Throughout the first few months of 2009, Twitter grew at an astonishing pace, peaking at a growth rate of 13% in March 2009. However, according to the latest data from HubSpot, Twitter’s growth is slowing just as dramatically. In October 2009, Twitter’s growth rate fell to 3.5%.

This year Google has placed a lot of effort behind educating AdWords clients on their Content Network. Currently the majority of AdWords users place their ads beside search results, while not even understanding the size, scope, and potential of the Content Network, which reaches 80 percent of all Internet users.

To support this effort Google recently introduced a new initiative called Optimization Center. It contains a ton of resources, but as it relates to the Content Network it includes a Getting Started Guide and must-see six videos:

• Campaign setup best practices
• Creative appropriate ad groups
• Selecting effective keywords
• Developing high impact ad creative
• Bidding strategies
• Conversion tracking and tweaking for ROI

Along with these videos Google of course has a number of tools such as Wonder Wheel, Keyword Tool, and Conversion Tracking that can further help you with your campaigns. At this point the sheer number and quality of resources are such that there isn’t any reason you’re not using keywords to drive leads an sales.

Seth Godin is one of the only marketing “experts” where I would actually pay for what they write, therefore a free eBook from him is a joyful day. Well that is what you get with What Matters Now, a free 82-page PDF eBook where he asked a number of “experts” to write brief essays about what they think matters now. Looking forward to reading it this weekend.