Category Archives: Interactive

All things tech marketing.

The SEO Rule of 3

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The SEO Rule of 3 is fairly simple yet amazingly powerful for producing high rankings on ALL search engines. If you don’t remember anything else about SEO for blogging remember these 3 rules.

  • Hierarchy 
  • Density    
  • Popularity

Because it is called the SEO Rule of 3, everything in this article will happen in 3’s. The first step in the process is picking keywords. You want to pick 3 keywords or phrases that you want to own. For example this post on How to Solve Flash Error 1009 follows the SEO Rule of 3. If you do a Google search for the keywords “Flash Error 1009”, “AS3 Error 1009” or “Actionscript Error 1009” you will see that in each case this blog comes up first or second. Google has a fantastic little tool that you can use quickly to find out the most popular keywords. Read “7 Tips to Get People to Read Your Blog” to find out what this simple tool is.

Be specific enough that you will be able to get the top spot but not so specific that only 3 people will ever search for it. For example “The Rule of 3” links to several Wikipedia articles about story telling and why 3 is the magic number for story telling like in the  example of the 3 bears. Google shows (as of the time of this post) that there are “About 833,000,000 results (0.26 seconds)”  yet if I type in “SEO Rule of 3” there are only “About 15,100,000 results (0.13 seconds)” which means I have 818MM fewer sites to compete with. 15 million is totally doable to capture a top search term like “SEO Rule of 3.”

Once you have determined what 3 keywords you will own, let’s jump right into The SEO Rule of 3. Here are the 3 SEO Rules one more time: 1. Hierarchy, 2. Density and 3. Popularity

  1. Hierarchy – The key concept here is to put the keyword into each of the 3 steps in the Google search hierarchy.  Google starts with the URL, next is the Page Title, and then the header. Of course Google also searches the body text but these have much less gravitas than the hierarchical order that Google uses. We address the body text in the next rule.
    1. URL – Make sure that the URL has the most important keyword in it.
    2. Page Title – This is the title that displays in the top of the browser.
    3. Header – When blogging this is the post title. Put the keyword exactly how you want it in the title.
  2. Density of Keywords – Google will rank you higher if you have the appropriate amount of keywords in your post. The structure below will provide that density. You can actually overdo the number of keywords and Google will penalize you for it. This guideline will be effective but also keep you safe from negatively impacting your posts.
    1. First Paragraph 3 times
    2. Body of article 3 additional times
    3. Write the keywords in 3 slightly different ways
      1. Flash Error 1009
      2. ActionScript Error 1009
      3. AS3 Error 1009
  3. Popularity – One of the way Google ranks sites is based on what other sites think(or link) of them. I know this may be reminiscent of High School elections, but in this case Popularity is extremely important. Post to at least 3 different sites that rank high for the keywords you are targeting. Simply do a Google search for the keyword and start at the top of the results. Make sure that your comments are relevant and germane to the conversation. People like it when a linking comment provides additional content or a unique perspective on the subject. Be descriptive in the comment and link back to your site with the keyword linked. For example don’t say I have a cool site click here to check it out. Instead say, “This may help you with your SEO ranking” or “Here is another perspective on how to rank high on search engines”
    1. A different yet popular blog
    2. News site that is covering the topic
    3. Popular site on the topic like a product site or support forum.

To sum up the SEO Rule of 3 is simply giving Google (and the other search engines) the food they hunger for, specifically Hierarchy, Density and Popularity.

Happy Blogging.

Curtis J. Morley

Email is for Old People

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Email is for Old People

About three or four years ago I was giving a presentation about technology at a large prestigious University to a group of  Masters students soon to graduate.  The presentation was going well and the crowd  seemed to be engaged and enjoying what I had to say.  I had made it through approximately half of my slides and had mentioned something about an email I had received, when suddenly, from the middle of the auditorium style room a student shouted out, “Email is for old people.”

This comment caught me off guard and I stopped the presentation.  I asked, “Who just said that?”  The formal setting prohibited  the disruptor from volunteering right away out of embarrasment.  The crowd was large enough and the room lights were dimmed low enough that I couldn’t pick the culprit out.  It seemed that whoever had made the disruption realized that maybe he shouldn’t have blurted out the comment.  After some cajoling, a hand was raised and the once brazen student admitted to the outburst.

I asked him, “What do you mean, email is for old people?”  He explained, to the agreement of the crowd, “No one uses email anymore! The only time we use email is when our professors make us check our grades.”  I was very interested in what he had to say and so instead of continuing on my topic I put away my clicker, abandoned my slides and just had a conversation with the group.

“So Who uses email on regular basis?”
Less than a fourth of the hands went up.

“How do you get a hold of one another?”
“We text, twitter, or Facebook.”
“Email is so slow.  We want to get ahold of our friends instantly.”
“Yeah, it takes forever to get someone to answer an email.”
“We can text during class and in meetings.  You can’t really do that with a phone call.”

“How many of you will text first instead of calling on the phone?”
Almost all hands were raised.

“How do you communicate anything substantial, with only 160 characters?”
“U only need 160 chars 2 say what U need 2 say. FYI.”
“Facebook is for bigger stuff – and pictures.”
“If you really need to write something big you just post it to your blog.  I have an RSS feed of all my friends blogs.”

The conversation continued like this for the duration of my visit.  The votes were in and email failed the test of GenY and the Millennials. The next generation weighed-in and without an instantaneous response they are not interested.

A friend of mine, James Keddington, heard a similar story when he saw Gen. Colin Powell speak who shared an experience about his Grandson saying the same thing, “Email is for old people Grandpa!”

So, what does this mean for the world of Marketing?  It means that those Masters students have been in the work force for several years now.  It means that we can not ignore the power of new media, social networks, and social media.  It means that 1f we adapt our products and marketing efforts to this group where they live, how they live and on the platforms they live on then we will span the generational gap and be a thriving company in the next five years.

Thanks,

Curtis J. Morley

P.S.  Let’s regain our youth and instigate a worldwide “Email Free Friday.”

RSS Feed Filter Tools

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Do you need a lot of info fast?  Do you need to be a maven in your industry?  Do you want every piece of info that your favorite newspaper or blog has – BUT you don’t want irrelevant information that just gets in the way?  Here is your solution.  An RSS Filter tool.  Everyone loves a good RSS feed but nobody wants the information overload that goes with it.  Here are some of the tools that I suggest to get RSS feeds filtered just the way you like it.

Yahoo Pipes

Yahoo’s tool for creating RSS feeds that fit your style.  Everything from E-bay to business tools.

Yahoo Pipes RSS Feed Filter Tool

Yahoo Pipes RSS Feed Filter Tool

Feed Sifter

A nice tool that filters individual feeds.  It is an inclusive RSS filter rather than an exclusive RSS filter.

Feedsifter RSS Filter Tool

Feedsifter RSS Filter Tool

Feed Rinse

FeedRinse RSS Filter Tool

FeedRinse RSS Filter Tool

Syndic8.com

Not a pretty site but it works well for RSS aggregation

Syndic8 RSS Filter Tool

Syndic8 RSS Filter Tool

Newsisfree

This company has been around a while and has a suite of tools for RSS feeds and filtering

NewsIsFree RSS Filter Tool

NewsIsFree RSS Filter Tool

Moreover

An RSS company that has created fantastic business-oriented channels and tools.

MoreOver RSS Filter Tool

MoreOver RSS Filter Tool

xFruits
The perfect way to slice and dice all of your RSS.
xFruits RSS tools

xFruits RSS tools

I hope this helps you get a tremendous amount of info while simplifying your life.
Happy Filtering
Curtis J. Morley

Speaking at Elearning DevCon – Flash + Google Analytics = FLOOGLYTICS

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I am excited to say that I will be speaking at the E-Learning DevCon.  E-Learning DevCon is arguably the best Flash E-learning conference around.  This is one of those hidden gems that people talk about long after they are gone.  Some of the most respected E-learning and Interactive Instructional designers will be at this conference. Sign up quickly because it is filling up fast.

Presentation:

FLOOGLYTICS = Flash + Google Analytics

FLOOGLYTICS = Flash + Google Analytics

Flash and Google Analytics = FLOOGLYTICS
 Flash has always been considered the ugly step sister in the world of SEO and Analytics. Well now Flash takes “Center Stage”. Using Google Analytics data can be extracted from Flash that could never be pulled from HTML. This session will explore the ins-and-outs of how to setup Google Analytics to work most effectively with your Flash files and how to set up Flash to work most effectively with your Google Analytics account. Go beyond just seeing what users did. See what users meant to do or even wanted to do but didn’t. The most important part of the equation is how to refine this gold that Flash and Google Analytics provide. Walk away from this session armed with the tools you need to implement Flooglytics and make your site effective.

Where:
E-Learning DevCon – University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

When:
June 17th-19th 3:30 P.M.

So sign up for E-Learning DevCon and I let’s make learning exciting again.

Happy Flashing,

Curtis J. Morley

Speaking today at BYU on Flash & Google Analytics

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Today I will be a guest speaker at BYU and will be talking about Google Analytics in Flash. I will be showing the students the power of using analytics and Flash. I will also be talking briefly about Omniture analytics and Flash. My talk will be centered around the capabilities of fine tuned tracking with Flash and what data should be tracked. I will also talk about the class that I am about to release that is built for Google Analytics and Flash.

Stay tuned and Happy Flashing.

Minority Report Advertising (Mini Cooper style)

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“Good afternoon, Mr. Yakamoto,” the interactive poster states loudly for Tom Cruise with newly implanted eyes and everyone else to hear. “How did you like that three-pack of tank tops you bought last time you were in?”
Minority Report - Retinal Scan

Earlier in the movie a sign in the subway senses the emotion of Tom Cruise in the subway and says “John Anderton, you could use a Guinness right now.” Very similar to what Ogilivy did with interactive billboards in Belgium. Only they had a person in a control booth manipulating the action(see below). In Toronto they are doing a slightly different idea where you can opt in to receive a free ringtone via bluetooth.
Minority Report - Advertising

Jeff Boortz the creative lead for the film and President of 3 Ring Circus had this to say about the content, “Originally, the whole idea, from a script point of view, was that the advertisements would recognize you — not only recognize you, but recognize your state of mind…”

Ogilivy did a great job of creating interactive ads but added the human (or Wizard of Oz) effect in creating billboards that interact with the person in front of the sign. The face on the sign changes and interacts with the person standing in front of it. It is an actor that views the people through a video camera in the sign and reacts to them(and at times makes fun of them).

Ford Campaign in BelgiumInteractive Poster in Belgium designed by Ogilivy

So how is Mini cooper doing this today? They have sent out approximately 4500 RFID key Fobs that are activated when the driver gets within 500 ft of the billboard.  It is getting a ton of publicity and the drivers of the little speedsters are loving the personal attention that only comes by being part of “The Club.”
Mini Cooper Interactive Billboard Mini Cooper Interactive Billboard

This is obviously an opt-in style of personalized advertising. But how real is the possibility of “Minority Report Advertising?” In Minority Report “identification of consumers happens via retinal scans, which are presumably matched with names in a global database.”

Will we need to wear sunglasses some day or specially designed contacts to prevent the advertising from
announcing personal or embarrassing items. The grocery stores already give you a coupon on the bottom of your reciept that allows you to buy milk at a discount if you bought cereal or salad dressing if you purchased lettuce. I would hate to hear the computer announce to myself and others as I walk into my local Albertsons, “Welcome Mr. Morley, your favorite brand of tampons are on sale.” Just because the last time I went shopping I happened to pick up some things for my wife.

So how could they identify us currently?

  • Cell phones – It has a unique number, it is with us constantly and the French are using cell phones to do location advertising currently.
  • Key Fob – Most employees will carry around an electronic key card that allows them into a building these have personal identifiers on them such as name and company.
  • PDA – My PDA has Bluetooth, IR, and Wifi and much personal information.
  • Gaming Device – PSP among others have wireless capabilities. Why not send a simple signal out to the advertising terminal as a kid walks into target to display a companion game or upgrade for the game that is currently being played?
  • Credit Cards – Newer cards are containing RFID and can be scan rathered than slid.
  • Medical Devices – Medical devices are being tagged with personal identifiers in case of theft.
  • Medical ID tags – A simple scan of a necklace or wrist bracelet with a small amount of OCR and the person is easily identified.
  • Cars – GM and OnStar, Honda, Infiniti etc… all have a GPS device within the car. This data can be read and matched with DMV records at any time.
  • GPS Devices
  • Facial Recognition software – The creepy big brother devices that I saw at ComDEX. The camera took a picture of me and from that point on any time I was even close to booth the camera locked onto me and displayed my name and info.
  • Retinal scanners -already at use in some airports
  • Watches – Fossil, among others, are now carrying a bluetooth line of watches.
  • Pets – Most pets are now carrying an identification chip inside of them that could easily be used to change an interactive poster into an advertisement of dog food or the latest in neutering.

How could they identify us in the future?

  • Gene scans – This is a scary thought but some day could be a reality.
  • Drivers License – Technology here continues to advance. Why not embed an RFID into the license so that officers have instant access to your info without putting themselves in danger by getting out of their car?
  • mp3 Players – Go iPhone

So what are your thoughts?

Should we be looking out for “Big Brother” or is this just a natural progression of technology and advertising?
How will corporations and governments start advertising/tracking us in the future?
A great link to a blog by Steve Smith and Phil Leggiere about Behavioral Marketing and Behavioral Targeting