SearchCap: Google Holocaust denial, AMP reports & Google defamation
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web.
The post SearchCap: Google Holocaust denial, AMP reports & Google defamation appeared first on Search Engine Land.
The 10 Best & Biggest New PPC Features of the Year
Another crazy year is almost behind us. The year 2016 will be remembered for some huge and unexpected changes, some awesome new PPC features, and welcome changes to both the Google AdWords and Bing Ads platforms.
But some new PPC features stuck out more than the rest this year. This article will separate the unicorns from the donkeys!
Here are my picks for the top 10 new PPC features of 2016.
1. No More Right-Side Ads
In February, Google killed off right-side text ads on desktop results, bringing the SERPs more in line with Google’s mobile experience. In addition, Google added a fourth ad spot above organic search results for “highly commercial queries.”
This massive change was a shocker to pretty much every PPC marketer.
When people woke up and discovered they were now living in a world in which desktop search results didn’t have text ads where they were supposed to be, many people freaked out. They predicted that PPC would never be the same again. (Spoiler alert: very little has changed.)
As I pointed out at the time, most paid clicks (about 85 percent) came from the top ads, based on WordStream data for 2,000 accounts:
In a follow-up post by Mark Irvine, The New Google SERP: 3 Changes & 3 Things That Haven’t Changed… Yet, we discovered that paid traffic and CPCs remained consistent after the change, CTRs were up, and impressions were down. Surprisingly, we discovered Position 3 was the biggest winner for advertisers, as CTRs doubled after the change:
This change failed to wipe out advertisers in lower positions. In fact, as I detailed in Google’s Right-Side Adpocalypse: Anatomy of a Loser [New Data], one advertiser lost desktop impressions and saw CPC increase, but also saw their CTR double and average position increase!
2. AdWords Expanded Text Ads
After we lost right-side ads, Google announced some big changes to AdWords. One of those huge changes was Expanded Text Ads.
Google called this the biggest change to text ads since AdWords launched 15 years ago. AdWords will phase out the old text ad format as of Jan. 31.
Designed for today’s “mobile-first” world, Expanded Text Ads are twice the size of the text ads we’ve known and loved for so long. We now have two 30-character headlines and one 80-character description line.
Google told us that in early testing advertisers saw CTRs increase by as much as 20 percent. Well, after transitioning to the new AdWords ETAs, many of WordStream’s clients saw their CTR double!
Note: We created a FREE guide and cheat sheet that has everything you need to know about creating Expanded Text Ads.
3. Bing Expanded Text Ads
In an effort to keep pace with AdWords, Bing Ads also introduced Expanded Text Ads. However, unlike Google, it seems like Bing won’t be retiring standard text ads.
ETAs on Google and Bing are pretty much identical, with the same character limits and formatting (but fewer truncation issues, thankfully). You can either create ETAs within the Bing Ads platform, or import your existing ETAs from Google AdWords.
But hold your unicorns! There’s some great news for advertisers. WordStream data indicates that Bing’s Expanded Text Ads outperform Google. Check out this great CTR data:
If you haven’t yet tested out Bing Expanded Text Ads, make sure to put it on your to-do list in 2017!
4. Local Search Ads, Responsive Display Ads, and In-Store Conversions
In addition to Google expanded text ads, Google unveiled more exciting new features at the Google Performance Summit in May:
New Local Search Ads: Google announced several new Maps ad formats and features designed to drive more foot traffic to business, including Promoted Pins, in-store promotions, customizable business pages, and local inventory search. You can check out all the details in 10 Things You Need to Know About the New Google Maps Local Search Ads.
Responsive Display Ads: With this new type of ad, you provide a URL, headline, description, and image, and Google creates responsive display ads for you. These ads adapt to the content of the websites they’re on and apps in the GDN.
Better In-Store Conversion Measurement: OK, this feature isn’t new. But it is new to many types of businesses that gained access to this feature for the first time this year. How it works: Google looks at phone location history to figure out whether someone who clicked on your ad ended up walking into the store.
5. New AdWords Interface
Speaking of the AdWords Performance Summit, something else notable happened. We got a preview of the new AdWords interface, which rolled out more widely in August (and we can expect more design changes heading into 2017).
The new interface is sleeker, but still pretty familiar. It’s easy enough to figure out where to find the things I was looking for.
Nothing here changed how AdWords works. All these changes were cosmetic and aimed at smartly reorganizing all the AdWords features and functions you know and love.
6. Demographic Targeting for Search Campaigns
Targeting age and gender demographics within your search campaigns? Yes, please!
Google gave advertisers the awesome demographic targeting for search campaigns feature in September.
Now you can see the performance data on how ages and genders within ad groups. Based on this data, you can either create bid adjustments for different demographics or exclude people of a certain age or gender from seeing your paid search ads.
g
Demographic targeting worked ridiculously well for our clients, as Mark Irvine detailed in these AdWords demographic targeting case studies.
7. AdWords Message Extensions
AdWords introduced a new and exciting type of mobile ad extension in October: message extensions.
These extensions let users tap to start texting a business directly from the search results. Advertisers can write a pre-written text message to start the conversion.
In early testing, message extensions boosted mobile CTR by an average of 50 percent for some WordStream clients who got early access to the ad extension.
There is one downside of message extensions, however: no conversion tracking. Hopefully this is in the works!
8. Google Display Keywords Targeting Settings
In October Google quietly introduced some new display keyword targeting settings that give you more control over how your display ad campaigns are targeted.
Google now gives you the choice to target either:
Audience: This is the default option. You can serve display ads to anyone potentially interested in your keywords, regardless of what type of site they’re currently on.
Content: Your ads will only be served on websites, apps, and videos that are contextually relevant to your keywords.
9. The AdWords iPhone App
This year got off to a ridiculously awesome start when @adwords tweeted me to let me know about the release of a new AdWords app for iOS. This app is super-impressive!
The AdWords app is great for managing and monitoring AdWords campaigns when I’m on the go (which is a lot!). It’s beautiful, ridiculously fast, and simple to use.
If you haven’t already, you should download it and try it out.
10. The Return of Device-Level Bidding
In 2013, AdWords introduced enhanced campaigns. But one huge side effect of enhanced campaigns was our loss of device-level bidding. Marketers mourned, loudly and at length.
Well, this year Google gave us all reason to celebrate: device-level bidding is back! You can now set mobile bids, desktop bids, and tablet bids independently or make them dependent on each other.
What’s Next?
Whew! 2016 was a heck of a year, huh? So what does the future hold for PPC? Stay tuned. Whatever happens, WordStream will be here to keep you up to date on all the latest developments!
What’s your favorite new PPC feature of this year? And what PPC features would you like to see added to AdWords and Bing Ads in 2017?
P.S. Be sure to check out my 10 favorite Unicorn Marketing Strategies of 2016!
This article was orginally published on the Wordstream blog and it’s repeated with permission
How to Get the Non-Technical People in Your Office Excited About Analytics
Analytics. Data science. Words and phrases like these tend to conjure up imagery of guys in thick glasses poring over stacks of spreadsheets with the smell of stale coffee permeating the office. But today’s data and analytics teams couldn’t be farther from the caricatures that we make of them. And the truth is, when you discover just what’s possible, it can be hard not to be excited about it!
So how do you get even the biggest technology trilobite in your office to not only embrace analytics, but share in your enthusiasm? Here are a few ways to make the whole idea of data science a lot more tempting.
Understand the Underlying Problems – Then Solve Them
Companies in nearly every sector, from B2B to B2C to B2B2C and everything in between has their reasons – good reasons – for wanting to keep their heads in the sand when it comes to analytics. Sales teams often don’t see the revenue needle budge enough to make it worth their attention.
Managers are busy managing and don’t have the time to trudge up a high learning curve, much less understand the data enough to make confident decisions using it. And even key decision makers are slow to adopt a culture of analytics because the protocols for decision-making are…you guessed it, made by committee.
The fact is, no field is changing or adapting faster than data science, and, much in the same way that the Internet revolutionized the way we communicate and do business, analytics are changing the way we make decisions, engage customers, develop products and much more. It’s as much an integral part of a successful business as having a commerce-enabled website was over a decade ago.
That means that yes, some jobs may have to be redesigned, some outdated protocols overhauled and some focuses shifted to accommodate the rapid growth of analytics.
Companies that embrace this chameleon-like adaptation are the ones who truly leverage the greatest benefits from data science and analytics. Those who fail to see its potential will continue to struggle as their competitors gain greater and greater data-backed insights.
In short, it’s uncomfortable but necessary to change.
Embracing the Democratization of Data
One of the biggest terms making the rounds in the data science world is the “democratization” of data. In other words, taking it out of the hands of the analytics geeks and putting it squarely in the hands of everyone from executives to managers to customer service and even the janitorial staff (okay, maybe not that last one). New tools and SaaS platforms are being developed and deployed faster than ever, and today’s data scientists can use visualization tools to map out different scenarios. Things like predictive analytics show everyone models of what can happen with the current data they’ve collected, so that new campaigns, new product ideas and overall business growth can happen in a way that’s both impactful and scalable.
And did I mention that all of this can be done without a single line of code?
But before you think I’m throwing data scientists and analytics gurus under the bus, keep in mind that they are still very, very pivotal and crucial to the entire organization. It’s their guidance that will lead to embracing the democratization of data on a much wider scale. Getting everyone used to and comfortable with the data leads to greater understanding and confidence. Greater confidence leads to excitement and uncovers new opportunities that one person or team alone may not have considered.
And knowing that, why would you want to restrict yourself by leaving all your analytics decisions in the hands of a few, when you can enjoy much greater insights and data-backed determinations when it’s in the hands of everyone?
Getting to the Large-Scale Benefits
One of the biggest issues that companies struggle with in their journey to become more data driven is getting to the large scale benefits. It’s one thing to comb through the data and get a few novel nuggets that can give you a slight conversion or revenue lift. It’s another thing entirely to try and revamp an entire company’s or organization’s structure from the inside out. It’s overwhelming and pretty much impossible, which puts a lot of people off adopting an analytics culture company-wide.
In these cases, start small. Start with the departments or areas that you feel could see the biggest benefit from analytics insights. Make sure to keep others in the loop through proper communication channels such as newsletters or email lists. Be patient. Remember, just a few short years ago, articles like this one were more focused on getting C-Suite buy-in than trying to transform an entire company culture.
Another common complaint is the use of tools. In many cases, companies invest in analytics tools but vendors are unable to accurately demonstrate how said tools integrate with the existing workflow. If the sales staff can’t understand it or advocate for it, they won’t use it – plain and simple. Whichever analytics tools you choose to adopt, make sure that they’re ones that can easily adapt to your existing processes – not the other way around.
Why Most Companies Get Bogged Down in the Analytical Mud
Many companies looking to embrace a data-driven culture (more on that below), look toward hugely profitable mega-corporations like Amazon and Facebook.
But these companies, in the overall spectrum of things, are relatively new and were built from the ground up on a culture of analytics. They can adapt quickly because it’s in their DNA.
For companies not rooted in data science at their core, the shift is going to happen gradually – starting with the departments suited to be most affected by it. It may even necessitate a change from the inside out – how decisions are made, who’s responsible and what’s the end goal. For example, if you invest in a data-driven module to help with dynamic pricing and items start to sell out quicker, you can’t very well hold your inventory managers responsible for it. Shifting to more data-driven decisions means changing how things are done – perhaps even drastically.
But by demonstrating how much more streamlined their job can become and their decisions can be made, people will begin to become more accustomed to using analytics information in their respective departments. As changes are implemented and new insights gleaned from the information, people begin looking for new angles and ways to use the data to further empower their staff and colleagues. It also helps improve their job security, their relationship with customers and the ease and confidence with which they do their job.
Become a Truly Data-Driven Company
Carnegie-Mellon recently conducted a LEAP study which determined that those companies getting the most out of analytics were those whose leaders concentrated on “team collaboration, along with the ability to easily share insights [thereby] instilling confidence in their teams and creating an active analytics community across all departments.” Much of this collaboration comes from self-service tools, which can be completed for specific industry verticals and niches and be deployed much quicker than an over-arching software program.
But becoming a truly data-driven company involves both tools and people – not focusing on one to the exclusivity of the other. As members of the company begin to learn and leverage analytical insights, their enthusiasm and knowledge start to spread out in a ripple-effect to other departments. It won’t happen overnight, but gradually, over time as people become more comfortable and attuned to how analytics can be used in their little corner of the company, they’ll begin to embrace and rely on the data to power their decisions more and more.
How are you using analytics to help encourage others in your company? Are you becoming driven by data, or is it an uphill climb against a more traditional workflow? Share your thoughts and stories with us in the comments below!
About the Author: Sherice Jacob helps business owners improve website design and increase conversion rates through compelling copywriting, user-friendly design and smart analytics analysis. Learn more at iElectrify.com and download your free web copy tune-up and conversion checklist today!
Supporting nonprofits around the world this holiday season
From remote villages in India, to schools across the U.S., to refugee and migrant camps in Africa, technology can help people start a business, further their education, or access new — and sometimes vital — information.
Google.org supports hundreds of nonprofits globally who are working to open up opportunities for the most vulnerable populations. As part of this ongoing work, this holiday season we’re donating $30 million in grant funding to nonprofits to bring phones, tablets, hardware and training to communities that can benefit from them most. This holiday giving brings our total grant funding for nonprofits this year to more than $100 million.
Students in Tim Jones’ classroom in East Palo Alto during class time
In the U.S., Google.org is supporting classrooms in need by funding projects that have requested Chromebooks and other technology via the educational giving platform DonorsChoose.org. For example, Mr. Jones, a teacher at Ronald McNair Academy in East Palo Alto, CA, where many students come from high-poverty communities, requested devices to help his students learn both inside and outside of the classroom. Our $5 million grant to DonorsChoose.org will provide more than 150,000 K-12 students across the United States — from Bunche Middle School in Atlanta, GA to Timberland Charter Academy in Muskegon, MI — with critical learning resources.
We’re also supporting nonprofits whose programs ensure that everyone has a chance to participate equally in society — from people experiencing homelessness to individuals disconnected from pathways out of poverty. In the Bay Area, Abode Services will help more than 1,200 re-housed homeless people receive laptop computers and related training as they move into their new homes in order to provide access to employment, social services and transportation information.
Young adults completing applications during LeadersUp hiring event in South LA
Across the nation, LeadersUp will increase access to opportunities for unemployed young adults to connect to careers that lead to family-sustaining wages 350 percent above the poverty line. By providing funding for thousands of devices to assist people being served by organizations like Defy Ventures and LifeMoves, we’re ensuring that more people have a fair shot at opportunity.
Defy Entrepreneur-in-Training Rudo C. and volunteer David R. at Business Pitch Competition in New York City
Students of Mazahua indigenous group explore learning materials on a tablet at an UNETE-supported school in San Felipe del Progreso, State of Mexico.
In Latin America, we’re supporting UNETE to bring computers, tablets and charging stations to classrooms across Mexico — giving students access to new curriculum materials, videos, and learning games. UNETE is committed to helping teachers be successful, and we’ll pair funding for this technology with training and support services. And in India, our grant to Pratham Education Foundation will help them expand their work to help kids in rural communities learn. By using tablets across a range of their programs, from preschool through middle school, Pratham will be able to bring new, engaging content to kids and instructors.
Children in Uttar Pradesh, India share what they’ve been learning on a Pratham-provided tablet with their family.
For millions of people who have been displaced from their homes, the ability to start or continue an education can become a lifeline. As part of our refugee relief efforts, we’ve expanded our support of Libraries Without Borders for their “Ideas Boxes” — portable multimedia centers with Internet access and their own power source. This grant will help fund 14 additional Ideas Boxes, enabling more than 90,000 refugees to access educational resources in refugee camps in Europe and Africa.
Around the world, we’re funding NetHope to distribute and deliver devices through organizations working with the most vulnerable populations, including women and girls, who often struggle most to get the resources, education and opportunities they deserve.
NetHope WiFi network helps refugees connect with family and friends and seek asylum
In addition to these Google.org grants, every holiday season, we hold a “Giving Week” where our employees around the world can donate to the causes and organizations they want to support, and Google matches all donations. This year’s Giving Week was our biggest yet. More than 50 offices participated, a third of the company pledged, Google matched, and the total impact will be $24 million to 750 nonprofits around the world. Causes ranged from supporting the victims and survivors of the Ghost Ship fire in Oakland, to helping vulnerable women in Mexico through VIFAC, to fighting hunger and malnutrition with Akshaya Patra in India. Other giving trends this year included causes like refugee assistance and transgender rights, and support for civil liberties and women’s health organizations.
We hope the combined $54 million in grants for technology, employee donations and Google matching will help those in need around the world this holiday season. As we look ahead to 2017, we’ll continue our work to support nonprofits and communities around the world.
Supporting nonprofits around the world this holiday season
From remote villages in India, to schools across the U.S., to refugee and migrant camps in Africa, technology can help people start a business, further their education, or access new — and sometimes vital — information.
Google.org supports hundreds of nonprofits globally who are working to open up opportunities for the most vulnerable populations. As part of this ongoing work, this holiday season we’re donating $30 million in grant funding to nonprofits to bring phones, tablets, hardware and training to communities that can benefit from them most. This holiday giving brings our total grant funding for nonprofits this year to more than $100 million.
Students in Tim Jones’ classroom in East Palo Alto during class time
In the U.S., Google.org is supporting classrooms in need by funding projects that have requested Chromebooks and other technology via the educational giving platform DonorsChoose.org. For example, Mr. Jones, a teacher at Ronald McNair Academy in East Palo Alto, CA, where many students come from high-poverty communities, requested devices to help his students learn both inside and outside of the classroom. Our $5 million grant to DonorsChoose.org will provide more than 150,000 K-12 students across the United States — from Bunche Middle School in Atlanta, GA to Timberland Charter Academy in Muskegon, MI — with critical learning resources.
We’re also supporting nonprofits whose programs ensure that everyone has a chance to participate equally in society — from people experiencing homelessness to individuals disconnected from pathways out of poverty. In the Bay Area, Abode Services will help more than 1,200 re-housed homeless people receive laptop computers and related training as they move into their new homes in order to provide access to employment, social services and transportation information.
Young adults completing applications during LeadersUp hiring event in South LA
Across the nation, LeadersUp will increase access to opportunities for unemployed young adults to connect to careers that lead to family-sustaining wages 350 percent above the poverty line. By providing funding for thousands of devices to assist people being served by organizations like Defy Ventures and LifeMoves, we’re ensuring that more people have a fair shot at opportunity.
Defy Entrepreneur-in-Training Rudo C. and volunteer David R. at Business Pitch Competition in New York City
Students of Mazahua indigenous group explore learning materials on a tablet at an UNETE-supported school in San Felipe del Progreso, State of Mexico.
In Latin America, we’re supporting UNETE to bring computers, tablets and charging stations to classrooms across Mexico — giving students access to new curriculum materials, videos, and learning games. UNETE is committed to helping teachers be successful, and we’ll pair funding for this technology with training and support services. And in India, our grant to Pratham Education Foundation will help them expand their work to help kids in rural communities learn. By using tablets across a range of their programs, from preschool through middle school, Pratham will be able to bring new, engaging content to kids and instructors.
Children in Uttar Pradesh, India share what they’ve been learning on a Pratham-provided tablet with their family.
For millions of people who have been displaced from their homes, the ability to start or continue an education can become a lifeline. As part of our refugee relief efforts, we’ve expanded our support of Libraries Without Borders for their “Ideas Boxes” — portable multimedia centers with Internet access and their own power source. This grant will help fund 14 additional Ideas Boxes, enabling more than 90,000 refugees to access educational resources in refugee camps in Europe and Africa.
Around the world, we’re funding NetHope to distribute and deliver devices through organizations working with the most vulnerable populations, including women and girls, who often struggle most to get the resources, education and opportunities they deserve.
NetHope WiFi network helps refugees connect with family and friends and seek asylum
In addition to these Google.org grants, every holiday season, we hold a “Giving Week” where our employees around the world can donate to the causes and organizations they want to support, and Google matches all donations. This year’s Giving Week was our biggest yet. More than 50 offices participated, a third of the company pledged, Google matched, and the total impact will be $24 million to 750 nonprofits around the world. Causes ranged from supporting the victims and survivors of the Ghost Ship fire in Oakland, to helping vulnerable women in Mexico through VIFAC, to fighting hunger and malnutrition with Akshaya Patra in India. Other giving trends this year included causes like refugee assistance and transgender rights, and support for civil liberties and women’s health organizations.
We hope the combined $54 million in grants for technology, employee donations and Google matching will help those in need around the world this holiday season. As we look ahead to 2017, we’ll continue our work to support nonprofits and communities around the world.
30 Secret Santa Gift Ideas Your Coworkers Will Love
They see you when you’re slacking. They know when you come in late. They know if you’ve been bad or good so be good for your work’s Secret Santa exchange.
But that’s not how the song — or the Secret Santa exchange — really goes …
You spend all day with your coworkers, but come time for your annual gift exchange, you’re stuck trying to figure out exactly what Suzie will want that’s also in your price range. 
We want to help. We’ve compiled a list of awesome Secret Santa gift ideas that are bound to meet all different budgets and personality types. From hot sauce kits to leather mouse pads, this roundup should take some of the stress out of your shopping experience.
30 Secret Santa Gift Ideas for Your Coworkers
$10 and Under
1) Engraved Pencil Set
Price: $8.00
Whether you type your notes or take them by hand, these hand stamped pencils are just plain cool. The sets come in a variety of different themes — from motivational words to Harry Potter references — and they’re guaranteed to make putting together a to-do list a lot more fun.
Willing to chip in a few extra bucks? Pair a set of these pencils with a journal for a thoughtful and practical gift.
2) Toaster Grilled Cheese Bags
Price: $9.99
While almost every office has a toaster, few have a stovetop. This rules fresh, delicious grilled cheese off the list of lunch options … or does it? When you give the gift of toaster grilled cheese bags, your recipient can toast up the perfect sandwich in minutes. The reusable, Teflon-coated bags can also be used for heating up other foods like pastries and leftover pizza.
Got a gluten-free coworker? They can even protect their food from cross contamination using these handy bags.
3) Printed Socks
Price: $8.00
Nothing beats a great pair of socks, am I right? Not only does everyone need them, but there’s also such a wide variety of options available online that you’re bound to find a pair for any and every personality.
Know of a few pizza lovers in the office? This pepperoni-clad pair would make the perfect gift.
4) Sushi Pushpins
Price: $9.00
Shopping for the office sushi addict? Look no further than this trendy desk trinket.
Stuck in a maki cushion, each pearl-shaped fish egg is a pushpin in disguise. Pin up your favorite notes, photos, and menus using these handy tacks — or just admire the holder on your desk.
5) Waterproof Notepad
Price: $7.00
You never know when your next great idea is going to strike. In fact, it might even be the shower.
With a waterproof notepad from AquaNotes, you can jot down important shower notes before they slip your mind — perfect for whipping up impromptu grocery or to-do lists.
6) Tech Cloth
Price: $9.99
Between oil, dust, spills, and smudges, our devices take a beating. But with a Smart Cloth on hand, you can polish up the screen on your smartphone, tablet, camera, or computer without having to worry about scratching the surface. No liquids or sprays needed.
You can even toss The Smart Cloth in the wash, making it easy to keep germ-free.
7) Reusable To Go Box
Price: $9.99
There’s no shame in brown bagging your lunch at work, but why opt for a brown bag when you can reheat last night’s homemade Pad Thai in style?
This eco-friendly container is reusable, microwavable, and dishwasher safe. What more could you want?
8) Portable Hot Sauce
Price: $9.99
Coming from a hot sauce addict, there’s nothing worse than suffering through a bland meal without access to your favorite spicy condiment.
Thanks to this convenient set of Sriracha2Go key chains, you can carry a personal stash of the good stuff around with you at all times. Simply toss it in your purse or attach it to your keys to ensure you’ve got access to heat when you need it most.
9) Dry Erase Sheets
Price: $6.16
Use these sheets as an impromptu discussion tool, a place to post motivational quotes, or a home for your to-do list. Each sheet has a full-adhesive backing that leaves behind no residue, making them easy and convenient to tack up in the office or at home.
10) Cord Keeper
Price: $9.99
While the world of technology continues to push us in the direction of a more wireless world, we’ve all got a pair of standard headphones we keep holding on to — no matter how tangled the cord gets.
Lucky for all of us, these handmade cord “wontons” exist to help keep our headphones, USB cords, and other accessory wires nice and neat. They come in a pack of three, so you can throw one in your car, keep one on your desk, and toss one in your bag.
$25 and Under
11) Salsa Grow Kit
Price: $12.00
Got a coworker with a green thumb? Gift them this awesome salsa growing kit, complete with six seed packets for Roma tomatoes, jalapeños, verde tomatillos, cilantro, scallions, and beefsteak tomatoes.
Once the seeds sprout in the recycled egg carton planter, transfer them into larger pots until they’re ready for picking.
Not sold on salsa? There are kits available for pizza and cocktails, too.
12) Wine Infused Coffee
Price: $19.95
Gift hunting for a coffee drinker who also loves wines? Why not pick up a bag of Merlot-infused coffee beans.
This brew is made with 100% Arabica beans that are aged in oak wine barrels. Serving as the perfect post-meal treat, this unique gift will be a hit with any adventurous coffee enthusiast.
13) Plant Nanny
Price: $16.95
Don’t let the burden of watering plants keep your coworker from taking time off to relax and recharge. With the help of these terracotta watering stakes, they can throw on their OOO message and hit the road without having to hire a plant sitter.
How does it work? It’s simple: The stakes house a recycled bottle that’s designed to release just enough water to keep plants alive and well.
14) Smartphone Card Game
Price: $19.99
The name of the game is “Game of Phones.” And the rules are pretty straightforward: Grab your smartphone and have one player (the judge for the round) draw a card. Everyone else gets 60 seconds to dig up a funny response to the prompt on the card using their phone. It’s like a digital scavenger hunt — and it’s bound to be hilarious.
This one’s perfect for anyone that loves to host friends or family for game night.
15) Travel Cup
Price: $14.99–$19.99 (+$3.99 for travel lid)
There are a ton of travel mugs out there to choose from, but Tervis tumblers seem to offer it all: customization, portable cooling, self-warming system, dishwasher armor, and a lifetime guarantee.
Whether you’re buying a gift for an avid golfer, shopper, foodie, or Patriots super fan, there’s bound to be a Tervis that lines up with their interests and personality.
16) Adult Coloring Book
Price: $12.18 (Paperback)
Coloring isn’t just for kids anymore. Believe it or not, this trendy hobby offers more than a dose of nostalgia — adult coloring books are actually believed to relieve stress, too. In fact, while The American Art Association doesn’t think these books are enough to replace therapy for those who need it, it does support the use of coloring books for “pleasure and self care.”
There are a wide variety of books to choose from, but we recommend “Color Me Calm” by Lacy Mucklow: a Zen coloring book that supports meditation and relaxation. Trust us, your stressed out deskmate will thank you.
17) Fruit Infuser Water Bottle
Price: $18.65
Stay hydrated and enjoy the sweet taste of your favorite fruits with this handy water bottle from Fruitzola.
Fill the inside tube with fruit or a combination of your choice — strawberries, lemons, kiwis, watermelon, and mint all work well — and enjoy the taste of fresh, flavored H20 all day.
18) Musical Pillow
Price: $19.19
For many, listening to music, a meditation app, or a podcast before bed can make it easier to drift off to sleep. Trouble is, it’s tough to get comfortable with a pair of headphones in.
Enter: The Sound Asleep Pillow.
Deep inside this unique pillow lies a built-in speaker that connects to your phone or music player via a headphone jack. The coolest part? The sound from the speaker is only audible to the person resting their head on it, which is great if you don’t want to disturb your spouse or significant other.
19) Espresso Sampler
Price: $23.00
Treat your coworker to this four-part specialty espresso sampler from Seattle’s world-renowned roasters. Each sampler comes with tasting notes, roaster profiles, and brewing tips. (If you’re lucky, maybe they’ll share.)
$50 and Under
20) Smartphone Projector
Price: $31.95
Transform your smartphone into a big screen projector with this retro-inspired cardboard structure. Simply slide your device into the compartment for an instant cinema-like feel.
You can make this gift even better by throwing in a box of popcorn to complete the viewing experience.
21) Make Your Own Hot Sauce Kit
Price: $34.95
Whether you’re making chili for a rainy day, wings for the big game, or tacos for Tuesday’s dinner, a little homemade hot sauce can make all the difference.
With this awesome kit, recipients can whip up six signature sauces that are seasoned to their exact liking. The kit even includes customizable labels for a fun, personalized touch.
22) Bottle Loft
Price: $38.00
Seriously, how cool is this? These handy storage strips adhere to the ceiling of your refrigerator and can hold up to a six pack of bottles of your choice. Plus, the magnets are super strong: they can hold over 3X the weight of an average 12 oz. bottle.
With all the space you’ll save, you’ll have plenty of room for snacks. It’s the perfect gift for your office beer enthusiast.
23) Leather Mouse Pad
Price: $36.00
Looking for a sophisticated, practical gift option? Grab a leather mouse pad from Ugmonk’s shop.
Not only does this sleek pad provide a smooth surface for your mouse, but the leather is also known to weather and darken slowly over time to take on a one-of-a-kind look. How cool.
24) Gourmet Marshmallows
Price: $30.00
Step your hot chocolate game up with a box of gourmet marshmallows. From boozy flavors like bourbon to sweet flavors like eggnog, these handcrafted marshmallows are good enough to eat straight from the box.
25) Streaming Stick
Price: $49.99
The Roku Streaming Stick works with any television that has an HDMI port, and offers over 1,200 apps, including Netflix, HBO Go, Hulu Plus, Pandora, and many more. It’s a perfect gift for nearly any coworker.
26) Tea Drops
Price: $34.00
Enjoy hot and fresh tea on the go thanks to these dissolvable, pressed tea drops. Made from just a few simple ingredients — finely-sourced tea, sugar, and spices — these tiny morsels are perfect for a busy coworker looking for an easy, healthy beverage to sip on.
This particular sampler set includes five drops of each of the following flavors: citrus ginger, vanilla white, rose earl grey, sweet peppermint, and matcha green tea.
27) Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle
Price: $35.00 (17 oz.) / $45.00 (25 oz.)
We’ll admit it, we actually have a crush on this water bottle from S’well. Yes, a water bottle crush. Not only is it sleek and stylish — it comes in tons of colors and prints — but it’s non-toxic, non-leaching, vacuum sealed, and BPA free.
What’s more, it keeps your drinks cold for 24 hours, and hot for 12.
28) Wireless Speaker
Price: $39.99
Wireless speakers are the perfect gift for anyone in your office. Whether they use it to listen to podcasts while they cook, bring tunes to the beach, or create a custom surround sound movie experience, this little Jam Plus speaker packs a big punch. (Full disclosure: I love this speaker so much I bought another one … and one for my brother.)
29) Cacti Coasters
Price: $31.00
Help your coworkers keep their desk nice and neat with this buildable set of cacti coasters.
The set comes complete with six green leaf coasters that you can mix and match to create different landscapes within the pot. Build them up or stack them close, they’re there when you need a place to put your drink — and still look really cool when you don’t.
30) Mobile Lens Kit
Price: $26.00
If you pulled your social media manager’s name out of the Secret Santa hat, we’ve got just the thing: Help them up their Instagram game with this handy mobile lens kit. The kit includes fisheye, wide angle, and macro lenses, complete with a universal clip that’s compatible with most smartphones and tablets.
What are your go-to gift ideas? Share them with us in the comments section below.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in December 2015 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.
The Evolution of Project Management [Infographic]
The roots of project management date back thousands of years to the creation of mega projects such as the Giza Pyramids and the Colosseum.
Although the term “project management” wasn’t coined until the 1950s, projects from more than 4,500 years ago were delivered with the same systematic approach that characterizes today’s projects.
The introduction of the personal computer and the development of the information management sector in the 1990s revolutionized project management like never before.
Modern project management is largely dependent on web-based project applications, as well as mobile applications and the cloud — enhancing agility, mobility, and collaboration.
We decided to go back in time and compare the modern project management practices to the pre-millennium standards. What does the evolution of project management look like?
Check out the infographic below to see how things have changed.
Infographic via Scoro
Featured Snippets: From Start to Finish
Posted by Dr-Pete
You’ve been hearing a lot about featured snippets from us at Moz lately, including how they power answers on the latest technology wish-list item, Google Home. I hope by now that you understand the value of ranking “#0,” but you might be left wondering where to start. How do you find questions, determine if they have featured snippets, and track them over time?
I’m happy to say that, between Keyword Explorer and Moz Pro, we now have all of the tools you need to practically tackle featured snippets in a way that will be familiar for almost any SEO. This post takes you through the full featured snippet discovery and tracking cycle, from start to finish.
Step 1 – Finding questions
Finding question phrases that might trigger featured snippets is, first and foremost, a keyword research problem. So, let’s fire up Keyword Explorer and check out some keywords for “seo.” Click on “Keyword Suggestions” and you’ll see a list like this one…
The third phrase on this list — “how to do seo” – certainly looks promising. Indeed, if I run a Google search for that phrase, I see a featured snippet from Search Engine Land:
This is all well and good, but it’s going to take a lot of manual digging through keywords to find questions. Isn’t there an easier way? Thankfully, yes. On the pull-down on the upper left, the last option is [are questions]. Give it a try, and you’ll get back something like these results…
I’ve filtered the list to contain only phrases with search volumes of 101+, and now we’ve got a pretty solid list. These questions are a mix of machine-gathered and machine-generated, so some of them will need a human touch, but it’s a great starting point.
Step 1b – More questions
Here’s another trick to try out. What if you’re interested in a specific type of question, like “Why…?” questions? Try entering a generic question into Keyword Explorer, such as “why seo.” You’ll get back ideas like these:
Non only do some of these queries show featured snippets, but this kind of research is also great for content brainstorming. These are exactly the kinds of questions people want answered, including prospective customers.
Step 2 – Choosing questions
So, let’s put our first list to work. You might want to verify the presence of featured snippets manually, in some cases, but since I’ve only got 38 questions to deal with, I’m going to go ahead and track all of the ones that seem reasonable. So, I’ll select what I want from my list, and then, using the pull-down above the keyword list, I can add those keywords to a list in Keyword Explorer:
In this case, I’ve selected 20 keyphrases of the 38 I filtered out. Give the list a little time to collect stats, and then you can visit the list page directly. At first glance, we’ve already got some good news on the list page – 16 of 20 phrases are showing featured snippets:
Scroll down to the full list details, and you can see more stats for the keywords/questions. You can use these stats to filter your options down even more, but since I’ve only got 20 in this list, I’m going to go ahead and add them all to one of my Moz Pro campaigns. Just select “I want to…” at the top-left and then [Add … to campaign]:
You’ll get a pop-over (which is hopefully self-explanatory) asking you to select a campaign.
Step 3 – Tracking questions
This is where the fun really begins. Once we’ve collected campaign data on the new keywords, go to your campaign, select the “Rankings” menu, and then go to “SERP Features.” I’ve added the label “questions” to my new keywords, just to make tracking easier. You’ll see a graph of all features across the top, and then a search filter and list below. I’m going to filter on my label, and I end up with something like this:
From here, I can easily see which keywords have which features (featured snippets are marked by the scissors icon). For featured snippets, the color codes also show which snippets my campaign is represented in vs. my campaign competitors. For example, the snippet for “how to do SEO” is occupied by a competitor I track. Notice, though, that I also rank #2 for that query, and there’s an additional option labeled “Insights” next to the ranking. Click on that, and you’ll see a message from our lead SEO, Britney Muller:
Featured snippets are organic results that Google visually enhances and places above organic position 1. For this reason they appear more authoritative to users and experience higher click-thru rates. Since you are in the top 5 organic results, you may have a chance to win this featured snippet and increase your traffic.
We’ve determined that, if you rank in the top 5 and don’t currently occupy the featured snippet, this is a good opportunity to invest in rewriting your content to better target that question and potentially take the “#0” spot. Looking across my entire list, which I pruned down to only 20 questions, I can immediately spot a solid handful of opportunities – specific query/page combos to target for featured snippets.
Step 4 – Getting to work
I’ve written more in other posts about how to win featured snippets, and Ronell Smith had a good post recently on keeping those hard-won snippets. The next step is doing the work and continuing to track your question keyword list until the scissors finally turn blue:
I’d like to say that featured snippets are something you get to keep forever, but like organic rankings, they’re awarded in real-time and are an ongoing battle. Fortunately, with Moz Pro, you can monitor featured snippets just as you would organic rankings.
You can try out some question research in Keyword Explorer for free (even if you’re not a Moz Pro customer), so give it a spin and start thinking about how you can provide better answers for search users.
Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don’t have time to hunt down but want to read!
Twitter Unveils Live Video: Here's What You Need to Know
On December 14th, Twitter announced that users would be able to broadcast live video directly from Twitter on iOS and Android mobile devices. This move is the result of Twitter’s integration with Periscope, the live video streaming app it acquired back in March of 2015.
Earlier in 2016, Twitter began featuring live and replayed Periscope videos in Twitter timelines that users could watch and interact with — even without a Periscope account.
Now, Twitter users can broadcast live video directly from Twitter without having to create a Periscope account first. Tweets featuring live video can be retweeted and liked, and videos on Twitter can generate comments and heart emojis as they do in the Periscope app.
While this isn’t Twitter’s first foray into live content this year — earlier this year, Twitter began partnering with multiple organizations to become a destination site for live video, featuring NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB Games, Presidential debates, and the Republican and Democratic National Conventions — it is an important one. With the launch of its live capability, Twitter is cementing its place in the competition for user attention — and research shows that video is what users want.
Let’s dive into a quick explainer about how to go live on Twitter and what impact this announcement may have on video marketing.
How to Go Live on Twitter
Starting a live broadcast on Twitter couldn’t be easier. When you click to compose a new tweet in the mobile app, there’s now an option to record live video, as seen below:
From there, you tap the “Live” option and enter a caption to accompany your video on Twitter timelines:
Once you start recording, it’s easy to stop broadcasting, change your camera perspective, and see who’s liking and interacting with your video:
Once you’ve finished broadcasting, you can see how your video appears in other users’ Twitter timelines. Here’s my (very brief) broadcast on Twitter:
About to #GoLive on Twitter for the first time! https://t.co/y3dJS6bygD
— Sophia Bernazzani (@soph_bern)
December 19, 2016
That’s it. Easy, right?
For now, Twitter users can receive notifications when specific handles they follow start recording live, and Twitter says they can expect live videos to be featured prominently on their timelines in the future.
What’s Next for Twitter and Periscope?
Twitter Enters the Live Video Arena
If this live video launch sounds familiar to you, you’re right on target — the live content update is very similar to Facebook Live and Instagram Live. Twitter’s new live video capabilities will help it compete against Facebook and Instagram, two social media giants that are currently outpacing Twitter in terms of user growth.
Giving Twitter users the tools to create and share their own live content could help the company attract new users and increase engagement on the platform — especially because 90% of Twitter video plays already happen on mobile devices. On Facebook, live video performs 3x better than embedded video, so Twitter users may start broadcasting more live video on Twitter if it performs similarly.
Twitter Grows as a Breaking News Source
“Live video is really exciting for Twitter since it takes advantage of two things the network does so well — breaking news and being human,” HubSpot Social Media Marketing Manager Chelsea Hunersen observed. And she’s right: Twitter has become a destination for breaking news information, and it’s easy to see why.
In just 140 characters, it’s easier and faster to gather information about an evolving story than from articles or television news — 63% of Twitter users surveyed by Pew Research Center admitted they got their news on the platform, and 59% said they had kept up with a news event on Twitter as it was unfolding. By introducing live video into an environment already known for being fast-paced, breaking news just became even easier to share.
This integration of live video will also provide greater context for people trying to witness a breaking news event online. Hunersen added that, “this will also be a good way to disrupt the firehose we’ve come to know on Twitter, where it can be hard to find quality content among the many different tweets, and will add a really engaging element to those tweets.”
Twitter Has Become a Video Destination
Between sports and politics, Twitter was already generating huge audiences for their live video events. Giving users the ability to broadcast live onto a popular platform is a huge win for Twitter, but it’s a win for users, too. As streaming video content grows in popularity, particularly among Millennials, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram are all competing to catch the attention of their young user bases. This live video launch could help Twitter attract more partnerships like the ones they made with professional sports leagues and cable news networks to get more eyes on video content on their platform.
Periscope’s Future is Unknown
As for Periscope, an app that boasts 110 years of live video per day being streamed, what’s next is unclear. With the integration of Periscope’s broadcasting capabilities now available on Twitter without the need for a Periscope account, we don’t know whether Twitter will continue to develop the Periscope app it acquired in 2015. For now, it’s business as usual, but it will be interesting to see if Periscope’s numbers start dropping as Twitter users start ramping up their live video broadcasting frequency.
We’re excited to see how this launch unfolds on Twitter and how it will impact Periscope and other social media platforms. Expect more content from us about competition for users, shares, and engagement, the growing popularity of live video, and more insight into how to record a broadcast Twitter users will love.
What type of video content is your favorite to watch and share on Twitter? Share with us in the comments below.
10 of the Best Out-of-Office Messages We Could Find
When it comes to the final days before vacation, people tend to fall into one of two camps: 1) those who watch the clock incessantly, and 2) those who are so busy before they leave, they might even forget to put up an out-of-office email message.
If you’re anything like I am, you probably fall into team two. That doesn’t leave a lot of time to get creative. But if you plan ahead, you might be able to craft some hilarity.
Out-of-office messages run the gamut. From funny, to clever, to snarky, we’ve come across some of the best — from Google, and from colleagues.
Here are some of the gems we found. And once you’re back from vacation? Well, not to rush you, but this email productivity guide can help you get back on track after your out-of-office time.
10 Funny Out-of-Office Messages
1) The Not-So-Tropical Getaway
We’ll give this guy first place, since we almost feel bad for him. Almost. Rather than using an out-of-office message for a tropical vacation, he used one to explain his absence during what would likely be a snow storm. Not only did it give us a chuckle, but it also generated a certain amount of empathy — which is often the key to good content.
Source: New Relic
2) The Sorry-I’m-Not-Sorry
If your email client allows it, you could always just use an image to express your out-office-sentiment, like this one. After all, they say that a picture is worth a thousand words — and, visual content is still essential to successful marketing.
Source: Barry Moroney
3) The Popular Film Reference
Are you familiar with the film Field of Dreams? If not, allow us to fill you in. It centers around baseball and a family in Iowa, but saying any more might spoil the plotline.
Movie synopses aside, the opening line of this out-of-office message was taken directly from the Field of Dreams script — fitting, given the sender’s travels to Iowa. So before you leave, research some famous quotes about the place you’re visiting. It might test the recipient’s knowledge, but more likely, it’ll just make them smile.
Source: New Relic
4) The Scavenger Hunt
When my colleague Sam Mallikarjunan went on vacation, he set an out-of-office message that was both clever and smart. First, he sent the recipient on an imaginary scavenger hunt to “the highest peak of the tallest mountain.” He used humorous absurdity to make it clear that he would not be checking email while he was away.
Plus, he incorporated a delightful technique to let people know that if they really wanted him to read their emails, they should probably send them again after his return. Not only does that keep the sender accountable by saying, “If this is really important, you know when to reach me,” but it also helps Mallikarjunan truly vacate his work while he’s away. And that’s hard to do — And if you struggle with it, check out these tips.
Source: Sam Mallikarjunan
5) The Blunt Approach
Josh Kopelman, we salute you.
Not only did Kopelman manage to turn his out-of-office message into an epic poem of sorts, but also, he actually went through the trouble of creating a delightfully snarky, vacation-specific email address for his recipients.
Giving the option to contact an email address containing “interruptyourvacation” provides two things — 1) A dose of humor, and 2) discouragement from actually doing what the name suggests. Plus, he prefaces it with a request for empathy, by explaining that he promised quality time to his family.
Here’s where honesty is a helpful device. Sure, Kopelman is truthful about the fact that he’s on vacation, but he also lets the recipient know that he or she would be interrupting important family time if the first option is chosen. It states a point simply, and uses humor to avoid making it sound like he wants the reader to feel guilty.
Source: Gizmodo
6) The Third Person
When HubSpot Marketing Manager Karsten Köhler is out of the office, he doesn’t mess around. In fact, he’s turned his auto-responses into a running series of commentary for fictional cartoon character Troy McClure.
Each time McClure makes an appearance in these out-of-office messages, he “speaks” on behalf of Köhler and alludes to the previous auto-responses in which he starred. It’s a mild form of self-deprecating humor — as if to say, “I know, I’m out of the office again” — made only funnier by the made-up teaser title included in the last line.
As with the Field of Dreams example, don’t be afraid to use a pop cultural reference that audience would recognize. Instead of bemoaning your absence, they’ll have something fun and familiar to laugh at.
Source: Karsten Köhler
7) The Twitter Method
… and then, there was the out-of-office tweet. We’re not entirely sure where it originated, but it has two sides.
If you actually want people to be able to reach you, and you’re more likely to be checking Twitter than email while out of the office, it might be an effective way for people to reach you.
But if you tend to use social media during vacation and really do want to be left alone, we would suggest offering a different communication method in your auto-response.
I’m not in the office right now but if it’s important, tweet me using #YOUAREINTERRUPTINGMYVACATION pic.twitter.com/SgL97nof8L
— Philippe Khattou (@Phil_Khattou)
August 14, 2015
8) The Lack of Filter
There seems to be a widespread belief that you’re not allowed to brag in your out-of-office message. But if you ask HubSpot Marketing Director Ryan Bonnici, who needs a filter when you’ve got a great vacation?
We love about this auto-response because of the marketing humor it injects with hashtags like #TMI and #SorryNotSorry. And, it’s not trying to hide anything, making it clear that Bonnici is on vacation and doesn’t really want to read your email while he’s away. But don’t worry, he says, soon you’ll be on vacation, too, which will fill him with his own karmic envy.
This message also pays tribute to the colleagues who are keeping matters in order during his absence. He specifically lists the best contact for each issue, along with a fun fact about them. Not only do I know who to ask about Field & Events, but I can ask for her dip recipe.
So don’t just be honest in your out-of-office — give credit to the people who are handling things while you’re gone.
Source: Ryan Bonnici
9) The Liquid Update
We wish we could find the original source of this one. It’s made several lists, and its author is likely a legend within his or her network.
That said, even though we’ve been preaching honesty as the best policy, be careful with messages that are this transparent. Make sure you’re familiar enough with your audience — and your boss, for that matter — to know that this sort of out-of-office message will be met with a snicker, and not with concern.
I am currently out of the office and probably out-of-my-mind drunk. Enjoy your work week.”
10) The Sneak Preview
I have a confession to make. I’m writing this post on the dawn of my own vacation.
Perhaps I had ulterior motives for seeking these examples, in that I was hoping to find inspiration for my very own out-of-office message. And if you ask me, they all have great elements that I’d like to borrow.
So, without further ado — Sorry to have missed you.
What clever out-of-office replies have you come across? Let us know in the comments.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2014 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
