Rockfish Blog

4 lessons from the Rockfish Hackathon

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 10:00:00 GMT

We did it! Our 10 teams and nearly 75 participants finished strong in the first ever Rockfish Hackathon. For 24 hours, cross-functional teams collaborated to innovate and develop quick-turn digital products that solved unmet needs in the marketplace. Teams worked through the night in our Dallas, Cincinnati and Rogers, Ark., offices – and the results blew us all away.

As we roll back into the office on this Monday morning and relive the highlights of the weekend (you can see photos and social commentary on our Storify recap) we're proud of what we accomplished. The winning team emerged brilliantly in Dallas, with a prototype and beautifully designed website for a smart dog collar that monitors your pet's vital signs and alerts you when a major change occurs, so you can stay on top of your pet's health.

We'll share more details on our projects in the coming days, but this morning, we're bringing you an insider's perspective on the event from Daniel Worthy, a Senior Developer for Rockfish in Rogers. Daniel's team developed a website that helps people who want to volunteer their time find the right projects at the right time, so they can get the most out of their experience and give back in the most productive way.

This originally appeared on Daniel's blog.

My Rockfish Hackathon experience

I can say I’m no stranger to 24 hours of straight work. It has only happened on a handful of occasions and was typically to meet a deadline. On January 18, from 5 pm to 5 pm the next day, I participated in a 24-hour Hackathon. I was on a team of six and our goal was to build a website to serve a very specific need. We successfully hammered out a fully functional product that would have taken at least a month of development under normal circumstances. Here are my experiences and learnings from the event.

1. Your team needs to be well-balanced for your goal.

Our project was very technology oriented. We needed to push large amounts of data back and forth and had some very complex search functionality. Our team was composed of four very well-rounded developers, one developer turned project manager, and one user experience expert. We split the dev work in half: two of us would handle the front end and two would handle the back end. Our project manager set up tasks in Trello and worked on small parts of the website (privacy policy and other copy-driven pieces). Our UX person spent time designing the site and developing ideas for features. Everyone stayed busy nearly the whole 24 hours.

2. Choose the right technology. And if you don't know it, learn it – quickly.

The whole development team was .net heavy and recent Microsoft releases of Entity Framework and MVC played to our strengths and allowed us to complete everything quickly and effectively. We utilized Twitter’s Bootstrap framework for our layout. I’ve never been big on CSS frameworks, but we didn’t have time to cut out and layout a site like we normally would. I took on the front end and learned the basics of the framework. I was really amazed how quickly I was able to get a good-looking site up with so little effort. We utilized Asp.net 4.5, MVC 4, Entity Framework 5 Code First, MVC Web Api, jQuery 1.9 (released the Wednesday before the event), Twitter Bootstrap, an internal NuGet repository, Geolocation, Google Maps and Facebook’s Open Graph API.

3. Be supported.

Going 24 hours is no easy task. It is important to be supportive and supported. You won't have a good final product if someone isn’t supported. This doesn’t apply to just your team, but also to your family members and friends. A hackathon is 75% mental and 25% physical. 90% of the physical part is simply staying awake. We took frequent breaks to break the monotony. Some of us played quick games of Starcraft 2 and others took walks and talked to other teams. Coding can get really boring when done in long periods. My wife Skyped me a couple of times to check in and so I could see her and our daughter. It was so good to get to see them during the event.

4. Be prepared.

It’s a good motto. I made a supply run before the event. I grabbed three 12-packs of soda, a 6-pack of V8 Fusion Energy and a two-pound jar of trail mix. I really regretted bringing the soda. I did a lot better on the V8 Fusion. We had Monster Energy drinks available, but I knew they had more caffeine than what my body could handle. The trail mix kept my hunger in check between meals. I purchased the Hobbit soundtrack before the event and listened to it about 5 times before moving onto other music. I watched a couple episodes of Duck Dynasty to keep my morale up with some family-friendly humor. My wife saved the day by bringing me a full change of clothes, deodorant, a toothbrush and toothpaste Saturday morning. It felt so good to change clothes and get cleaned up.

Overall, I had a great time. We built out a true MVP (minimum viable product) in a 24-hour time span that could have been published and used by our target audience immediately after the event. It was an eye-opening event that allowed us to flex our developer muscles and show that developers are a force to be reckoned with when put into demanding situations.

GO TEAM VIPER!!!!!

The Wisdom of Wit: Words of inspiration for the Rockfish Hackathon

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 15:50:00 GMT

As we prepare for our first ever 24-hour Rockfish Hackathon across three offices (Cincinnati, Dallas and Rogers) – which kicks off in just one hour – Executive Creative Director Bob Robinson in our Dallas office shares his thoughts on how wit, when used within a digital landscape, can create an engaging experience that not only captures the user's imagination and interest, but encourages them to share and spread the word about a service, product, content or experience.

His reminder that "the shortest path from A to B is not always the most enjoyable," rings true for our Hackathon teams today, as they prepare to push the limits of technology and creativity – and sleep deprivation.

We can't wait to see what our teams come up with this weekend. You can stay up to date on the events all weekend by following @Rockfish and our #RockfishHackathon hashtag on Twitter.

The Wisdom of Wit

The best interactive experiences do more than just capture attention and help a user accomplish a task quickly and efficiently. When done correctly, they prolong the encounter, compelling users not only to notice or take action, but also to remember, and more importantly in this social world, to share, share and share again. One of the best ways to make this happen is through the use of wit.

I’m not talking about slapstick, hit-em-over-the-head, pie-in-the-face humor, but a more subtle approach. A sly approach. An approach that creates a smile… in the user’s mind.

Wit is taking an idea and being playful with it through copy that’s conversational and images that are compelling, and ideas that twist convention in an unexpected way.

When a user interacts with a screen, be it a computer, tablet, kiosk or smartphone, there is an expectation that, in addition to completing a task, there will be enjoyment in the process. Users expect to be entertained. By using wit in marketing, companies become personified and personal. They become real, and consumers can connect.

How can a company successfully be witty without being trite? Honestly, it’s a fine line. What’s witty to some is sarcastic to others. But when done correctly, a small bit of wit can make a big difference. Let me give you some examples:

The site Uncrate.com focuses on “awesome stuff” that appeals to guys who love gadgets, cars and all things guy-related. Uncrate uses wit in its approach by writing product copy in short, digestible buckets that don’t just contain the facts (price, size, availability, etc.), but communicates those facts in a very opinionated voice. Even Uncrate’s navigation uses unconventional nomenclature to describe landing pages, such as “Garb” for clothing, “Rides” for automotive and “Vice” for, well, “vicey” things. They talk to guys just as guys talk to guys—with a smirk and a wink. In this case casual wit creates credibility.

On the other end of the spectrum, Dunhill.com is probably the last place you’d expect to find a witty approach to customer relations. After all, London-based Dunhill has been around for over one hundred years and has been involved in the creation of high-end luxury items ranging from $2,500 cashmere blazers to $5,000 fountain pens. Upon visiting the site, you are exposed to the wit and charm of this brand through engaging videos with a distinctly British attitude; for example, explore Dunhill’s history of saddlery and their connection to horse racing through a cinematic documentary called “For The Love.”

As the quintessential English nanny might say, “Try to be a witty boy…but not too witty.” Creating a smile in the mind of consumers is certainly nothing new. But as technology becomes more and more ingrained in how we live our lives, it’s important to remember the shortest path from A to B is not always the most enjoyable. Create an element of surprise and delight in the user experience withoutcreating barriers and you’ll create the shortest path to the consumer’s pocketbook. Remember, a little goes a long way.

What is Facebook Graph Search?

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Melyssa St. Michael is VP, Search & Emerging Media and based in our Rogers, AR office. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter.

What is Facebook Graph Search?
Facebook Graph Search is a completely new way to navigate Facebook and Facebook connections, making them more useful.

Whereas traditional Web Search is designed to take a set of keywords (such as “black belt”) and return the best possible result as determined by the search engine’s algorithm, Facebook Graph Search allows for combinations of phrases that are contextually relevant to a person’s network, such as “my friends in Texas who like karate”, returning a set of people, places, photos and other content that has been shared publicly on Facebook.

Most importantly, the key differentiator (and the foundation of) Facebook Graph Search is the fact that it is built around user’s content, with the understanding that each user’s content has its own unique audience with it’s own unique privacy settings as to who can (and cannot) view it. Facebook has built Graph Search with privacy in mind, and respects the privacy and audience of each piece of content as a primary business rule for Graph Search.

What do I need to know about Facebook Graph Search?

Facebook is in the very early stages of Graph Search development – it is being rolled out through a limited Beta, is only available in English and you can only search on a subset of Facebook content. Posts and Open Graph actions (for example, song listens) are not yet available.

The first version of Graph Search focuses on four main areas -- people, photos, places, and interests:

People: “friends who live in my city,” “people from my hometown who like hiking,” “friends of friends who have been to Yosemite National Park,”
Photos: “photos I like,” “photos of my family,” “photos of my friends before 1999,” "photos of my friends taken in New York," “photos of the Eiffel Tower”
Places: “restaurants in San Francisco,” "Indian restaurants liked by my friends from India," “tourist attractions in Italy visited by my friends,” “restaurants in New York liked by chefs," "countries my friends have visited"
Interests: “music my friends like,” “movies liked by people who like movies I like,” "languages my friends speak," "books read by CEOs"

What Does This Mean For My Brand?
Currently, Facebook Graph Search is in limited beta. As Graph Search becomes more prominent. Rockfish hypothesizes there will be paid opportunity for brands within search results. Immediately however, due to the nature of Facebook Graph and how Graph Search reads the Facebook graph, brands have an opportunity to take advantage of this time prior to full roll out to increase their content relevancy, EdgeRank and content freshness.

What Do I Need To Do Now?

Personally, if you are a interested in participating in the beta, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/graphsearch to sign up for the waitlist. For brands, continue to invest in your Page by making sure your Page is complete and up-to-date.

Graph items you can actively work on today are:

Your brand name, category, vanity URL, andinformation you share in the “About” section help people find your business and should be shared on Facebook
If you have a location or a local place Page, update your address to make sure you can appear as a result when someone is searching for a specific location
Focus on attracting the right fans to your Page and on giving your fans a reason to interact with your content on an ongoing basis

Find Out More: To learn more about Facebook Graph Search, please visit
http://newsroom.fb.com/News/562/Introducing-Graph-Search-Beta

7 ways retailers can drive app downloads through owned media

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Eric Svenson is Director, Digital Strategy, in our Cincinnati office.

With more than 60 billion app downloads to date and consumers spending more and more time on mobile devices, apps have quickly become an essential part of every retailer’s digital strategy.

Companies are aggressively developing apps to drive spend, increase customer loyalty and stave off threats from third-party app developers. Retailers are also realizing that even a world-class app won’t move the needle on sales if only a small percentage of the target audience has downloaded it.

By adopting an “always on” approach to your owned media, you can gain visibility to your app benefits and download prompts wherever, whenever and however the consumer chooses to interact with your brand.

Here are 7 ways retailers can drive downloads across customer touchpoints:

1. Offline Marketing

First, look at the places your consumers interact with you in the non-digital space, both in-store and out-of-store. Consider in-store displays and signs or decals at the point of sale to drive awareness for your app. Maximize in-store app downloads by offering an instantly redeemable offer or set of coupons that are unlocked via your app.

If you market your business via direct mail, promote your app with a clear call to action in a prominent area of the collateral. Try implementing a QR code in print advertising to serve as a visual stimulus and direct viewers to your app store page.

2. Web and mobile web

Your website, mobile website and brand or store blog offer extensive promotional opportunities. For an immediate spike in app downloads, test a short promotional message and call to action within an entrance or exit pop-up window. Set the pop-up so that a visitor only sees it once within a specified time frame, such as a two-week or 30-day period. Also place a persistent prompt to download your app in the site header or footer on every page.

Promote your app within homepage slideshows as well as in the left or right column on interior site pages. Write a search-optimized article describing the features and benefits of your app, and link to this within the overall site navigation. Drive additional traffic to your app promotion page by placing links within site articles and blog posts.

3. Email

Email marketing is consistently a top driver of app downloads for retailers. If you already have an ongoing email communication with your customers (say, a weekly or monthly newsletter), add a persistent app download prompt to the header or footer of the template. To maximize your results, occasionally send dedicated emails that promote your app.

4. SMS

If you have an SMS database for your customers, send occasional SMS messages to drive app downloads. A link to a landing page can determine the mobile operating system and then redirect the user to the proper app store (Google Play or iTunes).

5. Social Media Channels

On all social media channels, regularly post messaging that touts the benefits of your app and include a link to download. Using Facebook as an example, be sure to include regular posts about the app and include photos when possible to further engagement. When launching a new app or making major updates to a current one, consider using the cover photo on your Facebook page for extra promotion. You can also add a tab to your Facebook page to promote your apps and include customer testimonials.

6. Video

Consider creating a short video that walks customers through your app and demonstrates its features. Be sure to include a link to download the app within the video description so that viewers can easily take action. Make this video available through your Web and mWeb experience as well as promoting it via your social media and other marketing channels. The Google Play app store also allows video demos for apps.

7. Search

All content you create to promote your app should be search-engine optimized to drive additional impressions and downloads through organic search. Factor in how your app matches up to the search need-states within your audience and incorporate targeted keywords and phrases into descriptive copy and posts promoting your app. Also, ensure that keyword-rich alt-image tags are applied to every image shown for your app.

Because it typically requires multiple impressions to stimulate consumer behavior, an always on approach, applied throughout your owned media ecosystem, is an essential component of any app marketing strategy.

10 digital marketing and tech predictions for 2013

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 12:00:00 GMT

As we look ahead to 2013, some Rockfish employees shared their musings on where they see changes coming in the digital and technology spaces. Here are 10 predictions that have our offices buzzing:

1. The lines between user expectations, creative storytelling and technology capabilities will be erased. New mobile/tablet platforms will push the discussions on responsive vs. adaptive design to the forefront, while SEO opportunities will blend the art of copywriting and the science of content strategy into a unified approach.

–Bob Robinson, Executive Creative Director

2. Consumer adoption of third-party shopper apps – and some retailers’ failure to keep up – will further erode consumers’ loyalty to any one retailer. Apps such as TheFind, Smoopa, RedLaser, Aisle411, Slice and Slift make it easier for shoppers to browse, buy and receive offers from a large number of online and offline retailers. The multitude of third-party apps puts pressure on retailers to upgrade their own apps or integrate third-party features/content. Some retailers are already doing this, like Walgreens’ Aisle411 map integration and BestBuy’s recent integration with RedLaser.

–Eric Svenson, Director, Digital Strategy

3. People will demand portability of their data and transparency into how it is used. Consumers are beginning to understand there’s no such thing as a free lunch or a free online service. With many PR hiccups this year – like Instagram's temporarily updated TOS and Path uploading users’ contact books without asking – the public is becoming increasingly sensitive to privacy online and how data is used. Companies will need to be upfront and make the case for how and why data is used.

–David Christensen, Sr. User Experience Architect

4. Ubiquitous video. If content is king, expect the king to look a lot more like video in 2013. I think we’re at a tipping point where new consumer expectations and behaviors are meeting evolving device (and bandwidth) capabilities, and as a result, the text articles that cut it in 2005 aren't enough anymore. I’m a bibliophile, so I'm not saying people won't read. But I am saying that marketers who still use the analogy of “pages” to define content on people’s phones and tablets are going to quickly fall behind. Sight, sound and motion are powerful marketing tools, so expect to see them leveraged more on every device.

–Jason Bender, Executive Creative Director

5. Brick and mortar retail fully embraces technology. Over the past few years, brick and mortar retailers have debated the role of technology in their stores. On one side, they have had to defend against “showrooming,” where consumers visit their stores and then buy through an e-commerce player like Amazon. And on the other side, they have had to figure out how to deal with digital coupons, Foursquare and other digital channels. In 2013, we'll see the first sign of retailers starting to bring meaningful uses of technology to the in-store experience. Restaurants will start to rid themselves of stale paper menus, opting instead for tablet-based displays. Grocers will leverage kiosk-based experiences for everything from customer service to placing your deli order. And all retailers will use tools like MomentFeed to better embrace location-based marketing to reach shoppers in and around their stores.

–Dave Knox, SVP & Chief Marketing Officer

6. Google+ will become more integrated in Google Search as Google and Facebook compete to be the center of our social universe. Despite the fact, people search for people, not things, on Facebook. Google will integrate the people part more into search. It will work – well.

–Steve Plunkett, Sr. Search Strategist

7. Content as API. Platforms that deliver compelling content and enable developers and others to easily tap into this content will enable more profitable long-term success. Open content platforms will enable more compelling use cases and combinations with other big social, search and analytics data and will enable easier access through the myriad of mobile and tablet devices on the market.

–Shannon Lewandowski, Director, Enterprise Solutions

8. Divergence of measurement and analytics methodologies. With an increase in the number of devices and platforms across mobile, social, web and tablet, there will be a divergence in measurement technologies and methodologies as more startups and companies offer solutions to track individual technologies and platforms, while others attempt to solve the multiple-screen online measurement challenge. In 2014, there will be a convergence as vetted methodologies will remain while untested or weak methodologies disappear.

– Michael Lamontagne, VP, Media, Analysis & Channel Performance

9. Beyond touch. Faster than expected, touchscreen interfaces are going the way of the keyboard-and-mouse – maybe not today, but sooner than we all think. From wearable computing to gestural interface, I think that in 2013 we'll see a lot more interface experimentation.

–Jason Bender, Executive Creative Director

10. Appliances will get smarter to meet the bar raised by Apple, Nest and others. We can dream about innovations that haven't yet been thought of, but I think we'll see all industries playing catch-up to a higher bar already set in 2012 by Nest's thermostat, Philip's wireless Hue lighting, etc. Companies will no longer have the luxury of being complacent.

–David Christensen, Sr. User Experience Architect

The Layover iPad app selected as Best of 2012 by Apple

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 10:00:00 GMT

Rockfish is happy to announce that our client Travel Channel has been recognized by Apple in its App Store Best of 2012 selections.

The Travel Channel Layover Guide iPad app was selected by Apple in the “Hidden Gems: Apps” category. “These fantastic apps are the outliers – they don’t fit neatly into categories, but they impressed us by riding trends or forging new ones,” Apple's editors wrote.

Rockfish worked with the Travel Channel to create iPhone, iPad and iPod touch apps for the Anthony Bourdain show The Layover.

The app is designed to encourage users to create their own Bourdain-inspired excursions and includes exclusive content from his hit shows The Layover and Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.

The app also features:

• Tony’s insider tips on 14 great cities, with dos and don’ts, inspiration lists and music playlists. Season 2 cities are being added as they air on The Layover on Travel Channel.

• a built-in map view so you can plan your route and adjust on the fly

• the ability to add your own destination photos and notes to create a journal of your layover – and much more.

Congratulations to the Travel Channel team and the Rockfish creative and development teams who worked on this app.

For those interested, you can download the app here.

Rockfish named #4 job creator in advertising

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 08:50:00 GMT

Rockfish is proud to announce that it has been named the country’s No. 4 job creator in the advertising and marketing industry by Inc. magazine.

The honor comes as part of Inc.’s inaugural Hire Power Awards, which recognize the private businesses that have generated the most jobs in the past three years. Job creation was tallied for the years 2008 to 2011.

Read more on the Inc. website and in the magazine's December/January issue.

Let's Talk Retail: Black Friday Predictions

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Hugh DeWitte is VP Strategy & Insights in our Dallas office. You can connect with him on LinkedIn.

Let’s Talk Retail

Retailers and deal sites have begun the annual Black Friday ad dance. Sites including FatWallet and BradsDeals have published leaked versions of ads from some 30 retailers, including Macy's, Ace Hardware, Sports Authority, RadioShack and Kmart. This past Friday, Ace Hardware's Black Friday ad reappeared on deal sites, replacing a "cease and desist" letter Ace's lawyers had sent earlier in the week insisting the ads be taken down.

This season, shopping will become a living, social thing connected by multiple devices. As Black Friday and Cyber Monday approach, will we see changes? Will merchants attempt to personalize the online shopping experience? What about your traditional in-store shopping? How will that change??

Black Friday 2013 Predictions:

Cyber Monday Will Be Bigger Than Black Friday
Cyber Monday was the top online spending day during last year's holiday season. Door-buster deals won't be limited just to Black Friday.

Device-Specific Deals
Marketers now understand how and when consumers are using smartphone and tablet devices. Many retailers will now offer device-specific deals that deliver gift recommendation or door busters when the consumer is most receptive to the offer.

In-Store Wi-Fi and 4G Will Make Showrooming Easier
More retailers are offering fee Wi-Fi this holiday, and thanks to the proliferation of 4G you can now compare those online prices much faster while you're in-store. Retailers like Best Buy will make an attempt to counter showrooming by price matching.

Shoppers Are More Likely to Use a Mobile Wallet App
Google Wallet, Square, and LevelUp are just a few smartphone apps designed to make payments fast and easy this Black Friday.

Retailers Will Attach Themselves to Top Gifts
For example, take the iPad 4 or iPad Mini. Retailers understand that the iPad will be one of the most gifted items this year. Rather than just alerting a consumer to a Black Friday deal, retailers will reward shoppers with additional incentives to ensure they do not buy from a competitor.

Retailers Will Stalk Consumers Like Never Before
This holiday season consumers are bound to meet a digital stalking salesperson in the form of the retargeting ad. We're anticipating this type of ad targeting will become more pervasive this holiday season, especially since consumers will likely visit multiple sites in a short time period.

Retailers Will Get More Creative With In-Store Incentives
Retailers understand they're losing the e-commerce battle with Amazon. In order to get shoppers into their stores, we'll see additional incentives beyond discounts. Experiential technology will be a common theme.

Traditional Retailers Will Finally Price Match Amazon
Retailers have been price matching other retailers for some time, but they'll finally offer price matches for online merchants like Amazon. The determining purchase factor will be shipping, not just lowest price.

The Science of Search

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 10:30:00 GMT

Upasna Gautam is a Search Developer in our Dallas office. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter.

For those who don’t work in the discipline, the world of search engine optimization is usually perceived as dark and mystifying. The field itself sometimes gets a negative image within the industry because it is greatly misunderstood (the ugly duckling, if you will), but when executed correctly, it displays all of its glory (a la beautiful swan). Search certainly isn’t rocket science, but it can be much better understood with a little bit of basic science background. Over the last few months, and especially within my last two months here at Rockfish, I began to notice that the perplexities of the search process could be distilled when paralleled with the scientific method.

It was all the way back in elementary school when we first learned about the analytical process of the scientific method. At the most fundamental level, the method consists of five main steps: observe, research, hypothesize, experiment, and draw a conclusion. The notion of “always be testing” will yield the most value in search when these five steps of the scientific method are applied.

Make observations. To translate this into search terms, think of this step as an overall characterization of your website’s current state. The characterizations are the measurements and baseline performance statistics (e.g. CTR, conversion rate, etc.) that will be used as testing variables and controls in forthcoming steps, as well as measures of success. This step also includes an in depth characterization of the client’s business objectives, current keyword performance, and market and persona utility. By defining these elements, we now have a solid starting point to proceed with a closer examination.
Conduct background research. This step includes a quantitative data analysis (via tools such as Omniture, Forrester Research, Quantcast, etc.) in order to obtain deeper insight into the types of visitors that are coming to your website and its competitors. This data is also useful in revealing any untapped pockets of consumers within the market. In conjunction, a comprehensive site audit will need to be performed to uncover anything that may be obstructing conversion. Finally, keyword research can be conducted based upon correlations with the gathered data.
Form a testable hypothesis. With the data acquired from the observation and research phases, you can now postulate a sound hypothesis. This will direct back to the very first step in which we characterized baseline performance statistics. For example, “Using branded keyword phrases yields a 35% higher CTR than using unbranded keyword phrases” is a testable hypothesis that uses a key performance indicator, CTR, as the dependent variable.
Test your hypothesis. The testing phase in the search process involves technical integration and development, content strategy and development, link strategy and deployment, and a lot of patience. It’s during this testing period where we begin to bridge the connections between keyword phrases and the consumers searching for them in order to effectively provide optimization recommendations. By explaining these connections via market research and persona analysis (as opposed to search lingo), we’re able to build a multi-channel bridge that will apply its positive affect across all capabilities.
Analyze and draw conclusions. The final step of the process involves measuring results and optimization. Results should be reported in a tailored fashion based upon the KPI’s and business objectives. Although rankings and traffic values are important to consider, they are not the determining metric of success. The true indicator is if conversion was actually attained. At this point, it is crucial to inspect all possible variables that are affecting that output. This is where the optimization comes into play – usability and A/B tests are performed, variables are adjusted, and the entire process repeats itself in order to achieve more desirable results (i.e. greater conversion rates).

In the case of search and the scientific method, a “true” hypothesis will never truly be reached because of the sheer erraticism of search engines – you should and will always be testing. Google is well aware that like with any experiment, too much consistency will burn it out because systemic configurations can’t be sustained by a dynamic structure (that structure being the Google algorithm). Although no definitive process can be constructed to layout the optimal way to perform search engine optimization, the scientific method does provide an organized approach to studying and better understanding this imperative phenomenon.

Rockfish Represents - PubCon Vegas 2012

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:30:00 GMT

PubCon is the premier new media conference held twice per year and features expert speakers from all over the world presenting in sessions covering everything from search engine optimization (SEO) to social media marketing and from web analytics to landing page conversion optimization. It is always a great event for web marketers of all stripes, and the latest edition held in Las Vegas October 16, 17 and 18, 2012 was no exception.

Rockfish was well-represented at the Las Vegas Convention Center with Vice President, Search & Emerging Media Melyssa St. Michael and Senior Manager, Search Strategy Elmer Boutin taking the stage several times sharing their expertise with the PubCon attendees.

Melyssa spoke in three sessions:

Outreach and Relationship Building where she gave a presentation entitled “Building An Influencer Brief”
Reputation Management: Monitoring Your Brand Online in which she rounded out a great session with her presentation “Reputation Management: A Three-Pronged Approach” where she outlined the three main ways brands can defend their online reputations
Developing Audience Personas for SEO where she, again, anchored an excellent session with a talk called “Beyond Keyword Insights: Persona Development” where she outlined the importance of using personas as a part of developing a solid search strategy.

Elmer presented in two sessions:

In-House SEO Team Building and Training where he gave a well-received presentation entitled “Be That Leader” which outlined the importance of being a strong leader when in putting together and guiding an SEO team
Engaging Your Community and Audience Through Contests in which he gave his top tips for conducting a successful online contest in “5 Tips for A Successful Contest.” Some of the material for this presentation was put together through collaboration with other Rockfish team members, most notably Kayla Bond, Community & Content Manager.

Elmer also moderated a session on mobile marketing and participated in PubCon Labs, which is a series of 20-minute one-on-one sessions between speakers and attendees allowing for more detailed answers to questions to be given.

All in all, it was a very successful week for the Rockfish team.

Looking forward to April, Elmer has already been invited to speak at PubCon South, which will be held in New Orleans in April. He looks to be joined by Melyssa again, and Rockfish Search Scientist, Steve Plunkett, who has presented at several PubCon events in the past.

What's New in SiteCatalyst v15?

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 09:00:00 GMT

Lindsay Bettcher is a Digital Analyst in our Cincinnati office. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter.

One of the most important parts of any award-winning project is to make strategies and decisions based on concrete data and analysis. Data and analysis arm strategists with the information they need to alter current consumer behaviors toward conversion tactics such as purchasing a product, signing up for email or downloading an important document. In order to gain this data, marketers deploy data analysis systems that help capture visitor behavior on their website.

Adobe SiteCatalyst is an industry leader that captures customizable insights through the use of variables and backend development. While more people have likely heard of Google Analytics and use it because it is free, it does not allow as much customization as SiteCatalyst does, leaving analysts hitting a wall when it comes to deep insights. Another key difference between Google Analytics and SiteCatalyst is data ownership—Google owns your data, while in SiteCatalyst you own your data. SiteCatalyst also has a stronger support system, giving each client their own account manager and providing several day-long training courses; Google only has an online certification course.

Despite being free, Google Analytics actually originally featured several capabilities which were absent from SiteCatalyst. However, with last year’s release of SiteCatalyst v15, some of these missing capabilities have been matched, offering existing SiteCatalyst users stronger analysis opportunities, and prospective users more reasons to consider the tool.

New SiteCatalyst v15 functionality similar to Google Analytics:

Instant Segmentation – SiteCatalyst now allows users to instantly segment based on a certain set of characteristics through the interface. Previously, to get segmentations, an analyst had to use Data Warehouse, ASI Segments or one of their more expensive tools Discover or Insight. Google Analytics has offered this for free since 2008, making SiteCatalyst a little late to the game in this aspect.
Bounce Rate – Long used as a standard metric in Google Analytics, SiteCatalyst now steps up to bat adding Bounce Rate as one of its standard metrics of some reports. Previously, you could calculate bounce rate with Calculated Metrics, but v15 makes bounce rate instantly available.

Additional features that improve upon the previous version of SiteCatalyst:

Automatic sub-relations – Analysts can now automatically compare any eVar (it measures conversions, in layman’s terms) to any other eVar. This may not sound like a major overhaul, but correlations were limited in previous versions.
Processing Rules – With the full customization of variables, Omniture requires a lot of backend coding. Once it’s coded, and if it is coded incorrectly, analysts cringe at data when it doesn’t line up with other data. With Processing Rules, the power gets put back to the analyst, allowing analysts to change the mistakes in the code through a front-end process. The code actually stays the same; however, an analyst can tell SiteCatalyst how to process the code so that data shows up correctly. Be warned – the change is permanent, so Adobe requires administrators to pass a test before they can even touch this feature.

This blog post only highlights some of the updates that SiteCatalyst v15 offers. The majority of the changes were made under the hood to allow for better data accuracy, de-duplication of data and allow for segmentation, which further puts SiteCatalyst in front of Google Analytics. For existing SiteCatalyst users, account administrators need to work with an Adobe ClientCare Representative to upgrade to v15. For non-users, the Rockfish Media, Analysis and Channel Performance team can help walk you through available tools, finding the right match for your needs that will help drive strategic decisions.

Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Raises the Stakes in Social Media

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:25:00 GMT

Rockfish is happy to announce a partnership with the legendary Horseshoe Casino and their new Cincinnati location. Opening in spring 2013, Horseshoe will be Cincinnati’s first casino, and will play an integral role in the transformation of the city’s downtown area. Horseshoe speaks to a wide range of demographics, and social media is one of the most effective ways to engage those audiences.

Rockfish will enhance the casino’s social media presence and establish the brand’s tone and voice through their existing channels. Within the casino industry, there’s room for Horseshoe to excel and become a leader in social. Rockfish will help by utilizing our creativity, proven strategies and understanding of the city’s digital climate. We are proud to partner with Horseshoe, and along with the rest of Cincinnati, look forward to the grand opening.

Read More in the Business Courier
Like Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati on Facebook
Follow @HorseshoeCincy on Twitter

Learning to Embrace Contextual and Anticipatory Apps and Services

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 10:00:00 GMT

Shannon Lewandowski serves as the Director of Enterprise Solutions and will be posting monthly on all things enterprise. Connect with her on LinkedIn. You also can find her on Twitter and Google+.

Just wait a few months. A host of apps recently released or soon to be released all center on contextual relevance, anticipating what you want and need. If you are using free services and applications, you are sending an incredible number of signals into the cloud. Companies have only begun to tap into the personalization and customization opportunities to date.

Shel Israel and Robert Scoble are working on a new book, The Age of Context: How it Will Change Your Life and Work. The book will help explain this new world of anticipatory, automatic, personalized and smart applications that are mashing up big data from sensors, your social networks and the cloud. These services are the perfect candidates for wearable computing technology, responding to you and your environment to deliver what you need, when you need it.

Image courtesy of Expect Labs.

Why Now?

Internet-Connected and Social Mobile Devices: Mobile devices are proliferating throughout the globe, introducing many to the Internet for the first time. Mobile users in aspiring countries are using the Internet in dynamic ways, making use of free services like Facebook's free carrier text-only site, Facebook Zero, which enables Facebook to gather more social graph data and information.

Statistics reported from McKinsey&Company's "Online and upcoming: The Internet's impact on aspiring countries" report from January 2012.
Sensor Data and APIs: Smart phone numbers also are climbing, along with tablets as their price tags decrease because of the intense competition. Both can provide a number of signals that application developers are only beginning to tap into. As mentioned in my previous post, the Gimbal™ SDK is an important API that will provide application developers access to more sensors, when the OS allows access, which will result in more signals and more data.
Cloud Databases, Big Data: A proliferation of free services and applications capture data and connect to your social graphs in an attempt to combine the data in new and unique ways to offer you better personalization and better service. Companies providing free tools and data are amassing large amounts of our data, videos, texts and documents, which are being analyzed to improve language, image/face recognition, algorithms and artificial intelligence.
Wearable computing and augmented reality are making strides as Google shows off Project Glass and submits patents for other wearable devices. There are rumors spreading of Apple's iPod Nano turning into Apple's first wearable computing product. Olympus and others also are filing patents and working on devices. All these devices will enable us to easily view this contextual information without disruptive notifications.

Evidence of the Trend

There is a rise in contextual applications that are starting to tap into and merge location, calendar and social data to provide better functionality.

Some as simple as the LinkedIn™ iPad application, which taps into your calendar with your permission to provide you more contextual information about your schedule.
Google just released Field Trip, currently only on Android, which delivers up nuggets of information when you near a historical landmark, a prior film location, or restaurants.
Apple's Passbook notifies you of deals, coupons, tickets when you near a place of business configured in your Passbook.

It is easy to imagine all of this contextual information getting displayed on Project Glass or other wearable computing to blend in more seamlessly to your experiences.

Take note of applications like Evernote®, Google Docs, Workflowy, SpringPad, and OneNote. These brain-extension applications capture critical information and enable easy integration so you can log and archive more of your signals, content and goals. This information is often more personal and relevant than the social signals you might be creating.

Startups like Kaggle™ are helping retailers and other large companies solve data algorithm challenges to improve personalization, algorithm speed and services. It also serves as a training ground for budding data scientists, who can compete in competitions and put their algorithms to the test.

Rise of Anticipatory Apps
I used to swear by the Android Swype keyboard, but made the switch to SwiftKey™. Why? Because it learns. It is connected to my Twitter, Gmail and Facebook accounts, learns from all that type through the keyboard, and provides smarter prediction, reducing the number of keys I need to press.

Google already has begun rolling out anticipatory applications and services that will continue to evolve and improve. Outside of search, GoogleNow is trying to automatically provide you with the information you need, when you need it. Google has made tremendous strides in their neural networks, which have learned to recognize cats, people and other objects from millions of YouTube videos . This virtual brain utilizes incredible computing power to create more robust machine learning systems to advance speech recognition, and, eventually, image search, Project Glass, self-driving cars and more.

MindMeld is an incredible iPad app in beta from Expect Labs that will provide contextual data and information as you either talk on a video or voice call or during a meeting, anticipating your needs.

Watch the MindMeld product video.

How will this impact you, your business or your technology organization?
Pay attention to the apps and companies cropping up; many are moving past social and trying to capitalizing on providing contextual information when and where you need it, often skirting the line between creepy and helpful. Be aware of the data you put into the cloud or learn to embrace the improved services your data is contributing to.

Personal privacy and business security will continue to be an issue as applications like MindMeld become popular, because they are listening in to your conversations in order to provide value. BYOD policies might need to be adjusted to account for these types of listening services at the office.

If you are a company sitting on a lot of big data, take an inventory of the data you are capturing and look for unique opportunities along your employees' or customers' journeys to provide better personalization, automatic services and delightful experiences.

Don't Check the Box on Employee Recognition

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 09:00:00 GMT

Lisa Bridgers, VP of Human Resources & Recruiting in our Rogers office, shares her thoughts on rewarding and recognizing in a meaningful way.

As a human resources professional, I see tons of paper every single day…often accompanied with a list of things to do or check off. Check this box to identify your gender, check this box if you’re able to relocate for your new job, check this box if you want your signature included on every email and so on and so on. Seems like we’re constantly faced with checking the box to ensure we’ve done what we’re supposed to do for the day, the week, the year.

Unlike all the examples above, employee recognition is not something you can simply “check the box.” If you try to check the box by having a bunch of senior-level leaders gather in a conference room to brainstorm the next top-down recognition initiative, I promise you, it won’t work. Programs that feel forced out by leadership are destined to fail. Programs that stand on the virtue of money alone will wind up the same way.

I’ve survived far too many forced employee recognition programs in my career. Turn to any employee survey and you’ll find that money is NOT the top motivator. The words reward and recognition come up over and over again. People want to feel recognized and appreciated for their efforts in a real and genuine way, especially in the work place. Simply put, there is no recognition more significant to an employee than that provided by their peers.

Think about the people you work alongside every day. You know their strengths, their spouse’s name, their kids’ names and maybe even what they had for breakfast today. You know what they’re all about. When your colleague went way above and beyond to save your project a couple of weeks ago, you wanted to recognize that behavior and say, “Thanks for the help!” So, you run to the HR or accounting office begging for a gift card to show your thanks. Then, you have to figure out which gift card is best and wish you could have done something a bit more personal and meaningful to show your appreciation.

Enter, Rockfish Rewards…now called YouEarnedIt!

YouEarnedIt takes all the guesswork out of creating an employee recognition program, can happen real-time and (this is the best part) you don’t have to go ask anyone for something to show your appreciation to your colleagues. You, the employee, get to decide how many points to give away, to whom they are given, on your time, and in your words. All the power to recognize and reward your coworkers is at your fingertips! Rockfish is built on core values that each of us strives to emulate- we put both our hearts and minds into our work. Peer recognition helps to drive the connection between the two.

The result is an engaged workforce with the ability to give their peers a ‘virtual high five’ anytime they want. When the YouEarnedIt site launched and we moved away from managing the program via an excel spreadsheet, the impact in our environment was unbelievable. Our employees continued to reward and recognize their coworkers with YouEarnedIt points and the redemption requests went up and up. Our rewards catalog is chock-full of excellent things for which to redeem your points: Louboutin shoes, Tory Burch shoes, Apple TVs, iPads, and even a Ducati motorcycle. We can add, remove and change out things in the catalog as well; giving us the option of making sure the catalog items remain relevant to our employees. I hear stories almost daily of what Rockfishers have purchased with their points and every time it brings a smile to my face. Why? Because a workforce that feels recognized and rewarded tends to be more productive…yes, it’s true.

Today an employee shared with me how her friends are very jealous of all the loot she’s racked up via YouEarnedIt points at Rockfish stating “we get it; your job is way cooler than ours”. They are right – except it’s her company that’s way cooler than theirs because we didn’t just check the box.

Lisa Bridgers is the Vice President, Human Resources & Recruiting. You can follow Lisa on Twitter.

Can Adobe's Renewed Commitment to the Web Win Over Web Designers?

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 10:00:00 GMT

David Christensen is a Senior User Experience Architect in our Dallas office. You can connect with him on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter.

As part of their Create the Web tour which had its first event in San Francisco on September 24th, Adobe revealed new tools and updates to previous ones targeted at helping web designers create for the modern web. These are all a part of their Edge Tools & Services.

Adobe’s relationship with the web has been rocky at best. Dreamweaver has always been more of a hindrance than a help to designers & developers wishing to create clean, readable and semantically marked up web pages. Their Labs release of Wallaby promised to convert Flash to Javascript/CSS3 but didn’t deliver quality output. Since the veritable sunset of Flash, Adobe has been scrambling to secure a beachhead in the modern web design workflow. This may be just the beginning to their renewed commitment to designing using modern web standards.

Here are some of the tools in their web design arsenal:

Edge Inspect
Adobe Edge Inspect (formerly Adobe Shadow) is a remote web inspector. This lets you preview your web design on mobile and tablet devices (currently has clients for iOS and Android). On the surface, this means a mirrored view on your mobile device (as many as you want to connect!) as you drive on the desktop. This allows you to see how responsive/adaptive sites render differently and even take screenshots. For developers it lets them remotely inspect and modify the code, and immediately see changes on mobile. You can also run it off of a local web server. We’ve had remote debuggers before in the form of an open-source project called Weinre, but you can’t ignore the polish that Adobe has applied to Edge Inspect.

(Adobe Edge Inspect)

Edge Code

Edge Code is a new code editor for working with HTML/CSS/Javascript. Based on an open-source project web editor written in Javascript called Brackets (also by Adobe). Side-by-side the two projects look completely identical at this stage. Interestingly enough, the Brackets project is protected by the MIT License, which is one of the broadest open-source license out there (provides rights to modify and even charge for the software). One neat feature is the “Quick Edit” which quickly exposes CSS rules for the element highlighted. But do web developers need yet another code editor? Does it matter that is was built in Javascript? Only time will tell.

Edge Reflow
Edge Reflow is a design tool for creating responsive websites. Although the product isn’t released yet, the videos make it feel like a lightweight Dreamweaver with front and center emphasis on the media queries thatmake sites responsive. Designs are built on a fluid grid, and designers create breakpoints and use the design mode to quickly adjust to preview at varying screen widths. Because this tool isn’t in the wild, we have yet to see sample output from the editor. If the outputted code is unsightly, it will likely only be a tool for responsive design beginners to play around in.

(Adobe Edge Reflow)

Adobe Animate

Adobe Animate is a timeline-based animation application that outputs projects to standard HTML and Javascript. This means the ability to create Flash-like animations that can reach Flash-free Apple products, as well as being compatible with modern mobile and desktop browsers. But don’t be mistaken, Adobe Animate is a far cry from the robustness of Flash. Gone is any actual interactivity or logic, these are only simple animations. Designers will likely only use Animate to augment individual pieces of a site, such as a product demo.

(Adobe Animate)

Even though Adobe has renewed their commitment to designing for the web, all of these tools are in their infancy and it is yet to be seen if serious web designers will keep these in their toolset. The web is constantly evolving with browser vendors, standards organizations and, most importantly, the community continually updating standards and best practices.

The important question is, will Adobe continue to update these products to adapt to the latest standards and best practices of the evolving web?

Building Brand Personality Through Copywriting

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Kailin Borton and Susan Wenner Jackson are Senior Copywriters in our Cincinnati office. You can connect with Kailin on LinkedIn. You can connect with Susan on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter.

A few months ago, Smashing Magazine published an article called “The Personality Layer.” It sparked a conversation within our own creative department about how we can continue to let our brands’ personalities and voices shine.

A brand’s voice can and should come through in all pieces of copy, including TV and print ads. However, it’s digital that provides some of the best opportunities to insert fun, surprising and even meaningful details to elicit an emotional response to the brand.

Here are a few great places to add personality online:

• Landing Page
• Product Descriptions
• Instructional Copy
• Forms
• 404 Page
• Confirmation Emails
• Search Functionality
• About/Bio Pages

It’s important to note that personality does not necessarily mean funny. Sure, it’s easy to write something clever, but if it’s off-brand, we’re not doing our jobs. Not all brands can be silly, but they all have (hopefully) some sort of ownable and likable personality traits that we can amplify in unexpected places.

As a writer, you should understand your brand’s personality and know what feels right with their voice. Here are a few questions to ask yourself when evaluating a piece with personality:

• Does it fit the brand’s equity and positioning?
• Does it work with the design or content around it?
• Does it enhance or distract?

Take a look at these examples of digital work with brand voice:

GymIt
GymIt keeps the gym experience simple and inexpensive, with friendly service and a lack of typical gym hassles. The brand projects a casual, matter-of-fact demeanor, with a little tongue-in-cheek humor. Its homepage rotates clever headlines like “Earn your mac’n’cheese tonight” or “Cancel anything without pretending you’ve moved.”

Another gem from GymIt: The cancellation policy, of all things: “Hey, we’re nice enough to let you leave when you want (no commitments, no rules about having to move to Alaska to be far enough away to cancel). But, we do ask for 30-days’ notice so we have time to process your request. And, best yet, no certified mail or notarized anything, just shoot an email with your name (we may not know who HottoTrot2000@gmail.com is) and the reason (we want to make sure it’s you and not us) to cancel@gymit.com and we’ll process your cancel.”

Uber
Uber is a mobile app that aims to be “your on-demand private driver.” Request a ride at any time, and Uber hooks you up with licensed, professional drivers to pick you up. Your credit card gets charged automatically for the ride, tip included.

Uber comes off as cool, classy, stylish, bold and savvy. Look for references to this James Bond-esque personality in Uber’s website, Facebook updates and blog posts –sometimes with a touch of humor thrown in for good measure.

Hipmunk
This travel search site focuses on what travelers actually care about, beyond just price—like how long it actually takes to get from point A to B (layovers and all). Hipmunk doesn’t take itself too seriously, with a light and fun tone, maybe a little nerdy, usually direct and to-the-point.

While Hipmunk is primarily a search engine, you’ll find little golden nuggets of personality throughout its online copy. The About page, for instance, portrays company leaders as real people using fun facts. (Cofounder Adam Goldstein’s “Dream invention: Supersonic travel with no jet lag.”) Even the search functions have fun titles – sort your results by “agony” or “ecstasy.” What a simple, brilliant way to show users how your travel search engine differs from the competition.

Starbucks

As the world’s biggest maker and retailer of fancy-schmancy coffee, Starbucks has built a juggernaut brand over the last four decades. Starbucks branding goes way beyond coffee, of course. From its bags of coffee in grocery stores to paper cups served in Starbucks stores, you’ll find the brand voice coming through. You might describe the Starbucks personality as poetic, philosophical, artistic, passionate, delightful – like the barista everyone enjoys chatting with while ordering their favorite customized coffee drink.

See how the product page copy for Starbucks Anniversary Blend elevates the importance and relevance of the product: “As we reflect on the passage of time, we like to do so over a cup of very special coffee.”

Even on its Pinterest page, “Starbucks Loves,” the brief page description embodies the Starbucks voice: “These are some of the things we love: coffee, food, music, inspiration. But most of all, we love sharing these things with you.”

ZenDesk

Zendesk delivers the leading cloud-based customer service software. This company bases its brand on simplicity and elegance, proclaiming itself “the easiest and fastest way to provide great customer service.” ZenDesk’s brand personality is like the most helpful person you’ve ever met (pretty much the dream customer service representative, right?) Friendly, personal, earnest and, of course, totally calm like a true Zen master – this is how the voice of ZenDesk comes across in its digital communications.

Listen to this: “You can count on Zendesk to teach, share, and collaborate with you as we embark on our journey together.” How many B-to-B brands do you hear talking like that on their websites?
(Photo: Scott Beale / Laughing Squid)

We’ve discovered a number of other brands that let their voices shine through online, including:

• Chipotle
• Converse
• Dollar Shave Club
• Groupon
• IKEA
• MailChimp
• Makers Mark
• Method
• Mini USA
• ModCloth
• Mozilla
• NASA Curiosity Rover
• Sweet Leaf Tea
• Trader Joe’s
• UncommonGoods
• Vitamin Water

Have any brands we should add to the list? We’re always on the lookout for personality-filled copy in digital marketing. Share your favorites from brands great and small by following us on Twitter.

Work Hard, Play Hard: Defining Rockfish Culture to Prospective Employees

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:35:00 GMT

Blake Hannan is a Recruiter in our Rogers office. You can follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, or consult our Careers page.

I often get asked by candidates, "What is the culture like at Rockfish?" or "I read the culture section on your webpage; but I’m curious…how would YOU describe the culture at Rockfish?"

I’ve got to be honest; I get that question all the time, and it’s my favorite to answer. Sure, the short answer would be, “We are a work hard, play hard environment.” But honestly, there is a bit more to it than that. Now I’ll admit that experiencing the culture does it far better justice than I’ll be able to do with this description…but I’ll give it a shot.

I read an article a few weeks back which stated that being around constant complaining and negativity can actually decrease brain activity and, well, make you dumb. If being around complaining, nagging people can have such a negative effect, then I would assume the opposite is also true. That is, positive people create a smarter, more productive environment. I can tell you about what I have observed here at Rockfish; we have a positive, happy energy that is contagious and can spread quickly throughout the office.

Let’s be honest, sometimes it can be tough to roll out of our comfy, warm beds in the morning - especially with cooler weather approaching. That’s why it is so nice to be surrounded at work by people who love what they do and have a good time doing it. I’m not saying it’s sunshine and unicorns all day, every day at Rockfish; we have our tense moments and our deadlines, but we have fun doing it.

I’ve recently moved from the back of our office to the front in order to be with the masses, and I love it. I love seeing this machine operate…there are so many moving parts. Occasionally, you’ll see a team huddled around someone’s desk for an impromptu meeting or gathered together in one our meeting rooms, laser-focused on the work on their screens. But on Fridays, the teamwork is a little different when we share a link across all offices and get a little turn-table action together. Any given Friday may have a theme to go along with it…so choose your songs wisely or you might get the boot!

And I know we have mentioned the Nerf guns before, but it is worth mentioning again. If you wander around the office, keep your guard up! I didn’t, and I got tagged in the back of the head with a Nerf dart by a developer. I’d say "great shot"…but he had a decent-sized target on which to set his sights.

It's also important to recognize those around you. Every Friday in each office, team members gather during "Friday Lunch" to celebrate successes, launches, birthdays and anniversaries. It’s really nice to be reminded of the cool stuff we do here and realize and recognize that there are many people who make up what goes on here.

Hopefully this provides a bit more insight to the “work hard, play hard” environment of Rockfish. If you have additional questions, please feel free to connect with me on the channels listed above.

Engaging a Live TV Audience Through Social Media

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 11:30:00 GMT

Lindsey Castrodale is an Insights Coordinator in our Rogers office. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter.

Live sporting events engage and entertain the physical audience on the field, at the stadium or on the court. But, these events also have the unique opportunity to engage and entertain the audience watching live TV.

The U.S. Open wrapped up in New York City on Monday, September 10, but not before giving fans the opportunity to experience the tournament like never before - right from their couch. While the 23,000 fans inside Arthur Ashe Stadium were able to watch the world’s top tennis players battle it out on the hard court, millions of fans worldwide were invited to listen, chat, and engage via social media.

The U.S. Open, CBS and tournament sponsors worked together to develop a separate strategy for each social channel. With a specific goal in mind, these partners were able to maintain and engage an active audience across multiple channels. Some of the creative campaigns from the tournament are highlighted below:

Shazam:
CBS, Shazam and IBM partnered to provide exclusive content to those tuned into to CBS coverage of the event. When alerted by a live TV commentator or a Shazam logo visible on the screen, fans were prompted to use the Shazam app to “listen” to the tennis match. Shazam then generated live scoring, stats and links to additional resources. The listening application had similar partnerships during the Super Bowl, American Idol and the Olympics. Additionally, Shazam has announced that they have expanded their TV efforts to include 160 U.S. channels. This is a game-changer in social TV technology because it provides select and interactive content to viewers through their smartphones.

Google+:
Since everyone couldn’t witness the U.S. Open in person, the tournament gave at-home-fans a special invitation during the Finals. Two official Google+ Hangouts were held during the Men’s and Women’s Finals where fans could join a former professional player and well-known commentator for live participation during the match. Fans were able to interact, ask questions and listen to expert analysis during the Hangouts. The live Hangout events were the first of their kind in the sports and entertainment industry. What an amazing way to make a fan feel like they are right in the action! You can check out the archived footage of the Hangouts on YouTube.

Instagram + Twitter:
Instagram is the latest channel marketers are using to highlight content produced by key influencers. Evian, a longtime sponsor of the U.S. Open, invited three of Instagram’s most popular users to capture life at the U.S. Open by sharing their photos via @evianwater with the hashtag #EvianDay. Prior to the tournament, the Instagrammers had a combined following of 600,000 – now, they have a combined following of over 750,000.

Connecting a digital experience to a physical, live event through these campaigns really takes user/fan engagement to new levels. Here at Rockfish, we are constantly looking for ways to do the same.

Words Mean Things

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 09:00:00 GMT

Kristy Stevenson is a Social Content Developer in our Rogers office. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter.

Words mean things.

That was the first sentence I heard in my first journalism class of my college career. And it’s a sentence I’ve never forgotten. (Thank you, Mr. Warner, for drilling it into my head.)

Allow me to use the same illustration Mr. Warner, my journalism prof, used on my first day of college to show us just how much meaning words have.

Isn’t it amazing how much one word can change the meaning of an entire sentence? Even though every sentence in the illustration above uses the exact same words, each one says something entirely different because of the placement of just one.

Fascinating, right?

Words mean things.

Fast forward through the next four years. While I still enjoyed writing, I realized journalism was definitely not the profession for me and I spent most of my senior year wondering what the heck I wanted to do with my life.

Then I found it. The job posting that sparked new excitement in my soul. Some company called Rockfish Interactive wanted a Social Content Developer.

The job requirements sounded more like my autobiography than obstacles and that’s when I knew that I wanted to be a Social Content Developer, whatever that meant.

As it turns out, this job is even more perfect for me than I originally imagined it would be. All the years I thought I “wasted” on pursuing a journalism degree were not for naught. Why? Because journalism taught me one very important thing that conveniently transfers to my current job of writing social content for brands.

Words mean things.

Think about how a brand relates to a customer on a social channel. The goal is to build awareness, then trust and ultimately, a loyal and lasting relationship. This is certainly an achievable goal, thanks to the ease of connecting and communicating via social media, however each impression requires different content strategies and different wording for said content.

Remember the illustration at the beginning of this post? I often think about it when I’m writing social content for brands. But instead of thinking in terms of facts or quotes like I would if I were in journalism, I think about how the difference between a positive impression and a negative one can be made by altering even one single word.

I think about how to best represent a particular brand on its social channels. Should it come across as an authoritative thought-leader or a friendly peer who understands the stage of life its audience is in? What words will best communicate the brand’s message and help it connect with its customers?

I think about how to phrase an engagement question in a way that encourages people to put in their own two cents. People want to be heard and I want to use my words to give others an opportunity to use their own words and express their own voice.

I think about how I can best help a customer with a complaint and how I can assure them that even though they’re communicating with a large brand, there is a person behind that brand who cares about them and wants to provide them with the best product or service possible.

It’s a simple mantra, but an important one.

Words mean things.

Helping Nutro Natural Choice Tell Its Story

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 08:50:00 GMT

The year was 1926. The Great War was over, Norma Smallwood was Miss America, Calvin Coolidge believed in saying little, millions worked on the family farm, and a little-known pet food company named Nutro took root. Nutro Natural Choice has nourished generations of pets for nearly a century, before we knew that antioxidants in fruits and vegetables strengthen immune systems or that omega fatty acids in sunflower oil help make coats radiant.

The need to change
Fast forward to 2010. Now there are hundreds of pet food brands in the U.S. Natural Choice found itself playing catch-up in key areas that had become table stakes in the category. For example, Nutro had not changed its dry meal dog food formula in over 20 years. They introduced the first natural pet food over 35 years ago, but their packaging did not communicate that it was natural. The packaging architecture did not communicate a solutions-centric brand. It was difficult for consumers to understand the many choices they now had in the product line up.

Becoming the natural authority
Every ingredient in Natural Choice products is put there for a reason – they never use fillers. Each bowl of food provides 100% complete nutrition, eliminating the need for supplements. The products are all-natural and never contain chemical preservatives. With over 35 unique formulas developed to target specific life stages, activity levels, dog sizes and food intolerances, consumers needed a place to go to find out what formula was made for their pet’s unique needs.

Natural Choice needed more than ads
The Natural Choice brand knew they needed an engaging brand experience that people wanted to get involved in and talk about. Nutro Natural Choice is the number one natural pet food in pet specialty stores. Now they needed a number one website that demonstrated they had natural nutrition down to a science.

Innovation from the get-go
If you are going to be perceived as a leader in a category, then you have to do things differently. Nutro knew this and so did we. The innovations you can expect to see at Nutro.com are:
• Browse by scrolling with surprises around every corner
• Big and bold visuals that invite exploration
• Easy traditional pull-down menus when you want answers fast
• Quick site search when you know a product or subject by name
• Customized product selection based on needs versus a generic product catalog
• Clear and informative product packaging and descriptions
• Focused attention devoted to quality and safety
• Informative “understanding my pet” library that tells our natural authority story

A word of thanks
Great outcomes are only possible when you have a client that believes in you. Thank you, Nutro.

Many different disciplines from across our company and within the Mars organization made this project happen. We did things differently and better. We defined new standards for web design that fit within browser and search restraints rather than follow existing ones. The work speaks for itself: http://www.nutro.com

Make the Natural Choice for yourself
Now that you know all about one of the best-kept secrets in the natural pet food category, we invite you to feed your pet Natural Choice. Simply go to your local pet specialty store and look for the colorful, friendly package with beautiful dog illustrations and try it for yourself.