Archives for August 2006

Interview with PRWeb CEO David McInnis

PRWeb is best known for being in the news distribution business. With the acquisition by public relations software firm Vocus last week, PRWeb has bumped up it’s own presence in the news. During the Search Engine Strategies conference in San Jose last week, I had the opportunity to talk to PRWeb CEO, David McInnis about the Vocus acquisition and what lies ahead for PRWeb.
What prompted the acquisition?

Lee, I will probably blog about this more in depth this week on the PRWeb blog. We have been talking with Vocus for well over a year now. The timing was not right until recently for a few reasons. First, I felt that I had a lot left to accomplish (read try) with PRWeb before I handed the reigns over to someone else. I wanted to do these things on my own to see if I could execute a few new enhancements on my own dime and vision. In the last year alone we have really changed the practice of PR.

Interview with PRWeb CEO David McInnis

How Often Should One Post?

When creating a new blog, one of the questions that comes up a lot is, how often should I post? Where there is no definite answer, once a day or every other day is good, but exceptions always apply.

Some blogs I read post every day. The posts are usually shorter and quick to read. They give just enough information to keep me interested without giving so much information that I need to take 10 minutes out of my day to read the post. This is a great way for a beginner to start off. Creating shorter, simpler posts are much easier than working out a long, in-depth post.

How Often Should One Post?

Yahoo’s Terry Semel on Google, YouTube and MySpace

Fortune Magazine posted an interview with Yahoo CEO, Terry Semel today with questions about Yahoo’s mater plan, and Yahoo vs Google: “…just being really good at one thing may not be enough.”

It’s tempting for mainstream media to compare Yahoo and Google but I don’t think most people do. At least not head to head. When I want to search, I do think of Google first. But when I want to use maps, or web based email, or instant messaging I use Yahoo. I also use Flickr a lot, but I don’t necessarily associate it with the Yahoo brand. Yahoo is getting some traction with Answers, but it’s delay with Panama isn’t doing the stock any favors.
Full article.

Yahoo’s Terry Semel on Google, YouTube and MySpace

Keyword Tool Based on Leaked AOL Logs

There’s a new keyword tool called AOL Keyword Analyzer that has been posted based on the full dataset of the recently leaked AOL search data. The tool claims:

“First tool on the web as far as I know that allows you to view what keywords a site receives in search engine traffic.”

“First time you can see how much organic traffic every site gets from a search engine.”

“First opportunity the public can see how many clicks individual SERPs get.”

You can view the most popular sites and also the most popular phrases. The most popular sites can also be segmented by top level domain such as .org, .edu, .gov (think link research) as well as .com, .net and coutry specific domains.

Keyword Tool Based on Leaked AOL Logs

Finding Google Secrets

Phillip Lessen at Google Blogscoped has a guest post by Tony Ruscoe explaining how to find new Google services, considerations for documenting the services you’ve found and what to do once you’ve found a new Google service. (or new service from any engine for that matter).

What a challenge this must be for Google PR. One the one hand, you want to keep things from prying eyes until they are ready to be announced. And on the other hand, there’s such an enthusiastic audience, you barely have to lift a finger to get coverage.

Here’s a link to the full article.

Finding Google Secrets

SES San Jose Videos Part 2

Here are a few more videos from Search Engine Strategies San Jose. Matt Bailey – SiteLogic, Andy Beal – Marketing Pilgrim and a short clip from Danny Sullivan’s talk with Google CEO Eric Schmidt. You can listen to the full discussion over at WebmasterRadio.FM.

Matt Bailey in between sessions talks about wookiepedia. I had no idea Matt was a Star Wars fan. 🙂

Andy Beal before the Ask.com blogger dinner talks about the “lunatic fringe” of search marketing.

And here’s a short clip of Danny Sullivan and Google CEO Eric Schmidt answering a question from the audience about whether Google will start allowing users to monetize the use of their own clickstream data.

SES San Jose Videos Part 2

Marketing with Social Media

This is actually the first session that I covered at the San Jose Search Engine Strategies conference, but I did not get a chance to clean up my notes and post until now. It was a good session about a topic that is very close to the consulting practice of our PR and marketing agency.

Part of the ClickZ track, this session was moderated by Rebecca Lieb and included Gary Stein of Ammo Marketing, Scott Meyer of About.com, Hans Peter Brondmo of Plum, a new social networking service and Brian Monahan from IPG.

First up is Gary Stein who introduces the notion of “clique-through”, which means to use social media to spread your message deep but not wide. The “clique-through” approach is to get specific segments to adopt a particular message. It offers more long term value than the “lightning in a bottle” associated with buzz marketing.

Marketing with Social Media

SES San Jose Videos

After hearing at several sessions and in the media about the rise of online video, I decided to try something different here at SES San Jose. Armed with a slick Sony Cybershot camera that takes decent video, I’ve started to ask people what they think of this year’s SES San Jose conference. These are very short clips, 30 seconds to 1 min, but provide an interesting view of the people at the conference on what’s happening and what they think.

Here’s one with Barry Schwartz of Search Engine Roundtable in the conference Press Room:

Here is another with Jim Boykin of WeBuildPages at the Google Dance:

And another with Mike McDonald of WebProNews.

SES San Jose Videos

Google Dance V Photos

I was able to take a good number of photos at the Google Dance last night as well as a bit of video. Here are some of my favorites.

Waiting for the bus to the Google Dance

Googleplex

Danny Sullivan

Volleyball at the Googleplex

Green Screen Karaoke

Robot Wars

Ice Cream

Google Cafe

The Band

Lee Odden and Matt Cutts in a white hat

Goodbye!

You can see all or most of them on Flickr using the tag, “googledance“. Thanks Google!

Google Dance V Photos

Get Ready for the Google Dance

The Google Dance is getting started and I’m leaving in a few minutes. According to Google, here’s what to expect:

Join the Meet the Engineers forum and come face to face with the people who make it all happen – Google Engineers
Eat great food prepared by the Google Kitchen
Socialize and network with industry peers
Listen to cool sounds coming from our own Google DJ’s, as well as enjoy some live music in Club G
Have fun in the Google Labs technology playground area, where you’ll be able to meet people who work on our products
Make your own Google Doodle
Eat ice cream – lots of ice cream
Karaoke
Put on the newest t-shirt in your collection

Get Ready for the Google Dance

Press Release Optimization and Blogger Relations

This session moderated by Andrew Goodman of Page Zero Media, is near and dear as press release optimization and online PR are big pieces of TopRank’s internet marketing consulting practice. This session included: Greg Jarboe from SEO PR, Sally Falkow of Expansion Plus, and Nan Dawkins of Red Boots Consulting.

First up is Greg Jarboe of SEO-PR who starts off by relating a metaphor for press release optimization as a shortcut. People initially looked at news search SEO as a shortcut tactic into search results. But the search engines have devalued links within press releases. However, there are opportunities and they are not shortcuts.

Classic model of communications was Pavlovian. “Who says what in what channel to whom with what effect?”

Press Release Optimization and Blogger Relations

SES San Jose Exhibit Hall Photos

I have to say, when I walked into the exhibit hall this am for a quick look, I was impressed! Lots of space and lots of exhibitors. Incisive Media has done a bang up job. Here are a few candids:

Google Booth