The ABC’s of Google Search
Join Stuart Crawford and David West from Ulistic, leading Calgary SEO Professionals for this very special mentoring breakfast at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce in the heart of downtown Calgary. There will be plenty of free parking at the IMPARK lot across from the new Bow Tower (North) and James Short Parkade (East). We have free parking until 9:30 AM secured for this special Calgary business networking and mentoring event.
During this mentoring breakfast, the team from Ulistic will share with you how to search effectively on Google plus other search engines. Maximize your search results and the time you spend looking for information online. There are many secrets to getting the information you need online, and how to go about searching for it. During this breakfast, you will learn the tips and tricks from the some of the best in the business.
Your registration fee includes a great breakfast from the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.
Come out and meet other business professionals in Calgary and learn a couple of new tricks to enhance your online searching.
Event starts at 7:30 and runs to 9 AM.
Register online here –> CLICK IT
Why You May Want to Adopt Social Media
To make friends and grow your “circle of influence”
No doubt some people are using social media sites like Twitter to build a list of loyal followers and to follow people of influence. The “social circle” can become an important influence on some. Others may be influenced. A great example of this potential influence is how Google is now returning a mix of search results, including “Results from people in your social circle…” Who better to trust than someone you know?
Drive Traffic to Your Sales Funnel
Probably one of the areas of Social Media that creates the most contraversy… but don’t kid yourself, a lot of people are using social media to drive traffic to their marketing website.
Listen to What is Being Said
Don’t want more friends? Not worred about using social media to drive interest in your products? At the very minimum, if you are not in the social circle, you may miss an important opportunity to manage your reputation. This may be one of the reasons many business owners are adopting social media. Reputation management does not have to be a full time job, but one day, it might be.
And on Another Note…
The VAR Guy, wrote about “Seven Signes Your Social Media Coach is a Fraud” today. He has whipped up a good converstation that is worth pondering. Thanks VAR Guy for your kind mention of Stuart and Ulistic.
I recently had a bit of my own rant about Social Media Consultants, among other… here.
Cheers,
David
Is Your Calgary Social Media Consultant Holding Back?
How about your Search Engine Optimization expert? Do they hold their cards so close to their chest that you have no idea what their next move is?
“Baby Google” Causes a New Industry Called SEO
Only 10 years ago, when Google search was in it’s infancy, a whole new industry started to appear. Search Engine Optimization consultants, or SEO’s, as they are commonly referred to, emerged as a new industry. Over the years there have emerged some excellent SEO practitioners, as well as some less than desirable. Most SEO practitioners continue to do the work of Search Engine Optimization for their clients, but the act of doing SEO is something that can be learned. It is something that can be taught. As the purchaser of these services, I assert that you should have, at minimum, an entry level understanding of what you are buying.
Where Do the Best SEO Practitioners Come From?
Some of the best Calgary Search Engine Optimizers, that I know of, have evolved from website developers into website marketers. It is natural that someone who develops hundreds of websites would be challenged to help their clients get those sites on Google Search Engine Results Pages (SERP’s). I have also witnessed some very driven entrepreneurs create very powerful online brands by doing their own research and implementation. You can effectively get your own website to perform online.
There is no Secret Sauce or Magic Relationship to Page 1
Beware the Search Engine Optimizer that tells you there is a secret formula. A silver bullet that only they can shoot, a special relationship with Google… I met one of these new SEO practitioners recently. My red flags were flying pretty high by the end of our little chat. Unfortunately, the website owner doesn’t typically know enough about this industry to protect themselves from people like this. More and more website owners are tuning in though, and as a result making better decisions when finding trusted advisors.
Enter The Era of a New Industry – and a bunch more confusion
11 years after Google revolutionized the word “search”, a new industry is spinning up. Companies are being driven to find a Social Media Consultant. Enter the era of a new industry, and another confusing purchasing decision for small business owners. Business owners have to decide to learn and do it themselves, hire an employee, or hire a consultant. This industry is, in my humble opinion, even more crazy than that of website development, or search engine optimization. We are seeing people who were Virtual Assistants yesterday touting themselves as an expert in Social Media the next. I’m sorry, but just because you can open a Twitter account or use Facebook does not make you the best advisor for a legitimate business.
We found this at a recent blog posting in Calgary;
I have been helping businesses market themselves for over 10 years, starting off with promotional products and now with Social Media. I understand the value of 140 characters
Anyone Can Tweet – But Does a Tweet in the night get heard?
There is more to Social Media Consulting than just opening accounts and shouting at the World. Having a fundamental understanding of the tools and technologies helps. Having the ability to craft good messages and manage relationships – essential. Having a social media action plan that gives purpose to your chatter online – essential. At the end of the day, if participation in the social aspect of the Internet does not position your business as the experts in your industry, and if it does not allow you to own your online reputation, then what are you getting out of these efforts?
How Many Red Flags can you raise?
If your Social Media Consultant simply brushes your questions off with the assertion that they are the expert, “just leave it to me”, then you should raise a red flag. If your Social Media Consultant does not teach you with the intention that you or your own staff can take ownership of your online “persona”, then you should raise another red flag. If you do not control your social media accounts online, you are at the will of your consultant. Raise another red flag.
Know What You are Buying…
You can learn how to do these things yourself. Indeed you may want to stay focused on your core business. In any case, being educated about these industries will make you a much better purchaser, should you wish to hire a consultant.
Ulistic, a Calgary Internet Consulting firm, combines the power of search with the power of social to turn website havers into website owners. We have developed a website owners training process that will empower you to take ownership of your online marketing. Is it time to get started now?
Cheers –
David
What if You Had No Control At Your Website
As social media and the onslaught of “free-for-all” user contributed content storms the web, until recently one of the few areas you had complete control over was your own website. That recently changed.
Google has launched it’s new “Sidewiki” as a portion to the Google Toolbar. Now as people surf the net they are being encouraged to comment on any website that they visit.
From the moment I upgraded my toolbar to give this “sidewiki” a little go, I can see there is certain degree of anxiety based on the postings on Google’s own sidewiki own page…
Travis Claridge wrote “How will this affect business and advertising? – this is a very scary tool from the aspect of a business and advertising. How deos a buisness prepare for the PR onslaught and respond to issues brought up through this service? Worse yet… if they don’t adapt quickly they will never even see content written about them.”
Kevin Fox wrote, “Promising, I’m glad to see Google try this… As Google explains their algorithm for comment position – irrelevant or unhelpful comments should sink to the bottom.” He also wrote, “I’m curious how Sidewiki will impact SEO, or will it be a whole new venue for SEO?”
It begs the questions also, when will Sidewiki “comments” be returned as actual relevant search results that then link to the related page?
Skye B wrote, “This is a place for “word of mouth” so to speak. Hopefully with the help of majority of surfers it will be spam free. No more websites or blogs that don’t offer a chance to readers to speak their mind. Some websites don’t post your comments if you don’t agree with them, but those days are gone! Freedom of speech for everyone! Thanks Google”
Interesting that this person, under an alias name, is also the one most concerned about freedom of speech – but won’t put their name to it.
A little shoot over to YouTube to see what viewers of Google’s sidewiki video are saying… and wow, some very interesting comments. Of course, comments that are welcomed at YouTube may not be so welcome at your marketing website. At YouTube when you post a video you have the option to moderate comments and you can decide which comments should be public… Google Sidewiki does not give website owners the ability to moderate user contributed content.
MrSaxaman1973 wrote, “Those talking about “Freedom of Speech”. This has nothing to do with YOUR speech. It has to do with the website owners Freedom of Speech. You need to be a website owner to really understand. We assemble websites the way we do on purpose. To provide info and services that YES, make us money, but its our money that we are putting on the line & our decision on how to use it. SideWiki is taking that away by enabling random users the ability to direct visitors ($) away from our investments! “EVIL”!!!”
Over now to the seroundtable.com forums to see what the search optimizers are chatting about. Ah, they are chatting about blocking users from accessing websites if they have the Google toolbar installed. Interesting. The chatter here is to either convince Google to allow webmasters to opt-out on a site by site basis or to simply block users or redirect them somewhere else, like maybe Bing.com for example.
Whitenight commented at webmasterworld, “…this is a lawsuit waiting to happen.”
Just like with Twitter, my jury is out on Sidewiki. I am not sure how this is going to pan out. I can safely say, it is causing a bit of a stir online.
David
Canadian Small Business Blog
Stuart Crawford from Bulletproof InfoTech is at it again, yes, he is starting another blog focused on delivering information to the small business community throughout Canada.
The Canadian Small Business Blog launched over the past weekend with a goal to help entrepreneurs, small business owners and those who work in small business from coast to coast to coast in Canada have a place and a voice in our vibrant community. Small Business is a healthy community and the cornerstone of our economy right here in Canada. With over 97% of business in Canada employing less than 250 staff members, it will be this community which rebuilds Canada after the great economic reset.
Stuart, Vice President at Bulletproof InfoTech, a firm focused on delivering Calgary and Red Deer firms with quality IT services, computer repair, computer solutions and technology consulting has only focused on small business throughout his entire career. “My passion is to help small business get the right information technology so they can build a strong business”, says Stuart.
Check out the Canadian Small Business Blog today at http://www.smallbusinessblog.ca.
