These days I’m doing quite a bit of online and in-person training in Google Analytics. The tool has become so sophisticated that people are struggling with the idea of where to start with Analytics and what meaningful metrics to look at on a regular basis.

In my training sessions, I like to mix things up a bit with case studies, whiteboard exercises and videos. It prevents *death by PowerPoint* and stops people from becoming overwhelmed with information in a short space of time.

My favorite 3) videos to show in the Google Analytics workshops are the Google Analytics in Real Life series, developed by Google as a humorous way to understand the frustrations experienced by visitors to your web site and how these would play out in real life. These always trigger laughter around the room, but they are also a fantastic way of bridging the gap between using Analytics to monitor customer activity on a web site and knowing what to tweak to improve the customer experience.

Ready to chuckle?

1) The Online Checkout

This video highlights common problems people have with the online checkout process – from trouble logging in, to being forced to enter ridiculous CAPTCHAs and being charged confusing shipping rates:

2) Landing Page Optimization

This video demonstrates what can happen if you interrupt the conversion process by placing distractions for visitors on your sales landing pages:

3) Internal Site Search

This last funny video shows how frustrating it can be for your site visitors when your internal site search functionality is counter-intuitive or just plain broken:

Enjoy!

If it was 1 April, you might think it was just another of Google’s cheeky little April Fool’s Jokes, but Project Loon (launched today) is an actual experimental project from Google to make Balloon-Powered Internet a reality.

What? Balloon-Powered Internet? Yes. Internet access, powered by weather balloons in the stratosphere. Let me explain. We think of the Internet as a global community. But as Google points out, two-thirds of the world’s population does not yet have Internet access.

Google’s idea of Project Loon is to create a network of balloons traveling on the edge of space, designed to connect people in rural and remote areas, help fill coverage gaps, and bring people back online after disasters.

What better place to launch a Beta test of Project Loon than in an area prone to natural disasters? Google has chosen New Zealand, specifically right here in Christchurch, as their launch site for specially-designed solar powered balloons to test Project Loon. As the location of thousands of devastating earthquakes in the past 2 years, which knocked out power and Internet connectivity for weeks at a time, Christchurch was a natural choice to test the project.

Today a total of 30 balloons were launched a short distance from here, to travel up 20km above the earth and beam Internet to a small group of pilot testers. The experience of these pilot testers will be used to refine the technology and shape the next phase of Project Loon.

I jumped at the chance to become a Beta tester so hopefully, I’ll be one of the first people in the world selected to test balloon-powered Internet. If I am, you can bet I’ll be reporting on the experience right here

This week’s Fast Five has a couple of infographics, a must-be-at conference list and Facebook’s foray into #hashtags – something for everyone!

5 Useful Google Authorship  Infographics and Cheatsheets by Ann Smarty
If your name is connected with your product then Google Authorship is a tool you should be using. This great infographic explains how it works and how to get the most out of it. Visual learners will especially love it.

14 Essential SEO Conferences and How Attending Each One Helps Your Business by Jayson DeMers
I haven’t seen a post like this one before. Jayson has gone to the trouble of listing his top 14 conferences, including details on the kinds of topics covered, location, venue, date and time! Thanks Jayson.

Facebook Takes Page From Twitter’s Book: Debuts the Hashtag by Jennifer Cowan
I noticed my teenagers were starting to use hashtags in their posts and now I know why! Facebook has embraced Twitter-style hashtags as a simple way for users to gain a broader perspective on what’s happening, or what people are talking about, at any given point in time.

How to Become a Social Media Marketing Specialist by Schools.com
Another great infographic. This one clearly illustrates different ways to become a specialist in one of the fastest growing occupations around. You could even show your boss and demonstrate the need for training.

Four Ways to Use eBooks to Grow Your Business by Collins Paris
If you have an established blog with a solid audience, the next step may be to write an eBook. eBooks add substantial value to your site and if they are well written can quickly establish your level of specialisation.

Happy reading!

Image courtesy of Threadless

This week’s Fast Five is mostly about content marketing, but i’ve also added a great post about social media marketing… happy reading!

1) What is the Future of the Rel=Author tag? by Adam Morgan
This video blog post is an important one for writers and all content marketers generally. Have you noticed the rise of thumbnail pictures next to some search results? The Rel=Author tag is adding credibility and enhancing the presence of some online profiles over others. Matt Cutts explains the future of personal search.

2) Case Study: How Two Artists Used Online Content to Build Their Face to Face Business by Beth Hayden
A great case study by Beth on the importance of content marketing, even for a totally offline enterprise.

3) How to Build Links to Your Blog – A Case Study by Mathew Barby
Mathew’s case study is an excellent post about how to make the most of your niche blog. Mathew includes links to useful tools, to make the most of your link building strategy.

4) The Insanely Simple Secret to Copyblogger’s Success by John Jantsch
I know this is not a recent post, but its popularity is due to the lessons contained within. John includes the headlines that have made Copyblogger so attractive to followers and why they work. A great post about writing good copy and content marketing strategy.

And for something a little different…

5) How to Execute a Successful social Media Marketing Initiative by Jayson DeMers
I know there are a lot of posts out there explaining the benefits of social media marketing, but one is too good not to share. Jayson explains the benefit of the main sites and includes links to helpful tools to chart and monitor your campaign strategy. Keep it handy in case you need to justify a new position, expansion of duties, or even a pay rise!

Happy reading!

Image courtesy of Threadless

This week’s Fast Five contains posts which are definitely worth bookmarking. Need some inspiration for YouTube content? New ways to track Social SEO campaigns? Thinking about a promotion? Read on…

1) How to Make YouTube Your Marketing Powerhouse by Tina-Courtney Brown
In this post Tina describes how a YouTube channel is helpful to lift your company’s profile. Even if your content doesn’t go viral, over time your YouTube catalogue will increase your SEO.  Tina also provides a list of 10 exciting ideas to explore when making a video to promote your business or organisation. Definitely one to bookmark!

2) 10 Lessons from a 100k Pageview Post by Stephen Kenwright
Stephen unexpectedly wrote a post that was viewed 100,000 times! This is not so much a how-to-do post, but a few hints and tips Stephen felt to share after he ‘sharked it’ unexpectedly.

3) How to Move Rankings Up On Older, Existing Content – Whiteboard Friday by Rand Fishkin
Moz’s Whiteboard Fridays are always worth a peak! This week Rand explains how adjusting your existing, quality content can be used to help bump your site up in the SERPs and give your site a fresh appeal.

4) Benchmarking & Analytics: How to Track the Effects of your Social SEO Campaign by Marcela De Vivo
How can we really know whether our Social SEO campaign is effective? Besides revenue increases there are lots of benefits of Social SEO and they’re worth measuring. Take note of the helpful tools and links to help track campaign effectiveness.

And finally for something different…

5) Learning How To Be A Manager by Caitlin Krumdieck
This is a little off-topic but the headline caught my attention and it referenced a similarly great post by Rand Fishkin called If Management is the Only Way Up We’re All F’d. If you’ve been thinking about moving up in your organization and want to know if you really have the desire to be a manager, or if you’re better off sticking to what you know and love, these are great posts to read.

Happy reading!

Image courtesy of Threadless.

No matter what kind of job you have, or what business you’re in, there comes a time when you are asked to give a presentation in front of a group of people.

Now public speaking is something that doesn’t come naturally to most of us and in fact a survey not too long ago found that many people are more terrified of speaking in public than they are of death itself. When asked to choose between death and public speaking, death was the preferred option! Crazy, right?

But for those of us with social anxiety, public speaking, even to small groups, can fill us with dread. As an educator and consultant, a large part of my job involves public speaking. I am called upon to present information in client meetings to senior management, I speak to large groups of students and universities via webinars, I give presentations to large rooms full of people at conferences and I run regular full and half day training workshops for industry organisations. So I regularly give presentations to groups of people ranging from 5 to 500.

I used to HATE giving public presentations. I still dislike it strongly, but after regularly forcing myself into giving them for 10 years now, I am slightly more relaxed about it than I used to be. Sure, I still find it difficult to sleep the night before a speaking gig. And if you look closely at me on stage, you’ll probably spot my legs shaking, but provided I have prepared well and know my subject matter, I’ll muddle through and generally do a good job.

Going along with the analogy “do something every day that scares you”, I think it’s important for me to put myself out there and prove to myself that I can do it. I also feel it is excellent therapy to help me deal with my social anxiety. Apart from the benefits to myself, I know I have a lot of knowledge that I can impart to others and what better way to share that knowledge than public speaking?

Anyway, after giving yet another presentation this week, it occured to me that I have built up a pretty good pre-presentation checklist that others might find useful. So here they are:

Top Tips for Making Your Presentations Run Smoothly and Stress Free:

1. Find out exactly where the venue is in relation to your accommodation and if you’ve got time, make a practice run to the venue the day before.
2. If the venue is large (e.g. a university), ask for a map showing exactly where the room is that you’ll be speaking in.
3. If you’re driving to the venue, factor in extra time for unexpected traffic jams and take plenty of coins in case you need to use paid parking.
4. Find out what technology will be available to you (whiteboard / projector / laptop / slide clicker) and adjust if necessary.
5. If you’ve arranged catering for break times, confirm details with caterers the day before.
6. Get at least 8 hours sleep the night before.
7. Have a big breakfast but no coffee if it makes you anxious. Try a decaf or hot chocolate instead.
8. Get to the venue at least an hour early so you can get comfortable, test the technology and rehearse.
9. Upon arrival, make yourself known to someone at the venue who can help you with technical and other issues.
10. Make sure you know exactly how much time you have on stage and confirm break times with the organizers and your audience before starting.
11. Wear layers. No matter what the weather outside, air conditioning can be your friend and your foe. Wear clothes that you feel comfortable and confident in, but in layers that you can easily slip on or off depending on the room temperature.
12. Wear comfortable shoes.
13. Re-read that last point. This is important! Public speaking is no place for stilettos. Especially when you are walking around on a stage that will likely have electrical cables snaking all over it.
14. Don’t assume the venue will provide you with water. Take a bottle with you.
15. Don’t assume the venue will provide paper and pens for your attendees – ask for them.
16. Bring your business cards and place them somewhere prominent for people to take.
17. Bring your presentation on a Flash drive in multiple formats (e.g. .pptx, .ppt, .odp, .pdf) just in case something goes wrong.
18. Bring your own HDMI or component cable for hooking up to a projector, just in case the venue doesn’t have one.
19. Bring a backup power source for your laptop and/or projector.
20. Bring or ask for a lapel microphone if the venue is large and you want to be sure you can be heard up the back.
21. Don’t assume the venue will provide Internet access. With large audiences, free wifi at events can often be maxed out quickly, so if you need Internet access for your presentation, take your own or make arrangements with the organizers.
22. If you have mobile Internet access via your phone, take along your phone charger and spare battery in case you need to use it.
23. Don’t assume you can use your own laptop.
24. Don’t assume you don’t need your own laptop.
25. Be prepared for the venue to run everything on Windows (take adaptors for Mac and/or Linux). Yes, I learned this one the hard way.
26. Don’t assume your laptop will recognize the venue projector/monitor. Take your own or have a backup plan.
27. Don’t assume the venue projector/monitor supports Presenter Mode. Take a print out of your notes in case you can’t see notes/slides view while presenting.
28. If you are linking to live resources on the Internet, have them open in separate windows on your laptop and test that all links work.
29. If you are showing videos, test they work and test the volume of the audio to make sure they can be heard by everyone in the room.
30. Find out how to turn the lights on/off if you need to show videos.
31. Find out where/if you can increase the temperature of the air conditioning in the room in case attendees are too hot/cold.
32. Bring deodorant, especially if you have a tendency to sweat when anxious.
33. Bring breath mints so you can feel confident networking with attendees afterwards.
34. Remember to turn off your cell phone prior to going on stage, unless you are using it for Internet access. In this case, turn the volume down or off in case your Mom tries to call mid-presentation.
35. Store some tissues in a pocket that will be easily reachable during your presentation in case your nose starts to run (air conditioning can be brutal at some venues!).
36. Smile. Even if you’re struggling or things are not going well, people will forgive you if you smile your way through.
37. Ask your audience some questions! It will take the focus off you, just for a little while and give you a chance to pause and collect your thoughts. This is a great tip if you’re feeling particularly overwhelmed or find yourself racing through your slides.
38. Work out where the toilets are before you go on stage, in case you have to slip out quickly or the attendees ask you where they are.
39. Find out the emergency exits and fire/earthquake drills for the venue before you go on stage and make sure your audience knows it too. After living in Christchurch for the past few years, this is pretty much routine at all business events now!
40. Always ask for feedback on your presentation, either from the audience directly, or via the organizer if they are using feedback forms. Good or bad, audience feedback is extremely valuable. Positive feedback can validate your hard work and reinforce your sense of achievement in standing up in front of a group. Negative feedback in the form of honest, constructive criticism can highlight areas for improvement and help you develop your presentations skills for next time. It’s a win, win!

I hope you’ve enjoyed these tips and perhaps they will help your next public speaking engagement run a little more smoothly. Do you have any tips not included here? Please add them in the comments.

Job Title: SEO/SEM Specialist
Job Reference: Unknown
Position Type: Full-Time (on-premise)
Name of employer: IGM Creative Group
Location: Lincoln Park, NJ
Date Posted: 11 May 2013
Position description:

IGM Creative Group are an interactive marketing and advertising agency in Lincoln Park. They are in search of a specialist skilled in Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Campaigns, and Content Marketing. The ideal candidate will be able to work full-time on-premise and has 2 years professional experience working within an Ad Agency.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Social Media Campaigns (SMC)

• Create content on website, YouTube, social media pages, and blog to increase quality score
• Help produce daily content for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ at scheduled times
• Produce monthly social media reports for insights
• Research social media trends and new technologies

2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

• Execute SEO strategy with client intake
• Monitor, track and report on analytics metrics monthly
• Research and analyze competitor site and link structure
• Optimize internal link building and metadata
• Keep up-to-date on SEO strategies/tactics/algorithm shifts
• Ability to translate analysis into useful managerial reports

3. Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

• Manage Google AdWord/display network campaigns and optimize using set budgets
• Good grasp of performance marketing, conversion, and online customer acquisition
• Optimize keyword portfolio through testing with ad copy, landing page quality, bidding strategies, and negative keywords

4. Content Marketing

• Create landing pages for promotions and form submissions
• Manage blog calendar
• Coordinate and publish guest blogger posts
• Compose creative blog posts using SEO keywords

5. Email Marketing

• Create, test, and deliver email campaigns on a scheduled basis
• Produce e-mail marketing campaign reports providing metrics

6. Administrative Duties

• Organize and keep track of open project plans
• Proposal and Estimate Development
• Client Accounts Representation
• Manage and Organize Invoices and Receivables

Experience and Education:

• Minimum 1-2 years working on multiple Google AdWord/Display Network campaigns (experience working with bid management technology is preferred)
• 1-2 years of creative writing experience in a social media setting
• 1-2 years of e-mail marketing campaign management
• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Advertising, or related field required

Skills:

• Excellent writing capabilities is mandatory
• Strong Knowledge of Social Media for Business – Experience handling Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Google+ is necessary
• Excellent knowledge of Google analytics
• Adobe Suite – Photoshop and InDesign
• Microsoft Office for Mac – Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to learn and research new marketing programs
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to multitask and prioritize tasks effectively
• Knowledge of HTML, CSS, Web Services and CMS (WordPress or Joomla) is a huge plus

Salary range: Base Pay: Relative to Skills and Experience
Closing date: Unknown
More info about company from: http://www.igmcreativegroup.com
Contact: Send resumes via online form to: http://www.igmcreativegroup.com/contact/careers

For more search industry jobs, or to post a vacancy, visit Search Engine College Jobs Board.

We’ve got several perspectives for this week’s Fast Five – including Mum’s!

1) How My Mum Thinks Search Engines Work by Rob Toledo                                             This is a good fun post to help us remember the broader perspective of common internet usage. Thanks Rob and thanks Rob’s Mum!

2) How to Integrate Google+ into Your Online Marketing Initiative by Jayson DeMers         By the end of last year, only eighteen months after it was launched, Google+ had 343 million active users. It is the world’s fastest growing social media platform, second only to Facebook. This post gives a good run down on many of the smart marketing features of Google+ and how to make the most of them.

3) An Online Resource You Don’t Want to Miss: The Matt Cutts Short Cutts by Amanda DeSilvestro                                                                                                                         Amanda’s put together a nice post describing the features of www.theshortcutts.com but as she says, it is pretty self explanatory. There plenty of SEO resources in there. One to bookmark!

4) Positioning Your Business for the Future of SEO – Whiteboard Friday by Ron Garrett Ron Garrett from Distilled gives a great video tutorial on the future of SEO in this Whiteboard Friday post. How to set goals, take calculated risks, assess staff ability – all these things can keep us competitive and adaptable in the changing world of SEO.

I like to leave the different one’s until last…

5) The Clients I Can’t Afford to Take by Bill Sebald                                                            This blog post is true of consulting and true of life. There are some gems in here about dealing with difficult personality types and how to stay focussed – as either a contractor or manager.

Happy reading!

*Image by Threadless

The other day, I found the very first web site audit that I ever performed for a client’s site, way back in 2000. The page load times were hilarious!

But it got me thinking about how things have changed over the years and how sophisticated web site audits need to be these days. From the conversations I’ve had, there is still some confusion over what should be included in a web site audit.

This prompted me to write an article What to Include in a Web Site Audit which has been published over at SiteProNews.  Let me know what you think!

The SEO industry is changing, but it’s expanding too. This week’s fast five discusses subtle and not-so-subtle industry changes, new frontiers and how to make the most of emerging opportunities.

1) Why We Just Can’t Be SEOs Anymore – Whiteboard Friday by Rand Fishkin               In this post Rand takes the bull by the horns and asks where the trend to rebrand SEO into ‘inbound marketing’, ‘online marketing’, or ‘web marketing’ has come from?  

2) Case Study: How Content Marketing Saved this Brick-and-Mortar Business by Beth Hayden                                                                                                                               This is a great blog post about the power of content marketing for just about any business! If a blog can save a failing swimming pool shop, it can become a welcome boost for many industries…

3) The 5 Cornerstone Values that Build an Authority Online Presence by Sonia Simone Ever wondered why some websites exude authority? What makes a site instantly engaging? Sonia reveals how the power of the author’s voice shines through and becomes an authentic presence online.

4) Why Does SEO Take So Long? By Chris Sparks                                                      Bookmark this post to share with a client when they inevitably ask this question. Chris takes us through the basic elements of an effective SEO strategy and why ‘time is of the essence’.

And for something a bit different…

5) How to Accomplish More by Doing Less by Study Hacks                                                   I know this isn’t strictly about SEO, but since so many of us spend our daysjuggling several things at once, this post offers some great wisdom about the creative power of focus and attention.

Happy reading!

*Image courtesy of Threadless

Job Title: Online Marketing Manager
Job Reference: Unknown
Position Type: full time
Name of employer: Daily Burn
Location: New York, NY
Date Posted: 27 April 2013
Position description:

This role will report to the Head of Marketing and will work closely with the design and development teams to plan and implement tests. This position is based in their New York, NY office. This is an exciting opportunity for candidates with an entrepreneurial mindset who are passionate about the intersection of the fitness industry and online marketing. The Online Marketing manager should have data-driven analytical skills and be someone who loves A/B testing and fast iteration cycles.

The Online Marketing Manager will be responsible for managing all display marketing campaigns for DailyBurn. The candidate will also have the opportunity to significantly impact DailyBurn’s SEM, SEO and Affiliate marketing efforts. This Online Marketing Manager will work to execute and optimize marketing programs geared toward user acquisition and retention. The Marketing Manager must be a self-starter who is organized and able to analyze data in order to propose and execute campaign optimizations. The marketing team works in a very fast paced environment with needs and goals often changing quickly based on site performance. The ability to adapt to rapid changes is a must. The Online Marketing Manager will be an early hire on a growing marketing team at an innovative company that is primed to scale.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage against marketing calendar and launch display marketing campaigns
• Identify, negotiate, implement, and optimize targeted display media buys across advertising networks, exchanges, and content sites and report on performance
• Optimize ad buys though focused and efficient multi-variant tests against networks, media, and landing pages & flows.
• Work with design and production team to develop marketing units, ads, emails and collateral
• Analyze and report on all marketing programs with focus on ROI optimization
• Provide some account management for marketing/affiliate partners
• Pitch marketing/distribution programs to potential partners

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelors Degree
• 3 – 5 years of online consumer marketing experience, ideally with SaaS marketing experience
• Understanding of online marketing, knowledge of online sales a plus
• Ability to build reports, analyze data and summarize findings for executive team
• Understanding of email and social media marketing techniques
• Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast paced, rapidly changing environment
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Strong organizational skills a must
• Self starter and team player
• Creative thinker and resourceful problem solver

Salary range:  Unknown
Closing date: Unknown
More info about company from: http://dailyburn.com/
Contact: Send resumes via online form to: Marketing Pilgrim Jobs

For more search industry jobs, or to post a vacancy, visit Search Engine College Jobs Board.

This week’s Fast Five is mostly about social media – its possibilities and difficulties – but there’s a little SEO thrown in as well.

1) Google Plus: Bridging the Gap by Sarah Hill                                                                  The combination of a growing trend called Human Media and the development of Google + Hangouts, is fundamentally changing the possibilities of human communication. Thanks to Google + Hangouts, events can now be shared in real-time – anywhere a suitable internet connection exists. Sarah says, “Say goodbye to the culture of “likes” and hello to a culture of open dialogue that allows for publically debating issues, norms and beliefs right in front of your eyes.”  

2) How to Avoid Blogging Burnout by Sujan Patel                                                           Starting and maintaining a blog is worth the effort, but is it best to do it yourself, train existing staff or outsource? Sujan outlines all the possibilities for those who are thinking of starting a blog, or are looking for a new way to maintain an existing one.

3) Is Social Media Bad For Your Phone? By Corey Geer                                                     I’m going to show my two teenage daughters this post. Mobile search devices have increased our consumption of social media significantly. With teenagers this is even more so. This infographic outlines the numerous effects all this consumption may be having on our health and wellbeing.

4) What Every Graduate Should Know About SEO and Why by Kylie Olsen            Graduate programs in media and communications are not always adequate when it comes to preparing students for the changing environment of online communications – particularly SEO. One considered the domain of those with a technical bent, basic SEO is becoming a must in every communicator’s toolkit. This is a good catch-up-on-the-basics SEO post.

And finally for a bit of fun…

5) 6 Interesting Facebook Tricks You Might Not Know by Kristel Cuenta                          This is a fun post which provides ways to insert code that will modify the way Facebook updates are displayed on your business pages or profiles.

Happy reading!

*Image courtesy of Threadless

Social Media Venn Diagram

If you’re in New Zealand, you are probably familiar with the Institute of IT Professionals.

The IITP is New Zealand’s oldest, non-profit professional body of IT members throughout the country. As well as an excellent mentoring program, the IITP run a series of professional development workshops across NZ on various IT, business and marketing subjects.

I’ve been running training workshops in conjunction with IITP now for over 12 months and really enjoy it. The next round of workshops coming up are on the subject of Social Media Marketing for Business.

This full-day workshop will show you step-by-step how to implement a social media marketing strategy for a business of any size. Included will be real-life case studies, practical examples and clever ideas for using Twitter, Facebook, Google+, YouTube and other social media channels that you can immediately adapt to suit your own requirements.

It will be a fun day, with some group activities, games and (if time permits), live analysis of existing social media strategies of willing attendees.

Below are the details and booking links for Wellington and Auckland events, so please share with anyone you know who might benefit from attending:

Social Media Marketing for Business – Wellington
Date: 14 May 2013
Time: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Venue: Terrace Conference Centre

Social Media Marketing for Business – Auckland
Date: 16 May 2013
Time: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Venue: University of Otago House

Thanks for your support!

Job Title: Director/OVP Social Media
Job Reference: unknown
Position Type: full time
Name of employer: Bloomingdale’s NYC
Location: New York City, NY
Date Posted: 20 April 2013
Position description:

Bloomingdale’s seeks a proven leader responsible for developing its social media strategy, designing its online engagement architecture (organization, technology infrastructure, process and policies), and overseeing social media execution. This senior leader will translate the overall brand marketing strategy into an aligned and innovative social media strategy, be accountable for social media performance against that strategy, and ultimately ensure that Bloomingdale’s philosophy, vision and mission are practiced online.

Core Job Responsibilities:

Brand Marketing and Digital Strategy:

• Develop a social media strategy (content and architecture) in support of overall brand goals and marketing strategy.
• Partner with the Social Media Operating Committee to ensure social media strategy is aligned with business deadlines and priorities.
• Develop editorial calendar and approve campaign calendar developed by Manager of Online Engagement; ensure calendar alignment with brand marketing strategy.

Program Leadership:

• Direct budgets and all investment decision making for Bloomingdale’s social media.
• Partner with Social Media Operating Committee to scope projects, define schedules, and estimate the resources needed to achieve project goals. Orchestrate resources (including agency talent and internal teams) for social media strategy development and execution as needed.
• Develop and drive overall social media programs, mitigating risks, escalating issues as needed, and communicating performance.
• Continuously monitor social media business results and take action to improve performance where needed.
• Drive innovation in social media strategy and associated technology as needed to effectively deliver Bloomingdale’s brand voice online.

Collaboration and Enablement:

• Drive a shared vision for online engagement goals at Bloomingdale’s – create clearly actionable success criteria, objectives and requirements and ensure consistent communication of progress.
• Partner with Social Media Operating Committee and other functional peers to collaborate with fashion houses, industry leaders, and other external organizations required to execute social media strategy.
• Enable the organization to efficiently and effectively execute against the social media strategy and plans; accountable for training / enablement strategy with input from Manager of Online Engagement but may assign execution responsibilities as appropriate.

Job Qualifications/Requirements:

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, advertising, or marketing preferred
• Master’s degree preferred.

Experience

• 12+ years of marketing, corporate communications, digital or similar experience
• Demonstrated ability to bridge traditional brand marketing and digital strategy
• Omni-channel retail brand marketing or digital strategy experience preferred

Skills

• Strong leadership of complex, cross-functional programs, fostering collaboration to deliver business results
• Adept at navigating across organizational lines, building consensus and alignment across teams
• Experience leading social media, social networking, and/or community projects
• Ability to deal with ambiguity and change
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to seek input and demonstrate persuasiveness when needed. Able to effectively communicate the business value of social media strategies inside the organization and build support.
• Able to prioritize, problem solve, and innovate to deliver on business objectives
• Net savvy (enjoy online activity, social networking sites & all things Web 2.0)

Salary range: Unknown
Closing date: Unknown
More info from: Bloomingdale’s Jobs
Contact: Send resumes via online form to: Bloomingdale’s Jobs

For more search industry jobs, or to post a vacancy, visit Search Engine College Jobs Board.

This week’s fast five includes: the history of advertising, SEO spring cleaning, Facebook face lifts and lessons from the guru of advertising – George Lucas.

1) Advertising: A Brief History by David Wallace                                                                      I love these infographics-based posts Search Engine Journalers have been creating lately. Advertising is almost as old as civilisation. This is a great one to share for a broader perspective!

2) Dusting the Website for Spring: Optimization and SEO Cleaning by Scott Wyden          In this post Scott gives us nine great tips on onsite website improvement and two offsite tips. Interesting to hear that sites with Google’s Authorship tool enabled, receive 120% more clicks. The internet is becoming so much more personal and the search industry is at the forefront of these changes.

3) Mastering the Art of Local SEO by Tina Courtney-Brown                                                  A friend of mine has a picture framing business which has slowly transitioned from completely offline to mostly online. He used to rely on his village market stall, but now finds he gets most orders online, even local orders. Some businesses, even though they have a strong online presence, they still require a lot of local promotion. This is a great post on Local SEO and covers all the basics.

4) Give Your Facebook Page a Free Facelift by Tina Courtney Brown                                    I am intrigued by the Social Fixer App described by Tina in this post. I haven’t used it yet, but after reading this post, I’m going to try it out. It would be great to make small adjustments to the look and feel of my Facebook page and profile.

And for something a bit different…

5) Transmedia Storytelling: Building Worlds For and With Fans by Gianluca Fiorelli        We are living in the age of transmedia storytelling and this post outlines how you can make this work for your brand. Transmedia storytelling happens when a story unfolds across multi media outlets and platforms and the end users take on an active role in its expansion. You don’t have to be a George Lucas fan to enjoy the message in this post. Transmedia storytelling is where storytelling and marketing collide.

Happy reading!

*Image by Threadless

From viral marketing to legendary podcasting – this week’s Fast Five contains a great mix from the blogosphere.

1) Foolishly Viral: Lessons from a Million Pageview Day by Jacob Klein                         Most of us have wondered about the phenomena of content going viral and wondered how it happens. Can it be planned? How do people feel when their content strikes a chord with many more people than expected? Jacob shares his insights in this great post about viral marketing success.

2) Remove Unnecessary Steps and Win More Links, Shares and Conversions – Whiteboard Friday by Rand Fishkin                                                                               You’ve got to love Rand’s posts about keeping things simple. He is great at explaining why some things are no longer important, while other details are crucial to building relationships and maintaining your reader’s attention. This post could have been called:  How to Win Readers and Influence people.

3) 17 Things You Should Stop Doing to Your Websites by Inessa Bokhan                    I really enjoyed this post. I have to admit I’ve been guilty of using cheesy stock images before! Inessa gives some great advice in this post – it all comes down to keeping it real and fresh and… don’t forget your readers!

4) Losing Traffic (and sleep) Over Google Reader’s Death? Here’s What You Can Do About It by Federico Einhorn                                                                                                   In case you’re wondering where you can source story ideas and news feeds now that Google Reader is closing down, I thought I’d include this post. Federico shares links to other news feed sites and gives some helpful advice for webmasters who may have relied on Google Reader until now.

And finally…

5) Case Study: How to Build a Vast Audience by Mastering the Art of the Interview by Beth Hayden                                                                                                                                      I’m finishing this week’s Fast Five with a bit of inspiration. It’s always interesting to hear from other creative people – how they’ve worked hard to build a successful platform. In this post Beth interviews legendary podcaster Srinivas Rao about his successful career as a content marketer.

Happy reading!

*Image courtesy of Threadless

Job Title: SEM Analyst
Job Reference: Unknown
Position Type: full time
Name of employer: YP
Location: Glendale, California
Date Posted: 13 April 2013
Position description:

Are you looking for a fast moving, creative environment where you can use your expertise to develop and market cutting-edge interactive and digital products?

YP is one of the largest local search, media and advertising companies in North America. The company creates local search and advertising products that encourage consumers to discover and engage with local businesses across online, print and mobile platforms. YP’s suite of local offerings includes its flagship products YP.com, YP Local Ad Network, the popular YPmobile app and The YP Real Yellow Pages®, the largest print directory in the world by advertising revenue. YP.com, which attracts over 30 million monthly online unique visitors, is also accessed by millions of users each month via the mobile web.

The YP(SM) Local Ad Network helps advertisers grow their business and distributes ads to a distinguished list of top publishers. YP’s wide range of local ad products such as premium listings, performance-based advertising, direct mail and search engine marketing provides advertisers an opportunity to increase their presence among consumers who are looking for a local business. YP’s advertising products address the diverse needs of nearly a million local businesses and help drive tens of billions of dollars in local commerce annually.

YP products are backed by one of the industry’s largest local advertising sales forces made up of several thousand media consultants and other resellers.

Join their dedicated and talented team of individuals all focused on creating the best products in the marketplace. They currently have an opportunity for an experienced SEM Analyst in their Glendale office.

Responsibilities

50%

• Act as fulfillment account manager for selected key accounts
• Manage search campaign performance; analyze quantitative, qualitative and underlying data to correct performance issues throughout the duration of the contract.
• Engage with fulfillment consultants and other parties, during initial fulfillment to ensure that the plan has the correct components;
• Proactively optimize throughout campaign life-cycle;
• Increase quality in clicks and conversions for improved ROI;
• Increase product trust through proactive, engaged customer service;
• Decrease churn rate through proactive campaign management and positive customer experience.
• Present Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and campaign performance in a formal setting with management.

20%

• Build and maintain a positive relationship with internal and external customers by proactively communicating campaign performance with internal and external management.
• Have contact with internal customers such as sales, customer service, etc. and possibly external customers in any region weekly, biweekly, or monthly.
• 25%
• Perform initial and ongoing quality assurance for search campaigns and take ownership of accurately communicating errors to all parties to close gaps and meet customer requirements.
• Re-emphasize internal, vendor, and search engine best practices during proofing and error correction activities.
• Regularly review existing processes and procedures for the purpose of identifying and implementing operational efficiencies and process redesigns.

5%

Report escalations urgently and follow up on resolution to close communication loop with management.

Qualifications

• 1-2 years experience as a full-time Search Engine Marketing professional; 2-3 years preferred.
• Google AdWords certification and Bing Accredited Professional preferred; resource will be required to obtain certification within 30 days of hire.
• Knowledge of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
• Solid work ethic, teaming, adaptation to fast-paced environment, and works well under pressure.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) is a must.
• Excellent professional, communication (both verbal and written) skills.
• Ability to self-motivate, prioritize and multi-task.
• Ability to research and solve problems.
• Analytic skills required.
• BA/BS degree preferred but not required

They offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits including a matching 401(k), bonuses, and a casual yet high-energy work environment. Send them your resume today.

YP LLC is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and they are committed to hiring a diverse and talented workforce. EOE/AA/M/F/D/V

Salary range: Unknown
Closing date: Unknown
More info from: http://corporate.yp.com
Contact: Send resumes via online form to: YP Careers

For more search industry jobs, or to post a vacancy, visit Search Engine College Jobs Board.

We have another eclectic bunch of posts for you this week – from the history of the internet, to SEO from a newby’s perspective. Enjoy…

1) A History of Social Media by Copyblogger.com                                                                All you infographic fans out there will love this visual portrayal of the history of social media. From the world’s first email, to the plethora of digital channels we enjoy today, this post shows how dramatically the world of communications has changed in 40 years.

2) 33 Link Building Questions Answered by Rhea Drysdale                                              Link building has changed dramatically in recent years and Rhea has taken the time to answer many of our questions regarding the dos and don’ts of link building – post-penguin. Thanks Rhea!

3) Claiming Google+ Authorship and Publisher Markup for SEO by Navneet Kaushat    Most content creators are keeping a close eye on Google+ Authorship and this post adds another layer to the cake. Google Publisher markup is another way to get your content identified and your website noticed. This post contains a bit of code, to make implementing these changes into your website nice and easy.

I’ll finish off with a couple good back-to-basics style posts…

4) The Forgotten Art of Creating Good Title Tags by Andy Williams                                  This post reminds us all shy title tags are still an essential element of Search Engine Optimization. Andy’s clear advice regarding the essential elements of a good title tag, is worth bookmarking.

5) SEO From a Newby’s Perspective by HappyBrooke                                                          This is a good fun post to remind us all what it is like to enter the field of SEO for the first time. Like any industry, if we’ve been in it for a while, we can forget what it may be like for newcomers – who are just branching or starting out. A good post to refer to anyone who might be thinking of taking the plunge into SEO.

Happy reading!

*Image courtesy of Threadless

Job Title: Manager SEM
Job Reference: 22858
Position Type: Full time
Name of employer: Expedia North America
Location: USA – WA – Bellevue
Date Posted: 21 March 2013
Position description:

If you love travel, you will love Expedia. If you are looking for a challenging, rewarding, intense yet progressive environment, then you will love Expedia Paid Search. There’s no bigger, more fun industry than Travel. There’s no bigger, more fun travel company than Expedia. Search Engine Marketing is a challenging business and they wouldn’t have it any other way; otherwise, they’d be bored.

Expeida is the place to:

• Work in an entrepreneurial environment
• Hone quantitative and qualitative skills
• Make a big impact
• Never get bored, always be challenged

They are growing their world class Search Engine Marketing team (“SEM”) and are looking a manager to lead their Canada and Latin America SEM team.

Responsibilities:

• Lead efforts to collaborate, innovate, build strategies and create new business opportunities for SEM
• Work with the global operations team to develop new trading strategies & processes to drive transactions and profit for the business
• Work with other marketing channels, product and regional teams to develop business goals and targets
• Help drive marketing contribution worldwide

Qualifications, Work Experience and Education Guidelines:

• 4-5 years experience required (specific e-commerce, travel industry, marketing experience a plus)
• Bachelor’s degree required
• Strong analytical skills, including data manipulation and financial analysis skills
• Strong communications skills (written and oral)
• Ability to excel in a fast-paced environment
• Passion for creative writing a plus
• Comfort with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint

About Expedia, Inc.

Their mission is to revolutionize travel through the power of technology.

Collectively, the Expedia, Inc. brands cover virtually every aspect of researching, planning, and booking travel, from choosing the best airplane seat, to reading personal travel reviews of hotels, to planning what to do in a destination once you arrive. The Expedia, Inc. portfolio serves both leisure and business travelers with tastes and budgets ranging from modest to luxury. Expedia delivers consumer travel demand from nearly every continent to nearly 149,000 hotels and hundreds of airlines, tour operators, car rental companies and destination services supply partners. Please visit http://bit.ly/expediabrands to learn more about their travel brands.

This employer participates in E-Verify. The employer will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employee’s I-9 to confirm work authorization.

Relocation Provided: Yes
Use your LinkedIn Profile to help you apply faster!

Salary range: Unknown
Closing date: Unknown
More info from: Expedia Career
Contact: Send resumes via online form to: Expedia Career

For more search industry jobs, or to post a vacancy, visit Search Engine College Jobs Board.

This week’s Fast Five has a bit of fun, some social media advice and a sprinkling of content marketing wisdom thrown in for good measure!

1) Top 10 April Fools Day Jokes for 2013 by John Rampton                                             This is a fun post for obvious reasons! If you missed all the fun on April Fools Day, this post will catch you up. I wouldn’t mind a set of those augmented reality glasses!!

2) 5 Steps to Facebook Authority – Whiteboard Friday by Lauren Vaccarello                       A friend of mine asked me about advertising on Facebook the other day and I had to admit I didn’t really know much about it, so this post was a welcome find. Lauren has a great down-to-earth style and no prior knowledge is assumed (except that you already have a Facebook profile or page of course). Thanks Lauren!

3) The Marketing Value of YouTube by Phil Nottingham                                                    How many times have you been asked about video marketing and whether or not to add a YouTube channel? This is a great post to bookmark and refer clients to. Whether it’s ‘preroll’ advertising content, or a Red Bull-style marketing campaign, Phil describes the pros and cons of using YouTube as part of your overall marketing strategy.

4) How to Consistently Write 1000 Words a Day by Shrinivas Rao                                        I liked this post because it contains solid advice which can be applied to anything that requires consistent effort and commitment. So for all you content marketers out there (or if you’re secretly writing a book) this is a great post to refer back to when you hit writer’s block or find yourself in a habit of procrastination.

And finally…

5) Making Your Online Marketing Work: Sharpen Your Focus on This One Thing by Barry Feldman                                                                                                                                    I realise this makes two copywriting posts in one week, but, I think it’s worth it. How many sites have you landed on only to be bored by their copy and not sure why? This post will tell you why. You know what they say… what’s true on the page is true in life (or something like that).

Happy reading!

*Image courtesy of Threadless