Author: Beth Morgan

It’s Statistical Analysis, Not Jesus Appearing In Toast

Before my new boyfriend Nate Silver was forecasting elections, he created a baseball stats system called PECOTA that used advanced statistical methods to predict future player performance.  This was before Brad Pitt starred in Moneyball, so his fancy new stats were widely derided.  But he has at least one new fan, Sports Illustrated writer Phil… Continue reading It’s Statistical Analysis, Not Jesus Appearing In Toast

Infomercial Stupidity: A Love Story In GIFs

Whenever people ask me my guilty pleasure I usually say I don’t have one.  Not because I lead a virtuous and abstemious life– on the contrary, it’s because my basic organs of self-regard are so worn down that I feel no guilt no matter what kind of low-brow crap I’m indulging in.  However, I will… Continue reading Infomercial Stupidity: A Love Story In GIFs

Revenge Of The Nerds: Election Validates The Quants

Wow, has it really been so long since I posted?  I REALLY need to get this hangnail situation under control.  Seriously, I need some body butter or some really rich cuticle cream.  Something with olive oil. So, one of the big stories in the aftermath of the recent presidential election, besides the minor sideshow of… Continue reading Revenge Of The Nerds: Election Validates The Quants

Creating a Week Label in Excel

I just love Excel.  I remember when I was introduced to pivot tables—it was like the clouds of data ignorance had parted to reveal golden-robed angels singing of cross-tabbed insights.  And I wasn’t even drunk!  Except on the beauty of Excel, of course. Just recently I was looking at some daily performance data, and I… Continue reading Creating a Week Label in Excel

Who Will Be The Next Google?

You know, sometimes my own powers of prediction are truly amazing.  Back in 1998, for example, I thought, “Why would you want to work at a search engine?  They are so boring.  Email, that’s where the excitement is!”  It’s that kind of effortless market acumen that’s kept my family in ramen and envy through the… Continue reading Who Will Be The Next Google?

You Know Who Loves Google’s Ad Buy? eHow.

Oh my gosh.  I can’t believe I haven’t posted in so long.  The hangnail situation from last time?  Well, it got even more out of hand and it’s really been taking all my time.  The good news is I have some new people in place and things are looking really squared away now– nice trim… Continue reading You Know Who Loves Google’s Ad Buy? eHow.

Powerset: Worthy Of The Hype?

Whew, I haven’t posted in months.  Sorry, I was doing my nails, and I had a tricky hangnail situation so it just took ages. So, Google.  You’ve heard of them, right?  Apparently they make a dollar or two here and there by selling ads alongside search results.  And anything that makes a dollar or two… Continue reading Powerset: Worthy Of The Hype?

Google + Performics = Conflict Of Interest

Tech Crunch notes in this story about Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick that “many have missed one part of the deal that may raise eyebrows: Google now owns SEO firm Performics.” Welp, as an employee of another firm that offers SEO and SEM services, I can say we sure didn’t miss that element. I’ve already felt… Continue reading Google + Performics = Conflict Of Interest

Microsoft To Shun Last-Click Attribution. Searching Public To Shun Microsoft.

Microsoft, oh Microsoft. So full of clever search marketing ideas you are. Your keyword research tools are actually much richer than others on the market. And your newly announced idea to distribute conversion to all the clicks that contributed (search and not)— we likey, we likey. Now if only you had the volume to make… Continue reading Microsoft To Shun Last-Click Attribution. Searching Public To Shun Microsoft.