Online safety in the new world

For the last few years, I’ve enjoyed working in the online world because, for the most part, if we make a really big mistake, nobody gets seriously hurt.  Sure someone could get mad about incorrect information or even get sued, but this pales in comparison to risks associated with other occupations.  Compare that to my step-father who is an anesthesiologist.  If he has a bad day on the job, someone could be seriously injured or even die!

New world – new considerations

So the online world is relatively safe to participate in, or so I thought until I read an article this week about the military warning soldiers against using social websites to identify where they are.  The article went on to specifically mention sites like Facebook, FourSquare and Google where you can “check in” to your location so you can earn points with that merchant as well as let your friends know where you are.

Obviously in the military world, this can have “life or death” consequences as it relates to unknowingly leaking sensitive information that an enemy might find useful.  The concerns are legitimate enough to prompt a warning from senior Air Force officials to raise awareness among the troops.

What does this mean for you?

If you’re not a soldier, does this sort of thing not matter?  I say it does.  Just a few months ago, a friend of mine was out of town and his house was robbed.  He is absolutely convinced that someone with his network of “friends” saw his Facebook post about a vacation picture and initiated the crime.

Realistically, every time you “check in” on one of these social websites, you are telling your friends where you are – as well as where you are not.  And this information could impact your safety in any number of ways.

I can trust my “friends”

At the core of the issue is how closely you guard your personal information on social websites, and how judicious you are when selecting “friends” online.  If you limit your online networking to people you know closely – this would seem to limit the risk.

However, if you are connected on Facebook with 200 people you haven’t seen in 20 years from high school that’s another story.  For many people, the social website interaction is they have with people they would otherwise never see or talk to.

So in this case, a little common sense goes a long way.  Be careful about who you friend and don’t feel compelled to check in or post your out of town photos all the time, no matter what the internet marketing gurus suggest.

A Google change everyone will like

How many times have you wondered what a site looked like before you clicked on it?  If you’re like me, you often have that unsure feeling that the site being offered in search results might not be legitimate – or might not have what you want.

If you’ve ever had that feeling, than last week was a good one for you thanks to Google’s new Instant Preview feature.

Why Didn’t They Think of This Sooner?

Google preview is available by clicking on the new magnifying glass which appears next to the page title in search results.  When clicked, it pops out a wonderful screen filled with useful information such as:

• Full preview of the web page
• Highlights of the content relevant to your search

You can then click on either the Google listings, or the preview in order to visit the page.

What You Can Learn

Those of us who work in internet marketing know that Google has always been known for presenting quality sites even if they weren’t nice to look at.  However, now with the preview tool, those sites that are more appealing to look at have a better chance of getting the click.

Think about it – if you preview 2-3 sites before clicking and one is a nice looking site with clearly presented information, and the other is a dated looking site with hard to read text – which one would you click on.

So the lesson for site owners is that, sooner or later, nice looking sites will have an increased advantage over crummy ones – even in seo.

Kudos to Google (Again)

No matter what your opinion of Google, you have to admire their willingness to experiment with a good thing.  Google is the undisputed leader in search marketing with somewhere around 70% of all internet searches (depending on what study you look at).  And instead of resting on their success, they continue to push the envelope with new services designed to improve user experience.

Embracing new Google qualification standards

In 2010, Google officially retired their “Google Advertising Professionals” program and replaced it with a new, tougher Google Certified Partner certification.  The new program requires you to pass at least 2 exams related to the Google Advertising program.

Effective November 1st, we are pleased to announce that Andre’ Savoie has earned this new certification!  Congratulations.

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