SEO intern Will Johnson Uses IM Program Skills

Will Johnson, a current IM student writes, "As a search marketing intern at Zebra Technologies in Vernon Hills, I work with the global web team to optimize the Zebra website for search engines. During the two months I have been here, I have researched hundreds of keywords, optimized dozens of web pages, measured change in search engine rankings and organic click-through-rate, and changed the strategy based on the results.

Zebra has given me the opportunity to expand more on my Search Engine Optimization (SEO) knowledge by encouraging me to keep on current events through blogs and examining past paid search reports from search marketing agencies. Also in this internship, I have been the resident SEO expert and taught several of my co-workers the basics of SEO.

While SEO has been my primary focus, my time never seems to stay focused on one task. Projects from other areas of marketing seem to pull me in as I act as an online marketing guru. Early on in my internship, I was involved in helping to expose web analytics to a database marketer and explaining how to use the application as well as showing what revelations can be discovered through website data. Using Google Analytics and WebTrends, I showed insight into prospect behavior on the website to this seasoned database marketer. It’s a great experience to be able to help someone who has over ten years of experience in marketing to learn something new.

The information I learned from NIU’s Interactive Marketing program on Social Media and SEO helped me become a resource for the PR team as they developed a new blog focusing on the various industries that Zebra products service. I explained SEO best practices for blogging (e.g. keywords in the title, headers and body text, focusing on only a few core keywords, using semantic keywords) to the team and analyzed their past blog entries for an SEO update.
Overall I have had an amazing experience at Zebra and I’m incredibly thankful for the Interactive Marketing program’s curriculum as well as the support from the professors. Without them, I would not have even heard of this opportunity."

NIU IM Grad Veronica Weinberger uses skills in auto industry

A recent grad, Veronica Weinberger, writes the following...thanks to today's guest blogger!

"It's incredible how much I apply the things is learned from my Interactive Marketing classes at NIU. Being the marketing coordinator at Continental Honda and Continental Nissan, I have had to control and monitor PPC campaigns, go through media buying procedures and create and maintain social media strategies and cross-channel marketing strategies on a regular basis.

Some other things that are emerging for the company are viral video and blogging, all of which I have been introduced to before starting my job, which puts me at an incredible advantage over many marketers, especially in the automotive field which tends to lag and put a lot of faith in old media.

Many of my colleagues do not have anywhere near the knowledge that an average NIU IM grad would have, as some are still asking for the full meaning of PPC and are wondering if social media is actually worth the time. Although my boss is also my father, he is amazed on a regular basis because of the advanced knowledge I possess, largely because of NIU’s Interactive Marketing Program and the IM faculty, Mrs. Domagalski and Dr. Zahay.

I can’t thank Mrs. D. enough for drilling into my head that marketers have to beg for every penny they would like to spend for a company, as I live it to the fullest. I cannot count for many times managers ask me if there is any way that I can get people in the door ready to buy cars… for FREE. A marketer’s job is never easy, but I have to say that I love every minute of doing exactly what I went to school for, something that I have such a passion for. I was a born Interactive Marketer."

Thanks Veronica and continued good luck!

Diane Dietz from Safeway, NIU grad, is media marketer!

Just got back from the Online Marketing Summit where the talk was all about content creation and curation. Now an NIU grad, Diane Dietz, CMO at Safeway, says even the grocery chain is seen as a media company today.
http://adage.com/cmostrategy/article?article_id=144515

IM grad takes social media intership at Tilbury Corp via Linkedin!

Katrina Jefferson from my Interactive Marketing class of May 2009 writes, "This is Katrina Jefferson. I would like to take the time to personally thank you for the job posting for Tilbury Corp. After communicating with Tilbury via Linkedin, I was scheduled for an interview to discuss the position and later was offered an internship! I am excited to learn more about social media in this internship position and expect to make the most of this great opportunity!"

Online Marketing Institute Partnership

PRESS RELEASE: APRIL 30, 2010

The Interactive Marketing Program at Northern Illinois University is proud to announce a partnership arrangement with the Online Marketing Institute. The Institute is part of Online Marketing Connect, which operates the educational programs at the Online Marketing Summit and also provides certification in Online Marketing through the Online Marketing institute.

NIU’s Interactive Marketing Area of Study graduates about thirty undergraduate students every year versed in the areas of Social Media, Search, Email, Web Analytics, Design and Usability, Database Marketing and Integrated and Direct Marketing Principles. The program has been in existence since 2003, when Debra Zahay Blatz was recruited to develop and teach the coursework.

NIU students in the Interactive Marketing Program will now be able to take the advanced courses in the Institute’s certification program for a reduce fee to obtain a specialization in Search Marketing, Demand Generation or any of the topics provided by the Institute. Local executives seeking online marketing knowledge will also get discounted access to Online Marketing Summit programs and the Online Marketing Institute’s certification program.

Debra Zahay Blatz, Associate Professor of Interactive Marketing and head of the Interactive Marketing program at NIU is delighted with the association. “I evaluated a lot of programs out there and the Online Marketing Institute and Online Marketing Summit provides their attendees the opportunity to learn without the distractions of vendor sales pitches. It is a true learning environment, which is consistent with our mission here at NIU. The topics covered are nearly identical to our curriculum. I get a lot of inquiries from working professionals for our type of education but an undergraduate daytime program does not meet their needs. Now, however, we will be able to help our students gain an online specialty which will increase their chances of gaining employment after graduation and also provide executives access to material similar to that covered in our courses but in a real-time, online environment best-suited to their schedules.”

Aaron Kahlow, CEO, Online Marketing Institute, Online Marketing Summit and Online Marketing Connect, Inc. echoes Debra Zahay Blatz’s sentiments. “We value our University Partnership arrangements and were pleased to develop an association with NIU’s program. What NIU is doing at the undergraduate level is ahead of the curve in terms of giving marketing students knowledge of current online marketing practices. Now we can provide students with access to even more material from leading practitioners through the online certification modules. NIU’s network of contacts will also help us get our material out to a broader audience that is looking to receive this kind of education online.”

Take advantage of the partnership. Find out how to measure social media and buzz and much more at #OMSCHI on June 30 http://bit.ly/NIUOMS. Use code NIU20 for twenty percent off!

NIU IM Grad uses PPC, social media skills on the job

Eric Castellucci, who graduated in Spring 09', writes, "I have been doing Online Marketing for a company called Wrigleyville Sports; we sell merchandise for all the Chicago Sports teams. The job dabbles in everything from PPC, to Blogging, to Social Media. Pretty much, any online channel that has the potential to bring in sales. Much of what I learned in the IM Program at NIU helped me get this job, especially PPC.

Wrigleyville Sports was previously outsourcing their PPC to a third party in California, but they were not pleased with the results they were receiving. When they discovered I had experience with PPC through school, they hired me on full time. It has been a good match for both of us.

From what I've seen in the IM industry, the knowledge IM Graudates possess is GOLD to companies. I believe that at this moment, the demand for individuals with an IM background is much greater than the supply of knowledgeable graduates. Plenty of companies are learning the immense value from Social Media, and they are more willing to hire someone straight out of college who uses these Social Media tools on a daily basis."

NIU IM Grad contributes as search intern at iProspect

It is always great to hear from former students. James Kelley graduated in May (2010) and worked hard to get a position as a Search Marketing Intern with iProspect. James writes, "I had little time to get aclimated as on my first day the company landed a big client and had to launch the campaign ASAP. The atmosphere is pretty laid back...I STILL GET TO WEAR JEANS! WOOT! I haven't been on the job for too long but have already been involved in some big projects.

I have written ad copy for the PPC Ads on Google, and am excited to think about how mwny people will see them. I have also been given a spreadsheet of over 7,000 keywords and links to check to see if the link to the landing page is relevant to the keyword. That task took a while and was repetitive but quite important. How chaotic would a search be if the landing pages had nothing to do with the ad/keywords in the search?!!

I have also been through the Adwords Editor and recorded the ad groups/campaigns and their ad variance. Overall I am very happy with my decision to pursue SEM and very happy with iProspect, keep your fingers crossed for me that this turns into a full time hire! Good Luck at NIU! Thanks again. James"

Web site for search engine marketing jobs

Heather Priest, a May 2010 IM grad, found the website below the other day. The website tracks and posts job openings in SEO accross the country. There are a couple jobs here in Illinois that some recent grads might find of interest. A person must be a member of the site in order to receive e-mail updates (kind of expensive), but not to see the jobs and get the information on the them. Enjoy and Good luck to those on the job search! Website for Search Engine Marketing Jobs http://www.sempo.org/jobs/

Final database marketing class

Good job Marketing 455 students! The students presented the final case, a Harvard one, entitled, "Pilgrim Bank" which is a study in how to determine the most profitable customers for a mythical bank. Students analyze the data in stages and at first it looks like online banking does not make a customer profitable but then we need to take age and income factors into account and when doing so, online banking is a factor in profitability. Students run various regression models and come up with the solution with the most explantory power. The students did well and were able to understand and analyze this advanced case. Their SPSS skills have improved and they were able to get to the heart of the case with some legwork. We also discussed what other types of data Pilgrim Bank might want to use to better understand its customers, both internal and external and how the Bank can manage customer relationshps for maximized lifetime value. Database Marketer extraordinary, Rob Jackson, an interactive marketing advisory board member, came to class and helped provide insight to our discussion. Thanks, Rob!

Database class update

I am so proud of my database marketing class. We have spent the last several weeks working on some non-statistical techniques of data analysis such as RFM, neural networking, decision trees and cluster techniques. We have also introduced the class to data mining as a discipline and the SPSS Clementine data mining software. The students were so familiar with SPSS that it took a while to get used to Clementine. Although Clementine has an 'easier to use' graphical interface, the students liked the control offered through the traditional SPSS interface. Clementine is more of a 'black box' environment, although it makes certain functions easier than in traditional SPSS. Some of the functions that are easier include neural networking, creating lifts and gains charts and comparting multiple models. Clementine also includes advanced graphics capabilities. I like being able to get a graphic representation of how large a cluster grouping is and the relative importance of different variables in creating the clusters. The students handed in their data mining assignment today. It was great seeing them play with the program and the data and get a real life taste of data mining.