img class=”alignnone size-full wp-image-2174″ title=”greenpeace-detox-campaign” src=”http://seo2.0.onreact.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/greenpeace-detox-campaign.jpg” alt=”" width=”435″ height=”406″ />

For years I’ve been a proponent of using SEO for more than /a>. Even on the Web it’s “people before profits”. You can’t just do business as usual when the planet and humanity with it goes down the drain. Still it’s a rare occasion that you see SEO being used for activism.

Not every non-profit organization is automatically working for the greater good. There is one though that is beyond doubt in this case: strong>Greenpeace. Also Greenpeace has used SEO for its em>Detox campaign in a way that inspired me to write this post.

One of the reasons I write about it is the lofty definition of SEO Greenpeace offers:

This is SEO, or “Search Engine Optimization”, and it’s one of the few fantastic activist tactics that are native to the web. It’s not the online version of something which people were doing already before the internet.

/a> to link back to the campaign site. This is of course the easiest and best way to do it. Also it’s quite inclusive. Not everybody can donate money or take part in actual protests on the streets. Also many people might feel that just giving money is not really activism.

Last bot not least many actions are just too far away for most people. On the Web there is no distance and attention is the currency. Links provide and channel attention. Of course I’d invite readers to share the campaign URL on social media sites as well. On the Web the people have the power to change things and to direct attention where it belongs.

The detox campaign is surely worth your attention:

Greenpeace is campaigning to stop industry poisoning waterways around the world with hazardous, persistent and hormone-disrupting chemicals. Launched in July 2011, the Detox campaign has exposed links between textile manufacturing facilities causing toxic water pollution in China, and many of the world’s top clothing brands.

I think I’m using products by at least one of the brands targeted in it:

• H&M
• Adidas
• Nike
• Puma

These are just those brands that have already reacted. Greenpeace has already forced Apple to become more environmentally friendly so I’m quite optimistic that they will be able to stop the water pollution by these and other global brands. We know they they don’t produce or even design most of their garments themselves. They are all made in

• China
• Bangladesh
• Philippines

The people in the countries suffer at least twofold, by ridiculously low wages and by environmental destruction.

These global brands do not have factories themselves. They even outsource the creative process. They only thing they have is their brand image. So in case they pollute the environment we can pollute their images with news about it. It’s that simple.

What can you learn from it?

You don’t need an expensive SEO agency to use SEO for activism.

Just ask and inspire people to link to you and spread the word on social media. Of course some advice from SEO experts is also sometimes crucial. In this case /a> has pointed pout that the campaign URL Greenpeace requested readers to link to has been redirected by a temporary redirect aka 302 which does not work for Google. So all the links using the short URL would have been wasted.

Does it work? Yes, Greenpeace is already at #11 for the quite competitive term detox. Ad some more links to your sites to push it up to the top 10.

Of course SEO is more than rankings. Personally I also doubt that people who are searching for detox are actually the right audience for this kind of topic. It would be better to optimize for the brand names of the companies that are responsible for the pollution. Once potential customers find out about the toxic pollutants their brands produce they may reconsider their purchase. This way the pressure grows.

The growing Global Economy has significantly increased the number of companies seeking search marketing strategies to connect with target audiences all over the world. Many clients we work with at /a> are either already global organizations or aspiring to deliver products and services in different countries. As a result, we routinely field questions as clients begin their journey into International Search.

Many companies don’t know where to start with International SEO, so here are 5 basic and tactical SEO considerations for companies looking at expanding into International Search:

1. Domain Name
3 common /a> include Country-specific, Subdomain and Subfolder.

Whenever possible, a country-specific domain name is preferred. i.e. companyname.co.uk

Pros
The country-specific domain is a strong signal to the search engine and may provide better visibility for country-specific searches.

In addition, this domain typically provides better usability for the searcher as it’s the familiar and more common domain structure.

Cons
For some countries, registering a country-specific domain requires a physical address. If you are launching international ventures without a country-specific address this type of url may prove difficult or impossible to attain.

In addition, with a new domain, time and resources for marketing a new website (think content, links etc) will be required.

Subdomain (i.e.uk.companyname.com)

Pros
If a country-specific url is not an option, a subdomain is likely the next best solution.

The pros for this type of url structure include:

• Easy to implement
• Can be hosted separately, in native country
• Can create a different sitemap for each country folder
• Ability to set geotargeting in Google webmaster tools

Cons
The downside to this approach is the URL will still require country-specific promotion/links and will not have the added credibility of the country-specific domain.

Subfolder (i.e. www.companyname.com/uk)

Pros
The pros of a subfolder are that it’s easy to implement and you still have the ability to set /a> in Google Webmaster tools.

Cons
As with the subdomain, this type of URL structure provides no country-specific SEO value. In addition, a subfolder set up can potentially create duplicate content issues if the content is similar across multiple countries/subfolders.

Also, a subfolder is typically an indication of content subordinate to the top-level domain, which isn’t in line with creating a unique website for a different market.

2. Where the site is hosted
Where the site is hosted is an important factor and one of the hundreds of items the search engines take into account when returning search results. Whenever possible, the site should be hosted in the target country. This is especially important if your site uses a generic Top Level Domain (TLD) like .com .net .org. In that situation, a search engine like Google will use the location of the hosting server to determine location for the site.

If you use a country specific TLD, then that will be the /a> for your site’s location and hosting in the specified country is not as important.

3. Addresses Published on the Site
In fleshing out the on-page company information, be mindful to lead with the contact information for the target country, even if the company headquarters might be elsewhere. This is good user experience as much as it’s good for search engines. The content of the website should be explicitly clear for the geographic target audience and that means displaying location information. Think of it as good keyword optimization. If you want your UK based company to rank well in google.co.uk for geographically specific phrases, then those phrases should appear in the site’s content, internal and external links.

4. Localize and Optimize Content
As with any other /a> endeavor, content and the optimization of that content is key. Best practices will hold true and include:

• Creation of unique content for the site that is not only translated, but optimized after translation
• Content presented in the native language of the country - Optimized English that is then translated to another language does NOT result in content properly optimized for that language
• Optimization of content for popular keywords, according to country-specific keyword results

Whenever possible, have native speakers review (if not, write) content for the site. /a> isn’t simply a matter of publishing a site translated into a different language. There are a host of localization issues to be addressed. There are intricacies and interpretations with any language and the content on your existing site may not translate well.

5. Inbound Links
In creating a marketing plan for the site, be sure to include content creation that will be useful to the target audience, easily shared and ultimately be something people want to link to.

Building authority for the site will be critical and plans should include the acquisition of links from country-specific and native-language sites.

Creating a website which will produce results in country-specific search takes the same planning and coordination that’s likely being invested to achieve results from Google (US) search.  Keeping the target audience in mind and delivering a site customized for the visitor is the first step to International visibility. And don’t forget, Google isn’t King everywhere – so be sure to research how/where visitors search online in each specific country.

Think directories are so last year (older than that actually)? If you’re referring to link directories that are now little more than link farms, then we quite agree with you. However, that does not mean that directories have completely lost their SEO value. Yes, Google has devalued most of the links coming from directories, but despite that you can still benefit from having your link posted in some of the legitimate directories that do still exist today.

When you do link building via directories though, make sure that you understand the new way of doing it and how it should fit in to your overall SEO strategy. Instead of seeking out to be added to every link directory out there, be more selective to go for niche sites that will actually deliver targeted traffic for you, plus give better vertical ranking signals to search engines. You should also forget about relying on these directories for a massive number of links, instead as mentioned already, be selective and aim to get links that will actually bring real value. In the end, you will still need to focus more on links from more organic sources.

For a more in depth look on newer link building strategies using link directories, read Cyrus Shepard post /a>.

Image credit: /a>

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Think directories are so last year (older than that actually)? If you’re referring to link directories that are now little more than link farms, then we quite agree with you. However, that does not mean that directories have completely lost their SEO value. Yes, Google has devalued most of the links coming from directories, but despite that you can still benefit from having your link posted in some of the legitimate directories that do still exist today.

When you do link building via directories though, make sure that you understand the new way of doing it and how it should fit in to your overall SEO strategy. Instead of seeking out to be added to every link directory out there, be more selective to go for niche sites that will actually deliver targeted traffic for you, plus give better vertical ranking signals to search engines. You should also forget about relying on these directories for a massive number of links, instead as mentioned already, be selective and aim to get links that will actually bring real value. In the end, you will still need to focus more on links from more organic sources.

For a more in depth look on newer link building strategies using link directories, read Cyrus Shepard post /a>.

Image credit: /a>

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A social media panel at a bowling alley? Yes, that’s how I started my Thursday morning this week, thanks to WCCO Radio (Minneapolis/St, Paul) which was host to a panel on Social Media for Business at Pinstripes in Edina.

Esteemed panelists included several familiar faces and brands including MIMA Board members: Brent Shiely (/a>), Technology Director at General Mills; Ryan Arnholt (/a>), Director of Interactive Marketing at OptumHealth; Jill Gutterman (/a>), Director of Interactive Marketing at Rasmussen College; Tim Brunelle (/a>), CEO of Hello Viking. Bryan C. Del Monte of the Del Monte Agency (a sponsor) was also on the panel.

An informal poll of the audience revealed that just about everyone in the audience of 250 or so was on Facebook and LinkedIn had even better participation. There were far fewer people on Twitter and only a handful had “checked in” on Foursquare.

Tim Brunelle opened things up saying MIMA got tired of programming Social Media in their events 2 years ago (ouch to the audience Tim!) as a measure of how long it can take for new trends to emerge within the general population. The /a> is coming up soon and Tim highlighted two impressive keynote speakers, /a> of Google and Chris Anderson of Wired. Those are indeed, two very impressive speakers right here in our back yard.

What’s a good definition of social media?

Tim: On the MIMA.org site, the jobs page is the most popular area of the site. “Social Media” has begun to appear frequently in many job titles for Fortune 500 companies. That’s a reflection of companies viewing social media more seriously.

Why should I care about social media?

Jill: Social media is everywhere, prevalent in our user groups. You think a welder can’t do it? Welders are on Facebook. It’s about engagement and conversations and that’s what social media is about.

Bryan: Why do you do any kind of marketing? Much of the technology called social media helps lower costs of doing things you’re already doing. Why wouldn’t you do it?

How does a large company justify expenditures in social media?

Brent: Here’s how General Mills has brought value through social. Salesfoce.com bought Radian 6. Radian 6 measures sentiment. Radian 6 measures Tweets and comments. BTW a free tool is socialmention.com We’re in the food business. Sometimes there are events outside of our control. Example: Food borne illness. A situation might be confined to a competitor or extended to an entire category. While some of the food borne illnesses are confined to a competitor, social media helps General Mills understand whether the marketplace sees it that way or not.

Ryan: Within a large organization you can see in marketing and research that it’s a fantastic opportunity. On the listening side it gives companies an opportunity to understand what a market place is talking about. On the engagement side, it provides opportunities to directly connect with customers on their terms.
In the last 5 years it’s gone from a way for people to share to a way for an entire company to share.

When a client comes to you with interns running a Facebook Page and Twitter, where do you start? What are the building blocks?

Bryan: I ask about previous successes. What is their affinity for communications and customers. Companies are usually not interested in change. I look for ways to associate what a company is already doing with social media opportunities. Social media is not broadcast. Look at Starbucks. They make one or two posts a day and get thousands of comments from fans talking to the brand. Another example: Carnival Cruises, the “fun cruise”. Their content is about “fun”. Carnival has polled their Facebook fans and acted by changing what they offer as a result. Social media building blocks: great content, engage and action based on customers feedback.

What are the building blocks of listening for social media?

Jill: For monitoring, what are you going to monitor? Our focus is on standard operation procedures for monitoring. We deal with students and we have a process for dispositioning how to engage what we find when monitoring. It’s important to establish guidelines and a strategy. How are you going to monitor and what are you going to do about what you find? Pay attention to the experience that you’re after when your brand engages with customers and prospects. Define a process and your approach and then identify the technology.

How would you define the basics of the telling side vs. the listening side?

Ryan: There are different ways to respond according to a situation. Some things like what consultants and analysts say might be logged as insight. What your audience is looking for is another situation.

What are the core technology tools for social media?

Brent: Keep it simple. If you don’t have a website, use Google to find low cost templates. If you do have a website add Google Analytics. To find keywords, use Google Analytics. Twitter is free. Take those keywords from Google Analytics and leverage that for Twitter content. Facebook is the same story – although Facebook is more about friends. Use Google Analytics information to inform editorial on Facebook as well. When you put up a website, Google may or may not find it. Use Google Webmaster tools to help make that happen.

(Note to readers: To find new keywords people are actually searching for on Google that are relevant to your website, use the free /a>.)

Aside from actions and policies, how should businesses address human resources for social media?

Jill: I’m lucky because my VP and Chairman “get” social media. We have a dedicated Social Media Manager, but with 22 campuses, we’re all partially involved with social. I also have a full time blogger and a SEO Specialist. That team is the hub of a hub and spoke model that functions as a center of expertise and excellence for the organization and our community.

How do you coach and advise the balance of an organization on social media as a vendor?

Bryan: I believe that everyone needs to live the brand. You might have a social media department and an agency, but you should also be living your brand. As a vendor, I can “help you”, I can’t “be you”. There are ways to make the process more efficient. There should be controls in place but the brand needs to be engaged.

How does General Mills think about staffing? There are so many communities and how do you staff?

Brent: Every brand is it’s own business. Every brand manager has the autonomy to grow their brand as they see fit. Brand Managers work with their agencies and there’s also internal social media expertise.

How do you establish success metrics, budgets and success metrics for social media versus other forms of marketing?

Ryan: You can’t always tie social activity to increased revenue, but you can associate it with increased productivity, increased performance and also lower costs. Social media can affect brand opportunities that can lead to revenue opportunities.

Jill: Activity and results. We stated 2 years ago and started measuring. Establish benchmarks, then look at that data to see what’s interesting. Don’t try to measure everything, but focus on activity and results. Spends some time understanding what you’re going to do with that data and focus on what’s happening and outcomes.

Social operates 24/7, should businesses staff accordingly?

Ryan: No. Whatever happens overnight we can deal with in the morning. There are situations that call for off hours engagement, just don’t set that expectation.

Jill: It depends on your business. If you run a global organization, you need to staff accordingly.

Bryan: It depends. If you’re regional, probably no. If you’re a global brand yes.

Brent: Our business is global and there’s someone on our staff on 24/7.

Should every firm articulate a social media policy outside work?

Brent: It’s part of the on boarding process, one of the documents reviewed with new employees. Let employees know that if they have a bad day, tell their supervisor. Help them understand that posting publicly can have an impact on the brand.

Jill: Rasmussen has a code of conduct for employees and students. Imagine what your posting is being said on national TV.

Ryan: Social media policy is covered in our employee guidelines. We’re looking at policies that will help us provide employees with guidelines on how they can be proactive socially.

Is the future of marketing actually customer service through social media?

Bryan: Who has heard of Twelpforce? (few audience members raise their hands) There was a thing called Twelpforce from Best Buy and it didn’t work out so well.

(Twelpforce not successful? Not sure about that. Check out Fast Company’s coverage of Twelpforce: /a>: “Twelpforce has responded to near 28,000 customer inquiries via Twitter, enlisted 2600 employees to share their knowledge, and paid for itself many times over via extensive PR coverage, enhanced brand perceptions, and potential savings to the call center.”)

My question for the panel:

Where are you getting the rationale and budget for dedicated social media resources?

Ryan: From an interest in better engaging with customers, listening to our market and for marketing. We’re also looking at how social helps our SEO and search visibility as a reason to further invest in social media resources.

Jill: Our competition has made mistakes, led leadership to support the argument to apply resources to not make those mistakes. Also the drive to scale, SEO impact and culture of the organization.

A comment from the audience pretty much sums up Google Plus for people outside of the early adopters:

“I keep getting invites from this new Google thing and I don’t have time to figure it out.”

The Q&A was pretty good covering everything from mobile to blogging. Overall I thought this was an excellent way for people to get insights into a broad range of topics about social media from practitioners and agencies. Tim Brunelle did a great job of keeping things moving and relevant and the speakers were pretty good about giving practical advice without pontificating.

The entire session was recorded and will be available soon at: /a>

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Google has expressly stated that they prefer displaying view-all pages as opposed to paginated content. The reason: user satisfaction. This makes sense since who would like to have to click on “next” just to see the next instalment of an article, when you can just as easily view them by scrolling down the page.

With that in mind, Google urges those who display their content as paginated pages to also offer them in a view-all page format. However, they also acknowledge that in some cases using paginated pages and ensuring that users land on them as opposed to the view-all page is desirable (i.e. view-all pages with slow loading times and sites where users are already used to or prefer paginated content). In these cases Google’s advice is to “noindex” the view-all page so that it will be clear to Google that it shouldn’t be displayed in their results pages, much less rank better than any of the paginated content. They also suggest that you use the new HTML link elements rel=”next” and rel=”prev” to help Google easily figure out the flow of the paginated content, and so be able to return the first page as landing page as much as possible.

For more in depth tutorials on how to use the rel=”next” and re=”prev” tags, read /a>.

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Google has expressly stated that they prefer displaying view-all pages as opposed to paginated content. The reason: user satisfaction. This makes sense since who would like to have to click on “next” just to see the next instalment of an article, when you can just as easily view them by scrolling down the page.

With that in mind, Google urges those who display their content as paginated pages to also offer them in a view-all page format. However, they also acknowledge that in some cases using paginated pages and ensuring that users land on them as opposed to the view-all page is desirable (i.e. view-all pages with slow loading times and sites where users are already used to or prefer paginated content). In these cases Google’s advice is to “noindex” the view-all page so that it will be clear to Google that it shouldn’t be displayed in their results pages, much less rank better than any of the paginated content. They also suggest that you use the new HTML link elements rel=”next” and rel=”prev” to help Google easily figure out the flow of the paginated content, and so be able to return the first page as landing page as much as possible.

For more in depth tutorials on how to use the rel=”next” and re=”prev” tags, read /a>.

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The rest is here:
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