I STOPPED SOPA!

Last night, I closed our Twitter account to back the SOPA Blackout, which may seem a tad suicidal for somebody that raves about the power of Social Media, so why would I lose over 6,000 Twitter fans?

What is SOPA

If passed (which is looking unlikely anyway, everyone has ran away from it, it seems) this is what the American Government could do…

1. Order internet service providers to alter their DNS servers from resolving the domain names of websites in foreign countries that host illegal copies of videos, songs, and photos.
2. Order search engines like Google to modify search results to exclude foreign websites that host illegally copied material.
3. Order payment providers like PayPal to shut down the payment accounts of foreign websites that host illegally copied material.
4. Order ad services like Google’s AdSense to refuse any ads or payment from foreign sites that host illegally copied content.

Anyway, I have been on Google Plus for a while now, one of the first to join it (part of the Beta Bunch), so I don’t need to use Twitter as an SEO tool now (Let’s face it, we all knew once Google had got Social Media right, businesses would come in their droves) as G+ is far more powerful than any of the other Networks.

SOPA & SOPA Blackout

Anyway, there has been an awful lot of coverage on Google Plus about the SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act, also known as House Bill 3261 or H.R. 3261) act, with more American than British on G+, this has had an enormous amount of coverage, so I thought I would do my bit. I was going to close down Facebook last week, but the fact is, that Facebook Pages are still an excellent marketing tool, with so many client pages held on there by me, this was not an option (would have been a silly one anyway).

Then last night the comments from Dick Costolo (Twitter CEO) slating Wikipedia for preparing a SOPA blackout for 18th January 2012, I decided that was it, you can be part of something, or you can read about it. I was/am part of it.

A Shitter Twitter

This was not just a quick decision, Twitter has been getting complacent recently anyway, their latest update was a rebrand! Where was the evolution, the innovation or even the improvements? If I were a Twitter investor, I would have pulled out a while ago. Add to this the fact that Twitter blocked (a request, not an order) Google from indexing them, they then started complaining of a Monopoly when Google introduced the new persoal/social search!

I mean, come on, I have nieces and nephews between 5-11 who are not as petty or immature as the great global Twitter. Laughing stock, IMHO.

So late last night, I shut the account, it takes 30 days, but it is now, no more. I read somewhere once “Be the change you want to see in the world” so I did, instead of just pointing and complaining.

Was it A Wise Move?

I think so, within an hour, someone had posted that the biggest pushers of the SOPA Bill where backing down, I like to think it was my deletion of Twitter, and my posts and backing of the SOPA Blackout that did it. All it takes is one, if they needed a million people to make a stand and there was 999,999, it was thanks to me! One person can change the world, this time I was part of it, instead of standing by and reading the news.

This has all come from making a conscious decision to be a better person this year, to help where I can, to do what is in my ability and power to help others.

Be the one that makes a difference, today. You can change anything, be a part of something that shapes the world, not just SOPA.

The Good Old Days

Man, did I hear that saying a lot when I was growing up, yet I always got a clip around the ear for saying “why don’t we live in caves then?”.

Every generation moans about change, but we need it, we need the people that move forward, the people that have the guts to think outside of the box. I spend my days speaking to those that think like me and shaking my head at the people that think being stagnant will ever bring riches.

Radio – The Beginning

Back in 1922, there were just 30 Radio Stations in the United States with 100,000 consumer radio receivers, less than a year later another 526 radio stations had popped up, with consumer radios up to 5000,000. But this was just a fad, the devils work, change we did not need.

The TV Advert Break

Back in Blighty, in 1955, we aired our first television advert/commercial, a grainy black and white video opening with a tube of toothpaste in a block of ice. The company with this forward thinking attitude was Gibbs SR, later Mentadent SR, now owned by Unilever. You can just hear the gripes and moans can’t you!

The Internet

Well, this is more about websites, as this is my daily bread. On the 6th of August, 1991, a British chap, Sir  Tim Berners-Lee, put the first website on the internet. This is just over twenty years ago, in this time we have seen a technological revolution unlike any other in history. Phones, Tablets, eReaders and so much more.

What’s Next?

Well I have already laid out my predictions for this year, through newsletters and my own sites blog, so I will not go on and on here. But I was not wrong on the changes in 2011, so I doubt I will be wrong this year either. It is not magic, nothing mystical about how I see the future, I just read £50 a month worth of magazines, and hundreds of articles online each and every month.

And the most exciting things for me?

Social Media is spanking SEO and will just get stronger, infact Google are opening personal and standard searching for G+ users on the 11th of January 2012.

Google to add time and product stock to real time searches, ie if you are open from 9-5, and somebody searches at 5:05pm this will affect your results, so will stock levels for ecommerce sites.

Excited much? I know I am!

So What Is In Store For 2012?

Google

Google have been working furiously to adapt the way that searches are done, so be ready for all sorts of extra website information becoming relevant in 2012. Such as opening hours, names of products etc (actually displaying in Google, ie if you search at 7pm for a design agency, the ones that shut at 5pm will be lower than those that are still open.)

Google also have their hands in a few pies now, so if you are in competition with them, you will need to seriously raise your game. They acquired ITA Software in 2010, which means if you are in the market of selling flights and holiday bookings, they will be looking to steal your clients!

Marketers and webmasters are getting less and less info from Google, does this mean we will be seeing paid subscriptions for the professionals? Hmm, I think so!

Social Media

Social media has had a huge shift in the last three months, so people are welcoming it and adapting, some are complaining (I want the old Twitter, Facebook etc!). Personally, I love the changes, change is what makes things move forward. Just look at Madonna, that woman was top for well over a decade, because she reinvented herself with the times, soon as she stopped, she fizzled away!

Buttons and Pictures: These are no longer enough, if you have an icon for Twitter and FB that links to them, you are not doing enough. When people like me talk about adding social media to your websites, we do not mean a link! Get the discussions to cross between the two, you will see on this website, we have facebook comment forms. It helps keep everything friendly, spreads the love and gives you credibility. Do more! Get the feeds and updates on your website properly!

Blog: If your website has not got a blog yet, get one, seriously.

B2B Marketers: Watch the old school SEO and Marketeers ramp up their social media this year, as they realise their old statement of “It’s just a fad” has been proved completely wrong!

Social Media ROI: The only people that complain about this, are those that do not know what they are doing, when you know how to use social media, you will ask yourself why you never took full advantage of it before.

Websites

First off, UX! Your website will need to be more user friendly in 2012 than ever before, with more and more people demanding UX design (UX = User Experience) if you do not have something built and designed for your users, you are going to lose out. Fact.

Colours: For god sakes, do some homework on your websites colours. Learn what turns people on and off, learn what colours are best for your target audience. This is the single biggest eyesore online, the bad use of colours.

Flexible design: Does your website/eShop work on tablets, iPads, smartphones and iPhones? You really want to hope it does, as in 2011 16.7 million Brit’s were surfing on them! Or you could just accept what you have already got, hoping that I am wrong.

Copy and Content: Copy other websites at your peril, Googles Panda (not the same as the ones in Edinburgh & China) has wiped out many websites already. If you want great, relevant enquiries, you need great, relevant content. (We recommend Ben Locker, no affiliate links).

Modernise: When was the last time you had a new website, or were brought up to date? I cannot stress enough how important this is. I have been chatting with a mutual friend recently about their new website layouts, for an eShop, although he has the insight to change and modernise, unfortunately, as with a lot of eCommerce site owners, he is stuck in a monthly contract with them. Which is a shame, as they are not the kind of company that has their finger on the pulse! Old hat is for Dickens!

I hope this helps you in some way, the bits I have missed out on will pop up in our newsletters, so subscribe on the << left << if you want more indepth help and offers.

Contact Kip 

• New Twitter Layout/BG > http://twitter.com/kipfxdesign
• New YouTube layout/BG > http://www.youtube.com/user/MakeMoneynowUK
• Facebook Fan Page > https://www.facebook.com/KipFXLtd
• Facebook Timeline Plug > https://www.facebook.com/KipFX
• Google Plus Page > https://plus.google.com/114758552092950992963/about
• New Website Layout > http://www.kipfx.com/

Keeping your website and branding fresh has always been important, but with social media it is VERY important, make sure you have the same branding spread across all of your social networks.

Ask me about what I can do for you.

As usual, I have made sure we are one of the first to bring them all together for you. (See the picture below for our new Social Media Branding pages).

For those of you ready to get in shape and hit 2012′s social market running, I have an excellent offer for you, (now that I have all the design file settings ready). For December only you can get all four for just £300, going up to £350 in the New Year.

You can view them properly by clicking the link below, this will download a PDF of the image below (360kb file).

2012 Social Media Branding Offer

Call 07708 252 348, email kip@kipfx.com or use our contact page to order or find out more.

Discuss…

Finally we have Google Plus Pages, with the success I have had with the normal G+ account, I am very excited about this, so should you be, to learn how to set one up, call Kip on 07708 252 348, to understand the anatomy of the Page, keep reading.

I can see this spanking Facebook pages in no time, Google has the ability to affect peoples results whilst stll looking for something on Google, Facebook can only affect them once you land on their website, but you need Google to find them first! So Google is going to own the commercial side to social media in no time at all! (Already getting amazing results from my personal G+ account, let alone this business side)

Update: To explain better, I have created a quick video to SHOW how much better a Gooogle Plus Page is against a Facebook one (I would still have both though, FB is not dead yet)

I would click the full screen button if I were you…

1. Profile Picture
2. Google Map Location
3. Followers/Following (Circles)
4. Banner Images
5. Company Information
6. External Links

1, Profile Picture

This is quite self explanatory, here you would upload your company logo, and maybe some brief info on what you actually do, for people spotting your profile picture around G+, makes sense to keep it branded and informative, though not too busy.

2, Google Map Location

Excellent feature, people can click the map and find you in seconds, with it being Google Maps, they can find directions, plan their journey etc. Very cool thing to have on a company info page.

3, Followers/Following (G+ Circles)

You can see who has listed your company here, anybody connected with these people will see your results in Google higher than usual. It is so important that you have good, relevant followers. And ensure you interact with them as much as possible.

4, Banner Images

In this example, my Google plus page, I have popped in some images that are relevant to what I do, and what I offer to my clients and the public. Remember, this is not a personal page, so try and keep it focused on your brand, services, products etc.

5, Company Information

I love the way a google plus page handles this, in the introduction, you can add links and a very decent amount of text. Far better than on Facebook pages. Underneath you should list a direct link to your main website and contact details.

6, External links

Use these links to include other links that you think will help your circles, followers and google plus page, I have listed some other social networks, an external blog and my YouTube channel (also Google owned). You do not want too many here, I have seen some with over 20, way too many. Keep it short and sweet, relevant and helpful to your viewers!

To see my Google Plus Page in all it’s glory, click here, and join me on a journey of discovery, as Google grows in the Social Media world.