SEO Questions: What Exactly is a Paid Link?

In light of the current coverage regarding JC Penny’s, Forbes and Overstock’s paid link scandals, we thought it might be helpful to clarify what constitutes black hat SEO or spamdexing.

Low Conversion Rates: What You Are Doing Wrong

Your marketing arsenal is full of strategies to help you out perform your opponents. Your strongest asset is your website. If you are experiencing high bounce rates, visitors falling off mid-way through the conversion funnel, large amounts of traffic but low conversion rates, then your front line of defense is down.

And the Big Name Brand Blunders Just Keep on Coming

First it was the Gap logo fiasco, followed by the Kenneth Cole Twitter faux paux, then the tacky Groupon Super Bowl Ads and now JC Penny’s is trying to justify shady link building activities. As a PR or marketing professional, I am not sure if you can say one situation trumps another in the severity, but all three would make exceptional consumer loyalty case studies.

Who Cares About Ranking Reports Anyway

You know the old adage, “Don’t judge a book by its cover?” In the world of search marketing, we say, “Don’t judge the success of a search campaign based on keyword rankings.”
A quote from a recent blog post on Searchengineland.com said it bluntly but truthfully, “Ranking reports are cited by businesses to suggest success. In reality they cloud the issue… They distract from business goals and promote the misallocation of resources. Talk to me about traffic, but don’t show me another (bleep) ranking report.” We at Marcel are inclined to agree.

Why You Should Use Social Media at Your Next Event

In the current economic climate, event marketers, like everyone else, are forced to watch budgets closely. The allocation of resources is tight, but the expectations to produce successful events remain the same.

What Exactly Are “Social Viewers” and Why Should I Care?

Marketers no longer want just a plethora of views, or click throughs when they post online video. Smart marketers are now trying to target a demographic of viewers who will share their content, not just watch it. “Social views” or visitors who are “influencers” are coveted by companies who produce branded video due to the potential viral nature of their sharing habits, and their ability to influence more views.

Social Media “Medical” Marketing: Tips on How to Make Healthcare Social

Social media is an incredible marketing tool. So why are healthcare organizations so hesitant to join the social media movement? Simply put, healthcare providers operate within extremely strict regulatory guidelines when it comes to marketing and communications. The fear of those regulations and the lack of guidance are sidelining these organizations. By not participating in social media, healthcare companies are missing out on important opportunities to increase their online presence, and engage with their customers.