I have to get this out of the way immediately - the inspiration for this blog post (and future of its sort) lies squarely with Ion Interactive's own Great Online Marketing Reads of the Week. Not only is it a great method for me to share what I find of value over the course of the week, it is also a great way for me to keep notes AND takes the pressure off from having to come up with a new unique blog post on Fridays. Cheers, Ion.

While on the subject of Ion, I also want to mention a nice and incisive webinar they hosted last Wednesday on focus points and priorities for developing (or refining) your conversion strategy. A great take-away sentiment - "Spend the summer selling lemonade while your competition sips it.". If you missed the webinar, there are still two more in the series. You can register for free at http://www.ioninteractive.com/live-webinars/

So, on to my own top 5 reads of the week

1. Top 10 Social Marketing Tips
~ Ion Interactive

Go figure! Another post / link to Ion. Full disclosure - no, I am not in any way an affiliate or micro-site for Ion. I just happen to appreciate the great work and resources they offer. This article offers a good reminder of what to bear in mind to gain respect and following, and to get the most out of your social marketing strategy. Big point, "Be Patient".

2. Google Website Optimizer 101 – a quick-start guide to conversion rate optimization
~ Conversion Rate Experts

Can I help it that I'm drawn to these "beginner's guides" type of articles? I just feel that as our own marketing and optimization knowledge increases, we can easily become overwhelmed by all the action items, or become tunnel-visioned in focus. These elementary guides are a great way to re-focus on the big picture and the wider strategy.

3. Better Than Banners? Alternative Ways to Push Your Promotions
~ Get Elastic

On-site ads get lost in the clutter or simply ignored, while up-selling can be nefarious business. Linda Bustos offers some valuable tips on drawing attention to your promotions when the visitor is in the buying mood, without being that pushy salesperson.

4. Five Grammatical Errors that Make You Look Dumb
~ Copyblogger

You can write all the copy in the world, optimize the crap out of it, submit it to press releases and tweet and link it all night long, but if you commit some of these basic grammatical errors and come off looking dumb, well, you might as well have spent the day at the waterslides.

5. The Right Brain Of Paid Search Ads: Tips & Tricks For Creative Ad Copywriting
~ Search Engine Land

Another "round-up" or back-to-basics type of piece. Josh Dreller summarizes Google's own six best practices and then generously throws in some of his own professional tips. I still find PPC optimization daunting, so the more of this stuff, the better. Hope it helps you all too.