Triangulation – making you a dominate force on the web.

The triangle is rapidly becoming an extremely valuable asset when it comes to business and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) applications. The concept of Triangulation has recently become extremely important with the new “Relationship Age” or what could be called the “Connected Revolution”.

As you know, Google has been the leader in search engine optimization. The whole premise of the google search engine algorithm is simple, ‘google wants you to find what you are looking for.’ So Google chooses the most ‘relevant’ links to put in front of you. Relevance is determined by three things:

1. Clicks – the number of times the link has been chosen for the selected key words
2. Content – sites that have direct reference to key words
3. Interconnectivity – Sites that have content related to key words that are linked together.  The more interconnections, the more excitable the search engine

“Triangulation” is the act of interconnecting websites, blogs, social networks and other posts

The figure shown is a representation a simplistic way in which to show just how Search Engine Optimization or SEO can be organically developed. In order to get a business to #1 Ranking on the Internet, a business owner used to either spend a great deal of money, or a great deal of time optimizing their Website to gain relevancy of their site in order to reach that prime #1, page 1 real estate position.

Although Keywords and Meta tags are still important, they are not as important as they used to be; they are not the sole focus to reach that #1, Page 1 positioning. For a period of time Websites could simply “Hyperlink” between other Website in order to be seen as having relevancy. Website administrators would contact administrators of other Websites having a common business interest either in content or some other logical business connection. Unfortunately it didn’t take long for the art of “swapping links” to become abused. SEO companies sprang up like flies, raising the cost of positioning. SEO companies began taking advantage of linking sites together having no logical relevancy between them making it more and more costly and difficult for legitimate companies and small businesses to compete in their markets.

In the most simplistic of explanations, what Google did was redefine how these links can be made more relevant through “The Art of Triangulation”, the ability to establish and legitimize relevancy between resources, Websites, and industries having commonality and ties. Just like the connectivity found in the lines of a triangle and the natural strength found in pyramids, businesses are able to build strong associations among three or more connected points that strengthen Website legitimacy and relevancy, helping them to “organically” percolate up to page #1.

Here is a real example of how a new start training company used Triangulation to gain page one presence for important key words within just a few months.

The company is called “The Purple Podium”, which is a public speaking training company for aspiring and professional politicians and business leaders. They developed their website on a web tool called Makeitloudsites. This gave them more control over editing the site and has allowed the principles to use the website much like a blog. They have created a section that they edit every day with fresh youtube videos and commentary with links to other websites and blogs. As well, they drive people in their network directly to their website through interesting Tweets on Twitter. The principals of the company have Qalias pages that hyperlink to other related subjects. The result is that The Purple Podium is found on page one when you google “Political Speaking Coaches”. This was achieved without spending one dime for SEO.

This is a very simple case in how “Triangulation” can be implemented. And just as The Purple Podium was able to gain significant relevance in its market, you can also use Triangulation like the SEO pro’s to become a dominant force on the web.

Turn your Personal Brand into Personal Relevance – Part 1

Ok, so you have all the tools that Dan Schawabel says to have, Facebook or My Space, Linked In, your Twitter and YouTube accounts, and most importantly, your blog. And you are starting to get some SEO relevance on the search engines with your Qalias account. What now? The answer is to get to work and create your own corner of the Web by becoming an expert in the area of your interest.

There is a lot of space for experts on the web.  Find that thing you are passionate about and are willing to become a web expert on and begin driving people to you. That is exactly how Dan Schawabel became the Personal Branding Guru.  And you can become a Guru in your space also. Let’s get started.

If your interest is “Business Etiquette”,  Make you blog specific to that topic by posting articles every day that offer advice and links to other articles and videos on the.  Posting everyday will not only give you Search Engine relevance but will also establish currency and credibility.

Be sure to differentiate yourself from any others that might be in your space. Go to blogs that are related to your interest topics and comment on them. Be sure not to suggest or sell any products or services in your comments (bad blog etiquette for sure). Don’t worry if there are others claiming to be experts in your space. When you start using our advice, you will blow right past them in relevance and credibility.

Watch for our next posts, Part 2, “Triangulation”, the engine that will make you a dominate force on the web. Part 3, “Monetizing Your Brand.” Turning your expertise into passive, recurring revenue stream.

From Buy the Land – to Buy the Brand…

The more things change – the more they stay the same.  My uncle used to say “buy the land, not the houses – cause eventually all the land will be gone.  It’s the one thing they aren’t making anymore.”  Funny how that really applies to your own battle online to establish your digital brand – and stake your name, er um, claim, to the front page of Google, where people will find you.

I know, I know, there are many people who say they don’t want Page One on Google – and they also say they wouldn’t want to live in the country club community, too.  However, once you’ve done so, it becomes obvious how much being on page one of Google helps you be vettable – to be referrable – to be respected and instantly verified.  In about 3 years of holding rank on page one – then page 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and onwards – I found more and more times where I was already “the favorite” when it came time to choose the next presenter, trainer, marketing choice or even awards.  Back in March, I was selected by David Cooper, America’s Income Trainer, to come to his Nashville studio and film two DVD’s – which helped cement the start to a great relationship.

I encourage you to remember the analogy my uncle held – because just like the land, there is only so much space on page one of Google.  And just like the land – once it is taken, it gets kind of expensive to earn your share.  Stick around on our blog as we show you the best personal marketing tool available to you.  We will also give you tips and tricks and ideas and niche markets – as well as digital branding, networthing and show you how to tame the Gorelephant.

Social Media, Viruses and Hoaxes — Oh My!

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/nf/20090305/tc_nf/65095

Well, well, well.  Just when you thought it was safe to post that profile….

With Facebook and other social networking media sites being inflicted with viruses, hoaxes, worms and other things that don’t sound like the kind of things you want around – especially in your computer, or being sent “on your behalf” to your friends – doesn’t it make sense to be found the one place people always look – at the top of Google.

Consider that :

Malware authors are investing more energy in Facebook and other social-networking sites because that effort pays off, according to Michael Argast, a security analyst at Sophos. Facebook alone has more than 175 million users, which makes it an attractive target.

So, not only do you need a profile there to be found, now being found there can endanger you, your reputation, your friends, their reputations – which might make sense if it was the only option or a risk you could mitigate and see happening.  However, it isn’t, and when you think about the following, it gives one pause on where to rest your internet home(s).

Argast called the Koobface worm a mix of something old and something new. The new is using social networks as a method to spread malware. The old is using fake codec Trojans linked to a saucy video to induce the user to install the malware.

“I would expect to see more attacks on Facebook,” Argast said. “As long as this is a successful propagation method, the bad guys will double down and invest more. They are entirely motivated by financial gain. If it pays, they’ll continue to romp in your social playgrounds.”

The one thing you take with you is your name

I was at a meeting yesterday with a client who had lost most everything – his job, his house was foreclosed on, his marriage was failing, he felt spiritually down – but despite all the potential for negatives – here was someone wanting to rebuild from the one solid thing he felt he still had left in the world – his good name.

We all have one thing that will stick with us through life – our name. Our cell numbers, job titles or companies, mailing or e-mailing addresses – those all change from time to time. However, the one way in which people find us, know us and qualify us, is with our name. If you want to begin to take protection, promotion and positioning of your name seriously – be sure to check out the free course on Positioning Your Name Properly, at www.becomeanexpertonline.com

How to Make Positive and Memorable Networking Followup

So, you found the tips we espoused in How to Make a Positive and Memorable Networking Appearance to be helpful – or maybe you didn’t yet read it – which we’d suggest doing first.  If not, some of this article may prove only “partially worthwhile.”

So, you went to event, organized your cards, gave good attention and time to others, and found ways you can help them.  Now it is time to follow up.  Simply put, this is the most important thing you can possibly do.  Unless you see networking events as social butterfly occasions – this is where the rubber meets the road.  Following up shows people you were serious when you said you could help them.  Following up quickly shows you can be responsive and are good to your word.  Following up creatively allows you to continue to stand out.  Here are a few guidelines to follow:

1.  Do it within 3 days – that is enough time that they should still recall who you are/were.

2.  Use various mediums – email is easy, but a handwritten note or something like SendOutCards is far better for a sincere one to one followup.

3.  Touch on things they mentioned (that you took notes on the card, remember?)

4.  Take the time to suggest next steps – coffee, lunch, meeting?

If you are doing an introduction between two people, be sure to take the time to really introduce them.  Here is something NOT to write:

Frank, I met Lynda – the two of you should really talk.  - NO! NO! NO! NO!

When we make an introduction, we want it to be acted on.  So, take the time to do the following things – or don’t bother with the introduction:

1.  Spend a few sentences for each person saying what they do, especially the common interest points you had trigger the introduction in the first place.  (of course, it is nice if they can just Google each other….but that’s not everyone yet.)

2.  Tell them where you see the introduction heading.  Many people don’t see what you see.  Take the time spell out some ideas for them.

3.  Offer to be there or to be available to answer questions – “Let me know how I can help from here.”

These are some basic ways to make followup more effective.  Oh, and one other thing.  Don’t be afraid to send a second email.  In the world of filters and blockers and protections, sometimes try #1 misses.  This isn’t spam, and sometimes it gets lost – other times people just miss it.

The Pros and Cons of Social Networks

Social Networking is one of the most popular and remarkable techno-revolutions of our time. And, the dramatic growth continue unabated with visitors and users growing into the hundreds of millions globally.[1] To expose the far reaching effects that this phenomenon transfers to the enthusiastic user, the movement deserves an examination of the more obvious benefits and down-sides.

I Do!

The purpose of Social Networking Sites (SNS), like Facebook and My Space according to one user is to promote “Connectiveness” or to “…keep in touch…” with your network (of friends and family). The tools and applications to connect with friends have grown and evolved to meet the desire of networkers to “play” in each other’s space. In Facebook for example, “Writing on the walls” and “tagging” have become common place activities and permit an open forum for exchanges of relationship capital and personal expressions within the local communities of friends harbored by SNS’s.

In their most Nirvanic state, successful societies collectively practice the best human values. Ones that promote trust, intimacy, mutual respect and honest communication can only contribute to positive self-esteem and an overall positive attitude about life for participating individuals. SNS’s do yield many of these benefits for users, but SNS’s do not really produce such a pure form of Shangri-La and have some noted pitfalls.

Here are some of the ‘Permanent Pen’ realities of SNS’s.

Profiles on SNSs can be downloaded and stored over time and incrementally by third parties, creating a digital dossier of personal data. Information revealed on an SNS can be used for purposes and in contexts different from the ones the profile owner had considered.

Outside the social context of the network, information can become embarrassing or even

damaging, as evidenced by reports of people missing out on employment opportunities due to employer reviews of SNS profiles [2] [3]. While profiles can be changed or even deleted, additional storage elsewhere cannot be prevented– thus personal data takes on a life of its own even when the information itself may no longer be accurate or relevant.

A new SHRM survey looking at social media says negative information on an applicants social networking profile, has a greater impact on hiring decisions than positive information.

The Survey says social networking sites were most effective in recruiting for exempt/non-management and middle management positions. The top reasons for using social networking sites were to recruit passive applicants who might not otherwise apply, followed by the ability to target applicants with specific job levels and skill sets.

Now What?

Remember that SNS’s are still in their infancy: the engines are still immature and the platforms are vulnerable to determined attackers. Reports of faulty SN code appear regularly in the media, and you cannot rely on the integrity and non-disclosure of your personal details due to multiple weaknesses in SN systems. Cross-scripting errors (XSS) enabling attackers to view restricted sections of user data have affected almost every SN site, much like the way spyware targeted Windows systems that had not been patched with SP2 back in 2003.

The 3rd party applications (widgets) that Facebook and Myspace offer as additional downloads are even more problematic. These programs are not tested for compatibility or security defects, so be sure you understand exactly what you are installing when you choose to use one of these applications.

Don’t access your online profile from public computers – such actions are fraught with additional risk because of the potential for theft or malware compromise. Your log-in details might be stored in a local cache and later extracted and used to illegally access your profile, or the computer may be infected with keylogger that will silently capture any piece of information, including log-ins and dialog sessions, and relay this data to unauthorized third parties.

Use the latest browser software and install Windows Updates as soon as they become available. And, use a firewall to protect your system against unknown threats; use up-to-date antivirus to block known threats and intrusion prevention software to alert you to potentially dangerous activities on your computer.

Do not download, open or respond to content published or sent by unknown people. There has recently been a virus outbreak in the Russian portion of an SN that resulted from unwary users clicking on a reference to a fake image file that led to the activation of a virus that then wiped user data from the affected computers. [4]

Charles Fellingham is founder of QAlias, a personal branding tool that provides prominent personal placement optimization on the web. He is also a corporate trainer for the Forum Corporation and a Regional Sales Manager for a Fortune 200 company.

[1] Comscore media metrix, July 2007

www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=15552) A. Fuller. Employers snoop on Facebook, The Stanford Daily, 20 January 2006

http://daily.stanford.edu/article/2006/1/20/employersSnoopOnFacebook

[2] J. Flesher. Wall Street Journal Career Site, How to Clean Up Your Digital Dirt Before It Trashes Your

Job Search, 2006

[3] http://www.securityteacher.com/2008/06/16/the-perils-of-social-networking/

[4] http://www.shrm.org/surveys/

Why NOW For Personal Branding?

Do you remember your first VCR? Thrill of recording things and watching them on your own time!

Do you recollect your first cell phone? Was it hardwired, in a bag or handheld?

How about your first laptop? Wasn’t it nice to move from a large box to something you could carry with you?

Do you remember your first cd player? Leaving cassette tapes behind wasn’t hard for most of us.

Now think about it:

VCR’s gave way to DVD which is giving way to BluRay.

Cell Phones get more sophisticated all the time – now they are virtual small computers, cameras, mp3 players and GPS devices in one package.

Laptops get faster and lighter, and per feature, less expensive.

Cd’s have morphed to digital downloads, i-Pods, mp3’s and more is coming.

So, do you think internet positioning and search is any different?

Actually in some ways it is. Although in the decade Google has existed it went from word-of-mouth search engine to household name to verb to synonymous for “how to find things” – it still isn’t all that crowded on the personal branding space.

What we’re about to tell you is powerful, and important. To your career, to your child’s future and to the world we’re now living in.

As gas prices rise and people turn to both selling and buying online, the time is now to claim your top spot online.

Unlike the items listed above – your won’t be able to wait to establish your personal brand until others do and then you just “jump in and get one, too.” See, there’s always an internet doppelganger out there for you – someone who shares your name. If they make the first move, your work to claim the top spot will be much more difficult, time intensive and expensive.

Be sure to register for QAlias today and gain top position – and then contact us to learn more about how you begin to take that top spot and leverage it to make yourself an expert online. Now is the time. Do it while it’s top of mind. Go to www.qalias.com – and for $9.95 be on top of the search engine world, starting tomorrow.

As Parents, We Want To Give Our Child Every Advantage…

As parents, we all want to give our children the advantages they need to succeed. For the parents of current high school and college students, the need to help extends to the internet. Giving your child top line priority is more important than ever, as we’ll explain.

The internet, and especially the search engines led by Google, have changed the way in which we do business and look for information. There has also been a large change in both what can be found – and how much credence it carries with those who find it. As Money Magazine said “You’re Only As Good As Google Says You Are!”

While many students are aware of the inherent dangers of posting compromising photos or immature comments on their Facebook profiles, many times they aren’t attentive to the converse – being sure they actually make a great impression online. Yes, a picture of your child covered in Sharpie and shaving cream after a party would be a huge detriment and should be avoided. But, the chances of that occurring are actually drastically less than an admissions officer, or a recruiter or HR hiring manager Googling your child for more information.

Think about it. There’s an 87% chance your child will be searched – and not necessarily to find the bad things – but simply to compare and contrast against a similar candidate. Google (and the other major search engines) are being used to distinguish your child from others competing for the same admission, the same job. Don’t you want to be sure they are represented as well as they can be? It can make the difference between them gaining admission to the school they covet or the job the cherish – or not. Being found right away, in the right way – is more important than ever.

Starting early is helpful – say in 9^th grade – to allow them to “build a profile” online – which can later turn into their brand in a professional career. However, thanks to services like QAlias, you can place your child at the top of the list, beginning today. You can help them highlight the things they have done that are positive and set them apart from the crowd.

One good piece of news – once people find what they were looking for – they stop looking. In the case of admissions officers and recruiters, they are searching certain items about your child. QAlias profiles and bios provide a chance for a “one-stop” dispersal of all the information about your child in one place – which is found on page one of Google and Yahoo.

As one parent said to us, “It’s less than $1000 to keep my child on QAlias for the next 8 years, from 9^th grade in High School through the year they graduate college. I can’t see why I would protect my child, my family name and my investment.” Indeed. Go to www.qalias.com and sign up today.

How to Make a Positive and Memorable Networking Appearance

Sometimes, when we’re at a networking event, we end up with a large stack of cards – and a blurry memory (even when there aren’t drinks!) We feel as if we wasted our time. We don’t come away with leads or meetings worthy of the time we spent. And often, the people we met feel the same way about us.

While it is very difficult for most people to process the amount of input they receive in a networking atmosphere – especially larger mixers – there are steps you can take to maximize the experience and outcome for you and those you meet.

Here are some tips on how to “stand out in the crowd” (while you are there) and then how to stand out “from the crowd” (in your follow up and your follow through.)

While you’re at the event:

1. Be sure to take a card of theirs before you offer your own. It is common courtesy – and I always take notes while I ask the other person to talk about what they do. That way, I know what they do and how I might be able to help them. Also, when I hand them my card, I write a person I think they should know on the back. I ask them to connect with me (even though I have the same info on the back of their card) so that I know they want the introduction.

2. I use a “rating system” – and keep cards in an order in the meeting. There are (a) people I am glad to have met, (b) people I know I can help, (c) people I want to meet with further, and (d) people who I made a business connection with – they need my product(s) – or I need theirs. This allows me to follow up properly and promptly.

3. Be sure to keep eye contact with those you meet. We’re all been told how this is polite – but I never realized how much it can separate you from the pack. Keeping eye contact also increases your focus on the other person and what they are saying. They feel like you are tuned into them. I have had both new clients and great networking friends comment on how this made me stand out.

4. In every meeting, small or large, I try to use a trick I learned from Jackie Robinson via Jack Petrash. They both speak of how, when a batter goes to the plate, the batter is entitled to 3 good pitches. I keep the same thing in mind – only in networking, it is 3 good minutes. One minute to understand the person in front of me, one to listen harder and ask a good question or two – and then one to share my own insight or value I could bring to them.

5. In larger groups I try to keep in mind the people I met who are in the “spheres of influence” for those I am meeting. That way, I can ask “do you know Sam Jones – he does trash removal – and you’re a landlord with lots of turning properties.” I also can keep this in mind the next time I attend – and bring along people with coinciding interests.

6. Ask distinguishing questions to set yourself apart. Be sure to go deeper than surface level – asking them not just what they do – but what things they need to take next steps for success in their business? or who they get best leads from? or what else they have done or do outside of work? In that minute or so – asking them for this type of information allows you to gain a more intimate understanding of how you can help them and who else you know with similar interests. Again, keep track of these small things for the follow up, on the back of that person’s card.

7. Give them a way to find you that is unique and different. Sure, connecting with them on LinkedIn and for other social and business networking sites can be a way to expand your relations – but being able to say “Google Me” – is a really great tool – it helps with “your ‘bility.”

8. Finally, I try to take note of what type of networker and person I am meeting, using Malcolm Gladwell’s “Tipping Point” trio to distinguish people as either a maven, connector or salesperson. This helps me know how to introduce them (article on page 20) when I begin networking introductions – one of the five followup rules. If you haven’t read “Tipping Point” – I very highly recommend it.

Be sure to check out our article on “How to Make Positive and Memorable Networking Followup.”