1. Sharing a Corporate Personality - companies cannot connect with customers in a meaningful and emotional way without having a personality. As more organizations realize this fact, we will continue to see more “corporate bloggers” and more touch points for customers to interact with the true personality of a brand. Look for social media to play a bigger part in overall marketing strategy as a result.
2. Widget Marketing- widgets have made significant strides as an accepted marketing technique in recent months. For marketers looking to offer a quick introduction to their service, or those seeking to create an online connection with customers - widgets will find more users in 2007.
3. Social Media Optimization- Originally introduced just a few months ago, SMO has rapidly blossomed into a movement in the online marketing industry worldwide. Primarily being driven at the moment by those in the search marketing industry, in 2007 I suspect SMO will continue to get broader use from marketers interested in building traffic and buzz online.
4. AutoTagging and AutoSorting- I have written often about the trend for visual search and how companies like Riya are leading the way for photo recognition technology that allows imagery on the web to be more effectively tagged and organized. In 2007, we will see more solutions like this that offer autotagging, autosorting and the next extension of this technology.
5. Human Filtered Search- One of the effects of the personal media revolution is an exponential increase in the amount of content online. This will continue to lead online users to search beyond the algorithm for new ways of finding information. A key method for this is human filtered search, where people are sorting content on the web, creating their own groupings and sharing that with others.
6. Contentcasting - Putting content online, and then trying to spread the word about it is so 2006. Contentcasting is set to be the new standard, enabled by RSS and a growing number of online users that are finding the only way to keep up with all the news and information they care about is to subscribe to feeds and access it that way.
7. Online Identity Shifting - If you add the success of Facebook, Myspace, Vox, Second Life, LinkedIn and Flickr together - you would come to a single conclusion: that having and sharing your identity online is hot right now. This is not about blogging or about uploading your photos online, this is a phenomenon of having an extension of your personality online to share with friends, family and colleagues.

Source: Influential Marketing

Comparing the power of Web 2.0 (through Youtube.com) and PPC…

Joy Marino would say:

“Web 2.0 stomps the old ways of advertising, IMHO. You get instant feedback, you earn credibility and build relationships with complete strangers and you can reach any one, in any demographic, ANYWHERE in the world!”

Find out why!

Here’s a short introduction on the the Video Units that everybody has been waiting to hear.

This next video show you how to get started with Video units.

The 5 effective tips to increase traffic to your web site:

1.Search Engine Optimization
- Identify key phrases that best describe your site.
- Identify related key phrases that are popularly searched for by people using search engines.
- Identify key phrases that have good profit potential.
- Create a search engine friendly Web site.
- Submit to major search engines and directory sites.

2.Pay Per Click Search Engines
- Advertise using Google AdWords.
- Advertise on Overture.
- After Google AdWords and Overture, try Findwhat, Kanoodle, and Sprinks.

3.Affiliate Programs
- Start an affiliate program.
- For low-priced information products, try Clickbank.
- For a big company, join CJ or BeFree.

4.Viral Marketing
- Create a great site that offers information and service.
- Give away free eBooks that mentions your domain name.
- Use signature files in emails and online articles.

5.Other Online Marketing Methods.
- Create a signature file.
- Participate and contribute in online forums or discussion boards.
- Place ads in other e-zines or newsletters.
- Joint venture and cross promote with other Web sites.
- Join Web rings.

Here are 10 advertising techniques that work:

1. Always repeat the basics in your ads - These include your name, address, credit cards that your business accepts and the name of a person to ask for when calling your gallery. You never know when someone will read your ad for the first time and want more information.

2. Promise a benefit or provoke curiosity in the headline - The average person spends only four seconds before turning a newspaper page. In those four seconds, they first look at the news headlines. Then they look at the ads starting with the headline you’ve written for your gallery’s ad. Key words that will make the reader continue reading include: new, just-arrived, first-time and unique.

3. Using the word “you” in the headline increases readership - A survey taken of the most successful newspaper ads ever written revealed one word was used in these winners more than any other: “You.”

4. Try different head. lines for the same product - Advertising guru John Caples says he tried different headlines for the exact same product and one would pull as much as 20 times more business than the others. But you’ll never know which one works best until you try them.

5. Offer that which is unique, different and yours alone - These might include a specific artist and/or services such as free gift wrapping, free delivery and a must-be-satisfied guarantee. Other galleries may offer something similar–but since you said it first, you own it. By doing so, you are establishing your own brand.

6. Show a “proof” of ads you plan to use to friends without revealing that they’re yours - Ask if they think they know the name of the local gallery that’s planning to run the ads. If several mention your competition, tear up the ads and start all over again. Your advertising should “look” and “sound” like you. Readers should recognize your style and immediately associate your ad with your gallery.

7. You can’t sell more than one item (maybe two)in a 30-second TV or radio ad - If you promote your gallery’s annual sale, you can’t list a half-price sale on posters, one-third off on the following artists (you list five or six), special hours open for your sale and more information in this narrow time flame. The customer will not remember all you’ve said and will quickly forget the first items mentioned. Listing a variety of items works better in print because the potential customer is reading all of them and can refer back to the ones they find most interesting. The eye is more retentive than the ear.

8. Avoid superlatives and exaggerations - No one believes words like the greatest, unbelievable or fantastic offer.

9. Use testimonials - When you write how good you are at your selection of art, framing and customer approval–that’s you talking, and it’s not nearly as powerful as a customer saying the same things.

10. Be specific and factual - The amount of time anyone spends on reading your ad depends on how interesting it is to read. So provide facts and solid information. The more specific the information you provide, the greater the response. Put yourself in the reader’s position and consider what would make you keep on reading an ad? If you follow these ideas, you’ll be surprised at how your sales will increase.