In this second part of our Google Analytics series, Spyder Trap’s online marketing wiz, Jason Douglas, dives a bit deeper into Google Analytics by giving us a look at what he sees when solving problems for clients.

Stay tuned next week as we go “Behind the Wisdom” to learn more about how other marketers are using social media, and be sure to check back every Wednesday for another video posted to our Minneapolis Online Marketing blog, Facebook fan page, and YouTube channel!

Happy Web Wisdom Wednesday!

Brad Wellman
Spyder Trap Online Marketing

So I recently stumbled upon the PepsiCo Zeitgeist, which if you haven’t seen already, I suggest you check out.

At first I was unsure what exactly I was seeing; it looked like nothing more than a glorified Twitter stream. But as I watched a little closer, I realized that the Twitter user streams were being categorized into different topics centered on the SXSW event in Austin, Texas.

I thought this was pretty cool, but what I found really neat was the “swarm” tab. “Swarm” uses Google Maps technology (similar to a previous post I wrote about Google Latitude) to collect GPS locations of Twitter users to show location-based tweets at different restaurants around Austin.

A “zeitgeist” is “the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time,” and by definition I see why the PepsiCo site is titled the way it is. It really captures people’s real-time thoughts and feelings relating to events and places around SXSW.

However, besides the novelty of the site, how does this at all relate to PepsiCo? The site lacks any interactivity, as it simply shows a stream of visitors’ comments. Personally, I think a way to improve upon it would be to allow Twitter users to respond and interact with other Twitter users, by using the Zeitgeist as a type of forum.

We already saw something similar to this with Skittles, but the Skittles site focused on conversation surrounding the Skittles brand, whereas the Zeitgeist seems to have little to no relation to PepsiCo.

What are your thoughts about this? Is this the new wave in corporate branding?

Mike Rynchek
Spyder Trap Online Marketing

We are all fans of the rainbow colored candy Skittles but recently their website has taken on a bit of a different flavor. Check out www.Skittles.com and you will see that the site is now an overlay of their Twitter search page and various other social media sites. (Notably not MySpace…hmm…) Test it out, by tweeting about Skittles and watch it show up behind the site. Skittles didn’t stop there. If you click on “Images” you will be taken to their Flickr page. “Video”? Yup, redirected to the Skittles YouTube channel. Check out the “Friends” link, of course it links to Facebook. In my opinion, the most creative feature is that the product links connect you to their Wikipedia page.

So the question I pose to you Social Media fanatics and general consumers is this: “What do you think? Good idea/bad idea? Is this a cool concept that lacks function or a ground breaking new strategy that will revolutionize the branding industry as we know it?”

I will reserve my opinion for a later date.

PS – Thanks to Jason Douglas of Spyder Trap Online Marketing (@jasondouglas) for pointing this out.

Brad Wellman
Spyder Trap Online Marketing

Spyder Trap Online Marketing is proud to announce their support for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. By teaming up with Smiths Medical, Spyder Trap Online Marketing will participate in the 2009 Walk to Cure Diabetes. The Minneapolis event will be held at the Mall of America in Bloomington on Saturday, January 24.

“The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is the leader in research leading to a cure for type-1 diabetes in the world. It sets the global agenda for diabetes research, and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of diabetes science worldwide.

Since its founding in 1970 by parents of children with type 1 diabetes, JDRF has awarded more than $1.3 billion to diabetes research, including more than $156 million in FY2008. In FY2008, the Foundation funded more than 1,000 centers, grants in laboratories, hospitals, and industry, and fellowships in 22 countries.”

More information about the 2009 Walk to Cure Diabetes, as well as how you can register to participate or to sponsor a walker, visit their website at http://www.jdrf.org/mnnd.

Mike Rynchek
Spyder Trap Online Marketing

Robots.txt Files

• Tells the Search Engine what to/not to crawl (pure data)

- Java Files
- Flash (swf)
- CSS

• Keep certain pages from showing in SERPs
• Add to root level of site

- Google Webmaster account

• Declare xml sitemap

Sample Robots.txt File

Stay tuned to the Spyder Trap Online Marketing Quick Tips, as next week we will discuss xml sitemaps.

Mike Rynchek
Spyder Trap Online Marketing

Today Spyder Trap Online Marketing showed its analytics side today by participating in the Evantage Consulting and Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association (MIMA) Web Analytics Panel. The purpose of this panel was to gauge and discuss the level of investment, usage and sophistication of web analytics across multiple industries and disciplines. The outcome is a comprehensive survey and white paper that focused on key issues surrounding the web analytics industry and how it influences not only marketing decisions but general business decisions respectively. In 2006 Evantage Consulting worked with the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association (MIMA) to form a web analytics usage survey in the Twin Cities marketplace. The survey was also paired with a white paper that was very well received on a national level and even made it to some of the web analytics most respected blogs and news sources.

We can all gain key insights from determining the movement of the analytics industry over time Additionally this year, we would like to expand the survey somewhat to understand the role that web analytics plays in marketing decision making, and address some of the key issues facing the industry. Our hope is that this survey will be one piece in helping to foster more of a sense of community and develop best practices amongst Twin Cities analytics practitioners. Andrew Janis – Senior Marketing Consultant at Evantage Consulting.

Spyder Trap Online Marketing would like to thank Robin Carpenter, Kate McRoberts and Andrew Janis for allowing us to be a part of this web analytics panel. We all eagerly await the results of this survey and the impact it will have in the online and offline marketing world.

Other Attendees Included:

- Mike Rynchek – Spyder Trap Online Marketing
- Josh Dahmes – Risdall Marketing Group
- Jason Douglas – Risdall Marketing Group
- Tim Carpenter – Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
- Lisa Carlston – Marvin Windows and Doors
- Debbie Zuckerman – Think Link Solutions
- Bridgette Schwartzbauer – Independent Consultant

Josh Dahmes of Risdall Marketing Group taking a moment off of the analytics discussion to enjoy the sweet life as an online marketer.

Welcome to the Spyder Trap Online Marketing blog. Here, we talk about all that is best in the online marketing world, including how it integrates with offline. This is a portal to inform, discuss and educate readers of the amazing, dynamic and ever-changing online marketing universe. Below are the key topics we will focus on along with industry guest writers.

Spyder Trap Online Marketing Topics

• Spyder Trap Online Marketing announcements.
• Community involvement.
• Online and offline marketing strategy.
• Discussions around online marketing tactics. (Social Media, SEO, Sponsored search, Site design and development)
• New forms of online marketing technologies and techniques
• Spyder Trap Online Marketing client feedback and recommendations.

I welcome all to utilize this space to share and collaborate on ideas, and use it as a sounding board that promotes free and open discussion and collaboration.

Sincerely, Mike Rynchek President Spyder Trap Online Marketing