Tag Archives: conversation marketing
Internet Marketing Ian Lurie // 16 Jan, 2012
Webinar number 1: Internet marketing, content, and all that jazz
Portent’s starting a free webinar series, presented by yours truly. The first one is January 31, 2012 at 11 AM Pacific time. I’ll be doing a deep dive into inbound search content social media internet marketing strategy: The role of search engines, social media and other channels in your internet marketing campaign. What ‘inbound marketing’… Read More
Featured Ian Lurie // 13 Jan, 2012
In internet marketing, be significant, or be roadkill
You send an e-mail to 40,000 people, and get 1 response. Or, you run a Groupon deal that brings 1,000 new customers, who never buy from you again. Wonder why? You got everyone’s attention. They just don’t care. Now you’ve got a choice: Rend your garments, tear your hair and whine about how stupid the… Read More
Random Ian Lurie // 10 Jan, 2012
Use freewriting to pump your verbal muscles
Writing isn’t a talent—it’s a skill. You can get better at it through practice. If you want awesome verbal pectoral muscles: If you want to get better, you could write a novel, or a textbook. But there’s a much easier way: Freewriting Freewriting is like a verbal sprint. You write a lot, really fast, and… Read More
Random Ian Lurie // 6 Jan, 2012
The Brain-Money Balance
If I look at Portent’s growth over the last 16 years, we’ve had what my COO calls the Graph of Shame: Some of that might be due to economic poop hitting the fan. And some of it is natural turnover. But the Graph of Shame is a dead giveaway that a business isn’t scaling as… Read More
Random Ian Lurie // 5 Jan, 2012
Why I brought on a business partner
As of yesterday, Portent officially has a President and a CEO, and they’re separate people. Why? Why would I bring in a business partner after all these years? That means I have to share the glory of running my own agency! Ian takes a brief pause to laugh, but bites it back before the giggles… Read More
Analytics Ian Lurie // 4 Jan, 2012
Making cats into turnips: Using Google Webmaster Tools query data
A long time ago, alchemists tried to turn lead into gold. They were pikers. Compared to digging keyword data out of the Google’s lovely (not provided) statistic, lead into gold woulda been a cinch. But I’m stubborn. So, I’ve pulled a bunch of keyword analytics data from Google Analytics, and the Search Queries report from… Read More
Featured Ian Lurie // 23 Dec, 2011
SEO, optimize thyself: Get more results for your effort
Yesterday I wrote about how effort does not equal results. Results are always better. Great results come from testing and tweaking your own routine. You can set up a virtuous cycle: You get more efficient, and have more time to learn more about your job, which helps you be more efficient, and so on. I’ve… Read More
Random Ian Lurie // 22 Dec, 2011
I’m an elitist: Effort does not equal results
I got called an elitist a little while back. I was at a social thing—I think normal people call them ‘parties’. I call them ‘opportunities for me to make an ass of myself’. Here’s the conversation: Other person: My friend got fired last month. Totally unfair. Me: mmm hmmmm I was hoping that’d end the… Read More
Random Ian Lurie // 15 Dec, 2011
I’m sorry, what?
I just can’t make this one any more bizarre. Maybe they’re hiring someone to write their social media help wanted posts.
Featured Ian Lurie // 14 Dec, 2011
Problem solving with pants on
Most people are terrified of problem solving, whether they’re figuring out how to replace a flat tire or diagnose a problem on their blog. They see a problem, and run so fast their pants are literally flayed from their bodies. Why? Because: A failed solution = A mistake Solutions require time, which no one has… Read More
Analytics Ian Lurie // 13 Dec, 2011
All I want for Christmas is my keywords back
I’d promised myself I’d stop ranting about Google’s ongoing analytics assassination. But I checked my data for this blog, today, and I’m missing 19.5% of my keyword data: Google. What. The. Hell. I know, I know: I’m supposed to use Google Webmaster Tools to look at search queries. So, I toddle over there and take… Read More
SEO Ian Lurie // 9 Dec, 2011
SEO 101: Title tags
Learning to use Camtasia, so I recorded this quick video. If you’re new to SEO, this is the ‘SEO 101’ look at the title tag, why it matters, and best practices for using it:
Internet Marketing Ian Lurie // 8 Dec, 2011
10 tips for hiring an SEO company
Every day, I talk to potential clients. Smart people. Most of them, though, have no idea how to hire an SEO agency. So they ask standard questions, like: Have you ever worked in the guppy sales industry before? How big is your company? How much will you charge me? A nice start. But it’s not… Read More
Random Ian Lurie // 7 Dec, 2011
How social media works
Today, I got a fantastic demonstration of how social media really works. Here’s the timeline: 8:33 AM I totter over to the office fridge, looking for a Diet Coke. It’s my only source of caffeine. I’ve been working since 6 AM. I’m desperate. My batteries are near zero. As my vision starts to fade, I… Read More
Featured Ian Lurie // 6 Dec, 2011
Random encounter table for SEO
(In case you’re wondering, ‘percentile die’ let you roll any number from 1-100.) Feel free to embed this, using this code: By Conversation Marketing Explanation In most role-playing games (think Dungeons & Dragons), there are these things called random encounters. Every now and then, a die roll determines whether you get eaten by a troll,… Read More