MKTG 348: Week 10- SEO Class and Dr Kelsey

I remember walking into Dr. Kelsey's class last semester and thinking this class is bonkers. Google Analytics? What the heck did I sign up for? I hate math. I hate numbers. Analyzing Google is going to be so hard. Little did I know, this was one of the beneficial and uncomplicated courses I took at Benedictine. 

With this being my last ever blog post for Dr. Kelsey, I wanted to quickly thank him for helping me these past few semesters and showing our class how important digital marketing is to the business world. This SEO class, as well as the Google Analytics class, were both very eye-opening. I never realized how much people rely on digital media nowadays to convey their business. Not only that, but the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes is incredible. The analytics portion of feedback and clicks is amazing to see. Learning about Keywords within Google have also gave me a new perspective on how intense the Google search is every time someone presses the Enter key.

I wanted to once again take the time to thank Dr. Kelsey on all he has taught me and how helpful he has been to everyone he has come across. Benedictine marketing has stepped into a new era with Dr. Kelsey and the current students and future alumni are ever grateful.

MKTG 348: Week 9- Weebly

The class was told to make a website on Weebly. My site was very entertaining in the fact that it had a bunch of pictures of google searches and these searches were linked to a different search everyday. So for example, if the picture was a search of the world Lion, and the user would click the picture, the person would probably be led to a search about the word Tiger. It made absolutely no sense and that was what kept users coming back for more. There was a sense of professionalism within the site with my blog being posted on it and my contact information. However the key sense of traffic within the website was the "Random Search of the Day". 

Creating a website on Weebly was not that hard actually. Compared to Wix, I would say it is a lot easier. Not only is it a lot easier, I would say it has a lot more customization opportunities that Wix does not give. For example, the themes are one of the most overrated aspects of Wix. I understand the pictures are nice and innocent. But I prefer the higher quality and meaningful themes that Weebly has to offer. I personally used a picture of a bird for my background because I wanted people to feel "Free" on my site. This was seen often when I noticed one of my classmates aimlessly browse my website for majority of the class period. It was fun to see how much your hard work amused other people. I will be using Weebly in the future for my employer if i am told to make a website or two.

MKTG 348: Week 8- Meta Tag

Meta tags are codes that are given when data is shown for a webpage. For example, someone types in Soccer in Google. The website then oozes out a bunch of data that is hidden within millions of results. The meta tags are HTML lines of coding that are hidden within each page. Meta tags can be shown under the search results to give a little insight about the search itself.

Meta tags can also be used as page descriptions. The three ways description Meta tags help searches are:

1. tells the search engine what your page or site is about
2. helps with click through rates to your site
3. helps with site rankings

1. The data helps identify the page itself. The descriptions usually speak for themselves.

2. Good description tags help web surfers choose your site over other sites. Clickers will only click on what they feel is relevant. So short and simple descriptions will suffice.

3. Keywords like -ing -ed and -s are used here to help moved the site up within the rankings.

Meta tags are some of the more undervalued aspects of SEO. A meta tag can be the difference in 1,000 clicks and 0 clicks.

MKTG 348: Week 7- Search Engine News

One of the objectives of class was to create an account on Search Engine News and get a certification from that site in order to benefit our SEO skills and enhance our development within the class. SEN is a firm that audits websites and helps websites become powerhouses within the search engine industry. Some of the services they offer are on-site analysis, full site crawls, content checks, and site reviews. Once all of these steps and measures are taken, SEN can diagnose whether or not the website at hand is heading in the right direction or not.

The certification test for SEN was one of the easier tests that one will have to take within the Digital Marketing courses. Not only is the information easily graspable but the website REALLY wants the students to pass the test. They give them many chances to take the test through corrections. So if a student takes the test and answers 5 questions wrong and needs to answer three more to pass, the site will tell the student exactly what questions were answered wrong. The student can then retake those questions and resubmit the test. This is better than having to retake the test all over again knowing that you answered most of the test right the first time.

I personally learned alot through SEN. Site crawls and spiders were not words I thought I would ever think about when it came to SEO. Shows how much I know!

MKTG 348: Week 6- Inbound News Article

http://yourstory.com/2016/04/inbound-marketing/

I recently found an interesting article that discusses inbound marketing and its importance within the world we currently live in. The article sums up the idea that cold emails are a thing of the past. Pulling customers in instead of pushing things on to them is the new way to go about your business. The article uses Hubspot's method of inbound marketing and states it is key in successfully getting your point across. The following four steps are what the article suggests one use in order to fully benefit from inbound marketing.

1. Attract
2. Convert
3. Close
4. Delight

Attracting is providing valuable content to your audience. It is something you should always be focused on as an inbound marketer.

Converting refers to the fact that once your content generation and promotion is settled, you need to put a hook on to everyone who comes in to view your content.

Closing is the fact that only after a couple of interactions on email should you try and sell your product or service to these people who are engaged on a consistent basis.

Delighting is where you ask questions from your existing customers with feedback forms and learn about what they love about you and what they think you should change.

The article lastly states, "Inbound marketing is a long term activity and doesn’t show results overnight. However the earlier you invest, the better it is. At the end of the day, what is going to survive your business is users who come in on their own and talk about you." Inbound marketing is literally a work of art. The harder you work at it the better you will get. 

MKTG 348: Week 5- Hubspot/Certification

What is Hubspot? Hubspot is a company that was founded by two friends in 2006. The goal of the company was to help other companies become more aware of inbound marketing. Hubspot creates software, tutorials, as well as integration tools for inbound marketing. Their main objective is to help grow the inbound marketing movement. One key way that Hubspot tries to teach other people how to inbound market is by allowing anyone to take a certification test. The certification test is taken after one studies the inbound marketing information that Hubspot supplies. After a few tries, I personally passed the Hubspot test much to the amusement of my fellow classmates. It is not a walk in the park. People have to actually study for a test like this. The video lectures online can become boring and mundane. However, the idea of furthering your knowledge in digital marketing is always helpful. 

Hubspot can become a key tool when referring to business as a whole. Inbound marketing is a growing art and no one does it better than Hubspot. Sooner or later, many companies will follow the ideas and morals of this company and integrate inbound marketing as a whole.

MKTG 348: Week 4- Buyer Persona

This week, the emphasis was on the idea of learning how to develop and analyze buyer personas. A buyer persona is a made-up representation of an ideal customer that is created based on market research and existing information on current consumers. Buyer personas provide companies with a few different key demographics to look for when selling their products. These personas are then set to the side and help determine who the company will be selling to and what the company will be selling to.

For example, a few buyer personas may be Innovative Ivan, Oldie Ollie, and Following Frank. Innovative Ivan is the hip and trendy college graduate who has the time and money to buy whatever he wants and whenever he wants. He is the key consumer when the objective is to sell gadgets and brand new technology. Oldie Ollie is a 60 year old man who loves old fashioned things. He is not really into the latest things. He prefers his flip phone and likes to ride his bike for fun. The company would sell sweaters or value jackets to a person like Ollie. Following Frank likes to see what a person like Innovative Ivan has. If Ivan likes it and uses it often, Frank is more likely to buy it. Frank likes to wait for all of the cool, new gadgets to be priced down and does not care if he isn't the first to own the newest trend.

Buyer personas help companies distinguish different types of consumers and this in return helps the consumer feel like all of their needs are being met and met to the fullest of extents.

MKTG 348: Week 3- Inbound Marketing

Hubspot's website writes, "Inbound marketing has been the most effective marketing method for doing business online. Instead of the old outbound marketing methods of buying ads, buying email lists, and praying for leads, inbound marketing focuses on creating quality content that pulls people toward your company and product, where they naturally want to be." This reminds me of another class I am currently taking. In Marketing Strategy, we learned about the Push and Pull methods when it comes to advertising. Push method is what the old marketing looked look. Products and ideas were pushed into peoples' minds through reiteration in radio and television commercials. Companies and firms thought that the best and only way to market products was by forcing themselves into the evoked set of consumers. Oh how they were wrong! Inbound marketing is like the Pull method. Companies are reeling and dealing consumers more often than not. They are trying to get the customers to learn more about them and take interest in their products. This method is being used more and more by companies all over the world.

A reason that inbound marketing is so popular is due to the technology age that we are currently witnessing. Digital and social media is one of the key factors in the changing of business. GoDaddy.com is a great example of this. During the Super Bowl, the company posts a racy advertisement and at the end of the commercial, it says "WATCH THE WHOLE VIDEO ON OUR WEBSITE" This uses a sense of sex appeal to gain and retain some consumers. This technique is going to become the norm by the middle of the century.

MKTG 348: Week 2- RGBexchange Keyword

The RGBexchange website is a platform that was used by our class to write about a certain website we found online that furthers the use of the keyword: fundraising. The goal of the task was to increase the site rank on search engines when it came to fundraising. The article that I found was titled "Top 40 Event Fundraising Ideas". In this article, Salsa Labs lists forty different types of fundraising ideas that can be used at a variety of different occasions. Some of the events that are given are K-12 events, annual events, fraternities/sororities, and even sports clubs.

This exercise was key in developing my interest in keywords. When one searches a certain topic on Google or any other platform, they usually write out the full search they are looking for. One is more likely to find their relevant searches if they keep the search sweet and simple and stick to a few keywords. I never realized this before this exercise. Knowing how to work with keywords is essential in any search engine optimization course.

In what was a very simple exercise, my eyes were opened to the vast importance that keywords have within the internet database.

MKTG 348: Week 1- Introduction to Search Engine Optimization

           According to Google, Search Engine Optimization is the process of maximizing the number of visitors to a particular website by ensuring that the site appears high on the list of results returned by a search engine. Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is basically the way that companies or organizations create ways for their website or firm to be viewed online. For example, when one searches apple on Google, the first thing that will come up is Apple Inc. The fruit will be seen nowhere on the first part of the search. This has happened due to Apple's incredible SEO program and that fact that it is one of the most recognizable brands in the world. Ten years ago, a fruit might come up when someone searches Apple. However, due to an influx of search engine optimization by Apple Inc, that has all changed. Apple is not the only company that uses SEO in order to maintain more views. All Fortune 500 companies and many large companies this day and age use SEO to better their company for the present and future. 

          One of the biggest reasons that companies utilize SEO is in order to become one of the top searches within a certain search. When someone "googles" a certain topic, they usually want an answer quickly and do not care to look for any more searches past the first page. So in order for your page to be seen by consumers and viewers alike, one has to get their page to on of the top few spots. In order to do this, a company has to create keywords and maybe even advertisements in order for Google to rank them high enough. Keywords and views are the long process that take years to do. However, if one gives Google enough money, they can easily jump all the way to the top. However, one must have a pretty penny in order to do that.

         Throughout the class, we will continue to learn more about SEO and my knowledge for this topic will soon become greater and more reliable. For now, I will stick to my common sense and the professor's lectures when blogging about this topic.

Conversion Tracking

One of the most underrated aspects in the current job market is the use of analytics when it comes to online platforms. Conversion tracking is one of the new ways companies can track or determine their success online and through mobile platforms. Conversion tracking is a tool that is used to determine or "track" clicks from people visiting a certain website or page. When a consumer or customer performs a certain task, this is called a conversion. There are many types of activities that can be done in order to track conversions. Some examples are: signing up for newsletters, calling a business, purchasing a product, clicking an advertisement, or even downloading an application.

 Conversion tracking works through four different intervals: website actions, phone calls, app downloads, and imports. Website actions are the main factor in conversion tracking. Clicks and rollovers are main interactions that are used during conversion tracking. Phone calls can be anything from a mobile interaction to calling a company through an ad. App downloads are exactly as they sound. Downloading an application through a mobile interface is a way to track conversion. Importing contacts from a file into another file is another type of conversion.

Conversions are very important for a variety of reasons. They help tell companies which keywords or ads best define a page. They also help web developers better understand a return on investment, or ROI. Conversion tracking can also help you optimize your business goals through target ROAS and enhanced CPA. However, the most important aspect of conversion tracking is that it helps businesses determine if their site is effective. It gives you analytics regarding who is coming to your site and when.

WCIYP: How to Start Your Own Business

The last chapter of What Color is Your Parachute?, talks about the very last straw that a job applicant can always fall back on. There is always one available option when it comes to changing your career. That option is to start your own business. If someone cannot find a new job, or their current just is not satisfying, they can always go and start a new business. The author gives the reader three tips to help fully benefit from a new business.

The first tip is to write. The author tells the reader to jot down an ideas that they have. If an idea comes to mind, it must be jotted down or else it might be forgotten. Writing a resume is also key because it helps you put together all of your experiences and certifications. Writing down things you are good at can also help you picture what is right and what is wrong. Reading is the second tip that the author gives. Many websites like Working Solo, Small Business Administration, and A Small Business Expert are given to the reader in hope that they read the tips that are given regarding how to start a business. Exploring is the third tip that is given. This tip involves using all of the previous tips and putting them to use. Researching and exploring successful small businesses can help one picture how their business should be.

The last part of the chapter discusses an "A-B=C" method that can narrow down a business search. The "A" refers to skills and knowledges that are needed to run this kind of business. "B" refers to skills and knowledges that you have. "C" is skills and knowledges needed, which I don't have, so I am going to go out and hire someone who has them. This method helps people determine what aspects of their future business they should keep and what aspects they should throw out. 

WCIYP: The Five Ways to Choose/Change Careers

In Chapter 10 of What Color is Your Parachute?, the author discusses ways that a person can and should choose or change his or her career path. In order for someone to be successful in whatever career they pursue, they must have a love for it. There is no point in working for someone or something that you do not feel passionate about. So the five tips that are given in order to maximize the chances of you finding the best job are:

1. Internet
2. Tests
3. Using the Flower Exercise
4. Changing a Career in Two Steps
5. Finding Out What the Job-Market Will Need

The internet does not just refer to Google and all of the other links that are found online. It specifically refers to O*Net Online. This is a a digital website and online house of information with up-to-date information about careers. Further research into the website and one can find how in-depth the said information is. Suggested careers are classified by green companies, industries in great demand, interests, skill sets, and even work values. Once an occupation is found, the website has a specially developed content model which runs a twelve page print of the occupation. The website is very thorough and up-to-date, Websites like these can be key in the battle for a new job.

Tests are another tool that people can use in order to change or choose their job. These tests are more like assessments than actual tests. These tests are taken for a number of reasons. Some of those reasons are to help define your strengths and weaknesses, opening up to new ideas, and even clues into what your current job search is missing. Some websites that provide such tests are the Dewey Color System and Dr. John Holland's Self-Directed Search. Even typing "career tests" into Google can help bring up some worthy sights.

The third way that a person can attempt to change their career path is by using the flower exercise. As discussed in blog posts before, the flower exercise is a technique that helps people narrow down their potential employer. Each pedal refers to another detail that can be applied when looking for new jobs. This technique is very tedious and technical, however it can lead to many job openings due to how precise and narrow the information ends up becoming.

The fourth way to change a career path is by changing the career in two steps. A job has two parts: the title and the field. Title is the symbol of what you do, while the field is the actual blood, sweat and tears on the job. People should look at both when looking for a job. Maybe there is a title that fits with another field that the person is passionate about. No job will be perfect and some sacrifices will have to be made when determining the job title and field. Experience can come with both title and field. This will also look good to a future employer.

The last way that job searchers can choose or change their job is through finding out what the job-market will need. At this point in the job search, a person should stop focusing on what they want and look at what companies need. If a company is hiring but their job asks for something that the person does not feel comfortable with, the person has to try that company anyway. Training and knowledge of the material can and will come. At this point, all last requests are made and a person has to look at all the companies that are hiring.

WCIYP: How to Deal with Any Handicaps You Have

Chapter Nine in What Color is Your Parachute? discusses handicaps and how one should deal with them when it comes to the workforce. When someone pictures the word "handicap", they automatically think of being physically handicapped and nothing more and nothing less. Physical handicaps are one of the many types of handicaps that plague our world today. When someone is turned down a job they might think that they have a handicap that stopped them from achieving their goal. Whether it is not graduating from high school/college, being too thin/fat, being black/white. People can assume anything into a handicap whether it is true or not.

The two key ideas that the author wants the reader to know is that people should not generalize employers and that everyone has handicaps. 99% of the time employers will not generalize you, so it is not fair so you to generalize them. Employers usually look to find positive aspects of your work. They usually look to find things you can do compared to things you can't do. When you think about it, everyone is handicapped in one way or another. There is no one person in the world who is perfect. Everyone is good at something and everyone is bad at something. Handicaps are just negatives that people have that they should look for ways to fix. No one will ever have every skill possible and no one will ever try to. However, if there is a certain task that you are not fully sure with, it does not hurt to practice that task and become more skillful at it. 

However, people should not look for tasks they cannot do. People should be looking at the tasks they already can do. The author gives the reader 246 transferable skills that can help anyone succeed in whatever job they apply for. Some examples include: acting, computing, auditing, recruiting, typing, serving, and giving. There are many skills out there. It is the future employee's job to extract that skill and put it to good use.

WCIYP: You Get to Choose Where You Work

 Chapter 8 of What Color is Your Parachute? is titled "You Get to Choose Where You Work". This does not refer to the fact that someone wants to work internationally or domestically. Location is not the main topic of discussion in this chapter. This refers more to what type of job or job environment a person wants to work at. The author gives the reader five tips on how to reach the best possible said job "location".

The first tip is "First, you need to find out what careers or jobs your flower points to". This refers to the fact that people need to actually sit down and think about what job their flower points to. There are many possible jobs that people can look into. However, their flower should help point them into a certain workforce or place of employment that narrows down their skill set. Readers should choose their top five favorite transferable skills. This refers to verbs. When you are done with this, you are to show this list to your family and ask them for feedback. Jot down everything that these people tell you. Do not throw out any of the information that is given. Whether it is positive criticism or negative criticism, everything can and will help in the long run.

The second tip states, "You need to try on careers before you decide which ones to pursue". The author states that finding a new job is a lot like trying on clothes at a store. People go and try on many different suits and dresses to see what best appeals to them. The same thing happens with jobs. People have to research and "try on" jobs before they apply for them. If they do not do this, they might be stuck in a long term predicament that will end bad for the employer and the employee.

The third tip is that once you find out what job to pursue, you have to find out what kinds of organizations have said job. Places that employ part time or full time, temporary workers or project workers, volunteers or employees, non-profit or profit. These are all types of distinguishing factors that one should consider when looking for a new job. People should not only talk to workers who know about the field, they should also talk to workers who have experienced the work in person.

The fourth tip is that people need to find particular names of places that interest them. People should not be looking just for jobs that have openings. They should also be looking at places that are fully employed but interest them. Lay-offs and quitting happens all the time. If someone is looking at a certain job and makes contact with the person in charge, then they will always be the first person that is called for an opening. People who try and approach companies will always give a better first impression compared to people who act like they are forced to apply.

The fifth and last tip is that people should learn all they can about the place they are applying for before they apply. There are many types of ways that a person can learn more about their potential place of employment. Friends and neighbors can always give you great insight about a company. Older relatives can give you advice and stories that you would not have known by yourself. People who work at the company can also help give you insight. They are the ones that deal with the company everyday and have the most experience regarding the company. The internet also helps people look at companies. There are websites that rate employers and bosses on their work-ability and likability. 

WCIYP: You Need to Understand More Fully Who You Are

Chapter 7 of What Color is Your Parachute? discusses understanding oneself more and thinking about the person that your future employer is going to hire. One can begin the process by asking questions to them self that regard who they are. The main aspect of this process to truly consider who they are. Instead of answering "I am a construction worker", one should say "I am a person who has construction experience" or "I am a person who is skilled in the construction field." I find this to be a great example of how one can better themselves by just thinking deeper into the problem instead of covering just the surface.

The author then goes on to discuss how we are related to flowers in a way. Seven petals each with a certain aspect of our work and lifestyle experience are used as aspects of the flowers. The first petal is "My favorite Knowledges or Fields of Interest". The second petal is "My Preferred Kinds of People to Work With". "What I Can Do and Love to Do" is the third petal. The fourth petal is "My Favorite Working Conditions". The 5th petal is "My Preferred Salary and Level of Responsibility". "My Preferred Places to Live" is the 6th petal. The last petal is "My Goal, My Purpose, or Mission in Life".

The first petal discusses that one can describe who they are by what they know. People should also take into consideration about the favorite knowledges or fields of interests that others have. The second petal is about what kind of people you would most likely work best with. The traits that are suggested to describe said persons is age span, handicaps and geographic location. The third petal discusses what skills that someone possesses and especially if they can transfer these skills into the workforce. Skills like time management, leadership, and being goal oriented can be very useful in any work setting. Favorite working conditions are considered for the fourth petal. Working conditions can include, but are not limited to, small/large company, indoors/outdoors, and windows/no windows. The fifth petal discusses preferred salary and level of responsibility. The salary aspect is obvious but the level of responsibility refers to working alone or with other fellow employees as a team. The sixth petal, which I personally feel like is the most important aspect of the job experience, deals with job location. This can include warm/cold, northern/southern, urban/rural, coastal/mountains, or even domestic/international. The last petal may be the most underrated one. It discusses one's goals, purpose, or mission in life. If a job does not integrate your beliefs and goals then there is no point in even applying.

WCIYP: What to Do When Your Job-Hunt Just Isn't Working

The author discusses the chance that one might not find their job after many attempts in this chapter. He writes that there are two ways that people go about and look for jobs. The first way is the traditional way and the second way is the Parachute way. The traditional way is the basic way and the way that the author does not want the reader to use. The Parachute way is a lot more meaningful and in-depth. When one reads the table that is given they will surely agree with the author about which method is more sufficient. 

The first aspect of the traditional way is that one is looking for a job. However, for the Parachute way the reader is looking for a dream job. No one wants to work for a company that they are not fully invested to. With that being said, it makes sense that the dream job is seen as more of a fulfilling way at attempting a job hunt. Another aspect in the job-hunt is how one sees them self. The traditional way is to be a job-beggar but the Parachute way is to look at yourself as a resource. A resource that can and will help the company grow and become greater than it was before. It does not look good if someone is going into a job interview all selfish and not willing to put the company first. If someone has their pay and good environment in their mind during the job interview and not the  job and work itself, then the whole interview is pointless.

The author then gives the twelve best and worst ways to look for a job

1. Looking for employers' job-postings on the internet.
2. Posting or mailing out your resume to employers
3. Answering a local newspaper ad
4. Going to private employment agencies or search firms for help
5. Answering ads in professional or trade journals, appropriate to your field
6. Job Clubs
7. Going to the state or federal employment office
8. Going to places where employers pick up workers
9. Asking for job-leads
10. Knocking on the door of any employer, office, or manufacturing plant
11. Using the Yellow Pages
12. The Parachute Approach

I personally feel like the best tip given here is joining job clubs. Job clubs are exactly what they sound like. They are groups that have meetings to discuss potential job opportunities and hiring employers. Most people think that the job-hunt is a solo task that they should do and that they are on their own. However, they seem to forget about the millions of people in the workforce who are trying to get a new job or find their first one. A job club would be very beneficial for up and coming applicants who have never worked before. The club can give them people they can look up to for advice and experience.

ITGA: Fun with eCommerce Analytics Part I: Shopify

In Chapter 5 of Intro to Google Analytics, the author discusses eCommerce and its relationship regarding Google Analytics. ROI, or return on investment, is a key aspect in eCommerce. ROI is whether or not an investor is benefiting from his or her investment. In relation to Google Analytics, ROI pretty much means "how much profit is made from one's ads compared to how much is spent on those ads". To simplify it, it is profits minus advertising costs. The author writes, "Tracking ROI is a 50 billion dollar skill, because it's at the core of Google's success, and you could argue it's a trillion dollar skill." Since Google ads and analytics provide companies with so much revenue, this truly can be a priceless skill to some degree. eCommerce is a key resource that many companies use to better their internet and media traits. Unfortunately, eCommerce comes at a price. Luckily, those losses will turn into gains with the right person working the analytics account.

The author soon goes into greater detail regarding Shopify. Shopify is a Canadian company that creates computer software for other companies that they will integrate with their online stores and point of sale systems. The author then goes into detail of how to set up an account with Shopify and how to get started. It is an easy but very useful process.

WCIYP: The Six Secrets of Salary Negotiation

In What Color is Your Parachute?, Richard Bolles discusses salary negotiation in chapter six. The author states that he once came across a high school graduate who had just received a new job. When Bolles asked the graduate if they discussed wages, the graduate said no. Little did the graduate know, her first paycheck would end up being very underwhelming. The author wants the reader to realize how important discussing wages is during and after a job interview. Bolles states six secrets in the actual negotiation of salaries.

His first tip is that salary should not be discussed at the job interview until the end. The best time to discuss salary is either when the job applicant is getting a good vibe from the interviewer or if he or she is sure that they have the job. His second tip is that one should uncover how much the employer is willing to pay for his or her services. Salary negotiations are meant to discuss a similar salary interest, not for someone to set their own salary. The third tip is that the job applicant should never be the first person to initiate salary figures. If the job applicant is the first person to discuss actual figures, this may be risky and might automatically disqualify them from the job race. Bolles's fourth tip is that the applicant should do salary research before going into the job interview. There are many websites that offer salaries for many similar jobs (Ex: Jobstar, MyPlan, SalaryExpert). Researching and defining an interrelated salary range between oneself and the employer is the fifth tip. Finding a salary within your requirements and the employer's offer is always a positive aspect in salary negotiation. The last tip is to always bring salary negotiations to a close and to not leave them hanging. Since many executives forget the actual interview itself, be sure to reiterate your salary agreement.

The author also states that these tips may not help and that the reader should not belittle themselves. The one positive thing is that the rest of the book will help with different ways in which a job applicant can successfully obtain said job.

ITGA: Reviewing Performance of Campaigns

This chapter talks about Google Analytics and reviewing the performance one has regarding his or her campaign. The author states that Location is a great factor in efficient clicks and traffic. People who are bilingual should consider countries that would fit their language. That way, many people from across the world can see your product or campaign. Using Google Analytics to expand your location is very simple and is often a key factor in whether or not you reach your goal number of clicks.

Trends are also another way people can review performance. Is your site viewed on weekdays? Weekends? During the day? During the night? Google Analytics also gives users the option to look deeper within their website and their trends. Yearly growths are the main time lengths given but the user can always change that.

Mobile traffic is also another way that people can obtain clicks for their website. Nowadays, many people use mobile phones for their email and social media. So having a mobile capable website always helps. Google Analytics also gives the user information on which platform their views are coming from. Whether it be a computer, tablet, or a mobile phone, views can be plentiful and abundant if the right steps are taken to reach out to all the previously listed audiences.

Dashboards are also a integral factor in determining campaign performance. Dashboards are the hub of any website report. They help determine the data range for your analysis. A person can choose between automatic dates or manual dates. Exporting of schedules onto dashboards are also an easy easy way to keep the dates in order. 

WCIYP: Tips Abouts Interviewing for a Job

The fourth chapter in What Color is Your Parachute? gives the reader sixteen conversation tips that they can use when considering a job interview. Sixteen tips are given in this chapter, however many other tips have been given before this chapter. By the end of this chapter, the reader should be an expert in job interviews. The author reiterates that these are not the only tips you need when getting interviewed for a job but they are some of the most important aspects in successfully obtaining said job. The author gives the reader one tip before he lists his main conversation tips. He writes that, "63% of companies now report that they sometimes do video interviews." Job applicants should not only prepare for what they say to their interviewer, but they should also consider the idea that their interview might be online through Skype or ooVoo.

One of the tips that the author states is that "an interview should be prepared for, before you ever go in". The author states here that the interviewee should research as much as they can about the company they are applying for. If that means that they should Google them or look them up on Wikipedia, then that's what they should do. Job interviews are a lot like a blind date. Both sides are looking for relationships yet neither know much about each other before the actual interview. Since companies are going to be looking into you and considering you, it will be great for you to have the same mentality.

Another important tip that is stated is "It's the small things that are killers, in a job interview." Bolles wants the reader to realize that one of the biggest breakers of job interviews are some of the slightest details. Personal appearance and body language are some of the biggest impacts on job interviews. Someone who looks very proper and well-taken care of will more likely get the job compared to someone with the same experience but with a disinterested or disheveled look. The way you show yourself (values, etiquette, respect) are also key factors in deciding whether or not you get a call back from the employer.

The most important tip that is given is often the most overlooked. The author states that the job applicant should always send the employer a thank you note whether or not the interview went good or bad. This is such a great decider because it shows that you actually care about the interview. If the interviewer sees this, they might show you another business that might hire you and will give a great recombination. People do not realize that being polite always helps and never hurts.

WCIYP: There Are Over Eight Million Vacancies Available Each Month

The premise of chapter three in What Color is Your Parachute? is that job-hunting is something that should be revered, not feared. Many people go into a job hunt negatively and think that it will be impossible in this type of economy to find a job. The author reiterates that job hunters should not be hopeless. Many people assume that finding the right job is impossible; however, many people seem to forget that the employers do not hold all of the cards. Job seekers can always change something about their resume or even find another job for the meantime in order to build up that resume. The author also writes that there are many vacant jobs within the workforce, but people are not taking advantage of it. In 2014, the month of December had 10,176,000 jobs available within the United States. If half of those jobs were taken, which they were, that is still 5 million jobs available. If that is not saying much then nothing else will. There are many jobs out there, people are just not trying hard enough to find them.

The author leaves the reader with four tips that they should consider when they job hunt. The first tip is that job hunting is not a science, but an art. It is art in the fact that some people are born with the skills and have mastered it without even trying. Yet there are also a lot of people who have to learn and are taught how to correctly job hunt. Another tip is that job hunting is mysterious and that people should not overthink it. There are just somethings within the job hunt that are positively and negatively indescribable. The third tip is that there is no "always wrong" way to hunt for a job. There are only degrees in which a job hunt may work or may not work. The next tip is the opposite side of the argument. There is a lot of ways one can mess up a "sure shot" job opportunity. Job hunts are not always possible and they are also not impossible. The author saves the most important tip for last. He writes that job hunting should be a full time job. Seeing how one cannot be considered unemployed if they are not looking for a job, the author has a point. There is no point in someone to look for a job if they do not take it seriously and do not put the work into it. The more someone puts into a job hunt, the more they will get out of it.

ITGA: Getting Traffic for Analytics

In Intro to Google Analytics, the author's third chapter writes about getting traffic within a website. The first step in getting people to come to your site is to invite friends and family through social media. Importing contacts from Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn can be used to expand your viewership and can also lead to other people starting their own blogs. The first  priority that someone should have when starting a blog is to share it to social media and promote it. If no one knows about your blog, there is no way they will visit your site. In order to do this, the blogger should share a link to their blog page on Facebook or Twitter. A little excerpt of what your blog is about might not hurt. One should not forget to consider that promoting your blog might also become a little expensive.

In order to promote a post, Facebook and some other companies might require a fee. Advertisements are also another way that money is made off of links and posts. For example, if someone clicks on an ad that leads them to another page, that click might be worth 50 cents. At first that does not seem like much, but after a while it does add up. Facebook ads sometimes seem overwhelming but they are simple to set up and fairly easy to use. Anyone can set up an advertisement in a few minutes. The most difficult aspect of the whole set-up is paying the fee and deciding what money goes into what and how long the ad should last. Other than that, it is not too complicated.

ITGA: Blogalytics

       

In Todd Kelsey's book, Intro to Google Analytics, chapter two discusses blogalytics and how blogs can truly help prepare someone for the business world. The chapter writes that a person should first start off by making a blog account and and start blogging as soon as possible. One should soon integrate Google Analytics and use website tracking. Website tracking helps one determine their viewers and where they are coming from. Google Analytics can truly help someone learn more about their blog and analytics in general. Blogging is a sneak peek into the life a business major will have after graduation. Successful businesses have a website and use analytics to see if they can better said website.

Google Analytics can help someone find out if their message is being sent and whether or not that message is being sent clearly. Google Analytics can tell you everything from the users that visit your site, to the page views you get, and even the average session of time each person is on your website. For example, if 10 people visit your site and they are each on for an average of 30 seconds, that shows that you are not doing enough to keep them engaged. Adding pictures or graphics and maybe even links can keep them hooked and wanting more. Google Analytics can be a key aspect in fulfilling your duty as a businessman or woman. 

WCIYP: Google Is Your New Resume

Chapter 2 of What Color is Your Parachute writes about the importance of Google and getting yourself a job. The author pretty much says that Google can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. Yet at the same time, Google is not to blame if it does end up being your enemy. It all comes down to what you do and how you present yourself on the internet. The author Richard Bolles writes, "Sometimes—68% of the time, as it turns out—an employer will offer someone a job because they liked what Google turned up about them." This makes complete sense if you think about it. One quick Google Search can tell someone your criminal history, if you did work in the community, whether or not your story of you leading your high school to a state championship is true, and even if you have been in the news for helping a cat out of a tree. Google does wonders and many people forget to realize that everything that ever happened in their life is probably on the internet somewhere.

The author then goes on to tell the reader a few things they can do in order to maintain that best friend relationship with Google. The first step is to "Edit". This means that one should research themselves and see what Google pops up. If there is something that is not appealing, then the person should go to the source and try to change the information. People make mistakes and humans can be crazy sometimes. So people should be ready to edit, edit, edit. The second step is to "Fill In". This means that people should fill out every possible trait and bio that is provided by social media. That one extra paragraph about how you were on a mission trip in Chile can really boost your credit regarding future employers. The third step is to "Expand". If you do not have a lot of information written about you, then write more. Let people know who you truly are. The more you write and the less Google does, the better off you are. The last step is "Add." Adding on to an old resume and updating the information can only help you in the long run. New information out trumps old information any day of the week.