SEO-Search Engine Optimization

Simply put, SEO is the process of making a website more visible to individual users and search engines. There are several ways to make this possible. Some are more complicated than others, but let’s just stick to the basics.

The first and most important way to increase your SEO is by having relevant and applicable content to your topic with a big focus on your audience. Search engines have spiders which crawl throughout the internet, find sites and pages, and then index them. When your focus is geared to the correct audience and the content is relevant to the subject, the spider will “find” this information easier.

Time should also be invested in searching out keywords applicable to the subject. Google AdWords has a great keyword search tool to help you discover what keywords or phrases would be most advantageous to include in your content. It gives a list of key words useful to your site and then ranks them as having high, medium, or low levels of competition. Having low competition keywords in your content will increase your search engine rankings.

Lastly, thought should be given to the layout and design of the website. Content should be simple and easy to find. As content is more accessible, spiders, as well as human users, can search the site easily and then in turn increase the traffic and SEO rankings.

While search engine optimization can seem overwhelming at first, the basics are simple. Once applied these small steps will help to increase your visibility and make your site stand out.

http://websearch.about.com/od/keywordsandphrases/a/search_engine.htm

https://adwords.google.com/o/Targeting/Explorer?__c=1000000000&__u=1000000000&ideaRequestType=KEYWORD_IDEAS

Collaborative and Distance Communication Tools During Job Interviews

Words are approximately 7% of what is actually said according to Susan M. Heathfield. That means that during a conversation the last 93% of your communication occurs through body language, tone, and facial expressions among others. Therefore, it is difficult to effectively communicate with someone on the phone when most nonverbal signs and signals are unseen and lost through this communication medium.

When Skype and other distance communication tools were released, they changed the way many businesses, families, and friends were able to interact with each other. Rather than losing most of the message found through nonverbal cues, Skype enables people to interact nearly fully while still sitting thousands of miles away. Large national and global companies have started to use this tool not only for their business meetings, but also during the interview process when a qualified applicant is located too far away to make an interview in person reasonable.

While nothing will ever be able to fully replace the personal, one-on-one interview, it is important for students and those who are searching for a job to be prepared for the possibility of a Skype interview. Alina Dizik of CareerBuilder.com suggests eight ways to be prepared for such a situation. Here is the list:

1-      Look at the camera, not the screen.

2-      Be aware of interruptions

3-      Practice in front of a mirror

4-      Mind the background

5-      Avoid patterned clothing

6-      Conduct a mock interview

7-      Test audio and video

8-      Add extra enthusiasm

It is important to recognize these differences during a video interview. But by following these steps in addition to the advice given by career counselors, your next interview is sure to run smoothly.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/07/11/skype. interview.tips.cb/index.htm

Viral Videos

The most recent and rising generations have become increasing more wired and tuned in to the internet. As such video sharing through YouTube and other sites is extremely popular. Individuals are using this channel to upload personal videos to share with friends and others. Some people have even become famous singers and stars through their popular videos.

Individuals are not the only ones seeking recognition through this internet channel. YouTube is becoming a common resource for any company, business, or organization to take advantage of. Besides the production cost of a short clip or commercial, posting a video on the internet is basically free advertising. Companies upload and post these videos with the hope that others will see it, like it, and share it with their friends. This is the social media form of word of mouth advertising. As the video becomes more popular, it is viewed and shared more and it goes “viral.” While most have several thousand or even hundreds of thousands of views, a really effective clip is one that has millions of viewers and is shared that many times on Facebook.  

The following is a clip that has gone viral. Two students from Utah State University decided to answer the question “Why Men and Women Can't be Friends?” With over 6 million views, this video truly went viral. But with today’s technology and sharing capabilities, any video has the potential to do so.