Marketing Education

Webinar: Planning Your Social Media Strategy

2011-09-06T20:40:00.000-07:00

Presenting Webinar for UCI Extension: Planning Your Social Media Strategy, Sept 7. Details to follow.

New RBT Agency Facebook Page

2011-07-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

The RBT Agency has a new Facebook page dedicated to sharing Web marketing information with other interested professionals. You can find us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/RBT-Agency/249383818405634

Please join us and share with us online.

Two New Books to Recommend

2011-02-13T19:36:00.000-08:00

Always trying to keep abreast and increase knowledge and skills... Two books I read and can recommend:

"Mobile Design and Development”, Brian Fling, O’Reilly Media, Inc, ISBN: 978-0-596-15544-5
In this book. Brian shares with us several considerations for approaching the mobile Web market. I found it most interesting in providing insights into how to approach the vast array of devices out there. Good recommendations on how to proceed. I am definitely seeing increasing interest in expanding a company's Web presence to satisfy the mobile market, both in terms of a Web site presence and online promotion.

"Social Media Metrics", Jim Sterne, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, ISBN: 978-0-470-58378-4
If you've ever read Jim's previous work or listen to him speak, he approaches Web marketing in a very practical manner that's easy to digest. His work is always filled with good practices and advise, great practical examples and case studies, and is enjoyable to read. I plan to do much more research on Web metrics -- primarily in the area of social media -- and found Jim's book to be a great resource.

Upcoming Social Media Course

2010-11-30T19:54:00.001-08:00

Interested in learning more about leveraging social media channels as part of your business strategy? UCI Extension is offering an online class this Spring entitled "Utilizing and Integrating Social Media Channels". Learn more at: http://unex.uci.edu/certificates/business_mgmt/social_media/

Search Engine Marketing Update

2010-11-23T20:36:00.000-08:00

I just completed teaching a course entitled "Planning and Developing Your Search Engine Marketing Strategy" through the UCI Extension program. I co-developed and co-taught the course with a good friend and associate of mine. The five-week course focused on introducing the fundamendals of organic and pay-per-click search engine marketing to Marketing and non-Marketing professionals. The term "Search Engine Marketing" was chosen as the course title instead of "Search Engine Optimization" as I feel the term is more descriptive of what is involved. More than the organic and pay-per-click aspects of getting listed on search engines is the readiness your Web site must have in order to fully leverage the qualified traffic one hopes to receive from search engine efforts.

The class received favorable reviews from students and will be repeated in the Spring quarter of 2011.

The book we chose for a text was also rated highly by students. The book is: "Search Engine Marketing" (2nd Edition) by Kristopher B. Jones. Easy to understand and very comprehensive in its coverage of the topic.

Review of Inbound Marketing -- Halligan and Shah

2010-06-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

Halligan and Shah hit on what I believe are some very fundamental concepts regarding social media in the current online marketing environment. Their assertions reinforce my own in that business people and marketers need to accept social media as another necessary presence on the Web. While not all social media channels may apply to all business scenarios, they offer us another branded point-of presence on the WWW that we can use to connect with our target audience. I also agree with the authors in their claim that social media channels should be used to build relationships and begin the conversion process, sending prospects and leads to our primary Web site for further conversion (hopefully to complete conversion). Also covered in the book is a good review of search engine marketing – both organic search engine optimization and pay-per-click. A good read and great resource for anyone looking to understand the new direction of online marketing.

Review of Crush It!

2010-05-25T20:27:00.000-07:00

In Crush It! author Gary Vaynerchuk reaches to the heart of marketing using social media. In addition to his sage advise for all business people – following your passion leads to success – he presents marketers and business people with an enlightened perspective about using social media channels as effective marketing tools. His treatment of the topic transcends an examination of social media and it’s impact on our social communities, and applies these principals to building business communities around our brand while building long-lasting customer relationships in the process. He captures the core of using social media as a low-cost tool to engender interest and fans for your brand and funelling these potential customers to your main web site for the all-important conversion.

Required reading for anyone interested in exploring and leveraging social media channels for promoting yourself and your business.

Order your copy on Amazon: www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN/0061914177/timcallencom

Search Engine Optimization by Kristopher Jones

2010-03-17T20:58:00.000-07:00

Posted a link to Kristopher Jones' book: Search Engine Optimization: Your Visual Blueprint for Effective Internet Marketing An excellent resource for the topic of search engine marketing. Great insights, tools, tips, and tricks. Highly recommended for any Web marketer or any Web site owner wishing to learn more about this topic. Timely insights that include a look at social media as it applies to the area of search engine marketing.

Purchase the book and view more printed resources online at: http://www.rbtagency.com/books.shtm

Added New Social Media Book to Book List

2009-12-27T07:36:00.000-08:00

I added a link to Paul Gillin's latest book "Secrets of Social Media Marketing" to the list of reading resources on the RBT Agency site: http://www.rbtagency.com/books.shtm

Careers in Social Media

2009-07-28T07:04:00.001-07:00

Here you go enthusiastic students: Careers in social media:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/07/28/cb.best.job.facbook.addict/index.html

Recommended Social Media Books

2009-07-08T17:43:00.000-07:00

Hello Students of Social Media--

Rich Hauer asked a very good question. He wanted me to recommend the top 5 books from the many I referenced in class Monday. Here they are in no particular order:
Comm, Joel, Twitter Power, John Wiley and Sons Publishing (ISBN#: 978-0-470-45842-6)

Holzner, Steven, Facebook Marketing: Leverage Social Media to Grow Your Business, Que Publishing (ISBN#: 978-0-7897-3802-8)

Li, Charlene and Bernoff, Josh, Groundswell, Harvard Business Press (ISBN#: 978-1-4221-2500-7)

Miller, Michael, YouTube for Business: Online Video marketing for Any Business, Que Publishing (ISBN#: 978-0-7897-3797-7)

Webber, Larry, Marketing to the Social Web, John Wiley and Sons Publishing (ISBN#: 978-0-470-12417-8)

With honorable mention going out to:
Ash, Tim, Landing Page Optimization, The Definitive Guide to Testing and Tuning for Conversions, Wiley Publishing, Inc. (ISBN#: 978-0-470-17462-3)

Remember you can buy these right from the links on our Web site: http://www.rbtagency.com/books.shtm

Also, I plan on posting reviews of these books. Watch for this -- I hope you find it valuable.

Thanks for asking Rich!

Tim

Added Blogroll

2009-06-28T15:41:00.000-07:00

Added blogroll of relevant blogs on social media.

Welcome to Our Blog

2009-06-07T12:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome. The primary purpose of this blog is for RBT Agency staff and clients and students of Web marketing and social media courses to browse and share thoughts and newsworthy items.

Feel free to comment and experiment within the blog.

Regards--

Tim