Google Highlights Authors within Search Results

As an enhancement to Google’s SERP, authors will soon be highlighted within the search results (the feature is currently being rolled out gradually and will be implemented algorithmically). Google Software Engineer, Othar Hansson, posted, “We now support markup that enables websites to publicly link within their site from content to author pages…. We know that great content comes from great authors, and we’re looking closely at ways this markup could help us highlight authors and rank search results.” So, if you currently have authored content on a website – be sure to learn about Google’s authorship markup in their help center.

Google explains an author page is to describe and identify the author, and can include things like the author’s bio, photo, articles and other links. The author will need to use his or her Google Profile to tie everything together.

Below is an example author search result from Mashable’s Ben Parr:


I feel this is a smart move to promote good quality content on the web. Google is really making a push to combat content farms and content that others do not feel is genuinely “great content”. This is just one more way to validate the value of a piece of content.

Do you agree this is another step in the right direction for Google?

Transformers 3 Tickets Via Facebook

Transformers 3 is set to debut, want tickets? You can now purchase them through Facebook! Paramount and 8thBridge have come together for this project and when you “Like” the page the app becomes activated which enables you to search for theaters in your area. Have you ever made a purchase through Facebook? If so, how was your experience?

InternetMarketingClub.org Presents Live Facebook Page Analysis: Optimizing Your Facebook Page for Engagement

Join Margie Schneider, VP Operations and Stuart Smith, Strategic Director, of Interactive Marketing Consultancy Firm TenGoldenRules.com, as they present, “Live Facebook Page Analysis: Optimizing Your Facebook Page for Engagement.” This Wednesday Webinar provides the opportunity to submit your Facebook Page for a live analysis.

This presentation will explain the following topics:

• How to develop an effective Facebook content strategy to promote engagement
• Best practices for developing custom iFrames for Facebook
• Tips to efficiently utilize Facebook navigation links
• Understanding the various ways to implement a Facebook Page image

Want us to review how your Facebook Page measures up? Submit your Page for a Live Analysis! To submit your Facebook Page, please join the Facebook Page Analysis Webinar Group, and post your Facebook Page submission within the group. Visit the group here: http://bit.ly/FacebookPageAnalysis

Margie Schneider has been involved with the interactive medium since 1994. She has participated in everything the Internet has to offer: developing, designing and delivering web sites; online advertising and promotion; search engine marketing: SEO and PPC and community and electronic communication. Her specialties include: social media, search engine optimization SEO, PPC management, online reputation management, project management, personnel management, strategizing web development and design solutions; as well as experience marketing across all media types.

Stuart Smith has been involved with online marketing since 1998. He has participated in everything online marketing has to offer including: SEO, PPC, email marketing, social media, web design, and landing page design. His specialties include Facebook, social media, PPC management, search engine optimization (SEO), and new emerging technologies.

This free webinar will take place Wednesday, June 29, 2011 12:30pmEDT – 1:30pmEDT. To register and for more information please visit: Live Facebook Page Analysis: Optimizing Your Facebook Page for Engagement

Image credit: smemon

Bitly Pro Now Available for Free

Bitly, the URL shortening, sharing, and tracking service, announced last week the bitly pro service is now out of beta and free for use with all bitly accounts. This means every user officially has the ability to set up a custom short domain from within a bitly account with no waiting period. You will also receive access to tracking statistics, including the performance of content on the social web.

To set up your custom short domain (i.e. Dalai Lama’s is Dalaila.ma) you simply need to redirect your domain’s DNS to bitly’s servers and sign up for the pro service within your account settings.

Although you still need to buy the short URL from a domain site, this is still a worthwhile feature to test out. I’ve always found bitly to be an effective and simple service to use and I look forward to testing out the new pro features.

Have you started using bitly pro yet?

InternetMarketingClub.org Presents Right Way to Spread Your Brand Tentacles

You are an expert in your profession/business. Your business is good. Clients have booked you months in advance. Is there anything you should be doing more of?

First the Internet itself and second the behavior of searching the Internet have changed our lives. Customers are evaluating products and services based on reviews and recommendations of complete strangers. The Network Solutions Small Business Success Index and many other surveys say that over 50% of small businesses do not have a website. Are we nearing a stage where if you are not on the web you don’t exist?

This presentation will discuss:

• Recommended tools for your web presence
• Tips for extending your listening tools
• Measuring your online reputation
• How to make it easy for others to talk about you
• Content activities that can bring you more business
• How to measure your efforts

About Shashi Bellamkonda
Shashi Bellamkonda is Director PR and Social Media for Small Business web tools company Network Solutions. He is also an adjunct faculty member of Georgetown University teaching New Media Platforms and Techniques. Shashi has a background in Customer Service, Ecommerce, Product Marketing and Product Management. In his current role, Shashi headed the team at Network Solutions that won several awards for excellence in corporate reputation management using new media tools. Shashi Bellamkonda has been named by Washingtonian Magazine consecutively for two years as one of the Washington area’s Top Tech Titans. He is a sought after speaker at several conferences on topics ranging from online marketing to branding and reputation management online.

This free webinar will take place Wednesday, June 22, 2011 12:30pmEDT – 1:30pmEDT. To register and for more information please visit: Right Way to Spread Your Brand Tentacles

Are You Using the New “Me on the Web”?

Where do people first look to find out information about someone? Google.

Yesterday, Google released a new tool, “Me on the Web”, to help you better comprehend, manage, and monitor what people see when searching on Google for you. Incorporated as a section on your Google Dashboard, you are given four options:

• Set up search alerts for your data
• How to manage your online identity
• How to remove unwanted content
• Learn more about Me on the Web

Essentially, you can set up this new feature to alert you whenever your personal information is published (i.e. email address). You are also given the option to view what already exists about you on the web. These types of options have been available but now “Me on the Web” makes it much faster and easier to use and access.



Google explains, “…your online identity is determined not only by what you post, but also by what others post about you.”

I would like to see the tool expanded further to really offer users something more aside from enhanced Google Alerts. What kind of impact do you think this tool will make?

What are your Favorite Deal Sites? Here are a few of mine...

I was asked by a local tv station for an interview about the most popular deal sites on Facebook and Twitter, here is a list of a few of my favorites, please share your favs on the comments below :)

Facebook.com/Groupon

Facebook.com/LivingSocial

Facebook.com/CouponDivasUSA

Facebook.com/DellDeals

Facebook.com/CouponsCom

Facebook.com/SlickDeals

Facebook Deals (in test markets Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, San Diego and San Francisco)

WPTV Deal of the Day

Twitter Deal Sites:

@Woot

@JetBlueCheeps

@DellOutlet

@AmazonDeals

@CheapTweet

@DealsPlus

@MomsWhoSave

@DealsSouthFL

@SoFlMommyDeals

@flatraveldeals

Please list your favorite deal sites in the comments below!

InternetMarketingClub.org Presents Ten Strategies for Starting and Promoting an Internet Business

Join Internet Marketing Club Founder and Ten Golden Rules CEO, Jay Berkowitz, to learn ten strategies for successfully launching and promoting a new internet business.

Topics covered include strategies for selecting a successful business model, core principles for designing a winning website, approaches for generating site traffic, best practices for search engine optimization, and proven methods for monetizing the website.

This free webinar will take place Wednesday, June 15, 2011 12:30pmEDT – 1:30pmEDT. To register and for more information please visit: Ten Strategies for Starting and Promoting an Internet Business

Google Correlate: Are You a Data Geek?

What is Google Correlate, you ask? I first heard of Google Correlate while listening to a TWIG (This Week in Google) podcast. This Google Lab finds search patterns which correspond with real-world trends and data.

Released late last month, Google Correlate allows you to compare time series affording you with the ability to see the popularity of many search terms and how they vary over time. It also allows you to compare search terms across the United States.



To my fellow data geeks, you can find statistical similarities between related terms, by way of line charts and scatter plots. Or even perhaps benefit from using it as a tool for keyword research. This is a neat Google lab to have fun with - enjoy!

Maximize Your LinkedIn Today Experience

Have you seen LinkedIn's new feature? Launched in March 2010, LinkedIn Today is a news aggregation service that serves up content based your industry preferences and popularity of the article. There are plenty of sites that serve up popular content based on "sharing" (like StumbleUpon, Digg and Reddit to name a few) but offering this technology within LinkedIn is great for marketers.


PUBLISH IT!
The value to marketers comes into play when sharing original QUALITY published content. Yes, you can do a targeted LinkedIn PPC campaign but wouldn't it better to have your blog post/article featured on the home page of LinkedIn Today? If you publish quality information and your peers share it because it's valuable to their business then that's great exposure for you and your business.

SHARE IT!
Take it one step further and add a LinkedIn share button to every page of content on your website, making it easy for people to share within the LinkedIn network. Get the LinkedIn Widget HERE

If you do decide to share an article, I'd recommend adding a personal comment. What did you learn? Why are you sharing the article? Positioning yourself in your network as someone who
has influence is a good thing. And, I must admit, easier in SOME industries than others. For instance, aren't we ALL Internet marketing gurus these days? *wink*

USE IT!
The share feature has some neat bells and whistles, for instance, you can sort shares by company, industry or location. Making it easy to see what content is resonating with your network and your locale. A good topic to bring up at your next networking event, perhaps? I know a lot of my associates start their day with a quick review of LinkedIn Today headlines to get a better sense of industry buzz.

Have you tried LinkedIn Today? How do you use it?

InternetMarketingClub.org Presents WordPress for Non-Techies: 6 Steps to Get Your Website Up and Running in 10 Minutes or Less

Join Roy Weissman, CEO of BuildMySiteforFree.com, as he presents “WordPress for Non-Techies: 6 Steps to Get Your Website Up and Running in 10 Minutes or Less.” Many have struggled to build and grow their websites. Find out how you can be posting content to your website 11 minutes after the end of this Wednesday Webinar.

This presentation will explain the following topics:

• Understanding WordPress and the myriad of options available to you
• How To: 6 fast steps for launching your website in 10 minutes or less
• What is the difference between free and paid hosting?
• Recommendation of 14 key plugins to launch your site
• Sources of over 1,000 free graphic and software add-ons to enhance your new or existing WordPress website
• What not to do for every WordPress installation

Roy Weissman is a seasoned business development expert, online marketing professional and true non-techie.

His extensive career experience includes marketing, sales, strategic alliances, and partnership development in the Internet and Media industries at companies including Infoseek, Playboy, Viacom and General Electric. He created the first ecommerce B2B site in its segment growing the business by more than doubling its margins from 22% to over 50% prior to its sale.

His latest project is Build My Site for Free, the online destination for learning about how to create, maintain and grow your WordPress website. BuildMySiteforFree.com offers thousands of free resources including tutorials, tips and tricks articles, Plugins and themes.

This free webinar will take place Wednesday, June 8, 2011 12:30pmEDT – 1:30pmEDT. To register and for more information please visit: WordPress for Non-Techies: 6 Steps to Get Your Website Up and Running in 10 Minutes or Less

Yes, Yet Another Button: LinkedIn Job Application

I don’t know about you – but to me, there seems to be a lot of buttons launching lately. From the Google +1, Klout’s +K button, and the Facebook Send button, LinkedIn plans to premiere the LinkedIn Job Application button this month.

This LinkedIn button called, “Apply with LinkedIn,” will allow job candidates to submit their LinkedIn profiles as resumes on employers’ websites. This plugin will use a job applicant’s information to sort candidates for an employer automatically. Companies will also have the option to use additional templated questions, ask customized questions, or the ability to request a cover letter.

LinkedIn continues to dominate the professional sector, reaching over 100 million members this past March, and going public last month.

Although this button may not completely revolutionize how companies accept applications just yet, it is absolutely a stride in a more social direction. As we continue to evolve with our always plugged in lifestyles, this is a smart move for LinkedIn.

Do you see your business implementing a LinkedIn Job Application button?

Image credit: nanpalmero

Next On The IPO Craze- Groupon

It’s happened and I’m sticking on topic, Groupon has filed for its IPO to raise $750 million. With 83 million email subscribers, the company sold 30 million coupons last year and already 28 million in 2011. Does anyone else see another Dot Com boom coming? Investment banks are going to be looking to the Internet community again the next big idea to take public and make money. Every is just waiting for Facebook to see what they are doing, but in the meantime, we are going to watch many companies starting to trade on the different stock markets. Early investors will make money I’m sure, but buyer beware, it could be only a matter of time that things come crashing like they did.

Even Worse News for Google +1

Originally my weekly commentary was going to be on an article that I found on Mashable about how Klout now has a +K button. Similar to Facebook’s Like or to a lesser extent Google’s +1 the +K is going to be given to users who have influenced a reader on a particular topic. Peter Shankman brought this up in his speech during the SFIMA conference a few weeks ago which you can read about here.

When I was looking at the article though, I noticed how many Facebook Likes there was compared to Google +1’s. It’s almost a 500 to 1 difference. This reminded me of an interview that Google ex-CEO Eric Schmidt conducted at the recent D9: All Things Digital conference where he largely admitted he missed the boat on Facebook and Social Media.

How does the 800 Pound Googlerilla (credit: Jay Berkowitz for coming up with the term) think about having now having another 800 pound gorilla (Facebook) in the room? They typically don’t like to be 2nd in anything but as far as overtaking Facebook goes I think that ship has already sailed.