But let’s talk about the SEO & Internet Marketing implications.

But first, let’s move beyond just talking about the poorly named iPad.  It’s barely been a week since the announcement and already we’re hearing rumblings about Google making something similar. 

Why not?  Google is turning Chrome into an OS and have already ventured into hardware with the Nexus One!  Check out the images and videos on this page and see what you think of them. 

Personally, I like the idea of having a slim, non-keyboard appliance to browse the Internet and check email on.  It would be a little easier to have something like this near the couch and perhaps even take with me on short non-work trips.  I welcome the idea.  After all, that’s what I use my iPod Touch for and I love it!

Let’s face it, the Internet is not just confined to a desktop or laptop anymore.  It is there.  But it’s also on our phones, our video games, and elsewhere.

How does this affect SEO?  How does it affect your Internet marketing plans and efforts?

This should not surprise you, but search will still be a major part of these methods of using the Internet.  But it may look different.  

Like Google does now, we will start to see much more than just ten links to web pages.  We’ll see links to videos, images, news, social media, etc.  We’ll see personalized results and localized results.  You’ll soon start to see different results on your laptop, your phone, and perhaps even your “pad”.

So your exact ranking for a particular phrase will become even less useful than it is now.  But SEO is not dead.  Do you SEO best practices.  Work your on-page factors and get your links.  But most importantly, just be the best at what you do.

If you’re still staring at PageRank and obsessing over your exact rankings, it’s time to move on.  Start improving your site and being the best at what you do, no matter what it is.  Write intelligently.  Make good content.  Have good prices.  Create quality video content.  Be the best. 

It’s not hard.  But it does take work.  Build a business, not just a search engine ranking.  It’s in your best interests long-term.

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You find the guy that does it best near where you live.  Then, you ask him to create and teach a class on it. 

That’s what I did about one year ago.  Brandon Uttley knows social media marketing.  He has a background in public relations and works for one of the smartest and best marketing agencies in Charlotte.  He lives one town over from me.

So as you can imagine, I was pretty thrilled that he was willing to work with HIPPO Internet Marketing to provide a repeatable class that teaches how to effectively use Facebook and Twitter.  He does not just teach how to build an audience.  He takes it to the next level and teaches how to market effectively to your audience.

This is the only class we teach that has two instructors.  Now that we’ve taught it a few times, Brandon and I (Corey Creed) enjoy taking turns teaching.  I always enjoy it because I can always learn from Brandon.  I’m not kidding.  He knows his stuff.

So how is your social media marketing going?  Are you using it effectively?  Or do you sometimes feel like it is using you?

Our next class is coming up quick.  I hope you’ll join Brandon and I.  For two days, we’re not just using social media.  We’re going to teach social media MARKETING!

(Visit http://ow.ly/YkCr to register.)

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The SEO students came from a wide variety of backgrounds and had some excellent questions. 

They seemed to enjoy the class.  In fact, the night it ended I got this email from a local Mooresville web developer that attended…

Dear Corey,

I just wanted to drop you a little note to let you know that I am 100% satisfied with the content covered within your search optimization class and the way in which you went over it. 

You outlined the material in a significant and relevant way as we would need to understand the main elements or “best practices revealed”.  Your Question and Answer Sessions were incredibly insightful!

The  resource book you provide is a very detailed and helpful tool which we’ll all be able to refer back to throughout our Internet marketing careers.  I especially love the way you remind us to keep the users in mind as we do our improvements and not focus on trying to get over the search engines.  Fact is, we are not trying to get a robot to buy our client’s product or service, but an actual person. 

Another thing I would like to commend you on is your hospitality.  Your class was in a very comfortable setting, with a comfortable amount of people (not overcrowded) and beverages and snacks were an added treat!  You have made the whole learning experience very enjoyable and I look forward to the opportunity to attend more of your classes. 

Lisa

Our next class will be on Social Media Marketing.  As a reminder, you can see the entire schedule of upcoming Internet Marketing Classes here.

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The panelists were:

• Jennifer Appleby, President & CEO of Wray Ward
• Ronnie Bryant, President & CEO of Charlotte Regional Partnerships
• Michael Burch, VP of marketing at Speedway Motorsports Inc
• Sara Garces, Owner & CEO of Red F Marketing
• Craig Nadler, VP Marketing for the Carolinas, AT&T Mobility
• * Ritch Allison, Partner at Bain & Company, Atllant

* = Moderator

Each local association introduced their organization and one of the panelists.  So the introductions alone are taking about a half hour. 

I had the pleasure of sitting at the same table with a couple people from Lyerly Agency.  (Good people.)

We’re starting with some overview comments by each panelist…

JA – She is energized by the good turnout.  (I am loosely counting about 200 attendees here.)  She says that this past year we have never worked so hard to make so little money.  Everyone seems to agree.  She is excited about the new tools available and feels 2010 will be about elevating to a new level of creativity and using the new tools.  “New Media” is no longer new.

RB – He markets the local area to businesses nationally and internationally looking to move here.

MB – He explains that a local company recently invested in a local marketing company.  They spent $40K and made $400K.  So marketing is working.

SG & CN – Added other positive comments.

RA – (Moderator) Showed some slides about the current economy.  Here are some highlights… 

This is the first time we have had a GLOBAL economic problem.  Global GDP growth is negative.  That will not completely get back to normal until 2011. 

Household income growth will remain weak for another year.  Unemployment was huge in the last 18 months.  This first quarter is showing improvement but it will take several years to recover.

This year will have very slow growth.  Outside capital will be difficult to obtain.

The opportunities?  Growth tends to be slower, but stable.  Like curves on a racetrack, economic turbulance creates more opportunities for passing others.  Similar to racing, slowing down into the curve sets up the best opportunity to accelerate out of the curve.

His advice? 

• Stay on track
• Anticipate unpredictable curves
• Pass with prudence
• Tune the innovation engine
• Strenthen teaming skills
• Mobilize a winning crew

More specifically, regarding marketing…

• Build cross platform campaigns
• Align spend with strategy and target customers
• Set very clear marketing objectives
• Continue to innovate and try new approaches to reaching your customer
• Measure effectiveness and invest where returns are highest
• Establish marketing based on ROI

Now we turn back to the panelists.

What about Charlotte, specifically?  RB says there is a world of difference here in Charlote.  We have never in this region stopped having announcements of businesses moving here.  This region is solid.  The physical aspects of the benefits of this area did not change in the down economy.  The weather is great.  We are centrally located to the rest of the country.  We have the 9^th busiest airport in this country.

JA says there is a lot of mommentum in moving to Charlotte and that is getting national publicity.  It is getting easier to recruit creative individuals.

MB says out of chaos comes opportunity and the current situation challenges us.

How have consumers changed?  CN (from AT&T) says we have seen that deep discounts are now the norm, especially in holiday season spending.  People also spend at the very last minute.  People are looking more toward integrated devices like iPhones.  Data minutes are getting much larger than voice minutes.  Mobile is gaining stregth over land lines.

SG says consumers have drastically changed their mobile phone behavior.  It is the new touchpoint from a marketing standpoint.  You NEED to be thinking about how you can reach people on their mobile devices.  The phone is becoming the TV and Computer.  (AMEN!  You said it.  I agree 100%.  We’ve heard it before, but this year really is the year of the mobile phone computer.)

She adds that hispanics are a consumer group that is best reached via mobile.  Other traditional pieces are important as well.

MB adds that people are looking for value.  Sports fans in particular are still responding and spending, but they want the best value.  Many people wait until the weather comes out before buying.  They need to incentivise those that buy early.  There are still dollars to be had.  But you have to give deals to the early buyers and allow buyers to purchase at the last minute.

JA adds that the consumers are changing the rules.  They DEMAND value.  They determine how they want to be communicated to, not the marketer.

RB says that decisions by consumers are determined by cost now more than ever.  So businesses must cut costs and provide value.

How do you communicate value?  How does it change your marketing message?  MB says he spends time educating consumers.  As marketers, our responsibility is educating the consumer.  Best value is not lowest cost.  We spend time educating people and showing how we are different and not just a commodity.  We spend a lot of time on that.

SG says her businesses are spending their marketing dollars educating consumers.  Consumers expect that.  They know they can compare companies.  They don’t have to leave their home, just use Google.  At the end of the day, all businesses want to know the ROI from their agency.

What about media?  What is your view of Social Media?  JA says it is a revolution.  It is here to stay.  It will always be part of the marketing mix.  Services like Twitter will lead, but may die out.  Customers are ringing the phone off the hook to determine how to use it.

Social media is the next evolution of word of mouth.  It used to be that experiences were shared with their family and friends.  Now they share with the global economy.  Social media is somewhat sexy to marketers, but it really is here to stay.  Companies need to embrace it.  Don’t just dip your toe in it.  That will be a Pandora’s box.  You need to do it full force and be committed to it.

MB says that social media is just tools to have dialogue with customers.  Don’t be cheesy.  Be meaningful.  At some time that relationship will monetize itself.  It may not directly monetize and provide ROI.

JA says the ability to listen is fantastic.  She says:  Our Social Media expert at Wray Ward calls it “Word of Mouse”.  (Hey Brandon Uttley, that’s MY LINE!!  You got that from ME!)  She adds that companies are expected to respond.  So if you get involved, be prepared to listen and reply.

[HAHA!!  Scott Harrington just took a picture of me blogging and posted it.]

JA is being asked which companies use Social media effectively?  Is B2C the only businesses that it works in?  She’s giving good answers.  She says her customers are asking for it.  She is clearly very proud of her “social media expert”.  Go Brandon!

MB chimes in.  He admits that he is a dinosaur, but is not convinced that Social media is worth the time.  (Don’t laugh.  He’s got a point there.)

SG says social media is good but (somewhat mockingly) we are not seeing any “VP of Facebook and Twitter” titles yet.  CN says that if you do it, you get powerful feedback.  The entire organization needs to be on board.  She also says that highly regulated companies really need to be careful with what they say online on social media. 

JA adds that many businesses are afraid to give consumers that opportunity to take over their brand.  It is a tough thing to do for many.

What about new media.  Is print dead?  CN says print is not dead – yet.  It needs to evolve or it may go that way.  The Internet changes what media needs to be.  MB says print may be dead but reading is not.  (That sounds obvious, but it’s a good point.)

That seems to be the end of it all.  Thanks to all the panelists and organizations that sponsored it.  Very nice program.

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Other forms of marketing and advertising tend to interrupt.  Television, radio, magazines, newspapers, and billboards all interrupt in one way or another.  They all blast their message at you, whether you want it or not.

Search engines are different.

With Search Engine Marketing (SEM), the customer blasts us.  They tell us what they want.  It is reverse broadcast marketing.  We just need to be at the right place at the right time.

To illustrate, Search Engine Marketing is more like farming than hunting.  If you build good sites and links, your customers will come to you.  You don’t need to find them and hunt them down any more.

What about Social Media?

It’s different.  It’s more…  well…  social!  Many compare it to being at a party.  People may mention that they are wanting something.  They may even ask others for advice.  But that is just a small part of what they are saying.  They don’t expect to be directly sold on something.

Along comes real time search!

So now, Google is taking content from Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, and putting these comments into search results.  Does that mean that if you want to do well with Search Engine Marketing, you need to be all over social media?  It may seem so.

But not so fast.  Let’s think about this.

For WHICH results is Google showing social media results?  If you type in direct queries for services or products, what will Google show?  Typically, they will show their paid and natural listings.  Sometimes they show local or news results.

But for services and products, they will seldom show real time (social media) results.

When do they show up?

They only show up for subjects that are being talked about a lot.  Don’t believe me?  Over the past few weeks, real time results show up for “Tiger Woods Mistress” and “Google Nexus One Phone”.  They typically won’t show up for “Charlotte Dentist” or “Wii game” or “Internet Marketing Training”.

Sorry Social Media Experts…

I believe in using social media.  After all, I teach a two-day class with Brandon Uttley on it.  But Google’s real time search does not validate the value and need to do social media.

Use social media to network, build awareness, and communicate.

But don’t expect Google to send potential customers to Twitter or Facebook.  They’d rather have your customers click on the Google listings (especially the paid ones).

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But there is one positive comment I am consistently hearing from many of my colleagues and clients.  They say that they are happy to still be in business.

At first that may sound negative.  But many of my clients and colleagues have cut costs and just hung in there for 2009.  That’s basically what we did.  We did not see the financial growth that we had the previous few years.  But we are happy to still be in business and hanging in there.

After all, In certain industries, the harder you try to make more sales, the more frustrating it can get.  If the potential customers in your industry are not looking to buy, you can’t make them.

So what should you do?

I know what we did.  We built our online equity.

What does that mean?

In the physical world, people and businesses build equity by buying real estate, tools, etc.  In the online world, we did something similar.  We updated and built out our content.  We grew our newsletter list and social media followers.  Building online equity is not expensive.  It’s time intensive. 

Most importantly, we added a new additional e-commerce site.  It may not be making much money yet.  But as it continues to rank and we continue to refine it, we have high hopes.  When and if our target industry picks up, we’ll be ready for it.

I hope you were able to build your online equity in 2009.  If you didn’t, are there things you could do now? 

After all, the economy is likely to start turning again before too long.  Why not use this time to be more ready than ever?

I’d love to hear your comments below.  Are you happy with the way you and your business handled 2009?

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The Common Misunderstandings

1.  Not everyone realizes that there are two completely different sets of results showing up when they do a search.  Most know the difference, but not everyone.  The difference is shown in this screen shot.

2.  Of those that do know the difference, at least some feel that one set will influence the other.  “If you don’t pay Google for Google AdWords, they will make your natural listings go away so you have to pay!” is a common misconception.

3.  The next most common misunderstanding is “Nobody clicks on paid listings.  They are just ads.  I never do!”  This one is not hard to refute.  Just because you don’t click on something does not mean nobody else does.  The metrics don’t lie.  You are not your target audience.

4.  If I rank well naturally, I don’t need to do Google AdWords.  Wrong again!  Over and over, marketers have shown that they get more results when they have both natural and paid search engine rankings.  Some of the smartest and most analytical marketers I know have proved that it is financially wise to do both in almost every situation.

5.  What about this one?  “I want natural listings first because more people click those.  Plus, natural listings are free!” 

This is a tricky one.  The reasons are accurate.  (People do click on the natural about 3–5 times more often than paid and they are free – once you rank!) 

However, doing Google AdWords first typically works best.  Here’s why…

In our recent class on “How to Take Clients”, some of my students were surprised that I typically encourage marketers to do Google AdWords before SEO.  Why?  Even compared to the Google AdWords Keyword Tool and Google Analytics, Google AdWords is a much better Keyword Research tool.

Try taking hundreds or even thousands of keyword phrases you THINK might work well for you and run them all through Google AdWords for a relatively short period of time.  Then notice which ones converted.  Shut everything else off (or try to improve them).  At that point, you know which keyword phrases not only bring traffic, but actually bring sales.

The final word on Google AdWords…

If you are doing comprehensive Internet marketing, use Google AdWords as a keyword research tool first.  Once you know what works, go out and work hard to rank naturally for those phrases.

Use Google AdWords for Return on INFORMATION, not just Return on INVESTMENT.

If you want to learn more…

Google AdWords works very well.  I promise you that.  If you are interested in learning more, our next class is coming up soon.  If you read this blog, here’s an extra incentive to attend our classes…

Use coupon code QQG0MEYL and get 25% off any class.

It only lasts until Tuesday, December 8 and while supplies last, so please act quickly.  Our next class on Google AdWords is coming soon and has limited space.

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I predict that 2010 will be the year of the online Giants! 

The Internet and technology in general will have some major players that will dominate stronger than ever.  Everything else will be much, much smaller.

The two biggest giants are going to be Microsoft and Google.

But they both had excellent years in 2009 and are just now starting to erupt in growth and power.  These two biggest giants and will clash constantly and powerfully.

Interestingly, these two did not start out as enemies. 

Microsoft was the big corporate software company, but they are much much more.  They will be the 2^nd place search engine (with no other real competitors).  They are already putting constant effort into catching up to Google.  What started out as a software company is now a giant in mobile phones, online advertising, video games, browsers, e-mail & more.

Google started out as the friendly “do no evil” company.  But those days are already over.  They are a corporate giant and will try to compete with Microsoft in every way.  Their goals of “Organizing the World’s Information” is only eclipsed by their desire to put ads on all of it.  Seriously, 98% of their revenue is in AdWords.  They are now in software, operating systems, mobile phones, browsers and everything else.

These two giants will spend 2010 clashing, positioning, growing, and acquiring other businesses as fast and powerfully as they can. 

The only other company to come anywhere close is Apple, but they will not (and don’t even want to) gain the market share that Microsoft and Google do.  Apple prefers to have the overpriced hardware and software that feels exclusive and expensive.  (The stuff the “cool kids” want.)

What about online content?

In a physical world dominated by content from News Corp & Disney (ABC), the two online equivalent giants will be Time Warner & Yahoo (if Yahoo can get their act together).

What about Social Media?

It’s official, Facebook and Twitter win.  Which one?  Both!  Will another come along?  Perhaps, but I doubt it.  These two have officially won and will dominate 2010.  It’s hard to imagine another giant gaining the power these two have.

What about Ecommerce?

The Giant is Amazon.  Ebay used to be right there with them.  But they are just plain falling into the toilet.  Amazon is the clear winner and I don’t think there is a 2^nd place.

The 2010 prediction…

None of the above is all that shocking or surprising.  In fact, all of it is already happening.  However, these giants will grow, gain strength, and overpower anyone else that even tried to gain on them.  These companies are strong and will be extremely difficult to topple, especially as the economy starts to improve.

My prediction is that the distance between these giants and anyone else will only grow.

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However, every six months or so, I jump into LinkedIn and try to find something worthwhile to do with it. 

NOTE: For those of you that don’t use LinkedIn, it basically lists the details of your professional life.  You can then use it to connect with others you know professionally.  That’s about it. 

They’ve added some new features to LinkedIn, but I still feel like it is basically an electronic rolodex more than anything else.  I’ve connected my profile to my colleagues, friends, and students.  So, I’m now up to 329 connections.  (I actually know most all of these people.)

So just for fun, I sent an email out to a select few of them that I know very well with this comment…

Hi there:

I’ve never done this before, but I figured I’d give it a try.

I’m sending this (through LinkedIn) to ask you for a brief recommendation of my work that I can include in my LinkedIn profile.

Please don’t feel obligated.

If you don’t have anything to say or don’t want to, that’s fine. Just delete the message. But if you feel you can write an honest, positive recommendation for who I am and what I do, I would appreciate it.

Thanks!

Corey Creed
www.CoreyCreed.com

Amazingly, I got some incredible comments back.  So now I’m trying to figure out what to do with them.

On a similar note, I’ve always encouraged my students to send me a testimonial so that I can post them on my blog or site and link back to them.  Very few actually do.  But I’m always blown away by what some people do write.

Such as…

Corey Creed’s marketing and technical experience lend itself well to interactive marketing but his passion for teaching is what pays off for us students!

His approach to teaching is informational, educational and beneficial to anyone looking to better understand interactive marketing.  Unlike many other seminars, webinars, etc  that are generic and focus on the high level benefits of taking advantage of some these technologies, Corey’s classes enable you to dig in and get your hands dirty with learning the concepts and then hands on application!   You spend time understanding how to get started, how to use the tools available to you, and most importantly what steps you should take in building a focused strategy that reflects your goals and objectives.  It was time well spent!

Shannon Ramsey,
Internet Marketing Manager

Source Technologies
MICR printer and interactive kiosk solutions

I always save testimonials and have dozens in a special email folder.  But I’d like more opinions on the subject…

• What do you think? 
• Are testimonials worth anything? 
• If they are done right, do they validate credentials? 
• Should small businesses and freelancers put them on their website or just let them sit on LinkedIn?

I welcome your comments below.  Personally, I’m still undecided.

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Is Blogging Yucky?

Back in November 2007, Jerry Seinfeld said in an interview that the word blog is unattractive. 

You can see the video below. 
(Forward to the time point 6:55 and you can hear what he says.)

It’s so true. 

There is a certain connotation with blogging too. 

Perhaps the political bloggers, teenagers, and other writers caused this, I don’t know.  But I told a friend recently that I attended a “Blog Convention” last year in Vegas and he gave me the strangest look and comment back as if to say: “Ick! How gross!”

So What is Blogging?

So what’s the deal with blogging?  Here’s what you need to know…

A blog is simply a website (or a part of a website) in which content is shown in chronological order.  That’s it.

There’s nothing complicated about it.  There’s nothing creepy or icky about it.  The content can be anything you want.  It’s simply information in date order. 

The most recent thing you write is at the top.  That’s all.

Why Blog?

What makes blogging so valuable is that it is easy.  Once you get setup, writing an entry in a blog is actually easier than writing an email.

It then resides on the Internet virtually forever.  Search engines, social media, other sites, and other people can find it and link to it. 

All this draws attention to the content (and the images and links you place around the content).

What we Teach

In our blogging class, we start by giving everyone their own blank WordPress blog.  We then show you how to use it step by step.  We explain terminology and other pertinent information along the way.

Our next class is November 9, but you can check here to see any other dates.

I hope you take advantage of this opportunity to kick-start your blogging.  I’ve been doing it for several years and it’s still one of my best ways to promote my businesses.

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