Tuvel Communications Blog: July 2005 Archives

July 30, 2005

RSS made simple

We are setting up an RSS feed for a client's press releases. This is a first step for the client that is totally new to RSS and syndication in general. This idea actually supports a current search engine b2b promotion.

Anyway, I thought that it might be useful to offer snippets of what we're finding in the blogesphere as we ready a client presentation. I'll update this category as we go along and (big surprise) call it RSS.

Advantages 1. Will drive traffic to landing page 2. SEO 3. helps gets his press releases up & running

History NPR news and information is available through RSS feeds, which use a technology called XML to deliver headlines and summaries to your desktop or Web browser. If you click an RSS link but do not have a compatible reader installed, you will see XML code in your browser. To view the headlines, paste the feed address into an RSS news reader or use a browser which supports RSS feeds. Viewing of these feeds is subject to NPR's RSS terms of use. RSS is TiVO for the Web.

Definition

Good Example

Increase the visibility of your feeds
Many business sites report substantial increases in traffic when they put RSS feeds on the site. But you have to make your feeds visible. Once you've created your file you must register your feeds with the search engines and blog search engines so that your feeds can be found. Submit them to sites that register RSS Feeds (newsisfree, Syndic8.com).

Whats the difference between blog and RSS directories and engines? Do you have to submit to both? You can often get better placement in feed directories and in Yahoo's RSS Directory than you can from regular search engines, and often, inclusion is instant.

Broaden the audience that sees your content – your RSS feeds will get picked up and published on other websites. Use RSS promotion to drive more traffic to your website – syndication brings you new audiences.
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Solutions (free)
PRESSfeed-hosted solution but, what are they hosting? Do they host press releases and RSS feeds?

FeedForAll

nooked

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July 29, 2005

hand written notes are a nice touch

On the good practices front, I met up with the head of a Washington, DC PR agency last week where we discussed potential partnerships between our firms. A couple of days later, I received a hand written note. What a great touch-- someone taking the time to send a personal response. This also reminded me of a comment by Robbin Zeff during an on line advertising & marketing conversation a few years ago.

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July 28, 2005

Jolie in NYC

Another blogger fired, this one in the beauty industry and in NYC. The predictable part of this story is that good things (sometimes) happen to risk takers like Nadine Haobsh (Jolie).

I decided to check in on Ellen Simonetti, our favorite fired blogger. From the looks of referring web pages, it looks like Queen of the Sky is doing better than her former employer.

More on Jolie in NYC (from Poynteronline)

It's been a tough couple of days, mostly because I let down a lot of people who I care about and respect. To all you would-be bloggers out there: even if you truly are "just being funny" or "don't really mean it", think before you write. And definitely don't write about your industry: things will absolutely be taken out of context or interpreted incorrectly, and that's just not fun for anybody.

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July 27, 2005

links for 2005-07-26

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July 26, 2005

Name a company, win $100.00

The AdMarketing list has an interesting conversation going on. Internet marketer Marcia Yudkin has announced a contest to come up with a name for a web design/search engine optimization company. The winning name (and namer) gets $100.00.

Some AdMarketers think that the contest stinks while others are OK with it. Seems some are insulted to be paid $100.00 for the effort while others are glad to have the opportunity. $100.00 for a name seems like a pretty good deal. Question is, who's it a good deal for? More.

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July 20, 2005

Help Shari Kurzrok find a liver

Ogilvy PR and others are asking you to spread the word. Shari needs a liver to live. To help, you can:

1) To reach anyone who may be in a position to make a liver donation within the next 2-4 days.

2) Everyone to spend a moment today, sending a prayer or thought to Shari in this critical hour.

3) Tell a friend or share a note of concern

If you can provide immediate assistance in locating a potential donor, please contact us at (877) 223-3386 or liverforalife@yahoo.com.

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Ajax

Steve Rubel is talking about Ajax and advertising. I first heard about Ajax from Venturepreneur, in a funding conversation. Both of these folks mention Adaptive Path. Janice Fraser, Adaptive Path CEO, had a great essay on Ajax's tipping point.

Something is happening right now, and the developer community has an electric gleam in its eye.

More: It's a Whole New Internet.

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July 19, 2005

links for 2005-07-19

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RSSTop55 - Best Robin Good' Sharewood Tidings Blog Directory And RSS Submission Sites

Although I've mentioned Robin Good's most excellent RSS Submission Site list before, it is worth repeating. Robin's list continues to grow, there are currently 125 ways to publicize your blog. In Washington, DC it is a hot summer. I've got my work cut out for me but am committed to getting involved with as many of these as possible...

Is anyone else in Maryland/Washington, DC having trouble with Comcast Internet access?

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July 18, 2005

Sprint hell

As I write this, I'm in Sprint hell. I'm now almost an hour into what I thought was a simple call and request (ha). Sprint made a mistake on my monthly cell phone bill. They actually billed me twice what I typically pay. I've now gone through 3 lawyers of support and they can't credit me because I've already received a paper bill! Sprint tells me to document the individual phone calls that I don't agree with and send them in writing. Are they kidding?

I've patiently explained that this is an internal Sprint problem and that they made the mistake. Does anyone know if I can port a cell phone number to a competitor? Will the customer service be any better?

A quick scan says that I'm not the only Sprint customer pissed off. More later...

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RSS advertising

This comes from today's Potomac Tech Wire

Washingtonpost.com Launches Advertising in RSS Feeds  

Arlington, Va. -- Washingtonpost.com, the Arlington-based website of The 
Washington Post newspaper, said that it has begun including advertisements 
in its RSS (Real Simple Syndication) feeds, making it the first major 
news site to offer ad units in its syndication streams. RSS, which has 
been actively embraced by the blogging community, is a method for 
distributing content over the Internet that allows end-users to subscribe 
to content feeds of various kinds. The company said that Friday's launch 
is part of a campaign integrating RSS ads, online video, behavioral 
targeting and standard ad delivery. More here.

I haven't seen the ads in my feeds yet-- has anyone else? I also can't find 
a price or rate card for RSS advertising.

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July 17, 2005

Fighting Words

Let me not be the first to point to the Washington Post Magazine's cover story; Fighting Words (free reg req'd or bugmenot). The politics of blogging is wonderful, afterall-- this IS Washington, DC.

It might be nice though to find a place where Washington, DC business & blogging is discussed. Hmmm.

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July 16, 2005

Are you using the right blogging tool?

Susannah Gardner has written a good overview of blogging providers. A great comparison chart is also included.

Several comments take Gardner to task though for forgetting to mention CMS systems Scoop and Drupal. Several also thought that the list and article was not advanced enough. Guess I'm still a newbie but I found the overview helpful.

All of this comes from LexBlog that got it from problogger.

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The Brand Called "You"

Diva Marketing's recent musings bring back good memories (and, not only of on-line dating). Toby speaks of relationship building in the context of brand building. An older, still relevant Tom Peters article is mentioned here. I remember this article well, it actually spawned a ride-along web site: brandyou.com.

One of the notions was that smart companies let employees build their own brand, knowing that the company would also benefit. I worked for a man and organization that subscribed to the brandyou notion that is actually profiled in this same issue of Fast Company.

I wonder if there are companies that (still) subscriber to the brandyou notion? Maybe the ultimate lesson learned was about employee blogging? Isn't that one of the take-aways from Scoble and others that have given their employers a 'voice'?

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July 15, 2005

links for 2005-07-15

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July 14, 2005

Google Earth

Many have written about Google Earth-- the new geographic search tool. I first heard about this on Eszter's List. Great tool, great advertising opportunities, get it here.

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Trend Junkie does Summer Solstice Podcast

I'm definitely Johnny come lately on this but, check out the Trend Junkie's Pontiac Summer Solstice Podcast. The podcast includes new cars, good music and a flickr stream.

Funny, when I think of Summer Solstice and good music, this band comes to mind.

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July 13, 2005

links for 2005-07-13

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Dell Rules?

Boy oh boy is Dell taking a beating from Jeff Jarvis and other bloggers. Maybe they're not to concerned though with planned announcements like this? More from Jason Calacanis' Weblog here.

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Naming Fred's New Ping Service

Our friend Toby Bloomberg, of Bloomberg Marketing, is trying to name Fred's new ping service. Fred's service saves time-- especically the option that saves your settings to bookmarks!

More: Diva Marketing (Blog): Help Naming A New Ping Service

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July 12, 2005

links for 2005-07-12

Consumer-Generated Media: The Age of Engagement

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July 11, 2005

On Capitol Hill, the Inboxes Are Overflowing

Many legislators try to discourage mass mailings by regularly altering the e-mail templates that they keep on their official Web sites. But the e-mail generators manage to stay a step ahead of them. The companies that route e-mails to Congress constantly monitor bounced-back messages as a way to locate the switcheroos and then quickly change their own procedures to ensure that the e-mails find their mark.

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July 08, 2005

Live 8: AOL Sets Streaming Record

Amen to the Trend Junkie's comment on Live 8 broadcast coverage. The distance between the old line broadcast and newer interactive models couldn't have been more obvious.

Live 8 streaming video put the people in control. It was up to me to watch (and listen) to what and when I wanted to. Actors hired by the networks to talk over the music were filler in between advertisements.

Many marketers have written about AOL's apparant marketing windfall from these shows. Besides, where else can you catch Neil Young in Canada, Pink Floyd and Annie Lennox in London -- all without leaving your living room?

Put that against VH1 who during Pink Floyd’s first time playing together with Roger Waters in 24 years, cuts to their VJ’s for some brief irrelevant commentary. Lame.

MSM Updates: MTV & VH1's Redemption Song

And this post from Church of the Customer: If only MTV had apologized

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Flickr coverage of London blasts

This comes directly from DC metroblogging:

There's now a Flickr Group for the Attacks on London. The pictures appear to mostly be of news coverage, but some in there are of the running crowds.

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