MKTG 470 Website Traffic
Throughout the course of this semester, I have used Google Analytics to track the traffic and activity on Christinemanley.com. Google Analytics gives me insight on many different metrics of my website. There have been a total of 42 visitors to my site with a total of 91 visits. Forty-two (53.85%) of these visits were returning visitors, and 49 (46.15%) were new visitors. There has been a total of 418 page views, and there was an average of 4.59 pages/visit. The average visit duration was 3 minutes and 34 seconds, and there is a bounce rate of 12.09%. 18.68% of visits were the results of Search Traffic, 13.19% was Referral Traffic, and 68.13% was Direct Traffic. There have been 17 visits as a result of Organic Search Traffic.
MKTG 470: The Most Important Things I’ve Learned
Throughout this semester, I have learned a great deal about Internet Marketing in my MKTG 470 class taught by Dr. Theresa B. Clarke at James Madison University. The course was split into four primary learning objectives: trends, technologies, strategies, and analytics. In the Trends section, we researched the major internet marketing challenges and opportunities based on historical and current events in the global business environment. For Technology, we studied current technologies that support internet marketing. These included HTML, WordPress, and website design. In Strategies, we learned about internet marketing strategies used to market and communicate. We studied Search Engine Marketing, Email Marketing, and Online Advertising. This section of the course was the most interesting and the most useful in my opinion. Finally, with Analytics we assessed the effectiveness of internet marketing strategy in achieving an organization’s business objectives. My key takeaway from MKTG 470 is realizing the complexity and ever-changing nature of internet marketing. I find this field very interesting, and I am excited to learn more in the future.
My Internet Marketing Future
After completing MKTG 470, I feel that I have learned so much about Strategic Internet Marketing. I do not want to stop here, rather I hope this is a stepping stone into my future. I want to persure a career in marketing, concentrating on internet marketing in particular. I plan on keeping all of my course materials and staying up to date on the latest trends on internet marketing, Next week I plan on taking the CeMA exam in order to become a Certified eMarketing Associate, and hopefully it will be the first step in my career path.
In class, we have learned about Search Engine Optimization and how it can improve the ranking of your site on the search engine results page. The goal of SEO is to make it easier for search engines to crawl, index, and understand your content. The results appear in the organic area of the search engine results page, and the process is completely algorithmic.
The organic ranking in Google is based on two factors: the keywords on your webpage (on-page SEO factors) and the pattern of links to your domain name (off-page SEO factors). The more focused and clear the content is on your website – the clearer your title, metatags, headings, and body text are – the better your chances of ranking high for the keywords on the SERP. Google also looks at the quantity and context of incoming links to your webpage.
I decided to optimize my page “Why I Love JMU” for the phrase “love JMU.” Before I studied SEO, this page did not show up in the first twenty pages of results on Google for the keyword “love JMU.” To improve my ranking, I strategically placed this key phrase in specific areas on my page. I changed the title of the page from “JMU” to “Why I Love JMU” in order to include the whole key phrase. The title tag is so important when optimizing a webpage because it is the first item a search engine reviews. I also changed the URL so it was simple to understand and included the key phrase. Finally, I optimized the body copy of the page by incorporating “love JMU” into the text. When I searched “love JMU” in Google after I optimized my page, I appeared on the 11th page of search results, which is not perfect, but it is at least an improvement.
Google Webmaster Tools is an easy and convenient way for a marketer to obtain useful information about their website. Webmaster Tools gives you data such as Search Queries, Links to your site page, and Keywords, to name a few.
Search Queries: Google Webmaster shows you the Search Queries, which lists the top search queries for which your site has appeared on the search engine results page. It also shows which queries were used when users actually clicked on your site. This tool was particularly helpful for me because it showed me that my site appeared on the search engine results page several times when users were searching something about James Madison University. My site was then clicked on several times as well. The keyword with the most impressions is “love JMU,” which I was happy to see because I optimized my page for that phrase.
Links to Your Site: The Links page shows you details about which pages on your site are linked from another website. For example, links to my website have appeared on two other webpages, including my professor, Dr. Theresa Clarke‘s site. This is something, as a marketer, that I would like to increase in order to get my website more well known.
Keywords: This page lists the most useful keywords Google has found on your site. It also shows the amount of significance for each keyword. This tool showed me that most of my keywords were marketing-related, “marketing” being the one with the highest significance score.
I think all of Google‘s tools are useful for marketers engaging in online advertising of many kinds. Google Webmaster Tools, in particular, is important for obtaining specific data about details and activity on your website.
Last Thursday, Lindsay Crone came to speak to our Strategic Internet Marketing class. Linsday is a JMU alumn and spoke to usabout her career experience after graduation in 2008. She also gave us some very useful advice concerning careers, interviews, and resumes. Lindsay is currently a Creative Editor at The Search Agency in Baltimore, MD. Previously, she worked as SEM Creative Manager at Advertising.com/AOLadvertising.
During her presentation, Lindsay discussed the different aspects of online makreting, such as paid search, organic search, social media, consumer experience, and feeds. She explained that our media reality is that everyone is connected most of the time. Many people are on their laptops, at the same time they are watching the television, at the same time they are on their smart phones. This just proves the importance and popularity of media and the internet these days. This reality also gives her job a purpose. Online marketing, in particular, is a young, ever-changing, and popular field.
At The Search Agency, Lindsay is in charge of multiple accounts, for which she creates online advertising campaigns using Google AdWords. Similar to what we have done in class, but on a much larger scale. For example, for one of her client’s she has she is running 112 campaigns with hundreds of keywords. She says that at her job, she is able to work with a number of clients, and she never gets bored because there is always something to do.
On behalf of JMU and Dr. Clarke‘s Internet Marketing class, I would like to say thank you to Linday Crone for her interesting presentation and great advice to our class!
Retargeting
Have you ever looked at an item on an e-commerce website and found that very item advertised on multiple sites you visit afterward? Websites often advertise specific products that a user has pursued elsewhere online in that same browser. This type of extremely personalized marketing is called retargeting. Retargeting uses online tracker technology that exchanges small text files called cookies when a web browser visits a site. For example, say you look at a pair of shoes at Zappos.com. A cookie is then places in your browser linking it with that pair of shoes. Then when you visit another site on that browser, an advertisement is shown for that pair of shoes. Retargeting is not a new practice, but it is becoming more prevalent now that big companies like Google and Microsoft have entered the field.
Clever or Intrusive?
Advertisers say that retargeting is not particularly intrusive, but some consumers find the highly personalized marketing creepy or disturbing. Consumers may feel uncomfortable with this type of advertising because they feel like they are being tracked on the Web. Also, if someone shares a computer with another person, they might be able to see what that person has browsed online. Personally, when I have encountered this kind of advertising, I thought it was interesting. I can see where people’s concern is, but I think once you understand how it really works, retargeting does not seem so creepy.
Find out more about Retargeting in this New York Times Article “Retargeting Ads Follow Surfers to Other Sites”
Today is officially the first day of Spring! This means it’s time for warm weather, bright colors, and flowers blooming. Many of the looks that are on trend this season are fun, light, and best of all, very wearable. Glamour Magazine online shows many examples of these Spring trends. Three that I find the most fun to experiment with this season are Color Blocking, old Prints, and Metallics.
Color Blocking
One fun trend this season is color blocking. This involves pairing bold, solid-colored pieces together-like a pink shirt, red blazer, and pastel pants as fashion blogger Kendi has done. Wearing color like this is a fun way to stand out and make a statement this season. Tip: limit color blocking to no more than three colors to avoid overdoing it and looking like a rainbow.
Bold Prints
This Spring, bold prints are in yet again. However, this year at the Spring Fashion Shows, the prints seemed bolder than ever. These vibrant, colorful, detailed patterns are going to be found on everything from leggings, to skirts, to blouses. Printed pieces look great when paired with a neutral or solid – for example, wearing a fun animal print top with a pair of solid-colored skinny jeans. Although, if you’re feeling daring, mix-and-matching prints is becoming more in as well – like this Free People model has done.
Metallics
This year, metallic colors aren’t only being saved for Fall and Winter. Many looks this Spring are rocking metallic colors – especially bronze, gold, and silver. These sleek pieces give a look a futuristic edge, and provide an effortless WOW-factor to any outfit. Tip: pair a statement metallic piece with neutral accents, such as a gold skirt with a white and black top.
Businesses Using Pinterest
Pinterest has become one of the hottest new social media sites. Its millions of users create digital scrapbooks by “pinning” images they like onto their own unique boards. Members can pin images they find on the web or repin other’s pins and categorize them on their own boards. To users, this is a fun way to find interesting products, recipes, crafts, and photos. I speak from experience when I say that it is a fun way to spend your time…and it’s even more fun when you’re trying to procrastinate.
Many businesses are taking advantage of Pinterest’s new popularity to expand their social media presence. The article Businesses Pin Hopes on Digital Scrapbook Pinterest discusses businesses new interest in the social media site. For many types of businesses, such as retailers, designers, photograhers, and wedding planners, this is an opportunity to build brand awareness. Pinterest is attractive to both corporate and small businesses because of its new popularity, ease of use and fast growing user base. More and more companies are creating Pinterest accounts to promote their products. Adding a link to their Pinterest pages, as well as a “pin it” button on their website can give users a simple way to connect with a company and access their products.
I think Pinterest is going to continue to grow at a rapid speed. It is so successful because it is equally friendly to consumers and businesses alike. In my opinion, its strongest point is that it is not only informative and practical, but also creative and fun to use.
For more information on the growth of Pinterest and how it can improve your company:
Pinterest Best Practices for Search Marketers
Pinterest for Brands: 5 Hot Tips
I just finished a Twitter assignment for my MKTG 470 class. During the assignment, I explored Twitter and various links and articles I found from people’s posts. I also started following other students that are in my class. I follow a variety of Twitter accounts, including friends, celebrities, designers, and news stations. I usually check twitter several times a day, just for a minute or two at a time. It is the easiest way to stay up to date on many things at once – I’m able to see what my friends are doing, what the latest news is, and which television shows will be on that night, all in one place.
Today’s assignment was to spend an hour on Twitter and create four posts within that time. I chose to post four articles that pertain to internet marketing and social media. Two of them have to do with fashion as well, which something I’m very interested in. I found the articles via Mashable, an independent news source for social media and technology.
I find it very interesting how huge Twitter has become in the world today. It seems that almost every business and every person now has a twitter. Knowledge of these types of social media outlets will be extremely useful to me when looking for marketing jobs after graduation. Twitter has become one of the fastest ways to find out information. For example, during this assignment I read an article on Mashable that stated that Whitney Houston’s death on Saturday was announced on Twitter 27 minutes before it was released in the press. Although this is a very sad example, I think it really shows how fast information spreads via social media, and Twitter in particular.
For my MKTG 470 class, taught by Dr. Clarke, we created these websites to learn more about strategic internet marketing. Recently, I just installed a new WordPress theme called “Tranquil Reflections” by Liight Graphic Designs. This theme is simple and subtle, and has a decent amount of white space with grey accents. It is a relatively basic theme with a photo of a beach as the central focal point on the homepage. I think this photo accurately depicts the name of the theme.
I chose to use “Tranquil Reflections” because of its simplicity and subtle beauty. I think it creates a peaceful mood when users visit the site. I also chose it because it is aesthetically pleasing to visitors. The theme includes a header, a loop, a sidebar, and a footer. The name of the site is clearly written at the top, followed by the page links. The blogs are posted in the loop, and the blogroll and links are listed on the right sidebar. This layout makes the site easy to navigate. When I switched to this new theme, I didn’t notice any changes in my dashboard. I think everything that was present with the Whitehouse theme is still available to me with this theme.
I’m very happy with my new theme, and I think it reflects my personality better than my previous Whitehouse theme. I may choose to chance the picture on the homepage eventually, and replace it with a picture of my own. But for now, I am satisfied with the way this website is coming together.
Welcome to my blog. I am currently enrolled in Strategic Internet Marketing (MKTG 470) taught by Dr. Theresa B. Clarke at James Madison University. As one of the course requirements, all students will be completing some of the assignments as blog posts. This is my first official blog post for Dr. Clarke’s course in the JMU Department of Marketing.
