Tune in to Velocity TONIGHT at 9pm Eastern Time to watch a brand new episode of Overhaulin’. Filmed entirely at the Specialty Equipment Marketers Association (SEMA) trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada from October 30 to November 2, this one-hour episode features Chip Foose and his crew as they transform a Chrysler 300 into a show-stopping ride. Equipped with Magnaflow exhaust, along with a list of other goodies, this vehicle stopped hundreds of attendees during the build in Vegas. 
More than half of adult cell phone owners used their cell phones while they were in a store during the 2011 holiday season to seek help with purchasing decisions. During a 30 day period before and after Christmas:
– 38% of cell owners used their phone to call a friend while they were in a store for advice about a purchase they were considering making
– 24% of cell owners used their phone to look up reviews of a product online while they were in a store
– 25% of adult cell owners used their phones to look up the price of a product online while they were in a store, to see if they could get a better price somewhere else
Read full article here: Pew Internet
According to a recent Reuters article, YouTube has seen huge growth during the last eight months. The Google Inc. owned video site experienced a 25% increase in video views, up to four billion per day. Google indicates much of the increase is from the growing market of smartphones, tablets, and internet-connected televisions where users have YouTube content readily available to them. It’s estimated that 60 hours of video content is uploaded to YouTube every minute, in contrast to 48 hours each minute in May.
Google reported an annual $5 billion in earnings from ads that ran on YouTube videos. Recently, the video-sharing site has been redesigned to feature unique “channels” that are set up for different types of content. Late last year, YouTube announced that it had signed 100 original video programming deals with strategic media partners. These partners include news outlets as well as celebrities such as Madonna and Jay-Z.
Google took integration to a whole new level as it rolled out the merge between Google search and Google+, giving users personalized search results. Google has coined this new update as “Search plus Your World.” Now Google+ members can search for a topic and their personalized search will include results from their friend’s profiles relating to that topic. Google+ is so deeply integrated into the search results that when you type in a name as a search query, Google will pull the closest match to someone in your Circles.
Mashable’s chief editor, Lance Ulanoff, summarizes it best with this comment, “At every turn, if you’re part of Google+, Google’s new search tools will only pull you further in, ensuring that the still young social engine is top of mind. As Google sees it, you’re getting more relevant results, because this is the information and the people you choose to connect with in the first place.”
What are your thoughts on this new social media integration by Google?
Read the full story here: Mashable
In a move that could raise some charges of anti-competitive behavior, Google has begun integrating Google+ brand page information in primary search results.
The inclusion, noted by researcher BrightEdge appears only for some brands at the moment. BrightEdge, which has tracked Google+ brand pages since they went live on Nov. 7, just noticed the Google+ integration on Dec. 20.(Though Search Engine Land discovered it last month.) In particular, the company identified the following Google+ brand page results in a search for AT&T:
As Brad Mattick, VP-marketing for BrightEdge notes, the addition of G+ brand pages in this case allows the marketer to wedge in a promotional message. In this particular case, a call for a sweepstakes gets a much bigger audience via Google natural search results than it would have otherwise.
Though AT&T appeared to be one of the first brands to get such treatment, a search for Toyota showed two Google+ entries (from late November).
Other brands, including T-Mobile and Macy’s, also displayed G+ results in their searches. A Google rep offered the following statement about the search results: “Content from the +Page, such as recent posts, will appear as annotations attached to its associated web page under the sitelinks in search results if that site is eligible for Direct Connect. It uses the same bi-directional link and algorithmic criteria as Direct Connect.”
For Mattick, integrating G+ brand page information into search results is an obvious enticement for brands to join and be active on Google+. Mattick says he believes blurring the lines between G+ and search results parallels Microsoft’s inclusion of the Internet Explorer browser in its Windows OS in the 1990s. The U.S. Department of Justice accused Microsoft of using its Windows near-monopoly to beat Netscape in the browser segment.
However, Google’s share of the search market — 65.6% in October according to comScore — is lower than Microsoft’s 78.5% share of the desktop OS market at the time of the IE bundling.
Nevertheless, the move may attract some unwanted attention for Google. The search giant’s push comes as Sens. Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) have called on the Federal Trade Commission to look into Google’s search business practices.
What do you think? Is Google using its power in search to cajole brands to be active on Google+ or is the company within its rights. Sound off in the comments.
Source: Mashable
Google has long told marketers that though buying AdWords won’t help them in natural search results, creating great, well-linked content will.
But some marketers are preparing for another shift: Google’s incorporation of social signals from Google+ in its rankings. Brands aren’t waiting for the giant to make it official, which is a big reason they’re investing in Google+ pages. Their worry is that early adopters will reap the search benefits, while others will be buried by those who have collected more +1s.
Google is already “experimenting” with making a click on +1 buttons one of the more than 200 signals informing its search algorithm, according to a company spokesperson. But it could go much further and factor in the number and size of a “circles” — the pools of Google+ users following a brand — as well as how widely its Google+ content is being shared. That could give brands an incentive to be active on the platform and get fans to engage with content there.
Read full article.
New York, NY and London, England — DRIVE, the new YouTube original channel that celebrates the culture of cars announces a launch date of January 2, 2012.
DRIVE takes our audience on the road, to the races, to the factories, to the studios — and to other places car lovers have always wanted to go, but never had the chance.
Focused on telling real stories of communities around cars, trucks, and all sorts of things that go, DRIVE enlists a wide range new-media talent including hack motoring journalist Chris Harris, Matt Farah from SPEED’s The Car Show, transcontinental speed record holder Alex Roy, Mike Spinelli and Ray Wert of Jalopnik, Leo Parente from Fast Lane Daily’s SHAKEDOWN, and professional motorcycle crash test dummy Wes Siler and automotive gadfly and raconteur Jon Alain Guzik.
Watch DRIVE starting in January to activate your passion in the world of cars, performance, racing — and even plain ol’ commuting — that surrounds you. Cars may be something you need, but drive with us and you’ll never look at them the same way again.
Long established and well respected Newport Beach Agency looking for an online marketing wizard who dreams about optimization and lives for delivering killer ROI. You’ll know [love] online and you’ll be ready to jump in, but more importantly you’ll have a can-do attitude and play nicely with others.
The Role:
Research, develop, implement and manage all interactive campaign activity for a portfolio of clients, including:
- SEM/PPC [adwords, adcenter, youtube]
- Mobile [SEM/PPC, site/app direct placements]
- Facebook advertising
- Site direct – banner/rich media/video/custom sponsorships and more.
Analyze keywords, develop/ test ad copy and track campaign performance for all PPC clients.
Generate campaign reports and interpret metrics internally, including post click activity and other key metrics.
Strategize with management team to create optimized plans to help achieve maximum ROI for all clients.
Skills:
Great organizational and multi-tasking.
Critical thinking and comprehension.
Excellent communication skills both verbal and written.
Negotiation.
Qualifications:
2+ Years Experience.
Bachelor’s degree [though equivalent relevant experience will be considered].
Detailed understanding and working knowledge of :
- Adwords [Including Desktop Editor].
- AdCenter [Including Desktop Editor].
- Facebook Marketing – Including granular targeting.
- Google Analytics.
- DoubleClick [DART].
- Third Party Social Media Measurement Platforms.
- Third Party Bid Management Software [preferred, but not essential].
- Microsoft Office Suite [Excel, Word, Powerpoint].
For the right person this is a fantastic opportunity to join a smart, friendly and dedicated team that thrives on delivering the best possible results for our clients.
If interested, please put ONLINE MEDIA BUYER/PLANNER in the subject field and apply by emailing your resume and cover letter to hr@schiefermedia.com
SPEED handed orders to three new lifestyle series:
Pumped! is billed as an ambush-style quiz show set at gas stations where customers compete for a cash prize by providing the correct answer to automotive and pop culture questions. The show will have 20 half-hour episodes and premieres in November.
Hard Parts: South Bronx is a docu-series about a business owner and his team as they search for rare auto parts. SPEED ordered 13 episodes. Production begins in October for a planned second quarter 2012 debut.
Whipped is a one-hour game show where contestants can test their driving skills on an extreme obstacle course. Production also begins in October for a second quarter 2012 premiere.
SPEED gave My Ride Rules an additional 13 episodes for the show’s first season. The network also gave second season renewal orders to: Dumbest Stuff on Wheels, Car Warriors and Stuntbusters.
Furthermore, SPEED’s series Pass Time and the weekend morning block consisting of Stacey David’s Gearz, Truck U, Chop Cut Rebuild, Hot Rod TV, Car Crazy, Two Guys Garage and My Classic Car were all granted additional episode orders.
