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My problem(s) with 'inbound marketing'
Ian Lurie Mar 13 2012
I want to emphasize that this is a friendly discussion between Rand and I—we're colleagues and friends, plus our companies are close enough together that he could bring his much more numerous minions to Portent and wipe us out in one afternoon of horrifying nerd slap-fighting. I've received a few comments I deleted because they seem to be taking things personally. Please read this post, and Rand's, and the discussion around them, as they're meant to be read: An interesting discussion about where our industry is headed, and how we should name ourselves.
Rand wrote a great post earlier today (or late last night – does he ever sleep?!) about 'inbound marketing' and the branding of SEO. I've got a problem with the whole idea that we have to rename marketing, or a segment of marketing, just to keep it relevant. Rand says the discussion's important, and I agree. So, I'm going to discuss at you for a few minutes.
Here are my problems:
UPDATE: Paid versus unpaid
Rand commented below and Carlos to emphasize that to him the split is between interruption and non-interruption, paid versus non-paid marketing. I get that. I really do. But to me there are many forms of paid online advertising that would fit 'inbound'. In fact, there's a dwindling list of internet marketing tactics that could be considered 'interruption' based.
Spam would be one. But to me, at least, that's not even marketing. It's an activity that's now illegal in most forms.
Pop-ups and pop-unders would be another. But how many legitimate marketing sites still use those?
And, as I said in my reply to Rand, why not just go with 'permission marketing', then?
SEO isn't marketing
WAIT. Before you start lighting my blog on fire with angry protests:
SEO is a marketing tactic. It's one of the many activities you undertake to run a successful internet marketing campaign.
SEO sits in the same tier as PPC,
social media, banner advertising and all the other things you can do to build an audience.
SEO is not on the same tier as 'marketing' or 'internet marketing'. It's one piece of it.
Inbound marketing, as it's taken shape so far, wraps SEO, PPC, social media, content strategy, conversion rate optimization and lead nurturing into a single package. So you can't really rebrand 'SEO' as 'inbound marketing', even if you think inbound marketing is truly a new kind of marketing.
It's marketing by confusion
Why are we coining a new marketing concept/field? Not because it's revolutionary, that's for sure.
It's a branding ploy by several firms in an effort to make themselves stand out from the crowd. It's a kind of key phrase gamble: Introduce a new concept, write a ton of content about it, then spread the word and hope it goes viral. If it does, woo hoo! You've got a top ranking for a hot marketing phrase!
Yeah, I'm partly jealous. I've never coined a nifty new phrase that I could use to sell my services. My company's earnings are a tiny zit on the behind of Hubspot's. It's still a branding ploy. It's just not MY branding ploy, dammit.
I know: Conversation marketing. What the hell, Ian? I have to plead early-career ignorance. I couldn't think of a name for my blog. I'd just read the ClueTrain Manifesto. The term stuck in my head. So I named the blog. It's not like I've tried to get the entire industry to adopt the term. Nor will I.
There's no there, there
Rumors of widespread acceptance of inbound marketing have been greatly exaggerated.
Rand did some searches on various networking sites, search tools and the like to see how inbound marketing measured up against other concepts. He said the data suggests that inbound marketing is gaining traction:
But he left out the phrase that kicks all their butts: Internet marketing. Which is really what we're doing anyway. So I ran the numbers again, and included 'internet marketing'. Lookie thar:
So we're coming up with yet another marketing term exactly why? 'Internet marketing' describes strategic application of SEO, PPC, analytics, etc. to offer something of value to an audience. It has broad acceptance. It's flexible and accurate.
You could argue that 'inbound' marketing is strictly permission-based, not interruption-based, stuff. I'd answer by saying there's 'good' internet marketing and 'stupid' internet marketing. Popups, adware and other interruption based garbage falls into the latter category.
It's because we're lazy
My biggest problem with the the need to add to the marketing lexicon, though, is the sheer laziness.
Are we marketers so pathetic that we can't sell our services effectively without constantly redefining them?
Are clients so intellectually lazy that they fall for it when we do?
If inbound marketing remains a niche term of art, then I'd say no, and I'll heave a sigh of relief. If it somehow rises to the same level as internet marketing, or if it somehow worms its square peg into SEO's round hole (no snickers) and replaces it, I'm going to be really, really depressed.
The discussion is good
I'm not trying to stick a fork in anyone's eye, at all, and I welcome the whole discussion. I just hope we stop there. Somehow marketers were able to effectively sell their services for decades without renaming the whole discipline. I'd love it if we could make it 3 whole years.
If not, I suggest we get it over with and use inboundsocialmediapersonalizedmobileqrcode marketing. That way, we can cover all our bases.
Ian Lurie
CEO & Founder
Ian Lurie is CEO and founder of Portent and the EVP of Marketing Services at Clearlink. He's been a digital marketer since the days of AOL and Compuserve (25 years, if you're counting). He's recorded training for Lynda.com, writes regularly for the Portent Blog and has been published on AllThingsD, Smashing Magazine, and TechCrunch.Ian speaks at conferences around the world, including SearchLove, MozCon, Seattle Interactive Conference and ad:Tech. He has published has published several books about business and marketing: One Trick Ponies Get Shot, available on Kindle, The Web Marketing All-In-One Desk Reference for Dummies, and Conversation Marketing.Follow him on Twitter at portentint, and on LinkedIn at LinkedIn.com/in/ianlurie. Read More
77 Comments
I appreciate the post and I'm glad you're calling out the way the term was more or less invented (or at least taken over) by a few specific companies *cough* Hubspot *cough cough* And yes, the hype is starting to get to be a bit much. And yes, inbound is nothing new.
But I do think it's a useful distinction. Outbound = advertising, which is annoying. Inbound means being useful, interesting, etc, which is good.
I prefer the term 'content marketing'. This puts the emphasis where it should be. It's the content aspects of SEO, social, email, PR that are good. Any efforts in these areas that aren't focused on quality content are shady. Link farms, Tweet Adder, spam, etc.
As long as people focus on genuine, ass-kicking content, I don't care what they call it! …but I'm calling it content marketing for now.
It feels like you are actively misreading Rand's post. He pretty specifically separated out paid search and advertising in the post. Yes, Internet Marketing is a catch-all term, but it seemed to me that Rand was trying to express "unpaid Internet marketing."
It seems like you are just cherry-picking a couple of phrases and ignoring the spirt of the post: which is online marketing that is better aligned with time rather than money expenditure.
I like this. Well said. I do organic SEO and I'm still quite new to it IMO and the idea of SEO turning into "inbound marketing" all of the sudden freaks me the hell out. Yes I realize that I DO do (no snickers) more than what my job description would be able to cover, but I think there is plenty of room for my efforts at organic SEO to develop as one part of the gigantic picture of what y'all are calling "inbound marketing." I have worked amongst developing digital departments long enough now to see the terminology played very well by SEO inept opportunists who are good at business. I think I want to stick with SEO and teach my clients SEO without watering it down. There are too many people in the mainstream world (outside the techie/geeky world) who don't understand the basic core of good, solid, thorough, ethical organic optimization and they're getting snowed. Let's not start teaching the X, Y, Zs until everyone gets the A, B, Cs.
I'm buying inboundsocialmediapersonalizedmobileqrcodemarketing.com right now so I have it when that one goes viral! But seriously, great post. Your points about branding ploys and the differences between these emerging terms and the classic "internet marketing" definitely have me thinking.
I often wonder who's responsible for these sort of sudden "buzz words." Marketers? Clients? Are they reinforcing each other? I don't know.
Personally, I call it either "internet marketing" or "online marketing" and leave it at that. All efforts to sell something via any online medium at all is internet marketing.
And yes, it is a discipline of many facets, but it's all marketing.
Good post.
Doesn't happen on its own for sure. Usually starts by one firm who already probably trademarked or acquired/registered domain by the very same name. Then you pour in dollars. Lots of dollars for the word to "sit" in peoples mind so people start chattering about it …its a snowball effect.
Again this can be *usually* done only by firms with very deep pockets.
Interesting post, Ian,
I think at least SEO of large websites like Alibaba or Tripadvisor would not agree on rebranding SEO to inbound marketing, as SEO for those sites involves less marketing stuff but a great deal of technical things, compared with small business SEO.
"Spider nannies" sounds like a more suitable name for them.
I think the purpose of the discussion was about finding a new term to mitigate the negative connotations SEO has developed and that in this regard, 'inbound marketing' was a fresher (yes) 'rebrand' of the same thing. Only, differentiated from the former, by espousing value creation and permission marketing over interruptive, spam farming.
Hey Ian – great post. Just feel like my message was somehow missed. Let me try to put it as simply as possible.
SEO is great as is. It shouldn't change meanings and those who do it shouldn't call what they do something else.
The combo of SEO+Social+Content+PR+Outreach+Analytics+CRO needs a name. "Internet Marketing" is too broad – it includes paid channels, interruption marketing, etc. "SEO" is too narrow – it just means search.
I hate having to say/explain that whole combination every time I want to describe it. Hence, "inbound marketing" is a useful phrase for me, and I see it gaining more adoption than "organic" or "earned media."
Sorry if I suck at explaining this.
How is 'inbound marketing' not "too broad"? That's more broad of term than 'internet marketing', IMO. At least you've narrowed it down to the internet.
I get the reasoning behind trying to find a better name for our industry, but it all seems forced to me. A marketing ploy for some (I'm right there with you, Andy C.).
And even more, I'd have to explain to clients/wife/friends/whomever what 'inbound marketing' is. And this after finally getting to a point where people KIND OF understand what I do. This factors in quite a bit into my thinking.
I call the combination of services, "Integrated digital marketing," but I still call SEO, "S E O." Inbound marketing sounds like a traditional marketing term and doesn't really reflect the medium or technical vehicle. I think we can all agree we spend enough time explaining things as is without inventing generic terms with no true definitive.
I fully agree with you when it comes to the misused or understanding of the term SEO itself.
Internet Marketing is exactly what we do and specialise in and SEO is one of the many elements that fall under Internet Marketing.
I also did my own experiment and your figures are spot on.
Great debate guys.
You are spot on about SEO being just a tactic along with an arsenal of other tactics.
So often clients will label the whole thing simply SEO. It does make a great pitch story when you can expand on the SEO part and talk about increasing their revenue though, so in this sense, not having a defined name for it works to my advantage:)
I'm firmly in the confusion camp here.
I don't see any reason why SEO+Social+Content+PR+Outreach+Analytics+CRO needs a different name other than internet or perhaps digital marketing?
So DM/IM includes paid search? So what?
Perhaps you don't do any PR, does SEO+Social+Content+Outreach+Analytics+CRO need a different name as well?
What if you don't include social, does that need a different name too?
I must admit, I tend to be a bit of a cynic, and thing this is all about a company taking a gamble on a new term and carving a niche for themselves.
Matt – I agree, I think it's a confusing term that we have no need for. If we take the view of the general public, the term 'Inbound Marketing' could still include paid search, we are assuming that they understand that we are only referring to natural search!
Hope that makes sense, lots of 'that' 'they' and 'we'.
May be a strategic attempt to position from "seomoz.org" to "inboundmoz.org" or "inboundmoz.com"
Both are registered recently by seomoz
SEO shouldn't exist, but it exists because designers/developers don't follow best practices when it comes to coding and user interaction. If developers and designers did their job properly there will be no need for "onsite" SEO.
Then we have "offsite" SEO which is mainly link building and social "stuff", this is not SEO, it is just on-line PR everything else is just buzzwords to impress clients – I guess.
So yes, very extreme opinion I guess, but our industry shouldn't really exist but it does because folks don't do their jobs properly.
While I see your point, I would have to boldly disagree with that statement.
The process of building/planning a website is no different than the process of building a new home. The reasoning that a designer or developer should be solely responsible for "onsite" SEO is similar to stating that a carpenter framing the house should be responsible for running the electric (or plumbing).
Different specialties are needed to perform different tasks in order to be the most efficient. That being said, each of these specialties should have a solid understanding of what the others do. Hence the carpenter (designer) should have an understanding of what is needed for the plumber (SEO) to do their job proficiently.
The SEO industry exists because search engines exist. NOT because a web designer is not doing their job properly.
Michael, I agree completely with your sentiment. I'd re-phrase your second-to-last sentence as:
The SEO industry exists because search engines exist, and are at least somewhat limited by the fluid and imprecise nature of language.
Basically Google can read a page, but if you say "poodle puppies" on your page and the searcher is searching for "baby poodles", Google won't directly equate the two terms…even though any human could immediately tell that they're referring to the same thing.
If/when Google gets to the point where it can read, comprehend, and contextualize as well as a human, that could all change. But until then, I think SEOs' jobs are safe. :)
I like you addition to my statement. :-)
Completely agree with the rest as well.
I recall this post from Rand almost a year ago: http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-responsibilities-of-seo-have-been-upgraded
This one got me scratching my head, because while we can all agree the set of concerns for SEO has widened, I'm not convinced CRO, Community Management, Content Strategy, etc, all fit neatly under the domain of the SEO. Does any Internet Marketer worth her salt need to think about these? Absolutely. Just like a CRO specialist should be aware of the SEO implications of what he's doing (AJAX, Pagination, etc), a Content Strategist should understand calls-to-action for CRO and crafting infographic embed code that lends itself to SEO, etc.
Even HubSpot's own definition of Inbound Marketing has some frustrating nuance – paid search and email are neither inbound nor outbound. They could be either one, depending on how they're used. If that's the case I'd argue the same for PR, Social, Content Strategy – if you're using these in, as you say, stupid ways, your'e going to use them in thinly self-promotional ways that fall flat. In terms of Inbound Marketing, you'd be using them as outbound channels, and you'd lose.
It's really about understanding the way people create a curated web experience for themselves and that today there's little choice left but to create valuable stuff people love and share. It makes marketing harder than when the channels still had novelty, when people actually willingly consumed ads because they weren't drowning in them and forced to be incredibly skeptical of anything with even a remote air of commerce, but it gives us all the opportunity to leave better work behind when we die at our keyboards.
How about "holistic marketing?" Or "competitive webmastering?" Or maybe "permission marketing?"
I don't think there's anything wrong with coining a phrase that helps you create a shorthand for an importance concept. But there's a risk you're just tossing some more mud into already-murky waters.
I think the most telling part of Rand's analysis is the comparison set.
It's a comparison of "Inbound Marketing" to two other phrase that are seldom used outside of the industry. "Organic Marketing": never; "Earned Media": only by PR firms when trying to validate their existence.
I'd love to see your charts with "PPC", "Social Media", "SEO".
I'll admit, Inbound Marketing is a nice catch-all, but it still doesn't *explain* anything and that's one of the toughest parts of what we do, explaining it.
That's pretty much how I feel. Regardless to the title attached to the job, some people will get it and others will not get it. You can't win the game 100% of the time.
I've been using Internet Strategist to summarize what I do across all channels/services. For me, it includes: website development, search engine optimization, paid channels, social media, CRO, analytical work, etc… all the same services you'd assume. I feel the title fits because what I do involves the Internet and a plan (or strategy.)
I think this is one of those situations where it's OK to where multiple hats at once, no reason to create a catch-all hat.
"I'll admit, Inbound Marketing is a nice catch-all, but it still doesn't *explain* anything and that's one of the toughest parts of what we do, explaining it."
Will states what I have also been trying to grasp. Maybe a step further is that "Inbound", to me, does not resonate or clearly represent a *defined* set of marketing segments that would fall under an umbrella term the same way that "Digital", "Web", "Online" and "Internet" do.
OK. I get the common threads here. But I'm still trying to grasp how this truly is different from Search Marketing:
Especially since we are living in a Google Plus Your World where social has crossed the line into search. Also adding to the confusion is that various PPC aspects, like Facebook sponsored stories, feed directly into social which is part of the Inbound chain…
Another layer of confusion comes from HubSpot and how they became, to me, synonymous with Inbound Marketing a few years back: http://inboundmarketing.com/about
Perhaps the conversation would lead in a clearer direction if we started discussing Inbound Marketing in comparison to Direct Marketing?
From a PPC point of view, Direct Marketing has a meaning that pay per click marketers can gravitate towards, while Inbound… umm, not so much.
How many ways are we going to slice it before it's so diluted that no one listens!
'Inbound' as a word is vague at best, and does not describe SEO+Social+Content+PR+Outreach+Analytics+CRO. Analytics is not inbound marketing; there's nothing inbound about it. Perhaps I am cynical from attempting to describe to people what I do, over and over, ad infinitum.
Honestly, who cares what it is called? The actions we do each day are the same either way.
Both blog posts are interesting insights about how terms are being adopted.
Non-SEO/inbound/online/internet/social media marketers struggle to understand the concept of SEO, let alone introducing new terms which cover more disciplines.
Totally agree Ian. You've said what we're all thinking.
"Inbound Marketing" is HubSpot's term and their way of labelling the industry. It's the equivalent of us renaming SEO as "Marketing Redistribution" and then running around hoping it catches on.
You took the words right out of my mouth.
We've spent years trying to get people to understand SEO as a term so a new term is illogical and a backwards step. Sure "SEO" as a term has been damaged by bad people doing it badly, but those same people will destroy any other term we use.
For the marketing managers who have spent years trying to get their teams and bosses to understand SEO let's just stop this renaming stuff now. It doesn't make sense to have to reducate everyone all other again.
Love banter between two people I respect immensely, Lets talk less about if we agree / disagree and just go do whatever out definition of SEO is GTD! :)
The one thing I will say is that Rand has more visibility than most of us do, so he can move an naming system more than we can. I learned that when I worked with MBUSA in 1999 – no one called used luxury cars pre-owned – they spent a LOT of money and years on it and guess what now many people refer to a used lexus or BMW as pre-owned.
My point, a Used BMW is a used BMW, whether you call it pre-owned or not. It still needs an engine, wheels, and a transmission or its nothing, so call SEO what you will, but it still requires outreach, connecting with people, technical chops, and writing skills.
To say that we should just call it Internet marketing assumes the industry "gets" the philosophy behind permission-based marketing. This is still the biggest disconnect in my experience.
Folks outside of SEO still don't fully understand SEO, and now they're even more likely to be confused because SEOs are now branching out to do social, PR, analytics, CRO, outreach, etc. To us, yes, it's the evolution of marketing.
But to our colleagues and bosses (keep in mind that much of the confusion is on the part of the client side, not agencies), they don't understand how we need to do more than just SEO to accomplish what they misunderstand to be… just SEO. If you don't understand the philosophy, the tactics will always remain a mystery.
If we continue to uniquely combine SEO+Social+Content+PR+Outreach+Analytics+CRO, it needs a name. Calling it "marketing" or "Internet marketing" only further blurs the line between the philosophies of push and pull marketing.
In my opinion, the only way to really drive home the philosophy of permission-based marketing is to call it something specific and different so that those who view it with confusion are forced to learn it by the name of inbound marketing.
Many clients have enough trouble sorting out the differences between all the pieces of Internet marketing, as well as the facets of each; sometimes the debate over whether it should be "Inbound" or "Internet" marketing feels secondary to education.
Definitely find myself agreeing with Matt in that it sounds like this would lead to the need for a new title for each unique job. My question would be if "Internet Marketing" or "Digital Marketing" is too broad or not completely accurate "So what?"
Is creating a new title really going to alleviate any confusion? It's certainly not going to change the job itself or what the job entails.
I think your right Rand wouldn't be pushing "inbound marketing" if his site ranked for "Seo". There's absolutely nothing wrong with this as it's a strategy to not only rank but differiate his services from competitors (I.e. Will's pre owned vs used). We all know that when you invent new words, you are seen as the authority in that field.
As internet marketers it's healthy that we have a little cynism over what our peers are doing and this post did just that. Props!
It becomes problematic on a fundamental level when definitions focus on the tools we use. We should focus on what we do rather than focusing on the tools we use to do it.
When television, arguably a powerful marketing tool, was introduced. Professionals didn't start calling themselves "Television Marketers." The also were wise enough not to suddenly throw away the other tools in the toolbox.
Also, while we're discussing semantics, what is "conversation" marketing? Isn't it just Internet marketing with a different name?
SEO is a great term, overall to explain it to a layman, I generally use the word Internet Marketing (SEO+Social+Content+PR+Outreach+Analytics+CRO), which is more easier to explain, and get digested by the business owner much easier, compared to when you say SEO, and their eyebrows raise.
Ian, I have been really torn with this subject as well… (and agree with what you have to say here)
We all know that the SEO industry has gotten a bad wrap/name throughout the years. We all know why too… A lot of this irreversible damage has been caused by the "self-proclaimed internet marketer or SEO" that offers services they don't really understand.
This isn't the only industry where things like this happens. It is present everywhere. I just don't believe it is a cause for coming up with a brand new term to encompass what an "internet marketer" already does.
I really feel that we need to spend more time educating and informing our clients about what we do, rather than confuse them with a new term. There isn't a more powerful tool than knowledge.
Although, on the other hand, having a term to "segment" specific titles into a category is convenient, I just do not think it is needed at this time.
Ian… first of all… let me say… I'm a huge fan! I think what you do is great. And you're authentic and helpful as bacon is delicious in smell and tasteful… So… please take my comments against this contextual backdrop of respect and admiration.
But I just want to throw this out there…
Is it at all possible that Rand and the SEOMoz crew just boxed themselves into a corner with their SEO-centric name?
And now…
As SEOMoz realizes the potential business downside of maintaining a blatant SEO label they decide they want to be perceived as a more holistic – dare I say – "Internet Marketing" firm? And without a new term, they'll almost certainly be pigeon-holed with the con-artists and used-car salesman.
It was just an idea. But I'm curious on your thoughts.
Well, I'm just a clueless copywriter, but I always thought it was Internet Marketing, too. It's marketing for the Internet…what am I missing here?
This discussion reminds me of an article I read many years ago in Texas Monthly. At the time, theme bars were the rage — wine bars, piano bars, fern bars. (Fern bars??) The article's author came out in favor of bar-bars — you know, what used to be called, well, just a bar.
Sometimes a bar is just a bar. And sometimes Internet marketing is just, well, Internet marketing.
Take it from whence it comes: a clueless copywriter. Now it's noon, and I think I'll head to the bar-bar.
Internet Marketing = lots of things that people do to market on the Internet that don't necessarily have overlapping influence on one another nor synergistic impacts when combined.
SEO+Social+Content+PR+Outreach+Analytics+CRO = several specific tactics/channels that work in a concerted way and that bolster each other.
Permission Marketing = email (opt-in). I can't think of it as anything else, and when I see it described/referenced, it's always in that fashion.
Conversation Marketing is actually great. I like both that and organic marketing better than I like "inbound" as raw terms. But, Inbound's got traction, the others don't. Hence, I'm going to stick with the one that the most people are going to grasp.
I have to disagree on this point here: "Internet Marketing = lots of things that people do to market on the Internet that don't necessarily have overlapping influence on one another nor synergistic impacts when combined."
Paid search online display ads and other form of paid ads have been proven quite a bit to impact the SEO+Social+Content+PR+Outreach+Analytics+CRO equation. You also need to factor branding – in all of these elements, as well as site design. Offline efforts drive people online, what do we call that? Frankly, to me, it's online / internet marketing, or offline / traditional marketing. Segmentation of expertise happens from there. Some practices involve more crossover that others, and many should crossover between online and offline. I'm just not as convinced that the inbound marketing definition is as relevant as it was when Hubspot first coined the term years ago.
And even if we have to re-explain ourselves every time we meet with a potential client or random Joe on the street, isn't that a perfect sales opportunity?
If they think SEO is all about spam, and you come at them with CRO, social media, analytics, and the like, explaining how SEO isn't spam, you've got an in to explain your unique product offering.
Really, the term "SEO" being associated with spam or being too narrow seems like it might even be a good thing. Showing them just how awesome you are, above and beyond simple search, is a great way to grab more attention.
"….Introduce a new concept, write a ton of content about it, then spread the word and hope it goes viral. If it does, woo hoo!"
Well, shee-it, I think you have just described the heart and soul of what *marketing* is and always has been. Before there was Coca Cola there was "carbonated health tonic" and look what they did with a new concept wrapped around an old idea.
The only part you left out is the part about all of that working and driving real revenue for the company that coined the concept.
So what's the debate here?
"inbound marketing" is much better than SSCPOAC, but maybe there's a new acronym we could create like"SASPOCC". It sounds like "Sasquatch". Since Bigfoot is Sasquatch, we could just call "inbound marketing" "Bigfoot", and it would encompass everything "inbound", but it would be much more fun to talk about and overhear at search and inbound marketing sessions.
Former "SEO": "We Bigfoot to make your business perform online."
Prospect: "Awesome! it sounds like it will crush the competition."
I have to agree with you on this, Ian. 'Internet marketing' makes sense to laymen where 'inbound marketing' does not.
Yes, I specialize in SEO, but my every day tasks also span social media, CRO, PR, content creation, analytics, etc. But I can't explain that to anyone who doesn't already know what those are. Inbound marketing is no different. But if you tell someone you do 'internet marketing', they can grasp the concept without having the know the specific tactics.
So happy to see this post, Ian. As I completely agree, and had this very conversation with Jen Lopez last week on Twitter – started by this tweet – https://twitter.com/#!/MichelleRobbins/status/177979803666878464
In summary, if we need to make up new words, we're doing it wrong. Channels will always change – do we need to make up new words for what is, fundamentally marketing, each time a channel changes or emerges? If we need new terms because we cannot otherwise describe what we do…perhaps there's actually a number of other, more fundamental problems that need to be addressed.
I do think the creation of a new term is not happening because it's needed – because brands don't understand the marketing done on the web in all it's various forms. In fact, I think it only contributes to the further distrust many brands have of internet marketers. And I think it blurs, not clarifies, any transparency in tactics or channels. I also think it highlights a lack of understanding of the fundamentals of marketing.
Though describing your own firms' services as 'inbound' may be great marketing ("We don't sell wrinkle cream! We sell facial enhancement!") it's neither necessary nor meaningful as a definition of internet marketing tactics and channels as a whole.
Well said Michelle.
This is exactly my stance and I have been trying to convey that, but your words are written so much more eloquently than mine.
It's just like in the 80s, when Certs were "the only mints with Retsyn".
Of course they were – Retsyn was a registered trademark of the company that made Certs. :)
Very well-put Michelle!
As I'm reading this, I'm reminded of the Myers-Briggs personality test. Some people like to put things into boxes, and break those boxes into sub-boxes and so forth. These people typically come from science and engineering backgrounds. I remember this because I am one of those types. There are other more literal types, who come more from backgrounds of language and communication, who do not like the boxes. I remember this because I dated one many years ago, and she hated all of my boxes!
I say just chalk this up to personality types, and their way of processing information differently.
Now, since I'm a "box" type of guy (see above), here's my opinion:
I see the terms Inbound/Outbound as two mutually exclusive boxes *under* the general term of Internet marekting, not in replacement of. I do think it is useful to group and name these activities seperately. I'm not sure I agree with those being the best names for the 2 boxes, but I do think the concept of there being basically 2 boxes is sound.
I worked at a company who in fact had these as two seperate teams – organic vs paid marketing. The terms used were different, but the concepts were the same as the inbbound/outbound concepts.
To the extent that teams are actually being formed around these groupings of activities, clearly there's some difference there, for which it would be useful to have industry-standardized terms.
@neal except that a box already exists :) it's called internet marketing. or online marketing. as distinct from traditional or offline marketing – which is what is described when 'outbound' marketing is defined (only by inbound marketers – the rest of the world still calls this "offline marketing" or "traditional marketing"). organic vs. paid live in the box of online marketing. they are simply 2 different sub-channels. just like billboards and tv are sub-channels of offline marketing.
i just think making new boxes to re-describe existing boxes is redundant. and is a function of positioning your products or services, not actually describing a thing that is so esoteric as to need a new box. but hey! look at all of us here — driving up the number of discussions, references and links to the 'inbound' branding concept. my hat is off to it's marketing maven creators. truly. and if they succeed in getting an entire industry (or large portion thereof) to believe it is something real that currently does not already exist, then, well played!
i just hope someone can do the same for 'shin' – that one has always bugged me. can we call it 'footbound' instead?? ;)
If we take the "box" idea, I'd agree with Michelle – "Internet marketing" is the main box, and there are a dozen smaller sub-boxes under it.
And if some sub-boxes (paid search & email, apparently according to Hubspot) can be either inbound or outbound, why not just show all the boxes and explain to the clients which ones we're using and how we're combining them?
I wish I had the time to jump in and really give my .02 here. The amount of energy going into the discussion of a phrase is astounding. Everyone else must have all their marketing done for the day or something. I'm still going.
(Plus I assumed everyone knew this was a dipshit phrase invented most assuredly at Starbucks by some mediocre sales nerd who couldn't sell his current product using the same words as the other guys.)
I respectfully disagree here. I think there's enough room on the web for generalists (Internet Marketing, which covers far more ground than Inbound) as well as folks who specialize in a specific combination of channels. They're simply not the same thing and it's just part of human nature to differentiate and stratify.
Like several others here, I think that this is a good conversation for the internet marketing/inbound marketing industry to have. A great example from a related industry is the dust-up that information architects and UX designers had with… content strategists! They argued for years over definitions, who owned what disciplines and tactics, and they emerged from it with a wholly new set of experts, best practices, tools, and services. Sure, it wasn't always amiable, but overall it did yield new learnings and knowledge.
This will happen/is already happening with SEO and inbound marketing, too. It's a sign of an industry in transition and one that is, quite frankly, finally growing up. Inbound marketing and its core philosophies and skillsets are a step forward for us – and they don't have to be the end-point.
Don't hate… iterate! :)
It seems that maybe one way to look at this is that people like Ian and Rank and Will and Wil and others here and not here have been in this industry a long time, and their opinions are based on extensive industry experience. There's a lot of passion, and likely both figurative and literal blood sweat and tears shed by these industry experts. That leads to people who care greatly about how their profession, their business, and the future of this industry is represented in words – so it's not just casual wordplay or semantics when it comes to the discussion of how we or anyone should or could refer to the myriad skills and duties that go along with – whatever we're calling what it is that we do.
Another way to look at it, for whatever this is worth, is that all words and all terms used – fried eggs, republican, SEO – will carry certain connotations and meanings specific to the listener. SEO or inbound marketing either will or won't have specific associations in the listener. So even if we all agree what to call… what we do or aspects of what we do or the totality of what we do, we may need to be more concerned with how a listener is impacted by what we say, and adjust to that on a case by case basis. Yeah, I get that our websites can't easily be chameleon-like (unless your developer is pretty talented ;) and present the exact verbiage that will be best-received by each and every visitor, but in actual conversations with prospects and customers where the real relationships begin, are maintained, and end, those clients and prospects are going to have specific associations to specific words.
Is this discussion important? More than I realize, I'm sure. I'm just saying that no matter what we call what we do and no matter what we do or don't agree to, there is a saying that "the meaning of your communication is the response you get" – the idea in this context being that it's not how the speaker defines words that's the most important part of a communication, it's how the listener interprets those words. We could insist that our clients and prospects come to us and meet us where we are and adapt to our understandings and terminology definitions, but that's a lot like going to Japan and demanding everyone speak English. Being willing to be flexible in each situation with each prospect and client seems more important than what we in the industry think we should call what we do. And ultimately – assuming your clients and customers are business people using our services and not a bunch of industry insiders like us (*cough Rand cough*) aren't what the people who pay the bills worth a little flexibility and verbal jiu-jitsu?
Maybe I'm behind the trends but I personally have never heard the term "Inbound Marketing" and I didn't read Rand's post…
We have been trying to define what it is we do as SEO's and now Social Media "Marketers" since the birth of the internet. I used chat rooms in 1997 to market my pet supply website. Did I need a word to define what it is that I did? No…
Just say you are a marketer and tell the client what strategies you intend on using to get them money.
If we find a word for what we do, then its going to need to be redefined in 2 months when the next popular marketing strategy hits the masses.
Now stop wasting you time on the word or phrase and just do it.
I think the problem everyone is having is that the practices of SEO, paid search, online PR, social media, email marketing, lead management, web site development and design, content development, mobile marketing and probably a dozen things I'm leaving off , which once existed as discrete, separate disciplines, starting converging as the internet became more social. Clients have organizational and budgetary structures that create siloed management functions. But, these things are all interconnected now. Even on the paid media side, for example, is it more effect to offer someone a call to action via an ad or though a relevant, helpful piece of content. To me, what creates the difference is the unit of communication behind the tactic…is it an ad, a press release or is it content. This has been the truly disruptive force on all these disciplines. It wasn't practical or efficient in the past for marketers to become actual content producers. Now, the cost of entry has dropped so low that a ten year old can be a content super star. And, having seen the results that engaging content , informed by insights gained from search behavior and social listening, can have on major brands showed me all these things now have to come together. To me, its not so much about whether the end users found you or you found them. It's about the communication experience they had with you in either case. You could use paid search or organic to get people to a spammy site and the experience would still suck. You could also use paid search, retargeting and a blog to get people really helpful videos and downloadable pdfs on how to take better photos and they would still find the content compelling, no matter wither it was paid media or organic. To me, content is at the heart of this debate. All the other elements are just the necessary skills needed to get your content to the right people at the right place and right time to help our clients sell more stuff. And that's what marketing's all about anyway, isn't it?
I agree that Internet Marketing is probably a better term to describe a broader set of disciplines that just SEO. That said, I'm also a bit concerned that Internet Marketing may already have it's own meaning attached to the term (and not necessarily in a good way). Am I the only one who has seen "internet marketer" slathered all over people who live in the netherworld that surrounds MLM gurus who happen to ply their wares via the web?
On a broader note, I also find interesting the battle to create a new phrase and to push new ideas into the marketplace. Doing so creates an assumed expertise. I see the same thing happening as the industry moves from "social media" into the worlds of "social business" and "the social enterprise." To the degree those camps win those battles, untold riches and higher consulting fees await.
Like you, Ian, I think this is an important discussion and one worth having intelligently. I'm not sure we'll ever see any meaningful resolution, but it is important.
I am a lowly business owner who has limited experience with the many facets of SEO and other forms of internet marketing. I have huge respect for Rand, Ian, and the rest of you who have made a science out of this subject. It is absolutely fascinating. I read as much as I can, filter as necessary, and put into practice what I have learned. It really works. It is amazing.
My impression as a relative outsider is that inbound marketing as a business descriptor is a sham. It is really just one facet of marketing, pure and simple. Marketing has always included influencing influencers, who directly or indirectly refer business to you. Inbound marketing is a variation on that very old theme. I agree that it is useful to at least carve out Internet Marketing as a field, but that is sufficiently granular. Most business owners (your clients) will roll their eyes if you describe yourself as an inbound marketer. Sure, mention that as a concept or strategy, but not to say what your business is all about. I know Hubspot has mined that term to death, but that is hardly a justification for making it a business description. IMHO, you guys are Internet Marketers, and that is plenty impressive and descriptive. And don't worry that there are lots of snake oil salesmen in the crowd. Your clients will see through that. They have to deal with that in their own industries as well. The problem is hardly unique to Internet Marketing.
This is a great conversation.
Tim, there is no such thing as a lowly business owner. That's what it comes down to, running a successful business. And I whole-heartedly agree, "inbound marketing" is a catch phrase to introduce a new way to think of marketing that is now no longer new. At the end of the day, in a way, isn't it all "inbound" anyway? Getting people to your business either offline or online?
Great discussion, i wanted to let the comments/flames build a little before commenting myself.
"Labelling" is a VERY easy trap to fall into – and since everyone attaches these labels to themselves, it can become a vanity issue as well. The amount of energy expended on categorising or naming something – especially against convention – is normally a zero-sum game.
This comes back to some sage advice from an old boss when I was negotiating my promotion and what label would come with it. He said "if you're worrying about what to call it more than getting it done, then you're worrying about the wrong thing".
Awesome thread. All the cool people are here, I'd feel left out if I didn't comment.
I totally get what you're saying, Rand. 'Inbound marketing' does make sense and we DO need a term that encapsulates non-paid, non-interruptive online marketing. Sadly, SEO got an acronym in about 1996 and then the industry grew into this giant, awesome thing, and the work evolved into so much more than search engine optimization. But the acronym stuck. The name stuck. Even today, people will often call PPC 'paid search' but SEO is always just called, SEO.
If anyone can change this it's Rand. But I'm still stuck with Ian on the whole 'internet marketing' thing. When I'm sitting next to someone on a plane, and they're obviously smart and get it, and I say that I do 'internet marketing' they instantly understand. If I say SEO, probably not. If I say 'inbound marketing' I'm sure they'd ask me what the hell that is!
What we do is online marketing. There are several subsets of that work. There are paid and non-paid aspects of that work (although I'd absolutely argue that PPC and SEO do not need explicit separation. Their integration is essential for success when both channels are active. But I digress.)
There is a lot of inertia around the term 'SEO'. It's going to take a long time to change that.
Brings me back to 2008 when I wrote this:
Internet Marketing and the Limitations of Language
The danger in segmenting organic, inbound and earned media is that it creates silos. When there are silos each "program" ends up being managed separately with no regard for the relationships between them.
I've started looking at the multi-channel funnels in analytics and it's ridiculous how many touch points people go through before buying. As time goes on the winners will be the ones who can wrap their head around those relationships and make actionable decisions based on that data. That's going to require someone who knows "online marketing" as a whole, not just one part of it.
Awesome post and engaging comments.
Marketing is still marketing to me; a strategy. Tactics will always change and so will the names for them.
At the end of the day, if you're too focused on segmenting tactics then you risk being myopic and missing the real insights hidden between the lines.
To hopefully provide some historic context to all this — some that Hubspot may or may not have grasped when it was among those who started using this "inbound" term —
Danny Sullivan called search a "reverse broadcast network" (or something like that). Jakob Nielsen called it "demand marketing". Etc.
This is more than just opt-in email/permission … which was certainly a change too. It's people expressing their specific interests in something (sometimes, fairly identifiably, with high commercial intent) by typing, tippity-tap, some keywords into the box.
It's not just that it's *targeted*, it's that they've *stated* their interest explicitly. This intersects with Battelle's concept of a "database of intentions."
I don't mind the term "inbound marketing" in general, but unlike the above (narrow) concept centered around search, the "Hubspot version" is, to use a technical term, pretty squishy.
I'm still not sure I get it. There are many ways to describe similar things: building a reputation, PR, spreading the gospel, networking, buzz, a 360 degree approach to online visibility, becoming a digital native, "getting it," plus a bunch of the things I've picked up (after already doing them personally, but now at least having validation from authors who are teaching novices) from books like Six Pixels of Separation and The Whuffie Factor.
I think it's fair and still exciting to think of search (and very few other consumer behaviors) as somehow *special* because of the explicit nature of the "demand exhibiting" behavior. That's something fairly specific that we capitalize on professionally — with a set of practices — in my case largely through SEM.
I'm not feeling the same sense of clarity about "inbound marketing," though I can vaguely recognize the characteristics of companies who have done a really good job of "it".
Was Michael Arrington a good "inbound marketer" before selling to AOL. I guess probably. A much older expression for the same type of person used to be: "he has a finger in every pie."
"SEO" is to narrow, it's one piece of what we're trying to describe here… agreed.
"Internet Marketing" is too broad… fair enough.
But I think that "Inbound Marketing" is indeed too broad as well. Let's not forget that while everyone reading and commenting on this post is online 24×7, there is still a whole real world out there that doesn't happen online. I know, shocking. But to me, "inbound marketing" also implies all of that. It implies doing a free seminar at the local chamber of commerce. It is not specific to "online" or "internet" whereas the group of services Rand is seeking to categorize are all activities that take root online.
"Inbound Internet Marketing" would be more accurate. That said, it's more of a mouthful and a two-word phrase is just way cooler than a three-word phrase.
Great post BTW – I wish I would have stumbled upon this last month, but alas I just did. Just want to add one point to the debate so that maybe it helps with semantic understanding.
Internet Marketing = Inbound Marketing + Online Outbound Marketing
All Internet Marketing tactics fall in one of two buckets – Inbound or Outbound – Interruption or Permission if you will. Those items for which Rand discusses firmly fall into inbound or permission. All of the others fall into outbound or interruption. Outbound marketing exists offline as well – TV, magazine ads, direct mail, etc.
After reading a couple dozen comments above it is clear that many don't understand these distinctions. It's important to understand these distinctions in order to have an honest debate IMO.


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Former 'Glinda' Louise Dearman Returns to WICKED as 'Elphaba'; Becomes 1st to Play Both Starring Roles
Wicked, the smash hit West End musical, has announced that Louise Dearman, who played 'Glinda' to from March 2010 to December 2011, will return to star as 'Elphaba' from Monday 29 October 2012. It is the first time that a leading lady will have starred in both roles in the nearly decade-long history of the global musical phenomenon.
Louise Dearman is a musical theatre star, recording artist and presenter. In addition to 'Glinda' in Wicked, her major musical theatre roles have included: 'Eva Peron' in Evita, 'Grizabella' in Cats and 'Sarah Brown' in Guys and Dolls. She has released two albums, including the recent 'Here Comes The Sun'.
Louise Dearman commented: "As an actress, you strive to challenge yourself to play as many diverse roles as possible throughout your career, and right now I feel like the luckiest girl in the history of musical theatre. I still can't quite believe that in two months' time I'll be back in Wicked, but this time I won't come and go by Bubble, I'll be on a broomstick!"
UK Executive Producer Michael McCabe said: "From her wonderful performance as Glinda, audiences already know that Louise possesses a stunning voice and remarkable acting abilities, so we are genuinely excited to now welcome her back to Wicked as Elphaba. We have all been awestruck by the way Louise has channelled her incredible talents to inhabit this iconic role, and I've no doubt that audiences will be equally thrilled".
The multi award-winning Wicked has already been seen by over 4.5 million people since its West End premiere in 2006 at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. It is now one of the Top 20 longest-running musicals in West End history.
Wicked has music and lyrics by Academy Award® winner Stephen Schwartz, a book by Winnie Holzman and is directed by two-time Tony Award® winner and Olivier nominee Joe Mantello. Wicked is based on the best-selling novel, 'Wicked – The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West', by Gregory Maguire.
Wicked is produced by: Marc Platt, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone. UK Executive Producer: Michael McCabe.
Apollo Victoria Theatre, Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1LG
The theatre is 1 minute from London Victoria Mainline and Underground Stations. 5 minute walk from Victoria Coach Station.
Official UK website: www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk

subset: commoncrawl


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Medtronic CRDM considers a device as having malfunctioned whenever the analysis shows that any parameter was outside the performance limits established by Medtronic while implanted and in service. To be considered a malfunction or battery depletion, the device must have been returned to Medtronic and analyzed.
Adjustments are made to account for under reporting.
Click on Methods for Estimating for more information.


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The Obama administration is getting behind 3D printing in a pretty big way, dedicating $60 million of the administration's domestic manufacturing initiative into researching a technology that has, among other things, shown the potential for building drones.
The program is looking to capitalize on a trend that's growing on both small and large scales, from student projects to industrial innovations.
Researchers might want to take a look at what a team of students at the University of Washington came up with, printing a boat made of recycled milk jugs -- from a home-made 3D printer -- that was sea-worthy enough to enter into a race.
OK, the boat isn't exactly Ted Turner's American Eagle and the race wasn't quite Olympic quality. It was the Seafair Milk Carton Derby, featuring boats made from milk cartons or jugs -- a life-size, aquatic Pinewood Derby. The 40-pound boat the students made can carry only 150 pounds.
But considering the materials they worked with, it's further evidence of the potential for 3D printing.
The student team, the Washington Open Object Fabricators, better known as WOOF, spent two months on research, engineering, extrusion and "dumpster diving" to create what is likely the first 3D printed milk jug boat, the team reported. And not only did it float, but, paddled by team leader Matt Rogue, it finished second in its heat at the derby.
The team printed the boat in layers (3D printing is also known as additive manufacturing), adapting a 4-foot-by-8-foot plasma cutter with a homemade extruder, which shapes materials being pushed through a die. For material, they used about 250 #2 high-density polyethylene one-gallon milk jugs picked from the trash and then cleaned.
3D printing with plastic milk jugs has environmental benefits, as the team noted in its report, and could be useful in remote or underdeveloped countries. (And 3D printing can use a lot of other materials; one of WOOF's other recent projects was printing shortbread cookies suitable for baking.)
The federal government might have other priorities with its $1 billion National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI), a pubic-private coalition of 15 institutions to conduct research into the potential of 3D printing and other innovations.
With $60 million targeted for 3D printing, NNMI is working to develop a Pilot Institute for Manufacturing Innovation using resources at the Defense and Energy departments, National Institute of Standards and Technology and National Science Foundation.
3D printing isn't new, as such things as circuit boards, for example, have been printed for years by ink-jet and other processes. More recently, it's been applied to everything from guitars to medical models. And it's proved valuable in producing prototypes of electronics products.
But advances in technology have broadened the playing field.
Xerox has developed a silver "ink" that's 5 nanometers wide and melts at a fairly low temperature, and can print flexible electronics using an ink-jet printer, The Economist reports. It can be used for flexible displays, sensors and antennae, the report said.
Another company, Optomec, can print "augmented reality" electronics onto eyeglasses.
And then there is aircraft.
Optomec has teamed with two others to develop a printable "smart wing" for a small unmanned aerial vehicle, The Economist said.
This would likely advance the work done on the first fully printed plane, which was sent aloft by aerospace engineers in England in August 2011, according to New Scientist.
Airbus, meanwhile, is considering building a 80-meter-by-80-meter 3D printer for making full-fledged aircraft by 2050, Forbes reports.
For 3D printing, if you'll forgive the obvious, it appears the sky's the limit.
About the Author
Kevin McCaney is a former editor of Defense Systems and GCN.
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This technology has been around for at least 10 years. I used it to make a prototype of a plastic enclosure. The technology then (not sure about now) used a laser to 'build up' the 3D model made up of a plastic material. I don't know all the science behind it but a 4" x 4" x 1.5" 3D print cost about $500 (using their 'printer', which obviously was costly for a medium OEM to buy at the time). Not sure why they need to research something that is already available and has been for years. Perhaps another friend of a friend will benefit from this 60 million dollars.
Someone please define the word 'printing'.
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Today is National Sunscreen Protection Day!
Aside from an unattractive burn, aging skin, sunspots and skin cancer are some of the few, but detrimental results of sun damage! UV rays can add serious risk to your health if continued without protection. On May 27, Celebrate Your Skin and keep it protected. I have been sampling a bunch of sunscreens to find some favorites for summer, I have listed a few of my favorites and a few I am excited to try.
I love JASON Naturals, I'm a fan of their SPF lip balm and can't wait to try some of the other sun protection products from the Sunbrella line.
JASON Naturals Sunbrellas gives you a family friendly, easy way to stay healthy all Summer long! Blended with all natural ingredients and specialized products for individual needs, JASON Naturals offers you the products needed to Celebrate Sunscreen Day, Your Way!
JASON Natural Products are available at Whole Foods and other health and natural food stores in the United States and Canada, or by visiting www.jason-natural.com.
This is a great dual action product, the mist feels great on my skin and absorbs completely before I apply my makeup. It does double duty with SPF 8 giving my skin another layer of protection. After being out in the sun, Skindinavia Summer Moisturizer feels amazing on my face it cools it and restores lost moisture. A must have for the hot summer months.
Skindinavia Summer Moisturizer
The first moisturizer made for Summer.
Light and hydrating. Breathable mist contains a hygroscopic (water attracting) moisturizer that mimics your own skins hydrating elements. Amazing under makeup and for those with oilier t-zones and shine. Over 60% of users claim it is "The best moisturizer I have ever used."
This is a great heavy duty sunblock, if you plan to be active in the sun this is the one for you. It's sweat and water resistant and will keep you protected while you are out having fun. I love this one for the beach it absorbs quickly and keeps my skin safe for hours even while in the water.
Zia Age-Defying Solar Care Face SPF 30
Ultimate Age-Defying Solar Care Face SPF 30 delivers dual-action sun protection against sun damage and visible aging. UVA and UVB sun filters are blended with soothing nutrients, like Cucumber and Arnica, to defend against photo-aging. This unique oil-free formulation controls surface shine and never feels greasy or sticky. Water and sweat-resistant for even the most active lifestyles.
Super lightweight even with reapplication I didn't get that dreaded sticky sunblock feel on my skin. On top of protecting me from sunburn it also protects me skin from future damage, fabulous!
NEW La Roche-Posay Anthelios 45 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid
Breakthrough Technology Cell-Ox Shield™: a synergistic combination of patented high efficacy sun filters and powerful anti-oxidants to further protect your skin, even at the cellular level*.
Recommended For
* All skin types
Product Information
Ultra light sunscreen fluid for face with breakthrough Cell-Ox Shield™, provides a synergistic combination of patented high efficacy sun filters and powerful anti-oxidants to further protect your skin, even at the cellular level*.
The advanced UV filtering system of Anthelios 45 is a unique association of photostablized sunscreens for broad-spectrum and longer-lasting^ protection, with advanced efficiency against UVA rays. Anthelios 45 also uses a powerful anti-oxidant complex called Senna Alata, a tropical leaf extract known to defend skin cells*.
The fast absorbing, weightless texture leaves skin feeling clean with a silky finish. High UVA and UVB photoprotection for outdoor use.
I keep this little treasure in my purse so I am never without sun protection. SleekSkin skinblock is a super light mist that is so easy to apply on the go. It absorbs quickly and my skin is left smooth and ready for the sun. My face tends to get pretty oily in the summer and this formula has helped keep me from breaking out after sun exposure.
SleekSkin skinblock Ultra Light SPF 25
A unique splash-on sun protection that won't clog pores, Ultra-Lite SPF 25 is formulated with UVA / UVB to prevent further damage, and anti-aging Green Tea and Aloe Extracts to repair and nourish the skin. Ultra-Lite SPF 25 is highly recommended for oily, acne-prone and blemish-prone skin types.
Results: Skin appears healthier, smoother and rejuvenated while fighting harmful free radicals and UV rays.
This sunscreen is ridiculous, it feels like buttah on my skin. It comes out as a super fine mist and after it absorbs my skin feels crazy soft. The first time I used Paula's Choice I walked around forcing people to feel my super soft skin. My husband laughed until he tried it then he fell in love with it too. It provides great coverage so you aren't left with missed spots that burnt. And because it feels so great on your skin their is no fighting my kids or hubby to use it.
Paula's Choice Ultra-Light Weightless Finish SPF 30 Sunscreen Spray
All Skin Types
50% Off – Product Expiration Date: Oct 2010
# Convenient spray-on application
# High level of broad-spectrum sun protection for those who spend extra time outdoors
# Formulated with effective UVB sunscreens as well as avobenzone for superior UVA protection
# Provides ultra-light hydration and a weightless feel well-suited for normal to very oily skin, on face and body
# Contains potent antioxidants and anti-irritants to boost skin's environmental defenses
# May be applied to facial skin (spray into hand and apply; do not spray directly on face)
# 100% fragrance-, preservative-, and colorant-free


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Selena Gomez vs. Usher: Who Would Justin Bieber Choose?
WWBD — What Would Bieber Do — if faced with the opportunity to save one person and let the other drown when the two people are his girlfriend Selena Gomez and his mentor Usher? Ooh, that's a toughie. The question was actually posed to the 'Boyfriend' signer during an interview with Big Boy on his radio show.
Big Boy presented the scenario that would ultimately test The Biebs' loyalty, saying, "You're on a raft in the middle of the ocean and you look in the ocean and there's two people in the ocean and you can only bring up one person and the other person will drown. You see Usher in the water and you see Selena Gomez in the water. Who do you pull up and who do you let drown?"
At first, The Biebs was diplomatic in his choice, offering to throw himself under the bus, uh, raft. But that was not an option. It's either Selena or Usher. The Biebs thought about the dilemma and then offered his decision, saying, "I mean, Usher's a grown man, he can get up on the raft by himself, so I'll help Selena."
Right answer, JB, right answer. We're sure Usher would have told you to say the same thing.
Listen to Radio Big Boy's Interview With Justin Bieber (Jump to 4:50)


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If you follow your doctor's directions about taking narcotic medicines—and you don't have a history of substance abuse—your risk of getting addicted is small. In the past, narcotics were used only
for short periods for short-term pain or for cancer pain. Many experts now also
use them for longer periods to treat chronic pain. You can take these drugs, which are sometimes called opioids, to
reduce pain and increase your functioning without becoming addicted.
If you stop taking narcotics suddenly, you may get nausea, sweating, chills, diarrhea, and shaking. The symptoms aren't life-threatening.
You can avoid withdrawal symptoms if you gradually stop taking the medicines over a set period of time. Work with your doctor to see how to gradually stop taking the medicine you are on.
What should you do if you think you may be addicted?
If you think you may be addicted, talk to your doctor. Signs of addiction include the following:
When you are addicted to painkillers for a long time, withdrawal can be very difficult. But treatment is available to help you through that process.
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Widesink unit
This sink unit is a hygienic solution for waste recycling bins and cleaning products. Everything is easily accessible.
The sink pull-out is used at least 30 times a day on average. It is thus very important to find a solution which offers sufficient storage space for and direct access to all storage items required in the sink area. This cabinet excels in terms of optimal space utilisation, practical organisation and enhanced user convenience.
Memo about this cabinet solution
Share your wishes with your kitchen planner. Here you will find a summary of all information about this cabinet on one page.


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HOUSTON (AP) James Harden scored 30 points, Omer Asik added 15 points and 12 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets held off the New Orleans Hornets 100-96 on Wednesday night.
Harden went 10 for 20 from the field but only 1 of 7 from 3-point range. He reached 30 points for the third time in seven games with the Rockets.
Greivis Vasquez scored a career-high 24 for the Hornets, despite hurting his left ankle in the third quarter and briefly leaving the game. Anthony Davis had only eight points on 2-for-7 shooting.
The Rockets built a 21-point lead in the first half, but the Hornets played better defense in the second to close the gap.
Chandler Parsons sank a pivotal 3-pointer and fadeaway jumper late to help Houston win for the second time in five home games.


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Rokita Distributes Voting Equipment Funds to Vermillion County
Contact: AJ Freeney-Ruiz
Indianapolis, IN - Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita today distributed election reform money to Vermillion County. This was part of the latest round of funding Rokita's office is giving to counties from the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002.
Vermillion County received $101,626 in federal and state money, which was distributed by the Secretary of State's office. This latest round of reimbursements brings to $30.3 million the total distributed under HAVA to Indiana counties since Rokita's office began distributing funds to help pay for voting equipment upgrades resulting from the required phase-out of lever and punch card voting machines.
Rokita personally met with Vermillion County Clerk Martha Padish to reimburse the county for the new ES&S touch screen voting machines that will allow all of Vermillion County's approximately 12,500 voters in all 17 election precincts to vote without assistance beginning with the 2006 May Primary Election. Vermillion County is switching to optical scan and touch screen machines from the punch card ballots it used in the 2000 election.
"Secretary Rokita's office has been fantastic in this long process," said Padish. "These touch screen machines will allow all of our residents to vote independently at the polls if they want."
"It is great to see federal and state money being put to good use to help ensure fair and efficient elections for Hoosiers," Rokita said. "Vermillion County can now focus on other election matters."
Congress passed HAVA in response to issues in various parts of the country during the 2000 Presidential Election. HAVA requires states and counties to replace all punch card and lever machine voting systems by January 1, 2006. A number of Indiana counties are still eligible for additional funding.


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Residents & Homeowners
Getting a home energy assessment can help you take control of your energy costs. It can identify where your house is using the most energy and which improvements would have the biggest impact on your bottom line. Heating and cooling costs frequently account for 50% of residential energy bills. Identifying your energy waste can lead to big savings.
65% of New York consumers agree that picking out the right bulb is a difficult process. But using energy-efficient lighting like LED and CFL light bulbs helps you to save money on your energy bill, and there are quick guides to explain the bulb options.
Imagine a house that produces as much or more energy than is used – cutting annual net energy bills down to zero. A net zero energy home can achieve this, providing you with significant energy savings over time.
Provides incentives and financing to make solar-generated electricity accessible and affordable for all New York homeowners, renters, and businesses. Using solar can help lower energy costs compared to using conventionally generated electricity. Additional program components include training for installers and public officials, standardized permitting processes, and consumer education.
Supports the installation of high-efficiency, low emission wood heating technology for residential, municipal, and commercial buildings. These advanced technology heating systems enable consumers to use local wood pellets and cordwood as fuel in a cleaner way. Technologies include stoves and pellet and cordwood boilers with thermal storage, many of which are made right here in New York State.
Provides support for installing small wind turbines in size up to 2 MW per site. The program offers assistance with qualified equipment with a proven track record installed by eligible installers. Support is based on the estimated annual output of the behind-the-meter turbine, at the proposed site, as determined by computer modeling.
Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®
Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®
EmPower New York
Low-rise Residential New Construction: ENERGY STAR® Certified Homes
See All Programs and Services
Energy Prices and Weather Data
See All Research & Analysis
NYSERDA offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise, and support to help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, save money, use renewable energy, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. A public benefit corporation, NYSERDA has been advancing energy solutions and working to protect the environment since 1975.


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What is the true nature of right and wrong? What is justice? Which beliefs, values, and experiences sustain meaningful, fulfilling existence? What are the principles of critical thinking and argumentation that help us address these questions?
The Department of Philosophy offers a variety of courses from logic to philosophy of art, from existentialism to environmental ethics, from feminism to philosophy of race and gender. We also feature courses outside the western tradition, including Chinese philosophy, Buddhism, African philosophy, and Native American religion. In the advanced seminars students delve into the works of the great philosophers -- Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Heidegger, Wittgenstein and others.
Service learning courses, internships, and study tours enhance our students' academic experience, bringing together theory and practice. Our students' careers culminate in the Senior Symposium, a banquet where the graduating class presents their work to faculty and alumni in an atmosphere of celebration.
Preparing for a Career
Every career requires logic, critical thinking, reasoning, and sharp analytical skills. Philosophy is at the heart of these concepts. Our graduates have launched careers in journalism, politics, academia, research, medicine, and law. The major also offers a robust foundation for graduate work. Top speakers visit campus regularly to discuss philosophical issues as they relate to current events, and these talks are a key way to apply your knowledge to the real world. Human rights pioneer Dr. Shrin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize winner, was recently one of our distinguished visiting scholars.
Suffolk is also home to a branch of Phi Sigma Tau, the National Honor Society for Philosophy.


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Keith Thomas & Dorothy Lillian Koeller Roesch wedding picture July 18, 1934.
Keith was a well-known farmer and had an outstanding purebred Holstein herd. He was the first president of the Lancaster, Wisconsin Chapter of the Future Farmers of America. At the age of 35, he was stricken with polio and spent some time in an iron lung; however, he continued to farm in spite of any disabilities.
When he got polio the doctors said he would never walk again. But he said he would walk and he worked until he could. At one time he even walked with a cane. Nothing was ever to hard for him to overcome.
Besides hunting, milking cows and putting in crops he had a large garden he tended. He loved to go in the garden and sit on the ground and weed it while eating radish and onions. He was known for his determination and ability to overcome all obstacles.
An avid sportsman, he loved to hunt and trap and was a lifetime member of the National Trappers Association.


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imp needed a new button or icon design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 113 designs submitted by 28 freelance designers.
Our app is called "DataGlass for Access", and it allows users to view their MS Access databases on their iPhones & iPads. Users will transfer database files from their computer to read and query on the mobile device.
The target user will mostly be serious business/productivity types, so the design should not be frivolous or humorous. A sleek and modern appearance should help the app blend in with other top apps in the category ( http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/…nreId=6000 ).
1. Apple's icon design guidelines at http://developer.apple.com/iphone/l…mages.html should be adhered to.
2. A vector image (.svg or .ai) is preferred; otherwise, we'll need icons scaled to all the sizes listed at http://developer.apple.com/iphone/l…mages.html
3. The standard 3-cylinder database icon (e.g., http://www.777icons.com/libs/databa…icons.htm) should be a dominant part of the icon. I envision it having a glassy or translucent metallic sheen ("DataGlass").
4. The icon should be flexible enough for eventual variations to be made for other apps (e.g., "DataGlass for Oracle"), possibly just by adjusting the tint of the icon or background.


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When it comes to senior care, the consumer is yearning for "peace of mind" knowing that their loved ones are in good hands. With the clinical expertise of BrightStar Care® and dedication to providing superior care, they get that and more. BrightStar Care provides a plan of care with RN oversight for all of our clients which is the #1 reason why families choose BrightStar. The dedication to patient-centric care by competent and compassionate caregivers is why our customers love BrightStar.
Are You Ready To Build a Business You Can Feel Great About?
When it comes to senior care, the consumer is yearning for "peace of mind" knowing that their loved ones are in good hands. With the clinical expertise of BrightStar Care® and dedication to providing superior care, they get that and more. BrightStar Care provides a plan of care with RN oversight for all of our clients, which is the #1 reason why families choose BrightStar. The dedication to patient-centric care by competent and compassionate caregivers is why our customers love BrightStar.
BrightStar Care®, ranked #1 Fastest-Growing Women-led Company in 2012 by Wall Street Journal, is a unique international franchise brand that can provide the full continuum of care – including companion care, personal care and skilled care** – answering the call to meet the growing demand in multiple market segments, from children to seniors.
We have received several awards recognizing our rapid growth, advanced systems technology and senior leadership, and in 2010 BrightStar Co-Founder and CEO Shelly Sun was named IFA Entrepreneur of the Year, one of the franchising industry's highest honors. Having been featured in major national media sources, including Fox News, Entrepreneur Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal, perhaps it's time you found out what is causing all of the buzz.
**State Licensure Dependent
Why the senior care / home health care industry?
Senior demographics continue to grow and the desire to stay at home continues to increase. One of the continued trends in healthcare today is for hospitals to reduce costs by getting people back into their homes faster and helping them stay there longer. Consider the following*:
$70 billion industry!1
10,000 people turn 65 each day 2
88% of seniors prefer healthcare in their own home 3
By 2030, 1 in 5 people will be 65+4
- 8/2012 IBIS World US Market Research Report
- 12/20/2010 Pew Research Center Publication
- 11/2010 AARP Research & Strategic Analysis Survey
- US Census 2010 Administration on Aging
Why BrightStar franchise?
Multiple Revenue Streams / Not Limited to Companion Care - Senior care (non-medical & medical), private pay home health care, and medical staffing.
Scalable business model – with uncapped revenue potential
$1,595,709 Average Revenue* - for franchisees 1st locations open 12 months or longer (* see additional info below and on page 82 & 83 of 2016 FDD, Item 19, Table A. This figure represents 155 opened by franchisees as their first location that were in operation at least 12 months prior to December 31, 2015) of the 155 agencies 59 (38%) attained or exceeded the average unite revenue.
$255,791 Average National Account Revenue for all franchised locations for the 2015 fiscal year (see additional info below and on page 92 of 2016 FDD, Item 19, Table F).1
*Of the 155 agencies opened by franchisees as their first location that were in operation for a period of at least 12 months as of December 31, 2015, 121 of these agencies were awarded a territory with a population of less than 400,000 people. The average 2015 Total Revenue for these 121 franchise agencies open at least 12 months as of December 31, 2015 is $1,412,604 of which 43 members (36%) attained or exceeded this stated average.
Uncapped revenue potential – Robust franchise system allows franchisees to capitalize on multiple services and revenue streams.
National Accounts – BrightStar has established large national and regional accounts that our franchisees can benefit from. These national accounts relationships provide additional revenue opportunities for franchisees that are participating in the program.
Joint Commission Accreditation – Our franchisees are required to obtain J.C. Accreditation which is considered the highest standard for health care organizations and earned by many hospitals, doctors' offices and nursing homes. This dedication to high standards sets us apart from our competition and provides peace of mind for our clients knowing that their loved ones are being cared for by a professional organization.
1 Even though this information is historical and based on actual information, the Federal Trade Commission requires us to include the following statement: "These figures are estimates only. If you rely on these figures, there is no assurance you will have the same experience. You must accept the risk of not generating these same results." This information is published in the Item 19 of our 2016 Franchise Disclosure Document, along with additional information regarding franchisee average revenues, gross margins, and break even.
The BrightStar Advantage:
Proven System – BrightStar has a robust business model and tools to help our owners grow their businesses.
Training – Extensive training program for new owners and boot camp training for designated roles
Ongoing Support – Ongoing support from our field operations team providing business coaching & consulting
Exclusive Web-based Software & Business Solution – BrightStar has developed a fully-integrated, proprietary business software designed specifically for the BrightStar franchise model.
Financial Assistance – BrightStar has partnered with financing companies to pre-package SBA loans that are specifically structured for this business model.
And much, much more…
What it takes:
No medical or health care background required! We are looking for people who have strong leadership/ management/marketing/sales backgrounds and a proven record of success. This business is about building relationships with referral sources and delivering excellent customer experiences.
The total initial investment necessary to begin operation of a BrightStar Agency is from $92,371 to $174,032. *Initial Investment range as stated in the 2016 FDD.


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Lenoir County Learning Academy; White & Allen lawyers; FSU chapter meeting
Learning Academy receives supplies
The Lenoir County Unit of North Carolina Social Services Association recently made a donation to Sampson Alternative School -- Lenoir County Learning Academy. The donation is going toward helping the students with school supplies. From left are Sakethia Baker, school social worker; Diane Heath, principal; Rose Davis, NCSSA president; and Mrs. Robert King, NCSSA member.
Attorneys earn accolades
C. Gray Johnsey and Matthew S. Sullivan, both longtime members in the firm of White & Allen, P.A., have been selected for inclusion in the latest edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Johnsey was selected in the Trusts and Estates specialty. This is Gray's 20th year of recognition. Sullivan was selected in the Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs specialty and has received this recognition for the last four years.
Selection is based on a peer-review survey comprising more than 2,000,000 confidential evaluations made by top attorneys from all over the United States. Because no fee or purchase is associated with Best Lawyers or its selections, inclusion is considered to be a unique honor.
Johnsey has handled tax, probate and estate and business planning matters in Eastern North Carolina for more than 30 years. He is a board certified specialist in Estate Planning and Probate Law and a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He is a member of the Southeastern Trust School Faculty at Campbell University.
He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from UNC; his master�s in business administration from ECU; his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law, Samford University; and his Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Florida.
Sullivan�s practice is concentrated in the areas of catastrophic personal injury, industrial accidents, wrongful death, workers� compensation, commercial and general civil litigation. He is a member of the North Carolina and American Bar Associations, the Eighth Judicial District Bar Association, the Lenoir County Bar Association, the North Carolina Advocates for Justice and the Eastern North Carolina Inn of Court.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree magna cum laude in administration of justice and public affairs in 1990 at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va.
He attended Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University where he was the Wiggins Scholar, editor-in-chief of the Campbell Law Review, Paul Dennis Award recipient, and inducted into the International Order of Barristers. He received his Juris Doctor magna cum laude in 1995.
White & Allen is a full-service law firm with offices in Kinston, New Bern and Snow Hill.
FSU chapter to hold alumni meeting
The Kinston-Lenoir Chapter of the Fayetteville State University Alumni Association will hold its alumni meeting at 6 p.m. Sept. 16 at the Georgia K. Battle Center, 401 Lincoln St.
All alumni, family members and friends of the FSU family are encouraged to attend. Graduates who live either in Lenoir, Greene or Jones counties are asked to participate.
FSU is the second-oldest public institution in North Carolina. A member of the University of North Carolina System, FSU has nearly 6,000 students and offers degrees in more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
For more information, call President Burney at 252-527-1396.


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Bad Wimpfen (hardcover)
Photographs from a Southern German Town
by Mark C. Christianson
This is the price your customers see. Edit list price
About the Book
Nestled along the Neckar River in Southern Germany, Bad Wimpfen is a beautiful and picturesque town notable for its historic character and surviving medieval buildings. On the hill above the river, amongst the half-timber houses and winding streets, are the remains of an imperial palace. Below, next to the river, rests a monastic cloister and its church. Overlooking it all, the imperial palace's nearly eight hundred year old Blue Tower still keeps watch. In these eighty-four images, photographer Mark C. Christianson explores the town and cloister of Bad Wimpfen. His photos range from wide vistas and townscapes, through investigation of intimate details. He pays special attention to the details of the cloister—the town's architectural gem—and the contemplative play of light and darkness within the sheltered openness of the cloister's medieval passages. Come along on a journey into a small, historic German town found in our own contemporary world: Bad Wimpfen. This is the large hardcover edition.
Features & Details
- Category Arts & Photography Books
Large Format Landscape, 13×11 in, 33×28 cm
80 Pages
- Publish Date Dec 15, 2011
- Tags Bad Wimpfen, germany, travel, photography, medieval, architecture, gothic, monastery, cloister, church, town
See More
About the Creator
Mark Christianson
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Mark C. Christianson has enjoyed photography ever since he grew up in southwestern Minnesota. While in middle school his grandmother lent him an SLR she no longer used, and he's been looking at the world through camera lenses ever since, especially when traveling. A graduate of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, Mark currently resides in Minneapolis.


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9:14:53 PMStill so many questions for the FBI
By Joan Vennochi | Globe Columnist
The FBI has a lot of explaining to do about what happened in an Orlando apartment five weeks after the Marathon bombing.
But the questions begin in Boston. The April 15 attack occurred in the heart of the city, and the Boston area was home to bombing suspects Tamerlan Tsarnaev and his brother, Dzhokhar. The FBI investigated Tamerlan Tsarnaev in 2011 and then lost track of him, allowing him to travel in and out of the country and plan his deadly mission.
A former district attorney, Democratic Representative William R. Keating, said he understands law enforcement's quest to protect sensitive information. But there's a way to be transparent and accountable without compromising a criminal investigation, said Keating, who sits on the House Homeland Security Committee.
"Part of their job is to assure the public . . . to be forthright," said Keating. "It's a fine line. I've had to toe it. They should too."
As part of a congressional delegation, Keating recently traveled to Russia to meet with intelligence officials. The trip, he said, raised more questions about what information was conveyed to the FBI about Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who died following a shoot-out with police.
What happened in Orlando should be disclosed. So should the FBI's actions before and after the Marathon bombing.
According to Keating, US lawmakers were shown a letter that Russian officials said they sent to the FBI in March 2011. It supposedly contained detailed information about Tsarnaev's radicalization. Russian officials wouldn't give Keating a copy, telling him to get one from the FBI.
"They haven't come forward with it," said Keating.
So far, FBI officials involved in the Marathon investigation are communicating mainly via official statements posted on the agency website. The FBI was invited, but didn't participate in Capitol Hill hearings on the Marathon bombings. Behind the scenes, however, FBI representatives reportedly let it be known they were unhappy with questions posed during a May 9 hearing by Representative Michael McCaul to Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis.
McCaul, who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, asked Davis if he knew the FBI "opened an investigation into Tamerlan." The commissioner's answer: "We were not aware of that." The Boston FBI office swiftly posted a statement saying it had shared relevant information with Boston police, although the meaning of "shared" remains open to interpretation.
There have been calls for the FBI to explain how and why an agent shot Ibragim Todashev in his Orlando apartment. Todashev, who lived in the Boston area for a time, was shot May 22 while being questioned about a triple slaying in Waltham, which may be in some way connected to Tamerlan Tsarnaev. The ACLU has joined the clamor for more details about the Todashev shooting, and is also calling for an independent investigation.
What happened in Orlando should be disclosed. So should the FBI's actions and decisions in Boston, before and after the Marathon bombing.
Keating would still like to know exactly what Russian officials told the FBI about Tsarnaev in early 2011, and who in the FBI handled the communication between the two countries. He would like to compare the correspondence the Russians said they sent with whatever the FBI actually received. His mission isn't finger-pointing, he said; it's about improving national security.
The information from the Russians triggered some investigation into Tsarnaev. Who in the FBI conducted it? Why didn't that agent bring along a Boston police representative who serves on Boston's Joint Terrorism Task Force? It would have been another set of eyes and ears.
In 2012, Tamerlan Tsarnaev was free to take a six-month trip to Dagestan, Russia, and then return to the United States. A year later, he bought two large pyrotechnic devices from a fireworks store in Seabrook, N.H.
On April 15, two bombs exploded at the Marathon finish line, killing three people and injuring scores more. When surveillance photos of Tamerlan Tsarnaev surfaced, why didn't the FBI agent recognize him from the interview? The photos were released to the public for identification, leading to an intensive manhunt. In the course of it, MIT police officer Sean Collier was killed during an encounter with the Tsarnaev brothers, and a transit police officer almost died from what appears to have been friendly fire during a shoot-out.
There are still so many questions. FBI officials can't duck them forever.
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Brief SummaryRead full entry
Botaurus lentiginosus
Although not particularly small (around 23 inches), the American Bittern's mottled brown plumage and short, thick build provide it with excellent camouflage in its heavily vegetated habitat. This heron may be best identified by its coloration, short yellow legs, white throat, and black neck stripes. Male and female American Bitterns are similar to one another in all seasons. The American Bittern breeds widely across the northern United States and the southern half of Canada. In winter, American Bitterns migrate to coastal areas of the United States south to Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies. This species may be found all year along the Pacific coast as well as in the Mid-Atlantic Region. American Bitterns breed primarily in shallow, heavily-vegetated freshwater wetlands. In winter, this species utilizes many of the same habitat types as in summer, but some bitterns wintering close to the coast may be found in brackish water. American Bitterns primarily eat animal matter, both invertebrates (mainly insects) and vertebrates (including fish, amphibians, and small mammals). Due to its short stature and the nature of its habitat, American Bitterns are difficult to observe while feeding or standing still. Bitterns may be more visible in the air, undertaking short flights above the top of the marsh grass. This species is primarily active during the day.