Ok, I have spent a lot of time creating the content for this website myself. None of it is copied from other sources, it's written by me. The topics I cover, including search engine optimization, Internet marketing, web analytics and search engine marketing are all areas of my experience. When I write an article, it comes from my experience, through my brain and then onto my computer at home in Calgary.

As an SEO specialist, I of course try to optimize my own website as much as I can, and as much as time allows, for certain keyword phrases, like Calgary SEO. I'm from Calgary, I live in Calgary, and I provide search engine consulting to companies in Calgary...and well sometimes Vancouver.

Also, as you might expect, I watch my competition in the search engine results pages fairly closely. If you've read my articles then you'll also know that the best way to gain presence in search engines is to create lots of high quality content. Of course, those articles are the bulk of my own content.

Yes, this is leading up to something....

I recently noticed a certain not-to-be-named company (because I don't want to help THEIR search rankings) appear for calgary seo. After looking at their site, a lot of the content as it related to Calgary seemed oddly familiar. A lot of my background is in hotels and hospitality so not surprisingly when I used Copyscape to check to see if any of their content had been ripped off from other websites, it came as no big shock to me to see that yes, in fact, their content as it related to Calgary came DIRECTLY (like copy and paste kind of directly) from Tourism Calgary's website.

And go figure, the company is based in Montreal.

I am all for fair game in search engine optimization, but stealing content is just plain bad form. It's also REALLY bad SEO as it can sometimes (although apparently not this time) result in a duplicate content penalty. I won't mention the name of the company, but if you're dying to know, go to Copyscape and type in www.tourismcalgary.com. The number one bad guy on the list.....

In case you're wondering, I use Copyscape to make sure no one is taking MY content and using it for themselves. Copying content is plagiarism, and if Tourism Calgary was paying more attention, or cared, they could easily go after these websites.

That raises a whole other question. Once someone steals your content, what do you do? Well, you can send them a nasty email, or you can try to take them to court. Be prepared to be able to prove the content is yours, which is much more difficult than it seems. Webserver logs are one of the few ways, but as those can be pretty easily faked it also becomes tough to use these to make your point.

Hopefully Google will catch up with this and be a bit more aggressive in penalties. Until then, please don't copy me! Better yet, ask permission to copy. A link and proper acknowledgement will got a long way!

Labels: calgary, Internet Marketing, search engine optimization, SEO

I recently read this column about the terms Search Engine Specialist versus Search Engine Generalist. The main idea of the article was that Search Engine Generalists are often Web Designers or Web Usability Professionals who understand search engine optimization. A Specialist on the other hand was often a copywriter who often doesn't know how to code but understand how to use words to get the attention of search engines.

I feel completely left out. I'm not either one.

I started in marketing. The regular kind of marketing, back before there was much of an Internet. I designed brochures, made newsletters, did PowerPoint presentations, did a television commercial, media buys, that kind of thing. My job was to get people to buy a product, in whatever way I could. That was the early 90's.

How things change. The Internet then took over. I was forced to move into the digital realm. I proudly report I owned not only the first, but the first AND second laptop ever bought by a large medical manufacturer in Montreal that I worked for in 1996. I proceeded to teach myself HTML and web design. Then I started online advertising and learning everything I could about search engine optimization and Internet marketing. It became a natural extension of what I was doing. When you're a one man marketing department like I was, you have to do it all yourself. So I guess I'm kind of a Search Engine Generalist, but I certainly didn't get my start in marketing by building websites. I did it by making pamphlets and giving product demonstrations to big audiences.

So what am I then? My job is to not only get websites listed higher in Google, but to get people from the search engines, onto your site, and then get them to convert into customers. A high rank means nothing if people don't actually buy what you're selling. Usability changes them from a bounce statistic into a client. (Then I can also design the brochure that they'll be able to download from your site too!)

I need a title. I've always gone with Search Engine Optimization Specialist, but now I'm not sure that totally covers it. My old boss called me an Internet Guru, but I always thought that was a bit cheesy for a professional resume and makes no reference to my traditional marketing background.

Here's some I've already knocked off the list:

Spock of Search - Too Star Trek (although I am a closet Trekker)

Superfantastic Search Engine Everthing Expert - Too Disney I think, or maybe too Japanese Anime, not sure yet.

Marketing Marvel - I am not a super hero to anyone but my dog, although it is kind of catchy. (I sure don't look good in tights though.)

Any thoughts? Help me find a new title! Feel free to leave a comment. I'd love to hear your ideas.

Labels: Fun, Internet Marketing, search engine optimization