Loren Baker of Search Engine Journal talks Link Building with the SEO Meetup group in South Florida.

Video here: http://www.vimeo.com/1401001

Last week, I had the privilege of helping out the Constitutional Convention Campaign in Connecticut. Every 20 years Connecticut voters are allowed to vote on whether the state’s constitution should be changed. The CCC is urging citizens to vote yes thus allowing citizens the power to petition issues onto the ballot, such as a property tax cap or bans on eminent domain.

The last constitutional convention took place in Connecticut in 1965. It was called to correct a flawed system of apportioning representatives to the General Assembly. The question about a convention last appeared on the ballot in 1986.

For more information, go to http://www.ctconcon.com/

Check out this video preview of Google’s Android Phone. It takes the look & feel of the Iphone to the next level. Pretty cool. Lots of customizations including a dynamic new way of unlocking the unit. Other mentions, built in compass and movement based google maps intergration. Google will not make the phone, only the software.

At the SES NYC last week I spoke with a pleasant Google rep who was telling about Google Ads for print, television and radio. Being a fan of Sirius, I asked her if we can look forward to Google Audio Ads coming to satellite radio (Sirius or XM) and she said she would find out. I received a follow up email the other day in which she wrote:

I wanted to let you know that I spoke to my colleague on the Audio team who told me that we don’t anticipate running ads on Satellite Radio in the near future, due to the
fact that their service is subscription based and make their own revenue
through the service and not through advertising. – Betsy Davidson, Google TV Ads

I think Google should take another look at that evaluation. Although they do create their own revenue with subscription fees they do run outside ads. Only the music channels boast commercial-free listening. All the other entertainment, talk, comedy, etc.. channels run ads.

Clearly with the on-going merger attempt (a year and counting) between Sirius and XM, they need more revenue than just the monthly subscription. Both companies are struggling a bit. From my understanding XM is hurting my than Sirius because XM subscriptions have been going down for a long time as Sirius’ continues to rise. Both companies were rising today in pre-market trading on the rumors that the FCC is nearing a decision. Sen. Arlen Specter mentioned on the Howard Stern show last week that he believed there would be a decision by the end of the month.

At the point Terrestrial radio is praying the merger doesn’t go through because satellite has the potential to knock them down to an even more sub-standard level of entertainment. Satellite is the future and Google should take another look.

I visited SES NYC on tuesday to check out the Exhibit Hall and besides looking at the scantily clad girls of Seo inc walking around this scene couldn’t help but catch my eye:

Back story: A few weeks back we heard that Microsoft made an unsolicitated offer to buy Yahoo for $44.6B. Yahoo immediately declined the offer. Rumors that Yahoo was considering alligning with Google to rebuff the Microsoft offer popped up. Then there was talk that Yahoo was talking with News Corp. as well. This week Microsoft plans to authorize a proxy fight to oust Yahoo’s board which will cost them around $20mill to $30mill.

Yahoo profits have been a disappoint on the Street and their profits have fallen some 23% while they try and cut jobs to balance it out. I’m sure the company wants something to happen but I’m not sure aligning with a big backer would really help them.

Microsoft
Over the past couple years Microsoft has dumped a lot of money into their MSN property with their new Ad Center and Live Search Engine. MSN has always been a distant third in the Search Engine Wars and with their prior investments are not making grounds with gaining more users, Gates is desperate.

Google
Google is still the top of the food chain, however, even at the top there is a glass ceiling. Google has easily held 50% of the search market for years but with all of their endeavors they still are really known for Ads and Search. Granted they are profitable enough but if you look at all the projects going on at Google Labs - most never fully see the light of day or get people using them. Not everything Google touches turns to gold.

News Corp.
Yahoo reigns supreme in the world of Internet News and it makes sense that Murdoch would want a jump on that train. First own the newspapers, cable news and then Internet news.

The Need to Stand Alone

For years Yahoo has been an excellent portal. These days Yahoo still continues to deliver popular mail, news, sports, personals, movies, games services (among many others) while adding yellow pages, hot jobs, answers and more. Google has nothing to offer in this department except to mess it up.  To me, MSN has always wanted to be Yahoo by trying to create a portal but it seems they can’t get past being popular for just their Hotmail and IM.

Yahoo needs to stand alone. The world needs alternatives. McDonalds needs Burger King and Pizza Hut needs Dominos. It would be a shame if #1 consumed #2 or if #3 consumed #2 (Google, Yahoo, MSN). I still use Yahoo alot more than I use Google (even with Google being my primary search provider).  Stand strong Yahoo and don’t give in!

Now first let me say that overall I do enjoy Go Daddy’s hosting service. I generally don’t have any real issues with them but every once in awhile (and its just not with GD) but you gotta instruct them on how to set up their server… and I don’t know anything about that stuff but I know when its not working correctly.

Last year I had gotten them to fix a problem that many people had with trying to use CFHTTP on their servers. Now there is a new issue I found with their domain aliasing and subdomains with ColdFusion so I will see what I can do.

CEOoriginals.com was launched today! Creatively Eclectic Originals, LLC specializes in beautifully handcrafted jewelry, handmade quilts and baby items. The mother / daughter team of Emilee and Courtney founded CEOoriginals.com to share their unique creations with more people than just their local following. In the past, their talents could be found in cafes and shops in Connecticut.

They are truly gifted artisans and I wish them all the best of luck!

Click here to visit Creatively Eclectic Originals, LLC

 

I had the great pleasure today of providing video coverage of the first annual Breakfast of Champions presented by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and sponsored by the Dan Orlovsky Foundation. It honored Connecticut’s six state championship football teams including CT high school Coach of the Year and Player of the Year. The event was hosted by “The Coach” George Demaio of 960 Weli AM with special guest speakers including former Pro David Fulcher, Aaron Taylor (Notre Dame, Green Bay Packers and Chargers) and current Detroit Lion’s quarterback Dan Orlovsky.

Thank you to  Donald Crouch Jr. (Walter Camp, Varsity Gold) and James Thomson (WCFF High School Chairmen/Varsity Gold) for the opportunity to help out.