Category: Marketing

SEO vs GEO

Is SEO Dead?

Over the past few months I’ve had several people ask me whether SEO is dead. In this post I will answer that question in full, however the short answer is here: No, SEO is not dead. Many people believe there is a battle going on between SEO vs GEO (generative engine optimization), but it’s not so much of a battle and more like an evolution.

Search Engine Evolution

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is evolving as everything in the digital space is evolving. In fact the search landscape is constantly evolving. As search engines update their algorithms, paid search changes and industry professionals game the search ecosystem in black hat and white hat ways, the field of search adapts to change faster than a tadpole becomes a frog.

Remember when mobile phones became smart phones demanding that all websites needed to be mobile responsive? That didn’t mean that regular desktop websites were dead.

Remember when social media became mainstream and people wondered whether social media would have any impact on search engine result placements (SERPs)? Social signals started to play and continue to play a role in off-page SEO.

The advent of Generative AI and the activity of using Gen AI to search has not replaced SEO, but rather extended it. Search is no longer only something we do on search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and DuckDuckGo to name a few, and it hasn’t been for quite some time. Search has actually been prominent on many other sites than those typically thought of when SEO is mentioned.

For example:

  • YouTube is a search engine and has been the second largest search engine for many years.
  • Pinterest is not only a site where you pin and save what interests you, it is also very much a search engine.
  • TikTok is a search engine and TikTok shop relies heavily on people searching for products they’ve seen in ads.
  • Instagram is a search engine.

We search on the platforms we use.

Search EVERYWHERE Optimization

Many experts in the traditional SEO world are now starting to using SEO as “Search Everywhere Optimization” instead of “Search Engine Optimization” since we understand that search is an activity not limited to search engines. In fact all content whether on an owned website, in a press release, in social posts, in user generated content, in ads or offline media impact whether someone searches and finds information about your brand.

The more visible your business is, i.e. the more your brand is “everywhere,” the more likely people will search for your brand. The goal today is to be “everywhere” so that people think of your brand when they need what you offer.

I’ve been in the search space since before Google was invented. Yes, that ages me, and it also gives me valuable perspective. I’ve seen many changes and followed many trends in the search space and generative engine optimization or answer engine optimization is the next wave of search evolution.

So, let’s take a dive in to SEO vs GEO, also know as AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), AIEO (AI Engine Optimization), LLMEO (Large Language Model Engine Optimization).

SEO vs. GEO: How to Optimize for Both Search Engines and Generative AI

Introduction

Search engine optimization (SEO) has been a cornerstone of digital visibility for over two decades. But the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Bing Copilot, and Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is reshaping how users find and consume information. Enter Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) or Answer Engine Optimization (AIEO) — a new frontier for content visibility that coexists with, but differs from, traditional SEO.

In this blog post, we’ll break down:

  • What SEO and GEO/AIEO are
  • How they compare
  • Real-world examples of GEO in action
  • What remains essential from an SEO perspective
  • How to craft content optimized for both

Let’s dive into the evolving world of content optimization.

What Is SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) refers to the practice of optimizing digital content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), primarily on Google, Bing, and Yahoo. The goal is to drive organic traffic to websites by targeting search intent, using keyword research, backlinks, structured data, and technical best practices.

Key Elements of SEO:

  • Keyword optimization
  • On-page content quality
  • Technical SEO (site speed, mobile UX, indexing)
  • E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness
  • Link building and internal linking

What Is GEO or AIEO?

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), also referred to as Answer Engine Optimization (AIEO), is the practice of structuring content in ways that are useful to generative AI tools that synthesize and summarize information. These tools don’t show a list of blue links, and they respond with synthesized answers, often citing their sources.

Examples of Generative Engines:

  • ChatGPT with Browse Mode (OpenAI)
  • Perplexity.ai
  • Google’s SGE (in Search Labs)
  • Bing Copilot

GEO Focuses On:

  • Providing concise, factual, and citation-friendly content
  • Structuring answers in clear formats (FAQs, bullet points, summaries)
  • Establishing brand and topical authority

Similarities Between SEO and GEO

Despite serving different kinds of search behavior, SEO and GEO share some foundational principles:

  1. Content Quality Still Reigns: Both prioritize high-quality, relevant, and informative content.
  2. Intent Matching: Content must align with what the user is asking.
  3. E-E-A-T Is Still Essential: Google and AI models favor trustworthy, authoritative content sources.
  4. Structured Content Wins: Using headings, lists, tables, and schema markup helps both crawlers and AI understand your content.

Key Differences: SEO vs. GEO

FeatureSEO (Search Engines)GEO (Generative Engines)
GoalRank in Google SERPsBe cited or referenced by AI answers
Format Optimized ForTitle tags, meta descriptions, H1s, snippetsSummaries, structured facts, citations
DiscoverabilityIndexed URLsCrawled and contextually understood
Role of BacklinksCritical for rankingLess important than source clarity
Citation ImportanceOptional for SEOVital for inclusion in AI responses

Use Case Examples of GEO in Action

  1. Real Estate Agency
    • Search: “Best neighborhoods in Denver for families”
    • GEO Strategy: Publish localized guides with maps, school scores, and original insights. Use headings like “Top 5 Family-Friendly Areas in Denver” with bullet-point highlights.
  2. Healthcare Provider
    • Search: “What are the signs of chronic fatigue syndrome?”
    • GEO Strategy: Provide medically-reviewed answers with citations, FAQs, and markdown-style formatting to help AI extract and summarize accurately.
  3. SaaS Brand
    • Search: “How to create a dashboard in Tableau”
    • GEO Strategy: Include step-by-step guides, screenshots, and downloadable templates. Ensure that explanations are clean and educational, ready to be cited.

How to Optimize for Generative Engines

  1. Answer Questions Clearly
    • Write in a way that directly answers common search questions.
    • Use subheadings like “How to,” “What is,” and “Why you should.”
  2. Use Structured Formats
    • Bullet points, tables, numbered lists, and FAQs are easier for LLMs to parse.
  3. Include Citable Facts
    • Reference data, studies, or industry sources (link to them).
    • Include dates and stats to make content more quotable.
  4. Build Topical Authority
    • Don’t just write one-off articles. Build topic clusters around core subjects.
    • Example: a real estate blog with guides on mortgages, neighborhoods, and moving tips.
  5. Publish Consistently
    • AI tools tend to surface content from active, trustworthy domains.

What’s Still Essential from SEO?

GEO doesn’t replace SEO—it builds on it. Traditional SEO fundamentals are still needed:

  • Schema Markup: Helps both crawlers and AIs understand your content’s structure.
  • Mobile & Speed Optimization: User experience still matters for both traffic and visibility.
  • Keyword Research: Tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and AlsoAsked can guide content structure.
  • Internal Linking: Boosts topic authority and discoverability.
  • Natural Language Writing: AI understands human-style writing better than keyword stuffing.

Recommended Tools for GEO + SEO

What’s Next? The Future Is Hybrid

As AI engines reshape how users find and consume content, the best strategy is not to abandon SEO but to evolve it. By aligning your content with both human intent and AI comprehension, you can future-proof your visibility in both traditional and generative search landscapes.

Smart marketers will recognize: it’s no longer just about ranking on search engines — it’s about being referenced in AI Overviews and Answer Engines. It’s not SEO vs GEO, it’s Search Everywhere Optimization.

Action Items

  • Audit your existing content for AI-friendliness
  • Experiment with formatting and summaries
  • Monitor how your brand appears in generative tools
  • Stay agile as SGE and LLMs evolve

Need help optimizing for both SEO and GEO? Let’s talk.

Marketing, Search, searchmarketing, SEO, SEO
Radio Broadcast

Radio Ad For Maximized Attention and Efficiency

Over the summer I had the pleasure of working with one of my former social media students on a mini-project that has nothing to do with social media. Meya Block wrote the script, recorded special effects and mixed the spot to be right at 30 seconds and I think it came out quite well.

This radio ad spot aired on two channels in the Stockton/Modesto, California area in September and October.

Take a listen and let us know what you think!

Did you know? A radio ad or podcast ad will drive more attention than TV and Digital ads

A study in 2023 by Dentsu and Lumen Research found that for every 1,000 impressions, Audio delivers more attentive seconds, i.e. people pay attention for longer to audio ads than ads on TV, display, online video and social media.

“The ear soon remembers what the eye soon forgets.” Auditory memory often lasts longer than visual memory.

Audio drives more attention than TV and digital

Furthermore, the cost to advertise with a radio ad or podcast ad is incrementally cheaper than other media. aCPM or Attention Cost per Thousand seconds is the most cost effective with Radio and Podcast media.

Attention Cost Per Thousand Seconds Across Media. Radio is the most cost effective at $0.40 aCPM

If you’re interested in developing an radio or podcast spot, let’s talk!

Advertising, Marketing, Radio
Am I A Bad Person? Nike

Am I A Bad Person?

I love this ad for 3 reasons. 

First, because it’s all too familiar. The desire to win is what drives us whether we are athletes, spectators, fans, friends or enemies. It reminds me of “Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Beautiful” and brings home the fact that to win you need an edge. The edge that might seem mean, self-centered, even evil. 

Yet this is the edge that gets the work done and the mindset that forges the way ahead for the winners.

Secondly, I love it because the background music is from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony which is a piece that even if you don’t know it by name, you have likely heard it before because it is iconic. The piece is about the brotherhood of man, one of Beethoven’s final compositions that he wrote while he was going deaf, yet it transcends with the awe inspiring melody. This Symphony was innovative for its time as it has a full chorus in the last movement for the “Ode to Joy” which you hear at the end of the ad signifying the immense joy of winning. And what better music to pair with team and individual triumphs in sports than a full orchestra and chorus singing about the power of human spirit and unity.

Beethoven’s 9th was written almost exactly two centuries ago and had more that 6 million streams on Spotify by 2020. For classical music, that’s a big W.

Sidenote: I am grateful to have had the opportunity to play Beethoven’s Ninth in the orchestra as 1st clarinet. Hearing it from the stage in a live performance is a treasured memory for me.

If you haven’t heard it, go listen to it now. Go. Now. And listen to it a few times. You will love it.

The third and final reason why I love this ad is because of the question. “Am I A Bad Person?” begs an answer. It beckons the viewer into consideration, into judgement, which makes us watch all the way to the end. That’s an excellent ad.

Like “Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Beautiful” asks the recipient of the statement to consider it’s validity – is it true? Do I hate? Is the person beautiful? Whether they are or not, are they arrogant for saying it? Or is their confidence inspiring? 

“Am I A Bad Person?” echoes of the same arrogance and confidence which compels respect and if you’re anything like me, you’re smiling in admiration, because the answer is likely no. We all want to win and appreciate the desire to win. Winning may not be for everyone, but everyone wants a win.

Advertising, Innovation, Marketing, TV, Video

Personal Branding Opinion: You Are a Brand

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Personal Branding, Are You An Advocate?

A recent tweet from @KeithBDixon noted that the contents of Chapter 2 of my book was in direct conflict with Sheryl Sandberg’s opinion. This post explains why we have differing opinions on personal branding. (Thank you Keith for posting and responding to my question about your post.)

Like, Follow, Share tweet about personal branding

In Brian Clark’s article on TheNextWeb.com, he reports that Sheryl Sandberg does not think she has a brand, and that she believes she is only using her voice.  I beg to differ. I believe that the fact that she is a household name, whether Sheryl Sanberg article on personal brandingshe likes it or not, means she has a brand.

And here’s why: Personal branding is about reputation. Your personal brand is a way for us to determine whether or not you are someone we can trust.

Your customers define your brand.

A brand is something bestowed on a product, idea or person by the audience bestowing it. Just like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so brand recall, brand loyalty and brand trust comes from the customers of the brand. Nike isn’t Nike because of the marketing it does or how it is packaged. It is a brand because over time it has become something people understand to have a specific meaning and with that meaning comes a level of trust.

 

Building a brand comes from providing something that the audience can feel, align with and rally around. The fact that Nike is much more famous than Inov-8 doesn’t mean that Inov-8 is not a brand. All other things being equal, Nike has just been around for longer and has earned more money to promote itself (aka brand) with, but customers still give the brand it’s voice.

 

Think about this statement for a minute:

You are who you are in the listening.

 

You are no-one if all you do is sit in your living room never communicating with anyone. Do you want to be known or unknown? Do you want to be famous or infamous? When you start talking to people, sharing yourself via social channels, traditional media outlets, writing books, speaking publicly, you are building a reputation and a brand around who you are so that people can figure out if you are the right person for them to hire, friend, partner with, marry, look up to, date, and refer to others. Whenever you are in the media whether it is social or traditional, you are building your personal brand.

 

We buy or don’t buy from Patagonia because we believe in the quality of the product and the ideals and philosophies upon which the company stands. We support the company and give money in exchange for goods because we believe we are getting something we want from a brand we trust. And just as brands are built by customers, voices are built by listeners. If no-one is listening, you have no voice. If everyone is listening, you have a voice and you become a spokesperson for whatever venture you are currently on whether it is Facebook, feminism or your own personal story.

 

It’s about building trust.

 

Building a personal brand may not be something that Sheryl feels she is doing, but it’s something she has been doing all her life. By telling her story in Lean In, by sharing the loss of her husband so openly on Facebook, she opened her heart to the public and let us know more about her. That is trust building. That’s what she means when she talks about being authentic and sharing her voice. She absolutely has a voice and moreover, she has a brand. She just doesn’t know it, because she doesn’t feel like she has put in any effort, i.e. money to build it, but oh she so has. The more famous you become, the bigger your voice is. That’s because people recognize you as a brand.

 

We consumers form ideas about who you are, when we hear or read your name.

 

We listen to Sheryl Sandberg because she has built our trust through the number of people she has been able to acquire as followers and fans. Unfortunately those who have the biggest voices are also those who have the biggest reputations. And just like product brands who we associate thoughts with before hearing any more than their brand name, so personal brands have the same effect.

So, whether you read Sheryl Sandberg, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Ben Parr, Sophie-Charlotte Moatti, Neil Patel, Danny Sullivan, Rand Fishkin, Avinash Kaushik, Seth Godin or your own name here, [insert name here], each of us known by our history, what we have contributed, said, posted, experienced and accomplished. Your personal branding is about how many people have seen or heard about those accomplishments and experiences.

 

Today more than ever, in a world of countless opportunities to have a voice, and how you shape your personal brand matters. Your reputation precedes you. You are a brand.

Facebook, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter

What is WeChat?

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WeChat, We-what?

How to WeChatMany of you many already feel very comfortable using the big social networks that dominate the U.S. market, but have you ever thought about social networking in other countries? You may have heard of a WeChat? It’s a social network dominant in China. Have you ever wondered how it works? One of my very smart and talented students, Fann Liu, has created a quick little video to explain it.

There are many cool features which our trusty Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Google+ (ahem), and YouTube should consider to enhance the user experience on each of these platforms. Let me tell you about some of them here:

WeChat Features You Might Enjoy

  1. Message Recall – On WeChat, you can recall a message you’ve sent within 2 minutes. This could be very useful if you send something by mistake. Remember that text you sent to our Mom which was actually meant for your new love? That could have been saved with a recall button.
  2. Sending Money – We have this on Facebook and Snapchat, yet very few people are using it yet. Do you use it? And, what do you use it for?
  3. QR Code Connecting – It’s on Snapchat, but it seems easier to use on WeChat.
  4. Chat Groups – You can chat with up to 500 people at the same time. Yes, 500! That’s a lot! This may be similar to a live video on Facebook, Instagram or Periscope. Furthermore, it could also be reminiscent of the days of listservs and forums, but it seems like an excellent way to communicate with large groups of people. Think about inviting people to events and forming social movements.
  5. Easy Privacy Settings – Moments, like stories on Snapchat, and now Instagram and Facebook, don’t have to be shared with everyone. You can easily block and allow any selection of friends to view your content.
  6. English Version – There is an English version of WeChat, but it only includes about one fifth of the features available on the Chinese version. Wow! Are you experiencing any FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) yet? Download the iPhone app here.
  7. Payment Features – WeChat enables multiple forms of payment and many businesses in East Asia are connected to WeChat. This allows you to pay via the app and QR codes. I’m betting Facebook and Snapchat would love for people to start using their apps for payments. Afterall, when something helps me with my money, it is extremely valuable to me.

Where do we go from here?

As with many technologies, we in the U.S.A. may not be at the forefront of all advancements. I believe it’s crucial to stay informed about what people in other countries are doing especially on their mobile devices, because we’re in a time of prolific innovation in the mobile space. If we remain open-minded to cultural differences and technological progress in other countries, we can push the bounds of our own apps, websites, and businesses processes.

Marketing, Social Media

3 Ways to Guarantee Getting a Link Request

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Link Requests Are Not Always This Easy

I recently received the email below from a student who took my Maximizing Your Visibility: Search and Social Media Marketing courses at SF State College of Extended Learning last year.

Andy was an absolute gem to work with and I’m very excited that his business MealPro has finally launched. I’ve also become a customer and can testify that the meals are delicious, but that’s not what this post is about.

The email below is an example of a perfect link request. As you may know, having more inbound links, or links pointing to your website is important in terms of search engine optimization, because the engines see sites with more (and high quality) inbound links as more valuable when ranking them in search engine results.

Link building is one of the most time consuming and challenging areas of SEO, so its important to be strategic and understand the nuances of link requests.

When requesting a link, it helps to be personal and say something nice to the recipient of your message. Now I know Andy learned a lot in my class, but he didn’t have to say those nice things to ask for a link. In his email, he did three things correctly:

  1. Capture the recipients attention with a personal touch.

    The fact that he reached out though, remembered that I had asked him to keep in touch and went to my website to look around, makes me really want to add a link to his business on my site.

  2. Provide an easy way for the recipient to look at the site you are requesting a link for.

    Andy provided a quick and easy link with a picture and I was very impressed to see the latest version of his site with new logo and fully functioning order processing.

  3. Ask for a link in an unassuming way and show gratitude

    Andy says, “I noticed you have a section on your website for clients you have helped. Please feel free to add MealPro to the list.”
    Not only does he not assume that he will get the link, but he is also saying thank you for my help which makes me feel good and when I feel good it makes me want to help him more.

MealPro Email Screenshot

Well done Andy, you made me proud and I wish you every success with your new business and career!

Your Turn:

What are your favorite ways to ask for links back to your website?

Marketing, SEO , ,

The Power of Help in Marketing

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The Power of Help in Marketing

In his book Youtility: Why Smart Marketing is about Help Not Hype, Jay Baer extolls the value of smart marketing by providing self-serve information, radical transparency and real-time relevancy. I love this philosophy and look for it in my own interactions with businesses. Here are three recent experiences about the power of help for marketing your business.

1. Women’s Plumbing Repair

I had a leaking shower-tub faucet, so I searched for a “plumber near 94612” and found “Women’s Plumbing Repair” on Yelp. The reviews looked excellent so I called. Instead of getting a receptionist though, I got an answering machine message saying, “Please do not leave a message here as I have hundreds of messages that I’m unable to check. If you need help, please call or text my cellphone number at …” I was surprised by this message, but also impressed, because if they had so many messages on their voicemail. To me, that meant they must be busy and therefore good at what they do. So I called and left a message on the cell number. Jac called me back and left me a message this time. She said to send her a text with the details of when we could meet etc, so I did and we scheduled something. Since I figured she would likely need a part for the faucet, I asked her if she wanted a photo and here’s what ensued.

1 Power of Help 1 SMS conversation 2 Power of Help 2 SMS conversation

3 Power of Help 3 SMS conversation 4 Power of Help 4 SMS conversation

Not only did she tell me how to get the part, but she also referred me to a supplier who could help me source the part, and she told me that I could do the work myself. Wow! She didn’t want to charge me. Yes, my job was small, but I was quite willing to pay to get it done. Instead of her taking every project, Jac is building up goodwill by being super helpful. As the Yelp reviews and her full voicemail box attest, the power of help is definitely working.

I got the diverter part from the manufacturer and another one from the supplier and both were free. I did need some help installing it, but I was able to get that from Jason, my handy HOA maintenance person who I’ll talk about next. Oh and one more thing, since this post is about marketing and social media, my neighbor Philip offered to help anyone having a similar problem on Facebook through our private neighborhood group, so all in all it was very much a community project. Philip showed me how to remove the faucet, Jason helped me drill away some of the travertine (marble) to allow for the new diverter to be installed and Jac helped me find the part.

I am extremely grateful to all three people here and was particularly impressed by Jac’s helpfulness. I definitely know who to call if I have a bigger plumbing issue or need to refer a plumber to someone. In fact if you’re ever in need of a plumber in the Oakland area, I recommend you call Women’s Plumbing.

2. Jason Parker HOA Maintenance

The Power of Help for Marketing on Facebook, an example of a post from Jason Parker, HOA Maintenance manJason Parker is a handyman who helped our HOA on various small projects in the building. He has built a reputation for being helpful not just by fixing things and helping people install new lights, TV mounts and electrical wiring, but also because of the tips he offers on Facebook from time to time, just for the good of the community. Every few weeks, Jason posts a tip to our private group page which is very helpful. He doesn’t ask if anyone needs help or offer his services. He simply provides useful information out of the blue. This is usually information which someone might need and use at some point, but it is unsolicited and just plain helpful. What this does is keep Jason top of mind for building residents and homeowners. It also makes people feel like they know and understand Jason and that he can be trusted. Then the next time someone needs some done work in the building, who do you think they think of first? That’s right Jason Parker HOA Maintenance man is who. He’s also available via text and phone and is just a really good guy. He has used power of help to build strong relationships with residents of our building and in so doing, we trust him and think of him first for any odd jobs that we need to get done.

3. Smog Fail Repair

I recently needed to get my smog check certificate for renewing my registration and took my car to the nearest Smog Test station. To my surprise, the car failed. How horrifying! The tester told me that I could get the car repaired by my mechanic or any smog repair shop and also that I could apply for financial assistance from the State of California to offset some of the expenses. I asked if the failure could be due to the cooler weather or the car being cold and the tester said no. The tester also indicated that the car had failed quite substantially, so I was very concerned.

I have a 1998 BMW 323is and have been taking it to Bavarian Professionals for years. (I was referred to them by a friend I trust.) I drove home from the Smog test station and called Bavarian Professionals. I told them that my car had failed the smog test and they said they would be happy to schedule an appointment, but I might want to try driving the car for a bit longer before getting a smog retest. They recommended driving the car for at least 15 minutes on the freeway before getting the car tested again, apparently because the catalytic converter takes a while to warm up. They could easily have taken my car in and charged me for a diagnostic and any repair they felt like doing, but instead they told me the truth about the car and offered a free solution. I said I would try that first before scheduling an appointment, so a couple of weeks later, I did just that. I drove the car on the freeway for about 30 minutes and then took into into the same smog test station as I had been to before. The car passed the test easily and there were no questions asked. What a relief! If I had spoken to a mechanic who was just trying to get money out of me, I probably could have spent a few hundred dollars on needless repair. I am extremely grateful for the honesty of Bavarian Professionals who once again rose to the occasion to earn my trust. Their power of help leads to happy and loyal customers like me. I will always take my car to them for service.

Lessons from these examples:

  1. While it may be tempting to take any job that comes your way, think about it from a longer view perspective. How many people would have heard about the service provider if each of the above people had just taken the job instead of being helpful? And how many people will hear about them since they were helpful? That’s right, a lot more.
  2. Doing the right thing earns trust and trust is crucial to staying in business and earning more work than you can handle.
  3. Make sure your car’s engine is nice and warmed up before you get a smog check.
  4. Always offer value and treat your customers like you would treat your friends.
  5. As Jay Baer says: “Smart marketing is about help, not hype.” Helping earns trust. Being helpful can be a powerful marketing tool.

Your turn:

Have you had any experiences in which you were particularly wowed by the customer service or “un-marketing” of a business or service professional? What does the power of help mean to you? Please share your experience in the comments below. Thank you!

business, Facebook, Marketing, Social Media

5 Steps to Viral Video

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One of my students recently shared a video with me that I hadn’t seen before in true word of mouth marketing style. The video is about a boy who held on to his dream and a filmmaker who was inspired the kid’s imagination and tenacity. Of course it helped that the filmmaker stumbled upon Caine, our protagonist, but even so, here are the 5 reasons why this video went viral.

If you haven’t seen the video yet, it’s a great story, have a watch:

What constitutes a viral video, you ask? Any video that has millions of views in a relatively short period of time. The viral nature of the video comes from it being shared or spread so much that it receives all those views. Everyone is talking about it and sharing it both online via email and social networks, as well as offline in person via word of mouth.

5 Reasons the Why Caine’s Arcade Video Went Viral:

  1. WIIFT: What’s In It For Them?

    2. It’s a story about a kid who had a dream. We’ve all had dreams like this and can empathize with Caine. For you, the viewer, the story gives you a feeling of empowerment. This makes you feel like you can do this too. We are inspired by stories of others’ dreams becoming reality, because we want that same experience for ourselves.

  2. Inspire and Entertain

    3. The video is inspirational because Caine obviously has a great imagination and innate talent. These are things we all want and admire in others. We are inspired by Caine’s courage and entertained by his story. Of course the videographer has edited the video to make us feel this way. Remember that this is your challenge when you’re making your viral video. Always keep your viewer in mind. Think about how they will feel. What will make them share your video?

  3. Celebrity Endorsement

    4. The protagonist is cute and likable. We want him to succeed. Since Caine seems like the underdog, we have more affinity for him. We like to see surprise and we delight in unexpected success. The celebrity here though isn’t necessarily Caine himself. The endorsing party is the videographer who was inspired by Caine’s story to make the video about him. The videographer was able to gather enough people to make Caine have such a successful day at his arcade.

  4. Have a Heart

    5. The story is entertaining and pulls on your heart strings. The joy on Caine’s face as he realizes what is happening is priceless. We share in both his ambition and his achievement. A happy ending is always a good way to encourage sharing. When people feel good, they want their friends to feel the same way, so they share what is making them feel good.

  5. To Be Continued

    6. The story is… To Be Continued…
    Just like any good TV series, there is another episode after this one. This makes us feel like we want to know more and encourages us to share the video with friends and family. Viral video requires this kind of sharing.

Your turn: What’s your favorite viral video? Do you know why it went viral? What did you learn from how it was made and what made it a viral video?

Marketing, Social Media, Viral Video

External Linking: 6 Reasons Why Linking Out is a Good Idea

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External Linking: To Link Out or Not to Link Out, Is That the Question?

Many clients ask me why I recommend linking to content that is not on their own site. Why do I encourage external linking? To many business managers and chief marketing officers, linking external seems counter productive. The thinking is that linking to another site is encouraging a visitor to leave your own site and why would anyone want to do that? You want to keep people on your site for as long as possible and have them learn as much about your company and product or service offerings as possible, correct? Well, actually, the answer is No. Incorrect. Nada. Niente. Wrong.

Why bother external linking?

Let me explain: It looks like this. Wanting to keep people on your site as long as possible so that they will stay and learn everything you have to offer, is like inviting friends to dinner and then requiring that the conversation be only about you and your house. Or worse, you welcome your guests into your home, and then do not allow them to look at the beautiful view you have outside and you dominate the conversation without letting them share anything.

Remember that the web is a communications tool and your website exists in a medium that is constantly dynamic, fluid and open. With a print brochure you may have developed for your company, your audience members, i.e. the people looking at your brochure, are not expecting to be able to click on a link and learn more or be referred to another interesting article. They are familiar with the brochure format and read a bit, look at the pictures and then likely visit your website for more information.

When a visitor is on your website, a search engine is a click away and people can quickly lose focus on your site and go and look for other information via their own search methods. If you provide them with other interesting content, however, (content that is not just your own,) they actually have more respect for you, not less interest. They intrinsically appreciate that you are referring them to information that you have curated and deemed important. And by sending people off your site to another site, you seem less desperate to keep their visit. They will therefore likely come back again, because of the value you offered them.

Another external linking perspective: Think of it like a department store. If Target offered only target brand products, then shoppers might want to look at other stores for non-Target brands. Instead, Target offers both Target branded products as well as other brands, providing a lot of variety, freedom of choice for the customer and ultimately more reasons to shop at target.

Your website is the same. If all the content you offer is only that which you have created and you are not linking to the sites where you may have found the information, then people will feel like you don’t really care what else is out there. You will be perceived as not providing a good overall perspective on your industry and that you are desperate for your visitors to stay on your site. To encourage repeat visitors, the key is to provide value and value comes in offering the most complete and useful information available. Value can come in the form of education, inspiration or entertainment and it doesn’t have to be your own creation. We are now in a sharing economy, and the web is a platform that thrives on linking. External linking is a way to show your visitors you want them to succeed. External linking is a way for your to add value.

Think of what the Internet is. It’s a web of links really. One link leads to another and each link is a node on a vast web of information. If you believe in the power of connections, think about your LinkedIn profile and embrace community, you’ll want to nurture your relationships. That means connecting with people, and building your community.

Why Is External Linking Good?

1. Link Juice is Tasty

As mentioned above the web is all about linking. Search engines actually look at the number of inbound links, i.e. external links pointing back to your site, as a reference for how important your site is. This has a direct impact on your search engine ranking. The more inbound links you have, the higher your ranking opportunity. In order to be linkable, your site must offer great content and be considered an authority on the subject matter. In order to for that to happen, external linking is a best practice. Linking to other sites that offer more valuable information to your visitors and potential customers is a good.

External Linking will help you grow your business. Glass of juice making a chart.

External linking will help you grow your business

2. Always Add Value

Links to other sites show that you care about your visitor. Being willing to share a link that you think is valuable will earn you credibility with your visitors, customers and potential customers and also provide information about the relevance of your site to searchers. External linking allows you to add value. When you refer a friend to a vendor or product that you think is good, you are adding value to your friendship with that person. In the same way, external linking to great content is adding value to your relationship with your visitor and also adding value to your website.

3. Reciprocating

If you know a little about search engine optimization, you may have heard that reciprocal linking is no longer a valid strategy, because the engines can tell when two sites are linking to each other and may therefore negate any value. Link Building Jeddi Master, Eric Ward, says:

“You simply cannot make any sort of absolute statement as to what constitutes reciprocal link spam. Nor can you say that reciprocal links are always good, always bad, always suspicious, always helpful. They are never any of these and tey are always all of these. What you have to do is look at each case, at each site, and recognize the logical, natural linking potential and reciprocity tendencies.”

– Ultimate Guide to Link Building p 154.

It’s not a good idea to go out and ask every website owner you know to link to you regardless of the content they offer. However, if there is a site in your industry that adds value to your audience, then a reciprocal link is fine. The trick is to always be thinking of your audience and solving for “What’s In It For Them” – WIIFT.

4. Preciprocating

Instead of waiting for others to link to your site, consider preciprocating, i.e. performing a simple act of kindness before you need to ask for a favor later on. This works in social media as well as link building. If you comment on a blog and/or share a post, people feel like you have been kind to them. With this feeling they are much more likely to help you out in the future. There’s a great book by Gary Vaynerchuck called “Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook.” The concept here is to give, give, give, and then ask for something. Because you’ve given so much already, you’ll much more likely to get what you want when you finally ask for it. I talk about it in my classes and in my book as the L-O-V-E strategy: Listen-Offer-Visit-Engage. Give first and ask for what you want later. External linking is a L-O-V-E strategy.

5. Relevancy

Links to other sites show search engines and people more about the relevancy of your content. Just like citations in research papers indicate how much research has been done and the work that is behind the content of the article, external linking shows that you’ve done your homework and are citing your sources. Not only that, but you’re generously giving credit where credit is due and sharing even more valuable content with your audience.

6. Authority

Search engines place high value on the number of external links, also known as inbound links, that point to your site, so you want other sites to link to you. Like votes in politics or if you’re ever running for office, the more votes (think links) you have, the more respect and power you have in the search engine algorithm. Also, ponder this: Why would other sites link to your site, if you are not linking to any other site? Play by the rules. Sharing is caring. External linking should be part of your linking strategy.

Your turn: What do you think about external linking? Do you encourage it? Are you convinced you should do it? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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