In fact, there is nothing new coming around at all-at least not for a while.

What you’ll see a lot of is old ideas, repackaged. MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ are some examples, but don’t worry, blink and there will soon be a “better” one for you to try. Reminds me of household cleaners marketed to housewives in the 1950s.

The trends in shared information point clearly to the fact that it is many times easier to improve an existing idea than launch a new one-and that’s exactly what is happening, isn’t it?

While we jade and come to ignore new so-called “innovations” in social media, let’s remember that there will be common denominators in the shakeout. Fundamental elements of each brand’s service will serve as guiding principals for a still-new way of communication. We already recognize them, don’t we? The truth is, no business needs a “social media consultant” to show them what to do because we’re all experts now. However, you may need a consultant to save you time on a social media effort.

How does your business currently allocate it’s resources to cover social media related marketing efforts?

Below you will see our scathing list of reasons why your email marketing sucks.  If this doesn’t apply to you, because you either don’t do email marketing, or you do email marketing in such a way that follows industry best practices, then I’m sure you might be able to forward this post to someone you know.  In any case, feel free to contribute other items to the list in the comments below this post.  We write this more in the hope to see this trend change rather than to complain, but sometimes things need to be brought to light.

As unfortunate as it may be, I must first lead with the fact that the worst offenders tend to be those marketers who insist on breaking rule #1, which prevents emails that suck from being sent in the first place.  Therefore, I will preface this list with the assumption that I’ve already been added to an email list to which I do not wish to be subscribed.

A final word before the list…this will be brash, honest and fueled with the very attitude your subscribers may have toward your email marketing.

Your email marketing sucks because:

1.  You don’t provide double opt-in.

Double opt-in means that after the subscription (whether you subscribe me against my will or I subscribe willingly) I should receive an email confirming my subscription containing a link that I must click on prior to being added to your list.  This process is necessary to prevent you or others from signing me up for your list without my permission.

The next several items relate to being able to unsubscribe.

They are tedious, particular and NECESSARY to discuss.

2.  You don’t provide an unsubscribe option.

This is by far the most arrogant offense in my book!  It works like this:  You decide unilaterally that me and all the other email addresses you could buy, find or steal should hear your marketing message whether we like it or not.  You send your non-targeted, irritatingly long and uninteresting spam with remarkable regularity.  Do you write this drab content yourself or is it purchased from the lowest bidder?

3.  Your unsubscribe link is difficult to find.

You include an unsubscribe link, but it is buried in a large block of text, and without reading the large block of text, it is almost indistinguishable.  This is a very irritating practice as it almost assumes that nobody would ever want to quickly unsubscribe, but rather they should seriously consider it and it if they must leave your mailing list, it should be an afterthought.

4.  You have a “manage your communication preferences” link instead of an unsubscribe link.

This assumes that I want you to continue to communicate with me in some form.  Using this language in the footer of your email is a red flag and a sure way to get me to click the “add to spam” button on your email.  If I don’t want email from you, it is pretty certain I also didn’t bother taking care in creating a username and password for your site that I planned to remember.  In cases like this, I just make it easy on myself: Congratulations, you just made my junk mail list!

5.  Your unsubscribe link takes me to a page that asks me to login to “my account”!

Similar to #4, this one is particularly insidious.  This is a flat out rejection letter from your figurative ‘unsubscribe department’.  This tells me that if I want to unsubscribe, I better work for it.  It puts the burden on me, when you are the problem.  If I don’t want email from you, I certainly don’t want to give you the satisfaction of signing into your website, where I might get distracted from my intent to unsubscribe from your mind-numbing email blasts!

6.  You make me enter my email address instead of removing me immediately.

This is 2011!  If you don’t know exactly who I am when I click your unsubscribe link, you should have never been emailing me in the first place.  When you make me enter my email address when I click the unsubscribe link, it is further validation for my decision.  It provides proof of an unsophisticated email marketing approach.  One-click instant removal is the only acceptable result of clicking the unsubscribe link.  Optionally, I find it completely acceptable to show a confirmation page with language similar to:  “You have been unsubscribed, you will no longer receive our email messages.  Was this a mistake?  You may reenter your email address below to resubscribe instantly!”

7.  You make questions pertaining to why I want to unsubscribe mandatory.

Let’s assume it was a hassle to unsubscribe to your list in the first place.  Not only do I have to click the link to unsubscribe, but I also have to return to the email I unsubscribed to in order to delete it.  It is an unpleasant process to begin with.  Don’t extend it, don’t irritate me further and certainly do not penalize me by requiring a mandatory response prior to accepting my unsubscribe request.

8.  You don’t engage me.

Your email messages do not ask me what I think, they don’t solicit my expertise, my opinion or a response of any kind.  Your messages are one way broadcasts that are all about you.  In today’s world of social dialogue, the end goal is a sale,  conversation or recommendation and you have this power in your hands already!  But rather than engaging me in a conversation via email, which could lead to a phone conversation or an in-person visit you ask me to follow you on Twitter?  Are you kidding me?

9.  You don’t pay the price.

Let’s say you’re one of the lucky few I let come to my inbox monthly, weekly or even daily–and I’ve been subscribed for years.  Am I not your best potential referral source?  Would I not be able to sing your praises louder than anyone else?  If you answered yes, you’re right.  Since that’s true, why not offer something of great value that your longest running subscribers would appreciate.  A free gift, an exclusive of some sort or maybe even an event or party in their honor.  Think outside the email box, make connections and make them count!

10.  Your content sucks!

Finally, if your content is simply no good and you’re emailing me for the sake of consistency alone, please just stop now.  Don’t bother.  We’re not reading it anyway!  Hire a great copywriter, write something yourself from the heart or simply share something new.  Break your vicious cycle of boredom distribution right now.  Send a worthwhile message and we’ll read it.

RULE #2: Make it easy to opt-in and opt-out! Always use double opt-in and one-click unsubscribe.

RULE #3: Use accurate, interesting and attention grabbing subject lines. It should read like a newspaper/magazine heading!

RULE #4: Promote events with ALL details inside your message. Include dates, times, locations and registration information.

RULE #5: Keep it interesting and relevant. Who subscribes to your list? Do you want to keep them? If so, make sure to tailor your content to your audience. Targeting is everything.

RULE #6: Engage your audience. Get them to respond somehow. Include a poll, a question, a promotion, elicit their opinion or position on a topic. Get them involved!

RULE #7: Don’t send pointless emails. Around the holidays, we received hundreds of holiday ecards. Nothing could be more impersonal, annoying and wasteful of your subscribers’ time. Respect their time and deliver only helpful, useful and highly interesting content. The holidays are about coming together, so call your clients then and catch up by phone. Nobody gets any work done the last few weeks of the year anyway!

RULE #8: Remember that permission to email is one of the most sacred rights a marketer can be granted by their audience. Don’t take this for granted. Don’t abuse and lose the privilege.

RULE #9: Use HTML and ensure the design of your email is brilliant, attractive and matches your brand perfectly.  There is almost no excuse not to with today’s email marketing software and services.  Remember to include a plain text option for those who prefer text only on their display.

RULE #10: Optimize your email marketing software and service settings to ensure you are up-to-date and in keeping with today’s email marketing best practices.  Don’t copy/paste the same theme and change the content only.  Be sure to go into the advanced setting options and really make it what it should be.  The smallest detail will be noticed either way, so do it right and make it a practice to stay informed of the new ideas, methods and the laws associated with email marketing.

I’m writing this to the entrepreneurs of ten years ago.  If you started your company more than a decade ago, you no doubt had to adapt and change in order to survive this long.  However, have you given any thought lately to the new entrepreneurs entering your space today?  What rules are they playing by?  Do their rules differ from your own?

Any entrepreneur starting a new business today is planning their business around their website and how they will ensure that website is found by their potential clients.  In fact, new entrepreneurs will likely be so oblivious to your rules and how you started your company that they may consider your entire business model obsolete.

We all have seen countless examples of companies new to the game achieving staggering success purely from their Internet marketing efforts.  This doesn’t just happen.  It is not the result of trying SEO or running a simple pay-per-click ad campaign.  This is timing, positioning, targeting and full execution of a solid comprehensive marketing plan.

Imagine this:  What would your wisdom coupled with today’s successfully proven Internet marketing techniques look like if integrated into a customized plan for your business?  Staggeringly successful?

It’s never too late, so what are you waiting for?  The competitors will never cease and they’re only becoming more sophisticated.  You need an ally on your team who can help you navigate the often-confusing Internet marketing landscape.  We would love to help you determine your next steps to relevance on the Internet.  If you’re not receiving a steady stream of leads generated online, we can help you.

I started Cyentist to provide entrepreneurs and small businesses a real solution to their biggest marketing problems.  I knew nobody else could deliver what I can with as much passion and obsession for relevance than I could.  With so many competitors, Cyentist’s point of differentiation is the successful integration of social, search and design as well as my personal drive to stay ahead of the most relevant and timely Internet marketing information affecting our clients.

What about you?  Use the comment space below to share with me your reasons for starting your business and what you’re doing to stay relevant, despite new competition.  Why did you start your business?

If you need help, please connect with us and let us know what we can do for you.

Favorite quote:

“We no longer search for the news, the news finds us…”

This is indicative of the way I found this refresh. Enjoy!

In the wake of several recent changes in leadership, one would expect that at least one of them would have left behind a progressive change in what is happening in terms of retention and acquisition of new users.  Sadly, it seems the juggernaut that once was keeps filling roles with job titles, but not leaders.  Maybe this time it will be different.

Interestingly, MySpace was doing quite well prior to its acquisition by News Corp., in my opinion. The question is, with the data and knowledge they hold concerning MySpace users and their interests and habits, why can’t a company of their size and resources figure out what to do with that information?

Who stopped using MySpace?  Everyone currently on Facebook.  The MySpace we all know could never bring us back as the site stands currently.

The question is, what should they do?

Some action is required if the site is to be considered a player a few years from now.  Why not take the music and entertainment path by storm and become the best at that, instead of just another site for music?  What are they thinking?  I feel like they’re squeezing the sands of opportunity right through their fingers and it seems like they don’t even know it.

I have friends who bought the Droid from Verizon because of the hype leading up to it.  As cool as it is, the hype wears off.  Something like this won’t work here–they need a brand new approach with a story and incredible stickiness.  The raw materials exist.  I wonder who will make something of them.  MySpace should really consider leaving the social media museum and get on the playing field in a big way–before it’s too late.

What would you change first, if you were one of the new co-Presidents?

We know that these elements work together to create online results for business.  Cyentist has always recognized that the relationship between social and search are invariably connected and should be regarded as an opportunity to provide highly relevant information in real time to individuals who are seeking the information in question.

Until Monday, there were not many obvious examples available of search and social as a unit.  Enter a big player: Google!  On their official blog, Google announced the inclusion of real time results in addition to their standard search result page.

Typically the search engine result page or SERP includes Sponsored Links or paid advertisements and organic results, organized by relevance to the search query.

Today, amongst the organic results, you will find a scrolling, real-time feed labeled, “Latest results.”

It is interesting to note the prominent position Google chose for these results.  It is clear they believe this is important, in fact, they have stated that Twitter’s real-time functionality is the future of search.

Welcome to the future.  Real time search has a long way to go, but it is encouraging to see such a rapid progression in this direction from a major player such as Google.

For those of you with questions about how this affects your company’s search engine rank and social media visibility, please get in touch.  We are following these trends very closely and have insights to offer based on the work we’ve done thus far.

What is the cost of social media?

“What is the co$t of doing nothing?”

“Do you really want to take that risk?