Category: General Business

Facebook In Big Trouble – What You Need to Know Now

Posted on by Alton Duderstadt

Top 10 things Facebook Doesn’t Want You to Know

There have been some pretty massive stories coming out about Facebook, the 2016 election, and your data. Below are some big reasons why this is trouble for Facebook and why this may spell trouble for your advertising. Let’s start with the top-line information:

  1. Facebook provided detailed data on 50 million users to a company called Cambridge Analytica.
    1. Cambridge Analytica was created by Steve Bannon who was the campaign manager for Trump in 2016.
    2. The harvested the data by using polls and digital surveys for the information and used it in order to impact the 2016 election, send out false news stories, and sway public opinion.
    3. Read more at Vox for a very simplified and detailed version.
      1. There is a LOT more on Cambridge Analytica and you can read additional details at CNBC.
  2. According to multiple reports…Facebook has known about the data issue and the possibility of personal privacy issues for 2 years [at least].
  3. Facebook’s stock has taken a massive hit of over 60 billion over the last few days.
  4. Additionally, it is being reported and acknowledged [by Facebook] that they are tracking phone calls and text messages by users. The massive privacy and data issues are crushing Facebook stocks and users are shutting down accounts over these issues.
  5. Facebook is selling your data for profit and you’ve digitally signed your digital life away so they can do exactly that.
  6. Facebook content isn’t very trustworthy. Less than 6% of surveyed users trust the content created by unknown brands. Excellent article by Marketingweek and the ‘fake news effect‘.
  7. 4 out of 5 ads are ignored on Facebook.
  8. According to Pew, the majority of Facebook users go there to socialize, catch up with family and friends…not to buy or be sold anything.
  9. Social media is the least converting channel of all top primary conversion pathways.
  10. Facebook changed their algorithm [2018] to show content that is more family friendly, friend-friendly and based on YOUR likes and dislikes versus big advertisers.

So what does all of this mean? Well, for those that follow Searchology…not much. We already know how to use social media the right way. We know that a healthy social media mix is important to reaching out and informing our audience. But from a higher perspective, this will force major social platforms to change how they are treating our data and what they do with our information.

This could spell TROUBLE for your brand and company if you rely too heavily on social media to get the word out or achieve peak awareness. A careful mix of content, information, clarity, and honesty are the primary needs of all social media users. Fill that gap…win social media. Yes, nearly 50% of Internet users are getting their news from social…however, we are reaching a point where promoted stories will be ignored, brands will be switched off, and ‘friends’ will be unfollowed as well.

Watch this space, dear readers. Watch closely. No reason for panic…but every reason to use critical thinking moving forward.

 

DigitalBeerCast Initial Launch

Posted on by Alton Duderstadt

Digital BeerCast Is Now Live

September 16, 2016

Searchology is delighted to announce our newest endeavor. Digital BeerCast [DBC]. Digital BeerCast will focus on all things Internet including sales, channel attribution, SEO, and much more. Searchology has teamed up with Mr.Marketology and Jeff Bele in order to provide our clients and website visitors with thought-provoking commentary and  insights all things search. Our weekly videocast will provide unique interviews with business owners in our local communities, experts in SEO, paid search, branding and much more.

Of course, we will be featuring a select beer every week with each videocast. All of our delicious beverages will come from local breweries and brewmasters.  After all, what goes better than search engines and a tasty adult beverage?

Our primary topics of weekly discussion:

  • Digital marketing
  • Internet advertising
  • Social media
  • Online reputation management
  • Website development
  • Affiliate marketing
  • Channel attribution
  • Digital sales and sales funnels
  • E-commerce
  • Mobile advertising
  • Google Ad Words, Google Analytics, Google Search Console
  • Bing and Bing related properties
  • Social media and social media optimization
  • Email marketing
  • Internet privacy and much more

Searchology and Mr. Marketology are dedicated to providing truth, transparency, honesty with a full-bodied approach that will leave your mental thirst quenched and mind invigorated. We love the Search and we know you will too. Please enjoy our very first episode on the house.

If you are a brewery or brewmaster and you would like your beverage featured on our next Beercast  give us a call at 312.316.7202. Our audience is nationwide with a focus on Illinois and Atlanta with serious website traffic and a never ending taste for suds and digital marketing.

Searchology Celebrates 7 Years

Posted on by Alton Duderstadt

Searchology Celebrates 7 Years of Digital A&M Service

We are truly delighted to have made it for seven years working in our chosen field of digital marketing and advertising. I have been in the search engine marketing field prior to 2001. I really got excited about it with my first job in the space cold calling companies from the phone book and offering them top place position on Google and Yahoo. Back in 2002, most of the work was very simple and very easy to drive high-quality website traffic without much of a fuss.

We are forever thankful for our long term clients, past clients, and future clients. Our company cannot claim success without the continued support, trust, and business from our clients, friends, and family. Our unconditional respect and love for all of those that have helped us get to where we are today. Of course, the digital space is not without its highs and lows. My how things have changed over the years.

What Have We Learned About Search Engine Marketing In Seven Years?

  1. In the mid 90’s a writer from Time Magazine claimed the Internet was a fad and wouldn’t last.
  2. 50% of current Internet users can’t tell the difference between paid search and natural listings.
  3. Always bring coffee and morning breakfast baked goods to every meeting you can.
  4. The best clients are Searchology clients.
  5. Don’t try to save a snapping turtle without a little help from local law enforcement.
  6. Search engine optimization is now a field unto itself and should always be treated that way.
  7. We can now fully see and understand channel attribution funnels and metrics.
  8. There are more channels to advertise and market on than there are days of the year…and you only need to focus on the channels where your clients are not where YOU think they are.
  9. Love your data and your data will still not love you back.
  10. There are a lot of promises thrown around by a lot of agencies and marketing outfits…excellent results take hard work, time, and client effort. No Searcholgist is an island.
  11. 25% of all Internet users Google themselves.
  12. Plan your work and work your plan…always.
  13. Continual education and keeping up with “the Search” is damn near a full-time job.
  14. There is always more to know about the digital space.
  15. Social media isn’t what you think it is…ever.
  16. 30 minutes early is ON TIME.
  17. Time is the one thing we can never take back…so use it wisely.
  18. Google continues to be the monster search engine after all these years.
  19. Primary aspects of search engine optimization have NOT changed all that much over the past 16 years. Content was KING in 2000…and it is more important now than every before.
  20. Website visitors DO read your website if your content is WORTH reading.
  21. In order to be successful in this business or any business…you must be willing to give without the expectation of anything in return.
  22. Sometimes you eat social media…and sometimes social media eats you.
  23. Privacy is now a thing of the past.
  24. Once it’s published…you can’t take it back.
  25. There is no silver bullet. All bullets are required.

Hopefully, our little list provided you with some small insight into what we’ve learned over the years. It is much more extensive than what I’ve posted…but I don’t want to keep you reading all day. We are truly thankful for what we have been given, the trust of our clients, referrals, our partners, and for what we’ve become due to all of the support over the years. Thank you, our readers, and our thanks to all of the people that have helped us grow and prosper. Here is to you and here is to several more decades of Searchology.

Kindly ~ Alton J. Duderstadt II

President | Chief Searchologist

Net Neutrality At Risk – What’s the worst that could happen?

Posted on by searchology

Verizon just won a major battle against Net Neutrality. A US appeals court struck down the notion that the FCC can require major ISPs to treat all Internet traffic as equal. Put another way, this ruling opens Pandora’s box of paid channels for the rich and poor. Those that can and are willing for access to websites like Google, Bing, Yahoo, Netflix, Facebook and other major sites may have to pay top dollar. The possibility now exists for companies like AT&T, Verizon, Comcast and other provides to package websites and search engines much like you currently pay for cable packages.

Individuals who cannot pay for this access will not have access to major search engines, websites or access to small business website. Individuals with the ability to pay [potentially high prices] can have full access to information. So, what is the worst that could happy if we loose Net Neutrality?

  1. Small business websites and owners may have to pay premium prices to have their websites show up or be found at all.
  2. Individuals who cannot afford access to the Internet [above the price they currently pay for ISPs] will no longer have access to online information.
  3. Only the wealthy or well-off will be able to have full access [based on what the ISP deems worthy].
  4. News channels and independent news outlets will be shut down.
  5. The majority of websites on the Internet will loos massive amounts of website traffic, data, revenue and exposure.
  6. Small business who focus on e-commerce, m-commerce and rely on the Internet for their livelihood will be driven out of business.
  7. Small business who rely on the Internet to drive sales leads will see the lead flow choked or completely shut down, resulting in business closure.
  8. Large companies will have the ability to fully control what you see online because they have the budget to pay for what YOU see.
  9. The very basis of the Internet is: it is free for everyone. no one person or company has control of the Internet. opens the door of ‘freedom of information’ for all.
  10. The very thing that makes the Internet so unique is access and the level playing field that is created for all.

There is hope…Internet users beat SOPA and PIPA…they have not gone away but with consistant attention, debate and objection from the masses – be prepared to loose one of the most important inventions of all time.

 

Should You Get Paid Commission Only?

Posted on by Alton Duderstadt

Recently, one of the marketing greats, Seth Godin wrote a blog post called “Everyone gets paid on commission” in which he suggests that you should get paid for what your produce. In addition, with web 3.0’s ability to track damn near about everything all of us are working on commission. And for those that don’t produce…find the door.

Normally, I stand behind most of what Mr. Godin says and I admire the hell out of him. I love reading his fast hitting and concice writing. No kidding, I really dig this guy. However, not on his point; everyone gets paid on commission. Although it may be a step or two away from pretzle logic…most of us in the working world are treated as if we work on commission only. For those of us who have had to work commission only jobs they are brutal and can be very detrimental to a persons well being.

If it’s knocking on doors or pounding the phones, everyone deserves a fair days pay for a fair days work. Sure we can break into symantics on what type of work should reveive what type of compensation…but at the end of the day is it not our time which is the most valubale “thing” we have?

So, why should it be that we are all working on commission? Is our personal time and sacrafice of this time not worth a solid reliable paycheck? I believe it is thinking like this which has allowed millions of people to feel as if they have no real life of their own. It is get up, do the morning routine, go to work and come home for an hour or two and do it all again.

When people sacrafice so much already for a paycheck…is there really a need to bring it down yet another level Mr. G? No, it is not. Work hard, get paid hard…whatever you want to call it. We are all human and should be treated as such. Human. Commission really brings compensation down to a very uncomfortable level.

A person can work his\her fingers to the bone at a commission job and that does not make their work any less vaulable or productive than that of the individual standing nearby. Nope, maybe their conversion rate was off…I think we should all reconsider compensation packages and start with A.I.G. and work our way top down first.

Let's have a conversation.

Honest digital marketing experts, available, now. Come on...you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. ROI lives here.

Facebook Twitter Google-plus-g Icon-phone-handset Envelope
Get Started
About
Service​s

Copyright © 2023  – 2024 Searchology, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Designed By Searchology, Inc. Searchology™ is a registered trademark protected by U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.