Yearly Archives: 2009
Ian Lurie27 May, 2009
Today, A Question: Information Delivery Online
How can you best deliver training materials and procedures online? Usually I’m up here preaching at you, which I know can get a little annoying at times. Today, something different: I need some opinions and recommendations. One of my main jobs as the CEO at Portent is to teach. I write a lot of stuff… Read More
SEO Ian Lurie27 May, 2009
Local Search Ranking Factors, Volume 2
David Mihm has published his most excellent Local Search Ranking Factors survey again. I contributed, and hopefully added some useful advice to the mix…
Ian Lurie26 May, 2009
32 Tips To Make Online Customers Love You
I’ve been on a bit of a negative tear lately. OK, OK. I’ve been on a negative tear since I was born. So today I’m mixing it up a bit, writing about ways to make customers love you, instead of hate you. Make sure your site loads in 3-4 seconds or less on a standard… Read More
SEO Ian Lurie22 May, 2009
Google Webmaster Tools Gets A New Coat of Paint
Google Webmaster Tools is getting an interface upgrade. I did a quick video walkthru of the new interface: The New Google Webmaster Tools: An Overview from ian lurie on Vimeo.
Ian Lurie21 May, 2009
4 Truly Awful Banners, And What We Can Learn From Them
First, I apologize. If you are the person who designed any of these, I know full well you created something great. Then your client came and said “It needs more text” or “I need to explain the entire history of my company in a 730 x 90 space”. And your dream project was ruined. I… Read More
Elizabeth Marsten21 May, 2009
MSN AdCenter Content Network Reports
This week as part of the MSN AdCenter Spring Upgrade a new feature was released that’s been a long time coming: Content Network reports! Ever wonder what those mystery “Microsoft property sites” are? I sure have. I asked an AdCenter rep once and got a “we don’t know either” answer which I found pretty unsatisfactory.… Read More
Ian Lurie20 May, 2009
The 5 S’s: What is internet marketing?
Ask ‘What is internet marketing?’ and you get a lot of answers. Most center around search engines. And that’s not accurate. SEO is part of internet marketing. So is pay per click marketing. So is web design, copywriting, blah blah etc. etc.. I’ve struggled with one definition of internet marketing for years. I think I’ve… Read More
Ian Lurie18 May, 2009
9 Ways to Reduce Cart Abandonment
The fastest, easiest way to improve sales on your site? Reduce your shopping cart bailout rate. A ‘bailout’ (aka an abandonment) occurs when someone starts the checkout process, then leaves without completing their purchase. It’s like someone got in line at the grocery store and then left their pears, diet soda and last-minute junk food… Read More
Random Ian Lurie16 May, 2009
Conversation Marketing: Now on Kindle
If you’re a Kindle owner, and you want to support this blog, one great way to do it is to subscribe to the Kindle version. How much, you ask? $1.99/month. C’mon, that’s practically nothing. In all seriousness: There’s a free 14-day trial. I don’t yet own a Kindle and am very interested in hearing how… Read More
Internet Marketing Ian Lurie15 May, 2009
A dose of reality
Time for a bit of reality, folks. Yes, I write a lot about how failure is good, internet marketing is super efficient, costs a fraction of other marketing, etc.. But the NY Times just took that idea to an extreme that leaves me shaking my head. In an article today about whether web entrepreneurs still… Read More
Internet Marketing Ian Lurie13 May, 2009
Bad Chicken and Careless Marketing
I had chicken for dinner last night. The chicken won. Or at least, that seems to be the case. I’m recovering from an 18-hour bout with my own insides, and will leave it at that. Careless marketing is sort of like bad chicken. It crouches, waiting patiently, looking all innocent. Then the next thing you… Read More
Ian Lurie12 May, 2009
27 Steps to Successful Analytics
It’s not that bad, I swear! 27 easy little steps that will take you from the day the boss pokes her head into your office and says “Hey, I think we need analytics” to the night you get Employee of the Year for leading a company-wide turnaround. Establish from the start that analytics is not… Read More
Random Ian Lurie11 May, 2009
Web Marketing For Dummies All-In-One: Now for Kindle
Yup, it’s finally here in Kindle format, folks. The Web Marketing for Dummies All-In-One, which weighs in at over 3 pounds and 2 inches thick, is available in 100% weightless electronic format. You can read it on your Kindle. You can read it on your iPhone. You can read it on your iPod Touch. Most… Read More
PPC Michael Wiegand8 May, 2009
New Predictive PPC Tool: Paid Search Return Estimations
The Paid Search Problem Let’s be honest. All too often, starting or optimizing a paid search campaign is a guessing game. You make obvious changes to your keyword list, rewrite some ads, and setup a new landing page – but for the most part, it’s like a Jackson Pollock painting. You throw a bunch of… Read More
Ian Lurie7 May, 2009
In SEO, Keywords and Branding Don’t Mix
I’m gonna get a lot of flame comments on this one. All I ask is that, before you start cursing me, you read the entire post. Keywords and branding do not mix. Let’s say you own your own business. Or you’re a marketing exec who works for someone who owns their own business. For years,… Read More