websense

Google is branching out into entertainment. I mean, why not:
1. They’ve dominated search
2. They are creating the library to end all libraries
3. Google owned YouTube is incredibly popular
4. They have to compete with Apple TV somehow

They’ve got to be getting bored, so why not create a whole new way to insinuate themselves into your life? It sounds pretty good, too:
1. You browse and watch pretty much anything, at any time
2. You can surf the web from your easy chair without having to focus on a small laptop screen
3. It’ll be possible to browse all your flickr and picasa albums on your tv screen
4. Music at your finger tips
5. Tons more stuff, go watch the video:

Commercials?

Oh yeah, there’ll be commercials alright, and I think Google has the concept of mainstream television advertising mixed with the way we approach web marketing down pretty well here.
As an advertiser you’ll have the ability to:
1. Search for a target audience
2. Pick and choose which programs you think will have the best audience for your product, and block those on the channel that you don’t think will work for you.
3. Simple interface for setting up and running and changing ad campaigns
4. You’ll have the ability to test and change campaigns based on analytics.
5. Create your own, ready to air tv ad for Free? That’s what they say.
6. Want more info? Watch the video…

I know the question that is lurking in your brain right now… what’s this gonna do to search? That’s something that we’re all going to be concentrating on pretty hard in the coming weeks and months, especially if this thing looks like it will really take off, and I am hedging bets that it will. Some things to consider:
1. Making sure that your video content, especially, is well optimized. Are your videos being found in search results?
2. Your site, videos, and whatnot looking fantastic will matter more than ever. How will your site look stretched out on a big screen? Is your site “stretchy”? Does it look good in every browser window? This is an important question if this goes big because having search right at your finger tips in a comfortable chair will have most Americans searching this way regularly before too long. A great, functional design will be the best way to make certain your site is ready for whatever GoogleTV brings.
3. How are your results in Google now? If GoogleTV takes off, we’ll be seeing folks use Google more than ever. It will matter more than ever.

Want to sign up for GoogleTV Beta? If you are really determined, Mark Erickson has a tutorial on his site…

So, will you do Google TV? Or are you totally sold on your Apple TV? Or do you just not want Google to have that much information/control over your life?

I’ve been telling you about the Tea Party Movement for months now. A lot of things are starting to happen in our government, in no small part due to the Tea Partiers. The push to vote out incumbents and replace them with folks more willing to do the People’s business, as opposed to the whole special interest, I’ll scratch yours if you’ll scratch mine business.

We are fortunate to have people in our community who are willing to go out and protest unfair taxes and the fact that the government ignores what the people want. I have been to these very respectful, very peaceful protests, and am glad that we have one such group here in Stark County.

Stacy Hoffman, TKG’s HR Coordinator has been volunteering with Stark912 Patriots. Stacy took a little time this weekend to help get the group started with a Social Media campaign. This is something most of the Tea Party groups have taken to quite well, and have been able to utilize for a number of different purposes. Since the Stark group was not quite as familiar with social as some of the other groups across the country might be, Stac was able to run through the basics. If you are part of a Tea Party group, you might want to consider having a meeting and training most of the folks in some of these simple techniques to gain exposure for your group.

1. Get a Twitter account for your group. Tweet pictures of events, meeting times, planned events, and so on. If you have the people in your group Tweet these things, and retweet on their personal Twitter accounts, then you have the ability to really spread the message to a wider population.

2. Create a Facebook page. Many, many people are now on Facebook. Chances are your grandma is on Facebook. It’ll give you the ability to recruit new members, blog in the notes section, share photos of members and events, and provide status updates to ‘fans’ and ‘friends”.

3. Join Ning.com and create a Network for the members of the Group. Ning will soon be a paid service, so you may want to utilize as many of the free applications as possible.

4. Start a YouTube Channel and post videos of your group, especially the protests. People can see for themselves what they are really all about.

5. Create a Digg profile and use it to “Digg” any articles or blog posts written about your group to call attention to any recent or upcoming group activity.

6. If you are a little more ambitious, and have some time to spend, you should consider starting a blog. A blog would allow your group the best ability to hare their views in a more unencumbered way. This would require some creativity, passion and a good deal of time, but the blog could be written by several members of the group. If you do this, be sure to read the blogs of other like minded individuals or groups, commenting often and/or leaving a trackback.

These social media outlets can enable you to grow your grass roots movement in a way that was never possible before. Use them for:
A. recruitment
B. educational purposes
C. update the community
D. inform members of gatherings

If you have an interest in the Stark 912 Patriot Group, you can find them on Twitter @stark912patriots
and on their Ning/Facebook page.

So, I’m guessing some of you spend at least some time watching YouTube, since it just reached it’s highest level of viewers ever! You may be surprised to learn that YouTube is only five years old – doesn’t it seem much longer? Anyway, today YouTube hit Two billion views per day! Two billion – do the math and it seems like people in the industrialized world are doing an awful lot of YouTube viewing, because you know it’s not some isolated African tribal leader running that tally up.

To celebrate YouTube is launching a channel called the Five Year Channel. On it they will be including videos from all over the planet with folks describing how YouTube has changed their lives. No, I am not being sarcastic, they really feel that they have gotten to know how other people live through YouTube. You can even submit your own story for possible display on the site (you, and apparently 2 billion others). It’s kinda cool, so check it out.

Here’s Conan O’Brien’s Currator Video – it’s kinda funny, he had the same thought I did about people spending way too much time on YouTube!

Enjoy!

TKG is sponsoring an event for GetListed.org called “Local University” at the Educational Service Center of Cuyahoga County. GetListed.org is presenting this ‘crash course’ in Internet Marketing to local small business owners. It’s a thrill to work with GetListed, and we’re honored that Northeast Ohio was chosen as a stop on this tour. I’ll be speaking at this event, so I’d love to see you out there. A little about this seminar from the GetListed site:

“Local University is an informative four-hour crash course in the basics of internet marketing–and especially Local Search. It’s largely a beginners’ event that is definitely intended for business owners. Attendees learn Search Engine Optimization tips and techniques that will lead to sustained, long-term search engine rankings–and, hopefully, new customers. ”

They’re taking this around the country, so be sure to find one in your vicinity if you’re not in NE Ohio. This seminar is totally sales pitch free, so no pressure, just come and learn! There will be some very knowledgeable local search experts with strategies for your small business, and it’s only a half day so you can still get some time in at the office before heading home for the day. Sounds good, right?
It’s about to get even better, use the discount code karcher to reduce the already great price to just $79. Can’t beat that, especially when you hear the incredible speakers lined up. So, c’mon, make me, and NE Ohio look good – register for the seminar, and pick up some great ideas for your local small business!

Guest blogger: Megan Jeffery
Get ready, I am about to say something shocking to the SEO world: Despite the fact that many SEOs tout reciprocal linking as worthless, I have never really been convinced of this. I mean, if you look at it logically, how can a link from a worthy and related source, and a link back from your site be a bad thing? Worst case scenario is that you pass along a little link juice, and in the end, you probably “break even” as far as that goes.

I contend that yes, perhaps it is not in your best interest to actively pursue recips, after all, no one is going to answer your emails anyway. However, in this new world where blogging and commenting has taken hold, it is natural that relationships between site owners will develop. They are going to link to one another (BLOGROLL!). This is a reciprocal link, and usually a valid one, as most people don’t put links on a blogroll that are completely unrelated.

It’s really all about relationships, of the human, rather than bot variety. If you link to a site, make sure you value the site. If you develop a relationship with the site, site owner, etc., then your link to them will be appreciated, and perhaps, one day reciprocated. This all goes back to the concept of tribalization…it’s more about building a community with other trusted sites and bloggers.

Anyway, I ran across an older article that lays it all on the line. I have also recently come across this dissenting post. The author makes some salient points. Pretty interesting reading. Check it out, I’d love to hear your thoughts.