It may not be possible to automate all of SEO (or other business processes) with software, but that doesn’t mean you can’t avoid the chores in SEO. If you can document the processes, you can delegate them to virtual assistants (VA). (A virtual assistant is an assistant you work with online rather than in person. VAs are typically contractors rather than salaried employees, so they’re also likely to be cheaper than a secretary if you don’t need them full time.) Right now, I’m experimenting with documenting those of my processes that involve brainless...

Beyond Google. Where will customers be searching in 5 years? Dixon Jones of Receptional asks the audience: Who doubts life after Google? About half the audience raises their hand. According to Dixon, there will be life after Google and we are already there. He cites Facebook as an example of a site that is growing links more quickly than Google. He then goes on to discuss the Trust/Convenience Contract. This contract is illustrated when searchers trust Google to give them data, as opposed to going around knocking on neighbor’s doors to find the answer. However, ...

While I don’t make my use of  Google products like Google Apps and Google Reader secret it still continues to amuse some people when I do.  However a few weeks ago when I went to SES San Jose, I encountered a new “feature” that occurs when you change time zones, and it didn’t do me any favors. Before SES San Jose I got emails from Vanessa Zamora of  WebmasterWorld and Abby Prince of  Web Pro News to schedule some interviews, and I set them up for local time on the west coast. When I got to the west coast Google Calendar recognized this and asked...

Posted by: Shannon Anderson, Project Manager Are you strapped for cash but under pressure to perform? Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns offer a cost-effective way of driving qualified traffic, and conversions, to your website? To get the most bang for your PPC buck, follow these four simple steps when setting up and optimizing your campaign. Focus on Targeted Keywords: Nothing will run your budget quicker than bidding on keywords that are too broad. While you may get a lot of visibility, the clicks you will receive on these ads will likely be very costly and...

Charlene Li is co-author of the business best-seller, Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies and gave the keynote on day 3 of SES San Jose.  She spoke on the intersection of search and social and discussed how to prepare for the future of search.  Read on for the highlights of her presentation: How far have we come since 2001?  In just 8 years, we’ve gone from simple text links in search results to pictures, video and a rich user experience. Imagine what will happen going forward into the future.  The engines are only going...