MarketingProfessor.com Top 10 Posts of 2009

2009 gave Marketing Professor.com steady growth month to month, as subscribers and readers like you continued to help us understand what you want.  For that, a heartfelt thanks.  You are the reason this site exists.  2009 was an amazing year online, and yet for many it was a tough year economically.  It produced amazing tools which make marketing your products and services easier and more affordable.  This post summarizes the top posts based on Google search traffic to the site in 2009.  Learning what searchers are searching for continues to amaze me.  Your thoughts and feedback are encouraged (see the boxes at the end of the post).

MarketingProfessor.com Top 10 Posts of 2009

#1 – Hummingbird Twitter Software Review

Since this post (original version of the software), much has changed in terms of Marketers “best practices” with Twitter.  Mesiab Labs has not taken this laying down, after a complete rewrite of the software, along with a special operating agreement with Twitter, Hummingbird 2 continues to help online marketers.  If you are interested in software to help generate activity around your profile and build followers, see what Mesiab Lab’s is up to with Hummingbird 2.

#2 – Facebook Marketing Strategy for Business, 5 Useful Applications

Great ways for marketers to extend their reach using free 3rd party applications on the Facebook platform.  These apps also provide ways to easily lead visitors to your website.  While new apps have come out, I still think Networked Blogs is the best app of the bunch for bloggers.

#3 – 3 Rules of Using Twitter for Business

There are only 3 main points in this post.  What people seem to have the most interest in are the suggested targets offered as a part of point #2.  These are ideals worth shooting for, but just remember to keep it in the proper perspective when it comes to social media.

#4 – Review of Wishlist Member Wordpress Membership Software Plug-in

Having an online membership site has been a compelling business model for online marketers for several years now.  One of the greatest challenges with this business model is having affordable software tools in place for marketers to manage their membership site.  What Stu McLaren and Tracy Childers have put together in Wishlist Member is a plugin that does that quite well.  They continue to enhance the product, supporting various merchant accounts, shopping carts, and adding customer driven features.  Later in the year, they even released a course to help people understand the business end of managing a membership site.

#5 – Online Marketers FAQs Available for Download

This is the post announcing availability of the Marketers FAQ, available for MarketingProfessor email newsletter subscribers.  I personally wrote it.  I spent hours distilling customer and online marketer missteps made by myself and others and compiled it into a 2 part report (and a little something extra beyond that).  It is what many call an “ethical bribe” as it is only available for subscribers.

#6 – Twitter Advertising 3 Services for Traffic or Revenue

Since they’ve made it fairly clear, at least in the short term, that ad revenue is not a top priority for Twitter, 3rd party Twitter advertising tools have a great opportunity to build a loyal user base.  It is still early, but of the services reviewed, RevTwt seems to be the clear leader at the moment.  All that can change with a merger or strategic alliance by an ad network with a big player who has both the technology platform and the customer reach.  Key here: making advertising to twitter users easy, especially for those who know very little about Twitter.

#7 – Ultimate Twitter List for Online Marketers

Great people for online marketers to follow on Twitter.  Feel free to chime in if you feel someone is missing (yourself?).

#8 – What to Do if Your Name URL on Facebook is Gone – And Why You Don’t Want One

There was a bit of a frenzy during the summer months (northern hemisphere) of 2009 when Facebook gave users the ability to pick their own Facebook URL.  This post discusses reasons not to have one, and a viable alternative.

#9 – 21 Ways I Use Infusionsoft for Follow Up Marketing

Infusionsoft continues to amaze me.  This post talks about how I was using it then, and since, I have build upon it considerably, and it is paying dividends.  Far from perfect (what software is?), but so far I haven’t found anything that does automated follow up marketing, list segmentation, and user action triggers better than Infusionsoft.  Feel free to chime in if you agree or disagree.

#10 – Social Networking Overwhelm, Integrated Social Profiles in Outlook

Great addon for Outlook if you are struggling to manage your social profiles.  They have since introduced a paid version of the product.  Prefer an online version?  You might look into Gist.

What say you?: Now it is onward to 2010.  As these tools (and others) have carried us to this point what are hoping for in the new year?  How have the above services helped or harmed you in your online ventures?  Chime in below.
Photo Credit: Samchurchill

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