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Author: Will Scott

  • Maximizing that Press Release Link – Janet Meiners Thaeler

    Matt Siltala of Dream Systems Media
    Matt Siltala of Dream Systems Media

    On our pal and colleague Matt Siltala ‘s site, Dream Systems Media, they just posted a great article from Janet MeinersThaeler, @NewspaperGrl on press releases and their SEO value.

    We LOVE online PR around here!

    The post is about online PR and how a press release can get you quality backlinks.

    Start with a good story and then use online distribution.

    The post has a link to a site that ranks press release distribution sites for their SEO value. It also gives tips on what to write about (finding a good topic is key to getting coverage from bloggers and journalists alike).

    It’s a good read and validates our opinion and use of PR in support of website promotion.

    Check it out and if you like it, tweet or Spinn it.

    In case you missed it, I had the good fortune to be interviewed by Matt on a related subject “Press Releases and SEO ” a couple months back.

  • Unethical Customer Reviews Can Cost You Big

    Lifestyle Lift is learning the cost of unethical customer reviews. The New York State Attorney General has reached a $300,000.00 settlement with cosmetic surgery company Lifestyle Lift in response to fabricated consumer reviews.

    It appears that Lifestyle Lift was directing employees to spend their time in reviewing their own facilities.

    Lifestyle Lift is a plastic surgery chain store. From those online customer reviews one finds, which appear truly authentic, they’re not doing so great in good old fashioned customer service. According to the article in the NY Times it seems that Lifestyle Lift is resorting to aggressive reputation management techniques to suppress bad reviews and advance their own message.

    Where did Lifestyle Lift go wrong?

    According to the article, it appears that Lifestyle Lift fabricated reviews of their own facilities and even went so far as to create entire new “review” sites to advance their message.

    To be clear, user reviews are great. The creation of alternate sites for search or more targeted messaging are a long accepted technique to obtain ranking and spread the message.

    Where it becomes a problem is when these reviews and sites are presented as authentic user generated content and they are, in fact, a fabrication in support of public relations.

    In short, the creation of false consumer reviews with the intent to deceive is the problem. It’s long been held to be unethical and now, in the state of New York, it’s illegal

    Examples of likely fabricated reviews:

    These aren’t for Lifestyle Lift, but for other plastic surgery searches. I’m not saying the following are specifically relevant to bunk reviews, but there are a couple listings – you can find them yourself – which have an abundance of positive or non-informative, yet 5-star, reviews.

    http://www.google.com/search?q=breast+augmentation+san+francisco
    http://www.google.com/search?&q=plastic+surgery+new+jersey

    And we don’t know that these are definitely a fabrication but “cool” has 3 reviews, all of which are for the same plastic surgeon, focusing on different locations (1 of which includes “Plastic Surgery” as the business name) and no reviews for other businesses.

    And “Happy”, whose reviews look more authentic has a similar instance of 1 each for business name”Plastic Surgery” and for the doctor’s name itself – again, with no reviews for other businesses.

    At a minimum, what the above demonstrate is how not to ask for customer reviews. Whether “Happy” and “cool” are real people or employees of the practice, a little digging makes it appear these are inauthentic and calls into question the validity of all the reviews.

    So what’s a small business to do?

    As the examples show it’s a dog-eat-dog world in online reviews.

    Ironically we’re preparing a much more focused post on how to get reviews but in the meantime remember:

    • Be authentic! Chances are if you fake it you’ll get caught.
    • Have customers tell their story. They’ll be much more believable than you.
    • In doubt? Don’t do it! Lifestyle Lift should be a lesson – it might cost you $$

    Of course, this case is different than most because Lifestyle Lift got busted. The New York State Attorney General has drawn the line for us with regard to clearly egregious behavior but I think we can all agree they’re not the only ones.

    Where does that line get drawn for you? As with every ethical question there are many shades of gray between here and there.

    I’d love to hear your thoughts.

    Thanks to the Blog Herald for tipping me off to this story. It’s very relevant to our livelihood and that of our customers.

  • Business Incentives, Power Networks and a Whole Lotta Soul

    So, I’m sitting in a fancy sushi restaurant in LA a couple weeks ago with a friend, who’s also a client. Everybody’s thin and beautiful (except us, of course), the decor is slick and gorgeous and the sushi and company were awesome.

    Picture: Katsuya Brentwood, Los Angeles

    We’re talking business and Marc says to me “why do you stay in New Orleans”?

    Look, if you live here, you know why I stay in New Orleans. But for the rest of you, here’s a few:

    • I can often wear shorts in January
    • When you go out to see music, people are dancing
    • When you go to morning meeting at your kids’ school people are dancing
    • It’s funky, eclectic, exotic and refined
    • It’s a small town with an international vibe
    • There is a warmth that’s real, I mean real
    • There is a thriving business community who gets what’s important
    • It’s easy

    Why not stay? I’ll leave that for someone else, I don’t know where else to go, you know? I love New York, I love San Diego, I love Paris, but none of them is this easy.

    And, regardless of what the papers say, it’s a great place to start a business.

    Ok, enough rah, rah, how bout some facts!

    • in 2008, Louisiana was 5th in the nation in Entrepreneurial activity
    • The Louisiana Angel Investor Tax Credit
    • The Digital Media / Motion Picture and Sound Recording Tax Credits
      Measures are underway to extend this to all technology firms
    • Unlike the rest of the country our unemployment rate is going down

    And finally, we have GNO Inc. who is putting together the GNO Digital Media Alliance to advance the cause of Digital Media and Media as the next growth industry in Louisiana.

    Michael Hecht of GNO Inc was kind enough to come speak with us and told us that GNO Inc has put together a data sheet with some key facts about New Orleans. At our Net2NO meeting on Tuesday night I suggested everyone with a blog should take it upon themselves to spread the good news.

    On their web site it’s an image. I had it transcribed below:

    GREATER NEW ORLEANS: A GREATER REALITY

    The Greater New Orleans Reality Check

    • The Greater New Orleans region has international trade assets, such as six-class A railroads, excellent highway access and a location at the mouth of the Mississippi, that are unmatched anywhere in the country.
    • Our port system, taken from Plaquemines to Baton Rouge, is one of the largest in the world.
    • We have 88% of the nation’s oil rigs off our coast, and are in the top three in the country in oil and gas production. We are America’s Energy Coast.
    • Every single manned flight that has gone into space since Apollo has done so with a massive fuel tank built in one of the largest and most advanced manufacturing facilities in the world, right here at Michoud.
    • We are now the center of the third largest film producing region in the country, behind only Hollywood and New York.
    • The GNO region has a collection of colleges and universities that is as good, in quantity and quality, as that of any city of comparable size in our country. And these schools have come back strong: admissions at Tulane is up 180% from pre-storm levels.
    • 94% of our region is above sea level.
    • And, the technology exists to restore our wetlands and protect the remainder.
    • 9l% of the regional population is back.
    • And the population that is back is filled with highly educated and motivated “brain-gainers.”
    • Our region is experiencing a level of civic and business engagement that hasn’t been seen in decades.
    • Our region is embarking on one of the most ambitious educational reform programs in the history of our nation.
    • Here you can find a sense of place, a value for dollar and an overall quality of life that city planners have discussed since Jane Jacobs, but few actual regions can offer. In an ever more homogeneous world, the GNO region increasingly shines as a unique beacon of culture.
    • While the rest of the country is reeling from a massive financial crisis, we are relatively better-off thanks to billions of recovery dollars, a surplus from formerly high oil and gas prices, and record-breaking exports.

    This is our reality. This is Greater New Orleans.

    So, get out there and spread the good news. Post a comment with a link to your blog post and I’ll add it below with the others who are:

  • 2009 Local Search Ranking Factors

    Local SEO consultant and Portland, OR web designer David Mihm has just published his second annual Local Search Ranking Factors Survey and for the second year running, Search Influence has been chosen to participate.

    This is the definitive document on Local Search Ranking.

    The study asked participants to rate 49 factors on their impact on Google and Yahoo Local’s universal search algorithms, calculating their positive or  negative impact on ranking as well as the level of agreement the participants had on each issue. The following are some of the highlights of the survey:

    • Positive Impact –  According to the 27 participants, local business listing address in the city of search currently has the most positive impact on ranking, followed by citations from major data providers, and properly categorizing local business listings.
    • Negative Impact – Top factors to avoid according to the study include using multiple local business listings with the same address, multiple local business listings (Google) with the same phone number, and including a PO box with no physical address.
    • Increased Positive Impact since 2008 –  Within the past year, participants say LBL with marginal categories has increased its positive impact the most, followed by LBL with videos, and KLM file submission.
    • Decreased Positive Impact since 2008 –  Top factors that have fallen in positive impact since last year include the number of inbound links, the age of the LBL, and using a PO box without a physical address.
    • Most Controversy –  Study participants had the least agreement on the importance of using the same address for multiple LBLs, using the same name on multiple LBLs, and naming products and services in the inbound keyword text.

    The study surveyed 27 participants in the local search market field and was designed to help small businesses prioritize their web marketing needs.

    Click for full results of the Local Search Ranking Factors study.

  • Social Media Club of New Orleans 1st Meeting

    I’ve posted pictures online of the first meeting of the Social Media Club, New Orleans.

    It was a good time and I’m hopeful to see it evolve into something worth doing.

    More from the Social Media Club of New Orleans:

  • Taxes are the price we pay for civilization.

    I was reminded of this quote at least twice this week.  Once by my CPA and once by my friend and Local Search Engine Optimization Expert, David Mihm

  • delicious Links from Today 5/12/09

    I have come to love >delicious.com (formerly del.icio.us which I liked more.

    For those of you not already familiar, delicious.com allows you to store all your bookmarks in one place organized by date with tags for secondary management.

    I was very fortunate in my reading today, thanks mostly to my friends on twitter .

  • Twitter is a 1978 Fax Machine – Metcalfe’s Law and The Twitter Nielsen Data

    First things first: this post is a bit of inside baseball – it may be conceptually interesting but it likely won’t help you market your business.

    Metcalfes Law And The Network Effect
    Metcalfe's Law And The Network Effect

    What’s interesting to me about the recent Nielsen data regarding “Twitter Quitters” is that it makes a prediction based on current data without looking at how this technology is like others before it.  Surely Nielsen

    doesn’t have data on adoption of all technologies since the beginning of time, but if they thought a little harder they might find some similarities.  Or perhaps they just want the attention of controversy.

    Metcalfe’s Law

    states that the value of a telecommunications network is proportional to the square of the number of connected users of the system.

    The most common illustration of this is the fax machine.  One fax machine = paperweight, two fax machines = dialog, ubiquitous fax machines = global communications in the pre-email era.

    So what’s the point?

    My contention is this: Twitter (per the Nielsen data) is a 1978 fax machine. If you had one you thought you were really cool, but the reality is you were probably only impressing yourself.

    If you’re not aware of the concern, here’s a little background:

    Fax Machines - Theyre Everywhere
    Fax Machines – They're Everywhere

    I mean think about it.  If you’re not one who is naturally tapped into online communication you sign up, cruise around without an instruction manual or map and it’s boring.  “Where to now?” you must think.  Then the phone rings, the teapot whistles or the dog barks and you’re outta there.

    Unless you’re already in the know it’s hard to find the great resources there are out there:

    It’s no wonder there’s a 60% dropoff rate.

    If you believe TechCrunch, at the end of April there were a few more than 1 million users of Twitter with only around 200,000 really active.

    From TC :

    March 2008

    • Total Users: 1+ million
    • Total Active Users: 200,000 per week
    • Total Twitter Messages: 3 million/day

    So let’s look at that in context.  With around 1 million users worldwide 40% of whom are in the U.S. that means that only about 400,000 U.S. folks are on twitter.

    Its Lonely Out There
    It's Lonely Out There

    So… if you’re not one of those 400,000 you’re one of the other 299,600,000, or thereabouts, U.S. folks who aren’t yet on Twitter.  That means you’re not one of the 13/100ths of 1 percent who are already hip.

    That’s a really small number.  I mean really small.  You might be lonely.

    So, I come back to likening Twitter to a 1978 fax machine.  Currently Twitter lacks mass utility — so did a fax machine in 1978.  Where’s the fax now?

    The Fax is ubiquitous

    .

    Photo Credits:


  • WordCamp New Orleans – Speaking on WordPress SEO

    I spent the last 2 days at a fantastic conference — the kind we need more of around here — WordCamp NOLA.

    Day 1 was a bit of a Social Media day, more introduction than implementation.

    Day 2 was, if I do say so myself, much more full of actionable stuff including my presentation on WordPress SEO.

    I drew on our own experience working with clients and borrowed from some of the best in the industry.

    For your viewing pleasure, here is the presentation:

    I have to say, there’s something a little scary about in-conference twitter feeds but it turns out most of the commentary was complimentary and I want to thank all in attendance for their support and appreciation.

    Following are some of the comments from the twitter feed:

    @chaseswindler: Well i missed followfriday since I was at #wordcampnola but here’s some cool peeps I met there. @jessnola @benhuh @w2scott @iammattthomas

    @jessNOLA: At lunch with @w2scott and the domainer guys after an awesome #wordcampnola http://twitpic.com/35yxy

    @djpoptart: RT @jessnola: @w2scott #wordcampnola presentation will be posted on search influence blog, site is http://searchinfluence.com

    @jessNOLA

    : RT@filosofo @w2scott: You might be interested in my WP comments page SEO plugin http://tinyurl.com/5dw69u (expand) #wordcampnola

    @20bs: Big up @w2scott very well done, extremely helpful and informative #wordcampnola

    @ryancolgin: Agreed – RT @JMillsPaysBills: @w2scott – you da man! #wordcampnola

    @lizmoney: @jessnola @JMillsPaysBills yep, looking at my search stats, lots of hits that lead to my sites are often misspellings #wordcampnola

    @snakejw: @w2scott thanks – great presentation. #wordcampnola

    @socalcane: @w2scott – great presentation! I’ll be following your blog going forward!

    @JMillsPaysBills: @w2scott – you da man! #wordcampnola

    @jessNOLA: “Don’t underestimate the value of real relationships in SEO.” In reference to link building. From @w2scott #wordcampnola

    @jessNOLA: @JMillsPaysBills I know! So going to start doing that. Never would’ve thought of it. @w2scott Great talk. Thx for the info! #wordcampnola

    @filosofo: @w2scott: You might be interested in my WP comments page SEO plugin http://tinyurl.com/5dw69u #wordcampnola

    @JMillsPaysBills : @jessnola @w2scott different misspellings of keywords tag is an awesome idea.

    @jessNOLA: References slide from @w2scott SEO for WordPress talk at #wordcampnola. Not sure if it’s readable, but maybe. http://twitpic.com/35oyo

    @jessNOLA: Best use of keywords tag is to include common misspellings. View source at whitehouse.gov for good example. From @w2scott #wordcampnola

    @TheJeffMadison: #wordcampnola SEO tip keywords = useless except for misspellings

    @judiknight: Will says “I can make a crappy site rank with a lot of incoming links”, #wordcampnola

    @colingagon: great wp seo presentation, Will, thanks! got exactly what i needed. #wordcampnola

    @jessNOLA: @w2scott #wordcampnola presentation will be posted on search influence blog, site is http://searchinfluence.com

    @jakebondo: Can we get all keynote slides in one place? #wordcampnola

    @davidlink: Yoast = Joost de Valk #wordcampnola

    @lizmoney: @jessnola srsly, i’m so flattered and validated that he’s been a long time twitter contact of mine #wordcampnola

    @lizmoney: SEO is a whole nother kind of hacking, if you can think like a hacker, you can rock some SEO #wordcampnola

    @jessNOLA : @lizmoney agreed. Will is totally rocking this. Impressed with his knowledge. Soothing voice, to boot. 😉 @w2scott #wordcampnola

    @rondomingue: Despite what people may think if there are real people at Google that will review your site if flagged #wordcampnola

    @ErikaLehmann: Realizing I’m rather SEO clueless when I’m only following half of what @w2scott is saying. Happy to finally learn. #wordcampnola

    @Net2NO: Founding member & past beer sponsor Will Scott (@w2scott) of Search Influence: awesome SEO talk at #wordcampnola! http://twitpic.com/35nz8

    @ryancolgin: Was anyone else thinking Will Scott’s voice is very Kevin Spacey-esque?? #wordcampnola

    @chaseswindler: WordPress seo talk by will scott. #wordcampnola

    @judiknight: Very interested in this SEO talk.Will is good speaker, great voice. Sounds like he knows what he is talking about. #wordcampnola

    @Net2NO: Duplicate content = SEO Death @w2scott at #wordcampnola

    @filosofo: Listening to a good SEO talk by @w2scott at #wordcampnola

    @dalamanna: @ErikaLehmann @davidlink #wordcampnola yes, but can @w2scott do uncanny Christopher Walken impressions?

    @champsuperstar: yay! my redirect questions being answered by @w2scott at #wordcampnola – talk about timely!

    @unapologetic: @w2scott presentation is full of useful WordPress SEO info – some real, practical, useable stuff… (finally) #wordcampnola

    @chaseswindler: He is @w2scott btw

    @caseybradford : @w2scott really knows his seo. #wordcampnola

    @jessNOLA: SEO Description Tag “This is your elevator pitch, don’t let WordPress pitch it for you.” @w2scott #wordcampnola

    @ErikaLehmann: Listening to @w2scott

    talk about SEO for WordPress at #wordcampnola – smart guy, easy to listen to!

    @jessNOLA: wordpress: quick to deploy, easy to manage, optimized for speed, extensible plugin architecture. according to @w2scott at #wordcampnola

    @jessNOLA: just moved front and center @wordcampnola for @w2scott‘s presentation. so i can heckle him, of course. #wordcampnola

    @lizmoney: Will is gonna rock this. i love me some him #wordcampnola

  • 1000 Locksmiths in New York City

    My friend Matt McGee sent an email last night in which he discovered a new feature of Google Maps.

    This makes for some very interesting results:

    Restaurants New Orleans

    New Orleans Restaurants

      New Orleans Restaurants

      David Mihm The Lazarus Project psp ‘s favorite:

      Locksmiths in New York City

      Notorious psp

      Locksmiths New York City

      Locksmiths New York City

      Must be a lot of locks in all those tall buildings to need so many locksmiths.

      This is an interesting development which makes me wonder about the statistical likelihood of one moving from the main search engine results to the maps view.

      If I had to guess i’d say it seems likely that this will lead to a wider implementation which will lead to stronger calls to action from the main search engine results page.

      UPDATE:

      So, funny story – I’m in New York for Search Engine Strategies and find myself invited to dinner by Yelp with my friend Mat Siltala (in all honesty they would have never invited me without him :)).

      The yelpers brough along a couple of happy customers. One was the guys who run the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck – an only in NY kind of thing – and the other was, drumroll please, a Locksmith! NYC is famous thanks to this post and a couple others for Locksmith spam. But here’s this guy, an honest and dependable practitioner having dinner with us in the East Village NY. Locksmiths, to hear him tell it, may deserve their bad rap, but Jay publishes prices right on his site and has nothing but 5 star reviews on Yelp.