aimClear® Search Marketing Blog

Ah, competitive intelligence. It’s got to be one of the most alluring aspects of online marketing, requiring the typically upstanding online marketer to get down ‘n dirty with delicious data and illuminating insight on the competition. Yes, for a certain portion of our day, we marketers get to kick off our work shoes and lace up combat boots, loosen our ties and don green berets, as we sneak through the forests of the Interwebz in search of information we can leverage to exploit competitors’ weaknesses and pounce on areas of opportunity… in short: get a leg-up in a dog eat dog world.

Those who stuck it through Day 3 of last week’s #PubCon Vegas were in for a sweet session devoted specifically to top-shelf Competitive Intelligence Tools & Tactics. Jane Copland, Search Marketing Consultant, Ayima Search Marketing, Matt Siltala, President, Dream Systems Media and Michael Streko, Co-Founder / Owner, KnowEm LLC each took the stage and shared their favorite tips, tactics, tools and takeaways on how to spy in cyberspace with sophistication. For those unable to *cough* make it to the conference due to a late night of partying catching up on work emails, we decided to showcase the gems here for you to consume at your leisure. Read on for the full effect. Read the rest of this entry »

Socrates and his buddies were really on the ball– 2,500 years later, most (if not all) instances of personal and professional success really require you to “know thyself.” Understanding who you are and what value you provide to your target audience is a pivotal step towards mastering the market. However, this keen awareness must extend beyond just the individual. You must know your enemies– your competition– if you aim to surpass them in market share, among other business benchmarks. Read the rest of this entry »