Archive: October, 2009

Recently, Twitter has entertained the notion of existing as a licensed application by either Google or Microsoft. This venture has the potential to be another in a series of recent evolutions in how we search online, given that both of the major search engines have stated that they would incorporate “tweets” into their search results.  How would this development change our search results? I see this having a couple of different outcomes with some shared effects:
First, and most obviously, companies would be absolutely negligent not to develop or start their Twitter presence immediately if this licensing effort is successful. Granted, we will have to sort through the “What I’m doing now” posts that involve mundane daily items like ”Eating Cheetos and washing the cat.” However, imagine Frito Lay’s horror as that search result possibly pushes down one of their “Cheetos” or related sites in the search results? No “LOL” at the board meeting that month.
Next, entertainment companies could benefit from real-time feedback in the form of Tweets in the search results. This becomes a situation where a performance, movie, or other event is evaluated by the patrons from their internet phones at the event. Then, via Tweets and complicit search engine, an evaluation could be determined fairly quickly. This has the potential to be either a dream or curse to marketing departments everywhere. I acknowledge that this is possible now, but when a search engine is complicit in this undertaking, the results will be undeniable.
Finally, this could simply be an acquisition like so many others in the past, that they squeeze the final marrow from Twitter’s bones and then relegate it to “App” status, positioned just down the street from Orkut.
Twitter critics who blast Twitter for no business model would now have to let it go, because no one questions Google nor Microsoft, and I doubt anyone can question their respective successes. Especially in the wake of the September U.S. Core Search Rankings, listing Google as possessing approximately 65% of all searches, Bing with a basically static 10% and Yahoo down to 18% from 19% the month earlier.
I had personally felt that Twitter had no second act earlier this summer and without this cash intervention, I still feel that way. As always, enough money can make pipe dreams come true and an infusion of Microsoft or Google money is probably enough to bring this Frankenstein back to life.

The ole “One Two Punch”

Nobody can deny the importance of a successfully implemented Search Engine Optimization campaign. If one has an optimal set of keywords in place, and a savvy SEO technician implementing the tactics necessary the results can be rewarding.

As everyone knows, these results can take some effort to achieve and there can be a significant amount wait time for the search engines to pick up on the implementation. Paid advertising can fill that void by driving relevant clicks your way.

“I need it now”

Clientele that want high traffic results immediately while the organic implementation is in the works have an effective option – PPC or Pay per Click Advertising. The flexibility that PPC offers customers is unparalleled in terms of grabbing that “ideal” customer. The ability to craft customized ad copy and manage a typically  much larger set of keywords targets than a SEO campaign can drive that converting traffic within hours of set up.

A common tactic is to have the paid advertising gradually tailor back in terms of scale and budget as the organic results come in. Even with this said, it is best to keep in mind that continuously exploring paid advertising venues running in conjunction with SEO can fill in the missing pieces that SEO cannot always deliver.