Defining The CMTO by Laurie Sullivan

Search marketers scrambling to keep up with Google's Penguin algorithm updates will also need to become more aware of working with data -- lots of it. I wrote in July about the new role of chief marketing technology officers. Now BlueKai has created a profile of the CTMO based on the latest available research and data. ...Read the whole story

  • Mobile Traffic Tops Desktop For Groupon, LivingSocial by Mark Walsh

    Mobile traffic for both Groupon and LivingSocial site now exceeds that on the desktop, according to comScore. If mobile use continues to expand for Groupon, it could also lead to higher conversion rates and higher spending per customer. ...Read the whole story

  • Jivox, Music Interactive Create Free Tune Downloads From Ads by Laurie Sullivan

    Social sharing and video views led Music Interactive to bring publishers an ad unit allowing site visitors to download a free piece of music in exchange for a tweet. The social tool is part of a partnership with Jivox announced Thursday. ...Read the whole story

  • Marketers Mixed On Facebook Changes by Mark Walsh

    Design and ad-related changes that Facebook introduced in the lead-up to its IPO suggest that companies will probably have to spend more on paid media on the social network to get meaningful campaign results. When a brand posts an update on Facebook, only 16% of its fans actually see the content, the company reports. ...Read the whole story

  • Bonnier To Assist Start-ups In New 'Lab' by Mark Walsh

    Bonnier Corp. on Thursday announced an initiative to fund digital media start-ups and provide training at a new facility at its Boulder office. Through the project, four start-ups will be chosen to participate in a 14-week program at the newly created Bonnier Innovation Lab to accelerate their growth. ...Read the whole story

  • Many Fortune 500 Companies Avoid Social Media by Laurie Sullivan

    Fortune 500 companies, especially luxury brands, don't want to list social media as a means for customers to contact them. Fifty-one percent of Fortune 500 businesses do not provide a link to their Facebook profile on the Contact Us page of their Web site, and 55% don't provide a Twitter handle. ...Read the whole story

Direct Vs. Distributors: Clash Of The Compensation Models by Gord Hotchkiss

The world of marketing is heading for a head-on collision, thanks to consumers who seem to think they have the right to inform themselves prior to purchasing. The problem? We marketers trying to jam a semi-trailer full of legacy channel baggage into the sleek new two-door direct-marketing roadster we're taking for a spin. Simple physics dictate that something has to give. My money's on that bloated distribution chain. ...More

  • Social Ad Success Means Defining New Metrics by Laura O’Shaughnessy

    As digital advertising expands into the new frontier of social media, the industry is faced with defining the value of an ad on these unique platforms. ...More

  • School Daze by Eric Pakurar

    Each year, it seems as if annual shopping seasons come earlier and earlier, whether it's Halloween, Christmas, or back-to-school. Part of this is due to regular retail cycles- which generally run for one or two months prior to peak shopping periods-and then sharply drop off once the holiday or event has passed. Yet, it seems as if this year's back-to-school shopping season crept up much earlier than in past years, with many TV ads airing at the beginning of August (and some even debuting in late July). Meanwhile, digital ads and sales promotions began popping up even earlier, some appearing ...More