If you and your clients are interested in applying search engine optimization (SEO) to your blogging, user data and mobile communications efforts, then this blog is a must-read.

Not only have we been reading some interesting news about trends in blogging and blog optimization, but we’re learning how and why there will soon be a major shift in the way companies acquire user data and present their brand via mobile applications.

Technorati’s 2010 State of the Blogosphere Report Discusses New Trends in Blogging

The significant growth of mobile blogging is a key trend that Technorati® noticed and analyzed this year in its sixth annual blogosphere report.  Taking a deeper dive into the behaviors of the entire blogosphere (with a focus on female bloggers), this year’s topics included: brands embracing social media, traditional media vs. social media, brands working with bloggers, monetization, smartphone and tablet usage, the importance of Twitter® and Facebook®, niche blogging and changes within the blogosphere over 2010.

Like to Make Your Blog Content More Searchable? Optimize it!

If you are not applying strong SEO techniques to the content of your blog, there’s an app for that—an online service, actually. It’s called Scribe®. Scribe analyzes your natural, reader-focused content and tells you how to gently tweak it to spoon feed search engines based on 15 SEO best practices. It actually provides you with a numerical percentage rating for your optimization and shows you how to improve your SEO results. You can select from a variety of subscription and feature options.

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Why There Will be a Shift From Buying Impressions to Acquiring User Data

Zephrin Lasker is the CEO and co-founder of Pontiflex®, a digital Cost Per Lead generation company. His company asserts that trends in media consumption and media buying have got to change to increase the effectiveness and growth of advertising efforts. Since this also improves SEO results and given there has been such a profound change in the way people consume media, it stands to reason that marketers need to recalibrate the approach they take to their branding campaigns.

In a recent article he wrote for MediaPost®, 4 Trends That Will Shape Q4, Year Beyond, he claims that, to date, branding campaigns have relied on broadcasting a message to a universe of anonymous people. Marketers have traditionally purchased impressions—on TV, radio or the Internet for their online banners. But that’s an approach that’s not relevant in a user-centric world. He makes some very good points here. 

Mobile Apps are Growing Rapidly, But Good User Experience is a Must

Did you know that a new online study conducted by Harris Interactive and commissioned by EffectiveUI in October found that the majority of mobile phone users who download and use applications choose them based on good recommendations and user experience? That’s news to the companies and organizations who are releasing them. They’re assuming that people are downloading and using their applications based on their opinion of the brand name. So where is the disconnect happening?

According to Rebecca Flavin, CEO of EffectiveUI, “Mobile applications are the sure fire way to extend a brand. It’s time for organizations to understand how to fully leverage the mobile channel and optimize a user-center approach to drive adoption, as well as reinforce and drive brand loyalty.” Read this article from the Bulldog Reporter about why 40 percent of mobile app users are disappointed with the current apps from their favorite brands.

What are your thoughts about these studies? I’d love to hear your opinions in the comments section below.

The health of your brand relates directly to the vitality (reputation) of your company and the strength (positioning) of its various parts. If it’s sick (living on commodity selling), what will it take to make it healthy (selling from a strong value proposition)?

First, you must evaluate the brand to determine its current state. What are its vital signs (differentiators, key messages, perceptions and positioning) telling us? How is it performing overall? Can it run a marathon or barely make it around the block? We do research to provide insights.

Next, you need to diagnose the problems the brand has developed over time. How and why is it doing well in some areas (product innovation), while presenting anemic symptoms in other areas (sales)?

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Prescribing the right medicine is not a complex issue when you work with an experienced and skilled caregiver (brand strategist) who has cured dozens of similar illnesses. The answer is patience, understanding, objectivity and proactive treatment. A talented advertising agency can produce recommendations based on our insights.

Nursing a brand back to good health is a process. It takes empathy and a concerted effort to heal the wounds of time. Your advertising agency or marketing firm can help you set clear goals and help you reach them.

Finally, to keep the brand feeling fit, it must take part in a permanent wellness program. Regular attention and check ups are required to measure how it’s performing. That way, if it shows symptoms of weakness, it can be put back on the track to good health. To do this, develop a step-by-step road map to rolling out your enhanced brand and the materials that support it.