Ahmad Kareh

Live video is quickly gaining popularity, both among users and brands. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, for example, recently said the company has a "video-first" strategy and that users last year watched 8 billion videos a day. As live video is still developing, however, there are a lot of questions on how to best use it when marketing or generating awareness.

The best methods to perform search engine optimization, important for keeping a business easily accessible to the right searches, are constantly changing. This leaves companies trying to discover and adapt to the new rules almost as quickly as the search engines change them.

As artificial intelligence continues to develop, it becomes easier to turn large quantities of seemingly unrelated data into trends and analyses that can help a business grow. But how do you best use this resource for marketing? Should you use chat bots to direct consumers to a solution or product, or use AI predictions to filter ads to specific consumers? And what about customer engagement and satisfaction?

In February 2017, I was invited to join the Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Selection Committee at Salt Lake Community College. The committee was headed by Dr. Jason Pickavance and Dr. David Hubert.

In a world that's heavily polluted with information, it's easy for business owners to get overwhelmed with social media expectations. We all know that social media is necessary for business success, but do we know why? In a study from Simply Measured, 60% of social marketers report measuring ROI as a top challenge. How, then, do we convince our CFOs to continue to invest in these channels?

Your team has brought in one or more freelancers in order to help ease the workload. This can be good news, especially if everyone is on the same page on what needs to be done. However, outside staff may not have a full grasp of your company's philosophies or processes, which can lead to deliverables that are sub par or not as envisioned.

Publicity stunts can increase the visibility of a company or product, for good or ill. While there have been some notable failures, there have also been plenty of events that have improved a company's standing, such as when Cards Against Humanity raised money to dig a massive hole this last Black

Tracking the strength of website design has come a long way from the era of “under construction” animated gifs and text files on URL references. With the advent of tools such as Google Analytics, it is now possible to track how a visitor came across your site, including from offline or internet of things sources, as well as how long visitors stayed, and what kind of content or keywords kept them there.

While this is not how most agency employees would choose to spend their time, some have to spend extraneous time ensuring clients pay, as executives have said that it's becoming more difficult for their advertising agencies to get paid. Whether it's a client's confusion about advertising concepts, poor client-agency relationships or other factors, agencies need to ensure they're paid promptly so they can continue providing results. Below, eight Forbes Agency Council members advise how agencies can create compensation models to ensure clients pay in a timely manner.

With about 111.9 million viewers last year alone, the Super Bowl is one of the most watched events annually. But with NFL viewership down this season and a changing advertising landscape, are Super Bowl ads as valuable as they once were?

A key to successful client-agency relationships is identifying the right clients from the start; clients should be selective about the agency that is the right fit for them, just as agencies should ensure they can provide and work well with potential clients. From building perfect client profiles to ensuring they fully believe in a potential client's brand or product, nine Forbes Agency Council members share how to better identify the best fits for your agency.

Acquiring clients and generating new leads is vital to an agency's growth and stability. While referrals are always a strong way to earn new business, agency executives also incorporate other strategies into their lead generation, whether that's appearances on popular TV shows or pro-bono services. Below, 10 Forbes Agency Council members share how they've creatively and successfully generated new leads.

With advances in technology, it's no longer necessary for employees to all be in the same office every single day. According to a 2015 Gallup survey, 37% of workers have telecommuted and a majority of telecommuting employees report they're just as productive as other employees. But with a reduction of face-to-face time with coworkers, there is potential for company unity and culture to take a hit. Below, 10 Forbes Agency Council members share how companies can communicate well and maintain a sense of unity as employees work remotely.

"It’s not always about you. We learned this lesson as kids, but have we learned it as marketers? Lay off the blatant brand promotions and consider this: Consumers know when you’re trying to sell them something and quickly disengage the moment they realize it." This article digs deeper into the definition of branded content, and how it could be utilized to boost consumer loyalty and engagement.

I had the opportunity to present to the board of trustees on September 14th 2016 in order to showcase my preferred teaching methods. In the October issue, the school of business newsletter featured this blurb about this experience:

I have recently been accepted into the Forbes Agency Council, an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. I will join other Forbes Agency Council members, who are hand-selected, to become part of a curated network of successful peers and get access to a variety of exclusive benefits and resources, including the opportunity to submit thought leadership articles and short tips on industry-related topics for publishing on Forbes.com.

In the Fall 2017 Semester, I was invited to join the Student Standards Committee. As a member, I am tasked with supporting students through a formal process of hearing complaints. This experience provides the opportunity to see first hand the problems that students face at SLCC. This not only allows me to help students when faced with issues, but to recognize patterns and attempt to help my student avoid similar scenarios.

I participated in Qualtrics's 2016 MR Week. MR Week 2016 is a place where thought leaders in the marketing research industry collaborate and discuss best practices. Speakers from companies such as: Qualtrics, Facebook, Microsoft, Deloitte and Jetblue (complete list here) discuss topics ranging from the science of research, to applying best practices.

Collegiate DECA is a student run organization that includes competitions, networking opportunities and leadership roles to students. As an advisor, I have the opportunity to work closely and help guide motivated students who are passionate about learning.

I had the chance to represent the Marketing department at the 2016 programs and resource fair. This opportunity allowed students to talk to faculty about the different things that their departments offer. This environment also allows faculty to get to know students that we wouldn't otherwise get to interact with.