When inspiration strikes and causes you to embark on a new adventure, sometimes it really pays to get a second set of eyeballs on what you have planned before you commit to going any further.  When you are focused on what you are doing, it can be like you’re wearing blinders and it then becomes all too easy to miss the obvious.

When you’re totally engrossed in what you’re doing, and I know this all too well, it can become hard to see the forest through all the trees.  And when we don’t take into account the whole picture, horrible mistakes can be made.

Most of the time these mistakes can be caught and corrected, but what about the ones that maybe aren’t caught until later, when everything is pretty much set in stone?  Then the results are a source of embarrassment to you, your company and/or your designer.

Here are some examples that illustrate the need to have someone take a fresh and unbiased look at your best laid plains.

This Italian website had a logo produced to present themselves with.  I’m still not sure if this was intentional or not, but the a-style logo is all too often visually interpreted as something entirely different.  If you don’t see it, think of stick figures and then take another look.

The Computer Doctors could have prevented a lot of internet ridicule had they had a teenage boy look at their logo and describe what they saw.  Or at least finish the drawing to show a complete computer mouse and not a partially drawn one.

Lettering can pull one over on you as well.  Check out what I assume is a video rental store.  Don’t know how this one got past the owner, or even the sign guys, but somebody should have mentioned something about letter spacing or kerning or something.

And just when you thought that you found the perfect domain name for your new website, there may be a reason that nobody bought it before you found it.  Pulling these straight from Independent Sources, here are a few gems of domains that never should have come to life:

1. A site called “Who Represents” where you can find the name of the agent that represents a celebrity.  Their domain name?  www.whorepresents.com
2. Looking for a pen?  Who isn’t?  You can find one at Pen Island and their website is located at www.penisland.com
3. When you’re down and out and in need of a good therapist, you can locate a good therapist with “Therapist Finder” at www.therapistfinder.com

And since we just mentioned rapist, this wouldn’t be complete without this example of how not to conjoin words:

Moral of the story?  Sometimes it pays to get somebody else to take a look at what you’ve got going on before you fully commit.

This morning I decided to create and use my own personalized URL shortening service.  I have been using bit.ly for a long time, and while I find bit.ly to be a great service I wanted to try throwing links around that had my signature in them.

There are several routes I could have taken to create my own URL shortener and I went with Pretty Link because of its simplicity and features.  All I had to do to get it up and running was install the plugin and I was good to go.

I’ve only used it a few times this morning and so far it has worked great.  I’ve shared a few of them on Twitter, some people have clicked them, and I have all the click info in my WordPress admin area.  Pretty Link works just as it is supposed to.

Looking at my Twitter updates now though, I have to wonder if I’m coming across as too self-promotional.  All the links I’m sharing on Twitter all start off with “http://robmcguire.net” and if people aren’t aware that I’m using my own URL shortener I can see how it would appear that I’m just blasting links to my website.

I think that this could become a problem for people who just start out using their own personalized URL shortener.  Until people become aware that not all the links you share point to your site I think you take the chance of appearing a little spammy.

I know a few people who also use their own URL shrinkers and I haven’t asked their take on this yet.  But I will go ahead and ask you: Have you ever found custom URL shorteners to be too pompous or self-promotional?

This video is true in every way possible.  If you own or operate a business then this is for you.  And this is especially true for freelance web designers/developers.  Enjoy!

All credit for this video goes to Scofield Editorial

I’m going to come right out and say that I hate how so many of these “social media experts” spout off about how nowadays you have to integrate yourself into the social web, that you and your business will be relegated to the halls of obscurity if you fail to do so.  I spend a lot of time online, perhaps even too much, and I see these kinds of statements being thrown around all too frequently.

Most of the time I take statements like this from these social media types as nothing more than a sales pitch to get people or businesses interested in hiring them to create a facebook page for them.  But under the surface of many of the cliché statements being thrown around there is some truth to be found.

Case in point is Melina Tomson. Melina is a local real estate broker who is owner of the Tomson Burnham firm.  On top of owning her business, she has expanded her presence with a website and a blog.  Blogs are social by nature, and The Real Estate Jumble has done a fine job of creating a mini community all of its own.

Beyond her website and blog, Melina has also joined several social networks including Facebook and Twitter.  She can be seen on these networks interacting with people, both on a personal and professional level.  My memory sometimes fails me, but I also think she was one of the first local people I talked to on Twitter.

Melina Tomson is someone who “gets” it.  She knows what social media is and how to use it the right way.  I say this for the following reasons based on actions I have observed:

• Some businesses treat Twitter as an outlet solely for advertising.   Melina doesn’t.  Scan through her timeline of Twitter updates and you’ll see a real person having real conversations with others.  The subject sometimes drifts to topics related to real estate, but that’s to be expected (and encouraged).
• She has a blog that complements her business well.  A corporate website is something every business should have, but a business blog allows the owner to interact with customers (or potential customers) in a way that is not possible with a static website.
• She has integrated herself into many different circles in an unobtrusive way.  This has expanded her presence in far greater ways than a local ad could ever do.

I could also go on about how I think she’s doing a fantastic job with her blogging and the methods she’s using there, but that’s a subject for another day.

I’m not in the market for a house right now, but I know that when I am Melina Tomson will probably be the realtor that comes to my mind when the need arises.  That is because in my mind I now associate Melina with real estate and it is all because of her excellence in how she’s managed her online social identities.

Melina is doing things right.  She has put herself “out there” without putting anyone off, which is something many businesses haven’t been able to do.  Without question, I would recommend her as a prime example for other small businesses on how to leverage social media to improve their business.

People ask for help or advice all the time without expecting to pay for it.  You ask your friends to help you move.  You meet a doctor at a party and ask him about your tennis elbow.  Things like this happen on a daily basis, there’s no getting away from it.  If you are asked for help in your area of expertise, where do you draw the line between helping someone out and holding out for some cash?

I know a local web designer who is very clear about where his line is drawn.  There are no “freebies” with him, no exceptions.  Don’t even bother asking him what the hex code is for the color white unless you have your checkbook in hand.  It can be frustrating for others, but that’s the way he works.

On the other end of the extreme, there are people who offer their help to just about anyone who asks.  You can often see these helpful types on their blogs or Twitter helping out others with their problems.  People like this are a great resource for others, but can often get abused through overuse.

There are pros and cons to both extremes.  The “no freebies” approach ensures that you are paid for all the work you perform but it can also give you an appearance that is a little daunting.  On the other hand, if you freely give of your time and services, you become a savior to many while at the same time you are cheapening the value of your paid services.

Where do YOU draw the line with freebies?  Do you give a lot of yourself away, hold on to it all, or is it somewhere in between?

To get a competitive edge in this world it can really help to have a solid educational background. It is no coincidence that the people who are most successful in their fields also have an extraordinary amount of knowledge and insight in their respective areas of expertise.  Anyone wishing to become a savvy internet guru should quickly add the following sites to their RSS reader if they haven’t already.

Blogging

Problogger

Without question, Problogger should be the first blog you visit to learn everything about effective blogging. Darren Rowse has been publishing blogging gold for several years now, and has helped countless others succeed with their blogs. A virtual wealth of information can be found here, and no topic related to blogging has been left uncovered. A recent post on 7 questions to ask on your blog to encourage more reader engagement is a good example of the finer techniques that bloggers should learn and incorporate into their own blogs.

Daily Blog Tips

It is always good to balance your intake of knowledge through multiple sources, and Daily Blog Tips is an excellent source for just that.  Daniel Scocco covers everything about blogging, from the basics of blogging for beginners all the way to more advanced topics such as design and monetization.  Be sure to check out the top 5 blogging misconceptions to get a taste of what you’ll find at this gold mine of blogging information.  The longer you dive into this site, the smarter you’ll become.

Copywriting

Copyblogger

Great blogging and great writing go hand in hand, and one of the best places to get a handle on writing brilliant copy is at Copyblogger.  A cornucopia of some of the best minds on the internet contribute their time and wisdom to this blog and this has resulted into becoming one of the most visited copywriting blogs on the internet.  Everything even remotely related to copy is discussed on this blog, and the amount of information freely given here is overwhelming.  With gems like this, this blog is not one you can afford to miss!

Angie’s Copywriting

Angie’s Copywriting is a hidden treasure trove of information on copywriting with a specific angle on the business side of it.  Angie Haggstrom is a successful copywriter with a track record of satisfied clients.  On her blog (as well as on others) you’ll find her dishing out platters of wisdom that are yours for the taking.  Besides her focus on the business side of copywriting, you’ll notice that she doesn’t just offer bite-sized pieces of information, she gives you the whole plate.

Marketing

Jim’s Marketing Blog

Jim Connolly has produced one of the best marketing blogs through the use of clear and structured writing that is chock full of some of the best marketing advice you can find.  At his site you can find detailed information on marketing tips that work as well as techniques that don’t.  Jim freely offers his expertise on a variety of topics, from how to boost your profits to successful blog marketing and much, much more.  You can get a rock solid foundation in marketing by bookmarking and visiting this site.

KnowThis.com

KnowThis.com is a virtual encyclopedia of marketing and marketing concepts.  Anyone wanting to expand their knowledge of the principles of marketing would do well from becoming a frequent visitor to this site.  Everything from the pure basics of marketing all the way to more advanced and detailed concepts are thoroughly covered.  If you only had the option of visiting one marketing site, then this one would be a worthy candidate and should be high on everybody’s list.

SEO

SEOmozBlog

SEOmozBlog is truly a reference guide for all things related to search engine optimization.  Even the most minute details of getting a website to rank higher in Google, Yahoo and the rest can be found within these pages.  A variety of authors contribute to the information pool, and there is plenty of input from visitors as well.  Check out a recent posting on solving crawl priority & indexation issues to get an idea of what you can expect.  This blog can easily turn anyone into a SEO wizard in a short amount of time!

SEO Book

This is probably a favorite SEO site for many people, and Aaron Wall has created quite a following with his ability to dish out valuable tips and advice relating to the search industry.  SEO Book also has multiple authors who provide lengthy discourses on how to tame those beastly search engines.  This blog alone could provide you with 100% of your USDA daily SEO requirements, as their recent posting on information pollution demonstrates, so this is one blog you can’t forget to include in your RSS reader.

Technology

TechCrunch

TechCrunch is one of the most popular sites on the internet and the frequent originator of breaking news related to the tech industry.  When you need to learn more about the latest gadget or what’s happening in Silicon Valley, this site should be your destination.  TechCrunch is frequently updated throughout the day and you’ll never be out of the tech loop by being a frequent visitor to this site.  You’ll always stay informed with TechCrunch, one of the most shared and tweeted sites online.

Technology Review

One of the titans in the tech field is MIT, and they don’t disappoint with Technology Review.  Between the site and their blogs, everything related to science and technology is touched upon.  The combination of TechCrunch and Technology Review will provide a person with an overwhelming amount of information and keep their knowledge current in all circles of technology.  Their recent posting on ocean mixing provides a good example of what to expect from this site.

Social Media

Mashable

Can you even imagine trying to gather information on social media without including Mashable?  Mashable also has numerous contributors to their site and a highly involved base of visitors.  If anything is happening in the social web you can be guaranteed that Mashable will be reporting on it.  Anything you ever wanted to know about any social or web service can be found here and this site has quickly become the haven for any and all social media experts.  Check out a recent posting on Gmail postcards to get a taste of this popular site.

Social Media Today

Social Media Today is another site that will provide you with your daily allotted requirements of social media news, tips and information.  No social media diet is complete without digging into the articles here, as their recent posting on 20 questions to start a social media discussion will attest to.  Highly readable and easily digestible, Social Media Today should be a target for anyone involved with or related to social media.  Try it and I think you’ll agree.

Photo credit:http://www.flickr.com/photos/willhale/ / CC BY 2.0

Not too long ago I was working for a local company that was in the business of selling their product online.  They were a small company, but also the leader in their industry.  I learned a few things about online business while working there, and experienced just how competitive it can be.

Not everything behind internet marketing is pretty, and there is a real ugly side that can be seen if you look close enough.  Some of the less than glamorous tactics used by this company to beat out their competition are probably now considered illegal because of the new guidelines imposed by the FTC.

Without going into too much detail, the company I worked for engaged in the practice of astroturfing, also known as sock-puppeting.  Astroturfing, as defined by Wikipedia, is “an English-language euphemism referring to political, advertising, or public relations campaigns that are formally planned by an organization, but designed to mask its origins to create the impression of being spontaneous, popular “grassroots” behavior.”  The goal behind astroturfing is to deceive others by speaking positive about yourself while masking your true identity.  It may not have been 100% illegal back then, but it certainly was unethical.

This company engaged in astroturfing by posting customer reviews about themselves on other sites and also by creating numerous other independent websites that continued this type of deception even futher.

It is relatively easy to get away with astroturfing on the internet, and usually only the most inquisitive of people can uncover the operations of a sock-puppeter.  But don’t take that as an endorsement to go ahead with something like this, because not only is it illegal and unethical, it makes a bold statement about your business that no amount of spin can cover up.

If you have to be deceptive about your business, then something’s wrong with your product.

Think about that for a minute.  If you have to resort to deceptive tactics in order to promote your business or to make sales, then obviously your product or service is a sham.  Even if nothing is wrong with your product, taking steps down an unethical path to market it makes your product’s value null and void.

Do you think the value of a company’s product is affected by the marketing practices used to promote it?  And if a company is caught marketing through deception, can they recover?