“Take 5 - Top 5 Take Aways” is a new series in which I share my key take aways from recent industry trends, news, tools about search, social media and online marketing. A series infers a regular schedule, so plan on Take 5 to be posted weekly. Which day? I’m not sure, yet.
Why 5? Take 5 is a spin off from “eat 5 fruits and vegetables each day.” It’s often hard to eat properly with busy schedules. It can also be challenging to keep up with rapid changes in search engines, social media and online marketing. However, most of us can digest five key points without feeling overly stuffed with too much information.
Take 5 as of 09.22.08:
Take 1: Productivity in Printing
PrintWhatYouLike is an online tool that lets you control what you print from a Web page. OK, printing is not green, but there are times when you need to print. Some websites do not offer a printable version, and when you choose File > Print, you end up with wasted paper that has printed all the ads, the footer, the graphics, etc. Save ink and paper! Try PrintWhatYouLike.com
Take 2: Shorten URL Tool
Cli.gs is a new shorten url service that quickly became my favorite tool.
- Cligs shortens your URLs for easy pasting into Twitter, Facebook and places where you update your status or post information. Your URL looks like http://cli.gs/abc123 and will redirect to your Web page.
- Get analytics about each Cligs link:
- Number of times someone clicked your link (hits)
- Referral information
- Mentions of the link on Twitter and around the Web
TIP: Use Cligs to send links in emails to avoid long URLs wrapping onto multiple lines. (ahhhhh… Now you can track if recipients are really looking at the links you send them.)
Watch the video on Cligs blog.
Take 3: Social Media eBook
Getting Started with Social Media eBook available for free download at OrangeJack. Rob and Patricia Williams hit the ball out of the park with this simple yet informative eBook. Use it a guide and a checklist to get started with social media. There is a great sheet for keeping track of your passwords as well! Download the eBook.
Take 4: Images & Ideas with Flickr
“Where to find great ideas and arresting images (for free)” by Seth Godin lists a few tips for searching Flickr’s Creative Commons Commercial license photos and using Flickr as an idea generator.
I was super excited to find this cool brainstorming tool, FlickrStorm, from Seth’s article.
Take 5: SEO vs. SMO
“What are you optimizing for?” is an article targeted to SEOs. Michael Martinez says, “You cannot call yourself a search engine optimization specialist if you focus on social media optimization.” Here is another key take away I grasped:
SEO Theory is all about search engine optimization, and search engine optimization is not about social media optimization. Social media optimization is another form of Web marketing like pay-per-click optimization, like banner advertising, like newsletter distribution, etc.
People need to stop blurring their distinctions between social media and search media. Search media requires a set of very different rules and guidelines.
Thoughts provoked. Introspection required. Change needed? …still thinking about that. However, since I recently started consulting again and “providing SEO services,” the article paralleled my rebranding to Conversational SEO to focus more on SEO-related content strategies and online marketing.
Every SEO needs to evaluate services. We must be open to change within the search and online marketing industry and adjust accordingly. What a super read! Thank you, Michael!
That’s a wrap of the launch of “Take 5 - Top 5 Take Aways“. Feel free to share additional tidbits or morsels about search, social media, online marketing.
Tags: Flickr, Productivity, SEO, Seth Godin, shorten URL, Social Media eBook, Take 5, Tools
