I just finished creating my NEW Google Profile - because I am a Google / social tool like that - and just wanted to share some of my thoughts about it.

First off, a Google profile is a new "service / project" offering from Google where users can create their very own online profile featuring their picture, bio, contact information, photos, likes, dislikes, etc. ... essentially everything that you'd expect from an online profile. The cool thing about having one of these profiles is that Google will include them in their search results for whenever someone searches your name.

So, let's say that you have a classmate, co-worker, or significant other from the past that wants to see what you've been up to lately or wants to get in contact with you. Now, pending a Google search for your name they'll be able to do just that. In fact, in my opinion, this service becomes extremely valuable for those people who are without a website and/or personal blog as chances are they have very little exposure within the search results to begin with... even for their own name. A Google profile also provides another option for those people who choose not to be apart of social communities such as MySpace or Facebook, but yet still want to be found.

You can view my Google Profile here:

http://www.google.com/profiles/karl.ribas

And, let's not forget about small businesses. I mean really, really tiny businesses where there is little need nor desire nor income to create an actual website. A Google profile could be used to create a 1-page reference that highlights the details of their products, services and contact information. This page can then be listed on business cards and other offline marketing.

Another idea just came to me (thought: maybe I should filter these ideas before publishing). A Google profile could easily be used as a way to push "negative" search listings further down in the results. For instance, let's say a search for your name or company brings up negative exposure such as a rip-off report or complaint to the BBB... one way to minimize this sort of PR nightmare is to flood the search engines with profile pages and other relevant pages in hopes that over time they actually outrank these negative instances and bump them to page 2 or beyond. Being that a Google Profile is likely to be listed on page 1 of Google automatically, that only leaves 9 other positions to worry about.

Just my $0.02.

Over the weekend, I was going through many of the wedding photos taken and given to us by our friends, and came across this kick-ass picture taken with the Klog:

I have to say, I was a bit shocked to see the Klog at our reception - didn't remember sending him an invite - but glad he was able to make it with his very busy traveling schedule. I especially enjoyed how he stiffed us with his $250.00 bar bill... seriously, who drinks Vodka / Cranberry drinks and shots of Jagermeister at a wedding. That's the Klog for ya.

In most workplaces, when a vital member of the team is out sick or out of the office for multiple days at a time - say, to get married - everyone else in the office will usually pull together and pick up the left-over slack. Let's face it, work is work and it still needs to get done regardless if the appropriate person is in the office to do it. It is these times, when co-workers begin to truly appreciate one another, and respect each other's role within their team.

All Web Promotion is NOT like most workplaces.

When members of our team are out of the office for whatever reason, we take it upon ourselves to pull together and collaborate on ways in which we can "burn" the poor sap for missing work. I must admit, I've participated in these "burns" several times, but never have I been the subject of a "burn". Well my friends, that all changed on Tuesday.

After taking a nice, relaxing 5-day weekend so that my new wife and I could get married and spend some time with each other, I found myself having to return to this mess:

Priceless!

Well I guess it depends on what "it" and "they" are.

If we're talking about the idea of building a baseball diamond in the middle of your family's farm with the notion that doing so will allow the ghosts of major league baseball to appear and play, then you would be correct. Hell, if Kevin Costner can do it... I don't see why you can't either.

However, if we're talking about the idea of starting a website as way to sell your company's products and/or services with the notion that doing so will result in immediate exposure to thousands of online shoppers eager to spend their hard earned money with you, then you would be mistaken.

Apparently, it is much easier to wake the dead for a baseball game then it is to corral the living into shopping on your website. And, I'd have to agree.

Not a week goes by where I'm not responsible for killing the dreams of some small business by simply informing them that there is more to online success then just putting up a website. I mean, sure, we'll build you a company website so that you can sell your products and/or services, but unless you plan on investing in some form on online marketing (or, offline for that matter) - mainly search engine marketing - then what's the point. You're simply padding our wallets and not yours.

It's absolutely crazy to think about how many people out there are willing to spend their very last coin on having a website created - like it's the answer to all of their e-commerce prayers - but fail to even plan/budget for what they're going to do after their site is built.

I don't get it... how do you suppose e-commerce ever got such a reputation? This shit is not a cake-walk, people!