tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173013512024-03-05T16:32:01.003-05:00Digital Brand Expressions - Official BlogThere’s always something going on in the ever-changing world of content marketing. Let the team at Digital Brand Expressions (DBE) help you stay in step.Veronica "Niki" Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443662076780215365noreply@blogger.comBlogger239125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-70039888099217522362016-01-26T14:46:00.000-05:002016-01-26T14:46:05.077-05:00More Knowledge Graph Control for Websites--Coming Soon or a Tease?<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In November 2015, Barry Schwartz, CEO of Rusty Brick, </span><a href="https://www.seroundtable.com/google-modify-knowledge-panel-snippets-21213.html">reported for SERountable.com</a><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> that Google was hinting about changes that might enable webmasters to better control, or at least have more influence over, what Google services up in Knowledge Graphs. If you’re not sure what Knowledge Graphs are or why they’re important, learn the basics from Google here</span><span style="color: blue; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">: </span><a href="https://www.google.com/intl/bn/insidesearch/features/search/knowledge.html">https://www.google.com/intl/bn/insidesearch/features/search/knowledge.html</a><span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.</span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We polled a few of our SEO team members to ask what they thought about the possibility of webmasters getting more control of the information about their brands in the Knowledge Graph. Here is a summary of perspectives from Joe Goodlad, Deepa Maran, and </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Roman Prokopchuk.</span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It would be a welcoming addition for an organization to be able to correct information about it when Google generates a Knowledge Graph. The Graph is populated from various sources, so right now it’s difficult for site owners to update the data that feeds the Graph. The new capability would probably have to be through Google’s Search Console to ensure site ownership so someone associated with the site is making those changes. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s possible, maybe probably, that some people will try to troll certain features to their own advantage. Black hat for sure, but, for example, people tried to abuse the Google Local Search by including keywords as part of the business name when they registered the business with Google My Business center. Google later revised its guidelines to protect against those practices. It will be interesting to see what safe guards Google put in place to protect the integrity of the information being represented.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On that note, the ability to modify your Knowledge Panel along with additional reporting/data features around answers may not only affect SEO but Paid Search as well. Giving people the ability to modify their organization’s Knowledge Panel could lead to an “arms race” between competitors offering answers to the same questions, which could then give way to the ability to create “answer” campaigns within AdWords. Eventually, the pool of quality/acceptable “answers” to serve within the search results would grow to the point where Google would have many different choices to source quality “answers” or “knowledge.” We can see the Search Console serving as a notification system for which “answers” via your “knowledge” may be eligible. Once eligibility has been determined for whichever “answer(s)” are in the Search Console for a website, the ability to create “answer” campaigns would be unlocked within AdWords, thus allowing qualified competitors to engage in a new type of paid search advertising. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">…and as long as we’re envisioning, and to take this a step further, we can envision “answer campaigns” being rolled out to advertisers in highly competitive categories such as insurance, hospitality, and travel first and then from there industries where the average CPC growth is low and/or has plateaued – it could be used to help boost activity and, of course, revenue for Google.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While currently Google provides a way to report errors via the 'Feedback' link (lower right-hand-corner outside the frame of the Knowledge Graph, we haven’t experienced success with this for our clients.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Historically, DBE has used Wikipedia to propagate updated information, which is one avenue for helping feed the Knowledge Graph.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another was Freebase, but that has been scrapped by Google.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Google is now encouraging use of Schema tags to help inform it of correct brand name, business hours, founder’s name, address, and images. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DBE Consensus<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s great to think about having more control over our clients’ information featured in the Knowledge Graph, but our general sense is this is still several months from becoming a workable reality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For now, Schema mark ups remain the best way for feeding Google what it needs to populate Knowledge Graphs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Veronica "Niki" Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443662076780215365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-39849934627387135502016-01-19T11:57:00.000-05:002016-01-19T12:14:32.564-05:00Structured Markups—Google Hinting Means More Reasons to Use ‘Em<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We have advocated the use of <a href="http://dbesem.blogspot.com/2009/05/google-rich-snippets.html">structured markups</a> to boost click throughs from natural search results for quite a while. A new study from <a href="http://bluenileresearch.com/position1/">Blue Nile Research</a> provides new data around this topic that search marketers will find useful too. From the Blue Nile Research executive summary: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> “…we see that the rich-media‒ enhanced result in position 2 captures an average of 61% of clicks, versus 48% when the same unenhanced result is in position 1... In our research, users tell us loud and clear that they would sooner click further down the page on a search result enhanced with appealing rich media than on position 1 containing a plain, text-only link.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are so many ways to markup your site with Schema, including <a href="http://schema.org/Event">Event Markup</a>, <a href="http://schema.org/Article">Article Markup</a>, <a href="http://schema.org/Organization">Organization Markup</a> and <a href="https://schema.org/Recipe">Recipe Markup</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you still aren't inspired to markup your website then maybe this will help...Google's John Mueller recently<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWL864VlW7I"> mentioned</a> that Google is "looking into making Structured Data a ranking factor." History has shown that when Google reps say things like this, even in passing, it's because they are ALREADY using that factor in some aspects. So let this be another subtle push to be sure to markup your site and content.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">DBE released a <a href="http://dbesem.blogspot.com/2015/03/what-is-schemaorg-and-why-is-it.html">POV</a> last year explaining the different Schema.org structured markup schemas. If you need further help in identifying the relevant Schema markup to add to your website, and marking up the code, <a href="https://digitalbrandexpressions.com/contact-us/">let us know</a> and we’ll be happy to help you.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Veronica "Niki" Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443662076780215365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-44983700277719752632016-01-16T09:40:00.001-05:002016-01-16T10:02:44.422-05:00The Amazon Dash<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Have you seen these yet? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Amazon <a href="http://smile.amazon.com/b/ref=ods_gw_d_h1_dash_offerT?_encoding=UTF8&node=10667898011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-hero-kindle-A&pf_rd_r=1BYKHW2X5M6FVK365K7F&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2378777122&pf_rd_i=desktop" target="_blank">Dash</a> is a tiny, product-specific device that you use to reorder household products when--and where--you run out of them. Each Dash costs $4.99. The example on the Amazon site that resonated for me was to put a Tide laundry detergent Dash on your washing machine (see above image).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My first reaction was, "This is very cool." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My second reaction was a visual of little product icons all over my house. That didn't strike me as cool. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The luxury marketplace is already dealing with a rising aversion to logos on handbags and apparel. The idea of populating homes with brand icons seems a bit backwards.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, as a focus group of one, my take on this is: </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I like the idea of a device that lets me reorder a product I use frequently when and where I realize I have run out of it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I don't like the idea of having lots of branded devices all over the house.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I don't like the idea of paying for a re-order device. That's all it does, it allows you to reorder the product. Shouldn't the marketer of the product pay for that? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I wonder if Amazon will create a device that is a panel view of popular products that I can add to and delete from. I wouldn't mind putting a device in the kitchen and the master bath--the places I'm most likely to realize we're running out of household products. I've already got the name for it: the Dashboard!</span></li>
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<br />Veronica "Niki" Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443662076780215365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-89208418676810886172015-08-02T15:56:00.001-04:002015-08-02T15:56:42.497-04:00How Can You See Search Results As If You’re There?<div>
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Background: At a recent webinar conducted by DBE, someone asked how we know what search results look like on the west coast if the DBE team is on the east coast. How does an optimizer or a paid search manager research the landscape and check results for locations other than his/her own?<br />Here are a few answers:<br /><br />SEO tools such as <a href="http://www.brightedge.com/">BrightEdge</a>, <a href="http://www.searchmetrics.com/">Searchmetrics</a>, and <a href="http://www.seoclarity.net/">seoClarity</a> enable us to request a local search engine view of natural results. <br /><br />We can also use the Google AdWords preview tool:<br /><br /><a href="https://adwords.google.com/d/AdPreview/">https://adwords.google.com/d/AdPreview/</a><br /><br />When you enter your location, this tool lets you preview Google natural search results as if you had been searching from that location. For example, if you set your zip code to 95404, when you search for casinos using this tool, you’ll get the following results. You can see how the local pack results are customized for the location.<div>
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<br />Bing provides a similar tool: <a href="http://advertise.bingads.microsoft.com/en-us/ad-preview-and-diagnostics-tool">http://advertise.bingads.microsoft.com/en-us/ad-preview-and-diagnostics-tool</a></div>
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You can specify your location in your <a href="https://www.google.com/preferences#location">search setting</a>:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9awiGrXwKfnA01JREVpHkfsY3g9_p9-hdLy5jixT-BHA09GTZ4u6HeQ9DZvafdTgOzPY1fM3uuw9Cf4dBTvCqFHnIeX8mq9tE0JHjuHtmpR4YgVaGVpnJmYFV16c6PgC0WabgRg/s1600/image+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9awiGrXwKfnA01JREVpHkfsY3g9_p9-hdLy5jixT-BHA09GTZ4u6HeQ9DZvafdTgOzPY1fM3uuw9Cf4dBTvCqFHnIeX8mq9tE0JHjuHtmpR4YgVaGVpnJmYFV16c6PgC0WabgRg/s320/image+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />For example, when we do this and say we’re in zip code 95404, we get this result:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZxZcLwNlNr6nHgL0W-hNszs7B7a71DVLqSCWsLzY6zUR-Jl9_m5ee4BvcNTpRqDjWuhzsELo_hGXi4pO3VjFZdZNTZhHXKXkpdTvLnO-SL1tD-Mxe1sC1pTRdToVRIDkAowNSuA/s1600/image+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZxZcLwNlNr6nHgL0W-hNszs7B7a71DVLqSCWsLzY6zUR-Jl9_m5ee4BvcNTpRqDjWuhzsELo_hGXi4pO3VjFZdZNTZhHXKXkpdTvLnO-SL1tD-Mxe1sC1pTRdToVRIDkAowNSuA/s320/image+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Bing also lets you specify your location via a search setting:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEvXJtXwkb_ooR1OOZebLhVxc9z2vIVJnn3ugAtfS24hbYJ4EPXB4z6jjv51ie8bSkdWSY5umOGcPfFH5gyJrdIr8OhY4JPrjLAW9M57QHAeKQgLen-YyaadZIpxyacSReuq5wA/s1600/image+4.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEvXJtXwkb_ooR1OOZebLhVxc9z2vIVJnn3ugAtfS24hbYJ4EPXB4z6jjv51ie8bSkdWSY5umOGcPfFH5gyJrdIr8OhY4JPrjLAW9M57QHAeKQgLen-YyaadZIpxyacSReuq5wA/s320/image+4.jpg" /></a><br /><br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1ANXGVKWnkoQgZiitTZySjOiM5bRjLCFqTRqcczTobTGuaFW_8qNx0oTlaSaNuozAAoCX0HksPGqfn30LKG87pduTzHZgQCaOV9m2gNSBZEK7UMVb97oOWsKLss5K81ApEWOuw/s1600/image+5.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1ANXGVKWnkoQgZiitTZySjOiM5bRjLCFqTRqcczTobTGuaFW_8qNx0oTlaSaNuozAAoCX0HksPGqfn30LKG87pduTzHZgQCaOV9m2gNSBZEK7UMVb97oOWsKLss5K81ApEWOuw/s320/image+5.jpg" /></a><br /><br />When your location is set to San Francisco, you get the results relevant to that city.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KKwYH22DzWJn2BCeHttai8lQAc-8Al_S0S3WJh7Kl5fOKAcBaSYMsHnW7wgELBobHc5aVDRB2dXghNHMMaoryFbD_mquR9pQtnQdIXJJPhVJstfzOe705eayNVRkXDf11hUZGw/s1600/image+6.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KKwYH22DzWJn2BCeHttai8lQAc-8Al_S0S3WJh7Kl5fOKAcBaSYMsHnW7wgELBobHc5aVDRB2dXghNHMMaoryFbD_mquR9pQtnQdIXJJPhVJstfzOe705eayNVRkXDf11hUZGw/s320/image+6.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Using these methods, you can check both SEO and PPC results.<br /><br />You will hear others say that Chrome and Firefox extensions are also available to mimic location, but to date we haven’t found them to be reliable.<br /><br />Let us know if you have other ways to see what search results look like when you’re here and not there.<br /> </div>
Veronica "Niki" Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443662076780215365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-46526131862330734872015-07-11T20:54:00.000-04:002015-07-12T11:11:01.849-04:00My New Friend AlexaSo I never really cottoned to Siri. Every time I tried to use her on my iPhone, the results were, well, bad. The first time was when we were leaving NYC after my daughter’s college graduation last year—the Friday before Memorial Day. The ceremony ran long and it took almost 2 hours to get out of the city—and then the NJ Turnpike and every other highway was crawling. Siri was no help whatsoever when I asked about traffic options: I got movie suggestions, questions to my questions, and basically, frustration created more frustration. I ended up saying mean things to her. I thought it would feel good to vent at her, but it didn’t—because she didn’t feel at all human—I didn’t think she was even listening.<br />
<br />
Back in February or some other cold time earlier this year, the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-SK705DI-Echo/dp/B00X4WHP5E" target="_blank">Amazon Echo</a> caught my eye and I thought, what the heck, that sounds interesting. But I failed to note that it wouldn’t arrive until the end of May, and when I tried to cancel the order sometime around April, it couldn't be cancelled. And then I forgot all about it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8GWSoJ2BGRkQ38nWxELVuj3h5RsmKSa08m1ZcQt6dlVYDsGvOXB3FnmA3pLarXdMBYXNlpSfY-OHvRVV2wmYvAwmykZ8ze8vB3NFCFUIHKBpYpn5umP9Oxs_GFq9mkhVlqiUMRw/s1600/Amazon+Echo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8GWSoJ2BGRkQ38nWxELVuj3h5RsmKSa08m1ZcQt6dlVYDsGvOXB3FnmA3pLarXdMBYXNlpSfY-OHvRVV2wmYvAwmykZ8ze8vB3NFCFUIHKBpYpn5umP9Oxs_GFq9mkhVlqiUMRw/s200/Amazon+Echo.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
Right around Memorial Day 2015, the Echo arrived. And then it sat in its box for 6 weeks, in the kitchen, because, well, I’ve been busy.<br />
<br />
My guy mentioned the black box again this morning, so I said, “You know, if you find time today, maybe you can get it going for us.”<br />
<br />
When I got home tonight, he told me to ask “Alexa, what’s the weather?”<br />
<br />
I did, and a pleasant female voice gave us the weather report. He then asked, “Alexa, what’s the traffic like?” and she gave him a traffic update for the area. Then he said, “Alexa, play <i>Happy</i>” and she started playing the song by Pharrell Williams (he connected the Echo to his Amazon Music account). I thanked her and she said it was her pleasure. It went on and on from there. She was able to answer all our questions, including sharing the latest NPR news stories. At first, we were softballing the questions, then we tried to stump her. But she is a pro. <br />
<br />
I have more faith in Alexa (I'm already calling her by her command prompt rather than "the Echo") than I do in Siri. Alexa had me at "Hello." I’m going to enjoy having her around. She gets me.Veronica "Niki" Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443662076780215365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-9918163621632776642015-07-08T09:24:00.000-04:002015-07-08T09:24:27.776-04:00Instagram Gets Business-fiedA picture is worth a thousand words. As visuals become more important on social media, this statement couldn’t be more true.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-114ADQxOztU7kTZwRqp9_G5GCsWtyaWqAm2pYdnXbFKlAh_JBYqTGCtR1OZeRU1RLsX-gDYUls15Z1Y_5H-Y9VsESE-uEGsZQRj6_FGL2AtMpWPwNUNdSZtDizoKgRPt_in/s1600/instagram+logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-114ADQxOztU7kTZwRqp9_G5GCsWtyaWqAm2pYdnXbFKlAh_JBYqTGCtR1OZeRU1RLsX-gDYUls15Z1Y_5H-Y9VsESE-uEGsZQRj6_FGL2AtMpWPwNUNdSZtDizoKgRPt_in/s320/instagram+logo.png" /></a>
Instagram is a rapidly growing platform, and businesses have been jumping on board. However, absence of widespread advertising options on Instagram has limited its use for marketing. But last month, Instagram <a href="http://blog.business.instagram.com/post/120537653811/the-next-steps-for-ads-on-instagram-new-formats">announced</a> new advertising options that will be open to all businesses and brands within the next few months.
<br />
<br />
<b>Why Instagram</b>
<br />
<br />
In 5 short years, Instagram has become a major social media player. For example, there was a <a href="http://adage.com/article/digital/instagram-adds-magazine-photo-gallery-ads-links/297424/">60%</a> increase in U.S. users from 2013 to 2014.
<br />
<br />
As these numbers continue to rise, Instagram is preparing to become increasingly “brand-friendly” by rolling out Instagram advertising to more businesses. <br />
<br />
With all of this in mind, it’s a no-brainer for businesses and brands to think seriously about Instagram. <br />
<br />
If you’re interested in learning more about recent changes to Instagram Advertising <a href="mailto:info@digitalbrandexpressions.com">request our most recent POV </a>. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-41322119724494499492015-06-30T10:14:00.000-04:002015-06-30T10:41:50.391-04:00What Is the Internet of Things, and How Will It Impact Marketing?<a href="http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/Internet-of-Things">WhatIs.com</a> defines the “Internet of Things” (IoT) as “… a scenario in which objects, animals or people are provided with unique identifiers and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.
”<br />
<br />
In 2014 there were 12.1 billion Internet-connected devices, according to Cisco Systems, and that figure is expected to grow to <a href="http://www.baselinemag.com/networking/slideshows/a-brief-history-of-the-internet-of-things.html">50 billion</a> devices in 2020. With this anticipated growth in interconnectedness, businesses are going to be challenged with staying relevant and accessible but at the same time will be presented with new ways to reach customers. To help put some context around what the IoT is, let’s take a look at some examples…<br />
<br />
Common IoT objects that you may have already encountered or heard about are fitness/health trackers like the Fitbit. The Fitbit is a wearable device that tracks and monitors physical activity (such as steps taken throughout the day) and sends that data (without a manual upload) to the Fitbit’s cloud and/or other compatible health apps such as MapMyRun® in an automatic/seamless fashion.<br />
<br />
To learn more about how IoT will provide opportunities for marketers, please e-mail us at: info@digitalbrandexpressions.com for the <a href="mailto:info@digitalbrandepxpressions.com?subject=Request%20Internet%20of%20Things%20POV">POV</a>.Joe Goodladhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01196246716020957245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-16694428143739538422015-05-13T10:32:00.002-04:002015-05-13T10:34:32.080-04:00Creation and Curation: A “Content” MarriageA robust social media presence requires a lot of maintenance and management. From developing content strategies to pushing out messages, executing a complete plan may end up taking a lot more time than expected. Many content strategies rely on originally produced content for social channels. However, while original content is great for brand positioning, awareness, and SEO, it can be costly to produce in terms of both time and money.<br />
<br />
Content curation is one option for businesses and organizations that have identified a need for a robust social media presence, but do not have the time or resources to produce large amounts of original content on an ongoing basis. Curated content can be the optimal solution to gaps in social media messaging that cannot be filled with originally produced pieces. A strategic approach to content curation can help a business establish itself as a thought leader, foster relationships with other thought leaders within a given industry, and minimize costs.<br />
<br />
To learn more about the benefits of content curation and see tips on how to curate content effectively, <a href="mailto:Info@digitalbrandexpressions.com?subject=Request%20Content%20Curation%20POV">request our latest POV</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-36098940426450232042015-04-23T09:49:00.001-04:002015-04-23T09:49:17.636-04:00More Reasons Your Website Needs to Welcome Mobile DevicesSearch engines are moving in parallel with mobile device adoption to expand their algorithms to account for changes in search behavior when people use the mobile Web. <br />
<br />
Bing announced in the past that mobile friendliness and relevancy would be considered as a ranking signal. Google officially announced that it is rolling out an update that factors mobile-friendly user experience as a ranking signal in mobile search results.<br />
<br />
Worldwide, mobile search results in all languages will be significantly impacted by this change, which went into effect this week,and will likely continue rolling in for weeks to come. Now is the time to check your mobile strategy and make sure that your website is mobile friendly.<br />
<br />
DBE’s latest POV helps you ascertain if your website is really ready for mobile audiences and what to do if it is not. To request this POV, <a href="mailto:info@digitalbrandexpressions.com?subject=Request-Mobile-Searchability-POV"><span style="color: blue;">click here</span></a>.Veronica "Niki" Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443662076780215365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-86864052461318150202015-03-09T09:10:00.000-04:002015-03-25T15:33:48.682-04:00Is it Time to Start Snapping?<span style="color: black; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: background1;"></span> Is Snapchat here to stay? With popularity among teens and nearly <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/snapchats-monthly-active-users-may-be-nearing-200-million-2014-12">200 million</a> active users, Snapchat is moving past its <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/12/23/the-snappening-had-no-impact-on-snapchat-growth-usage-or-engagement/?ncid=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook">bad press</a> and becoming a beneficial marketing tool. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmKlXo2NI1iSlz-RNNcEnkM1larLKCav2YSfnr2GXpYpKJF7Wk7vxdFjLZleajBprjBtNEx1ADLlxeXD1gjkecbkGa8thSfufZ8vfY_kWRwhR1E2L0y1cSwEAZtOw7q89A3GZ/s1600/snapchat+logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwmKlXo2NI1iSlz-RNNcEnkM1larLKCav2YSfnr2GXpYpKJF7Wk7vxdFjLZleajBprjBtNEx1ADLlxeXD1gjkecbkGa8thSfufZ8vfY_kWRwhR1E2L0y1cSwEAZtOw7q89A3GZ/s1600/snapchat+logo.png" height="200" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Snapchat is a photo messaging application that allows users to take photos, record videos, and add text and drawings and then send to a list of recipients. Content, or Snaps, then disappear after viewing. <br />
<br />
Since its creation in 2011, Snapchat has grown in popularity, particularly among the college crowd. In fact, <a href="http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/guide-to-using-snapchat-for-marketing">77%</a> of college students use Snapchat daily and two fifths of U.S. 18-year-olds claim to use Snapchat “multiple times per day.” <br />
<br />
Businesses from McDonald’s to General Electric to Heineken are jumping on board with the self-destructing photo app and finding ways to use Snapchat for marketing success. <br />
<br />
What you need to consider <br />
While Snapchat can be used for unique and cutting-edge marketing techniques, there are a lot of factors to consider before implementing a Snapchat marketing program. <br />
<br />
If you’re interested in learning more about Snapchat and how businesses can utilize the app, <a href="mailto:info@digitalbrandexpressions.com?subject=Request-SnapChat-POV%E2%80%8B">request our most recent POV</a> to learn five ways you can utilize Snapchat as a marketing tactic. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-32488150084841072672015-03-02T08:00:00.000-05:002015-03-02T08:00:06.869-05:00What Is Schema.org, and Why Is It Important?<br />
Google defines Schema.org as:
“A collaboration by Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo! to improve the web by creating a structured data markup schema supported by major search engines. On-page markup helps search engines understand the information on webpages and provide richer results. A shared markup vocabulary makes it easier for webmasters to decide on a markup schema and get maximum benefit for their efforts.” (<a href="https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/1211158?hl=en">https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/1211158?hl=en</a>)<br />
<br />
At its most basic level, Schema.org is a standardized collection of markup language that provides additional information to the search engines. It allows the search engines to form a deeper understanding about the content of a particular page. Search engines can then use this deeper understanding to enhance the information included in organic search listings, which in turn can help improve the way a page displays in search engine results pages (SERPs).<br />
<br />
To download this POV please e-mail us an inquiry at: <a href="mailto:info@digitalbrandepxpressions.com?subject=Request-Schema-POV" target="_blank">info@digitalbrandexpressions.com</a>
<br />
<a href="mailto:info@digitalbrandepxpressions.com?subject=Request-Schema-POV" target="_blank"><br /></a>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-38880380891905107582015-02-08T15:20:00.001-05:002015-02-08T15:20:31.039-05:00What's Up With Twitter?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thursday, February 5, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-05/twitter-said-to-reach-deal-for-tweets-in-google-search-results?hootPostID=9b76d1c20c5f48cb890da42c6a0d7368">Bloomberg
News</a> reported that Twitter and Google have agreed that Tweets will once
again appear in Google results.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And in an internal forum, Dick Costolo, Twitter’s CEO, took
personal responsibility—personal responsibility—for Twitter’s failure to
address concerns by users of stalking, violent threats and other types of
verbal abuse, a.k.a. trolling. The
admission was made amid ongoing criticism of Twitter for making it
too difficult for targets of the abuse to gain Twitter’s support to stop the attacks. Stories recently in the
news include the cases of Lindy West, <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/28/7923491/anita-sarkeesian-week-of-sexist-twitter-harassment"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Anita
Sarkeesian</span></a> and the late Robin Williams’ daughter, Zelda
WIlliams. Read more on <span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/4/7982099/twitter-ceo-sent-memo-taking-personal-responsibility-for-the">The
Verge</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In January, Twitter launched several new consumer features including:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"While you were away,” which puts some of the most popular stories you may have missed from accounts you follow at the top of the Timeline; and</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Video functionality that allows people to capture, edit and share videos from within the Twitter app.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And for advertisers, Twitter is testing enabling them to create credit card-linked promotions to share directly with people on Twitter
and has enabled mobile targeting options including the ability to target by
mobile carrier and/or by users who have new mobile devices.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twitter’s fourth quarter 2014 results were shared on Friday,
February 6, and mo</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">st of the news was good.
Here’s a recap: </span><a href="https://investor.twitterinc.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=894844" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">https://investor.twitterinc.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=894844</a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Veronica "Niki" Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443662076780215365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-33943198908442519222015-01-29T19:12:00.001-05:002015-02-20T10:49:30.024-05:00Time to Take a Fresh Look at SnapchatThe darling of the teens and early 20’s crowd, Snapchat, made a major shift this week, adding news and other content from media outlets including CNN, Comedy Central, Cosmopolitan, Daily Mail, ESPN, the Food Network, National Geographic, People, Vice, Yahoo!News, and Warner Music Group. The update that brought these content sources together is called “Discover.”<br />
<br />
Snapchat has always been about users telling their personal stories through photos, annotated photos, photo montages and videos. Brands like Taco Bell have been using Snapchat to reach younger audiences for a while too. The shift is that Snapchat is working to be a “content destination” for people for whom their mobile screen is their screen of preference.<br />
<br />
According to Snapchat’s <a href="http://blog.snapchat.com/post/109302961090/introducing-discover">blog</a>:<br />
“Snapchat Discover is a new way to explore Stories from different editorial teams. It’s the result of collaboration with world-class leaders in media to build a storytelling format that puts the narrative first. This is not social media.”<br />
<br />
For more check out stories on <a href="http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/discover-turns-snapchat-into-a-destination-for-consuming-content/613953">AdWeek</a>, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/28/snapchat-update_n_6566272.html">Huffington Post</a>, and <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2015/01/29/382445167/with-discover-feature-snapchat-bucks-social-trend-in-news">NPR</a>.Veronica "Niki" Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443662076780215365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-21996551045197552422015-01-28T17:06:00.002-05:002015-01-28T17:06:48.325-05:00Find Your Content Center <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Entering the realm
of social media is not always easy. It may appear simple, but a well-executed
social media strategy requires a hefty amount of planning and content creation.
One way to streamline the process is to find your content center. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
What message do you
want to send to your clients and prospects? What kind of tone do you want to
project? In today’s over saturated social media landscape, it is no longer
enough to simply provide details about a business, its products, or
services—businesses should go beyond the basics and post content an extended audience
will value and share. To stand out from the crowd, businesses should strive to
establish themselves as Thought Leaders. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="https://www.digitalbrandexpressions.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/DBE-POV-Find-Your-Content-Center-1-28-15.pdf" target="_blank">Read our latest POV </a></b>to learn how to create a content
strategy that positions your business as a thought leader, unifies messaging,
and increases brand awareness. <b><a href="https://www.digitalbrandexpressions.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/DBE-POV-Find-Your-Content-Center-1-28-15.pdf" target="_blank">Download it here.</a></b><o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-40203635033570800272015-01-14T11:58:00.000-05:002015-01-14T12:18:29.194-05:00What Are Best Practices for Responsive Website SEO?<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Google’s bounced around a bit over the last few years
regarding what constitutes best practices for SEO on responsive websites. Not too long ago, it wanted to see separate
sites for desktop and mobile devices.
Now Google has <a href="https://developers.google.com/webmasters/mobile-sites/mobile-seo/overview/select-config" target="_blank">added responsive design</a> as an option it likes to see. </div>
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Responsive websites configure themselves on
the fly to adjust to the screen they recognize a visitor is using, which means
using the same URL for your website regardless of how and where it is being
viewed by visitors.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our latest POV “Why is Mobile Traffic Important?” cites
stats from Google’s recent “Mobile Path to Purchase” study, shows examples of
traffic shifting from desktop to mobile devices, explains what Google is
looking for from mobile site optimization, and offers a short check list of
content-related questions for your responsive site, and provides technical
elements that should be considered when planning to migrate to a responsive
platform.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s a lot of information in one easy-to-digest POV. To download this and our other POVs, click <a href="https://www.digitalbrandexpressions.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/DBE-POV-Mobile-Sites-and-SEO_1-5-15.pdf" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Veronica "Niki" Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443662076780215365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-86666208089028984502015-01-05T18:03:00.001-05:002015-01-05T18:03:34.840-05:003 Key Take-Aways from Speaking (and Listening) at the Search Insider Summit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpmCcSc9Xl2hlrXx-FhoSgVurOjgXwEQveh-_cZwPuGVRikqKY1tnTbwcrc-F0gWa_R3MJyRCW7aqQyAfXFdDNpgSJdbkSA_By7WOS-qfA0dqexL09m5W-JdVWn0J3oTkr2HwvA/s1600/searchinsidersummit_large.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpmCcSc9Xl2hlrXx-FhoSgVurOjgXwEQveh-_cZwPuGVRikqKY1tnTbwcrc-F0gWa_R3MJyRCW7aqQyAfXFdDNpgSJdbkSA_By7WOS-qfA0dqexL09m5W-JdVWn0J3oTkr2HwvA/s1600/searchinsidersummit_large.png" /></a></div>
<br />
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending and
speaking at Media Post’s Search Insider Summit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The event was a perfect mix of experienced digital marketers from
brands, agencies and providers (like Yahoo).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was also a perfect mix of sessions, activities and networking that
allowed for deeper conversations and exploration of how search continues to
evolve both as a strategy and as a tactic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Here are 3 overarching concepts that continue to reverberate in my mind
weeks later. I am sharing them as guideposts for your 2015 planning:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Customization, Integration, and Innovation.<br />
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<b><i>Customization</i>:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><b> </b> </span>Last
year we saw continued advances in: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the
sophistication of search engine algorithms; the presentation of search results
(for both organic and paid); and the ability to better parse big (and small)
data.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These in turn have created more
opportunities for marketers to target their messages to specific audiences on
specific devices via specific channels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This multiplicity of opportunities has upped the demand for “content”
and some marketers are having a hard time keeping pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Worse, the quantity of the content being
produced is often coming at the cost of its quality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you customize your efforts in 2015, try
thinking about your content marketing as “context” marketing and you should be
on the quality path to aligning message and medium.</div>
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<i><b>Integration:</b></i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><i><b> </b></i> </span>Here I’m
thinking about integration in two ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>First, there were some interesting presentations/discussions at MPSIS
around the use of YouTube video as a brand’s primary marketing vehicle (think <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/Blendtec">Blendtec</a> who was on one of the
panels).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The key word being “primary” as
these marketers made it clear they understand the need to utilize other
channels as well to distribute and drive awareness of their brands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
Secondly, it also became apparent that tactical specialization (paid search vs.
organic search vs. social media vs. display advertising vs. traditional media,
etc.) within organizations and/or their roster of agencies has made it more
difficult to effectively integrate at the strategic level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More communication and education is needed to
bridge these gaps internally and externally in 2015 to drive collective success
– especially for brands in competitive arenas.</div>
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<b><i>Innovation</i>:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><b> </b> </span>Some
brands are trying new approaches to their search marketing efforts – like using
lifestyle keywords in addition to functional keywords.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My fellow panelists on the client-side talked
about how they have lobbied management for the chance to test new ideas with
varied success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mentioned we at DBE prefer
to use the term “pilot” program as it implies success and potential roll-out.
Regardless of what you call it, search success in 2015 will come to those who
encourage branching out from the tried and true solutions.</div>
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So those are my thoughts coming into the new year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look forward to hearing yours.</div>
Marc Engelsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13403486035711870374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-34366808381535939472014-12-12T10:53:00.001-05:002014-12-12T10:56:52.533-05:00Redirect Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizT5wilImXz3szZc31CDnmVqJGxNH44y5DRJnb_cHuV91wr6shfJ7vz4r1zGak_eDZ7d19gyeXV0S-KkLV8T69Zg0rW4C4HpRNWnEkmR8bzyhfYZGYtwDkzpGEHFfN8g1ctAnxBA/s1600/joe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizT5wilImXz3szZc31CDnmVqJGxNH44y5DRJnb_cHuV91wr6shfJ7vz4r1zGak_eDZ7d19gyeXV0S-KkLV8T69Zg0rW4C4HpRNWnEkmR8bzyhfYZGYtwDkzpGEHFfN8g1ctAnxBA/s1600/joe.jpg" height="113" width="200" /></a></div>
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<i>Written by <a href="https://www.digitalbrandexpressions.com/team/bethany-frank/" target="_blank">Bethany</a> and <a href="https://www.digitalbrandexpressions.com/team/joe-goodlad/" target="_blank">Joe</a></i><br />
Websites are
designed for people. They should provide a good user experience to ensure
clients and prospects receive relevant information and broader exposure to your
brand. In order to be most effective, websites should also be designed in a way
that allows search engines to easily find and index it. As websites evolve, new
pages are added and removed on an ongoing basis. Issues can arise if users
attempt to access webpages that no longer exist after an update.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In order to maintain
a positive user experience and retain SEO link value acquired through previous
search marketing efforts, it is important to perform some maintenance on webpages
after updates are made. A 301 redirect is a directive for browsers or search
engines to redirect from one URL to another. It is essentially a way for a
browser or search engine to understand that although a particular page can no
longer be accessed via the original URL, there is another URL the user can be
directed to, in order to obtain the information sought. In our latest POV,
you’ll learn about 301 redirects and why they’re an important step in proper website
maintenance.<br />
<b><a href="https://www.digitalbrandexpressions.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/DBE-POV-Redirect-Yourself-before-You-Wreck-Yourself-12-8-1411_FINAL.pdf?utm_source=Blogger&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=BlogPost" target="_blank">Click here to download the PoV. </a></b><o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-44338276024728848592014-12-05T07:49:00.000-05:002014-12-09T10:37:15.234-05:00How to Rock SlideShare for Your Business <em>(To the tune of Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer)
</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>You know Facebook, and Twitter, and LinkedIn, and Pinterest
</em><br />
<em>Google+, and YouTube, and Instagram, and Foursquare </em><br />
<em>
But do you recall, the newest platform of all…?</em><br />
<br />
Since its creation in 2006, SlideShare has become one of the most visited Internet sites with over <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/about">60 million</a> unique visitors each month, proving that it is a beneficial tool for businesses to generate exposure in a creative and informative way. However, SlideShare is often one of the most overlooked platforms simply because businesses do not know how to use it. <br />
<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d4r5Ba5WTlA/VIGpATtshuI/AAAAAAAAALE/gBpa7pqyI0c/s1600/slideshare_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d4r5Ba5WTlA/VIGpATtshuI/AAAAAAAAALE/gBpa7pqyI0c/s320/slideshare_logo.jpg" height="86" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>The Low-Down</strong> <br />
<br />
SlideShare is an online community for sharing presentations and professional content. To get started on SlideShare, users simply create an account and start uploading and sharing presentations. SlideShare presentations offer a wide range of information on everything from productivity tips to leadership quotes to economics. These presentations can be uploaded in a number of file formats; for example, PowerPoint, PDFs, and Microsoft Word documents can all be uploaded to SlideShare. This versatile feature is ideal for businesses to share visual content including video and infographics. <br />
<br />
Did you know viewers spend <a href="https://blog.slideshare.net/2014/11/10/the-power-of-visuals-10-facts-you-need-to-know/">100%</a> more time on pages with visual content? If that statistic alone isn’t enough to motivate you to increase visual content, please <a href="https://www.digitalbrandexpressions.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/How-to-Rock-SlideShare-for-Your-Business-11-21-14.pdf?utm_source=blogger_rockslideshare&utm_medium=blogger&utm_campaign=Blogger">click here to download</a> our most recent POV to learn six ways you can utilize SlideShare as a valuable tool for businesses.
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-74344542494799376422014-11-03T10:58:00.001-05:002014-11-18T12:47:21.267-05:00User It or Loser ItWell, maybe not “loser it” exactly, but certainly lose an
opportunity for improvement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
referring to the opportunity to improve your SEO rankings and the emergence of
user signals as search engine algorithm factors per my recent POV
for DBE.<br />
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User signals like click-throughs from search engine results
pages, pages viewed, time on site, etc. are starting to appear in industry
analyses of common attributes among high-ranking websites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>SearchMetrics, Moz and Search Engine Land all
now see some correlation between these types of user signals and successful SEO
best practices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Note: none of these are
positing that user signals are more important or influential than relevant
content and/or quality links.</div>
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The truth is nobody knows the secret sauce of the reportedly
200+ factors in Google’s indexing recipe/algorithm, though the list of
suspected ingredients has expanded over the years with the addition of social
signals and now user signals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the
end, Google’s goal is to deliver the most relevant and meaningful results to
its users’ queries and it will extract all the data it can to evaluate where
each website ranks in fulfilling that purpose. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Marketers’ SEO initiatives need to integrate
and align as many of these signals as we can to highlight and elevate our websites
above the competition.<br />
<br />
To download this POV please e-mail us an inquiry at: <b><a href="mailto:info@digitalbrandexpressions.com">info@digitalbrandexpressions.com</a></b>. </div>
Marc Engelsmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13403486035711870374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-76358521819625060782014-10-17T13:00:00.000-04:002014-11-18T12:48:02.307-05:00It’s Vital to Get Visual<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9s_MgcQmt3jEYfmdo3Esu-LwbvAPIaL90Yl6bAid5Efq-uWdf9L_8qrQxz0kg6IUzoBgk_cRnCP88HEuxfcst84uDGpquMxnp_SlKcjwUPjwNiVY5qq_4RHH3d1yq53YIrV-RgA/s1600/shutterstock_173601773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9s_MgcQmt3jEYfmdo3Esu-LwbvAPIaL90Yl6bAid5Efq-uWdf9L_8qrQxz0kg6IUzoBgk_cRnCP88HEuxfcst84uDGpquMxnp_SlKcjwUPjwNiVY5qq_4RHH3d1yq53YIrV-RgA/s1600/shutterstock_173601773.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a></div>
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From print ads, to billboards, to TV commercials, marketing is
and has been visual. Research has shown that <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://thenextweb.com/dd/2014/05/21/importance-visual-content-deliver-effectively/">90%</a>
</span>of information transmitted to the brain is visual, and our brains
process images much faster than text. As we continue to move into the age of
hyper-connectivity, it’s important for marketers to incorporate techniques that
have stood the test of time into their marketing in the digital space. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Now more than ever, it’s vital to get visual. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Statistics show that visual content consistently receives <a href="http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/photos-generate-engagement-research/">more
engagement</a> than non-visual content. In an already over-saturated media
landscape, grabbing and retaining audience attention is made even more
difficult by <a href="http://digiday.com/platforms/decoding-facebooks-blog-post-decreased-organic-reach/">complex
algorithms</a> designed to limit the organic reach of content. Meanwhile,
millennials continue to <a href="http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2014/10/zuckerberg-was-smart-to-acquire-instagram-as-teens-abandon-facebook-for-it.html">ditch
Facebook</a> in favor of more visually-centric social media platforms. With so
much out there and attention spans dwindling, what’s a marketer to do? <o:p></o:p></div>
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To learn why visual
content should be an important piece of your digital marketing mix, please e-mail us a request for this POV at: <b><a href="mailto:info@digitalbrandexpressions.com">info@digitalbrandexpressions.com</a></b>. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-89811953693437035532014-09-22T09:29:00.000-04:002014-11-18T12:48:41.837-05:00Get Connected with Pinterest MessagesCreate a board, scroll, pin, repin, repeat. The Pinterest cycle is a never-ending experience of visually pleasing content. <br />
<br />
What started as a simple, online board of favorite images, ideas, crafts, and recipes has turned into a must-have for businesses and brands. Pinterest is embracing its newfound glory by introducing additional features to boost user experience. The latest feature, <a href="http://blog.pinterest.com/post/94009924279/start-a-conversation-about-a-pin">Pinterest Messages</a>, allows users to send pins and messages to those that follow at least one of their boards. <br />
<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aApNoHDVanQ/VCAj4tkArZI/AAAAAAAAAK0/zRZobUwEXMY/s1600/DBE%2BBlog%2BPinterest%2BMessages.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aApNoHDVanQ/VCAj4tkArZI/AAAAAAAAAK0/zRZobUwEXMY/s320/DBE%2BBlog%2BPinterest%2BMessages.png" height="200" width="196" /></a></div>
With Pinterest Messages, users can send a pin with or without text. Users also have the option to forgo the pin and just send a text-based message, much like Facebook chat. Messages can be sent to an individual or a group, allowing additional collaboration on ideas. <br />
<br />
While Pinterest Messages seem ideal for individuals, they work well for businesses and brands that seek engagement with consumers on a personal level. Marketers can use Pinterest Messages to message top repinners with content they might enjoy, collaborate with influencers or brand advocates, or answer questions to provide additional product information.
<br />
<br />
To learn how you can use Pinterest Messages strategically and thoughtfully for marketing, please request this POV by e-mailing us at: <b><a href="mailto:info@digitalbrandexpressions.com">info@digitalbrandexpressions.com</a></b>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-57988613237074189662014-09-08T09:00:00.000-04:002014-11-18T12:49:10.303-05:00Maximizing Local Search Best Practices for Your BusinessThe pace of change continues to accelerate for Local Search. The recent Google update, dubbed “Pigeon,” has caused a significant reduction in the number of Local One-Box, Local Pack, and Local Carousel results in the search engine results pages (SERPs). And Google is factoring organic ranking signals in Local Search results now too. <br />
<br />
We’ve created a POV (Point of View) of best practices for Local Search.<br />
<br />
Here’s a quick take on what our POV covers:<br />
<br />
• What to include in page titles<br />
• How to leverage the Schema.org format <br />
• The role of location terms<br />
• How to handle multiple business locations<br />
• Auditing your website and listings<br />
• Helpful tools to save time<br />
• What to watch for with time-saving resources<br />
• And more…<br />
<br />
Google and the other search engines will continue to rapidly adapt their ability to serve local searches driven by people looking to take action in their immediate locations. If your business is reliant on local business, make sure your website is helping, not hindering, your business.<br />
<br />
To download this POV please e-mail us an inquiry at: <b><a href="mailto:info@digitalbrandexpressions.com">info@digitalbrandexpressions.com</a></b>.<br />
<br />
<br />Veronica "Niki" Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11443662076780215365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-72951193954634527342014-08-28T08:50:00.001-04:002014-11-18T12:49:49.683-05:00Facebook Bans Like-Gating<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Effective
November 5, 2014, “like-gating” will be removed from Facebook applications. Like-gating
is a method used by business pages to gain fans while running a promotion. With
like-gating, users are required to “like” the page in order to enter the
promotion. The removal of like-gating raises questions regarding the effectiveness
of future promotions hosted on Facebook. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One of the main reasons for this change is Facebook’s goal
to create quality connections to business Pages. Forcing a user to do something
because a Page <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">requires</i> them to and
not because they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i> to is a tactic
Facebook is working to eliminate. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Like-gating
has been possible due to the Facebook API that allows app developers to “read”
Facebook’s information about the user and determine if the person is a fan of
the Page. On November 5, Facebook will remove this ability from the API. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What
does this mean for the future? It’s hard to determine how this will play out
over time. For app developers, they will need to adjust the structure of the
apps. For page administrators, promotions should not be viewed as the main way
to drive fan growth. However, this doesn’t mean promotions should be ignored;
they just need to be viewed differently. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To learn more about this recent Facebook change and how you
can still run a successful Facebook promotion, contact us, at</span> <b><a href="mailto:info@digitalbrandexpressions.com">info@digitalbrandexpressions.com</a></b>. </div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-70314590217874737762014-08-04T09:07:00.000-04:002014-11-18T12:50:55.816-05:00Creating Social Media Promotions That Perform! Social media promotions can be a great way to build your followers and increase engagement on your social media channels. New fans, new leads, increased website traffic, sound like a good idea? Without a strategy and plan in place, your promotion won’t achieve the new fans, new leads, or increased website traffic you’ve hoped for.
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<br />
The first, and most important, step in starting a social media promotion is determining your goals. What do you want to achieve? Is your focus on engaging current fans? Increasing your followers? Generating a specific action from your audience? Setting your goals is the first step in determining the strategy of your promotion.
<br />
<br />
The next step is determining the logistics of the promotion. Choose the platform that is right for your goal, and be sure you understand the rules for each. It’s crucial that you understand the difference between a contest and sweepstakes in order to correctly (and legally) identify your promotion. <br />
<br />
Consider the following questions when setting up the creative aspects of your promotion.
<br />
<ul>
<li>What will be the theme of the promotion? Will it be around a holiday, event, or season? </li>
<li>What will you give away? Do you have a new product to introduce? </li>
<li>How will you choose the winner? </li>
<li>How long will the promotion run? </li>
</ul>
Before launching your promotion, consider the long-term - how will you track results? It’s important to use a tracking program to provide data, analysis, and insights to help you determine the success of the promotion. <br />
<br />
After your promotion ends, gather your data and determine what worked, what didn’t work, and what you would change. Implement the results into your next promotional strategy and keep improving!
<br />
<br />
Remember, a social media promotion is more than just giving away a prize. It is a strategic and thoughtful representation of your brand. <br />
<br />
To download this POV please e-mail us an inquiry at: <b><a href="mailto:info@digitalbrandexpressions.com">info@digitalbrandexpressions.com</a></b>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17301351.post-58516425012870468612014-06-30T09:01:00.001-04:002014-06-30T09:01:32.259-04:00Using Retweets and Vias on TwitterTwitter offers many variations for retweeting or mentioning a Twitter handle in a tweet. With the amount of combinations available for brands and businesses to engage with others, how do you know which technique is the best? While there is no clear-cut answer, there are best practices to keep in mind the next time you want to share a tweet.
<b>
</b><br />
<b></b><br />
<b>Using the Retweet Button</b>
<br />
Determining when to simply use the retweet button depends on the circumstance. For example, retweeting a statistic, funny quote, or shout-out to your brand is an appropriate time to use the retweet button because you are giving the Twitter handle direct credit. This technique is best applied to B2C brands as a way of highlighting or thanking a customer’s tweet.
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Example:<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mWwhBCnoO8k/U7FeJcUau5I/AAAAAAAAAJ0/8D0g3CsOMsk/s1600/DBE_Retweet.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mWwhBCnoO8k/U7FeJcUau5I/AAAAAAAAAJ0/8D0g3CsOMsk/s320/DBE_Retweet.png" height="72" width="320" /></a>
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<b>Using RT</b>
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If you want your Twitter handle to appear as the sender of the tweet, you can simply add RT to the beginning of the tweet, followed by the original tweet and via @their handle. Many brands prefer this method so when followers skim their news stream, they see that brand’s Twitter handle, not the handle that was retweeted. Using RT is also beneficial if you are using the direct wording of the original tweet. It serves as a way to source the original material.
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Example:<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qv86gJGY42o/U7FeSailbrI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/lkGMg6MiKZw/s1600/DBE_RT.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Qv86gJGY42o/U7FeSailbrI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/lkGMg6MiKZw/s320/DBE_RT.png" height="48" width="320" /></a>
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<b>Including Via </b>
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When sharing an article, news story, or interesting fact, using via is an appropriate way to give the source credit and to also allow additional benefits to your Twitter account. For example, this method allows you to add your own thoughts or commentary to share your point of view. Adding commentary can be a small remark such as “good information,” “helpful tips,” or “great ideas.” Vias are beneficial for the source because they receive a mention. If someone retweets your tweet, then your Twitter account will receive the benefit of being retweeted – not the original source.
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Example:<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0l1mZMTM0SU/U7FebE3iFkI/AAAAAAAAAKE/u8cAQUGxoJ0/s1600/DBE_Via.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0l1mZMTM0SU/U7FebE3iFkI/AAAAAAAAAKE/u8cAQUGxoJ0/s320/DBE_Via.png" height="40" width="320" /></a>
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<b>Incorporating Retweets, RTs, and Vias
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Incorporating direct retweets along with RTs and vias is the best method to showcase your brand’s versatility in Twitter. These best practices can help you understand a basic Twitter function and how it can best serve your brand or business.
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Example:
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RT Learn how to find the right imagery for social media branding ow.ly/xAtEX #mengonline via @DigitalBrandExp
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Using a combination of retweets (RT) and vias allows your brand or business to showcase its ability to be well-versed in both methods. With trial and error, experimenting, and testing your tweets, you can determine the best times to use retweet or via. We recommend following these practices to create an engaging and properly attributed Twitter atmosphere.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0