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[L]EARNED MEDIA SUMMER 2020 UPDATE

It's been a busy and productive summer for us here at [L]M. These past few months we hosted five virtual lab session workshops, shot over a dozen social media videos, launched three new websites and added one awesome new team member. During these challenging times we taught ourselves a valuable lesson: That no matter what the world is going through -- global pandemic, blackouts from tropical storms or even shark attacks -- nothing will keep us from working hard and doing what we love: building a sound foundation for our clients so that their business may flourish not just today, but for generations to come. As always, please enjoy a glimpse of our recent and notable work below. To a safe and sun-filled Labor Day weekend ahead! - Your Friends at [L]earned Media

Read more: https://mailchi.mp/learnedmedia/summer-2020-update

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[L]EARNED MEDIA JUNE 2020 UPDATE

2020 marks [L]earned Media's 9th year in business. While so much can change in a 9-year stretch, we marvel at just how many things actually stay the same. 

After all these years, we are proud to service so many repeat clients who continue to choose us as partners due to the long-term minded care of our team. 

In this new decade we are excited to uphold our mission: building a sound foundation for our clients so that their business may flourish not just today, but for generations to come. 

Please enjoy this glimpse of our recent and notable work below. 

To a safe and successful summer ahead! 

- Your Friends at [L]earned Media

Read more: https://mailchi.mp/learnedmedia/june2020update

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[L]earned Media 2019 Midyear Update

Whaaaaaaat a year it has been and to think we are only half way through. Sheeesh! We’ll keep this update quick so that we can all get right back to work. Today’s update is all about a fast growing category for us, startups. With a combined $100MM+ in funds raised, the following clients have put [L]earned Media to work to help them get on a path to 🚀. While no one knows what the future holds for these businesses, we continue to hold true to our mission in support of them: to build a sound foundation for our clients' business to flourish not just today, but for generations to come. Here is just a taste of our recent and notable work specifically tailored to our well funded friends below. Have a safe and successful summer! - Your Friends at [L]earned Media

Read more: https://mailchi.mp/learnedmedia/2019midyearupdate

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[BOOK REPORT] ‘THIS IS IT’

The following is an excerpt from my contribution to ‘This is It’ by Glenn and Jordan Edwards. Purchase on Amazon.com here.

OTHER VOICES: SAM ZISES

Credit: Sam Zises, founder & CEO of [L]earned Media 

About: [L]earned Media is a creative marketing agency based in New York City.

Q: How did you get started in your business?

A: It is easy to look at successful people at the top and think, “Wow, they’re so lucky” or simply overlook all that must have gone into that person’s career for them to get to that point. Anytime I find myself glaring up at a role model, mentor, or even industry titan, I remind myself of a quote I came across many years ago, “It takes ten years to build an overnight success,” and I elicit a reality check—nothing good comes in life without hard work and dedication.

To that end, it’s important to also consider that no one rises to the top of their industry without (many) bumps along the way. Scott Belsky, founder of Behance (acquired by Adobe), recently wrote a book entitled The Messy Middle. The gist of which can be described within an infographic on his blog.

In this light, and having gone through what feels like my share of ups and downs, I still feel like there is a long way to go for me to reach my “success.” Nonetheless, I am proud of all that I have accomplished to date and happy to share the evolution of it all.

I can trace my career path as far back as late middle school when my brother and I took our Bar Mitzvah money, bought DJ equipment, and started getting paid to DJ at school dances, birthday parties, anniversary parties, and yep, even Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. The entrepreneurial bug that bit me all those years back plays a role down the line, but certainly gave me a taste of what it’s like to “eat what you kill” and be my own boss. Having attended our fair share of Bar/Bat Mitzvahs ourselves we thought, “These people get paid to play music and hype up a crowd—how hard can that be?”

Given my affinity for music and entertainment, fast for- ward to senior year of high school where I sought out an internship at a NYC-based record label. I was preparing fan club kits and organizing shows for bands which helped teach me the business behind the business.

Following that experience, I spent a summer in college interning at an ad agency downtown and sat in on the brainstorming process developing campaigns for name-brand clients. Summer internships throughout college had me working on set for an NBC TV show, behind the scenes at MTV’s Total Request Live, running errands for hip hop rappers at Warner Bros. Records in LA, and lastly in an editing studio on 31st and 5th Avenue developing content for AOL.

Timing turned out to be right, and just as I was graduating college in 2007, the media/tech/advertising/marketing world began to shift. All of a sudden social media gave rise to new ways of reaching large audiences, and I found myself at the center of it all at an upstart firm selling just the right services to attract large clients and investors.

Within just a few years, our company grew from five to over one hundred employees, and with a little piece of sweat equity my stock became worth a few hundred thousand dollars. A year later, I found myself at a global ad agency building my professional resume and continuing to learn the ropes of an ever-evolving industry.

Finally in 2012, after four summer internships and four years working for someone else, I decided it was time to go out on my own. Today, I run a creative marketing agency employing as many as a dozen talented associates across strategy, design, technical development, account services, and more.

Q: What was the driver that helped you take action?

A: I believe it was a combination of naïveté relating to what it would take, overconfidence to think I could make it work (thanks in part to emotional support from friends and family), and time—youthfulness and with- out a family of my own (wife and kids) to take me away from the requirements of building a business from the ground up. Had I lacked one or even two of these three traits, I don’t know if I would be in the position I am in today.

Q: What challenges did you face getting your business off the ground?

A: I believe we live in an increasingly competitive world. Consumer access to products, services, and an over- whelming amount of choice/variety relating to each has created competition within industries that has never been seen before. Finding product-market fit or a wide open opportunity has never been more challenging. On the flip side, low startup costs and that very same access has made it easier than ever to enter a market.

The biggest challenge I have faced to date is my own impatience. I am constantly trying to recreate the wave of success I experienced back in 2007 and expedite growth. However, I have recently begun to realize that sometimes it’s just not possible and embracing slow growth built on long-term trust, integrity, and over- servicing clients may just be the right recipe in the long run.

Q: What advice would you give a young entrepreneur struggling to take that first step?

A: Start as young as possible, albeit ensuring you have a baseline of expertise needed. The longer you wait the more pressure you will have, period.

Q: Do you think now is a good time to start a business? Why?

A: Yes, now is a good time to start a business. Timing will never be perfect; there will always be a cycle of recessions, bull markets, family pressures, shaky political climates, etc. If you plan to start a business in your lifetime, stop waiting. The timing is perfect today, no matter when you read this.

You may also like: [BOOK REPORT] ‘How to Develop the Morals and Mindset of a (Future) Business Leader’

[samzises]

Recapping ‘18 & Excited for ‘19

What a year 2018 was both personally and professionally.

On the personal side, my wife and I bought and moved into a home (BIG deal) and are expecting our second child, sex TBD (also BIG deal)!

Professionally, the company I started in 2012 is turning 8 years-old and I am proud to say that we have had our best year yet achieving a revenue milestone that we have long been eyeing. 👏🙏

As the year comes to a close what comes to mind is how thankful and appreciative I am for those around me that have been a part of making all of the growth and achievements in my life come to fruition. 

Whether it’s my wife and family, team members at [L]M or the dozens of other important people that come in and out of my life on a daily basis -- I appreciate you all!

Here’s a snapshot of some of this past year’s work at [L]earned Media

Shopify website for a new DTC brand // Lab29

Video and event landing page for one of NYCs most prominent architectural firms // Howard L. Zimmerman

Social media marketing for up and coming retail coffee chain // Roasting Plant Coffee

Brand and website for a new real estate development in Seattle // Ascent Townhomes

Website for a NYC-based real estate developer // Tavros Capital

Website for a Long Island-based school with 6 locations // Just Kids Early Childhood Learning Centers

Website for a Philadelphia-based Law Firm // Lundy Law

Creative campaign and landing page for Anderson Windows

Media campaign for a Jersey City-based property // 65 Bay Street

Social media marketing for smokeless tobacco brand // NJOY

Media and website updates for an Industrial Chimney company // EMG Chimneys

Website support for venture-backed security startup // Qylur

Media campaigns for the Hun School of Princeton

Website development support for Excel Sports Management

Website design and development for Industry City

Media, marketing, PR, SEO and more for Mr. John and Russell Reid

Strategy, creative and tech for two fortune 500 brands and one stealthy startup backed by a Billionaire -- none of which I can talk about :)

Projects I am excited about for the year ahead

Website development for a high profile mixed use property in Williamsburg BK 

Marketing campaign for a startup mobile App

Website design and development for a venture-backed AdTech company

Launch of two sleek and user friendly Shopify websites for existing client

Video series for one of the most prominent suppliers of building amenity/machinery

& so much more!

As always, we continue to take pride in our mission to build a sound foundation for our clients' businesses to flourish not just today, but for generations to come.

Lastly, while I know this incredible feeling of Inbox Zero won’t likely last more than the next 30 seconds...I’m excited to tackle 2019 with a fresh start :)

See you next year.

[samzises]

Battle of the Voice Stars

Fascinated by the comeback of audio in advertising and the modernization of all things voice-related in media and tech today, I wanted to re-share this blog I read over the summer where a VC firm put the big voice players up against one another for a head to head battle.

The article below first appeared on Loup Venture’s Blog on July 25, 2018 and was published by Gene Munster and Will Thompson.

Annual Digital Assistant IQ Test – Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa, Cortana

We asked Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa, and Cortana 800 questions each. This time, Google Assistant was able to answer 86% of them correctly vs. Siri at 79%, Alexa at 61%, and Cortana at 52%.

As part of our ongoing effort to better understand the practical use cases of AI and the emergence of voice as a computing input, we regularly test the most common digital assistants and smart speakers. This time, we focused solely on smartphone-based digital assistants (Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa, and Cortana). We added Alexa (on the iOS app) to the mix this round, which means, going forward, we will now test the four major voice assistants on both smartphones and smart speakers. See past comparisons of smart speakers here and digital assistants here. While the underlying tech is similar, the use cases differ greatly between digital assistants and smart speakers (more on this next week). Therefore, it’s simply not worthwhile to compare, say, Siri on your iPhone and Alexa on an Echo Dot in your kitchen.

Read the full article: https://loupventures.com/annual-digital-assistant-iq-test-siri-google-assistant-alexa-cortana/

Interested in developing a voice-related experience for your brand? Hit up our friends at Rain or signup for their newsletter “Voice on Voice” or read their articles “Raindrops” at https://rain.agency/.

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Interview with Critical Mention

This article I wrote first appeared on Critical Mention’s Blog on October 29, 2018.

Agency life can be tough, but [L]earned Media’s CEO Sam Zises has got it down to a science. In our interview with Sam, he offered powerful insights into the world of content marketing, social media and “cutting through the clutter.” He also provided his opinion on why he believes the “death of Facebook” has been declared prematurely.

Q: What’s your day-to-day like as the Founder & CEO of [L]earned media?

Sam: The CEO of Zillow, Spencer Rascoff, summed up a CEO’s job like this: “it’s to identify, recruit and motivate extraordinary people.” That’s the crux of it. A CEO’s mission should be all about his or her team. As the CEO, you’re the last line of defense. Where the buck stops. You have to be responsible for the details that keep people happy and productive. That can mean little things like taking care of a computer issue so that everybody can operate at peak performance or the big stuff like finding talent and weighing in on project decisions. As long as I’m supporting the team, then I’m doing my job. As for what I know will always be on my agenda no matter what, that would include setting a vision for the future, executing growth initiatives and advising clients about how to strategically spend their money and focus our time.

Q: What direction do you think content marketing is going in and how can PR professionals keep up with the trends?

Sam: Quality over quantity. Period. Netflix has created a world where consumers can get unlimited content with Hollywood-level productions values for only $15 a month. That’s now the standard the rest of us are judged against. So if a consumer is going to pay attention to your stuff in today’s world, it better have the same high quality as the top content producers. We used to say that content is king. Now I think we have to amend that to specify: quality content is king.

Q: Which of your campaigns stands out to you as most successful and why?

Sam: It may not be the most satisfying answer, but when you’re as passionate about your work as we are, your campaigns really are like your kids and you’re proud of them all. That said, there are a few that stand out. We worked with Bai just as the brand was beginning to get national notoriety and helped them in their partnership with eBay and the Zach Brown Band to create content that had an integrated contest to give back to a charity. We worked with Budweiser’s Global Strategic Innovation Team, a.k.a. “The Beer Garage”, in Palo Alto to develop and create the “Grab Some Buds” app that connected users to their friends and helped them find something to do for a night out. Finally, we were proud to be DISH Media Sales’ first-ever digital agency of record and help them develop brand positioning and a digital media campaign that met the demands of the rapidly, and sometimes chaotically, evolving programmatic television space.

Q: You have a very interesting backstory–from licensing your startup to Budweiser to founding your own marketing agency. What has been your most fulfilling experience thus far?

Sam: The most exciting thing is always to see other businesses–our clients–grow thanks in part to the services we provide them. Our team of thinkers and creators are all about getting to know you, where you came from and where you want to go. So when our clients succeed, we really feel like we’re succeeding too. Not to mention that we were born and bred in the world’s most competitive market, New York City, and we know what it takes to cut through the clutter, engage audiences and generate leads. Our surroundings have rubbed off on us. We’re competitive too, and we like to win on behalf of our clients.

Q: Cutting through the clutter” is one of the core aspects of content marketing. Why do you think it’s so vital for PR pros and marketers to achieve this goal?

Sam: Anybody who has been online, well, ever knows just how deafening the cacophony of noise and information overload on the internet can be. To be heard, you really have to work for it. But we don’t believe that necessarily means you have to be the loudest. Sometimes the best way to get someone to lend you their eyes and ears is to say what you mean clearly, with intention and in a way that makes them feel that you’re speaking directly to them. Even in an incredibly noisy environment, those personal connections always have real value.

Q: Which social media platform do you think will stand the test of time?

Sam: It’s got to be Facebook. Now, there has been a lot of talks recently about the “death of Facebook” because their usership numbers have been plateauing. But what people don’t realize is that, whether or not people actually go to Facebook.com or use their app, the company is building infrastructure that permeates through the rest of the web. The “Login with Facebook” feature and the fact that they own so many server farms means that people’s digital lives are much more connected to the monster in Menlo Park than they realize. Also, Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to acquire Instagram for a billion dollars in 2010 looks like an unbelievable bargain now. And even though most people thought he was crazy when he bought WhatsApp for twenty billion dollars in 2014, that move has been vindicated as well. If Zuck can keep his edge and continue to make smart moves like that, I’m sure they’re in good shape well into the future.

[samzises]

[BOOK REPORT] ‘Fifteen Years, A Branded Content Story: A Collection Of Thought Provoking Essays From Leading Branded Content Experts’

Back in April I posted an essay, Everything is Branded Content; Branded Content is Everything. Today I am excited to announce that it has been published in a new book written by The Branded Content Marketing Association’s  Founder and Chief Executive, Andrew Canter, titled “Fifteen Years, A Branded Content Story” available for purchase at Amazon.

My involvement in The BCMA dates back to 2010. Whilst at Ogilvy and working within their branded entertainment division appropriately dubbed OgilvyEntertainment I was introduced to Andrew Canter BCMA’s founder. After a considerable amount of ‘talking shop’ and vetting of The BCMA’s practices and programming, my employer decided to take on the role of Advisor and become a founding firm within their first US Chapter.

Following my departure from Ogilvy many years back -- Andrew and I remained connected and nearly two years ago I accepted the position of President at the BCMA US Chapter.

As a lover of all things ‘entertainment’ and practitioner of all things ‘advertising’ the marriage of branded-content has been one that I have enjoyed participating in throughout my career.

To mark the BCMA’s landmark fifteen-year anniversary, it has brought together the foremost branded content experts from across the globe with a collection of inspiring, thought-provoking and engaging essays. 

The 60 contributors are leaders from industry and academia and share their incredible stories and insights into how branded content has evolved and come to the forefront of marketing communications and how it will continue to shape the future of advertising industry.

Expert contributions have come from across the globe covering all aspects of the branded content industry and include, Ellie Norman, Sir Peter Bazalgette, Greg Turzynski, Professor Jonathan Hardy, Dr. Bjoern Asmussen, Serena Wider, Ross Williams, James Larman, Sam Zises, Professor Mara Einstein, James Hayr, Caressa Douglas, Spero Patricios, Rupert Maconick, Professor Christoph Lindemann, Elena Grinta, Martina Ruhl, Daniel Rosenberg, Javier Regueira, PhD, Philip O’Ferrall, Karnvir Mundrey, Daniel Bo, Petra Kroop, Professor Iain Macrury, Margret Knitter, Simon Orpin, Patricia Weiss, Olivier Robert-Murphy, João Belmar, Rob Donnell, Anna Gavazzi, Kata Fasi, Michael Wylie-Harris, Pascal Somarriba, Professor Paul Springer, Jan Godsk, Steve Macallister, Ed Cracknell, Scott Green, Anton Efimov, Sandra Freisinger-Heinl, Tom Curtis, Thomas Jamet, Adam Harris, Eleanor Thornton-Firkin, Ellen Marzell, Neil Waller, Jack Dyson, Simon Gosling, Graham Hayday, Rebecca Allen, Mark Choueke, Pablo Muñez, Daniel Calabuig, Ravid Kuperberg, Angela Everitt, Lawrence Ribeiro, Maria D’Souza, Richard Malton, Kaaren Whitney-Vernon, Adam Hua, Trevor Hardy, Bruce Bildsten.

For more information about The Branded Content Marketing Association (BCMA) please visit www.thebcma.info.

BCMA is the leading global member association for branded content. The BCMA promotes the value of branded content and is designed for anyone involved in the communications industry. Through best practice it leads the debate on what makes great branded content and how brands, producers, platforms and agencies can engage audiences for maximum benefit and payback. 

[samzises]

Schooling Brands from East Coast to West.

What sounds great when paired with [L]M?...LA! That’s right, we’re now schooling brands from east coast to west. Introducing [L]M:LA! Bringing together our New York way of getting shi*t done, now with a dose of surf 🏄and sun ☀️.

After 7 strong years on the east coast we have decided to spread our wings to the City of Angels. Our LA office will work with existing and new clients across a variety of verticals -- entertainment, media, tech, real estate and consumer brands. If you or anyone you know could use a hand in enhancing their brand, website, content, media or overall marketing efforts -- we'd love to be your first call. We'll even endure the 405 to meet at your place 🚘...that is until Musk finishes his Dugout Loop 🚇.

Jess Norton, Strategy & Account Director, will be leading the west coast presence from Santa Monica

West Coast clients already heart us because

 we're working before they take their first sip of A.M. coffee ☕   

we're maniacal about delivering value and business impact 📈   we never flake and hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards of service

We look forward to this next chapter!

[samzises]

Serial Season 3

The Podcast that blew up Podcasts just launched Season 3. If you haven’t yet enjoyed this gripping series I highly recommend it!

Nuff said. Check it out here or on iTunes.

[samzises]

Advantages of Audio Ads

Many people thought the Internet would replace TV and that TV would replace radio. Obviously, neither of those predictions came true. Radio and audio content in general have been booming in the last several years and it’s not hard to understand why. If you’re an advertiser who has yet to dip your toe in the audio advertising water, now might be the perfect time.

Audio-centric media networks seem to be popping up regularly. Gimlet Media, Podcast One and Panoply to name a few are all attempting to make a name for themselves amongst the medium of Podcasts.

Audio content has a very unique benefit over video content. It can be consumed passively while riding a bike, driving a car, walking on the street, riding the subway or the like. I used to fall asleep watching Netflix or Hulu, however, recently I’ve enjoyed the ability to rest my eyes after long days staring at the computer, and find myself consuming any number of Podcasts in my iPhone’s updated subscription feed.

Audio content is an easy way to consume content while multitasking. In a world where we’ve all become addicted to consumption (content and goods), what’s not to love? 

For advertisers, there’s the added benefit of that multi-taking. Users listening to audio content are less likely to be fidgeting with their dials or iPhones during on air voice overs or commercial breaks. Meaning, many of their target audience members are likely going to hear their brand’s message.

This consumer behavior should not be overlooked. Ya hear me?!

[samzises]

WeWork: Wherever

Back in May I wrote about how “On Friday’s We Work From Home” (and put a lot of employers on the hot seat with envious employees). Today I am excited to announce that we have moved the [L]earned Media office to WeWork, and initiated our new policy of WeWork: Wherever. 

With our Director of Strategy moving out west later this week to open up [L]earned Media LA, and the desire for other team members to make a home outside of the five boroughs (myself included), everyone wins.

Along with our new WeWork office, team members are able to come and go as they please and work remote as desired (collaborative and client meetings permitting). 

Without the fixed overhead of our own kitchen and conference room, no one needs to feel bad about working remote 2-3 days each week or whenever their schedule can accommodate it. Of course, in a business such as creative marketing, collaboration is paramount. Which is why everyone is thrilled have a centralized home base with amenities galore -- from unlimited cold brew to 150mbps internet that (almost) never goes down, and maybe a dozen or so more perks that come along.

People, people, people, it’s 2018. This is not a big deal. Look, I get it -- not every business can up and decide to enable such a workstyle, however, most probably could. Back in April I wrote about “The Productivity Stack” -- the essential software and tools our team leverages to keep the trains running on time and collaborate across a dozen or so ongoing projects at any given time.

Every outsiders first question over the last few months as we’ve prepared for this shift has been the same: but how can you be sure your employees are working all day? It’s simple -- trust and transparency. At [L]M, we’re a tight knit team of self motivated creatives who take pride in our work -- no one here is clocking in and out. 

It’s easy to trust people who earn it day in and day out. In today’s corporate climate, it’s nearly impossible to ‘get away with anything’. Clients have access to all levels of management, 24x7. If work wasn’t getting done or client’s didn’t feeling the impeccable service we have taught them to expect -- I’d know about it, same day.

One week in and we haven’t skipped a beat. WeWork: Wherever doesn’t feel like a fad, and if the company decides to go public...I’ll be on the buy side. This is the future, now.

[samzises]

7 Reasons Every Marketer Should Invest in Google Advertising

Since its inception in the early 2000s, pay per click (PPC) advertising has grown to be a staple of every major brands’ digital marketing strategy. Paid and organic search traffic have become equally important, yet the flexibility offered by paid search results, as opposed to having Google choose your result for you makes them a powerful tool to any advertiser.

Here are seven reasons every marketer should invest in Google advertising.

1. Branding.

Want to get your name out there fast? How about putting it on the platform that sees 3.5 billion queries per day? While PPC is a brilliant tactic for increasing direct response, it’s sometimes overlooked by marketers as a tool for branding. But there are no two ways about it- having your name at the top of Google search results builds familiarity and trust with your brand.

2. Getting off the ground quickly.

You are conscious of your budget and time so you need to start generating interest and driving sales now. That means the flexibility and immediacy of digital marketing are of use to you. Quality paid search campaigns can be researched, planned, and built in a matter of days, and they go live immediately. As long as you do everything right, you can start seeing results from day one and they’ll be easy to measure.

3. Digital media is cost-efficient.

Sure, Google charges a premium for ads on its platform, but it also rewards advertisers who build smart, targeted campaigns and ads meaning you can invest into ad spend knowing you’re paying for results, rather than projections or print costs. Google’s model works. That’s why well over 1 million advertisers use it. And it gets the job done without the guessing games and inevitable waste of tactics like direct mail or advertising in print media. As a startup owner, you need to be lean and effective before anything else, which is why PPC should be an immediate go-to.

4. It's measurable.

This is far and away one of the most important benefits of digital marketing in general, but it’s especially true of paid search. The data available in Google AdWords – especially if you link it with Google Webmaster Tools and Analytics – is invaluable, and it can tell you everything from the moment when a customer clicked on your ad to how long they spent on the product page before purchasing. More data means better and more efficient advertising, and it means you can adapt quickly as you learn more about your customers. Some kinds of data such as the keyword searches performed to find your site are only available via AdWords, and that data can be of importance later. The sooner you start showing ads, the sooner you can find out what’s effective, iterate and optimize.

5. It can tell you amazing things about your website.

One of the little utilized benefits of PPC is that it can reveal a lot, very quickly, about how your customers respond to various user experiences. By A/B testing landing pages with different variables say, long-form vs. short-form sales copy or different sized purchase buttons, you can easily find out what works and what doesn’t. This can and should inform your site’s web design, whether you keep that just to your PPC landing pages or not. The primary pages on your site probably shouldn’t be identical to the conversion centered pages showing up for very specific ads, you can still use these as general guidelines for how to help define your site wide user experience.

6. Your competitors are doing it.

Try typing a few of your most valuable keyword phrases into Google. Does an ad show up? Chances are good the answer is yes, and if so, and it’s not yours, you’re already behind. If not, that means there is easy traffic to be had right from the top of Google search, and you’re not capitalizing on it. If you’re seeing somebody else’s name there, that’s valuable real estate you can and should be controlling and most times there’s a whole lot of opportunity to do it better.

7. It provides the ability to change messaging in real-time.

One of the best things about paid search is the ability to create messaging that is targeted, with a call to action (CTA) and then can be changed quickly and easily. Paid search tools like ad customizers refine this process and can be made more automated, and in real-time. The usage of site links and extensions can also enhance your ads to provide additional links and information to consumers.

[samzises]

Five BIG Summer TV Shows

There has never been a better era for TV fans. Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and more keep investing billions of dollars into content all for our viewing pleasure. One year into ‘cutting the cable cord’ and I haven’t stopped to look back.

Here is a list of five tv shows I’m enjoying in between business, baby and beach time.

Succession 

As I recently wrote about my “Fascination with Family Businesses,” this show embodies and glorifies some of what they’re (mostly) all about, albeit on a grander scale.  It’s witty, fast-paced and includes all of the elements of a hot new summer show - sex, drugs and money. With Will Ferrell as an executive producer, you’ll undoubtably enjoy and appreciate the humor mixed in with the dark family fueding and nepotism.

The Profit

Five seasons in and Marcus still hasn’t lost his touch. With his three simple principles: people, product and process -- he changes people’s lives and their businesses. I’m a fan of Marcus’ ability to communicate with people and turn most struggling businesses into lasting enterprises. 

Below Deck Mediterranean

Guilty pleasure. I’ll be the first to admit -- I love this show. It’s like the old MTV Real World, but with the crew AKA cast being together in a tiny boat basement for an entire yachting season, the ridiculous drama is just intensified to the point of humor.

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

If I could hang out with anyone in this world for 5 minutes, it may just be Jerry Seinfeld. The guy’s a comedic genius and I love the nothingness that gets discussing during his 15-20 minute schmooze sessions. 

Million Dollar Listing New York

Having grown up in NYC it’s fascinating to me what’s behind the walls of some of the most expensive real estate in the world. Coupling that aspect with the hustle and salesmanship of Ryan, Frederik and Steve lands this show on my top 5.

[samzises]

Facebook

Disclosure: I am not a registered investment advisor and do not buy or sell stocks on behalf of any clients.

At the time of my writing this, Facebook stock is down nearly 20% or $42 per share since their earnings call last night. This equates to all of their stock growth in 2018 now completely wiped clean. Put in other terms, Facebook’s market cap lost roughly $150B overnight. Ouch.

While I am no stock broker, investment advisor or industry analyst, I do have chips on the table here and this hurts (for a minute). 

Running a marketing agency it is my job to have an ear to the ground relative to advertising platforms and current trends. After all, this is what clients pay us for and where we make our living.

While any major market fluctuation gets me to sit up straight and pull up my TDA account on my second screen, this one certainly got my attention. 

However, I’m not worried. At least, not after listening to the Facebook’s Q2 2018 Earnings Call. 

Here’s why:

Facebook executives clearly and concisely outlined their reasoning for their expected slower financial growth trajectory in the next few quarters.

Facebook is investing in consumer trust and building infrastructure: better privacy, more political/advertising transparency, increased security and spam protection and new data centers.

Instagram continues to dominate social media. User growth -- up. Engagement -- up. Everything Instagram -- up. 

WhatsApp and Messenger have barely been monetized yet with new forms of ad units rolling out such as “Click to message”.

The general population tends to overreact. This is no exception.

I’m betting on Zuck.

All of that said, and according to one of the most prolific and successful angel investors Jason Calacanis, “we are in year 10 of the current bull market”. And, as a millennial who lived through the 2008 financial crisis -- I can clearly recall the havoc that ensued across all industries and the overall economy.

Jason just posted a blog entitled, “This is your Captain speaking, I’m turning on the fasten seat belt sign” providing tips for his portfolio of startups (and really all business owners) as to how best to prepare for the potential of what’s most inevitable -- a “market correction”.

At [L]earned Media, we’ve always made long term decisions and been very prudent with our investments, expenses and cash flow. To that end, we continue to have a very stable business and many months of runway that can keep us thriving (and investing) regardless of a potential downturn.

In summary, I guess what I am saying is -- keep an eye on the market, be prepared, but don’t pull out of Facebook. They may not be the first to hit one trillion dollars in market cap, but my money's on them not being far behind.

[samzises]

Five BIG Things in Smart Home Tech

I recently moved out of the city, which, for a born and bread New Yorker was kind of a big deal. With my wife being from Long Island and so much of her family (i.e. babysitting support) there, it was a no-brainer. 

In the few short weeks since getting the keys to our new home I have had a blast getting schooled on all things ‘smart home’. What is remarkable and pleasantly surprising to me is just how consumer friendly all of these new gadgets and gear are. 

Yes, alarm systems and doorbells, outdoor cameras and speakers, are not new by any stretch. But, what is new is i) how relatively affordable they are ii) the ease by which you can install them (mostly) yourself and iii) how simple they are to learn and operate.

At [L]earned Media we always talk about the ‘consumerization of enterprise software’ -- the idea that end users expect all of their digital business platforms (i.e. quickbooks, asana, dropbox and even just your website) to look, feel and act as elegantly and as simply as say, Facebook.

Today, it’s safe to say that consumers expect and are very much getting the consumerization of hardware. Where yesterday you would need to hire an alarm company to watch over your home, today it’s a ‘disruptive tech company that designs, engineers, and sells wireless security alarm systems, cameras and services for houses, apartments, and other commercial properties’.

Without further delay, here are Five BIG things in smart home tech:

Nest (Camera, Thermostat, Lock, Alarm, Doorbell, Smoke and CO Alarm) https://nest.com/

Just like when you use all of Apple’s products, everything feels harmonious such is the case with Nest. Everything being cleanly billed and showcased within their app feels great. I highly recommend the Nest ecosystem for all of their products. 

Sonos https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop

Sonos is about to go public and I’d buy the stock. Apparently there are no other smart amps that can touch theirs. Even Apple’s Airplay has major limitations in comparison. Sonos products are not cheap, but they are top tier and they work well with every service from Spotify to Pandora, Apple Music to Amazon Music & more

Amazon Alexa https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Echo-And-Alexa-Devices/b?ie=UTF8&node=9818047011

Do we even need to bother? Alexa is the leader in voice, period.

SimpliSafe https://simplisafe.com/

Not going to lie, I went with the local hometown alarm company for my own house, BUT, it was a very tough call. The truth is that while the monthly protection monitoring fees are nearly half that of the local shop (roughly $50/mo vs. $25/mo), pricing for the equipment (window sensors, motion sensors, etc.) is comparable. That and the home we bought already had everything installed so sticking with the local shop meant we didn’t have to buy all new sensors (which adds up)!

Amazon Fire TV https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N32NCPM/ref_=fs_ods_fs_smp_ne

I have a Roku, Apple TV and Fire TV. You really can’t go wrong here as they are all good devices and have their own pros and cons. For example, you can’t use iTunes to buy a TV show on Roku and you can’t stream your cable subscription (if you have one) on Apple TV. Something about the UI of the Fire TV and it’s voice controlled remote (which Apple TV also has but doesn’t work as well) makes it my pick here.

For more smart home tech and reviews, check out Wirecutter a site that the NYTimes bought awhile back: https://thewirecutter.com/home-garden/smart-home/

And for a peek into the future, check out Google Duplex in action. This voice assistant makes real phone calls to real people -- it’s awesome but it’s obviously not out for public use yet. Watch this now!

Lastly, if you need any help setting up any smart home tech, call or email my brother-in-law Justin Shulman: justinshuls@gmail.com (631) 521-0340. Tell him I sent you and ask for the ‘friends and fam’ rate 😉.

[samzises]

Fascinated by Family Business

For most of us, family is (mostly) everything, which, makes the topic of family businesses really interesting and I happen to be fascinated by them. This past weekend I binged on the latest episodes of HBO’s Succession and also happened to read the New York Times article Family Businesses Hire a New Type of Executive: Chief Referee. From these I got inspired to put my two cents down on the subject. So here goes.

At [L]earned Media we’ve worked with dozens of family businesses over the years. Most of the time, these are some of our favorite clients. Especially when the family nature permeates through the business and creates a welcome and refreshingly affable culture amongst co-workers, vendors and management alike.

In many respects, this type of culture and team dynamic is something that I try to employ within our organization albeit not technically as a family business.

Wikipedia’s definition of a family business:

A family business is a commercial organization in which decision-making is influenced by multiple generations of a family — related by blood or marriage or adoption — who has both the ability to influence the vision of the business and the willingness to use this ability to pursue distinctive goals. Owner-manager entrepreneurial firms are not considered to be family businesses because they lack the multi-generational dimension and family influence that create the unique dynamics and relationships of family businesses.

With one son at home and our second child on the way, there’s a lot that I learn and share between my dual roles as chief dad officer and chief executive officer. Maybe this is why to me, I feel like I am running some version of a family style business.

For instance at home, patience, loyalty and democratic decision making are key to civility and success. When employing these traits/principles in the office I’ve found significantly more collaboration, appreciation and motivation amongst the team, and when you spend more than one third of your day in the office...it just makes life more pleasant.

Not every family business, however, functions like a well oiled family machine. If you work in a family business, either as part of the family or a surrounding member, I am sure you have your anecdotes to share with regards with disfunction and chaos.

According to PWC from a 2016 survey

There’s probably a lot more stats where that came from, but the point is that as great as a true family business can be, there are also a LOT of challenges, statistically speaking of course.

If you are one of the successful family businesses out there who has made it to the third generation with most of the family still talking to each other, you’ve hit the jackpot.

And, what kind of marketing guy what I be if I didn’t shamelessly promote the fact that most family businesses neglect their website and marketing too long (which is why so many have become clients!). So, if your ready to modernize your business and avoid disruption, give me a shout.