The never ending Myspace profile page is another example of poor interface that has been modified beyond the creator’s original intent. I’ve worked within their rules and outside with design projects for the Chicago band Last Fast Action. It’s not easy. Inline CSS and CSS based positioning require either experts or dumb luck. As a web developer, I cringe at the tables and styles I’m required to insert in the middle of my document to effect the whole page.

Myspace has finally admitted that their users needed some guidance. At first, slew of web-based Myspace editors were created by third parties with background image uploaders, color sliders, and even the ability to remove complete sections. Next, Myspace itself created a profile editor, however, lacking the ability for advanced layout options and live preview.

Enter Myspace’s new Profile 2.0

This full featured profile editor allows users to easily select from 27 templated themes or modify individual elements of their profile individually. One of the nicest features of the customization overhaul is the live preview. Below the AJAX rich customization menus is a full-profile preview that changes by theme or individual elements as they are altered. At the bottom of this article are some screenshots of the interface including the live preview.

The Appearance menu lets you modify:

• The Theme - Includes background image, headers, fonts, colors, and images.
• The Layout - Alter the number of columns (1 or 2) and if there are header or footer sections.
• Advanced Edit - Modify the background image, content alignment, fonts, colors, and spacing.
• CSS - Allows for the proper insertion of CSS based styling into the page.

The Modules menu manages which modules are included on the page.

Here are the current modules:

• Blogs
• Blurbs
• Calendar
• Comments
• Companies
• Details
• Friend Space
• Interests
• Music Player
• Networking
• Schools
• Video Player
• Video Slider

A simple click of the plus sign adds a module to the profile page, and a quick click-and-drag moves it around the page. Up and down the same column, or left and right to new column works. AJAX greatly improves the interface for the profile management.

Each of the modules added on the page also allow for further customization. Sections within the module can be turned on or off, even served differently for friends and non-friends. For example, the Interests module has the following options:

• Privacy - Settings for Everyone, Friends Only, and Just Me ( the logged in user).
• Visible Items - Linking Interests, Show General, Show Music, Show Movies, Show Television, Show Books, Show Heroes

There are also some new features of some of the modules. The Friend Space channel allows for up to 40 displayed friends and the automatic squaring of friends profile images. The Comments module can also be modified with number displayed and original vs. square friend’s profile images.

Another welcome change is the departure of the forever unused “Extended Network” box. Yes, everyone is in everyone else’s extended networks as long as you’re still friends with Tom. But with it’s departure, a new header with multiple images, status, mood, and contact links has take it’s place over the top of the entire profile. I think it looks great and adds much needed usability to the interface.

That’s it for now. Feel free to visit my recently updated profile at myspace.com/techfury2k and friend me. I’m sure tweaks and additions will come as the feedback rolls in. But the biggest lesson that I feel Myspace took away from the Facebook updates was this - Opt In. Users were not thrown into the deep end. You can opt in and are even given 90 days of backup if you decided to roll back. They are ensuring that everything works for the users and for their systems. I look forward to the future of Myspace, and hopefully, a rebirth in user interfaces for the social media networks.

Below are some screenshots of the interface including the live preview:

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People complained when Flickr enabled their NoFollow feature on links. Blogs and forums that apply this “feature” don’t have as much value in the eyes of the pros. But they do. If you consider the traffic that source has, the readership the blog supports, or the scope of it’s audience, that NoFollow link can give you the traffic you were hoping for. 

But it’s not guaranteed!

Remember, it’s not always about the search engines. People hire photographers, not Google or Yahoo! (well, they do, but not my wife).

Just because you have a link doesn’t mean that people will click it. It doesn’t mean they won’t see right through your link placement as a grab for traffic.  That means you need to be selective in where, how, and when you submit links.

So go ahead, comment on that blog with your website, post a link to a related work - just consider the following:

1. Post your link relative to the prospective audience.
   If you blog about photography, you probably won’t want to push a link on a chemistry forum. The users won’t be as receptive to your topic. In my wife’s case, she’s a concert photographer. This means she emphasizes her links in concert, photography, and concert photography outlets. 
2. Become an authority among a regular audience
    Instead of posting your links on 20 different blogs or forums, focus your efforts. Pick three to five and become a regular member of that community. Comment daily and get to know the feeling of the community. Pretty soon, the other regulars will consider you just as much an authority as the owner or moderator. Your link will provide easy access for those wanting to know more about you and your ideas.
3. Comment early, and post often
   Now that you’ve decided on a couple authoritative audiences, get your comments or replies in early. This ensures  that everyone who even glances at the comments and replies will be sure to see your name and thoughts. Seriously, who scrolls down more than 10, maybe 15, comments on your favorite blog? Being a regular participant will also cause name recognition. Again, your link makes for easy access to your site.

As great a networking tool as Twitter is, there are topical limits. There are some people in their respected industries who are legends. Following them means you can expect one thing from them. As for the rest of us ordinary folk, Twitter offers a glimpse into our everyday lives. Frustrations of the office, problems in our day to day. When publishing links for traffic, consider prefacing it with a topical intro or title.  Make it relevant to those who should see it. 

It all comes down to putting yourself out there. This post was inspired by a blog I follow and a commenter (a self-proclaimed blog specialist and SEO expert). This individual commented several times with name but no website. Seriously? A keyword heavy, non-NoFollow link? 

You never know when someone will find your insight useful or enlightening. You’re smarter than you think! Give users a way to get to your site - They may just turn into a subscriber or a customer.

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A word about Twitter. Many people aren’t familiar with the benefits of Twitter. What can it do for me or my business. Why is it important for my business goals and strategies? Rand Fishkin of SEOmoz gave a great Whiteboard Friday on the topic back in May. 

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1. Add your URL: http://www.google.com/addurl

2. Create a sitemap

3. Submit that sitemap via Webmaster Tools

Give me your ideas and I’ll compile a top 10 list of what you think. Everyone has their preferences and best practices, let’s share!

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The what? EQP? Did she say P or T?  You panic. You nod your head in complete understanding and dart out of the room at the first sign of the meeting wrapping up. Back at your desk, you consult with your fellow coworkers only to discover that no one knows what the EQT is.

An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. But what IT experts and Marketing Professionals forget is that abbreviations should be meaningful to everyone - Not just to those who created them.Everyday, consumers are bombarded with a wide array of abbreviations. Some they know, many they don’t. The average citizen knows FedEx, Amex, MBA, NYC, DMV, AOL and NBC. But what about ORD, AI or D&E?

Not all abbreviations are used to short phrases, some are used as brands. AOL was America Online for the longest time, much like Kentucky Fried Chicken. But people change and so AOL, KFC and HP enter the venacular.

Here are a couple questions to ask when considering or creating an abbreviation for the masses:

• Think. Will this abbreviation serve the user in the end?
• Is the abbreviation memorable?
• Does the abbreviation relate to the product or service it promotes?
• Is the abbreviation easy to use, say, type, write or pass along?

There will always be those who wish for abbreviations when they are not needed, but hopefully these questions can stir conversation surrounding an often short conversation.

On a side note, I use abbreviations almost daily with the websites I manage. This post was spured by a request for a two letter abbreviation for a web and email address. I feel that two letters if often to short to create a connection with the user. Memory serves us best when we relate to the stimulus.

Here’s to shortening the world, one phrase at a time.

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I can imagine that from conference to conference their presentations do not stray from the usual small, niche business owner (yes owner, not marketer) asking advise for selling more of their product. Their words are always nice but critical - almost brutal at times. But their suggestions always theme across these five points from their case study Landing Page Confusion:

5 Key Principles for Maximizing Landing Page Clarity

1. Focus on one objective for each page. Drive everything on the page to that one objective.
2. Sales pages should use a vertical flow through the center of the page. For commercial offer pages, vertical single-column body copy through the center of the page consistently performs better than other layouts and should always be tested.
   * Left or right columns should be used to support movement toward the objective such as testimonials (to reduce anxiety at clicking the Order button).
3. Eliminate elements that may distract eye path from flow toward the objective. Remove page elements such as photos and graphic images that do not support the primary objective.
4. Use visual elements (size, motion, color, position, and shape) to draw attention toward the call to action.
5. Avoid using off-page links. Use passive pop-ups or launch new browser windows when needed to provide details or supplemental decision information. Once visitors have left the page, their forward momentum is interrupted and must be re-established even if they do return.

As a follow up to the webinar, I found the afore mentioned case study and it exemplifies the basics of landing page optimizations. Keep it simple. Remember who your customer is, what you want them to do, what the customer wants, and be authoritative.

I’m hoping to post several Landing Page related posts this coming week. Feel free to email or comment on any topics that concern or make you go Hmmmm?

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To my surprise, 4 cupcakes similar to those on the left appeared in my office. A thank you from the vice president over marketing.  Paired with a Mountain Dew, my breakfast was complete.

Seriously though, I’ll be sending all my colleagues in the Marketing/Communications a walk-through to setup their own Google Alerts. Why? Because I’m the Manager of Web Services and the SEO guy. It’s not my job, but I do love seeing what it picks up.

There are plenty of free tools out there, and Google Alerts is only the start for managing your online reputation.  It’s useful to know where  people are talking about you, but more importantly, it’s useful to know where people are talking bad about you. Finding blogs that complain about your brand or forums where opinions are less then stellar, gives the opportunity to follow up and improve those relations.

Sign-up, it’s free. It’s useful. And you never know what might show up on your desk tomorrow morning.

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“What are the four terms/concepts illustrated on the cover of this semester’s textbook?”

Only two students out of twenty answered it correctly (one of them being my students *bragging*). Just as important to the cover and title of your book is the table of contents. Admit it, your grade school textbook’s table of contents was ignored. So often the Heading Tags, or better yet - the table of contents, are your guides to readability and usability.

Search Engines
The popular search engines use the often overlooked H1 - H6 tags as an overview of the page’s content. Starting at the top of the page, spiders skim the H1 tag (which is of course filled with juicy, targeted keywords) and move on to the smaller headers. H2 - H4 hold the most value, while H5 and H6 are rarely used by most of today’s developers and stylists. Imagine the Heading Tags almost like a bulleted list for the entire page. The easier you outline your page, the easier the spiders will find relevant content and keywords.

Users
It’s been proven that users don’t read, they skim. This is nothing new to those who study usability or user interactions. Creating text that stands out and makes your point clear is key to drawing them further down the page. This is key for those who run ads that are conveniently placed below the fold.

Heading Tags vary the text size, font weight, and style which draws the eye in, down the page, and to the words the user searched for. Be sure to include keywords and terms in these headings - it will engage both the user and the search engine agents.

Do we learn from our mistakes? We should - but the students of my friend didn’t. The next semester he asked the same question of the same students for a different book. No one got it that time.

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Google Analytics has become an industry standard for small to large SEO and online marketing, and while Google is one of the most trusted online companies, it has hiccups. Any online service has the potential or a technical or mechanical failures. It is at that exact moment that your vice president, CIO, or marketing director want proof and results.

Excuses work, sometimes. “We had so many hits, the analytics software can’t keep up. It’ll be ready tomorrow.” Sometimes.

Trust and reliability are key factors when dealing with any vendor - technology based or not. Knowing they are there when there is a problem and correcting in in a timely fashion are bragging rights of any quality service. Google has addressed and is assessing the issues connected with their analytics.

I trust Google. I’ll continue too use their tools, both online and offline. I’ll tell my friends. But be sure to consider uptime, downtime, support, reporting, and most importantly, the repercussions of what can happen to your business the moment that theses services are not available.

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You’re Awful, I Love You

Check them out at LudoRock.com or MySpace/LudoRock. You won’t be disappointed.

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