Microsoft’s proposal to buy Yahoo! certainly has our hallways buzzing.  But the fact is, any attempt to analyze the impact of a Microhoo! union at this point would be pure speculation for a number of reasons.  First of all, it is far from certain that this deal will go through.  This was an unsolicited offer by Microsoft according to the media, so acceptance of the offer by Yahoo! may not happen.  Second, this deal will face much scrutiny from regulators in the same way that Google is getting scrutinized over their desired purchase of DoubleClick. 

If the deal does go through, it has not been reported as to how the companies will integrate.  Questions that remain:

1-       Will there continue to be two separate brands: MSN (and Live) and Yahoo!, or will they merge under one portal name?

2-       If they keep two separate brands, it is likely that they will use one company’s search technology, but that is still to be determined.

Keep in mind that this deal goes well beyond search engine marketing.  This is about all forms of online marketing including image based advertising and video advertising.  It is also a defensive move against Google, which is trying to more rapidly evolve the “software as service” business model.  With hundreds of millions of people on the combined properties of Yahoo! and MSN, that is a strong platform to build that business from.

Isn’t it great to be in such a dynamic and exciting industry?

By now, businesses ought to know that a good website means good business. However, thousands of business sites miss mark. The web is a powerful tool that should be used to Find, Get, and Keep customers.

Here are the most common mistakes businesses make online, according to our team here at TruePresence.

10. Going with the Old “Slap Something Up There” Approach
Letting your 17-year-old computer whiz nephew build your site might save money in the short term, but the result is very unlikely to achieve any business goals. Think of it this way; if you wanted to build a house, would you let your nephew build it simply because he happens to own a nail gun?

There are numerous tools on the market that can be used to build websites, however leave the heavy lifting to a professional.

9. Companies Talk to Themselves Instead of Their Customers
Too many business sites are built from the inside-out rather than from the outside-in. Every business needs to look at its website from the perspective of the customer or the potential employee, and talk to them, in their language. Cut down on industry jargon and talk about what you can do for the customer, not about yourself. You are not your target audience.

Continue Reading…

New Offering from National Internet Marketing Company Greatly Increases Likelihood of Businesses Appearing in Local Natural Search Results

TruePresence today unveiled its Local Search Enhancement Program, an exclusive service designed to greatly increase the chances of local businesses appearing in local natural search results.

“For many businesses, the ability to be found in local natural search results is the ‘holy grail’ of search engine optimization efforts,” said Michael Teitelbaum, President of TruePresence.

According to research by The Kelsey Group, 50 percent of local searches are conducted specifically to purchase products or services. However, a report by ComScore and DoubleClick indicates consumers don’t know the names of the businesses they’re searching for in most cases. As a result, they search on generic terms 55 percent of the time to find local businesses that carry products or services they intend to purchase. Continue Reading…