Useful Ink: Archive
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Twitter: What Happens Here Doesn't Stay Here...Thank Goodness
It was less than ten months ago that I re-arrived on
Twitter. I say re-arrived rather than arrived,
as the first time I glanced at it, it made zero sense. I was
used to “simple rules and regulations” as
had been set forth by facebook and other such social
networks. I really didn't give it a lot
of credence to Twitter at first.
At the same time, how could I ignore
it? Every television or
radio interview eventually seemed to lead to Twitter, and more times
than not
it was being mentioned in newspaper articles as well.
There had to be something to this rather
benign cyber-monster that was beyond my comprehension. So I decided to
give it
a little more time and this time ask questions. I am glad I did so as
it led me
to persons, many of whom are still my close friends, and even business
associates, and I tend to meet new people right away.
There are a few things to know about Twitter (or any
other
social network). It is not the cozy
quiet, static personal e-tool that it appears to be. What you type on
Twitter
does not stay there. In fact, it often appears on Google, MSN, Yahoo,
and other
search engines rather rapidly, sometimes within hours, depending on
fast those
particular spiders are operating on the day one is twittering. This can
be used
to your advantage or disadvantage.
For instance, as of this writing, I have
almost 7,000
followers. I only communicate regularly
with maybe 200-300 of them. I have
discovered that Twitter, like any other social network is not too
unlike a
microcosm of our own real life community. There
are people with similar likes, dislikes,
values, morals, ethics,
and you name it.
A lot of twitterers falsely
believe that it is “all about
getting more followers”, when, in fact the opposite is often true. The real key is to find like-minded
followers, and, even though be spontaneous in one's conversations on
Twitter,
also have some prepared keyword-rich tweets with a backlink (Google and
other
giant search engines love this) to be tweeted on a fairly regular
basis. Google
likes “like”; that is, they like to “see” you conversing with others
with
like-minded values, causes, businesses, interests, etc.
as, to the Google-bots, it is noted that you
are talking to others within your realm of knowledge.
This can actually help pull up your site
ranking as your words leak off of Twitter onto Google (and other major
search
engines).
The reason for the importance of the backlink to your
page
or particular product or service is so that when someone finds you on
Google; it will not
necessarily make the Googler click on the Google link, only to take
them to
your Twitter page; where they will have to click yet again, if they can
find
your backlink on your profile, to find out more information. Most would rather move on with their web
surfing than take so much time. If you include a backlink, more often
than not,
Google and others will include it in the indexing allowing others to
click
directly to your site and/or blog. If
you have a keyword-rich tweet along with it, all the better, as it
helps the
potential client know they do not have to go to Twitter, find your
link, and
yet click on another one (and perhaps even another one to find the
particular
product or service for which they are looking.
Though
Twitter has become an important tool in
the entire SEO (Search Engine Optimization) process, it is but one tool. To make it one's only tool is a big mistake.
Though it may “rule” for the moment, what rules better is a combination
of
Twitter, Facebook blogging, article marketing, PPC (Pay Per click
advertising),
bookmarking, blog pinging, and a myriad of other elements that are
ongoing. Did
you know that the majority of actual buying decisions are not made on Twitter even, if the
conversation originated there? Those are
made by people who found your backlink and keyword-rich tweet, after it
has
leaked onto Google, MSN, Yahoo, or another engine, and, even then,
often bookmarked
and your page visited several times (in most cases).
Alas, don't be sad that with all your
hard networking conversations
on Twitter that this is not where most of the actual business
transactions will
happen. However, if you excluded Twitter altogether, chances are, they
might
not happen at all as there would be nothing to leak onto the search
engines.
Keyword-Rich
Domains: A Cheap Google Romance
The Internet. So much to remember. SEO, keywords, social networking,
Twitter, web designs, metatags...and the list goes on and on. One might
ask him or herself, “Why even bother?”
Answer: Because it is worth it. Well worth it; that is, if you take it
a step at a time, and don't become overwhelmed.
So you ask yourself, “Where do I start?” There are many answers to that
question. Perhaps you already own a domain and web site and it is not
producing as you had expected. Maybe you are now getting your feet wet.
Let's start with the basics. Buy a domain. You might ask, “Just buy or
register any domain?” The answer is no.
You want a domain that, if possible has keywords that “Google rewards”.
For instance if you are in the insurance business, you want the name of
your firm and the word "insurance" next to it. You can also buy
other domains and point them to your site such as
“WorldsBestInsurance.com or TopTenInsurancecompanies.com (that is if
they are not taken) and point them to your website. These are the type
phrases that people type in often when looking for “the best” and they
often find you first. Google seems to prefer .com sites over .net or
.tv, etc. so go for the dot.com if it is available.
This offers you extra protection too, that is, if people forgot the
name of your firm. Let's say the name of your firm is Bloomberg, Smith,
and Allison Insurance. Chances are
BloombergSmithAndAllisonInsurance.com is not taken. But chances are
also people are not going to want to type that long a domain name into
Google to find you. So why not buy the domain, but buy a few more.
After all they average about $10 each at most. How about
BSAInsurance.com (if it is not already taken). Another might be
CheapestPeoriaInsurance.com (if you live and work in Peoria...and have
great prices on insurance) etc. SEO was custom-invented for “lack of
memory”. If someone just remembers what you do; and know you have the
cheapest insurance in Peoria; they will remember that domain name also
pointing at your site.
Some companies such as General Electric own up to a hundred or more
domains pointed at www.GeneralElectric.com.
They do so because they make so many products, often people remember
the product, but don't remember that general electric makes it. Whether
you are the size of General Electric or Joe's Pawn Shop on the corner,
please remember, not only do people remember you by your domain name
(and many more use the Internet even locally than the Yellow Pages to
find you, using a keyword-rich domain name, or names is a very smart
start. And Google, who is still "King of the Net" seems to agree.
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