The Social Media Newsroom: An “About Us” Page for the Brave, New Networked World
By Dominic J. Litten | May 9, 2008
Just a month after unveiling our social media newsroom, Fathom SEO has developed a more generic social media pressroom theme built in WordPress for the public at large. The theme, based on SHIFT Communications PDF template, is a sleek, minimalist theme designed for the sole purpose of an optimized, social media enabled newsroom.
When we set out to build our own version of the social media pressroom, we couldn’t find a WordPress theme that suited our needs, so we designed our own. When it was completed, the feedback was so positive that we created a generic version for anyone to use.
All of us at Fathom SEO realize how easy it is to talk about how important social media and online PR are (and will be) as part of a marketing strategy. We hope that our newsroom and the WordPress theme actually shows how invaluable social media and online PR can be.
Fathom SEO’s media pressroom template is available for distribution under a Creative Commons license (”Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported”). The work may be copied, distributed, transmitted, and adapted with proper attribution and distribution under the same, similar, or a compatible license.
Think we missed something? Let us know, perhaps we’ll add it in the next version or a completely new template altogether. This is a first for us, so we’re looking forward to seeing the results.
Contact us at pressroom@fathomseo.com
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Google Maps Mishap
By Kurt Krejny | May 9, 2008
Since the conception of online mapping and local search websites, incorrect information has been given during a user’s search experiences. We continually rely on technology, but unfortunately, it is not as perfect as we would like. Yet, we find roundabout ways to use it to simplify our lives. In the early days of online mapping many people were frustrated with the quality of the information provided after they got lost on the road. Today’s online mapping tools and local search engines have come a long way in a short time, and their accuracy has greatly improved. However, we can’t solely rely on the accuracy of the technology at hand.
Bad Luck with Online Directions
My story begins with my girlfriend and I deciding to make reservations for dinner on a Saturday evening since we had really bad luck in regards to seating in restaurants during the previous weekends. With hopes that our bad luck streak might end, making a reservation ahead of time seemed to be the best bet.
For online local search, I always go directly to Google Maps. My Google Maps search to help me get closer to my restaurant reservation was “restaurants hudson, ohio“.
There were quite a few results returned from this search that sounded appealing. Further clicking around led me to reviews and the physical location of each restaurant. I then visited a few websites to check out the decor and menus.
After narrowing my choices down to two restaurants, I called the first place to make reservations - no luck. My second choice attempt for a reservation was a success! My next step was to print out directions from the map providing in the Google restaurant listing. Closer to breaking bad luck streak!
The time had come for our restaurant excursion, but on our way to the restaurant we found the directions had led us to a condo complex, not the restaurant we had intended to visit. Then, we realized we were somewhat lost. Oh no! The bad luck streak continues!
Luckily, I had the restaurant’s phone number within my cell phone’s previously dialed numbers. If not, we would have never made it, and essentially, the restaurant would have lost our business.
When we called to inquire about the directions we needed, they asked if we had found the directions from an online map tool, and if we did, they knew those directions were incorrect.
We finally made it to the restaurant after a few extra directions. Luckily we were within a few miles of the restaurant and I was somewhat familiar with the area. The bad luck streak has ended!
When we sat down for our meal I couldn’t help but think how many other people this same experience happened to.
The Next Day
On Sunday I did a little more investigating to make sure I didn’t do anything wrong to obtain the directions. I viewed the directions on the restaurant’s website to see a note that the online directions on MapQuest and other websites are wrong!
I revisited the Google listing and submitted a review that explained the directions were wrong; however this review was not accepted by Google… so much for trying to inform Google and its users.
Further investigation led me to find out that other business locations near this restaurant in Hudson had the same incorrect location on Google Maps.
In Google We Trust
Many people (including myself) rely on and overly trust information they find online without second guessing it. I am only touching on Google Maps in this post as it is the tool that gave me the incorrect information. From the note on the restaurant’s website, it is obvious that other mapping websites have the same incorrect information I came across via Google Maps.
Google Fixes the Problem
Well over a month after I submitted my review to Google the mapping location for the restaurant was updated. I truly hope this fix by Google helps solve the problem the restaurant had with people calling them and asking for correct directions.
Who is to Blame?
- The business owner that knows their listing is wrong, yet has not made an effort to fix it
- The company that provides the mapping technology for Google Maps
- Google Maps representatives that do not recognize and fix this issue (or accept my review informing others it is wrong)
- The city that has duplicate street names/addresses
Questions for the Business Owner:
- How many people call your business saying they are lost?
- How many people have told you in person that online directions to your business are wrong?
- Have you made an effort to fix this listing?
- Do you care about lost business?!
Advice to Business Owners:
- Take control of your online search listing(s)!
- Update your listing if incorrect, by dragging map marker to correct location
- Ensure listing thoroughness:
- Add a detailed description of your business
- Select appropriate categories
- Add operating hours
- Add phone number(s)
- Add forms of payment
- Upload photos
- Upload videos
- Prepare your website for visitors:
- Include physical address in page footer
- Make your phone number visible
- Incorporate geographic locations into your content (if important to your business)
- Ask for help from an expert
Fathom SEO and Local Search
Local search optimization is one of the many specialized SEO services Fathom SEO provides to ensure the accuracy and thoroughness of our clients’ local business listings.
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You’re Reading the Title, But How Much More?
By Paul Richlovsky | May 9, 2008
A new study seems to have the answer. From Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox comes a very interesting mathematical formula quantifying how little text people actually read during average Web page visits. The summary states:
On the average Web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average visit; 20% is more likely.
Ponder that for a minute.
There’s a lot of things I take away from this:
1. The web is massive, and people are busy, so it’s natural that they’d read selectively.
2. If people are spending less time reading, then video and images are imperative.
3. I’m lucky if you read beyond my block quote or numbered list.
I understand the importance of scanning, but a part of me fears for the future of literacy, even though the study shows that it’s highly literate people who are doing the scanning. Maybe I’m just paranoid. Thanks for reading.
Tip of the hat to Aaron Wall’s recent post on strategic content for the study citation and inspiration.
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We Are All Witnesses … to Long Lines
By Dominic J. Litten | May 8, 2008
Here in Cleveland, the entire city is abuzz today about 23-cent pizzas at area Papa John’s stores. Papa John’s announced that 86 stores in Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo and Youngstown are in on the deal, each prepared to sell more than 900 pizzas today.
Papa John’s agreed the deal as an apology to Cleveland Cavaliers fans after a franchisee in Washington, D.C., made T-shirts calling star James a “crybaby.” While all the goodwill was said to be a PR/marketing coup after threatened boycotts, it is becoming apparent that chain may have overlooked how hungry our fine city is.
The Plain Dealer is reporting more that more pizzas are being sold than anticipated. One news station even has a live video cam at the Papa John’s store in Euclid where police are on the scene to reduce line jumping and direct traffic for the estimated 1,200 people. One of our own fine employees drove by to see a line of over 200 people at the Garfield Heights store before 11 a.m.
So for all the kudos, what happens if stores run out of pizza or has to close early? Jim Sweeney from Sweeney Public Relations summed it up best in a story in today’s Crain’s Cleveland Business:
Looks like Papa John’s shouldn’t be congratulating themselves just yet.
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How Many People Reject Your Business Because of Negative Reputation?
By Paul Richlovsky | April 23, 2008
A new customer service study noted by Douglas Quenqua in ClickZ finds a strong link between a company’s online reputation and the willingness of potential customers to do business with it.
… 72 percent of respondents used social media to research a company’s reputation for customer care before making a purchase, and 74 percent choose to do business with companies based on the customer care experiences shared by others online.
Judging from the results of this study, businesses everywhere should be sure to:
- pursue excellent customer service
- foster loyalty and strengthen audience ties via social media
I can think of no more compelling reason to take part in social media. It’s probably also true in general that the more attention you pay to customer service, the less likely you would be a victim of online smears. Of course, your business’s reputation consists of more than just a high-ranking negative Google search result or one bad Facebook comment. But it’s useful to understand social media regardless.
Let us help you learn how to maximize social media activity . View Matt Keough’s video white paper: “Getting Started: Social Media” and contact us for a product demo on Online PR and Link Referral.
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Web Video Seminar: May 28, 2008 - Join Us!
By Jim Kukral | April 21, 2008
We’re putting on an event on May 28th that will help you learn everything you need to know about internet video and how it can generate more leads, sales, and publicity for your website.
We’d love to have you come by. Get the details and sign up here.
Event Information
May 28, 2008
8:00am-Noon
Doubletree Hotel
Independence, Ohio
$25 Per Person
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Perplexing Search Marketing “Growth” Numbers
By Mike Murray | April 21, 2008
At least in North America, fresh data from the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) suggests the industry is growing - $9.4 billion in 2006 to $12.1 billion in 2007 - a 29.8% increase.
It’s a surprising increase given past growth and the amount of search marketing interest and budgets we’re seeing from companies.
SEMPO is starting to release details from its latest survey, “The State of Search Engine Marketing 2007.”
In terms of the study, is it really notable growth when search media giants like Google and Yahoo! gobble up $2.4 billion of the $2.8 billion increase between 2006 and 2007?
Consultants and in-house staffs took in much of the remaining $356 million for their work in natural search engine optimization and paid search management.
The $356 million doesn’t even compare to what happened between 2005 and 2006 when the industry grew 72% — from $5.7 billion to $9.4 billion.
Sure, search engines got the bulk of the extra cash in 2006, but marketers did pretty well too.
For example, companies dedicated $817 million more in 2006 over 2005 for consultants and internal specialists focusing on SEO and paid search.
More specifically, spending on SEO soared from $642 million in 2005 to $1.1 billion in 2006. Similarly, paid search management (apart from the actual cost of the ads themselves) grew from $513 million in 2005 to $866 million in 2006.
Marketing dollars may have hit an all-time high in 2007 for consultants and in-house ($1 billion for paid search and $1.2 billion for SEO), but the increases from year to year have slowed.
Despite concerns about the economy, the slowdown suggested by SEMPO’s survey seems a bit unusual.
We’re seeing companies expand budgets (adding money for SEO, paid search or online video) to capitalize on search marketing given what little they need to spend to connect with B2B and B2C customers at the very moment in time they’re searching.
If they’ve been neglecting SEO, business executives are saying SEO is an opportunity they can’t ignore. Many companies also are looking for guidance on the paid search front - either to set up a program for the first time or to improve what they’ve been trying to manage on their own. They’re also interested in a holistic approach that ties everything together, including email marketing and online videos.
It’s easy to slice and dice the numbers. The bottom line is that millions of people conduct searches every day. Smart marketers will spend what they need to if they want their companies to be discovered.
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Cleveland Rocks Google Street View
By Matt Keough | March 31, 2008
Cleveland is now getting the Google street view treatment. Below is a screen capture of the areas covered on an overlay of Google Maps.
 
It does not make it all the way out to my neighborhood, but many of the local attractions are covered. It is Opening Day, so let’s enjoy one last view of Jacobs Field! For those who don’t follow Cleveland sports closely, Jacobs Field was re-named Progressive Field before this season. The street view was captured sometime before the signs were changed.
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The Evolution of the Social Media Newsroom Continues
By Dominic J. Litten | March 31, 2008
With the advent of social media the need for online public relations and reputation management has exploded. Companies that use the phrase “lay low and let it grow” as a business philosophy are realizing that their competitors are becoming increasingly transparent and interactive with customers and their peers. Additionally, with the amount of white noise emanating from the internet, companies must do a better job of highlighting success stories and news items.
With that in mind, and as a way to help combat the white noise, the Fathom SEO team is unveiling the Fathom SEO Social Media Newsroom (or pressroom), our take on what has become an evolving conversation in the online public relations world.
The pressroom does exactly what a traditional online newsroom is supposed to do: highlight recent news and offer a snapshot of our company to the media. Where it differs is that it consolidates our online identities for those who wish to contact us through social mediums. Unlike those who lack any engagement with their respective audiences, the social media elements of our pressroom are completely functional and will continue to be updated moving forward.
Our inspiration for developing the pressroom began with SHIFT Communications social media newsroom template and further advanced by the functional newsrooms at SHIFT and GM Europe.
Over the next few weeks, we’d like to gather opinions on our pressroom from around the blogosphere or anywhere else. Leave us a comment, or better yet, find me on Twitter and let us know what you think. Let’s keep the conversation moving.
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The 25 Best Health Blogs
By Paul Richlovsky | March 25, 2008
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but reading a good blog every day can keep you well-informed with enlightening commentary. It may even prove to keep the doctor away, too. Recently I put together a rigorous list of the 25 best health blogs, and I’d like to share the apples with you.
The all-English-language honorees were chosen with the following criteria in mind:
- frequent, regular posting (daily/near-daily)
- quality design (readable, pleasing to the eye, no overwhelming advertising/clutter)
- distinct viewpoint
- depth and breadth of health commentary
If you prefer audio-visuals, check out my interview of Jim Kukral, Fathom SEO Internet video marketing specialist and blogging strategist. We talk about the qualities of good blogs.
Finally, with 120,000 healthcare blogs out there, ask yourself, Why aren’t I blogging? Or, Does my blog distinguish itself from the masses? Let this guide tell you.
And feel free to view more Fathom SEO material about online healthcare marketing and general online marketing tips, such as getting started with social media.
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