Tag Archives: search

PPC in Higher Ed: Worth it?

I’ve been sitting in on more and more advertising meetings and still, I dont get it. I see myself as a savvy internet marketer, but when it comes to PPC for our market, I just dont get it. Are we really appropriately reaching students and parents via PPC search engine placements or banners?

The problem here becomes twofold: college choice is very heavily reliant on branding and personal preference. Harvard and Yale have a much easier time getting attention and brand recognition than smaller, lesser known schools. Also, because these schools are so sought after, they can more accurately target their student body by carving out exactly who they want to accept. This also helps elevate the schools status as they only accept ‘the best’ and it can be competitive to get in. Although the current economy has made this a little bit harder for schools with excellent brands, you still cant deny that a final four school will be better off than a little underdog – especially if price is similar.

Second, as mentioned above, college comes down ultimately, in most cases, to cost. How much financial aid a student is given, or how much a family can afford to pay also plays a huge part in college choice. Although you may have a college age child, seeing a Harvard ad doesnt do much if you cant afford the tuition (or dont have the grades, or Boston is too far from home).

With this said, how does PPC factor in? Its a pretty hefty sum for just brand awareness. In my mind, there are other things you can do with that money – like sponsor a local event with great press, put on a contest or build a fun, risky microsite – that may do you so much better. These things build content and buzz. They take on a life. They are a shared experience.

If these all result in names of prospects and the added bonus of good PR, isnt that better than clicks that are mostly wasteful?

Why Lady Gaga Matters

Everyone has an opinion, but for those who love her the reasons are many: shes different, shes hot, her music is danceable, etc, etc. But when it comes to marketing professionals, the reasons are important lessons we all could learn from.

Viral Visual Marketing. By now we’ve all heard about how Ms. Gaga was one of the top searches via Google for 2009. And why? Because of her outrageous get ups. People want to see what she wore at whatever event just happened. And they want to compare and share, giggle and drool. No matter if its for better or for worse, people were interested. In the entertainment industry, thats currency.

Mix Trusted with Not Yet Tested. Whether its working remixes with Beyonce or Flo Rida or reviving 80′s pop synth beats, Lady knows how to use what works. Instead of staying on the safe side, she mixes the trusted with the strange: outfits made of bubbles, vocal usage along the lines of Marilyn Manson and Lil Wayne. Its this creativity that keeps us interested and entertained.

Ugly Can Be Beautiful. Just because its not like what you and I are used to, that doesnt make it less artful. Shes been criticized for wearing odd outfits and makeup when shes ‘such a pretty girl’, but thats what makes her unique. Gaga does not have to resort to an ass wiggle or a boob pop: but when she does, its for a much different effect. The oddity and juxtapositions are what makes us uncomfortable but are the cornerstones of her schtick.

Do Different Proud, Not Meek. One thing we can all learn is how to do something full out. If you’re going to be different, then, gosh darn it, do it balls to the wall. To do it half assed just takes away from doing it at all. It falls short of its intended purpose. Stand behind your bubble outfit or burning your lover and your bed with your bra that fires sparks. Dont talk about it or the why of it all. Just create. Just do.

How are you doing things differently? Is your creativity bound by something, and if so, why?

Do Vanity/Specific URL’s Matter Anymore?

As new campaigns are taking off the issue of redirects and vanity URL’s has reared its ugly head again. Its one thing to add a specific URL in an electronic campaign where consumers click on a link anchored to text, yet quite another for outdoor, transit and print pieces. Does it matter anymore?

Even though it is from June, I recently read Do URL’s Matter Anymore. With all the headlines this week about search becoming more integrated into user-generated content and social interactions, will URL’s continue to die off in importance? Isnt search the final frontier in finding web content?

When creating campaigns for segmented audiences its helpful to know what worked and what didnt and when. If people are searching for your brand, but not your campaign, do you continue to use special URL’s in print, transit & outdoor or do you use these mediums for what they are probably best at now: awareness, interest & a call to action. Does it matter how your consumer arrives at their destination, or that they arrive? This is where true clean web design and navigation prevails: anyone should be able to arrive at your site and find what they are looking for, without your help or the aid of a landing page.

Thoughts?