Google Analytics Won’t Keep You Waiting

Google is also making headlines with the release of “Google Analytics Real-Time.” You’re now able to see how your search marketing campaigns impact your web traffic as it’s happening. Several companies offer real-time web analytics data, but not for free. “Google Analytics Real-Time” is free.

For customers who want extra processing power, advanced analysis and 24/7 support, “Google Analytics Premium” is now available for a fee of $150,000 per year. This is the first time Google has offered a paid analytics service and obviously, this is for high-dollar businesses and large agencies.

Government Antitrust Officials Have a Few Questions for Google

As government antitrust officials have begun investigating Google, Eric Schmidt, former Google chief executive, is trying to reassure lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary antitrust subcommittee that the internet search company is not illegally abusing its power.

The antitrust argument stems from concerns about Google’s domination of and influence on search marketing. Competitors accuse Google of giving its own content top placement in its search results. As Google has expanded into products beyond search (maps, shopping, travel), competitors are growing more troubled.

Proving that Google is violating antitrust law will be complicated—the law was written long before the existence of the internet. Others have tried and failed to take Google down a notch; this may be the first real threat against Google’s reign! For now though, nothing has changed; our SEO campaigns will continue to target Google. SEO is still all about Google.

There Are Customers Waiting for You on Social Media!

When Facebook makes any change to its interface, you can expect plenty of complaints from Facebook users. And that’s just what happened a few weeks ago when Facebook introduced:
1. Subscribe Button that gives you a way to follow the content others are posting without actually becoming Facebook friends with them (similar to following somebody on Twitter),
2. Upgraded "Friends" List that allows you to easily organize your friends into groups, and
3. Real-Time News Ticker that feeds content based on the last time you checked in so you won’t miss important status updates and new photos.

These are just a few of the big changes and many more are coming. Yes, people complained, but they’re not really going anywhere. Most users have too much invested in Facebook, and love it or hate it, that’s where their friends are. Nevertheless, Facebook knows that it must stay fresh and continue building an emotional connection with users to hold on to its status as the social media leader.

Many businesses don’t think that their products/services are interesting enough to get a following on social media. How can a small hardware store, for example, get a following on Facebook? The first step is to get conversations going about related topics—offer tips on home improvement, decorating and gardening. Illustrate your postings with photos/videos of your products and services. Your products and services don’t always have to be front and center in the conversation.

If you need help figuring out how to get the social media conversation going for your business and how to generate leads from your social media campaigns, ask us. We can brainstorm ideas and get your campaign up and running. The data from your social media campaigns will be reported on your dashboard, alongside your other search marketing campaigns