Ever wonder exactly how much a Twitter follower is worth to businesses? Thanks to an unusual lawsuit, we might be getting a rare glimpse: A technology Web site, PhoneDog.com, and one of its former chief editors, Noah Kravitz, are embroiled in a legal battle that could have fascinating repercussions for social networks. Kravitz is suing [...]
The first time we talked about Google+ here on the Masterlink blog, it was exploding onto the Internet marketing scene. Just a few weeks later, the bubble seemed to already have popped: overall usage of Google+ dropped by three percent, and time spent on the site dropped 10 percent. So, nearly three months later, how is it [...]
Think of web content like your grocery store’s produce aisle: Even the tastiest, most colorful, most well-positioned fruits and veggies still need to be replaced from time to time. Last week, we talked a bit about how content still often matters as much or more as connecting — even in the world of social media [...]
With interactive marketing, what’s most important: How frequently you connect with potential customers and clients? Or how valuable you make each connection? My own social media habits show how it’s not quite one or the other. For example, a quick survey of my own Twitter habit reveals this statistical tidbit: 13 percent of accounts I [...]
If you want to understand how web giants like Google, Facebook, Apple and Amazon should influence the long-term vision for your business, it’s a good idea to spend some time exploring their long-term visions. This is especially true if: If you’re overwhelmed by how quickly what matters on the web changes If you get the [...]
A few weeks ago, we mentioned a study that quantified just much how good Yelp reviews are helping businesses (as well as how bad poor reviews can hurt). Apparently, this idea struck a chord. A flurry of new statistics on the subject soon followed. According to Good Magazine, for example, a one-star increase in Yelp [...]
There’s probably nothing new we can say about Steve Jobs that hasn’t already been said. But there are a couple key lessons we can learn from the torrent of praise, followed by torrent of backlash to that praise, followed by a torrent of even-handed looks at what did and did not make the guy successful [...]
Here’s some startling news you probably didn’t know. Apparently, good reviews from online sites like Yelp and Google make for good business (and vice versa). According to Kevin Drum: Harvard’s Michael Luca did a clever study that took advantage of “discontinuity effects.” Yelp rounds off its rating for public consumption, so a restaurant that crosses [...]
At this rate, you’ll soon be using your phone to pick up the kids, cook dinner, walk the dog, and dream sweet, peaceful dreams. Google introduced its “Wallet” mobile payments app this week, which represents another important step forward in journey towards total, joyful smartphoneification (it’s a term) of life. According to ABC News: In [...]
Here’s a good lesson: Don’t get so blinded by the dazzling potential of social media marketing that you forget to make it, well, social. For example, both Facebook and Yelp decided to quit the “daily deal” game (sites like Groupon, etc.) in the past couple weeks, highlighting an important lesson for businesses trying to navigate [...]
