Top pick reSEOlutions tips for 2018; 'Evergreen marketing insighter' ▲▲▲by Gloria Buono-Daly - FREE Topic Cluster Keyword Template and FREE Digital Marketing Budget Calculator from WebStrategies

This blog has been updated annually to include the latest trends and findings since the original publication, December 31, 2009 on the AllThingsDigitalMarketing "Evergreen Marketing Insighter" blog post.

However, the trends for 2018 will most likely be the same; for example, predictions of growth in mobile, video, etc. continue for 2018 but keep in mind, eventually there will be a saturation points for mobile, video, wearables, etc. Therefore, this repost from 2017 has a few modifications to account for some enhanced buzz trends.

“ Video - video - video
      music . ly is looking to be huge.
      House Party is looking to be big as well. Instagram has integrated extensive video capabilities and extending the time from 15 - 60s.
      Snapshat is basically a video platform and is huge. Learn the differences between each.” ~~ Saif Khan, CEO / Founder at Leg Up Social, answering my Quora Q, "What are the latest social media marketing trends for 2017?"  (see Quora screenshot below)

You’ve tried several years before but this time, come January 1, your New Year reSEOlution © is to be more SEOrganized © , pay more attention to the detail, save on SEM spending and track those milestones once and for all. 

As amateur live videos continue to create buzz, hype and engagement, learning about the various new social media platforms is key, this according to Saif Khan, CEO / Founder at Leg Up Social.

Que sera sera whatever 2018 will prove to be in 12 months from now for sure the marriage of Artificial Intelligence with Behavioral Marketing, Privacy, and Live and Mobile Video appear to be the top three trends as well as "Topic Clusters" (FREE "Topic Cluster Keyword Research Template") to watch out for in 2018. Interesting YouTube "Info-Video" titled Topic Clusters: The Next Evolution of Content Strategy below:

Native advertising was king in 2017 while 2016 was the year MEMEs became a main ingredient in social media culture. According to the "Stumbleupon Time Machine," "2016 was the greatest year for meme culture. "

There is plenty to learn and this year there's an abundance of powerful links with a wealth of information about the latest trends in social media for 2017 (note "My Favorite Resources" section below ). Video and wearable technologies coupled with the convergence of online and realtime are at the forefront  when it comes to the latest social media trends.

According to a report  by WebStrategies, in 2016, the average firm will allocate 30% of their marketing budget to online, this rate is expected to grow to 35% by 2019 and search engine marketing (SEO & SEM) will capture the largest share of online spend with online display (banner ads, online video, etc.) taking the second largest share. Additionally, social media investments will continue to grow as an overall share of online spend, but will only represent about 15% of the total online spend while mobile marketing has grown to a point that it’s no longer tracked in the forecast and it’s presumed to be considered across all channels.  

WebStrategies has a great app on their site which enables marketers to calculate what a company's digital marketing budget should be. Simply plug in a few numbers and voilà, you get your overall plus all the breakdowns as to how you should allocate your spending. Click here to get your "Calc Away your Digital Marketing Budget with FREE Digital Marketing Calculator from WebStrategies!"

According to ShoutMeLoud, a blog for bloggers, video ads will continue to dominate the webosphere and therefore Digital Marketing spending. Also, 2017 will be the year of wearable technology marrying "real" and "online" marketing into one.
You’ve been ready since digital marketing became popular in 2007 but are so busy that you get off track and end up putting it back in the proverbial rainy-day pile for next quarter. Hundreds of rainy days later and you have no idea what your SEO program is let alone the basic concept of relevant keywording, linkbuilding and the latest, MOBILE tail end phrases.

There are probably hundreds to thousands of FREE SEO tips you can incorporate into your internet marketing program. Although previous years listed the top social as Facebook, LinkedIn, Google and Instagram a recent report by Inc.com indicates the top four as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Yet, according to another reliable source eBiz MBA Guide | December 2014, the top 5 of their top 15 most popular social are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Google -- which happen to be the 5 most popular social I use most ( Google it's mostly a combination of blogger, Youtube and Google+). Surprisingly Instagram came in at #7 behind Tumbler their 6th. More is at the eBiz MBA Guide site (see link below in the resources section.


I’ve listed below key tips to help jump-start your 2017 New Year reSEOlution. Along the way, I’ve included a few helpful URLs that will provide you with many more SEO tips to choose from.

1. As always (since my first reSEOlution blog December 31, 2009), review your SEO stats for the past 3 years; This is crucial in order to effectively analyze and incorporate SEO strategies and plans. Make sure your existing marketing program is enhanced with MOBILE and REAL-TIME campaigns and consider the mindset logic that mobile is much different than laptop/desktop, phablet, etc. Create a spreadsheet of your SEO program and include timelines, milestones, language, personas, and other relevant items unique to your product/brand. Make sure you update and review this spreadsheet on a daily to weekly basis and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly; Don’t forget to include ALL CAMPAIGNS and leave plenty of space to add on to as you move down this list

2. Wearable technologies and online marketing have been converging ~ newlyweds Real-Time and Online marketing will become bigger than mobile.  A Forbes post last year, Real-Time Marketing Analytics will converge Online and Offline Behavior for Richer Lead Scoring and Nurturing in 2016, and this prediction indeed came true. And  Twitter will continue to be the key mix in helping marketers track their brand particularly in regards to product awareness, competitors and word of mouth. Also, according to Social Technology Review, since 2011, Twitter users are well educated ... "16%+ of their users hold advanced degrees and 30%+ hold 4-year degrees..." This means Twitterers live in higher income areas and have much higher purchasing power than the other social media. Free downloadable applications are also big and enable companies to increase reader engagement. Web Strategies has a great app and it's free - a Digital Marketing Budget Calculator.  MOre on this

Branding strategies are crucial and Social Technology Review also reported that Twitter users are +68% more likely to follow brands than the social media platform average (e.g.,Social Technology Review reported that 51% of Twitter users follow brands versus the 16% average from the social media spectrum). Also worth noting, Twitter users are more global than the other social networks, which optimizes international consumer potential at the lowest cost.

3. Mobile HAS WON and Worldwide Digital Marketing has replaced the traditional Digital Marketing arena. According to a 2016  eMarketer post, Mobile Ad Spend Topped $100 Billion Worldwide in 2016, and will reach a milestone of having more than half (at least 51%) being spent on all digital ad expenditures for the first time. eMarketer also predicts that between 2016 and 2019, the last year mobile ad spending will nearly double, hitting $195.55 billion to account for 70.1% of digital ad spend as well as over one-quarter of total media ad spending globally. Besides optimizing web sites for MOBILE webpages and rankings in SERP – user agents for search and bots should go to the same webpage version. Traffic is important but not if drops in conversion rates continue. Relevant messaging and mobile layouts need to be tailored to customers to create engagement and minimize the risk of higher bounce rates. It is also still important to create a map. Make sure web and mobile have consistent (vertically oriented) navigation especially since MOBILE devices have touchscreens. I’m amazed at how many web sites are not optimizing their site maps; Yes you’ve had a site map since the web site was first created but is it optimized to include relevant keyword descriptions, etc?

4.Although the old marketing rule "incorporate keywords in your anchor text" still applies, besides focusing on algorithms by Google, digital marketing program also needs to incorporate Facebook and Bing algorithms.  Depending on your product or service, keywords may need to be revised regularly.

5. Create a schedule for frequency in updating meta tag descriptions consistently; A Meta tag description is the snippet that is included with your organic search listing. The more creative and appealing your copy with relevant keywords that match your web site the better chances you have of being indexed more prominently. So frequently review meta tag keywords and make sure a comma is after each keyword and that the max is no more than 250 characters (including spaces). This is a common error that is mosty overlooked; However, this can make or break you organic positioning in search engine rankings and listings. Also, don't forget other platforms particularly MOBILE. Make sure to incorporate end phrases in mobile campaigns as well.

6. MARKETING MEMES are integral to spreading word of mouth and increasing brand awareness. Make sure to incorporate hastags, at signs, etc. in every digital marketing platform particularly for Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Also for websites, review title tags and use 3 to 4 relevant keywords -- repeating them each at least 2X but no more than 3X; Characters should not exceed 150 (including spaces). For example, a jewelry site might have the following title: "AnnHarringtonJewelry.com, discount diamond rings, diamond jewelry, diamond engagement rings, antique jewelry, modern jewelry" – note the web site URL address is 1st, then followed by the use of keywords "diamond" used 3X, "rings" used 2X, and "jewelry" used 3X, all relevant to this web site; All following the SEO industry standard as mentioned in this section (see 1st sentence).

7. Maximize the social networks, e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Equally important is to repeat your posts (e.g., Hoot Suite for repeating Tweets). For more ideas visit these resourceful sites that have plenty of suggestions - seobook.com, searchengineland.com and moz.org (formerly seomoz.org)

8. There is no room for "writer's block" when it comes to blogging. Good web content is more important now than ever before. Make sure to blog regularly and here is a great resource for helping new and experienced bloggers written by David Moth of econsultancy.com titled 14 places to look for blogging inspiration when writer's block strikes.

9. THE AGE OF IN-STORE MARKETING AND LIVE VIDEO ARE STILL KEY FOR THIS NEW YEAR:  According to Digital Marketing Institute, online video now accounts for over 50% of web traffic and 80% of millennials use their phone in-store and 74% claim to be willing to receive location-based mobile alerts. 

“In order for retailers to compete with the 800lb gorilla that is Amazon, they must provide shoppers with a unique in-store experience with tailored-made engagement. Leveraging location-based marketing through a retailer’s branded mobile app allows retailers to drive traffic through relevant, contextual mobile marketing” - Eric Newman, VP of Products & Marketing at Digby

According to many social media periodicals and leading marketers in New York City, Pinterest and Instagram still remain top platforms for lead generation and visual integration. No surprise here that YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Vine will play more prominent roles in digital marketing strategies for brands and products especially as video production and posting videos become more mainstream. However, one of Forbes 2016 predictions is that wearable technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) will pave new ground. This is leading way for virtual and augmented reality including self-driving cars, Facebook's acquisition of Oculus, the Oculus Rift augmented-reality product soon to be launched along with Microsoft's HoloLens and next-generation Google Glass.

10. VIDEO CLOUD and THE AGE OF SOCIAL VIDEO AFICI0NADOS ARE HERE TO STAY: Are you a "social video aficionado?" If you're on FB you definitely are more "videofied" than previous years. Facebook's already doing it for you and the rest of the world for free, with "LookBack" and the latest out just in time for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the New Year with "Your Year." A recent Forbes report titled The Top 7 Online Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2016 indicates that videos will continue to dominate and apps will gradually replace optimized mobile sites. Although Facebook is winning with Social Videos -- "80 percent said they create videos to keep in touch with friends and family, 72 percent said they use videos as keepsakes ... " according to the Animoto research survey there is an even spread as to where video creators store their videos (who will the new dominant force be for personal video stoage?) -- i.e., 28% of consumers store their photos and videos on their PCs, 21% of consumers store their photos and videos on a USB or external hard drive, and 21% of consumers citing a cloud storage service as the primary place they store their photos and videos.

Brightcove continues to lead the way for powering the Next Generation of Online Video by incorporating HTML5 user interface. Platforms like Video Cloud are key and will enable marketers to expand audience reach, propagate their brand, and engage audiences across devices and platforms.

11. Submit your site to reputable search engines such as Google, Yahoo, DMOZ, Aviva, Business.com, etc.

Remember your "New Year reSEOlution program" is a WIP (work in progress) and the more regularly you review, update and add to your existing SEO program, the more impact your SEO will have to your bottom line.

Wishing you and yours a healthy and prosperous New Year!

Please bookmark, subscribe and share with your social media and other professional networks. Thanks!

The terms reSEOlution © and SEOrganized © were coined by Gloria Buono-Daly in 2005.

What's your New Year reSEOlution? Top ten reSEOlutions for 2015 is part of the evergreen marketing insighter ▲▲▲ series by Gloria Buono-Daly

Photo above is snapshot of New Year 2017 decorations in New York City with "reSEOlutions" layered over. All photos courtesy of Wikimedia unless otherwise indicated.

This blog has been updated annually to include the latest trends and findings since the original publication on December 31, 2009 on the AllThingsDigitalMarketing "Evergreen Marketing Insighter" blog post.

Please visit this blog frequently and share this with your social media. Thanks.


My Favorite 2018 Resources on top of list below which includes my favorite resources since 2009 :

♦  Use Topic Clusters to Boost your SERPs
♦  How Topic Clusters Boost Rankings
♦  12 Digital Marketing Trends to Watch out for in 2018
♦  10 Marketing Trends to act on in 2018 includes an interesting "mind-tool" and other graphics.
♦ How Digital Marketing Will Change In 2018: 15 Top Trends
♦  5 Digital Marketing Trends for 2018
♦ The 15 Most Popular Social Networking Sites , eBizMBA (December 2016), http://www.ebizmba.com/articles/social-networking-websites
♦ 7 Social Media Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2017, Forbes.com, http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2016/11/10/7-social-media-marketing-trends-that-will-dominate-2017
♦ Big 2017 Social Media Marketing Trends You Need to Know, Search Engine Journal https://www.searchenginejournal.com/social-media-trends-2017/181768/
♦ 2017 Social Media Trends, SmartInsights.com http://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/2017-social-media-trends/
♦   Marketing: top 8 Social Media Trends to Watch in 2017, BrandWatch.com https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/social-media-trends-2017/
♦ Where Social Media Is Headed in 2017: The Biggest Trends to Watch For, Social Media Marketing https://blog.bufferapp.com/state-of-social-media
♦  THE TOP 17 SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS IN 2017, ACCORDING TO THE EXPERTS, bitly https://bitly.com/blog/social-media-trends-2017/
♦ A MASSIVE LIST OF 2017 SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS, FusedLogic.com http://www.fusedlogic.com/social-media/social-media-social-media/a-massive-list-of-2017-social-media-trends/
♦ VR, education and customer service: The social media trends to watch in 2017, CNBC http://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/29/vr-education-and-customer-service-the-social-media-trends-to-watch-in-2017.html
♦ 5 B2B Social Media Marketing Trends to Expect in 2017, oktopost http://www.oktopost.com/blog/b2b-social-media-marketing-trends-2017/
♦ 4 Trends to Watch on Social Media in 2017 http://www.business2community.com/social-media/4-trends-watch-social-media-2017-01715094
♦   How Much Should You Budget for Marketing in 2017? , WebStrategiesInc.com (updated October 2016) http://www.webstrategiesinc.com/blog/how-much-budget-for-online-marketing-in-2014
♦  Quickly Calculate Your Digital Marketing Budget, Web Strategies Inc. http://www.webstrategiesinc.com/calculator
My Favorite Previous Years Resources (latest listed on top):
♦ 2016 US Digital Marketing Budgets: Statistics and Trends by Robert Allen, http://www.smartinsights.com/internet-marketing-statistics/2016-us-digital-ad-spend-statistics-trends
♦ Mark Zuckerberg Confirms Facebook Has Plans For Augmented Reality, UberGizmo, http://www.ubergizmo.com/2015/10/facebook-has-plans-for-augmented-reality
♦ The Top 7 Online Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2016, Forbes, http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2015/09/29/the-top-7-online-marketing-trends-that-will-dominate-2016
♦ MarketWatch 2016 predictions: The six tech trends that will rule, MarketWatch, http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-six-tech-trends-that-will-dominate-2016-2015-12-29
♦ 15 Digital Marketing Trends for 2016 That Could Destroy Your Business, Jeff Bullas, http://www.jeffbullas.com/2015/11/22/15-digital-marketing-trends-for-2016-that-could-destroy-your-business
♦ My Best Posts of 2015|Scott Berkun, ScottBerkun.com, http://scottberkun.com/2015/my-best-posts-of-2015
♦  Digital Marketing Trends for 2015, Social Media Today, http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/digital-marketing-trends-2015
♦ How to Determine the Perfect Marketing Budget for your Company, Entrepreneur.com, https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243790
♦ The Importance of Twitter to your Social Media Marketing Strategy, Social Technology Review, http://www.socialtechnologyreview.com/articles/importance-twitter-your-social-media-marketing-strategy
♦ Survey Says Facebook Is Winning Social Video, But A Bigger Trend Looms, Forbes.com, http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhumphrey/2014/10/02/survey-says-facebook-is-winning-social-video-but-a-bigger-trend-looms
♦ eBiz|MBA Guide Top 15 Most Popular Social Networking Sites | December 2014
♦ What Comes Next? 5 Social Media Trends for 2015, LinkedIn, Ryan Holmes, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-comes-next-5-social-media-trends-2015-ryan-holmes
♦  How to Master the 4 Big Social-Media Platforms, Inc.,  http://www.inc.com/magazine/201311/gary-vaynerchuk/how-to-master-the-four-major-social-media-platforms.html
♦ 10 Digital Marketing Trends for 2015, ClickZ, https://www.clickz.com/10-digital-marketing-trends-for-2015/28006/
♦ 10 interesting digital marketing statistics we've seen this week, eConsultancy, http://econsultancy.com/blog/64047-10-interesting-digital-marketing-statistics-we-ve-seen-this-week-16
♦ 10 Simple tips for Effective Mobile SEO, Search Engine Land, http://searchengineland.com/10-simple-tips-for-effective-mobile-seo-129100
♦ The 3 Worst Ways to use Social Media, Social Media Today, http://socialmediatoday.com/fixcourse/793301/3-worst-ways-use-social-media-grow-your-business-and-what-you-should-do-instead
♦ 5 SEO Tips To Get Mobile Apps Ranked In SERPs, Search Engine Land, http://searchengineland.com/5-seo-tips-to-get-mobile-apps-ranked-in-serps-104595

Top pick reSEOlutions tips for 2017; 'Evergreen marketing insighter' ▲▲▲by Gloria Buono-Daly - FREE Digital Marketing Budget Calculator from WebStrategies

This blog has been updated annually to include the latest trends and findings since the original publication, December 31, 2009 on the AllThingsDigitalMarketing "Evergreen Marketing Insighter" blog post.

“ Video - video - video
      music . ly is looking to be huge.
      House Party is looking to be big as well. Instagram has integrated extensive video capabilities and extending the time from 15 - 60s.
      Snapshat is basically a video platform and is huge. Learn the differences between each.” ~~ Saif Khan, CEO / Founder at Leg Up Social, answering my Quora Q, "What are the latest social media marketing trends for 2017?"  (see Quora screenshot below)

You’ve tried several years before but this time, come January 1, your New Year reSEOlution © is to be more SEOrganized © , pay more attention to the detail, save on SEM spending and track those milestones once and for all. 

As amateur live videos continue to create buzz, hype and engagement, learning about the various new social media platforms is key, this according to Saif Khan, CEO / Founder at Leg Up Social.

Que sera sera whatever 2017 will be, 2016 was the year MEMEs became a main ingredient in social media culture. According to the "Stumbleupon Time Machine," "2016 was the greatest year for meme culture. "

There is plenty to learn and this year there's an abundance of powerful links with a wealth of information about the latest trends in social media for 2017 (note "My Favorite Resources" section below ). Video and wearable technologies coupled with the convergence of online and realtime are at the forefront  when it comes to the latest social media trends.

According to a report  by WebStrategies, in 2016, the average firm will allocate 30% of their marketing budget to online, this rate is expected to grow to 35% by 2019 and search engine marketing (SEO & SEM) will capture the largest share of online spend with online display (banner ads, online video, etc.) taking the second largest share. Additionally, social media investments will continue to grow as an overall share of online spend, but will only represent about 15% of the total online spend while mobile marketing has grown to a point that it’s no longer tracked in the forecast and it’s presumed to be considered across all channels.  

WebStrategies has a great app on their site which enables marketers to calculate what a company's digital marketing budget should be. Simply plug in a few numbers and voilà, you get your overall plus all the breakdowns as to how you should allocate your spending. Click here to get your "Calc Away your Digital Marketing Budget with FREE Digital Marketing Calculator from WebStrategies!"

According to ShoutMeLoud, a blog for bloggers, video ads will continue to dominate the webosphere and therefore Digital Marketing spending. Also, 2017 will be the year of wearable technology marrying "real" and "online" marketing into one.
You’ve been ready since digital marketing became popular in 2007 but are so busy that you get off track and end up putting it back in the proverbial rainy-day pile for next quarter. Hundreds of rainy days later and you have no idea what your SEO program is let alone the basic concept of relevant keywording, linkbuilding and the latest, MOBILE tail end phrases.

There are probably hundreds to thousands of FREE SEO tips you can incorporate into your internet marketing program. Although previous years listed the top social as Facebook, LinkedIn, Google and Instagram a recent report by Inc.com indicates the top four as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Yet, according to another reliable source eBiz MBA Guide | December 2014, the top 5 of their top 15 most popular social are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Google -- which happen to be the 5 most popular social I use most ( Google it's mostly a combination of blogger, Youtube and Google+). Surprisingly Instagram came in at #7 behind Tumbler their 6th. More is at the eBiz MBA Guide site (see link below in the resources section.


I’ve listed below key tips to help jump-start your 2017 New Year reSEOlution. Along the way, I’ve included a few helpful URLs that will provide you with many more SEO tips to choose from.

1. As always (since my first reSEOlution blog December 31, 2009), review your SEO stats for the past 3 years; This is crucial in order to effectively analyze and incorporate SEO strategies and plans. Make sure your existing marketing program is enhanced with MOBILE and REAL-TIME campaigns and consider the mindset logic that mobile is much different than laptop/desktop, phablet, etc. Create a spreadsheet of your SEO program and include timelines, milestones, language, personas, and other relevant items unique to your product/brand. Make sure you update and review this spreadsheet on a daily to weekly basis and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly; Don’t forget to include ALL CAMPAIGNS and leave plenty of space to add on to as you move down this list

2. Wearable technologies and online marketing have been converging ~ newlyweds Real-Time and Online marketing will become bigger than mobile.  A Forbes post last year, Real-Time Marketing Analytics will converge Online and Offline Behavior for Richer Lead Scoring and Nurturing in 2016, and this prediction indeed came true. And  Twitter will continue to be the key mix in helping marketers track their brand particularly in regards to product awareness, competitors and word of mouth. Also, according to Social Technology Review, since 2011, Twitter users are well educated ... "16%+ of their users hold advanced degrees and 30%+ hold 4-year degrees..." This means Twitterers live in higher income areas and have much higher purchasing power than the other social media. Free downloadable applications are also big and enable companies to increase reader engagement. Web Strategies has a great app and it's free - a Digital Marketing Budget Calculator.  MOre on this

Branding strategies are crucial and Social Technology Review also reported that Twitter users are +68% more likely to follow brands than the social media platform average (e.g.,Social Technology Review reported that 51% of Twitter users follow brands versus the 16% average from the social media spectrum). Also worth noting, Twitter users are more global than the other social networks, which optimizes international consumer potential at the lowest cost.

3. Mobile HAS WON and Worldwide Digital Marketing has replaced the traditional Digital Marketing arena. According to a 2016  eMarketer post, Mobile Ad Spend Topped $100 Billion Worldwide in 2016, and will reach a milestone of having more than half (at least 51%) being spent on all digital ad expenditures for the first time. eMarketer also predicts that between 2016 and 2019, the last year mobile ad spending will nearly double, hitting $195.55 billion to account for 70.1% of digital ad spend as well as over one-quarter of total media ad spending globally. Besides optimizing web sites for MOBILE webpages and rankings in SERP – user agents for search and bots should go to the same webpage version. Traffic is important but not if drops in conversion rates continue. Relevant messaging and mobile layouts need to be tailored to customers to create engagement and minimize the risk of higher bounce rates. It is also still important to create a map. Make sure web and mobile have consistent (vertically oriented) navigation especially since MOBILE devices have touchscreens. I’m amazed at how many web sites are not optimizing their site maps; Yes you’ve had a site map since the web site was first created but is it optimized to include relevant keyword descriptions, etc?

4.Although the old marketing rule "incorporate keywords in your anchor text" still applies, besides focusing on algorithms by Google, digital marketing program also needs to incorporate Facebook and Bing algorithms.  Depending on your product or service, keywords may need to be revised regularly.

5. Create a schedule for frequency in updating meta tag descriptions consistently; A Meta tag description is the snippet that is included with your organic search listing. The more creative and appealing your copy with relevant keywords that match your web site the better chances you have of being indexed more prominently. So frequently review meta tag keywords and make sure a comma is after each keyword and that the max is no more than 250 characters (including spaces). This is a common error that is mosty overlooked; However, this can make or break you organic positioning in search engine rankings and listings. Also, don't forget other platforms particularly MOBILE. Make sure to incorporate end phrases in mobile campaigns as well.

6. MARKETING MEMES are integral to spreading word of mouth and increasing brand awareness. Make sure to incorporate hastags, at signs, etc. in every digital marketing platform particularly for Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Also for websites, review title tags and use 3 to 4 relevant keywords -- repeating them each at least 2X but no more than 3X; Characters should not exceed 150 (including spaces). For example, a jewelry site might have the following title: "AnnHarringtonJewelry.com, discount diamond rings, diamond jewelry, diamond engagement rings, antique jewelry, modern jewelry" – note the web site URL address is 1st, then followed by the use of keywords "diamond" used 3X, "rings" used 2X, and "jewelry" used 3X, all relevant to this web site; All following the SEO industry standard as mentioned in this section (see 1st sentence).

7. Maximize the social networks, e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Equally important is to repeat your posts (e.g., Hoot Suite for repeating Tweets). For more ideas visit these resourceful sites that have plenty of suggestions - seobook.com, searchengineland.com and moz.org (formerly seomoz.org)

8. There is no room for "writer's block" when it comes to blogging. Good web content is more important now than ever before. Make sure to blog regularly and here is a great resource for helping new and experienced bloggers written by David Moth of econsultancy.com titled 14 places to look for blogging inspiration when writer's block strikes.

9. THE AGE OF IN-STORE MARKETING AND LIVE VIDEO ARE KEY FOR 2017:  According to Digital Marketing Institute, online video now accounts for over 50% of web traffic and 80% of millennials use their phone in-store and 74% claim to be willing to receive location-based mobile alerts. 

“In order for retailers to compete with the 800lb gorilla that is Amazon, they must provide shoppers with a unique in-store experience with tailored-made engagement. Leveraging location-based marketing through a retailer’s branded mobile app allows retailers to drive traffic through relevant, contextual mobile marketing” - Eric Newman, VP of Products & Marketing at Digby

According to many social media periodicals and leading marketers in New York City, Pinterest and Instagram still remain top platforms for lead generation and visual integration. No surprise here that YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Vine will play more prominent roles in digital marketing strategies for brands and products especially as video production and posting videos become more mainstream. However, one of Forbes 2016 predictions is that wearable technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) will pave new ground. This is leading way for virtual and augmented reality including self-driving cars, Facebook's acquisition of Oculus, the Oculus Rift augmented-reality product soon to be launched along with Microsoft's HoloLens and next-generation Google Glass.

10. VIDEO CLOUD and THE AGE OF SOCIAL VIDEO AFICI0NADOS ARE HERE TO STAY: Are you a "social video aficionado?" If you're on FB you definitely are more "videofied" than previous years. Facebook's already doing it for you and the rest of the world for free, with "LookBack" and the latest out just in time for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the New Year with "Your Year." A recent Forbes report titled The Top 7 Online Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2016 indicates that videos will continue to dominate and apps will gradually replace optimized mobile sites. Although Facebook is winning with Social Videos -- "80 percent said they create videos to keep in touch with friends and family, 72 percent said they use videos as keepsakes ... " according to the Animoto research survey there is an even spread as to where video creators store their videos (who will the new dominant force be for personal video stoage?) -- i.e., 28% of consumers store their photos and videos on their PCs, 21% of consumers store their photos and videos on a USB or external hard drive, and 21% of consumers citing a cloud storage service as the primary place they store their photos and videos.

Brightcove continues to lead the way for powering the Next Generation of Online Video by incorporating HTML5 user interface. Platforms like Video Cloud are key and will enable marketers to expand audience reach, propagate their brand, and engage audiences across devices and platforms.

11. Submit your site to reputable search engines such as Google, Yahoo, DMOZ, Aviva, Business.com, etc.

Remember your "New Year reSEOlution program" is a WIP (work in progress) and the more regularly you review, update and add to your existing SEO program, the more impact your SEO will have to your bottom line.

Wishing you and yours a healthy and prosperous New Year!

Please bookmark, subscribe and share with your social media and other professional networks. Thanks!

The terms reSEOlution © and SEOrganized © were coined by Gloria Buono-Daly in 2005.

What's your New Year reSEOlution? Top ten reSEOlutions for 2015 is part of the evergreen marketing insighter ▲▲▲ series by Gloria Buono-Daly

Photo above is snapshot of New Year 2017 decorations in New York City with "reSEOlutions" layered over. All photos courtesy of Wikimedia unless otherwise indicated.

This blog has been updated annually to include the latest trends and findings since the original publication on December 31, 2009 on the AllThingsDigitalMarketing "Evergreen Marketing Insighter" blog post.

Please visit this blog frequently and share this with your social media. Thanks.


My Favorite 2017 Resources:
♦ The 15 Most Popular Social Networking Sites , eBizMBA (December 2016), http://www.ebizmba.com/articles/social-networking-websites
♦ 7 Social Media Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2017, Forbes.com, http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2016/11/10/7-social-media-marketing-trends-that-will-dominate-2017
♦ Big 2017 Social Media Marketing Trends You Need to Know, Search Engine Journal https://www.searchenginejournal.com/social-media-trends-2017/181768/
♦ 2017 Social Media Trends, SmartInsights.com http://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/2017-social-media-trends/
♦   Marketing: top 8 Social Media Trends to Watch in 2017, BrandWatch.com https://www.brandwatch.com/blog/social-media-trends-2017/
♦ Where Social Media Is Headed in 2017: The Biggest Trends to Watch For, Social Media Marketing https://blog.bufferapp.com/state-of-social-media
♦  THE TOP 17 SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS IN 2017, ACCORDING TO THE EXPERTS, bitly https://bitly.com/blog/social-media-trends-2017/
♦ A MASSIVE LIST OF 2017 SOCIAL MEDIA TRENDS, FusedLogic.com http://www.fusedlogic.com/social-media/social-media-social-media/a-massive-list-of-2017-social-media-trends/
♦ VR, education and customer service: The social media trends to watch in 2017, CNBC http://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/29/vr-education-and-customer-service-the-social-media-trends-to-watch-in-2017.html
♦ 5 B2B Social Media Marketing Trends to Expect in 2017, oktopost http://www.oktopost.com/blog/b2b-social-media-marketing-trends-2017/
♦ 4 Trends to Watch on Social Media in 2017 http://www.business2community.com/social-media/4-trends-watch-social-media-2017-01715094
♦   How Much Should You Budget for Marketing in 2017? , WebStrategiesInc.com (updated October 2016) http://www.webstrategiesinc.com/blog/how-much-budget-for-online-marketing-in-2014
♦  Quickly Calculate Your Digital Marketing Budget, Web Strategies Inc. http://www.webstrategiesinc.com/calculator


My Favorite Previous Years Resources (latest listed on top):
♦ 2016 US Digital Marketing Budgets: Statistics and Trends by Robert Allen, http://www.smartinsights.com/internet-marketing-statistics/2016-us-digital-ad-spend-statistics-trends
♦ Mark Zuckerberg Confirms Facebook Has Plans For Augmented Reality, UberGizmo, http://www.ubergizmo.com/2015/10/facebook-has-plans-for-augmented-reality
♦ The Top 7 Online Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2016, Forbes, http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2015/09/29/the-top-7-online-marketing-trends-that-will-dominate-2016
♦ MarketWatch 2016 predictions: The six tech trends that will rule, MarketWatch, http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-six-tech-trends-that-will-dominate-2016-2015-12-29
♦ 15 Digital Marketing Trends for 2016 That Could Destroy Your Business, Jeff Bullas, http://www.jeffbullas.com/2015/11/22/15-digital-marketing-trends-for-2016-that-could-destroy-your-business
♦ My Best Posts of 2015|Scott Berkun, ScottBerkun.com, http://scottberkun.com/2015/my-best-posts-of-2015
♦  Digital Marketing Trends for 2015, Social Media Today, http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/digital-marketing-trends-2015
♦ How to Determine the Perfect Marketing Budget for your Company, Entrepreneur.com, https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/243790
♦ The Importance of Twitter to your Social Media Marketing Strategy, Social Technology Review, http://www.socialtechnologyreview.com/articles/importance-twitter-your-social-media-marketing-strategy
♦ Survey Says Facebook Is Winning Social Video, But A Bigger Trend Looms, Forbes.com, http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelhumphrey/2014/10/02/survey-says-facebook-is-winning-social-video-but-a-bigger-trend-looms
♦ eBiz|MBA Guide Top 15 Most Popular Social Networking Sites | December 2014
♦ What Comes Next? 5 Social Media Trends for 2015, LinkedIn, Ryan Holmes, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-comes-next-5-social-media-trends-2015-ryan-holmes
♦  How to Master the 4 Big Social-Media Platforms, Inc.,  http://www.inc.com/magazine/201311/gary-vaynerchuk/how-to-master-the-four-major-social-media-platforms.html
♦ 10 Digital Marketing Trends for 2015, ClickZ, https://www.clickz.com/10-digital-marketing-trends-for-2015/28006/
♦ 10 interesting digital marketing statistics we've seen this week, eConsultancy, http://econsultancy.com/blog/64047-10-interesting-digital-marketing-statistics-we-ve-seen-this-week-16
♦ 10 Simple tips for Effective Mobile SEO, Search Engine Land, http://searchengineland.com/10-simple-tips-for-effective-mobile-seo-129100
♦ The 3 Worst Ways to use Social Media, Social Media Today, http://socialmediatoday.com/fixcourse/793301/3-worst-ways-use-social-media-grow-your-business-and-what-you-should-do-instead
♦ 5 SEO Tips To Get Mobile Apps Ranked In SERPs, Search Engine Land, http://searchengineland.com/5-seo-tips-to-get-mobile-apps-ranked-in-serps-104595

What's your New Year reSEOlution? Top pick reSEOlutions tips for 2016; 'Evergreen marketing insighter' ▲▲▲by Gloria Buono-Daly

“The success of a page should be measured by one criteria: Does the visitor do what you want them to do?”
~~Aaron Wall – SEObook.com

You’ve tried several years before but this time, come January 1, your New Year reSEOlution © is to be more SEOrganized © , pay more attention to the detail, save on SEM spending and track those milestones once and for all. According to a recent report by WebStrategies, in 2016, the average firm will allocate 30% of their marketing budget to online, this rate is expected to grow to 35% by 2019 and search engine marketing (SEO & SEM) will capture the largest share of online spend with online display (banner ads, online video, etc.) taking the second largest share. Additionally, social media investments will continue to grow as an overall share of online spend, but will only represent about 15% of the total online spend while mobile marketing has grown to a point that it’s no longer tracked in the forecast and it’s presumed to be considered across all channels.

You’ve been ready since it became popular in 2007 but are so busy that you get off track and end up putting it back in the proverbial rainy-day pile for next quarter. Hundreds of rainy days later and you have no idea what your SEO program is let alone the basic concept of relevant keywording, linkbuilding and the latest, MOBILE tail end phrases.

There are probably hundreds to thousands of FREE SEO tips you can incorporate into your internet marketing program. Although previous years listed the top social as Facebook, LinkedIn, Google and Instagram a recent report by Inc.com indicates the top four as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Yet, according to another reliable source eBiz MBA Guide | December 2014, the top 5 of their top 15 most popular social are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Google -- which happen to be the 5 most popular social I use most ( Google it's mostly a combination of blogger, Youtube and Google+). Surprisingly Instagram came in at #7 behind Tumbler their 6th. More is at the eBiz MBA Guide site (see link below in the resources section.

A 2015 report by StronView titled "2015 Marketing Trends Survey" still holds true and reveals that of the total 377 business leaders who participated in the survey 54% (204 out of 377) indicated that their digital marketing budgets particularly email and social media marketing will increase and their traditional marketing budgets will continue to decrease; While 40% indicated their budgets will remain the same. A wealth of information including detail is included on StronView's recent Press Release regarding findings from their Annual Market Trends Survey 2015.

I’ve listed below key tips to help jump-start your 2016 New Year reSEOlution. Along the way, I’ve included a few helpful URLs that will provide you with many more SEO tips to choose from.

1. As always (since my first reSEOlution blog December 31, 2009), review your SEO stats for the past 3 years; This is crucial in order to effectively analyze and incorporate SEO strategies and plans. Make sure your existing marketing program is enhanced with MOBILE and REAL-TIME campaigns and consider the mindset logic that mobile is much different than laptop/desktop, phablet, etc. Create a spreadsheet of your SEO program and include timelines, milestones, language, personas, and other relevant items unique to your product/brand. Make sure you update and review this spreadsheet on a daily to weekly basis and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly; Don’t forget to include ALL CAMPAIGNS and leave plenty of space to add on to as you move down this list

2. Real-time networking will also remain a key element for brands to grow, and Twitter will continue to be critical to the success of a marketing plan. According to a recent Forbes post, Real-Time Marketing Analytics will converge Online and Offline Behavior for Richer Lead Scoring and Nurturing in 2016. Twitter is a key mix in helping marketers track their brand particularly in regards to product awareness, competitors and word of mouth. Also, according to Social Technology Review, since 2011, Twitter users are well educated ... "16%+ of their users hold advanced degrees and 30%+ hold 4-year degrees..." This means Twitterers live in higher income areas and have much higher purchasing power than the other social media.

In regards to branding stratgies, Social Technology Review also reported that Twitter users are +68% more likely to follow brands than the social media platform average (e.g.,Social Technology Review reported that 51% of Twitter users follow brands versus the 16% average from the social media spectrum). Also worth noting, Twitter users are more global than the other social networks, which optimizes international consumer potential at the lowest cost.

3. Mobile HAS WON and Worldwide Digital Marketing has replaced the traditional Digital Marketing arena. According to a recent eMarketer post, Mobile Ad Spend will Top $100 Billion Worldwide in 2016, and will reach a milestone of having more than half (at least 51%) being spent on all digital ad expenditures for the first time. eMarketer also predicts that between 2016 and 2019, the last year mobile ad spending will nearly double, hitting $195.55 billion to account for 70.1% of digital ad spend as well as over one-quarter of total media ad spending globally. Besides optimizing web sites for MOBILE webpages and rankings in SERP – user agents for search and bots should go to the same webpage version. Traffic is important but not if drops in conversion rates continue. Relevant messaging and mobile layouts need to be tailored to customers to create engagement and minimize the risk of higher bounce rates. It is also still important to create a map. Make sure web and mobile have consistent (vertically oriented) navigation especially since MOBILE devices have touchscreens. I’m amazed at how many web sites are not optimizing their site maps; Yes you’ve had a site map since the web site was first created but is it optimized to include relevant keyword descriptions, etc?

4. Incorporate keywords in your anchor text; this can take a very long time to determine and complete depending on how many links are on your web site. You may want to segment and delegate this to several on your team and schedule updates on a regular basis. Depending on your product or service, keywords may need to be revised regularly.

5. Create a schedule for frequency in updating meta tag descriptions regularly; Meta tag description is the snippet that is included with your organic search listing. The more creative and appealing your copy with relevant keywords that match your web site the better chances you have of being indexed more prominently. Review meta tag keywords and make sure a comma is after each keyword and that the max is no more than 250 characters (including spaces); This is a common error that is overlooked, however, this can make or break you organic positioning. Also, don't forget other platforms particular MOBILE. Make sure to incorporate end phrases in mobile campaigns.

6. MARKETING MEMES are integral to spreading word of mouth and increasing brand awareness. Make sure to incorporate hastags, at signs, etc. in every digital marketing platform particularly for Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Also for websites, review title tags and use 3 to 4 relevant keywords -- repeating them each at least 2X but no more than 3X; Characters should not exceed 150 (including spaces). For example, a jewelry site might have the following title: "AnnHarringtonJewelry.com, discount diamond rings, diamond jewelry, diamond engagement rings, antique jewelry, modern jewelry" – note the web site URL address is 1st, then followed by the use of keywords "diamond" used 3X, "rings" used 2X, and "jewelry" used 3X, all relevant to this web site; All following the SEO industry standard as mentioned in this section (see 1st sentence).

7. Maximize the social networks, e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Equally important is to repeat your posts (e.g., Hoot Suite for repeating Tweets). For more ideas visit these resourceful sites that have plenty of suggestions - seobook.com, searchengineland.com and moz.org (formerly seomoz.org)

8. There is no room for "writer's block" when it comes to blogging. Good web content is more important now than ever before. Make sure to blog regularly and here is a great resource for helping new and experienced bloggers written by David Moth of econsultancy.com titled 14 places to look for blogging inspiration when writer's block strikes.

9. THE AGE OF COGNITIVE COMMERCE IS KEY FOR 2016: An article in Forbes reports that 2016 will be the "age of cognitive commerce" vs. "visual influence" from 2015. A much more deeper level of customer relevancy is required so as to enable marketers to identify patterns to engage consumers. According to many social media periodicals and leading marketers in New York City, Pinterest and Instatram still remain top platforms for lead generation and visual integration. No surprise here that YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Vine will play more prominent roles in digital marketing strategies for brands and products especially as video production and posting videos become more mainstream. However, one of Forbes 2016 predictions is that wearable technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) will pave new ground. This is leading way for virtual and augmented reality including self-driving cars, Facebook's acquisition of Oculus, the Oculus Rift augmented-reality product soon to be launched along with Microsoft's HoloLens and next-generation Google Glass.

10. VIDEO CLOUD and THE AGE OF SOCIAL VIDEO AFICI0NADOS ARE HERE TO STAY: Are you a "social video aficionado?" If you're on FB you definitely are more "videofied" than previous years. Facebook's already doing it for you and the rest of the world for free, with "LookBack" and the latest out just in time for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the New Year with "Your Year." A recent Forbes report titled The Top 7 Online Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2016 indicates that videos will continue to dominate and apps will gradually replace optimized mobile sites. Although Facebook is winning with Social Videos -- "80 percent said they create videos to keep in touch with friends and family, 72 percent said they use videos as keepsakes ... " according to the Animoto research survey there is an even spread as to where video creators store their videos (who will the new dominant force be for personal video stoage?) -- i.e., 28% of consumers store their photos and videos on their PCs, 21% of consumers store their photos and videos on a USB or external hard drive, and 21% of consumers citing a cloud storage service as the primary place they store their photos and videos.

Brightcove continues to lead the way for powering the Next Generation of Online Video by incorporating HTML5 user interface. Platforms like Video Cloud are key and will enable marketers to expand audience reach, propagate their brand, and engage audiences across devices and platforms.

11. Submit your site to reputable search engines such as Google, Yahoo, DMOZ, Aviva, Business.com, etc.

Remember your "New Year reSEOlution program" is a WIP (work in progress) and the more regularly you review, update and add to your existing SEO program, the more impact your SEO will have to your bottom line.

Wishing you and yours a healthy and prosperous New Year!


Resources (latest trends listed on top)
Mark Zuckerberg Confirms Facebook Has Plans For Augmented Reality, UberGizmo
♦ The Top 7 Online Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2016, Forbes
♦ MarketWatch 2016 predictions: The six tech trends that will rule, MarketWatch
♦ 15 Digital Marketing Trends for 2016 That Could Destroy Your Business, Jeff Bullas,
♦ My Best Posts of 2015|Scott Berkun, ScottBerkun.com
♦Digital Marketing Trends for 2015
♦ The Importance of Twitter to your Social Media Marketing Strategy
♦ Survey Says Facebook Is Winning Social Video, But A Bigger Trend Looms
♦ eBiz|MBA Guide Top 15 Most Popular Social Networking Sites | December 2014
♦ What Comes Next? 5 Social Media Trends for 2015
♦ Inc. How to Master the 4 Big Social-Media Platforms
♦ 10 Digital Marketing Trends for 2015
♦10 interesting digital marketing statistics we've seen this week http://econsultancy.com/blog/64047-10-interesting-digital-marketing-statistics-we-ve-seen-this-week-16
♦10 Simple tips for Effective Mobile SEO, Search Engine Land http://searchengineland.com/10-simple-tips-for-effective-mobile-seo-129100
♦The 3 Worst Ways to use Social Media, Social Media Today http://socialmediatoday.com/fixcourse/793301/3-worst-ways-use-social-media-grow-your-business-and-what-you-should-do-instead#comment-68121
♦5 SEO Tips To Get Mobile Apps Ranked In SERPs, Search Engine Land http://searchengineland.com/5-seo-tips-to-get-mobile-apps-ranked-in-serps-104595



Please bookmark, subscribe and share with your social media and other professional networks. Thanks!

The terms reSEOlution © and SEOrganized © were coined by Gloria Buono-Daly in 2005.

What's your New Year reSEOlution? Top ten reSEOlutions for 2015 is part of the evergreen marketing insighter ▲▲▲ series by Gloria Buono-Daly

Photo above is snapshot of New Year 2015 decorations in New York City with "reSEOlutions" layered over. All photos courtesy of Wikimedia unless otherwise indicated.

This blog has been updated annually to include the latest trends and findings since the original publication on December 31, 2009 on the AllThingsDigitalMarketing "Evergreen Marketing Insighter" blog post.

Please visit this blog frequently and share this with your social media. Thanks.

Google celebrates the partnership of NASA and Facebook’s Instagram sneak-peek exploratory Pluto photo

NASA let Facebook-owned Instagram sneak peek Pluto photos and Google celebrates the partnership of NASA and Facebook’s Instagram sneak-peek exploratory Pluto photo with a lovely animated doodle. Pluto’s sneak peek photo on Instagram marks the first time NASA has given social media the first shot, sneak peek to its space exploratory photo.

NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft traveled for 9 years, 3 billion miles, at 14km per second (roughly 1.79 miles per second) around Pluto capturing the very first image today (July 13) at 4 p.m. (E.D.T.) at 476,000 miles from Pluto’s surface. The closest and most detailed image was photographed later this morning at 7:49 a.m.

NASA’s live briefing on NASA TV began 8 a.m. today at NASA TV, and the high resolution photo will be posted at NASA.gov with more coverage on NASA TV throughout the day.

NASA also agreed to give Facebook's Instagram, which currently has 300 million users, a head start by allowing it to post the first image 7.a.m. before official release. The NASA Instagram is very popular and has over 3.5 million followers. For decades has been much debate and challenge as to the size of Pluto due to many factors including Pluto's atmosphere. With NASA’s latest New Horizons spacecraft mission the size of Pluto is estimated at 1,473 miles (2,370 kilometers) in diameter, somewhat larger than many prior estimates.

Pluto is the second-most massive direct orbit of the Sun in the Solar System and ninth largest (tenth-most massive) known object directly orbiting the Sun. Eight planets orbit the sun, listed in order closest to the Sun: Mercury,Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. Once classified as a planet, Pluto, is now classified as a dwarf planet or plutoid.

@NASANewHorizons will be live-tweeting beginning this morning using the hashtag #plutoflyby. Other hashtags include #nasa #pluto #plutoflyby #newhorizons #solarsystem #nasabeyond #science

As of 8:25 a.m, there are currently over 90.5K likes and over 3,500 comments on NASA’s Instagram.

Resources:
• How Big Is Pluto? New Horizons, NASA’s Mission to Pluto
• Pluto will send earth a love letter tomorrow, WIRED
• Pluto on Wikipedia
• The New Horizons Pluto mission is a big deal. Here are 7 reasons why.

Facebook went NASDAQ, three years ago today, May 17, 2012

Happy 3rd Year on NASDAQ Facebook! Three years ago today (Friday, May 17th) Facebook listed with Nasdaq and sold 421.2 million shares at $38 per share.

The initial public offering raised $16 billion (60% more than the expected $10 billion). (source: bloomburg.com).

There was so much hype months before Facebook's IPO.

When Facebook finally went public on May 17, 2012 (NASDAQ:FB) it would become infamous for having the worst stock disaster ever in the history of the U.S. equities market.

There was a computer glitch which forced thousands of independent investors to sell their stocks at a loss. Big institutional investors were not impacted as they were able to sell quickly. Unfortunately, that was not the case for small retail investors (everyday folks like me and you) who were unable to put in sell orders. Instead they watched helplessly as their FB stock share prices plummeted.

Quoteable Quote about Facebook choosing Nasdaq:
“Facebook on NASDAQ due to cultural fit" ~~ Charles Gasparino, senior correspondent Fox Business Network, prior to FB's IPO in 2012


RESOURCES:
- FB: Summary for Facebook, Yahoo Finance http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=FB
- The Immaculate IPO: What Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) Did Differently From Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) During Their IPO, IB Times, http://www.ibtimes.com/immaculate-ipo-what-twitter-nysetwtr-did-differently-facebook-nasdaqfb-during-their-ipo-1461108
- Why the Facebook (Nasdaq FB) Stock Price Will Double by 2018, Money Morning; http://moneymorning.com/2015/03/05/why-the-facebook-nasdaq-fb-stock-price-will-double-by-2018/
- Facebook IPO Makes Zuckerberg Richer Than Google Founders, Bloomberg.com; http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-05-17/facebook-ipo-makes-zuckerberg-richer-than-google-founders

Facebook reaches the big 011: Happy Birthday Facebook ▲ ▲ ▲ 'evergreen marketing insighter' by Gloria Buono-Daly

"I used to do Facebook but you get a little too wrapped up in that stuff. Its more distracting than anything so I don't any more. I left it behind. I detoxed!"
~~ Emily Stone
American actress and 2012 People’s Choice Award, Favorite Movie Actress

Happy Birthday Facebook! Any Google doodle this year?

Facebook that controversial social networking service with media, social, political and cultural implications launched February 4, 2004,(speculative as some say February 3) and turns 11 today.

According to The Statistics Portal, Facebook had 1.35 billion monthly active users as of the third quarter 2014 versus third quarter of 2012 whereFacebook users had surpassed 1 billion.

The latest Facebook, Inc., Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2014 results reports gross revenue for the full year 2014 at $12.47 billion, an increase of 58% year-over-year. Income from operations for the full year 2014 was $4.99 billion and net income for the full year 2014 was $2.94 billion.

Facebook at 11 years later is still the top social network site with nearly 1.350 billion users (3rd Q 2014) yet Facebook still has many issues as it pertains to user experience and engagement. According to a 2014 Pew Research Study, people posting too much about themselves and posting too much about other users tied for the highest "Facebook User Dislikes."

Interestingly, 2014 marked the highest amount of productivity, an increase of almost twice as many acquisitions, enhancements, product developments, announcements, etc. -- a total of 22 versus the 2nd highest year for productivity at only 13 the year earlier (2013). This is all in line with Facebook's goals of providing users with more value and encouraging users to post more content as well as advertisers to advertise more.

Not surprising, Facebook is not number 1 in the following 11 countries: Belarus - vk.com; China - qq.com/qzone.qq.com; Kazakhstan - vk.com / odnoklassniki.ru; Moldova - odnoklassniki.ru; Russia - vk.com / odnoklassniki.ru; Ukraine - vk.com; South Korea - qq.com/qzone.qq.com; Uzbekistan - odnoklassniki.ru; Iran - Cloob.com; Vietnam - Zing.vn; North Korea - not available.

Facebook’s major competing social media are as follows: QQ.com; vk.com, odnoklassniki.ru and Zing.vn. Other competitors are mixi in Japan and renren in China.

The 4th quarter of 2013 marked the milestone of more mobile Facebook active users than desktop. No surprise Facebook would emerge as a mobile company. According to an article by BusinessInsider.com Facebook's first ever $1 billion-plus mobile ad revenue came in the 4th quarter of 2013 where mobile ad sales rose to 53% of revenues from 49% in the previous quarter. Based on its 2012 income of US$5 billion, Facebook joined the Fortune 500 list for the first time on the list published in May 2013, being placed at position 462, BusinessInsider.com, Carlson, Nicholas (March 5, 2010) “At Last – A Full Story of How Facebook was Founded http://www.businessinsider.com/how-facebook-was-founded-2010-3#we-can-talk-about-that-after-i-get-all-the-basic-functionality-up-tomorrow-night-1

Below the resources section is a chronological timeline that reflects milestones, launches and product information beginning with October 2003 through January 2014.

Founded by Mark Zuckerberg with his college roommates and fellow Harvard University students Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes, the website's membership was initially limited by the founders to Harvard students, but was expanded to other colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League, and Stanford University.

Mark Zuckerberg wrote Facemash, the predecessor to Facebook, on October 28, 2003, while attending Harvard as a sophomore. According to The Harvard Crimson, the site was comparable to Hot or Not, and "used photos compiled from the online facebooks of nine houses, placing two next to each other at a time and asking users to choose the 'hotter' person.

With success comes controversy particularly with Facebook. Zuckerberg hacked protected areas of Harvard's computer network and copied the houses' private dormitory ID images. Harvard at that time did not have a student "facebook" (a directory with photos and basic information), though individual houses had been issuing their own paper facebooks since the mid-1980s.

From it’s first 4 hours online, Facemash attracted
450 visitors and 22,000 photo-views.

According to an article from Rolling Stone in July 2008, the site was quickly forwarded to several campus group list-servers, but was shut down a few days later by the Harvard administration.

Zuckerberg was charged by the administration with breach of security, violating copyrights, and violating individual privacy, and faced expulsion.

Ultimately, the charges were dropped. For more information visit The Battle of Facebook, Rolling Stone, NY July 2008.

Zuckerberg expanded on this initial project that semester by creating a social study tool ahead of an art history final, by uploading 500 Augustan images to a website, with one image per page along with a comment section. He opened the site up to his classmates, and people started sharing their notes.

The following semester, Zuckerberg began writing code for a new website in January 2004. He was inspired, he said, by an editorial in The Harvard Crimson about the Facemash incident. On February 4, 2004, Zuckerberg launched "Thefacebook", originally located at thefacebook.com.

Six days after the site launched, three Harvard seniors, Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss, and Divya Narendra, accused Zuckerberg of intentionally misleading them into believing he would help them build a social network called HarvardConnection.com, while he was instead using their ideas to build a competing product.

The three complained to the Harvard Crimson, and the newspaper began an investigation. The three later filed a lawsuit against Zuckerberg, subsequently settling. In June 2004, Facebook moved its base of operations to Palo Alto, California and received its first investment later that month from PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. The company dropped “The” from its name after purchasing the domain name facebook.com in 2005 for $200,000.

Writers for The Wall Street Journal found in 2010 that Facebook apps were transmitting identifying information to "dozens of advertising and Internet tracking companies". The apps used an HTTP referrer which exposed the user's identity and sometimes their friends'.

Facebook said, "We have taken immediate action to disable all applications that violate our terms.” Facebook in Privacy Breach, The Wall Street Journal (New York).

In January 2013, the countries with the most Facebook users were:
FB stats by country, March 3, 2012)
United States with 168.8 million members
Brazil with 64.6 million members
India with 62.6 million members
Indonesia with 51.4 million members
Mexico with 40.2 million members This totals to 309 million members or about 38.6 percent of Facebook's 1 billion worldwide members.
43.1 Million Members of Facebook in Indonesia, Kompas, February 2, 2012.

In regards to Facebook's mobile usage, per an analyst report in early 2013, there are 192 million Android users, 147 million iPhone users, 48 million iPad users and 56 million messenger users


All photos courtesy of Wikimedia and screen shots taken from video and websites. All other photos will be credited as required.

Additional resources:
Facebook profile may expose mental illness Fox News
♦ Facebook Banned: 9 Ways To Get Kicked Off The Social Network Huffington Post
♦Facebook Wikipedia
♦ This is The Future of The Facebook ‘News Feed’ Business Insider

Facebook Timeline
2003
♦ October 28, 2003: Mark Zuckerberg releases Facemash, the predecessor to Facebook. It was described as a Harvard University version of Hot or Not
2004
♦ January 2004: Zuckerberg begins writing Facebook
♦ January 11, 2004: Zuckerberg registers thefacebook.com domain
♦ February 4, 2004: Zuckerberg launches Facebook
♦ March 2004: Facebook expands to MIT, Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern University, Stanford University, Dartmouth College, Columbia University, and Yale University
♦ April 13, 2004: Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, and Eduardo Saverin form Thefacebook.com LLC, a partnership
♦ June 2004: Facebook receives its first investment from Peter Thiel for US$500,000
♦ June 2004: Facebook incorporates into a new company, and Sean Parker (early employee of Napster) becomes its president
♦ June 2004: Facebook moves its base of operations to Palo Alto, California
♦ August 2004: To compete with growing campus-only service i2hub, Zuckerberg launches Wirehog. It is a precursor to Facebook Platform applications
♦ September 2004: ConnectU files a lawsuit against Zuckerberg and other Facebook founders
♦ December 30, 2004: Facebook achieves its one millionth registered user
2005
♦ May 26, 2005: Accel Partners invests $13 million into Facebook
♦ July 19, 2005: News Corp acquires MySpace, spurring rumors about the possible sale of Facebook to a larger media company
♦ August 23, 2005: Facebook acquires Facebook.com domain for $200,000
♦ September 2005: Added high school networks[14]
♦ October 2005: Added international school networks and added photos
2006
♦ 2006: A leaked cash flow statement shows that Facebook had a net loss of $3.63 million for the 2005 fiscal year
♦ March 28, 2006: A potential acquisition of Facebook is reportedly under negotiations, for $750 million first, then later $2 billion
♦ September 2006: Facebook discusses with Yahoo! about the latter possibly acquiring the former, for $1 billion
♦ September 2006: Facebook launches a high school version of the website
♦ September 26, 2006: Facebook is open to everyone aged 13 and over, and with a valid email address
2008
♦ June 2008: Facebook settles both lawsuits, ConnectU vs Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg et al. and intellectual property theft, Wayne Chang et al. over The Winklevoss Chang Group's Social Butterfly project. The settlement effectively had Facebook acquiring ConnectU for $20 million in cash and over $1.2 million in shares, valued at $45 million based on $15 billion company valuation
♦ August 2008: Employees reportedly privately sell their shares to venture capital firms, at a company valuation of between $3.75 billion to $5 billion
♦ October 2008: Facebook sets up its international headquarters in Dublin, Ireland
2009
♦ August 2009: Facebook acquires FriendFeed
♦ September 2009: Facebook claims that it has turned cash flow positive for the first time
2010
♦ February 2010: Facebook acquires Malaysian contact-importing startup Octazen Solutions
♦ April 2, 2010: Facebook announces the acquisition of photo-sharing service called Divvy-shot for an undisclosed amount
♦ April 19, 2010: Facebook introduces Community Pages, which are Pages that are populated with articles from Wikipedia
♦ April 21, 2010: Facebook introduces Instant Personalization, starting with Microsoft Docs, Yelp, and Pandora
♦ June 2010: Facebook employees sell shares of the company on SecondMarket at a company valuation of $11.5 billion
♦ October 1, 2010: The Social Network, a film about the beginnings of Facebook directed by David Fincher is released. The film is met with widespread critical acclaim as well as commercial success; however, Mark Zuckerberg says that the film is a largely inaccurate account of what happened.
2011
♦ January 2011: $500 million is invested into Facebook for 1% of the company, placing its worth at $50 billion
♦ February 2011: Facebook adds new "civil union" option for gay partnerships
♦ February 2011: Facebook application and content aggregator Pixable estimates that Facebook will host 100 billion photos by summer 2011
♦ June 2011: Facebook partners with Skype to add video chat
♦ September 2011: Facebook partners with Heroku for Facebook application development using the Facebook Platform
♦ September 22, 2011: Facebook launches new UI Timeline in F8 Convention
♦ October 10, 2011: Facebook launches iPad app
♦ December 21, 2011: Facebook log in page changes due to Facebook Timeline addition
♦ December 22, 2011: Facebook launches its new profile user interface, Facebook Timeline.
2012
♦ April 2012: Facebook acquires picture sharing and social network, Instagram, for $1 billion, the largest acquisition to date
♦ May 2012: Facebook IPO, initial price set at $38 a share, and the stock closed at $38.23 on its first trading day
♦ July 2012: Facebook adds same-sex couples as icons for marriage
♦ August 2012: Facebook forces all remaining users of the old profile style to the new "Timeline" style
♦ October 2012: Total number of Facebook users reaches 1 billion
2013
♦ January 15 :Product - Facebook announces and begins rolling out Facebook Graph Search.
♦ January 30, and April 9: Product - Facebook rolls out detailed and fine-grained emoticons to express different actions and emotional states in one's status updates (experimental launch January 30, official launch with universal availability April 9).
♦ March 7: Product - Facebook announces major planned changes to the News Feed. However, Facebook cancelled these changes after receiving negative feedback from users.
♦ March 8: Acquisitions - Facebook announces that they acquired the team from Storylane, but not the product itself.
♦ April 4 and then April 12 Product (mobile-only) - Facebook launches Facebook Home, a user interface layer for Android-compatible phones that provides a replacement home screen that makes it easier for users to browse and post.[62][63]
♦ April 15: Product - Facebook launches a new timeline.
♦ April-July: Product - Facebook launches Stickers, initially only for its iOS apps in April but later expanding to its web version in July.
♦ June 12, then June 27: Product - Facebook announces support for hashtags, initially only for the web (June 12). Later, more functionality is added and hashtags are extended to the mobile site and apps.
♦ June 30: Political activism - Zuckerberg joins 700 Facebook employees for the June 2013 Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Pride Celebration march in San Francisco, U.S. The 2013 Pride celebration was especially significant, as it followed a Supreme Court of the United States ruling that deemed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional.
♦ September 26: Product - Facebook begins letting people edit their posts and comments after publishing.
♦ September 29: Product - Facebook announces that it will begin rolling out Graph Search for posts and comments.
♦ November 13 : Acquisition talks - News outlets report that Facebook offered to buy Snapchat for $3 billion USD but was spurned.
♦ December 18 Financial/legal - Facebook, Zuckerberg, & banks face IPO lawsuit.
2014
♦ January 13: Branch Media, acquired and FB announced that working on the startup that will join Facebook to work on conversations products for Facebook that builds on similar ideas as Branch Media's products, while Branch Media's existing products will continue to operate separately. Facebook confirms that the acquisition is a talent acquisition.
♦ January 16: Product - Facebook launches Trending Topics for its web version in the US, UK, Canada, India, and Australia. This is based on feedback to a pilot version tested both on the web and mobile starting August 2013.
♦ January 30: Product (mobile-only) Facebook announces Facebook Paper, a separate iOS app that provides a newspaper-like or magazine-like experience for reading on the phone, scheduled for launch on February 3. Facebook also announces Facebook Creative Labs, an intra-company effort to have separate teams working on separate mobile apps that specialize in different facets related to the Facebook experience, rather than trying to make changes to Facebook's main web version, mobile version, or its iOS and Android apps, and says that Facebook Paper is the first product of Facebook Creative Labs. Facebook Paper receives mixed reviews, and some commentators note its similarity with Flipboard.
♦ February 3: Facebook launches Paper. http://www.facebook.com/paper
♦ February 5: Facebook launches Lookback. http://www.facebook.com/lookback
♦ February 19:Facebook makes its biggest acquisition, 16 times more than what it paid for Instagram by acquiring WhatsApp, a free text messaging system for $16 billion (spent $4 billion in cash and $12 billion in Facebook stock plus another $3 billion of stock over the next four years).
♦ March 3: Facebook buys Titan Aerospace (drone maker) $60 million to help bolster Facebook's vision with Internet.org. Later, on April 14, 2014, the Wall Street Journal reports that Google is acquiring Titan Aerospace
♦ March 6: Announcement that Facebook will rollout modified news feed. The changes are along the same lines as those announced in the planned revamp announced March 7, 2013 (that was halted), but are more minor and focused.
♦ March 17: Facebook's "DeepFace" algorithm reaches near-human accuracy in identifying faces.
♦ March 25: Facebook purchases Oculus VR, Inc., a leading virtual reality companyfor $2 billion in cash and stock.
♦ March 27: Connectivity Lab as part of the Internet.org initiative, to bring Internet to everybody via drones, using "acqhires" from Ascenta.
♦ April 24: Announcement of FB Newswire which helps journalists find news news on Facebok.
♦ April 30: anonymous login is launched so that Facebook users can use apps without giving them their data.
♦ June 18: Facebook Slingshot, instant messaging application for sharing photos and videos with friends, for Android and iOS devices is launched.
♦ July 21: Facebook launches Save, a read-it-later feature that allows users to save links, places, and media pages for later perusl.
♦ September 15: Facebook cracks down on the Facebook profiles of drag queens in San Francisco (Userbase/controversy), asking them to switch to using their real names, and shutting down the accounts of those who refuse to comply. On October 1, Facebook clarifies to its real name policy and said that drag queens could continue operating their accounts. The company clarified that people should use their authentic real-world names but need not use their legal names.
♦ October 6: Acquisition of WhatsApp, and WhatsApp completed, CEO Jan Koum agrees to match Mark Zuckerberg's $1 salary
♦ October 23: Pseudonymous app Rooms, is launched, enables FB users to create and participate in forums on any topic and do not need to use their real names. The forthcoming launch of the app esd reported on October 7.
♦ October 30: Custom Tor link created to make it easier for users to access Facebook anonymously in locations where it is censored.
♦ November 7: Facebook makes it easy for people to unfollow friends and pages they've liked, both while viewing pages in the feed and while reviewing summaries of the most prolific contributors to their feed.
♦ December 8: Keyword search rollout for all posts, part of Facebook Graph Search, to all US English users on desktop and using iPhones; Cited as a potential competitor to Yelp and other product recommendation engines and also as a potential way to surface old, embarrassing posts by people.
♦ December 11: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg holds his second Q&A, open to the public, about Facebook, where he discusses the dislike button and Facebook's role in promoting viewpoint diversity, helping people share more, and facilitating social and political transparency.
♦ 2015
♦January 5: Facebook acquires Wit.ai, a Y Combinator startup founded 18 months ago to create an API for building voice-activated interfaces
♦ January 8: Facebook acquires QuickFire Networks, a company that built a custom hardware and software platform for reducing video file sizes and upload times. The Wall Street Journal got the news earlier today, with confirmation later arriving on QuickFire’s site.
♦ January 16: Facebook open sources the Torch library, containing some of its deep learning tools in machine learning, including new code that runs 23 times as fast for training convolutional neural networks as the fastest publicly available code until that time.
♦ January 20: Facebook announces that it will show fewer hoaxes in the news feed, and mark items it identifies as potential hoaxes so that readers can view them more critically.
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Facebook reaches the big 011: Happy Birthday Facebook ▲ ▲ ▲ is part of the 'evergreen marketing insighter' series by Gloria Buono-Daly


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