Search Engine Optimization or SEO for short is what people are asking about when they tell me they 'want to get to the top on Google', even if they don't use those words.

There are tried and true processes to achieve good search engine visibility in a way that the search engines sanction, but there are also 'tricks' that some SEO 'experts' will use to try and achieve the same results without really following the rules that Google (and the other search engines) have in place. These 'tricks' are called Black Hat SEO after the old iconic image of the bad guy always wears black.

So why do I refer to them as 'tricks' and why do the search engines care?

Remember why people go to a search engine--they are looking for information they don't have, but need. People end up with a favorite search engine because they tend to find what they're looking for on with that search engine. If they find it is getting harder to find what they are looking for, they vote with their feet and find a new search engine. So the search engines want to keep you coming back by being as good as they can be at getting what you are looking for.

When you use Black Hat SEO tricks, you are not improving the quality of your information, nor are you improving the credibility of it. You're just trying to take advantage of the current search algorithm to get ahead of the competition. It's like taking a short cut in a race. In other words, it's cheating!

What happens when someone gets up high on Google for a search term that they are not really relavent or credible on? You, the searcher, are disappointed and look elsewhere, maybe usig a different search engine in the process.

That's why Google cares. It's in their self interest to get you to the most relevant and credible information available for your search. That's good goal alignment!

But, sometimes people do use these Black Hat SEO 'tricks'. What can Google do about it anyway? Quite a lot actually. They can remove you from their index altogether if they like. Now you don't show up at all, let alone at the top! Sometimes they are not as harsh and just force you down until you prove yourself worthy. Don't believe it happens? Read the article in the following link on the NY Times to see how they removed BMW's German site completely from the index and are more recently pushing JC Penney down from number 1 to below number 50 for millions of search terms. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/business/13search.html?pagewanted=1&ref=general&src=me

So, what do you do to 'get to the top of Google' without falling into this trap? Work with a credible and ethical SEO firm. If they promise to get you to the top quickly, run away! They should tell you that it is a lot of work and will take time. Remember, you're trying to be the most relevant and credible source of information on the Internet for a particular search phrase. Across the entire world! Needless to say, you need to be careful when picking your topic!

Keep March 24 open – Learn how to advertise on Facebook

 

Just a quick note to keep March 24 open for a special webinar entitled: “Facebook – Uses and Advantages for Businesses”.

 

Facebook is one of the fastest growing social networks available today. With over 350 million users worldwide, Facebook has even surpassed email as the most frequently used tool online.

 

At this webinar, WSI will teach you how you can leverage Facebook to enhance your brand, manage your reputation, drive more traffic to your website, generate more leads, acquire new customers and retain your existing customers.  Registration details are below.

 

North American Market:

Topic: Facebook - Uses and Advantages for Businesses

Date: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT

Register: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/957409281

 

UK/Europe Market:

Topic: Facebook - Uses and Advantages for Businesses

Date: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM GMT

Register: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/333810568

 

Note: you will need to put my name, Joe Miner, to complete the registration.

 

I’ll send you more details as I receive them. If you have any questions, please give me a call.

So who's not heard of Facebook by now? Even my mother is using it now to keep up with her grandchildren. But it's sort of skipped a generation (that's me by the way). Odd since I'm on the computer all the time. Well, that is getting to be less and less true--Facebook is no longer just for college students (it's heritage), nor even the grandmothers out there.

According to Facebook, there are over 400 million active users and more than half of them are on Facebook every singe day. More than that, over 1.5 million businesses are on Facebook. What? Did I just change subjects--not at all. These are everything from small mom and pop operations to huge international corporations. If you think about it, it was inevitable. 400 million possible customers have a way of attracting businesses.

So how do you go about 'getting on Facebook' if you're a business? First you need to understand the differences between three different kinds of entities on Facebook: the profile, the page and the group.

Profiles are for individuals only. These are the accounts that your kids and parents have. Okay, maybe you too. They are for people to stay in contact with other people that they know or meet online. You communicate with each other and share things like photo's. It is social interaction in the 21st century.

Groups are for collections of people that organize around a common interest for discussions related to that interest. They also connect individuals like profiles, but with that topical focus.

Pages are for companies and organizations. Unlike profiles, pages are publicly viewable without logging into Facebook. Instead of 'friending' someone like you would in your profile, people can choose to be your 'fans'. These pages are there for you to promote your business, brand, message, what ever you decide. You publish updates that your fans can see.

You can setup yourFacebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php and begin gathering fans. Just think, 400,000,000 possible customers!

On a note of caution, think about why someone would want to be your fan. It's probably not because they are wanting you to bury them in promotional messages. Think about what they do want and use your page for good, not evil! (Okay, I'm getting silly, but you get the point (I hope)).

LinkedIn.com is an online tool for managing and leveraging your professional network. If used properly, you can use LinkedIn to generate leads for your business.

But, as will all networking, you have to work at it actively and have a plan. Otherwise you end up expending energy and time without getting the business development you hoped for.

So, what should you be doing to use LinkedIn to generate leads?

1. Start by deciding on your goals. What are you trying to accomplish? Who do you need to connect with to make that happen? What do they need that you can provide?
2. Fill out your profile with an eye towards who will be viewing it. Keep it relevant to your lead generation goals.
3. Make connections. Should be obvious, but many people take a wait and see attitude about building connections rather than actively pursuing connections. Any updates you make to your profile will be disseminated to your connections. The more connections, the more people see that change.
4. Join groups. These are both sources of connections and participate in discussions to position yourself as a thought leader.
5. Use the search feature to find other users that fit your target market and use your connections to make contact.
6. Be careful however. Don't go into full blown sales mode or you will turn people off and they will be less likely to help you in the future.
7. Use the question and answer portion of LinkedIn to get involved in conversations about what you have to offer. People will see these conversations and what you have to offer.
8. Use the 'Network Update' feature to publicize what you are doing and items of interest to your connections. In particular, publicize your blog entries to expose your network to what you are writing.

LinkedIn can be a powerful networking tool if you set good goals and use the system to develop relationships and establish yourself as a real resource.

See my February 2010 Newsletter on LinkedIn for more information.

I'm attending a 3 day training course on business networking this week. It's all about word of mouth business and how you go about creating networks that want to refer business to you.

In the internet world  we have an equivalent thing. It's called an incoming link. That's where someone puts a link on their web site to your web site. A simple thing, yet so powerful. Think about it for a minute. That person is willing to have their vistior leave their site and go to your site. They obviously believe that you provide something of value that will be of use to that visitor.

Google pioneered using incoming links as part of their ranking algorithm years ago and it is a big reason that they have grown as big as they have. They essentially leveraged all the research and relationship building that we all have done in our lives and are now sharing through our web sites. An incoming link is a sign of trust and usefulness. That helps Google and other search engines judge the usefulness of your web site.

So as you are networking and building relationships in the real world, do the same on line. It will help your search engine rankings.