Web Marketing Association SmartBrief

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November 28, 2012

Current News and Ideas for Web Developers and Marketers

Top Story

Study: Use of third-party cookies is up 23% since May
The number of third-party cookies on top websites rose 23% between May and October of this year, according to University of California at Berkeley researchers. The increase in cookie use suggests that publishers and ad-tracking outfits are realizing the potential value of their data, researchers say. Of the top 1,000 websites surveyed, almost 98% set cookies and about 85% used third-party cookies. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (11/27)

Trendwatch

Content-clicking varies by demographic, research shows
Brands seeking to win attention with online content-marketing should consider the demographics they're trying to reach, according to a study from nRelate. Young Web users, and particularly males, tend to click freely on links to related resources while reading content online, the study found. Older women were more likely to click on stories that featured photos. eMarketer (11/28)

Study: Website privacy policies don't protect users' privacy
Most websites now post their privacy policies -- but the details leave plenty to be desired, according to a PrivacyChoice survey. About 20% of sites, mostly in the e-commerce sector, reserve the unrestricted right to transfer user data, and 60% don't give users any specific right to have their data deleted upon request. "Most sites consider data a one-way street. It flows to them and it stays with them," says PrivacyChoice CEO Jim Brock. MediaPost Communications/Online Media Daily (11/27)

Getting the Word Out

Thousands of orgs team up for "Giving Tuesday" online initiative
Almost 2,500 companies, nonprofits and other organizations have banded together to make "Giving Tuesday" a charitable donation day that would annually follow Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The orgs are using the #GivingTuesday hashtag to solicit digital donations, and a points system was put in place to award recognition to users who do the most to publicize the event. Corporate partners include Unilever, J.C. Penney and ALDO. ClickZ (11/27)

Samsung spends $10M on Facebook ads, lands $129M in sales
Samsung says it has seen strong return on investment for its latest Facebook ad campaign, spending $10 million on a three-week campaign that reached 105 million unique users and generated $129 million in sales. "The biggest myth is that Facebook ads don't work," Facebook's Carolyn Everson says. CNET (11/27)

Developer Update

Why businesses need a nuanced approach to the native-app debate
A debate is raging among developers about the difference between Web and native applications -- but companies shouldn't make dogmatic decisions about how to build their apps, writes Alana Bender. Instead, figure out what you're actually trying to do, and find a solution that meets your specific needs. The "most important lesson ... is to lock down the key points of your software and use the programming that is available to make those key points as accessible and user-friendly as possible," Bender writes. WebDesignerDepot.com (11/27)

Design Corner

How to design a brand-friendly Twitter header
If you haven't already updated your Twitter header to take advantage of its new design elements, now is the time to get started, writes Michael John Burns. The important thing is to keep your header simple and to ensure it makes a clear statement about your brand. "Just make sure that your Twitter header is a part of the overall design and describes your personality or brand," Burns advises. 1st Web Designer (11/27)

Small Businesses & Entrepreneurs

The positive power of a few bad reviews
Many small-business owners live in fear of negative online reviews, Lisa Barone writes. The truth is bad reviews can help SMBs to tighten up their operations and a smattering of negative write-ups can make your other more-glowing reviews seem more credible. "A few bad reviews won’t kill your business," Barone promises. Small Business Trends (11/27)

Association News

Best websites for advertising to be named by Web Marketing Association
The Web Marketing Association judges will select the best websites used as advertising in 86 industries as part of their 11th annual Internet Advertising Competition Awards. The IAC Awards are the first and only industry-based advertising award competition dedicated exclusively to online advertising. Companies or agencies wishing to nominate their work for consideration may do so here before the deadline of Jan. 31.

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