Articles by Ian Lurie

Tomorrow I’ll be talking about ‘advanced’ link building. The term drives me insane, since most folks use ‘advanced’ to mean ‘I give you lots of advice, but I do not add any links.’ So, I’ll go over real-life advice for building links, including some fairly geeky stuff, like: Log file analysis Using Google Webmaster Tools [...]

It’s a lot harder to impart knowledge than to pass information. But it’s also worth it, because knowledge sticks. Why does application teach better than rote memorization? Hmmm let’s think. Oh yeah—because application creates knowledge, which quickly remaps neural pathways. Memorization sends us into an information-overload daze, which leads to sad, lonely little neurons. If [...]

In business, everyone keeps confusing information with knowledge. They’re different. Even the dictionary says so: Information: Facts provided or learned about something or someone. Knowledge: Information and skills acquired through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. Information is ones and zeros. It’s raw data, or a list of facts. It’s [...]

My post yesterday really stirred some people up. This is a big blind spot for me. I believe anything worth discussion is worth discussing in a civil manner. BUT, I had to delete a lot of comments. So I figured I’d better explain what’ll make me delete your comment (or Wall post, by the way): [...]

I want to emphasize that this is a friendly discussion between Rand and I—we’re colleagues and friends, plus our companies are close enough together that he could bring his much more numerous minions to Portent and wipe us out in one afternoon of horrifying nerd slap-fighting. I’ve received a few comments I deleted because they [...]

Folks sometimes ask where I’m going to be speaking next. Here’s a quick list: In meatspace (live and in person, for non-geeks) How I’ve managed to only get speaking gigs in Seattle this year, I’ll never know. Don’t think I’m a travelphobe—I’m sure I’ll go to a few out of town gigs, too. SocialTech 2012: [...]

Rick Santorum throws up at JFK speeches. I throw up when someone says “We want to build an i[whatever] app!” I have one question. Why? Have you really, really considered why you’re building your app? Here’s 10 questions to help you decide: Can I afford it? I’m sorry, but you can’t build a quality mobile [...]

Marketing hubris will get you killed. Especially in search. I hate it when someone asks me “Have you worked with other companies like ours?” If I have, I consider it a vulnerability, not a strength, because I’ve got the a-word: Assumptions. Anyone starting a marketing campaign with assumptions is one step from failure. Why? Because [...]

Breaking up is hard to do. But, as Portent’s President says, people remember how you enter, and how you leave. So ending a business relationship on as positive a note as possible is important. Even if the company in question never hires you back, employees change jobs, and you want them to think well of [...]

Once again, I get to subject you all to my utter lack of artistic skills. I’ve been working on a simpler diagram of the internet marketing lifecycle for about six months. It’s finally ready, I think, for a public glance. This one boils it all down to a less-pretty but hopefully more clear concept. BE [...]