Mediaboss Marketing

A senior aide to Chancellor Angela Merkel hit back at Turkeys government, saying Germany doesnt need lessons in democracy after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan likened the cancellation of rallies by two of his cabinet ministers to Nazi practices.

Peter Altmaier, Merkels chief of staff, called the comment absolutely unacceptable as tension escalates in a relationship already strained over Turkeys human rights record after a failed coup to topple Erdogan in July. Volker Kauder, Merkels top lieutenant in the German parliament, linked the surge in tension to Erdogans campaign to expand his powers in a referendum planned in April.

Nobody can outdo Germany in terms of rule of law, tolerance and liberalism, Altmaier said in an interview with broadcaster ARD on Monday. Theres no reason whatsoever for us to accept such accusations or advice from anybody.

The most important business stories of the day.

Get Bloomberg's daily newsletter.

Erdogan lashed out in Istanbul on Sunday after local authorities in two municipalities canceled campaign events by his ministers in the buildup to the referendum. In comments widely reported in Germany, Erdogan said the decisions have nothing to do with democracy and that recent practices in Germany are no different from the Nazi ones of the past. An estimated 1.4 million Turkish voters live in Germany.

The flareup risks further straining Turkeys relations with the entire European Union as EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels on Monday. The Ankara government has jailed a German-Turkish reporter whom Erdogan described as a spy, and is pressing Germany to extradite fugitive Turkish military officers involved in the coup attempt.

The town of Gaggenau in southwestern Germany triggered the turmoil last week by revoking its permission for Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag to hold a campaign rally, citing concerns of overcrowding. In Cologne, authorities canceled Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekcis planned address on Sunday to a Turkish community, citing security concerns.

Merkel last week condemned the jailing of German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel, 43, as bitter and disappointing, saying the charges of terrorist propaganda threatened press freedom in Turkey. Kauder also condemned Erdogans comparison with the Nazi era.

Its an incredible and unacceptable turn of events that a leader of a NATO country talks this way about another NATO country, especially one who has considerable problems with the rule of law, the head of Merkels Christian Democrat-led caucus told ARD on Sunday.

For all the criticism by German leaders, Turkey and the EU have shared interests beyond trade.

Erdogan and the EU last March forged a deal to stem the flow of refugees entering Greece via the Aegean, with Turkey agreeing to take back people turned away. The uneasy accord that helped ease the trade blocs refugee crisis is unlikely to be upended by Erdogan amid new tensions with Germany, according to its Austrian partner.

The EU is a critical trade partner for Turkey, taking 47 percent of its exports in January. Germany was the No. 1 export destination for Turkish goods, accounting for 10 percent, according to Turkeys statistics agency.

Read the original here:
Erdogan's Nazi Comparison Draws Fire From Merkel Chief of ...

KABUL Afghanistan has ordered a network of schools run by an organization regarded with suspicion by the Turkish government to be transferred to a foundation approved by Ankara, Afghan officials said.

The move against Afghan Turk CAG Educational NGO (ATCE), the body that runs the schools, appears to be part of Turkey's campaign against followers of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based cleric it accuses of being behind a coup attempt in July.

ATCE, which says it is an independent organization, runs schools in several cities including the capital, Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, Kandahar and Herat and has been in Afghanistan since 1995.

Acting Education Minister Shafiq Samim said the Turkish government had asked for the schools to be placed under the management of a so-called "Vakif", a Turkish educational and charitable foundation.

He said there would be a "gradual transition" of staff but the government would not expel any of the schools' Turkish teachers.

"Turkish teachers are our guests and there has not been any decision to expel them," he told a news conference on Saturday, adding that the schools would continue to operate.

ATCE Chairman Numan Erdogan said his organization had not yet received any government notification, and would challenge any decision to take away management of the schools.

"We have nothing to do with developments in Turkey, none of our teachers is implicated and any allegations against us about that are baseless," he said.

Last year, shortly before a visit to Islamabad by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistan ordered Turkish teachers at schools run by a body called PakTurk International Schools and Colleges to leave the country.

Gulen, a former ally of Erdogan who nows lives in self-imposed exile in the United States, promotes a moderate form of Islam, supporting inter-faith communication and Western-style education and inspiring schools in different parts of the world.

In the wake of July's attempted coup, the Turkish president branded him a "terrorist" and pressed other countries to move against him and his supporters.

Turkey has donated around $1 billion in development aid to Afghanistan since 2004, according to the ministry of foreign affairs and is one of the country's most important economic partners, with ethnic and cultural links in the north.

It also provides more than 500 troops to the NATO-led Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan.

(Reporting by Mirwais Harooni and James Mackenzie; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

AMMAN Syrian government forces have taken over positions from a U.S.-backed militia in the northern city of Manbij on part of a frontline with Turkish-backed rebel forces, in line with a deal brokered by Russia, the militia's spokesman said on Monday.

WASHINGTON Multiple fast-attack vessels from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps came close to a U.S. Navy ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, forcing it to change direction, a U.S. official told Reuters on Monday.

PARIS/BORDEAUX Francois Fillon fought off a rebellion that had threatened to end his candidacy for the French presidency on Monday as party leaders swung behind the center-right former prime minister despite allegations that he had misused public funds.

Link:
Afghanistan moves against Turkish schools linked to Erdogan foe - Reuters

PHOENIX Beware the Mensch on the Bench.

Could the first game of the World Baseball Classic become the events biggest upset?

Team Israels 2-1, 10-inning victory over host South Korea at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul in the wee hours U.S. time Monday is the early the leader in the clubhouse.

Israel was considered a long shot to become one of the two teams to advance to the semifinals from Pool A, but the odds got a lot shorter when Scott Burchams two-strike, two-out infield single drove in pinch-runner Mike Meyers with the winning run in the top of the 10th.

Right-hander Josh Zeid as in retired the side stuck out Dae-Ho Lee to end the game.

What an incredible game. Still cant catch my breath, tweeted Zeid, who thew three innings of scoreless relief for the victory.

With commissioner Rob Manfred in attendance and a bearded plush doll complete with tallit and fedora the Mensch on the Bench, a version of the elf on a shelf providing support from the dugout, Israel took a mighty step forward in a pool that includes South Korea and the Netherlands, who were generally considered shoo-ins to make the WBC semifinals.

With a victory over Chinese Taipei on Tuesday in Korea, Israel could take another large step toward an appearance in the second round. Teams play three games in pool play, and the two with the best record advance to the semifinals in Tokyo. The first tie-breaker is the a ratio of runs allowed per innings played, which already gives Israel a leg up.

Who knew?

Right-hander Jason Marquis, who started and threw three scoreless innings, is one of the few former major leagues on Team Israel. Another long-time major leaguer, right-hander Scott Feldman, is in Israels designated pitcher pool and could join the staff if it moves on to Tokyo.

Israels starting pitcher Jason Marquis throws against South Korea during the second inning of their first round game of the World Baseball Classic at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 6, 2017. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

First baseman Ike Davis is the teams most experienced hitter, with 81 major league homers, but he played only eight games with the Yankees last season. Outfielder Sam Fuld, best known for his speed and defense, has played 599 games in an eight-year career. Ty Kelly and Cody Decker also have experience, but the team is nowhere near as stacked as WBC favorites the U.S., Japan and the defending-champion Dominican Republic.

What a reminder of how fun baseball is. Now if I only could sleep, tweeted Fuld, who had two of Israels eight hits.

Israel took a 1-0 lead when Tyler Krueger drew a bases-loaded, two-out walk in the second inning, which featured a double by Zach Borenstein. South Korea tied the game on Geonchang Seos RBI single in the fifth. Israel loaded the bases three more times before breaking through in the 10th.

Israel may be short on experience, but it is long on determination and chutzpah.It has not taken an easy path to its first WBC.

The team had to win a four-team qualifier in Brooklyn in September just to get this far, and it is considered one of the lowest seeds in the 16-team field. Most of the top pros Ryan Braun, Ian Kinsler, Joc Pederson who might have signed on had Israel been placed in the Western Hemisphere chose to remain in spring training with their major league teams.

Not that it mattered in Game 1.

Israel manager Jerry Weinsteins masterful use of his pitching staff also could provide an advantage moving forward. WBC rules mandate that a pitcher who throws at least 50 pitches in a game must sit out for four days.

Since Marquis, who has 124 victories in 15 major league seasons, threw only 45, he is eligible to return as early as Wednesday, when Israel plays the Netherlands in its final pool game. Weinstein also could choose to hold Marquis for a potential tie-breaker game Friday, depending how the rest of the week plays out. Zeid threw 49 pitches.

To come out here and show the world what were capable of, I think, this mattered to me a lot, Zeid told reporters.

Visit link:
Israel opens World Baseball Classic with big upset victory - FanRag Sports (blog)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Experience Advertising, Inc., a leading affiliate program management and affiliate recruitment agency, has been named the #1 ranked affiliate marketing company for March 2017 on TopSEOs.com's list of the best affiliate marketing companies in the affiliate marketing industry. TopSEOs.com uses several objective criteria when evaluating the top affiliate agencies in the affiliate marketing and digital marketing arenas.

Experience Advertising, Inc., founded by renowned e-commerce veteran Evan Weber, has been refining their ability to both recruit new affiliates and web publishers, as well as increase production with current affiliates and referral partners for the past 10+ years. Prior to launching Experience Advertising, Mr. Weber was the Director of Marketing for a very successful B-to-C dental plan portal where he orchestrated all of their Internet marketing and affiliate program growth. Since launching Experience Advertising in 2007, Weber has put the focus on helping affiliate marketers become more effective online marketers so they can increase their commissions. Weber stated, "I put everything I have learned, and continue to learn in my 20+ year career in digital marketing, into the helpful content I compose for our affiliate marketers. Our mission is to help every affiliate marketer, regardless of size or experience, to become more effective and adept at online marketing and social media marketing. Every day, I have phone calls with affiliate marketers, publishers, and bloggers of all types, about how to improve their websites, drive more traffic, and better monetize their online projects. I do this free of charge to the affiliates and web publishers in the affiliate program we manage. This is a major differentiating factor between our agency and other agencies in the space. Each affiliate is being personally mentored and coached by myself, if they choose to." Experience Advertising provides affiliate recruiting campaigns for their clients, as well as completely managing the entire affiliate program to grow the company's affiliate channel.

About Experience Advertising, Inc.: Experience Advertising was founded in 2007 to help companies grow and manage their affiliate marketing programs on affiliate networks like CJ, Linkshare, Shareasale, and in-house programs. They transformed into a full-service digital marketing agency to help e-commerce companies manage all of their online advertising platforms more effectively. Weber continued, "I decided to make the transition because our clients needed additional digital agency services that we are able to deliver more effectively than they can handle internally or through other agencies. I utilize my e-commerce background and my experience working with more than 200 e-commerce merchants into managing effective, ROI-focused online marketing and social media campaigns for our clients."

Weber states that he is able to implement several website-based strategies to boost the overall conversion rate of the merchant's website, so all of their traffic will convert at a better rate, which has a tremendously positive impact on their affiliate marketing channel. Weber stated, "When the advertiser's website converts traffic at a higher rate their affiliates can really prosper and grow like they should. Few companies place enough emphasis on boosting their website's conversion rate and therefore aren't able to grow their affiliate marketing channel like they would like to. When you have a well converting website, combined with motivating promotions, your affiliates will produce more sales and therefore put more effort into promoting the company which increases traffic and sales in the affiliate program."

Experience Advertising, Inc. offers the following affiliate marketing services: - Intensive Affiliate Program Management - Affiliate Recruiting and Blogger/Influencer Outreach - Affiliate Coaching and Training - Affiliate Program Analysis and Auditing - Affiliate Program Growth and ROI Improvement - Outsourced Affiliate Program Management (OPM) - Affiliate Network Management on the Major Affiliate Networks - Affiliate Marketing Strategy and Execution - Affiliate Education and How-to Guides - Affiliate Program Consulting for In-house Staff

Read More

Experience Advertising has an affiliate recruiting service that has become very popular with clients according to Mr. Weber. Weber stated, "We use a multi-faceted affiliate recruiting approach to grow the affiliate programs we manage for clients. There are a few distinct strategies that allow our agency to recruit new, targeted affiliates at a faster rate than any other affiliate agency is able to. We are able to identify, through a proprietary tool we developed, 100's or even 1000's of relevant affiliate marketers to our clients' niche or industry, and then send them personalized prospecting/invitation emails to join our client's affiliate program. We also use the recruiting tools provides to our agency through the major affiliate networks to send 1000's of targeted 'offers' to prospective affiliates for our clients. These two affiliate recruitment strategies allow our agency to add thousands of targeted, relevant affiliates and web publishers to our clients' affiliate programs. Over time, we are able to typically grow large, productive affiliate programs for our clients with 1000's of active affiliates participating in marketing the company online. This type of affiliate recruiting strategy, combined with the superb affiliate messaging we send, leads to a robust, highly productive affiliate marketing channel for our clients."

Experience Advertising is a highly regarded affiliate program management agency OPM with 10's of 1,000's of satisfied affiliate marketers under their direct management. If you are looking for an outsourced affiliate program management agency (OPM) or a digital marketing agency to handle your e-commerce marketing channels, contact Experience Advertising today for a complimentary site evaluation and customized proposal.

View the top ranked affiliate marketing companies here: http://www.topseos.com/rankings-of-best-affiliate-marketing-companies

Contact: Evan Weber 954-662-8010 149164@email4pr.com

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/experience-advertising-inc-named-top-ranked-affiliate-marketing-agency-by-topseoscom-for-march-2017-300418339.html

Read the rest here:
Experience Advertising, Inc. Named Top Ranked Affiliate Marketing Agency by TopSEOs.com for March 2017 - Yahoo Finance

Lodging Interactives all-inclusive digital marketing packages offer hotels the complete solution for a fixed monthly fee. The hotel digital marketing packages are designed to attract qualified visitors, show them personalized and relevant website content, provide real-time human powered live chat support to close the business, ongoing social media engagement and follow-up online reputation management and guest review responses.

Lodging Interactive, an award winning digital marketing and social media engagement and reputation management agency exclusively serving the hospitality industry, today announced it is offering all-inclusive digital marketing packages for hotels and resorts. Since 2001, Lodging Interactive has been exclusively serving the hospitality industry and helping hotel clients maximize their direct online booking opportunities.

With the introduction of our all-inclusive digital marketing packages our innovative approach in hospitality digital marketing continues to evolve, said Mr. DJ Vallauri, Lodging Interactives Founder and President. For more than fifteen years we have created award winning services for our client and our CoMMingle Social Media Marketing Service and most recently our CoMMingle Live Chat Service for hotels now leading the pack. Now, were the only digital marketing agency that brings all the required pieces together into an all-inclusive digital marketing service platform for hotels.

Lodging Interactives all-inclusive digital marketing packages include:

Modern website designs to maximize direct booking opportunities

Professional in-house website copywriting services

Complete website management services

Dynamic website content delivery and personalized segment targeting

Search Engine Marketing (SEO & PPC)

Annual Digital Marketing Plan creation

Social media marketing & engagement services

Reputation management services for guest review sites and OTAs.

Live Chat fully managed services, 7 days a week

Dedicated, first-rate customer service and ROI KPI reporting

Effective hospitality digital marketing is no longer just about having a new responsive website and launching organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising and a Facebook page, added Mr. Vallauri. Today, the smart hotelier understands it takes more of a commitment than this to drive direct hotel bookings.

A recent 2017 Travel Website Behavior Study showed that consumers, between the ages of 18-34, visit an average of 4.6 unique websites prior to making a hotel reservation. This is down from just a year ago. As a result it has become extremely important for hotels to impress their hotel visitors with personalized and targeting content and live chat support to answer any questions they may have in the booking process.

Lodging Interactives all-inclusive digital marketing packages offer hotels the complete solution for a fixed monthly fee. The hotel digital marketing packages are designed to attract qualified visitors, show them personalized and relevant website content, provide real-time human powered live chat support to close the business, ongoing social media engagement and follow-up online reputation management and guest review responses.

For more information and to receive a price quote please visit Hotel All-Inclusive Digital Marketing Programs or call 877-291-4411 ext 701.

About Lodging Interactive:

Headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, Lodging Interactive is a full-service digital marketing and social media engagement and reputation management agency exclusively servicing the hospitality industry. Through its web design and search optimization division as well as its CoMMingle Social Media Division, Lodging Interactive provides effective Internet marketing services to hundreds of branded and independent properties as well as management companies, restaurants and spas. The company also offers fully managed Live Chat agents for hotel websites through its LiveChatForHotels.com division.

Lodging Interactive is an HSMAI Adrian Award winner, and has won awards from the International Academy of Visual Arts, Interactive Media Awards, Horizon Interactive Awards, Web Marketing Association, Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts, and Travel Weeklys Magellan Awards have recognized Lodging Interactive as an industry leader.

Lodging Interactive is a proud supporter of the Hotel Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and the companys president, DJ Vallauri, currently serves on the Board of Directors of HSMAIs New York Chapter. For more information, please contact sales@lodginginteractive.com, 877-291-4411 or visit the companys website.

Logos, product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

2017 Hotel News Resource

Read more:
Lodging Interactive Offers Hotels All-Inclusive Digital Marketing Packages - Hotel News Resource (press release)