Are you credible? Do you have the knowledge and expertise on the topic for which you are trying to be influential? TSN Hockey analyst Bob McKenzie has an enormous influence on hockey fans through his Twitter account (with over 209,000 followers), blog and TV programs. Why? Because for the last 25 years, MacKenzie has lived and breathed hockey at every level in all corners of the earth. He is extremely credible on his topic of influence, hockey.

Trust

How much will you trust someone you’ve never met in person? Would you ever buy a product because someone online told you to? Gary Vaynerchuk is a great example of someone who has used a transparency and honesty to develop a strong level of trust among his followers. Vaynerchuk is well known for his video podcast “Wine Library TV” which featured weekly episodes in which he would sit behind a table and reviews wines. Vaynerchuk’s honest and laid back style during these episodes gained him a large following and turned him into one of the most influential wine reviewers in the world.

Relevance

Are you giving your audience what they are looking for? A lot of people fail to achieve a great deal of influence becuase they miss the target here – their audience is misaligned and their message is all over the map. I am a reader Avinash Kaushik‘s blog – he is influential on me. Why? Becuase he blogs about analytics. That’s it. That’s why I follow him, and that’s what I expect to read when he writes a new post. If one day he decided to blog about horse racing, I would be confused and I would leave. Relevance is huge.

Timing

Timing is key. Can you deliver your message to your audience in a timely fashion? Sometimes being timely can make or break your influence with a certain audience. I rarely use the same example twice in one blog post, but this is an exeption. I’m going to use Bob MacKenzie again for this one. He is always the first one to report anything hockey – a trade, suspension, a healthy scratch, what Daniel Alfredsson is having for lunch…okay maybe not that much, but his ability to report detailed hockey news in an extremely timely fashion is staggering – and one of the main reasons I follow him religiously on Twitter.

Alignment

Are you in the right place? Aligning your message with your target audience is one of the most overlooked aspects of building influence.  Should you be using Twitter? LinkedIn? Google +? Take Justin Bieber for example. He went from a simple teenager in a small Canadian town to one of the World’s most famous and influential pop stars by using YouTube. His target audience (probably 95% teenage girls) are heavy users of the video sharing site. He is the perfect example of gaining influence through strategic alignment.

Measuring your Influence

So how much influence do you actually have? Who do you influence? What topics are you influencial on? Well there are a few free tools out there that help you determine your online influence. The most well known is probably Klout. If you haven’t heard of Klout, here is how they describe themselves:

The Klout Score measures influence based on your ability to drive action. Every time you create content or engage you influence others. The Klout Score uses data from social networks in order to measure: True Reach (how many people you influence), Amplification (how much you influence them) and Network Impact (the influence of your network). 

So first of all, Klout will give you an overall score – mine is 54. Secondly, they provide you with a Klout Style – I am a specialist – meaning that I am “not necessarily a celebrity, but within my area of expertise my opinion is second to none. My content is likely focused around a specific topic or industry with a focused, highly-engaged audience.”

Klout then breaks down individual scores for the three aforementioned elements: True Reach, Amplification and Network Impact. They also provide a list of topics for which you are influential. Apparently, within my network, I am influential about Small Business, Media, Beer, Ottawa, Facebook and SmartPhones. I can then break it down even further. I can see which specific people I influence the most, and on which topics. Similarly, I can see who influences me the most, and on which topics. For example, my biggest influencer is Chris Brogan, and he influences me on Blogging, Social Media and Marketing.

Understanding your influence is key to Social Media success. Are you in the right place? Are you influencing who you want to be? Are you missing the mark? Tracking my Klout score has personally helped me fill in the gaps where I am missing out, and realign my Social Media strategy.

How will you become influential using Social Media?

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The Importance of Social Media Influence is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

Guest Post by James Katz

Let’s start with some interesting news about imminent changes that will affect how Canada’s dot-ca Internet registry system is administered.

It has recently been announced that the rules governing disputes over confusingly similar dot-ca domain names will change, effective August 22, 2011. The goal of these changes that the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) will be implementing is to bring CIRA’s policy in line with what has already been in place in those registry systems governed by ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) for many years.

For those Internet domain owners who have never heard of CIRA or ICANN, or their dispute resolution policies, then a quick review is in order. Essentially, both CIRA and ICANN are non-profit organizations that were set up to control the “unique identifiers” used on the Internet that are commonly called domain names. As mentioned above, CIRA was set up in Canada to control the domain names used in the dot-ca registry system. ICANN’s mandate is much larger, covering the dot-com, dot-org, dot-net, dot-info, dot-biz and other registry systems. Both CIRA and ICANN have dispute resolution policies in place that can be used by domain name registrants (or those that would like to block the use and registration of a domain name) to quickly and (compared to court proceedings) cost effectively seek either the transfer or the cancellation of domain names that are confusingly similar to trade-marks owned by complainants and which are registered in “bad faith”. CIRA’s policy, which is called the CDRP (Complaint Dispute Resolution Policy), had been in effect since 2002. ICANN’s policy, which is called the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP), had been in effect since 1998. Under either policy, a complainant, who is the owner of a trade-mark, can apply to CIRA or ICANN to have a domain name that is confusingly similar to its trade-mark either cancelled or transferred to it, upon the complainant establishing that the registrant registered the domain name in “bad faith”.

Although both dispute resolution policies were similar in scope and language, the major difference between the CDRP and UDRP was in their respective definitions of what constituted registering a domain name in “bad faith”. While the UDRP policy defined that term in a non-exhaustive manner (in other words, these factors can be expanded over time), the CDRP’s definition of “bad faith” consisted of a list of exhaustive factors. Essentially, under the CDRP, “bad faith” registration of a domain name only occurred when a) the registrant acquired the domain name in order to sell it back to the complainant (the legitimate owner of a trade-mark which the domain name in question is confusingly similar to) at a profit; b) the registrant, as part of a pattern of registering domain names, has done so in order to prevent trade-mark owners from obtaining those domain names; or c) the Registrant obtained the domain name primarily to disrupt the business of the complainant.

Although the goal of defining “bad faith” in this restrictive fashion by CIRA was ostensibly to limit the application of the CDRP to cases of classic cyber squatting (that is, the purchase of a domain name consisting of a trade-mark or trade-name that the registrant then wanted to sell back to the respective trade-mark or trade-name owner for a profit), the narrow scope of this “bad faith” definition saw many legitimate rights holders failing to have these confusingly similar domain names cancelled or transferred to their rightful owners.

Therefore, under the amended CDRP that will come into force later this month, those criteria constituting “bad faith” registration of a domain name (listed above) can be considered, but without limitation to other possible circumstances where bad faith can be proven to exist. In other words, it will be up to those interpreting the CDRP (an arbitration panel) to consider and expand the definition of “bad faith” on a case-by-case basis, much as courts in Canada do with the common law. In fact, the new CDRP also lists an independent forth criteria for establishing bad faith registration, and that is when a registrant obtains a domain name in order to direct Internet traffic to it (for commercial gain) by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainant’s trade-mark. The full version of the new CDRP that will come into force this month can be found online.

This latest criterion for establishing bad faith registration, which more closely mirrors what also constitutes trade-mark infringement in Canadian law, appears to have been directed at what, for trade-mark owners, was the most vexing problem with the soon to be defunct version of the CDRP: the misuse of a trade-mark, in the form of a domain name, that did not constitute traditional cyber-squatting, simply because the registrant was in fact using the domain name to run its own business (which was often considered good faith use by the registrant) and that use of the domain name didn’t “disrupt” (that is, didn’t cause direct interference with) the business of the complainant.

Based on the UDRP experience, the revamped CDRP will almost certainly lead to increased rights for trade-mark owners in cyber-space, as new criteria for establishing bad faith domain name registrations come into existence. For example (and this is an expansion of the definition of “bad faith” that I would like to see, and which has already occurred under the UDRP system), complainants who have trade-mark rights may now be able to stop registrants from using confusingly similar domain names which direct traffic away from the complainant’s own website in order to defame the complainant’s business or products, an occurrence that I have seen far too often in my practice.

Domain name owners in the dot-ca system should therefore be aware that due to this broadened test, brand owners will be policing dot-ca domains more closely, in an effort to further control their brand identities. Conversely, dot-ca domain owners, or those that will be purchasing such domains in the future, should do their due diligence before investing countless hours branding a website, because they may be forced by CIRA to relocate their web presence (losing customers and client contact in the process) at a later time.

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Domain Name Dispute Resolution Set to Change for dot-Ca Domains is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

1. Mobile
   The emergence of smart phones has changed the way we surf the web. People are now posting updates to Facebook or Tweeting via their BlackBerry and iPhone. Now that users can access Social Networks from anywhere, their time on these sites is bound to increase. With this trend emerging we will begin to see an influx of Location-Based Services, deals and GPS based applications on Social Networks.

2. Location-Based Services
   Without mobile, we wouldn’t have Location-Based Services. I wrote a post earlier this year about the emergence of Location-Based Services such as Foursquare, Gowalla and SCVNGR. Despite all the hype, they are still quite a niche – but with the growing popularity of smart phones in 2010, these services will boom in 2011. And it’s not just these sites specifically – other dominant Social Media sites have added location services to their lineup. For example, Facebook Places. In 2011 more people will check in to more locations more often. Count on it.

3. Video
   Everybody loves video. It’s engaging, entertaining and easy. People are lazy. They would much rather watch a 5 minute video on YouTube than read a page long blog post. Generally when you think of video in terms of Social Media, you instantly think of YouTube, right? Well, YouTube is here to stay, that’s for sure. But how are people finding these videos? Well, Google dominates of course, referring more traffic to video that any other source. But there is a new number 2 in town: Facebook. And they’re gaining ground fast.

4. Group Buying and Deals
   I’m sure by now you’ve heard of Groupon. And LivingSocial , Social Buy and BuyWithMe. While Groupon owns this sector of the industry, with a 79% market share, Group Buying is on the rise. And guess who’s jumping on board? Facebook. They recently introduced Facebook Deals, which incorporates both Location-Based Services and Group Buying into one application. There are 4 different types of Deals that Facebook offers. But the Friend Deal is the most important one here. With Friend Deals you can decide to offer a deal to people who visit your business with 5 other friends, for example. By setting a friend number minimum, it encourages more people to visit your business. Expect Groupon, Facebook Deals, and other Group Buying sites to take off in 2011.

5. Social Gaming
   Not unlike videos, people love games. It started when we were kids playing Duck Duck Goose and Red Rover on the playground. As we grew up we played Monopoly and Trouble, and as we entered the 2000′s many gaming websites gained popularity bringing back old arcade favourites PacMan and Tetris. Recently however, these games have gone Social, and are now available on sites such as Facebook. Farmville proved to be among the most addictive as it became blame for hours of procrastination. Now you can play pretty much anything on Facebook, from Wheel of Fortune to Snake. But in 2011, I predict that businesses will use games on Social sites as a marketing tool – not unlike MacDonald’s famous Monopoly game. Create a game, get people hooked, and you get traffic to your site. Gaming will be huge in 2011.

6. Social CRM
   Originally, businesses used Social Media as an outlet to market to their audience. But as the industry grew and evolved, so did the way that businesses interact with their consumers. Now it is not only a platform to market, but also to engage, monitor, listen and help. Social Media is not just marketing anymore. It’s customer service, PR, customer relationship management and a forum to generate ideas and solve problems. Don’t shout. Listen. Ask. Engage. Solve Problems. That will be key in 2011.

   Think about the old system. You buy a product and you are unhappy, so you call customer service. Your blood boils as you sit on hold for 25 minutes. Finally somebody picks up, and if you’re lucky, your problem gets solved. This conversation usually stays between yourself and the customer service representative. And then maybe you tell 2 or 3 friends about your discouraging experience. But now we have Social Media – an open forum – complete transparency. Say you post a negative review on Twitter or Facebook. Most old school marketers would freak out – thousands, or even millions of people can see this! What a nightmare! No. It can be a blessing. Fix the problem for one person, and show millions of others that you care, and that you are willing to help. It’s easy and effective. 2011 is about Social Customer Relationship Management.

7. Monitoring Made Easier
   Monitoring has always been a key issue when it comes to Social Media. Over the past few years, Social Media Monitoring tools such as Radian 6 have allowed businesses to track everything that is being said about their brand and products online including the source, sentiment of the posts and frequency. It is truly amazing the advancements that have been made. Unfortunately, many small businesses don’t have the budget for Social Media monitoring. So what have the Social Networks done? Integrated monitoring and tracking into their sites. Facebook has an incredibly detailed Insights available for administrators of Pages. YouTube also offers Insights that show views, location, demographics and likes. Even set yourself up with Google Alerts. All of these are free, easy and effective. Monitoring your brand doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. Expect more monitoring services integrated into Social Media sites in 2011.

8. Social SEO
   We’ve all heard time and time again about how important it is to optimize your website, and blog for Search. But what about getting found for your Social Media profiles. Can potential fans and customers find your Page on Facebook? Or your Channel on YouTube? With so much emphasis on being present in Social Media, getting found there will become increasingly important. Search Engines will improve their ability to crawl and index Social Sites, and similarly, companies will begin to do a better job of optimizing their Social profiles. Social SEO will be a huge trend in 2011.

9. Social Good
   Earlier this year I wrote a post about Social Good which explored how Social Media can be used to make the World a better place. We saw this trend grow immensely in 2010 with Social Media driven charitable efforts such as Blog Action Day and Movember taking center stage and making headlines. Look for more charities using Social Media to raise awareness, recruit volunteers and drive donations in 2011.

10. Audience has the Control
    You can no longer ignore Social Media. As much as you may want to avoid creating a Facebook Page, or a Twitter account, you must. Traditional marketers will tell you that they control the consumer. Ever seen an episode of Mad Men? The show examines the lives of powerful Ad men in New York City in the 1960′s. Back in those days, they would have a product, and just tell you that you wanted – no, needed it – and it worked. Well, consumers are a lot smarter these days. Marketers need to work hard to gain the trust, respect and loyalty of these elusive customers. So if you want to turn a blind eye to Social Media, you’re signing your own death certificate. If you don’t manage your brand online, others will. That’s playing with fire.

11. Facebook remains King, MySpace slowly dies
    Conventional wisdom tells us that Facebook will remain atop the Social Media kingdom. They have everything. 500 million users, profiles, pages, photos, videos, messaging, chat, places, deals – and even a movie. Once they tighten up their privacy issues, they will be golden. MySpace on the other hand is in decline. The once Social Media champion has plummeted year after year as Facebook took over. Even with their acquisition of music sharing site iMeem last year, MySpace will fall further off the radar in 2011.

There you have it – our 11 Social Media predictions for 2011. Are there any trends that you think will take off in 2011? Let us know!

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11 Social Media Predictions for 2011 is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

Sometimes the job of a Search Strategist (SEO) is more like a Search Detective. Having said that, we just solved “The Case of the Stolen Identity”. Yes – this does happen. Recently, an Ottawa business became an online victim of a local competitor (not only in the same industry but also located in exact same area of Ottawa). This new client not only lost business but during this ordeal, their brand took a real beating. In terms of their search ranking, we are still working on it.

So…. enough of the horror stories (let’s keep that for Halloween).

What can you do? Be prepared!

Solution: Google AdWords Campaign

It is simple. It is cost-efficient. And…. if you only run one Google AdWords campaign, we recommend this one.

Campaign Checklist

Campaign Name: Brand Protection
AdWords Format: Text Ads
Network: Search
Keywords: Your company name – and variations (including misspellings & typos). Also include your branded products (if applicable). If you are a business owner, you may wish to bid on your name as well.
Ad Copy: Description of your services or products.
Destination URL: Home page
Location Targeting: Your service area
Language(s): English and/or French (if both you will require two campaigns)
Devices: Select all (includes computers as well as mobile devices)

Brand Protection Ad Example

For those with a limited budget, you can set up the campaign and keep it on pause. Active if needed.

And… if you have never used Google AdWords, they are currently offering $75 free advertising for Canadians. Check it out today. You have nothing to lose – and only something to gain.

Remember: Never overlook the importance of managing your business reputation on the Internet.

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Google AdWords: Disaster Recovery Plan is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

The Art of Marketing is a conference that features 6 World renowned best-selling authors – Mitch Joel, Seth Godin, Avinash Kaushik, Max Lenderman, Andy Nulman and Jeffrey Gitomer – who shared a blend of inspirational, forward thinking, real-world marketing stories, tips, ideas and issues. The day on a whole was exhausting – in a good way. Hundreds of eager marketers filled a large conference room at the Palais des Congrès in downtown Montreal. Ron Tite, the host of the day’s event hops up on stage, full of energy and humor. After he welcomes the crowd, he introduces the first of six speakers – Mitch Joel.

Mitch Joel

Author of the best-selling book Six Pixels of Separation, Mitch Joel is a marketing genius and a member of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40. Joel addressed several new marketing issues faced by organizations and how digital marketing and Social Media are changing the game. Joel shared numerous mind-blowing stats with the crowd, who “ooh-ed” and “aah-ed”. The one that stood out the most to me was that 20% of searches made daily on Google have never been made before. He went on to discuss the demographics of major Social Networks. Joel says that there are more grandparents than High School students on Facebook, and half of YouTube‘s audience is over 34 years old. He stressed that understanding your audience is key. Know who they are, and target them in the right places. “Stop marketing, start publishing” he preaches. People get hung up on the little things and over-complicate their marketing efforts. He explains how a negative review online more often than not leads to sales. Why? People appreciate transparency and authenticity.  “So, what’s the secret?” Joel asks. “Just word hard and be nice to people.” It’s as simple as that.

Seth Godin

After a short networking break, the day continues with super-marketer Seth Godin. Author of numerous best-sellers including The Dip and Purple Cow, Godin is a truly inspirational marketing genius. Like Joel, Godin has an uncanny ability to make things simple. “Don’t worry about what’s next, worry about what’s now” says Godin. “Go ahead, make mistakes – and learn from them!” Godin goes on to explain that we need to stop shouting our messages at people. Old marketing was all about shout – interrupting people with our message. “Don’t interrupt people who don’t like you, organize people who you’re connected with” he says. And as for these people – your customers – they all just want to fit in. Fitting in is being the most average. Godin uses the iPod as an example. Yes Apple make amazing products – he doesn’t deny that. But the reason that they sell so many iPods is not the technology behind it – it’s the marketing. “Apple doesn’t make an MP3 player. They make jewelery with a function!” People just want to be seen with those white ear buds – to fit in, to be the most average. After a short Q&A with the audience, Godin leaves the crowd satisfied and inspired as we head off to lunch.

Avinash Kaushik

Next up – brand monitoring and web analytics expert Avinash Kaushik. As Avinash takes the stage, the guy beside me sarcastically mutters to himself  “Great, an hour of listening to some guy talk about Web Analytics. This should be fun.” Well, was he ever wrong. Avinash took the stage by storm. His surprising enthusiasm and energy was enjoyed by all. His message was comprised of entertaining quotes, educational information and the occasional yelling of “Suck!” and “Puke!” As crazy as he was, in my opinion Avinash was the best presenter of the day. Referring to his books and his blog Avinash says that “People like to pay for things that are free.” His ability to make analytics the most entertaining topic of the day is beyond me. He explained how most people monitoring their brand are doing it wrong. He presents the crowd with a clever acronym – HITS: How Idiots Track Success. Like Godin, Avinash explains that people make things too hard for themselves by over complicating things. “You can’t improve 1 thing by 1000%” he explains, “But you can improve 1000 things by 1%” Great advice. He finishes by declaring that “revenue is good…but economic value is GOD!” Engaging, educational, and a little bit crazy. I guess that’s the recipe for a great marketer.

Max Lenderman

I think most of us in the crowd felt bad for Max. I mean, how do you follow Avinash? That’s a tough gig. But, all in all, he pulled it off. Casually drinking a Molson Export on stage, Lenderman discussed branding and experiential marketing using a variety of real-life examples from around the globe. He explains that people of the world are very brand atheistic and price conscious. That’s how people continue to sell counterfeit products. But piracy and counterfeiting isn’t all that bad. It keeps the big brands on their toes – makes them compete on “the experience”. This is exactly what Apple has done with the Apple Store. They have created an experience for customers that goes up and above the product itself. In closing, Lenderman reminded the crowd to just “Be Authentic”. Simple and effective. After a short networking break we were back for Andy Nulman.

Andy Nulman

Another best selling author and marketing pioneer, Andy Nulman, was next. He shared his theories, ideas and stories about strategy and innovation. With over 35 years of experience in the field, that included a 15 year stint as the CEO of the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, Andy sure had a lot to say. He opened with a favourite quote of his, by Tom Peters: “Value added in today’s economy is created by the weirdo’s and the freaks.” He encouraged everybody in the room to stop trying to be normal. Normal is blah. You want to be Abnormal! As Nulman continued, he preached to the crowd that the Impossible is possible. It might have been a long day, but the crowd became restless during Nulman’s talk. There was an overall feeling in the area in which I was sitting that he was being more self-promotional, and less educational. I over heard a woman in front of me say to a friend “Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!” referring to Nulman’s constant stories about his own successes. Give him credit he stuck it out to the end, full of energy and enthusiasm.

Jeffrey Gitomer

Last, but surely not least, Jeffrey Gitomer. The 60-something, hard nosed, no nonsense – yet hilarious, Gitomer took the stage. He immediately won the Montreal crowd over by showing a photo of the Stanley Cup on his first slide, and saying “If you’re from Toronto, this is what the Stanley Cup looks like.” Then he hopped off the stage, got down to business. A true salesman, Gitomer exclaims “I put people in front of me that will say yes to me, and then I deliver!” Walking through the crowd as he spoke, Gitomer made a real connection with the audience. “Are you still wasting money on print ads?” he asks with a tone of frustration and anger in his voice. “Good for you. Your full page ad in the Gazette is getting pissed on by some puppy the next day!” He went to explain that “the future is Social. It’s free you idiots!”

He continued by discussing marketing and selling yourself. He told the crowd to reach into their pockets and hand their business card to someone near them who they didn’t know. “If it looks like crap, rip it up and throw it back at them” he yells. The crowd didn’t quite know what to do. Surely some people thought the business cards they were handed were worthy of such destruction, but didn’t want to insult others. “Why does your business card suck? It’s your first impression – make it a good one!” He went on the explain the importance of blogging, and getting youname.com or .ca – and a quick poll of the crowd showed that only about 5% of us had done so. He was disgusted. But Gitomer’s on the edge attitude didn’t come across as cocky, or annoying. It acted as an eye opener to the crowd of seemingly clueless sales people and marketers. “Oh my god,” said one guy beside me “I gotta get my .ca tomorrow!” Gitomer’s message was heard loud and clear. He finished by encourage the crowd to use Twitter – but use it right. Don’t worry about how many followers you have. Worry about being Retweeted. That’s what gets you noticed on Twitter. “Twitter isn’t 140 characters,” he says “It’s 120 characters with space left over for a Retweet.” Excellent.

Joel, Godin, Avinash, Lenderman, Nulman and Gitomer. What a star-studded lineup. I felt very fortunate to have gone to Montreal to watch, and listen to this diverse group of marketing geniuses. I would highly encourage you to take the opportunity to listen to any of of these guys speak, or even pick up one of their books. You won’t be disappointed. Until next year Art of Marketing, au revoir!

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The Art of Marketing: From a WebFuel Perspective is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

Here are ten common Social Media mistakes that companies often make.

1. Is Social Media Right for my Business?

Before launching your massive Social Media campaign, take a step back and ask yourself – is Social Media right for my business? Social Media, as amazing and popular as it has become, is like any other new technology – it is not right for everyone. So sit back and really think about if Social Media is right for your business. Why do you want to use Social Media? What goals are you trying to accomplish? Who are you targeting?

2. Don’t Spread Yourself too Thin

If you have decided that Social Media is right for you, the next step is determining which platforms you will use. Chances are, it won’t be all of them…not even close. There are literally hundreds of Social Media sites out there, and as tempting as it may be, avoid spreading yourself too thin by signing yourself up for all of them. Do your research, and understand the functions, user base, pros and cons, differences and similarities of all Social Media platforms. Which platform does your target market use? The 60 year old business man probably isn’t in the same space as his teenage daughter is. Facebook is not Twitter, YouTube is not LinkedIn and Flickr is not Vimeo.  Educate yourself, and your chances of Social Media failure will decrease.

3. Incomplete Profiles

This is one of the worst things you can do – and it’s very easy to slip into this trap! Most Social Media sites are free – meaning that it is easy to sign up. But, since there is no monetary tie to the profile, sometimes they can easily be forgotten, and left incomplete. Think about how unprofessional an incomplete profile looks. Is that the image that you want to convey about your brand? Take the time to learn about all of the features and functions of the Social Media platforms you have chosen and use them all to your advantage.

4. Lack of Fresh Content

Social Media is about engaging with others in a conversation by sharing content. If you want to keep your audience engaged, you must have fresh, interesting, and relevant content. If not, people will get bored of , or even forget about you. This may even lead them to stop liking/following/subscribing/connecting – whatever the action is – with you, which in turn will leave the consumer with a sour taste in their mouth when they think of your brand. Think of your Social Media campaign as a local bakery. If you don’t have a fresh variety of baked goods – bread, baguettes, buns, bagels, croissants, muffins, cakes etc., everyday, customers won’t come back. Who wants a 3 week old loaf of rye? Not me. So don’t let your content go stale. Bake some fresh stuff every day!

5. Information Overload

That being said, don’t bombard your customers with too much information. I have un-liked brands on Facebook and stopped following people on Twitter because of the immense amount of updates and tweets that littered my news feed. Know your audience. Post a manageable amount of content that they will enjoy. While tools like Hootsuite and Twitterfeed give users the convenience of scheduling posts, don’t solely rely on this. People are smart. These posts will come across as impersonal and spammy. One of the most wonderful aspects of Social Media is that it allows brands to become human – so take advantage of it and humanize your brand!

6. Consistency vs. Cloning

This is a tough one. Most companies engage in Social Media to improve and manage their brand on the web. So be sure to keep a consistent image of your brand across your Social Media campaign. Most Social Media sites allow you to customize your page, so be consistent with the use of color branding, terminology, logos, images and slogans. This will help solidify your legitimacy and brand identity online. But beware – avoid cloning! The cookie-cutter approach will not work for Social Media. Again, familiarize yourself with the different platforms, and your audiences. What works on Facebook probably won’t work on Twitter. And yes, there is a significant difference between YouTube and Vimeo. A one-size fits all strategy for your Social Media campaign will seriously hinder your chances for success.

7.  It’s a Conversation, not a Sales Pitch

Let’s face it – Social Media was not made to sell products. It was made to connect people. But through those connections, and the conversations that stem from them, we have been able to manage our brands, communicate with our customers and promote ourselves. While selling on Social Media is possible, and certainly acceptable, you need to go about it the right way. Don’t push your products and services onto people right away. Connect with them, and engage in a conversation. Build a meaningful relationship first. If you jump right into Social Media with sales on your mind, people will notice – and they will boycott you. If you do this, your credibility and legitimacy in Social Media will be lost. Relationships first, sales second.

8. Business vs. Personal

Please don’t fall victim to this one. Combining your personal and business accounts is a big Social Media no-no. The photos and stories about your wild Friday night with your old high school buddies should be kept between you and your friends – not shared with your clients and colleagues. Most Social Media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter allow you to create multiple accounts. So do it. One for personal, one for business.

9. Fake Friending

Facebook has over 500 million users. That’s a lot. And as tempting as it is to reach out to as many of them as possible, you shouldn’t dedicate your life towards connecting with all of them. While most people get caught up in the number of Likes their brand has on Facebook, or Followers on Twitter, often times it is the quality of those connections, over the quantity. Following every name you come across on Twitter is the wrong strategy – again, people will notice this, and it will appear spammy. Try to connect with the right people; industry gurus, those with a good reputation, people that others will genuinely listen to. By building real relationships with these powerful people, you increase your own Social Media legitimacy – and who knows, you could become one of those people that others strive to connect with.

10. Failure to Measure and Monitor

This happens way too often in the Social Media space. Companies decide that they need to be there, so they jump in blind, and never look back. First of all, you need to outline your reasoning for using Social Media. Do you want to increase brand awareness? Create buzz? Connect with consumers? Direct traffic to your website? Without clear-cut goals, how do you expect to measure your success? Moreover, are you listening to what is being said about your brand? Did you notice that discussion board on Facebook full of complaints about your poor customer service? Or that your brand name is trending on Twitter due to angry tweeters that are upset with your new return policy? The conversation about your brand is happening on the web, and to address these key issues being discussed, you must listen. And yes, not everything said about your brand online is going to be negative. Much of it may be positive. But the point is that you must listen, and know what is being said. This is essential.

Have you been guilty of committing one, or many of these common Social Media mistakes? Have you noticed any other common Social Media blunders occurring way too frequently? Share them with us!

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10 Common Social Media Mistakes is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

Here WebFuel’s 2010 Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Checklist:

1. Domain Name Ownership
Review your domain name registration and ensure that it does not expire. This is likely the most important item on the checklist. No rights to use your domain name equals no live website. Just imagine what that would do to your search engine visibility. While you are checking your domain status, register the other extensions (.ca, .com, .org, .net) if available. This is known as Google insurance.

2. Reliable Hosting
It likely goes without saying, but a site that is down due to hosting issues does not help your Internet visibility. Ensure that you have engaged a reliable company to provide you with hosting services. There is software (some free) that can track uptime as well as alert you if your site goes down. Being live 24/7 is a must.

3. Crawl & Index Friendly
Making certain that your site stays live is the foundation of the SEO process. The next step is to ensure that your website design, including the navigation system, is “spiderable” so that search engines can crawl and index your web pages. Do a check. Test using Google and the other major search engines.

4. Robots.txt
Review and update your robots.txt file. This is usually the most overlooked item on the checklist. The robots.txt file tells search engine crawlers what content you do / don’t want crawled. Not everything on your site should be found in a Search.

5. Search Engine Submissions
If you haven’t already done so, submit your XML sitemap to Google, Bing & Yahoo. You can do this via your various Webmaster Tools accounts. While there is no need to submit to the major search engines (they find you), you should take this opportunity to review what industry-related engines exist (always new ones). And… of course, submit your URL.

6. Content Review
Yes – content is still King. After all, this is what generates the possibility of appearing in search results. Content review should include checking for content starved pages, outdated information, as well as building new content pages – if required. Copywriting revisions should also include adding keywords and addressing internal lingo (not what people search for).

7. Social Media
Now think beyond just your website and explore Social Media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube – and of course Twitter. Even if they are currently not a good fit for your particular business, create a company profile (just in case). Once again, this is also known as Google insurance.

8. Online Reputation Management (ORM)
Don’t just pay attention to your company brand based on your site and/or social media profiles. Manage your reputation on the Internet as well. To get started, simply Google your company name, products  and/or services, key people in your organization etc… and review the search results. Again, there is lots of software available to track what is being said on the web about your brand – some are fee-based and others are free (Google Alerts). And… of course you can hire a company that specializes in monitoring your brand and keeping your online reputation clean.

9. Web Analytics and Measurement
Review your filters, goals and conversions to ensure that they are in place as well as a system to analyze the data. Make sure that you are tracking everything on your website that should be measured. If you don’t have a application installed to track your web visitors, put this on the top of your “to do” list. Google Analytics is a powerful tool – and it is free!

10. Search Engine Ranking Reports
If you haven’t already done so, invest in ongoing website search engine ranking monitoring and reporting. In a nutshell, this type of report lets you know which web pages from your site are showing up in a SERP (search engine results page), your keyword positions – and in which search engines. This data will help you understand which SEO strategies are working – and which ones are not. It also documents and tracks keywords and search engine performance over time (good to have if you hired a Search Engine Optimizer). This is likely the best investment you can make when it comes to search.

Our SEO prediction for 2010 is that search will continue to remain strong – with another year of enormous growth expected in Social Media. Ensure that this year you manage and improve your online visibility.

Stay Connected with WebFuel!

SEO Checklist: Top Ten for 2010 is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

So what is Buzz Monitoring anyways?
It is basically the process of tracking, monitoring and managing what consumers are saying about your company on Social Media sites. Making Social Media accounts and then ignoring them can be a complete waste of time, and potentially damaging to your reputation.

Positive vs. Negative Buzz
On a very basic level, there are two types of Social Media buzz: positive and negative. Positive buzz can be the result of a Facebook user becoming a “fan” of your company or a satisfied customer raving about the high quality and service they received by purchasing your amazing product on their weekly blog. These examples of positive buzz are definitely beneficial to your company as it strengthens your reputation and spreads the word about you and how good you are. The other side of the coin isn’t so sweet. Negative buzz can come in the form of poor online reviews, negative blog posts or even Facebook groups forming for the sole purpose of boycotting your product. Yes, it does happen – just ask Wal-Mart and Starbucks.

No matter what kind of buzz is being created about your products and/or services in social networks, it must be monitored. Obviously the negative buzz may set off a few more alarm bells than the positive buzz, but they are both important to follow. By monitoring positive buzz, companies can learn a lot about their customers and their products. One major benefit of Social Media is that it is made up mostly of conversations. This gives companies a free in-depth look of who likes their products and why they like them. Instead of constantly pestering customers for feedback, they are out there telling you what they like.

Negative buzz on the other hand should be seen as “constructive criticism”. No matter how many people out there think you are amazing, there will always be somebody who is determined to take you down. Don’t take it personally, it is just a fact of life. Appropriately responding to negative feedback is essential in building and protecting you reputation. Be sure to address the concern and make a serious effort to fix the problem. Similar to positive buzz, negative buzz basically acts as feedback that can be used to change or improve your product and or service. This information can then be extremely valuable in future business decisions regarding production levels, target markets, advertising and product features.

No matter how big or small you Social Media campaign is, it is essential to use Buzz Monitoring to ensure that you are protecting and managing your online reputation.

What is Buzz Monitoring? is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

Here is the WebFuel Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Checklist:

1. Domain Name Ownership
Review your domain name registration and ensure that it does not expire. This is likely the most important item on the checklist. No rights to use your domain name equals no live website. Just imagine what that would do to your search engine visibility. While you are checking your domain status, register the other extensions (.ca, .com, .org, .net) if available. This is known as Google insurance.

2. Reliable Hosting
It likely goes without saying, but a site that is down due to hosting issues does not help your Internet visibility. Ensure that you have engaged a reliable company to provide you with hosting services. There is software (some free) that can track uptime as well as alert you if your site goes down. Being live 24/7 is a must.

3. Crawl & Index Friendly
Making certain that your site stays live is the foundation of the SEO process. The next step is to ensure that your website design, including the navigation system, is spiderable so that search engines can crawl and index your web pages. Do a check. Test using Google and the other major search engines.

4. Robots.txt
Review and update your robots.txt file. This is usually the most overlooked item on the checklist. The robots.txt file tells search engine crawlers what content you do not want crawled.  Not everything in your site should be found in a search.

5. Search Engine Submissions
If you haven’t already done so, submit your XML sitemap to Google. You can do this via your Google Webmaster Tools account. While there is no need to submit to the major search engines (they find you), you should take this opportunity to review what industry-related engines exist (always new ones). And… of course, submit your URL.

6. Content Review
Yes – content is still King. After all, this is what generates the possibility of appearing in search results. Content review should include checking for content starved pages, outdated information, as well as building new content pages – if required. Copywriting revisions should also include adding keywords and addressing internal lingo (not what people search for).

7. Social Media
Now think beyond just your website and explore Social Media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. Even if they are currently not a good fit for your particular business, create a company profile (just in case). Once again, this is also known as Google insurance.

8. Online Reputation
Don’t just control your company profile beyond your site. Manage your reputation on the Internet as well. To get started, simply Google your company name, brand, key people  etc… and review the search results. Again, there is lots of software available to track what is being said on the web – some are fee-based and others are free (Google Alerts). And… of course you can hire a company that specializes in monitoring and keeping your online reputation clean.

9. Web Analytics
Review your filters, goals and conversions to ensure that they are in place as well as your system to analyze the data. If you don’t have a program installed to track your web visitors, put this on the top of your “to do” list. Google Analytics is a powerful tool – and it is free!

10. SEO Site Audit
If you haven’t already done so, budget for a search engine optimization (SEO) site audit. In a nutshell, an audit lets you know what is working, what is not – and how to proceed. It also gives you a baseline to track your search findability over time. This is likely the best investment you can make when it comes to the web.

The predication for the web is continued strong growth in 2009. Ensure that this is the year that your online visibility is managed and improved.

SEO Checklist: Top Ten for 2009 is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

There are three common myths and misconceptions that hinder businesses from getting found on the Internet.

1. Build it and they will come
Just because you have a web presence does not mean you will get found. Sure, if a web user has your web address or a referring site sends them your way – you can get found. But, what if you are targeting new clients? Simply having a website does not translate into getting found in a web search.

2. I rank number one in Google
There is no doubt that having the top position in a natural listing of a search engine results page (SERP) is ideal. But, for what keyword or phrase? If it is for your business name or personal name (maybe you are a real estate agent) that is good. But what if you are targeting new prospects? They will be using search engines to find your product or service (not searching for your name).

3) Not thinking beyond one’s own web presence
So… you have a site that can get crawled and indexed by Google and the other major and specialty search engines. Again, this is ideal. But what are prospective customers finding out about you or your company via the web? Many web searchers go beyond your website. They check what else is published on the Internet in forums, customer reviews and news articles (just to name a few).

So… ensure that you have a web presence and “copy” that is search engine optimized. You will get found in a web search for targeted keywords. And don’t stop there – manage your business and personal online reputation!

Are you getting found on the web – really? And in a good way?

Can you get found on the web? is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel