Where can you find the best resources to help pass the AdWords certification exam? When is it time to drop or rewrite an underperforming ad? What factors should be taken into account when developing a new AdWords campaign? How can the Google AdWords search-based keyword tool be used for competitive research? Discover those answers and more here in the final installment of the best posts on AdWords marketing from the past year. Top 10 Resources to Pass the Google AdWords Exam in a Week by SEOptimise Richard Fergie provides a helpful list of resources to help with the Google AdWords certification exam from the AdWords blog, O'Reilly , seobook, PPC Hero and other sources. AdWords Conversion Optimizer Expands Eligibility by Inside AdWords In important news for smaller advertisers, Amanda Kelly announced that Google had expanded the availability of its AdWords Conversion Optimizer tool to any campaign using AdWords Conversion Tracking with at least 50 conversions in the last 30 days....

Sure, almost every business on the planet is now using social media in some manner, but do you ever wonder if it really works? And if so, how? I get those questions, and while I generally avoid writing about myself (preferring to stick to topics that are actually interesting), a recent post here on how to use Twitter for business was part of interesting and illustrative social media experience. It started with a webcast on using Twitter effectively for business and advocacy hosted by Chris Abraham , social media guru and principal at social PR firm Abraham Harrison , and Anamitra Banerji of Twitter. After the presentation, Chris posted his content on SlideShare , a leading social media sharing site. I then wrote the above-mentioned blog post summaring the presentation, which was published here and also syndicated on MyVenturePad , part of the Social Media Today network. The syndicated piece caught the attention of the marketing folks at ZoomInfo . ZoomInfo is a highly-regarded...

The previous post on this topic advised search engine marketers to bid on their own company name and branded terms, keep keyword lists clean and cross-pollinate SEO and SEM efforts. Here are three more tips for optimizing results from SEM programs such as Google AdWords. 1. Keep your content network clean. Used properly, content networks can add significantly to paid search lead generation. Though the click-through rate (CTR) is generally lower on content than on search, the cost per click is generally lower as well, and conversion rates are often quite respectable. The key, however, is to periodically check on the sites where your ad is appearing and exclude sites that are inappropriate, unproductive or spammy. In Google AdWords, click Tools in the Campaign Management tab, then go to Site and Category Exclusion. First, click the Topics tab where you choose to preclude your ads from running on various kinds of sites such as those focused on sexually suggestive content or death an...

Note: This is the third in a four-part series of guest posts on B2B branding strategy and website design from Rebekah E. Donaldson ("Red") and Cris Rominger of B2B Communications . Today, logos must work well at 2 pixels wide or stretching the full length of a trade show banner. Size matters One of the big laughs in the film “Spinal Tap” came when the band took to the stage to sing of Stonehenge. The set was supposed to feature a replica of a section of Stonehenge standing an imposing 18 feet tall. Due to a miscommunication problem with the designer, it shows up at a ridiculous 18 inches tall. When it comes to your logo, you want something that works no matter what size. Sticking with the music theme for a bit, consider how graphic designers have had to adapt as the 12-inch LP jacket gave way to the 5-inch CD cover, and finally to the tiny icon that shows up on an iPod. The February 2009 issue of Wired magazine gives examples. Today your logo has to work as tiny square icon ...

This content has been moved to Best of 2008: Social Media Marketing on the Webbiquity blog. ***** technorati tags: best free tools for monitoring social buzz social media marketing Six Pixels of Separation Mitch Joel Techrigy SM2 Key Web Data Chris Lang Google social bookmarking HubSpot Catie Foertsch Kate Morris TopRank Online Marketing Blog Jessica Cameron-Ruud Duct Tape Marketing John Jantsch CircleUp Traffic Travis del.icio.us tags: best free tools for monitoring social buzz social media marketing Six Pixels of Separation Mitch Joel Techrigy SM2 Key Web Data Chris Lang Google social bookmarking HubSpot Catie Foertsch Kate Morris TopRank Online Marketing Blog Jessica Cameron-Ruud Duct Tape Marketing John Jantsch CircleUp Traffic Travis icerocket tags: best free tools for monitoring social buzz social media marketing Six Pixels of Separation Mitch Joel Techrigy SM2 Key Web Data Chris Lang Google social bookmarking HubSpot Catie Foe...

Note: This is the second in a four-part series of guest posts on B2B branding strategy and website design from Rebekah E. Donaldson ("Red") and Cris Rominger of B2B Communications . An intuitive, user-focused web site begins with an intuitive, user-focused brand . To arrive at such a brand, be systematic. Branding is about building a perception , and B2B buyers expect a strong business brand. Indeed, business decision makers are a special audience when it comes to branding. As mentioned earlier, when a purchase affects a company’s operations, productivity and bottom line, the risk of a wrong decision is high. Often, the selling proposition is complex and there are multiple influencers – each one sizing you up from a different angle. Five step system These five steps can help you get to the right endpoint, for the right reasons: Understanding current perceptions The first step in B2B branding is to identify any gap between your current and desired market positioni...

Note: This is the first in a four-part series of guest posts on B2B branding strategy and website design from Rebekah E. Donaldson ("Red") and Cris Rominger of B2B Communications . It’s a question we hear a lot. And for good reason. Either way, you’re still marketing to a human being – right? Yes and no. We wrote an e-book that covers how B2B marketing differs from consumer marketing, called What Marketing Directors Need in a B2B Marketing Consultant . But here is a short version. Perceived risk is generally higher for B2B buyers In business to business (B2B) marketing, a purchase of professional services may impact the company’s customer service, productivity, operations, legal issues, reputation, sales, and/or the bottom line. The perceived risk of a wrong decision is high. In B2C decision making the level of perceived risk is typically low, because most consumer purchases can be returned or exchanged. Buying committees look to Google and service providers’ websit...

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I sat in last week on an excellent webcast presented by Chris Abraham of social PR firm Abraham Harrison and Anamitra Banerji , product manager at Twitter, on using Twitter for business. If you've got an hour, check out the slides and presentation video ; if you only have a few minutes, the highlights from the presentation are below. A Practical Guide to Twittering for Business View more presentations from chrisabraham . What Twitter is Useful For 1) sharing real-time news , such as what was happening, while it was happening, during the terrorist attack on Mumbai; 2) monitoring what people are saying about your company, brand, industry, hobby, favorite charity, cause, or anything else; and 3) business. The primary business use of Twitter is for listening to and carefully communicating with customers and prospects. However, there are multiple examples of companies finding other interesting uses for Twitter: CRM — JetBlue , Comcast Cares , Starbucks , Ford Branding — iStock , Who...

Congratulations to ViralBlog , named Best Marketing & Advertising Blog in the 2009 Chapeau Blog Awards. ViralBlog is written by a "collaborative team of viral bloggers (who) haunt the globe for great viral and social media cases every day...(the) ViralBlog team aims to inspire CMO’s, advertising and media agencies in creating the best social media strategies and viral campaigns ever." ViralBlog's team includes Igor Beuker, Paul van Veenendaal, Matthijs Roumen and Niels BellaarNiels Bellaar. This means of course that WebMarketCentral...took second place. But it was a great honor to be nominated, and to everyone who took the time to vote for this blog—thank you! Let me know if I can help you at some point. ***** ontact Tom Pick: tomATwebmarketcentralDOTcom

This content has been moved to Best of 2008: Interactive PR on the Webbiquity blog. ***** technorati tags: PR 2.0 SEO social media interactive PR? THINKing Harry Hoover HARO PitchEngine Online Marketing Blog Lee Odden Jason Kintzler Steve Rubel Lori Luechtefeld Orange Soda blog Search Engine Journal Loren Baker Content Marketing Today Newt Barrett David Meerman Scott The New Rules of Marketing and PR del.icio.us tags: PR 2.0 SEO social media interactive PR? THINKing Harry Hoover HARO PitchEngine Online Marketing Blog Lee Odden Jason Kintzler Steve Rubel Lori Luechtefeld Orange Soda blog Search Engine Journal Loren Baker Content Marketing Today Newt Barrett David Meerman Scott The New Rules of Marketing and PR icerocket tags: PR 2.0 SEO social media interactive PR? THINKing Harry Hoover HARO PitchEngine Online Marketing Blog Lee Odden Jason Kintzler Steve Rubel Lori Luechtefeld Orange Soda blog Search Engine Journal Loren Baker ...