As the high price of gold ripples through holiday jewelry sales, there is still some glitter to be mined in segmenting jewelry keywords, descriptions and ad copy.

First, the bad news: Precious metals prices on world markets started jumping in August, when an ounce of gold went from $680 to almost $850. Gold currently hovers around $800 an ounce. Although the precious metals stock tickers rise and fall in daily dances, the daily market swings don’t affect current jewelry inventory at the wholesale or retail store levels.

But that $200-per-ounce jump from just one quarter ago has increased price tags on the heavy gold chains and necklaces that are perennial gift list favorites this time of year, pricing some golden gifts out of Santa’s Stockings. Existing inventories of reliable wedding jewelry have been re-priced also, putting the squeeze on brides, grooms and wedding planners who are not likely to show up on “Bridezillas” or other unreality TV shows featuring multimillion dollar wedding bashes.

PEOPLE STILL BUY THE BLING

Higher priced gold has crossed some gold jewelry off holiday shopping lists, confirmed by a quick survey of major jewelry retailers and wholesalers from Manhattan’s Diamond District to Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. The good news is that some shoppers don’t care; others know gold prices may go even higher tomorrow, based on oil price and inflation jitters. Some jewelry shoppers refuse precious metals substitutes, even without knowing that replacement platinum ran up about the same $200 increase as gold since mid-August 2007.

Then, there’s the All That Glitters motive, which for some customers means it has got to be gold.

TARGETING AND SEGMENTING THE GOLD MARKET

KEYWORDS: luxury jewelry, luxury gold jewelry.
Targets of luxury goods — however marketers have defined the demographics of well-to-do, wealthy, carriage trade, upper crust or Top One-Half of One Percent Bracket — don’t stop buying gold jewelry at $800 per ounce. Status quo ante.

KEYWORDS: affordable wedding bands, wedding jewelry discounts, budget bands of gold.
Future brides and grooms do not cross gold off their shopping lists, but they do work on budget. Wedding band shoppers are doing more comparison shopping this season: buying smaller rings, searching on and offline for deals and even resorting to Big Box department stores and retailers who can shave prices with bulk, national purchasing power.

KEYWORDS: gold jewelry under $PRICE.
Smaller jewelry retailers are feeling the pinch from $800 per ounce gold, as shoppers in the middle range ($500 to $1,000) simply cross it off their lists after budgeting higher priced gasoline, heating oil and food costs. Some jewelry retailers encounter an impassable $1,000 ceiling among gold hunters who will buy in the $500 to $600 range. Jewelry marketers who still have inventory from pre-surge August price jumps might move it off the shelves at good margins by focusing on price in paid-ad and SEO listed titles.

KEYWORDS: Valentine gold jewelry, gold for Mother’s Day.
High water marks for jewelry sales tend toward the next holidays, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. While some customers are waiting out the price surge in gold, no one can predict if it will stabilize at the current $800 per ounce, much less drop back to the $650 range, due to global jitters over oil prices which started the price run. Priming the marketing pump in advance of the next jewelry-buying holidays — Buy now while gold is still $000 — might be a good strategy by reason of timing, seasonality and cutting through end-of-year holiday clutter.

1. Avoid blog naming trends. Thinking outside the box when naming your blog is not only encouraged, it’s often critical in creating a disposition distinct from other blog titles. A survey consisting of more than 33,000+ blogs taken by Elliot Back a few years ago discovered the most common words used in blog titles. I have listed Elliot’s findings of the top 10 names to avoid for your reference; blog, life, weblog, world, from, journal, news, thoughts, with, and daily. Although using these words isn’t exactly detrimental to your blog, it is by no means helpful. So the next time you’re thinking of a new blog title, utilize innovation over replication and ingenuity over monotony and you’ll be off to a good start.
2. Avoid the anonymous author route; no bio + no picture often = no credibility. People want to know about who is writing the content they’re reading and what better way to facilitate conversation with your reader than by an informal introduction. Readers also prefer to put a face to a name so don’t be shy when posting. BE picture friendly J
3. Avoid “long titles” or “humorous headlines” that out of context only add confusion to what may otherwise be “cream of the crop” content. A Title is the first impression of your blog aka the deciding factor to whether a reader chooses your site amongst the many other related findings.
4. Avoid writing a blog that you don’t want a future employer to read. Posting on the Web has revolutionized the publishing world so be sure to steer clear from rants and raves that may potentially cost you that dream job. Take precaution when overwhelmed by the need to put every thought on a platform for the world to see, as it may just come back to haunt you. When writing your next weblog, remember that savvy employers utilize the Web to profile perspective hires. Be wise when blogging and keep in mind that some things are simply better left unwritten.
5. Avoid all assumptions. Don’t assume your blogworms have read your past works. Add links to previously published pieces to paint a full picture of what you’re trying to portray and use navigating tools, such as “Read these First” to create a complete context for your readers. Also, don’t assume readers will flock to your blog just because you have something to say. Like all things that take on a life of its own blogs thrive when nurtured. They are organic by nature and as such require steady amendments to attract a steadfast consult.
6. Avoid vaguely titled links. Readers don’t appreciate being referred to links when they don’t know what to expect. Choose key descriptive words that give your reader the cognizance to make an informed decision on whether or not to click a designated link.
7. Avoid inconsistent publishing. By no means should you blog for the sake of blogging. The key is to strike a balance between long gaps in publishing that may cause you to lose faithful blogworms without using the web as a virtual wastebasket!
8. Avoid mixing multiple subject matters. A blog about wholesale apparel should not also give advice on dating do’s and don’ts. This style of blogging only serves to confuse your audience and inevitably decreases the probability of these users returning. Basically, readers are less likely to be loyal to a blog that is nonspecific in content and unfocused in material.
9. Avoid audience detachment. In other words, your blog should facilitate communication between you and your users. Responding to all comments effectively and efficiently is essential. Also, writing in a way that persuades readers to ask questions and post comments will inevitably create a conversation that flows lucid amongst writer and reader, and should be first and foremost.
10. Avoid “Lazy” blog writing. Publishing a blog takes time and dedication. Basically, the energy you put into blog writing often determines the level of commitment you receive from your readers. My rule of thumb is to write from the heart while keeping in mind the quality of content readers expect.

Online Advertising unlike Traditional Advertising bestows a multitude of benefits to both buyers and sellers.  Although Online Advertising utilizes Traditional Advertising methods as a chauffeur to drive consumer traffic to your website, its techniques are neither bound by the constraints of geography or time, like its predecessor.

Online Advertising offers Advertisers a targeted system of marketing that insures those who view their ads are the ones who are most likely to make a purchase.  It also allows for improved tracking, as Traditional means make documenting conversion rates of advertising incredibly complicated.  For example, the internet allows you to monitor the number of visitors who have viewed your website via a specific ad, as opposed to the difficulty in accurately tracking the reach of newspaper and television ads.  Online Advertising also capitalizes on the vastness of the Internet and the Worldwide Web to deliver its marketing messages, thus attracting more Customers than its Traditional form.

If you are working with a limited budget, Online Advertising is often the more economical option.  Traditional Advertising, such as a Yellow Page ad may cost you several hundred dollars.  However, Online Advertising can start at mere pennies to the dollar when operating on a performance based strategy- meaning that you are only charged when visitors click on your advertisement.

The one downside I’ve found to Online Advertising is that while it may be placed on auto pilot, it tends to lack a sense of permanence- when the website page is closed the marketing appeal is exhausted.

The bottom line is that regardless of size or profit potential, companies worldwide are vying for a piece of the internet marketing pie by employing an efficient and newly improved cost effective strategy to advertising.  At the end of the day, Online Advertising is an excellent approach to getting the word out there and increasing exposure of your company’s products and/or services.

This is the story of an ugly, beloved shoe.

We ran an item in September on back-to-school gear, mainly targeting retailers of backpacks and book bags. In addition to the hottest (messenger bags) and the most colorful (Victoria Secret’s Pink line backpacks), we included some health and safety cautions.

Parents were being advised to watch size and weight distribution to avoid straining young backs and spines of students who carry book bags that are too heavy, or that weigh down only one imbalanced shoulder, regardless of “la moda.”

There were September footnotes on Crocs — the multi-colored clogs made of a special material that is pliable and bacteria-resistant. Crocs had become the rage among adults and kids since they debuted in 2002. School systems debated whether or not Crocs were safe for school footwear. Though Crocs offer better foot support than sneakers or sandals, students were advised to keep them off during activities (they fit loosely and come off); and everyone assumed Crocs would be tucked away for winter weather.

Just a month into the school year, Crocs cropped up again. Litigation-conscious school systems banned the comfort shoes as a safety hazard (tripping, toe injuries, escalator and stair trip-and-falls). Some public schools put colorful Croc clogs off the acceptable lists – along with wheeled roller sneakers, sandals and flip flops — as violating stricter dress codes that required closed heel and toe footwear. Schoolyard bans on beloved Crocs shoes spouted many tears in those first few weeks of the academic year; I saw the “Everybody wears them!” tantrums from my nieces.

Crocs roared back in investment news this past week: After tripling its stock price in 2007, investors drove down Croc stock 34%. Market watchers yelled “passing fad” and “past peak fashion.”

But it appears Crocs are biting back. (1) The stock drop may be a normal seasonal drop in what is considered summer footwear anyway. (2) Some retail fashion analysts said Crocs has developed its own category of footwear, outgrowing any charges of short-term fashion fad, and that the funny looking shoes are a victim of success. Worldwide demand for Crocs outstripped manufacturing supply (6.8 million pairs per month); but with the summer season demand over in the U.S., Crocs can build its inventory for the world market and for warm weather 2008.

(3) Then, there’s that Croc-wearing loyalty factor: Moms who think the school-wear bans on Crocs are “a crock” say they’re easy to clean and safe, if kids get the right size. Even those who claim Crocs are “funny looking” or “fashion challenged” admit that everyone loves their comfort clogs. School systems who banned Crocs from the Dress Code had to add: Teachers, too. One high school principal in Alabama helped with separation anxiety after a Crocs school ban by setting up a memorial celebration. That is footwear loyalty.

When dozens of directories and link sites were penalized by Google — dropped from organic page rankings into the “Supplemental” no-index / no-fly zone – bloggers in search marketing expressed themselves.

Some offered tips to stay on Google’s good side to avoid penalties for being too general or irrelevant as directories, still used in SEO linking strategies. Some offered advice on how to avoid being branded as manipulative directories and paid-links sites, looking as if they’re gaming the big search engines’ organic rankings and quality algorithms. Other SEM bloggers hummed children’s ditties in frustration at the abrupt disappearance of certain directories and links sites from the hurdy-gurdy marketplace. (See a roundup article keyed to Link Building by randfish at SEOMoz. “What Makes a Good Web Directory, and Why Google Penalized Dozens of Bad Ones” at http://www.seomoz.org/users/view/63) .

I feel the frustration. Whether or not all those directories dumped from Google’s organic rankings are “bad ones” that obviously broke relevancy rules and scored too low on user experience, aren’t search marketers allowed to get cranky when so many decisions are made behind the wizard’s curtain?

Google’s quality ratings, scoring for page rank and e-SPAM penalties can work in mysterious black box ways. Pay-per-click advertisers see their bids and Sponsored Link results page rank ground up in Quality Score bar graphs. But the exact recipe for the sausage that comes out (closely guarded algorithms that decide minimum bids, page position) are held by the chefs on Google’s SPAM teams. Quality ratings and penalties are not always transparent to search marketing players at the receiving end.

Web sites, links and directories that drop like a stone from Google’s organic results – banished to the seldom-indexed dead zone called the Supplemental – don’t always know what hit them, and they hit many walls trying to climb out of that Penalty Box. The mysterious ways of black-box ratings persist, even if the banished employ all those helpful articles, with lists of tips and tactics to avoid penalties.

Rand Fishkin, who wrote Do’s & Don’t’s of the Good Directory vs. Bad Directory at SEOMOZ, said: “Honestly, I don’t mind the penalties, just the inconsistent way they’re applied.” And, “If the search engines want to get serious about paid links and manipulative directories, they’re going to need to hit a few thousand general directories harshly.”

Okay, it’s transparency and consistency; both would go a long way to restoring confidence in major search engine ratings, scorings and penalties.

I’m an old ice hockey fan. One bad forward from the Philadelphia Flyers started getting mail delivered to him in the Penalty Box. That’s how much time he spent there! The difference is that we all knew why his padded butt was parked in the Penalty Box: high-sticking, gloves down on the ice, excessive roughhousing. If behavior A, then penalty B. We always knew when the penalty box clock ran out, too. Nobody who reforms should stay in the box – or on the Supplement — indefinitely.