Google first introduced its social network, Google+, in June 2011. Just six months later it reportedly had 62 million users and is on track for 400 million users by the end of 2012. That will be half of Facebook’s total current user base in a fraction of the time, and double Twitter’s! Just recently, Google announced Search, plus Your World, which is Google+ content appearing with traditional organic search results. This is proof that the lines between social networking, social media and SEO are indeed thinning and that social networking and social signals are becoming more important to the practice of SEO. Google+ is a social networking force to be reckoned with and it is forcing marketers’ hands. I guarantee you that Google+ is not a fad. It is here to stay. So why is it important to incorporate Google+ into your web presence, how do you do it, and how will it positively impact your organic search strategy? With the introduction of Search, plus Your World, when your prospects search in Google for the keywords you want to be found for, relevant results will be returned in that searcher’s “Personal Results” from their “Google+ Circles”, as well as related “People and Pages from... Read more

Whether marketing a website through search engine optimization (“SEO”), local services through direct mail or even your own talents through a resume and networking, good marketing principles are somewhat universal.  Those developing Internet marketing solutions that have to be “sold” to senior executives should be open to learning new tactics from other channels but they should also learn to communicate the value of search marketing in ways that are more personal and accessible to their audience.  That includes both proof of value presentations by outside agencies and internal stakeholders like Directors of eCommerce or Chief Marketing Officers.  Enter football coach Marty Shottenheimer. While watching Sportscenter last weekend, the discussion turned to prospective NFL coaches and the argument for each team to consider the major candidates.  Former San Diego Chargers coach Marty Shottenheimer was featured as a good choice for a certain team, but the reason for suggesting him was particularly interesting.   It wasn’t for his strong coaching resume or his impressive list of Coach of the Year awards… it wasn’t even his win/loss record.  Schottenheimer's positive impact on ticket sales & attendance was one of ESPN’s statistical reasons for why an Owner or General Manager should choose Shottenheimer to lead their... Read more

The Facebook marketing challenge has evolved from accumulating to engaging fans. The new success objective is to efficiently and effectively beat the Edgerank algorithm to get the maximum number of posts onto fans walls and trigger the multiplier effect that places brand content in the NewsFeeds of your fans’ friends. On average only 3-7% of fans see any given status updated posted to a brand page. In general, there’s only a 2 percent chance that a given post will get any kind of viral pass-along. Brand pages with a million fans or more generally see 1.1% of fans clicking or sharing content. Effectively using the Facebook platform is the new black. NewsFeed marketing is to Facebook what SEO is to Google. Becoming an effective NewsFeed marketer begins by paying close attention to the content, composition and cadence of posts and then tracking the number of likes, comments, shares and original fan posts you provoke. A consensus is emerging around the definition of engagement – the gross number of interactions (comments, likes and shares) divided by the total number of brand fans. This formula is becoming a new KPI for social media success. Start by understanding the general patterns among your fan base. Keep in... Read more

Foursquare Explore is a social search engine for the real world, and it can be optimized. Foursquare has made its previously mobile-only Explore recommendation engine available for the web. The feature provides personalized recommendations based on a user's check-in history, the histories of their friends, their current location, and other preferences. Not only does the Explore feature considerably increase Foursquare's value proposition for users by facilitating the discovery of new places, it significantly changes the value equation for brands as well. Indeed, Foursquare Explore is the first SoLoMo search engine. I wrote about this potential in November of 2010 in a post entitled "Why the Hell Would I Do That? Four Reasons to Check-in." "The promise of intelligent recommendations is the feature that gets me most excited. Based on the data I volunteer through checking-in everywhere I go, whether it's a public or private check-in, location-based services can use their aggregate data to accurately recommend other places I'll like." Foursquare Explore is powered by algorithms that intelligently recommend places to consumers based on a broad range of criteria. These recommendations ultimately drive foot traffic (and sales) just as Google Search drives web traffic. As such, brands need to optimize their locations for search, discovery,... Read more