Is there life beyond Google?

Tech-savvy entrepreneurs and astute venture capitalists are striving for the next ‘small hit’ in search engine domain. The question to be asked whether there is life beyond Google. Though a number of search alternatives are popping up, they are wary of taking the search giant head-on.

With almost three-quarters of all search traffic, Google’s position is almost unassailable. However, potential competitors are keen on developing new ways to find information. They are busy hunting down the investors to support them. More than 50 new search firms have raised almost $330 million in venture financing.

So how are these budding search engines moving ahead? Mostly, by not opting to follow the example of Cuil.com, pronounced ‘cool’! Cuil means ‘knowledge’ in Gaelic; it might as well denote ‘cautionary tale’. The company was formed by former Google executives. It made a big splash on its debut by bragging of a search index that was nearly three times the size of Google's. Cuil received the early impetus, but traffic cooled off rather quickly as people turned to Google again.

However better Cuil might have been than the search giant, it wasn't perhaps better enough to get loyal users to make the permanent switch. So has the lesson been learnt? The right approach, investors believe, is the sort of niche-oriented and targeted search. But whether it will work remains to be seen.

Effective link building strategies to help your site climb up the search engine ladder fast

As web technology continually evolves, it also opens up new opportunities for aspiring business owners to fine tune their SEO strategies. It is pertinent to note that expert inputs will help you boost your website rankings.

Social media (popular websites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Technorati, Twitter, Digg, etc.) offer an excellent platform for online businesses to not only promote their services and products on the Web, but also to make significant gains in the search engine results.

One of the most vital criteria to judge the effectiveness of any SEO strategy is the number of quality inbound links and link popularity that a website is able to build. This is essential for improved search engine rankings.

Although there are several effective link building strategies available to online businesses in form of directory submissions, article syndication, and press releases, social media can greatly help generate additional high-value, on-target inbound links, which are essential for top placements in the leading search engines.

For instance, each time you make use of Twitter to publish a link to new content hosted on your website, that link will get ‘planted’ on the Twitter page of each individual following you. This link has the inherent potential to spread further as your followers are bound to share that piece of information with their own network of contacts.

Warm welcome to the enterprising world of Webidiotz in Portland USA!

I thoroughly understand your keenness to benefit from the reach and power of the Internet.

The Internet is indeed a great marketing medium, and it is understandable you aspire to use the Internet for expanding your business online. But what is it currently stopping you from riding the surging Web World wave? Why your business is cut off from the far reaching Web, and where things are going wrong, you must be wondering…

Obviously you have been trying quite a few options, but have been greatly disappointed by the BS offered by one of those unreliable and undeserving Internet marketing firms, not equipped at all to match your expectations. You must be feeling let down, not knowing the way out. Thankfully, there is no need to worry anymore.

Let me take this opportunity to introduce our new service facility in Portland USA. Our new office will draw its strength from high standards in customer service set by WEBIDIOTZ in Winnipeg, Canada. Our specialization, experience and innovation sure will allow you to turn online dreams into reality.

To put it succinctly, having a website for an aspiring business is a must, and no one, I bet, can do better than Webidiotz. Me and my team members are extremely pleased to be part of a new productive journey that we are starting together in a quest to search success online.
I am certain you will hugely benefit from the innovative approach, which is the hallmark of Webidiotz. Our effort is to help you achieve success by either creating a new website or revamping the existing one, which may not be dynamic enough.

We provide dedicated services on helping out start ups or those untouched by the surging wave of online marketing. We work in a concerted manner by setting up specific goals – weekly, fortnightly and monthly - in order to grow your business online.

To put it humbly, I have sizable experience – almost close to a decade – when it comes to managing the explosive, stunning and mesmerizing growth of IT- intensive trading companies. During this course, which has set new precedents, I have played diverse roles, including those of a web application developer, database administrator, network administrator. After wearing many hats, I ended up being the IT manager for a global trading firm. The logical culmination of the personal journey has been with joining Webidiotz.

Opening the USA office for Webidiotz in Portland will be a major challenge for me something that I really relish. Working along side the charismatic personality like Neil Patel to carry the Webidiotz brand into a host of other online services, our effort is to emerge as a dominant player in the industry.

I have immense experience building out colocation spaces, server rooms and small data centers. Before moving to Chicago I worked as an independent consultant building corporate websites and web applications for clients across Canada. Going beyond my work profile, I am an avid snowboarder. I share a keen interest in capital markets, and enjoy my spare time with my family, my wife and friends, and, of course our English bulldog, Winston.

What I promise is a very basic, very simple, albeit significant proposition. We shall work together; we shall work with a cause in mind; we shall work in a focused manner with a determination to grow your business and take it to new heights. On behalf of my team, I promise to deliver holistic online marketing solutions including a fantastic, - affordable and effective website that guarantees a gushing flow of unique visitors. In keeping with the customer-friendly approach Webidiotz is renowned for, you will find our new facility a great pleasure to work with.

You will find that my knowledgeable and creative team is quick to understand, and serve your needs. Webidiotz facility in Portland USA will strive to fulfill your expectations; stay true to your faith in us and reaffirm your belief that you have arrived at the right place. Our sincere effort is to ensure you get all the support for your business to perform exceptionally well.
Webidiotz team members are committed to your business success and will be with you at every step in the future. Let us make a start with a website that boosts your sales and profit margins.

Recession is a perfect opportunity for innovation, believes the Google CEO

"You cannot plan innovation or inspiration. But you can be ready for it, and when you see it you can jump on it and you sure can make a difference." This was the inspiring message from Eric Schmid, the Google CEO and Chairman, during the Commencement Address at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Schmidt’s talk focused on the past, present and future of technology and trends, how profoundly and quickly cultural habits change and how vital it is to live in the future! He stated: “We then had phone booths, but has anybody here seen one? We had VCRs. You’ve YouTube. We had Pong. You’ve Wii. We got our news from newspapers, whereas your generation gets it from blogs and tweets. For those of you who don’t know, that’s not what you hear in zoos.”

A gathering of 3,400 curious undergraduate and graduate students at Gesling Stadium for Carnegie Mellon's 112th commencement ceremony listened to him rapt in attention, as he urged them to exploit ‘the opportunity to be the greatest generation’ in spite of the worst recession in decades. He pointed out: "You’ve tools that we never had. Take care of them."

He added, "You say 'look at the economy,' but consider some of the things, which emerged out of the Great Depression. I know they are true because I looked it up on Google - Rice Krispies, Twinkies and beer cans...good things (can) happen in recession. Take advantage of opportunities, and make your own luck! You can just try to be in the right place and try to take advantage. Life is like that! Opportunities happen while you are busy making other plans.”

You will find today is the best chance you have to start, he remarked. Mr. Schmidt is a former Carnegie Mellon trustee. He asked the students to be open to ‘unexpected chances; to avoid being solitary; to remember their humanity; and not to fear mistakes because mistakes let you learn and try our new things.’

‘Turn off your computer’: Why and when did Eric Schmidt say so?

Google CEO and Chairman Eric Schmidt in his address to some 6,000 graduates during the commencement ceremony of the University of Pennsylvania made a rather unexpected statement. He proclaimed: “Turn off your computer.”

“You are actually going to have to turn off your phone, and discover all that is human around us," Eric Schmidt stated while delivering his speech. He added: "Nothing really beats holding the hand of your grandchild as he (or she) walks first steps."

During the ceremony he received an honorary doctor of science degree. Amy Gutmann, the University’s President, underlined his ‘manifold contributions to putting the world at humanity's fingertips’. He quipped: "You’ve devoted your entire career to heralding a new age of learning empowered by new-age technology."

On his part, Schmidt acknowledged Penn’s significant role in developing one of the first electronic computers ever constructed, in 1946. "Literally everything you see - every computer, every mobile phone, every other device - descends from the principles invented right here," he remarked.

Just a day before his visit to Penn, the Google CEO-Chairman received an honorary degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He delivered a similar off-beat speech there. He joked at the differences between his generation and the one referred to as the ‘Google & Facebook generation. The dynamic techie acknowledged the tough economic times now surrounding the Class of 2009. Interestingly, he argued that recession could provide a perfect opportunity for innovation.

Innovative online marketing techniques can boost your business

In today’s challenging times, many businesses instinctively think of slashing their marketing expenses to save money. This is not a wise idea. When economy is in a downward spiral, it is imprudent to become low profile. If you remain invisible, your prospective clients will forget you, and may not return to you once things start looking up.

Approaching viral marketing strategists allows you to explore new powerful avenues of marketing. Timely inputs from them help you spread your online marketing outlay in the most effective manner. You can draw more out of your marketing spend by exploiting technology. The aim is to leverage the reach and power of the Web in form of e-newsletters, or videos. Getting the word out really fast and the most economical way is one of the greatest advantages that online marketing techniques offer to both aspiring and established business owners even in today’s troubled economic environment.

There are various innovative online marketing techniques that will boost sales and revenue, without greatly increasing your marketing budget. Importantly, with the Web, you can reach out to your customers directly. Of course, you need to be careful in your approach. Going overboard in desperation to ‘push your product’ is not going to help your cause.

Many hastily done online marketing campaigns fail to click because they are specifically designed to merely generate leads. A better marketing plan tries to amp up the entertainment quotient. For instance, an online video with nice audio-visual elements with your logo and brand message subtly appearing in it will do the trick for you. The production costs of the video can easily be offset by its potential reach on the Web.

Now is the time to turn to online marketing and propel your business into a new orbit of success

Are you asking yourself the right question?

After a few weeks of being immersed in new clients and some very exciting projects, it wasn’t until Saturday when I was eating Burger King with my family that I got some inspiration to write my next article.

I watched the last 20 minutes of a BBC Radio 4 program on channel 510 Bell TV. The presenter was interviewing three heads of major companies: Martin Sorrell of WPP, the chairman of the largest marketing & advertising agency in the world, the CEO of Vodafone UK, and the CEO of Euro Star-- the fast train from UK to Paris or the other way around.

The topic was about business and the economy and I was pleased to listen to their positive attitudes throughout the interview.

For me, the key points were another reminder of what is to come in the next few years for the small business and the Internet. All three shared similar views that the Internet now plays a critical role for any business.

Martin, who you have to consider the most powerful man in marketing, said that almost 20% of our time is spent online and that number will rise to 30%. WPP digital revenues are 25% of their total advertising revenue worldwide. WPP is Google’s largest customer when it comes to buying keywords--when I say big I am referring to the fact that they spent $4 billion just read the interview notes. WPP has spent a billion dollars buying Internet marketing companies around the world.

What does that mean? Well, consumers will spend more money online-- it’s a trend that has been growing at an alarming rate for the past 10 years, and if you apply common sense, it tells you that this will only continue to grow.

We already spend 10% - 12% of our household income online. So if you have not got an online store or even a professional website you are missing out on 12% of new business. Another fact is that 50% of our buying influences are now made on the Internet.

The CEO of Vodafone said the days of business owners not being connected to the Internet are over. He went on to say that one third of new customers who call or email a business and do not get a response in 2 hours will not buy from that business or call back.

None of this comes as a surprise to me as in the past few weeks more and more of our customers have requested that their entire store be put online. If you sell chocolates, gifts, furniture, shoes, clothes, gadgets, jewelery, or anything that can be sent by post or courier, then you need to have an online store.

If you have 10 or 10,000 items to sell and you want to grow your business, then $2,000 will get your store online with hosting, email accounts, domain, online payment system, website, and training. $2,000 to grow your business is not a big investment when you can increase your sales by at least 10%.

Even if you turnover $100,000, a 10% sales growth is $10,000!

The question is not whether or not you want an online store, the question is: do you want to grow your business?

If your answer is yes, then call us now toll-free at 1-888-211- 8133 or click here and fill in this simple form to get three custom online store designs and consultation for free.

CLICK HERE to take advantage of this opportunity NOW

Neil Patel, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada