Mick Sharpe rounds up some great HOAs and content sources from the past week on Friday Favorites.

Mick Sharpe rounds up some great HOAs and content sources from the past week on Friday Favorites.

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Originally shared by Mick Sharpe

Curtains for Polls?

My sincerest apologies for the title of this week’s post but it was too good an opportunity to let pass! Any new feature here creates a little bit of a buzz and I’m sure your stream is awash with Poll posts. One piece caught my eye in the poll post profusion and that was from Ben Fisher. Will You Be Using G+ Polls For You Business? (http://goo.gl/Mll01a) has some very sensible tips if you’re here for business and were thinking about throwing a poll or two at your audience. I’m sure there will be lots more to come over the next few weeks.

It was great to see the return of Google+ Business Spotlight this week (http://goo.gl/Kb87bF). Stephan Hovnanian and Ben Fisher opened season 4 with a great guest in Adam Tratt of Haiku Deck. Kicking off with a wow moment that Haiku Deck’s four million users were drawn in through social alone Adam talked through their philosophy of keeping the creative process as pain-free as possible. Also very interesting to hear of how they use social and how they are committed to customer support. Great start to the new season guys.

Being helpful

If the title Is Your Marketing More Interesting than Your Customer's Wife? isn’t enough to attract your attention to this week’s #OnTrackTips show (http://goo.gl/Kl6ESB) the fact that Jason T. Wiser’s guest is Jay Baer should definitely have your interest well and truly piqued! The author of Youtility, Jay is a great believer in providing value in whatever you do and playing to your strengths. I found the section on web traffic particularly valuable for some of my customers - the numbers only matter when the visitors are doing something that impacts on your bottom line. As ever Jason packs an incredible amount into this 30 minute show so if you need a more detailed breakdown check out the #timestamp post from On Track Tips | Wiser Sites here (http://goo.gl/hXIwKT)

And if this has left you wanting a little more from Jay then take a look a Mark Traphagen’s Live Blog of Jay Baer’s Pubcon Keynote Presentation (http://goo.gl/mXkuxS). Mark has done a great job to capture the presentation (confirmed in the comments where Jay thanks Mark for his killer notes ) Well worth a read.

Road Warrior Eric Enge introduced this First Tuesday #DMShow from #Pubcon (definitely power in HOAs!) Looking at Scaling the Semantic Web (http://goo.gl/fj2as0) Eric kicked off with the Stone Temple Consulting research into knowledge type results in searches through Google Now, Siri and Cortana with David Amerland and Mark Traphagen joining in with a data dense discussion of the latest in semantic search. I found the live demonstration around the Empire State building particularly impressive. Search really has come a long way. About midway there is a section on the role of Google+ in the future of search and the latest post from Dave Besbris. Fantastic as always and unmissable. Not enough time to watch? Then take a look at RightStart Websites’s #timestamp review of this HOA (http://goo.gl/GGN66E)

More Amerland wisdom in Identity and Reputation in the Semantic Web (http://goo.gl/b9FyRP) This is one of those complete posts that is destined to be reshared in perpetuity. Bookmark it now or share it to your private community and make sure to read it.

I almost missed the 10th #SMTPowerTalk The Visual Power of Hangouts (http://goo.gl/uuhTAa) - I’ve got to make a note to keep an eye open next month! David Amerland, Yifat Cohen and Kristin Drysdale talk about their use of Hangouts (and Google+) and what it means to them and their business. As Yifat explains Google+ makes it very easy to listen which is always the starting point for developing strong relationships. Hangouts really drive the process of connecting at a human level, allowing trust to develop rapidly, perhaps more so than in close physical proximity. Another fascinating show.

Do you actually need a website?

As a web developer it may surprise you to know that I sometimes advise potential clients that they don’t need a website. Why? No it’s not because I don’t need any money. It’s because a  website, for some, would not be the best way to invest their time and/or money at that point. It would be much more valuable for them to spend that time building relationships in the places where their potential customers can be found. That, in essence, is the message that can be gleaned from an informative video series from Google Webmasters introduced to me in Joshua Berg’s Bring your business online—no site required! (http://goo.gl/2jcmCj). Even if you need a website, and yes most of you do ;-), this series is definitely worth a look as it will help clarify your objectives especially if you’re just starting out.

Controlling the flow

Some timely advice from John Skeats if you need to know How to Get Rid of Junk in Your Google+ Home Stream (http://goo.gl/RchucF) that’s as useful for those new to G+ as it is for seasoned veterans. John covers the four reasons for junk posts appearing in your stream and more importantly how to nip it in the bud. Many thanks John.

A cosmopolitan Midweek Marketing Mix (http://goo.gl/T3OpWb) this week with panelists from Italy, Brazil, Canada and the UK. James Dearsley introduces individual sections with his usual aplomb. Kath Dawson starts with the latest Panda update and a discussion about thin content. Bottom line if you haven’t got it by now is do the things that benefit your visitors and you’ll be OK in search. Ello occupies the next segment with Nazim Beltran giving an overview of the newest social media kid on the block. The latest Google+ news is delivered by martin shervington including an interesting diversion into Social SEO. And watch out for the falling palm leaf! Anna Bennett wraps up with a discussion around Pinterest and I was a little shocked to learn that most Pinterest users in the UK are men (I must get pinning more or at least some!). Another diverse and well executed show backed up by the ever helpful #timestamp post from The Digital Marketing Bureau here (http://goo.gl/GBPFEL)

Thinkers corner

Colin Walker looks at change and some of the arguments offered for and against in Because always (http://goo.gl/447w4Q) I’ve certainly been on both sides of a change and I’m totally in agreement with Colin on this one - because it’s always been this way is not a sensible counter to either side. Change, in any organisation, is at best, a disruptive process so it should demand a considered appraisal of the merits, or otherwise, of any proposed changes. I suppose the main problem area is when change is imposed because of a need to cut costs rather than an improvement in the service. That then becomes more personal and we see the familiar because it’s always... lines offered up. Thanks Colin.

As if by magic the Poll post I was waiting for just popped into my stream. It is, of course, from that questioner extraordinaire, todd l lebeauc. In The Good of the Many vs
The Good of the Few (or the One) (http://goo.gl/6StnMb) Todd raises the question of ethics and the problems of bias, polarisation and the ability to change yor vote. Thanks for putting this out there Todd.

And finally…

Eli Fennell has been giving Steiner the rough treatment again in Hitler Finds Out About Ello (http://goo.gl/SYgcQB) I always enjoy Eli’s video memes and this one will have you chuckling away. I’m off to ebay to pick up a $5 invite ;D


Have a great weekend wherever you are

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Created by Mick Sharpe of Bitingedge