affiliate marketing

Working with a partner is usually more beneficial in terms of Internet marketing. Business’s work together in order to help each other drive more business all the time and when done strategically, this can be extremely fruitful for both parties involved. For example, an SEO company may partner with a web design company. This way, when the web design company sells a client a website, they may also put forward the idea of implementing website optimisation on that site and then refer the Company to the client. The web design company would take some of the search engine optimisation companies profit as a kind of finder’s fee. This can work in both directions with this scenario. This is known as affiliate marketing. There are many affiliate marketing companies such as Weblinx that offer a number of different affiliate marketing services.

Due to the expansive list of client’s that Weblinx have, we are able to provide intelligent options to clients for affiliate partnerships. From here, we can arrange that both parties receive a bonus from the partnership in order to raise interest and gain genuine aid. Affiliate marketing is a very common and efficient method ofInternet marketing, even if it’s just to raise brand awareness and not necessarily drive business. We have clients in pretty much all industries and so are in a very strong position for finding partners and setting up partnership deals. As both parties are gaining from the deal, there isn’t really a reason not to start anaffiliate marketing campaign. We can provide affiliate marketing tips and also help to set up the partnerships.

Affiliate marketing is known to help with the rankings as well as driving business. This is especially true when talking about 2 companies within the same industry. It is because if a company recommends another, it is usually done through a link and this is a direct indication to the search engines that the particular company is trustworthy. This vote of trust carries quite a lot of weight with the rankings.

Bearing this in mind, what if you had multiple affiliate marketing partnerships in place? As any affiliate marketing guide or blog will tell you, the more affiliate marketing deals you can get, the better for your rankings. This is because you’re being recommended by numerous companies within a specific niche. It should help to build your relevance and trust within your industry.

Feeling Negative? How to Overcome It

Your negative emotions are powerful guides to what needs to change in your life.

 

Because you’re a human being, you’re going to feel emotions while you’re at work. It’s hoped that the bulk of your emotions will be positive, such as excitement, wonder, gratitude, and joy.

However, it’s inevitable that you’ll also feel some negative emotions. But here’s the thing: The way you handle your negative emotions will largely determine how successful you’ll eventually become.

After all, it’s easy to manage a business or do a job when everything’s all sweetness and light. What’s difficult is making things happen when times are rough and things don’t work out the way you’d prefer.

With that in mind, here are the six most common negative emotions that people feel at work, along with a plan to transform those emotions into something to help you become more, rather than less, successful.

1. If you’re feeling fear…

Step back for a second and try to see the situation objectively. Ask yourself: “Is my business or career truly at risk?” If not, then you may just be feeling nervous and excited rather than fearful, just like when you get on a roller coaster. So enjoy the ride.

If you decide that the situation is truly serious, then do something physical, like taking a walk, to clear your mind. When you return, create an action plan for how you’re going to handle the situation right now.

Think of all the times that you’ve successfully handled similar situations or other situations that were personally challenging. Have faith that you’ll be able to do the same this time. Then take the first step in your action plan.

2. If you’re feeling rejected…

Decide whether you actually respect the opinion of the person who “rejected” you. If the rejection came from an idiot, a blowhard, or a mooncalf, a “rejection” is actually a backhanded compliment.

If you DO respect the other person’s opinion, recognize that you may be interpreting the situation incorrectly. The only way to find out is to ask. Say something like: “The other day, you said ____ and I felt hurt. Can you clarify what happened?”

Finally, realize that, in a very real sense, “rejection” is an illusion. It almost always stems from a difference in the “rules” by which people interpret events. Probably you got “rejected” because the other person had different rules. So where’s the sting?

3. If you’re feeling angry…

Your first task is get some distance from the situation. If you can, get up and go for a walk, or do something that will distract you for a moment. If you can’t take any of those actions, use Mom’s old standby and slowly count from one to 10.

Now that you’ve calmed yourself down, pinpoint the reason that you’re angry. You will find that in EVERY case, it’s because somebody has violated a rule or standard that is deeply important to you.

Rather then “blowing up” or “letting off steam,” figure out how to communicate to the other person the importance of that rule or standard so that the same situation doesn’t recur in the future.

4. If you’re feeling frustrated…

At work, this emotion emerges when you feel that your results aren’t what you expected, given the amount of work and effort that you’ve expended. You know your goal is achievable, but it continues to seem out of reach.

Your first step here is to reassess your plan and your behavior. Is this really the best way to achieve this goal? If not, your frustration is telling you that you need to change the plan and the execution of the plan.

If your plan is solid and your behavior appropriate, it’s time to exercise patience. Stop worrying about the goal. Let go of your results and concentrate on the behavior and have faith that “God’s delays are not God’s denials.”

5. If you’re feeling inadequate…

Welcome to the club! Whether people admit it or not, even those who seem the most self-confident secretly worry that they’re not going to measure up or that they’re ill prepared for the challenges ahead.

The wonderful thing about this emotion is that it’s the easiest to handle. Your sense of inadequacy, like everyone else’s, stems from a lack of skills, experience, and strategies in an area where you’d like to be successful.

Your plan is therefore simple: Decide that you’re going to work on your skills in this area until you master them. Find a role model or a mentor. Read books or take seminars. Worst case, you’ll learn in the “school of hard knocks.” It’s just part of life!

6. If you’re feeling stressed…

There’s no question that today’s business world puts extraordinary demands on people’s time and energy. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, an executive, a line manager, or a worker, you’re constantly being asked to do more with less.

Even so, you (like everybody else) are constrained by the limits of time and space. Regardless of how you feel about it, you’ve got a limited amount of time to get things done and to keep yourself healthy and happy at the same time.

Therefore, the best way to use stress is as a signal that it’s time to prioritize. Do what’s important rather than what’s urgent. Remember: Twenty percent of your work generally produces 80 percent of your results! So focus on the 20 percent!

By the way, the above is loosely based on some notes I took at an Anthony Robbinsseminar a couple of decades ago, along with additional perspectives gleaned from the brilliant speaker and savant Art Mortell.

Do More Faster: 10 Best Apps & Tools

Five-time entrepreneur Frank Addante lists the digital gems that help him be organized and save time.

Courtesy Companies

 

1.  Organize your email: Sanebox

Sanebox uses algorithms to organize your email into what’s important and what’s not. I was skeptical and had trouble giving up control of my inbox, but now I’m hooked.

Tips: Trust it. Check @SaneLater twice a day, @SaneBulk whenever you feel like reading newsletters or promotions, and @SaneBlackHole for all the junk you never want to see again.

2.  Keep track of all your notes: Evernote 

Evernote stores your notes in the cloud, so you can access them from any computer or mobile device.

Tips: Use Evernote for both business and personal reasons. I take all of my business meeting notes directly in Evernote and scan or fax documents to Evernote that I want to keep. On the personal side, I take photos of wine that I like and store them in a notebook called Favorite Wines and keep copies of all critical identification (like my driver’s license, passport, and insurance papers) in a notebook called Wallet.

Download App: iPhone | Android

3.  Store your documents in the cloud: Dropbox

Securely file away your digital documents in the cloud, so you can find and work on them from any computer or mobile device later.

Tips: I created two Dropbox folders–~Working Drafts and ~To File–and put them on my Mac in my Finder Favorites and on my Dock. I set the default sort order to be by Date Modified. This way, my most recent documents show up at the top of the list, and I can quickly drag or find documents there. I use ~Working Drafts as if it’s my desktop and never actually store anything on my computer desktop. When I’m finished with a document, I drag it to ~To File, and every once in a while, I go into the folder to organize folders that make more sense long term. Note: I include the tilde (~) in the filenames so that, when sorted alphabetically, these folders always show up at the top.

Download App: iPhone | Android

4.  Prioritize your to-do list: Action Method

It’s an online app that helps you organize to-do lists and track and delegate tasks.

Tips: Use Action Method’s three color codes to set your priorities. Use orange for tasks that must be done on the scheduled day, blue for tasks that should be done that day but can push a day if necessary, and grey for tasks that you’d like to get done that day but will push if there are other deadlines. I follow the same color code in my calendar. The website is great, but definitely download–and set to open at login–the desktop, iPad, and mobile apps. Start every “to-do” item with an “action” word. The only negative about the Web application is that it can’t be used offline. I use either the iPad or iPhone app while on a plane and sometimes will print a PDF of my to-dos before I take off and leave it on my desktop.

Download App: iPhone | Android

5.  Assemble your travel plans: TripIt

TripIt files all your itineraries in one place. You can even have it automatically send your itineraries to your significant other, kids, or always-worried mom. The Pro version alerts you of flight delays and gate changes.

Tips: Download the mobile app and put it on your home screen. Create a contact for plans@tripit.com and forward all itineraries to that contact.

Download App: iPhone | Android

6.  Automatically transcribe your voice-mail messages: YouMail

This voice-mail service transcribes your voice-mail messages and sends them to you by email or text (or both). The mobile app makes it easy to view, listen, read, and forward your voice mails.

Download App: iPhone | Android

7.  Consolidate your social network accounts: HootSuite 

This website allows you to use Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Yammer, and others all from one place.

Tips: I tend to have pockets of time when I can read and post on social media. Try HootSuite’s new “auto schedule” feature, so you can spread out your posts and don’t flood your networks with many in a row.

Download App: iPhone | Android

8.  Communicate in real time with your whole team: Yammer

Yammer is like a private Twitter stream just for your company.

Tips: Get everyone in your company to sign up, and then use it as your main means of communicating information. This way, everyone will adapt to Yammer, because no one wants to miss out. Allow employees to post things that are “business” material and “fun” material. The fun material makes it more entertaining, and, in turn, the business material is more likely to be read.

Download App: iPhone | Android

9.  Stay fit: miCoach

Exercise keeps your mind sharp. The miCoach iPhone app acts like your personal trainer. I lost 20 pounds using it at home and while on the road.

Tips: Set up your workouts in advance. I selected Get Lean for running and Get Fit for gym workouts. Buy the heart-rate monitor and stride sensor; it’s worth it. What gets measured gets done.

Download App: iPhone | Android

10.  Sleep better: iSleep

It’s important to get a good night’s rest. If you’re like me, your mind is constantly racing, and the day’s work never ends. The iSleep meditation app helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. It’s particularly helpful when you have jet lag or can’t fall asleep. I use the Deep Sleep playlist at the end of a long, stressful day.

5 Tech Trends You Can’t Afford to Ignore

Silicon Valley was aflutter this week with Mary Meeker’s bold new report on Internet trends. Here’s what you missed.

rhysasplundh/Flickr

 

When Mary Meeker speaks, the Valley listens.

This week, Meeker, a general partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (the venture firm founded in 1972 that’s invested in pretty much every major tech company of the last quarter century) unveiled her 88-page analysis of Web, mobile, technology, and societal trends.

Here, we’ve excerpted the most important elements of the report, especially trends that may affect small business and startups.

1) You should care about China. And India. And Indonesia.

Emerging markets have always played a key role in expansion, but the Internet has magnified this principle. Here, Meeker outlines the role of international Internet adoption. As you can see, it’s huge. From 2008 to 2012, China added 282 million Internet users, bringing their total number of users close to double the population of the United States.

 

2) Your mobile strategy may be the most important part of your business. 

In 2008, only about $0.7 billion was made on mobile. By the end of 2012, the mobile market will have ballooned to a staggering $19 billion, split 67 percent between apps and 33 percent ads. According to Meeker, when looking at the average time users spend on on media, people spend about ten percent of their “media time” on mobile–but just 1 percent of ad spend is spent on mobile. In other words, despite current user adoption, there’s still plenty of room for growth. Another fact to note: In India, mobile Internet traffic surpassed desktop Internet traffic in May, 2012.

3) Don’t forget about Android users.

Meeker is bullish on Android as a platform. According to her calculations, iPhone adoption has exploded in the last four years, but Android phone adoption “has ramped even faster – nearly 6x iPhone.”
4) If you sell a product, you’d be crazy not to focus your e-commerce on mobile and tablet apps.

This chart pretty much speaks for itself: By 2012, about a quarter of all Internet shopping traffic on Black Friday were made on either mobile or a tablet.

 

5) Tech start-ups are leading the charge.

Meeker has a lengthy section “reimagining” what the world will look like–going from desktops to tablets, cash to cashless, maps to navigation systems, etc. Of course, like any good venture capitalist, Meeker found a way here to plug a few of Kleiner’s portfolio companies, including Gumroad (e-payments), Quirky (product design), Evernote (note taking), DocuSign (electronic signatures), and Square (mobile payments).

4 Powerful Words Employees Need to Hear

There are lots of ways to make a positive impact on your staff. But the best involves four simple words.

shutterstock images

Four simple words, used correctly and with the right intent, can make a powerful impact on your business, your life, and other people.

Here’s how.

When you need help, start by using these four–and only these four–words:

“Can you help me?”

And then, for a moment, stop there.

Here’s why.

You’re not a kid anymore. You’re an adult. You’re smart and experienced and savvy. You’ve accomplished things. You’ve earned your place in the world.

So when you ask for help you also tend to unconsciously add image enhancers. For example, if you need help with a presentation you might go to someone and say, “I’m meeting with investors next week and my slides need a few formatting tweaks.”

The problem is that wording serves to frame and signal your importance and ensure your ego is protected. Okay, you may need a little assistance with some trivial matter like a PowerPoint layout, but still: You are the one presenting to investors. You do the heavy lifting around here. You are the big dog in this particular hunt.

Plus you haven’t really asked–you’ve stated. (When you’re in charge and accustomed to directing others, turning requests into directives is a really easy habit to fall into.)

Here’s a better way.

When you need help–no matter the kind of help you need or the person you need it from–take the bass out of your voice and the stiffness out of your spine and the captain out of your industry and just say, with sincerity and humility, “Can you help me?”

I guarantee the other person will say, “Sure,” or, “I can try,” or, “What do you need?” No one will never say “no,” even a stranger. “Can you help me?” speaks powerfully to our instinctive desire to help other people.

Then make sure not to frame your request. Don’t imply that you place yourself above the other person. Don’t make your request too specific. And don’t say what you need.

Instead, say what you can’t do. Say, “I’m awful at PowerPoint and my slides look terrible.” Say, “We absolutely have to ship this order by Tuesday and I have no idea how to make that happen.” Say, “I’m lost and I can’t find my hotel.”

When you ask that way several powerful things immediately occur–especially for the other person:

One, you instantly convey respect. Without actually saying it, you’ve said, “You know more than I do.” You’ve said, “You can do what I can’t.” You’ve said, “You have experience (or talents or something) that I don’t have.”

You’ve said, “I respect you.” That level of respect is incredibly powerful–and empowering.

Two, you instantly convey trust. You show vulnerability, you admit to weakness, and you implicitly show that you trust the other person with that knowledge.

You’ve said, “I trust you.” That level of trust is incredibly powerful–and empowering.

Three, you instantly convey you’re willing to listen. You haven’t tried to say exactly how people should help you. You give them the freedom to decide.

You’ve said, “You don’t have to tell me what you think I want to hear; tell me whatyou think I should do.” That level of freedom is incredibly powerful–and empowering.

By showing you respect and trust other people, and by giving them the latitude to freely share their expertise or knowledge, you don’t just get the help you think you want.

You might also get the help you really need.

You get more–a lot more.

And so do other people, because they gain a true sense of satisfaction and pride that comes from being shown the respect and trust they–and everyone–deserves. Plus you make it easier for them to ask you for help when they need it. You’ve shown it’s okay to express vulnerability, to admit a weakness, and to know when you need help.

And then, best of all, you get to say two more incredibly powerful words:

“Thank you.”

And you get to truly mean them.

8 Beliefs That Make You More Resilient

What you believe about work either weakens you or makes you stronger.

Thomas Barwick/Flickr

Most people live lives of quiet desperation because they focus on things that they cannot control: outside events, stuff that happened in the past and what other people are thinking. As a result, they fail to focus on what they CAN control: their own beliefs, their own attitude, their own emotions, and their own behavior.

Of these four things, by far the most important are your beliefs, because what you believe about work and life largely determines how you feel (your attitude and emotions) and what actions you take (your resulting behavior.)

In my view, there are eight personal beliefs that not only will propel you completely out of desperation but give you the emotional oomph to handle just about anything the business world throws at you. Here they are:

1. Today’s success can breed tomorrow’s failure if I let success make me complacent about staying motivated and moving forward.

2. I learn more from failure than from success. Failure renews my humility, sharpens my objectivity and makes me more resilient.

3. Goals that contain the phrase “I’ll try…” are self-defeating. If I want goals that truly motivate me, I use phrases like “I will” and “I must.”

4. What holds most people back is fear of failure, but if I don’t take action, I’ll fail by default, so what have I got to lose?

5. What I say reinforces what I think, so if something is about to come out of my mouth that doesn’t serve my purpose, I should simply keep my mouth shut.

6. I am responsible for my own happiness, so when other people are unkind to me, it reminds me to be kind to myself.

7. There are five magic words that make even the most difficult business situation easier to handle. Those magic words are: “Do not take it personally.”

8. While there are situations (such as a death in the family) where strong emotions are appropriate, most business situations are not worth even an ounce of misery.

I wish I could say that I figured out these beliefs all by myself, but frankly I’m not that smart. They’re based upon conversations with Art Mortell and Omar Periu, who know more about motivation and personal growth than I’ll ever know.

6 Things Really Productive People Do

Have you noticed that some people just seem to accomplish tons and still appear happy and relaxed? Here are six tips for becoming more productive.

massdistraction/Flickr

People often ask me, amazed, how I manage to do so many things. Aside from writing two columns every week, I speak regularly, travel, create videos, manage my business, write books, consult with five companies, network, socialize, cycle, run, read, cook, sleep six to seven hours a night and have dates with my wife. Oh yeah, I watch a lot of television while hanging out with my dog as well.

Okay, I know it sounds ridiculous. But accomplishing my preferred futurerequires this level of activity. I have the same 24 hours in a day that you do, but I have made specific choices that allow me to make the most of every day, and still feel happy and relaxed. Perhaps these tips will help you make the most of your time as well.

1. Pick Your Priorities

Make choices about the activities in your life. With most endeavors, you can either go deep or go wide. Focus on spending time that for you is fun and productive. If you like big families, have them, but recognize up front that kids require time and you’ll have to choose a lifestyle that supports quality time with them, for you to feel satisfied. I chose the life of a consultant because I like to work with companies, but don’t want the life of a big company CEO. My choices are based on the lifestyle I want.

2. Go For Efficiency

You don’t do everything well. The things you do well usually give you greater joy and require less time. Don’t take on something with a steep learning curve if you don’t have the available bandwidth. Design your life to meet your wants, and recognize when to say no to opportunities that are outside the scope of your desires. Live your life by design, not default.

3. Integrate Your Activities

Many people go crazy trying to figure out how to spend time with friends, family, work, play, etc.  Stop trying to balance time between them all. Find ways to enjoy them in a combined manner. Build your social life around people in your work environment. Find people in your company who share common interests and develop your career around the people and activities you love. If everything is out of synch to the point where you feel pulled and stressed, a change is likely imminent one way or another.

4. Actively Manage Time-wasters

Social media, family, friends, employees, co-workers and general whiners all under certain circumstances can suck precious time from you if you let them. Budget your time for necessary activities. Make a choice to limit non-supportive interactions that don’t energize you. As for social media, it can easily be a black hole for time and productivity. Use it appropriately and sparingly as a tool to support your endeavors and social needs, but lay off the Farmville.

5. Be an Active Learner

You would think learning takes more time from you, but actually there are always new tools and new ways of doing things that can save you time on mundane tasks freeing you up for your priorities. Always be looking for a new way to gain back an hour here or there. Just try it and dump it quick if it starts to drag on.

6. Lighten Up

No need to beat yourself up if you can’t do all the things you want because you are handling other stuff that needs attention. It happens. The world won’t come to an endin most cases just because you left a few things undone. Celebrate progress and keep refining toward a happy productive existence. This is why making lists and crossing off items is a staple in any productivity handbook. Every completion is a small victory that adds up in a big way.

Free eBook: 29 Content Marketing Secrets and the Secret Agents Who Shared Them

 

The world of content marketing is full of mystery and intrigue with companies leveraging every possible resource to achieve a competitive advantage.

In the fast changing world of digital marketing, no resource is more valued than the coveted “Content Marketing Secret Agent”.

These covert content operatives perform their customer segmentation, persona development and editorial planning in the dead of night while most marketers are asleep, snug in their beds. While the average content marketer dreams of page views and search engine rankings, Content Marketing Secret Agents are mapping the customer journey, crafting meaningful messages that pull prospects from awareness to measurable conversions.

Few have been able to crack the code of this elite group but if anyone could, it’s the content marketing smarties at TopRank Online Marketing. We’ve collected some of the best tips just for you.

Click image to download e-book

Yes, that’s right. We’ve collected 29 of the most experienced, knowledgeable and accomplished Content Marketing Operatives to share their secrets with those of us looking for better performance and results. You may be tempted to destroy this dossier of highly valued intelligence before your competitors get to it, but you must resist that temptation.

Consumer brands like Kraft Foods, B2B brands like Intel, IBM and Cisco, industry thought leaders like Jason Falls, Ann Handley and Joe Pulizzi have come together to share one piece of content marketing advice that would send a cold war power into an equivalent state of DEFCON 2. It’s as if we assembled, James Bond, Jack Bauer, Mata Hari, Jason Bourne, Evelyn Salt and Austin Powers all in one room and managed a brain drain of their most prized confidential information.

OK, maybe not Austin Powers, but you get the idea.

We’ve tried to have a bit of fun with this “Secret Agent” shtick in this week’s series of Content Marketing Secrets interviews. We’re continuing that theme into the advice in this e-book.  We hope you enjoy the metaphor and the information which is sound and highly valuable, just like the presentations you’ll see at the 2012 Content Marketing Worldconference.

The Secret Agents:

• Robert Rose, aka Agent #1
• Ann Handley, aka Agent #2
• Jason Falls, aka Agent #3
• Todd Wheatland, aka Agent #4
• Pam Didner, aka Agent #5
• Amanda Maksymiw, aka Agent #6
• Mark Schaefer, aka Agent #7
• Leslie Reiser, aka Agent #8
• Jim Kukral, aka Agent #9
• Michael Stelzner, aka Agent #10
• Heidi Cohen, aka Agent #11
• Waynette Tubbs, aka Agent #12
• Michael Brenner, aka Agent #13
• Ahava Leibtag, aka Agent #14
• Julie Fleischer, aka Agent #15
• C.C. Chapman, aka Agent #16
• Ardath Albee, aka Agent #17
• Brian Massey, aka Agent #18
• Sandra Zoratti, aka Agent #19
• Chris Baggott, aka Agent #20
• Heather Meza, aka Agent #21
• Andrew (Drew) Davis, aka Agent #22
• Jon Wuebben, aka Agent #23
• Mitch Joel, aka Agent #24
• Marcus Sheridan, aka Agent #25
• Amy Porterfield, aka Agent #26
• Curt Porritt, aka Agent #27
• Lee Odden, aka Agent #28
• Joe Pulizzi, aka Agent #42

You can download the e-book pdf file directly here: Content Marketing Secrets eBook or view all of the secrets in the embedded presentation below:

Thanks to Content Marketing World for working with us on this project and of course to Ashley Zeckman from TopRank Online Marketing for all of her help to make it happen.

Speaking of Content Marketing World, it’s coming up next week! If you’re attending then be sure to check out my session on integrating Search, Social and Content Marketing:
When: September 6th at 3:00pm
What:  “Optimize and Socialize for Better Content Marketing”
Who: Marketers who want to attract and engage more business, grow their communities and generally become more awesome

 

What’s your best content marketing secret?

Share your content marketing secret in the comments below and you could win a free copy of Optimize: How to Attract and Engage More Customers by Integrating SEO, Social Media and Content Marketing.

 

Online Marketing News: Facebook Gobbles Instagram, Sharing is Caring, New LinkedIn Stats, Location is Where it’s at: Literally

 

Instagram The Timeline

This infographic detailing the evolution of Instagram by Visually is powerful for a couple reasons, including the fact that the entire timeline is visualized through the use of Instagram photos.  From launching in 2010, to their first million users, and finally to the recent purchase of Instagram by Facebook this is a must read for any fans of the popular social app.

“LinkedIn Introduces Targeted Updates and Follower Statistics”  With over 150 million professional users worldwide, LinkedIn is a powerful marketing asset.   Recent upgrades revealed this week that marketers can now effectively target prospective clients with advertising campaigns and deliver unique content to those users Via SocialTimes.

“Agency Comes Up With ‘I Care’ Button For Social Media”  Have you ever seen something on Facebook such as a posting about a natural disaster or other tragedy, and chose to “like” the post?  Even if you’re simply showing your support something about clicking “like” may not feel right.  Company DDB Worldwide has created a new social response known as the ‘I Care’ button, which allows users to show support and may open up the door for organizations to seek donations.  Via Marketing Daily.

“5 Presentation Apps to Try” Applications for your mobile device or laptop can come in handy for business professionals on the go.  There are a growing number of software programs available if you’re in a bind or are simply looking for a new way to share your content.  This article includes 5 handy apps that any travelling marketer should give a try.  Via Inc.

TopRank Online Marketing Team News

Mike Yanke
comScore: Only Search Engine To See Drop In Queries In March Was Yahoo!
According to a recent report by comScore, search continues to be strong – with a 5% increase in queries experienced in March by Google, Bing – and even AOL and Ask!  Not joining the pack, however, is Yahoo! as the barely major search engine saw its queries decrease 5% over the same timeframe.  Disheartening news after last week’s announcement of planned restructuring and layoffs.  Via Search Engine Land.

Jolina Pettice
Google AdWords Adds ZIP Code Targeting, Location Insertion; Updates Location Targeting
According to Google, more than 20% of all searches are related to location. In order to improve the effectivness of geo-targeting, Google is now allowing users to tag ZIP codes, among other changes, within AdWords Location Targeting.  This change will surely have an impact as 88% of smartphone users who search for local information take action within one day, according to Google.  Via Search Engine Watch.

Shawna Kenyon
5 Ways to Market Your Brand with Location-Based Networks
With the rise in popularity of mobile location-based apps like Foursquare, location based marketing is something businesses should take advantage of. About 30% of smartphone owners access their social networks via their mobile browser, for businesses looking to include location based services this article provides some tips for getting started.  ViaMashable.

Sam Giehll
Rethinking Maslow’s Hierarchy: Implications for a Socially-Connected World
This article applies Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to the world of branding and marketing, especially when it comes to modern social networks.  Via Psychology Today.

Brian Larson
Pinterest Now 3rd Most Popular Social Network [Study]
Pinterest made headlines in February for referring more traffic than any other website.  Now, Pinterest is back in the news, but this time is about its onsite growth.  Via Search Engine Watch.

Roxanne Hagberg
Leaked: Google Analytics Is Making Its Way To Google+
Without the help of Twitter & Facebook, Google appears to be marching forward to provide more social data.  Following the recent addition of social reports in Google Analytics, confidential slides from a Google deck suggest Google Analytics can be integrated with Google+.   Analytics such as visits, page views, average time on site and bounce rate may be available soon.  Via Marketing Land.

Sara Duane-Gladden
Twitter Ads Earn More Money Per Impression Than Facebook Ads [REPORT]
Facebook gets a lot of attention for being a heavyweight when it comes to marketing and advertising, but some new information indicates Twitter may be more of a contender than expected when it comes to ads.  Check out this study to see how the numbers stack up when it comes to “per impression” earning.  Via Media Bistro.

Time to Weigh In
What are your thoughts on Facebook’s purchase of Instagram?  Do you think that you will use the image sharing application more or less? What affect will Google’s new geo-targeting changes have on your company?

Top Online Marketing Books for 2012

The New Year will soon be here and we are looking forward to continuing to learn from some of the top marketing minds on the web about the strategies and tactics that will shape  online marketing efforts in 2012 and beyond. To help you get a jump start, I have compiled a list of books coming out in 2012 that cover a range of online marketing topics including:  mobile, social media, content and search engine marketing. Enjoy.

[Note from Lee: We didn’t include second editions, re-releases in paperback or books that didn’t have cover images uploaded yet.]

Mobile, Local, Location Based Marketing

Mobilized Marketing: Drive Sales, Engagement, and Loyalty Through Mobile Marketing (Wiley) by Jeff Hasen

Jeff Hasen, CMO of mobile marketing forerunner Hipcricket, provides timely mobile strategies and tactics leveraging his experience from more than 130,000 past campaigns.  As mobile marketing continues to move to the forefront of the marketing world, the insight Hasen provides into mobile optimization, budgeting, and measurement should prove to be indispensable in 2012.

Go Mobile: Location-Based Marketing, Apps, Mobile Optimized Ad Campaigns, 2D Codes and Other Mobile Strategies to Grow Your Business  (Wiley) by Jeanne Hopkins and Jamie Turner

Go Mobile offers a step by step guide for mobile marketing in 2012.  It includes practical campaign instructions in order to develop a mobile website, deploy SMS for business, utilize QR codes, leverage mobile apps and more. One can also benefit from strategic instructions to use location based marketing in order to build your customers base and how to integrate social media into mobile campaigns.

Search & Social Media Marketing

Social Media Intelligence: Extracting Knowledge from the Fire Hose of Conversations(Que) by  Sally Falkow

Upcoming in June of 2012, Social Media Intelligence illustrates how to use the leading social media analytics tools in order to gauge the effectiveness of social media marketing and make strategic decisions. Sally Falkow will guide you in moving from reactive brand monitoring to proactive information gathering in order to take advantage of business opportunities. This is a great read for those looking to progress from just doing social media to using it as an effective piece of their marketing strategy.

Google+ for Business: How Google’s Social Network Changes Everything  (Que) by Chris Brogan

The much buzzed about Google+ seems likely to have a big impact on search in 2012.  Author, Chris Brogan, discusses how businesses should be taking advantage of the newest social network and defines those strategies and tactics to use for business.

Content Marketing

Optimize: How to Attract and Engage More Customer by Integrating SEO, Social Media, and Content Marketing (Wiley) by Lee Odden

TopRank Online Marketing CEO Lee Odden helps companies develop an optimized and socialized content marketing strategy to attain new levels of customer acquisition and engagement in 2012.  Balancing the practical with the innovative, Optimize is ideal for those marketers that want a more effective content marketing strategy that wins and retains more customers, builds thought leadership and dominates the competition. Scheduled for release mid-March 2012.

Content is Currency: Developing Powder Content for Web and Mobile (Nicholas Brealey Publishing) by Jon Wuebben

Already receiving great reviews, Content is Currency, by Jon Wuebben delivers practical instructions and step by step guides to manage content through four key phases: Creation, Optimization, Distribution and Curation.  This book is a great opportunity for business owners and marketers to understand how to create content which will engage their audience and drive results.

B2B Marketing

The B2B Social Media Book: Become a Marketing Superstar by Generating Leads with Blogging, LinkedIN, Twitter, Facebook, Email, and More (Wiley) by Kipp Bodnar and Jeffrey L. Cohen

The B2B Social Media Book is the ultimate reference guide for B2B marketers looking to expand their knowledge of social media strategy and contribute to their business growth.  Readers will discover actionable items for leveraging blogs, LinkedIN, Facebook, Twitter and more to form the cornerstone of their B2B marketing strategies.

B2B Digital Marketing: Using the Web to Market Directly to Businesses (Que) by Michael Miler

B2B Digital Marketing looks to be a great resource for B2B marketers interested in learning how to sell directly to other businesses using digital marketing. Leading with a broad summary and then diving into individual channel tactics for strategy, implementation and measurement, B2B Digital Marketing is another good guide for those looking for a B2B marketing overview.

There are many books publishing in 2012 that promise to introduce us to new ways to strategize, develop online marketing plans and deploy campaigns across a variety of channels. What books are you anxiously awaiting in 2012?