I use factor analysis (more an that below) often in my customer experience management research. Specifically, I use it to help understand how to best measure customer loyalty. The value of factor analysis, however, is sometimes lost in the details. In this post, I adopt a 3D visual approach in presenting factor-analytic results of [...]

It’s the holy grail of digital marketing: the viral ad, a pitch that large numbers of viewers decide to share with family and friends. Several techniques derived from new technology can help advertisers attain this. In our research, two colleagues and I use infrared eye-tracking scanners to determine exactly what people are looking at when they watch video ads. We also use a system that analyzes facial expressions to reveal what viewers are feeling. These technologies make it possible to isolate elements that cause people to stop watching and to find ones that keep them engaged. In addition, they ...

Two years ago, Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shaw identified key criteria (DARC) for hiring inbound marketers (Candidates should be Digital, andAnalytical, and they should have extensive social media Reach along with the ability to create Content). Times have changed. We now look at CARE as the 4 criteria for hiring (Content, Analytical Skills, Relationship Building, Enthusiasm).

Let’s talk about Outlook. Microsoft’s venerable email client has a pretty steady grip on the email inboxes of Americans, probably due in no small part to Microsoft’s prevalence in the enterprise sector (and, being bundled with MS Office). If your subscribers sit in an office cubicle in the U.S., they’re very likely to use it. Considering it’s been around at least since 1997, Microsoft has had plenty of time to improve its product, and by most measures has done so. However, HTML rendering in Outlook stinks.

The trend for the last 3 or 4 years has been for businesses to try to tap into social media as a broadcasting tool. It's not universal, but many (most) see social media as a place to post their messages to prospective clients in hopes of switching on the social media faucet that touches a billion people worldwide. The promise of social media for businesses, particularly local ones, has only been seen by a small percantage.

There's a digital divide where not everyone has easy access to the Internet. While those of us in the United States complain about how we have to pay more for Internet service that’s slower than those of other first-world countries, within the United States there’s a gaping chasm between the haves and the have-nots. In this infographic by OnlineITdegree.net, an ad-free website describing itself as “an online informational resource for individuals looking to pursue IT degree of related education and careers,” you’ll find surprising information about the differences in Internet access in the United States.

by Brooke Howell on February 7, 2012 in Social Media, Understanding Your Audience This guest post is by Brooke Howell, SmartBrief’s small business editor. Follow her on Twitter at @SBStartup, and sign up for SmartBrief on Small Business for more great news and advice to help build your small business. You put a lot of effort into writing each of your blog posts. Then you Tweet it and put it up on Facebook, LinkedIn and your other social networks, only to find no once clicks through.