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Jun 24, 2019, 03:49 AM
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Fred Dumas
What does it take to get things done in today’s world of digital marketing services? Not only has technology completely changed strategic thinking in marketing, it has also revolutionized marketing operations, or the discipline of getting things done in marketing. The following is a summary of how to achieve excellence in digital execution and managed marketing services. We focus on three areas: identifying essential digital marketing functions, driving operational excellence, and aligning investments with your essential functions.
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Jul 23, 2018, 12:24 PM
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Jennifer Miles-Losapio
A decade ago when market research response rates were 35% to 40%, we could assume away non-response bias. But today, with response rates as low as 5% to 10%, we need to question whether we are getting results that represent the population.
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Jul 12, 2018, 08:50 AM
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Karen Puckett
Wipro’s flagship WINNOVATE 2018 event took place earlier this year, at which Harte Hanks CEO Karen Puckett joined executives from Microsoft, Uber, Discover and Nokia in a panel discussion on Operations Transformation in the Digital Age. We captured some of Karen’s insights on technology and transformation ahead of the event in this interview.
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Jun 1, 2018, 15:44 PM
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None
Corporations are increasingly willing to connect their brands to social issues. Rather than be left behind, many companies are wondering whether they too should add a social dimension to their brand. While there are numerous risks, some of the key advantages include making the brand more human.
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May 29, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
Instead of trying to be everything to everyone on social media, consider context audiences. Hear Kate Sullivan, Senior Director, Digital & Social Media at Harte Hanks, explain why they can be a great tool for generating relevant social communities.
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May 29, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
Kate Sullivan, Senior Director, Digital & Social Media at Harte Hanks, explains what should be top of mind for social media marketers in 2018. You might also find value in this this post by Kate: 5 Dos and Don'ts on How to Use Consumer Data in Social
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May 29, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
While reaching a large audience with a prominent influencer sounds like a winning bet, you might be better off focusing on your brand advocates. Kate Sullivan, Senior Director, Digital & Social Media at Harte Hanks, explains why—and how to find them.
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May 29, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
Do you know what your customers want from you on social? Kate Sullivan, Senior Director, Digital & Social Media at Harte Hanks, explains what it is—and how to deliver it.
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May 29, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
Social media should be about having personalized conversations. See which brand Kate Sullivan, Senior Director, Digital & Social Media at Harte Hanks, holds on a pedestal for social personalization.
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May 29, 2018, 14:09 PM
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Kate Sullivan
By Laura Watson and Kate Sullivan. Data privacy is a hot button topic right now—but being responsible with your customer’s personal data is never going to go out of style.
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May 24, 2018, 10:12 AM
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Ioana Popescu
It's no stretch to say that there’s a lot of chatter on the internet creating a ton of digital noise. Today, on Twitter alone there are 350,000 new tweets sent per minute and currently 2.2 billion active monthly users on Facebook—that’s more people than the entire population of China.
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May 22, 2018, 15:34 PM
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Scott Rhodes
I’m going to bring up a term that might score if you’re playing buzzword bingo: “digital transformation.” The term has become ubiquitous enough that most companies are at least pretending to worry about it—and amorphous enough that no two “gurus” will give you the same working definition of what it actually means.
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May 11, 2018, 15:44 PM
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None
What an exciting and yet challenging time to be in marketing. The demands placed on us as marketers are constantly expanding and are being driven from all areas that impact our customers’ and potential customers’ lives. Perhaps none is more top of mind at the moment than trust. People share their information with us in the two-fold belief that we first will respect it, and second, that we will use it in a way that is genuinely relevant to them.
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May 8, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
If we're looking to generate true dialogue on social media, we need to measure more than likes. Nick LaBran, Social Media Intelligence, provides some alternatives.
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May 8, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
It's one of the biggest challenges facing social media marketers: being heard in a sea of ever increasing voices. But it's not about shouting the loudest. Hear what Nick LaBran, Social Media Intelligence at Harte Hanks, recommends.
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May 8, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
Are you being social on social? Or making this common mistake? Nick LaBran, Social Media Intelligence at Harte Hanks, explains what lots of marketers are getting wrong. If you want to get social right, check out one of our social listening case studies.
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May 1, 2018, 09:17 AM
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Sam Kwietniak
I am not a tech expert. I’m not even a tech-sort-of/kind-of-fan. But I am (as we all are) entwined in the industry’s every episode, with personality, privacy and productivity all at the mercy of its mercurial metamorphoses. What follows is far from a scientific forecast of what’s to come, but rather, a prophecy of what may—should the titans of technology continue to ignore the shifting expectations of today’s misused users.
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Apr 30, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
"If you build it, they will come." Not so with mobile apps. Nicole Pawluk, Director of Strategy and Planning with Harte Hanks, explains why marketers need a plan for how to continually engage users with their mobile apps.
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Apr 30, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
People have deep, emotional connections with their smartphones, which makes mobile a great place to have a genuine, human conversation. Hear more from Nicole Pawluk, Director of Strategy and Planning at Harte Hanks.
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Mar 22, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
Some brands are doing great account based marketing—and having fun with it. Alex Gill, SVP of B2B Strategy at Harte Hanks, explains how IBM is successfully using social listening to drive their ABM efforts.
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Mar 8, 2018, 09:24 AM
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Mike Hastings
Auto marketers can best respond by focusing on three major areas: the retail experience, the connected car, and new mobility patterns. Out of these three areas, we suspect a major shakeout in the digital phase of the retail experience will happen first. Those brands that radically enhance their ability to digitally connect with auto buyers and make their digital marketing more human will enjoy outsized rewards.
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Mar 1, 2018, 15:35 PM
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None
Jason Burns, Senior Social Media Manager at Harte Hanks, explains the rise of live video and how brands should be integrating it into their content and social strategies.
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Mar 1, 2018, 13:15 PM
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Rusty Langford
Welcome to our second post about customer support channels to master this year. There’s a lot of talk about using new and impressive technologies—like artificial intelligence-driven chatbots and virtual reality—to improve support and the customer experience
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Feb 21, 2018, 12:40 PM
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Rusty Langford
Remember that old cliché, don’t put the cart before the horse? In other words, don’t get ahead of yourself. There’s a lot of talk about using new and impressive technologies—like artificial intelligence-driven chatbots and virtual reality—to improve support and the customer experience. But there are well-established communication channels that brands should (and in many cases, need to) focus on mastering first.
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Feb 15, 2018, 08:48 AM
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Rusty Langford
By using social media as a customer support channel, you give customers the option to solve their issues when and how they want. You can also use social to proactively mine insights about your trending support issues.
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Feb 2, 2018, 14:44 PM
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None
This pharmaceutical brand produces a leading drug that treats a chronic disease. The company identified an opportunity to provide patient support tailored to the needs of each individual living with this disease. The objective was to provide a personalized, human-based approach to support that could scale to a global level in order to improve patients’ personal outcomes and empower them to live their lives to the fullest.
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Feb 1, 2018, 14:44 PM
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None
Marketing automation is more than the latest corporate buzzword. It’s a powerful strategy and tool that allows companies to nurture prospects with highly personalized, useful content. It helps convert prospects into customers, and customers into brand ambassadors.
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Feb 1, 2018, 12:17 PM
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Iain Fuller
We've taken a quick look at which CMOs are fully utilizing all the opportunities the bite-sized social platform offers--in no more then 280 characters of course.
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Nov 22, 2017, 14:44 PM
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None
Based in the United Kingdom, this payment processing giant expanded their footprint into the United States. The brand’s unique offering benefits customers beyond basic payment processing and provides insights that can help customers grow their businesses. However, their story is complex and must be told in such a way that will garner optimal results for the US-based operation.
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Nov 20, 2017, 14:21 PM
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Zach Nelson
Overall, Holiday 2017 is looking good. Holiday spending expectations continue to rise in large part due to improved household finances. In fact, almost 80% of consumers expect to spend the same or more this holiday season.
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Nov 17, 2017, 11:58 AM
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Alan Kittle
The average heavy smartphone user checks their phone 150 times a day. 150 TIMES A DAY. On top of that, they—or more accurately, 90% of “they”—think that’s healthy. Their need to experience micro-euphoric moments again and again, all day and often at night, fuels this behavior, and it’s creating an entirely new set of expectations in the way businesses interact with them.
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Nov 15, 2017, 12:58 PM
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JD Metcalf
The trend toward more personalized, human marketing will impact banks in a number of different ways. The first, and one of the most critical, is customer retention. About 46% of banking customers would strongly consider switching to one of the GAFA tech giants (Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon) if they offered banking products.
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Nov 10, 2017, 10:24 AM
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JD Metcalf
Consumers are demanding a more personalized banking experience. Right now. If banks wait to offer this form of on-demand engagement, they risk being left behind. But many banks, including major brands, don’t have the resources to build a personalized, automated system.
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Oct 27, 2017, 10:18 AM
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Alan Kittle
Artificial Reality? Virtual Reality? Frivolous, empty fun, right? No use, of course, for the serious-minded architects of brilliant branding. Well. Think again.
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Oct 20, 2017, 15:44 PM
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None
Customers in all industries now demand relevant, personal communications and exceptional customer experiences—financial services is no exception. Bank of America knew it needed to connect with its massive client base in more relevant ways, not only to maintain existing clients, but also to cross-sell and add value.
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Oct 16, 2017, 15:44 PM
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None
Take an increasingly competitive and pressurized global market for technology products. Add constantly evolving buyer behavior, and then factor in social media’s growing influence on buying decisions. These trends represent remarkable opportunities provided you have the right tools and insights.
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Oct 13, 2017, 10:29 AM
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JD Metcalf
We've established that mobile is the new battlefield for customer experience—enabling brands to execute a one-to-one, in-the-moment marketing strategy.One of the newest weapons in this battle for mobile dominance is the payment app.
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Sep 27, 2017, 13:56 PM
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Nicole Bump
According to a recent forecast on emarketer.com, spending on digital will see double-digit growth at a rate increasing from $83 billion in 2017 to $129.23 billion in 2021. This follows on the heels of digital spending passing TV for the first time in 2016. However, in having to up their focus on commitment to budget and resources, some marketers are beginning to worry about the return on investment (ROI) on digital marketing.
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Jul 6, 2017, 15:56 PM
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Jon Dome
My last post discussed a question posed at our most recent Harte Hanks Marketing Advisory Board meeting: is there still a need for brick and mortar? The Advisory Board members went on to discuss how mobile is transforming the customer journey.
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Apr 13, 2017, 15:44 PM
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None
Being an effective marketer is one of the most challenging – yet rewarding – jobs today. It’s become almost a cliché to refer to marketing as being in a state of flux, but it’s true. New channels come and go, media consumption behaviors shift, but ultimately, modern marketers simply can’t be successful without a sound marketing strategy based on a rich understanding of their customer. Though that’s easier said than
done, isn’t it?
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Apr 5, 2017, 15:44 PM
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None
There are two unassailable truths about customer service. First, companies really don’t want their customers to have to use support channels. Second, and perhaps more importantly, customers do not want to call customer support.
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Mar 22, 2017, 10:12 AM
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Alan John Kittle
Is there a winning formula for brands looking be part of social buzz during major events and holidays?
Nick LaBran, my fellow social intelligence guru at Harte Hanks, and I hypothesized that both national and global events would raise significant interest from brands looking to “news-jack” the use of social channels and insert themselves into conversations taking place.
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Feb 6, 2017, 14:22 PM
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Alan Kittle
No football team had ever come back from such a large deficit. No QB had ever won five rings. No Super Bowl had every gone to overtime. The Patriots became, arguably, #GOAT late on the 5th in Houston. No wonder millions took the 6th off work and school!
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Jan 10, 2017, 14:29 PM
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Sana Ansari
How big of a role should Facebook play in your organization’s digital funnel and overall conversion process? Bigger than you might think.
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Nov 17, 2016, 14:35 PM
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None
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Nov 17, 2016, 14:35 PM
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None
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Nov 17, 2016, 14:35 PM
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None
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Nov 17, 2016, 14:35 PM
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None
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Nov 17, 2016, 14:35 PM
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None
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Oct 28, 2016, 12:10 PM
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Terry Arnold
Social media has become one of the BIG THREE customer service channels—especially in B2C—joining phone and email to form the triad of support modalities. But customers have high expectations, and there aren’t many companies meeting them.
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Sep 22, 2016, 15:44 PM
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None
The digital landscape has grown prolifically over the past decade. Today, social media is ingrained in people’s daily lives with consumers using social platforms to share their experiences and opinions – often about brands and products.
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Sep 22, 2016, 15:44 PM
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None
A leading international technology corporation selected Harte Hanks to develop and implement a visionary social selling model to help seize opportunities presented by social media’s growing influence on buyers. By leveraging the right tools and insights they were able to better interact with buyers across online channels in order to drive lead-generation.
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Sep 21, 2016, 15:44 PM
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None
Social listening for B2B is much more effective than you might think. Introducing
the Harte Hanks Social Intelligence Toolkit. There’s a world of prospects on social.
Are you listening?
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Sep 21, 2016, 15:44 PM
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None
Digital disruption is undeniably unpredictable. As a marketer, the digital frontier can be a dangerous place if you aren’t armed with smart technologies. But for those who do take advantage of these digital technologies, the benefits can be substantial.
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Sep 21, 2016, 15:44 PM
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None
Today, 350,000 new tweets are posted every minute and with 1.65 billion monthly active users, there are more people on Facebook than the entire population of China.
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Sep 21, 2016, 15:44 PM
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None
The social landscape is booming. For B2B businesses, this means vast and valuable opportunities. But, how do you cut through the social noise and tune into the conversations that will have the most impact on your brand?
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Sep 21, 2016, 07:19 AM
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None
The social landscape is booming. Every minute of every day, consumers are using social channels to discuss their experiences, feelings and opinions on brands. And this
presents rich opportunities for B2C businesses to build strong, meaningful relationships with consumers.
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Aug 26, 2016, 15:44 PM
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None
MVMT, an ecommerce company selling minimalist men’s and women’s watches sought to optimize performance across all viable digital channels while rapidly scaling conversions.
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Aug 26, 2016, 15:44 PM
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None
The CEO of a niche internet retailer met with Harte Hanks to discuss customer acquisition costs. The retailer’s largest budget line item – bigger than payroll, was Internet advertising. The cost-per-lead threatened profitability and was not sustainable, but the CEO felt he had few options and little leverage with his suppliers.
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May 10, 2016, 15:44 PM
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None
A large consumer electronics manufacturer was caught off guard by a customer complaint that went viral on social media. While responding to this trending issue, the company realized it should have a more strategic presence in social communities.
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Jan 5, 2016, 14:44 PM
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None
One of the most powerful (and talked-about) digital marketing trends over the past year-plus has been the proliferation of data. At 3Q Digital, we believe that 1st-party data – your data, gathered by you and unique to your business – is the most powerful and highest-quality data available. And there’s a huge bonus: it’s free
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Jan 5, 2016, 14:44 PM
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None
“How are we doing?” This is the first question marketers ask us about their Google AdWords account. For a long time, we struggled with this question. We would go into lengthy explanations of PPC best practices and discuss conversion rates, account structure, and competitive benchmarking. Often this detailed analysis didn’t give the marketers any more comfort; it just created frustration. “OK,” they’d say, “I know I have to improve a lot of things in my account, but does that mean I’m absolutely terrible or close to perfection?”
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Jan 5, 2016, 14:44 PM
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None
Once upon a time, on a search engine far, far, away, a search engine marketer could purchase a very obscure keyword (perhaps thousands of such keywords) and make a tidy profit as a result of the incredibly high conversion rate (CR) and incredibly low cost per click (CPC). This technique – known as “mining the long tail” – was a staple of every savvy SEM’s bag of tricks.
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Jan 5, 2016, 14:44 PM
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None
The basic building blocks of any search engine marketing campaign are keywords. As John Battelle wrote in his seminal book on search engines – The Search – a search engine is nothing more than a “database of intentions.”
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Dec 3, 2015, 11:43 AM
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None
The challenge for any brand is to break through the clutter and keep online communities engaged through authentic communication— particularly at pivotal moments like a flagship product launch. The Galaxy Note 4 was launched in 2014 and had been praised by the tech press for its great productivity features, which Samsung
had promoted across the vast network of its global marketing efforts.
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