What Are Those PPC Ads? Actually, What's PPC?

Often times, people get so engrossed in the industry in which they work, that when they speak and write they  mistakenly use industry jargon or talk too technically - causing the folks listening to get uber confused.  That's why the other day I decided to write a quick, short and sweet blog post called "10 Things I Never Knew Before I Did PPC."

See, I work in an industry where jargon is overwhelming, so the average person never really understands what I do when I tell them I'm a PPC Manager.  In writing the blog, I hoped to resonate with readers out there on a more humanized level.  I hoped to show them that they see my work (PPC or paid ads on Google, Yahoo and Bing) every single day, and many have no clue what it is.

Image Credit: ebusinnessadvisorygroup.com

In the ever-changing digital world, it's easy to bypass certain aspects of the Internet when web surfing.  Heck, I don't look at organic listings (the normal listings found in the middle of the search results page) nearly enough when I'm at work.

PPC, in short, is a quick way to get your name/brand/products/services out there to the masses, as long as you have the money to spend to pay for every click accrued.   And, it's what I choose to do for a living and actually love doing.

If you have a moment, check out my post on my company's blog and tell me whacha' think!  Thanks for reading.

What's It Mean To Make It To 1K?

Believe it or not, just this week I noticed four digits of Twitter followers on my Twitter handle, @Mike_McGinley.  Now, to be clear, I've been tweeting since 2009 and truly, rarely ever take note of my number of followers, believing that the number fluctuates so much it's more of a hassle than anything.

But, this week, something really stuck out: the four-digit number itself.  To me, that's significant enough to merit a blog post and significant enough for me to say that I take it seriously.  I know, for many of you, me saying such and expounding upon that statement further to say I feel it brings a bit of "responsibility" sounds silly, but I'm being honest.  In today's society, with so much "out there" on the web all the time, in various views and expressed in various ways, it's important moreso now than ever, that those tweeting and posting on platforms with big audiences are responsible - socially, ethically, journalistically, and on.

While I left the journalism biz more than two years ago, you'll notice I post a lot about world and local news, but you'll also notice I always credit the source.  See, since I was trained to give attribution and to deal in facts when making matter-of-fact statements, I try to abide by that notion.  I hope it's something my followers respect, and I think it's something we should all strive to do.

May none of us ever make a flap on our timeline without correcting it immediately.  May we never express hateful views that discredit us as positive tweeters.  And may we never consider Twitter a joke when posting things that can go viral and affect lives.

And, of course, may we make an impact on all those who read our 140.

To Pin Or Not To Pin?

Everyday, undoubtedly, somebody is asking me about Pinterest - whether to do it or not.  Being in the field I am now, of course I tell them to go for it!  What fun it can be to share photos of your favorite products, places and foods, and organize them neatly on specific boards for your viewing audience to enjoy.  The organizational aspect of it (which is still lacking in some social-media worlds) is enough to make me want to pin.

My colleague, Leni, wrote a lovely post the other day about why to pin and, yes, even why you might NOT want to pin (ahem, check out the possible legal problems). It's particularly worthwhile for those whose brands (whether personal or professional) are colorful, visual, and people-oriented.

Check out Leni's take on Pinterest and how it can help you.

Happy pinning!

It's Been A While & That's Not My Style

So, I admit, I've been away for a few months.  Summer came and went, fall flew by, and here we are in the middle of winter and I've yet to give you a fresh musing or two.  See, I've been busy at my day job at @solidcactus, keeping up with some other personal chores, and undertaking a new venture most recently: guest writing for BitRebels.com.  With nearly 4 million monthly visitors, the technology/social media/geek blog is a great place for me to share more musings and tidbits on topics I'm interested in.

It's great contributing to a blog that's fresh, update-to-date, and witty.  The posts range from truly unique and innovative informational pieces on anything "geek" to "how to" guides for the world of social media, a place which has given me a lot of pleasure the past several years during my time in the media and now as an Internet marketer.

That said, I'll try to keep this page active going forward, with a post or more a week.

And, if you have some free time now, feel free to check out my first two pieces on Bit Rebels:

"Why Twitter Keeps You Up At Night" http://bit.ly/yludeI
"Words With Friends: An Award Winning Crossword Puzzle Game" http://bit.ly/xrHgx3

Oh, and happy Hump Day ... or night.