.
- Read about our other [PPC Advertising](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/) services.
[Email us](https://willmarlow.com/contact-2/) or call 202.577.3350 if you want to setup a remarketing to pull in new customers for your business.
---
### [Bing Ads Accredited Professional](https://willmarlow.com/bing-ads-accredited-professional/)
**Published:** March 3, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A **Bing Ads Accredited Professional** is the Microsoft-Bing-Yahoo equivalent a [Google AdWords Qualified Individual](https://willmarlow.com/google-adwords-individual-qualification/) and a [Google AdWords Certified Partner](https://willmarlow.com/google-certified-adwords-partner/). You need to take an exam that consists of approximately 100 questions, and you need to have proof that you have managed at least one active Bing-Yahoo advertising account. A passing score is considered to be 80% or better, and when you pass all the requirements, you get a nice little [certificate of achievement](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Bing-Ads-Accredited-Professional.jpg), as well as a badge for your website which you should see along the right side of this page, right underneath the Google Certified Partner badge. In addition to that, upon passing all the requirements, you will have the option to have your company included in the Microsoft “[Find a Pro](http://advertise.bingads.microsoft.com/en-us/find-a-pro-directory?CompanyID=7345)” directory.
Will Marlow, LLC was founded by a Bing Ads Accredited Professional, and you can read about our services [here](https://willmarlow.com/pay-per-click/bing-yahoo-ppc/).
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia.](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [View-Through Conversions](https://willmarlow.com/view-through-conversions/)
**Published:** April 5, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A **view-through conversion** refers to a special type of [conversion](https://willmarlow.com/conversion/) that let’s you track the number of people who see your ad, do NOT click on it, but then ultimately find their way to your website and convert into a customer or lead. View-through conversions are only measured for ads that run on the Google Display Network. If you are really serious about understanding the ROI of your ad budget, view-through conversions should be a part of your plan.
Note: when view-through conversions were first available, you needed to take an extra step to “de-duplicate” them in your reports. In other words, if someone saw an ad, didn’t click, then later saw another ad and DID click, then your reports would show both a view through conversion for one ad, and a converted click for another ad. This is no longer the case, as Google automatically de-duplicates view-through conversions in AdWords.
- [Go back to the digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [AdWords, Analytics, SEO Training Videos](https://willmarlow.com/adwords-analytics-seo-training-videos/)
**Published:** October 16, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Will Marlow, LLC maintains a massive internal library of marketing training videos. These videos are only available to Will Marlow, LLC staff, partners, and Premium Subscribers. These videos are intended for professional marketers who need to deliver ultra-premium AdWords, SEO, and Google Analytics services to demanding clients. We don’t hold any secrets back.
Sign up to be a **Premium Subscriber**.
---
# AdWords Videos
79 videos. 11.3 hours.
1. Why Advertise on AdWords **(9:04)**
2. An Introduction to AdWords Remarketing **(17:18)**
3. Learning AdWords Campaign Settings **(10:42)**
4. How To Structure Ad Groups **(15:31)**
5. How To Setup Conversion Tracking **(14:39)**
6. Linking Google Analytics to AdWords Part I **(7:27)**
7. Linking Google Analytics to AdWords Part II **(4:35)**
8. Linking Webmaster Tools to AdWords **(1:56)**
9. How To Setup Remarketing **(17:09)**
10. Understanding Ad Extensions **(14:31)**
11. Using AdWords Automated Emails **(9:01)**
12. Analyze Keyword Data in Excel **(12:55)**
13. Use Filters to Save Time in AdWords **(2:22)**
14. Preparing AdWords Performance Reports **(5:43)**
15. How To Optimize AdWords Ads **(16:06)**
16. Tracking Improvements in Ad CTR **(2:22)**
17. How To Know When an Ad Was Made **(2:28)**
18. Checking Destination URLs for 404s **(3:02)**
19. Create a Competitor AdWords Report **(3:18)**
20. Case Study: AdWords Audit **(36:15)**
21. Case Study: How To Handle Complex Accounts **(21:40)**
22. Analyze Conversions by Time of Day **(3:45)**
23. How To Analyze Top Vs. Side Ads **(8:41)**
24. Take Over a Troubled Account **(21:55)**
25. Doing Ad Text Analysis **(4:27)**
26. Analyze Conversions by % of Budget **(10:31)**
27. Analyze Keyword Quality with Pivot Tables **(9:23)**
28. Analyze Landing Page by Budget **(11:59)**
29. Negative Keyword Research **(5:11)**
30. Root Out Bad Keywords **(11:45)**
31. How To Apply Negative Keywords **(6:41)**
32. Introduction to the AdWords Editor **(5:35)**
33. Analyze Keywords by Landing Page **(2:54)**
34. Introduction to the Hyperlocal Keyword Strategy **(2:53)**
35. Phase II of the Hyperlocal Keyword Strategy: Optimizing Exact Match Keywords **(8:11)**
36. How To Use Geo-targeting Settings with the Hyperlocal Keyword Strategy **(3:14)**
37. How To Share Keywords and Ad Groups With Clients **(7:25)**
38. How To Optimize and Analyze Display Ad Creative Using Ad Names and Filters **(13:15)**
39. How To Find Out Exactly How Many Changes Were Made to an Account in a Given Date Range **(4:39)**
40. How To Use the AdWords Change History Report to Supplement Monthly Reports **(3:15)**
41. How To Undo AdWords Changes With the Change History Tool **(1:26)**
42. How To Use Customized Columns To Save Time for Monthly Reporting and Analysis **(2:57)**
43. Automated Rules: How To Pause Campaigns At Budget Threshold **(3:54)**
44. How To Analyze Mobile AdWords Performance With AdWords Segmentation **(7:53)**
45. How To View Keywords by Ad Group **(2:17)**
46. How To Adjust Keyword Bid Prices in Bing Part I **(3:19)**
47. How Update Keyword Bid Prices in Bing Part II **(3:44)**
48. How To Scrub a Website Before Launching a Campaign **(10:46)**
49. How To Setup Mandatory Reports and Alerts for All Clients **(8:12)**
50. Three Tools To Use to Monitor Every Ongoing Client **(3:43)**
51. How To Use the AdWords Keyword Report To Make Bid Adjustments **(3:50)**
52. How Geotargeting Can Go Astray in AdWords **(6:50)**
53. How To Use the Change History Feature To See How Sophisticated The Previous AdWords Managers Were **(5:16)**
54. How To Gather the Names of Everyone Who Ever Touched an AdWords Account **(2:50)**
55. How To Analyze Performance by State or Other Location **(5:39)**
56. Fourteen Questions To Ask At the Beginning of an AdWords Engagement – Part 1 **(20:00)**
57. Fourteen Questions To Ask At the Beginning of an AdWords Engagement – Part 2 **(5:00)**
58. Case Study: Taking Over the Gannett AdWords Account Part 1 **(29:16)**
59. How To Test Conversion Tracking in AdWords – Part 1 **(9:59)**
60. *27 More Titles Available To Subscribers*
# Competitive Intelligence Videos
2 Videos. 12 minutes.
1. How To Use Google Alerts to Monitor Competitors and Clients **(4:12)**
2. How To Monitor Competitors Using Change Detection and Feedly **(7:50)**
# Keyword Research Videos
22 videos. 3.5 hours.
1. Intro to the Google Keyword Tool Part I **(8:35)**
2. Intro to the Google Keyword Tool Part II **(20:39)**
3. How To Analyze Keyword Data in Excel **(10:55)**
4. How To Do Basic Bid Adjustments **(3:36)**
5. How to Do Keyword Research for New Product Naming **(4:02)**
6. How To Do Basic AdWords Keyword Optimization **(6:55)**
7. How To Create a Transactional Keyword List **(15:19)**
8. How To Research Keyword Difficulty **(8:27)**
9. How To Create a Keyword List with Monthly Volume **(6:31)**
10. How To Create a Non-branded Keyword Report **(4:59)**
11. How To Build a Quick Keyword List for a Local Business **(17:48)**
12. How To Make a Quick and Dirty Gap Analysis **(6:40)**
13. How To View the Standard Keyword Columns in AdWords **(3:15)**
14. How To Do Advanced SEO Keyword Analysis **(25:17)**
15. How To Get Volume Data For Large Keyword Groups **(8:44)**
16. Using Excel To Find Keyword Opportunities in AdWords **(8:51)**
17. How To Create a Historical Bing and Yahoo Keyword List **(5:37)**
18. How To Optimize Keywords in AdWords — 3 Videos **(24:31)**
# SEO Videos
30 videos. 4.6 hours.
1. What Is An SEO Assessment? **(15:48)**
2. What Is An SEO Gap Analysis **(7:04)**
3. Creating An Inbound Link Analysis **(6:05)**
4. Creating A Competitive Linkscape **(4:42)**
5. How To Create an Inbound Linkscape Analysis Part I **(6:59)**
6. How To Create an Inbound Linkscape Analysis Part II **(9:13)**
7. Spotting Duplicate Content Problems **(6:16)**
8. Setting Up Google Webmaster Tools **(6:22)**
9. Creating Landing Page Change Report **(9:27)**
10. How To Do SEO Link Building **(4:27)**
11. How To Do Link Building and Social Media Awareness Part I **(8:19)**
12. How To Do Link Building and Social Media Awareness Part II **(3:44)**
13. How To Create a Top Pages by Inbound Signals Report **(4:23)**
14. How To Create a Top SEO Landing Page Report **(11:47)**
15. How To Create a Basic Inbound Link Competitor Analysis **(3:06)**
16. How To Gather SEO Data from GA Part I **(13:08)**
17. How To Gather SEO Data from GA Part I **(14:05)**
18. How To Write Page Title Tags **(17:22)**
19. How To Create a Page Title Tag SEO Report in Google Analytics **(6:15)**
20. How To Analyze Keyword Data by Landing Page **(12:47)**
21. How To Create a Google Analytics Keyword List Matching URLs to Keyword Traffic **(7:28)**
22. How To Use the Bing Webmaster Tools SEO Analyzer **(3:48)**
23. How To Do Internal SEO Rank Checking **(4:59)**
24. How To Write a Narrative SEO Assessment Part I **(2:22)**
25. How To Write a Narrative SEO Assessment Part II **(16:38)**
26. How To Compile Basic SEO Assessment Data from Google Analytics **(13:17)**
27. How To Create Competitive Linkscape Analysis Graphs **(5:47)**
28. Create a Topic Targeting Analysis for a Client **(21:38)**
29. Create a Competitor Content Matrix for SEO With Screaming Frog **(12:15)**
30. Use Google Alerts for Ongoing Link Building & PR Outreach **(17:41)**
# Google Analytics Videos
30 videos. 3.75 hours.
1. How To Setup/Verify Google Analytics At Beginning of Engagement Part I **(3:25)**
2. How To Setup/Verify Google Analytics At Beginning of Engagement Part II **(2:28)**
3. How To Setup/Verify Google Analytics At Beginning of Engagement Part III **(3:15)**
4. Verify That GA Script Is Working **(4:47)**
5. How To Use Google Analytics Shortcuts **(6:18)**
6. How To schedule Monthly Reports **(4:52)**
7. Tracking Conversions – Adv. Segments **(14:28)**
8. How To Analyze Monthly Traffic Data **(2:56)**
9. How To Create Custom Alerts **(12:47)**
10. Intro To Advanced Segmentation Part I **(7:47)**
11. Intro to Advanced Segmentation Part II **(6:30)**
12. Intro To Basic Report Filters **(5:34)**
13. How To Exclude Internal Traffic **(4:11)**
14. How To Avoid Data Sampling Errors **(8:27)**
15. How To Use GA & Excel to Spot Traffic Dips by Weekday **(10:54)**
16. How To Prepare Clients for Regular Custom Reports **(3:15)**
17. How To Use Shortcuts to Create a Client Dashboard **(10:38)**
18. How To Discover the Source of Steep Direct Traffic Loss **(14:59)**
19. Create a Line Chart Analyzing Data Across 1> Website **(4:36)**
20. How To Use Goals to Guide Keyword Strategy **(7:31)**
21. How To Check Javascript Tags With Tag Assistant **(2:44)**
22. How To Create Advanced Filters **(2:25)**
23. How To Analyze Specific Pages One At A Time **(7:07)**
24. How To Analyze Landing Page Changes by Traffic Source **(5:58)**
25. How To Verify That Google Analytics Script Is Working With Google Tag Assistant **(4:47)**
26. How To Create the 9 Initial Custom Reports for a Web Presence Assessment **(17:26)**
27. How To Identify Inbound Link Traffic to Specific Page on a Website **(9:02)**
28. Introduction to the Google URL Builder **(9:57)**
29. How To Schedule Basic Recurring Monthly SEO Reports for Clients **(15:39)**
30. How To Export Google Analytics Data Into Excel **(7:57)**
31. Introduction to Google Analytics Goals **(9:55)**
32. How To Create Reports Showing Behavior of Visitors from Individual Countries **(7:30)**
---
### [Training Videos](https://willmarlow.com/training-videos/)
**Published:** October 15, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
# AdWords
***55 Videos. 7.8 Hours.***
1. Learning AdWords Campaign Settings **(10:42)**
2. How To Structure Ad Groups **(15:31)**
3. How To Setup Conversion Tracking **(14:39)**
4. Linking Google Analytics to AdWords **(11:48)**
5. Linking Webmaster Tools to AdWords **(1:56)**
6. How To Setup Remarketing **(17:09)**
7. Understanding Ad Extensions **(14:31)**
8. Using AdWords Automated Emails **(9:01)**
9. Analyze Keyword Data in Excel **(12:55)**
10. Use Filters to Save Time in AdWords **(2:22)**
11. Preparing Performance Reports **(5:43)**
12. How To Optimize AdWords Ads **(16:06)**
13. Tracking Improvements in Ad CTR **(2:22)**
14. How To Know When an Ad Was Made **(2:28)**
15. Checking Destination URLs for 404s **(3:02)**
16. Create a Competitor AdWords Report **(3:18)**
17. Example: AdWords Audit **(36:15)**
18. How To Handle Complex Accounts **(21:40)**
19. Analyze Conversions by Time of Day **(3:45)**
20. How To Analyze Top Vs. Side Ads **(8:41)**
21. Take Over a Troubled Account **(21:55)**
22. Doing Ad Text Analysis **(4:27)**
23. Analyze Convs. by % of Budget **(10:31)**
24. Analyze Keywords w/ Pivot Tables **(9:23)**
25. Analyze Landing Page by Budget **(11:59)**
26. Negative Keyword Research **(5:11)**
27. Root Out Bad Keywords **(11:45)**
28. How To Apply Negative Keywords **(6:41)**
29. Introduction to the AdWords Editor **(5:35)**
30. Analyze Keywords by Landing Page **(2:54)**
# SEO
***21 Videos. 3.2 Hours.***
1. What Is An SEO Gap Analysis **(7:04)**
2. Creating An Inbound Link Analysis **(6:05)**
3. Creating A Competitive Linkscape **(4:42)**
4. Spotting Duplicate Content Problems **(6:16)**
5. Setting Up Google Webmaster Tools **(6:22)**
6. Creating Landing Page Change Report **(9:27)**
7. How To Do SEO Link Building **(4:27)**
8. How To Gather SEO Data from GA **(27:13)**
9. How To Write Page Title Tags **(17:22)**
# Google Analytics
***27 Videos. 6.7 Hours.***
1. How To Setup Google Analytics **(9:25)**
2. Verify That GA Script Is Working **(4:47)**
3. How To Use Google Analytics Shortcuts **(6:18)**
4. How To schedule Monthly Reports **(4:52)**
5. Tracking Conversions – Adv. Segments **(14:28)**
6. How To Analyze Monthly Traffic Data **(2:56)**
7. How To Create Custom Alerts **(12:47)**
8. Intro To Advanced Segmentation **(14:17)**
9. Intro To Basic Report Filters **(5:34)**
10. How To Exclude Internal Traffic **(4:11)**
11. How To Avoid Data Sampling Errors **(8:27)**
---
### [Product Listing Ad](https://willmarlow.com/product-listing-ad/)
**Published:** August 12, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Product Listing Ads, or PLAs, are ads on AdWords that are available to eCommerce businesses. With PLAs, you can display a picture of your product as well as product information. This is very different from standard Google search ads, which are entirely text-based. Product Listing Ads show up in their own separate space on the Google Search page.
There are two very important things to know about PLAs:
1. Google only shows Product Listing Ads for certain keywords. For instance, if you search for “Nike shoes,” you may are likely to see PLA ads, but if you search for “George Washington University,” you are not going to see them; and
2. Secondly, Google only shows PLA ads for products that can be purchased directly online. If you are using AdWords to generate leads, phone calls, general awareness, foot traffic to your store, then PLAs are *not* for you.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).[ ](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Enhanced CPC (ECPC)](https://willmarlow.com/enhanced-cpc-ecpc/)
**Published:** August 11, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Enhanced CPC, or enhanced cost-per-click** bidding is a hybrid bidding model in AdWords that is a mix between automated bidding, manual bidding, and Conversion Optimizer. With ECPC bidding, you get to pick a unique bid for each keyword in your account, just like you can with manual CPC bidding. But with ECPC, you are allowing Google to increase your bid by as much as 30% for clicks that Google thinks are most likely to convert. At the same time, it can bid down by as much as it wants (more than 30%) for clicks that it feels are less likely to convert.
ECPC should be compared with [Conversion Optimizer](https://willmarlow.com/conversion-optimizer/), which is the other bidding strategy that attempts to maximize conversions.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).[ ](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Conversion Optimizer](https://willmarlow.com/conversion-optimizer/)
**Published:** August 11, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Conversion Optimizer** is an AdWords feature that seeks to maximize the number of conversions in your campaigns. This is how Conversion Optimizer works:
1. You set a maximum budget for your AdWords campaign;
2. You pick a goal for your campaign (i.e., you want to get leads to feed your sales team, or you want to sell products directly on your website);
3. And then you set either a **maximum CPA** (cost-per-acquisition) bid, which is the most money your willing to pay for a single conversion, or you can set a **target CPA**, which is the average amount of money you are willing to pay for each conversion.
After you setup Conversion Optimizer by following these steps, Google will attempt to spend your entire budget while maximizing conversions. You should compare Conversion Optimizer with ECPC (Enhanced Cost-Per-Click) bidding, which is another bidding strategy that seeks to maximize conversions.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).[ ](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)](https://willmarlow.com/conversion-rate-optimization-cro/)
**Published:** August 2, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)** is the process of systematically improving all aspects of your web presence in order to better achieve your business goals. CRO begins with defining the conversions that matter to your business, and then evolves into the process of measuring the cost and ROI of generating those conversions. If you take conversion rate optimization seriously, then you’ll end up paying less money for every lead and sale that you get, and all of your marketing channels should be lifted up.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Search Engine Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Search engine optimization** (often referred to as **SEO**) is the other half of the search engine marketing (SEM) equation. Unlike AdWords, where you pay for every visitor you get, with SEO you get free traffic. Search engine optimization is the process of optimizing your website to make them accessible to search engines.
SEO has only been around since the mid-1990s, and until recently there were two schools of thought: (1) the first group of SEOs believed that you should “write for machines” and (2) the second group of SEOs thought you should “write for humans.” There are good reasons for both schools of thought, and most SEOs believe that both approaches should be integrated in your SEO campaigns. Basically, the “write for machines” advocates think that a website should be optimized from a technical perspective so that machine algorithms have the best chance of ranking them highly. The “write for humans” advocates say that you should focus only on what your customers think, and you should create content that they enjoy reading and willingly share. These approaches are not mutually exclusive, but as search engines get more and more sophisticated, we expect that the “write for machines” crowd will get less and less relevant, due to the fact that search engines are looking for “human signals” to identify high quality websites.
At a tactical level, SEO consists of both on-site optimization and [off-site](https://willmarlow.com/off-site-seo/) optimization.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Behavior Flow Report](https://willmarlow.com/behavior-flow-report/)
**Published:** July 28, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The Google Analytics **Behavior Flow** report is a visual representation of the path that users travel from one page to another on your website. It was created in order to help you understand what content is most engaging on your website. You can select different types of content, such as “pages,” “content groupings,” or “events” to see how different types of engagement differ from one another.
The Behavior Flow report is composed of “nodes” (which are points through which traffic flows) that are connected by lines. A node might represent a single page, a collection of pages, an event, or a dimension value (for example, landing page). This is a useful report to complement your other “behavior” reports, such as the “All Pages” and “Page Drilldown” reports.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Session](https://willmarlow.com/session/)
**Published:** July 28, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A **session** is a concept in Google Analytics that is defined as a period of time during which a user is actively engaged with your website or application. This means that interactions are all tied to sessions. Google sometimes describes a session as a “container” for the actions that a user takes on your website. For example, one session might include multiple pageviews, two button clicks, a comment, and a transaction (purchase).
You should keep in mind that a single user can open multiple sessions. It may help for you to understand how sessions are *closed:* (1) a session will end after 30 minutes of inactivity, or arbritarily at midnight, or (2) if a user arrives via one campaign, leaves the website, then comes back via a different campaign.
Every time a user takes another action on a website, the 30-minute clock is reset, and they are given another 30-minutes before the session ends.
The way sessions are calculated can cause some problems when you are doing analysis of your website. For instance, if someone visits your website, begins to make a purchase, and then stops for 35 minutes before deciding to finish making the purchase, that purchase will be broken into two sessions. Furthermore, it will look like the second session had a “landing page” that was halfway through the purchase funnel. It is important to have a thorough understanding of sessions in order to get the most out of Google Analytics reports.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Branded Keywords](https://willmarlow.com/branded-keywords/)
**Published:** July 14, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Branded keywords** are keywords that refer specifically to your company’s name, or any word that is associated with your *brand.* This means that people who search for you via branded keywords are *looking for you.* These keywords should be very cheap on AdWords, the CTR should be an order of magnitude higher than most of your other keywords, they should also lead to conversions at a higher rate than any other type of keyword. Typically, when you are assessing the results of your SEM or SEO work, you want to report the results of your branded keyword separately from non-branded keywords.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Tableau test dashboard](https://willmarlow.com/tableau-test-dashboard/)
**Published:** July 13, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
This is a test tableau dashboard. The data is from Google Analytics.
Introduction
Analysis.
Conclusions.
Comments.
You can interact with the data by clicking on the charts.
Let me know if you have any questions.
---
### [Tailored Audiences](https://willmarlow.com/tailored-audiences/)
**Published:** May 29, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Tailored Audiences** is the name Twitter gave to its retargeting product. You can use Tailored Audiences to show ads to people who visit your website and then visit Twitter at some point in the future. Just like all the other types of retargeting (such as Google’s *remarketing)*, Tailored Audiences aims to show ads only to people who have shown interest in your company or product by visiting your website first.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Report Filters](https://willmarlow.com/report-filters/)
**Published:** March 22, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
You can find a text field in almost all reports in Google Analytics. If you enter text into the field and press “Enter” the filter will look for the text you typed in the primary dimension of the report.
A report filter in Google Analytics is a feature that allows you to “constrain” or limit the data in the reports you are viewing on the fly. This is a fantastic way to simplify the data you are looking at, and to isolate only the information you are most interested in. You can use basic filters, shown on the right, to quickly reduce the data in a given report to include only results containing the characters you enter into the text field.
Or, you can use “Advanced Filters,” shown below, to apply more rigid constraints on your report
By using an advanced filter, you can quickly apply multiple constraints on a report — the basic filtering option limits you to just one constraint.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Custom Report](https://willmarlow.com/custom-report/)
**Published:** March 22, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A **custom report** in Google Analytics is a report that is created in the “customization” section of the product, and which is usually created specifically to suit the unique needs of a particular business. When Google Analytics is installed, it automatically comes with approximately 70 standard reports, but most businesses need reports that are tailored specifically to measure progress against their goals.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Flexible Conversion Counting](https://willmarlow.com/flexible-conversion-counting/)
**Published:** February 26, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Flexible conversion counting is the method of counting conversions that replaces the often confusing “one-per-click” and “many-per-click”) conversion categories. With the flexible converting counting system, the new categories are “Converted Clicks” and simply “Conversions.” Essentially, this new type of conversion tracking is meant to give advertisers better insight in the quality and type of conversions that they are analyzing.
For example, if you have some website conversions that drive revenue, such as a product sale conversion, and you have other types of conversions that do NOT drive revenue, such as a whitepaper download, then you can view these two types of conversions separately with flexible conversion counting.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Google Trends](https://willmarlow.com/google-trends/)
**Published:** January 2, 2014
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Google Trends is a tool provided by Google that shows the popularity of a given term relative to the term’s total popularity in a region, or over a period of time. For search marketers, you can use this to help with keyword research by discovering valuable insights about targeted keywords. For instance, if you were researching the keyword “blue moon” in order to run an ad campaign for the beer company, then you would be interested to see that a significant number of searches coincide with actual blue moons, which means that many of those searchers are probably not potential customers. See image below of this example:
[](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/blue-moon-keyword-volume-peak.png)
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Premium Search Engine Marketing Services](https://willmarlow.com/is-it-your-first-time-here/)
**Published:** December 9, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
I am a Google certified digital marketer who can help you get qualified visitors to your website, which translates into more visibility and leads for you.
If you are new to this website, here are some things you might be interested in taking a look at:
- My multiple ****[certifications from Google](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/)****
- **[Testimonials](https://willmarlow.com/testimonials/)** from clients
- My **[blog](https://willmarlow.com/blog)** and **[presentations](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/marketing-presentations/)**
- Look at some of the tools I use for **[digital advertising and marketing](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/the-digital-marketing-toolbox/)**
- Read **[about my background](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/)** and why I started this company.
---
### [Accelerated Ad Delivery](https://willmarlow.com/accelerated-ad-delivery/)
**Published:** December 31, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
This is campaign-level setting in Google AdWords that causes your ads to be shown as often as possible throughout the day, rather than spaced evenly over a 24-hour period, until your daily budget is depleted. This can be an important setting to select if you are confident that you have identified the most profitable keywords.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
[ ](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Digital Public Relations](https://willmarlow.com/digital-public-relations/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Digital Public Relationsis where you practice traditional PR but do so in the digital arena. The line gets blurred a lot here between traditional PR and digital PR. Essentially, in both you are identifying members of the “influencer class,” and giving them valuable information that they can then pass on to their followers or audience. It doesn’t matter if the “influencer” in question is a New York Times columnist, a local blogger, or an elected public official. The relationships here are based on trust and value. If people don’t trust you, or if you don’t provide them with value, you might as well avoid digital PR, because it will be a waste of time.
But if you do engage in Digital PR, it can be a powerful way to accomplish modern [search engine optimization](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization/), where you need influencers to “validate” you in the eyes of Google, Yahoo, and Bing.
[Or go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/). [](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Customer Buying Cycle](https://willmarlow.com/customer-buying-cycle/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The Customer Buying Cycle is a five-stage theoretical model that helps advertisers think about customers, and helps them create advertising campaigns that address customer concerns. The five stages are: (1) *awareness* — the customer is aware of their need, and realizes that your business is a viable option; (2) *consideration* — the customer is evaluating you and deciding whether to do business with you; (3) *preference/intent* — a customer becomes inclined towards a particular company to solve their problem, either your product or a competitors; (4) *purchase* — the customer is ready to actually buy from you; (5) *re-purchase* — the phase in which a customer is ready to buy from you multiple times. Refer to HubSpot for an extended consideration of how to leverage the customer buying cycle.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
[ ](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Conversion](https://willmarlow.com/conversion/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A **conversion** is defined as a visitor to your website who becomes a customer, or who completes any other desirable action. This is a great metric, because it starts to get you very close to metrics that affect ROI. In fact, the conversions you measure should be evaluated and re-evaluated on a regular basis to make sure that they actually matter to your business.
Too often, businesses measure “non-conversion” traffic, and then report that data back to their team. For instance, they say, “total traffic went up” or “total ‘return visitors’ are increasing,” or they say, “we’re getting more traffic from Facebook.” After about a week of reporting data like this, everyone loses interest. In fact, sometimes, people lose interest after the first day. It would be much more interesting to say something along the following lines, that “total visitors increased by 30%, but overall sales increased 150%, which we attribute to the fact that 100% of the new traffic came from three highly targeted keyword phrases.”
Conversions should be tightly aligned with your business goals, and your website should be carefully setup in order to measure how those conversions take place.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Cost Per Impression (CPM)](https://willmarlow.com/cost-per-impression-cpm/)
**Published:** November 27, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Cost Per Impression** (more commonly referred to as **CPM**) refers to ads that are valued based on the number of people who see them. (The “M” stands for the Latin *mille* which refers to the standard 1,000 impressions that your costs will be based on.) This is the opposite of [pay-per-click (PPC)](https://willmarlow.com/ppc-pay-per-click/). Typically, CPM is most appropriate if you are trying to raise awareness or visibility for something. You don’t care so much if someone clicks on an ad, so long as they see it and remember it.
There are a lot of reasons why CPM is not as common as CPC in digital advertising, but the primary reason is that CPC is far more *accountable*. Many people consider a click to be more meaningful than an impression. A click requires a conscious decision most of the time, and in most situations, after someone clicks, you can then analyze subsequent actions that they took on your website. You can’t do that based only on impressions. In any case, there are some situations where CPM is the best way to go (TV, print ads, etc.), but most of the time in AdWords you are going to focus on clicks, not impressions.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [CAN-Spam Act](https://willmarlow.com/can-spam-act/)
**Published:** March 3, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The **CAN-Spam Act (of 2003)** is the law that lays out the rules that businesses must follow when sending emails to customers and potential customers. Some of the primary takeaways of the CAN-spam act are that emails must include an ‘opt-out’ provision so that recipients may unsubscribe, and that unsubscribing must require no more than visiting a single page on a website. Also, you can’t obtain emails in unscrupulous ways, such as buying or trading email lists without the consent of the people on the those lists.
The most important thing to think about is that 99% of the time people hate receiving emails that they didn’t ask to receive, so if your marketing strategy is relying on this practice, you are probably heading for low results.
In many ways, the CAN-Spam Act is way too loose. It does NOT require businesses to get permission in advance of sending email messages as long as the emails were obtained properly. It also overrides many state laws that would have stronger restrictions against spam email.
Fun fact about the law: the name is an acronym for “**C**ontrolling the **A**ssault of **N**on-**S**olicited **P**ornography **A**nd **M**arketing.”
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Branding](https://willmarlow.com/branding/)
**Published:** December 1, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The term **branding** comes from the days when cattle ranchers needed a way to differentiate their cattle from the cattle of their competition — they did it by burning a unique brand into the cattle’s rear end. Nowadays, branding is basically the same: it is the art of creating the perception (through words, images, packaging, and positioning) that there is nothing quite like your organization or product in the world. Branding is based on the concept of uniqueness.
Too often, marketers want to skip immediately to selling. But when you do it correctly, branding will enable you to “pre-sell” your products by positioning your company in the mind of your prospect in a desirable way in advance.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [A/B Test](https://willmarlow.com/a-b-test/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A/B Testing (or *Split Testing*) is a method of testing which of two options is better. An easy example when you create one ad campaign but have two different versions of ads that randomly show in the first phase of the campaign. This type of A/B test is easy to conduct in AdWords, and you can quickly see which version (version A or B) performs better in terms of [click through rate (CTR)](https://willmarlow.com/click-through-rate-ctr/).
One mistake that people often make with A/B testing is that, at the beginning of their campaign, they assume they are starting off with a “good A” and “good B” and so they just need to see which is better. But if you are at the start of your campaign, you really have no idea which is better, or if either is any good. So when you are starting out, you need to first find the right “A” before you can really think about fine tuning the messaging.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).[ ](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Google AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/google-adwords/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Google AdWords is the advertising system that drives over 80% of Google’s revenue every year. The name AdWords is a portmanteau that comes from the combination of two word segments: “***Ad***vertising” and “Key***words***.” AdWords is a highly complex system that consists of two main parts: search advertising (your ad is shown when someone searches for a specific sequence of keywords) and display advertising (your ad is shown when someone is browsing a website that is a member of the vast Google network of partners).
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
[ ](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [+1 Button](https://willmarlow.com/1-button/)
**Published:** December 1, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The +1 button is Google’s answer to the Facebook “Like,” and the Twitter “Favorite.” Essentially, the +1 button now appears across the web, both on Google [search engine results pages (SERPS)](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-results-page-serp-2/), and individual websites themselves. The point of the +1 button is twofold: (1) it let’s you publicly endorse a webpage, and (2) it allows Google to improve the quality of its search engine results by incorporating your “endorsements” into its future results.
Essentially, whenever you see a +1 button, you should understand that Google is asking you for your opinion on whether it is a good, bad, or unremarkable site. You should know that, although you can control your privacy settings, and you can control who sees what you’ve +1’d online, you need to have a public profile with your real name (according to Google’s terms of service) in order to use the +1, and so there are privacy implications around this topic.
The +1 button is a feature of the [Google+](https://willmarlow.com/google-google-plus/) social network.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Bounce Rate](https://willmarlow.com/bounce-rate/)
**Published:** December 1, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Bounce Rate** is one of the simplest *and* most important metrics to watch for in [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/google-analytics/), and it stands for the number of visitors who come to your website and then immediately leave. Hence, a visitor “bounces” from your website if they enter, do nothing else, and then immediately hit the “back” button. Due to the way Google Analytics measures “Time on Site,” any “bounce” is recorded as a visit that lasts for only 1-second, even though someone could technically stay on a website for 20-minutes before bouncing. (Google Analytics measures Time-on-Site by subtracting the entry time stamp from the exit time stamp, but they can only put one stamp per page, so in the case of a bounce, there is only one stamp, and hence it can only be recorded as a 1-second stay.)
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia.](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/google-analytics/)
**Published:** November 27, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Google Analytics** is the most widely used tool for analyzing website traffic and visitors. It is a free tool that any website owner can install on their website, and as soon as it is installed and properly configured, you get immediate data about who is visiting your website, where they came from, and what they do on your website. All data is anonymous, and the primary use for Google Analytics is to identify trends and to evaluate how effective your website marketing is.
As one measure of popularity, Google Analytics is used on approximately 55% of the world’s largest 1,000,000 websites.
One warning of caution about Google Analytics: it is a very useful, and very powerful tool, and every website in the world should make sure it is setup as soon as possible on their website, but it is also very complicated. You should resist the urge to spend too much time pouring over the data, unless you have a clearly defined purpose, and you are confident that the information you are looking for is actionable. Too often people waste time by looking for un-actionable information, and ultimately they lose interest. The best use of Google Analytics is to configure it in a way that it measures and quickly reports (you can receive email updates on a weekly basis, or login for the information) that show key metrics or [Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)](https://willmarlow.com/key-performance-indicator-kpi/) that are tied to revenue goals. If you align your Google Analytics implementation to measure progress toward goals (things like newsletter signups, purchases, email inquiries, etc.) then you will be thrilled with Google Analytics. But if you just aimlessly pour over the data, you will do nothing but waste time.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Google Analytics Individual Qualification](https://willmarlow.com/google-analytics-individual-qualification/)
**Published:** March 3, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A **Google Analytics Individual Qualification** is the official name for Google Analytics certification for individuals. You need to pass a timed-test administered by Google that will test your technical knowledge and some strategic thinking skills. The exam consists of 70 questions that you must pass within 90-minutes, and costs $50. Upon passing, you get a nifty certificate like [this one](https://willmarlow.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/googleanalyticscertification-300x2232.jpg) that is valid for 18 months until you need to take it again.
The test can be tricky, because it is multiple choice, but the answers can seem very ambiguous, especially when there are five possible choices and you need to pick all that apply, which means you have as many as 24 potential options for each of those questions.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Google Display Network](https://willmarlow.com/google-display-network/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The **Google Display Network** is the second component of Google’s massive advertising revenue engine. The Google Display Network is the collection of non-search websites where you can display your advertisements for your business through Google. It receives much less attention than Google’s revolutionary “Search Advertising Network,” but the Google Display Network is an incredibly powerful advertising tool. According to [Brad Geddes](http://searchengineland.com/how-to-find-success-with-googles-display-network-131356), the Google Display Network can reach more than **80%** of the online world — **700 million monthly users** that generate more than **4 billion daily page views**.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Google Keyword Tool](https://willmarlow.com/google-keyword-tool/)
**Published:** November 27, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The **Google Keyword Tool** is a free tool created and maintained by Google to help you conduct [keyword research](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-research/). Basically, in the beginning of any type of search engine marketing campaign, you need to do keyword research to find out the following information:
1. How many searches are being conducted for you, your products and services, or the general problem that you help people solve?
2. Are there additional search queries that you didn’t think of?
3. What is the competition like for the terms you are targeting?
The Google Keyword Tool can give you all of this information, and it is typically the first place people go to conduct keyword research.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Google Trusted Photographer](https://willmarlow.com/google-trusted-photographer/)
**Published:** December 1, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A **Google Trusted Photographer** is a photographer who is certified by Google to create virtual tours of private property. A Google Trusted Photographer is not a Google employee, but does have access to Google software (and sometimes Google provided equipment), and can create virtual tours of businesses that are added to Google Maps, Google Street View, and [Google+ Local](https://willmarlow.com/google-local/) pages. Will Marlow was one of the original Google Trusted Photographers, and is the founder of [Circle View Photos](http://circleviewphotos.com), through which he has created virtual tours for the [Hilton Hotels Worldwide](http://circleviewphotos.com/google-trusted-photographer-hilton-hotel-mclean/), [Penn Camera](http://circleviewphotos.com/google-360-photography-tour-explore-penn-camera-rockville/), [Hardwood Artisans](http://circleviewphotos.com/hardwood-artisans-shirlington-google-360-photography/), and many others.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Google Panda](https://willmarlow.com/google-panda/)
**Published:** December 6, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Google Panda refers to a famous update to the Google search algorithm that was announced in February 2011. This update was huge — it affected approximately 12% of all searches. Like all updates to Google’s algorithm, it was designed to weed out low quality websites and promote high quality websites.
Here are the key things to know about Panda:
- Social media websites saw an uptick in traffic
- News websites saw an uptick in traffic
- Websites with heavy advertising saw a drop in traffic
- Google PageRank was downgraded in importance
- Unlike most updates to Google’s algorithm, the Panda update will tank your entire website, and not just a specific page on the website.
If your interested in the Panda update, you might also be interested in this entry about the [Google Penguin](https://willmarlow.com/google-penguin/) update.
For the record, the Panda update was named after its chief engineer, Navneet Panda.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
[ ](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Google+ Local](https://willmarlow.com/google-local/)
**Published:** December 1, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Google+ Local is the replacement for Google’s business listings, Google Places. On May 30, 2012, Google Places was replaced by Google+ Local, which is essentially the hub of local business activity on Google. Google’s goal is to replace the Yellow Pages with Google+ Local.
Also, Google+ Local pages are the actual accounts where [Google Trusted Photographers](https://willmarlow.com/google-trusted-photographer/) upload virtual tours of businesses.
Another feature of Google+ Local pages is the integration of Zagat reviews. Google acquired Zagat in September 2011, and now Google+ Local pages include all the professional (as well as amateur) reviews directly online.
Read more about [Google+](https://willmarlow.com/google-google-plus/) (not Google+ Local).
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Key Performance Indicator (KPI)](https://willmarlow.com/key-performance-indicator-kpi/)
**Published:** November 27, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Key Performance Indicators** are units of measurement that help any type of organization measure progress toward specific goals. For instance, if my CEO wants me to increase the number of monthly donors to our nonprofit, then I might start off by measuring three things: (1) the number of new monthly donors; (2) the number of people who download an information packet about the benefits of becoming a monthly donor; (3) the number of new monthly donors who agree to tell five friends about their donation, etc. Essentially, the point is that you can identify KPIs that help you measure progress toward larger strategic goals.
One of the most important tools for measuring KPIs is [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/google-analytics/). Google Analytics is a free tool that collects the same types of data for every website that uses it — it is up to you to identify which KPIs actually matter to you, and then you need to structure Google Analytics in order to measure them.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Keyword Research](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-research/)
**Published:** November 27, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Keyword research is the process of identifying which keywords you should target for either search engine optimization or paid keyword advertising. You need to use a wide variety of tools, starting with the [Google Keyword Tool](https://willmarlow.com/google-keyword-tool/), to conduct thorough keyword research. Whether you are planning a PPC advertising campaign or an organic SEO campaign, the [keywords](https://willmarlow.com/keywords/) you choose will be the foundation of your success.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).[](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Knowledge Graph](https://willmarlow.com/knowledge-graph/)
**Published:** December 3, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The **Knowledge Graph** was a major initiative by Google in 2012 to help users find the answers to their questions without ever leaving Google for third party websites. In other words, instead of going to read a Wikipedia article about a topic, the Knowledge Graph would enable you to answer your question on Google.com. Here’s how it works: the Knowledge Graph is nothing more than a collection of information from places like the CIA World Factbook, Freebase, and Wikipedia (among others), on a variety of hugely important topics. For instance, an infamous figure like Osama bin Laden or Donald Trump will have lots of articles and facts built into the Knowledge Graph, and when you search, you’ll see a panel along the right side of the search frame that will allow you to start accessing information from those articles right on Google. Once again, the goal is to give you this commonly requested information without forcing you to leave Google.
Many people suspect that Google is building the Knowledge Graph in order to combat the problem of terrible content that makes people think less of Google. If Google can take the most commonly requested information and put it into a box that it owns, then it will have an easier time pointing people towards the answers to their questions without worrying about sending them somewhere “spammy.” This is yet another reason why “informational search queries” are becoming harder and harder to own for marketers (see [this entry](https://willmarlow.com/search-query/) for more on the four main types of search queries). When you are searching for information, the authoritative sources like Wikipedia, and now Google itself through the Knowledge Graph, are going to have a tremendous advantage for the bulk of searchers. The only way to reliably fight this trend is to offer a much “deeper dive” into information that you are a specialist on. Or, you can focus mostly on “transactional search queries,” which is what most business owners tend to do, because that is where the fastest revenue is.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Landing Page](https://willmarlow.com/landing-page/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A **landing page** refers to the broad category of webpage that serves as an *entry point* or entrance page on a website.
When it comes to AdWords, you get to choose the landing page for each of your ads. But when it comes to [search engine optimization](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization/), you have less control. Many people don’t realize that many, many visitors DO NOT enter their website through the homepage. In fact, for some websites, the primary homepage has fewer visitors than other pages on the website.
Whether you are focusing on SEO or AdWords, landing pages are part of the equation that search advertisers need to align in order to run successful digital search campaigns: (a) Keywords –> (b) Ad Text –> (c) Landing Pages. All three parts of the equation should be aligned tightly in order to drive good results for your organization.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Link Bait](https://willmarlow.com/link-bait/)
**Published:** November 27, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Link bait** refers to website content that is created in order to increase the number of “inbound links” to your website. (This is a key part of any [link building campaign](https://willmarlow.com/link-building/).) In other words, link bait is content that is optimized to be incredibly useful, funny, insightful, surprising, awe-inspiring, or uplifting. The reason people make link bait is because Google considers inbound links to be a major factor in its determination of your website’s overall rank compared to your competitors’ websites. You should think of inbound links as a type of important validation that Google likes to see. Essentially, Google is scared of spammy websites, and in order to avoid including spammy websites, they want to see if other people are passing judgment in the form of links to any website on the Internet.
There are a number of different tools that search engine optimization professionals use to count and identify inbound links (both for websites they own, and for websites that they want to outrank). For instance, I can see that the New York Times (which has incredibly high ranking from Google) has exactly 91,978,629 inbound links from 98,518 different domains.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Link Building](https://willmarlow.com/link-building/)
**Published:** November 27, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Link building** refers to the practice of systematically building “link relationships” for a specific website or network of websites. Link building is a key part of search engine optimization, because Google and other search engines count the number and the quality of all inbound links pointing to your website, and this is a key factor in how highly you rank compared to the websites of your competition. There are many ways to conduct link building campaigns, but one of the most important is to create [link bait content](https://willmarlow.com/link-bait/).[](https://willmarlow.com/link-bait/)
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Off-site SEO](https://willmarlow.com/off-site-seo/)
**Published:** November 27, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Off-site SEO refers to all aspects of search engine optimization that relate to how your website is perceived by the outside world. This is the fun part of SEO, because you can constantly improve, and the upside is incredibly high. Examples of off-site SEO include things like:
1. [Link building](https://willmarlow.com/link-building/) campaigns
2. Creating [link bait](https://willmarlow.com/link-bait/)[](https://willmarlow.com/link-bait/)
3. Directory submissions
4. [Digital public relations](https://willmarlow.com/digital-public-relations/)
5. Citations
6. Social media campaigns
The opposite of off-site SEO is [on-site SEO](https://willmarlow.com/on-site-seo/).
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [On-site SEO](https://willmarlow.com/on-site-seo/)
**Published:** November 27, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
On-site SEO refers to all the things you do on your own website to optimize it for search engine discovery. On-site SEO includes things like writing page title tags, meta description tags, and updating H1 tags. It also includes things like creating interesting on-site content (daily blogging, or landing page content) that contains your specific [keywords](https://willmarlow.com/keywords/). Finally, it includes all the technical aspects of SEO, such as making sure that you have a clean sitemap, making sure you have the proper 301 re-directs in place, and anything else that is behind the scenes on your website, but that helps you get noticed by search engines.
Some people think of on-site SEO as a more *foundational* side of search engine optimization. Once your on-site SEO is taken care of, you need to focus on [off-site SEO](https://willmarlow.com/off-site-seo/), which is the side of SEO that helps you rise significantly in the rankings.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Organic Traffic](https://willmarlow.com/organic-traffic/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Organic traffic refers to the “free” traffic that Google sends to your website. (It’s important to remember that Google is in the business of “organizing the world’s information, and so if someone is searching for your business, Google *wants* to send them to you for free.) Search engine optimization is the field of optimizing your website so that Google and other search engines can see it, and knows when to include it on a [search engine results page (SERP)](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-results-page-serp/).[](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-results-page-serp/)
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Remarketing](https://willmarlow.com/remarketing/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Remarketing refers to Google’s particular brand of *re-targeting*. Remarketing is when you *target* a custom ad to someone based on an action they took in the past. The most simple example of remarketing is when you show ads to people who have visited your website in the last 90 days. It works by placing a “cookie” in someone’s browser with they visit your website. Then, when that same person is reading an article on the New York Times or Washington Post (both of which are Google advertising partners in the [Google Display Network](https://willmarlow.com/google-display-network/)), they might see an ad for your business.
Because you are able to target people based on actions they have taken, remarketing can be highly effective. For example, you can show an ad to someone who has started to register for an event, and your ad can specifically prompt the person to finish their registration.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
[ ](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Search Engine Marketing (SEM)](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-marketing-sem/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Search Engine Marketing, or SEM, refers to both *paid* and *organic* search engine marketing tactics. Essentially, any tactic that involves driving value for a business using search engines falls into the category of SEM. On the paid side of SEM, you would include [Google AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/google-adwords/), and on the free side, you would include [search engine optimization (SEO)](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-optimization/).
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Search Lost IS (Budget)](https://willmarlow.com/search-lost-budget/)
**Published:** February 26, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The **Search Lost IS (Budget)** report tells you role that your budget is playing in your overall [impression share](https://willmarlow.com/impression-share-report/) (your impression share refers to the number of times your ads are running divided by the number of times they are eligible to run). Basically, if you see that you have a **Search Lost IS (Budget)** of 10%, this means that if you raised your budget you could capture an additional 10% of searchers. If you are doing a great job (which should *always* be the case!) of measuring the ROI of your keywords, then you should know exactly how much revenue you are losing by not increasing your budget in a particular instance. The counterpart of this report is the [Search Lost IS (Rank)](https://willmarlow.com/search-lost-rank/).[](https://willmarlow.com/search-lost-rank/)
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Search Lost IS (Rank)](https://willmarlow.com/search-lost-rank/)
**Published:** February 27, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The **Search Lost IS (Rank)** report tells you how often your ads aren’t showing up due to low [Ad Rank](https://willmarlow.com/ad-rank/). (Remember that Ad Rank is the order in which your ad appears on a search engine results page. Your Ad Rank is determined by the bid price you are willing to pay for a keyword and your [quality score](https://willmarlow.com/quality-score/).) If you have 40% Search Lost IS (Rank) then that means your ad is not showing up 40% of the time due to low Ad Rank. The counterpart of the Search Lost IS (Rank) is the [Search Lost IS (Budget)](https://willmarlow.com/search-lost-budget/), which shows the other reason why your ads might not be showing up.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Snippet](https://willmarlow.com/snippet/)
**Published:** November 27, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A snippet is the visual appearance of the organic search results on a [search engine results page (SERP)](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-results-page-serp-2/). Technically, the snippet is the part of the search result beneath the title and above the URL. You can control the snippet by re-writing your website’s metatags as you are conducting [on-site SEO](https://willmarlow.com/on-site-seo/). You should think of your snippet as the equivalent to your ad text in organic SEO. In other words, your snippet exists in order to give people information about what to expect on your website, and therefore you snippet should somehow encourage the right type of people to *click* on your link and visit your website. As discussed in more detail elsewhere, your [click-through-rate](https://willmarlow.com/click-through-rate-ctr/) is extremely important, so therefore your snippets are very important.
Snippets are a bit complicated, but if you want more information, you should watch [this video](http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/video-anatomy-of-a-search-snippet/) from Google exec Matt Cutts about how snippets are identified.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Traffic Sources](https://willmarlow.com/traffic-sources/)
**Published:** December 1, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Traffic sources area all the places where you people are coming from to visit your website. [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/google-analytics/) makes it possible to know an incredible amount of detail about traffic sources to your website. As a website owner, you should know all of the following things on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis:
1. What are your biggest traffic sources?
2. How many keywords are driving traffic to your website?
3. What traffic sources are sending you “high quality” visitors?
4. What is the “conversion rate” of your different traffic sources compared to one another?
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).[](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Google Certified AdWords Partner](https://willmarlow.com/google-certified-adwords-partner/)
**Published:** January 1, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A **Google Certified AdWords Partner** is a company-level certification that Google gives to businesses that continuously manage AdWords accounts for clients above a certain threshold of spending (at least $10,000 over 90 days), and who employ at least one person who has passed one of the Google AdWords exams. Technically, an individual can be a Google AdWords Qualified Individual, but only a company can be an official “Partner.”
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Frequency Capping](https://willmarlow.com/frequency-capping/)
**Published:** December 1, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Frequency capping** is an important concept in digital advertising in which you limit the number of times that any one person sees your ads *(frequency* itself refers to the number of times that the same people see your ad repeatedly). Sometimes you can do this automatically, as in the case of Google remarketing, and other times you need to do this manually, as in the case of Facebook advertising. With Facebook advertising, typically you’ll see your ads lose their effectiveness as the frequency rises, and your audience gets too used to seeing the same ad. With Google remarketing, you want to limit your ad frequency to avoid making your audience feel too surrounded by your ads, because remarketing shows your ad in such a wide variety of context that it can make people feel uncomfortable if the frequency isn’t closely monitored.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Facebook Edge Rank](https://willmarlow.com/facebook-edge-rank/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Facebook Edge Rank** is the name for the secret formula that Facebook uses to decide whether your Facebook post will be seen by your Fans and their friends. A lot of people don’t realize that only 15% of people will see the average post on their Fan Page.
If you want more people to see your Facebook posts, you have two options: (a) post radically creative and interesting content, or (b) buy advertising through Facebook. Too often people jump immediately to option B. First of all, like most options in digital marketing, these two paths are not mutually exclusive. You need to do both. The best, most creative content on Facebook is usually backed by paid advertising.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).[](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Enhanced Campaigns](https://willmarlow.com/enhanced-campaigns/)
**Published:** July 24, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Enhanced campaigns were announced in April 2013, and became mandatory for ALL advertisers on July 23, 2013. Essentially, the biggest difference between “enhanced campaigns” and “legacy campaigns” is that with an enhanced campaign you cannot segment neatly based on device or operating system. This is a huge change in AdWords, because previously it was considered a best practice to have one campaign setup to target mobile phones, and another campaign setup to target PCs and laptops. Now, they introduced the concept of the “mobile bid adjustment” which allows an advertiser to bid more or less based on whether the target is using a mobile phone or not. At the same time, enhanced campaigns treats tablet traffic the same as PC traffic, which takes a little bit of control away from the advertiser.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Google AdWords Individual Qualification](https://willmarlow.com/google-adwords-individual-qualification/)
**Published:** March 3, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The **Google AdWords Individual Qualification** is a status conferred upon individuals who passed at least two exams from Google that test their knowledge of Google AdWords. Each test consists of approximately 100 questions, and you need to finish each test in under 2 hours, without pausing the test in the process. The exams cost $50 each.
Everyone is required to first take an AdWords fundamentals exam, but you’ll then be allowed to pick from three different Advanced AdWords exams: you can choose from the Search exam, the Display exam, or the Reporting and Analysis exam.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Google+ (Google Plus)](https://willmarlow.com/google-google-plus/)
**Published:** December 1, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Google+** (also known as GooglePlus and G+) is Google’s major social networking platform, created June 28, 2011. There are apparently approximately 100 million active monthly users of Google+ (as of September 2012). The most unique thing about Google+ is that it exists across multiple Google properties, unlike Facebook or Twitter, which only can be accessed through Facebook.com or Twitter.com. Google+ can be accessed through many of Google’s websites.
When it first came out, many people assumed that Google+ represented a threat to Facebook. However, Google+ is an asynchronous social network, which means that, unlike Facebook, you don’t need both individuals to consent before establishing a relationship together. (On Facebook, “friend requests” are made, and they must be accepted before two individuals establish a connection.) On Google+, on the other hand, you can “follow” someone without their consent. This qualifies Google+ as an asynchronous social network, which means it is more of a competitor to Twitter.
Google+ is Google’s fourth major attempt at creating a thriving social network: first came Orkut (2004), then came Google Friend Connect (2008), and most recently Google Buzz (2010).
The primary purpose of Google+ is to increase the quality of its search engine results by enabling Google to factor in “social cues” to deliver search results. In other words, Google incorporates the Google+ activity into its search algorithm, which means that Google+ is a major factor in SEO. It is also yet another move toward “personalized” search results, and one of the primary reasons why two people who search for the same terms might see different results.
To make things somewhat confusing, Google also replaced its Google Places (business listings) with an annoyingly named “Google+ Local” product, which is essentially Google+ for local businesses.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Graceful Degradation](https://willmarlow.com/graceful-degradation/)
**Published:** December 5, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Graceful degradation** is a concept that refers to optimizing your website so that it looks great across all devices. In other words, if your website is being viewed from an ancient Blackberry, or a laptop with Internet Explorer 6, it needs to be structured in a way that let’s it “degrade” without failing completely. Here’s an easy example to think about: if you build a website that features a big Flash video in the center of the screen, but someone is looking at your website using an old browser that doesn’t support Flash, then your website should be structured so that it displays *something* other than a big black empty box to the visitor. For instance, maybe it shows text that, or another type of visuals. Regardless, most large companies that do a lot of business on the web need a “four screen” strategy that optimizes their website (with **graceful degradation** in mind) across all four major categories of devices (tablet, computer, phone, tv) as well as across the different browsers that each device supports.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Search Impression Share Report](https://willmarlow.com/impression-share-report/)
**Published:** February 26, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
The **Impression Share Report** refers tells you the number of times that your ads are running divided by the number of times that your ads are eligible to run.
In other words, if you own an ice cream parlor and you buy the keyword “ice cream” on Google, and you have only a 10% impression share, then this means that 9 out of 10 people are typing “ice cream” in Google and NOT seeing your ad. 10% Impression Share means that your ads are only running 10% of the time when they are eligible to run.
A failure to understand how to use the Impression Share report(s) is one of the reasons why people get so frustrated with AdWords. For a mature AdWords account with a long history, you should really *know* which keywords are most important (through conversion tracking, e-commerce tracking, or even simply ‘voice of the customer’ polling) and which keywords are not. For the keywords you want to dominate, you should aim for 80%-plus Impression Share in your best region. After all, these keywords should be driving your revenue immediately in most cases (that’s *why* they are your best keywords) so budget should really not be a limiting factor. Once you get to keywords that you don’t know the ROI for, budget will obviously be a limiting factor. But at the very least you should know your best ad groups, and the Impression Share they are getting.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Keywords](https://willmarlow.com/keywords/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Keywords** are the foundation of your search engine marketing campaign. Whether you are focusing on AdWords and other paid advertising, or whether you are focusing on organic SEO, the keywords you pick are the building blocks of your search engine marketing. If you pick the right keywords, you will be setup on day one for success. If you pick the wrong keywords, then you can do everything else right, but you’ll end up with nothing.
Keep in mind that keywords are not actually *words*. They are word groupings. This is why (according to Oxford English Dictionary) there are under 200,000 English words, but it isn’t uncommon for AdWords accounts to have 250,000+ keywords. In fact, you could have over 1,000,000 keywords in your AdWords account.
The most important thing to keep in mind about keywords is that, as my AdWords hero Brad Geddes likes to say, they represent the “thoughts” of your potential customers. Don’t just pick words that you think correspond to what you want people to type in to find you — put yourself in their shoes and try to create a keyword list that represents their thought process as they look to solve the problem that is bringing them to you.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).[](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Keyword Match Type](https://willmarlow.com/keyword-match-type/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Keyword match type determines how tightly you control when one of your ads are shown. For instance, if you pick the most liberal match type (broad match) and you select the keyword “red balloon” then you can’t get mad at Google if they show your ad to someone who types in “hot air balloon party on Mars.” OK, that might be an exaggeration, but only a little bit. Basically, broad match is used when you have a big budget and you want to get results very quickly by pulling in traffic from lots of places. You can then use tools like the “search query report” to see the actual queries that triggered your ad, and you can use conversion tracking to see which of those terms should be officially added to your account.
There are five match types: broad match, broad match modifier, phrase match, exact match, and negative match.
Whenever I run an AdWords audit, I usually start by looking at the match types, and seeing if irrelevant traffic has been entering the account. I once found an AdWords account that spent $20,000 on completely irrelevant traffic.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
[ ](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Link Schemes](https://willmarlow.com/link-schemes/)
**Published:** December 6, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Google defines a **link scheme** as any attempt to manipulate search engines and website ranking through the use of unnatural links. What is an unnatural link? Any link that is bought, traded, or generated in a reciprocal exchange. There are other types of more complicated link schemes, but you can keep things simple: don’t try to get links that you don’t deserve. The best SEO consultants help you generate inbound links without resorting to link schemes of any kind. This involves a heavy dose of digital PR, the creation of interesting content, and elbow grease.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).[ ](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Paid Traffic](https://willmarlow.com/paid-traffic/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Paid traffic** is the opposite of organic traffic. This is the traffic you get from advertising systems like AdWords, and (no surprise here) you have to pay for. You shouldn’t really think of it as “buying traffic,” however, because you can’t actually do that. You are “bidding” for the right to have your ad shown to a searcher, and then that person decides if they want to click on your ad and become traffic to your website. So “paid traffic” is not a term that you’ll hear very often, but when you do, it is usually used in conversations about AdWords versus organic SEO.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Pay-for-Performance SEM](https://willmarlow.com/pay-for-performance-sem/)
**Published:** December 5, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Pay-for-Performance** search engine marketing is where a marketing consultant or firm is only paid for inbound leads and revenue that come in as a result of their marketing.
Some SEO and PPC consultants have a Pay-for-Performance model. However, almost all *high-end* marketing firms will not agree to a Pay-for-Performance model, because there are too many factors that affect lead and sales volume that are outside of the control of the marketer. Another reason why many of the best marketers will not accept this type of contract is because it can provide negative incentives that can hurt the overall campaign, such as by emphasizing short-term leads and sales at the expense of long-term sales or new product opportunities that have little proven track record but strong long-term value. It is also detrimental to the ability to focus on “foundational” aspects of a marketing campaign, because foundational tactics lay the groundwork for future success but do not contribute to near-term lead goals.
This type of model is not conducive to forming a long-term “partner” relationship with a marketer that is the cornerstone of successful marketing campaigns.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [PPC (Pay-Per-Click)](https://willmarlow.com/ppc-pay-per-click/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**PPC** **(Pay-Per-Click)**: this refers to any online advertisement that is priced according to the number of times people click on the ad itself. This is the most popular and most common type of online advertising nowadays. In fact, this “PPC” model is the primary reason why digital advertising is considered more accountable and measurable than almost all other types of advertising. With PPC advertising, you can show your ad to hundreds of thousands of people for free, because you’re only charged for the clicks. If you buy a newspaper advertisement or a billboard ad, you are charged without regard to the number of people who take an action based on the ad itself.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
[ ](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Quality Score](https://willmarlow.com/quality-score/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Quality Score** is a *supposedly* mysterious number that was pioneered by Google to “rate” or “evaluate” how well you are doing as an advertiser, but other search engines are now using their own versions of quality score for the same purpose. I don’t remember who said it, but Quality Score is Google’s way of saying that you should or shouldn’t be advertising on specific keywords or specific websites.
I say that quality score is “supposedly mysterious” because, in fact, it is pretty straightforward. In the beginning of the AdWords system, there was no such thing as quality score — there was only click-through rate (CTR). Google wants people to click on the ads that they run, so they favor advertisers who have high CTRs. High CTRs for advertisers means high revenue for Google. But as Google has grown more and more sophisticated, they have created a very advanced system for measuring quality that goes way beyond quality score. You need to hit those other factors. But at the end of the day, if you only get one thing right, you should nail CTR, and if you do that, your quality score will improve.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Reciprocal Linking](https://willmarlow.com/reciprocal-linking/)
**Published:** December 6, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A reciprocal link is any situation in which someone says, “If you link to my website, I’ll link to your website. Almost everyone who owns a website has probably been approached by a mysterious stranger who proposes some sort of link swap arrangement. This is a bad idea. At best, a link swap will typically cancel each other out. At worst, it will get your website penalized. Link building campaigns should focus on building high quality website content that people *want* to link to from their website because it adds value to their audience, and that they also want to share on social media platforms for the same reason.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Time Shifting](https://willmarlow.com/time-shifting/)
**Published:** April 7, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Time Shifting** refers to the act of recording a TV or radio program on a personal device and watching it later, whenever the viewer wants to watch it, instead of during the time slot when it aired. This is one of the many developments that has changed the face of advertising, because in addition to preventing advertisers from reaching an audience at a specific, predictable time slot, the same technology that makes time shifting possible has also made it possible to skip through commercials entirely.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Search Query](https://willmarlow.com/search-query/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
When you are a search engine marketing strategist, a big part of your job comes down to understanding how people use search engines. And it all starts with a simple **search query:** *typing a word or phrase into a search engine.* To start, there are four broad types of search queries:
1. Informational search queries
2. Navigational search queries
3. Transactional search queries, and
4. Connectional search queries
For most businesses, transactional search queries represent the low hanging fruit. For lots of businesses, there are hundreds or thousands of searches being conducted every month that represent customers who are looking for your product or service.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Sitewides](https://willmarlow.com/sitewides/)
**Published:** December 5, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A **sidewide** (often used in the plural ‘sitewides’) are links to your website that occur on every page of another website. They are usually found in the footer, or some universal element of another website. If you have 1,000 inbound links coming from one domain, then you have one sitewide. These are not considered to be incredibly valuable, and are sometimes used as a blackhat tactic, and thus can be you penalized by search engines.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [TrueView Ads](https://willmarlow.com/trueview-ads/)
**Published:** March 31, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
TrueView Ads are video ads available to AdWords advertisers where you only pay when someone chooses to watch your YouTube video. There are four types of TrueView ad formats:
- **TrueView in-stream:** these ads play like a TV ad before or even at regular intervals during another video (hence the word “in-stream”) from a YouTube Partner. In this scenario, viewers will see 5 seconds of your video which you don’t need to pay for, and then they make a choice to keep watching the video or skip it. You pay if they watch at least 30 seconds (or to the end) of the video, whichever is less.
- **TrueView in-slate:** these ads show before a YouTube Partner video that are at least 10-minutes or longer. These ads run before long-form content, and viewers are given a choice to pick between three different ads, or they can opt to pick nothing and see their content with regular commercial intervals. Again, you pay only when viewers choose to watch the ad.
- **TrueView in-search:** these video ads show up above or along the right side of a regular search results page in YouTube, and like all TrueView ads, you pay only when someone chooses to watch your video.
- **TrueView in-display:** these ads show up alongside other YouTube videos and also on websites in the Google Display Network (according to your targeting preferences), and like the other three formats, you pay only when someone decides to watch your video.
There are many other types of video advertising options on YouTube, but these are among the most mainstream, and the most popular among small to medium sized businesses.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Email me and I'll Give You a $100 AdWords Credit](https://willmarlow.com/email-give-100-adwords-credit/)
**Published:** September 16, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Email me via the form below to talk about your digital marketing needs, and I’ll give you a $100 AdWords credit.
Call me.
\[contact\_form\]
---
### [Branded Traffic](https://willmarlow.com/branded-traffic/)
**Published:** March 2, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Branded Traffic** refers to any website traffic that comes from visitors who type in keywords that include any reference to your company’s brand, such as your name, for example. The significance of this traffic is that it represents visitors who have heard about your business from some source *other* than keyword search, even though keyword search often gets credit. In other words, it represents at minimum a customer’s ‘second’ exposure to you. In many cases, branded traffic is the highest performing and most profitable traffic to your website, but this is primarily because most web analytics tools are configured to recognize the ‘last-click’ as the source of any subsequent sale or conversion.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Search Engine Results Page (SERP)](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-results-page-serp-2/)
**Published:** November 27, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A search engine results page (SERP) is the actual page that a search engine like Google displays following a search query. Google is constantly changing the layout of their SERPs in order to make it easier and faster for people to find information in Google, and to maximize the number of clicks on the paid ads.
The two big components of a SERP include free/organic results, and paid results. If you are working on an SEO campaign, you will be primarily focused on the organic results, and if you are working on a PPC campaign, you will focus on the paid results. Studies show that your best bet is to appear in both paid and free listings for the same keywords, but that will not always be the possible.
Oftentimes, you will hear people refer to organic results as snippets. This is because the organic result on a SERP is drawn from the metadata snippets on your website. In contrast, the paid listings are drawn precisely from the ads that you create, which gives you more control over their appearance. If you want to optimize your organic results on a SERP, you need to re-write the html on your website — this process is a part of [on-site SEO](https://willmarlow.com/on-site-seo/).
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia.](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Google Penguin](https://willmarlow.com/google-penguin/)
**Published:** December 6, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Google Penguin is the second most notorious update to the Google search algorithm, which was announced in April 2012. This update, like [Google Panda](https://willmarlow.com/google-panda/) that came before it, was aimed at improving the quality of search results that Google serves. Unlike Google Panda, however, Penguin was aimed at websites that try to manipulate their rank through such black hat tactics like [link scheming.](https://willmarlow.com/link-schemes/)
[Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Backlink](https://willmarlow.com/backlink/)
**Published:** November 30, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A backlink is any “incoming” or “inbound” link to your website. This means that anytime someone links from their website to your website, they have created a “backlink.” Backlinks are an important part of search engine optimization, which is why we create entire [link building](https://willmarlow.com/link-building/) campaigns that are focused on increasing the number and quality of incoming “backlinks” to your website.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia.](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)
---
### [Ad Rank](https://willmarlow.com/ad-rank/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
Ad Rank is the order in which your ad appears on a [search engine results page (SERP)](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-results-page-serp-2/). There are two variables: the first is your bid (how much are you willing to pay), and the second is your quality score.
Google will recalculate your ad rank every time someone searches on the terms that trigger your ad, and so you can never simply say that you want your ad to appear at #1 all the time. Rather, it is a constantly moving target, and you need to analyze which ad position seems to drive the best ROI for you. Typically, the most desirable ad positions are not simply a top 10 result, but whatever top positioning allows your ad to show most prominently on the page. Usually, the premium real estate on a search engine results page is reserved for the top three ads.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Ad Impression](https://willmarlow.com/ad-impression/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
An **ad impression** refers to the number of times your ad has been seen by someone. Google defines a view as an ad that has been seen for at least three seconds. This means that your ad can be viewed by people who haven’t even completed their search query, in the case of Google Instant searches.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [404 Error Message](https://willmarlow.com/404-error-message/)
**Published:** December 6, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A 404 error message is the page you see when you are trying to find a webpage that doesn’t exist or that was deleted. As a webmaster, you want to make sure that visitors don’t commonly hit 404 pages, because that is going to harm your SEO, and it will also annoy your visitors.
Some consultants recommend using a [301 redirect](https://willmarlow.com/301-redirect/) whenever you have a 404 error (which can have the effect of sending someone from a page that doesn’t exist to a page that does exist, like the homepage). Personally, I find it annoying when I try to visit a webpage that I believe is there, and I get randomly sent to another page that I didn’t ask for.
In my opinion, you should create a fun, custom 404 page that shows how creative you are, and only use a 301 redirect on broken pages if you need to preserve your link juice, or if you are getting lots of inbound traffic to the page for some reason.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Share of Search](https://willmarlow.com/share-search/)
**Published:** February 26, 2013
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**Share of Search** refers to the number of times your website appears in either paid or organic search engine results across all search engines. Full disclosure: I invented this term when I was thinking of creative ways to utilize the [Impression Share reports](https://willmarlow.com/impression-share-report/) in AdWords, which means Will Marlow, LLC may be the only search marketing firm that provides data.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
### [Site Index](https://willmarlow.com/siteindex/)
**Published:** December 8, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
**[Homepage](https://willmarlow.com)**
**[About Will Marlow, LLC](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/)**
- **[Google Certifications](https://willmarlow.com/about-will-marlow/google-certifications/)**
**[Services](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-search-engine-services/)**
- **[Google AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/google-adwords-consulting/google-adwords/)**
- **[Search Engine Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/google-adwords-consulting/search-engine-optimization-consulting/)**
- **[Digital PR](https://willmarlow.com/google-adwords-consulting/digital-public-relations/)**
- **[Social Media Starter Package](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-search-engine-services/social-media-starter-package/)**
- **[Digital Photography](https://willmarlow.com/google-adwords-consulting/will-marlow-photography-for-pr-social-media/)**
**[Case Studies](https://willmarlow.com/case-studies-digital-marketing/)**
**[Resources](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/)**
- **[Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/)**
- [**Digital Marketing Toolbox**](https://willmarlow.com/resources-2/the-digital-marketing-toolbox/)
**[Testimonials](https://willmarlow.com/testimonials/)**
**[Contact](https://willmarlow.com/contact/)**
**[Blog](https://willmarlow.com/blog/)**
[**Site Index** ](https://willmarlow.com/siteindex)
---
### [Search Engine Results Page (SERP)](https://willmarlow.com/search-engine-results-page-serp/)
**Published:** November 26, 2012
**Author:** Will Marlow
**Content:**
A search engine results page is called a SERP by search engine marketing professionals. Google is constantly experimenting with new layouts and formats for its search engine results pages, but the bottom line is that you want your website to be giving very high “ranking” from Google for your targeted keywords in order to get a large volume of highly relevant traffic to your website.
- [Go back to the Digital Marketing Encyclopedia](https://willmarlow.com/digital-marketing-encyclopedia/).
---
## Categories
### [Original Blog](https://willmarlow.com/blog/originalblog/)
---
### [Digital Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-marketing/)
---
### [Facebook](https://willmarlow.com/blog/facebook/)
---
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---
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---
### [Digital Photography](https://willmarlow.com/blog/digital-photography/)
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---
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---
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---
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---
### [Will Marlow](https://willmarlow.com/tag/will-marlow/)
---
### [Flickr](https://willmarlow.com/tag/flickr/)
---
### [Photography](https://willmarlow.com/tag/photography/)
---
### [PR Pro](https://willmarlow.com/tag/pr-pro/)
---
### [Social media manager](https://willmarlow.com/tag/social-media-manager/)
---
### [Social Media Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/tag/social-media-optimization/)
---
### [social media pro](https://willmarlow.com/tag/social-media-pro/)
---
### [social media pros](https://willmarlow.com/tag/social-media-pros/)
---
### [darren rowse](https://willmarlow.com/tag/darren-rowse/)
---
### [photographer](https://willmarlow.com/tag/photographer/)
---
### [thomas hawk](https://willmarlow.com/tag/thomas-hawk/)
---
### [Washington](https://willmarlow.com/tag/washington/)
---
### [Online marketing](https://willmarlow.com/tag/online-marketing/)
---
### [online reputation management](https://willmarlow.com/tag/online-reputation-management/)
---
### [reputation management](https://willmarlow.com/tag/reputation-management/)
---
### [User experience](https://willmarlow.com/tag/user-experience/)
---
### [UX](https://willmarlow.com/tag/ux/)
---
### [Web design](https://willmarlow.com/tag/web-design/)
---
### [Web development](https://willmarlow.com/tag/web-development/)
---
### [subscribers](https://willmarlow.com/tag/subscribers/)
---
### [AlumniFidelity](https://willmarlow.com/tag/alumnifidelity/)
---
### [Jason Calacanis](https://willmarlow.com/tag/jason-calacanis/)
---
### [John Updike](https://willmarlow.com/tag/john-updike/)
---
### [Web presence](https://willmarlow.com/tag/web-presence/)
---
### [online communications](https://willmarlow.com/tag/online-communications/)
---
### [Universities](https://willmarlow.com/tag/universities/)
---
### [university](https://willmarlow.com/tag/university/)
---
### [Web Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/tag/web-analytics/)
---
### [Web traffic](https://willmarlow.com/tag/web-traffic/)
---
### [Old Spice](https://willmarlow.com/tag/old-spice/)
---
### [Old Spice Guy](https://willmarlow.com/tag/old-spice-guy/)
---
### [viral marketing](https://willmarlow.com/tag/viral-marketing/)
---
### [WOMMA](https://willmarlow.com/tag/womma/)
---
### [word of mouth marketing](https://willmarlow.com/tag/word-of-mouth-marketing/)
---
### [Glacier National Park](https://willmarlow.com/tag/glacier-national-park/)
---
### [Montana](https://willmarlow.com/tag/montana/)
---
### [social networking](https://willmarlow.com/tag/social-networking/)
---
### [LinkedIn](https://willmarlow.com/tag/linkedin/)
---
### [License plate](https://willmarlow.com/tag/license-plate/)
---
### [Microsoft](https://willmarlow.com/tag/microsoft/)
---
### [Steve Ballmer](https://willmarlow.com/tag/steve-ballmer/)
---
### [Vanity plate](https://willmarlow.com/tag/vanity-plate/)
---
### [website design](https://willmarlow.com/tag/website-design/)
---
### [Kindle](https://willmarlow.com/tag/kindle/)
---
### [Nook](https://willmarlow.com/tag/nook/)
---
### [North Dakota](https://willmarlow.com/tag/north-dakota/)
---
### [President Roosevelt](https://willmarlow.com/tag/president-roosevelt/)
---
### [Theodore Roosevelt](https://willmarlow.com/tag/theodore-roosevelt/)
---
### [Video production](https://willmarlow.com/tag/video-production/)
---
### [David Ogilvy](https://willmarlow.com/tag/david-ogilvy/)
---
### [Seth Godin](https://willmarlow.com/tag/seth-godin/)
---
### [Mensa](https://willmarlow.com/tag/mensa/)
---
### [Regional Gathering](https://willmarlow.com/tag/regional-gathering/)
---
### [RG](https://willmarlow.com/tag/rg/)
---
### [Web 2.0 marketing](https://willmarlow.com/tag/web-2-0-marketing/)
---
### [Mark Zuckerberg](https://willmarlow.com/tag/mark-zuckerberg/)
---
### [Open Graph](https://willmarlow.com/tag/open-graph/)
---
### [Reading](https://willmarlow.com/tag/reading/)
---
### [Reading lists](https://willmarlow.com/tag/reading-lists/)
---
### [Eyjafjallajokull](https://willmarlow.com/tag/eyjafjallajokull/)
---
### [eyjafjallajokull volcano](https://willmarlow.com/tag/eyjafjallajokull-volcano/)
---
### [Volcano](https://willmarlow.com/tag/volcano/)
---
### [online community manager](https://willmarlow.com/tag/online-community-manager/)
---
### [Website optimization](https://willmarlow.com/tag/website-optimization/)
---
### [Images](https://willmarlow.com/tag/images/)
---
### [JPG](https://willmarlow.com/tag/jpg/)
---
### [JPGs](https://willmarlow.com/tag/jpgs/)
---
### [Stock photography](https://willmarlow.com/tag/stock-photography/)
---
### [Will Marlow quoted](https://willmarlow.com/tag/will-marlow-quoted/)
---
### [Word of mouth](https://willmarlow.com/tag/word-of-mouth/)
---
### [Google Enterprise software](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-enterprise-software/)
---
### [Software](https://willmarlow.com/tag/software/)
---
### [Toyota](https://willmarlow.com/tag/toyota/)
---
### [Toyota recall](https://willmarlow.com/tag/toyota-recall/)
---
### [Nikon](https://willmarlow.com/tag/nikon/)
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### [Nikon D40](https://willmarlow.com/tag/nikon-d40/)
---
### [storytelling](https://willmarlow.com/tag/storytelling/)
---
### [Videography](https://willmarlow.com/tag/videography/)
---
### [Videos](https://willmarlow.com/tag/videos/)
---
### [Software development](https://willmarlow.com/tag/software-development/)
---
### [Website development](https://willmarlow.com/tag/website-development/)
---
### [Survey](https://willmarlow.com/tag/survey/)
---
### [Will Marlow survey](https://willmarlow.com/tag/will-marlow-survey/)
---
### [Larry Page](https://willmarlow.com/tag/larry-page/)
---
### [Online myths](https://willmarlow.com/tag/online-myths/)
---
### [SMO](https://willmarlow.com/tag/smo/)
---
### [social media goals](https://willmarlow.com/tag/social-media-goals/)
---
### [Online Fundraising](https://willmarlow.com/tag/online-fundraising/)
---
### [Annual Meeting of Collegiate Honor Societies](https://willmarlow.com/tag/annual-meeting-of-collegiate-honor-societies/)
---
### [National Society of Collegiate Scholars](https://willmarlow.com/tag/national-society-of-collegiate-scholars/)
---
### [NSCS](https://willmarlow.com/tag/nscs/)
---
### [Social Media Fundraising](https://willmarlow.com/tag/social-media-fundraising/)
---
### [online community building](https://willmarlow.com/tag/online-community-building/)
---
### [Social Media for Higher Ed](https://willmarlow.com/tag/social-media-for-higher-ed/)
---
### [Web optimization](https://willmarlow.com/tag/web-optimization/)
---
### [Online fundraising strategy](https://willmarlow.com/tag/online-fundraising-strategy/)
---
### [Will Marlow PR](https://willmarlow.com/tag/will-marlow-pr/)
---
### [nonprofits](https://willmarlow.com/tag/nonprofits/)
---
### [Old Books](https://willmarlow.com/tag/old-books/)
---
### [Wedding](https://willmarlow.com/tag/wedding/)
---
### [Split-testing](https://willmarlow.com/tag/split-testing/)
---
### [Best of WM](https://willmarlow.com/tag/best-of-wm/)
---
### [Replication](https://willmarlow.com/tag/replication/)
---
### [Software adoption](https://willmarlow.com/tag/software-adoption/)
---
### [Viral adoption](https://willmarlow.com/tag/viral-adoption/)
---
### [Innovation](https://willmarlow.com/tag/innovation/)
---
### [iPad](https://willmarlow.com/tag/ipad/)
---
### [Privacy](https://willmarlow.com/tag/privacy/)
---
### [Steve Krug](https://willmarlow.com/tag/steve-krug/)
---
### [websites](https://willmarlow.com/tag/websites/)
---
### [new venture](https://willmarlow.com/tag/new-venture/)
---
### [Startup](https://willmarlow.com/tag/startup/)
---
### [venture capital](https://willmarlow.com/tag/venture-capital/)
---
### [polling](https://willmarlow.com/tag/polling/)
---
### [User testing](https://willmarlow.com/tag/user-testing/)
---
### [voice of the customer](https://willmarlow.com/tag/voice-of-the-customer/)
---
### [monetization of social networks](https://willmarlow.com/tag/monetization-of-social-networks/)
---
### [ReTweet](https://willmarlow.com/tag/retweet/)
---
### [revenue](https://willmarlow.com/tag/revenue/)
---
### [John Irving](https://willmarlow.com/tag/john-irving/)
---
### [Writing](https://willmarlow.com/tag/writing/)
---
### [Investment](https://willmarlow.com/tag/investment/)
---
### [Investors](https://willmarlow.com/tag/investors/)
---
### [Proof of Concept](https://willmarlow.com/tag/proof-of-concept/)
---
### [VC](https://willmarlow.com/tag/vc/)
---
### [Venture capitalists](https://willmarlow.com/tag/venture-capitalists/)
---
### [Viability](https://willmarlow.com/tag/viability/)
---
### [Search](https://willmarlow.com/tag/search/)
---
### [Posterous](https://willmarlow.com/tag/posterous/)
---
### [Twitter Influence](https://willmarlow.com/tag/twitter-influence/)
---
### [Twitterholic](https://willmarlow.com/tag/twitterholic/)
---
### [Unfollow](https://willmarlow.com/tag/unfollow/)
---
### [Unfollow Experiment](https://willmarlow.com/tag/unfollow-experiment/)
---
### [Social Media Experiment](https://willmarlow.com/tag/social-media-experiment/)
---
### [Marc Andreessen](https://willmarlow.com/tag/marc-andreessen/)
---
### [Valuation](https://willmarlow.com/tag/valuation/)
---
### [publishing](https://willmarlow.com/tag/publishing/)
---
### [self-publishing](https://willmarlow.com/tag/self-publishing/)
---
### [journalism](https://willmarlow.com/tag/journalism/)
---
### [journalist](https://willmarlow.com/tag/journalist/)
---
### [Media](https://willmarlow.com/tag/media/)
---
### [newspapers](https://willmarlow.com/tag/newspapers/)
---
### [modular](https://willmarlow.com/tag/modular/)
---
### [modules](https://willmarlow.com/tag/modules/)
---
### [schools](https://willmarlow.com/tag/schools/)
---
### [Obama](https://willmarlow.com/tag/obama/)
---
### [site development](https://willmarlow.com/tag/site-development/)
---
### [web marketing](https://willmarlow.com/tag/web-marketing/)
---
### [Technology](https://willmarlow.com/tag/technology/)
---
### [Virginia](https://willmarlow.com/tag/virginia/)
---
### [Last decade](https://willmarlow.com/tag/last-decade/)
---
### [Top 5](https://willmarlow.com/tag/top-5/)
---
### [Top Five](https://willmarlow.com/tag/top-five/)
---
### [wikipedia](https://willmarlow.com/tag/wikipedia/)
---
### [YouTube](https://willmarlow.com/tag/youtube/)
---
### [Ryan McIntyre](https://willmarlow.com/tag/ryan-mcintyre/)
---
### [Little Tuppen](https://willmarlow.com/tag/little-tuppen/)
---
### [Seed-stage](https://willmarlow.com/tag/seed-stage/)
---
### [VCs](https://willmarlow.com/tag/vcs/)
---
### [Product-Market fit](https://willmarlow.com/tag/product-market-fit/)
---
### [Sales force](https://willmarlow.com/tag/sales-force/)
---
### [Sales reps](https://willmarlow.com/tag/sales-reps/)
---
### [Whole Product](https://willmarlow.com/tag/whole-product/)
---
### [newspaper decline](https://willmarlow.com/tag/newspaper-decline/)
---
### [site analytics](https://willmarlow.com/tag/site-analytics/)
---
### [Site data](https://willmarlow.com/tag/site-data/)
---
### [Site metrics](https://willmarlow.com/tag/site-metrics/)
---
### [Site traffic](https://willmarlow.com/tag/site-traffic/)
---
### [Web site](https://willmarlow.com/tag/web-site/)
---
### [Web statistics](https://willmarlow.com/tag/web-statistics/)
---
### [Geoffrey Moore](https://willmarlow.com/tag/geoffrey-moore/)
---
### [Mission Critical](https://willmarlow.com/tag/mission-critical/)
---
### [RT](https://willmarlow.com/tag/rt/)
---
### [Tiger Woods](https://willmarlow.com/tag/tiger-woods/)
---
### [Art of the Start](https://willmarlow.com/tag/art-of-the-start/)
---
### [web 2.0](https://willmarlow.com/tag/web-2-0/)
---
### [Suspended](https://willmarlow.com/tag/suspended/)
---
### [Mason Business Alliance](https://willmarlow.com/tag/mason-business-alliance/)
---
### [Online Fundraising Consultant](https://willmarlow.com/tag/online-fundraising-consultant/)
---
### [Politics](https://willmarlow.com/tag/politics/)
---
### [Privacy Protection](https://willmarlow.com/tag/privacy-protection/)
---
### [Search Engine Marketing](https://willmarlow.com/tag/search-engine-marketing/)
---
### [SEM](https://willmarlow.com/tag/sem/)
---
### [Google AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-adwords/)
---
### [PPC Advertising](https://willmarlow.com/tag/ppc-advertising/)
---
### [Traditional Advertising](https://willmarlow.com/tag/traditional-advertising/)
---
### [WordPress](https://willmarlow.com/tag/wordpress/)
---
### [Keyword Research](https://willmarlow.com/tag/keyword-research/)
---
### [Keyword Match Type](https://willmarlow.com/tag/keyword-match-type/)
---
### [Enhanced Campaigns](https://willmarlow.com/tag/enhanced-campaigns/)
---
### [Google+ Local](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-local/)
---
### [Google Places](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-places/)
---
### [Google Local Listings](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-local-listings/)
---
### [Pay-Per-Click](https://willmarlow.com/tag/pay-per-click/)
---
### [Excel Tips](https://willmarlow.com/tag/excel-tips/)
---
### [Excel for PPC](https://willmarlow.com/tag/excel-for-ppc/)
---
### [SEO Reports](https://willmarlow.com/tag/seo-reports/)
---
### [Organic Traffic Reports](https://willmarlow.com/tag/organic-traffic-reports/)
---
### [Google Trends](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-trends/)
---
### [Google Keyword Tool](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-keyword-tool/)
---
### [Google Keyword Planner](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-keyword-planner/)
---
### [Topic Targeting](https://willmarlow.com/tag/topic-targeting/)
---
### [(Not Provided) Keywords](https://willmarlow.com/tag/not-provided-keywords/)
---
### [Unique Visitors](https://willmarlow.com/tag/unique-visitors/)
---
### [Sessions](https://willmarlow.com/tag/sessions/)
---
### [Visits](https://willmarlow.com/tag/visits/)
---
### [landing page optimization](https://willmarlow.com/tag/landing-page-optimization/)
---
### [Trada](https://willmarlow.com/tag/trada/)
---
### [AdWords Management](https://willmarlow.com/tag/adwords-management/)
---
### [Trada Offer](https://willmarlow.com/tag/trada-offer/)
---
### [Trada Alternative](https://willmarlow.com/tag/trada-alternative/)
---
### [Programmatic Advertising](https://willmarlow.com/tag/programmatic-advertising/)
---
### [Final URLs](https://willmarlow.com/tag/final-urls/)
---
### [B2B AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/tag/b2b-adwords/)
---
### [AdWords for Enterprises](https://willmarlow.com/tag/adwords-for-enterprises/)
---
### [Facebook](https://willmarlow.com/tag/facebook/)
---
### [Search Engine Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/tag/search-engine-optimization/)
---
### [Google Analytics](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-analytics/)
---
### [AdWords](https://willmarlow.com/tag/adwords/)
---
### [Video Advertising](https://willmarlow.com/tag/video-advertising/)
---
### [Marketing Dashboards](https://willmarlow.com/tag/marketing-dashboards/)
---
### [Marketing KPIs](https://willmarlow.com/tag/marketing-kpis/)
---
### [Google Grant](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-grant/)
---
### [AdWords Grant](https://willmarlow.com/tag/adwords-grant/)
---
### [Google for Nonprofits](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-for-nonprofits/)
---
### [Google Bug](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-bug/)
---
### [AdWords Bug](https://willmarlow.com/tag/adwords-bug/)
---
### [Facebook PPC](https://willmarlow.com/tag/facebook-ppc/)
---
### [Facebook Ads](https://willmarlow.com/tag/facebook-ads/)
---
### [Facebook Business Manager](https://willmarlow.com/tag/facebook-business-manager/)
---
### [CRO](https://willmarlow.com/tag/cro/)
---
### [Conversion Rate Optimization](https://willmarlow.com/tag/conversion-rate-optimization/)
---
### [Facebook Advertising](https://willmarlow.com/tag/facebook-advertising/)
---
### [Political Advertising](https://willmarlow.com/tag/political-advertising/)
---
### [Keyword Targeting](https://willmarlow.com/tag/keyword-targeting/)
---
### [TrueView Ads](https://willmarlow.com/tag/trueview-ads/)
---
### [YouTube Ads](https://willmarlow.com/tag/youtube-ads/)
---
### [Google AdWords Partner](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-adwords-partner/)
---
### [Google Premier Partner](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-premier-partner/)
---
### [Expanded Text Ads](https://willmarlow.com/tag/expanded-text-ads/)
---
### [AdWords Ads](https://willmarlow.com/tag/adwords-ads/)
---
### [AdWords Excel](https://willmarlow.com/tag/adwords-excel/)
---
### [Google Display Network](https://willmarlow.com/tag/google-display-network/)
---
### [Ad Dimensions](https://willmarlow.com/tag/ad-dimensions/)
---
### [LinkedIn Ads](https://willmarlow.com/tag/linkedin-ads/)
---
### [LinkedIn PPC](https://willmarlow.com/tag/linkedin-ppc/)
---
### [Conversion Tracking](https://willmarlow.com/tag/conversion-tracking/)
---
### [Lead Generation Tracking](https://willmarlow.com/tag/lead-generation-tracking/)
---
### [AdWords ROI](https://willmarlow.com/tag/adwords-roi/)
---
### [AdWords Ad Extensions](https://willmarlow.com/tag/adwords-ad-extensions/)
---
### [Sitelinks](https://willmarlow.com/tag/sitelinks/)
---
### [corporate culture](https://willmarlow.com/tag/corporate-culture/)
---
### [marketing culture](https://willmarlow.com/tag/marketing-culture/)
---
### [SEO Systems](https://willmarlow.com/tag/seo-systems/)
---
### [SEO strategies](https://willmarlow.com/tag/seo-strategies/)
---
### [gmail ads](https://willmarlow.com/tag/gmail-ads/)
---
### [gmail inbox ads](https://willmarlow.com/tag/gmail-inbox-ads/)
---
### [GDPR](https://willmarlow.com/tag/gdpr/)
---
### [General Data Protection Regulations](https://willmarlow.com/tag/general-data-protection-regulations/)
---
### [COVID-19 Impact](https://willmarlow.com/tag/covid-19-impact/)
---
### [artificial intelligence](https://willmarlow.com/tag/artificial-intelligence/)
---
### [ai](https://willmarlow.com/tag/ai/)
---
### [llm](https://willmarlow.com/tag/llm/)
---
### [large language models](https://willmarlow.com/tag/large-language-models/)
---