December, 2009

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Google Just Increased My Revenue

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

News came out today that Google has officially removed the 7 pack for search queries related to SEO. Of course, these queries have a geolocator and used to feature seven companies related to the query. It still works for other industries, plumbing for example.

Some people in the SEO community are freaking out about it, but I’m all for it.

There are ways to ‘game’ the 7 pack, such as purchasing a UPS box close to the city center that you want to be featured for, etc.  Some say that doesn’t even work, but I’ve got several clients who think it is worth the $100 or so yearly investment.

Nonetheless, I think it’s great.  No longer will 6 incompetent SEOs be listed alongside my name.  Now they’ll have to work for it – showing that they can actually rank for the term that is what they do.  I started targeting St Louis SEO years ago, so I’ve got a nice advantage already.  I was showing up in the 7 pack as well as the organic results.

Some other industries seem to have been hit as well, including web design, ad agencies, web hosting and graphic designers.  Some of these have been confirmed, but others haven’t.  Do a few searches for IT-related industries and you’ll see which have been removed.

So thanks, Google, for removing 6 competitors from the SERP I’m targeting.   I appreciate it.

Posted in Google updates, SEO | No Responses »
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Interview: Greg Bussmann of Exec Business Products

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

Exec Business Products is an independent, business to business office supplies company. We provide St. Louis businesses with everything from custom printing to hardware, and all the supplies in between. The company has been around for 30 years, me for half of that time. Exec has thrived in a competitive market by offering great service, prices as good or better than the chains, and free local delivery.

1. What first spurred you to get involved with social media for your business?

Well, the office supplies business is one that is rooted in old school methodology…from top to bottom, and as a result, I thought the sales process was a bit primitive…cold calling or canvassing door to door, trying to get your giant catalog in the hands of buyers, it works if you put enough numbers into the funnel, but it is also very hard to differentiate yourself from your competition…so I thought social media might present an opportunity to better leverage my sales efforts, since I am a small company, and get my message to more people than I could otherwise, in a way that the competition maybe had not caught on to yet.
Click to continue »

Posted in interviews, social media | 1 Response »
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Interview with Chris Reimer aka RizzoTees

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

As part of my continuing series on Saint Louis business people, this week I reach out to Chris Reimer, who most people know as @RizzoTees on Twitter.  He’s very active on the social media front, so most questions revolve around that.  Chris founded Rizzo Tees back in October 2007, and his website went live on October 30, 2008.  Chris is a one-man-show, designing and selling funny t-shirts out of his basement in South St. Louis.  And Chris wanted me to pass this on to you:  “I love you more than bacon – never forget!”

  1. Chris, thanks for taking a few minutes to answer my questions.  What first spurred you to get involved with social media for your business?
    Two things – I truly enjoy interacting with people, and a lack of money.
    First, people: I am obviously, at the base of it, nothing more than a new-age salesperson. I mean, in the interest of full disclosure, yes, I have a funny t shirt company, and I’d be psyched if you bought a shirt or two from me! For selfish, capitalistic reasons, Social Media is a great place for me to be. But beyond that, I love Click to continue »

Posted in Marketing, interviews, small business | 3 Responses »
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More Evidence That Yellow Books are Dying

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

New York Magazine came up with a list of 16 once-common items that were made obsolete in the 2000s. Most are pretty accurate (when’s the last time you licked a stamp?) but some were a bit premature, I think. Fax machines, smoking in bars and incadescent light bulbs still have years to go before I’d call them ‘obsolete’. Click to continue »

Posted in trending, yellow pages | 6 Responses »
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