Think small, stay small

Posted by Dave CollinsDigital Marketing, General

Our company provides a range of marketing services, and each week we typically send out around 4-5 price quotations. We also turn away around 9-10 requests, when we feel that our services are not appropriate. Most of the companies that we turn away understand what we’re saying, and appreciate our not taking their money under what would amount to false … Read More

Small website changes can have a huge impact on conversions

Posted by Dave CollinsGeneral

You work hard to bring targeted traffic to your website, spending time and money to draw in potential customers. So what’s your bounce rate? How many people arrive at your website and leave within a few seconds? 30%? 50%? 70%? I am often asked what constitutes a “good” bounce rate, but the truth is that there’s no concrete answer. If … Read More

A truly original website idea

Posted by Dave CollinsGeneral

So many websites try to be different, original and unique. Wacky doesn’t work. Dazzle is dull. And cool is same old, same old. This one pulls it off. BooneOakley.com

2009 – the year of the eBook?

Posted by Dave CollinsDigital Marketing

Marketing Pilgrim believe that this is the year for eReaders to make the transition from early adopter’s toys to widespread acceptance: “We’ve covered the Kindle here a couple times, but I’m willing to bet most of you don’t have one. Sometimes we like to think that means that eReaders and eBooks are nonstarters. But according to new research from Forrester, … Read More

99% of Generation Y consumers are on social media; yet only 22% use Twitter?

Posted by Dave CollinsGeneral

The Participatory Marketing Network have released details of a new study, suggesting that only 22 percent of 18 – 24 year olds are using Twitter: “The Participatory Marketing Network (PMN), an organization that helps marketers transition from push and permission marketing to participatory marketing, today released results of a new study showing that only 22 percent of Generation Y consumers … Read More

U.S. Online Ad Revenue Now Shrinking

Posted by Dave CollinsDigital Marketing, Google Ads

From the Silicon Alley Insider: “For the first time since the dot-com bust, the U.S. online ad market is shrinking, including search. That’s a stunning drop in growth from a year ago, when the market was still growing more than 20%.” As a person who spends a large amount of time handling Google AdWords accounts, this reinforces what I already … Read More

AdWords Editor headed for retirement

Posted by Dave CollinsGoogle Ads

As a long-term user of Google’s AdWords Editor, I have a strong (but treasured) love-hate relationship with the software. I love it because it saves me time and makes my life easier. And I hate it because it’s quirky, ugly and feature-limited. But as is often the case in a love-hate scenario, love wins. And I wouldn’t be without it. … Read More

Google AdWords are lifting the veils of secrecy

Posted by Dave CollinsGoogle Ads

Okay so I’m getting a little carried away. Google are lifting one of their layers of secrecy within AdWords. Allow me to explain. Google have a complex and incredibly effective strategy in place within their AdWords system. With one hand they calm their advertisers down and gently point them towards the information they need. And with the other hand they … Read More

AdWords trademark policy changes – U-turn or a 720 degree circle?

Posted by Dave CollinsGoogle Ads

The Inside AdWords blog details an update to Google’s US ad text trademark policy: “Imagine opening your Sunday paper and seeing ads from a large supermarket chain that didn’t list actual products for sale; instead, they simply listed the categories of products available – offers like “Buy discount cola” and “Snacks on sale.” The ads wouldn’t be useful since you … Read More

New AdWords interface – bad news for most advertisers

Posted by Dave CollinsGoogle Ads

Google are renowned for their incredibly long BETA testing cycles, but it appears that the new Google AdWords interface is now more or less live. I have to admit to being surprised by this, as our own experiences have uncovered many issues with the new system, often resulting in the interface “crashing”, kicking us out of the client’s account and … Read More