thinblog http://thinman.civicapps.com enthusiastic babbling, sprinkled with a light dusting of coherence posterous.com Wed, 24 Aug 2011 23:59:49 -0700 Microsites Get Major Love on Facebook http://thinman.civicapps.com/microsites-get-major-love-on-facebook http://thinman.civicapps.com/microsites-get-major-love-on-facebook

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Tue, 09 Aug 2011 22:15:22 -0700 Me trying to look cool yet profound... http://thinman.civicapps.com/me-trying-to-look-cool-yet-profound http://thinman.civicapps.com/me-trying-to-look-cool-yet-profound

Image

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Mon, 01 Aug 2011 11:03:44 -0700 Social Media Successes http://thinman.civicapps.com/social-media-successes http://thinman.civicapps.com/social-media-successes
Blastann

How many times have you seen the content shared by so-called 'social media gurus' to find that it seems like they're just re-hashing what's in the FAQ of Twitter and Facebook? It's almost like the typos are in there on purpose because they want to throw you off the scent of their copy 'n' paste job. They're mostly selling ads, empty e-books, and really crappy videos.

I'm here to tell you: I've found a marketing expert with real-world experience, and impressive social media success. Ann Evanston, of Warrior-preneur fame, recently ranked among the top six marketers in the country, is a truly wonderful find. One of the top  measures - some say the only measure that matters - of an effective mentor or expert is the measure of how effectively they impact their audience. Ann's impact, from her public speaking to her social media mentoring, is vast. She frequently uses the term "go giver", and is the best example of someone who's quite generous with her time and advice. The advice itself is creative, practical and extremely effective.

Do yourself a favor: Check her out. She puts out a tasty newsletter that comes with a free video when you sign up. To make it easy, I made a simple Facebook app that gets you squared away in no time flat. Click here now to get in on the goodness.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:17:00 -0700 Ride Baby, Ride http://thinman.civicapps.com/ride-baby-ride http://thinman.civicapps.com/ride-baby-ride

Crackedfeets

It's wild to look at tech company valuations and market cap. As a creative, technologist, and marketer who's bootstrapped his way through a number of deeply intellectually enriching career and entrepreneurial experiences, I can tell you first hand that industry analysts are great, if they actually "know of whence they speak" and do their homework. If they're just phoning it in and rehashing press releases or riding the thermals from blog heat, then buyer beware. Thermal updrafts cool, and everyone enjoys a good climb, but as a Colorado Mountain School climbing instructor once told me: 'Never scale a challenge without gear. Going up is fun. Coming back down can kill you.'

During the tech bubble of the 90's a number of folks asked me about what to buy into. I was a young field service engineer for a quickly growing system integrator at the time, so I was in businesses all over the place. I was often asked what new companies looked promising, what existing ones looked good. Since I was in the business of engineering entire business infrastructures for companies ranging from NPO's to public utilities, city governments and agencies, my mindset about what was hot, and what has legs was a bit different than the "buy sexy now" sentiment that seemed to be the order of the day. Sometimes what was hot had staying power, too, sometimes not. No legs to go the distance. My "buy and hold" methodology wasn't most satisfying for folks looking for a get rich quick thing, but it's not like flipping a house. Hell, these days, flipping a house isn't even like flipping a house used to be.

Over the intervening years, though, my predictions (and those of thousands of others fortunate enough to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak) have stood the test of time. Apple market cap and mind-boggling valuations pegged for pre-ipo companies like Facebook and Twitter might seem unnaturally high, but that's a market thing, not a reality thing. So ride it if you can stomach it. Don't gamble with your lunch money, and don't play if you're afraid to lose. And, IMHO, sink some money in what all the hot current tech companies need to consume to survive, and need to leverage to thrive.

When I was a kid, my best friend was coming into his first inheritances. His dad told him he should sock some away, spend a little - if he wanted, but only a little - and invest. We'd never heard of such a thing: "Invest". He told me his dad explained that that's when you put some of your money in a company in the hopes that you'll make even more money the more successful that company is at doing what they do. His advice to his son: 'think of things you like, know a lot about, or that everyone needs, wants, and/or uses.' What great advice to give a kid. Young imaginations run wild, but the clarity of youth is often more prescient (and more mature than the muddled befuddleness of many adults) than many are comfortable with admitting. Everyone uses toothpaste! Everyone needs a place to live! Kids love movies and bikes and toys! Needless to say, from the outset, he did very well for himself.

In today's seemingly irrationally exuberant tech market, all the kids love their toys. But how much time do they get to play with them? I bet they spend way more time with fundamental, elemental stuff that make up the commodities of their systems' consumption and others that present the greatest conundrums to their continued success. I'd place some eggs in those baskets, after all, everyone needs toothpaste and a place to live.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Sun, 10 Jul 2011 17:36:58 -0700 Funk: The Little Lifestream of A Day's Thoughts http://thinman.civicapps.com/funk-the-little-lifestream-of-a-days-thoughts http://thinman.civicapps.com/funk-the-little-lifestream-of-a-days-thoughts

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:08:00 -0700 Re-posting from Fast Company: 4 Persuasive Presentation Preparation Tips http://thinman.civicapps.com/re-posting-from-fast-company-4-persuasive-pre http://thinman.civicapps.com/re-posting-from-fast-company-4-persuasive-pre
via fastcompany.com

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:33:00 -0700 Bubbling Up - Again http://thinman.civicapps.com/bubbling-up-again http://thinman.civicapps.com/bubbling-up-again
Initiatives like Bitcoin and this one called Project Kleinrock are emerging with increasing frequency from more obscure-seeming corners into more mainstream news streams. Again. Combined with increased white hat hacking (Sony, Congess, CIA), we see that there's a rising tide of unrest in not-so-dark corners of the interwebs. All of these share one thing: the defining principle that calls for decentralizing the operation and control of such vital resources as money and the global internet from a small group of companies and powerful interests and replacing that power structure with one that is ostensibly more open and democratic.

Question: who cares who runs it, if it's run with the same disregard for basic safeguards, rights, and equalities. What makes one master any more attractive than any other?

via wiki.omegasdg.com

From OmegaSDG Project Wiki

 

Jump to: navigation, search

Following are the details of a project to create a completely autonomous "second layer" of the Internet, completely free of the influence of or need for Internet Service Providers, and untouchable by the government. This plan is named after Leonard Kleinrock, inventor of the Internet Packet. It has been enacted after news of a bill entering the United States Senate which would allow a President to disable all Internet connectivity within the United States. (We later heard that this bill doesn't do quite that, but that the President has had the power to shut down any telecommunications network (as defined by the FCC) for over 70 years.)

Current Stage: Discretionary

Contents

[hide]

Abstract

Project Kleinrock is an attempt to create an autonomous and decentralized "second layer" of the Internet, which can operate without the use of Internet Service Providers. This network can be set up using nothing more than common household wifi routers. It works by creating a web of routers, connected to each other by switching them into repeater mode, a mode that most routers are capable of. In repeater mode, routers can act as relays, amplifying and rebroadcasting the signal of the router they are connected to, and preserving that router's connections. Each router is connected to a computer which acts as a server, hosting documents which can be accessed from anywhere along the network.

With enough cooperation, and a large number of open "Kleinrock Nodes", an entire neighborhood, or even an entire city, can become networked by stringing all of the routers together, and the Kleinrock layer will be accessible to anyone with a wifi-enabled device. From here, it is trivial to connect multiple Kleinrock networks to each other. Since the network is entirely wifi-based, no ISP connections are necessary, and the network cannot be destroyed without the deactivation of every Kleinrock router.

Reasons

  • The President of the United States has had, for more than 70 years, the power to shut down all Internet connections (or in fact any communications network) within the United States during times of "National Crisis".
  • The new bill entering the senate will give the President the power to shut down these connections for at least 4 months WITHOUT congress approval.
  • The Internet is currently completely controlled by the government and a small number of self-interested corporations.
  • The Internet is one of the most important communications networks in existence.
  • The shutdown of the Internet, even within a single country, would be absolutely devastating.
  • Project Kleinrock is relatively easy to set up, and will create a new Internet controlled by no-one.
  • With Kleinrock, the Internet can become a free service, with free access and free hosting. The only cost to access the Kleinrock Network will be that of purchasing a router, laptop, or any wifi-capable device.
  • Kleinrock is a super cool name.

Procedure

Following are the procedures for setting up a successful Kleinrock network.

Setting up the Network

A Kleinrock Network can be set up easily with the cooperation of a few people over an area. Only 2 or 3 routers are required to enable an entire neighborhood block, and an entire neighborhood or even a town or city can be enabled just as easily. Most common household routers are capable of becoming Kleinrock Nodes.

Router Setup

  • Using your router's instruction manual, find out if your router is capable of repeater mode.
  • Rename your router using the naming scheme discussed in the "Router Identification" section.
  • Switch your router into open mode (no password or encryption).
  • Switch your router into repeater mode, and connect it to any nearby Kleinrock Router.
  • Your router is now a Kleinrock Router!

Notes

  • If the router you are setting up as a Kleinrock Router is the same router you use for your Internet Subscription, others will be able to access the Internet through your Kleinrock Router, and this will slow down your Internet use. If you do not want to provide this kind of Internet access, there are 2 solutions:

1) Buy a second router, and use it as a Kleinrock Router without modifying your existing router.
2) Install a firewall to limit Internet connections to the users within your local network.

Kleinrock Servers

While routers are essential, and extremely helpful in increasing the range of a Kleinrock Network, the network also requires servers to host documents, websites and services, and to broadcast information required for the operation of the network. If you want to help even more, you should download and install the Kleinrock Server Package for your operating system. (Not yet available).

Server Package Components

  • Lighttpd web server (For the Kleinrock Site Indexer)
  • Kleinrock Site Indexer (version 1 almost finished)
  • Dot-P2P DNS Node client/server (For .klein decentralized domain names)
  • SQLite (For the Kleinrock Site Indexer)
  • Python (For the Kleinrock Site Indexer)
  • Instruction Manual

Cluster Nodes

By acquiring several routers and connecting them together by cables inside your own home, you can create a "Kleinrock Cluster", a super router that can repeat several nearby routers at once. By connecting them to each other and setting each to repeat a different router, you can drastically increase the redundancy and stability of the Kleinrock Network with little effort.

Router Identification

The current convention is that all Kleinrock Routers should be named "Kleinrock-Node" and be open and without password. Giving all routers the same name allows most wifi-enabled devices to automatically reconnect when they move out of the range of one router and into the range of another.

Evangelism

The more Kleinrock Routers active, and the wider their range, the bigger and better the network will become. Once project Kleinrock is put underway, please inform everyone you know, and even people you don't know, about the benefits and ease of setting up a Kleinrock Router. It is especially important to get routers activated within range of each other, and in areas least dense with Kleinrock Routers. An "Evangelist Guide" and a pamphlet for prospective router owners will be prepared in the future.

Diagrams

In repeater mode, routers can connect to each other and rebroadcast the signal, preserving the network structure. Each router can only repeat one other router, but a router can be repeated by several routers. Following is a diagram of an example Kleinrock Network.

C = Client
R = Router
S = Server

The arrows indicate the router being repeated.
A router can have multiple servers.
Routers can be connected to each other by wires to create a Kleinrock Cluster. This effectively creates a super-router which can repeat multiple routers.

Kleinrock Network Ex1.png

 

 

 

via wiki.omegasdg.com

Initiatives like Bitcoin and this one called Project Kleinrock are emerging with increasing frequency from more obscure-seeming corners into more mainstream news streams. Again. Combined with increased white hat hacking (Sony, Congess, CIA), we see that there's a rising tide of unrest in not-so-dark corners of the interwebs. All of these share one thing: the defining principle that calls for decentralizing the operation and control of such vital resources as money and the global internet from a small group of companies and powerful interests and replacing that power structure with one that is ostensibly more open and democratic.

Question: who cares who runs it, if it's run with the same disregard for basic safeguards, rights, and equalities. What makes one master any more attractive than any other?

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Thu, 19 May 2011 15:40:56 -0700 Social Media Mojo Makes Online Marketing Easy! http://thinman.civicapps.com/social-media-mojo-makes-online-marketing-easy http://thinman.civicapps.com/social-media-mojo-makes-online-marketing-easy
Sohologo

Social Media Mojo is as easy as sending an email.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Wed, 11 May 2011 14:55:00 -0700 Quick Mailchimp Tip: Personalizing Your Landing Page http://thinman.civicapps.com/quick-mailchimp-tip-personalizing-your-landin http://thinman.civicapps.com/quick-mailchimp-tip-personalizing-your-landin

Hey there, Mailchimpers!

I'm working on an email marketing project where I wanted to personalize the landing page that email recipients clicked through to, so I whipped up this quick 'how-to' sharing how I did it. Geek Alert: This requires basic HTML skills so be prepared for a my propellerhead to show through in spots. This how-to will show you how to personalize a landing page with an email recipient (list member)'s first name using Javascript, PHP, or ColdFusion.

You know how, in Mailchimp, you can easily personalize emails by simply adding the magic *|FNAME|* merge code right into the body of the email message? Well, I wanted to personalize the landing page that users click through to in just the same way. So when an email recipient clicks the link in the email and gets to the landing page, I can greet them by first name just like the Mailchimp email campaign does. Email marketing is all about relationship, right? And personalization on the web is a rule of thumb for fostering deeper, more meaningful customer engagement experiences. So I figured out how to pass the email's recipient along to the landing page and get it onto the web page to greet the user by name. Here's how to do it:

1. Passing Along The *|FNAME|*

First up, the links in the email. This is the easiest part! Just add a question mark, the word 'fname', an equals sign, and the merge code tag.

Let's say our link in the email is: 'http : // www. funkymonkeybeeswax .com / landingpage.htm'

Here's how it looks when we add the code to pass the recipients first name:

'http : // www. funkymonkeybeeswax .com / landingpage.htm?fname=*|FNAME|*'

So if the recipeint's first name is Jane, the link in the email she receives will end up being:

'http : // www. funkymonkeybeeswax .com / landingpage.htm?fname=Jane'

Adding that last part to the link is called adding or appending a "URL parameter" to it. Next up, we'll make our web page grab that parameter and display it.

2. Getting The Name & Displaying In The Page - Javascript Version

OK. Let's grab that URL parameter, the recipient's name that we passed along by appending the *|FNAME|* to the end of the link. First up, if you're using PHP or Coldfusion to power your pages, you can skip this section and jump to the PHP solution here or Coldfusion here. If you're using Javascript, read on!

The JS version of this solution has two parts: Reading the URL to get the name, and writing the name to the document.

Use this script in the header of your page to read and parse the URL and return the name:

<script type="text/javascript">
function namer( name )
{

  var regexS = "[\\?&]"+name+"=([^&#]*)";

  var regex = new RegExp( regexS );

  var tmpURL = window.location.href;

  var results = regex.exec( tmpURL );

  if( results == null )

    return "";

  else

    return results[1];

}
var fname_param = namer('fname');
</script>

Now that we've told the web page how to get the name, let's put it visibly on the page. Whereever you'd like the name to actually appear on the page, simply place this in the source code:

<script type="text/javascript">

document.write(fname_param);

</script>

And that's all there is to it. What's happening? Well, the first bit of code is reading the URL and extracting only the name, leaving the http, and colons, and slashes, and questionmarks and equal signs behind. Then, it's giving it to us so we can "write it to the page" wherever we want. Done! 

2a. Getting The Name & Displaying In The Page - PHP Version

So this version is one of many examples of why PHP is such a popular and pwerful web programming language. It's all of three lines of code:

<?php

echo 'Hello ' . htmlspecialchars($_GET["fname"]) . '!';

?>

If you're using PHP, just pop that line of code wherever you want the name to appear on the page. Boom. Done.

 

2b. Getting The Name & Displaying In The Page - Coldfusion Version

I love CF. It's simple, elegant, clean and easy to use. And this solution weighs in at only one line of code. Yup. Uno. A singleton. Ready for it? Here goes:

<cfoutput>#URL.fname#</cfoutput>

CFers can just pop that line of code whereever you want the name to appear on the page. Just like PHP, only sexier. Again, this time with feeling: Siss-Boom-Done!

Now there's all sorts of ways to make this even more sexy and complicated, and there's probably even more proper ways to dial in the code. Feel free to share if you've found something that works for you.

Go Bananas with it!

 

 

 

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Fri, 11 Mar 2011 23:51:49 -0800 Apple’s JointVenture For Business Gets Official http://thinman.civicapps.com/apples-jointventure-for-business-gets-officia http://thinman.civicapps.com/apples-jointventure-for-business-gets-officia

http://techcrunch.com/2011/03/06/apples-jointventure-for-business-gets-offici...

Now I can finally editorialize on other people's stuff through this blog while citing the source.

via Fogozine for iPad

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Fri, 11 Mar 2011 23:28:47 -0800 Getting Started With Fogozine http://thinman.civicapps.com/getting-started-with-fogozine http://thinman.civicapps.com/getting-started-with-fogozine

Getting_Started_With_Fogozine.html Download this file

Another way to curate content on the go?
via Fogozine for iPad

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Sat, 05 Mar 2011 15:10:00 -0800 Sohocentric+CivicApps Testing the Auto-Embed From Widgetbox http://thinman.civicapps.com/sohocentriccivicapps-testing-the-auto-embed-f http://thinman.civicapps.com/sohocentriccivicapps-testing-the-auto-embed-f
via l.wbx.me

 

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Wed, 02 Mar 2011 12:36:00 -0800 Blue Pill? Red Pill? Follow The Wabbit Down The Hole... http://thinman.civicapps.com/blue-pill-red-pill-follow-the-wabbit-down-the http://thinman.civicapps.com/blue-pill-red-pill-follow-the-wabbit-down-the

It's like a treasure hunt, only without fear of pirates, junk bond traders, and MLM spam faces.

"Gary Vaynerchuk in my breakfast nook http://t.co/H0eclgM via @StuartLCanton less than a minute ago via thinman"

Check out this post, and dare to help make this happen.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:56:00 -0800 Islands In The Lifestream: Is Your Website A Beachhead Or A Boat Launch? http://thinman.civicapps.com/islands-in-the-lifestream-is-your-website-a-b http://thinman.civicapps.com/islands-in-the-lifestream-is-your-website-a-b
Media_httpcdnshopifyc_cfrla
via shop.civicapps.com

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Mon, 07 Feb 2011 21:12:00 -0800 3 Quick Tips For Using URL Shorteners http://thinman.civicapps.com/3-quick-tips-for-using-url-shorteners http://thinman.civicapps.com/3-quick-tips-for-using-url-shorteners

If you're new to the world of shortened links and wondered what good URL shorteners are, read on. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the ease and utility of the free online tools.

Beyond reclaiming a fistful of those precious few 140 characters in a Twitter post, link shorteners - or "URL shorteners" - are ideal from providing you nearly real-time data as well as historical data giving you insight to the progress of your online visibility and marketing success.

Here are a 3 quick tips for using link shorteners:

  1. Use It Or Lose It
    It might sound obvious, but use short links. Use them in social media marketing like Facebook and LinkedIn. Use them in your Tweets on Twitter, your tumbles on Tumblr and your posts on Posterous. They're nice, organic inbound links to your content, and organic inbound links are good for search engine ranking.

  2. Get It Good
    'Getting' something is half the battle, right? Understanding the impact on users is key. User appreciate having short links that are easy on the eyes and easy to share.

  3. Add It All Up
    The plus marks the spot! It's easy to track the click and related online activity information. Both bit.ly and goo.gl support giving you a shortened URL's related information - such as number of clicks, where the clicks came from, and  lots more - by simply placing a '+' character after a link shortened using their services. Here's an example: If you used Google's shortener - goo.gl -  and your link is something like "http://goo.gl/a98m0,"simply place a '+' at the end of the shortened link in the address bar of your browser and hit the 'Enter' key. Your link's details will load up and you'll have insight into how the link's stacking up.
Ready to try it out? There's a fun contest over on our Facebook page where you can learn about link shortening and get your chance to win over $500 in prizes. Check it out.

Do you use short links? How useful do you find them? What do you use them for? Feel free to share any tips on using short links here.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Sat, 05 Feb 2011 11:48:00 -0800 Video How-To: Using URL Shortneners http://thinman.civicapps.com/video-how-to-using-url-shortneners http://thinman.civicapps.com/video-how-to-using-url-shortneners

Here's as few seconds showing you how easy it is use URL shorteners.

shortly_001.mov Watch on Posterous

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Sat, 05 Feb 2011 11:45:00 -0800 The "Share Shortly Contest": Abridged About http://thinman.civicapps.com/the-share-shortly-contest-abridged-about http://thinman.civicapps.com/the-share-shortly-contest-abridged-about
Media_httpcdnshopifyc_fwfij
via shop.civicapps.com

Here's some info about those free URL shorteners and a contest to win more than $500 in prizes.

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:22:28 -0800 What social media apps are missing from my Productivity set? http://thinman.civicapps.com/what-social-media-apps-are-missing-from-my-pr http://thinman.civicapps.com/what-social-media-apps-are-missing-from-my-pr

Image

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Thu, 03 Feb 2011 23:58:50 -0800 If you don't wanna know, don't ask. Just sayin'. http://thinman.civicapps.com/if-you-dont-wanna-know-dont-ask-just-sayin http://thinman.civicapps.com/if-you-dont-wanna-know-dont-ask-just-sayin

Image

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]]> http://files.posterous.com/user_profile_pics/16649/crackedfeets.jpg http://posterous.com/users/10BFe2x2E93 thinman thinman Wed, 02 Feb 2011 15:02:00 -0800 Checking Out: Getting Right With Google http://thinman.civicapps.com/checking-out-getting-right-with-google http://thinman.civicapps.com/checking-out-getting-right-with-google

[ cross-posting from my humble little ecommerce site ]

We all want to stay on Google's good side right? Duh. Right? That's a no-brainer! And Google wants to stay on ours. Wait. What? Yes. Yes they do. We rely upon Google for all sorts of information, and we trust them to provide us with authentic, authoritative links. That's where we come in. As online merchants with ecommerce sites, we need to prove to Google that our sites are real, and we're who we say we are. That helps them provide people with great information. Total win-win!

In response to recent concerns regarding the quality of Google's information, the online giant put a number of things in motion within their ongoing efforts to keep the good information flowing, especially about online products and merchants listed in their systems. That's us! In order to do that we're being asked to verify and claim our online ecommerce presences. So that's what this quick article's about.

If your ecommerce site is listing your products with Google, you may have received a message similar to this:

Here's how to verify and claim (both steps are required) your web address through Google:

1. Go to the Google Merchant Dashboard (http://www.google.com/merchants/merchantdashboard)

2. Fill out the General Settings and save the changes.

3. Be sure to enter the exact address of your online store's homepage in the Website URL field. See below

4. Verify the site using Google Webmaster Tools

5. Important: Come back to your Google Merchant Dashboard and claim your listing by clicking the "Claim" link beneath your web address.

Hope this helps and good luck! Here's Google's official instructions on getting verified and claimed. Please feel free to contact me if you've got any questions or need assistance. I've done a few of these for clients already, and I'm happy to help.

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