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When SOPA and PIPA were introduced to Congress in October 2011, there was an immediate outcry from the internet community. The two bills, (Stop Online Piracy Act and PROTECT IP Act) were sponsored primarily by the music and motion picture industries. Their goal was ostensibly to regulate the use of copyrighted materials on the internet. While many would agree that copyrighted property theft online does need some regulation, the methods laid out by SOPA and PIPA would disrupt the infrastructure of the internet itself; creating holes in national security and censoring American citizens’ access to global information.

Surprisingly enough, despite the far-reaching consequences associated with passing such a bill, public interest has been remarkably low. Even people who make an effort to stay current with news and politics were unaware of the existence of these bills. The tide turned early this morning when sites like Google, Mozilla, Craigslist and Wikipedia blacked-out their homepages in protest. Once these sites took a stand, people at last began to share content online relating to the protest of SOPA and PIPA.

Within hours of these internet giants posting their protests on their home pages, the movement to stop the passage of SOPA and PIPA finally got the visibility it needed. The value of a wide audience for your business’ website is immense. A few hours of online protest from some popular websites and Congress is affected. The free exchange of information is germane to the United States; a significant internet presence should be germane to your business!

The Web is one of America’s most rapidly growing industries. The range of people searching for products and services online expands by the day. Age and income level are no longer surefire indicators of a person’s accessibility to or understanding of the internet. Get your business represented online and discover all the ways a great internet marketing agency can ramp up your revenue!

The Stop Online Privacy Act (SOPA) and PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) have been garnering heavy scrutiny by members of the online community since their introduction. Created ostensibly to target foreign domains which pose a threat to US citizens and their security, the proposed acts are viewed by industry experts as being unconstitutionally vague. There is also a clear financial connection between the acts and the entertainment industry, which continues its decades long fight over perceived copyright infringement. The intent of SOPA/PIPA is to take punitive action against sites which provide unauthorized access to copyrighted materials. The passage of these acts would enable the United States government to effectively shut-down any culpable site when brought to a regulatory committee’s attention; the accuser doing so on a ‘good faith’ basis.

As of this afternoon, there has been word that SOPA will not be put to a vote before Congress, effectively shutting down the House bill. PIPA is still active in the senate and is expected to be pushed forward during the coming weeks. The acts have brought together some unlikely allies, in both the business and bureaucratic arenas. Google, Facebook, Ebay, Wikipedia, Mozilla and a slew of other internet giants have joined forces in their opposition of PIPA; the bill has supporters and opponents on both sides of the political aisle. In a somewhat surprising move, the White House released a wordy communication which appeared to withdraw support for the bills; however, included were some statements which indicate that the president is supportive of online copyright infringement legislation, just not in the current SOPA/PIPA format.

While it is likely PIPA will not get the votes needed to pass, nothing is certain. Even if the bill falls flat in the senate, the fact that it rose so far, so quickly, is cause enough for alarm. The loss of a free, unrestricted internet would have devastating consequences for this country; constitutionally and economically. Contact your state’s representatives to make sure they know how you feel about online censorship in America; or you can sign the petition to fight PIPA here.

Google would like you to meet their newest addition; personalized search. In a recent blog post, Google introduced the world to a new, more specific way to find information. In true Google fashion, the search giant assessed the needs of the typical user and discovered that when people weren’t googling themselves; they were googling their friends, coworkers, third-grade science teachers and so forth. Google gleaned from this that most users are looking for familiar information. They’re searching for their own posts online; photos shared by friends or family; recommendations for products or services by people they know.

Using their social networking site, Google+, Google created an algorithm which connects logged-in users with relevant information; based on their friend circles. This personalized search, titled Search plus Your World, provides the user with an encrypted search engine results page (SERP). This is the same level of protection afforded to Google+ pages. The introduction of personalized search comes several months after Google’s announcement that logged-in users’ tracking data would no longer be available on Google Analytics. Though there had been some panic in the SEO community over the unavailable data, the consensus was that only a small percentage would be affected. With the establishment of Search plus Your World, the likelihood of missing out on an even larger percentage of data than predicted seems inevitable.

At this point, it’s difficult to say how popular Search plus Your World will be. Facebook still eclipses Google+ in terms of membership and industry experts do not expect that to change any time soon. Gmail users who do not have a profile on Google+ are not likely to notice much of a change in their search results; whether they are logged-in to Gmail or not. While no one can be sure what kind of following personal search will attract, many experts do not think it will be very successful. It may be nice to have a friend’s recommendation when selecting a restaurant in the area, but it’s difficult to imagine wanting the contents of your SERP dictated by the likes (and dislikes) of your friends.

There’s a new AdWords format that may help advertisers accumulate better-qualified leads. There have been an increasing number of reports that advertisers are able to obtain user email addresses directly from sponsored ads. Though the appearance of the opt-in field accompanying some ads is relatively new, it’s been in the works at Google for some time. There have actually been other formats tested in the past; these were bulky forms that did not survive their test period. While the current change is still in beta, it certainly appears to be more promising that prior attempts.



The ability to acquire a potential customer’s email address has limitless possibilities. There are reports that the form is mostly attached to ads selling higher-priced goods; products and services that generally require a more hands-on sales process. The benefits of collecting contact information for qualified leads are obvious. It allows sellers to email a potential customer and discuss the purchase the customer was looking to make. Because the email address is attached to a specific ad, the seller knows what the customer is shopping for.

There has been some curiosity among bloggers and AdWords users regarding the methodology used to store the email addresses. It would seem that the only way to do so would be with laborious cutting and pasting; though it’s arguably worth it if the lead converts. There are some pretty terrific benefits from a consumer angle as well; people are able to get quotes for specific products or services. They’re also able to get additional information on something that interests them delivered directly to their inboxes; no searching around the SERP or a specific website.

For now, the test period will continue (though there has been some disagreement in the internet marketing industry about whether the feature is still in testing or has been finalized). Advertiser feedback has been positive so there may be an increasing number of ads that include the option before it gets the final vote from Google. Whether Google will give the new feature the official green light or not, remains to be seen.

In terms of internet marketing, search engine optimization (SEO) can be one of the most lucrative forms of advertising. It is also one of the most difficult to master. While Pay-Per-Click campaigns tend to have a faster turnaround on your investment and are easier to track, you are paying for each user who clicks your ad and arrives at your site. SEO promotes your business in the organic listings and the traffic it attracts is at no cost to you. There are many things you can do to improve your company’s position on the search engine results page (SERP) and good SEO generally involves touching on all of them.

From an organic standpoint, it’s important that you create a quality site to begin with. Major search engines like Google are constantly tweaking their algorithms to weed out sites with copied or weak content. Sites which lack usable information and are flush with links are called “thin affiliate” sites and Google works hard to eliminate these types of sites from the SERP.

Once you have created a user-friendly site with original content, you can begin to build relevance for your website in the eyes of major search engines. One way to do this is through link-building. When you are able to create links to your site on other well-ranked, reputable websites, it tells search engines that your site is current and useful. Listing your company’s website on major directories is another way to help promote your business online. While many directories allow you to list your business for free, the ones that require payment are often held in higher regard by Google and other search engines. These paid directories tend to be more discriminating and Google takes that into account when calculating a website’s position on the SERP.

These are just a few of the things you can do behind the scenes to help push your site up on the results page. While good SEO can do a lot for the visibility of your company’s website, there is no substitution for maintaining a quality site. When you work with an acclaimed internet marketing agency like Exults, you can be sure that your site will stay current, helpful and most importantly, visible!

It would be unusual if something as wildly popular as social networking didn’t make someone money, somewhere. Fortunately for expert Tweeters, the status quo has been maintained. While most people estimating the value of individual followers are thinking in terms of indirect revenue, there are a few out there who realize that money can be made directly. Rather than assigning a cash-value to each Facebook friend or each re-tweet, there are ways for those who have amassed hundreds of thousands of followers to profit almost purely from having accumulated so many connections.

Companies are beginning to offer these mega-Tweeters incentives to share their message; or in some cases, access to their friends/followers. For example, a car-lover with a substantial following may be offered a chance to test-drive the latest model BMW for a weekend in exchange for tweeting about the car. When Charlie Sheen suffered his very-public meltdown, the twitter account he opened hit one million followers in the first week. He was connected with a company which compensated for celebrity tweets; this company hooked him up with a website looking for candidates needing an intern position. After mentioning the company in a post, the intern company’s website attracted roughly 100,000 clicks in the first hour. It was then that many large businesses saw the amazing marketing opportunities available through social media.

Another heavy-hitting social media aficionado was pointed to an online staffing agency who offered reciprocity for users who signed up with their site. Once signed up, the staffing agency combs the user’s list of friends, searching for qualified potential candidates. This particular Facebook user had a friend in need of a job and suggested the friend check out the staffing website. The friend was hired and the user who recommended him was compensated $10,000.

The benefits to acquiring scores of Facebook friends or Twitter followers are rapidly evolving. An individual with no marketing experience is now able to make some serious money through advertising via a social network. No small commentary on the value of popular, original content. It will be exciting to see what new opportunities for revenue in the social media genre present themselves in 2012.

The virtual explosion in the popularity of smart phones has significantly changed the way many people use the internet. The accessibility of cloud technology has allowed people to utilize their cell phones in much the same way the use their desk top computers. With so many users performing mobile searches, local SEO has become more important than ever. Unlike organic SEO, which utilizes links to promote a given site; mobile SEO is more focused on citations. Which local directories have your company cited? If the answer is none, you may be missing out on new business.

Google is reporting that about 20 percent of all searches on desktop computers are for local businesses. That number jumps to 40 percent when looking at mobile searches. This means that nearly half of all smart phone queries are searching for products or services listed in local directories. The first step towards creating an online local presence for your business is claiming your listing on Google Places. Optimize your listing; select the category that best fits your company and you’re on your way. Your next step should be to establish a list of other relevant local directories. The number of general directories is seemingly endless, but it’s important to have a presence on the main ones. Yelp, Superpages and City Search are a few of the bigger ones; restaurants should make sure they’re listed on sites like Open Table and Urban Spoon.

Lastly, the key to staying on top of your local industry is consistency. It’s vital that you make sure your business is listed identically from one directory to the other. If your address is 123 SW 4th Place and you abbreviate ‘Place’ to ‘Pl.’ on one listing, make sure you do that for all of them. It’s also a good idea to do a little research and find out where your competitors are listed; that way you can make sure your company is in those directories, too.

Attracting new clientele in your community is easy, once you know how! Working with a great internet marketing company will allow your venture to grow and keep you one step ahead of your competitors. Don’t tear your hair out trying to run a business and monitor your position online at the same time! Call Exults today!

From their second try at the social networking world to the contract they finalized last month with GM, it’s clear that Google is growing. The search giant has been steadily increasing its presence outside the search engine world and is beginning to be viewed as more than just a tool for finding the nearest dog groomer. Their Chrome browser has eclipsed Internet Explorer and is threatening to overtake Mozilla Firefox. As evidenced in Firefox’s recent partnering with Bing, Google has become competition for many companies where their prior relationship had been symbiotic.

Because of Google’s rapid expansion into different technology genres, the company was brought before the Federal Trade Commission early last year to defend itself against accusations that it had acquired a strangle-hold on the industry. Google managed (for the time being, anyway) to fend off its accusers and continue its expansion into new territory. As one of the most arguably recognizable brands on the planet, Google’s consistent marketing of itself makes a powerful statement about the need for advertising. Why would a company that is generally acknowledged as the primary provider of a universal service continue to buy ad space? It’s because Google understands that staying on top is an ongoing process.

Google did not reach its current level of success by creating one great ad campaign. Its self-promotion is constantly evolving along with its products and services. And Google realizes the immense value of tapping into all types of media. There are numerous ads running on TV promoting new features of Google+. The internet giant stays connected with its fans through fun and innovative campaigns. Creativity and visibility are key components of any marketing strategy and Google has mastered the art of both. Imagine what a diverse internet marketing campaign could do for your business!

Spending huge sums of money to create the perfect ecommerce site is unnecessary. What counts most is usability. Even multi-million dollar, globally-recognized brands will lose customers if their site is difficult to maneuver. There are several components that successful ecommerce sites share; regardless of the size of the businesses behind them. These sites are well-laid out; they have relevant landing pages; most importantly, they function in the way users shop.

The design of an ecommerce site should be simple and free of flashing banners or other distractions. Because users are expected to submit their credit card information, the site should always include the physical address and phone number of the company. It’s amazing how many businesses do not include that vital piece of information on their contact page. Shoppers who are presented with nothing more than a blank email form in the way of contact information may be put-off and make their purchases elsewhere. From an SEO standpoint, major search engines view ecommerce sites that lack real contact information skeptically; they are less likely to move them to the top of the SERP.

There have been increasing levels of importance placed on relevant landing pages. Users are no longer as willing to click through to subpages of a site, looking for a particular product. When someone utilizes a search engine to shop for a product, they are expecting to be linked directly to the page featuring their desired purchase. These search engines are constantly updating their search algorithms and they strive to have the results listed reflect the advances they’ve made.

Lastly, but most notably, your ecommerce site should make shopping easy for your customers. You may be tempted to set something up a certain way because doing so makes the most sense from a processing standpoint. But does it make sense from a consumer standpoint? If the answer is no, you should rethink your setup. Macy’s is an unlikely example of an ecommerce site with poor usability. Their brand is recognized in nearly every corner of the globe; with stores in most major US cities and around the world, you would assume that their site would be among the best. It’s not.

Despite what must be a vast marketing budget, Macy’s mistakenly hired a web design firm who did not put customer usability first. For example, customers shopping for a couch on their site are not able to shop based on what is available in their area. They must first select a couch they are interested in and then submit their zip code to check local availability. This means that potential clients may pick several different couches before even finding one they can go see. Today’s online shopper does not have the patience or need to waste time looking through products that aren’t even available.

When creating an ecommerce website for your business, the needs of your customers are paramount. Keeping that in mind, even the most meager budget can bring significant business if allocated wisely. The right internet marketing agency will design and maintain a site that attracts traffic, not drives it away!