Deep Thoughts From the Googleplex

Deep Thoughts From the Googleplex
by Gord Hotchkiss, Thursday, August 18, 2005
IT WAS ONE YEAR AGO that I wrote my first Search Insider column. I remember that by the fact that I wrote about the San Jose Search Engine Strategies Show and now here I am, back in San Jose, going for my semi-regular search marketing total body immersion. Thank goodness this only happens occasionally. It can do strange things to one's perspective to spend four days with thousands of people who live, breathe, and eat search. Compare this to my other life, where my wife is still not exactly sure what I do for a living.

For those of us privileged to live on the inside of this industry, we gain a glimpse into a fantastic and highly illogical world. It's a world where empires can grow from mere ideas overnight and where vast territories can disappear just as quickly. Intellectual capital is the currency here, and it can be redeemed only through the acceptance of the masses. The winners in our world are the ones that pull the gem of an idea, nurture it into life, and find it picked up by the world. It's like throwing little bits of our soul at the public, and hoping one of them sticks.

Case in point: Google. While here in San Jose, I had the opportunity to visit the new Googleplex in Mountain View. I walked through the immense complex (on the morning after the Google Dance, so I was still bleary-eyed) and joined my host for a hot breakfast in Google's gourmet cafeteria, one of many places to grab a meal. I was surrounded by impossibly young, blue jean- and t-shirt-clad Googlites (Googlians?) that were all searching for the next big idea that will resonate with the public. They bellied up to the counter for a custom-made omelet or fruit smoothie, and then gathered around tables to start discussing the future, built in their terms. As my host said, this was the kingdom of the engineers, and Google is still very much an engineer-driven company.

In our world, this is as close to Camelot as it gets. Our society has switched paradigms. Many of us no longer look to our governments or spiritual organizations to make the world a better place. We've put our faith in the raw power of ideas. And if we happen to make a few billion in the process, so be it. Empires like Google no longer need assembly lines or oil wells, smelting plants, or factories to grow and prosper. All you need is people with bright ideas.

It was a telling note that my host told me that the new Google campus was in fact the old Silicon Graphics headquarters. As technology passes on, a new king has come to occupy the castle. The old guard has passed the torch to the new. He acknowledged the irony and said, "Hopefully we'll be able to stay here awhile." Meanwhile, the engineers downed their omelets and smoothies, blissfully unaware of the fact that, more often than not, history is doomed to repeat itself.

As I took in the sheer immensity of the complex, with all its high-tech touches and iconic lava lamps, I couldn't help but think that all this came from one single idea. And it's not even that defensible an idea. The Google Empire has been built from a clever thought, a shard of the souls of Mr. Page and Mr. Brin that has lodged in our collective bosoms. By making "Googling" a verb, they have built an enormous company. And they've done it in seven years. Yet no one seems aware of how ephemeral this all is. The phrase "Castle in the sky" couldn't help but come to mind.

I felt torn between the father in me and the self-acknowledged tech geek. Part of me loves the idea of a world built on sheer intellectual horsepower. I am excited by the constantly shifting challenges and the persistent question: "What's the next big idea? Who could be the next Google?" As I often say, working in this industry is like dancing on quicksand. But the dad in me says: "Be careful. This could all come crashing down tomorrow."

Gord Hotchkiss is the president of Enquiro, a search engine marketing firm. He loves to explore the strategic side of search and is a frequent speaker at Search Engine Strategies and Ad:Tech.

You amy reach him at:
gord.hotchkiss@enquiro.com

Enquiro Search Solutions Inc.
www.enquiro.com
800 277 9997

SEO and Effective Web Design

by Stephen Harris of www.sph-associates.com

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU been approached to perform search engine optimization (SEO) magic on a Web site? It would seem that a lil' dab of content density adjustments, a dash of linking strategy, and an H1 tag make-over is all that is needed to give a Web site that spark. Sales will certainly follow, right? I need SEO! When I hear this, my first instinct is to take a step back and review the person's Web site. Often it is apparent that the answer to that question is, well, no. It will take more than SEO to bring on the sales.

Is SEO important? A resounding yes, of course it is. For many Web properties it's a critical element for a site's overall success. However it is not the only element for a successful online experience. Absolutely, a well optimized site, under the right keyword(s), delivers enhanced branding and establishes credibility and ultimately the coveted "free" clicks. However, what some Web site owners fail to realize is that a well crafted title tag is just one factor for success.

When discussing SEO, I first explain what SEO can do and then step back to view the complete online marketing landscape. An analogy often works best:

Think of an effective SEO as an advertisement for your coffee shop, which is well placed at a train station. Your sign for fresh brewed coffee is the first one a commuter sees, and it's enticing enough that all other coffee shop advertising is bypassed. However, when the visitor arrives at your store, they can't easily find your selection of coffees and are distracted by signs for lunch specials. Not to mention, there is no one at the cash register.

In other words, effectiveness doesn't come just from having a No. 1 ranking. It also takes an effective destination.

To create an effective Web site, marketers should, at a minimum:
Create a well integrated and seamless experience from the search phrase entered by the visitor to the first message they see when the site is displayed. Imagine the coffee shop now with a large sign displaying the available coffees and the smell of fresh roast.

Establish credibility and provide basic information on the main Web page. It's like having the local newspaper do a great review of your coffee shop prominently posted on the walls.

Provide easy and intuitive navigation; make it very easy for your visitor to find what they are seeking. A clearly defined area where you can learn more about the available coffees and someone who can answer your questions.

Establish a strong call-to-action, well positioned on the Web page. Make it easy for your well motivated, and caffeine starved consumer to purchase that fresh cup of coffee.
SEO and a poor Web site experience are like buying a cup of stale coffee. Of course, an effective SEO dictates effective use of content, but it doesn't necessarily require intuitive navigation and a strong call-to-action strategy. Further, there are some SEO practitioners that focus on the behind-the-scenes or black-hat methods, which do not aid in providing a quality user experience. High ranking perhaps, but what about the conversion?

Combining effective search optimization with an effective Web site creates a strong synergy that may well deliver the sales that the site owner is ultimately seeking. Online marketers can use SEO to leverage a better overall experience and relationship with the client by delicately pointing out that a high ranking is nice, but selling more coffee is so much better.

Stephen P. Harris is managing director of SPH Associates. He can be reached at
stephen@sph-associates.com.

Web Page Content is king

Web Page Content is King

Content is the information that the search engine spiders like to refernce in order to return relevant and useful information to the users of it's respective search engine. The items below are just the side items. You need good content to get increased rankings in order to compete in your market.

Write about your keyphrases. Read more more about optimization.
Write extra pages.
Write about your industry.
Write about your product or service's uses.
How will your product/service improve the life of the consumer? Find out, and then write about it.
Why is your product/service better than your competitor's? Think of a reason and write about it.
What is the history of your product/service? Or your industry? Write about it.
Who are you? Everyone always enjoys "about us or profile" pages...
And of course, be sure to serve the search engine spiders information full of keyphrases!
Whatever you do, be sure that you don't write junk or filler copy. Keep in mind that writing about your keyphrase doesn't mean adding the keyphrase unnaturally into the text. If you have any doubts, employ the talents of an SEO or copywriting expert to help tailor your copy.

Want to learn more about search engines?
Search Engine Sites-
Learn more about the Search Engine Industry. 'Search Engine Watch' reports the trends, forecasts and what the big players are doing.

Mega List-
Submit to US search engines and directories. Also view our listing of reciprocal link and link marketing websites.

Online Search Engine Tools
SEO Tools for Designers and Webmasters

SoYouWantSearchEngineRanking?

I have perform all sorts of SEO coding to my company web site www.visionefx.net but it wasn't till my good friend in CT., Kevin Sullivan of the Resourcelinks Directory www.resourcelinks.net pointed out to me what Google has been preaching all along.

Alright, alright don't get bent out of shape... Google isn't the great satan.
Anyways this SEO tip applies to the other 500lb. gorrilla search engines.
KEEP IT SIMPLE.

Follow these simple rules;
1) Simple targeted TITLE TAG
2) Simple targeted descriptive TAG
3) Small amount of keywords 10 to 15
4) Match HTML body copy to all the above
5) Use (ALT) TAGS sparingly.
6) Use a robots.txt file and keep it up to date
7) Update your primary pages every few days with new text or images.
8) Lastly - Do no evil.

Well, that's it. Uh - well maybe a little link submittal work to free directory sites,
View: www.visionefx.net/submit.htm
That's it - period. KEEP IT SIMPLE because simple (works best)!

GreatFreePRSites

Submit Your Press Release and Business Articles

Press Release Base

PR Web.com

Toptentshirts Directory

Business Seek

Search Warp

SubmitYourSite

Over the last few years I collected and composed a number of DIRECT LINKS to the submit URL listings of popular search engines directories. These listings are reputable and best of all they are free. IF YOU FIND OUT OTHERWISE ---email me and I will remove the link. Heres the list!
Scrub the Web
Retrieves Search Engine
Quest Finder
Retrieve directory
Net Search
Nations Online 1
Nations Online 2
National Directory
JDGO Search
Jayde Search
MSN Network
Google
DMOZ Directory
Yahooligans!
MSN Beta Search
Exact Seek
Small Biz Directories
Verizon Super Pages
Hampton Roads Online
Craig's List USA
Allthewebsites
US Counties.com
Business Resources
Resourcelinks
Business Advertising
SearchInfo.com
World Site Index
Ezilon Search
Super Ultra Mega Directory
Illumirate
Earthstation9.com
SeekOn Virginia Beach
Area Connect Yellow Pages
Astrofonix
Search Warp
Searchcity.biz
Search City here
Universal Directory
Itzalist Directory
Favorite Links
Enter Web
Submit email here
Elib Directory
DC2 links
Business Seek
US City Directory
Get Listed
Business Advertising
Find Information
Marketing Strategies
Business Link Exchange
Wintto.netDirectory
Joe Ant
Submit instructions
Virginia Directory
SmallBizSearch
Search-engines-megalist.com
All The Web
News to Global Site
NerdWorld
Net 100 Network
( Submit via email )
Quango
Search Europe
Search King
Search Who.com
Teradex Search
Walhello Search

iwantmyvacation

I'm sure you've seen the televison ad. The executive smugly sits behind a desk yapping about how your time is their money, tuning week ends into work ends. The commercial ends with a URL , I want my vacation dot com ( iwantmyvacation.com)

So after seeing the spot 7 times I finally went to the site. -- Pretty cool game on home page called bash the boss. Ah-ha! click a little deeper. It's a vacation marketing site ala Universal.
Pretty neat concept. The site falls a bit short though. They should offer variations on the 'bash the boss game'. How 'bout Drown Your Boss, no no wait... how about 'Stick Pins in the Bosses Eyeballs'.

Anyways I got to give them 7 out of 10 stars for marketing orginality.