Google Tips

Google Keep
ALAN HENRY on LIFEHACKER explains the difference between Google Keep (screwdriver) and Evernote (cordless drill)

Kristin Burnham posted 10 Great Google Apps Tips and I found a few to be useful:

Mute email conversations
"Mute conversations" is a feature that prevents email threads from reappearing in your inbox.


Add events to your calendar from Gmail
If you use Gmail to make plans or schedule meetings, you can quickly add them to your Google Calendar.

Enable text (SMS) appointment reminders
Plug in your details -- such as phone number and wireless carrier -- and Google will text you a reminder before your meeting.

Difference between man and machine?

I think, the only difference between man and machine is that machine is quiet when well-lubricated. - Eugene Goostman

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/humanity-good-run-article-1.1823072#ixzz34FDnMrDU

http://www.princetonai.com/bot/

What is search? SEO vs SEM

Long conversions on what search means when people talk about search can lead to missed opportunity (waste in lean speak) if the folks have different definitions of search.

What?  Don't think this happens?  Just start with asking what SEO, Search Engine Optimization, and SEM, Search Engine Marketing, means to the next person, but be warned, it may be a long conversation if you haven't agreed on the definitions. Generally (defined as a Google search for SEO vs SEM), most sites in the field of search have agreed that SEO is the activities an organization performs on its' web presence to enhance the ranking on one or more search engine. SEM tends to be a bit more contentious about the 'real' definition and a reference to 'paid search' is usually present with the debate about if not paid activities should be included in the definition.

My favorite definitions are:
SEO=Organic Search Efforts
SEM=Paid Search Efforts

Using Google as an example, if you have paid for an ad or keyword, you have used SEM; if you have adjusted content, meta data, or links, you have used SEO.

Why is this important?

~500 algorithm changes every year by Google (Source: Google post, Search Engine Watch, Moz)
SEO is big (Search Engine Journal, Positionly)
SEM is big $18.4B in 2013 (IAB)

How much are you spending for #1?  How much is #1 worth? (Previous Post, Marketing Ninja's research).

Time to gear up for change (or is it change of the change?).

Customer Loyalty – What is it? How Can You Measure and Manage It?

Loyalty Research Center has a good definition of customer loyalty on their website:

Loyalty can be defined as customers continuing to believe that one organization’s products/services offer remains their best option. It meets their value proposition whatever that may be. They take that offer whenever faced with that purchasing decision.

Moreover, loyalty means hanging in there even when there may be a problem because the organization has been good to them in the past and addresses issues when they arise. It means that they do not seek out competitors and, when approached by competitors, are not interested. It also means being willing to spend the time and effort to communicate with the organization so as to build on past successes and overcome any weaknesses.

In a nutshell, loyalty means a customer wants to do business with you and does.

Source: http://www.loyaltyresearch.com/insights/thought-perspectives/customer-loyalty-what-is-it-how-can-you-measure-and-manage-it/

Pekin class size

"The new-student trend reflects the U.S. Census Bureau’s estimated 6.4-percent increase in the city’s population of children ages 5 and younger between 2010-12, the same increase recorded statewide over that span.

"In that same period, however, the bureau estimates Pekin’s overall population has dropped by about 10 percent since its last official census in 2010, to 34,084 residents.

"Despite the influx of students, the district has largely managed to stay within its target class size of 25 students for grades kindergarten through fourth. Link told the board only C.B. Smith Primary School’s first grade, with 25.7 students, exceeds that level."

Source: http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1155167474/Pekin-sees-another-robust-kindergarten-class

Hiring Practices

Interesting article on hiring by Charlene Li: http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130924095551-33767-how-i-hire-figuring-out-fit-and-the-exit-strategy

Think is more of a publicity stunt for both companies, but the content is still good.  Three items:

Culture

Skills

Purpose

and the exit strategy. 

Search Quotes

"[Enterprise] Search is different because it's embedded implicitly in every process, but it’s not called out by business analysts." Martin White, Managing Director of Intranet Focus, and Chair of Enterprise Search Europe Conference

"...people have never seen it [Enterprise Search] working well, so they have no idea what good search looks like." Martin White, Managing Director of Intranet Focus, and Chair of Enterprise Search Europe Conference 

ROI vs ROI - Return on Information vs Return on Investment

From: BAInsight (2013). The State of Search in the Enterprise.  Retrevied 2013-09-24 From: http://bainsight.sites.hubspot.com/enterprise_search?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=10373541&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-85HjYwLtHy1zI89h6DphBld3gYNXtNNj-TuSWSTN1Z54M3zS9wLAbeTsJkGWRDSPs9dMdcGbuNm6MGR8prQIKdONNoHQ&_hsmi=10373541