Online Marketing

SUMMARY: Reputation management, customer service and protecting the brand are all tied together. Finding new customers is a crucial part of consumer marketing, but retaining existing customers is also very important.

This case study looks at how Dairy Queen balances the challenge of handling customer issues while not being in total control of the entire process due to its individual franchises. We look at Dairy Queen’s process, and offer actionable items on being proactive, highlighting how customer comments can improve product development. read the complete case study

SUMMARY: People who find your website through a search engine can be highly qualified. This quality can stretch even further when they find you with specific, long-tail keywords.

See how one retailer earned a 9% conversion rate by targeting specific search terms. Find out how the team used highly targeted video and content to grab more real estate on search pages and convinced visitors to purchase. read the complete article

SUMMARY: "Advertising on blogs or social networks" was rated the most accurately measured (32%), and was also rated the least effective (16%). More than 90% of companies believe that social media is the most effective in accomplishing brand building goal, followed closely by goals for attracting website visitors. view the complete research record

SUMMARY: Potential customers want to hear how you can solve their problems in simple, understandable language -- not empty marketing clichés. Social media can help teach you that language.

Read why marketing strategist David Meerman Scott thinks phrases such as “robust” and “mission critical” can do more harm than good to your marketing, and how you can use social media to move past them. read the complete interview

SUMMARY: In preparation for this week’s MarketingSherpa Email Summit, we asked CMOs what new developments they anticipate will most affect their email marketing programs in 2012. This week’s chart explores their answers. read the complete article

By Natalie Myers, Reporter

I wasn’t looking for advice about online advertising when I scheduled time to talk to Jerry Shereshewsky, CEO, Grandparents.com, for a MarketingSherpa article I’m writing about marketing to grandparents.

But I should have expected getting some wisdom from someone with 39 years of experience in the industry who last year took the helm of an ad-supported resource site for grandparents.

Jerry’s previous title, ambassador plenipotentiary to Madison Avenue at Yahoo!, was another reason I... read the complete blog post