Mark Murnahan Archives - Page 4 of 4 by Mark Murnahan

Relationships and Internet Marketing

Relationships come in many types. The relationship we are sharing as author and reader may seem to be very casual and even a bit superficial. I want to explain how and why it matters.

Since statistical data tells me that it would be nearly impossible in my lifetime to even shake hands with all of my readers, I always find it important to try and reach out in my, can I say, “authorly” way. We will probably never do business together, and for now I am just another guy on the Internet. Of course, I welcome your business, so don’t get me wrong. I just want you to know that I am not selling you anything more than some thoughts right now. So just relax and hear me out about relationships and the Internet, and how it all ties together to make you more successful and happy.

I have noticed for some time that each time my wife is pregnant I see a dramatic increase in new business. It has puzzled me for years exactly why this happens. I have always had my ideas on this. Of course, there is a lot that probably comes down to instinct. Doing all the right things just somehow sinks in and I find myself making better judgments, thinking more clearly, and most importantly developing better relationships. I know that having a new baby may be a little too extreme for increasing your business, but there are substitutes to help you emphasize building better relationships.

I find the relationships I build on the Internet to be absolutely crucial to my success. Just consider our new relationship as an example, you and me. Perhaps if I give you valuable information that helps you, and if I help you to feel good about me and my knowledge, you may become a regular reader. Eventually, if you grow comfortable with our relationship, you may call on me for advice or to hire my services. Notice how this is a process. By the time you call me, you will have many opportunities to know me on your terms. You can read hundreds of articles that I have authored, learn of my background, and know just who you are dealing with. It all comes back to the same reasons why social networking Websites have had such amazing success. People are there to actually interact with other people, and not just some corporate giant or sketchy small business. They are building relationships, right here on the Internet.

I hope that I do not insult you if I group you with “most people”, but in many respects, we are all “most people”. What I know about most people is that they want to feel good about the people in their lives. We can say that this does not apply to “those people on the Internet”, but let’s face it … it matters. In case you have not heard, Facebook has over 120,000,000 users in under five years of business. It has been built on relationships. Social networking sites are some of the most successful Internet businesses ever created, and that should teach us all some lessons. “Those Internet people” are you and me. The Internet is where I communicate with many friends, and it is even where I met my wife about eight years and two-going-on-three three kids ago, so you cannot convince me that what I am telling you is false.

People want to know real people. To set a picture for you, it is 6:00am and I am sitting in my kitchen where I just happened to plop down my laptop to make this entry. I have been working since early yesterday morning, and I have a meeting with a new client in just a few hours. As I thought about my morning meeting, it really hit me why this meeting feels different than so many others, and it inspired me to write you this blog entry.

In a short time, I will meet with somebody with whom I have already laid the groundwork of a personal relationship. He is a fellow member of a business networking group where we have both been members for some time. I see him every Thursday morning, and we have a mutual friendship and respect. You may be thinking that it would be great if every meeting could be so relaxed as this. The good news is that they can. It all starts with a relationship, because behind every business person is the person. Be certain that you express this in your business.

Image Copyright Infringement and Enforcement

Image Copyright Infringement and Enforcement on the Internet may be more important to you than you thought. Copyright enforcement is far more advanced and prevalent than in years past. Companies managing the rights of image owners have technology and copyright laws on their side. They use software to scan thousands of Web pages looking for copyright infringement, and the software is better than ever before. It can recognize unlicensed images and alert rights managers to unauthorized use. If you are caught, it will cost you big.

Did you break copyright law?

This topic came up recently when I received a call asking for my knowledge in the area of image copyright. The caller had just received a letter and a phone call from a well known company that manages and enforces the rights of image owners. They demanded immediate payment, claiming the unlicensed use of copyrighted images. Like many people, he did not really know where to turn, and he never thought he had done anything wrong. He hired a Web developer to produce the Website, and never gave much thought to the graphics on the site or whether he should have kept a license agreement and receipt on file as proof of the right to use the images. Now he is scrambling to get his hands on documentation of his rights to use the images.

Where did your graphics originate?

There are many people who believe that since they found the image on Google Images or on some other Website, the image is free for the taking. This is very seldom the case, and you do not want to find out the hard way. A lot of people will remember the big lawsuits over music copyright infringement that cost Napster and others millions of dollars. Now that the technology is catching up images may be the next wave.

Who is responsible for copyright infringement?

Obviously, the first question is “who pays for this?” The answer is “whomever owns the Website”. This may come as a shock to many people, but it is something to be considered whenever you interview a Web developer or hire a graphic design firm. Whether it is a completely custom Website, or a pre-designed template, it is the responsibility of the Website owner to know whether they have the legal right to display the images. In the case of my caller, the copyright infringement claim was for many times what he paid for the Website development.

Author Mark Murnahan is the Chairman and CEO of YourNew.com, Inc. and provides SEO consulting services to companies and non-profit organizations. Mark Murnahan may be reached toll free at 866-A-Web-Guy (*REDACTED DUE TO AGING WEBSITE*) for consultation.

Dr. Pepper Website Hosting Lesson

When the Dr. Pepper Website, drpepper.com went down on 23 November 2008, many people questioned the company’s intent. Most of the top ten searches on Google led to sites questioning the intent of the company.

In this article, I address the importance of planning ahead and avoiding Web hosting disaster such as what happened to the Dr. Pepper Website, drpepper.com, when the company needed it most.

Following extensive promotions by Dr. Pepper offering a free can of their Dr. Pepper drink if Axl Rose released the album “Chinese Democracy” in 2008, the company intent was questioned. The likely truth is that their Website was too busy to answer the call, but this did not stop the bad press the company received.

The Dr. Pepper’s Website crash is an example of how errors in traffic forecasting and insufficient server and bandwidth resources can come between a company and their customers. Although in some cases, this is very expensive to avoid, requiring additional server and bandwidth cost, it makes this author wonder how the guy in the hot seat is dealing with his stress.

Internet Newsletters

Internet newsletters are a great way to share information, attract new customers, gain search engine position, and increase Website traffic. If you do not understand the value of this marketing tool, keep reading and you will.

Every Website has something to share with somebody, whether a prospective client, existing client, colleague, family member, employee or otherwise. If it is on the Internet, somebody must want it to be seen. In my case, I want it to be seen by many, and very often.

I cannot give you the format and content for a perfect marketing newsletter, or the right catch phrases to make your readers stay with you. What I offer is a little simple advice about how to write your periodical, the differences inherent to online publications, and the benefits you may expect. I have no promises for you, but I am not asking you for a promise either. My hope is simply to help you get things started with the right mindset.

… read more about Internet newsletters

HTML Title Tag – Web Page Titles

Title tags are the most important place for keywords.

Although this statement about the importance of the title tag is the bottom line, I have placed it on the first line of this article about the HTML title tag for Web pages, for a good reason. This is the single most important on-site search engine optimization factor for improving search engine ranking for a given term. It defines your Web page, it is returned in search engine response pages (SERP), and it is given more weight by search engines than any other single part of your page.

Let’s examine the importance of HTML title tags and how they are viewed by search engines, and just how you came to be here.

Title Tags Improve Search Engine Rankings

The title tag is the undisputed most important part of a Web page. It is the title that you give to each page of your Website. Just how important is the title tag? In order to answer this, I will direct you to the very top of your browser window, even above the address bar. You will see the title of this page right there at the top, as if the Web browser was built with our page title already in it. Just like people, search engine spiders (the computers used by search engines to gather information about a page), will read your Web page from the top and move downward. The title gives the first, and most important impression, just as it should. If you want to improve your search engine rankings, you should get familiar with this tiny little piece of HTML, and make it your friend.

What to Include in a Title Tag

This is an area of this topic that can be disputed. Some will insist that it should be branded with your company name or your overall Website title (the title of your home page). The argument is that it provides better branding, which is true.