Last December I published an article that suggested Yahoo would be out of the picture as a viable search engine by 2012.  In a Business Insiders article published today my prediction was confirmed.  “And now Yahoo Has Put Itself Up For Sale.”

What does the search engine market look like without Yahoo?

Not much will change initially.  Unless there is a major technology invention that radically changes the basic search algorithm, the 9% market she Yahoo has will be absorbed by Google & Bing.  The deciding factor being the personal feelings of Microsoft–those who hate Microsoft and still use Yahoo will switch to Google.

The unknown industry trend is the relationship between Facebook and Bing (Microsoft).  Talks have stalled between the two organizations with the major hang-up probably hinging on pay per click revenue sharing.  If Facebook does NOT enter the search engine wars, then Google+ will win and Facebook will go the way of MySpace.  If Facebook enters the search engine wars before the year end, then they could become the dominate force in search engine market share.

Google is working very hard behind the scenes to clean-up their Google+ for Business system to solidify their entrance into the social networking ranks.  With horrible failures in Orkut, Buzz, Wave, and a waning footing with Google+; Google+ for Business is critical for the long-term viability of Google’s foray into Cloud Based Computing.

My altered prediction is that Google will release a business solution that rivals Facebook Pages, Yahoo will get absorbed into Bing, and Facebook and Microsoft do NOT reach an agreement.  If true, then Google will finish the year with an 80% search engine market share.

Try to imagine nature with just a single color flower.  Besides being boring, if all flowers looked the same, it would be impossible to tell one from the other.  Turning this idea around, if your competitions are all competing for similarity, you should seek to differentiate your business and stand out from the crowd.

In today’s market place, the low hanging fruit in differentiating your business is to lead with your personality.  Your personality cannot be duplicated and when all things are equal, people prefer to do business with people they know and like.  Easy concept, but you are probably asking how?

We’ve all heard marketing and brand consultants chant “brand, brand, brand.”  Use your logo, slogan, colors, fonts, etc. on everything.  My suggestion goes beyond the brand idea and suggests you also lead with your personality.  If you are analytical, then blog about analytical topics.  If you are jovial and comical by nature, then use your sense of humor at networking events.

Adding a human factor to your brand identity will increase the sticky factor of your marketing effort.  In today’s market we no longer have the competitive edge when it comes to location–today we can get anything from anywhere, shipped directly to our homes.  With tens of billions of searches taking place each month, your need for capturing vast audiences is less important.  Today you need to capture the right market.  Including a glimpse into your personality will give you a competitive advantage that cannot be duplicated.

Notice I did not say TRICK to building your social network size…  I don’t believe in tricks, not when it comes to building networks of people.  The short and skinny of building a large social network is to get involved with new people, be interesting and non obtrusive.

Success in social networking can happen two ways.

1. Be famous
2. Be outgoing

Being famous gives you an automatic advantage when it comes to growing your social network.  Since most of us don’t have the fame advantage, we have to resort to number two, be outgoing.

Think of social networking as meeting as many new people as possible.  Without fame, the only way you can meet new people is to “follow” them and look for constructive (and/or creative) ways to engage them in conversation.

The entire process is that simple.  But let’s break each step down and analyze.

When you follow other people, your main screen will show their posts.  My suggestion is to create a “circle” just for the strangers you follow.  In my list of circles, I have a grout called “Netmet”.  Every person I don’t know whom I follow becomes a member of the Netmet circle.  This way I can isolate these people for topic surfing.

I also create additional circles to accommodate my business and personal networks.  With Google+, we can isolate posts by circles.   Sometimes I just want to communicate with friends and family members.

Follow People You Admire First

There are lots of different opinions on who you should have in your network.  Some suggest you be cautious and check out every person you follow to make sure they are the “right” people you want to be associated with.  I don’t subscribe to this strategy.  My feeling is I want to add as many people to my communication channel as possible.  I don’t believe sins of others roll down to me: so I follow just about anyone.  My only rules are as follows.  I will not follow:

• People who don’t have English profile text
• People who are overtly sexual or political (*)
• People without real sounding names (**)

(*) – One comment does not eliminate someone automatically.  It is easy to remove people later, but sometimes people just rant online and thus they should not be judged as of no value.

(**) – I make exceptions for known businesses or not-for-profit groups.

Follow People Who Follow Those You Admire

For example, I am a software engineer geek and I admire software developers at Google, Yahoo and Microsoft.  I find the profiles of those software engineers and then I follow everyone who is also following those software engineers.

For some businesses, it may be more advantageous to be strategic in your follows.  For example, let’s say your business offering is excellent for people who love dogs.  Following dog lovers can allow you to insert yourself in those social channels that are attractive to prime business prospects.  That said, you’ll need to be careful not to jump in and try to sell– that is called SPAM.  I’ll write more on how to use your personality to attract people to your service offering.

Add To The Discussion – Don’t Sell

This should be obvious, but sometimes we make mistakes and assume everyone is interested in what we do.  The reality of social network marketing is those you are following have no interest in what you do, only what you contribute to their discussions.  If your contributions are interesting, then they will follow you and, thus, take an interest in you as a person.

Key to social network marketing:  It doesn’t count until they follow you and take action.

Now it gets interesting…  Mostly because I put the stuff you should do first last.  BEFORE you start bringing people to your profile, you need to create your interest chain.  Your interest chain is a reflection of you as a person.  It includes:

1. Previous Posts
2. Google Profile
3. +1′s
4. Buzz Posts (if you have)
5. Photos

If you are new to Google+, then you are not likely to have many posts, but before you can build a large following, you will need to post constructive, interesting, funny or friendly messages.

Your Google Profile is your personal biography (for lack of a better description).  Don’t make long-winded sales presentations.  Be yourself and communicate the facts.

+1′s are those posts you add to your G+ account as articles of interest.  While it is OK to +1 your website pages and blog articles, your +1′s should be reflective of those topics of personal interest.  How do you add +1′s?  You find the Google +1 icon on your favorite websites.  Click it and a link to that website page / post is added to your Google+ account.

Buzz Posts – Buzz is Google version of Twitter.  If you don’t have Google Buzz, don’t worry.  In the long run, Google+ should completely replace Google Buzz.

Photos – A picture is worth a 1,000 words.  The photos you have in your profile can reveal volumes about you as a person.

Final Words of Advice

Social networking takes time, so do things you enjoy and seek personal knowledge to enhance your life.  If you only focus on business, then you are very likely to get discouraged and quit long before you gain any business.

Anyone who was in business twenty years ago heard a similar mantra, “if you are going to be in business then you MUST advertise in the phone book.”

Ten years ago the mantra started shifting towards, “…you gotta have a website.”

Today you hear everyone say, “…you have to be on (fill in the blank).”

Why do some many people suggest these mediums?

I believe it is due to the assumed ease of the medium.  20 years ago, advertising in the phone book was a sure thing and only cost money.  10 years ago building a website was a bit more complicated, but we hired the techie graphics guy and paid them money.  However, there was a difference with websites…Notably, they did not work like phone books.  Having a website did not guarantee business, in as much as having a phone book ad 20 years ago did.

The last ten years have been spent trying to figure out how to use technology to increase commerce, but for the most part technology has gotten in the way.  Building websites and getting listed on search engines has required specific skills.  In the Social Networking realm, we are once again returning to the simplicity of the phone book days, the only problem is which social marketing medium to use.

The basic rule in marketing is be first.  However, in the case of social networking this mantra does not hold true.  Being first on a social networking platform is very lonely.  Instead, in Social Networking, following the herd is the best practice.

Facebook advertises they have more than 750 million users.  How does a small business owner stand out in that crowd?  My suggestion is we go back to the days of the phone book ad and take note.

Our phone book ad became a brand for our business.  Some businesses used humor while others used flashy graphics.  In the social world, your brand, is your personality.  In my book, social networking is just another form of business networking where our mission is establishing a feeling for us as people, not our business as a product or service.

So why use social marketing?  To introduce your personality brand to the market place and capitalize on your uniqueness as a person to set your business apart from the competition.

Getting found on Google, Yahoo and Bing in today’s search market is more a product of human-craft than techno-craft.  The more you craft your language for visitor consumption the better.  Trying to use complicated formulas, expensive SEO subscriptions, or elaborate link building tools has lost favor of the small business operator and the search engines alike.

Pull out a blank sheet of paper and write a detailed answer to this question:  Who is your ideal customer?

The most common answer I receive when consulting my clients is “concerned people seeking to get more for their investment.“  My favorite answer is “everyone.”

Neither answer is sufficient to create visitor optimized content that will rank.  Why?  Because there are only ten first page organic spots available and over 27 million businesses competing for internet visibility in America (2007 US Census).

Getting found means narrowing your topic focus to a small sub-segment of your client base.  In days past, creating a business website was an expensive and complicated process; but today small businesses can build free websites that are business professional and search engine effective with no limits on size.  Without the size limits of the past, a small business owner can divide and capture more traffic and increase visitor to client conversions in the process.

Improve Your Search Rankings By Doing The Math

I may have just lost half my audience by suggesting a math equation, but bear with me for a moment–this math is easy.  I’ll use the Portland Metro area for this example.  Wikipedia said there are 2.2 million people living in the metro area.  The US Census said population is divided roughly in half men to women.  Last number, the US Census said roughly 17% of the population is under the age of 18.

If your target market is adult women in the Portland Metro then we can assume there is approximately 924 thousand potential customers.

Most small businesses are only capable of serving a few hundred customers per year (for our example let’s go big and say our business can serve 1,000 clients per year).  1000 divided by 924,000 = .001.  That means our example business only needs 1/10th of 1% of the potential market to be successful.

Be Specific and Succeed in Organic Search Results

What type of adult women?  Married women over 40 who like to garden is a much easier market to identify.  Now we can create a highly targeted web page or business blog article content that uses language that resonates with the intended audience.  We can also use keywords that are specific to that particular hobby or identify with problems that specific type of woman is likely to struggle with.

Moral of the lesson: education based business marketing works only if you understand the specifics of your intended audience.

Take small, consistent steps towards a specific goal. The key to successful social network marketing is creating simple, easy to repeat steps that lead towards a specific end.

Before diving into social networking, first jot down some obtainable goals on a blank sheet of paper.  As with ALL business marketing campaigns, you can not achieve success unless you know what success looks like.

Don’t fall into the small business trap of measuring success only by sales.  Sales are important, but thye are the result of extensive effort.  Social networking is assumed to be fast and easy; truth is social networking is neither fast nor easy.

Success should be specific and measurable.  Here are some social networking measurements you could use to determine if your effort is working.

• Increased number of people following you and your posts.  It is easy to follow others and there will be a certain percentage of those you follow who follow you in return, but the people who follow you first (without you following them) can be a measure of your increased marketing exposure.
• Increased number of constructive comments added to your posts.  Anyone can add mindless dribble to a social posting, but when the comments are thought out and constructive it could show that you are reaching more influential or thoughtful people.
• Increased number of links to your business website.  More quality traffic to your website increases your overall website ranking, which will lead to more search engine visibility and more sales.

When creating your success map, be creative and think through the process by which you can measure activity.  Once you have the plan, then you can create the repeatable sequence of steps required to execute the plan.

Ed Bejarana
Zenith Exhibits, Inc.
(503) 328-9525

As an internet marketing consultant, I am asked this type of question every time a new social networking system gains popularity.  Ordinarily I advise my clients to wait before jumping in.  In the case of Google + I am suggesting my business friends jump in as soon as possible.

What is Google Plus?

Jamie Turner describes Google Plus as, “… a project aiming to make sharing on the web more like sharing in the real world.”

From my vantage point, Google+ is a search engine integrated real time cloud based communication medium for sharing all types of media.

We have all heard the term cloud computing, but few know what it really means.  Put simply, cloud computing is using server based resources for user level computing.  Some may argue this description is over simplifying the process, but I’m keeping it simple for now--please bare with me.

Why is cloud computing important?

Proprietary software has kept the advancement of computing capabilities in check.  Rightly so, when you invest large sums of time and money developing software, one expects to get paid.  Millions of programmers creating dozens of different protocols (ways of doing things) meant sharing data between different computers/programs was difficult (if not impossible).  Using a cloud based solution brings all the software together in a manner that it can be easily shared.

The problem with cloud solutions is providing complete solutions to business and personal needs.  Until recent years, no one company had enough computing power / resources to provide all the necessary computing tools.  Right now there are only two companies on the planet capable of accomplishing the vision of fully integrated cloud based computing solutions; Microsoft and Google.  (I suspected I will get lots of comments on that last statement…)

With all the communication tools built-in to Google+, they have taken a quantum leap ahead of Microsoft (who is working very hard to rollout Microsoft 365, their counter to Google+).  Facebook was suppose to be a part of Microsoft’s cloud solution (note, I have one one source on this info so take it with a grain of salt), but it would appear corporate negotiations have prevented the two entities from getting their act together.  Microsoft and Facebook’s failure is Google’s gain.  In business being first is a HUGE advantage.

I’m still not getting the point, WHY use Google+?

As consumers, we all use search engines to find information.  Having your communication and business resources fully integrated with the most popular search engine in the world means your business can capitalize on more efficient communications.

Integrated your customers and prospects together with your search engine optimization effort will give your business a leg up on the competition.  Since Google+ is still new and in limited access beta testing, being an early adopter will give your business a three to six month head start in improve the information flow for your business.

Over the coming weeks tens of millions of users will jump into Google+ and the sooner you get involved the further a head of the game you’ll be.

If you need an invitation to Google +, please send me a contact request with your eMail address and I’ll send you an invitation.

Ed Bejarana
Zenith Exhibits, Inc.

1. Understand the X Factor!

Xpressions skins are tension fabric. When designing an Xpressions 1×1 skin, draw an imaginary X from corner to corner. Starting at the center you have zero distortion but as you move further toward the corners where the skin attaches to the hub, you will experience greater image distortion. Utilize this effect within your design and take full advantage of the unique design tool!

2. Contrast is for your display / Copy is for your brochure

Leave your copy to your brochure or iPad apps… Layer con-trasting skins with none to five words maximum and your display will surely turn some heads. Remember, your booth space is not a library. Catch the attention of the exhibit visitors so that properly trained sales staff can engage the audience face-to-face.

3. Work the entire display – not just the individual skins

This is the most common mistake we see designers make on Xpressions:  designing nine or ten individual skins as independent layouts. The most successful layouts are ones that utilize the two planes of the frame and visualize the many skins as if they are one. These style displays explore the dimensionality of the Xpressions system. All the skins work together to create a single back wall in contrast to a bunch of separate layouts that are more akin to the old Velcro graphic on fabric pop-ups.

4. Lighting

Design your display to catch light and or incorporate lights as the only color on all white skins. Lights also make any printed Xpressions graphics appear brighter and more saturated.  Don’t rely on the lights of your environment – add them in your design process when you can.

5. Incorporate Graphic Change-Out

For multiple days of an exhibit, it’s a hot trend to create alternate skins and change them out each day of the show!  Catch the eye of someone that you missed yesterday, add a new message each day of the show, create A and B marketing messages and review then implement new messages based on the results at your next show. New skins are easy for you or your client to change and add possibilities not easily available on other systems.

6. Communication

Always indicate your intention when working with any tension fabric graphic product. Xpressions is no different. If no distortion is the required effect on the final product, please let us know this ahead of time. Your Xpressions PreFlight experts are trained to help suggest alternatives within your layout that will minimize expectations.

7. Use the Tools At Hand

Always consult Visproducts for Xpressions templates. VisProducts.com has Xpressions graphic templates for your use… details like “All Xpressions products require 1.5” of bleed overall and more to make designing for Xpressions a Snap!”

8. Think 3-D with the fabric

When else can you take a flat image and twist it or thread it to the display? Probably never – so, let your imagination wander and twist and thread those skins from the front to the back or back to the front all over the Xpressions frame. Plan to design your skins so the tension fabric will pull the image, and visualize the final product in its full distorted, twisted, threaded, exciting glory! Remember to proof your display as a 3D render as a whole. A flat image will not effectively communicate your design to the client; always opt for a render of your display.

9. Design in modules

Combine frames to create exciting environments: two 1×3′s, one 2×3 and a 4×3, create 20′ inline spaces with three 2×3′s and a 1×3…. it’s easy for your client to set up. They look so good standing together and multiple units create a value of flexibility that is hard to duplicate with other systems.

10. Break all the rules!

Remember to forget everything you’ve been told and create something that will surprise and delight the viewer!

If you currently buy content from a content farm, then your website is going to be punished.

If you write your own content and keep focused on providing quality information for your visitors, then Google’s Panda will be a boost for your search engine visibility.

If you are already one of my clients, you have heard me say this dozens of times; Google does not owe you anything!  Google is in business to make money and they make money when people use their search engine more than Yahoo and Bing (and occasionally click on a pay per click link).

Google’s mission is to “qualify” good content and present to their customers.

When business blogging; your mission is to write quality content.  I suggest using an education based model and leave the “selling” for your web-pages.

Consistency Wins The Day

Business blogging consistency is more important than keyword selection.  By consistency I am referring to voicing; not frequency.

• First person or third person
• Education focused or sales focused
• Length
• External links

My suggestion is be yourself.  It is always easier to remember.  If you build your business blog in a manner that is not consistent with who you are as a person, then the strategy will fail.