SOPA: What it is and why it’s NOT good

The premise of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) is to…well…stop piracy.  Which is a good thing, right?  In theory – yes.  But what the bill actually proposes will do A LOT more harm than good.

Google’s social search: Future for businesses?

Google search just came out with a new feature this week when they integrated Google+ updates into relevant Google searches. They are calling the feature “social search” and it has been getting quite a bit of press. (You can learn more about the service from Google’s promotional video.)

As for myself – having tried it for a week – I have to say, I am impressed with the functionality but more so the strategy it suggests Google+ will take and how it will help businesses profit from social media.

Facebook vs. Google+

Part of how I am forecasting social searches and Google+’s future success is in how I see where Google+ and Facebook differ, which is in the philosophy upon which they were built.

The Browser Wars

To the average consumer, the differences between browsers have become marginal.  Historically, most of you used whatever Microsoft gave you because you really didn’t have a particular need to switch to something else.  But this has changed dramatically in the last couple years.  People have awoken to the fact that their web browsing experience can be faster, lighter and cleaner.  Now more than ever, the browsers are fighting for a bigger piece of the usage pie.   The graph below shows Worldwide Usage from Nov ’09 to Nov ’11 according to StatCounter.  With the rise of Chrome, IE has gone from nearly 57% to 40%.  Firefox (25.56%) and Chrome (25.31%) are in a dead heat for 2nd place.

Facebook’s Comments Box Now Indexed by Google

Posts made via Facebook’s Comments Box are now being read and indexed by Google’s search bots. This is highly significant, as this added data will affect search engine optimization (SEO), therefore adding value to every discussion, both inside and outside of Facebook.

What is Comments Box?

A common discussion thread on Facebook using Comments Box

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Inside Facebook: At its core, Comments Box is what allows for discussion threads on Facebook itself. The ability to comment on Wall Posts, Status Updates, and so forth is made possible by Comments Box.

Video is a Large Part of Google+

Last week, Google introduced its latest attempt at social networking with Google+, a direct competitor to Facebook. Bloggers and tech geeks everywhere are quick to draw parallels and note plenty of differences between the two. Our own Creative Director, Doug Johnston, scored an invitation and has since been testing the waters.

One of our favorite differences (which may be a short-lived differentiator, according to this announcement by Facebook) is Hangouts, or group video chat.

Social Media and SEO

Many of our clients are confused about social media. Is it just a fad? Doesn’t it represent a casual or unprofessional environment? How will this help our business?

Many social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, flickr, MySpace, Last.FM, blogs, SlideShare, digg, and more exist in the corporate world.

Allow me to tackle just one facet of the many benefits of corporate social media pages: Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Twitter to add photos and video

On Wednesday, Shaquille O’Neal announced his retirement from the NBA through a vlog blasted via tweet. He used Tout, a third-party service which enables users to share video on Twitter since the latter’s format doesn’t support photos or video.

Until now, that is.

Forbes: More C-Level Execs Seek Web, Video

Believe it or not, professionals whose careers have blossomed alongside the establishment of Netscape and growth of public Internet are at the age to reach the pinnacle of their work efforts: the C-suite. 

As 40-, 50-, and 60-somethings achieve C-level (CEO, CFO) executive positions, they are changing the face of business research and communication. A study by Forbes surveyed over 350 top executives at large American companies. (Large, as in $1 billion+ in annual revenue — just the type of prospect you’re after, right?) They found that America’s CEOs, CFOs, and COOs are relying more heavily on search engines and online video to research competitors, customers, and trends in technology and politics.

Measuring your social media’s ROI

A common question between businesses and marketers alike is “How do I measure the ROI of my social media campaign?” Well, folks, I have the answer:

You don’t.

A common myth about social media is that it can be the end-all solution for advertising. Plus, it’s free — perfect, right? Wrong. While social media can be part of your marketing campaign, it cannot carry the ship.

How much do keywords matter?

My husband and I have always been sticklers for doing research before making any kind of major purchase.  From cars to appliances to electronics, it is important to know that you will be getting the most for your money before committing to spending it.  While it hasn’t been that long ago that we had to go to our local library to peruse the latest copies of Consumer Reports for information, now one has to go only as far as the closest computer with an internet connection to learn everything pertinent to making an informed buying decision.

A while back, I thought I had done my due diligence before making a major purchase – so much that even Dave Ramsey would have been proud!  I actually spent 4 months doing research in my spare time, before making the final choice, which was based on my research.  Here’s where it gets interesting:  I have had quite a lot of trouble with this product, even though everything I read raved about the item in question.  Did I get a “lemon”?  Or was all of my research bogus?  What did I do wrong?!

I continued to contemplate these questions, until it finally occurred to me that every time I did a new search for information, I always used “reviews” in my search.  So, I decided to try an experiment.