Google is slowly changing the rules of the game. It is happening slowly but it is here to stay. Real time search is permeating our daily habits, the way we approach information. Although the average user is still reluctant to click on the search options and keep an eye on the latest results for more than five minutes, it is true that we are getting more demanding. This morning news are old. The classic media, even Google news, are outdated. There is a certain lag and sometimes getting the scoop that happened seconds ago makes the difference. Of course there is the broadcaster and the consumer. The vast majority of mortals cannot afford to stay 24/7 in front of a screen classifying the right stuff to give their social network the most relevant news. This implies that some people will accept being passive users and rely on the service of the broadcaster in their social circle. And this need is getting stronger than ever cause sources increase in number and speed, and trust is becoming an asset. Some time ago CNN was perhaps the most reliable source to stay up-to-date on recent events. They are still good at that but twitterers have proven to be efficient reporters, so efficient that traditional newspapers have had to accept the inevitable and implement real time widgets on their sites. And if the hot news are no more in the hands of newspaper tycoons but in the mouths of social broadcasters then you might as well be one of them.
Information is not controlled by a few anymore. Now we fully depend on the power of the cloud, the number of synapses in a neuronal system. It is time to build our social network and that my friend cannot be achieved in the isolated cell of your blog. Those times when SERPs were determined by a few keywords and a high PR are becoming rather obsolete.
1. Create and/or improve your Google Profile: Apparently Google is giving more relevance to your profile. At first it was just a pretty silly page but this year its importance has grown exponentially, up to the point that all your social circle is going to swirl around that list of innocent links you personally suggest at least for Google. They position of your links in that list seems to count so try to place your faves way up. Social search now in open beta can give you an idea of how the profile influences your circle and the results given by Google.
2. Use Google Reader as your headquarters: It takes some time to get how Reader works. It may be boring to many but it is so far the most powerful tool to control the enormous flow of items incessantly coming your way. You have to be familiar with feeds and keep it clean, nicely classified in folders. Don’t hesitate collecting as many feeds as you can but always sifting the right stuff from the useless source. I personally have thousands of feeds although I specially visit my tech and socia media folders. Keep those faves more visible. If you are using Firefox there is a nice plug-in to add PostRank to Google Reader so you always find the most popular stuff and save some time. Sharing is absolutely important. As you can see you’ve got a sharing section on your sidebar. Work on your shared items page and promote that with a link somewhere else, for example, your own Google profile! Find friends from your contacts inside reader and connect with them. This way of interaction is proving to be more relevant for Google.
3. Subscribe in as many social networks as you can and link to your Google profile if you can. Your profile is now your headquarters so it makes more sense to send your interaction over there for it to distribute the stream to your blog or web.
4. Examine real time search results and watch behavior of the latest results as they appear. What do you see? Mostly Twitter and Friendfeed. That is where you want to be then. Try to send relevant tweets that call people’s attention or share attractive stuff in Friendfeed, preferably commenting others’ shares or simply liking some. Be honest though.
5. Build up your social circle, expand it, nourish it at least once a day. Every member counts. Don’t just go for the big shots. That’s a mistake. Cohesion in the cloud is a must. Remember chess, you can beat a king with just the pawns.
6. Think more in terms of followers and the influence of your networks than in Google PR. Basically because Google is already doing so!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Carlos excelente articulo. Como para sentarse a revisar todos los contactos .
.-= Luis Gomez´s last blog ..DC After The Snowstorm =-.
Tienes razón. Sin duda es algo tedioso y necesita tiempo. Pero las cosas estan cambiando y si quieres estar bien indexado habrá que echarle un ojo. La verdad es que no sé en que va a parar pero es lo que hay. Sea lo que sea es para mejor. Gracias por el comentario Luis!