NextNY Google Event
Friday, June 30, 2006
Yesterday (technically, 2 days ago now) I went to a Google / nextNY sponsored powwow in the Google offices at 40th & Broadway here in New York. There was a limited 100 open slots for this tech talk, and I was lucky enough to get one of them. Ambar Shrivastava, a co-worker of mine was notified by his friend, Rishi Khanna, about the event. I was lucky enough to get spot 88 that opened up. I hadn't met Rishi before, but I ended up waiting in line next to him. He asked what were the chances, and I realized way too late that the answer was 1 in 50.
Anyway, Google made us all sign the standard non-disclosure then proceeded to put us through a public relations event to promote the New York Google operation consisting of 500 people and that we should feel free to talk and blog about the whole event. So here I am doing just that. They just bought a huge facility in Chelsea right next to where I live, which they did not talk about at all, but I get the idea that the whole Broadway office will be moving. They explicitly said that they are hiring advertising sales people in their large market segments including automotive and a couple of others. So, if you're in sales and want to work for Google in NYC, get hopping. Or is that hoping? Either way.
Representatives from Sales, Engineering and Product Management spoke. Marcus Mitchell gave an intro, followed by Dominic Preuss, Tom Thai, David Eun and Dennis Crowley. Tom Thai's presentation consisted of a long tail diagram showing the profile of their ad clients. A few very large clients existed at the head, namely Sony. There was a fairly big middle, then a textbook case of the long tail. I'm feeling like Chris Anderson, seeing long tails everywhere, but Google's sales of AdWords to the tiny marketers of the world must truly be one of the best long tale examples I can think of. The product is digital and inexhaustible.
Of the presenters, all of which were interesting to varying degrees, Dennis Crowley's ending presentation was the best. It's just such a great story where he was a dot-com'er who went back to school for a business degree, and as his senior thesis project did a project called Dodgeball. It was/is social networking software that you email from your cellphone to tell it where you are. It then proceeds to let your entire "real life" social network know where each other are, so you can all gather after work, or whatever. But the point is that him and his partner had little need or motivation to monetize it, and through serendipity, ended up talking with Google folks who got excited about it, and acquired his 2-person company, and he's now a Google employee. He was a really personable guy who could have gone the entrepreneurial route, and chose Google. It's a mixed bag. He's got the awesome resources of Google to tap, still gets to live in NYC (he was an NYU'er), but now has to compete for those resources with everyone else's 20/10 projects.
Ahhh, the now commonly known Google 70/20/10 rule states that 70% of your time goes to the "core" job, consisting mainly of search and AdWords. 20% of your time goes to things related to your main job, and 10% can go to just about anything interesting. This turns Google into a part-time incubator. It reminds me a lot of Motorola where competing GMs compete to turn different technologies and product lines into nearly autonomous companies. It is a strategy of keeping that special edge that Larry and Sergey brought to the picture as young guys. It's tough to preserve that edge as your company gets large and established, and more and more is taken for granted.
I talked with a delightful woman in the pharmaceutical field there about how companies like Google had to be on constant guard for the business equivalent of geological sudden catastrophic liquefaction wherein your entire foundations suddenly disappear beneath you, swallowing up an entire city before you know anything was wrong. What if Apple didn't make the Mac, and subsequently the iPod? Steve Jobs is a person who totally understands sudden obsolescence is moments away for any high tech enterprise. 70/20/10 is Google's attempt to inoculate against that disease. Not everything needs to be a revenue generator, but it does need to keep the users coming back!
Another aspect of 70/20/10 that I later realized is how it breaks up over a business week. If you assume a 5 day work week (not always true, I know), then 5 into 100 is 20. So each workday is 20%. So one day out of 5 can go into anything you want that's related to your main job, but is not your priority. And a half-day can go into anything at all, no matter how off the wall. And in a culture of super-geeks that have a day-and-a-half discretionary time, it creates interesting super-geek-politics, lobbying at lunch for your engineer buddies to work on your 20% project instead of the next guy or gal's. It creates something like a Darwinian idea farm, which I'm sure has emergent behaviors. Certain ideas create excitement or boredom. I heard rumors that Google never cracked the music nut because Sergey just wasn't that into music, and the 20% projects along those lines never got the resources, leaving Yahoo an awesome opening… but who knows.
Anyway, even though it had the tinge of a recruitment effort, it was still a great event to attend. We all went drinking afterwards at Stitch bar on 37th Street, and went a little too late into the night. I ended up taking the next day working from home, finishing up the video. It shifted my wake/sleep cycle a little too late, as this 4:50AM post probably shows. Good night.Labels: Apple, blog, Google
HitTail - A Practical Alternative To Paying For Search Hits
Welcome to HitTail, a practical alternative to paying for search hits--and a free service to all low-to-medium traffic sites.
Connors Communications, the company bringing it to you is the PR firm that launched Amazon.com and Priceline. We worked with GoTo.com in the early days, helping to establish the pay-per-click industry. And now, we're doing it again... but this time through the long tail of natural search.
What is The Long Tail? It's a notion popularized by Wired Magazine Editor-in-Chief, Chris Anderson, implying that less popular items collectively account for large amounts of business. Here, the items in green outnumber the most popular items in red.
Initially, this concept was great for online music stores with no physical inventory, so their library was impossibly large, compared to their retail counterparts. But soon, the concept was equally embraced by pay-per-click firms, managing massive keyword campaigns.
But a dirty little secret is that long tail strategy is even better when applied to natural search than PPC... where all the less popular search terms already account for the largest amounts of traffic. We just take it to the next level.
What's natural search? It's the portion of the search results that people come to the search engines for... shown here in green. It's the equivalent of editorial content... while sponsored pay-per-click results are the equivalent of advertisements. This advertising / editorial mix is characteristic of most media, maintains trust, and we expected to continue.
And as a PR firm, we believe that natural search is better... because it's the equivalent of real world reputation. Securing a listing HERE is the best deal in marketing, with the lowest possible cost of customer acquisition--even lower than PPC. It's like landing free editorial coverage in mainstream media. Every visitor is partially pre-qualified and in is in a receptive state.
The mission of our new HitTail service is to lower your reliance on paid ads while increasing your qualified visitor traffic from natural search... in a sustainable, long-term, cross-engine fashion.
The problem was that until now, no product has been able to deliver this without incurring some sort of penalty... keeping it out of the world of mainstream marketing. HitTailing changes all that. By knowing what’s “almost working” for you, you can grow the mouth of your opportunity funnel while respecting the search engines, and being good net citizen.
The technique has already been used to help many Connors' clients create "super-niches". For any journalists listening, we may be able to get them to talk.
So, whose a candidate to become a HitTailer?
• Anyone who wants to stop paying to acquire visitors
• Anyone who currently has a pay-per-click ad campaign
• Basically, the marketing departments of every company in every country of the world
It's an easy value prop: Use HitTail to quickly identify lucrative new topics, and apply all that saved energy to actually WRITING about the topic. You thereby help increase sales and lower marketing costs. This “formulatized” approach is safer and more long-lived than other methods. It's blogging with insight.
How is this accomplished? HitTail tells you WHAT to write about for growing an effective long tail of natural search...
Watch in real-time as the search hits come in... and get addicted to the black river of keywords that occurs in any healthy site. Learn which keywords HitTail suggests that you write about.
The HitTail site actually shows you the growing long tail of your site. Far into the tail, and for reasons that are not obvious, is the best and most often overlooked data. Connors has developed a unique way to identify these words and turn them into short, actionable lists! Using HitTail is like us doing all the mining dirty work, and handing you the gems.
By optimizing on these gems, you take results found many pages in and bringing them to the top--exposing much more of your site overall. Determined searchers are thereby cluing you into where you should locate yourself for each future iteration.
Each HitTail tab lets you quickly review and pair-down lists, until you have an editorial checklist of topics that will drive traffic.
The first three tabs are only there for their good looks. It's in the Suggestions tab that the HitTailing magic resides. Evaluate new words that appear under this tab, and choose to write about them... or not. Move only the good ones to the To Do tab, which simply works as an editorial checklist. Check them off this list once you've actually used them as the title topic of a blog post or other content on your site, such as FAQs or press releases.
It's that simple. That's HitTailing. It works.
Keeping this up over time results in the snowball effect. A site that snowballs in size and quality over time is rewarded by nearly all search engines. HitTailing helps this happen at a faster rate than with blogging alone. Seeing the results takes much longer with Yahoo than with Google and MSN, but your patience will pays off. Overall, this strategy takes longer than PPC. But PPC is like paying rent, while at the end of HitTailing, you own the house.
How does HitTail know what terms are "almost" working on your site? Just like analytics software, we provide a snippet of code to be inserted into your template. The moment the tracking code is in place, you will see your search hits occurring. Notice the real-time black river of keywords.
This alone has driven many a HitTail user to detox.
So, how do you get started down this alluring trail?
Simply, go to www.hittail.com, click the login link and register. Put the snippet of code in your template, and volia!
It's important to remember that HitTail is NOT analytics software. We are not tracking individual users or conversions. We just do suggestions... bluntly stating: "If you write it, they will come" This deceptively simple process is off-putting to some who love pouring over analytics. That's fine. They're in the best position to see the results of HitTailing, as opposed to being the practitioners.
But for those who see the magic, we've provided what we think is the fastest way for you to feel the love. The sooner you get started, the better it works.
So, what's your next step?
You can give it a try by clicking the login in link and signing up as a beta tester.
You can spread the word... or keep it as your SEO secret weapon. You decide.
Thanks for listening, and we hope to see you join us soon.Labels: Connors Communications, Google, HitTail, HitTail Plus, MSN, pr, seo, The Long Tail, Yahoo
I HitTail, You HitTail
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
We chose a wonderful name for the new Connors Web 2.0 killer app, and the positive quotes being left all over the Internet are telling the story. And that's all while we're in the first few weeks of a very quiet beta soft launch. I only just announced the service at a few forums specializing in "search engine optimization" and registrations have been almost doubling every week ever since. We've got our scaling plan all worked out, and we expect to make a very big splash in the worlds of public relations and marketing.
Our name implies that we are a noun, verb and present participle. Visit the HitTail site where you can HitTail. You will be HitTailing, and that makes you a HitTailer.
Another major accomplishment was taking some very obtuse concepts and making them understandable to the world. Chris Anderson is doing a big favor for us by mainstreaming the Long Tail concept, which is one of the principles at work behind the HitTailing process. But also, we have been able to take our original PowerPoint demo and Flash-ify it for a much livelier, more engaging experience. At the end, you're like "oh, of course!" And THAT is a huge accomplishment for something that one could hardly wrap ones' mind around a few months back.
So in a few months, I expect a lot more folks will be joining us as HitTailers, looking at search hits that occurred on their sites as unique events to be learned from as assuredly as if someone slipped a note into a suggestion box. In a very real way, it is like W. Edward Deming's principles of total quality management (TQM) applied to website content. Who knows what keywords to target better than your most determined Website visitors who actually worked hard to find you?
Take their advice, and make it easier for everyone the next time.Labels: Connors Communications, HitTail, HitTail Plus, The Long Tail
PR Firm NYC
High up in the towering skyscrapers and glass-enclosed office buildings, all sorts of businesses can be found all over the city. There are businesses meant directly for consumers and businesses that help support other businesses. New York City is a hotbed of commercial enterprise and Connors has a great location, right in the middle of it all. Connors Communications is actually located in the Flat Iron District, not all that far from the Empire State Building. The office is in a building only twelve stories tall, unlike some of the financial district giants. This building has character, and I think that very accurately reflects the people working inside.
To survive as a PR firm in NYC, you need to be competitive, successful, and ahead of the curve. There are so many choices in this town to pick from. But as soon as clients walk into our office, the polish of the surroundings and the professionals working there becomes apparent. There is a buzz of activity with phone calls, meetings, outreach planning. Inside the walls of this Flat Iron District office building, Connors is alive with activity and working hard for clients. Although we are not one of the larger PR firms, and take on only a small number of clients that we can highly service, we still like to consider ourselves among of the best PR firms in NYC. :)Labels: Connors Communications, pr
Writing for Search Engine Optimization
I've written before about the importance of writing in an SEO strategy. Recently, I haven't been the only one authoring online content. As part of the latest Connors offering, HitTail, Mike has been busy blogging about its creation, progress and uses. He has worked on explaining the product and in the process, starting to show up on some very useful keywords.
I'd like to mention this because it's a great way to back up a launch. In addition to gaining top rankings for important search terms, it also helps to manage brand image. If you search Feedster right now, you will find articles from SEO Scoop and other sites mixed in with all the HitTail blog entries that Mike has been writing. Any issue brought up, like whether or not the site will always be free, is quickly answered by a blog post on the product site, with an official response. Any questions are either anticipated and covered or answered once they're brought up elsewhere. In this way, all feedback is encouraged and any concerns addressed, making it a very flexible, receptive, and active launch.
I just wanted to bring this up because I've been following Mike's blogging and think it's a great example of what we're working to do here with search engine optimization writingLabels: blog, Connors Communications, HitTail, HitTail Plus, Mike Levin, seo
Writing for Public Relations
Okay, when was the last time that you read an article and wondered where some of the messaging came from? There's a whole lot of work that goes into drafting email pitches, press releases, and briefing documents. The most successful PR writing is never seen because it is the pitch that entices a reporter to focus on a product story. This writing is succinct, interesting, attention-grabbing, and personalized.
The key in writing pitches is to get right to the point and make it interesting. Spending a lot of time on the title is valuable since the message needs to stand out from the spam in order to get opened. Then, the message must be more than a stock pitch to get the reporter’s attention and get our message across.
Press releases must be carefully crafted to get all the important information across. This is where reporters will be picking up quotes and facts. Now that they are being posted on the web, it is also a place where the public can come and get their news directly. Press releases can be picked up in part or whole by bloggers and the news may spread to people who were not on the outreach list. While this is great for the news, it means that the press release needs to include the whole story.
Finally, once interviews are secured, the briefing document will prepare clients for the reporter. This will include possible topics of interest, sample questions, and past articles. This way, each interview results in the best possible coverage.Labels: blog, pr
Public Relations Campaign for New Business
This thought kind of ties into my last post. Not all new businesses are e-commerce, yet all new businesses can greatly benefit from a carefully planned PR launch. When you’re working on spreading the word about a new business, there’s a lot of work that goes on beforehand to ensure that the launch is successful. After having a good deal of experience, Connors knows what it takes to plan a successful Public Relations campaign for a new business.
Pre-Pitching
In an effort to make the launch a big news story through the art of surprise, you may spring it onto journalists last minute and be surprised yourself at how little coverage results. Instead, let reporters know, but let them know that it is embargoed news. They want to be on top of a breaking story just as much as you want them to cover your news. Also, start to let analysts in to check out your offerings, especially if it has a technology base to it. If you can get analyst support behind you, this will greatly help your cause when pitching reporters.
Planning for Everything
Things don't always go as planned and the best launches have a back-up plan ready in case something goes wrong. Brainstorm about worst case scenarios. Think about what kind of criticism your product could potentially get. Then plan for it. Figure out now what you will do then and if anything does happen, you'll be ready. Don't let this scare you too much, because if you’ve done all the background work, this should stay on the shelf as an unused emergency back-up plan.
Do Your Homework
There is nothing more useful than knowing your industry, the issues currently in that industry, and the reporters who cover that news. If you know what people are writing about, you can see how you fit into the bigger story. You can also get a better idea of who you should be targeting in outreach. Having that initial list ready of all the people who should know about you will help tremendously when you announce your big launch and you want to get some coverage.Labels: Connors Communications, pr
Europe's Silicon Valley
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Silicon Valley in northern California has been a household name since the dot-com era. Silicon Alley in New York City is also fairly well-known. Connors has been proud to work with companies from each over the years. And while we've also had clients from Europe, we are still wondering where exactly the equivalent is across the pond. A quick search on Google reveals a number of different areas vying for the honor. London, UK. Limerick, Ireland. Sophia Antipolis, France. Munich, Germany. Barcelona, Spain. The whole country of Estonia. Even all of Scandinavia. Will Europe ever decide? From a purely public relations standpoint, right now the best candidate seems to be Sophia Antipolis. Why? It's in the south of France near Cannes, already a hotspot, and some are calling it Silicon Beach... which sounds a lot better than Europe's Silicon Valley. The key to success isn't going to be in copying what's out there already, but in making it your own. Consider Silicon Fjord in Trondheim, Norway! In any event, if you are from a hi-tech company in Silicon Beach or Fjord or any others listed above and you're looking for a North American presence for PR, you should consider Connors Communications. We are well-connected in the industry and also have the tools to help with your multilingual search efforts to ensure your visibility online as well as off. Labels: Connors Communications, pr
eCommerce Case Study
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
The bubble grew, the bubble burst, and now the tech sector has the support behind it to no longer be considered a bubble. The companies that are emerging now are savvy eCommerce companies with good products and low overhead. And while it may be hard to get to get a brand started and widely recognized on today's over-populated Internet, a PR firm can definitely help to get things started.
So what does Connors have as far as eCommerce PR case studies? Well, we helped Nordstrom.com bring their brick and mortar company online. We were an integral part in their launch and creating the buzz around this launch by helping to plan a "Win Shoes for Life" contest. We also teamed with Priceline.com to help them launch the "Name Your Own Price" service back in '98. This involved educating the media and public alike about a whole new way to shop and began with a teaser campaign letting people know through postcards that "The possibilities are endless."
We know how to reach web-literate consumers through the media. In fact, we mix traditional and online media to get the best resonance in the circles where you need to be seen. Check out our eCommerce case study page for more information on our efforts.Labels: Connors Communications, eCommerce, pr
More on PR Internships
I know when I came out of school, I knew I had learned to learn and learned to be a student, but not necessarily acquired skills directly related to real world applications. However, sometimes the learning to learn and communicate is a skill in and of itself. The field of public relations is a great match for a liberal arts background. It takes intelligence, awareness, and strong communication and writing skills. It involves thoroughly understanding a client’s product, seeing the story there, targeting media, pitching media, setting up interviews, and following-through to the publishing of the coverage. This field is challenging as well as rewarding and may be just the perfect career fit for some recent graduates or current undergrads.
If this sounds like a good fit, by all means, surf around our site, check out what we're all about; then drop us a line. I was definitely once in the shoes of the college grad with a degree but little direction and happened upon Connors. It's a great environment and I am still learning new things every day. This is a career path that is exciting and ever-changing. If you thrive in this kind of environment, we hope to hear from you.Labels: Connors Communications, pr
Public Relations Internships
Spring is in the air and most colleges have finished exams and are on summer break. This is good news for college students, but can lead to a bit of a dilemma as to how to spend the summer. For recent grads, it can pose as even more of a dilemma regarding what to do post-school. One way to work on that question is to try out something that interests you and see if it's a fit.
Connors Communications has an internship program for hard-working and enthusiastic grads and undergrads who want to get involved in the world of public relations. They can get on-the-job training at a small PR firm where they can acquire extensive experience. This is a vibrant office where everyone is part of the team, all efforts matter and each employee directly affects results. Our interns work hard and learn a lot. After a three month internship, there is even an opportunity for interns to join as full members of the team, if the job is a match for the person and the person is a match for Connors.Labels: Connors Communications, pr
Best PR Firm in NYC
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Please excuse this VERY SHORT post. I'm making a point about PR 2.0, search engine optimization, and Connors Communications' new product "HitTail" (previously MyLongTail). I will link to an explantion of the point of this post in the comments section in a few weeks.Labels: Connors Communications, HitTail, HitTail Plus, pr, The Long Tail
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