Last week, Google announced (to MUCH fanfare online, but little fanfare offline) that they will be using more social search in their search engine ratings. What this means is you will see, if your friends and/or you are using Google+ (or other Google products) and you are using Google to search that you’ll see more personalized results from people in your network. Google calls it “Search Plus Your World” and it’s pretty interesting.

Rather than bore you with all the details, here’s a 70 second video from Google explaining the change a bit more.

Can’t see the video above? Click here to watch Google Search Plus Your World on YouTube

While Twitter and Google have gone back and forth on this (Twitter saying this is bad, and Google saying it’s all Twitter’s fault, read about it here), Jon Mitchell over at Read Write Web has written the best explanation of how Google is doing what it’s doing – and how you might incorporate it into your website too.

My thoughts on this are simple: Google is the biggest site for search. If you want to rank well on their site, you need to leverage their tools in the right way to boost your rankings. I’m not passing judgement – just sharing a statement of what I believe to be true.

How can you leverage Google’s tools in the right way?

Get a Google profile – You need to start by showing people how YOU want to be found. As a small business owner, stand up and be counted. Set up a complete profile at http://profiles.google.com

Put your business on the (Google) map – Add your business to Google Places listing sooner than later. Add as much information as you know. Don’t worry – you can edit it later.

Upload some photos of your business and your neighborhood on Picasa – Small businesses are seldom are so private you don’t want to share pictures of your building and your neighborhood. Take a few snaps with your smart phone or digital camera, and upload them to Picasa.

Read more about the changes in Google’s own words at Search, plus Your World.

YOUR TURN: Are you doing anything differently because of these changes? If so, what is YOUR best way to take advantage of Google’s recent changes? What help do you need to take best advantage of these changes?

A few week’s back I was in Chicago and got to spend a day with best selling author Carol Roth. We shot a few videos, and today’s video is about creating great video content.

Even if you’ve never done a video before, or if you have no plan of doing video, you can learn something from this 4 minute video.

Here are the notes I took when I watched the video today, with some of my additional thoughts.

1) Know your audience – Who are you talking to? Focus on them, and keep your audience  in mind with every point you make.

2) Connect with and engage the person right away – Put your best point up front. Lead with the meat! All the supporting stuff can come later but if you don’t make the point right away, you’ll lose them FAST.

3) Give it some juice – You need to be energetic. Asking a good question to start off is a great way to begin. Also, make sure you SMILE before you get the camera rolling, and keep smiling as the camera is shooting. Don’t worry about looking a little goofy because you’re smiling too much.

4) Practice, practice, practice – Being on video and writing content isn’t easy, so work at it. Make time to do things, and of course…

5) Pursue progress over perfection. Your video, your article, whatever could always be better. But if you work that hard at it, it will never be finished. So PUBLISH and write your next article, or record your next video.

What did I miss? What are YOUR best tips for creating content? Please share them below in the comments.

Great article over at Business on Main that outlines (with details) 4 steps to using online video to boost your business:

1) Plan your strategy

2) Make your videos

3) Place your videos

4) Drive traffic

All simple, yet solid, tips and ones every business can actually do to leverage the power of online video.

Don’t think video is important?

YouTube is now the second-largest search engine.

Are you doing video for your business? If not, what’s holding you back?

Get started by reading the article over at Business on Main about using online video to boost your business and then get going making some great videos!

My blog is a part of an online influencer network for Business on Main. I receive incentives to share my views on a monthly basis.

In this video interview, I got to chat with one of my favorite authors, Tim Sanders, about his new book, Today We Are Rich. I was SO excited to spend some time with Tim, as he’s been one of my mentors for a LONG time.

Below is the video. My notes follow if you want to follow along with them or just watch/listen and enjoy the wonder that is Tim Sanders!

Click here if you can’t see the video

Tim Sanders Interview Notes

The book cover is candy apple red – if you watch the video or read his book, you can find out why.

Tim mentions a key question to ask yourself if you’re feeling stuck, learned from his Grandma Billie:

What are you NOT DOING today, that you were doing back in the day when you were on top of your game?

Principle 1: Feed your mind good stuff – Tim explains why this is important, and even better, HOW to put this into your life.

Gratitude should be your first waking thoughts to help you get over your “lucky feeling” in your day

Then Tim talks about one of the most important keys to success:

Preparation

Acquire a specialized piece of information – one that your audience doesn’t know you know. It will keep you bursting with anticipation before you go on.

Rehearse as if – go through it like a good rock band does a set. Put together an audience or stand in front of the mirror to look yourself in the eye with a talk.

Re-experience success right before you hit the stage – fill your mind with the great successes of the past.

Great quote Tim mentioned: “Success is not about hard work, it’s about full preparation.”

How to connect more with Tim Sanders:

Email him tim @ timsanders.com
Check out his website at http://twar.com (free chapter from the book is there)
Follow him on Twitter @sanderssays

Recently I was interviewed by Rich Steelman of e-Motion Mktg to share some tips on how to make better connections instead of contacts. I’m planning my next book around this topic, and this interview gives some insights into my thinking on it.

If you have a few minutes, I’d love it if you took the time watch and listen to the video and let me know what you think of the content in the comments on the article. If you’re reading this via e-mail, would you mind clicking on the headline and sharing your $.02?

Direct link to Connections Not Contacts video on YouTube

Thanks a bunch for your assistance and support!

Sometimes I fall down. Like a few weeks ago. I fell down, and I hurt my back. It still hurts.

A LOT!

Life must go on however. There are still things I must do.

Pushing through the pain is one of them.

Yes, I’ve been to see someone. Nothing is broken.

Yes, it’ll heal with time.

Most things do.

But I had to make the conscious decision to get back up, get back on the bull, and go out into the world every day.

I get to choose whether I get up or not.

And so do you.

Yep, some days are easier than others to choose to get up.

And yet still, it’s worth it. It’s worth getting up each day, because of  the new possibilities, of the new hope that the next day might be the best day.

Because if you don’t look back, usually the very next day IS the very best day, of the rest of your life.

I hope you’ll choose to get back on the bull.

Today.

Tomorrow.

Every day.

Even when it hurts a little.

PS: If you can’t see the video, click here. It’s only 1:14.

And no, this is NOT how I hurt my back

Interesting video that made me smile. It’s got all the new social networks and Internet superstars made fun of, all in just 2 minutes 45 seconds.

Not sure if this makes me feel better or worse about myself. Don’t judge, just watch. Are you a new dork like me? Embrace it! Unleash your inner dork.

Boy the Internet is one powerful machine. I didn’t realize just HOW powerful until I saw this video. Stats, stats and more stats, all that will make you stand up and say WOW!

JESS3 / The State of The Internet from Jesse Thomas on Vimeo.

Can you believe that back in 1995, Newsweek thought the Internet would fail? Wow!

Of course, now folks say the same thing about social media. Social media is just a trend. Stats, composed of real humans, say otherwise.

Watch the video again. Check out the stats. Then tell me social media is just a fad, a phase, or something that’s going away.

It’s not going to be exactly the same though. Some services may go away. Some more shine more brightly.

But make no mistake: social media, things that are easy to create, easy to share, easy to understand, will not go away. We have the power, as consumers, as publishers, as people who have a real voice. Why would we give that back to a company?

David Meerman Scott is one of the most insightful people I know. He’s written several amazing books (New Rules of Marketing & PR and World Wide Rave being 2 of the most recent), given away several incredible free ebooks (Lose Control of Your Marketing and The New Rules of Viral Marketing, with more available without any friction at David’s amazing blog Web Ink Now), and now is offering a full 45 minute keynote presentation available for all of us who want to learn more about the New Rules of Marketing & PR.

As I said, the video is 45 minutes, so you’ll need to carve out some time to pay attention, take some notes and learn from one of the best!

David Meerman Scott keynote at BMA 2009 national conference from David Meerman Scott on Vimeo.

Who is this video for?

• Anyone having trouble selling new media to their organization or board of directors
• Anyone looking to better understand new media
• Anyone who wants to augment their marketing and PR efforts.

The best thing about this advice? It’s all common sense…especially if you lead with the amazing stats David leads his presentation with.

Take the time right now and get to know David Meerman Scott. Trust me…you’ll thank me for it!

Any questions?

I am an unapologetic fan of Seth Godin. I have read every one of his books and ebooks, his was the first blog I ever read (on accident), read almost every one of his blog posts, own his CD set, and have even gotten to talk to Seth on the phone for an interview for one of his books. His books are great, and have helped me think about many things in the world differently.  And though I don’t agree with Seth on EVERYTHING, I do enjoy his work and appreciate the fact he writes on his blog every day.

The video above is like a "best of" Seth Godin. He talks about why his books did so well, and they are all things YOU could do. It’s little over 30 minutes long, and is worth every second you spend watching it.

My take on this video: Don’t do things exactly how Seth does them. Instead, take his ideas and put them to work on YOUR ideas.

If you’re reading via RSS or e-mail, you may need to click here to watch the video.

Questions for you:

What’s your favorite Seth Godin book or idea?

How can you put your favorite idea into action in YOUR business and in YOUR life?