by Veronica Fielding     I try to avoid posting about SEO for MENG Blend because my agency is all about SEO, SE-ocial, Mo-cial, PPC and analytics.  I think and talk about SEO practically 24/7, so understandably I look forward to posting on MENG Blend about topics outside the broad-reaching scope of SEO. Today, however, I just can’t resist the temptation to evangelize a bit about how much SEO has changed and …Read More

by Dorothy Crenshaw     The long awaited return of AMC’s ”Mad Men” has me thinking about the golden age of marketing and its contrast to today’s more data-driven and metrics oriented era.  As a fervent fan of the show and admirer of Matthew Weiner’s storytelling talents, I’m convinced the show holds some important lessons, both old ones and fresh reminders, for latter-day marketers.  Here are my favorite learnings that are relevant …Read More

by Guest Contributor Charles Gold     With all the talk about what’s new in marketing, it’s easy to get your head spinning.  And to be sure, some things have changed.  For good. We now have a whole set of new tactics at our disposal.  In more and more cases, our customers educate themselves and buy when they’re ready, not when we sell them.  If you don’t understand social media and inbound …Read More

by Matt Gill     More companies are deciding to bring on consultants rather than full-time hires.  The list of reasons varies but includes: Budget constraints, contractor or consultant dollars can be allocated differently from staff budgets on a P&L. There are no benefit costs like healthcare and vacation. The project has a definitive start and end date. Regardless of the reasons, the contractor/consultant role is on the rise.  So how …Read More

by Randall Beard     Imagine a coach who only shows up after the game to find out the final score.  No coaching during the game. No in-game adjustments based on what’s working and what’s not.  Is this good coaching?  Of course not. The final score is just that – a final score.  It tells us nothing about what caused the game to be won or lost, and, more importantly, what adjustments …Read More

by Patricia Martin     I’ve been attending SXSW since 2009.  Every year, it’s a hot mess of people and ideas.  But this year, as a consequence of social media, the festival exploded in size. The city of Austin struggled to manage the influx but snarled traffic and long lines persisted.  Torrential rain didn’t help matters, either. Still, I left Austin inspired.  Here’s what stood out: 1.    B2B brands, especially start-ups, …Read More

by Peter Engler    As an experienced Career Strategist, I have noted a number of things that can make a real difference in your job and career search.  In no particular order, they are: Contact people who sold to you in the past.  Many of my clients have difficulty re-establishing a network of people who can help their search. One suggestion to expand your network is to think back to people …Read More

                 by Jim Signorelli    While I was attending a college introductory marketing class, the professor asked me to define “the marketing concept” in front of the class.  Not having been fully prepared, I slowly stood up and sheepishly replied with the interrogatory “Buy low, sell high?” Okay, admittedly I had not been prepared at all. Commensurate with an outburst of laughter from the class, a student two rows in front …Read More

by Christopher Rollyson          The Duke University Fuqua School of Business CMO Study projects a steady increase in CMOs’ social business allocation within their marketing budgets, from a 7.4% boost in 2011 to 10.8% in 2012 (a 46% increase). The CMO Survey is especially interesting because it breaks out marketinginvestments in separate sectors:  B2C, B2B, Services and Products.  It provides additional perspective for people interested in social business adoption because …Read More

by Richard Guha     Most functions in business are clearly difficult.  Someone in Purchasing knows that Finance has an advanced and specialized skill set and so does R&D or the Legal Department. Most people even know that they could not be in Sales.  However, most people think that Marketing is easy.  Even some Marketers, the weak ones, think it is easy – they are at a level of, as they say, …Read More