A colleague just sent me a promotional piece for yet another social media expert. I took the time to look at his promo and I was impressed . . . until I went over to look at his following on Twitter and, even more specifically, his grade on http://grader.com/ which is a product that HubSpot created.  The score for his site was a 16 out of 100. HubSpot offers a variety of graders, and, not that I am bragging, but this will give you an idea of how it works:

• Networlding Website – (HubSpot Grader Page) – Grade: 95.5 out of 100

  The website www.networlding.com ranks 85,748 of the 1,916,503 websites that have been ranked so far.

  A website grade of 95.5/100 for www.networlding.com means that means that of the millions of websites that have previously been evaluated, our algorithm has calculated that this site scores higher than 95.5% of them in terms of its marketing effectiveness. The algorithm uses a proprietary blend of over 50 different variables, including search engine data , website structure, approximate traffic, site performance, and others.

• Networlding Blog – Grade: 94 out of 100
• Networlding on Twitter – (HubSpot Twitter Grader Page) – Grade: 98.5 out of 100

  I am close to the top where Chris Brogan and Guy

For those wondering. Here are the Algorithm Factors:

The Grade Calculation: So, those are the factors that go into the calculation of a score.  This score is then used to compare a user against all other users that also have a score.  The grade is calculated as the approximate percentage of other users that have an equal or lower score.  So, a Twitter Grade of 80 means that about 80% of the other users got a lower score.  At the time this article is being written, over 2.1 million users have been graded. To get the whole scoop (which you should), go to this great Twitter article.

A recent article in the Kellogg alumni magazine showcased a number of professors who shared insights on blogs like the following from David Dronove , a Kellogg professor, ‘At the end of the day, our research doesn’t really matter if it doesn’t change the way the world works. We can have influence by influencing other researchers, but that cycle has to end with something being translated into practice.’

What’s great about what Dranove and other Kellogg professors are sharing is that the boundaries around the wisdom shared at Kellogg is now able to be picked up and implemented by anyone. I keep hammering away to those I speak to and consult with that “this IS The Information Age” but perhaps even more so “The Age of Wisdom.”  As such we have an unprecedented opportunity to take, implement and leverage the 20% that can yield an 80% return.

For those of you who want to dive deeper into the blogs that have been created by the esteemed professors of Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, click away:

• Building Strong Brands: Created by clinical professor of marketing, this blog complements his strategic marketing strategy course. The blog evaluates branding initiatives.
• Cheap Talk. Associate Professor Sandeep Bliga and Economics Professor Ely provide discussions on economics and politics.
• Code Red, David Dranove and William White of Cornell examine the ailing U.S. healthcare system.
• Expertly Wrapped. Tim DeChant, a Kellogg Insight editor and Patricia Dedesma, assistant dean and director of the school’s Office of Research, share faculty perspectives on current events.
• The Leisure of the Theory Class. Rakesh Vohra, the J.L. and Helen Kellogg Professor of Managerial Economics & Decision Sciences, and Assistant Professor Eran Shmaya share ‘speculation and ruminations on all aspects of economic game theory.’
• Orgtheory.net. Assistant Professor Brayden King and others share their thoughts on topics in organizational theory.
• Super Bowl Advertising Review Blog. A seasonal December through February) blog by Calkins and Derek Rucker, the Richard M. Clewett Research Professor, reflecting on Super Bowl advertising.

The article by Amy Trang, Amy Trang, Publications Writer,  shares that to visit any of these blog, go to kellogg.northwestern.edu/Faculty/Blogroll.

Don't be Greedy: Everyone Can Easily Leverage the Power of LinkedIn

This Friday I will be hosting a webinar at 6 Figure Jobs.

You will learn how to:

• Get better LinkedIn Introductions.
• How to create a winning profile that has companies contacting you
• Use the most recent LinkedIn tools (they update at least monthly)
• Learn all about the best connectors and how to get their support
• Search strategically based on the unique skills, background and even interests you bring
• How to get to the decision maker in almost any of your targeted companies
• Reaching SVP’s, CEO’s, Directors, etc.
• How to use the Groups feature of LinkedIn that offers wonderful new, powerful connections

Bonus 1: All attendees will receive the Networlding LinkedIn Tutorial Guide rated as one of the best guides for learning and optimizing LinkedIn.

Bonus 2: For the first 20 who sign up you will be sent access to Networlding’s e-learning tool which provides thirty lessons for learning LinkedIn, a $149 value.

Webinar:Teleconference and web based access to the career coach’s on-screen presentation and tutorial via WebEx.
Cost: $50 *  To register, go to www.6figurejobs.com.

Anyway, Networlding is a cool concept that provides true mutual gain to two or more users.  Here’s the paradox.  With limited time to get everything done in a day, the Internet is a tremendous tool to improve productivity.  Professionals can communicate, conduct research, pay bills, shop, and promote on-line with ease.  Yet, most professionals don’t understand yet that there is a "Matrix" like world out there in social networks where the connections to almost anyone already exists–it just takes a little digging to find the right pathway to contact almost anyone.  The six degrees of separation are fast morphing down to two degrees of separation.

My prediction–the millenium generation will GET this, whereas the baby boomers are fairly locked into what has worked for them for 20+ years.  Therefore, in the next 10 years, there will be nearly 100 million people on business networking sites, perhaps LinkedIn.  Everyone will explore connections for either business, volunteer activities, charities, sports clubs etc.  In fact, this era will become the Networld without a doubt, as the Internet unites almost everyone in the world.  Therefore, Networlding techniques and training to cover the basics and all the new emerging technologies such as OPEN SOCIAL will be a must.

STAY TUNED!
Craig Wilson, Guest Author for Networlding
President, American Recruiters

Think of it this way – when the Internet and web development first started, it was this huge space
to post things to be read. There was no interaction. Web 2.0 is all about interaction! and sharing! and linking! It’s social now and everyone can play in the game! Everyone from IBM to my grandmother who lives on a farm in Flint, Michigan!

Tim O’Reilly provided a compact definition of Web 2.0 in 2006:

“Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the internet as platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform. Chief among those rules is this: Build applications that harness network effects to get better the more people use them.”

We are presently focused on business development and Web 2.0 strategies for clients utilizing all these new technologies (blogs, podcast, video podcast) and other social media networks to drive their web traffic, facilitate online communities and conversations and build a “business celebrity” web presence. We coach clients on understanding the impact of these new technologies to their business and the importance of first mover advantage and SEO discovery over their competitors. You really have to take advantage
of all the tools out there!
Derrick Sorles

It Seems As If Everyone Has One, And Experts Say They’re A Great Marketing Tool. But Is The Time Commitment Worth It?

There’s no doubt about it, blogs are hot. With their interactivity and
their ability to position even micro-business owners as niche experts,
blogs are the "it" marketing trend [see BW Online, 5/22/06, "Into the
Wild Blog Yonder"]. There are more than 39 million blogs in existence
and 75,000 new blogs being created every day, according to Technorati,
a resource Web site with a search engine that covers the universe of
blogs, known as the blogosphere [see BW Online, 4/18/06, "Blogs
Multiply. Our Heads Explode"].

Some definitions for the uninitiated: A blog [the term comes from a
slurring of the phrase "web log"] is an online journal. The blog owner
regularly posts journal entries, usually fairly short essays including
links to relevant information, that readers can react to in a comments
section. Additional readers comment on . . .
Click Here for the full article.

Have a question about your business blog? Call Networlding at 312) 421 – 4213 or Click Here.

1.    Focus intently on a narrow niche, ideally one whose audience has a predilection for high-margin products.


2.    Set up your own blog so that each post gets its own permanent URL, or permalink,
and its heading becomes part of its permalink and page title. Write
descriptive, keyword-heavy headings, and be sure the homepage and all
archives have links on every page.

3.    Think of your blog as a database, not a newspaper-like collection of dispatches.  Your archive post should be easy to find through Google and Technorati, so cite authors and publications by name, and use tags, categories, and keywords consistently. (more on this later)

4.    Blog frequently and regularly- if possible at least half a
dozen posts every weekday before lunchtime, when many readers take a
break from work and check out the blogosphere.

5.    Use striking images in your post. They liven up the page and attract readers, and if you use captions, you’ll gain additional traffic by making it easy for Google Image Search and other visual search engines to index your illustrations.

6.    Enable comments and interact with readers; cultivate your audience.

7.    Make Friends with other bloggers, online and off. Link to their post and they’ll return the favor. Other blogs may well send you most of your traffic.

1.    Candor – be frank, honesty and
open with your reader. Do not slip into PR or marketing speak. Your
readers will know when you are not being you. Don’t hold back; put your
self out there because that is what will intrigue future clients and
customers.

2.     Urgency – create a felling of urgency
in your blog. The information you give must have an urgent feel to it.
Let people know that they need the information you provide and they
need it now.  Readers will continue to check in with you to make
sure they are not missing new information.

3.    Timeliness – This is twofold. Your entries
must be about things that important now. What are people talking about
and what new directions is your market going to take? The second part
is what time you actually publish your post. Do you know when the best
time to post is? How frequently should you post? – Research says you
should post at least once a day during the week and the most effective
time to post? – Before noon because most blog readers will check the
blogroll during the lunch hour.

4.    Pithiness – Write with vigor and
enthusiasm. Do not waver or offer merely opinions.  Express
yourself and offer sustentative information. Never start a sentence
with “I think” – it is weak, unassertive and unnecessary.  Your
readers know you are writing about what you think – Readers want to
know what you know. They will figure out what is merely your opinion.

5.    Controversy – present opposing views and
engage in discussions. Your blog doesn’t have present raging political
debate or touch on the social hot topics of our time but it will drum
up more interest if it is controversial. Talk about issues in your
industry that others are scared to address.

For an evaluation of what could make your blog better please contact us at 312-421-4213 or click here.

FORBES announced this week how the face of fame is changing – thanks to the Internet and self-publishing capabilities.

"The ranks of the world’s celebrities used to be dominated by millionaire actors, athletes and musicians, but the Internet has leveled the playing field. A kid with a video camera has access to as large an audience as the biggest Hollywood star. A mom with a blog can attract more readers than a best-selling author. And an opinionated entrepreneur can become a guru to millions."

The Forbes.com Web Celeb 25 is a list of the biggest, brightest and most influential people on the Internet.  From bloggers to podcasters to YouTube stars, these are the people who are creating the digital world from the bottom up, according to Forbes.com.

The Web Celeb 25

1. Jessica Lee Rose
2. Perez Hilton
3. Markos Moulitsas Zúniga
4. Matt Drudge
5. Seth Godin
6. Jeff Jarvis
7. Glenn Reynolds
8. Amanda Congdon
9. Robert Scoble
10. Michael Arrington
11. Hosea Frank
12. Jimmy Wales
13. Harry Knowles
14. Frank Warren
15. Cory Doctorow
16. Xeni Jardin
17. Leo Laporte
18. Merlin Mann
19. John H. Hinderaker
20. Charles Johnson
21. Kevin Sites
22. Mark Lisanti
23. Jason Calacanis
24. Om Malik
25. Violet Blue