Bing This! What the New Search Engine Means To YOU!

Okay, so by now you've heard all the "news" about Bing being the next big thing. I've read about a dozen articles and even the Bing Guide For Webmaster's and I'm ready to give you my two cents.

First off, if you haven't visited Bing yet, give it a try. It will better help you to understand my pros and cons and also give you a sense of the user experience. I actually used it a couple of times after hearing of the big release without fully appreciating all of it's functionality.

Before I give you my quick overview, let me say that the only reason I'm even remotely interested in Bing is because Microsoft (who obviously owns the Bing search engine) has announced they are buying Yahoo! Just like any big organization it's only a matter of time until they support a single search algorithm and considering the millions they dumped into Bing - and considering how screwed up Yahoo! is internally (sorry Yahoo's), it's my opinion that Bing will prevail.

Okay, so what's good about Bing? A couple of things actually. Based on their research which confirmed the famous "F" pattern which describes how users view a web page, they found that the majority of users never go past the first 5 organic listing. This has shaped their content presentation and layout. Additionally, Bing provides access to categories of information, related search queries, and access to expanded information. Essentially they are bringing as much content forward as possible to make your search more efficient.

This functionality is based on research and an every intelligent algorithm that aggregates the search behavior of tens of millions of queries and user behavior. I know it sounds like big brother but it can also help you have a more rewarding search experience where you actually find what you're looking for quickly and easily.

What are the cons? Well, I wouldn't necessarily say that having someone help you make decisions is a con, but it does feel kinda creepy. I also don't believe that there is always a majority. What I mean is that the algorithm itself, but aggregating results across all users, is bound to have some shortcomings.

From a marketing perspective, it also has the possibility of changing the game somewhat. For example, if clicks are what drives top search engine placements, then web site owners are going to have FREE SEX in the title tag of every web page on their server.

I know I'm exaggerating a little bit but anything can happen. From my perspective, I still think SEO best practices are still essential. My advice to you is to make sure every web page you produce has a single theme and unique meta tags, URLs, etc. Bing is trying to categorize content and web pages so make sure you do the thinking for them. That's really the only way to win the artificial intelligence game!

The Marketing Blog Gets A New Look

A couple of weeks ago a loyal Marketing Blog reader said something to the effect of, "..for a Blog ranked #1 on Google 'Marketing Blog', it sure looks Amateurish". As someone who reads EVERY comment on this blog, I had to agree.

Truth be told, when the Marketing Blog launched a little over 3 years ago, I never imagined that it would gain such a huge following from so many smart, dedicated, and interesting people - all with a passion for marketing!

This new look is designed to help you find the information you're looking for even faster and allow all of use to share valuable content via Twitter, Digg, and other social media sites. My hope is that you find tremendous benefit in the marketing related items covered on this blog and participate in the process. Keep sending those comments and sharing your experience.

I'd love your feedback! As Always, let me know what you think about The Marketing Blog but specifically about the new look.

-All the best,
Michael Fleischner

Social Media: A Feeding Frenzy

Man, this is crazy. Everywhere I look, I'm hearing discussions about Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube. These sites have been around for a while but I guess that all of the fanfare is due to critical mass.

Is It Too Late To Jump On Board?

A number of people have asked me about their involvement with social media. They're asking, "Is it too late?" "Should I open and account?" etc. Here's the good news... it's never too late. And in fact, those starting later in the game do have some advantages over those who have been online for a while, it's all a matter of perspective. Here are some tips if you still haven't developed a complete social media strategy.

1. What do you want from social media? Think about what you want social media to do for you. Are you trying to promote your company or product? Do you want to establish yourself as an expert? Focus on the purpose and that can help you successfully implement a comprehensive social media plan.

2. Create a detailed plan. For those of you who read my blog regularly, you know that I'm all about planning - to a degree. Here are some things you should write down: Social Media Sites where you want to be included. What will be your theme? What steps are involved (registering for accounts, placing icons on your web site or blog, including references to profiles in your signature line, etc.)? Who will be managing day-to-day tasks?

3. Assemble a team. Who's going to be executing on your social media strategy daily? If you haven't figured it out already, it's a lot of work. Assemble a team, use automation tools, or hire resources via eLance.com.

4. Establish goals. What are you trying to achieve on each social media platform? How many followers? How many fans? By when? Consider the outcome you're striving for and you can quickly achieve your goals.

5. Be realistic. It takes time to get comfortable with social media and achieve the goals you're striving to hit. Start slow but remain consistent in your efforts to succeed online. The key is to stay with it. Just like the social media sites themselves, it takes time to hit critical mass - but once you do, you're golden.

Now is the time to get involved with social media. From my perspective it's never too late. So don't hesitate to visit Twitter.com and other social media sites today. Set up an account and get started after mapping out your social media plan.