I’m going to play mind-reader for a moment. Here’s what you think about SEO: You think search engine optimization is a closely-guarded secret bag of tricks You think SEO means beating Google at their own game You equate SEO with “buckets of cash” which would be pouring into your bank account if only you knew [...]

Intentional or not, Ang Lee and his certain-to-be-Oscar-nominated movie have infringed on our copyright.  Way before there was some weird kid in a turban floating around with a tiger, there was PORTENT, INC.  Pi.  And way, WAY before the weird turban tiger floating, we had a life.  And we still do. So skip the multiplex [...]

I’m prepping for my Vocus webinar (can’t wait!) today at 11 Pacific. These are the slides I put together, with annotations: I’ll be going into more detail, though, so make it to the webinar if you can!

We’ve all been there. You’re in the marketing meeting and someone brings up SEO. I don’t know how they’re bringing it up, but they’ve done it one way or another. Maybe they used some of the phrases below. If they did, you need to know why you wish you hadn’t heard what they’ve just said. [...]

Adding copy to your website can become a tug-o-war between the Branding and SEO teams. One side is representing the voice and tone of the brand.  At the other end of the rope, the SEO team is focused on increasing keyword rankings. This can lead to everyone walking away covered in mud. Avoid that unclean [...]

Chances are you’re not the only retailer in your industry. And your business is being judged alongside other online businesses by potential customers and search engines. Getting great customer reviews on Google+ Local, Yelp and other review services can give your company a huge advantage. Why are online customer reviews so important? 70% of consumers [...]

For months now, Portent CEO Ian Lurie and Director of Search Marketing Elizabeth Marsten have not slept. They have not eaten. They have missed out on critical episodes of True Blood. Why? Because they have been brewing brilliance with co-authors John Arnold, Marty Dickinson, and Michael Becker, developing the second edition of Web Marketing All-in-One [...]

Kittens rule the Internet. From the Jedi kittens of YouTube to the caption-savvy LOLcats, kittens are delighting nations. Sure, the occasional video of a laughing baby ripping paper or Darth Vader unicycling steals the viral spotlight, but kittens (and their older box-loving cat friends) have everyone from angsty adolescents to greying grandmas chuckling in pure bliss. [...]

It’s Twitter Tuesday! And what a lovely Twitter Tuesday it is. This week we’re talking about tweeting for businesses. If Mitt Romney really is right and corporations are people, then they sure don’t act like it on Twitter. And that’s too bad. People don’t want to do business with a business; people want to do [...]

I like to look at a potential customer the same way I look at a potential mate (Don’t make it weird). And in this mindset, there is one tenet I follow above all else: less is more. The more time I spend trying to convince a girl that she should kiss my face, the more [...]