In addition to today's Internet Marketing Monitor coverage, we felt these stories were worth pulling out of the multitude of news items for March 21, 2007:

  A Marketing Campaign Gone Wrong… or Right?  [Search Engine Guide]

Someone clicks the wrong button or something… and pow!  An offensive billboard gets plastered up all over Los Angeles.  The studio is pulling the billboards down because of all the complaints.  And the question here is:  is that a marketing campaign gone horribly wrong… or could it be beneficial.  Controversy sells.  Sex sells.  Violence sells.  A billboard campaign that contains all three… sells.  Is this horror movie going to be a runaway blockbuster?  Probably not.  But I don't think this little snafu hurt the movie at all.

  Improve SEO With a Custom 404 Page  [Bruce Clay]

This post was a great reminder for me.  I've done this on my personal blog.  But I'd completely forgot about the poor 404 page here at the Internet Marketing Monitor.  And that's why I was glad to see this get posted.  Most of us know that the default 404 page is worthless.  But since it's not an everyday thing that we see… it gets overlooked.  A lot.  No excuse now… you've been reminded.

  Yahoo Sued in Class Action Email Complaint (title edited for length)  [Google Watch]

Hey kids… if you're going to change the terms of a publicized deal, it's best to actually change the text that explains the deal.  I can't claim to know the details behind this.  But it sounds like Yahoo changed a policy without changing the accompanying explanation of the service.  Guess what?  That's your fault.  Not the customer's.  This should serve as a reminder to every business out there.  If something is ultimately the company's fault the customer shouldn't have to pay for it.

  Blogging Stagefright  [Cre8pc]

I got a chuckle out of the intro to this one.  And that's really the point I wanted to mention briefly.  With all of the "conversations" about the existence/non-existence of A-List blogs, what it takes to be one, what it takes to make a good this or a good that, how to make the best whatever… just remember one thing:  you can't screw up that bad.  Just about anything online is fixable.  If you want to write a blog, just do it.  If you want to create a forum, just do it.  Work on the details here and there.  Tweak things… add things… ditch things.  Read over all of these lists and suggestions.  And then do whatever you want to.  Really.  It'll be ok.  I promise.

  Offline Ads Prompt Online Searches  [Marketing Pilgrim]

We like to talk about the various connections between online marketing/business and offline counterparts.  That's why I wanted everyone to take a look at this report.  The original data comes from BIGresearch and the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association, but Jordan McCollum has done a great job of summing up the best parts for Marketing Pilgrim.  The information here basically underscores the necessity of having an online presence that works as a natural extension of your offline efforts.  Even if you don't spend a cent "advertising" online, folks are going to be looking for you there.  Make sure they have something compelling to find.

  New adCenter tool for determining page sensitivity  [JenSense]

Did you know your pages could be sensitive?  And I'm not talking about their feelings.  I'm talking about the content on them and the sensitivity the Internet population might have to them.  This tool from Microsoft for adCenter customers is pretty straightforward:  show it a page… it reads the page… and if it cries, you get told on.  Or in other words, the system scans the page and returns a "sensitive score" that's supposed to help you determine if your customers might take issue with your page.  All jokes aside, this (and similar tools) can help you figure out why a page might not be getting the attention you think it should.  Some things that you'd never consider a sensitive subject could very well be… to other people.

It's Wednesday already!  Where's the week gone?  See ya'll tomorrow!