Even the great Google makes online marketing errors

I was checking some results on Google and surpisingly got an error! I had never seen this before. Even the titan of the internet can fall sometimes. I just wanted to talk about some other great online marketing blunders. Here is my top 5 list:

1. Coke Zero fake blogging
2. PriceRitePhoto debacle in not sending the product and expecting blogging to just fade
3. Dymocks and Angus and Robertson expecting that online was just a passing trade and letting Amazon take a huge portion of their market share.
4. Toys R Us not investing in their online division because they thought it was a passing trend
5. Guy Kowasaki not accepting the CEO position at Yahoo! in its early infancy

What other online marketing disasters in Australia can you think of?

Weet-bix wins Australia's favourite trademark!

Freestyle Media's client Weet-bix has just won the number 1 trademark of Australia. In an online vote people decided that "Aussie kids are Weet-bix kids"!



Other posts about Weet-Bix

Vote for Weet-Bix as the number 1 trademark
Weet-bix Soccer on YouTube

3 quick ways to increase your website traffic

1. Make your domain name noticeable

Look at the difference between these to domain names:

onlinemarketingsydney.com.au

OnlineMarketingSydney.COM.AU

What do you notice?
1. Each separate word has a capital letter to make it easier to read
2. The .COM.AU is capitalised to help you remember what the domain suffix is

I also suggest you use a domain name that is memorable. I always remember this domain “IfMyMindWasARoom.COM” because its memorable, where as, “BenAndMichaelsGuttering.COM” is not. One final thing it is always good to buy a misspelling of your domain name and the .COM version.

2. Build a database and send an enewsletter with useful tips

An enewsletter is the easiest and fastest way to bring your existing prospects and customers back to your website, thus increasing your traffic. You are looking for marriages here not 1 night stands! To increase your enewsleter list read my article on 101 ways to convert more traffic into signups. When you think about content always think “Is this going to benefit my target market?”

Suggestions for content:
• New articles
• A recent great blog post they may have missed
• News that is relevant to them
• A great forum post
• A special promotion or report

If you don’t want to write your enewsletter get Freestyle Media to write and send it for you.

3. Buy traffic from the search engines

Pay per click advertising in the search engines is a quick technique to getting targeted traffic to your website. Experiment with your search engine marketing agency and just buy a small amount of keywords and test your conversion rate. Once you have an appropriate conversion rate spend a little more with your agency and repeat this process. For more information about search engine marketing read the Freestyle Media search engine marketing guide. If you don’t have a search engine marketing agency, you can get a free quotation from Freestyle Media by simply filling out this search engine marketing quote form.

Know any other quick wins?

Microsoft decides to clip YouTubes wings a little

MSN has decided to take up arms against a sea of YouTube traffic. The Soapbox system is only in its beta version although I am already sceptical of it. If Soapbox Beta functions anything like the previous versions of windows we might be seeing blue screens on our movies. Hey only time will tell how much cash has been invested behind this?

What do you think

101 ways to convert more traffic into database signups

Here is a list of over 101 ideas that you can use:

1. Free eBook
2. Free Ezine
3. Free chapters
4. Free Print Newsletter
5. Free mini-course (7 part e-course)
6. Free articles
7. Free software
8. Free a list of directories
9. Free downloadable interview
10. Free (recorded presentation)
11. Free update on market trend info (stocks... etc)
12. Free tip sheet
14. Free analysis
15. Free phone consultations
16. Free email consultation
17. Free graphics
18. Free website templates
19. Free graphic buttons
20. Free banner ads
21. Free trail to membership site
22. Free tips
23. Free e-certificate to get discount on products
24. Free advertising space
25. Free CD-Rom
26. Free recipes
27. Free tests
28. Free game
29. Free business cards
30. Free coupons
31. Free catalogs
32. Free magazines
33. Free T-shirts
34. Free toothbrush
35. Free screensavers
36. Free photos
37. Free e-greeting cards
38. Free website backgrounds
39. Free clipart images
40. Free email accounts
41. Free dvds
42. Free ring tones
43. Free cell phones
44. Free video tutorials
45. Free wallpapers
46. Free hosting
47. Free fonts
48. Free desktop themes
49. Free animated graphics
50. Free cartoons
51. Free jokes
52. Free quotes
53. Free beauty samples
54. Free stickers
55. Free computers
56. Free Java scripts
57. Free internet access
58. Free music
59. Free songs
60. Free date reminder service
61. Free digital calendar
62. Free digital calculator
63. Free e-dictionary
64. Free I-pod
65. Free address labels
66. Free Horoscopes
67. Free razors
68. Free scholarships
69. Free poker cards
70. Free job search
71. Free poll
72. Free chat services
73. Free virus protection software
74. Free counters
75. Free trackers
76. Free CGI scripts
77. Free guestbook services
78. Free site monitoring services
79. Free web space
80. Free domain names
81. Free message boards
82. Free URL re-direction service
83. Free Blogging software
84. Free food sample
85. Free vitamins
86. Free tea or coffee or chocolate sample
87. Free recipes
88. Free pizza gift certificate
89. Free travel guides
90. Free Bible passage, daily prayer, daily affirmation
91. Free dating services
92. Free homework help
93. Free translation services
94. Free resume samples
95. Free dial up services
96. Free logos
97. Free tax filing
98. Free legal documents
99. Free messaging services
100. Free business referrals
101. Free weather, water reports, or travel reports

Got anymore ideas? Comments?

Fred Schebesta awarded ADMA NSW Young Direct Marketer of the Year for 2006

Tonight I was awarded young direct marketer of the year! I am really happy about this as I have put so much time into becoming an online marketing guru and this acknowledgement makes me feel like I am getting somewhere.

Thank you to ADMA and to all the people who voted for me. A special thank you goes out to Murray Faye at Dore Centres www.dore.com.au and Frank Restuccia my business partner for all of his support through the years.

I would also like to that Michael Kiely for his guidance and his help and teachings that have helped me get to where I am today.

And finally a MASSIVE thank you goes out to all of the clients I have worked with over the past 5 years in online marketing. Including Laser Sight, Sanitarium, McDonalds, Dore Centres, University of Newcastle and Qantas Holidays.

Media update
19th September - B&T Article "NSW Young Direct Marketer of the year has online edge"

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Can I please have some beer with my advertisement?

Carlton have just brought out their latest advertisement http://www.flashbeer.com.au viral campaign.

Now, I couldnt help but look at it. I had to. I wanted to be entertained. Lets see how much beer Carlton beer I will drink now?

I heard a rumour that the Big Huge ad didnt actually pay off for the Carlton guys. I can see the Tooheys ad being flogged to death right now but as I wrote in a previous post about online viral marketing their use of Trebuchets was annoying, I am changing my tune and all I look for is the trebuchets now! I dont even care what the beer is. Just give me deer being launched into clouds with trebuchets!

I think if I was running a beer company I would take a different tact. Try something like this:



HeadOn sales went up 50% after running these ads!

What is your most annoying advertisement?

Brookers, the video blog star on Youtube goes commercial!

Ok I found Brookers from some random surfing and I have got to say that she makes some totally cool videos. My favourite one was this:




If you dont know about Brookers she is a girl who has made some herself kinda famous through YouTube. She has 18,998 subscribers to her video feed! Most of her videos have been viewed over 1,000,000 times! My favourite video of hers has only been viewed 524,061 times. (Only...)

Her videos got snapped up by a big time Hollywood producer and ever since then has started getting into some commercial acting.

Here is one of her latest gigs with NBC. You have to view her video clip to find the url. Essentially she is judging a video blog contest where entrants have to send in videos of them completing contests like teaching your grand mother to get on the internet and surf around.

I would like to call this an internet personality or perhaps "Internet Star". I really like how she endorses YouTube so much and I also like how she makes fun of boring peoples video blog diaries.

I am thinking of converting to a video format so that I can show you more things. I am looking into purchasing a webcam (a decent one!) to get started.

I am going to be recommending video blogs to many of our clients going forward. The strategy is going to be simple. Video sells better than copy. If you would like to work with Freestyle Media on your video blog strategy email me sales@freestylemedia.com.au

Best Western quadrouples their online marketing spend!

Yes, you heard it right! Best Western are the latest to announce accross the board increases to their online marketing spend! They have found that tourism is just done online these days.

If you are a marketing manager reading this, wondering if you should switch some budget to online. If you haven't been surprised at the results you get from online marketing, "You will be. You ... Will be". (To quote Yoda in star wars)

Welcome Best Western to the Rebel side! The imperial print and Tv are angry. Anger leads to fear. Fear, leads to the dark side of job losses and poor job performance.

If you wish to come to the Rebel side and unlock your companies online marketing opportunities, call me 02 9818 7300 the lines are open.