Change the world with your product/service.

That’s not a small order, I get that. But think about it. What is the one thing every top SEO will tell you? Write good content, give people what they are looking for, etc. It all comes down to one thing, be the best. Don’t try to resell someone else’s product and then cry when you don’t rank first. I know that is an unfair example, but as I watch site review panels at PubCon all I see are sites doing the same thing about 30 others are doing.

How do you stand out when everyone else is selling the same product? Don’t just be an affiliate, don’t just open your own business, be different. If you are going to spend the time in your life doing something, make a difference. There is no reason to push something halfheartedly. Have passion. Believe in what you are doing. That will translate into great content and traffic.

You can “trick” the Google algorithm by just bypassing it. Be the best, change the world with your ideas. You don’t have to cure cancer or stop global warming. But when you are building your new business/site, go back to marketing 101 and ask yourself:

What do I offer that my competitors don’t?

If the answer is not immediate, get back to the drawing board. Take risks and try something new.

So I sat back and was very good, and took notes. No not for class purposes, but as a marketer. This was the greatest focus group I could ever ask for, real users with no agenda. There were three things that stood out other than the fact that everyone thinks Google can do no wrong (I’m kidding).

1. One classmate compared Google to Enron - HUH?
Yeah, I am not kidding here. One guy said that Google isn’t transparent in its accounting practices and since there is no “product” that there is a higher possibility that there is fraud happening. I didn’t buy it, barely understood his point, but thought I would send it out to the masses and see if anyone in Search Marketing agreed.

2. Google’s only downfall is going to be a change in focus/people.
The only downfall we could all agree on for Google (why their growth wouldn’t be sustainable) is if their focus changed from the “Don’t Be Evil” core in search. As time goes on, we all know there is a possibility that Google will change as the people change. It is their people and their ethics that keep them doing such a good job. If they lose the focus on the end user, balls will drop all over the place and then they will crash.

3. There is still a minor fear in privacy concerns.
Our professor brought up the web history thing (to which I pointed out that you can opt out, not login and delete history) but at least most people understood that it is that information that Google uses to make the results better. I still have to point out that no matter what Google knows about us, our ISPs know more. So whatever.

There was one part even that I asked everyone in the class who used MySpace (people were very reluctant to raise their hands, interesting) and then followed up asking who used the search bar in MySpace. I was proving a point that people do in fact leave MySpace to search, my professor diagreed. But even that small poll was very insightful.

What do you think? Is Google going to fail like Enron??

So I must say THANK YOU to Google. This is something I have been bothered with for years. I don’t have much to work with on my current company site, but I know this feature will come in handy many times in the future.

For more info on it, see Matt Cutt’s take on it, and the actual release from Google.

Big Watah

Best Smelling in Search

These are two websites and ideas started at SMX East because of what happened the night of October 6, 2008.

The first one has a great story and lesson attached to it (here is the lesson) and I promise I’ll tell my side of the story soon. It even raised money for the Ronald McDonald House during the SearchBash! Talk about great linkbait!

The Best Smelling in Search though was just funny. Jeremiah Andrick, Eric Lander, Scott Polk, David Brown, and a few of the other guys were all sporting name brand colognes. They all smelled really good, but we each had our favorite. Mine was Eric Lander, but the popular vote went to Jeremiah Andrick. Well looks like the battle continues on twitter and the web! We all <3 Jeremiah!

It was great seeing everyone. I’ll post something a little longer this weekend, a recap of sorts. But for now, I am so thankful that Scott Polk and Lisa Barone pushed me to speak. It was beywond rewarding and I can’t wait to do it again at PubCon. And I have a discount code for PubCon if you want 20% off. Just let me know

Nothing is getting better in this country, and no matter how you think the change should happen, the point is you have the responsibility to make your voice heard. Check out this video, it’s hilarious - oh, and has a great message.

It’s time, and we are running out of it. Tell 5 friends, get 5 people to register. It’s easy to do!

So who am I calling out online? Not Todd Freisen, Canadians, jeez - or Jane Copland (Self Proclaimed Kiwi) because they can’t!!! They want to! But can’t. How about you do what they want but can’t do? Vote!

Taylor Pratt - Just moved to Austin. Dude, you registered?
Brent Payne - You’re always late. You’ve registered right? How about getting the Colonel to push this?
Jack Leblond - Didn’t you just move too?
Shelly Fagin - You just moved to Texas! You can get it done in time!
Brian Morris - I already took care of this one, but it counts as my fifth!

I am going to be annoying friends and family this weekend preparing for those, adding examples, and other fun stuff. I am due in NYC Sunday evening and the plans have already started. Drinking with Pat (though he hasn’t talked to me yet … Pat … you not love me anymore?), dinner with Julie Sun, and the SearchBash with all my party buddies.

But the most important event of all? IM Charity Party

This party has always been the main event! You should have seen the one on San Jose. The pictures tell all the stories, but let’s just say there were pumpkins, hot women selling tickets, Loren Baker in a tool belt, and the awarding of a date with Neal Patel. If you’re going to SMX East, please make it a point to attend. It’s only $50, open bar, and all proceeds go to the Ronald McDonald House. Trust me, you’ll want to be there!

Not going? Consider donating anyway. It’s a great cause!

For me, it’s worth it to incur possible penalties (there are no tests on those days) for what I will gain from attending the conferences. But today I got to thinking why I am even penalized for missing class. I get public school (Grade K-12), other people are paying for you to be there.

At the collegiate level, I really don’t get it, I’m paying (or for some people, someone else is) for the professor to be there and teach me. If I want to miss class, there should be no penalty other than the knowledge missed in class discussion.

If you have assignments due and can turn them in early, I see no reason why you should be penalized. Late or make-up issues I understand, but even then as professionals we have other committments. Sick children, corporate disasters, etc. Don’t give me this crap about preparing me for the real world. Guess what? We live in it! Work does stop for a sick child, work gets made up for a missed day. Get over it!

For example, for SMX East I will be coming back that night and if allowed, using technology I could have joined in class discussion. But the university is not set up for something like that. Where did I get that hairbrained idea? University of Phoenix commericals. Yeah, that idea that has taken the world by storm?

All of a sudden you can learn the same things, get the same work done on your schedule, and interact with other students using technology. This all of a sudden is looking like a better idea for the real professional today pursuing a higher degree. I get why they are the largest growing university in the United States. They are listening to what people need and providing a solution that works with the times.

Universities, get with it. If you can’t keep up, what is happening to the newpaper industry might just be headed for you next. Tell your professors to get consulting jobs on the side to keep up with the industry so that we are not schooling them. Open courses up online and get rid of the stupid requirement, the penality of a docked grade for missing class (for any reason whatsoever other than religious holidays).

Oh, and to the Handbag Planet people, check your Title Tags. Your thank you and referral page tag says “Win a Free Hangbag!” Don’t think that’s what you meant. There’s my SEO tip for you and all my readers. If you’re gonna get links and do a great contest like this, make sure we don’t refer to you as HangbagPlanet.

Here are my issues with the dude:

1. Asking for tips from real industry experts (see HARO ad below which has now been pulled) so that he can make money off of them. He poses to be a “big seo blog” of which no expert in the field I know, knows him. I know some fairly big names, and he isn’t one of them! Using an outlet like HARO is just stupid. That service is for real journalists looking for sources for articles. Not for you to get real tips to make money off of.
2. Own website whose homepage is about 25 pages long
   Yes, I checked it and so did Rishil; with formatting in Word it’s 24 pages long. Dude, you just broke one of the cardinal rules of SEO which is making an aesthetically pleasing site. FAIL!
3. Used an online dating picture for a testimonial
   Eric Lander noted this one (okay, maybe not an online dating picture really, but it looks like it!). He is using his own picture in the middle of his testimonials.
4. Uses things like “Ranked #1 in Google in Record Time”
   That’s in the Guinness Book of World Records? Where? I know plenty of people and sites that have probably beat his “world record.”

So without further ado, if anyone wants to help this man make money off of your hard work, let me know. I’ll give you his email listed on the ad and then beat you for actually wanting to talk to him.

Summary: new seo tips (edited)
Title: publisher (ha!)
Media Outlet/Publication: big seo blog (pwwth)
Query: “Looking to get the biggest new secrets in seo, to find out the new tips to ranking websites are there any? what’s new in seo, give me the top 10, 20 secrets how to rank your website in replying. ”

UPDATE: Peter Shankman has pulled the request, turns out other complained too.