“Open the pod bay doors, HAL.” “I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that.” This iconic movie exchange from 2001: A Space Odyssey was science fiction at the time. Today it’s not. It can be easy to forget, but every time you ask your phone for directions, a machine is understanding what you say. That’s a very new phenomenon. Google has Continue Reading...

“Failing to consider Facebook is marketing malpractice.” I said that a few years ago, and I stand by it today. Facebook is the biggest social network with the broadest audience. Its analytics are powerful and easy to use. And if you’re trying to build a following, it’s the first platform you should consider. But, should it be the platform you Continue Reading...

“Hey, check this out,” my brother’s email said. “Just found this really cool site with a lot of great outdoor products.” He had forwarded me something from a little company called Huckberry that was trying to drum up customers. I looked. Their membership was free at the time; I was in college and free was a price I could afford. I subscribed. Continue Reading...

Google not only runs the search engine market — it runs the analytics market too. Over 50% of the Internet uses its products Universal Analytics (UA) and Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Universal Analytics is going away in July 2023. For most technology companies, that might be a footnote. But this is Google we’re talking about. It’s a big deal, Continue Reading...

You’ve probably heard the phrase “content is king.” That phrase used to be provocative. It's an established fact now. Most companies today have a digital presence of some kind, usually a website and some type of “content marketing” effort. Most businesses are generally aware that you need to produce content to be visible online. We need a new Continue Reading...

“Hi!” “My name is — “What? “My name is — “Who? “My name is —” I’m not an Eminem fan, but even I know his name is “Slim Shady.” This was the first thing most people heard from him, and for the next four minutes and twenty-nine seconds he explained exactly who he was. When you write your About Page, you’re doing the same Continue Reading...

Attention is the fuel your marketing needs. And it’s getting scarce — even as marketers work harder to capture it. Social media is a case in point. My Instagram feed is two-thirds sponsored posts or recommendations; I feel like Meta is trying to see how much people will put up with before they stop using the platform altogether. And often when I Continue Reading...

Technical SEO has changed over the past 20 years. Today, content marketers focus on creating readable, flexible and smart content that readers can consume. This kind of content ranks highest on search engines and generates the best traffic. That said, even today, digital marketers need to know technical SEO best practices so their great content Continue Reading...

Forget the “e.” eCommerce is just commerce now. COVID-19 changed the game. Businesses that relied solely on foot traffic realized all at once what we marketers have been saying for years: technology is not a choice anymore. If you dropship cutting boards from China, you know eCommerce is for you. But you may not realize — if you mow lawns in Continue Reading...

Social media’s not just one more piece of the Internet anymore. It’s a destination on its own. Almost 4 billion people use social media worldwide. GWI notes that the average social media user is active on over 7 different platforms each month. Your audience is out there — if you know where to look. You need to figure out where your audience Continue Reading...