There are plenty of available contact points with teens on social sites (friends, gifts, games -- you name it), but no proven method of engaging the throngs of teens hanging out in those increasingly popular virtual malls. What has worked for some to create brand engagement has typically been highly custom efforts, typically labor-intensive and not logically replicable for different brands or verticals.The answer to organized engagement starts with the considering the teen audience's agenda, not the marketers'. Give them a reason to want to spend time with your brands, and do it within the rules of the social environment.

We have seen a new type of "scam" on the lead generation front. Actually, it's been going on for years, but it seems to have become more rampant than ever: companies claiming lead-gen capabilities, Internet reach, etc., that just aren't true. This includes third-party providers claiming to have particular Web sites in their "network."

There's been a lot of talk in the lead generation space lately about site placement, transparency, lead verification, and so on. These are critical components to consider when choosing your partners for a lead generation campaign. However, one aspect of the lead generation media buying process that is so often overlooked is the execution -- getting the program live quickly and pain free. There is nothing worse than a provider who can't "tie their shoes" once the IO is signed! This article will help you navigate the waters to ensure the partners you choose are more than capable in the …

In a media environment filled with stories of downturn this and slowdown that, the online lead generation industry has distinguished itself with explosive growth. This growth has largely been driven by advertiser demand for performance-based advertising. The 2007 IAB PWC Internet advertising report noted that for the first time, advertiser spend on performance based advertising was greater than that spent on CPM advertising

So Obama and McCain are about to be anointed as Presidential nominees. And let's say their campaign staffs meet this week and talk marketing budgets. They'll go down the usual list: prime-time TV, heavy schedules in swing states, short inspirational films for convention use, lots of direct mail, a bunch of full-page ads in prestigious papers and so on. Of course, the campaigns will pay lip service to the online world with wry but reverent social media and blog entries.

We've all done it, whether driving to an important business meeting, a trade show or a tourist attraction with restless kids in the car: gotten lost and refused to pull over and ask for directions, or at least waited far too long to do so, wasting time and causing ourselves and our fellow passengers a lot of unnecessary aggravation. Online mapping tools and GPS technology have alleviated some of these problems, but there are still times when technology won't cut it and we need to just ask another human being.

As lead generation marketers have become savvier and have pushed for even more performance at scale, it has put more pressure on incorporating both increased lead quality and lead monetization strategies. Lead generation performance depends as much on what an advertiser does with leads as where they originate. How advertisers process and manage leads, and the relationships they build with their lead providers, are equally important and becoming increasingly more sophisticated. Here are four strategies advertisers can incorporate to maximize lead performance in the current lead generation landscape.

Everyone involved in lead generation should read "Why $0.00 is the Future of Business" by Chris Anderson, in the March, 2008 issue of Wired. It has invaluable lessons for those of us who make our livings generating leads online. The author, Chris Anderson of "The Long Tail" fame, starts off with the story of King Gillette, a frustrated inventor who essentially started the disposable razor blade industry. Of course, his model has been dramatically refined over the years to the point where the razors themselves are disposable. But you get the point: give away the razors and sell the blades.

The past 12 months have been filled with stories of networks involved in M&A. As a result we've all heard about these networks. In fact, most of us have worked directly or indirectly with an advertising network in some capacity over the years. After all the publicity, most media planners, whether they are at an agency or direct client, still have not mastered the concept and uses of the ad network. There are new networks popping up every day, which only adds to the confusion....

The numbers are staggering. According to a Pew study, 93% of teens are online, and an NSBA study has found that nine- to 17-year-olds spend an average of nine hours a week on social networks alone. Within the last month, eMarketer published a new statistic showing that social consumption by 10- to 12-year-olds doubled from '06 to '07. So the growth isn't over yet....