H.R. 1981 Is Well-Intentioned, But Would Big Brother Be Watching You?
Updated Feb. 1, 2012
The goal to protect children from Internet porn and predators is a worthy cause. However, for valid reasons, a bill in Congress designed to protect children is vehemently opposed by security experts and privacy activists.
Add me to the list. Why? With journalism experience concerned about upholding the principles of freedom and good government, the bill raises serious concerns.
The proposal also reminds me of salient principles in two famous books written by an English author, Eric Arthur Blair. Writing under a pen name, Mr. Blair lived from 1903 to 1950.
Among a myriad of honors after his passing, Time Magazine named one of Mr. Blair’s books among the 100-best English novels. In 1983, Mr. Blair made the cover of Time Magazine. The book is also No. 31 on the Modern Library list of best 20th century novels.
Mr. Blair was a strong advocate of freedom. During World War II, he also worked for BBC to combat the sinister propaganda emanating from Nazi Germany.
“Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear,” he wrote.
In his most-honored book, “Animal Farm: A Fairy Story,” the author’s allegorical novel told about the events leading to the era of Joseph Stalin and Communism.
In another noteworthy book, “Nineteen Eighty-Four,” he wrote a fictional account of an oligarchical dictatorship.
“Big Brother is watching you,” he would write.
The author’s pen name: George Orwell.
So in being mindful of the books’ themes and a career that includes being a government watchdog as a journalist, the prospect of this proposed federal legislation raises red flags.
The House of Representatives bill, H.R. 1981, would require Internet service providers to keep records of their customers for one year. The ultimate goal is to identify users via their IP addresses. Sponsors claim they want to protect children.
Privacy issue
Ordinarily, the goal of protecting children is a terrific idea. But the means to the end are unacceptable. Violating the privacy of Internet users is an abhorrent thought.
“The data retention mandate in this bill would treat every Internet user like a criminal and threaten the online privacy and free speech rights of every American, as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have recognized,” says attorney Kevin Bankston of the Electronic Frontier Foundation in an article on Threatpost.com.
“Requiring Internet companies to redesign and reconfigure their systems to facilitate government surveillance of Americans’ expressive activities is simply un-American,” he adds. “Such a scheme would be as objectionable to our Founders as the requiring of licenses for printing presses or the banning of anonymous pamphlets.”
An ISP client told me such record-keeping costs would not adversely affect his firm.
“When investigators develop leads that might result in saving a child or apprehending a pedophile, their efforts should not be frustrated because vital records were destroyed simply because there was no requirement to retain them,” Threatpost quotes Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), a bill sponsor.
“This bill requires ISPs to retain subscriber records, similar to records retained by telephone companies, to aid law enforcement officials in their fight against child sexual exploitation,” he adds.
Fortunately, not everyone in Congress agrees with Rep. Lamar, according to Threatpost.
“The problem arises when data retention is government mandated,” says Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.). “It is the government’s role to conduct criminal investigations through the established legal process, but it is not the role of government to mandate how private businesses arrange storage procedures independent of the legal process.
“Simply put, the decision to store data should be a business decision and not a government decision,” concludes Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner.
In Internet-security matters, I always check with arguably the nation’s leading authority, Dr. Stan Stahl (www.citadel-information.com).
“The devil is always in the details,” says Dr. Stahl. “I sure would like the ability to go back and find out who was at a particular IP address on a certain date and time when a client of mine received an email carrying the Zeus Trojan from that IP address.”
Questions arise
However, Dr. Stahl raises some questions: “Just how much pedophilia is there and exactly how is this going to control it? Is this a real problem or is this a candidate for budget cutting? Why one year? Why not 6 months? Or 18 months? Is there anything more than a random guess as to why we’re doing this?
“All this law will do is drive all but the dumbest of them to simply cover their tracks through things like advanced tunneling, anonymization and encryption,” adds Dr. Stahl. “Survival, as always, will go to those who adapt.”
He, too, raises privacy concerns.
“Those of us old enough to remember the 60s can only hazard a guess as to the consequences of the government having the ability to track our every move on the Internet,” adds Dr. Stahl. “Americans have a deep history of not trusting government; not all of this is irrational.”
The debate seems to be in vain. Dr. Stahl says pedophiles already have a tool to stay under the radar. He cites an MIT article.
(Note: Dr. Stahl has been my go-to security expert since 1984. I was introduced to his expertise via our mutual membership in Consultants West, ww.consultantswest.com).
From the Coach’s Corner, here are two informative links:
Dr. Stahl’s security blog
Mr. Orwell’s iconic book: Nineteen Eighty-Four
“The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the government.”
-Franklin D. Roosevelt
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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?
The Key to Internet Dominance: Think Integration
Updated Feb. 4, 2012
Whether you’re a new or established business, it wasn’t that long ago that a strong Internet presence meant having a great Web site with a top ranking. Partially, that’s still true but the competitive marketplace continues to rapidly change daily, which means the No. 1 objective should be a vibrant, integrated presence.
In other words, what matters most is your total Web image – your Web site is an important secondary consideration.
Naturally, it’s important to develop online relationships with social media and other strong Web sites. They will enhance your Web image until it achieves a dominant position in your niche. So, an integrated approach works best.
That means think big picture to achieve a proper balance. Facebook has, of course, become a player. But it’s important to note there are Winners and Losers in Facebook’s Invasion of Google’s Turf, including a threat of cannibalizing your Web site’s presence on the search engines. Here’s a second analysis: Aside from Privacy, Security Issues — Facebook is a Threat 2 Ways. Harness the power of Facebook, but don’t let it make your Web site irrelevant. Use due diligence to capitalize on Facebook.
Besides, there’s another ramification if you allow Facebook to cannibalize your Internet reputation. Why? Facebook appears to be Approaching the End of Its Product Life Cycle. Fixing the problems caused by a faltering Facebook would be costly in time and money. Building a successful Web site consumes a lot of resources. Don’t let Facebook exacerbate your situation.
A Web site doesn’t have to be an expensive venture. With WordPress and other options, you can forget about HTML, which is challenging and time-consuming to learn. You can use a free WordPress template, www.blogger.com, or buy a complex WordPress template and customize it.
Another challenge: Cyber security. Be sure you take every security precaution. (This portal has more than a dozen columns quoting a nationally respected security expert, Dr. Stan Stahl.)
If you’re a blogger, the possible downside for not using HTML is that it will be a challenge for you to convince Google that you’re a news site. Stature as a news site, of course, means more prominence. But you can still be successful without HTML – if you lay the right foundation for success.
21 steps for integrated approach
Not to over-simplify, for an overall great Internet presence, here are the basics:
- Research options for your ideal branding.
- Decide on your slogan – three to five words that will pique the interest of your target audience.
- Develop a logo that tells your story.
- Create a favicon, which is a short description for “favorites icon.” A favicon is small, often 16×16 pixels, used as a logo for your Web site on the search engines. If it’s the same as your company’s logo, you’re really rocking. For example, just look at the URL in this search line on this Web page and you’ll see mine. Or look up any major company or site. All the big dogs – successful companies – have a favicon. It will help portray you as a unique firm.
- Install a good site map for the convenience of search engines and SEO (search engine optimization).
- Don’t under-estimate the power of the news media. Include a “Press Room” on your site for the convenience of journalists to read about your firm’s developments.
- Know and implement the right key words for you. If you’re a small firm, include your name and a brief Web description that isn’t too long to be inserted on the search engines when they mention your site.
- Develop your site – if possible, include a blog, and blog frequently.
- Consider inserting relevant videos — an increasing draw for traffic.
- Register your site with the search engines.
- Read the search engines’ Web developer tools. However, in the main, if you focus on quality and relevance you’ll do well on the search engines. Many people think you have to have use separate strategies for each search engine, but that’s not the case. Relevance and value are what matter most.
- Immediately establish a Google profile, and create profiles on the four salient social networks: LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter and Facebook.
- Miscellaneous tips – on LinkedIn join all relevant groups focusing on your target audience and your industry. Promote your work on the groups. For Facebook, decide if you want a personal or company fan presence. Grow your Twitter followers every week.
- If possible, include StumbleUpon (see Using StumbleUpon To Drive Traffic to Your Website.) There are more than 340 social media sites from which to choose, but you’ll only have time to utilize a handful of them.
- For your profile, make sure you use a good picture with strong resolution. Use the same picture in all your promotions. Consistency is a requirement to earn universal trust. Include all your profile basics.
- Develop and implement an editorial schedule for your blogs. Life happens. Keep it flexible in case the schedule has to be temporarily altered.
- For every salient event or blog, write an online press release and have it distributed on an authoritative press release service. Many will do it for free.
- Post your blogs on your social media, especially your LinkedIn groups.
- Install a sharing button, such as Add This, to every page. You can also insert separate buttons for your social media. Despite what the conventional wisdom indicates, you can also do the Facebook “like this routine,” but it isn’t crucial.
- Check the Google page rank of all sites linking to you, and you’ll need a lot of them. Google assigns page ranks from one to 10. However, remember your new Web site will have a zero page-rank, and you don’t want other zero-ranked sites linking to you. That goes for your online press-release company. Shoot for links with a page rank of 6 or higher because if you do things right you’ll quickly earn a page rank of one or two. Allow for some wiggle room for your site’s future ranking. (Check sites here.)
- Continue to innovate in all that you do.
The best way to innovate is to keep an open mind. The best way to keep an open mind to spot and capitalize on new opportunities is to practice the “Principle of Contrary Action.”
It’s a tip from a cherished mentor more than three decades ago. Keep track of everything you do and strive to do it differently each time. That includes taking different routes to work or even going to the grocery store. (It was a simple but effective strategy from Dr. Len Brode, who has had many accomplishments as a scientist and as a great human being. He also was a proponent of “how to keep your personal power,” long before I heard of Tony Robbins. He is married to Jade Brode, the author of Marry the Man of Your Dreams and No Is The Word.)
A Web site is important. But an integrated approach is the key to Internet dominance. Good luck in your venture.
From the Coach’s Corner, here are more research links:
Checklist to Build Your Brand on a Budget
Google Insights – 23 Key Questions about Your Web Site
Study Provides Vital Lessons for Web Sites Seeking Profits
Checklist: 19 Quick Marketing Tips for New Entrepreneurs
Marketing Checklist to Measure Your Brand’s Personality
“A strong foundation increases the value of everything you do.”
-Aaron Wall
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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?
Google Insights – 23 Key Questions about Your Web Site
Google has unveiled more vital information about what it considers important for Web site ranking. Without divulging proprietary information, Google emphasized it’s all about value – quality for Internet users. In other words, there are no shortcuts for success.
There’s been a lot of buzz about Google’s 2011 algorithm update called Panda, and how it’s affected Internet sites. Many sites have benefited and others haven’t fared well in their Google ranking. Well, Google has made it clear what it considers important. It issued a formal statement on May 6.
“Our advice for publishers continues to be to focus on delivering the best possible user experience on your websites and not to focus too much on what they think are Google’s current ranking algorithms or signals,” wrote Amit Singhal on the Google Webmaster Central blog.
“Some publishers have fixated on our prior Panda algorithm change, but Panda was just one of roughly 500 search improvements we expect to roll out to search this year,” the spokesperson explained. In fact, since we launched Panda, we’ve rolled out over a dozen additional tweaks to our ranking algorithms, and some sites have incorrectly assumed that changes in their rankings were related to Panda.”
“Search is a complicated and evolving art and science, so rather than focusing on specific algorithmic tweaks, we encourage you to focus on delivering the best possible experience for users,” wrote Mr. Singhal.
“Our site quality algorithms are aimed at helping people find ‘high-quality’ sites by reducing the rankings of low-quality content,” he added. “The recent ‘Panda’ change tackles the difficult task of algorithmically assessing website quality.”
He indicated that Web site publishers will benefit by evaluating its page or article quality by asking specific questions – the type of questions that Google asks to analyze a site’s quality.
Here are the questions:
1. Would you trust the information presented in this article?
2. Is this article written by an expert or enthusiast who knows the topic well, or is it more shallow in nature?
3. Does the site have duplicate, overlapping, or redundant articles on the same or similar topics with slightly different keyword variations?
4. Would you be comfortable giving your credit card information to this site?
5. Does this article have spelling, stylistic, or factual errors?
6. Are the topics driven by genuine interests of readers of the site, or does the site generate content by attempting to guess what might rank well in search engines?
7. Does the article provide original content or information, original reporting, original research, or original analysis?
8. Does the page provide substantial value when compared to other pages in search results?
9. How much quality control is done on content?
10. Does the article describe both sides of a story?
11. Is the site a recognized authority on its topic?
12. Is the content mass-produced by or outsourced to a large number of creators, or spread across a large network of sites, so that individual pages or sites don’t get as much attention or care?
13. Was the article edited well, or does it appear sloppy or hastily produced?
14. For a health related query, would you trust information from this site?
15. Would you recognize this site as an authoritative source when mentioned by name?
16. Does this article provide a complete or comprehensive description of the topic?
17. Does this article contain insightful analysis or interesting information that is beyond obvious?
18. Is this the sort of page you’d want to bookmark, share with a friend, or recommend?
19. Does this article have an excessive amount of ads that distract from or interfere with the main content?
20. Would you expect to see this article in a printed magazine, encyclopedia or book?
21. Are the articles short, unsubstantial, or otherwise lacking in helpful specifics?
22. Are the pages produced with great care and attention to detail vs. less attention to detail?
23. Would users complain when they see pages from this site?
“We’ve been hearing from many of you that you want more guidance on what you can do to improve your rankings on Google, particularly if you think you’ve been impacted by the Panda update,” added Mr. Singhal. “We encourage you to keep questions like the ones above in mind as you focus on developing high-quality content rather than trying to optimize for any particular Google algorithm.”
Mr. Singhal also indicated a site’s rankings can be affected by “low-quality content” or “low-quality pages” on just some portions of a site.
“We’re continuing to work on additional algorithmic iterations to help webmasters operating high-quality sites get more traffic from search,” he added. “As you continue to improve your sites, rather than focusing on one particular algorithmic tweak, we encourage you to ask yourself the same sorts of questions we ask when looking at the big picture.”
My sense about Google’s announcement: Amen. It confirms that value counts. There are no shortcuts for ranking success – only high quality content. These are salient questions to ask about your site.
From the Coach’s Corner, if you want to stay current with Google’s webmaster updates, see: Webmaster Help Forum – Google.
“A prudent question is one-half of wisdom.”
- Francis Bacon
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Columnist Terry Corbell is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?
Tips: Do it Yourself Videos are OK, but Get Help if You Aren’t a Pro
Anyone who is a frequent visitor here knows, I’m an advocate of using online press releases and videos. So, a press release from PR Newswire offering video tips caught my eye. I’m in agreement. That’s what I recommend to clients, and business-news videos are a big attraction for this portal.
Videos, as a marketing tool, are great because they enable prospects to actually see your business from their computers. You can be seen as hospitable. Videos can help your prospects feel like guests.
PR Newswire offers reminders if you do it yourself with a simple camera – their tips include:
- Quick and simple product demos – nothing too complex requiring zooming in and out or different camera angles.
- Short interviews at events, or on-the-spot customer testimonials
- Offering a timely “sneak peek” at a daily special or a behind the scenes view
But here’s the catch: Such casual videos are often fine for a YouTube presentation. But appearances are important. That’s why I use pros for my client commercials, YouTube and for Web site presentations.
Here are PR Newswire’s suggestions on how to use videos:
- If you have a physical location, show the video on a loop for customers to see
- Incorporate the video into business pitches
- Embed videos in e-mail communications
- Post the video to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and any other social media presences you’ve established. If your friends, fans and followers like it, they’ll share it with their friends, fans and followers, multiplying your audience exponentially
- Show it to your mom. She’ll love it!
Videos are terrific to show your products or services. But PR News wire and I are in agreement. In this digital age, businesspeople and consumers are accustomed to high definition and good production techniques.
So call a video pro to do it right – planning is key – here are the questions to ask of a video-production house:
- What about the script?
- Conducting interviews?
- The location or a studio?
- Are props needed?
- What about securing permits, which includes the talents’ OK to use their images? (Note: a minor needs to have signed authorization from the legal guardian or parent.)
- Editing and posting?
- How and where should the video be positioned?
- Counsel on what to say and how to say it?
- How much is my investment?
From the Coach’s Corner, here are more marketing tips:
How to Win Your Major Marketing Campaign
Need a Game-changer? Try a Good Video for More Credibility
Startup Toolkit – How to Make a Hit on the Internet
Hospitality: Making your guests feel like they’re at home, even if you wish they were.
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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?
5 Best Practices in Thought-Leadership Web Publishing
Thought-leadership Web publishers naturally want the most-possible readers and financial success. For many facing the dynamics of marketplace-change, it’s challenging to become a frontrunner on the Internet. Certainly, publishers need to strategize in order to grow their businesses.
That includes these thought-leadership publishing goals — providing the most-relevant content, and staying current in business models.
But how is it possible to achieve such lofty goals?
To the rescue: Thomson Reuters.
The worldwide company with 55,000 employees in more than 100 countries published a white paper for scholarly publications – strategies for permanent process enhancements, and to achieve overall excellence. The company’s document: “Top 5 best practices for advancing your editorial office.”
It seems to me that the white paper is beneficial. The recommended principles apply to micro-publishers and bloggers who publish significant thought-leadership content.
Bear with me. True, much of the white paper’s focus is online peer reviews for scholar-niche publishers. Thomson Reuters maintains that all scholarly publications use similar systems. But premier publications harness the full potential from relationships with their providers. (Disclosure: this business portal uses a video vendor, Grab Networks, which provides frequent news-video updates from Reuters, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.)
“There is a significant difference between a software expert and an industry expert,” explained Keith Collier, vice president and general manager at Thomson Reuters. “When it comes to peer review management systems, it’s imperative to select a single vendor to act as both a provider and an advisor – one that can help you identify new ways to gain a competitive advantage instead of simply managing the administrative process.”
My sense is that Mr. Collier is right. Soliciting ideas from authoritative vendors is a productive approach for all thought-leadership sites. It’s called strategic partnering.
Here’s how Thompson Reuters’ five best practices are applicable:
- Be a champion for your authors and reviewers. Salient keys are creating and maintaining affinity with your contributors and vendors. Be loyal to the people who are good to you and your business.
- Tailor your system to fit your unique needs. Decide what features you want. Make certain you use the right tools for speed. Understand expectations of your competitive environment.
- Don’t waste time and money by simply replicating old procedures. Stay current on technology. Use only the most advanced technology that enhances your publication.
- Focus on improving your publication and your editorial strategy, instead of managing a process. Ask yourself these five questions: What new topics are needed? What topics do we need to de-emphasize? Where should we research ideas? How are we faring against competitors? Are we meeting the needs of our site’s users?
- Select a trusted partner, not just a vendor. Make sure the partner is strategic – a person or firm with true industry expertise.
My sense is these best practices will keep you abreast of industry trends, serve as a continuing catalyst for efficiency, and they will enhance your position in the marketplace.
To view the white paper, see: http://scholarone.com/about/industry_insights/
From the Coach’s Corner, here’s another word or two on strategic partnering: Consider it in all aspects of your work.
Candidly, I’ve done it for years in my role as a business-performance consultant and as a publisher here. Even in launching this portal, I sought the input of people I trusted. That even meant seeking input on the eventual branding slogan, “Proven Solutions for Maximum Profits.” The determining factor was the input of strategic consultant Joey Tamer (www.joeytamer.com), who has also been a contributor here.
Good luck in adapting to change. Seek counsel. The old ways don’t always work.
Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.
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For a complementary chat about your situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?
Senate Leadership: Kerry, McCain with Sensible Do-Not-Track
April 16, 2011
A lost art in leadership has come to the rescue of marketers and consumers, alike.
Long ago, it was a pleasure to watch politically opposite leaders – President Ronald
Reagan and House Speaker Tip O’Neil – work congenially. The focus was on
principles, not personalities. Another example from Congress and the Presidency was Gerald Ford.
Yes, I met all of them. As a young broadcast journalist, I separately interviewed Mr. Reagan before he became president, Mr. O’Neil when he was Speaker of the House, and I broke the story nationwide about Mr. Ford’s plans after leaving the White House.
They were indeed leaders. After meeting them, political compromise was naturally taken for granted. Since then, however, it seems to be a lost art.
However, we experienced a joyful return to yester-year after the bipartisan bill entitled, Commercial Bill of Rights, was introduced by Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
By way of explanation, changes in commerce and the Internet have led to debate.
Admittedly, as a consumer, online privacy is a concern. Trust is important. Consumers have a basic right to protect themselves against predators.
Conversely, my marketing side has been concerned by over-reaching of consumer advocacy groups in discussions over do-not-track legislation. Marketers have understandably been worried about the loss of visitors’ data. That is, until now.
(Disclosure: Visitors data is used for data to make this business portal as relevant as possible. It indicates which columns are popular and those that aren’t, and from where visitors come and how long they spend here. Tracking makes it possible for advertising to be inserted adjacent to certain content that interests users. By using key words, readers are able to find helpful information and insights.)
But the Kerry-McCain bill is a cavalry of sorts coming to our rescue. It requires a code of conduct, but do-not-track legislation is excluded. In this digital age, much of the economy depends on it.
“Americans have a right to decide how their information is collected, used, and distributed, and businesses deserve the certainty that comes with clear guidelines,” said Sen. Kerry.
“Our bill makes fair information practices the rules of the road, gives Americans the assurance that their personal information is secure, and allows our information-driven economy to continue to thrive in today’s global market,” he added.
In general, here are the bill’s basic components:
- Accountability and security – marketers must use security
measures for data. - Access, consent, correction and notice of information – clear notice must be given to consumers as well as their right to opt-out.
- Constraints on data – Marketers are restricted on the data they collect to enable transactions or to provide services.
- Enforcement will be provided by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Attorneys General in each state.
- The FTC will be allowed to approve programs by nongovernment organizations to monitor initiatives providing safe harbors or protections.
- The Department of Commerce will help coordinate safe harbor applications for privacy and sharing of information.
Sounds good. Let’s get it done, and encourage more bipartisan leadership!
From the Coach’s Corner, here are two resource links:
Five Attributes of LeadershipAre Needed Now
Here’s the video of the senators’press conference.
Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
— Robert C. Gallagher
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For a complementary chat about your situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?
How CRM, SEO Strategies Can Lead to Higher Sales
True, there are shortcuts you can take for Internet prominence en route to higher sales. However, implementing those dubious tools will ultimately land you in Internet oblivion. Such shortcuts aren’t worth the risk.
The first smart move: It’s important to lay a strong marketing foundation – build your brand equity brick by brick. A rushed job might lead to success, but it’s only temporary. Marketing is a never-ending process. It’s a race – a marathon – not a dash or sprint.
What’s the secret to success? Well, that requires an easy-to-understand set of answers, but it’s laborious to implement for strong results.
Let’s start with strong customer-relationship management. No, not merely CRM software, but it’s important to develop stronger skills in literally managing your customers. In essence, that means developing strong-enough relationships to persuade customers to become effective online brand ambassadors to write reviews for you.
Online reviews have become important. Many sites have become successful partially thanks to customer reviews. Here are 20 User Review Web sites Critical to Small Business. More on reviews later.
Further, strategies with a full complement of SEO – search engine optimization tools – work best.
Much has been written and said about Google’s Panda, which is making SEO more difficult for many businesses. The algorithm upgrade in Feb. 2011 was designed to provide better relevant search results by filtering out content farms and other Web sites of questionable value. But Panda has its critics. Publisher and author Morris Rosenthal depends heavily on the Internet for his survival, and Panda has hurt him badly prompting him to air his criticisms.
Panda appears to allow online reviews to influence its search results.
However, you won’t believe this: One problem with Panda is that a business with poor reviews gets a high Google ranking – yes, even negative consumer reviews are counted as positive results. One would think the opposite would be true.
But let’s congratulate Google on its efforts. It will get better once Google understands the issue.
There has been countless buzz about SEO – search engine optimization, key words and meta tags. It’s mostly accurate. Ultimately, businesses will succeed on the Internet by generating links and search results via marketing.
But to maximize sales, it’s a complex matter.
You have to generate clicks from quality Web sites to yours. Google assumes your Web site is getting a vote from another site when the Internet user visits your site. The more visits you get from quality sites, the more important your site becomes.
You also need to garner telephone calls and attract customers to your place of business for facetime. That means you have to become an orchestra leader of sorts by synchronizing all your marketing efforts.
Historically, you’ve had to start with the right drivers to your Web site, including the right message on the right mediums whether it be TV, radio, newspapers or Internet press releases and ads.
But since early 2010, there have been salient changes:
- In Feb. 2010, I wrote social networking, Facebook and Twitter, had joined the ranks of drivers. For professionals, LinkedIn works well, too. The right social strategies represent 50 percent of the factors implemented by Bing, Yahoo and Google.
- The following month, I wrote: Surprise? Facebook and Twitter Increase Odds for Sales.
- Best- practices in customer service began taking on increasing importance with social media, hence this column: Invigorate Sales with Customer Retention, Referral Strategies.
- During the debate over relevant content, I wrote: Google Speaks Out About Frequency vs. Value. Fresh content was deemed important, but if a publisher has to decide between frequency vs. quality, quality was the most-important. Nonetheless, I advised publishing valuable content but do it as often as possible.
- It’s important to evaluate your social media efforts, as I indicated in this column: Is Your Social Media Working? Here’s How.
Incidentally, in a key word search for your site, don’t be surprised if your social-media mentions – such as LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter pages – rank higher than your site. They will likely continue to have a higher page rank until your site improves in page rank. But that’s OK, if you do it right. It’s all about brand equity.
Good luck! Master these ideas. Your CRM and SEO strategies will lead to higher sales.
From the Coach’s Corner, here’s a tip about the value of a press release to promote your successes.
Pick a press-release company with a strong Google page rank. Every time you achieve a goal, write a good press release. Not only will you generate productive direct links but others will blog or tweet about your press release. That’s when the multiplier effect kicks in. For every good press release, you’ll generate 15-20 times the number of links.
One of my favorite examples:
In June of 2010, I wrote a column and press release quoting security guru Dr. Stan Stahl about the WIFI security issues at Starbucks. It generated about what I expected in visitors to my column. But months later, a blogger who was writing about Starbucks on Yahoo Finance spotted my press release and linked to it. In just a few hours, more than 20,000 of his Yahoo readers read my PR, and at least half of them visited the column on this Web site.
If you promote a lot and your marketing budget is tight, I’d recommend the free online press-release company, www.prlog.org.
It provides at least nine benefits:
- You get to select 10 key words appropriate for your Web site
- Your logo
- Picture
- As many as three live links
- Your contact information
- An archive which it calls “Press Room” – it shows up online with all your press releases
- Your business profile which also links to your site
- It provides user data – readers of your press releases
- Within minutes of publishing a press release, it shows up on Bing Search as well as Bing News with your picture
The only downside is that the complementary press releases indicate they’re free and they contain Google ads. My sense is that the benefits outweigh such factors. Prlog’s $49 option doesn’t include the Google ads and you’re guaranteed to be inserted in Google News.
Note: Don’t use the same headline for your press release as you do in your blog. Otherwise, your article won’t be indexed – just your press release. Not all readers of your press releases will visit your Web site.
“The success of a page should be measured by one criteria: Does the visitor do what you want them to do?”
- Aaron Wall
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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?
Analyses: Are You Up-to-date to Capitalize on Major Web Events?
Updated – Feb. 27, 2011
February has been an eventful month for the Internet and marketers. Developments include the major players – Bing, Facebook, Google, and Twitter. Are you positioned to capitalize?
Here’s an update:
Google. Because it’s the longtime mega search engine, let’s consider Google first. Depending on which research firm you prefer, such as ComScore or The Nielsen Company, Google has about a 66 percent search market share. So whatever innovations it makes, it’s important.
Google has made a major change in how it ranks search results probably because it’s been under siege for being manipulated by certain Web sites.
The vaunted Google algorithms – its tools that determine how it ranks Web sites – have been fine-tuned to reward publishers of original content. Unique valuable information, if you will. That certainly includes in-depth thought leadership. Google says it involves about 12 percent of search queries. That might not sound like a lot, but 12 percent of millions and millions of search queries is meaningful.
You might recall numerous recent news stories: JC Penney, for example. The 2010 $17.8 billion retailer was chastised for dubious Internet practices. The retailer denied it approved spam-like behavior by its search-engine optimization company, SearchDex. But right after the story broke, SearchDex was fired.
Indeed, it must have been an eye-opener to the search giant to be labeled as the “tropical paradise for spammers and marketers” by a U.C. Berkeley scholar, Vivek Wadhwa. Hence, its algorithms upgrade.
Another search development: The Google Chrome Web browser now permits sites to prevent other sites from appearing in their results. (Its competitor, Blekko, does the same.)
So, Google has taken action to disallow Web sites, with little or no unique value, to dominate in search results.
My sense: The jury is still out on Google’s changes. In my sampling, I haven’t seen a positive noticeable change, especially in its key word results. Otherwise, if successful, Google is to be commended for dealing with a crisis confronting its quality of relevant search and its image. (Candidly, as a business-performance consultant, I’ve always advised clients on the importance of frequent, strong informative content.)
Bing – social search. Bing grew to a 13 percent market share at the start of this month. But it’s created new buzz by adding Facebook “likes” that allows Internet users to see the results that their friends like.
Here’s how it works: Pictures of your friends appear when you search after you connect with Bing with your Facebook account. You can disable it easily if you choose.
Bing now includes related Twitter features (so does Google).
My sense: The new development in the Bing-Facebook partnership is unique and it affects word-mouth-marketing – as businesspeople and consumers make buying decisions. This helps to make marketing fun. It’s also a reminder that content, search-engine optimization and social media should be synergized and orchestrated in your overall marketing.
This includes:
- Listening to Internet-user preferences
- Interacting with them to maximize your opportunities
- Continually measuring results
- Fine-tuning your approach
From the Coach’s Corner, Bing’s partnership with social-media giant Facebook should remind you to capitalize on Bing search.
Here are valuable tips: Get Busy With Bing Webmaster Tools.
Enthusiasm Prevails in 2010 Q4 Plans of Internet Marketers
Oct. 22, 2010
Almost two-thirds of respondents in an Internet marketing study forecast healthy double-digit percentage increases this holiday season, according to a Website Magazine report on the Shop.org 2010 eHoliday Study.
This year 63.3 percent anticipate 15 percent or higher increases in sales. That compares to 45.8 percent of responding marketers last year.
BIGresearch conducted the study for Shop.org.
Website Magazine reported other salient data:
- 40 percent of online retailers will begin holiday marketing by Halloween, and another 40 percent will begin by November 1
- 84.5 percent will offer free shipping at some point during the holiday season
- 72.5 percent have increased their Facebook presence for the holidays
- 54.9 percent have enhanced or invested in product pages for cross-selling during the holidays
- 54.9 percent have optimized site search features to maximize holiday sales
- 52.9 percent have invested in customer ratings and reviews platforms in advance of the holidays
- 43.1 percent will increase their presence on Twitter this holiday season
The magazine also reports 32.2 percent of shoppers will shop online.
Here’s why:
- 35.1 percent – 24-hour convenience
- 33.1 percent – easy price comparisons
- 30.8 percent – lack of crowds
So, consider what your competitors might be planning, and strategize what’s best for you.
For other marketing insights, you might wish to review this site’s Marketing/Sales and Tech business-coaching columns. You’ll find more than 130.
Winners and Losers in Facebook’s Invasion of Google’s Turf
The world has been buzzing about Facebook’s achievement over Google. Harness the power of Facebook, but don’t let it make your Web site irrelevant.
Sept. 13, 2010
It seems the world of marketers and net users – cyber citizens – have been buzzing about Facebook’s achievement over Google. That being the comScore data indicating cyber citizens spent more time on Facebook than the Google sites in August.
Cyber citizens spent an aggregate 41.1 million minutes on Facebook — 9.9 percent of their search-time. That beat the 39.8 million minutes, or 9.6 percent, on all of Google’s sites.
It’s noteworthy because Google, of course, is the leading search engine and has Google News, Buzz, Gmail and most-importantly, YouTube.
With more than 500 million cyber citizens, Facebook’s achievement was over-shadowed by the unveiling of Google Instant, an innovative new feature, which speeds the pace of search.
However, it would appear there are other questions to consider:
- How does Bing profit as Facebook’s Web search partner?
- What should businesses do in marketing on Facebook?
- What precautions should businesses take to make certain their Web sites are not obliterated by Facebook?
Facebook’s time spent viewing can only mean increased search share for Bing vs. Google.In 2008, for $240 million, Microsoft bought 1.6 percent of Facebook. (You might wish to read Why Facebook May Be Inching toward An IPO.)
To maximize the marketing investment, businesses should consider establishing a Facebook page.
For a Facebook presence, Website Magazine’s Linc Wonham recently published some basic tips:
- Set goals for your Facebook page and monitor your progress
- Make your page interesting and informative, and update it as often as you can
- Promote your Facebook page on your business website and elsewhere; add a Find us on Facebook button wherever you can
- Reward your Facebook Fans with discounts and special promotions
- Create a Facebook user group that will be of interest/useful to your audience
- Join other Facebook user groups that pertain to your industry or niche
- Take advantage of Facebook’s tools; track your success with Facebook analytics
“Businesses can add a Facebook Place to their Facebook Page, or the two can be combined,” according to the Website writer. “The result of either option is getting your company’s address, map, phone number and other data in front of Facebook’s massive user network and giving them a way to share the information with friends.”
Mr. Wonham specifies the benefit: “The result of either option is getting your company’s address, map, phone number and other data in front of Facebook’s massive user network and giving them a way to share the information with friends.”
His tips for Facebook ads:
- Be as specific as possible with your keywords and demographic selections
- Use compelling images, titles and copy in your ads
- Make your ads as interactive and engaging as you can
- Frequently update and refresh the images and copy for better results
- Be vigilant about testing your ads and monitoring the results
- Bid high to get your ads approved faster by Facebook
- Start with CPC ads if you have a very small budget, otherwise CPM is the better bet
- Use Facebook Ads Manager, which can be downloaded and installed on Firefox
However, it’s important to take precautions – there are two dangers to Facebook marketing:
- Facebook tends to supersede the importance of your Web site in the minds of cyber citizens.
- The most successful companies achieving success on Facebook have done it by slashing prices and offering coupons.
For more on this angle, see this column: Aside from Privacy, Security Issues — Facebook is a Threat 2 Ways.
But always remember what drives cyber citizens to your Facebook page and Web site — broadcast advertising and strong PR – the ultimate keys to your marketing mix. To target credit-worthy or high net-worth customers, broadcast news is your best bet.
So, harness the power of Facebook, but don’t let it make your Web site irrelevant. You want to dialogue with consumers on your own turf. Use these measures and you’ll be a winner in Facebook’s invasion of Google’s Turf.
From the Coach’s Corner, in view of the news reports that burglars have used Facebook to target victims, syndicated columnist Kathy Kristof provides these privacy tips: 6 Things You Should Never Reveal on Facebook.
