Monthly Archives: March 2015

Facebook Tracking Logged-Out Users, Belgians Say

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Read The Article Here – By Ben Woods, Author, The Next Web, March 31, 2015

Facebook, America’s virtual meeting place for tens of millions of citizens and overwhelmingly considered the world’s foremost marketing engine titan, provides opt-out preferences for its users, and based on those preferences, Facebook says those who prefer tracking will get tracked, and those who opt out of tracking are not tracked.

Now come allegations from across the pond that Facebook also has been tracking (at least Belgian) logged-out users, in violation of European Union data privacy laws. Facebook disputes the charges and argues that an untold number of other web sites track users in many ways, permission-based or not, and those sites use Facebook tracking code that activate digital ads back to Facebook when users log back into their Facebook accounts. Belgium argues that Facebook is liable for all other web sites that are using Facebook code to track users.

Awareness that all users are generally always tracked likely is the best consideration when registering for anything at any web site, perhaps especially social media and applications. When you sign up, assess your own wants and needs, and change your preferences accordingly. If you feel you are benefiting from being tracked by getting good deals online, keep going for it. If you feel your privacy concerns are valid even if you’ve opted out, report that to the site, or further, to local privacy advocates and state or federal authorities.

Greg Goaley, President of WinCommunications in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former copywriter and creative editor, and a 25-year digital content strategist and provider. Kathryn Towner is President of WinM@il USA, a former 15-year sales rep for Random House/McGraw-Hill, and a 20-year permission-based email publications consultant and provider.

Permission-Based Mobile Text & SMS/MMS Messaging – Bad or Good?

When done poorly, text marketing can infuriate customers and properly put your company or interest in the doghouse for a long time.  When done well, text marketing can enamor customers and encourage affinity — but only if it is permission-based and follows best practices, such as those outlined in a summary of the Mobile Marketing Association’s Code of Conduct and the MMA’s documented Code of Conduct here.  According to the summary: “It is only through industry support of strong privacy guidelines that the power of mobile marketing can reach its full potential.

And then here is a full-throated endorsement of mobile and text marketing, from mobile and text marketing firm Nexus SMS:

Greg Goaley, President of WinCommunications in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former copywriter and creative editor, and a 25-year digital content strategist and provider. Kathryn Towner is President of WinM@il USA, a former 15-year sales rep for Random House/McGraw-Hill, and a 20-year permission-based email publications consultant and provider.

Elon Musk, Founder of Space X & Tesla Motors, Warns Against Excesses of Artificial Intelligence

Greg Goaley, President of WinCommunications in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former copywriter and creative editor, and a 25-year digital content strategist and provider. Kathryn Towner is President of WinM@il USA, a former 15-year sales rep for Random House/McGraw-Hill, and a 20-year permission-based email publications consultant and provider.

April 21 Deadline: Google To Boost Mobile Sites For Phones, Less So For Tablets & Desktops

Google Clarion Call for Mobile

“Google Will ‘Kick Your Butt’ If Your Site Is Not Mobile Friendly” – Marketing Digest

Same Old, Same Old: Mobile Marches On
If there were ever a time to update your digital content to ensure mobile devices can best show your web site to customers, now is the time.

Google Sets Mobile Gauntlet Date at April 21
Google: “Starting April 21, we will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results. Consequently, users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices.” Click For Entire Letter from Google


Greg Goaley, President of WinCommunications in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former copywriter and creative editor, and a 25-year digital content strategist and provider. Kathryn Towner is President of WinM@il USA, a former 15-year sales rep for Random House/McGraw-Hill, and a 20-year permission-based email publications consultant and provider.

MOOCs, “The End of College” & “The University of Everywhere”

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It is clear that education is changing, as it always has and will. But few would argue against thinking that the Internet has changed education most quickly. Massive Open Online Courses, or “MOOCs,” have been around for at least a decade, perhaps made “institutional” by “edX”, the free online college course web site mutually created and managed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard and California-Berkley.

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But now comes “The End of College,” a book by Kevin Carry, an American higher education writer and policy analyst. Many are describing the book as utopian, because Carry envisions free education societies where people of all varieties worldwide gather, most often online and in-person considerably less. Carry argues this “University of Everywhere,” will replace the traditional college experience of living and attending class on campus.

Economics will push many students away from traditional college and toward online courses, as average national student and graduate debt tops more than $30,000. As much as education has changed and continues to, it’s difficult to imagine a world without traditional universities and colleges, which run deeply with the American mindset of families “raising themselves up,” and companies and institutions which still place high stock in college graduates. (Plus: College football still needs a home, right?)

Greg Goaley, President of WinCommunications in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former copywriter and creative editor, and a 25-year digital content strategist and provider. Kathryn Towner is President of WinM@il USA, a former 15-year sales rep for Random House/McGraw-Hill, and a 20-year permission-based email publications consultant and provider.