Some of Alan's views on this digital marketing malarkey ... there's more on: AlanCharlesworth.com

Over the years – as you can see – I’ve added to this blog only sporadically. I decided to leave all the old posts ‘live’ as I think they can still be useful in helping folk understand digital marketing. Enjoy 😊

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Someone paid for this ...

This came up as an ad on Google for a search on "SWB motorhome for sale". Well, you might say - that's what you asked for. Except that  SWB stands for short wheel base [a commonly used phrase for anything to do with vans, campervans and motorhomes] and the featured van [to which the link took you] is perhaps one of the longest of long wheel base motorhomes. 

So a waste of my time and a waste of the advertisers money. 



OK, so it's a joke, but ...

 This is a post on twitter by mediocreJoker85 in September 2025, but I think it reflects a lot of online textual content:

Real life: “I changed a lightbulb."

LinkedIn: “I single-handedly managed the successful upgrade and deployment of a new environmental illumination system with zero cost overruns and no safety incidents.”


Thursday, September 25, 2025

TickTok ... really?

At a social do over weekend I met guy who worked in procurement for a manufacturer that supplied components to the auto industry. His team bought the stuff – from manufacturing machinery to steel to nuts and bolts – to make those component. A few beers in, I asked if he used TikTok to find new suppliers.

He just glared at me for a while ... then burst out laughing and said ‘you nearly had me going there’. He then retired to the bar shaking his head muttering something like ‘feckin Tik-feckin-Tok’.

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

email 101: check your links

 This isn't a bad 404 page - the problem is that when I clicked on the link on a promotional email I was taken to this page.


 

brand association?

It's hard to avoid being political at the moment - and I'n not being so here. I'm simply asking the question about you wanting your brand advertised on this person's social media platform.


Source: Private Eye, September 2025

D'OH - THIS HAS COST THE ADVERTISER MONEY

If you go back through this blog you'll examples of stupid ad targeting ... well it seems nothing changes - this one's from twitter.