RssA1: 13 New Social Articles on Business 2 Community

sâmbătă, 24 noiembrie 2012

13 New Social Articles on Business 2 Community

Social | Business 2 Community

13 New Social Articles on Business 2 Community

Master Google AuthorRank to Improve Personal Search Rankings

Posted: 24 Nov 2012 01:45 PM PST

Google's new AuthorRank algorithm is going to help you make a big splash in the personal branding arena, because Google is going to be able to rank the trustworthiness of blog and article authors, and your score could have a positive or negative effect on your article's placement in the search rankings.

I wrote about Google AuthorRank a few weeks ago, but wanted to tell you how to actually use it.

You can prepare for AuthorRank by telling Google which pieces you wrote, so you get full credit for them. Here are the three steps you need to do to prepare for AuthorRank.

1. Claim your Google+ profile

If you don't have it, get it. If you have Gmail or a YouTube account, you have it. Sign in at plus.google.com, and set up your account. Set up your profile, add in all your social networks, as well as any blogs you contribute to, or have contributed to in the past. You need your Google+ URL, because you're going to use it to link your name to your profile shortly.

2. Use a professional-looking photo for a headshot

This is a professional profile, and is going to be used in a professional manner. That means no pictures of your dog, you as a kid, you as a LEGO character, or the logo from your favorite band. Your picture is going to appear next to any search results that pop up with your name on it. And that could help people decide to click on your link. Treat this as a junior version of LinkedIn, and treat it like a professional network.

3. Use the rel="author" tag

This is a piece of code you place inside the hyperlink to your name, which you'll use in your bio, or somewhere inside a blog post or web article you wrote. The code will actually look like this:

Your Name

When you're done, it will look like this:

That tells Google 1) "hey, I wrote this!" and 2) "this is where you can find me."

4. Bringing it all together

Ultimately, this closes the loop between your articles and Google+. It lets you share your work with your Google+ friends. And, if they happen to search for the very topic you wrote about, your post will show up in their search results with your picture next to it.

Now do you see why you shouldn't use a picture of your dog?

No one is sure exactly when Google is going to roll out AuthorRank — some people believe they already have — but it's better to prepare for it now, rather than playing catch up after it's finally rolled out.

Author:

is the owner of Professional Blog Service, and the co-author of Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself and No Bullshit Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide to Social Media Marketing. And yes, he used the rel="author" in this bio.

Gelato Italiano Creates Animated Content For The Festive Season

Posted: 24 Nov 2012 01:18 PM PST

Content is king but it has its own challenges on any network. For a brand or an agency, there are a couple of ways to engage with a fan when it comes to content – either crowdsource content from the internet which I would call vanilla content or generate exclusive content for the community. If you plan on building a community then at some point, you will have to start brainstorming for original content similar to what brands like Zomato, Flipkart, etc. have started doing.

Yesterday, as I was winding my work, I came across an interesting content on the Facebook page of Gelato Italiano, the ice cream brand from Italy. It is an interactive one so sit back, follow the instructions and enjoy the beauty of original content created by Flying Cursor.

Gelato_Italiano_facebook

Gelato Italiano Facebook Page

After seeing the content, I had two questions in my mind – 1) If this is so cool then how awesome would be the page, and 2) How was the cool design made possible, as I have seen this similar thing being done in basic animation design.

The Gelato Italiano, the Italian version of fresher and creamier Italian ice cream, has 26K plus fans on Facebook which aims to spread happiness across the country, one scoop at a time. The entire page is filled with innovative and tempting content. It is hard to find any vanilla flavoured content. It is also using the page to introduce mouth watering flavours and tempt the fans during this festival time to go and try the flavours at the nearby stores. The content was pure bliss to me!

Now over to my second question – how the above image with a fair bit of user interaction was executed. The above is a result of a collection of photographs in an album and then displaying them one after the other. Since it is synched so well, you never feel that it is a group of 50 images but just one image that is performing the action as you click further. The beauty is how the entire thing has been timed and executed in perfection giving no time to the fan to think; the user's attention has been captured within a few seconds.

So, not only did the brand succeed in capturing the user's attention for a few seconds but it also provided a unique way of serving something delightful to the fans. The content may not have gone viral but it is certainly an engaging one.

On Building Communities

Posted: 24 Nov 2012 01:16 PM PST

When I buy a product or service in today's times, I am not only paying for something that will serve me functionally. I am also looking at buying into an experience that ties me to a community which shares my values and beliefs. When I use the product or service, it doesn't simply end at that. It makes me an integral part of a shared experience, one that immerses me in a community of past and future users of that product or service. It is this feeling of belonging, this sense of understanding that every brand should try and spread within its customers. A brand is more that simply a product or service. It also represents a philosophy, a culture.

The concept of culture is extremely important in branding. For instance, when I travel to another country, I cannot help but feel a little out of my comfort zone. Don't get me wrong. I love experiencing other cultures. But instinctively, I just cannot shake the feeling of unfamiliarity. The moment a brand allows this uncertain feeling to creep through, it shakes the foundations of customer loyalty. A brand has to create a feeling of comfort, of belonging, for its customers. The customer instantly knows that they are in a familiar place, a place where their values and beliefs will be welcomed, a place where they can be themselves.

Self-expression is then a very key aspect of branding as well. A brand absorbs its customers into its philosophy but also allows them to express themselves, to declare that they are the proud members of a community. This self-expression is a very key aspect but a paradox of human nature – it wants to belong but also display its individuality. Hence, the best brands also allow customers to express themselves within the framework of their cultures. Apple and Harley Davidson are excellent examples of brands that have formed strong communities. So what is the key to their success? Great products? Of course. But more than that. Authenticity.

Brand communities cannot be built on artificiality. The growth has to be organic, reflecting the true essence of the brand and not borrowed values that sound grand but mean nothing. Closer to home, the Tata group embodies a feeling of security and trust. But this feeling has been built over decades of delivering promises and fulfilling expectations. The power of a brand is often measured in terms of the market capitalization. I feel that it should also be measured in the strength of the community it builds. Because the market keeps changing every day. But a close knit community can stand like a rock in the face of these changes.

3 Ways To Reduce Outgoing Backlink Benefits – Cheat Yor Webmaster Friends

Posted: 24 Nov 2012 01:00 PM PST

Post image for 3 Ways To Reduce Outgoing Backlink Benefits – Cheat Yor Webmaster Friends

Some people just love to be a little bit devious and there is no exception about the Internet, where you can easily cheat your Webmaster friends and reduce out going back link benefits for them.

Over the years I have been an unfortunate victim where are other Webmasters have done certain dirty tricks to make my back links worthless. Most of the problems stemmed from the reciprocal link system where you exchanged links with other Webmasters. Nowadays it is a little bit different as we do not often ask for links or exchange them any longer, but we do give links in one way or another.

#1. Posting a Link – Then Removing it

This happens all the time! Webmasters post a link to your site and later you find that they have removed it. It is even worse when you have agreed to exchange links and then you find that your link no longer exists, meanwhile you have had a link on your website the whole time.

Benefits that have been gained wrongly:

  1. You might receive a track back link.
  2. The Webmaster that received the link might come and comment on your website.
  3. The Webmaster might have already linked back to your website as a way to say thanks.

#2. Turning Dofollow to Nofollow

I'm sure we have all had this happen to us before. Sometimes you leave a link on a website and come back later and it has been turned to no follow. This is not a crime but I do not like it. I am not really sure what all the hype is about when it comes to do follow and no follow.

I have many sites with do follow links and my page rank has not been stripped from me and my websites have not been degraded. I do however carefully scan links that I allow on my websites and spam is out of the question.

When I started building websites there was no such thing as a no follow link. If you posted a link to someone's website it was naturally do follow.

#3. Using the Visibli Toolbar

I have been meaning to write about this toolbar for a long time as it annoyed the hell out of me that minute I laid eyes on it. I know there are some amazing features to this Visibli toolbar however I have a major gripe with just one feature, so far.

I stumbled across this feature when I was reading a well-known blog and clicked a link that was leading to another site. To my horror, the external link that led to the website didn't really lead to the website. So to the unsuspecting user, it looks like you have entered another website when in fact you have not. Just check out the screenshot below. I clicked on the link from a website that was using this tool bar. the actual URL of the website I wanted to visit is at the end, tacked on, or should I say locked in to a frame that is a sub domain of visibli.com.

You will also see that there is a back button that leads directly back to the website where you came from. It also has a logo of the previous website and scrolling posts.

reduce outgoing link benefits

Here is a brief summary of what this toolbar has done here:

  1. You haven't really entered the true domain of the website link you clicked on.
  2. You are tempted with a back button to return to where you came from.
  3. There is advertising flashing past attracting you to click on popular posts from the previous website.
  4. To actually visit the true domain of the website you need to right click on a link and open the link in another window or tab.
  5. There is no link juice passing to the website because it has been redirected through a sub domain of visibli.

I will leave you with a quote from an article that Adam Singer wrote on the Future Buzz Blog:

"It is self-important of any website to think a user wants you creating a frame following them around to outbound links."

Like I mentioned earlier, this toolbar has some great features when it comes to social media promotion but this particular feature is waving too many red flags! I just could not do this to my outbound links.

Of course there are many other ways to deceive your Webmaster friends when it comes to giving them some back link benefits from your site.

Add your comment below and let me know how you have been robbed of Outgoing Backlink Benefits in the past.

Social Media: So Misunderstood!

Posted: 24 Nov 2012 12:00 PM PST

The Social Media channel is very misunderstood. Businesses and brands alike are all jumping on the social media bandwagon – with little understanding of how it works and how to really leverage their efforts. Couple this with the fact that Social Media is increasingly becoming the most important qualifier for backlinks and search engine optimization efforts. It's important for businesses and brands to understand this channel.

So what do marketers and entrepreneurs need to know and do to effectively utilize this dynamic channel? Here are a few dos and don'ts to remember when get you started:

1. Do make a commitment: There's a difference between just dabbling in Social Media and seriously engaging with it. This isn't a channel where you can opt-in or opt-out as you go. Think about Social Media like going to the gym: It isn't just about showing up… you won't get any results that way. Not only do you have to do it with intention, you must do it consistently and plan to do it routinely. Decide if you are ready for that commitment. (I hope you are!)

2. Don't just do it: Establish your definition of success before you start. I wouldn't classify Social Media as a new channel anymore, it is now an emerging channel. And regardless of how you perceive it, its still a marketing channel. Like all things in marketing, in order for an initiative to be successful, you need to define what success means. Setting objectives, articulating what's important and why it's necessary is key. Is it followers? Subscribers? Ranking? Engagement? Retweets? Entrants in a contest? Whatever it is – define it or you may be misplacing your energy and effort.

3. Do have a plan… please!: With so many Social Media outlets making their mark in the channel, it's a real challenge to keep up with the latest and greatest. Even with the proven, tried and tested sites like Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram (the list goes on and on!), it's hard to keep up. A handy piece of marketing advise that I always adhere to: If you can't afford to do everything, pick one thing that will garner your brand or business the most return and do that initiative very well.

4. Don't underestimate what's involved: You can't just fit Social Media in! It isn't a part-time proposition or an additional task for an existing employee – chances are that role is already maxed out. This is a marketing channel that takes a dedicated, consistent approach. You need to add value, contribute, comment and engage. It doesn't just happen. It takes research, understanding of messaging and proper brand tone and voice. It's not just about knowing the platforms, it's about integrating them and working them. If you want to build a community, you need to be social. It isn't good enough to just say follow me!… you need to build a solid foundation.

5. Do your homework: Niche is where it's at! Marketing has always been about segmenting and carving out marketing profiles of targets. Until recently, segmenting (or nicheing as I term it) was cumbersome and sometimes expensive. The beauty of Social Media and it's digital channels is that it allows you to segment down to a minutia difference in characteristics. It can be as local or as global as you need it to be. And if there's a defining characteristic of a target, believe me, there's a group, a page, or a forum out there that is a perfect fit. And it there isn't… well, isn't that a wonderful opportunity!

All this to say, businesses and brands alike should get out there and get social with mindfulness and intention. 
I'd be interested to hear your comments on the dos and don'ts of Social Media. Please share!

Want to know more about social media? Download Social Media Understood here.

How Wishberg Created An Online Buzz With Zero Dollars

Posted: 24 Nov 2012 11:00 AM PST

Lately, you must have heard about the newly launched social discovery platform called Wishberg. But, if you haven't and wouldn't want to be bothered with it yet, then go ahead and have a look at this Hitler parody video, and you would surely be interested in Wishberg:

The original video is in German. If you notice it closely, the text copy that appears is synced with the words Hitler rants and so feels genuine. Hitler realises he is the last one to register on Wishberg! The video did go viral with over 5000 views within 5 days of uploading it. The video was released 3 days after the public beta, so people knew of Wishberg's public launch and the context too.

When we spoke to the founders to explore the story behind it, we found out some really interesting facts in the making -

Kulin Shah, one of the Founders, decided to stay over at office due to an early morning conference call. While killing his time, he stumbled across the Hitler parody videos and decided to adapt it. Next day he surprised the team with the sample video and got everyone laughing like crazy.

Another Hitler parody video and why not, especially if it helps put the idea across in a fun way. "We didn't want to do it in a boring FAQ format. We learnt our lesson during Tyche'd days that people don't like too much text, but visuals are appealing", shared Pravin, the other Founder. Tyche'd is the previous avatar of Wishberg that promises much more.

This particular Hitler clip has gone viral in the past in different contexts. Every action in the clip can be fitted into various situations. "We spent some time to think through the scenes and finalize the message we wanted to send." When the context came out right, they were happy with the results and shared the video with their friends working outside the digital community before sharing it on Twitter. When they liked it, the Wishberg team knew it had hit the right chord!

The video was a hit on Twitter. Twitterati have been raving about it for its clever marketing concept. Here's what they had to say:

MPalsule_wishberg_tweet

SNadhani_wishberg_tweet

People asked if it was executed by an agency. But, for a startup, cost is always the big deciding factor. "Professional videos were too expensive, and I don't believe in spending money on marketing for a social product. So, the video was made in-house with zero dollar spent and pulled off in 24 hours!"

The startup did not spend a paisa for the video but had a lot of people joining Wishberg while the video was going viral. Now, that's the power of smart marketing in the social media age!

7 Best Practices for Writing Blog Titles that Earn ReTweets

Posted: 24 Nov 2012 10:30 AM PST

Drafting Irresistible Blog Titles

blog titlesThe latest data is in, and it turns out your titles matter more than you might think. In fact, they might matter more than your content body. HubSpot’s social media scientist Dan Zarrella analyzed over 2.7 million blog titles recently and found there’s no correlation between clicks and retweets. In fact, over 16% of the links he examined had more retweets than clicks!

It’s clear that people don’t always read what they tweet, which means that your title has real influence on your SEO from social shares. Now ask yourself, would you retweet something titled “Why You Should Do Inbound Marketing.” I didn’t think so. It’s just not specific, actionable or emphatic enough. We’ve outlined 7 tips to take your blog titles from okay to fantastic:

1. Action-Packed

The best blog titles are never passive. Your readers and prospects want to learn answers to their questions. With the exception of tasteful newsjacking, your title shouldn’t just follow the journalistic format of “who, what, when, where, why and how.” It’s important to summarize your content honestly, but it’s equally important to emphasize the actionable aspect. Which of the following titles would you likely click-through to read?

  1. “The Best Blog Titles”
  2. “How to Write the Best Blog Titles”

Chances are, you’ll probably pick the option that promises actionable information!

IMA Example: Twitter Tutorial: Unleash One-Click Social Sharing in Content

2. Brief

Your blog titles need to be comprehensive, but they shouldn’t be exhaustive.  According to HubSpot, the title presented on search engine results is usually cut off at 70 characters. Get to the point, and stop to avoid sounding overly complex or losing people’s attention before they have even started reading.

IMA Example: How Much Do Marketing Agencies Cost?

3. Clear

There’s just no point in writing deceptive or confusing blog titles. Readers who fell mislead will quickly leave your website and may never return. Avoid language that’s vague. When it doubt, have a team member read over the work to ensure they’re able to tell what the article is about without reading it.

IMA Example: 7 Principles of Effective Web Design for People Who Can’t Code

5. Emphatic

While you don’t need to use dramatic language, it’s important to show readers you’re an authority before they’ve even clicked. Use strong words that communicate a message. If you don’t advertise your work as being awesome, will anyone bother to read or share it on social media?

IMA Example: Are You Newsjacking or Just Being a Jerk?

6. Intriguing

Readers should be impressed with your work just by looking at your blog title. You need to come across as authoritative, fascinating and a complete stand-out in a world where over 2 million pieces of blog content are written and published each day. It’s hard to write well about stale topics.

Will publishing a piece of content about the Summer 2012 Olympics generate a lot of social media shares at this point? Probably not, because the topic ceased to be relevant several months ago. Ensure your context is right, you’ve performed keyword research to determine the topics that are actually driving traffic to your website, and you’re not covering something that’s so last week.

IMA Example: I’m So Sick of Hearing Blog, Blog, Blog

7. Keyword-Oriented

If you’re using WordPress or HubSpot for content management, your blog content tile will also be included in the web page’s title. There’s no need to set anything up for this extra SEO boost, it comes standard with both. One of the basic SEO tactics you can employ without losing your reader’s interest is including a long tail key search term in your title. We’re not saying you need to try and incorporate really awkward language. Find long tail key terms that are driving search, giving your website organic traffic and use these terms to inspire topics for your content calendar.

Vodafone India 121 ‘Made For You’ Campaign Customizes Offers

Posted: 24 Nov 2012 09:30 AM PST

We are all different and our needs are different too. Especially the younger generation of today breathes to make a style statement of its own. Brands have no choice left but to take care of them and Vodafone India is doing the same with its 'Made For You' campaign.(1)

The brand which is the second largest mobile network operator in India after Airtel has launched the 121, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) service that enables customers to choose the best offer depending on their requirement. To promote this the brand is doing a 360 degree promotional campaign and has recently launched it's second TVC.

The TVC focuses on young guys who have different hair cut, styling and colouring requirements when they arrive at a local barber shop. The barber has no choice but to serve them like Vodafone is doing with its 121 customized offers.

Social media angle

Vodafone India, which is one of the popular communities on social media is leveraging the social networks too. The Facebook community that has more than 402K fan following is promoting the TVC and related content about the TVC amongst fans. Not only that fans are also being treated with content from outdoor events.

Twitter, which the brand majorly uses for customer care, has also been used to blend with the ongoing campaign. The Twitter background has the same look of the new TVC to excite and update its 34K followers on the network.

The target group for this service is definitely the youth and the brand has been able to get to them successfully. But the big disappointment was that the brand has not launched any dedicated campaign for Facebook or Twitter. The brand could have asked the boys to share their wacky hairdo or the girls what style they have loved the most. I think this could have given fans a bigger reason to associate with the brand.

When it is Vodafone you expect more, but you never know the brand may churn out some interesting contest just before the release of the next TVC.

  1. Article Source

Google Plus Hangouts On Air: Joys and Frustrations

Posted: 24 Nov 2012 08:30 AM PST

Google+ Hangouts On Air are becoming more and more popular and are also a powerful business tool, which can be used for a wide variety of purposes. They can make life fun, but understanding the limitations also helps us to more readily handle situations where Google+ seems to fail us.

There are many things about Google+ Hangouts and Hangouts On Air that are fun and easy for most peopleto use. This includes the browser technology that automatically finds the built-in web cam in your system as well as the peripheral cameras and microphones plugged into the computer. In addition to that, Google+ allows you to change settings for whichever connected camera or microphone is used. The benefits that Google+ was designed to include, seem to make it easier for the novice to reach that point of visual and audio connection with other people.

Knowing Where Google+ Hangouts On Air Fall Short

At the same time, Google+ does not necessarily hit the mark on all levels of professionalism. The image is often grainy (because of the lower web cam technology versus a professional video camera), the sound quality is not what would be acceptable to a trained sound engineer, and the switching between people shown front and center is not always ideal, as it zooms in on an individual with each little sniffle or cough. However, these very things are the same functions of Google+ that make it easy to use. For example, while switching between people may not be what we would like it to be, there is a lot less work involved, in the video editing process. If a professional setup is used, the video editing process would be more manual, editing two or more video feeds and combining them. So, when it comes to the pros and cons of Google+, many of the daily drawbacks in the use of this tool are actually very critical to why Google+ is so universally convenient.

Managing Expectations

As a business using Google+ Hangouts On Air, it is essential that these limitations be understood. If the expectation is that Google+ is going to behave in a manner that is expected in a corporate setting, the business is simply using the wrong tool and should look elsewhere. Google+ Hangouts, natively, are not intended to be top of the line, but rather, to be accessible to the average person, with a somewhat common or standard computer configuration. That doesn’t mean that businesses cannot use Google+ Hangouts On Air but that the expectation of what can be done needs to be in alignment with the technology that is being used. There are also enhancements that can be done to use a professional camera and sound equipment with Google+ Hangouts On Air, but, even with the enhancements, the core foundation of Google+ platform needs to be understood so that those expectations may be managed.

Identifying and Addressing Google+ Glitches

Even with the best laid plans, Google can sometimes have a “bad day” and there is nothing that can be done. In those cases, keep your audience informed, as much as possible. It is helpful to remain calm and not panic. After all, if it is broken on the Google server level, panic behavior is not going to change it or decrease the resolution time.

It is best, before blaming Google or the Google servers to run through a checklist to determine whether the issue exists on your end. This includes arriving early for your event, preferably, at least 15 minutes. With Google+ Hangouts on Air, there is an option to start the hangout and start inviting people to join before clicking the “broadcast” button and allowing the world to see what is going on in the hangout. This is the time to test connections, camera placement, microphones, etc. Of course, you also want to test these things days before to make sure that your equipment is functional. Having backup equipment, especially if you do hangouts frequently, is also highly recommended.

Note: One of the drawbacks with Google+ Hangouts On Air versus the Hangout On Air is that there is no option for people to “join” on a Google+ event page. Rather, you set up the Google+ event and need to post the URL (web address) of the actual hangout after you have started a new hangout. This seems to be an intended behavior so that you can control the environment for the public event, but it can become confusing to people new to this procedure. Keep that in mind as that link will need to be posted somewhere in order for people to join. Also, there is the option to send invitations, but in the case where Google+ may be having a bad day, don’t assume that your invitations have always gone through. If this is a public event, for anyone to join, a public link is best.

Here is the checklist to run through, to determine if it is your equipment that is giving trouble or not:

  • If you have multiple microphones or cameras, switch to the alternates to determine whether it is the original camera or microphone that is giving trouble. With Google+, there are settings buttons in the upper right where you can click and test and select (from a pull-down menu) alternative sources for the microphone and camera.
  • Ensure that other applications are not using resources, especially the camera. For example, if you have Skype preferences open, it is likely that Skype is using the camera and you will appear as a static image on the Google+ hangout.
  • Delete temporary internet files and restart the computer. Just like any other browser cache, Google+ is capable of becoming hung and logging out of Google+ and deleting temporary internet files (cache) can help get rid of that bad cache. Since you are already taking the time to delete this cache, this is a good time to restart your computer, as well.
  • Similar to the first item, test the hangout on other computers, if possible, especially computers that have not been logged into Google+ before, if that exists. Remember that not all devices will accept a Google+ Hangout On Air event, even if they have a camera. And, in some cases, a Google+ Hangout will work on some devices and not the Google+ Hangout On Air. It is best, when testing with another device, to use a computer with a camera and microphone, rather than alternate devices and smart phones.

If these tests fail, and especially if you identify that the issue continues on another device, it is likely that the problem is on Google’s end and it is a matter of waiting for Google to correct the issue. No doubt, with the amount of users that Google has, they are aware that there are glitches. In some cases, time is your best friend, as Google server cache “expires out.”

If you only do a Google+ Hangout or Hangout On Air once in a while, be prepared that glitches can happen and don’t panic. If you do Google+ Hangouts frequently, prepare as much as possible, with timing, practice, and having alternate hardware available, as well as other hosts who can pick up the hangout if your internet should go down. If all else fails, again, don’t panic, and let Google do its thing, realizing that even Google+ has its good days and its bad days.

Conclusion

Google+ Hangouts On Air are an effective, innovative and exciting tool that will enable you to bring your business (as well as your online interactions) to the next level. You should take advantage of it as much as possible and know that it is worth the time and effort you put into it.

We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. For a free assessment of your online presence, let’s have coffee.

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Ask An SEO Expert – Google Site Search

Posted: 24 Nov 2012 07:30 AM PST

Google Site Search allows Google to create a search engine for your website that allows users to search within your site. Users can also search on Google using site colon search. So what's the difference between these two? Jesse Laffen explains in this week's Ask An SEO Expert why these two methods are different and the type of results each will return.

Do you have an SEO question that you would like to have answered? Simply submit your question on our website or via Twitter by using the hashtag #AskAnSEOExpert.

Transcript:

Ask An SEO ExpertSo this question: "What is the difference between a site colon search on Google and a Google site search on my website? For example, searching 'webinar' at site:www.domain.com on Google versus searching 'webinar' on the Site Search within my website, which is powered by Google."

That's a real interesting question. Google does offer a product that's called Google Site Search. Basically, you can ask Google to come into your website and create a search engine for your website, so that when somebody lands there, there can just do a little search.

Just to be really clear, the difference in the question is when I go to Google and type in site:some website, and do a query after that, Google's only going to return results from that website on Google's actual page, versus going to this little search box up here that is powered by Google. You've downloaded the product and you've used it, and they're still going to only return results from that website. The real difference here is that this is on a site that's not Google, and this is something that you actually typed in to Google.com, or Google dot whatever.

So the really, really short answer is there's only a little bit of a difference. Typically, Google has a way to index and rank things. They kind of stick with that.

Now there are some exceptions. The biggest one is the actual size of the index from your website. If this is my very, very simple, four-page website, here's my home page and here's the three pages that come off of it, it's entirely possible that Google shows up and says, "Yes, I like that page right there. I also like this one, and I like this one, but this one down here that one wasn't so relevant, so I'm not going to put it in my index." When you use Google Site Search, you can actually specify an index of pages on your website that you want it to crawl. It has maybe a little bit of a different index to return results from on Google.com than it does
from your site search on your website.

The other really big difference is that a website owner can actually curate some of the results on their own website. For example, if I want to say, when somebody types in this very specific query or some sort of match to it, "Please rank this page on my site above that, and here's a description for it, and here's the URL that I want you to return." Google's product will actually take that and drop into the results in front of their organic or somewhat organic results that they would otherwise return.

One other thing to keep in mind is that on a Google site colon search, most likely on a site search that you've installed on your own website too, the algorithm that they use to return pages is a little bit different than the main algorithm that they use to return search results. Just because you go in and type site colon or you go to your site and you type a keyword phrase, that doesn't always 100% guarantee that Google finds that page to be the most relevant in their normal search results too. Some things to consider are that they will rank pages higher, and probably both of these that are closer to the home page. They'll also return pages higher in those
results that have shorter URLs that are easier to understand.

So there you go. It's a world of similarity with just a few minor tweaks in difference between those two things.

Don’t Be a Social Media Harlot!

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 07:15 PM PST

Why one quality online relationship is worth a whole bunch of ‘flings’?

Do you get around? Be honest. Are you the sort of social media user that likes to post, tweet, reply, retweet, repin and share left, right and centre?

Do you get butterflies in your stomach when you see that your 'number' (of contacts) has leapt up over the weekend?

Do you frequently find yourself in brief little conversations with connections you've never spoken to before, only for it to go nowhere in the long run?

Don't Be a Social Harlot

What's your number?

Don't get me wrong; social media is all about interaction, and yes, you can and should talk to strangers. But it's not just about following; it should be about following through.

Social media users who are all about racking up the numbers should take heed. Adding notches to your virtual bedpost is all very well, but you have to consider quality as well as quantity.

We've all come across those random 'people' who have about a million followers on Twitter, or a trillion Facebook friends. Don't tell anyone, but… a lot of accounts are simply paying for these attentions. Seedy, or what?

Here are some better ways to up your following

Careful you don't get a reputation…

No-strings-attached fun is the way to go once in a while, but for real results and mutually beneficial relationships, you have to invest time and effort.

Don't be afraid to have personal conversations with members of your community. After you share a piece of content – perhaps an article, a picture or a link – you will hopefully get some responses. Don't sit there counting how many people retweet or share your post; instead reply to someone who has written a response. Ask their opinion. Start a dialogue.

Find something real

It might seem time-consuming and inefficient to concentrate on a few, when you could be out sowing your wild oats. But a wide net is not always the right approach. Social media helps you identify the people who are really engaged with your brand – don't ignore them, start a relationship with them.

These are your brand advocates and influencers.

Take the time to nurture your relationships and you'll reap the results. Next time you launch a viral video, these are the people who will share it. When you need to publicise a new product, these are the people who will help spread the word. And if, as you should always be, you're looking for customer feedback, these are the ones who will give it to you.

For more on the art of wooing your customers online, have a look at this free eGuide: The Marketing Funnel of Love

Social CRM: Is It Right for Your Business?

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 06:45 PM PST

Social media use among consumers continues to grow, with Twitter users sending out over 400 million tweets every day, and Facebook users spending over 10.5 billion (billion!) minutes on Facebook every day. But consumers are not the only ones. Businesses too are taking steps into the social sphere, listening, learning and talking to existing and potential customers. In essence, they have begun to engage in Social CRM.

So What the Heck Is Social CRM Anyway?

Social CRM is the practice of using social media as a tool to build and maintain your business’s relationships with customers. It's more than having a Facebook and Twitter account, it's about using these and other tools to listen to your customers and connect with them.

As mentioned, the number of your customers on various social media channels is growing, which means you have an opportunity to connect with nearly every one of your customers – something you never would have been able to do in years past.

Social CRM is a new channel of CRM and it is more than just a marketing tool; it can be used to generate sales leads, to perform market research, and to learn more about the demographic makeup of your customers. You can also use the information that your customers share about your business or products to enhance customer satisfaction, aid customer service and make improvements to your products.

Can Social CRM Really Bring You New Customers?

One reason some businesses have been reluctant to dive in to Social CRM is that they lack concrete evidence that the time and effort used to maintain a social media presence will show a return. This is changing, however. Social media sites now offer tools that allow businesses to track and measure the effectiveness of their social media marketing and CRM activities. Some tools also aid businesses in integrating their online CRM activities with the rest of their real life marketing, sales and customer service departments, so that brands can monitor awareness, reputation manage crises, and get a high level view of customer relationship management.

It may not be right for your business quite yet, but it is certainly something to consider moving forward. Especially considering the insight it provides into customer engagement.

Research for this post was provided by Rand Group – a business enterprise solution software provider for the oil and gas, manufacturing and construction industries.

Link Earning is the “New” Link Building

Posted: 23 Nov 2012 06:33 PM PST

We’re on the 5th installment of our 10 part series expanding Jason’s post on Internet Marketing.

One Must Not Build Links. You Must Earn it.

Are you a business owner who needs to use the Internet to generate more leads and sales?

Then you may or may not have heard of SEO or Search engine optimization.

It’s basically building a site that your users and search engines love.This part of SEO is called On-page optimization.

But the other and most important part of SEO, is getting the word out.

For decades, website owners called it “linkbuilding”.

Which basically means getting a hyperlink or url back to your website.

But it’s not 2006 anymore.

Forget Link Building. It always has been “Link Earning“.

As Danny Sullivan and Barry Schwartz mentioned in SERoundtable and Searchengineland:

Link earning means acquiring links that are hard to get, and not just easy links.

You want the links the most of your competitors will not be able to get.

2 Things that You Can Do Immediately to Get These Links

1. Connect with the “leaders” in your business.

When I first started building backlinks for websites, I remember finding the “leaders” in my niche. I then started contacting them directly via their contact submission form.

If you are tech savvy, you can easily do a domain whois search to grab their emails. It’s public info but some of them will have privacy whois settings.

Some will reply, some won’t.

It’s a tedious process, but done correctly, you’ll be able to get a backlink that you’re competitors will never get.

Today, it’s a lot easier to connect with your influencers. There’s a lot of tools that you can use to reach out to them.

Aside from using Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin to connect with your demographic market you can also use this tool to build relationships and monitor them across all your social networks.

2. Create Content for Opposing Parties.

I’ve not originally thought of this idea but an example of a well written article on how this technique was used can be found here.

Let’s say you offer Organic Lawn Care programs. The key is to create content that is against a commonly held belief and create controversy.

In order for this to work and get earned links, you’ll need to invite both parties to read and comment on your content.You’ll need to promote your content to people who are die-hard fans of organic lawn care and people who are die-hard fans of the traditional methods of lawn care.

This is where tip #1 comes in place.

Why does this work?

Because people love to hold on to their beliefs. They would not simply change their beliefs because of one article.

Some of them will retweet your post, mention your article or even blog about you, and this is one of the ways to build “hard-to-get” backlinks to your website.

There are tons of ways to start earning links (that Google loves). Make sure you’ve subscribed to our RSS feed to get updates on these.

What’s next?

We can help you get top rankings in the search results through link-earning methods, and not just the traditional link building methods that the search results doesn’t want.

Follow these steps to learn more:

This “Link Earning” Article was Originally Posted on WSI Milton’s Internet Marketing Blog
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