The term “ ” represents media that users can easily participate in and contribute to. Forms include blogs, forums, virtual worlds, wikis and social networks. Social media

Perhaps the biggest difference between traditional (legacy) media (newspapers, television, radio, books, etc.) and social media is the ---- and ---- nature of the social media. Dynamic & flexible

The service noted in the reading and class that is well- know for tracking blogs is --- Technorati

Traditional marketers are accustomed to carefully honing messages, allowing for control, but difficult & costly ---- of results. With social media, control is shared with ---, and feedback becomes immediate. Measurement / ‘the crowd’ (users)

Early positive cases Mentos candy into Diet Coke Mentos candy into Diet Coke Robert Scoble started blogging about Microsoft Robert Scoble started blogging about Microsoft March of the Penguins March of the Penguins ITtoolbox Survey of 400,000 of its members ITtoolbox Survey of 400,000 of its members P & G ‘beinggirl community’ P & G ‘beinggirl community’ Target’s “Dorm Survival Guide” Target’s “Dorm Survival Guide” “Dell Hell” “Dell Hell”

Early blunders Kryptonite Locks Kryptonite Locks GM ‘UGC’ ad for the 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe GM ‘UGC’ ad for the 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe “A Comcast Technician Sleeping on My Couch” “A Comcast Technician Sleeping on My Couch”

Suggestions on social media Determine and measure goals Determine and measure goals –efforts undertaken should be measured with the same scrutiny as traditional marketing efforts. –Same issue as traditional media Offer value Offer value –Don’t try to apply traditional messaging to an environment that it doesn’t resonate in. (shovelware) –Take advantage of the ability to interact.

Suggestions on social media Consider it a “conversation” Consider it a “conversation” –Walmart failure of “Jim and Laura” traveling across the country speaking with employees who all love working for the retailer. –‘transparency’ Recognize the need to experiment Recognize the need to experiment –Your social media project –Ask for feedback and listen to what customers are telling you.

Web page design & Blog site design Usability article last week: Web page design & Blog site design Stick to the Rules Stick to the Rules Borrow Borrow You are Less Interesting Than you Think You are Less Interesting Than you Think We will not go into detail about html, web page authoring and such (420) We will not go into detail about html, web page authoring and such (420) We will address WordPress and similar We will address WordPress and similar

Usability article last week: Breadcrumbs Use Corresponding Labels Use Corresponding Labels –Make sure your crumbs are called the same as the corresponding location Aid Navigation, don’t replace it Aid Navigation, don’t replace it Don’t Link to Current Page Don’t Link to Current Page

Usability article: Tabs One of the only metaphors from the office that work really well on screen. One of the only metaphors from the office that work really well on screen. Best to only have one row of them. Best to only have one row of them. Short Labels Short Labels Clearly indicate which tab is currently active; color indication works best. Clearly indicate which tab is currently active; color indication works best. Home Page Tab Home Page Tab

Usability article: links One of One of

SEO WordPress blogs and web pages WordPress blogs and web pages

Content The only surefire way to great search rankings is to create great, original content. Search engines do not need, nor do they reward, duplicate content. The only surefire way to great search rankings is to create great, original content. Search engines do not need, nor do they reward, duplicate content. Be focused. Try to have a page dedicated to each keyword or phrase that you’re trying to rank well for. Use your keywords frequently in the body tags of your pages. Be focused. Try to have a page dedicated to each keyword or phrase that you’re trying to rank well for. Use your keywords frequently in the body tags of your pages.

Content While you should include your keywords frequently in the body tags, do not spam a page by placing text in the same color as the background or hiding keywords in places that people can’t see. This is a way to get banned from a search engine or be placed in the supplemental index. While you should include your keywords frequently in the body tags, do not spam a page by placing text in the same color as the background or hiding keywords in places that people can’t see. This is a way to get banned from a search engine or be placed in the supplemental index.

Page Titles Page titles are extremely important for both SEO and for CTR -- click through rate Page titles are extremely important for both SEO and for CTR -- click through rate Page titles should contain no more than 5 words that are keyword-centric and directly relate to what is on the corresponding page. Page titles should contain no more than 5 words that are keyword-centric and directly relate to what is on the corresponding page. Using more than five words in a page title dilutes the strength of each word. Using more than five words in a page title dilutes the strength of each word. Place important keywords early in the page title. The first word receives the highest reward. Place important keywords early in the page title. The first word receives the highest reward.

Page Titles Page titles are extremely important for both SEO and for CTR -- click through rate Page titles are extremely important for both SEO and for CTR -- click through rate Page titles should contain no more than 5 words that are keyword-centric and directly relate to what is on the corresponding page. Page titles should contain no more than 5 words that are keyword-centric and directly relate to what is on the corresponding page. Using more than five words in a page title dilutes the strength of each word. Using more than five words in a page title dilutes the strength of each word. Place important keywords early in the page title. The first word receives the highest reward. Place important keywords early in the page title. The first word receives the highest reward.

URLs Search Engines take into account the names of directories and files in each URL where there is content. Keywords should appear in the directory names and file names. Search Engines take into account the names of directories and files in each URL where there is content. Keywords should appear in the directory names and file names. Static URLs rank better than dynamic. Static URLs rank better than dynamic. If you’re going to use multiple words when naming a file or directory use a hyphen, not an underscore, between the two words. Google ignores underscores, but views hyphens as dividing two distinct words. If you’re going to use multiple words when naming a file or directory use a hyphen, not an underscore, between the two words. Google ignores underscores, but views hyphens as dividing two distinct words.

Two types of URLs A dynamic URL is a page address that results from the search of a database-driven web site or the URL of a web site that runs a script. Dynamic URLs are generated from specific queries to a site's database. A dynamic URL is a page address that results from the search of a database-driven web site or the URL of a web site that runs a script. Dynamic URLs are generated from specific queries to a site's database. Static URLs - the contents of the web page stay the same unless the changes are hard- coded into the HTML Static URLs - the contents of the web page stay the same unless the changes are hard- coded into the HTML

Header Tags Header tags should be used to let both the reader and the search engine know what is important. Header tags should be used to let both the reader and the search engine know what is important. There should only be one of each tag per page, with your most important keyword appearing in the H1 tag and descending from there in terms of importance. There should only be one of each tag per page, with your most important keyword appearing in the H1 tag and descending from there in terms of importance.

Link Structure How your pages link to one another is important. How your pages link to one another is important. Important pages on your site should link to one another. If you have your site broken into distinct sections, the main pages of each section should link to one another. Important pages on your site should link to one another. If you have your site broken into distinct sections, the main pages of each section should link to one another.

Internal Links Having internal links to pages to and from one another is important. Even more important is the anchor text used to describe that link. Having internal links to pages to and from one another is important. Even more important is the anchor text used to describe that link. The anchor text of each link should contain keywords that relate to what is on the following page. The anchor text of each link should contain keywords that relate to what is on the following page. Having a link for a digital camera say “Click Here” does less for SEO than a link that says “digital camera” Having a link for a digital camera say “Click Here” does less for SEO than a link that says “digital camera”

Images Search engines cannot “see” what is inside an image. Therefore, most search engines have a hard time properly indexing images. Search engines cannot “see” what is inside an image. Therefore, most search engines have a hard time properly indexing images. To have images help with search rankings, use keywords in the filenames and alternative text in the html to describe the image. To have images help with search rankings, use keywords in the filenames and alternative text in the html to describe the image. Also good to use captions near images. Also good to use captions near images.

See more in reading These are some of the issues you’ll see in the reading about SEO These are some of the issues you’ll see in the reading about SEO Social Media in Plain English Social Media in Plain English Social Media in Plain English Social Media in Plain English Personal Branding: What NOT to do Personal Branding: What NOT to do Personal Branding: What NOT to do Personal Branding: What NOT to do What is Branding What is Branding What is Branding What is Branding

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