Is it just me, or are the ad campaigns for Ketel One, Crown Royal and Chivas Regal all essentially identical? They all feature men in their 30s who…

It’s not news that financial disclosure standards for European companies are lax compared to their U.S. counterparts, but the Q3 2009 “results”…

I’ve been asked many times over the years…”So, how can I go after my competition? Can I use their name(s) in my ads? Can I go after their keywords?” These are vary tough questions to answer and very easy questions to ask. To give you the very simple answer. No, do not go after your online competitors online by using or marketing under their own company or brand names. My reason, do you like it when they do the same to you?

I have had a few lawyers in my day contact my peers to have them cease all online marketing under competitive brand terms. I’ve personally witnessed red faced lawyers screaming through the phone swearing a holy judgment and legal action to the end of days because of using branded terms and company names to display ads and market online.

To most individuals that are online marketers or searchologists…I say don’t do it. Your competitors will figure it our sooner or later and return the favor and you are not going to like it one bit.  To my clients I say don’t do it because you may end up starting a bidding war or a minor legal battle which will not be worth the time.

However, it’s gone beyond the pale these days. Yes, now I’ve seen it all. I know it’s been going on for a long time but I’ve never EVER have believed it until I saw it with mine own eyes. There are companies out there so brasien as to add their competitors keywords and brand names in search engine optimiztion keywords.

Yes, there is an upside when it comes to pay per click advertising under competitive brand names and terms. This is a little more acceptable…especially when the tables have been turned on you or your client in the first place. Then yes, it is a little about revenge and it is a lot about solid ROI at a lower cost per lead or sale. But when you start throwing stones at glass and add these terms into your own website and page copy…you’ve simply gone way to far. Too far.

Yes, there are companies and individuals willing to support adding in other competitive brand terms and names into their page descriptions and title tags. Yes, it has come to this. It is a wonder why some companies and individuals involved in search engine optimization and search engine marketing have crappy reputations. Sure, it is not just about redicously high prices…the other reason they have MUD for a name is due to ADDING COMPETITIVE TERMS INTO SEO PRATICES!

As I mentioned…to use other compeitive terms and names in pay per click can be acceptable under optimal circumstances…but I do not like the pratice and have only done so under extreme situations. Never, would I nor should you work with…an search engine optimization company or pay per click service provider which recommends doing so first thing out of the gate. Run, and keep going. It is a very bad practice and frankly, rude. As I said…would you want your competition to do it to you? No, then don’t start a nasty cycle. Life can be difficult enough. Let’s all try to be a little nicer and possibly we can learn how to get along just a little better when we market on the Internet.

An article recently released on Informationweek.com, Google plans to tackle the social search. Soon Google Labs will allow Google account holders to open new accounts and allow their social information to become integrated into Google search results. My first knee-jerk reaction is; oh, boy, here we go…social media is going way beyond the boundaries of providing information up to the second…that is…information ON YOU.

My second reaction [the other knee], was…I’m going to be the first to sign up for this one. Who knows how much will be served and indexed? Will I [we] be able to choose which social channels are posted? Or will it be all for one and one for all?

Once my initial ’shock’ was over…this is not a surprising move. The search is all about search results based on keywords, lightning fast and accurate. Why not include ALL the information about your personal life and social life?

Consider how much fun it will be explaining to a future client or employer how an erotic monkey got on your Facebook page. When you get tagged with a photo or video…it does not exist in a location where you can alter it. It exists on the posters site and shows up on your profile. Will this type of garbage show up in the SERPS?

The issue really comes down to this: if you are socially adept online and in person this can be a very good thing. I may provide credibility, link juice, added content and it would be kind of cool to say, “Google me.” However, all things are not created equal. Well, without a question social graces are not learned and executed equally by all people. You can control what you say but you can’t control what others say or tag about you on various sites.

Will this lead to some type of consistant need to survey and monitor all of your social profiles? Could be the case. Then again, you don’t have to participate. But this is the shot across the bow, social media is going to go just one step too far and invade our social networks and channels. This is going to be a really interesting ride kids. Bring your Scooby Doo lunch box and an extra snack.

There is so much talk, blogs and articles flying around about social media optimization and social media. According to some of my sources, social media optimizaiton has been around for about two years or so. I first read about social media optimization from Rohit Bhargava’s blog on the subject of SMO. The online marketing industry moves so fast it can become a full time job just to keep up with it all. Social media added a whole new dynamic to an already complicated and challenging online environment.

I believe that social media is way overblown and too much is being made out of a small splash in the marketing ocean. Let me be clear; there are huge benefits to using social media channels in the right way. If your business model requires new leads on a weekly, daily or monthly basis…don’t waste your time, money and energy diving into the social media clown car. Social media should be used as a way to open the doors of communication between your company and your consumers\markets.

In addition, social media should be used to generate brand awareness and encourage brand-company-consumer interaction. In a recent study by Group M Search [social media report], consumers exposed to pay per click and a solid brand strategy on social media sites, showed searches seeking the same product brands by 2.8 time more than if just exposed to pay per click alone. This means that social media did provide a lift to brand term searches and product searches. Further, the study suggests searching individuals exposed to brands on social media sites were, “far more likely to search for brand and product-related terms.”

The researchers may be pushing the sale a little to hard, however, it is not hard to imagine the old marketing adage…first to mind is first to the pocket book [or something to this effect].  Much like running banner ads…the ads do in fact provide a lift to brand terms and product related terms. All of this may seem like I am in the middle of a real big fat contradiction.

Nope. Another study compiled by Knowledge Networks suggests that 83% of 13 to 54 year old individuals use social media channels. Less than 5% rely on social media outlets as aids in buying decisions [in any of 9 product\service categories] and only 16% said they would be more likely to buy from advertisers on such sites. Knowledge Networks points out that individuals are using social networks to be social with friends and family not to be friendly with brands.

So what does this all mean? Is social media optimization really worth it? In a word, no. If you are seeking to promote your brand and encourage some type of interaction or offer another outlet for consumers to reach you…social media is totally worth it. Brands and companies need to regain trust of consumers, more than ever. Offering a new way to reach out to a service provider or brand can help build trust and brand but not sales.

Social media is not only about MySpace, FaceBook and Twitter. There is a lot more to it. Just keep it all in perspective and hold on to your check book. Use social media to reach out not to sell. Use social media to get your brand out there…not to offer the next big sale…use social media as a way to build your credibility not to increase your bottom line. Consumers have enough ads bombarding them on a daily basis and I can assure you, if you push your genuine imitation ostrich leather wallets where they socialize…they will shut you out. Imagine if you were out to dinner with friends and a man comes up to you and starts a sales pitch for insurance…kind of the same thing.