Three years ago, on January 15th, 2013, I announced here that HIPPO Internet Marketing was closing. After ten years, I decided to stop taking clients and focus on my e-commerce sites. Shortly after that, I went to Ephricon as their Director of Client Services for about a year.
Two years ago, after Ephricon became Straight North, I took some Internet marketing clients, but mostly just those that I already had a relationship with already. I never opened up Hippo Internet Marketing in the sense that I started taking clients. But now, after three years of being “closed”…
HIPPO Internet Marketing is Open again!
In fact, I’ve started to redesign our website at www.HippoIM.com!
(I love the fact that my office is the main picture on the home page.)
If you read this blog at all, you know I’m spending most my time working with Amazon these days.
Why?
Amazon.com was founded 20 years ago. It now has 209 million users, 89 warehouses, 1,000 warehouse robots, and spends $160 million on Google search ads. Amazon sold $89 billion in 2014 and they sold 426 items per second on Cyber Monday. There are 2 million marketplace sellers and only 7% of Amazon’s sales are come from selling books.
Want to learn how I am taking advantage of this opportunity and growth market?
I’m going to give a lecture and presentation on the topic on April 9, 2015. It will not be recorded. If you’d like to attend, you can sign up on the Charlotte SEO Meetup page. If it shows as full, be sure to join the waiting list. (People generally cancel at the last minute on this group. No biggie.)
Already, 2014 is looking good for Internet Marketers in Charlotte. I can’t believe how many Marketing Agencies, businesses, and other entities have contacted me. They are looking for anyone to hire that knows Search Engine Optimization, Google AdWords, or Inbound Marketing in Charlotte. There are several agencies hiring and several businesses looking for “a good SEO guy (or gal)”.
So I’m making a list of Internet Marketing Jobs in Charlotte!
First and foremost, it’s only fair to mention (more…)
In just two months, it will be the five-year anniversary of the Charlotte SEO Meetup about Twitter. I remember moderating that event with Roy Morejon, Lisa Hoffman, Jason Keath, and Lyell Petersen. They seemed to be the most active Tweeters in Charlotte at the time. It’s hard to believe that Twitter is now public and has been at the center of this huge thing that the entire world uses now called Social Media.
Like most of you, I’ve had my highs and lows with regard to social media, especially Twitter. I’ve loved it and hated it. I’ve started and stopped many times. Most recently, I have barely used Twitter over the past year. But I’m ready to jump back in with both feet! I’m going to give it another shot, especially as I’ve felt awfully disconnected with the marketing community in Charlotte.
This may seem strange coming from someone who was the “Director of Training” for Social Fresh for two years. I also wrote two posts on the Top 100 and Top 300 Twitter Users in Charlotte. But that was 2008 and 2009. I’ve been gone for a while.
BlendConf is a conference for those interested in user experience, interface design, and development. It promises to have 50 great speakers and 350 attendees. It is three days long and looks impressive.
What’s probably most interesting about BlendConf Charlotte is the unique (more…)
Every now and then I get asked about the networking events that are available in Charlotte for business professionals and marketers. It’s been 3 years since my last list. So I jumped on Twitter today and pulled a list together in about an hour, thanks to many helpful and friendly Twitterers in Charlotte.
A colleague of mine is talking about starting up a new networking event for the Charlotte area that targets entrepreneurs and marketers, especially those that focus on Internet businesses and marketing.
It will be different from what I’ve done and from what others are doing in Charlotte. For example, it may have some fairly significant financial backing, which means we can pull in some fairly big names.
The idea is to keep it light and fun and not necessarily just informational. In other words, he’s hoping it will be attract marketers and business owners, but high-end and more like a party than a typical networking event.
Attention Charlotte Marketers: Here’s your chance!
I’d like to know who you’d like to hear from. Who would you like to bring to Charlotte that you would enjoy hearing from? This is our opportunity, so I’d like to hear your thoughts.
Here’s some ideas to get started…
Seth Godin?
Gary Vaynerchuk?
Malcolm Gladwell?
Jason Calacanis?
Chris Brogan?
Matt Cutts?
Peter Shankman?
Guy Kawasaki?
NOTE: No promises on these or any others.
Obviously, some may be too expensive. More likely, they just aren’t available.
MORE IMPORTANTLY: I would like some help with this one. Who can you think of? Who would you most likely enjoy hearing from right here in Charlotte?
If you are in the greater Charlotte NC area and spend much time online, you probably at some point will hear about Social Media Charlotte. Known online by the hashtag #SMCLT, this is a group that was started many years ago by Jason Keath (Social Media Speaker and Consultant and business partner of mine). For several years now, they have moved from just one person organizing it to a group of board members.
This morning, the new board of directors held their first event of the year. The events are named Social Media Breakfasts and this year started with a discussion of the new networks, platforms, and strategies. The discussion focused mostly around Pinterest, Instagram, and Google+. I did not agree with everything that was said, but I did agree with most. But that’s not important.
In just two months, it will be the five-year anniversary of 
