Breaking Up Google
Google pushes the boundaries of fair data use. Whenever it changes its algorithms, it creates tidal waves of changes across the media industry, and directly impacts every single business with an Internet presence.
My Big 5 Marketing Predictions for 2014
Everyone wants to know the most important trends of the new year for their marketing program. After reading thousands of posts and reports and sifting through corresponding data about marketing, these are my five bold predictions for 2014.
9 Videos on the Digital Future
Happy April Fool’s Day! We now resume our regular programming…
Five weeks ago at xPotomac, nine speakers and one emcee delivered speeches and conversation starters that sparked 25-30 minutes of questions and answers each. The following nine videos are listed in the order of presentation.
Special thanks to my client Vocus for providing videography services. Vocus is hosting the Demand Success 2013 conference in Washington, DC this June 20-21. The event focuses on marketing best practices for converging media, and includes speakers like Arianna Huffington, Content Marketing Institute Founder Joe Pulizzi, digital journalism expert Jay Rosen, and many more. Check it out.
Please feel free to leave comments and feedback about the conference here. We’re listening!
xPotomac Introduced: BlogPotomac Legacy and Future Vision
DC’s very own Shana Glickfield (Beekeeper Group) provides the introduction to very first xPotomac. xPotomac is where the digital media future meets businesses. This groundbreaking conference features seven media technologies most likely to impact businesses and marketers in the immediate future.
This smaller intimate conference features limited attendance to ensure maximum learning and networking. Speakers will present in a tight setting with the stage centered in the round or in a horseshoe formation. Each session features a gladiator like format with 15 minutes dedicated to speaking and 30 minutes of question and answer from the audience.
Opening Keynote: Voice Search Changes the Game
The opening keynote at xPotomac was provided by Vanessa Fox. Given how much of the current web — social and content marketing included — revolves around search, voice search represents a game changer, especially given mobile use with Siri and Google Voice Search.
Read More »9 Videos on the Digital Future
Google Reader Causes Pivot (and Purge)
Well, the RSS apocolypse is upon us thanks to Google’s planned sunsetting of Reader. Now that my Reader has been scheduled for termination, expect a pivot.
Of course, the sunsetting of Reader disrupts my and many other bloggers’ daily link sharing on Twitter and Google Plus, which causes change. Since xPotomac and SxSW have passed (creating more time), I plan on starting anew, and rebuilding on Feedly and Flipboard with new voices on a wider range of topics.
I go through periods of discontent online. Currently, I’m in one.
Google Author Rank and the Have Nots
Image by Mukumbura
The rush to become officially integrated into the Google Author Rank system or has begun. It’s unfortunate, because Google Authorship forces weighted search rankings that favor popularity and SEO skills over substance.
If content creators want to optimize our chances of being read, what choice do we have but to implement the system? Our search results depend on it.
There have been many blogs about how to implement Google’s Author Rank system, but this isn’t one of them.
In Rome, Do as the Yelpers Do
Thomas Jefferson’s home Monticello, a must-see in Charlottesville
During my winter holiday in Charlottesville, every meal we enjoyed at a restaurant was at a well recommended Yelp venue. Similarly my colleague Chris Pilbeam remarked that every venue he visited on a recent trip was suggested by travelers on TripAdvisor.
I guess the old adage should be revised: When in Rome do as the Yelpers do. After all, 100 million other people are using Yelp, too, and it ranks as a top 40 U.S. website according to Comscore.
All jokes aside, local search marketing now extends well beyond traditional SEO mainstays Google, Yahoo! and Bing.
If you have local business getting reviewed on Foursquare, Yelp!, TripAdvisor, Google+ Local, and perhaps Facebook’s new Nearby service is critical to your success.
Read More »In Rome, Do as the Yelpers Do
How Will Project Glass Impact Marketers?
I will be speaking at xPotomac this February 25. Co-organizer Patrick Ashamalla and I are presenting together on Google Project Glass and augmented reality. Here’s a sneak preview of our session.
Google Project Glass promises to take ubiquitous mobile Internet access and layer unprecedented information into our day-to-day existence. While Google doesn’t like the term augmented reality, wearable computing could move this concept from a geeky work in progress to a breakthrough Internet application.
This glass monocle features a wirelessly connected computer built into it. A half-inch display allows you to take and share photos, chat and access information like calendars and maps on the Web. Bone conducting audio will allow information to transmit without interfering with outside sounds.
Scheduled for release in 2014, Project Glass holds so much promise Apple and Microsoft have competing projects.
Wearable computing empowers two things: Sharing and accessing information anywhere.
Improve Social Search
When you see a strong, social visual interface like Pinterest or Instagram, or even the revitalized Facebook and YouTube interfaces, you realize how far social search has to come. Search engines are generally not visual, don’t port well for sharing to networks, and are closed to commenting.
Google, Bing and Yahoo! index a blend of news and social conversations, but this early concept of social search is pretty stale.
The content presentation and simple link interaction is very 1.0 with text links, and a complete lack of dynamic commenting and sharing.