Latest News from Rebecca Gill

SEO Scams and Newbies Realm of Gullibility

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:22:26 EST

One of my all-time favorite tv shows is The Twilight Zone. I particularly like Rod Serling’s memorable opening narration: “There is a sixth dimension, beyond that which is known to newbies. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, and it lies [...]

When a Website Designer’s Good Intentions Go Bad

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:40:41 EST

Today I am meeting with a client to review the design and build of his new website. Quite frankly I’m not looking forward to this meeting. I am the barrier of bad news. When I originally accepted this project, I could see Google had indexed about 1,000 pages within his domain. While it would take some [...]

State of the Index Presentation is a Great Read

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:16:04 EST

At last week’s PubCon conference in Las Vegas, Matt Cutts gave a presentation on Google and recent Google advancements. This is a good read for website developers, in-house webmasters, and SEO consultants. From Social Search to Pagetest to Google Web Toolkit, Matt gives a number of good takeaways. State of the Index

Popularity Contests Take It to the Next Level With Social Media

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:56:50 EST

We are all familiar with the popularity contests of high school. The idea of becoming homecoming queen or the student council president scared me as a teen, as neither were my thing. I was more quiet and into other pursuits. What is funny is now, some twenty years later, I find myself in Internet marketing [...]

Web Analytics 2.0 Hits the Stores

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:45:39 EST

Today I ordered Web Analytics 2.0, which is the second book by Avinash Kaushik, the best selling author of Web Analytics: An Hour A Day. As an avid website designer, SEO nut, social media fan, and overall Internet marketing addict, I can’t wait for delivery of my new purchase. I already subscribe to Avinash’s very popular [...]

WordPress is the Liberator of Growing Businesses Everywhere

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:49:43 EST

I have always been a fan of WordPress. Okay, let me rephrase that. Since I discovered WordPress, I have always been a great fan. Similar to other people, I was hesitant at first. I thought it was simply a blogging application with limited capabilities. I equated it to Google’s Blogger and thought it was solely [...]

Twitter and Linkedin Unite in Social Matrimony

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:53:16 EST

This week Twitter and Linkedin united to share status updates across their mass social media networks. I was thrilled, as I love both communities. As soon as the functionality was released, I was on my Linkedin profile attempting to unite the two applications. And for a moment, I quickly fell out of love with [...]

Google and Twitter Make Social Search a Reality

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:45:00 EDT

Last week Google officially announced their newly formed partnership with Twitter. The officially statement indicates this partnership will allow social media updates on Twitter to appear in Google’s search results. Google also demonstrated their new Social Search feature at the Web 2.0 conference to really get Internet marketing consultants excited. Although this new feature isn’t [...]

Internet Marketing Guru Matt Cutts Talks Sock Puppet Marketing

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:43:57 EDT

Last week Google’s Internet marketing Guru matt Cutts posted a new video in their Webmaster Central Channel on YouTube. I love these videos because they are short and to the post and without any pitch or longwinded verbiage cluttering the real message. The video that caught my eye was Matt Cutts’ discussion on Sock [...]

Google Degrades PageRank

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:13:21 EDT

Much to the surprise of many Internet marketing consultants, Google recently removed PageRank information from their Webmaster Tools. In a response to a posting on Google’s Webmaster Central forum, Susan Moskwa stated “We’ve been telling people for a long time that they shouldn’t focus on PageRank so much; many site owners seem to think it’s [...]

Thirty Top WordPress Plugins

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:41:54 EDT

If you’ve ever used WordPress, you know the mass of WordPress’ functionality resides in the plugins. Any high quality theme, blog, or website is loaded up with plugins. The problem is not the ability to locate plugins, but the plugin’s actual ability to work without the need for special coding. Below is a list of my [...]

When the Secret Service Goes After Social Media Misfits

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:48:25 EDT

Social media is not for everyone and the events of the last few days are a classic example of why this statement is true. Over the weekend a poll was released on Facebook that questioned the public’s desire to have someone kill President Obama. Yes, as amazing as it is, this story is [...]

SEO Consultants Listen Closely as Google Officially Announces Meta Keywords Are Dead

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 06:50:20 EDT

Google, and in particular Internet guru Matt Cutts, formally end SEO consultant chatter and announce Google’s policy of keyword utilization by posting a video on Google’s Webmaster Blog. In the very direct posting, Matt said Google no longer uses meta based keywords for primary organic search, but quantified this statement by also stating Google [...]

9/11 Remembered Through the Eyes of Social Media

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:57:44 EDT

I was sitting by my computer when the phone rang. My sister was calling my office in the middle of a workday, which was very odd. Did you hear was all I remember her saying and then silence – utter silence. I had not heard about the 9/11 attacks and quite frankly [...]

This Michigander is Thrilled to See Michigan Embrace Social Media with Pure Michigan Campaign

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:43:38 EDT

I am a born and raised “Michigander”. I am also, an Internet marketing consultant. This summer my two loves united as the State of Michigan embraced social media and pursued vacationers through hardcore social media and online advertising. I am not only a Michigan girl; I was raised in a very small northern Michigan [...]

Blogger Turns Ten and Still Dominates Competitors

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:31:23 EDT

Blogger is a Google application that is used by millions of people each month to produce and host personal and business-related blogs. Last month the application turned ten years old, which is rather old for Web2.0 applications. My first blog was hosted on Blogger and remnants of it still exist there today. [...]

How Long Does it Really Take to Get Indexed by Google?

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:30:27 EDT

It seems like just a few years ago it took Google forever to index a new URL and website. Well maybe not, but for anyone working on Internet marketing it felt like it took Google forever to index a new URL. Things have changed and Google is different these days. Remember the [...]

Get a Good Ping List and Ping Me Baby!

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:25:11 EDT

Ping list? What is a ping list and why do I need it? Website traffic is the answer! A ping list is a list of websites that will be notified automatically each time your website posts a new blog entry. It is simple, effortless, and a critical aspect to obtaining website visitors. [...]

July brings a Boohoo for Yahoo and Pal Bing

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:30:50 EDT

Search volume inched up from June to July, but this change didn’t benefit everyone. Both Yahoo and Bing lost paid referral traffic in July, while Google rose slightly. After all the fanfare and money Microsoft threw on Bing’s arrival, the search engine gossip and hall chatter only lasted for a short time. The newness [...]

Internet Addiction Disorder has Official Recovery Program

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 09:12:28 EDT

Seriously? Yes there is a disorder called Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) that now has an official recovery program available from a company called reSTART. The company’s website lists nine signs of Internet addiction and offers a twelve step program for recovery. Located in Washington state, this rehab program for techoholics offers a 45 day [...]

Social Media Marriages Continue as MySpace Proposes to iLike

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 16:31:51 EDT

Prior to launching my own Internet marketing company, I worked for an ERP software developer for almost a decade. I loved the company and the people, but was amazed at the industry. I watched in disbelief as Y2K came and went, and countless ERP software vendors evaporated through my ten year stint. [...]

Google Insights for Search is an SEO Consultant’s Dream Tool

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:10:04 EDT

I love Internet marketing because each day I learn something new and discover more SEO tools that make my job easier. As an avid Internet user and passionate online consultant, I try to forward these tips onto others. Today my tip is Google Insights for Search. As usual, Google continues to provide free and [...]

Top Ten Reasons I am Falling in Love with Matt Cutts

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:19:55 EDT

10. He knows SEO. 9. He knows SEO and is informative. 8. He knows SEO, is informative, and entertaining all at the same time. 7. He is a geek. 6. He is a geek and was an Internet geek way before it was cool. 5. He is a geek, was [...]

Wise Businesses Watch the Search Trends with Google Trends

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EDT

A very wise business owner I know frequently talks about search volume and search trends when discussing Internet marketing and in particular search engine optimization. He is a data guy, an entrepreneur, and a highly technical individual who always looks beyond simple numbers to peek behind them or even in front of them. [...]

Social Media Marriage Occurs as Facebook Agrees to Acquire FriendFeed

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 07:45:00 EDT

The world of social media is a buzz today as social networking giant Facebook announces the acquisition of FriendFeed. As part of the agreement, all FriendFeed employees will join Facebook and FriendFeed’s four founders will hold senior roles on Facebook’s engineering and product teams. Since I first tried FriendFeed, I’ve admired their team for creating such [...]

Google Releases Beta of New Search Functionality

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:04:45 EDT

It is an Internet junky’s dream – faster search AND a Google feedback request all in one day. Yes you heard that correctly, Google is developing next-generation architecture for their already incredibly popular web search feature. Should we expect anything less from Google? According to Google’s Webmaster Central Blog the new search technology [...]

Social Networking Users Revolt in Response to Recent DDoD Attacks

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:00:36 EDT

Last week was a rough week for the world of social media. Social networking sites from Twitter to Facebook were sluggish or taken down due to a denial of service attach, also know as DDoS. While some may dismiss these short-term issues, others are taking a closer look on the public’s reaction. While this [...]

Need Help With Your Tweets?

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:45:00 EDT

There are many Twitter applications available, but there is one I highly recommend for those who manage multiple Twitter accounts. Check out www.hootsuite.com for Twitter assistance and consolidation of accounts.

The Quest for Search Engine Friendly URLs

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EDT

Some may question if a given URL can be ugly, but to Google and other search engines, a URL can be as ugly as the shirt your grandmother gave you on Christmas. Successful Internet marketing and search engine optimization involves a large-scale project that includes a number of steps, tasks, and owners. Keeping the process in check and the plan moving forward takes experience and attention to detail. One of the most common elements of the plan that can be forgotten or missed is the use of quality URL’s that are search engine friendly (SEF).

Pimping my Website with Plugins

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EDT

Virtually everyone has heard of MTV’s Pimp my Ride. The world of web development has been blessed by a little friend called a plugin that allows webmaster’s to pimp their websites. A plugin is the webmasters best friend when designing personalized websites via open source (aka free) CMS (content management systems) like WordPress or Joomla. They are many times free or available for low subscriptions or onetime fees.

Bing, Bologna, or Just Bad?

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:15:00 EDT

Microsoft recently released a new search engine called Bing. This search engine is supposed to go head to head with Google, although in my opinion, this Bing vs. Google war is not much of a war at all. While Bing and Yahoo may be able to fight the good fight against each other, Bing is in no position to take on the well known behemoth Google. Google regularly amasses between 70-80% of search volume, which leaves little marketing and advertising dollars for those “other” search engines to vie for and actually obtain. Those who know Microsoft, know Microsoft has the funds and marketing knowledge to bring fast and furious attention to Bing. But does Bing have the strength to continue the current excitement? This Internet marketer says no, no way, and even no way Jose. There isn’t much meat to Bing and I fail to believe there is enough to keep visitors excited and to keep them coming back.

The SEO Consultant’s Biggest Mistake

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:15:00 EDT

Recently I heard an experienced SEO consultant state with pride and confidence, “I write for search engine spiders and not real people.” If ever there was a time to run for the hills, this would be the time. A quality and experienced SEO consultant will write solid content that is useful to website visitors as well [...]

Website Promotion Promises – Are They Real?

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EDT

If you have a website and your email is listed on the Internet, you’ve probably received unsolicited offers for increasing your website’s ranking on the Internet. Over the last few years, these offers seem to multiple like a virtual plague. I myself receive so many of these emails, they are perpetually trapped in my spam filter. If you’ve ever read these offers closely, you will quickly become suspicious. The emails come from gmail accounts without phone numbers or website addresses. They offer promises of first page ranking on Google and website traffic increases beyond your wildest expectations. And all of this is yours for little money and within record time.

The Twitter Confusion

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:45:00 EDT

The Los Angeles Times recently ran an article concerning a LinkedIn survey that questioned the general public’s knowledge of Twitter. Surprisingly enough, most didn’t have a clue what Twitter was or why they would use it. In fact, the reference to “most” meant 69% of people didn’t know enough to respond or comment on the social media site. Does this mean you should forget Twitter? Absolutely not! Twitter is growing by leaps and bounds. It can significantly help ranking of keywords and overall Internet marketing efforts. While not everyone is on the bandwagon, many are and this number is growing daily. As an Internet marketing consultant I am frequently amazed and also pleased at the growth of this website.

The ERP Selection Process

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:30:00 EDT

Developing your initial list of potential ERP vendors is a critical step in the ERP selection process. Your initial list of potential ERP suppliers will serve as the basis for which suppliers you will send Request for Information (RFI) documents. Suppliers’ responses to the RFI will in turn help you to eliminate some ERP vendors [...]

Improving Operational Efficency and Pricing Accuracy through Commodity Market-based Pricing

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:00:34 EDT

Within numerous food industries, including the cheese market, it is a common scenario for two businesses to agree to transact business together in a buy-sell relationship with the pricing set relative to a commodity market. For example, a given company may import cheese from another entity and then cut and pack that cheese for their [...]

Use Your ERP Software Implementation to Clean Up Your Garbage Data

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 18:36:54 EDT

A common concern many small business owners have when selecting a small business ERP software package is how they are going to be able to extract their existing data from their legacy software systems (QuickBooks, Excel, etc.) and transfer the data into their new ERP software solution. While migrating historical data into the new [...]

Criteria for Selecting High Service Factor Items

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:30:57 EDT

Inventory management is a key element in any sophisticated distribution software or manufacturing software solution. In Enterprise 21, inventory levels can be maintained on a product-by-product basis using a variety of inventory control methodologies. These include a simple reorder point with minimum and maximum values, safety stock level (measured in days supply on hand), and [...]

SaaS as a Viable Solution for the Small Business

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:07:46 EDT

When small businesses elect to implement an ERP software solution, they have a decision to make as it relates to hardware and operating platform. They can either purchase new hardware or move to a Software as Service (Saas) ERP platform in which businesses access their software application on the software vendor’s or a third-party service [...]

Leveraging Wholesale Distribution Software for Competitive Advantage – Delivering Value-Added Services

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:15:29 EDT

Businesses across all industries strive to gain and sustain a competitive advantage in their respective marketplaces. And, this is certainly just as true for wholesale distributors. One of the ways in which wholesale distributors strive to gain a competitive advantage is to deliver value-added services in conjunction with the products they source for [...]

Gomez Launches Cool Gizmo for Website Developers

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:48:58 EDT

Gomez just released a cool gizmo that reviews a website and displays how it looks across various browsers. Why does this matter some may ask? A single website page can look differently across different browsers such as Internet Explorer, Safari, or Firefox. In fact, different versions of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer can make the same website look different if it [...]

Creating Certificates Of Analysis And Pedigree Documents For Process Manufacturing

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:26:58 EDT

Safety and control – these are two words that are commonly heard when discussing key elements in today’s life sciences and food and beverage industries. Public and private sector entities alike are taking more action to make sure companies who do business in these industries are adhering to strong safety and control practices. One of [...]

The Specifics of Available and Capable to Promise Order Management for the Wholesale Distributor

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:00:10 EDT

A key functional element to any wholesale distribution software solution is order management. One’s ability to enter orders quickly and in an efficient manner can dramatically improve customer relations and service. As part of the order management process, a sophisticated distribution software solution should include both available-to-promise (ATP) and capable-to-promise (CTP) order management processes to [...]

Executive Dashboards: Analyzing Key Business Data for Decision-Making

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:52:28 EDT

Executives at organizations of all sizes require key business data to make informed decisions for future business practices, focus, and growth. As part of Enterprise 21’s decision support system, executives can readily gain visibility to key data and make informed decisions that will affect the future of their organizations by leveraging the analytical power of [...]

ERP System Implementation Continues After Initial Go-Live

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:14:17 EDT

OK - you’ve made it! After months of evaluating various ERP systems followed by more months of implementation, your business is now up and running on your new ERP software. Now you and your team can go back to business as usual and not give your software another thought - right? As [...]

When is Your Small Business Ready for an ERP System?

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:00:00 EDT

A common question small business owners ask themselves is when their business is ready to implement an ERP software application that will replace their existing small business software. Fortunately for the small business owner, there are a number of small business ERP software solutions on the market today that serve as a viable replacement for [...]

Training Takes on Many Forms – Observations from the Recently Completed TGI Users’ Conference

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:55:10 EDT

I have been sitting here smiling while thinking about the recently completed TGI Users’ Conference from early May 2009. I always enjoy these events. As the sales leader here at TGI, one of the best things about what I do is that I get the opportunity to meet and establish relationships with a lot of [...]

Establishing and Maintaining a Comprehensive Recall Management System

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:26:34 EDT

What do pistachios, cough and cold medicine, cheese, dietary supplements, cookies, fruit and nut blend, and alfalfa sprouts all have in common? They all appeared on the US FDA’s recalls, market withdrawals, and safety alerts list during April 2009. Many companies that believed they were immune to this process have recently had to initiate recalls. Some [...]

Food Distribution Software – Good Systems Enable Your Food Retail Customers to “Have it Their Way”

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:32:38 EDT

One of the ways in which businesses can elect to compete is through a strategy of customer intimacy. In other words, enabling companies to make it so easy for their customers to transact business with them that they’d be fools to go anywhere else. So, let’s explore how a customer intimacy strategy applies to the [...]