Google has rolled out a strong paid-search enhancement that brings click-to-call functionality to all mobile-triggered searches regardless of a users location through phone extensions.
Keith Vera
Client Services Manager
Last month we talked about the launch of the new AdWords click-to-call feature as Google rolled out the service to all paid-search advertisers. Now, Google has rolled out a strong enhancement that brings click-to-call functionality to all mobile-triggered searches regardless of a users location through phone extensions. Advertiser phone numbers can now appear as the last line of ad text, and can be applied to all existing or new campaigns. Here is an example of what an advertisement utilizing the new phone extensions enhancement might look like:

Google AdWords Phone Extensions
We’ve been utilizing Google’s new Click-to-Call features for some of our clients and have a few suggestions if you would like to take your PPC ads to the next level and implement click-to-call utilizing phone extensions:
- Treat your click-to-call campaigns as separate programs from your traditional PPC campaigns, much as you would campaigns that focus on advertising on the content network.
- Focus on the more general terms around your brand or product at first, with the goal of capturing users who are actively searching for your company, products or services. These users are more likely to be your stronger target-audience segment, and further down your conversion-funnel.
- Test and optimize your mobile campaigns just as you would your standard PPC campaigns, be sure to check your mobile calls-generated statistics frequently.
- Finally, be sure that you have a system in place to handle the new inbound call traffic. If your call center doesn’t operate 24 hours a day, day-part your click-to-call campaigns to only operate during hours you can handle calls.
Let us know what you think of this new click-to-call AdWords feature by commenting below…
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There is more to successful marketing then just running buyer targeted campaigns as there also needs to be effective lead management mechanisms in place to ensure that potential buyers receive the attention they deserve.
Ryan Moss
Senior Sales Representative
Last week I attended Silverpop’s B2B Marketing University which was held at the Westin Hotel in Washington D.C. This free educational event was designed to help B2B marketers stay up to date with the current technology and best practices. There were several different presentors who discussed topics ranging from how to build out B2B marketing infrastructure to allow for automation to buyer-centric demand generation.
All and all I found the event to be very beneficial and learned quite a bit about B2B Marketing and the value of lead automation. Some of my biggest takeaways were:
- Great content is the key to a successful marketing campaign and your content should help you structure your marketing automation strategy
- 52% of marketers say that lead generation is their biggest challenge
- 70% of consumers are not ready to buy when first contacted my salesmen
- Setting goals and monitoring quantitative data is vital for marketers. To help create their goals marketers should work backwards from the sales revenue goal
- With the amount of information that is easily accessible on the Internet, the buyer is in charge now making effective marketing even more important
Tags: B2B Marketing, Lead Management, online lead generation, Silverpop
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SXSW® Interactive features five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable line up of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer
Andrew Bates
Client Services Manager
I could honestly not be more excited than I am for SXSW Interactive this week / weekend in Austin, TX. I get to spend 5 days with the best and brightest of the web and digital industries, seeing the latest in internet, interactive, mobile, video games, and much more.
What am I most excited for at SXSWi this year? Tons…
How about the keynote interview with twitter’s CEO Evan Williams? Can’t wait to hear his perspective on social networking and the impact twitter has on communications and business. A revenue model? Profitability? We may hear something interesting
I also want to check out the Microsoft Silverlight Interactive lounge that may feature our friends from Cynergy Systems. Really impressed with the quality of RIA work and demos these guys have been showcasing.
I also can’t wait to hang out with industry experts at ScreenBurn at SXSW Arcade Fri-Sun. This is a place for people, swag, and learning what’s new.
When I get back, I’ll post again to let you all know what I saw and learned at SXSW Interactive.
@AndrewBates
Tags: Andrew Bates, SXSW Interactive, sxswi
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The gold medal hockey game between USA and Canada during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games has shattered records for social media buzzing and online viewership. Canadians love their hockey…and Molson beer.
George Assimakopoulos
CEO & Principal Manager
By now we all know that Canada (once again) has won the GOLD Medal for Men’s Hockey at the Winter Olympics. To my many friends up there in moose-land (and you know who you are) congratulations. As I was watching the game today, I was amazed at the reaction of the audience watching at the arena. I mean every shot, every block, and every hit was followed by a unanimous shout of glee that I have never seen in any sporting event. I realize that, in Canada, HOCKEY is more than a national sport – in fact, to many it is almost a religion.
In Canada, 24.2 million people watched the gold medal hockey game yesterday. Why is this an amazing statistic? Well – there are approximately 34 million people in total living in Canada – so that means that over 70% of the country watched the game. During the actual game, Twitter reported over 172,000 tweets on the topic of “Canada vs USA Hockey Game”. Even Justin.TV (unofficially) reported that more Canadians tried to broadcast this gold medal hockey game than any other Canadian sporting event ever (I wonder if NBC knows about that stat). Over the next several days, more statistical research will be released on the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. Regardless of the upcoming analysis, it is safe to say that the gold medal hockey game between USA and Canada has shattered the social media buzz and online viewership record-books for an Olympic winter event.
For more information on Olympic audience statistics across online channels and social media environments – visit these links:
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The International Olympics Committee has embraced social media as part of their marketing strategy for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Stefanie Berliant
Client Services Manager
As the 2010 Winter Olympics are coming to a close, there’s been some great coverage of these talented athletes on the air and online. I must give kudos to the International Olympics Committee and NBC (http://www.nbcolympics.com/) for really making an effort and embracing social media. One page on the site is a dedicated Twitter tracker for the Olympians. There is even a section on staying connected with the games through mobile alerts, widgets and more. The Vancouver Olympics page on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/olympics) has also contributed to their large social presence. Nielsen released a study showing that more viewers were on Facebook while watching the Olympics opening ceremonies than on Google or Yahoo (http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/100222-002727). Even Olympic sponsors have created social media marketing campaigns (http://www.youtube.com/visagoworld). While some may view the IOC’s social media approach as too strict and centralized, I really commend them for trying to harness social media and utilize it in the best way they know how by creating this strategy and being proactive in these social networks. It is nice to see traditional media outlets staying current with the new technologies and adjusting to new ways people communicate.
There has also been some criticism toward NBC over the tape-delay coverage as audiences can find real time search results before actually watching the event (http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/02/olympic-tape-delays-roil-fans-but-for-nbc-its-good-for-business/). Since the world is so connected via the internet, this is to be expected. We’ll have to wait and see if NBC changes their strategy come the 2012 Summer Olympics. Even so, there has been some great content coming from this round of Winter Olympic events, including Ed Olxyzk’s description of the US vs Canada men’s hockey game as “tremendously tremendous” which has memed its way through the internet (http://www.sbnation.com/2010/2/22/1320934/ed-olcyzk-tremendously-tremendous-hockey).
Either way, the internet and the Olympics go hand in hand. I feel like I need Google Translator to understand what curling commentators mean when they say “make sure the hammer gets past the hog line and into the house.” Another good use of the internet: a resource for Olympic drinking games (http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-2010-womens-figure-skating-drinking-game). Go Team USA!
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Google sneaks in more Social Search and signs of Caffeine. It looks as if the major aspects of Google Caffeine may be live today.
Andrew Bates (@AndrewBates)
Client Services Manager
As we’ve heard for months and months, Google has been developing their next generation of search algorithm Caffeine. Last fall Google’s Matt Cutts told us of the impending launch of Google Caffeine, but so far we have seen mostly a slow roll out of features including real-time search in January.
Most recently we’ve heard a great deal about the growing value of social networks for breaking news and for search engine marketing, but Caffeine has stayed below the radar. Much attention has been given to Buzz, the new toy from Google that is meant to be tool to engage and follow other social networks in gmail. Some search experts like Tad Miller of Search-Mojo see Google Buzz as another method Google is using to introduce social search.
There is now evidence of more social search features live in Google now. In the search results below, you will see results with Peter Corbett coming into the results because of my social circle.
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social search for twitter in google
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social search for twitter in google 2
It looks as if the major aspects of Google Caffeine may be live today.
Tags: Andrew Bates, google caffeine, search mojo, social networks, social search, tad miller
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Google improves the social experience in Gmail with the release of Google Buzz, giving users another avenue to communicate all within the same browser window.
Christine Pepin
Media Coordinator
Yesterday, Google announced the release of its new product, Google Buzz. If you’ve logged onto your Gmail today you may have seen the announcement or if not, it’s coming very soon. Whether you’ve realized yet, you’re also already following the people you email and Chat with the most. Are you ready for the flood of real-time conversation?
With this tool, Google uses its expertise in organizing information to make an easy-to-use sharing experience. Here’s what you’ll find as you check out the new tool:
- Buzz integrates tightly with your Gmail inbox, so there’s no need to start from scratch with building a whole new network of friends.
- Share anything from pictures, links, videos and updates either privately or to a restricted group. Experience photos in high-resolution and full screen videos within the same window.
- Messages about responses to your posts are sent directly to your inbox, where you can actually view the conversation live and in real-time.
- Connect to other sites you use such as Picasa, Flickr, Google Reader and Twitter, so your friends can view all your updates in one place.
- Google Buzz can also be accessed on your mobile phone, through Gmail.
Google Buzz seems worth giving a try. However, where’s the integration with Facebook? I find an uncanny resemblance between both the look and feel as well as the offerred functionality of the two. I welcome Google’s attempt at improving how users can engage socially within their current products. How do you respond to the Buzz?
Google Buzz
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The Big Ideas Big Action Conference was a great event for entrepreneurs to come together and learn from each other as well as from successful entrepreneurs.
Ryan Moss
Senior Sales Representative
Last week I was fortunate enough to attend the Big Ideas Big Action (BIBA) Conference in Washington D.C. The event was hosted by iStrategyLabs and FedScoop and provided an opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs, marketers and government officials to interact with each other and also hear the stories of several successful entrepreneurs. The hosts did a great job trying to inspire creativity and out of the box thinking by filling the venue with thing like Playdoh, blow ups Dinosaurs and paper airplanes. While all of the speakers offered valuable advice, the presentation given by Peter Corbett, CEO of iStrategyLabs, was one that really stood out to me.
Corbett’s presentation focused on his approach to “idea generation and conception.” He discussed how a lot of people will just talk about an idea but than stop there and not actually do anything with their idea. Therefore it is important to be motivated and put in the necessary time and effort to try to advance your idea/concept forward. There are a lot of tools out there to help you get started on the initial research including several offered by Google (Search Insights, AdPlanner, AdWords) and some others like Linkfluence and Scoutlabs.
One point that Corbett made sure to hammer home was the importance of staying focused on one single item. Everyone has so many things going on but when working on an idea/concept it is vital to set aside a certain amount of time and focus only on that idea/concept. This will help you really plan out everything and figure out if you are on the right path. With that being said, it is usually not a good idea to just jump into this focused session. Instead it can be very beneficial to clear your “cache” so it will be easier for you to stay focused. For some people this can be done through exercise while others turn to things like mediation.
This conference provided a great opportunity to hear from successful entrepreneurs but it was also very helpful to have a chance to interact with aspiring entrepreneurs. There are a lot of great ideas out there and people just need to find a way to bring those ideas to life.
Tags: BIBA 2010, Brainstorming, Entrepreneurs, Generating Idea
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