SEO Expertise

In a business context social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others act as electronic word of mouth. It has always been the case that businesses that ignore word of mouth do so at their peril. This is also true of social media.

Social media sites can be loosely grouped into three types: broadcasting, narrowcasting and filtering. There is naturally a little overlap from each to the other. This overlap is the social glue that gives social media the personal connection.

How do you know a site is a social site? If there is any kind of a member or user or some other kind of identity then the site is social.

Social Media Types Defined

Broadcasting – any site where the primary purpose is to broadcast content to the widest possible audience. Social interactions are not the primary focus. For instance the primary purpose of YouTube is to broadcast video. YouTube also has user profiles and channels where like minded users can subscribe to content they like.

Narrowcasting – any site that has in some way limited either the size of the audience or what the audience has access too. Any site that has a limited profile can be classed as narrowcasting. Social interactions are expected on these sites. Access to a member’s content is in some way limited. The primary purpose of Facebook is to provide ambient intimacy for people that know each other. Some of the content shared on Facebook becomes public but not all.

Filtering – these are sites that either group, limit, or provide some other means of filtering content. Yahoo started out as a filtering site. When launched it was a hand edited bookmark list. This was of great value. There are social sites now that allow their users to create lists and links to content they like. These lists act as filters either based on the personality of the list creator or on a specific subject that grouped together via an internal search mechanism.

Examples of Social Media Sites

In the last month I’ve been presented with a half dozen projects that all go something like this: “we’ve just completed our site can you add some keywords to make it SEO”. Some of these requests have come from a client that I’ve done a number of projects for. In every project I’ve done for them I tell them that trying to shove SEO in at the end of the project is the wrong way to go. Every project should start with SEO!

If you understand nothing about SEO you should come to understand this – SEO cannot create demand. The best you can hope for is that you get found in the places that people are already going. This can be a search engine or the search tool in a social media site. Search only helps you find people that are already searching. That’s one of the great things about search marketing. You are marketing to people that are predisposed to your message.

I’ve never liked describing myself as a search consultant. It is certainly what I do and it is what my prospective clients understand but I do more than that. The work I do to help a site get found in a search engine can and will help drive traffic that wasn’t necessarily participating in a search. I might get my client mentioned in an article that drives visits from people there were not looking to solve a problem. You can’t get the kind of traffic by simply stuffing keywords into content that has already been produced.

In order to maximize the return when you hire a search consultant you need to engage the consultant before you build your site or even before you think of your website strategy.   Your search strategy should be the foundation of your website not the window dressing.

When I first started using Twitter I used Twitpic to send pictures from my phone.   It was a very handy, easy way to upload pictures.  I already had a Flickr account and wanted to find a way to post my pictures to my existing picture library.  After a little investigating I found out how to send pictures from Flickr to Twitter.  Now when I want to send a picture to Twitter I just email it to my Flickr account and presto is shows up on Twitter and in my Flickr Stream.

The following is a simple comparison between the two services.  Some of the functionality on Flickr is available after you’ve uploaded the picture.

I might have missed a feature or two.  Feel free to let me know if I have.

Fullsize
Comments
Tags
Email to Twitter
Friends
Submit to Groups
Editable Title
Editable Description
Long Descriptions
HTML in Descriptions
Image Editing
Enhanced Stats	(pro version)

There was a time when the search engine results page that you saw was the same SERP that I saw. That changed a couple of years ago with personalized search. The results Google would show you would changed based on your web history. Visit your company site more often and that page would start to show up at the top of the listings, for YOU.

The variation in search engine results pages meant that you couldn’t be sure how well your site was being ranked. I never subscribed to the “be number one for your keyword” mentality. Sure it’s important to rank well but I”d rather focus helping you generate more sales by getting more qualified visitors to your site. Yes, sometimes that means ranking well for a popular search term but your ranking in the SERPs does indicate how well your site is doing.

Up until a few days ago if you wanted to wanted to see the results without customizations you simply logged out of your Google account. That is no longer the case. Google now customizes searches for everyone regardless of whether you are signed in or not. You can still see the search results without customizations by clicking on the “view customizations” link. From that page you can view “without these improvements”.

view customizations

Search marketing just got a bit harder. It will be more difficult for you to overcome the inertia created by the the preferences of your client if you are not already well placed in the SERP. Once your client finds the site they like unseating the incumbent will be much harder. It might be time to invest in Google Adwords in order to get your ad in front of your clients.