There isn’t a day that goes by that I am not intrigued or inspired by someone I do not know. We relate to, and can connect with, stories from real people. I scroll through my Facebook feed and watch videos shared by people around the world...Read More

Have you been considering getting started with AdWords, but you aren’t sure if it’s right for you? Here are a few signs that you should take the leap and get started. With nearly 6 BILLION searches per day, there are an...Read More

Like countless of her peers, yesterday’s lunch mate is an old friend who has risen to the top of the marketing field and finds herself increasingly isolated from other marketing leaders. There are very few local conferences for...Read More

Have you ever wanted something so bad that you plan and strategize on how to get it? And then when you do get it, you have NO idea what to do with it? I feel like that’s exactly how I’d be with a puppy. Or a plant. But many marketers...Read More

If you’ve had the chance to read some of my previous posts (here and here), you’ll know that I’m passionate about imagery and the visual side of content marketing. Enter Pinterest. Perfect for people who...Read More

Before we get into Schema markup, I want to back up a bit and cover the basics. Let’s start with an understanding of rich snippets or structured data. Rich snippets are “snippets” of content displayed on the SERP. They ...Read More

A little over a year ago, we covered the discussion of blog content being labeled as a ‘Trojan Horse’ metaphor when it comes to a good content strategy. What it boiled down to was the debate over the intent of the post:&ldquo...Read More

I recently returned from a lovely and exhausting family vacation in New York City and Washington, DC. The trip was decidedly DIY. We used UberX for car transportation, AirBNB for lodging, TripAdvisor for daytime...Read More

Every week, I write a round up of excellent brand advocacy reads. Doing this has taught me one thing:  I know this because I’m inundated with articles to choose from each week, and that gets awfully noisy after a while.What I’ve...Read More

In my weekly brand advocacy round ups, I’ve been talking a lot about the importance of employee brand advocates and brand ambassadors. This is a topic we feel very strongly about at Ciceron. Employee ambassadors are crucial to the success of...Read More

If there is one thing I love in this world, it’s a good list. Well, that and a nice cold beer after a long day. I mean, I’m not a monster. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find lists equally as helpful. So, for this week...Read More

We’re halfway through 2014 and it goes without saying that a lot has happened this year in social. News of small start-ups being bought out seemed like it occurred on a daily basis. Each major network launched layout changes, some ...Read More

In the digital marketing world, there is no shortage of information on current trends and new tools. While I love to see this information out there, it can be a bit overwhelming to keep up with. Like most people, I’m very visual and don...Read More

Why is it important for marketers to invest in analytics? It’s not the sexiest topic out there, and it certainly doesn’t have the buzz surrounding it that other marketing concepts do.To answer that question, we need to think a little...Read More

Holy buckets, it’s almost June. I’m still trying to tell myself that a sweater is no longer necessary when leaving the house. How did this happen, I wonder? Not that I’m complaining — I love not having to scrape ice and...Read More

“What are you excited about in digital marketing for 2014?” This is question my fellow Cicerones and I answered toward the end of last year. Naturally my response was related to marketing automation, I said:“I’m looking...Read More

At the end of 2013, the marketing industry was absolutely packed with predictions about the future of social marketing in 2014. We even had a few infographics of our own! (See? One here, and one here.) But after all of those predictions...Read More

“What are you excited about in digital marketing for 2014?” This is question my fellow Cicerones and I answered toward the end of last year. Naturally my response was related to marketing automation, I said:“I’m looking...Read More

When I think about brands that are doing it right in content marketing, my first thoughts go to two of my favorites, Anthropologie and Free People. Over the past few years, I’ve watched these brands evolve from simply...Read More

Call it what you will: a freak occurrence, a delightful surprise, fortuitous happenstance or just good luck, but when a valuable influencer picks up and shares your content on their own, with no encouragement or direct contact, it’s a win...Read More

The general purpose of marketing is to help your company make money. That’s what success is – keeping your doors open, and paying payroll. Of course, there are ultimately many other things that define success in business, but none of...Read More

A few months ago, I wrote a blog post about 7 Tips for Subject Line Success. Since then, I’ve had a few different clients ask me my opinion about the use of symbols and other special characters in subject lines. My first response is...Read More

As a client services manager, I get to interact with clients every day. I truly enjoy being able to experience their work, to see the impact their work has, and to bring a different angle to the table each and every day in order to provide value...Read More

As more content is created around the concept of brand advocacy, I’ve noticed that there are a lot more ‘step-by-step’ approaches and breakdowns being created. I think this is largely because of the increase in our collective...Read More

Delighted customers who are willing to share their experiences and recommend your brand to their friends and family are the holy grail of marketing. That’s because satisfied customers are the lifeblood of any business. These are your brand...Read More

With more organizations (at least talking about) being hyper-focused on the customer, it’s no surprise that consumer insights from the marketing team are more important than ever. In order to give the consumer what they want, we must...Read More

This weekend, Wizard World is bringing Comic Con to Minneapolis. I’m so jazzed about it that I haven’t stopped talking about it for at least a week. As you know, I love me some Doctor Who — and of course Matt...Read More

We often talk about how social media is a perfect platform for our brand advocates to share our brand with their networks. But many times the idea that social media should be used to improve the way our brand communicates with the consumer slips...Read More

Although being a so called “cat lady” doesn’t seem to carry quite the negative stigma it used to, I won’t deny that owning a cat has had some negative effects on my dating life. I’ve experienced everything from the...Read More

With the recent changes to the Google algorithm, content marketing has become increasingly important over the past year. Having fresh content on your website helps with SEO, and also provides value to those who visit your site on a regular basis...Read More

Now that spring is here, and Easter is around the corner, my inbox is being flooded with spring wardrobe offers and suggestions. The mass influx of branded messaging makes me nuts, and usually results in countless unread emails. This is what...Read More

The successes that come from search engine marketing are far beyond the number of visits it drives to your site. The click is just the first step. It is what you do with that click that truly matters and determines its value.At Ciceron, we...Read More

Has anyone else noticed that as the weather gets better, everything else seems better, too? I mean, I had a heck of a time deciding which posts to include in my round-up this week. There were a bunch of great articles. But the following posts were...Read More

By now you’ve probably heard the news that Facebook organic page reach has declined rapidly since October 2013. I wrote about the impending change in December, so after four months I thought it would be good to take a look to see...Read More

Anyone who has ever been to a job interview, or on a first date, knows the importance of making a good first impression. A good first impression — and a bad one, for that matter — sets the tone for the rest of the relationship. So, it...Read More

This week, Dawn wrote a post about employee brand ambassador programs. The topic has been floating around the office quite a bit in the last few weeks, so it has definitely been on my mind. It seems like common sense, but asking your...Read More

At one time, link building was all the rage in SEO. Then, guest blogging added to the popularity – allowing you to post content to other sites while building links for your own. Now, those tactics may be coming back to haunt you (and your...Read More

We’ve all heard it before. Developing a strategy is essential to your content marketing’s success. It will help streamline content and create consistency. Having a detailed strategy in place is ideal, always easier said than done...Read More

They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression; that is, until now.At this time last year, we had just released The First Impressions Email Marketing Study, showing at 83% of brands did not make a good first impression with...Read More

I got my wisdom teeth out this week, so I’ve been spending a lot of time watching Netflix. Specifically, Classic Doctor Who. I’m a big fan. But when I found out that there were entire seasons missing from the collection, I was super...Read More

Remember my previous post about reputation management, and why if you’re not in the game, you’re losing out? Here’s a link to that in case you missed it: Reputation Management 101.  The news from Yelp & Yahoo should...Read More

What’s the perfect subject line? As an email marketing specialist, I get asked that a lot. The answer? It depends on your audience. For most people, that answer is very frustrating to hear, but it’s the truth.The perfect subject line...Read More

Let’s be honest. I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that social marketing is something that’s worth doing. Well, as long as you’re doing it right. We’ve moved away from ‘what is social marketing?’ to...Read More

Whether it’s a loyalty program, simple employee appreciation, or any other engagement strategy — a strategy is necessary to activate your advocates. I realize that I’ve beaten this point into the ground in the past year. But...Read More

If you’ve ever worked in the restaurant industry, or hospitality in general, you know the feeling you get just before you go onto Yelp, Trip Advisor or UrbanSpoon. The “please, please, please don’t tell me...Read More

Earlier this month, I wrote the first post of this series, sharing Six Ways to Immediately Improve Your Website’s Performance & Usability. In case you missed it, the list included these recommendations:Customize your AnalyticsEnsure...Read More

It’s hard to see the big picture when you’re staring at your own belly button, so to speak. Obviously, that’s extremely important for your digital marketing plan — you know, the entire execution stage. But what’s also...Read More

I think I say this almost every week: Be honest with your customers to earn their trust. I have to admit, I feel vindicated by this week’s round up. We have three articles about creating and maintaining positive relationships with new or...Read More

Well, here we are, already more than a month into 2014. We’ve all spent a lot of time over the past months coming up with big dreams, new goals, and countless lists of what we can accomplish throughout the year. And now it’s time to...Read More

Having friends is an essential part of the human experience. Who doesn’t love having people you can go to and count on when you need it? Obviously, your relationship with your bff isn’t going to be the same as your relationship with...Read More

With all the drama and hype surrounding the Big Game this past weekend, it’s inevitable that the conversation would focus on the big winners and losers…the ads that aired (or didn’t in some cases), and the brands behind them...Read More

Now, more than ever, your reputation is less related to who you say you are, and more dependent on what’s being said about you by your customers. That’s not to say that you don’t own your brand, but that “ownership...Read More

Have you ever heard that saying about how you have one mouth and two ears, and it’s for a reason? Well, it is. In your personal and business relationships, it’s important to listen and understand what the other party is saying in order...Read More

After three years in a corporate setting, it’s taken awhile to adjust back into the client-facing world. Over the past few months, I’ve been reminded of some of the basics I’ve learned from my mentors over the years. This list is...Read More

Fact:  Only 64% of people keep their New Year’s resolution past one month.Well, we’re now a month into 2014. I know your 2014 business goals are not New Year’s resolutions, but they have their similarities. If you don&rsquo...Read More

There’s no avoiding it — in order to have a successful business, you need to have loyal, repeat customers. They’re the ones who keep your lights on and doors open, and are most likely to advocate for your brand. In our current...Read More

More people are talking about brand advocacy than they were at this time last year, and this trend is going to continue throughout the coming year. And I would know. I started writing these round ups last year around this time, and there is...Read More

It’s a new year, you have a brand new budget and you’re ready to spend it. Maybe you have tried paid search in the past and are looking for a new vendor. Maybe this is the year is when you are ready to test paid search to see if it...Read More

I think it’s safe to say that everyone knows at least one person who tries way too hard to make everyone like them. Or at least you’ve seen that character in a movie or on TV. Either way, that sort of personality hasn’t worked to...Read More

Anyone who has tried to teach their grandparent how to use a computer, or had a younger relative school you in tech-talk, knows that there are differences between age demographics and their media use. Some people prefer television and newspapers...Read More

It is officially 2014! I know I’m excited — and my new year’s resolution has yet to be broken. I’ll give it another week and let you know how that turns out. So, with the new year comes new brand advocacy must...Read More

It should come as no surprise that the folks at Ciceron get pretty excited about the future of digital marketing. After all, that’s what we do. So, in preparation for the new year, I surveyed my fellow Cicerones to see what they’re...Read More

It is hard to believe that we only have a few days left of 2013. This year has been incredible, both personally and professionally, and it feels like it went by a little too fast. So, in an effort to preserve the memories of yesteryear, I put...Read More

Conversations ensue, opinions are shared about the implications, and we all go back to work. The most recent changes by Facebook will make for a very interesting 2014. With the New Year on the horizon, here’s a recap of what...Read More

Anyone else have “The Final Countdown” stuck in their head after reading the title? No? Just me? Well, then I better move on.The heart of brand advocacy is a deep understanding of who your customer is and being able to act on that...Read More

LinkedIn is an essential platform to use on both an individual and organizational level. It allows you to display, build and share your personal and professional brand, while keeping track of important business contacts.As I mentioned in part...Read More

Oh, case studies. This week really was somewhat of a Christmas miracle — there were so many great examples of brand advocacy campaigns that I actually had a list to narrow down. I was like a kid in a candy store. But, I digress. The idea...Read More

Like millions of other people this past weekend, I found myself scouring for the best online deals in a frantic attempt to avoid the long lines and craziness that mark the official start of the holiday shopping season.  Hats off to those of...Read More

I’m going to let you in on a secret: You have to be nice to your customers if you want to keep them. Not just ‘send-them-the-occasional-email’ nice, or ‘ignore-them-until-their-birthday’ nice — genuinely nice...Read More

One of my favorite questions in marketing is ‘What should I be measuring?’. The answer isn’t a very popular one: It depends. It depends on your responsibilities, your objectives, and your business goals. While various tactics...Read More

Content marketing is a concept that has a long history of debate. Many times, companies feel that they don’t need content marketing — that the work outweighs the benefits, or that it just “isn’t for them.” But that...Read More

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and if you’re anything like me, you’re huddled up at home with a turkey hangover from getting a little too “festive” last night. Then again, maybe you are one of the crazy Black Friday crack...Read More

We tend to overindulge during the holiday season. On food, on gifts, on drinks — you name it.For this reason, I’ve compiled a few ways for you to ensure you’re not overindulging:Know what you’re sending. I know it...Read More

Tonight we’re hosting the annual Ciceron Alumni Thanksgiving party. These lovely folks are the reason that Ciceron is where it is today, and many of them are our brand advocates. We’re apparently very into rewarding our advocates with...Read More

The number of companies that provide third party social publishing and/or scheduling is incredible. Just when you thought you’ve heard of them all (Hootsuite, Spredfast, Sprout,TweetDeck, etc.), you begin to hear of even more. Each...Read More

Now, businesses are using these channels as different ways to hire employees, find new business and make stronger connections. Your social profile is directly correlated with how professional you are perceived to be by both companies and consumers...Read More

As 2013 comes to an end, it’s time to shift our focus to 2014. New concerns come with the new year: Where do we invest our marketing budget? What areas should we cut back on, and what areas do we increase our spend? It’s a chaotic time...Read More

I recently sold my house and am in the process of moving in to my new one. This is a very exciting time for my family, but behind all the fun comes a lot of planning, organization, and coordination. I have talked to more customer service...Read More

This infographic is meant to show how many B2B companies are using content marketing to communicate with their customers.Content creation is becoming one of the essential tools of an effective marketing strategy. Having a solid content...Read More

Brand advocacy can take many forms, whether it’s in person conversations, online conversations through social media, recommendations from one business to another, or any other method of referral you can think of. Sometimes it is easy to...Read More

I saw snowflakes this week. Among the many things that snowflakes remind me of — including the no less than 5 months of cold we’re about to endure — is that each and every one of them is different. Similarly, each and every...Read More

Back in college, group projects always seemed to present unique challenges. Even if I was lucky enough to end up in a group with friends, getting through a project without at least a couple bumps in the road was pretty unlikely. Typically...Read More

This week’s must reads are especially educational. I think that sometimes we gloss over this idea of brand advocacy so much that it becomes a little too slippery. Brand advocacy doesn’t have to be this huge idea. It doesn’t have...Read More

 Marketing for small business isn’t easy. All too often there are tight budgets and lack of resources that make online marketing a unique challenge, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t worth pursuing. This infographic is...Read More

A Recap of the October 2013 Ciceron MBAIt’s fairly well known that brand advocacy didn’t start with the invention of the online social network. In fact, it is arguably the oldest form of marketing around, and it started with word-of...Read More

At the Ciceron MBA event on Thursday, we talked with three awesome local brands about how they use brand advocacy in their businesses, and what impact it has had on their growth. As it turns out, each one of them had nothing but good things to say...Read More

My colleague, Amber, recently returned to work after having her first baby. Being a mom myself, we often gab about new milestones, laugh about the craziness of motherhood, and commiserate about lack of “me time” or about how...Read More

My brain has been going in circles the last few weeks while writing this article in my head. It all started with a tweet I came across from AJ Ghergich. His twitter handle is@SEO, so I assume he may know a thing or two about the subject and can...Read More

The best marketing campaign in the world is useless unless your customers trust your brand and its message. In a 2013 study, Nielsen looked into consumer trust in advertising and came up with some interesting results. This infographic lays out...Read More

Well, we’ve made it to October. The season of pumpkin-everything is upon us, which I suspect is brand advocacy taking it’s fall form. From coffee shops to restaurants to breweries, there is pumpkin everywhere. And decorative squash....Read More

As a new parent, my life has recently changed. My days have been filled with discovering the ins and outs of caring for someone who is completely dependent on me. The more I thought about it, I realized that the stages of figuring out this...Read More

There has been significant growth in website mobile optimization over the past two years to accommodate the 1.2 billion people accessing the web from their mobile devices (source:Trinity Digital Marketing). But why is it that only 25% of...Read More

Tis’ the season to start budgeting. Fa la la la, la la la. Ok, all jokes aside, how is your 2014 budget coming along? Whether you’ve already started working on it or it’s on your to do list, one thing is certain, you need to...Read More

Integrated digital campaigns aren’t a new concept, each channel provides a different angle into your target market’s world. It’s important to put in the appropriate amount of time to understand your audiences within each...Read More

Have you ever heard the phrase “easy does it”? Growing up, I heard that a lot. What can I say? I was kind of a squirrelly kid. The same concept applies to your digital marketing and brand advocacy strategy. It needs to be easy to...Read More

Brand advocacy has many facets. It’s a journey that starts with a purchase, turns into a relationship, and later turns into a partnership. As with any journey, there is a starting point. After customer acquisition, the focus needs to shift...Read More

Back to school week always gets me reminiscing about the good ol’ days when the hardest decision I had to make was if I should buy regular or chocolate milk at lunch. Things are so much simpler when you’re young, and everything is a...Read More

It’s been a tough couple of years for e-commerce sites in the wake of Google’s Penguin & Panda updates.  The world as we knew it seemingly changed overnight, and many of us found that we needed to learn a whole new way of...Read More

In order to have a successful, modern, digital marketing strategy, it’s essential to account for the fact that the role of business to consumer — and business to business for that matter — communication has changed. There is no...Read More

I don’t know about you, but I look forward to getting birthday offers and freebies from my favorite brands on my special day. In a recent study that my colleague and I conducted, we signed up for seventy different brands&rsquo...Read More

If you have ever been around me when someone uses the phrase “email blast” then you know that my face probably looks like this… Unless I’m meeting with a client or prospect, at which point I take a deep breath and try...Read More

It’s a gross understatement to say that social media, especially Twitter, is responsible for a drastic change in the way people communicate, not only with each other but with companies. If anything, that’s just common sense. The...Read More

I’ve always joked that Google will take over the world someday. I mean, they know everything. They know who you are, where you are, your interests, hobbies, questions, concerns, etc. They have more data on every single user than you would...Read More

Many things in life have two sides, or two edges. Your best friend has the potential to be your worst enemy. Something that you once enjoyed can become something less than desirable, even after one negative remark from someone you trust. Brand...Read More