Early in the morning on March 6, 2012, the news poured into the online world from MSNBC.com’s Red Tape section. Government agencies and colleges demand applicants’ Facebook passwords, the headline reads. It seems that SOPA and PIPA aren’t enough; it seems the social arena is one area the government, colleges and employers just can’t leave alone.

Is Your Privacy At Risk?

For years, we’ve warned individuals to guard their social accounts closely. “Employers are including social networks as part of the employer screening process,” we’ve cautioned. “Be very careful what you put on there. Be very careful what you allow your children to put on there. Explain to your kids the necessity of managing their social networks for the future job market.”

We’ve also given wider warnings that add up to, “If you don’t want something exposed to a broad online audience, don’t put it online. Online privacy is ethereal; it doesn’t really exist.”

Of course, our advice has always been based on the idea that employers could only see what you allowed to be seen by the world (unless your friends shared it with a wider audience). In other words, a locked down account won’t tell potential employers much. They could search until the sun goes down, and still only find what you allow public.

According to the MSNBC article, active social monitoring by government employers, college officials and businesses in the public sector has stepped up a huge notch. It’s no longer enough to be able to view your public conversations. They want to be in on your private conversations, too.

Privacy, Please.

MSNBC reports that job seekers for Maryland Department of Corrections have been required to log in and let an employer watch over their shoulders as they clicked through what had previously been considered private. Oh sure, it’s voluntary (hint, hint, nudge, nudge).

As shocking as this seems, the flagrant violation of privacy has been worse. As early as 2008, 22% of 31,000 surveyed employers said they used social networks for candidate evaluation, while 9% planned to use them.

Privacy

In 2009, the Wall Street Journal blogged about the city of Bozeman, Montana, which, for three years, had required municipal job applicants to turn over their social account login details. According to the WSJ blog, the city’s job applicant release form asked for “any and all current personal or business websites, web pages or memberships on any Internet-based chat rooms, social clubs or forums, to include, but not limited to: Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube.com, etc.”

It wasn’t until a local news station reported on the requirement and outrage ensued that Bozeman put the policy on hold. However, the city stated that, while they may no longer require login information, they may still require individuals to “friend” a city official, so what was posted could still be seen.

In a California case around the same time, a college student wrote an ode about her home town and posted in on MySpace. The California Appellate Court ruled that, because the ode was posted on MySpace, the subsequent reposting of the ode to the local newspaper by a high school teacher wasn’t an invasion of privacy.

In 2010, Maryland’s Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services began the same practice of asking for the voluntary divulging of social media log in information. Again, the practice was voluntary. According to the department, whether the applicant agreed or not wasn’t taken into account at all.

Uh huh. Can you see it? “We want you to hand over your log in information so we can dig through your personal information, but, you know, we won’t hold it against you if you say no.” Sure.

When the ACLU found out, they sent the Maryland DOC a nicely worded letter, which stated, among other things, that the DOC’s “demand for login information is equivalent to demands that they produce all of their private correspondence and photographs for review, or permit the government to listen in on their personal telephone calls, as a condition of employment.” It was only then that the DOC suspended the practice, pending administrative review.

What’s Good for the Goose is Good for the Gander? Colleges Snag Control.

Goose or Gander?

This might be understandable for a government job – maybe. After all, the higher up the food chain you go in government positions, the more problems can arise if you’re secretly a gang member, spy, or have a past as a terrorist. When applying for government jobs, there’s somewhat of an understanding that you’re exposing your lives to the agency you’re to which you’re applying.

However, while government jobs may be one thing, what about colleges? According to a February 2011 article on Time.com, a survey reported that 82% of admissions officers used Facebook to recruit. Not a big deal, right? It’s just recruiting.

However, a more recent survey, as reported by SFGate.com, points to a bigger issue. About a quarter of scholarship providers who responded to the survey said they use online sources, including Facebook, to screen college scholarship finalists.

This takes us all back to the MSNBC.com article, which shares a tidbit of the University of North Carolina’s recently updated handbook:

“‘Each team must identify at least one coach or administrator who is responsible for having access to and regularly monitoring the content of team members’ social networking sites and postings,’ it reads. ‘The athletics department also reserves the right to have other staff members monitor athletes’ posts.’”

Isn’t this going a bit far? Isn’t this, just like a request for passwords, an invasion of privacy? Believe it or not, it can reasonably be argued that it isn’t.

No Real Right to Privacy

No Real Right To Privacy

That’s right. The invasion of privacy is seldom actually addressed in the U.S. Constitution. The First, Third, Fourth, Fifth , Ninth and Fourteenth Amendments, most often cited as “right of privacy“, only account for certain privates rights. They aren’t, as many people assume, a blanket set:

• 1^st Amendment (Privacy of Beliefs): The right to privacy of beliefs, including religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom to petition the government
• 3^rd Amendment (Privacy of Home): No soldier can force a home owner to allow them to live there, whether in peace or in war, unless it’s done in a manner prescribed by law
• 4^th Amendment (Privacy of Person and Possessions): The right to be secure in your person, house, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures
• 5^th Amendment (Privilege Against Self Incrimination): The right to remain silent and not incriminate yourself
• 9^th Amendment (Broad statement of rights): The enumeration of certain rights shouldn’t be construed as denying or disparaging other rights
• 14^th Amendment (Liberty Clause): No state can deprive a person of life, liberty or property without due process

The closest amendment to deal with the Facebook issue is the 4^th Amendment, but it still has a fair amount of maneuvering room. For example, are your Facebook posts considered papers or effects? Can requiring a college student to “friend” a college counselor be construed as unreasonable search and seizure? –And, while your Facebook posts may very well keep you from a scholarship or employment, can they be considered incriminating evidence?

Social Media on the Horizon

All of this raises serious questions, the number one being: “Should a serious college or job applicant drop out of the social arena all together?” As well, the news hit the wires less than six months after Jobvite released a November 2011 survey and infograph (The State of Social Recruiting in 2011). The survey states that 89% of U.S. companies will use social recruiting, while 82% of job seekers use social networks.

The real answer may be, “yes” and “no”. In other words:

• Yes – use social networks and build an online reputation
• No – if you wouldn’t want your grandma or mother to see what you’re posting, don’t post it

Quite simply, the recent developments in social media monitoring by the government, employers and colleges demands you start taking your social account use seriously. If you thought Google pulling all their privacy policies together into one was bad step in the wrong direction, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

Social marketing used to be just that thing you did; like politicians, business owners would scout the neighborhood, introduce their services, shake hands and kiss babies. You’d talk to people and get to know them; you’d share stories and maybe a cup of coffee.

What's Your Social Footprint?

It was traditional marketing, gorilla marketing, TV advertising, political campaigning, etc. It was getting your name out there or getting known. You made acquaintances, in other words. You were actively involved in marketing your business through your social circles.

Fast forward. Today, all of the above is called social networking and social marketing (depending on who’s talking – some would put a whole bunch more words into defining social marketing, like campaign creation, measuring data, R&D and so on). The difference is that your neighborhood, thanks to the Internet, has billions of people in it. You have a wider reach, and there’s a lot more hands to shake.

- But, you still have to be actively involved. 

Can You Hear Me Now?

Is there a right way to use social media? Far be it from me to say “yes” to that question. There are WAY too many variables – the “proper” usage depends on your brand, your target market, how much time you have… as with SEO, there’s no cookie cutter program here.

There are, however, certain approaches that span the industries, such as interaction. You have to interact for social marketing to work at all. You have to be involved. Once you’re involved, you start to care about how it all works out. Some watch numbers religiously, get upset when they’re unfollowed and see their Klout number as a personal reflection of their self-worth.

When you reach that point (almost everybody does), it’s often followed with a light bulb blinking in your head. It’s a personal Eureka moment, where you take a step back and ask yourself, “At the end of the day, why am I even bothering with social media?”

Too much information

Normally, you’re using it to connect with your customers and build your reputation, right? So you pour out all this good stuff and you wonder… are people really listening? Is this making any difference? Am I wasting my time?

Let’s address these things one at a time:

Is your good stuff their good stuff?

I’m often surprised by the things people in my social circles are reacting to. Through Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook and Scoop.it, I’ve sent out some amazing links I’ve found that really made me think or react in some way. As a very small example, The Tech Stuff You Use Everyday is Dirtier Than You Think is a great infographic – and it makes you want to wash every gadget you own with bleach. Reactions? Zero.

When I went digging, I found that the most reactions come from links about content marketing, social media and Google (Google is always big).

The point: Just because you think your content is good (and it very well may be), doesn’t mean it’s what your followers want to read. Look at your Hootsuite analytics, check your Google analytics – if you don’t have those, you can even look at the numbers of retweets on your site. Wherever you have to find the data, figure out what kind of links your followers are excited about!

Tool you can use: Social Mention is a good monitoring tool, but it has an added sentiment analyzer. Do people get excited about your content and links? Find out!

Are people really listening?

Is Anyone Listening?

Even I wonder occasionally, if I’m not posting things out into nothingness. Yet, just about the time I’ve decided that no one is listening, somebody pops up to remind me that they are. I get a DM or a comment on Facebook. A post on Scoop.it is re-scooped fifteen or twenty times. Our site gets 1,000 visits in a day. These things seem like flukes, but when they begin to happen often, it becomes a trend.

The point: Yes, people are listening. Even if you only have 10 followers and only 20 people visiting your blog a month, people are listening. If they’re listening, they’re “feelin’ you”, and they know other people that will get your message, too. Don’t give up.

Tool you can use: Social Pointer does a good job of helping you listen to what people are saying if they’re saying anything. A big plus for Social Pointer is that it also mentions citations, which means you don’t have to have a link going to your site for the program to pick it up. It’s still in beta, but you can already monitor brand, keyword and competitors across several platforms. It’s also free, so get to monitoring!

Is this making any difference?

Yes, yes, and yes. If you’re putting out links people want to read – and some of them are to your site -, it’s making a difference. It’s making a difference to those who follow you and to those who come to your blog to read your own links. It’s making a difference in how your brand is perceived online. It’s making a difference to your level of publicity, your perceived trust – even your standing in the SERPs (more on this later).

The point: We’re at a time and place in world history where one person really canmake a difference. Maybe you aren’t going to change the world; maybe you aren’t going to go down in history as “the person who…” Yet, every person you do reach (and, eventually, there will be many) will be affected in some way by your words of wisdom (or stupidity), informational links (or funny ones), and calm professionalism (or raving despotism).

I Dare You

How they are affected builds their perception of your brand as a brand to trust… or not.

Tool you can use: If you think people should be talking about you by now, BlogPulse is a good monitoring platform. You can search for a brand term and check to see if a specific URL is being talked about. Digging around can bring surprising results and point you towards interested followers you may have overlooked.

Is this a waste of time?

If it’s making a difference (see above section), it’s not a waste of time. Shaddup and go social already!

Don't Disconnect!

WAIT – What’s Your Story?

We have a client we’re excited about. They’re really well known and been around for over 100 years. Yet, as we were brainstorming about a content development strategy, we realized – they have no history. Odd, that something’s been around that long with no history attached to it.

This isn’t just a lack of history we’re talking about, though – it’s lack of story. There’s no story behind this client, which has greatly affected how they’re perceived. Sure, people talk about them, but it’s always in passing reference rather than with excitement. For this client, we get to be like Steve Jobs, who didn’t create Apple, but created the excitement for the people using Apple. We get to help people become excited about a product they’ve been using for years.

You have to do the same with your company, product and brand. Ultimately, where’s the magic? Where does “social networking” turn into “business”? If you remove all barriers and open your horizons, there is nothing you can’t accomplish. The magic is you; it’s the brand; it’s the story; it’s how you use the story.

For example, an artist promised to sketch the first 3,000 followers on his Twitter account. Not only was it a cool idea, but he now has over 5,000 followers, and is working on his second thousand (read about this and see four more examples of engaging social media).

Coca Cola Content is another example. The video describes how “the Coca Cola will evolve its approach to the creative agenda on its key brands”. It’s a good video to watch for anyone still wondering if additional content is the way to go.

Both of these are examples of using a story. For Gregg Burney, the story is an artist building relationships through social media and art. For Coca Cola, it’s the story of how a well-known brand grows through creative content use.

The point: a faceless brand is just that – a faceless brand. There’s nothing to touch, taste, feel, sense or connect to. Having a story of some kind – your reason for being there that incorporates the meaning behind your brand – allows people to connect, engage and have a part in that story.

Tell Your Story

Active Involvement, Active Storytelling… Active Social

As it turns out, today’s social marketing is just like yester-year’s; you get back what you put in. To have an active social network, you have to be active. You have to learn how to get people excited in your story and your brand. Instead of bragging about your products and/or services, share what people want to read about – pay attention and listen.

We’ve said it before, and maybe since we have a huge brand like Coca Cola backing us up, it’ll hold more weight. You have to have a plan. You have to have a campaign. You have to know what it is you want and how you’re getting there. You ARE the story – and in the end, it’s not always about the story you tell, but about how you tell the story.

Social media killer

You know that song Video Killed the Radio Star? Someone should have been making sequels. We could have had Facebook Kills the MySpace Star or YouTube Kills the Quicktime Movie Star. Or maybe just the Internet Kills All the Non-Internet Stars.

With Facebook becoming more ubiquitous by the moment and SEO becoming the go-to formula for long-term internet success, will they soon leave behind other forms of marketing and advertising?

What’s to become of print advertising, radio ads, email marketing software, commercials, journalism or even snail mail?

-And, why has the Internet taken over? Simple. Its widespread accessibility, ease, and entertainment factor make it a desirable destination for just about anything.

The Age of Internet Marketing

Just as technology changes, the way we use it changes as well. Websites used to be all businesses needed for recognition on the Internet, but now that’s not enough. The way we once used internet marketing is coming to an end.

Sales and marketing have changed over the years from selling just products to selling the ideas, lifestyles and image that come as a result of using their products. This monumental shift means that advertising on the internet became key for reaching a target audience and for putting forth the cutting edge image that puts customers in a buying mood. What monumental shifts can we expect in the coming years?

SEO versus SM

Though it may have started off slow, Internet Marketing has taken off. Facebook now garners more weekly traffic than Google. If Facebook were a country, it would be the third largest in the world behind just China and India.

With 800 million users now on Facebook, businesses are using and will continue to use social media to recruit. Eighty-percent of companies are already using social media to recruit new employees and of that percentage, 85% use LinkedIn.

The Rise of Social Media

Ubiquitous social media sites like Facebook or Twitter mean that businesses of all sizes promote themselves online for free and this trend will only continue in the future. Businesses no longer need a domain name, fancy website or full-time graphic designer. They can create a Facebook page or Twitter account and easily be found by anyone looking to engage with their brand.

Social media makes it easy to establish the online presence of your brand. On Facebook or Twitter, giant companies like Coca-Cola or Johnson & Johnson are on the same playing field as Fred’s Froyo Stand or Natalie’s Nail Salon. They have to generate followers, of course, but the basic bones are the same.

In the next 10 years, 40% of our current Fortune 500 companies won’t be around anymore, which is mind-boggling to think about. The future of business is difficult to predict, but as more arise and as it’s easy to get exposure, what’s the best way to stay on top?

With everyone fighting for digital relevance through social media and more archaic forms of Internet marketing, what’s to be done to beat your digital competitors? The answer: SEO.

The Rise of SEO

The Rise of SEO

Many companies like to think they don’t need SEO to be found. But, the history of changing Internet trends suggests otherwise. Businesses have been told over the last 15-20 years that they needed websites, blogs and social media sites. Many didn’t listen at first, but soon realized their blunders. This pattern is now becoming the case with SEO.

With the rate that search engines Google update their algorithms, the only way to stay ahead of the game with a digital presence on Facebook, Twitter, WordPress or anywhere else is through the use of SEO. If people can’t find you online, your business will not flourish.

The Verdict

So, what does all this mean? Will social media and SEO really trump other forms of media advertising? While there is no way to predict the future with absolute certainty, following the cues of history tell us that SEO is going to be the next big thing in Internet marketing. Soon, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and websites won’t be enough to help potential customers find you on the web. Like it or not, the future is now.

Expand Your Business

What would you say if you were told that the secret to your blog’s (and company’s) success might lie in your ability to write—for someone else? Already, some of you are arguing that you don’t have time to keep your own blog up to date. You can’t spare precious time for content that will help a site other than your own. You don’t see the value in helping out your competitors. You want people visiting YOUR site.

Understandable. However, guest blogging—writing articles for someone else’s blog—can be a valuable tool for expanding your business, your credibility, and your networking potential.

Guest blogging can help you stay up to date with your industry.

Know Your Questions

It’s easy to get bogged down in your day-to-day tasks and lose sight of what’s going on in the world. –But, let’s face it; you need to know what is going on in the minds of your customers, competitors, and colleagues if you expect to keep up with the changes that take place every day. Chances are you already have a series of blogs or websites you scan on a regular basis for this very purpose.

The insight you gain from participating on these sites helps you target your products and services to meet the needs of your customers. It also helps you be aware of trends in your field so you can improve your products and services. Guest blogging is just one more way to get you out into the virtual world so you can be proactive, productive, and stay in touch with your audience.

Whose idea is it anyway?

The business model of the new economy is changing. No longer is the world of business filled with cut-throat competitors seeking to annihilate the competition. Of course, that still happens, but growing numbers of business owners are seeking ways to build relationships with competitors. There seems to be a shift toward focusing on what makes them different instead of what makes the competition bad. Haven’t you heard “Sharing is Caring”?

Part of this is due to a change in our society, a shift in the way we view communication. People are more willing to share information and ideas with each other under the belief that we are one culture with a shared intelligence and creativity. When you create an alliance with friendly competitors, your shared knowledge and experience can help nurture and produce a greater number of believers. Guest blogging is one way to build relationships with people you can help, as well as those who can help you improve your game. These relationships can pay large dividends down the road.

All in the name of increasing quality traffic.

Lead by Example

At the end of the day, online marketing seems to boil down to one idea: increasing quality traffic to your site and converting that traffic into sales. The only way to do that is to increase your exposure. With that in mind, consider the fact that guest blogging gives you an opportunity to connect with people beyond your circle of influence. You can drive traffic directly to your site through a link back. There’s nothing sweeter than watching your traffic rise while earning your valued links across the web.

Guest blogging shouldn’t be limited to your contributions to other sites. Invite people to write for your blog as well. This is especially true for people in your industry who have more experience and name recognition. When you allow them to contribute to your site, their followers will have the chance to see what you have to offer. Just make sure that you have something valuable to say. Good content will attract and keep more readers. Eventually, when done correctly, you have built a community that trusts your content and will share it with their friends.

Build a reputation.

Your reputation—and the perception the world has of you—can make or break your company. You’ve heard perception is 100% reality? Well it couldn’t be more à propos than in this case.

For example, people continue to buy Japanese cars under the impression that they are more reliable, despite the evidence proving this isn’t necessarily so. Your customers need to know they can trust you, as well as trust what you can deliver for them.

Do people think you're Hot or Not?

Guest blogging is a great way to build your reputation. The fact that someone else let you put your content on their site shows readers you have something valuable to say and offer. This sort of third party validation shows you’re trustworthy, because your name is now tied with someone they already trust and know. As more people read your content and see your name, this confidence will increase.

Don’t let your fear of reaching out to the competition prevent you from the benefits of guest blogging. Anything that helps you increase your exposure and provides opportunities to expand your business should be part of your online marketing plan.

So You Want to Guest Blog – Now What?

Rules are made for a reason

If you’ve looked at guest blogging and decided that, yes, it’s a good idea, then good for you. –But, how do you go about it? Before you ever start offering to guest blog, follow these few simple rules:

• Make sure you have a strong, short – and above all -, well written bio. A good bio should never read like a spam bot wrote it. Limit the links to no more than three (we recommend this, even if the hosting site allows more).
• Ensure you have a LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter account. Individuals who aren’t active on social platforms have a lower chance of actually promoting their guest post. This is a matter of perceived value; remember – the hosting site wants to get something out of this too.
• Make sure your own blog shows strong, grammatically correct writing skills. When you offer a guest post, the hosting site will, more often than not, look at your past work. There is no better platform to show off your writing portfolio than your own. Before stepping into guest posting, make sure your blog is nice and tight.
• Make sure your blog shows you moderating and responding to readers’ comments. A moderated blog shows individuals that you care about impressions. In other words, you understand the value of the writing and don’t want to devalue it by leaving your blog to run on its own. The more active you are on your own blog, the more likely a hosting site will be to offer you a guest posting spot.

When you contact a site for guest posting opportunities, the following tips will up your chances of future requests:

• It should go without saying, but make sure your guest post is as good as it can be. Don’t give hosting sites sub par material and keep the best for yourself. The blog owners are giving you a piece of prime real estate (any place on their blog is prime real estate, because it gives you extra exposure); don’t ruin it by not making sure it’s top notch.
• Research the hosting site. What have they talked about? Read their archives, read the comments and get a feel for the audience. Rest assured, if your post bombs, they won’t be asking you back. When guest posting, you aren’t targeting your audience; you’re targeting theirs.
• Research the article and cite sources. Your guest post doesn’t have to be written in Associated Press Style. However, if you read something somewhere and are going to talk about it, mention where you read it and kindly give them a link. If it was worth mentioning, it’s worth linking to. As well, make sure you have the facts straight, so you don’t make the host look like an idiot for letting you post BS.
• Include relevant images to compliment your writing and make it more valuable for the hosting site. Again, remember that they expect to gain from this exercise as well. When you send your post in, make sure it is clearly formatted how you want it to look – and make sure that format fits in with the rest of their site.
• Show you’re a blogger who really cares. Understand that your part doesn’t stop with turning the guest post in. Visit often to respond to comments. Make sure you promote the blog on your various social networks. You could even write a continuation of your guest post on your own blog (i.e. talk about the guest post you wrote and link back to it). In other words, be involved!

Where Can I Guest Post?

Start Fresh

You can always wait until someone offers you a guest posting spot. You can offer the bloggers you know and read if they’re interested in a guest post (always provide titles, at least, with your offer). As well, there are several places that offer you lists of blogs that are open to guest posting. Some of them include:

• Blog Synergy
• PiggyBankPie – 101 Blogs that Accept Guest Posts
• ScopeforMoney.com – List of 50 Blogs that Accept Guest Blogging
• Techuse – Blogs Where You Can Guest Post
• My Blog Guest

The lists may or may not be up to date, and they probably overlap somewhat, so don’t just go willy-nilly clicking. Like you would anyway, right?

Hey – Don’t take it from us; a lot of people will agree that guest posting isn’t for everybody. Not everybody can do it; not everybody wants to do it; not everybody has the time. However, it is one of the quickest ways to be noticed and gain recognition in your niche market. Automatically assuming that it would be a waste of your time is a good way to cut your business off at the knees. Look at the possibilities and decide whether guest posting is for you.

A question for you – What rules would you lay out for guest posting?

Busy, Busy, Busy

I don’t know about you, but I’m busy, very busy. While I was away, as we all know, Google decided to throw their hat into the social circle with Google +. Don’t worry; I promise this isn’t about G Plus, but about your social.

I don’t care if it’s a Facebook killer or if it will wipe Twitter out of the game; I don’t have any stock invested in any of these companies. What I’m invested in is the future of my clients and my business, no matter which corporate entity ends up on top.

Yet, many people are wrapped up in what’s going on with other things like Google Plus. The economy is another thing; quite simply, it’s tanking. Do I think there’ll be a revolution? No. I doubt the U.S. will shut down. Many dwell on these things and they lose focus…

You Can’t Lose Focus

Don't loose Focus

Today, however, you can’t afford to lose focus. You have to focus on your needs, your influence and your clients. You have to discover how to make things better in an ever-changing online world. Even you can make a difference, and that’s true whether you’re in SEO, branding or other area of online business.

Are You One of the Sheeple?

One of the things I want you to do today is to think about online influence. Who are your go-to people? Whom can you count on? Are you running after people you don’t know, or working to strengthen your current associations?

More importantly, are you one of the sheeple? Do you follow or use this platform or that because someone told you to? Or, instead, do you investigate before jumping into the game?

For example, if I listened to the majority on G Plus, I’d be jumping in with both feet and never looking back. My question is why do I have to choose one or the other? Why not both? Why can’t you just use the platforms you’re most comfortable on, or the ones you see the most action on, rather than follow what others say? Remember, you’re the only one that truly knows what you need.

What Makes a Brand?

What Makes a Brand

With social and most other things, it’s all about building a brand. – And what makes a brand is someone(s) who is willing to stick his or her neck out because it’s best for the success of the business and for their client.

For that business to grow, it has to be strong – more resilient. It has to endure the ups, downs and growing pains. All of this requires a high amount of commitment and consistency. For the clients it’s about building a long lasting partnership. I can guarantee if you treat your clients like partners they will be back when they have a bigger project, they will treat you with respect and they will send new clients your way.

May You Live In Interesting Times

Often, we – as online marketers – get caught up in social and marketing data. Our viewpoint is skewed, however. It’s hard to remember that not everyone knows about social platform this or social platform that. Not everyone is up-to-date on how to search the Internet and SEO practices. For that matter, not everyone uses a computer on a daily basis (shocking!).

What we do know, however, is that we are living in interesting times. There are tons of options and tons of opportunities; online marketers have to step away from the business side of things and view social from the eye of the consumer.

The consumer sees social as an important business strategy, but things like Google Plus can add to the feeling of networking burn out. Yes, everything is interesting and things are moving at break neck speed, but if all you do is run the rat race – react rather than act with a plan – you’ll end up one of the burnouts.

Be the One With the Plan

Connect the dots

It is essential to have a plan, and once you have that plan, it’s essential you have the steps written down that you need to take to achieve your goals. Almost like connecting the dots. For example, my formula for social networking goes something like this:

I have Google Alerts, Google Reader, Twitter and several RSS feeds of people I respect and follow. I don’t always use these posts, nor do I RT every post I see. God forbid I take the time to read each one; the day would be gone.

What I do is look at the title and quickly scan the post. Or I look at my mentions and see who gave me some love for the day. I will then take a look at their time line and find something that may be of interest to my readers. If it’s on topic or in the vein of what I’m discussing this week then BAM, it gets a RT. It’s a win win. You have some great posts to RT and share, and you’re establishing a nice network of like-minded people.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying start a RT circle, but you will eventually know when to hold them and when to fold them. Don’t be over eager and don’t be aloof. Almost like a Tango. You come in for a bit then you push out…flirting with content. Okay, maybe not, but you get the point right?

The trick is not to RT right away. Give yourself a few hours; post it for the afternoon. If it’s good, you can post it several times a day at different hours, with a different comment. By the time I’m done feeding and scheduling my Twitter account, I can get some real work done.

After a week, I will take what I RT’d the past week and post them on our FB page, re-opening the conversation. Then, I’ll place them on Tumblr, scheduled on the days we don’t have posts going out. As you can see I’m filling each day of the week with something from Level343. Spreading them out so I don’t bombard our readers with triple posts.

DO NOT post the same post during the same hour or on different networks. People don’t like it and feel violated.  lol Okay, maybe that’s over the top, but I know I personally want to contact the person and say STOP IT. All I’m saying is keep things fresh.

If you post it on Facebook don’t repost it on Twitter, at least not the same day. I figure with over 7K followers on one Twitter account and an additional 1400 + on our business account, I can afford to post something more than once on any given day. The chance of my readers seeing it twice in one day is rare, but it can happen.

Now, I know social networks take time, and I notice how our traffic suffers when I’m not around inputting this formula. Not everyone can create one, but I can assure you – if you want to save yourself hours of gazing at your monitor, start small. I don’t need to tell you that using Hootsuite has saved and cut my social networking time in half.

Create Your Business Future with the Help of Others

Create your network of people

Customer influence – the cheerleaders, the advocates, the unpaid marketers; embracing customer engagement through social is a fantastic way to shape your brand, business and products for the future.

This isn’t to say you embrace everyone. This doesn’t mean you follow everyone or answer every question that comes your way. You have to know what’s important. People are important, and how those people feel about what you’re promoting. Again, G+ is an excellent example; I don’t exactly have tons of trust in Google, which makes me less likely to jump on the G+ bandwagon. They need to work hard on their image and the trust wrapped up in their brand.

“Hanging out” on social isn’t enough. “Chatting” isn’t enough. Social media isn’t a cure-all for business issues; if it’s not done right, it’s just a Band-Aid.

In fact, social media and networking is just like the real world; you have to embrace the customer experience as a whole. You have to embody great service. You have to be able to empathize with the consumer, showing a high level of performance and value. In short, you have to be consistent with your delivery, and give them the best bang for their buck… even if that “buck” is just the time they spend following you.

It's official I'm Hawt!!

It’s official – Gabriella has left the building. She’s off to Italy for three weeks, and she’s left me in charge. Mwahahaha – the awesome power! *mad giggle*

I’m excited, and I’ll tell you why. I get to test stuff while she’s gone!! Okay, so it’s only three weeks, and it won’t be able to be anything really crazy – I mean, I’m not going to put comments above posts or anything. Don’t be too surprised, though, if you see some changes. Today, it’s the Article Archive, tomorrow, the world (I feel like the mad scientist of websites)!

Allow me to direct your attention to the bottom of the posts, where I’m testing a new button. Well, it’s a new button for us. I want to switch our tweet button from the Official Twitter Button to the Topsy Tweet Button. Gabriella* wants to keep our current button. Therefore, I have to prove why Topsy’s button is better.

*because she doesn’t want to loose the hard work she’s put in the last quarter getting us a ridiculous amount of traffic and RT’s  from pimping on every street corner to promising Nutella jars to anyone and everyone. Furthermore, she let me switch from another version of the Twitter button and we lost a large percentage of the RT power we had… Sure, she’s easy, and always looking to be progressive – to keep up with the times -, but after loosing all RT buttons she lost faith. Faith in the RT values, faith in numbers and faith in these OVERNIGHT success buttons that come and go like the wind (she’s serious about her social, people).

Here’s my argument. Maybe you can help me make it more persuasive, huh?

Why the Official Tweet Button Sucks

We’ve used the Official Tweet button (called the OTB from here on out) since it first came out. First, we had problems with the code output… several instances of oh-so-not-sexy “AKPC_IDS +=” code. Okay, so that might have been, MIGHT have been, operator error. I’m willing to accept that and move on.

Then, the real problem showed up, when Gabriella came banging on my door, demanding for me to tell her what I did with her social numbers. To be fair, I had done something with the numbers on three articles a few days before. I changed the URLs, the tweet numbers plummeted to a big fat zero, and I forgot to tell her it would happen*.

*By the way, don’t ever just copy your blog title and publish it without checking the link first. Especially if you use extra characters like dashes, apostrophes or quotes. One, they transfer into fugly URLs. Two, you’re more likely to have broken links and 404 errors if someone copy/pastes the URL to use as a link back to the post. Lessons learned and all that…

Oops My Bad!

Anyway, when she showed up at my door, I assumed she meant the three articles. “You already told me that,” she said, “but what about…” Long story short, we’d lost numbers. Big numbers. They didn’t all go to zero, but we’d lost 50 here, 30 there, 10 there, and so on. Turns out the culprit was the OTB or, to be more exact, Twitter. It took me months and an interesting conversation to figure this out.

You see, Twitter occasionally purges its system of old, dusty tweets. The OTB bases its numbers off the Twitter database. So, when Twitter purges, so does OTB. If you’re using OTB, expect your numbers to drop occasionally.

On top of this, OTB’s count is based on a specific URL. That is, the URL that posts when you RT. So, unless the tweeter actually pushes the button on the page, or you push the OTB and they RT your exact tweet, you don’t get the count.

Finally, there’s no style. It’s just… blue. There are WordPress plugins that go along with this button (TweetButton, WP-TweetButton, and WP Tweet Button, to name a few), and they have varying degrees of extra functionality, but… they’re just blue. Twitter Fail Whale blue, at that.

I’m not a colorist; I don’t have anything against blue, but it just doesn’t go with the site, know what I mean? Blue is just not how we roll.

Why Topsy’s Tweet Button Doesn’t Suck

Okay I'm spoiled too...

Dig the section titles? Yeah, I’m creative like that. It’s called “taking liberties”.

Anyway, observe, if you will, the following…

→ Firstly, Topsy’s Tweet Button (TTB) didn’t give me any crap when I put the code in. I didn’t get any stray characters or weird meta descriptions. Bonus; I like that about a plugin.

→ Secondly, TTB’s count is based off Topsy’s database. -And guess what? Topsy doesn’t delete old tweets. For us, TTB shows a count for posts back at the beginning of 2009 (when we really started hopping into social), while OTB shows zip, nada, zilch.

→ Thirdly, you have the option of showing, along with the tweet count, where a particular post ranks in comparison to the others on your site, in terms of Twitter conversation. For example, Top SEO Women – Just the Tip of the Iceberg (July 2010) is the top tweeted post on the Article Archive (by the way, Google Analytics shows it’s our top post, period). I really like that cool little “Top [star] 100” (or 1,000, 5,000, etc) addition.

→ Fourthly, TTB allows you to pull in the tweets as trackbacks to the blog, or as part of the comments. I’m currently dinking with that, so if the bits disappear and rearrange, ignore it – and that’s an order. I don’t know about you, but it seems a handy feature to me; even when someone doesn’t comment on the blog, visitors can still see it’s active.

→ Fifthly, TTB isn’t selective about the link. As long as it leads back to the page, it can be a bit.ly, ow.ly, add.me – doesn’t matter; TTB will pick it up as a count. Therefore, seems to me the count is closer to the real deal than OTB’s.

→ Sixthly, you can filter out your own signal, so you see what others have tweeted. I mean, you already know what you tweeted, right? Why do you need that information to muck up your metrics?

There are a lot more reasons why I’d like to switch to Topsy, but the final big reason is style. Sure, if you want blue, you can have blue. BUT, you can also have brick red, hot pink, wisteria, jade. Thirteen choices and flavors. On top of that, you can turn the “Top [star]” part off, if you prefer not to have it on there. You can just have a retweet button, put the numbers on either side or pop them up on top of the retweet in a big box.

Flexible, stylish, with options.

It’s flexible. It’s stylish. It has options.

I’d talk about the ability to add hashtags automatically, or add “by @twittername”, etc. but some of these options are offered by the OTB plugins as well. The things I mentioned above are native to the button itself.

Conclusion

I’m not sure if this is enough to back up my theory that TTB is a better button. I’m not sure if it will be enough to convince Gabriella to switch. There’s a reason she’s head of business development for Level343… she looks at the appearance of the company as much as she does the processes of the company; it’s her bailiwick.

Me… well, to tell you the truth… I’m a specie-ist.  I just don’t like the looks of that Twitter bird…

Here’s where I appeal to you, dear readers. Are you willing to help me convince Gabriella that TTB is better? By all means, pass it on to me! Or do you disagree? Maybe I’m the one that needs convincing. Share and share a like!

Are You Outstanding?

When the money’s pouring in and the economy is booming, almost everyone seems to flourish. The demand for products and services is high; there are more pieces of a bigger pie and more businesses can be involved. Of course, this isn’t so true when the economy “drags butt”, as so many eloquently put it.

“Well, duh,” you say, and start roaming around the page to see if there’s something here you don’t know. How about this – did you know there’s a way to succeed while other people/companies are dropping like flies?

You did? Oh. Well, do you know what that way is?

Problem: When the economy slows down, many small businesses are left holding an empty box. Consumers have too many choices, and we’re more meticulous in a slow economy than in a smoothly rolling one. We’re less likely to make impulsive decisions.

Solution: Interesting, not interrupted, marketing. A business that stands out from its competitors is a growing business – even in a slow economy.

Wait! Don’t roll your eyes – you’ll miss the slight of hand act!

Ask yourself:
Can I, with all the information and competition out there, really do something unique?

If not, the next question is:
Can I do something interesting?

Standing Out From the Rest

Standing out could mean a lot of things, and not always good things. You can stand out for poor customer service, for example, where you actually just stick out like a sore thumb.

Outstanding, however, means a lot more. It means being exceptional and the exception to the rule. It means excelling at being excellent. It means trying harder. Because you have to be doing a) something the competition isn’t doing or b) the same thing in a more interesting way. c) using the magic bullet (hard work).

How do you do that? Here are a few ideas:

Give ways to continue the conversation

That thank you page after the sale is SO important. What do you have on it? Is it just “Thanks, we took your money and we don’t need you anymore,” or is it exceptional? Does it allow customers a way to connect with you after the sale? For example:

• Remind them to bookmark the page with all your contact details
• Remind them that they can follow you on social networks

Excellent customer service

Do you respond quickly to customer service queries? How many ways do you provide for them to reach you if they have an issue or question? A few examples of what you might offer:

• sales@company.com
• support@company.com
• phone number for sales
• phone number for support
• @social account
• http:// link to monitored Q&A or FAQ site/page
• contact areas that report to a monitored email address

When we had a problem with AT&T, and then a technical issue with Empire Avenue, we took it to Twitter. Both responded promptly with ways to resolve those issues. This type of customer service – prompt, helpful, courteous – is outstanding. It sets, in the mind of the customer, a sense of trust and reliability towards the company.

Social monitoring and reputation management

To be able to provide that level of customer service, you have to know when people are complaining. Unfortunately, thanks to Facebook, Twitter and other social networks, as well as blogging opportunities galore, you’re probably not going to be able to hide your dirty laundry.

The best you can hope to do is monitor your online reputation and respond quickly. Not only does this give you the opportunity to turn an angry customer into a happy one, but it also shows potential customers that you care enough to “send the very best”.

So how do you monitor? A few ways include:

• Search Twitter using your @brand or #brand
• Watch your Twitter mentions
• Setting Google Alerts for specific brand words
• MonitorThis, which scans for terms across several types of search engines
• BlogPulse, which you can use to track conversations, find blogs based on a term, follow the conversation around a specific URL, etc.
• Use social search and specific hashtags (if applicable)

Go the extra mile

Take a look, it's not so bad...

One of the most effective things you can do to stand out from the rest is go that extra mile. “What does that mean?” you ask. Well, again, let’s give a few examples:

Write real reviews – take the time to review products, books, etc. that will be helpful to your target market. Share your insight into these products. Did you like it? Why or why not? What stood out most? This type of helpful information – unpaid, unbiased – can help you develop a trusting relationship with your customer base. It teaches them they can count on you to give an honest, in depth, unbiased opinion.

Create helpful videos – Do you sell a product that takes more than two steps to use? Even if you think something is obscenely easy to operate, there is at least one person out there, staring in confusion at a page of directions. There are tons of video creation products out there; if you have a little bit of time and initiative go that extra step and create a “how to use this product” video.

Build relationships – Easier said than done, you say? Pfft. Building relationships is easy; it’s keeping them that’s hard. Maybe it’d help to treat social media like a tactical exercise. Lure people in by following them on Facebook and Twitter. Buy them on Empire Avenue. Then, when they least expect it – as soon as they follow or buy you back -, attack them with engaging, witty repertoire! They’ll be so surprised, they’ll be sure to join your side.

Conclusion

Sometimes, you can’t beat out the competition in the SERPs. Sometimes you can’t beat the competition online at all. What you can do, however, is create a small niche – not a niche market, but a small niche of friends, satisfied clients, engaged readers and happy followers.

These people turn into your personal cheerleaders. They’re your small, yet effective marketing team. They say, “Ooh, have you checked with [insertyourcompanyhere]? Good products, awesome customer service… Maybe you can buzz them on Twitter with your question.” In fact, they say a lot of really nice, really helpful things – AND, they say these things to people who trust them. You can’t beat that kind of marketing.

In conclusion, don’t be afraid to go the extra mile. Don’t be afraid to give extraordinary customer service. In this economy or any other, the extra touches really make a difference.

What are you waiting for?

There are really only two types of people using social networking platforms: those that use them for fun, and those that use them for business. If you’re using social media for fun and to make new friends, well, this articles isn’t for you. Move along. I said MOVE ALONG!

This article is only for business owners, struggling to figure out “this whole social media thing”. This article is for those who wish it didn’t have to be such a drag; those who want to forget about the business part and just socialize, but can’t. In short, THIS article is for those who hate social media and wish it wasn’t so darn necessary.

Okay – have all the readers left who enjoy social media? Good – let’s go surfing. Strap your goggles on and tighten your creative cap.

Take A Walk Down Empire Avenue

If you’re a regular reader here, you know we test many social platforms. The one we’re testing now has a lot going for it. Best of all, it’s fun!

Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Not another social networking platform!” But wait – because this one is just a little different.

It’s called Empire Avenue, and it’s relatively young (EA has only been around for about a year). The company doesn’t call itself a social media company, however. Duleepa Wijayawardhana, aka Dups, calls Empire Avenue a “social influence stock market”. You can learn more about the EA Team here, but be prepared… these aren’t your normal bios. For example, apparently, Dups can’t keep a secret and the COO, Robert Kallir, has to reign him in (so, Dups is probably the one to slyly pick at if you want some juicy info).

Having fun yet?

Now, for Facebook fans, Empire Avenue might remind you of “Friends for Sale”, where you buy and sell your friends. However, don’t have preconceived notions based on the similarities. Where EA differs, it really differs.

Concept:

Empire Avenue is a social networking game, where individuals can buy and sell shares, investing in people and brands. You can win award badges and even get virtual currency, called “Eaves”. Use the virtual currency for things like:

• More shares
• Sports cars
• Upgrades
• Hang gliders
• Mansions
• Yachts

Oh, come on! You want me to take a game seriously? I have real social sites to manage!

No – we want you to take your business’ social outreach program seriously. Here are a few BIG things Empire Avenue has going for it:

It makes networking fun. When something’s fun, more people get involved – and get more fully involved. Seriously, how many of you didn’t play on LinkedIn when they came out with the Water Cooler? That’s the fun we are talking about here – a connection like a bridge that can give you a better understanding of who and what your market is doing.

Through personal, city and interest level communities, you can connect with local people, people with shared interests and – tada – your target market. For example, if you sell organic home cleaning products, what could be better than a community named “Family and Kids”?

More social reach… You’re not going to find everybody who might want to connect with you a single network. Some, for example, are only on Facebook, while others are only on Twitter. Empire Avenue allows you to connect your LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube accounts. This gives you access to more social media users based on the platforms they’re using.

More exposure… When someone invests, one of the first things many well tell you is that they go check out the profile of the person who bought the stock. So, let’s say you buy 10 shares of (e)XYZ. The person running (e)XYZ will see that you bought stock and visit your profile. On your profile, they’ll be exposed to:

• A brief biography
• Your Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, Facebook and Fan page accounts
• Your blog feed
• Your Twitter feed
• Your current share price
• Your current social influence (i.e. how active you are on social networks)

What Others Have to Say About Empire Avenue

Now, don’t take our word for it. First, visit Twitter. Search for EmpireAvenue and read some of the comments. A few talk about how they don’t understand what EA is or how to use it. Most, however, really get into the whole “social marketing, networking, stock investing game, thing”.

Then, you can read Why Top Brands Are Investing So Much Time in A Social Media Leaderboard. Read Katharine Robinson’s commentary in Empire Avenue – The Thinking Person’s Farmville, where she makes some good points. There’s also a good article about how Empire Avenue Helps Teach Social Media Engagement.

Do it... Buy!!

–And finally, just in case you’re the type of person who never does anything unless the big dogs do, here’s a sample of people on Empire Avenue:

• ☆ Gabriella Sannino (e)SEOCOPY
• ☆ Jahnelle Pittman (e)JRPITTMAN
• ☆ Liz Strauss (e)LIZS
• ☆ Shelly Kramer (e)SHELLYKRAMER
• ☆ Dean B (e)THEDUDEDEAN
• ☆ Chris Pirillo (e)Pirillo
• ☆ Darren Rowse (e)PROBLOGGER
• ☆ Erika Napoletano (e)RHWFTW
• ☆ Ann Smarty (e)SMARTY
• ☆ Anita Campbell (e)SBT

This list, of course, leaves out people like Jennifer, Kasey, Dedric, Nicole, Dawn, Reg and Gabe. They aren’t big swimmers in the pool of social media. Some don’t have a business, and are just checking out Empire Avenue because they heard it was fun.

The point is, these people count, too. Because social media isn’t really about business – not really, no matter what they tell you. Social media is about making strong connections. It’s about turning potential customers and clients into friends; it’s about creating strong relationships.

For Empire Avenue players, it’s about having fun and building a network while you’re at it.

Conclusion

Some people look at Empire Avenue and either shrug their shoulders or write negative commentary (the comments are interesting) about it. It’s hard for some people to see past the “game” idea. – But then, EA probably isn’t for everyone, anyway.

However, if you’re new to social media and trying to figure out how to use it – or, if you’re tired of same old, same old, give Empire Avenue a try. You might just find your share price – and your engagement level – skyrocketing!

Now that you’ve read this article, hurry up and buy some shares – and don’t forget to let us know your (e)name so we can invest!

PubCon Las Vegas 2010

Arriving in Vegas early Monday morning for Pubcon 2010 was thrilling in many ways. The largest thrill was this being my first conference in the SEO/SEM world. As well, I hadn’t been to Vegas since the early 70’s; I knew I was going to see a city that had grown exponentially.

High couture fashion stayed in the hotel closet; most were running around in Bermuda shorts and Bon Jovi T-Shirts – not something I wanted to compete with. The lights, glimmer and nightlife didn’t impress me; maybe because I’ve been around the world a time or five. As much as I would have loved to catch a Las Vegas show like Kau or Rod Stewart at Caesers Palace, the only thing I managed to catch was a bug from one of the participants. I now have a horrible head cold, and the cold nights in Vegas didn’t help.

I paid a daily fee for WiFi – an insult, considering the WiFi wasn’t; I had to plug into an Ethernet cable. The customer service sucked and I’ll never stay at a Harrah’s casino again – ever. In fact, after I write this I’m going to give them a strongly worded review on Yelp.

Speaking of social media sites like Yelp, that’s one thing made clear at Pubcon. Social matters. Whatever business you’re in, if you’re not planning to integrate social media into your business strategy, start planning to be left behind. It’s not a matter of trying all social media sites to see what work for you, however; it’s a matter of building a strategy with the right sites and making those work for you.

Running around for three days, trying to fit in all the sessions I wanted to see, wasn’t easy. Maybe, like social media sites, it’s a matter of picking and choosing your platforms (or, in this case, sessions). Some of the sessions I wanted to see were slotted for the same period, which I have to say was extremely unfair. Shame on you Pubcon. #thatisall

After it was all said and done, I’d have to rate Pubcon as a 10 on a scale of 1-10. The speakers were wonderful and the content discussed was great; however, the high rating is due to the networking aspect and the ability to meet many fantastic industry people. That in itself was worth the price and so much more.

Pubcon 2010 Recap

On a bright and crisp Tuesday morning in Vegas, the kick off Keynote speaker was David Pogue, a New York Times author and columnist. For 10 years, David has been posting great technology info for the NYT. He’s also a CBS News correspondent (Emmy-winning correspondent, at that!) and the creator of the Missing Manual computer book series. It was great to see him again; he’s witty, always has the latest on technology and is a true Macintosh advocate.

Getting into the meat of the conference, however, I have to admit that listening to the likes of Tim Ash and Ted Ulle was an SEO/SEM geek’s dream come true. Tim is the President and CEO of SiteTuners, author of Landing Page Optimization: The Definitive Guide to Testing and Tuning for Conversions, and a 20 year Internet veteran (among a slew of other things).

Ted is a Senior Search Analyst and search marketing pioneer. He’s also an advisory board member and administrator for Webmaster World and a senior editor for Search Engine Marketing Journal. These two speakers alone made Pubcon worth it.

I’ll try to give you as much information as I can in this post, but keep in mind it’s not an easy task; there was tons of information handed out. Tim led the discussion in “The Best Tactics in Landing Page Optimization”. Some of the highlights discussed were:

First impressions matter

As we’ve said before, it’s easy to make a good or bad impression. Once that impression’s made, however, it’s hard to change. In short, a bad impression could kill a conversion.

Borrow trust from trusted brands

For example, if your company is registered with the Better Business Bureau, use the seal they offer. If you’re an ecommerce merchant affiliated with the BuyerTrust program, have an SSL (secure socket layer) certificate or other buyer protection, show it off.

Don’t clutter your pages

Clutter isn’t something you’d associate with business; clutter is what happens when you’re at home. Keep your website looking professional and streamlined; instead of shoving things on the page, think things through.

Borrow authority and credibility from others

Do you have connections? How about superstar connections? Sometimes it really does come down to whom, not what, you know. Don’t be afraid to use your connections to “borrow” some of their authority and credibility (otherwise known as name-dropping).

Make visitors feel safe

How does it make you feel when you have to sign in to a site to comment on a post? Some just shrug it off, but the more information you ask for, the more vulnerable your visitor is going to feel. If you have to have a sign in, keep it simple. If you don’t have to have a sign in, give your visitors free reign throughout your site.

Make seals out of your images

Do you have a service or product your clients would be happy to promote? Turn your logo or other images into seals; make a design out of them. Anyone who wants to can take these seals and put them on their site, making for great, free advertising.

Some of the highlights from Ted’s discussion about Information Architecture (IA):

IA is driven by market, not theory

You can’t build a strong website based on theory. If you’ve built your navigation / site structure, and even once used the words “I bet”, “I guess” or “probably, rethink what you’ve done. Study your market first.

A website isn’t an app

With an application, the user has time to figure out how to make it work. Your website, however, can’t be traversed through guesswork. It needs an immediate, intuitive navigational structure. If even you get lost on your site, rest assured your visitors will.

Don’t hide important info

Categories are often based on the company mindset, not the user mindset. Unfortunately, categories often end up hiding information that might be important to the user behind hover and dropdown menus. Keep the important stuff upfront and easily accessible.

Forget the 3-click rule

“Three clicks deep is as far as any visitor will go”. This is often called the “3-click” rule. However, the truth is people will go up to 15 clicks – as long as you give them a scent of the information they’re looking for. If you do it right, they won’t mind looking that far.

Too many choices

Several comparisons, surveys and studies have pointed out that we’re hardwired to the number seven. More choices than this can make it hard for a visitor to make a decision; they simply decide to go somewhere else. Keep your menu to no more than 6 or 7 choices.

Too much about you

If you meet someone at a party and all they want to do is talk about themselves, what do you do? You run… quickly. Your visitors will, too. Where possible, talk about them; reach out to them and let them know you understand their needs.

Of course, these are just a few of the points discussed at Pubcon, but I choose them from the masters. Take these pointers and start applying them to your site and strategy!

Promoting Harmony

I have a secret you may not know. The Article Archive is based on the idea of promoting the Level343 website, gaining more clients and enticing to visitors to engage with us. I mean, we’re a company that actually sells SEO services. We want people to RT our conversations on Twitter, fan us on Facebook, talk about us to others (in a good way, of course) and happily refer us to all their friends without even thinking about it.

It’s a beautiful dream, isn’t it? It’s not just our dream, either. And yet, even those who achieve this dream still complain. They moan, mumble, grumble and whine. Why?

“I can’t get anybody to comment on my blog!”

The amazing thing to me is that commenting seems to be one of the ways you “know” a blog is hip. People drop by and say, “ooo, good point”, or even, “if you say so”, and all of a sudden your blog is “in”.

It Takes Time for the Word to Circulate, But…

Look. I don’t care if you’re staring at a blog you’ve had for four years without a single comment. It takes time. However, if you just posted the articles and figured people would find their way, you figured wrong. IF the purpose of your blog is to build an actual community and create relationships, you have to be the one to start the conversation.

In the process of researching, we’ve come across several blogs that held the potential of being thriving communities. For many, there was an air of expectation and breathless waiting, but crickets chirped in the background. Why? Because nothing was actually happening – yet.

In one in particular, the content was great. After talking to the site owner, I found out that the blog was getting plenty of visitors, but had no comments. It turns out that the site owner never tried to engage – anybody, anywhere. She simply figured that somebody would comment eventually.

You Have to Engage…

Will quality content bring out visitors? Yes. Will it bring out comments? Not necessarily. Quality content will only bring out the initial comments if you manage to write something in just the right tone so the individual feels they simply must respond.

Are you going to do that with keyword stuffed articles? We all know the answer is no, and I’m sure I’ve beaten that topic into the ground often enough. For the sake of those who may never have read here before, let me rinse and repeat. Keyword stuffing doesn’t help your SEO, and it certainly doesn’t help your visitors. It sucks to read, is difficult to understand and doesn’t even entice the reader to try to understand. Don’t do it.

I digress. If you haven’t been lucky enough to hit that tone, you’ll have to take a deep breath, step into the masses and engage. Meet with people online through blog commenting and social networking. Answer questions willingly and freely (it’s the nice thing to do). Don’t spam people (it’s the annoying thing to do). Commit to building relationships instead of numbers (it’s the right thing to do).

Because Visitors Are People Too

It all boils down to the fact that visitors aren’t numbers – I don’t care what your web analyst or optimizer says. Visitors are living, breathing people who like or dislike your writing, blog, personality, services and/or website. They have feelings and are more than willing to share them with anyone and everyone willing to listen – on at least three or more social media sites.

If they don’t like you, don’t know you or feel like you’re a sociopath with no care for the world, doom on you. However, if you manage to create a bridge of information and trust between you and the community you’re building, the people in that community can become your personal cheerleaders.

One Person You Engage…

I’m not kidding; you’d be amazed what the power of one person who really likes and trusts you as a business individual can do for your business. Think about it. If that one person is active in social media and feels like you’re an important part of his or her online world, they’ll start to RT and pass your links around… let’s imagine with a math equation, shall we?

Your personal cheerleader, who is actively engaging in social media, is being followed by 2,000 people. They send out a link from your blog to their 2,000 people. Maybe 10% will look at the link:     2000 * 10% = 200

Let’s say those who open the link average 30 followers each; they forward the link to their Twitter feed. Maybe 5% of those open the link:

2000 * 10% = 200 * 30 = 6,000 * 5% = 300

Now, that 5% also averages 30 followers each and they forward the link. Their followers may not know your cheerleader at all, so maybe 2% open the link:

2000 * 10% = 200 * 30 = 6,000 * 5% = 300 * 30 = 9,000 * 2% = 180

Cheerleader + First Open + Second Open + Third Open = (1 + 200 + 300 + 180) = 680

Can Turn Your Blog Into an Active, Ranking Community

Your one cheerleader brought you 680 visits because they trust and like you. How does that transfer into SEO and better ranking? Bloggers who like you and like your content will blog about you. They might just add a link, write a blurb or write a review. They might mention you in passing: “My friend, Gabriella, over at Level343 (link) told me once…”

As well, they will comment on your blog. All it takes is a few articles with comments on them before more comments will come rolling in. Now, you may not be bombarded, but you will get enough to say, “Yeah, I’m getting comments”.

As you continue to build relationships, you will also build links. The wonderful thing is that these links happen naturally, organically; you don’t have to force them. While it takes time, a few cheerleaders for you and/or your services can turn your blog into a ranking, active community.

Can you do it? Can you engage and encourage others? Can you step into the online community with rings on your fingers and bells on your toes? Yes. Now that these questions have been answered by an expert, it’s time to ask yourself a question: will I?

In part one of “SEO Simplified”, we talked about the differences between forced and organic SEO.  Never mind the differences, though – how does it work?  What makes it better than any other approach?

Firstly, it’s user-based, not search engine based.  This is the biggest difference, and what makes all the difference.  A user-based website should be built for:

• Convenience – How convenient is your website?  Do people have to hunt for links and information?
• Simplicity – Did you get all complicated while setting your site up?  Did you over design your shopping cart button, thinking it’d be neat?  If you used words like “new, exciting design” or “innovative”, you might want to run a focus group test.  It may not be as neat as you think it is.
• Information – Again, it all comes down to content.  Are you building an information center on your products or are you just selling them?  If a visitor has to search for the information on another site, they may very well leave yours and never come back.  A lack of information can cause the loss of hundreds, if not thousands (depending on your traffic) of customers.

Now, this doesn’t mean your website shouldn’t be properly optimized.  By all means, get your code cleaned up, your tags fixed and page titles written correctly.  Once your site is optimized, however, build up that content!

Growing With Organic SEO

Ultimately, if your optimizer does their job, you’ll be getting traffic.  That traffic will be reading the information on your site.  If that information is keyword dense (not rich, but thick with keywords), it will read something like this:

“Organic SEO is great.  Many wonder about Organic SEO, so here is the information.  Organic SEO is user based, not search engine based.  Organic SEO brings in what is referred to as “natural” traffic.”

Ugh.  Not only is it painful to read, it’s painful to write.  If you were looking for information, would you want to read crap like that?  The answer is a resounding, “No”.  Even if you’d never heard about optimization, you’d know there was something funky going on.  This is search engine based.

User-based content is just like what you’re reading here.  Although the keyphrase is “organic SEO”, you’ll only see it where the content supports it and where it’s relevant.  This is where the organic growth starts.  Here’s the growth tree:

1.  You have good, relevant, user-based content that informs, engages and/or entertains, either on the site pages or on the blog.

2.  You or your optimizer set up ways for that content to be spread around, either through email, any number of social bookmarking/media sites and rss feeds.

3.  As you post on your blog or add pages to your site, send them out to the bookmarking and media sites.  However, since nobody likes someone who only talks about themselves, find relevant, interesting information elsewhere and send out those, too.  A little love never hurt anyone.

4.  Those who read what you’ve sent out will also forward it to someone they know, assuming they like the content, which will bring more visitors.

5.  As time goes by, you will be able to watch a steady rise in visitors, people subscribing to your feed, etc.  This can happen in as little as a month, or as long as three months before you get more than ten or eleven visitors, so have patience!

6.  Webmasters will link to your content, because they think it’s relevant to their readers.  If it’s relevant to their readers, their link is relevant to your site.  This brings a positive “vote” for your page, which helps to raise your PageRank, as well as your ranking in the search engine results.

7.  At the same time, this is building a mindset in your visitors.  All the information you’re putting out is creating the impression of “expert”.  YOU are the person/business to go to for the information, which means that if they need expert help, you’re the person/business to use.

8.  Eventually, you may find that you no longer have to send out those blogs or pages.  Your visitors are bringing in traffic for you.

This is true organic SEO.  You will reach a point to where, as long as you keep putting out content, visitors will keep coming to read it and webmasters will continue to link to it.  If you have a sale, you mix your organic SEO with Pay-Per-Click and other ad-based programs for the duration of the sale.

A few tips to remember:

• Once you start putting out content, you can’t afford to stop for more than a few weeks.  You WILL start losing your regular visitors and you will have to start building your reader base up again.
• Don’t use your content as a platform to bash the competition.  It’s not pretty and visitors WILL get tired of reading about it.  Keep it nice!
• If you’re using a forum, knowledge base, article base or blog, host them on your site if possible.  Remember, search engines LOVE content, and show that love by raising your rank.  By hosting the main source of your site content on another hosting platform, you’re loosing a lot of potential ranking.  In addition, this can cause confusion for the visitors and takes them away from your main purpose – to bring them to your site and keep them there.

“Stick with what you are good at.”

That should be the theme of platforms that are created for a specific function – but inevitably they get swept away by the times and try to be something they aren’t.

Attempts to change to meet a popular trend usually fail, as Facebook is discovering.
Facebook is leading the pack of mighty morphers who are trying to ride the massive success of Twitter—(unsuccessfully, I might add).

Once the golden child of the Internet, Facebook has come under fire lately for a slew of trouble including an attempt to usurp their user’s information by claiming the copyrights on both print and media material posted by individual members.

That is just the beginning of the troubles the once formidable Facebook has, however. Twitter, the baby of the Internet, who challenges its loyal following to create microblogs of meaning in 140 characters or less is giving Facebook a run for its money, and they don’t like it.

The result of their clinging to the upper echelons of success is a changing face on their platform to copy the Twitter atmosphere, their nudging of followers to tout their Facebook links on Twitter and all other social network platforms and a general disintegration of what made Facebook so popular in the first place.

In fact, originally Facebook was a sort of guarded society, a membership club that only other college and University students could apply to.  It was a platform much like MySpace with regular blogging capabilities but in a more secure atmosphere that combated spamming and viruses.

And then they tried… more than just an attempt to emulate Twitter’s success. Facebook wanted to BE Twitter. They made a play to buy out the growing cyber child, but Twitter baulked, much to the glee of their admirers.

Facebook needs to do what Facebook used to do best, be a social connection for students and faculty of universities, even the expansion to the mainstream business world is fine, but leave microblogging and Twitter alone.

Facebook, our message to you is this: Be true to your followers.  Leave us to tweet away on Twitter.  We promise there is room in our hearts for you too – if you stay true to who you were.  A place for us to create groups, play games and find long lost schoolmates.

Wanted to thank my Co-writer Jenn Horowitz

(Editors update: on some of the Twitter tools I did not want to list… they now seem as important as ever. We wrote 5 posts on over 160 Twitter tools)

Since I have been on Twitter I have seen the oddest widgets and gadgets popping up. Sure – give me more bookmarks and reasons to have a long list!  Not.

Look – you have to be conscientious and proactive when dealing with a new Social networking outlet.  I should know; I work on the Internet.  We try, and sometimes are quite successful, at new software, gadgets and media.  With that said, I have only been using Twitter for about one month and it wasn’t until a nice Canadian @orenoque asked me to look at some of the tools he uses.  So I am thinking this is a hot tool if you can dice and trim all of the fat.

Let me explain.

Everyday I get anywhere from three to six new links that I find interesting.  Most are focused on how to use your Twitter to maximum capacity. I can see how one might imagine strapping goggles and a flight hat on before sitting down to use this turbo tool.  I am not going to bore you and give you another list of all these tools.  Suffice it to say, you can Google Twitter tools and see hundreds of pages on the subject.

For example, some Twitter tools deal with how to mass DM (direct message) your followers.  One is about managing the whole experience named Tweetdeck. While I am still trying to figure out what the whole experience is, I tighten my goggles, tuck my hair in and move forward.  Yes, Twitter is hot, but I have to be honest: sometimes it’s boring, yet watching your followers grow is a feat and enjoyment in itself.

Maybe saying “boring” is a bit unfair, but I really do get bored when the people I am following are merely spewing links that really are of no interest to me.  The ones that really bug me are the ones that constantly promote their own agenda.  I am not saying don’t do it, but give us all a break (and you know who you are, @’s).

Granted, I am a newbie, but I have seen my followers grow to over 300 in less than a month.  I truly believe it is due to paying attention to what works and how to maximize your Twitter-ability.

Then I happened on this tool, Tweet Effect. Well, let me tell you, if you took marketing 101 in college, you would have loved this gadget.  Can you imagine how many papers you could have aced if you only had a tool that could quantify and qualify your results?  The only problem is they do not save or generate reports on their results. Therefore, your best bet is to copy your numbers.

Another great tool that I recently find is Qwitter. It’s a great marketing tool, because it lets you know someone quit following you, and on what post.  Between Tweet Effect and Qwitter, you have a strong chance of finding out what interests your target audience and what doesn’t.

Maybe I am putting too much emphasis on the quality of my followers and I should be happy I have any followers at all. The way I see it is even if you have hundred of followers, remember we want to hear about a variety of things – not just how wonderful you are and what a great tool you have created.  Give me ideas of how to harness my creativity, give me snippets about people in your life, and yes, a “good morning, how are you” is always welcome.

In conclusion, I would love to hear what your favorite Twitter tool is and how it has helped you grow your business.  If you can muddle through all the tools out there and find just a few to can harness the power of Twitter, then strap your goggles on and get ready to become a Twitter expert.