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Showing 14 posts tagged Social Media
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Understanding Schema.org for SEO, VSEO
By Joseph Olesh
Its name alone, “Schema.org,” is enough to scare most bloggers and social media pros right back to their WYSIWYG editors. However, this collection of schemas (html tags that web masters use to markup their pages in ways recognized by major search engines) is an easy and relatively quick way to improve your SERP CRT (Search-Engine-Result-Page Click-Through-Rate.) The launching of video support for Schema.org was the inspiration for this blog post.
Rest assured, time invested in this Microdata vocabulary will be worth every minute. Schema.org is a game-changer for search engine optimization (SEO), video search engine optimization (VSEO), and most any other online visibility attribute that exists today. It’s one thing to work your brand onto “Page One”; it’s an entirely more valuable thing to have that link on page one gain a click that sends the user to your chosen landing page. This markup enables search engines to understand the information on your web pages and then provide richer search results. Schema.org is also the product of a Google, Microsoft, Yandex and Yahoo! collaboration, meaning it’s relevant, consistent and here to stay.
Schema.org is a Microdata vocabulary, not a markup language in and of itself. This means the Schema.org properties can be inserted while marking up content for any given web page. See examples below of the original HTML and the HTML with Microdata.
To see the examples and remainder of this article, click here.
Humbled upon finding this: UNLIKELY DUO TEAMS UP TO CREATE NATIONAL, LOCAL ADS: SLO’S ‘FLICKER’ OF LIGHT
Coming across this Tribune article has made my night. It was written a little over three years ago by Bill Morem, a legendary San Luis Obispo writer.
Read the article here: UNLIKELY DUO TEAMS UP TO CREATE NATIONAL, LOCAL ADS: SLO’S ‘FLICKER’ OF LIGHT
I definitely did not enjoy this time enough. I never took it for granted, but thinking back, I was a bit too focused on the work and not enough on the experience. I think I’m more proud to share this now than when the article actually ran. I remember these interviews and taking this picture like it was yesterday.
I’ll say that I use every lesson from this piece of my career on a daily basis. It was then I learned the value of creative content production, communicating a message on film, and aggressively distributing that message online with every portal available.
Things have changed much in the last 3+ years, but real creative content — photos and videos — are still at the core of digital media and central to any social media strategy. It is an exciting time for progressive marketers; I’m proud to be one of them.
Cheers, all… Live it up!!
Google+ Business Pages Update
I felt the need to clarify some rumors that have been flying around regarding Google+ for Business. Friends of Tier10Lab had some questions, so this post speaks to those and other issues we thought helpful for those interested.
The new business pages for Google+ will include not only the fans, but employees and management. Verification that each business is indeed who they claim they are is also in place. Pages of this kind will also be able to add more than one location — a tremendous piece of functionality for automotive dealership groups, restaurant chains, retail stores, and the like. Full integration of Google Offers, Analytics and AdWords will make Google+ a very powerful platform.
As of right now, Google hasn’t officially launched “+” for business. I know there are many rumors, but the certifiable blogs I follow, including Google’s own Google+ blog, have not given a formal release. It has, however, been released to the general public. This is a positive sign that the business-specific format will come once its population has reached critical mass.
I love that Google+ is top-of-mind, as I believe it is going to be a game-changer for social marketing, offering different services than Facebook for us to better communicate with our respective markets via Social Media. A strategy that includes Facebook and Google+ playing off each other will present the most integrated Social solution available.
However, we need to proceed with caution. Google has pulled the plug on business pages with Google+ for the time being. See the L.A. Times below:
After pulling the plug on Google+ pages set up for businesses on Thursday, Google laid out some details (and a bit of regret) on what it has done so far and hopes to do next to get companies, nonprofits, bands and other entities into the social network as soon as possible.
Almost two weeks ago, Google asked businesses eager to get started on Google+ to stay out of the fledgling social network. The reason? Google said current Google+ pages were designed for people to network, not companies or other groups.
The tech giant promised that it would roll out pages for businesses and other entities later in the year and began taking applications from groups interested in trying out test versions of such pages.
But the response to Google’s call for business-page testing partners was more enthusiastic then even the Mountain View, Calif., company expected, and now Google is working to speed up the process and get its act together faster.
Pointing out the “Google+ pages were designed for people … not companies” item, Google has been actively deleting not only + profiles, but deleting entire Google Accounts of those businesses that have attempted to leverage the new platform. So while there is much value in being first-adopters, let’s hold off until the platform is ready. Per Christian Oestlien, Google ad lead on Google+:
Doing it right is worth the wait. We will continue to disable business profiles using regular profiles. We recommend you find a real person who is willing to represent your organization on Google+ using a real profile as him-or-herself.
I will be anxious to get into strategy discussions as we learn more about what Google+ will provide in the way of search optimization, branding opportunities, AdWords, Analytics, even Places, Offers and YouTube integration. Till then, I’d continue to optimize socially on Facebook, and the like.
Be assured that I will be tracking Google+’s progress and will continue to consult on its functionality. I will suggest that any that have not started a personal account do so as soon as possible.
Social Media Alive On Campus
I was just interviewed by a young Cal Poly SLO journalism student on all things social media. Upon reflection, I have to admit I found this experience inspiring on a few levels.
The questions that made up the interview were well thought out and plentiful. The eager-to-learn interviewer was quick to amend follow-up questions as they came up. It was obvious the leadership at Cal Poly has not only recognized the potent relevance of social media, but are also educating their future journalists of its value. All of this I find positive, both as an alumnus of Cal Poly and as an active social media professional.
Something else struck me, though much less relevant. Sidney Pollack once said in his film, “Sketches of Frank Gehry,” that he felt for some time like he was pretending to be a director. The catalyst of the conversation had Pollack asking Gehry when he started to feel comfortable as a practicing architect. Pollack’s thoughtful metaphor to his experience as a young filmmaker is one I’ve always found inspiring and endearing.
I have been fortunate to be the recipient of multiple awards this last year as a filmmaker and social media marketer, but it was sitting in this very simple interview today I felt, in a sense, that I wasn’t “pretending” anymore. I’d entrenched myself within the worlds of content creation and social media to the extent that it’d been sometime since I’d taken inventory of how far I, and the technology, have come the last five years.
I love social media because it is dynamic. As a filmmaker, I dream of a time my commercials, videos and films can hold the same interactive qualities social media possess. I also feel fortunate to be a part of a generation when technology and creativity are colliding in such a dramatic fashion.
Watching my students complete their high school careers and preparing for my own cross-country move has I suppose, added to my heightened sense of nostalgia.
Regardless, I think the world is in a good place. Technology has put those with intelligence, creativity, and confidence in a position of power like never before. I’m inspired by my relatively small position in this digital marketing paradigm shift and hope I may be able to inspire those looking to join the movement.
Till later… Cheers, all.
EMBODIMENT: Part Three
Director/Editor: Joseph Michael Olesh
Location: Native Lounge, San Luis Obispo
***Accepted to the St. Louis International Film Festival***
***Accepted at the BornShorts International Film Festival in Denmark, on the Bornholm island.***
***Accepted at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival***
An independent short film we’ve produced documenting the PRIDE Parade in San Francisco; supporting JustMarried.us.
Director: JOSEPH MICHAEL OLESH
Producer: LAUREN HARRIS
Music: ELMYR
Produced by FLICKER FILMS
