2006 August

While much of the advertising attention at SES is focused on pay-per-click programs in the search engines, there’s still room for more traditional approaches to marketing and advertising using rich media to provide a solution. At SES San Jose, Chris spoke with Rick Corteville of Organic, a company that specializes in finding the right advertising campaign for clients across a broad range of rich media opportunites. From advertising through video on the Web to more traditional video outlets, as Organic puts it, “We think about digital media in the broadest and most holistic sense — across multiple screens and platforms. We like addressing complex problems with thoughtful, simple solutions.”

Read more on Rick Corteville of Organic on Rich Media Branding…

I’m disappointed. I mean, here we are in Alaska, and Ted Stevens has not stopped by to say hello. That’s the least he could do for me, considering CNN put the InterTubes bLaugh in one of their segments the other day! I was sorting through my spam remotely (through VNC to my home computer) when I saw a message from captured the video for me to see it second-hand. The quality isn’t amazing, but it seems that in the broadcast, they kept our sponsor’s message (the GoDaddy coupon code “bLaugh”) intact. Freakin’ sweet! I wonder if we’re anywhere near Ted’s place today?

Read more on Catch Me, Ketchikan…

With the recent battery recall from both Dell and Apple a large percentage of laptop batteries may be at risk. While you certainly have the option of getting a replacement battery from the original manufacturer, it might also be worthwhile to consider some alternatives. One useful option is to find a compatible battery with a longer life than the original battery. Here Chris talks with battery expert Larry O’Connor of Newer Technology about the Apple recall, how to pick a battery and a number of tips for getting more life out of your battery while you travel.

Read more on Larry O’Connor on Battery Recalls and Replacement…

Moniker is one of the leading companies in the space of buying and selling domain names. They offer services well beyond the basic domain registration. If you have a domain name you want to sell, Moniker can help in apprasing the value and assist in brokering a deal. If you’re actively seeking the perfect URL, chances are Moniker or one of their competitors is handling the transaction. In this conversation with Chris from SES San Jose, Monte Cahn of Moniker offers some helpful tips on making sure you get the most from your domain purchases and sales no matter which company you use for the transaction.

Read more on Domain Buying Tips from Monte Cahn of Moniker…

I can’t remember falling asleep last night. It’s not like we had a very active day (though I did crash early the night before after another round of fine cigars and cognac). Ponzi was up late, ordering chocolate cake and a club sandwich from room service after Midnight. I woke up to the sound of the ship’s activities director, telling us that we had finally arrived at Sitka. I didn’t want to get out of bed – it was too comfortable. What’s there to do in Sitka? Not much, as we would come to discover.

Read more on Sitting in Sitka…

We never actually pulled up to a port yesterday. Hubbard glacier was to be admired from afar – and admired, it was. I’ll cover the experience in tonight’s Lockergnome report – an afternoon that will be forever etched in memory. I never thought something in nature could be so… naturally amazing. I spend my life looking for artificial creations and virtual pleasures, so this formation of snow and ice was a breath of fresh air (literally). I enjoyed watching it for well over three hours – without once thinking of the time, without once feeling bored or restless. I will return one day, mark my words.

Read more on Hubbard Glacier…

Small Businesses need search engine optimization too. Unlike Fortune 500 companies with massive marketing budgets, small businesses don’t have unlimited resources to “own” their category in Google, Yahoo, MSN and Ask. That’s where Search Engine Guide comes in, providing smart advice for small businesses who need a leg up on the competitive rankings in search engines. As editor of Search Engine Guide, Jennifer Laycock is on the front lines in assisting small businesses to understand the complexities of the search engine universe. Here Chris talks with Jennifer about what small businesses need to know to be found when customers are looking for informatoin.

Read more on Jennifer Laycock of Search Engine Guide on Search Optimization for Small Businesses…

It seems like there are dozens of places to post video these days. Few of the services are optimized for high quality video, which is where the new DivX Stage6DivX is already known as one of the most popular formats for downloading video. Not too long ago they started offering a way to embed DivX in your own Web pages. Stage6 is a natural step into the realm of offering a place for video publishers to easily share content online. With stunning widescreen formatting and an option to charge for downloads, Stage6 seems ready for prime time even though it’s still in beta at the moment. Here Chris talks with Tom Huntington of DivX about the Stage6 service, who the target audience is, and how it fits into the DivX plan for entertainment domination.

Read more on Tom Huntington on DivX Stage6…

You aggitatin’ my dots? Turns out, Holland America is blocking Skype – wholesale. I went to download the VoIP client, only to be met with a message (on Skype.com) saying that it was blocked. I can only assume they’re blocking Skype traffic, too – considering they charge (no joke) over $7 per minute for voice calls from your room phone. It ain’t cheap to communicate on a cruise ship. I’ve got Google Talk installed, so I might try dialing through that in a few minutes – assuming they’re not going to cut in on the call. So much for recording a conversation with Pluggd from sea.

Read more on Blocking Skype…

Alaska Cruise Tips

1. If you don’t have kids or grey hair, you’re in a minority.
2. They will feed you until your stomach explodes; pace yourself!
3. Cruise ship “Classes” are nothing more than sales pitches.

Read more on Alaska Cruise Tips…

The world could be ending right now and I wouldn’t know it. Sure, we have satellite television on board – but the time we’ve spent in our suite has been minimal. Internet access is a premium, so I haven’t spent much of my time catching up with the news online. I’m largely unplugged this week (ironic, as Pluggd is keeping me connected to the Internet for the duration of this voyage). Yes, this week wouldn’t be half as much fun if I wasn’t able to log on and post updates near real-time. And as far as I’m concerned, a couple of times a day is just about as close to “immediate” as you get on the high seas. We haven’t been boarded by pirates yet, though.

Read more on The Alaskan Adventure Continues…

All the efforts by marketers aiming to game the search engines for top positioning could easily be put to rest by providing good old fashioned useful content. Instead of focusing on keyword density and crafty tricks to get to the top of the search engines, provide something people want to read and use common sense. That’s the message from Heather Lloyd Martin, CEO of Success Works and author of Successful Search Engine Copywriting. In this conversation from SES in San Jose, Heather talks with Chris about the fundamentals of writing for your Web site in a way that is both useful to customers and effective at getting good placement in the search engines.

Read more on Heather Lloyd Martin on Search Engine Writing…

Today marks the first day we’ll be stepping off the ship. We’re in Juneau, Alaska – ready to embark on our first dogsledding adventure! I hope to have a few good photos from that excursion. We haven’t quite yet docked for the day, though the views outside our stateroom window have been absolutely amazing. It’s been like watching a long, scrolling postcard from the time we woke up a few hours ago until now. It’s true what they say – the landscape is pretty amazing. The weather is pretty temperate right now, too – haven’t seen a single iceberg float by. I’m a little disappointed that we won’t be touching the Arctic Ocean before turning around and heading back south. It would’ve been “cool” to say that I had been there.

Read more on Do you know Juneau?…

Despite weathering a relatively restless night, I feel refreshed. The bed was comfortable enough, with two twin mattresses akimbo, 250 count sheets, and soft pillows. However, my sense of balance kept me from enjoying a peaceful sleep. I think I’m finally getting my sea legs, though. At least, I hope! It’s most difficult to manage when I can’t see the horizon. The temperature outside? Chilly, but certainly tolerable with thicker clothing. Despite the cool climate, We opted to dine on the verandah for breakfast this morning – the view was oceanic and the company kept us warm. Ponzi and I have a private space just outside our stateroom. Despite the weak coffee, they did bring us heavy cream (per our written request). We’re now getting ready to enjoy our day on board, with Ponzi hot to attend a couple of classes (even though some of them are designed to teach you how to buy more junk that you don’t really need).

Read more on A Morning on the Cruise…