Today is one of those days that I’m glad I’m taking my own advice. I feel really foggy today, as I’m certain most bloggers do at some time or another. I definitely didn’t feel like posting to the blog. Fortunately, I prepared in advance for this eventuality, so its not really the issue it could have been.

So, here are my 3 tips to help avoid last minute scrambles to find a blog topic for the day.

Credit: Derekwin

Every SEO has a strategy that builds the very foundation of optimizing any website’s ranking in the SERPs. Beside the usual gamut of directory submissions, on-page optimization and blog commenting (tactics that *everyone* employs), you’ve got to have a couple of tricks up your sleeve in order to rank for highly competitive terms.

Credit: NYC Comet

Sorry Jeff, I can’t add you to my Twitter account!

It was just my birthday, so I get to make a wish. And I’m going to…

I’m going to make a wish for Google, a wish for Yahoo and a wish for MSN/Live/Sympatico.

My wish for Google for 2008.

My biggest wish for Google for 2008 is a “negative” geotargeting capability. As odd as that may sound, in my 2007 travels I came across a need/desire for it more than once. To wit: I want all of Ontario EXCEPT Toronto… ergo, negative option Toronto for me. In the Google world, I can set an all Ontario Campaign and a Toronto campaign. Wouldn’t it simply be easier to do the reverse?

According to Borrell Associates, estimated local advertisers spent $7.5 billion on the Web in 2007, up 31 percent from 2006. This year’s outlook is even brighter with a projected increase of 48 percent to $12.6 billion. Local search is the key driver of that spending.

“About a year ago, we were thinking 2008 would see 20 to 25 percent growth,” said Borrell Associates CEO Gordon Borrell. “Now we are saying this thing is not slowing down. It’s erupting again. Something very dramatic is happening that has gone beyond anything anybody expected in terms of Internet advertising.”

Credit: TechRepublic

2008: The Year Of More SERP Massacre?

The 950, 30 and more recently the -6. No I’m not talking about the latest Tony Hawk skating manouevre, but rather the ominious penalties Google has smited webmasters with in 2007. Now even the Sith have a heart (albeit a very cold one), but seemingly, Google did not refrain from massacring the SERPs for ‘quality’ and ‘relevant’ websites even in the heart of the holiday season.

In the world of search and social media, Digg has become the 900 pound gorilla. Digg can drive tremendous volumes of traffic to a web site if you’re so fortunate to have a piece go “hot” and hit the front page. Contrary to popular belief though, hitting the front page almost never occurs due to content alone … it takes friends! In fact a study by SEOmoz (from 1 1/2 years ago) revealed that the top 100 Diggers control in excess of 56% of Digg’s homepage content. Once again, the 20/80 rule at its best.

I’m a HUGE stumble fan. Both as a user and a marketer. As a user I get treated to new and interesting websites every day - that I would never have found without Stumbleupon. As a marketer, it never ceases to amaze me how much traffic Stumble can drive. Just when you think that a page has received all the stumble traffic it’s going to get…whoosh… another wave hits. Sometimes even a few weeks after the initial submit.

This is a very rare rant … I almost never do so, but have been so inspired by the actions of a few narrow minded and misguided individuals who propose to speak for the masses when questions about Stumbleupon are asked.

For those of you who know me, I’ve become an avid stumbler. I absolutely love Stumbleupon. Where I used to sit on the couch and watch History and Discovery Channels late at night, I have now at least partially replaced that time with time spent Stumbling and Digging. I want to be clear too … I’m not stumbling just anything and everything. I’m a quality kinda guy, rather than quantity. I’ve been fortunate to have some great submissions over time, and I’m getting better weekly at knowing where to find more. There is absolutely NOTHING questionable about my SU profile … it is spotless!

Today is not only the final day of 2007; it marks the end of my 6th month in SEM. While that’s not a major milestone by any means, today’s symbolic end of the year has made me pause and reflect upon my beginning, the challenges I faced and the people who helped me overcome them.

It quickly became evident that a thank you must go out to each of you. You’ve become mentors, encourager’s and virtual colleagues. You see, after the comfort of 10+ years in traditional media, the lead up to my first day on the job had me nervous. There was the usual first day jitters and uncertainty that a career change brings, but I also knew that I had a massive learning curve ahead.