PR Agencies: Adapt or Die | Forrester Blogs

Forrester’s December 2010 US Interactive Marketing Online Executive Panel Survey showed that PR agencies held a respectable fourth place when it came to which agencies are helping with company/brand interactive marketing but the same survey also showed that 68% of marketers were working with at least two or more agencies for their interactive marketing needs all competing for budgets and control no doubt.

via PR Agencies: Adapt or Die | Forrester Blogs.

ComScore: Social Universe Still Quickly Expanding [STUDY]

Social platforms are still in their Precambrian era, with new services emerging and consolidating large audiences almost faster than they can be tracked. Meanwhile the social category as a whole is on the cusp of becoming the dominant form of online content, accounting for 16.6 percent of Internet minutes spent as 2011 drew to a close.

via ComScore: Social Universe Still Quickly Expanding [STUDY].

Why VCs Are Getting Into PR

And technology PR is not an easy task—to do the job well, it requires a technical understanding of the product and the ability to digest and relay this information in a communicable way. Startups realize that having this on-hand at their investment firm is an asset to them, Mendell explains.And many of the pr execs mentioned above are solely focused on helping portfolio companies as opposed to doing in-house communications for the firms themselves. Lee tells me that part of the trend of more VC firms bringing on PR talent is a reflection of how the role of communications is changing in the tech industry in general.

via Why VCs Are Getting Into PR | TechCrunch.

How Marketers Can Manage the Privacy Problem

Digital privacy involves three main stakeholders: consumers, the government and the advertising industry. Consumers are increasingly concerned about their privacy. Government entities in the US and elsewhere are looking to temper that anxiety through laws, regulations and pressure on the digital ad ecosystem. And that system, which includes advertisers, agencies, media companies, websites, retailers, search engines and related vendors, is looking to satisfy both government and consumer demands through self-regulation and tools like Do Not Track (DNT) headers.

via How Marketers Can Manage the Privacy Problem – eMarketer.

The Ultimate Google+ SEO Guide

This comprehensive Google+ SEO guide covers every aspect and angle of Google+ and how it impacts search. My normal TL;DR has been replaced with a Google+ SEO Best Practices section located at the bottom of this post.

I will be periodically updating this post (updated January 23, 2012) as things inevitably change. Please don’t hesitate to comment or contact me with observations or when certain features change. I also thank the many people (on Google+) who helped in the research phase of this guide.

via The Ultimate Google+ SEO Guide.

Marketers Value Social Media for Both Branding and Customer Acquisition

As marketers include social media as part of their overall strategy, 97% agree that it provides benefits and value to their business.In a survey of more than 700 marketers worldwide, 88% of respondents told Wildfire Interactive, a social media marketing software company, that social media helps grow brand awareness. Social media also benefited marketers by allowing them to engage in dialogue 85% and increase sales and partnerships 58%. An additional 41% of marketers said it helped reduce costs.Benefits of Social Media According to Marketers Worldwide, Nov 2011 % of respondents

via Marketers Value Social Media for Both Branding and Customer Acquisition – eMarketer.

10 Things You Need To Know About Facebook Right Now

As Facebook filed for its initial public offer, it’s the perfect time to examine the website’s performance online and how its audience compares with that of other social networks.

Given the expected $75 billion to $100 billion initial valuation of Facebook, we’re all already aware of the magnitude of the business. Below we reveal how much of a behemoth the website itself is in the U.S. and other markets.

via 10 Things You Need To Know About Facebook Right Now.

Employers and Brands Use Gaming to Gauge Engagement

“Why not call it a new kind of analytics?” says Professor Bogost, a founding partner at Persuasive Games, a firm that designs video games for education and activism. “Companies could say, ‘Well, we are offering you a new program in which we watch your every move and make decisions about our advertising based on the things we see you do.’ ”

via Employers and Brands Use Gaming to Gauge Engagement – NYTimes.com.