I check my messages and there’s one that says something like, “I am blah, blah and I’m calling from blah company. I would like to learn more about your company and what you do.” Or maybe it says “I have an important business opportunity I’d like to discuss with you.” Read More

Ad rates at CBS are up 30% over upfront rates and the fall TV season is off to a strong start.

Fall Season is Strong

One factor which could help ad rates to continue to increase is the fact that the fall TV season is off to a strong beginning. NBC, for example, enjoyed its most successful series launch in three years with The Event, while ABC’s Dancing with the Stars launched with tremendous numbers (an average of 21.3 million viewers) and CBS had a strong start for Hawaii Five-0 and Survivor.

CBS’s freshman Mike & Molly was strong, as well, and $#*! My Dad Says performed even better. This one surprised me a bit.  I was not impressed with $#*! My Dad Says but I did however enjoy Mike & Molly. Cute show!

Fox, typically one of the strongest nets, is the most challenged in terms of the new fall season, with critically acclaimed Lone Star floundering with so few viewers that rumors have it the show may be canceled after just a couple of outings. Doc drama House debuted the season to lower-than-expected numbers.

But Fox isn’t the only network with challenges. ABC’s The Whole Truth on Wednesday had a low premiere with a 1.5 in 18-49s, and Thursday’s My Generation did only slightly better (1.6). NBC’s Outlaw sank to a 1.1 with its first Friday episode, and The Apprentice bowed to a 1.5 the week before premiere week and sank to a 1.4 last week.

Comedies

The new season’s numbers to date indicate that comedies are once again what people want to watch. Of the 7 highest-rated premieres, 5 were comedies, including Fox’s Glee (up 60%), ABC’s Modern Family (up 21%), The Office (up 7%), CBS’s The Big Bang Theory (up 4%) and Two and a Half Men (up 10%).

I personally love all of these shows except I feel like the Office is loosing steam. Hasn’t been as funny the past few years. It will also be interesting to see how well The Big Bang Theory does on a new night.

I must also give a shameless plug for the Amazing Race on CBS. A good friend of mine is one of the contestants. She is a doctor on the Nat & Kat team. You go ladies!

What are your favorite shows on TV right now?

Reason 1

You’re not put together
It is one thing to be a reputable and wise company blessed with many years of success. However, it’s quite another to have a site that looks old, washed up, and like it was designed and launched in 1997. No matter the product, service, or content displayed, if it looks dated, you can bet users will take one look and walk (click) away.

So how do you know if a face-lift is a must? Check your measurements. Your average number of page views, average time spent on site, and task completion rate, that is. What’s needed to look sophisticated and innovative? A harmonious design. Your site needs to be balanced appropriately, ensuring content, white space, and images complement one another to create perfect equilibrium and cater to the expectations of your audience. Make sure the look and feel of your site is inviting, trustworthy, and current, and your prospects will be seeing you as the complete package in no time.

Reason 2

You’re just looks
To turn a visitor into a prospect, you need to create a truly beautiful web experience that pays as much attention to the perceived credibility of your site as it does to the usability and function of your design.

Pages that require users to scroll more than two screen lengths are asking for a considerable amount of engagement. So if it’s a must for your site, make sure that you’re paying close attention to the structure of those pages. Is there a logical order to the content being displayed that will encourage the visitor to scroll? Are you balancing an appropriate amount of white space and imagery with text so that the page doesn’t seem overwhelming? Navigation also plays a crucial role. Remember that your website should be designed for your users. Be sure your site carries them logically and intuitively through the information on your site that they’re there to find.

Reason 3

You’re socially inept
No one wants to date someone who is socially awkward or appears to be a loner. Letting your social status shine on your website will increase your chances of building more than just your social circle. It will increase your opportunities for business growth as well. It’s not about “going social” because everyone’s doing it — it’s about being where your clients and prospects are. So be sure to prominently link to your social properties from your site if you’d like to cash in on the channel that is changing the way the world communicates.

Reason 4

You’re too closed off
Have trouble opening up and explaining who you really are? It sounds simple, but it’s absolutely vital. If people have trouble finding the essentials on your site, they’re bound to dump it for one that meets their standards and provides what they’re looking for. Ditch the industry jargon and wordy explanations of what your business does and cut to the chase. And again, remember who you’re designing your website for. Consider what it is that they’re hoping to find first. Then, frame the design of your website around your prospects desired action paths.

Reason 5

You’re not dependable
In August 2010, Firefox held 45.8 percent of the browser market, followed closely by Internet Explorer with 30.7 percent, Chrome with 17 percent, Safari with 3.5 percent, and Opera with 2.3 percent. If you aren’t testing the design and functionality of your site across multiple browsers, you’re losing business.

The same rule applies for screen resolution. While 76 percent of users are now browsing the web on a machine that has a resolution higher than 1024×768, pay close attention to the content that user might not be seeing if they’re browsing at a lower resolution.

How dependable is your web hosting service? Does it provide advanced features and truly support your website? If your host isn’t aiding your professional image, it’s definitely time to look for a new provider — one that will ensure your needs and encourage your company’s growth. What two characteristics should you look for in a web hosting company? Security (virus-free systems) and reputation (current and past clients). An inconsistent web host can make any website appear faulty.

Just like dating expectations, realizing the necessities for a well-rounded site can definitely seem overwhelming. Relax, and don’t become intimidated. The initial step for ensuring your site is a winner is to take a step back and look in the mirror (your site). Make sure you critique every angle of your site and be sure to ask yourself valid questions. Are you satisfied with your presence? Is information clearly displayed? Are you having trouble navigating and finding paths to conversions? If you aren’t impressed with you site, then you can bet visitors aren’t either. And remember — disappointing websites and dates often don’t receive second chances.

Source:  iMediaConnection

By Lisa Wehr September 27, 2010

Fox has reportedly sold 90% of its ad spots for the upcoming Super Bowl, which will be played in Texas on Feb. 6.

Experts are projecting that prices are running at about $3 million for a :30 spot.

Strong NFL Season So Far

If early ratings are any indication of things to come, the Super Bowl has a chance of once again seeing record viewers. Last Thursday’s season opener was the best-ever kickoff for the NFL, and ESPN’s airing of Monday Night Football also broke records. That show was up 7% over last year in 18-49s, averaged a 10.5 rating, and was the best opening night for Monday Night Football since the game moved from broadcast to cable four years ago.

Ads for last February’s game averaged about $2.8 million for a :30 spot, though some ads brought in as much as $3 million.

I don’t know about you but I couldn’t imagine spending $3 million dollars on ONE :30 sec spot.  Many marketers don’t even reach spending $1 million dollars over the course of an entire year.

On a pure TV-impression alone, one can argue that the Super Bowl has become such an unusual magnet for consumer attention and recall.  Marketers must reach beyond the TV across multiple platforms to engage with their customers.

It’s just not as simple as “buying” high-reach media.  The audience nowadays is much more fragmented than ever making them harder to reach.

What do you think?  Is a $3 million dollar spot in the Super Bowl worth it?

The once popular Bloglines RSS feed reader service will be shutting down on October 1^st. I used the service regularly for a couple of years to keep up with numerous industry and personal interest websites. Over the last couple of years though I just seemed to slowly abandon it. It looks as though I was not alone.

The current operators of the service at ask.com noted that the major uptick in the usage of services like Twitter and Facebook have destroyed usage of feed aggregation services. I think it makes total sense for users to make this move. While feed readers are very helpful they still require you to define specific RSS feeds to be pulled in. Social networks are different in that you can subscribe to feeds (if published through sites like Twitter) but also get individual articles from relevant users and brands you wish to follow. These services also allow for you to comment on the material and easily share it again with your followers and friends.

So while I am saddened that Bloglines will be going offline, I am thankful for the time we spent together.

Last week Google unveiled its new search titled Google Instant. This new search process allows for users to search real-time and tailor their query as results are automatically presented to them. For users this will mean the end of the search button and vast improvement in finding relevant results.

Not everything we see is a bed of roses however. With the old auto complete technology Google would provide the user with potential search queries based on the terms typed into the search box. This alone would drive the user to perform a specific search. With this new instant technique, we are allowing Google to provide even more direction into how we search for what we want. The risk here is we are allowing Google to make decisions for us regarding how we articulate our thought processes.

While this new search process may benefit users, what does it ultimately mean for marketers?

Google will now consider any search result that remains presented on the screen for three or more seconds an impression. This could ultimately result in a lower click through rate for search results. If users take a longer time to search due to slow typing or pause during their search to respond to another immediate need they may trigger two or more impressions when unintended.

This new search may also increase the number of long tail searches and reduce those for basic terms such as “car repair”.  If a user searches for this term they are immediately provided with search options relevant to the users physical location. This will ultimately reduce the number of searches for the primary term and therefore make local or long tail keywords that much more important.

Another important note is the visibility of brands in this new search. If you type the letter “e” in the search box your suggestions will be eBay, ESPN, Expedia and Eminem. This could make it tougher for smaller brands to achieve the same suggestion level as national brands.

It will be very interesting to see how this new search plays out for both users and marketers. One thing can be assured in that the results we see today will not be what we see in the future. We must remain vigilant and modify our thinking and processes to ensure our campaigns and tactics are the most effective they can be even in the turbulent tides of search engine marketing and optimization.

SNL Kagan says U.S. ad spending will climb nearly 3% this year, to $210.5 billion.

That number will reach $214.3 billion next year, and by 2019, ad spending will total $275.8 billion, according to SNL Kagan.

Mobile, broadcast TV and the internet will see the biggest jumps in ad spending, while newspapers and business pubs will fall.

Newspaper ad spending plunged 29% in the second quarter of 2009, followed by a 27.9% drop in Q3 and a 23.7% drop in Q4. The newspaper ad decline slowed in the second quarter of 2010, though ad spending still fell 5.6%, according to the Newspaper Association of America.

Though ad losses are narrowing, newspapers are still struggling with significantly reduced ad revenue. In fact, the Q2 ad revenue of $6.44 billion is the lowest second-quarter total since the pre-internet year of 1985.

Internet ad spending will climb sharply, reaching an estimated $27.8 billion in 2011 (up from $4.7 billion in 1999) and more than double that – $60 billion – by 2019.

Cable TV will continue to stay strong, growing to $30.2 billion in 2011, up from $12 billion in 1999. Spending will reach $55.1 billion in 2019.

Dollars are shifting into new platforms. New media, such as mobile and internet advertising, continue to boom, while old media, particularly print, is increasingly losing its relevance.

Source:  MediaBuyerPlanner

Despite signs that the economic recovery is losing steam, the outlook for online holiday sales remains upbeat.

Still, the uncertain economy does pose complex challenges for retailers’ holiday season preparations. How they manage inventory will be a critical success factor, so smart retailers are working more closely with supply-channel partners to deal with different consumer-demand scenarios.

The same bargain-hunting attitude adopted during the past two holiday seasons is likely to define shopping behavior again this year. Consumers will go online to find coupons, compare prices on shopping engines and research items, even if they plan to buy them in-store.

Savvy consumers, knowing that retailers are posting some of their best Black Friday deals online, will shop the web on Black Friday from the comfort of their homes rather than rise early to face crowded stores. Those who do head to stores are likely to take their smartphones with them to compare other retailers’ prices for items of interest.

There are still many preparatory steps online retailers can take in the weeks leading up to the holiday shopping season. For example, they should stay up to date on the many changes taking place with search engines like Google and Bing and explore the best ways to capitalize on them. They can test their website performance for the large traffic volumes expected. They can set up gift centers to stimulate purchase ideas. And they can develop new email marketing strategies by analyzing purchase behavior from the past few holiday seasons.

Source:  eMarketer

Nobody is a bigger fan of print than I. I planned and bought print for over 20 years. Just today I received an e-mail with this predication: Read More

The struggling MTV is enjoying a ratings rebound that began in January, for its first consistent gain in three years – and since July, ratings are up 22% among its core 12-34 demo.

One big win which has generated plenty of buzz for the network is Jersey Shore, which is now in its second season. The show launched season two on July 29 to 5.3 million viewers, almost quadruple the number that watched the season one premiere. And it is continuing to pull more than 5 million viewers a week. In fact, the show is nabbing the biggest ratings the network has seen in seven years.

I remember the good ole days when MTV used to play actual music videos.  Now it’s all reality television crap.

The 411 On Jersey Shore

Reality television series that follows eight housemates spending their summer on the Jersey Shore & Miami Beach. The show debuted amid large amounts of controversy regarding the use of the words “Guido/Guidette”, portrayals of Italian-American stereotypes and scrutiny from locals because the cast members were not residents of the area.

Prior to the series debut, UNICO National (which is the largest Italian American organization) formally requested that MTV cancel the show. In a letter to the network, UNICO called the show a “…direct, deliberate and disgraceful attack on Italian Americans…”.

MTV responded to the controversy by issuing a press release which stated in part, “the Italian-American cast takes pride in their ethnicity. We understand that this show is not intended for every audience and depicts just one aspect of youth culture.” Since the calls for the show’s removal, several sponsors have requested that their ads not be aired during the show. These sponsors included Dell, Domino’s and American Family Insurance. Despite the loss of certain advertisers, MTV has not canceled the show. Moreover, the show has seen its audience and ad revenue increase.

Ratings Up 22%, Ad Revenue Up 4%

Since July, MTV’s ratings have jumped 22% among its core demographic, viewers aged 12-34. In the second quarter of 2010, Viacom’s advertising revenue rose 4% compared to last year, for the second straight quarter of positive growth. Viacom expects that number to continue to rise.

Four “Jersey Shore” stars have gotten huge raises to return for next season. Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Paul “Pauly D” DelVecchio and Jennni “JWOWW” Farley will each earn about $30,000 per episode next season for MTV’s biggest show since “The Osbournes.” This does not take into account outside sponsorship deals either.  The show’s success now earns Pauly up to $80,000 a week for his DJ work while Snooki earns up to $20,000 for a personal appearance and The Situation has a profitable line of “pre-workout” vitamins.

A Short Lesson In Jersey Shore Vocabulary

Grenade (adj): A word used to describe the ugly friend.

Landmines (n): Thin ugly girls.

G.F.F (n): “Grenade Free Foundation.” Promoted by “MVP”

MVP (n): Mike, Vinny, Pauly.

GTL (n,v): Gym, Tan, Laundry; how they make the guidos.

Juice Head (n): Someone, usually a hot, tan, male, who may or may not steroids in order to gain muscle mass, see “Juiced.”

Confession

I can’t in good faith write this post without coming clean. This train wreck of a show has sucked me in. It’s like crack! It’s so bad for you but once you try it you’re hooked. I actually feel dumber from having watched the show. I know it’s wrong but I can’t stop. HELP!