“… The end goal, as always, is to find a string that, when tugged, rings a clarion bell that draws physicists toward something new. As Einstein reportedly said, if you know how it’s going to turn out, it’s not science, it’s engineering.” – Daniel J. Levitin, A Field Guide to Lies: Critical Thinking in the Information Age Extreme relevance could be...
The Holy Grail of Extreme PPC Ad Relevance
We fans of “new media,” as it was once called, have, of course, been brave visionaries. Among other things, we have felt – nay, proven – that online advertising is typically far less wasteful than traditional broadcast and print advertising. The more measurable a process is, the less wasteful it’s likely to be. Waste is good business – for some. Just ask Tony Soprano. As the...
Fail to Succeed: Steer Clear of Overconfidence to Win at PPC
In what some readers interpreted as a piece of gentle advice to startup founders, Seth Godin recently took issue with the cocky approach to strategy embodied in the remark: “I don’t see how it could fail.” If you haven’t studied various ways that your product could fail to connect with its target market, then you might not have deep enough insight into how difficult the journey is going to be. If...
Beautiful Snowflakes: The Unique Behaviors of Your Best Customers
Earlier today, Maya the cat (pictured below, foreground) was watching snowflakes out the window. She’s just a cat, so for her, it’s a mild diversion before her next nap. She’s never heard all that oohing and aahing about how every snowflake is unique. Being a marketer, and not a cat, the snowflakes made me think about a report in Google Analytics. Figure 1: Not planning to log...
A Focus Group of One: What Consumers Really Think of Your Google Ads
At the dawn of a new year after a restful holiday, I can’t help but reflect on all the great gifts I enjoyed over the holiday season and throughout the year. This despite it being the most challenging year ever, having lost my wonderful wife, Carolyn, to cancer in April 2019. I refer to family, friends, my Page Zero colleagues, and the many opportunities for growth that lie ahead. Carolyn...
