SEO, SMO, and why you shouldn't care

So I'm assuming that most people have a general idea of what Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is, and the basic concepts of how to use it.

For those of you who don't know, SEO is a tactic that a company or individual will use when building a website to ensure the site shows up in Google results. Which is good.

SMO is Social Media Optimization, which is a little different, but basically the same idea; you want to show up in Social Media results easily.

I do a lot of consulting for Realtors and other small businesses, and the thing they always want to know is, "how can we increase our SEO?"

And I always say, "It's not all about your Google standing!"

The most difficult part of what I do is not explaining how to Tweet or how to link everything together, although that is usually what people are most interested in at first (probably because they think it will help their SEO). The most difficult thing is trying to help people wrap their heads around the concept that "Push Marketing" just doesn't work anymore.

The power is no longer in the hands of the marketer like it was in the 50's, or even the hands of the channel like it was in the 80's and 90's. It's in the hands of the consumer. The consumer is all knowing, all powerful, and they are all talking to each other.

This always scares the people in my classes, but it's not a bad thing. This will make the products higher quality because the poorer quality products will be ripped apart in the blogosphere. Good.

Companies and Marketers need to understand that they are no longer able to put a spin on things that make them look new and shiny. They need to engage in a conversation with their consumers, and trust that the loss of control will result in the gain of momentum.

Thoughts?

Social Media for Small Business!

Our 1st SocMed class is coming up!



Gimme a shout for details.

Twitterpated

I am using Twitter. A LOT. It's really awesome. The thing that is hard to get across to people, however, is that it can be a really useful tool for doing business.


If you spend any decent amount of time on there, you will start to be able to follow other people's conversations. The thing that I like about this, rather then say Facebook or a blog, is that the conversations show up to anyone following you; in some cases, this can be thousands of people.

I follow a lot of nerdy/tech people, and I have learned a ton by following their conversations and clicking on the links they drop. Imagine sitting in on a dinner with 10 of the most successful, smart people you can imagine; that's Twitter. Kind of.

I use TweetDeck, and it's pretty cool. I have heard a lot about seesmic which is a little more "Mac-ish" if that makes any sense. TweetDeck can be a little finicky, but the new version is pretty good. It has a good integration with TwitPic that I like.

TweetDeck allows you to view a good feed of what's going on with the people you are following, and allows you to see your Friend updates on Facebook without signing on (there's always a danger of that guy you don't really like all that much chatting with you. I hate that).

It's easy to use, it's free, and it links to everything. I'm sure you will all see this blog posted in like 3 or 4 places because of good ole Twitter.

Until next time.

Social Media 101

I am getting a lot of questions about social media lately. You know, just because I wear box-frame glasses and am skinny doesn't mean that I'm a computer nerd. Even though I kind of am. And so what that I do know what I'm doing with computers and junk.

Anyway. Social media is the fancy term given to the hugely growing phenomenon of websites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and all that fun/exciting stuff. You may have heard the term "Web 2.0" for it. Web 2.0 simply means user-created sites, like a blog that people can comment on, or a MySpace page, or your Facebook page. The sites where all the coding is already done for you.

I first heard about blogging in high school about 7 years ago. I signed up for Facebook in 2005, but canceled my account with the message "Zuckerberg is a sellout" when they opened it up to the public instead of just college students. It's all great fun, but what I keep hearing when I am talking to people about this stuff is "Who cares?"

Excellent question. The short answer is nobody. And everybody.

When I first heard about Twitter I thought it was the dumbest thing imagineable. I remember thinking, "Who cares what I'm wearing right now? Or that I'm mowing the lawn? Seriously?"

And the answer is nobody. Nobody cares if your haven't showered yet. Or what mood you're in.

But what I have come to realize is that there is a huge power in these little updates.

In the past 3 or 4 jobs I have had, I spent a lot of time texting while I was working. In fact, everyone did. You have a lull, and you text your friend to say hi. They text back while your busy, and you answer them an hour later, but the conversation is still going, regardless of what else is going on. It brings continuity to background noise.

I think of Twitter as the same sort of thing. The thing that got me really hooked was that you can text your tweets, and that can link to your Facebook page as a status update. So say you are going into a meeting, or closing a sale with a client. You text "Closing another one, it's been a great week!" and all of a sudden all your friends, followers, and possible future clients can see that your busy and doing business. Powerful.

There are really countless possibilities here. I talked to a Realtor in Chicago a couple weeks ago who tweeted everything from quotes to stats to links to tax and mortgage information. Smart.

Add into that the power to hit your blog, your Facebook, and all your Twitter followers from a 5 second text message on the run. Man, this is really damn cool.

Now I'm not saying I know everything there is to know, but I do know a thing or two about how and why you should spend a little time to get onto these sites. And use them. Twitter especially requires minimal maintenance.

And hell, it's a blast.

So join in the conversation. I have learned a ton already, and this stuff is onlt getting bigger. Facebook hit its 200 MILLIONTH user last week for cryin' out loud.

And on that note, follow me on Twitter!

Some interesting things...

So a friend (of a friend, shout out to weddinggirl) just moved into a pretty cool neighborhood that I haven't spent a lot of time in. It's called the Cole Neighborhood, and its just east of the notorious Five Points neighborhood in Denver. Now, we have been hearing for a while that Five Points was an up and coming area. Which I agree. Being from the suburbs, I really like the grittiness of neighborhoods like Baker and Highlands East.

So Cole is really nifty as well. Little boutiques with hand done, spray-painted signs. Stores selling "Zappos y Boots." It's like Colfax when Colfax was a little scary. In a good way.

The sub-culture group has always been the catalyst of some cool stuff going down, in my opinion. Haight is San Fran, the Bowery and the Village in NYC. Even SoHo was a hell hole not too long ago.

And while I think Denver is a little... well, a LOT less edgy then San Fran or New York, it has it's moments. The neighborhoods that have that eclectic sub-culture tend to have a more active nightlife, more active foot traffic. How many 20 somethings do YOU know living in Cap Hill, for example?

So watch for Cole, I think it's rad. I guess it will take a while to see if it is going to be the next Highlands, but for now, it's a cool place to just hand around.

The Decemberists

So, I believe it is HIGH TIME that I mention some music on this here blog. What really brings this up is the pending release of The Decemberists' new album The Hazards of Love on March 24th. And, as announced today, released on the 17th via the ubiquitous iTunes. From the sound of the pre-released single the Rake Song, it sounds a trifle differn't then there prior releases, but it's definitely still The Decemberists.

For those of you who don't know, The Decemberists are a Portland based indie (for lack of a better term) band whose sound is truly unique. Maybe call them alt-folk, maybe alt-antebellum. Colin Meloy (one BAMF, I might add), the lead singer/guitarist, went to Missoula for creative writing (and playing with the band Tarkio, who I would also highly recommend). And it shows.

The songs envoke a quite subtlty of long-lost words that we SHOULD still be using. Lines like "the royal ubiquitous handy cam" and "you had a charming air, all cheap and debonair, my widowed mother found so sweet."

Personally, my favorite album is Castaways and Cutouts released in 2004 under the Kill Rock Stars label. Her Majesty (2004) is also a superb album, and the one I first heard. It's hard to believe I have been following the band for near-on 5 years.

Another album worth listening to, if you can get your hands on, is Colin Meloy Sings Morrissey, of which they only pressed 1,000. I was lucky enough to receive a copy for my big Christmas present (thanks Chels!). The track list is as follows:

I Know Very Well How I Got My Name
Pregnant for the Last Time
Jack the Ripper
I've Changed My Plea to Guilty
Sister I'm a Poet
Everyday is Like Sunday (a line of which is the title of this very blog)

If you find this album for anywhere south of $200, BUY IT. It's worth finding, and is appreciating in value very rapidly, especially with the release of only the second major-label EP from the band (the first being 2006's The Crane Wife).

I know I'm a total Decemberists nerd. But that's ok, I kind of like that fact. I like that I have heard the band from nearly its conception, and I like that I have watched them grow and become popular (sort of). And not sell out (you SUCK, Death Cab).

Mr. Colin Meloy and I after his Solo show at the Fox in Boulder last Spring

So when I get my shiny new 180 gram vinyl (yes, I preordered), I'll let you know by how much it kicks ass. I'm sure it will be a lot, but we'll see. In the mean time, I will be pining for the release, and the upcoming show at the Fillmore on May 26th. Which seems an impossibly long time away, but well worth the wait.