Changes in Internet Tracking Abilities

by Natalie Bell

Have you ever noticed that ads on the side of your web browser page seem to fit you personally? This is because browsers and sites track the pages you visit, what you click on, and what pages you "like." This may be news to some, but it's been occurring for quite some time now.

I first noticed it this summer when researching competition for Gracie's Fruit Innovations, a new client. All of a sudden the ads on the side of Facebook's pages were all fruit related. This continued until I worked on research for a countertop company. My ads switched to home remodeling. Later Saint Mary's University Pathways Program signed on as a new client and I was putting together a report to help structure their up-and-coming Facebook page. To do this I visited and analyzed other schools' pages over and over again. One day I noticed that the ads on the side of Facebook's page were entirely education-based. With each client project my ads changed to a new, completely unrelated topic. Try it yourself and you'll see! Search something on Facebook, Google, or other sites that you normally wouldn't research. Odds are you'll see your search topic pop up in more and more internet advertisements.

If you are going to try this experiment, you'd better do it sooner rather than later; the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) has made moves to ban tracking of web use for most purposes. Each specific browser (Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer) is installing a Do-Not-Track button that allows users to easily opt-out of being tracked. This option has always been available, but has been difficult to find how to change this specific setting. New, easy setting features will automatically be included in upgrades and downloads of browsers by the end of 2012.

Limitations to the Do-Not-Block features, as with most things, are present. Browsers can use your web usage for market research, product creation, and when requested by law enforcement. What the feature really blocks is your information being used to create targeted ads and to be sold to companies for anything besides market research. For example, no longer can browsing information be sold to insurance, credit, or healthcare companies for any other purpose.

Do-Not-Track features will change how companies target audiences. Browsing information gives advertisers the ability to create extremely specific target markets. Depending on what a user is looking at, a different ad will appear on their page. This creates a higher chance that the user is interested and clicks on the advertisement. Now these organizations will have to create promotions that apply to a wider audience with a lower chance of clicking. This agreement gives the public peace of mind, but a challenge for marketers.

TwitterJobSearch.com

Just ran across TwitterJobSearch.com yesterday and thought it was a great tool to share. With a very simple interface (much like Google), TwitterJobSearch.com aggregates all Tweets pertaining to job listings and allows you to search for them. For instance, if you wanted to find jobs in Minneapolis, simply type "Minneapolis" and a list of all the job Tweets in Minneapolis, MN will appear.

If you are in the search for a job I would recommend setting up some RSS Feeds of the jobs you are interested in. Type in the term(s) you are interested in and then click the "Subscribe" button on the page. Now every time the search engine finds a Tweet with your term in it, you will be immediately informed and will be able to react quickly to opportunities.

Axiom is Hiring!

Wanted: A candidate who can work a minimum of 30 hours per week for a stipend-paid internship. Best candidate for the position must possess fire-in-the-belly initiative and won’t shy away from being stretched across multiple communications projects, i.e. results lists, product pitch follow-ups, and idea generation for a number of home and garden, hospitality, consumer tech, and automotive clients.

We’re also looking for someone who has confidence; it’s a no-brainer for delivering messages over the phone, in meetings, and via e-mail. Due to our small office environment, ideal candidate must demonstrate independent work ethic, so it’s preferable to have previous internship/class experience in marketing, PR, journalism.

But the biggest thing you must possess… is a love for emerging media platforms and technologies like FriendFeed, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and a number of blogs that benefit Axiom’s clientele. This doesn’t mean you know of them-- it means you use them and understand how businesses can market their products by leveraging multiple social networks. Like to write about social media? Good. You’ll be a daily contributor to our Daily Axioms blog and assist in developing strong word-of-mouth buzz for our guerrilla marketing adventure, the Phone Booth.

If that sounds like you, @ reply either Drew or me on Twitter and we’ll send you off to the guy who hires!

Axiom Marketing Communications is based in the Twin Cities. Only locals may apply!

101 Things That Will Add Value To Your Resume

I got motivated to write the following post for two reasons: 1.) Even if you have a job, you should be keeping your eyes open for your next position as well as how you can improve your resume 2.) Looking for a job is tough work and while it can seem like you are getting nowhere, it is important to remember that there is still so much opportunity out there. I have been there. Keep heart and stay positive.

My hope for this post is to answer the following question:

What could I add to my resume that would help me get a job?

Many people go through the routine (especially when jobless) of submitting resumes and cover letters, waiting to hear about the position, and then repeating the cycle if success is not found. What if, in addition to continuing to pursue jobs, we could add more value to our portfolio of experience? It's exciting to think of all the chances that we have to improve our future. Here are 100 suggestions for things that could add value to your resume (thanks to everyone who contributed to compiling this list):


Volunteer
1. Volunteer at a local food organization.
2. Start a charity.
3. Raise $10,000 for a charity.
4. Build a house with Habitat for Humanity.
5. Walk dogs at the Humane Society.
6. Work for Meals on Wheels.
7. Organize a craft project at a nursing home.
8. Give some of your time at an elementary school as a field trip assistant or lunch room monitor.
9. Help at an after school program.
10. Volunteer for a political group.
11. Go on a volunteer vacation.
12. Volunteer to be a book reader at the public library.
13. Organize a neighborhood trash clean up project.
14. Tutor immigrant children.
15. Coach a little-league team.
16. Help out at a church youth group or youth retreat.

Skills
17. Learn Spanish.
18. Learn Chinese.
19. Learn German.
20. Learn HTML.
21. Learn CSS.
22. Learn Flash.
23. Learn inDesign.
24. Learn how to convert computer files between different formats.
25. Learn how to use Technorati.
26. Learn how to use Friendfeed.
27. Learn how to use Feedburner.
28. Become proficient at Twitter.
29. Set up a LinkedIn profile.
30. Write a helpful book.
31. Learn Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
32. Learn the ins and outs of how Google search works.
33. Learn how to use an Apple.
34. Become comfortable with RSS Feeds and RSS Readers.
35. Learn how to put together a social media press release.
36. Learn how to put together a traditional press release.
37. Take a course in accounting.
38. Master Google Analytics.
39. Understand the differences between Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, etc.
40. Get comfortable with PowerPoint.
41. Learn how to track click-throughs on links.
42. Learn how to use all the Google tools.
43. Learn how to use a picture camera - digital and film
44. Learn how to use a video camera.
45. Learn the basics of audio recording.
46. Practice communication and building relationships through email.

Relationships
47. Get a mentor in your field.
48. Attend a Social Media Club/Social Media Breakfast in your city.
49. Build a relationship with an influential blogger.
50. Sign up for HARO.
51. Seek out recommendations from the top people in your field.
52. Join a public speaking group.
53. Have one meaningful conversation with someone each week on Twitter.
54. Attend free social media seminar teleconferences.
55. Create a networking group on an online community.
56. Start a discussion forum or group in LinkedIn.
57. Join an association within your field.
58. Get involved with the alumni association of your college.
59. Find the people that are passionate, meet them, and get involved with what they are doing.
60. Practice your elevator speech about yourself.

Projects
61. Put together a movie project.
62. Get featured as a contributor on an online video series, blog, or column.
63. Build a useful and highly used Facebook application.
64. Start a blog about your passion.
65. Write a short blog post that gets the point across.
66. Write a very detailed blog post that requires a lot of research.
67. Be the first to talk about a hot topic.
68. Improve your Google search results for your name.
69. Find a creative way to show what you've done (go beyond just telling).
70. Successfully pitch a story that gets placed in your local paper.
71. Give case studies of your projects with quantifiable results.
72. Plan a large community event.
73. Freelance a writing project.
74. Start a blog about job searching.
75. Build a profitable Squidoo lens.
76. Teach a community education class.
77. Discover your niche within your field and become the expert in it.
78. Be a guest speaker in a high school class.
79. Meet with your local newspaper and give them an idea for how to make money.
80. Find something you can do in 1 hour that takes other people 2 hours. Show how you do it.

Resume Tweaks
81. Identify 2-3 areas of expertise to bullet-point on top of resume.
82. Buy www.yourname.com.
83. Be a Purple Cow.
84. Don't put these 6 words on your resume.
85. Make sure to have a professional sounding email address.
86. Take a Myers Briggs test.
87. Find a way to fit your resume all on one page.
88. Create a consistent online brand.
89. Consider a creative resume design.

Be Well Rounded
90. Read more books.
91. Learn to play guitar.
92. Take a cooking class.
93. Join a sports league.
94. Join a book club.
95. Start a club.
96. Read Mashable, Techcrunch, and other blogs daily to learn more ways to be ahead of the curve.
97. Become comfortable with talking about a subject on video.
98. Grow a garden.
99. Teach yourself a skill that doesn't relate to your field of work, but is difficult to learn.
100. Join a choir.
101. Finish a marathon.

10 Places To Find Jobs On Twitter

As the web becomes more social, it is becoming easier and easier to connect with people from all over the world. This reality provides the opportunity to network, which can be vital for finding jobs. Gone are the days of starting from scratch when looking for a job; instead, if you are building personal equity now and networking online, you will increase your opportunities of job opportunities when you are in need. Twitter is a great place for finding jobs (and they are out there!). The following list are some of the best people to follow on Twitter if you are looking for jobs.


@HeatherHuhman - Heather helps "Gen-Y find internships and entry-level jobs." Regularly tweets job openings, opportunities, and good career advice. (Thanks to Tom O'Keefe for the tip.)

@SEOJobs - Online marketing, SEO technical and strategic, and analysts. Can also connect directly with Tim on his personal Twitter.

@1984Jobs - Think differently by working at Apple in developing or support positions.

@JobsAtIntel - Intel posts job listings all over the world for positions within their company including marketing, management, and even intern positions.

@AuthenticJobs - A wide range of jobs ranging from web developers to content writers from all size companies.

@Jobs (Twitter) - Wanna work for Twitter? Twitter is definitely a growing company and is always looking to add to their team.

@MNHeadhunter - Paul is Minneapolis based and works to connect the dots for people. Start a conversation with him and maybe he could point you in the right direction.

@SocialMediaHeadhunter - Jim keeps his eye on the social media gurus to help connect you with the right people. Let him help you find the right job.

@Web_Design_Jobs - Lots of jobs for web design, flash, and coding.

@PublishingJobs - Looking for a jobs in Europe? Lists lots of jobs in publishing for sales managers, marketing, and editors


Aside from this list, a good way to find jobs on Twitter is to connect with the leaders in your fields of interest. Use Twitter's search function to look for people and introduce yourself. By building these relationships now, you may have an open door in the future to ask for help when looking for jobs. I have often seen personal requests tweeted asking for help for a friend's job search.

Who have I missed?