Author: Nancy McCord

Nancy McCord is the President and resident blogger for McCord Web Services LLC. She has been providing global web services since 2001. She is a web designer, search engine marketing professional, and search engine and blog expert. She lives in Maryland just south of the Washington DC metro area.
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Dan Patrick Viral Marketing At Its Best

We are doing a Google AdWords program for the Dan Patrick team at The Content Factory. Although we are doing just one facet of the work in the promotion of the new Dan Patrick radio show that is coming on September 9th, I have to say that what is being done by others on the team is a pure stroke of genius.

To see what I mean, please visit www.DanPatrick.com or www.DanPatrickOnline.com, they are the same site. The team has created movie vignettes of Dan Patrick that are great to watch. The movies are a pure stroke of genius that speaks to the imagination and humor of Dan Patrick in a way that is highly engaging and very viral for the Web. The push is to let ESPN fans know that Dan Patrick has left and is starting a new “Big Show” on September 9th but through The Content Factory this time.

If you are wanting to see a great piece of viral marketing in work that has a real “pro” touch, you need to visit www.DanPatrick.com to see them yourself.

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A New Quick Launch Site

We’ve just launched a new Quick Launch template “fast on the web” website for www.Garpepano.com. You can click our post title and see this colorful site now.

Garpepano is the new Italian spice creation of Luigi Cerrato. Garpepano is a spice blend of oregano, Romano cheese, garlic, and chili peppers. You’ll love it on pizza.

The site has been done using our Quick Launch – get on the web in 5 days program. For a small investment a business owner can have a nice five page site to announce their new product to the world.

You can even buy Garpepano online using PayPal. Visit now to check out this hot new product for yourself!

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Now You’ll Pay to Be in the Sacred Yellow Box on Google AdWords

Google has just announced that it has implemented the change in the pricing for top ads in the special colored boxes above the organic listings.

http://adwords.blogspot.com/2007/08/improved-top-ad-placement-formula-now.html

The bottom-line that I see from the change is that it will now cost more to be in the top spot. Previously one got in the top spots based on performance – about 2.5% + in CTR. Now it appears that not only will the CTR and ad quality score be a factor, but what you will sign up to pay by your max CPC setting as well.

It appears to me that Google is posturing itself to charge the full max CPC in the account when an ad appears in the top spot from their comment “Review your account for maximum CPCs that are higher than the maximum amount you’re willing to pay.” Google has always said that it can charge the full max CPC in the account and now it appears that they will if an ad appears in the top spot.

Quality score has not been a huge factor for accounts that we manage as we work hard to get and keep a good score, and performance in most cases has not been an issue either, but now we will need to watch carefully that the CPCs set in the accounts do not hit figures that we are not really willing to pay in an effort to get into a certain position on the page.

This aspect will particularly affect an account or ad group where a clients is really wanting to appear in the top first or second position or possibly even the third position. Clearly they will pay more to Google to get there.

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Web 2.0 Boon or Bust?

Well it’s the new buzz word, is your website Web 2.0 friendly? What it really means is are you creating ways for readers and visitors to interact with you? Is your website using new technology? Are you blogging? Do you have video and commenting capability on your site?

That’s what Web 2.0 is all about, creating a richer media experience for your visitor. Will it kill your traffic if you don’t have it? No, is it something that you should be thinking about? Yes.

I am recommending that if possible video, flash components, and blogs be included in all our new websites. Visitors need more information and more ways to interact with you in today’s world. The age of the static brochure website is gone, with our technology-lust, we have created an environment where we need to enrich the viewing experience, without overkill, for our visitors and readers.

It is not rocket science to start moving in the direction of Web 2.o, but it does take planning and a concerted effort on your part. If you don’t think that it is important, watch what the 20 to 30 something crowd is interested in. They are your growing customer base and you will need to cater to them as their spending power increases in the marketplace. The younger generation is incredibly tuned into to the use of technology and using information on the Web. Your website and new redesign should speak to the future of the use of technology and be forward thinking.