Internet Marketing
Marketing With Out The Fluff

In case you haven’t heard, Facebook is allowing for the creation of vanity “usernames” that will allow you to customize your Facebook address.  This change is a permanent and non-transferable … so select wisely. What ‘Usernames’ Applies To Users will be able to register custom usernames for both profiles and Facebook pages.  In case you aren’t familiar with the two, profiles are for human beings while fan pages are used for businesses, brands, causes and more .  Groups and applications cannot be given a Facebook username.  You can register Saturday Morning (12:01 EST) at the Facebook username page . How Profiles & Pages Work in the SERPs Profiles Profiles are currently listed in the SERPs, but the listings aren’t an carbon copy of your current Facebook page.  The page that is indexed is not a representation of what your friends would see; it is simply a page that is served up to search engines with a basic offering of information like location, sampe friends and a profile picture.  The current structure of profiles is facebook.com/people/firstname-lastname/FacebookProfileNumbe r.  In order to see that full profile, a searcher must be logged in with the proper permissions.  Note: If all of your profile privacy is set to “my friends only” then they will never be indexed by search engines. Pages Pages are fully indexed by search engines, and s so updates, comments and Facebook links can be seen.  Right now the page URL structure looks like this: www.facebook.com/pages/page-name/FacebookPagenumber . How To Use for Business Profiles Seeing that profile rankings in SERPs are hindered by the faux-page delivered to search engines, creating a username to rank doesn’t seem like an ideal maneuver.  Instead, usernames would be a nice addition for name branding, as people can insert easier into business cards, emails and the sort. Pages This is where a solid keyword username could help your page to rank (in both SERPs and possibly in Facebook queries).  Using the Facebook domain strength with a short keyword rich URL could really help for broader queries and also in reputation management for branded terms.  Twitter accounts have been showing up more and more in the SERPs, and this effort should help more Facebook pages show up as well. Of course you should make sure that your username fits in with your branding and you shouldn’t try to overthrow your current efforts because you snagged a cute keyword. If you have been active on the Facebook front, you probably have a few industry related pages devoted to broad non-branded terms.  These would be ideal targets for keyword rich usernames as they wouldn’t ruin branding and the keyword  in the URL structure would benefit any marketing efforts.  So if your antique auto parts store has a “Vintage ‘79 Fords’ page, registering the username “vintage-fords’ should help your page rank, and makes sense as a business move because it is a logical and legiti.mate username.  Facebook has made it clear that very broad terms “pizza” or “flowers” will not be allowed, so try and get a bit creative with your choice. Who is Eligible Any profile created before the announcement at 3 PM on June 9, 2009.  Each profile can have only one name assigned, and each page can only have one as well.  If you didn’t already have this in place, you are out of luck.  You will have to set up your page now, then check back on June 28th to nab your username. Facebook pages are a bit stricter. Your fan page must have been created before May 31, 2009 cut-off date and have had a minimum 1,000 fans at that time. What to Do Stick to Branding – Don’t ‘over-SEO’ yourself if you are working on a specific brand.  While you may be missing some main keywords, you will help in reputation management, branding and will cut confusion. Use Keywords Where Applicable – Companies very active with Facebook marketing most likely have some general industry pages set up that are non-branded.  Getting keyword rich usernames for these would be ideal. Brand yourself – Sure ‘hax0rM4n1k” is a cool handle, but it will be associated with your name forever, so stick to the basics and wrap-up your name for any Facebook profiles.  These profile pages will show in the SERPs so make sure you keep it clean if you ever want to be employed. Protect yourself – If not eligible and have a trademark?  Head over to the USPTO , grab your registration number, and fill out the “protect your username” form . What Not to Do Try to Steal Trademarked Terms – You will not be able to keep them and you are just being a jerk.  Don’t do that. Overly SEO Yourself – Don’t ditch your branding for a set of shiny keywords. Be Late – Facebook has a handy counter for you on the usernames page … so you have no excuse.  Any by the way that is 12:01 AM Eastern, so don’t be late west-coasters. Facebook usernames looks to be a nice addition for profiles and pages, just choose wisely as this is will go on your permanent (Facebook) record! Don’t forget to subscribe to the 10e20 RSS Feed !

In the online world, we tend to make predictions and never really look back. Today, we’ll buck that trend and look at some of this year’s predictions, five months later

Yesterday, Digg announced the release of “ Digg Ads ” a new advertising platform that will hopefully pull their finances out of the red .  What is different about this form of advertising on Digg, is that it is the first time that they have mixed the content in with the ads. Ads will look exactly like a normal submission with the exception that no submitter will be present and a small line will appear on the top and bottom of the article with the text  “sponsored” above. A Brief History of Digg Ads Digg has never really figured out how to really monetize advertisements on the site.  They have looked for help in figuring out what users wanted, and tested out different platforms.  Digg started up using Google as an ad provider with a mix of Federated Media placements .  Then about two years ago Digg moved away from Google AdSense and gave Microsoft a spin at providing ads.  This year Digg again tried mixing it up by dropping Microsoft to try slinging their own ads .  In addition to going it alone on the ad front, Digg hired away Federated Media’s Sales Chief about a week ago as their Chief revenue Officer. Why this makes sense for Digg What Digg has been doing from an ad standpoint simply hasn’t been working .  They are losing money year after year, and this is a glimmer of hope that they can successfully monetize ads with site interaction.  These ads will not be static messages, as Digg is giving the community the ability to interact with the ads by voting and commenting; eventually setting the price for the ads.  While obviously users would prefer an ad-free site, this form of advertising is truly interactive from both the user perspective and the advertiser perspective. Diggers are very anti-establishment and a good portion of them ad-block the current ads on the site.  One reason for this may the fact that Digg hasn’t provided their audience with the most relevant of ads .  Digg has even apologized for some highly annoying ads that have upset its users in the past.  Seeing that Digg has tried  a variety of different ads to no avail, a fresh attempt is needed and this approach looks like it may solve many of the current problems. Why This Will be Good for Users If it works, Digg will stick around. As silly as this sounds, making money (or at least breaking even) is an intrinsic aspect of running a service for people.  Sure Diggers are used to getting things for free  (torrents, software cracks, Digg w/ad block … etc) but at the end of the day a Digg with sponsored listings is better than no Digg at all.  Many users are already embracing the system, as long as it isn’t too intrusive: I think this is great, but please don’t put more than 2 ads in the river at any given time. – Digg User Alancayce Users will determine how much advertisers have to pay. If an ad sucks, users will be able to speak up about it in a civilized format instead of  submitting articles complaining about ads .  The worst ads will be footed with a bigger bill, and advertisers may re-consider purchasing again. They aren’t annoying. Traditionally, ads that have appeared on Digg can play music when hovered over, pop-out or be too flashy (like the current Microsoft ad campaign on Digg).  These new ads are clearly marked and look to be stationary and unobtrusive.  Users will see a link with a short description and can choose whether to check it out or not, no digital shenanigans involved. This will help to make ads much more relevant. The majority of complaints about Digg ads have been that they are off-topic and intrusive.  Now users can comment on why they dislike an ad to sway negative votes, and bury ads that suck.  If it’s a good ad – great!  More good ads should begin popping up. Why This Will be Good for Advertisers If your content is good, you should be able to pay pennies on the dollar. This should help those non-traditional advertisers who couldn’t afford bloated CPMs a shot at advertising on Digg. It is a way for advertisers to be a part of the site. Instead of working on captivating creative for banner ads, advertisers can be judged off of their content.  In an era of banner blindness, being integrated into the site will undoubtedly drive more clicks and awareness for ads. A Look at Other Social News & Bookmarking Ads The two largest Digg competitors are Reddit and StumbleUpon, both with legacy ad systems that are also integrated into the content. Reddit, currently undergoing user backlash , added ads to the site about 2 years ago, and has also added sponsored listings earlier this year.  Also, the side ads have always had the ability to be voted on by using the “Reddit this ad” button beneath each. StumbleUpon has an advertising system that allows advertisers to purchase views from selected users.  These ads directs StumbleUpon user to an advertisers page without notifying them about the nature of the paid stumble.  Currently only paid members have the ability to terminate these ads. Why the Digg Ad System Will be Better Unlike the StumbleUpon model, the Digg ad model is upfront and doesn’t mislead visitors.  Users can see the clearly labeled ad, and choose not to view the page.  This doesn’t force unwanted content down a user’s throat and gives them the option of viewing the paid content placed within the site. The Reddit ads allow for commenting, but no voting functionality exists to let users decide the quality ( update: commentor ‘jedberg’ informs us that if an ad recieves a high number of votes it can stick around longer).  The new Digg ad system will show the votes and also allow users to bury the ads (traditionally, a buried ad is hidden once buried then grayed out to they user for good).  While Reddit did a good job mixing ads with content in a non-obtrusive format, Digg has taken this one step further and will help users dictate the ad pricing, and hopefully the users eventually dictate the ads altogether. What Advertisers Should Know Even though you think you can buy your way onto the popular page of Digg, it is a MUCH different venue than creating quality content that users naturally promote to the homepage.  Even though the ads will be featured on the homepage, Diggers traditionally pass on paid messages.  Additionally, if an ad is sent to a strictly commercial page that is of no interest to the Digg community, they will face a high level of criticism.  While this seems like an easy way to “get popular” on Digg, the traffic, links and visibility from a natural community driven story will be exponentially larger and more productive than a sponsored message . What Ads Will Work The Digg community is a highly technical community that is stereo-typed as enjoying video games, gadgets, Democrats.  Companies that are tech related  or have products that have a positive reputation on Digg should fare well.  These advertisers could successfully leverage product launches, updates and exclusives by using the new Digg ads.   To see what will work, simply visit the site regularly and see what is gathering the most votes and responses- these will be the successful ads down the road. Examples: Microsoft leaks a release date around the Zune HD through a Digg ad or Warner Bros. buys an Ad for an upcoming Batman trailer What Ads Won’t Work As much as the community likes technology and politics, they despise ads.  With that said, nearly all of the Digg banner ads would be a massive failure if they purchased this new form of advertising.  Anything that is corporate, sales-y or not interesting will be victimized.  If your product isn’t targeting tech-savvy opinionated 16-30 year old males, you won’t have success with these ads.  I feel that the majority of the early ads will flop miserably and hurt mismatched companies more than it will help. Examples: Freecreditreport buys an ad that sends users to their homepage or Hummer buys an ad that features their newest gas guzzler How the System Could Backfire While voting and commenting on ads mixed in to normal Digg content sounds like a great idea, Diggers have been known to be a very harsh crowd, and excessively negative comments are common ground on Digg.  If an ad is terrible, not only will the price be higher, but it could feel the wrath of the Digg community who are notorious for being brutal commenters.  Many major brands may shy away from this form of advertising if their reputation is dragged through the mud. Additionally, if the quality of the sponsored ads is lacking, or the ads seriously degrade the content on the site, users could be isolated and may leave Digg completely. Conclusion This ad system is a well needed change for Digg, as it brings much needed revenue potential that will deliver a much bigger bang for advertisers.  However, advertisers may shy away from an ad that hangs them out to dry in front of the nefarious Digg community.  It is a risky move, but has the early potential to be the hands down leader in social news advertising …  only time will tell. What do YOU think? Don’t forget to subscribe to the 10e20 RSS Feed !

With Internet video on the rise and the search engines looking more favorably on video content, there’s an opportunity to leverage this medium for your SEO efforts. We’ll focus on five steps for optimizing for video search, many which run parallel to traditional SEO best practices

Many small business owners think that building a Web site is an end to itself, and that it will simply market itself. They soon find out there’s more to it, and that’s when the questions begin

While there has been a rather large commotion (mostly negative) about the recent release of the DiggBar we have been watching and tracking its usage to find out how the community actually uses it.   Surprisingly, we have found many beneficial aspects to the bar, and discovered a handful of ways that you can use the DiggBar or a shortened URL ( DiggURL)  help your success on Digg. (If you haven’t seen the DiggBar yet, check the following video) Who Sees The DiggBar Many people will argue that framing a website is intrinsically evil.  If you are one of this mindset, I would like to say that Digg’s most recent changes have honestly attempted to make the frame visible only to those who choose to view it, though it still does frame a website.  So before we get into the benefits of the DiggBar, we can take a look at who will and will not see the DiggBar to begin with: 1. Users who don’t have a Digg account won’t see it When the DiggBar first was released, all Digg users were sent to the DiggBar’ed story (unless they chose to always have it shut off.)  After a large outcry from casual users of the site and publishers, Digg went ahead and removed it completely on outbound links for users  who were not currently logged in with  a Digg account. What this means: The casual bloggers/publishers/lurkers who are trolling for stories on the site will never be fed a story that is DiggBar’ed unless they are currently logged in with the DiggBar turned on. They will receive the clean link directly to the source. 2. Users with a Digg account  who dislike can opt to NEVER see it One of the nice things that Digg did do with the bar is to make it extremely easy to turn it off forever.  There are two easy  ways that you can use to turn off the DiggBar: from the DiggBar Itself from your personal options Now, the really cool feature of the shortened DiggURL is that, even if you have an account and someone sends you that shortened URL (and your preferences are off), you will be redirected to the story page.  The only way that you can ever see the DiggBar is if you opt to by manually typing digg.com/ before your URL . What this means: Not all Diggers will see the DiggBar.   Unlike those horridly annoying ow.ly domains from HootSuite on Twitter, BurnURL or any other framed in service – the DiggBar is essentially only shown to those who actually want to see it. 3. If you don’t want anyone to see it, you can choose not to While the DiggBar was intended to help Diggers find great content and vote on it, at the end of the day, it is your site and you can choose to not allow anyone to frame it.  Many sites (even the New York Times) bust frames, so even those users  who opt in to view the DiggBar will be directed to the main article. Here are some resources on  how to break frames: Breaking Out of Frames with JavaScript Wikipedia includes a JavaScript variation that includes a popup as to why you will be redirected Also, if you have a WordPress blog, the plugin “ Diggbarred ” can be installed to block the DiggBar in its entirety. What this means: If you finish reading this article and still hate the DiggBar, you can make sure that nobody else out there will see it … even if they wanted to. How the DiggBar Can Help You So even though the DiggBar does frame a website, you can use this frame to your advantage, here’s how: 1. This one of the largest ‘approved’ ways to share your content off-site Digg has been known to enforce very stringent bannings on violations of Digg’s Terms of Use.  However, this form of promotion and sharing is not only acceptable, but encouraged.  The DiggBar allows you to share by email, Facebook or Twitter.  Emailing has always been an approved method of sharing, but now you can share your submissions directly on Twitter win a 100% approved fashion: 2. It allows for a quick check to see if a story has been submitted Digg has not been the most receptive to the use of its API to aid users.  Instead of relying on 3 rd party add-ons or plugins, you can now simply toss a “digg.com/” in front of any address to see if it has been previously submitted.  This is a simple and easy way to see if a story you find has already been submitted. 3. You can share content and people will know your intent (& you won’t look spammy) On Twitter or Facebook if you are attempting to share your story to increase the number of diggs, many times non-users simply don’t understand.  When sharing a DiggUrl, those who have an account and proper permission will see the DiggBar and give a vote if worthy, those who don’t participate in Digg will just be served the regular page – no harm done.  Before the DiggUrl and DiggBar, users on Twitter would try tagging tweets, sending to the Digg page itself and asking for Diggs.  The DiggURL makes it simple and straightforward; if you have an account, you understand the motive. 4. Users  who enjoy the DiggBar will have an easier time voting for your articles Believe it or not, there are users out there that enjoy the DiggBar.  It makes it easy to see the best comments, share good links and most importantly vote on articles that they deem worthy.  Digg has been ever changing to make it harder and harder to vote for stories that users enjoy.  The DiggBar is a step in the opposite direction, as users can vote quickly and easily, without having to flip back to the Digg page where they discovered the content.  Undoubtedly, the DiggBar will increase user votes and votes for your content

Google’s Matt Cutts continues to post helpful videos at Google’s Webmaster Central YouTube channel , in which he answers user questions. The latest question he tackles comes from a guy in Chicago who asks: Does the new canonicalization tag make it safe to add tracking arguments to some of my internal links without fear that Google will split the quality signals between the two addresses? Matt says, "I believe you can do this," but he recommends trying it out on one directory or a small set of URLs at first to make sure it’s completely safe. If you can do something with cookies or your analytics package, Matt says that would be better because as he explains, "Suppose someone copies and pastes a URL…they might copy and paste it differently…and maybe that URL goes away or the tracking code changes…so if you can make the URLs unified. That’s still better, but I believe this sort of thing can still work totally fine with the new canonicalization tag." Basically, Matt just wants you to be cautious and make sure it works for you to avoid any issues. If the Canonicalization tag is something you’re not familiar with, it’s something that Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft announced jointly a while back in an effort to reduce duplicate content. Matt discussed it with WebProNews upon its launch: More WebProNews Videos Matt has also elaborated on the tag in a longer video and slideshow: Matt is frequently posting informative videos to YouTube, which can generally be found here . He is also posting longer ones with presentations from conferences on his blog . These are both good resources for webmasters to bookmark.