« Return to Blog Homepage

Social Search Keeping Up With the Wars

It’s been a while since my last podcast. With this podcast, I’m introducing a new format. Below are my podcast show notes.

Podcast Agenda:

• What’s up!
• Shoutouts
• Main topic: Social Search Wars
• Bernie’s brain food

What’s Up!

I’ve been working on getting ready to launch Career Central, a new online community for people in all phases of their career. I call them career seekers! Not the same as job seeker, although job seekers may be career seekers. A career seeker can be a business owner, any working professional, and of course a job seeker. Essentially anyone who wants to improve their career using social networking and personal branding strategies. Career Central will provide information and how-to tips as well inspirational content for anyone in their in online and personal branding strategies to improve their career. Career Central will launch in early May. It will be available at BernieBorges.com and on Facebook. So, if you’re listening to this podcast post May just visit either of these two online destinations to check out Career Central.

Shoutouts

Eric Cook recently had me as a guest on his Free Webinar Wednesday. Eric is Certified Internet Business Consultant with WSI Internet Consulting. He partners with Jeff Simpkins of Community Bank Consulting.

Jackie Weber is an internet marketing consultant, she teaches SEO for LaSalle Academy. And, Jackie edits my podcasts. In that role she is behind the scenes dealing with the technical side of podcasts, which I have no interest in or patience for. Jackie makes these podcasts sound as good as technology allows. And, I get all the credit, but it’s long overdue that Jackie gets a shoutout and well deserved recognition for her awesome contribution to my podcast. Follow Jackie on Twitter @jackieweber. Give her a shoutout with the hashtag #podcast.

SEO & Social Search

Google owns more than 60% market share, but the landscape is rapidly evolving. But, the social search capabilities are expanding. For example, a search may start in Google and wind up in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Quora, Slideshare or a blog.

It’s no secret that Google recently expanded their social search capabilities. While I applaud them for doing this, it’s really Google’s way of saying: “we can’t beat them so we’ll join them.” In other words, Google can’t prevent us from using social sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to do research. So, they are better off delivering results from that include content from those sites.

How Marketers Can Harness the New Organic Search Paradigm

There are seven attributes of the new organic search paradigm marketers must embrace to get found online and to be engaged in meaningful sales opportunities. I wrote a blog post describing each of these seven attributes.

• Personalization
• Social
• Quality Content
• Real-Time
• Relevant
• Dynamic
• Shareable

Google and Facebook Are in a Social Search War

It’s become apparent that Facebook is becoming more search engine-like and that Google was been attempting to become more social. Admittedly, Google’s attempt to add social features has been a miserable failure so far. Case in point: Google Buzz.

Facebook Like Has Become Pervasive

Facebook has trumped Google with their Like button. But, one thing Google has that Facebook doesn’t have is search market share. After all, Facebook is a noun and Google is a verb. When you are searching for information online you don’t “Facebook” it you Google it.

Google+ 1

It’s estimated that more than 50% of corporations don’t allow its employees to access Facebook from the office.  But, Google is available to all employees. So, Google came up with its own version of Like with the recent announcement of the Google +1 concept.

Essentially, the Google +1 button is the same as Like. When you see a search listing you are willing to recommend in Google you can click the +1 button to tell the world (publicly) that you like it. The +1 button will also be available for ads in Google Adwords.

The new Google Plus 1 feature is only visible to people that are signed into their Google accounts. Overnight, the value of a Google profile has skyrocketed. If you have not set up your Google profile, now is the time to do it or you’ll not see the people in your social circle that like search listings via the Google +1 button.

Presumably companies with a larger pool of employees have an advantage over small companies on this. But, Google has a track record of building very smart algorithms. I certainly hope they can detect “+1 spam” by detecting when employees of a company click Google +1 on their website listing.

Google has been cautious and somewhat vague about the influence of +1 on search rankings. They are saying it will be a “signal” they will use in determining how listings are ranked. The early market reaction is not very positive.

+1 Is a Signal for SEO Rankings

Google has made it clear they will roll out Google +1 (in the U.S. first) and watch the “signals” given by people who “+1” your search listings. They will use these signals to influence rankings. Since Google’s ultimate end user goal is to deliver relevant results (to keep you loyal to using Google for search), they want to reward those sites which have legitimately earned +1 clicks. So, in the end the implications to any business concerned about their impact on search engine rankings is to deliver quality content.

Socially Active Businesses Will Have an Advantage

Additionally, companies whose employees are socially active and signed into their Google profile will have the ability to be influencers by clicking +1 on listings they like and to observe the influence of others that click Google +1 on search listings. Socially active businesses will have an advantage over non-socially active companies by participating in Google’s signal ecosystem through its evolving social search strategy.

This is still the beginning of Google’s evolving social search strategy. They are carefully rolling this out without much fanfare to monitor its adoption and impact on search behavior. Their war with Facebook is interesting to watch. In the end, we are all the winners, although our heads may spin trying to keep pace with the advancements coming from both companies.

Bernie’s Brain Food

Charlie Sheen is on a national tour called “My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not an Option Show.” The reviews have been mixed. No matter what you think of Charlie Sheen, there is a lesson in personal branding there worth noting. Sheen is most effective when he is true to his personal brand. When he deviates from his personal brand, such as trying to be a show host or to be a stand up guy, his live audiences have given him a thumbs down. But, when he behaves like the character he played on Two and a Half Men, which is what his fans love, and that’s where he’s most effective.

The lesson in personal branding is:

• Know your personal brand
• Don’t try to be what you’re not
• Be true to your personal brand
• Be sincere about it
• You can’t fake your own brand

Bernie’s Challenge

In the next week I want you to do something outside your comfort zone, whether that’s jumping out of an airplane, speaking in front of 100 people, kissing your spouse in public or whatever it is, just do something that gets outside your comfort zone. I guarantee you will grow in some way from it. I guarantee it. Share it online!

Before I wrap up, are you subscribed to my weekly newsletters?

• Corporate marketers: Find and Convert blog (ranked #10 in the top 100 Internet marketing blogs)
• Career Seekers: BernieBorges.com (sign up to get in on the ground floor!)

This has been Bernie Borges of Find and Convert and BernieBorges.com. Until next time, be good, and if you can’t be good, be great!

C ya!

Image credits:

Google vs. Facebook: googlerankingseo.blogspot.com
Brain food: http://www.artuji.com/brain-food-for-your-child/344