Kansas City SEO and SEM

This week I watched Eli Pariser: Beware online “filter bubbles” on Ted.com and it hit home to me. I’ve said in the past, Facebook is the AOL of our time. In this video Eli Pariser expands AOL to Google and all information providers within the internet. It hits home when Eli says, “We really need you to make sure that these algorithms have encoded in them a sense of the public life and a sense of CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY” – I believe in what he’s saying; I don’t want my life to be tailored to my interest, it’s the freedom of the internet which peaks my interests. I don’t want information delivered to me, I seek to find it on my own.

This is a must see video for everyone.

Quotes from Eli’s Speech:
“Now we are kinda back in 1915 on the web and we need the new gate keepers to encode that kind of responsibly into the code they’re writing. You know, I know there are a lot of people here from Facebook and from Google, Larry and Sergey; people who have helped build the web the way it is and I’m grateful for that, but we really need you to make sure that these algorithms have encoded in them a sense of the public life a sense of CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY. We need you to make sure that their transparent enough that we can see what the rules are, that determine what gets through our filters. And we need you to give us some control, so we can decide what gets through and what doesn’t. Because I think we really need the internet to be that thing, that we all dreamed it of being. We need it to connect us all together; we need it to introduce us to new ideas, new people and different perspectives – and it’s not going to do that if you leave us all isolated in a web of one.”

Facebook and it’s updates constantly make learning Facebook a continual process. I haven’t had a need to post to my clients pages as myself because I’m generally the voice of the business. Tonight’s been different. I’ve been trying to upload a picture of the new car I purchased at Shawnee Mission Kia as me and not an administrator and it’s not doable with everything I’ve tried.

You can easily switch between business Facebook page and personal profile through the Account menu and make comments as an individual or the business Facebook page, but when uploading a picture of your new car, new shoes or anything you may buy as a Facebook individual to a Facebook page you administer, your out of luck.

Oh, and I’m still trying to figure out a reason to ever select this option in your Facebook Page Admin> Your Settings:

Has anyone had success posting a photo to a Facebook business page you administer without removing yourself as an administrator?

It’s amazing what’s about to happen to Kansas City and I have goose bumps every time I view and view again the Youtube video with Google executives and Kansas City State Council speaking about the prosperity in the works. Thanks to Google this change has the potential to positively and immediately affect the citizens of the Kansas City Metro.

This is the first blog post of several to follow in a series. As I research and study, I will share my knowledge and know, it’s important to call me on my logic or information I share in my series. I’m more of a technologist than a politician. Politics is a bunch of behind the scenes back and forth which is designed to make citizens dig and study in their spare time. Let it be known I don’t have a bunch of spare time to dig into the political drama. I want facts not opinion, so technology is more my thing than he said, she said.

I love the below video and it makes me proud to have relocated to a place where Google is literally digging roots!!!

The Kauffman Group and many other sponsors are making the Startup Weekend Kansas City event happen on April 15-17. I’m heading there on Sunday for the celebration, get your tickets now!

More to come soon! Anyone going to the KCStartUP?

If you are a PC, you’ve lost your hard-drive to a virus or malware. I’m a PC and I’ve lost everything; pictures, family videos, music and more. It’s only since I started using Trend Micro and Microsoft Security Essentials that I’ve had “some” sense of security. Understand, my software is set to update daily AND I do it manually because you can never be certain when a virus comes out that your scheduled update has that virus fix included. I’ve been searching for a laptop backup solutions and still have a hard time finding PC backup software that will backup everything; including software and licenses. I just want an all inclusive affordable mirrored copy of my laptop backed up. And here’s the catch, I don’t want my system to completely be bogged down in the process.

I’ve done some asking around about dealing with viruses and malware and ever since the iPhone came out people swear on the MAC as the total security safe platform.   I’ve pondered the pros and cons of being a MAC or a PC and when everything is said and done, if I can protect my PC data (including software) I prefer a PC and here is why:

1. MACs are more expensive

2. Any design work you want to do with a MAC can be done with a PC

3. Software releases always update PCs before MACs operating systems

4. I don’t want to ruffle any feathers here and while I’m not a super techie, I still like seeing the black command line screen.

Understand throughout my career I’ve been a PC, then a MAC and a PC again. I’ve had jobs where I’ve worked in a MAC environment (MAC Temps) and then go home to a PC.

I want to stay a PC, but I’d really like a laptop backup solution that gives me the easy button. Maybe this is why cloud computing is having its biggest growth year since its inception.

In my continued quest to find answers, I always go to the search engines and IT Guys! In my Google researched I found laptop backup software solution COPIUN. While it’s not designed for consumers, it sounds like an IT Administrators’ and users’ dream; follow me here, if you work for a mid to large size organization and must access the VPN while working remotely, then you know the feeling of SLOW data transfer. How many times has your system started backing up your data remotely and you’ve stopped it because it bogs down your computer? When I worked at Cisco Systems, the backup was the first thing I turned off after logging into the VPN! I know I’m not alone here, but it appears COPIUN has found a solution to remote data backup; the user can be on the phone, get a refill of coffee and never know the backup is happening. I don’t know all the interworking, but it looks good for both sides of laptop back.
I think I’m going to do a laptop backup series because there is no way to figure this out in one night. It looks like most of the laptop backup solutions out there are more for IT managers and not consumers.

Anyone have any experience is finding a complete mirror; easy button to laptop backup?

Ads, Ads, Ads I love the Super Bowl 45 XLV 2011 Ads!!

Pepsi Super Bowl XLV Commercials
Interesting on YouTube there are 42 dislikes, I love this commerical

Uncensored E-TRADE Baby – 2011 Superbowl Commercial Ad Snippet

Doritos Super Bowl Commercials
Check out the banned or not used funny videos below

Bud Light 3D

Bud Light Severance Package

Volkswagen Commercial: The Force (every superbowl search on Youtube generated this paid ad). Can you say SMART MARKETING!

Faith Hill Teleflora.com Behind The Scenes, I don’t have 4 minutes where is the commercial people.- FAIL

Justin Bieber. Ozzy Osbourne Super Bowl Commercial – Can’t Find the Youtube – FAIL

Chevrolet Silverado Tommy

Watch the Chevrolet ads from the website http://www.chevrolet.com/#cruze

Kia Optima: One Epic Ride Superbowl Commerical

Audi Super Bowl Commerical Teaser – FAIL

GoDaddy Joan Rivers Joan I’ve loved you for years, but really, can’t we see something fun?
Teaser, but go and see it if she is up yet!!

Eminem Brisk Super Bowl Commerical 2011
He’s too cool to have his commerical on Youtube…really?

Now for the Others Commercials

Hyundai Sonata

Brett: Hookers helped me, drinking a lot of water helped me, harassment helped me – FAIL

Another

Another

Another

Another

Movie Trailers SuperBowl XLV 2011M
Thor Trailer: New

Super 8: New

Cowboys & Aliens: New

Fast Five: 1,883,904 views on Youtube

by: Anne Haynes

In the last 6 months my consulting experiences have positioned me to truly educate; lunch session with how-to-guides to follow, evening meetings to audit SEO and PPC campaigns and weekend meetings to review results! Through the successes of my clients, I’ve been introduced to new clients and everyone just needs checks and balances to make sure their content, design and development teams are on board with search marketing. It’s been an exciting time for me because my clients’ development teams want to learn and with my education we all experience the excitement of success together!

Last year when I was invited to speak at Dee Sadler’s KCWebCore/Adobe Web Community meeting, I introduced the concept of Company Keyword Missions. The Company Keyword Mission is designed from the top-down and it’s dictated by senior management and/or business owners. Let’s face it, if you have a website and are an organization of 1-100 million, you and your employees post to the internet about your company. And a Keyword Mission supports natural posts by employees for your product or service with the rankings in mind. Many SEO consultants will say this happens anyway, but I say more education is needed. I just had a client ask if they needed to add image ALT tags to a 2,000 page website. Let’s remember back in 2006 when Target was sued for lack of image ALT tags. Image ALT tags were designed for the handicap and specifically the blind. Programs like JAWS read the ALT tags and digitally speak the words within the tags to help the handicap make decisions on the web. With this said, if you have a content management systems with a staff member writing content for you site, create the Company Keyword Mission with details on image ALT tags.

The concept of Company Keyword Mission is about all departments staff knowing the Company Keyword Mission. When the staff posts on the web they will have those keywords in mind.

Here is my Company Keyword Mission Statement

What do you think? I like this concept, but it’s a tough mission to sell when C Level management is not on board.

Many people will receive Hallmark Holiday cards with augmented reality treats inside this year. And this blog post will help you figure out the technology! What I love about augmented reality is the experience, especially when children are around. In my opinion the best gift for adults, trying to mingle with other adults, is a holiday card filled with hours of computer fun for the kids.

1. Download the software from the location on the back of the card. It’s generic, so you need to navigate the process and find your card. When you get to the site you will see the following image and click “GET STARTED”:

2. You will go to the next screen with an option to print the instructions, don’t do that keep it green and select “CONTINUE”:

3. On the next screen make sure to select “HOLIDAY” and then find your exact card.

4. The next display will give you an option to download for MAC or PC.

5. Now the rest get’s fuzzy. If you are on a PC, know you can’t have your camera running at the same time the Hallmark application is trying to access the camera. If you do this and receive errors, just close your camera and “Retry”. And if “Retry” doesn’t work, reboot your computer, use IE and download again.

6. At some point for PC users you should receive the following Setup message:

7. If the install is going well, you will receive a License Agreement, select the radio button “I accept the terms of the License Agreement” (or not).

8. Next screen will be “Completing the Setup”.

9. At this point your computer should detect your camera if it’s built in or connected via USB. If your computer is giving you issues, close all browsers and restart with your camera off.

10. Have the card it hand, don’t open it or try and use the back of the card like I did:

11. Just use the front of the card. And you should see something like this:

And This:

And This:

And This:

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!!

Outsourced and Not Ordinary Family are my favorites for non-reality TV shows in the 2010 season. While I’ve disliked reality TV, I’ve been sucked into it and it’s all good. What I enjoy about non-reality TV shows is the no reality; I can chill and relax.

I love Outsourced and following are my faves from Outsourced episode 2.

“Why is there a deer on the wall?”
“Babies don’t suck pacifiers they suck on ribs.”
“You take a bite man, its good. It’s a lentil burger.”
“The Indian head-shake it’s a way of answering without answering”
“How many Indians does it take to sell Novelties?”
“I heard the barbecue in KC saying someone is going to be fired.”
“I can look at a herd of elk and pick which one I’m going to shoot.”
“You know what you problems is, your too close to your employees, you need some distance, guys that work for me, I don’t even know their names, that’s Frodo, Morpheus, Indiana Jones.”
“Hey, don’t bobble me”
“The lips, that’s what the mustache is for.”
“They kill the cow, then they age the meat, why not just let the cow live a little longer?”
“I’ve never been out of Mumbai, now I’m talking to all these women from exotic places like Des Moine, Fresno, Chattanooga.”
“Janet that’s filthy, I can’t make a cute little teddy bear say that.”
“Maybe an inflatable punching bag that says, “Men suck will ease your pain.”

Are you a company or individual trying to make a presence with Facebook (FB)? Well I’m this person and I find it interesting when implementing FB advertising campaigns because the platform is amazing. Follow me here; let’s say I want to target people whom only “Like” X Fan Page, or are friends with X, and live in LA or Silicon Valley or Kansas City? You can do that in FB. It’s the hottest and easiest platform I’ve seen in a longtime.

When I think of social media, I think pain or pleasure. The 1 Facebook Ad tonight which caught my attention was the evil eyes!

Facebook Ads for Conversion

I’ve written blog posts about the FB user interface and how much I disliked the features, but I love it now. Cheers to making the peanut butter in the grocery store easier to find. Understand my 2010 New Year’s resolution was to give up FB games. I’m glad I made this decision; it keeps me focused on what I’m doing with FB; nurturing, likes and leads.

I hope this summer is treating you well! I have a treat for you regarding web lead tracking and email marketing nurturing. In the last two months I’ve been working with interesting software services. One in particular does what every marketer wants; track web campaigns to users’ contact details and streamlines communications through email marketing and lead nurturing. I’m working with a conservative budget, so these solutions are working for a small to medium size company. The final piece I’m working on is tying the phone leads, to the web leads and associating these different buckets at a campaign level, without massaging data and being a spreadsheet jockey. Understand keeping the costs down is essential to staying within budget when building the tracking architecture. If money and time wasn’t an issue, I’d be using Eloqua. The tracking architecture I’m implementing and will be discussing; is still in a testing phase; does not integrate with a CRM using an API and it does not require IT resources to implement. It’s the easy button for lead tracking and nurturing.

Many of my clients use Google Analytics for tracking lead conversions and sales. But what Google Analytics won’t give you is the name of the person submitting their contact details on a per campaign level. Google finds this a violation of privacy and I understand this reasoning. Many times, clients want to know the name of the lead which came in through a pay-per-click campaign so they can nurture the lead. As marketers we know that giving a contextual experience is the difference between acquiring a customer and pissing them off.

I’ve been working with a web lead tracking solution; HubSpot. HubSpot gives you what Google Analytics will not; first name, last name, email, phone number and anything else you want to know tied to a specific campaign. Within minutes you’re able to generate standard and custom fields to create a web form. Once you’re happy with the form, you cut and paste the JavaScript code into your web page and/or blog post and your done. It’s that easy and it works.

Some kicking features about HubSpot:

Once a lead comes in through a form, the lead details are sent to an email or alias. The cool thing; if a lead has a Twitter, Linkedin or any other public social media profiles these profile links are presented in the lead details. Let’s take a moment and think about how this could change your sales experience. Imagine if a sale person could browse a potential customer’ social media profiles before making that sales call? You know the potential client is interested, but now you know they love cats. Mind you, I don’t recommend the sale person disclosing they’ve researched the client’s public social media profiles, but in conversation, the sales representative could mention how much he/she loves cats.

If a lead submits their information and then goes back to your website or blog, you are sent an alert; “Anne Haynes one of your leads is back on the website.” Now you have the creepy factor and can call them right away and answer any questions they might have about your business. I’ve experienced this before with sales people and while I don’t like it, if a lead continues to visit the website, it’s a sign they’re interested. And all this information is tracked in the lead details.

If a lead comes in through one form campaign, you can create lead nurturing campaigns and send automatic emails through timed intervals. This features changes how marketers approach campaigns; sure it’s easy to create a form, cut and paste it into a web page and generate leads through pay-per-click, but managing the experience using automatic emails after a lead shows and interest, this creates a need for communication architectures. And it can become complex. For an example, I will use SEOINC because I use to work there many years ago and they have increased their product offering to include pay-per-click and social media marketing. Now imagine I’m a potential client and I submit my information through the website with a form powered by HubSpot. The SEOINC folks created a nurturing campaign which kicks off an automated email regarding their pay-per-click product offering 20 days after I submit my information the first time. 20 days after the pay-per-click email I receive another automatic email about their social media product offering. It’s all done without you being involved, it happens automatically, so the communication architecture must be designed ahead of time.

HubSpot has API integration with Salesforce and the company will work with you if you have an in house custom CRM solution.

HubSpot features that need some work:

When a lead submits his/her information wrong in a validated field, the user goes to a generic looking validation form. You are not able to apply CSS to the validation form – Yet!

The automatic emails do not have the ability to cut and paste HTML, so the design is limited. However, I’ve been told by my HubSpot consultant this feature is coming out within the next two weeks.

If you’ve built a nurturing program and the lead converts and signs up for other product offers all at once, you must turn off the nurturing program for that lead. This is a process that you want to enforce any way to know your lead to conversion ratio.

Summary:

So far, I really like HubSpot because it’s easy and takes the pain out of reporting. In my opinion, a marketer’s time should be spent optimizing campaigns and not sorting exported spreadsheet data. Don’t get me wrong, I know we need the reporting, but with HubSpot the data doesn’t need cleaning up.

Since I’ve been working with HubSpot there isn’t one person that doesn’t mention SEO to me; critiquing our current ranking with brand only terms, trying to sell the idea of hosting our blog using their blog service. I was raised to know installing blog software on a server gives the search value to the domain where it is housed. I don’t recommend outsourcing your blog using HubSpot. But it’s really good tying contact details to a campaign. There is also a UTM link generator, so you can micro manage your landing page performance and other web activities.

There is more to come as I continue down this process, but know my goal is to tie the phone leads to the web leads and when I get that going on, you will be the first to know!

Are you using a software service that does what HubSpot can do? I’m interested in knowing your solutions