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#MOBILEGEDDON - The Beginning of the End

If you work in the digital marketing world, there is one word that has been the focus of conversation lately – MOBILEGEDDON.  From the outside looking in it seems that Google released some sort of plague that’s lead to the burning of villages destroying anything in its path. Right? I mean doesn’t that sound like what a Mobilegeddon should be?

The thing is, Google did release some sort of magic – an algorithm update. The process of how a Google search works have changed to include a “mobile friendly website” weight. This fundamentally shifts in how websites are rated and displayed based on our everyday searches. It doesn’t matter if we are looking for tacos or the latest designer bags, what does matter [to Google] is that the taco store has a “mobile friendly’ website experience.

So as a consumer, which we all are in the eyes of Google, our searching experience just became better. Any Google searches done on mobile or tablet will display sites and answers that are listed in a mobile friendly format. Businesses that don’t support a mobile friendly browsing experience will be penalized in the SERP results, meaning less traffic for them.

As a concept this all sounds great but if as a business owner this could become a huge challenge if you rely on those Google searches. Mobilegeddon indeed.

The question is what do you do? How do you even check if your business site is mobile friendly? Glad you asked! Here is a direct link to the Google “Mobile Friendly Web Tool.”

This tool tests if your current site is mobile friendly and gives a quick analysis of the site. One area this tool does not analyze is if the website experience is mobile-friendly, i.e. shopping experience, blog, contact form. Each area of your website has its own structure and needs to be optimized for mobile.

There’s an abundance of information you can get from the tool, so I advise testing your site. If you don’t have a plan on designing and developing a mobile friendly experience than you should contact me. We can help put together a plan to get your business where it needs to be online.

- Patrick Tinnelly

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The Blind Spot of Programmatic Media

by Yariv Drori, CEO AY Digital

Data driven automation is a wonderful thing that has turned digital marketing on its head. Everyone loves the efficiency, the measurability and the real-time control over spend, yet it seems that the industry got so high on audience targeting that it forgot about the actual messages it delivers to those audiences.

Right this minute, across the globe, thousands of people, algorithms, databases, servers and platforms with sci-fi names are working tirelessly to shift budgets from one set of media inventory to the next in hope to squeeze a few extra clicks or to hit a few more points on the audience target index. The data says that ‘Site A’ is delivering a higher index on clicks, so I better increase the bid on that property, or the data says that ‘Site B’ delivers more video completions so I better bet on that, and the data says that ‘Site C’ is indexing better against my target demo so I better bank on that… and so on and so forth.

The more automated this process becomes the more technical and blunt decisions become too. In the heat of the effort to squeeze another percentage point of performance there is a tendency to forget that behind every impression there is (or sadly isn’t…) a human being who’s probably trying to do something other than consume an ad. Marketers, of course, are looking for is engagement, but what is there in a certain media property that would make it more fertile for click farming? Audience targeting is vastly important for relevancy, as is the contextual relation between the site content and the ad, automation can help with both, but it doesn’t end there.

I once witnessed a team of very smart technicians who were optimizing a video campaign for a large CPG client, success was measured by clicks and video completion. At first things seemed great, drag a few sliders in a platform and viola – the system yields great results, but after eliminating suspicious and non-viewable inventory things got much tougher and performance struggled for a while then the campaign started performing again for a few days then stopped, then performed again for a few days and then dropped… the team pulled every lever and every slider, but it was only 2 weeks after the campaign ended when they realized that someone was experimenting with different creative on the back end while they were “optimizing” media.

Ultimately what drives engagement of any type is creative, not media. The brand’s message in the ad, not the content around the ad. Yet, endless amount of effort and tech is invested in real-time media optimization while the creative often runs on a separate track. Creative concepts are usually managed by different teams than the teams that manage media optimization, often the creative gets swapped mid-campaign on the ad server without affecting the media optimization strategy.

I often claim that ad-tech has hijacked the digital marketing industry and this is a perfect example of that. Marketing used to be all about creative, brands invested most of its efforts on conveying its message in the most attractive and compelling manner. Algorithms can crunch numbers very effectively, but they cannot produce new creative concepts. Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) is an insult to the term ‘creative’, while it may have some merit in the relevance of the offer to specific audience, the price for the automation is usually paid with unattractive, cookie-cutter look.

Creative requires human talent, it cannot be automated, but in an industry that fell captive to automation quality creative concepts have no room. The impact of quality creative is difficult to explain with algorithms so it gets marginalized. Only five years ago, before most people could spell the word ‘programmatic’, we were all still running expensive rich media ads and page takeovers because those ads drove higher engagement rates. Today rich media is almost a bad word, not because it wasn’t performing for brands, but because it could not be pushed through the programmatic pipes. Yes, you can be creative with a jpeg ad, but you cannot argue that we have lost rich media for the sake of efficiency and not for better results.

Technology is allowing us amazing levels of agility and real-time control over digital campaigns, but for best results the creative team and the media optimization teams need to work together in full transparency. The decision to change the buy or introduce new creative concept needs to take one another into account, along with context, frequency and post click performance on the landing site. Teams that work well together in this manner will most definitely yield better results than those that optimize media and creative in isolation.

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Auvoir!

Hi there! Today is my last day as the AY Communications Manager and it only felt right to go out the same way that this all started-- with a blog post by yours truly. 

Read on!

A year and a half ago I was in the middle of getting my MA in Psychology and was asked to come aboard the AY team on a part time basis. I was completely unaware of what I wanted to do or be, but decided to put my BA in Advertising to good use. By February, it became my favorite full-time job to date and that whole Master's thing went straight out the window. We were a small team in NY of only a handful of people and I got to do everything--literally-- and whether it was pitches or research, I was excited to come to work every single day. By March I started reviving the company's nonexistent social presence, growing our then 2-person social team, and decided that maybe we should start a blog-- you can thank Veronica Mars for that one. The rest, as they say, is history.

Since those fateful days back in early 2013 so much has changed, but the one constant that has remained is the amazing team that I have been lucky enough to work with on a daily basis. They are one of the main things that I will miss most of all!

In all honesty, I was fortunate enough, early in my career, to work with some of the most hardworking and smartest people in the world-- yes, world (we are international, after all). They work long hour and weekends, with-- instead of against-- the daily roadblocks they face, and have never uttered "no" to even the most difficult tasks put in front of them. And they're pretty amazing human beings as well.

They are the most genuine group of people I've ever met (some of them only over Skype) and have made my time at AY more than I could have ever expected. If I could take them all with me, I would in an instant! 

So I guess that this is my goodbye!

To all 998 of you (across various platforms) who have followed AY Digital on social (& are possibly reading this now), thank you for an amazing ride (and tons of engagement)! I hope you enjoyed the numerous toast posts, our vast industry knowledge and looks into our day-to-day. To date, taking on AY's social media has been my shining achievement-- from 32 followers on LinkedIn to almost 1k across various platforms-- not too shabby, eh?

Auvoir and all the very best (for the last time),

[aydigital]

Read About Writing – Get Your Creativity On

When we need to write something, we always read some other ideas first. Some of them might be related to the subject we’re writing about, but others are just things we read just to get our brain working. If you feel a constant need to feed the right side of your brain, here’s a list of books to get you started. I have to admit that I love all sorts of books. I’m the type of person who devours Hemingway and his short phrases, as well as Allende with her long detailed ones. And I also love sarcastic Beigbeder and psychology or sociology books. Yes, I know, this tells a lot about me.

Losing neurons vs. Being ambidextrous

But here goes the part I’m not that proud of. I have a guilty pleasure and it’s called chick lit. What is more is that I know I’m not alone in this. A lot of smart women started with Jane Austen and ended with this genre. When I want my brain to take a break, but I still need to feed it, I always go for an easy-breezy read. And maaan, some of them are sooo bad. This is probably why I sometimes watch B-rated movies—just because they’re bad. Some people say this is one way of losing neurons. But hey, I’m a rookie ambidextrous person and neurons start to die on their own after turning 20 anyway. I bet you didn’t know that. Being ambidextrous means you can write with both hands and you might develop schizophrenia. This is why from an early age I’ve been improving “right hand takeover.” But it also means my strict, left side of the brain likes to give the creative, right side of the brain some free time to go “reading wild.” Excuses. Excuses. I know.

Here are some books to help with your creative side or just to wake up your brain. No chick lit, promise. You can add me on Goodreads for that.

On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser: This is a great book for writers of any age. Even if you already know the rules, you’ll polish them. It even helped me with my writing style and I’ve actually come up with some writing subjects while reading it. 

Trust Me, I'm Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator by Ryan Holiday: In this day and age, 2.0 writers know what they’re getting themselves in. For the others this is the perfect book to better understand new media.

The Magus by John Fowles: Perfect book if you are in search of an intellectual challenge. This is one of those maze-like books worth reading and rereading. Each time you’ll see different things. That’s how awesome John Fowles is. 

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie: This is a popular classic and you have to hand it to her, the woman can write and develop memorable characters like no other. Besides this, she does prove that women can be funny. 

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway: Do I still have to spell it out for you? The man created a masterpiece over here. This book is great for women, as well as for men. It’s good for the creative brain, as well as for the writer’s block. 

Caffeine for the Creative Mind: 250 Exercises To Wake Up Your Brain by Stefan Mumaw, Wendy Lee Oldfield: This is the book you’ve all been waiting for. It’s great if you’re going on a long road trip with your friends. It’s funny at parties and, for me, it also worked to grab attention on social media. And yes, it’s great when you and your team need to do some brainstorming

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Happy Friday!

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What is icing? I'm new to hockey and don't understand this concept

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#BASICALLY

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Losing Track of Time at Work...Creatively (Or How Not to Lose Your Sanity)

Bosses, managers, and team leaders out there, the secret's out: If you give us a gadget, an Internet connection and something creative to do, we’ll take at least 10 minutes for ourselves before we start something. If, until now, you had doubts of how we spend this time exactly, here's the inside story.

First, let me just add that I know I’m doing you guys a favor. But, like we all know, no good deed goes unpunished. I feel you're going to ban me from taking my 10 minutes of losing track of time at work... creatively. But hey, this is how I don’t lose my sanity.

Why we need those 10 minutes to go "digitally wild”

And there’s a second thing I would like to add. No, I’m not making excuses. I always finish things on time. Yes. I’m that good. Kidding. It’s not about that, it’s about the fact that if I’m stuck, facing "writer’s block,” I can’t write anything for hours. Thus, allowing me to go "digitally wild” for 10 minutes is the key to success.

What people usually do People usually pass this time on Facebook. Have you seen the new News Feed? I’m turned off instantly. All those ads left and right, yeah I know those "feed us," but no! Others like to take their time with websites like 9GAG. Have you ever tried it? I can’t do it only 10 minutes. It’s way too addictive for me.

What I usually do

I look for things that aren't mainstream. I have a lot of websites and blogs which I constantly stalk, but this one is really great. Swiss Miss is a design blog where you can find funny gifs (like the one above), sassy quotes, interesting news and even other cool websites like Noisli. 

P.S. What’s your favorite background noise combo?

[aydigital]

Regular beings becoming memes – from Sweet to Grumpy

Nowadays, memes are everywhere. Along with the rise of social media, photos and videos can go viral overnight. Social media platforms have changed the way and increased the speed at which information is spread. Before this, sharing was happening mostly through email or messenger - and regular old word-of-mouth. Now, we have a half dozen social networks and social news sites like 9gag and Reddit where catchy (or sticky) content can be shared by millions of people with millions more. When it comes to Internet memes, good grammar, a call to action and users engagement affects their virility. Some catch fire while others burn out. But what happens when regular people become memes? Let’s take for example one of the most popular memes: Sweet Brown and her ��Ain’t nobody got time for that!”. It all started with this video:

A reporter interviewed her while her apartment was burning down. Soon after that, the video went viral and the phrase “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” was all over the Internet and filling school hallways as well as office conference rooms. She was invited to many TV shows and she did a commercial for a dental clinic using her iconic phrases. Even Beyonce quoted her during an interview using the phrase “Lord Jesus, it’s a fire!”

But internet fame isn't always a happy story. Last year, Business Insider revealed more information about this woman. While seeking to profit from her internet fame, Sweet Brown has sued Apple, a radio program and many others for unauthorized use of her likeness, according to court documents. Sweet Brown isn't so sweet anymore. Another example of how internet can turn you into a meme is the cute Tardar Sauce (a.k.a. Grumpy Cat) has won the internet with her eternally grumpy face.

Her owner left her job as a waitress and she managed to create a genuine brand. Grumpy Cat has millions of hits on YouTube, T-Shirts, calendars and a best-selling book available in 14 languages. Also, she has her own agent, bodyguards and a lawyer. 

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Gotta love when brands put effort in on Twitter... even when it's borderline creepy. 

Happy Friday, social buffs!

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A Day in the Life of a New Media Journalist: Part II

Check out part 2 of a day in the life of a New Media Journalist!

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What is “Shareable”?

There is no metric for viral. When we hear the higher ups ask to include a “viral video” in our marketing strategy we all cringe and die a little on the inside. It’s not so much because we think a viral video would be a bad idea, but more because planning on one is a terrible one.

When building content, everyone hopes to be as viral as the bubonic plague, but the reality is your content would be lucky to catch on like the common cold.

That’s actually the mentality you need when building shareable content. The content has to have thousands of different strains and be resilient. It has to break through the white blood cells of internet boredom - no small task.

So, how do you go about building a super bug? You fail, fail again and fail better.

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What's the Problem with Today's Headline?

Do you think there’s a problem with our title? No? Then you’re in luck. You haven’t been corrupted with the new styles of headline writing yet.

A few years back, as new media journalists, we learned that a title must attract attention. Then, it must send the message of what we’re writing about. Next, we’re suppose to focus on making it as SEO as possible, to make search engines "appreciate" it.

Here is where we learned: an SEO-friendly title must have a head keyword or term. "Dresses” is better than "dress,” "gadgets” is better than "gadget.” And then a long tail keyword to explain it and make the title up to 5 or 6 words.

Examples:

"Dresses for spring-summer 2014”

"Top 10 gadgets of 2014”

Then things took a turn. In the last couple of years these rules have changed, and all because of social media. After writing an article, we all know we must find a catch phrase to promote it on websites like Facebook or Twitter. But now we’re facing another issue. Those catch phrases have actually become today’s headline. Things like "The New Collection is Out. You Must Get It!,” "Shock and Terror Has NYC Citizens Grasping at Straws. Read here!,” and "You Didn’t See The Latest Picture of Brangelina? Click Here!” are invading us.

We gotta give it to the new trend. It’s catchy and it meets its purpose: everybody clicks. It’s impossible not to. But it’s a bit tricky and it kind of brings a media brand down.

So what’s your take?? Would you do it if it means more clicks?

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A Day in the Life of a New Media Journalist: Part I

Get into the daily life of a New Media Journalist in today's infographic below: 

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Yelp Me, Google?

The release of the Google glasses has been the source of many media speculations, reviews and predictions. Are they cool? Are they too expensive? Are they worth it? Will we all be wearing them soon?

One thing I didn’t see coming was them being the reason of a new online social scandal. Recently a woman entered a restaurant in New York City wearing a pair of the infamous glasses. The manager of the restaurant asked her to remove her glasses. Why you ask? Because apparently these glasses are known for being used by their owners to record stuff around them. Which apparently makes other patrons upset.

Well, little did the restaurant know that she was possibly the only influential person on Google+ (ever) and she posted about her experience on the platform. Loads of people got upset. And by loads I mean all 13 Google+ users ever.

The restaurant is upset because now they have a whole bunch of one-star reviews, most of them coming from people who don’t even live in NYC. This could be a business model for Google. “Let people wear our glasses in your establishments or get bad reviews on Google.” Wait… guys that sounds familiar. Yelp?

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Will Iran Ban Instagram Again?

According to Mehr News Agency, an Iranian court ordered Iran's Ministry of Telecommunications to block Instagram over privacy concerns on Friday.

This isn’t the first time for Instagram; the Iranian government blocked the social network for 12 hours on Dec. 29, 2013. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are also officially inaccessible. Earlier this month, WhatsApp was also blocked. 

Nevertheless the Ministry of Communications has to make the decision if it will follow the court order and block Instagram. Over the weekend, many users were still able to access the app, however, Iranians are already reporting disruptions in the service, with many complaining that they couldn't view pictures on the platform. Apparently the problem wasn’t because of the government decision, but instead from Facebook moving Instagram’s distribution network to its own services, which are blocked in Iran. Iran has been pushing for an Instagram substitute, Lenzor, launched by Iranian social network Cloob.com. Lenzor can be better controlled by the local government because the servers are inside of Iran. Instagram has yet to comment on the matter.

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Way To Go Facebook

Facebook decided to change something for the better! Yes, it’s true, they made a change that could save your butt if you’re one of those people who regularly post things you wouldn’t want a boss, or future employer to see. 

Facebook changed the wall post settings to automatically share with friends only, instead of “Public” to avoid over-sharing. However, this change is only in effect for new members, starting now. So in other words this affects no one (ha ha ha).

Just kidding, when the babies you’ve been flooding your friends newsfeeds with grow old enough to start over sharing their lives on Facebook – rest assured, they’ll be protected. But, for the rest of us veterans, you must continue to change your audience settings as you post.

Side Note: If you change your audience settings ‘before’ you click “post”- those settings will stick from that point forward, each time you post. If you want to change for just one particular post—change them after you actually click “post.”

Happy sharing!