Great read, and brings up a few questions that I want to muse about here.

The free market enterprise assumes a number of things including: 1) People are free to criticize Google (the industry giant) and come up with better ways to exceed them, 2) Google is free to create competitive advantages and make money off of them, 3) those who cannot innovate will be left by the wayside when ideas change.

Google has unrolled their Local services and search results that end up preying off of the very web sites that give them the information in the first place (and who are ironically following their rules).

Take a read of Micheal's post linked above and you can see documentation of how Google is stealing traffic from web sites. When you type search parameters you are now receiving full information on results ranging from reviews to phone numbers. Really, no need to visit the web site at all if Google sums it up so well. Props to Google, unfortunately for the web site in questions they profit off of this move since they keep traffic that would otherwise head to your web site.

Some thoughts on the move: 1) Some web sites won't care. Why? Because regardless of whether or not someone visited the web site, action took place. In his case, he still ended up visiting the restaurant and having a meal, the restaurant doesn't care either way so long as they get the foot traffic. (I'm not going to discuss the implications this has on brand recognition which is a bigger deal.)

2) When reviews are present, and when they [Google] summarize other web sites that have gone through great lengths to create quality that content for reviews, searchers don't visit the review web site because the information is available and consumable quickly in Google's format.

That means a) the web sites that made the content and who followed Google's rules (by making a nice content rich web site), lose profit from visitors usurped by Google who makes cash by keeping and targeting Google ads to those users, and b) the web sites, as a result of the free market enterprise, need to innovate beyond how they offer what is essentially a glorified directory.

Yes Google is profiting off of web sites with great content and they have a right to do so. It just means it's time for the web sites being 'preyed' upon to kick the can or figure out a different way to attract visitors. It stinks, but such is the temporary life of the net.

Thoughts: Is Google Stealing and Hijacking Your Traffic? is a post from: Distinct SEO Calgary

Coaching is more than training, although that's a heavy component. Apart from training, a coach will help you work your way through marketing challenges and guide you towards profitable solutions. Coaches offer valuable insight on past experiences that can benefit your future strategies and tactics. Coaches also ensure you get the best education in your learning experience that's tuned to your specific business needs and insights.

Contact us for more information on this opportunity, space is limited.

Distinct SEO Launches Web Marketing Coaching Service is a post from: Distinct SEO Calgary

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/managing/leadership-in-the-postmodern-age/article1436737/

Those working in the marketing field should already be engaging in postmodern issues if they have any business dealing with 0-35 year olds. If you haven't, then you're again, behind the times, and will slowly face a decline in your capabilities if you don't adjust your perspectives.

Post Modernism in Business and Marketing is a post from: Distinct SEO Calgary

But how are these tools being used to mobilize networks into action?

To those who have not participated in social media and new media technologies, Haiti has revealed a whole new world.

In the days after the catastrophe news sources came from social media web sites like Twitter and youtube. Not only that, but as aid agencies started to unveil relief plans, they started to attract more attention because they were using social media outlets.

For example, the Red Cross would attract very little attention if there weren't disasters around the globe. The fact they were capable of engaging in social media, they had a voice and people had an outlet to get news and to offer support. Millions of dollars have been donated through Twitter and the web and that tab is only increasing. If the Red Cross (And others) were not available to capture this network searching for information and outlets, those millions of dollars likely would have not been given.

How are you mobilizing networks around your target market? Are you even participating in the communities and technologies that give them life/voice?

Within days of the Haiti event text messaging took on a new form as well. Phone companies banded together with aid agencies and released information on how you could DONATE via text. Instead of visiting the Red Cross, mailing a cheque, or visiting the web site, you could INSTANTLY participate by offering a donation, albeit in $5 increments, to help. Millions again were donated within days, and again, that's millions of dollars that would probably be otherwise unrealised.

So the question you must ask yourself is where is your business situated on the adoption curve of technology? If you're just figuring out Facebook you're a laggard. If you're just coming into Twitter, then you're a late adopter. If you're just coming into text messaging then you're way off the chart (in a bad way.)

I'm not suggesting that it's imperative to use these items in order to survive. But to survive in a marketplace you need to be able to speak the language, and if you're not engaged in some of the basic elements of social media then potential customers won't be able to find you if they're looking (nor will they bother to try to look for you).

Haiti has taught us concretely that new media technology and networks can be used effectively to capture voices and dollars, and to do so exceptionally fast. How are connected?

What Haiti Teaches Us About Social Media is a post from: Distinct SEO Calgary

The latest working BOTW (Best of the Web) discount code for the month of January, 2010 is: NEWYR.

Use the following promo code by following this link and when prompted using the BOTW Coupon promo code: NEWYR

This new code is only good for the month of January and you MUST follow the link below. This BOTW discount offers business owners the BOTW Bundled Submission which combines a Local Premium Listing with a Web Directory Listing at 20% off!!

You can use the special promo code and take advantage of a web directory listing and a dedicated page about your business on BOTW Local for half price! 20% off the already discounted price makes this an offer you can't afford to miss.

Simply use the following promo code by following this link and when prompted using the BOTW Coupon promo code: NEWYR

Current working coupon for BOTW.org: NEWYR.

Directory Submissions - Save on both the annually recurring and/or the one-time review fee.
Blog Directory Submissions - Save on the one-time review fee for blogs.
Monthly Sponsorship Ads - Discount the monthly rate for all new sponsorship ads.
Blog Advertising - Discount the monthly rate for all new sponsorship ads in the Blog Directory.
Bundled Marketing Package - Get your US Business listed in BOTH the Web Directory and BOTW Local for a fraction of the cost.  Save 20% on the yearly fee!
Premium Local Listings - Discount the monthly and annual rate for your Local Business Profile listing.

Submit to BOTW's directory options and save this month, enjoy

20% Off Coupon for BOTW – Promo Code BOTW Discount is a post from: Distinct SEO Calgary

Technorati Tags: best of the web coupons, botw, botw coupon, botw coupons, botw discount, botw discounts

Distinct SEO has long offered an introductory SEO Training program that is conducted primarily over the phone in a two hour session. We can teach you the foundational elements on how to build a successful web site according to the latest SEO standards.

If you live in the Calgary area then you have the opportunity to enroll in our training program and at no extra cost we can connect at your place of business, a coffee shop near you, or in a space provided by Distinct SEO.

Take advantage of our training program and learn the foundational elements of SEO and how you can propel your business to the next level of sales and exposure.

Corporate clients are not left out of the dark either, Distinct SEO is capable of training a your IT and/or marketing department with the necessary tools to propel your brand and web site to prominence in your target market. Get in touch for details on our program and topics covered.

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SEO Training in Calgary is a post from: Distinct SEO Calgary

-B

Distinct SEO Inc Hits Twitter is a post from: Distinct SEO Calgary

This tiny faith based organization called calgarychurch.ca wanted to rank for some basic terms like 'calgary church'. Makes sense. We did a few things and they did their part to write frequently. What we've seen in results is pretty encouraging. Without any web marketing budget, just through writing and some local links, the site is now 2nd (as of Dec 18th, 2009) behind the city web site on local churches.

Not bad. What does this highlight about faith based markets?

It leads us to the conclusion that we've seen in the past: faith-based markets are exceptionally easy to rank for.

There is no reason why other churches couldn't implement the same basic adjustment this brand new web site web through--but alas we've found that non-profit organizations tend to be slow when it comes to accepting new technologies, and pretty much non-existent when it comes to innovation.

I would encourage all non-profits to embrace new mediums to connect with potential new eyes, and to figure out unique ways to communicate their message within the medium. It's not as hard as you'd think.

Distinct SEO routinely offers sizable consulting rate discounts for non-profits. Contact us for more information.

The Ease of Faith-Based Rankings is a post from: Distinct SEO Calgary

The Title Element (<title></title>) should be unique, concise, and include keyword data about the ensuing page for users and search engines alike. That is the single most important factor that you can do to your web site to help it rank higher in the search engines.

It also helps users comprehend what the content is on your web site quickly. But that's not all, if you have quality titles, you should also have quality header/titles WITHIN the web site as well. That means insert headers that are clear, concise, and enticing for users in the actual content of the page as well.

Entice users with clarity and interesting titles. It's the most important aspect to make or break great content.

The Most Important Factor to Help You Rank Is…..? is a post from: Distinct SEO Calgary

Free Book of Big Ideas is a post from: Distinct SEO Calgary