I strolled past the fountain.

It reminded me of Central park in Manhattan a little. I’ve ignored that badly too. But now, I make a point of having lunch with my great friend (and boss) Rebecca Lieb and then taking a stroll through the park afterwards. Anyway, I ended up at Marble Arch.

I took a look back at my route and remembered something.

The last time I walked through this park, I fell asleep on a bench!

The BMW story.

I was told about the BMW post at Matt Cutts blog, yesterday.

But as I was travelling I didn’t have time to give it much thought or put fingers to keyboard.

As I’m currently ensconced in my hotel overlooking London’s wonderful Hyde Park, gazing out of the window, trying to ignore the PowerPoint presentation I’m supposed to be preparing for in the morning…

Judging from what I’ve seen, BMW’s German site (www.bmw.de) has been removed because it was using a low-tech form of cloaking. I doubt very much that Google found that themselves. Much more a case of the spam team at Google getting an email, probably.

It’s interesting that the BBC places so much emphasis on how much you can lose by this type of thing happening. But, correct me if I’m wrong, you couldn’t buy cars directly from that site (nor any other as I’m aware) you have to go to a dealer. And if I was looking for a used car and ended up at a BMW corporate site, I don’t think I’d feel that I’d come to the right place.

So if they only acted as their own electronic brochure and “dealership” search engine, they’re hardly going to go bust over this.

Of course, it’s not BMW in trouble, really. It’s the pathetic SEOs who tried to turn a shiny corporate brochure into a second hand car lot. Which marketing genius had that idea?

A I say, if I was in Germany and did a search for “used cars”, ended up at BMW and then it took me another 15 minutes to find an authorised dealership which may be able to sell a used a car, I wouldn’t call that the best experience.

I’m sitting with 12 CEOs of major financial institutions tomorrow. And I guarantee none of them will know what this actually means to their businesses either (cloaked doorway pages). I can almost be certain that, if they don’t have an SEO evangelist in-house reporting to the online marketing director, even he wouldn’t know either.

I know this from practice. I worked with a huge corporation (five years ago) and had doorway pages on redirects all over the site. It was a necessity at that time because they had the crappiest CMS you could imagine. And there was no deceit as the pages did redirect to similar content.

When I explained what I was recommending, the CMO simply said “Mike, you’re the expert, we’ll take your guidance.” So, I guess I could have told him that we also needed to sacrifice a few small animals as part of the program and maybe even got a free barbecue out of it too!

Of course I said there was a small risk. But the fact still remains, I was given the opportunity to implement anything I wanted because the organisation knew nothing at all about SEO.

You’d think that they would be a lot more educated at that level by now (CMO and Online Marketing Executives) but the truth of the matter is, manyare so confused by all of the jargon pitched at them, they don’t know what to believe.

I did a lot of search marketing audits as an independent consultant before I sold to Websourced (MarketSmart Interactive Inc., as is). And the amount of spam I spotted was huge. For instance, the amount of invisible text for keywords and phrases that you’d have no hope of ranking on unless you had supreme linkage data, but there it was anyway.

I’d like to think that BMW vetted the company which did the work for them. Or had a list of keywords they were targeting. But it’s most likely that they were more interested in how much traffic was being driven to the site (excuse the pun!). It’s not a sales site, it’s an eyeballs site. And if BMW were satisfied that the SEO company was doing its job because of the increase in traffic, it’s likely they wouldn’t question it. And let’s face it there are probably a lot more searches for “used cars” (whether you sell them or not) when your job is to drive traffic, than there are for “low cost brand new BMW” 🙂

Ignorance on behalf of the client at work here, I believe. Wool over the eyes by the vendor here, I believe. Just as bad for the SEO industry as it is for BMW, I believe.

BMW won’t comment in full because they need their SEO company to explain in full. And then they’ll shift the blame and it will become the fault of SEOs. Google will re-include BMW and look much better for having had a pop at one of the big boys and not just smaller firms trying too hard.

Then my pal Dave Naylor will compile a list as long as your arm of other huge brands spamming and Google will have to remove them all. And then the next time you do a search for “new BMW” or “new Mercedes” or “new Jaguar” – you’ll get Chucks Second Hand Car Lot at number one… I don’t think!

As I mentioned in another post (or somewhere) recently, nobody has any rights over Google to be in their database. You have more rights to be out (and that’s a tough argument too). But as I always say, if I’m an end user looking for something at Google and don’t find it… Best hope I don’t get a better experience at Yahoo! or I’ll stick with them until they let me down.

I wonder if anyone knows the SEO firm in question. And NO I’m not asking for them to be outed publicly. I’m sure BMW will do that if the story doesn’t just die down and go away.

And I wonder if they were they actually ranking for the term “used cars”? I’m on the road and it’s difficult to keep up with all of the postings on the subject.

A grand plan for SEO: Readers respond.

My ClickZ column wraps up the topic of SEO budgeting for small businesses. There was a huge response and as I mentioned in the article, no way I could squeeze it all in.

There were comments from right across the spectrum from solo work from home consultants to agencies with a staff of ten upwards. It’s a topic I’d like to revisit again, maybe next year. I was fascinated at the way price levels fluctuated across the industry. And also fascinated at methods of pricing.

Some people charge by the hour. Some by project packages. And some on a retainer basis (and some that seemed to do all three along with variations!)

For those who did respond to the column and also happen to pop over here from time-to-time, thanks again for your input. It made fascinating reading.

Final words.

I had no idea what the SEO competition was, or who was organizing it. Nothing, in fact. The brutal truth of the matter is, I wasn’t at all interested. And that’s exactly how I remain.

Okay, perhaps I should have done a little homework before I agreed to throw a bit of cash in the pot. But it just didn’t seem like a big deal to me.

Along the way I discovered a little part of the SEO community that I had no idea existed. And it’s a little part of the community that I will happily live without again.

I’m going to send the cash to my buddies, Greg and Todd. They’ll arrange for it to get to wherever it needs to go.

And that’s it for me. As far as I’m concerned, I came up with the cash which is all that was expected of me.

I have no interest in the contest. I couldn’t give a shit who wins it. But do have fun anyway.

And those are my final words.

Now could everyone just move on please.

Lucky seven.

Today is an unusual day. It’s my seventh wedding anniversary today. And it’s also the day that my son’s attacker goes to trial. So, although I’m looking forward to our traditional anniversary Russian/Greek night out (we were married in Cyprus) , it’s mixed with grim court proceedings today.

Of course our wedding on the seafront in such a beautiful place was something I’ll treasure forever. But there’s one thing which always stands out in my mind about our wedding. And that’s a little story we were told during the ceremony. As a catholic marrying an atheist we didn’t figure much on a particularly strong religious theme.

However, we were told a story from the Bible, about how Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead. I was thinking to myself: “what the heck has people dying got to do with getting married?”

Anyway, the bemused look on my face disappeared when it was explained to us that, and I never knew this, after Lazarus was brought back, he died for the second (and last time), in Cyprus.

I think most people may have heard the story of Lazarus, but like me, perhaps, wondered what happened to him afterwards. Because there’s a not a lot in the bible about him after that, as far as I remember. Anyway, he finished his life on the beautiful island of Cyprus and the church where he was buried, was just around the corner from where we were married.

There’s a long story about how my wife and I met, which I’ve told many times. I sometimes think back and wonder how a guy from the Scottish Borders ended up marrying a woman from the Siberian border (in Cyprus, of all places)?

So, it’s been seven years of absolutely wonderful times. And some absolutely horrendous times! But I think we’re getting to know each other by now!

I’ll save the story of how we met for around the dinner table, which is where it usually gets told. I’ll simply post my favourite picture of my wife, Tatjana. And wish her happy anniversary.

Where in the world is Mike?

Last year I completed 32 engagements at conferences, seminars, workshops and other presentations all over the world. I decided that, this year, I really want to try and spend a little more time at home with my family.

However, they’re stacking up again!

So here’s a list which is about 80% confirmed for conferences, workshops etc., that I’ll be speaking at this year. As I say, they’re not all confirmed yet, but if you’d like to say hello personally, here’s where you’re most likely to find me this year:

Post Magazine Business Leaders Forum CEO Summit:
February 8, Lanesborough Hotel, Hyde Park Corner, London.

Search Engine Strategies:
February 27 – March 2, Hilton Hotel, Avenue of the Americas, New York

ad:tech Impact:
March 9, InterContinental Hotel, 15201 Dallas Parkway, Dallas

Lucrative Search Marketing:
March 14, The Dorchester, Park Lane, London

Search Engine Strategies:
March 17-18, Nanjing International Exhibition Center, Nanjing, China

Search Engine Strategies:
March 30-31, Hilton Hotel, Munich Park, Munich

PubCon 14:
April 18 – 19, Boston (Venue to be confirmed).

Killer Search Marketing 2006:
April 24 – 25 , Holiday Inn Bloomsbury, Central London

ad:tech:
April 26 – 28, The Moscone Center, San Francisco

eMetrics Summit – The Web Analytics Conference:
May 3 – 5, The Radisson SAS Portman Hotel, 22 Portman Square, London

Internet World 2006:
May 9 – 11, Earls Court 2, London

Search Engine Strategies:
May 31 – June 2, Business Design Centre, London

Online Marketing Europe:
June 14 – 16, Congress Palace, Palma, Mallorca, Spain

Search Engine Strategies:
July 10-11, InterContinental Hotel, Miami

ad:tech:
July 24-25, Chicago (Venue to be confirmed)

Search Engine Strategies:
August 7-10, McEnery Convention Center, San Jose, CA

ad:tech:
September 27 – 28, Olympia, London

PubCon 15:
November 14 – 15, Las Vegas (venue to be confirmed)

ad:tech:
November, Shanghai (date and venue to be confirmed)

Search Engine Strategies:
December 4-7, Hilton Hotel, Chicago

SEO Buzzbox interview.

I was approached by a very cool Aaron Pratt, who seems to be having a lot of interest over at his SEO Buzzbox blog. He asked me if I’d mind dropping in and answering a few pertinent questions. Yes, there’s more a bout the “sandbox” at the buzzbox, here.

Now what was it I said about pull?

From Media Post:

“WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE WORD of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) conference last week in Orlando, Florida, I caught one of General Motor’s 30-second regional television ads for its Pontiac brand. Television ads often stimulate Internet search behavior by increasing brand awareness or sparking curiosity, as often demonstrated by Hitwise. But this GM spot was significant because it ended with an unusual call to action: “Don’t take our word for it. Google Pontiac and discover for yourself.” And the ad ended not with a URL or phone number for a local dealer, but an actual Google screenshot with Pontiac typed in. Yes, an actual screenshot!”

Wonder where that idea came from?

Thanks Garrett, for tipping me off about that article!

Jingle bells… (again, almost!)

You see, in Russia, things are different. New Year comes before Christmas because of the mix between the Julian and the Gregorian calendar.

So Christmas is actually on January 7th.

However, this is nowhere near as late as the time that the company my wife works for celebrate their Christmas.

Being completely tight bastards, they give it a theme, make it sound exciting by having to dress up, and then book the Hilton at the cheapest price you’ll get all year!

So, this weekend, my wife and I dressed up and celebrated Christmas again (and we all talked about was the Easter break!)

A grand plan for SEO.

My ClickZ column, published today, is a follow up to comments made here after my previous column was published.

Generally speaking, my message remains the same. I don’t look down my nose at smaller companies at all. I actually get very excited when I meet entrepreneurs who have vision and the desire to grow from one level to the next.

Companies which have a good product offering which can differentiate themselves in an existing marketplace, or provide new, even disruptive services to make them stand out in a crowd.

There has been some misunderstanding behind my suggestions of integrated marketing communications for smaller firms. Many think that I seem to be talking about them having to embark on huge TV and press campaigns in order to create the “search engine pull” effect.

In the forward to the excellent book I mentioned in my column, “Communities dominate brands” Coca Cola Chief Marketing Officer, Stephen C Jones, makes his own observation of the future of marketing from his time in Japan.

“…internet use soared from a few after hours office workers to a national phenomenon. We played outside the traditional marketing box with some entry level internet marketing promotions which unintentionally started a dialogue with six million consumers.

Wireless cellular technology and the internet forever changed the consumer and our approach to marketing in Japan.

And it reshaped my own mental model of how to engage in a relationship with consumers.”

We’re moving from a networked age to a connected age. To consumers who, ten years ago, were relishing the power of the internet. But the network age was static. You logged on to the internet, surfed and then went to the shopping mall to do some “touchy feely” stuff before you purchased.

But in this connected age where my Blackberry, for instance allows me to be connected 24/7 wherever I am on the planet. I have permanent access to family, friends and colleagues. And I can allow them permanent access to me.

The opportunities for everyone to tap into communities in the new connected age is there for everyone.

Exciting times, indeed!