Author Archive
JANUARY, 2012Play nice with Panda: SEO in 2012
Posted by Andrew Stanten on January 17, 2012 in BlogThis month, I got several emails promising to rapidly get my company to No. 1 in search engine rankings. At first, I just ignored the spammers. Then I got all fired up. There’s so much misunderstanding about search engine optimization that I felt the need to post again on this rapidly changing topic. Put it this way: In the year since Google rolled out its newest algorithm update, called “Panda,” the world of search engine optimiz ... CONTINUE READING
DECEMBER, 2011
Easter Seals: The Joy of Giving Back
Posted by Andrew Stanten on December 28, 2011 in BlogOne of my favorite things about being part of the Altitude family is the attitude in the office. There’s no selfishness here; it’s all “can do,” and “what can I do to help?” We work that way, we play that way, and we contribute to our communities that way. As a board member of Easter Seals Eastern Pennsylvania, I work closely with the organization’s leadership to ensure that people with disabilities and other special need ... CONTINUE READING
NOVEMBER, 2011
Some Marketing Principles Are Universal, Even on the French Riviera
Posted by Andrew Stanten on November 30, 2011 in BlogLast August I took a month-long sabbatical from work to take a 500-mile bike tour of Italy and France. Throughout the trip I was reminded again and again that A) Italian food tastes better in Italy; B) French people don’t willingly speak English, even if they can; and C) certain marketing principles are universal. 1. Even small brands are global. A “brand” comprises the visual, verbal and emotional attributes that def ... CONTINUE READING
OCTOBER, 2011
Social Media is Customer Service
Posted by Andrew Stanten on October 27, 2011 in BlogEven if you live in a mud hut in northern Greenland, you’ve heard all about the impact that social media can have on your business marketing. And that’s exactly why I’m not going to talk about it. Instead, I’d like to point out a growing trend—the use of social media as a customer service venue. (Of course, customer service is a form of marketing, but I digress.) Social channels are the ideal place to listen t ... CONTINUE READING
Beyond the Text Search Ad: Display, Rich Media, Remarketing, Mobile and Video Advertising
Posted by Andrew Stanten on October 24, 2011 in BlogDigital advertising expenditures overall are up more than 20% over the past year, and digital display advertising is matching that torrid pace of growth. Today’s digital display advertising is more powerful and compelling than the banner ads of yesteryear, for various reasons, including: Google now offers very powerful and free tools that permit businesses of all sizes to move quickly and economically into digital display advertising. ... CONTINUE READING
SEPTEMBER, 2011
Avoid Being an Email Spammer with These Seven Tips
Posted by Andrew Stanten on September 29, 2011 in BlogEmail marketing can be a very effective tool for just about any industry—if you play by the rules. If you choose to play it fast and loose, email marketing can just as easily get your company’s email domain blacklisted, and could even subject you to stiff fines. Avoid being Sir-Spam-a-Lot Thank the CAN-SPAM Act (http://bit.ly/canspam)—a federal law that outlines the rules for sending commercial email. Each separate email in vi ... CONTINUE READING
AUGUST, 2011
Eight Ways to Get the Most Out of Every Trade Show
Posted by Andrew Stanten on August 30, 2011 in BlogTrade shows and consumer shows are an important part of the marketing mix for many companies. They present a great opportunity to launch new products, showcase your advantages, meet vendors, schmooze customers and steal ideas from—I mean, keep track of—your competitors. Of course, there’s a downside. Cost. Trade shows can be almost criminally expensive, especially to the uninitiated. We often joke that we’re going to sel ... CONTINUE READING
JULY, 2011
Follow These Six Principles in Your Social Media Marketing Efforts
Posted by Andrew Stanten on July 12, 2011 in BlogThe recent spate of “social media gone wild” stories—like the Weiner-gate circus or the firing of the social media specialist at the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp.—has companies contacting me at a fever pitch trying to get a grip on social media. Business leaders want to understand it, and they want a policy in place ASAP. And for good reason. A recent survey by Manpower shows that fewer than one-third of U.S. ... CONTINUE READING
JUNE, 2011
Five Marketing Tips I Discovered While Learning to Navigate a Schooner
Posted by Andrew Stanten on June 20, 2011 in BlogImage Credit: Justin Scheetz A few days have passed since we returned from our annual corporate retreat, and I’m still riding high on getting the opportunity to help crew the 74-foot Schooner Woodwind with Team Altitude. This year we chose sailing as our team-building activity. Because we’re going through an incredible period of growth and corporate evolution, we wanted an activity that would challenge us both individually and a ... CONTINUE READING
Weathering a Crisis
Posted by Andrew Stanten on June 16, 2011 in BlogAll hell will break loose. You can count on it. Every business, regardless of industry or size, will face a crisis. I’m not talking about a dip in cash flow or a pissed off client. I’m talking about something with the potential to generate unwanted public and media attention, disrupt operations and rock your business to the core. Best to be prepared. Having a communication plan in place is like insurance. You hope you never need to ... CONTINUE READING
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