Fear of a Google Planet?

First the earth, then the moon, and now the sky – sometimes it really seems like Google wants it all…

Just last week, Google announced its acquisition of DoubleClick for $3.1-billion, beating out rival bidder Microsoft. According to the New York Times, “The sale offers Google access to DoubleClick’s advertisement software and, more importantly, its relationships with Web publishers, advertisers and advertising agencies.” This gives Google clear entry into the display ads market and reinforces the company’s domination in the online advertising business.

One issue complicating the merger is that DoubleClick owns Performics, one of the largest SEO firms in the business. Some critics have suggested that this ownership poses a conflict-of-interest for Google and that the Internet juggernaut should quickly divest itself of the firm. For their part, Google says it has “no plans to dispose of it [Performics] at this time” and Performics says it will continue to “operate as a separate business unit as we review product integration opportunities.” The rest of the search industry will just have to wait and see.

For additional insight into Google’s plans for expansion (and for possible world domination), Mashable has a fantastic write-up on the ten markets Google wants to win. From search marketing and social networking to office software and mobile applications, the sky may not be the limit for Google.

Update - April 2, 2008 - Google announced that it will sell Performics to a third-party. Tom Phillips, director of DoubleClick integration, revealed in a statement on the Google blog,"It’s clear to us that we do not want to be in the search engine marketing business. ... We believe this [the sale of Performics] will allow us to maintain objectivity and the search marketing business to continue to grow and innovate and serve its customers." This is sure to be a relief for many in the industry.

SMX Retrospective

Don’t know what it is about Friday afternoons that starts me reflecting on things but here I am again writing another blog. Today’s thoughts harken back to last week’s SMX West conference in Santa Clara…

The concept (or conceit) of conferences like this and SES is to run concurrent sessions to provide attendees options based on areas of discipline (SEO, SEA, Social Media, etc.) and levels of expertise (from novice to veteran). This obviously creates more opportunities for attendees but it never fails that at least two of the sessions I am most interested in attending are scheduled at the same time. Some of the highlights from the sessions I could attend that are still top of mind:

• Year over year growth of Internet advertising (which includes search) is projected to be +22%
• Representatives from all 3 major search engines concur that they are all trying to improve relevancy and user experience for both SEO and SEA
• Marketers are starting to see the big opportunity for search is targeting the lifestage/lifestyle searches that lie beyond the “occasion-based” queries

Of course, I also attended Niki’s session on Proactive Search Engine Reputation Management that is recapped nicely in this coverage at Search Engine Roundtable’s site. I know I’m biased, but her presentation was excellent. If you’d like to see for yourself, please log on to Facebook to view a video clip from Niki’s presentation.

I spent time working at the SEMPO booth and enjoyed the exchanges with fellow members and non-members alike. Many of these people were also in attendance at perhaps the most intriguing session of the conference – “Is It Time For Search Marketing Standards?” While most people say yes in theory, the session revealed the many obstacles that need to be overcome to achieve this – not the least of which is agreeing on the basic definitions of search services. I really believe this topic is critical to improving our industry’s marketing credibility and look forward to working with my SEMPO colleagues to make this happen.

Finally, I have to admit to the culture and temperature shock of returning from a week in the somewhat sedate, sunny, and warm environs of California to the cold, brisk hustle and bustle of the East Coast. But I love it here and would never consider living anywhere else…

What Your Company Should Know Before Editing Wikipedia

Here’s what you may already know about Wikipedia:

• Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia that anyone can edit.
• With 9,000,000+ entries in more than 250 languages, Wikipedia is one of the largest reference sites on the Web.
• Wikipedia ranks highly on the search engines for nearly every topic it has an entry about. Some research indicates that more than 95% of Wikipedia entries rank in the top 10 on Google.

Since its foundation, many marketers have jumped at the chance to use Wikipedia for building links to their Web sites, editing/creating copy about their company or product, and inserting brand references into entries. However, as Wikipedia grows more sophisticated, it is easier for editors to monitor for these abuses. Microsoft, Exxon Mobil, the FBI, Fox News, Coca Cola and even the Vatican are among the many groups which stand accused of making self-interested edits.

Here’s what you need to know before editing Wikipedia articles about yourself or your company:

• Companies and individuals are strongly discouraged from editing entries about themselves, or placing self-serving content in other entries due to conflict of interest. Companies caught doing so risk having their IP block banned from making further edits, and many have experienced negative PR backlash from Wikipedia or in the media.
• Wikipedia is not as user-friendly and open as it initially presents itself to be. While it’s true that anyone can edit, there is a user hierarchy. Some users have greater authority and administrative rights based on their prior contributions -- most notably the power to block other users from the site, either temporarily or permanently.
• All changes and comments are logged for permanent public viewing. According to Wikipedia’s privacy policy, “If you write something, assume that it will be kept forever. This includes articles, user pages and talk pages.”
• Inappropriate changes are usually removed quickly (although a record of the edit remains), and repeat offenders blocked from editing.
• User accounts cannot be deleted and are forever linked to their edits via their username and/or IP address. The IP addresses of non-registered contributors are publically listed. For logged in/registered users, administrators have the ability to view IP addresses. Tools are also available to identify edits by corporate IP block. The use of IP-anonymizing tools is controversial and may get you banned from Wikipedia.

Process for Ethically Editing a Wikipedia Entry that’s about Your Company:

Step 1: Choose one person to be your representative on Wikipedia. This person should review the site’s standards and guidelines for editing. Next, register for a user account and add a brief statement to the account’s User Page which explains any conflict of interest. Example: “Please note that I am an employee of [Insert Company Name].”

Step 2: Post a comment on the Talk Pages of the entry which states what revisions you would like to make and why. Be sure to cite relevant sources. While it’s OK to correct vandalism or blatant errors on your own, for major edits and content additions it’s safer to ask the community to make the change for you.

Step 3: If discussing the issue on the Talk Pages does not help, post a complaint to the Open Ticket Request System (OTRS). OTRS volunteers will respond to your query and intervene as appropriate.

Step 4: You may also want to revise company policy to prohibit non-authorized employees from making edits to Wikipedia entries about your company, its representatives and its competitors.

The key is to be open and honest about who you are and how you are trying to improve the entry. Wikipedia’s editors want to make the site the best reference tool it can be and, by playing by the rules and suggesting relevant edits, you can help them work toward that goal.

Have you taken steps to monitor and/or improve your company’s presence on Wikipedia? Has your experience with Wikipedia been a positive or a negative one? Leave a comment to share your insights.

Social Media and the Rising Workforce: What Does the Web Say About You?

I have to admit it – I’m glad I made it out of school and into the working world before the likes of MySpace, Facebook and YouTube took over the Web. Back in the “old days” getting hired depended on a well-crafted resume, good references and a great interview. Other than what your references said and some intuition on the part of the interviewer, you had ultimate control over your image and the impression that you made. It goes without saying that putting together a great resume, gathering solid references and nailing the interview are still important, but they’re not the only things to consider anymore.

Today, with the glut of personal information that is available online, it is too easy (and too tempting) for a potential employer to learn oh-so-much-more about you than a piece of paper and an interview would ever reveal. A quick search on your name might bring up a MySpace page with a picture of you doing a keg stand at a college party. Or, for those of you who graduated college long before social media (dare I say, long before the Internet, even!) perhaps you’ve posted an unflattering rant on a political site or a scathing review on a consumer site. The fact of the matter is that, yes, we’ve all had fun and done stupid things in our youth, or flown off the handle in the heat of the moment, but never before has it been so easy to publicize it to the masses. And once something’s out there on the Web, it can be close to impossible to get rid of it.

While I’d like to think that most employers, remembering their own escapades, wouldn’t hold it against you, you can’t bet on it. That’s why I encourage any job seeker to check out their online presence in addition to prepping their resume and brushing up on interview skills. Do some ego-surfing by searching for variations of your name on Google to see what turns up or set Google Alerts for your name. While some things can’t be removed, some can be fixed. For example, keep your personal profiles private (accessible by friends only), and instead, create publicly viewable professional profiles on networking sites like LinkedIn, ZoomInfo and Naymz.

I’ve been focusing on how social media can negatively impact the hiring process, but let’s not forget about how it can help you land a job. You can show your smarts and your interest in your particular industry by taking the time to comment on relevant blogs, creating your own blog, joining a Facebook Group, or contributing to a Wiki entry about your specialty. As mentioned above, creating professional profiles on key networking sites will also help expand your positive presence and spread the word about your expertise and your job seeking status. These are all great ways to show that you are engaged and passionate about what you do and may help you stand out from the crowd. They may also help to push down any “less than favorable” listings that show up for your name.

The beauty of Web 2.0 is that everyone has a say. Just think twice about what you choose to say, as it can make or break your chances when it comes time to get a job.