Let me quickly recap Matt’s preview of the future of Google:

1. Better Page Understanding – following up with the Panda updates, Google will continue to understand the value of an author and quality content vs. sites that simply scrape content from other sources. More credit will be give. To authentic, valuable content.

2. More Personal Search - while some SEOs complain about not being able to see keywords sending traffic from those searching while signed into their Google account, Matt made it very clear that users want more personal and private search options, so they will continue to move that way.

3. Better Tools for Searchers - Google will continue to roll out new tools to help serve its end user – whether it be more privacy options or more influence from social media sites such as Google Plus.

4. Communication and Transparency – Google has made major strides with its blog and YouTube channel (among other things) and will continue to be as open as possible about changes that are on the horizon.

5. Sending Info to Google – Rumor is Matt carries around a notepad and will literally write down any issues that are brought up at conferences like PubCon to address with his team. In addition to that, he made it very clear that Google WANTS to be notified if you feel a site has been penalized unfairly or if you have another concern. There will continue to be ways to reach out to the Google team for assistance.

So, how do you stay in the loop on all of these changes?
Here is a slide from Matt Cutts at PubCon with 4 things worth doing now:

Note: All content and images in this blog post were published using my iPhone 4S. I apologize for any typos or incorrect formatting. Thanks for visiting!

With so many sessions over a 3 day period, it can be hard to keep everything straight. It’s for this reason that I really enjoyed the presentation from Sean Jackson with Copyblogger. Coppyblogger has grown to be one of the best online marketing blogs on the web, frequently writing about content optimization for search. The beautiful thing about Copyblogger Media’s success is that they follow a very simple plan for driving traffic to their website and have two clear conversion goals for site visitors.

The three primary social networks of choice for Copyblogger are: Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus. They use these social media sites to drive traffic to their website and grow their following. Once the visitor arrives at the site, the two conversion goals are clear – subscribe to the blog via an RSS feed or sign up for updates via email.

Copyblogger uses the Internet Marketing for Smart People free 20 part series to instantly build value and credibility for all new subscribers. Educating visitors first and selling later. It’s the way things should be!

Take a look at the slide from Sean Jackson’s PubCon presentation below. What do you think of this Online marketing strategy?

Check out the Copyblogger website and pay close attention to their headlines. Brian Clark and company write some of the most magnetic headlines that convert visitors.

Note: This is my first post done entirely on my iPhone 4S. I apologize for any formatting or spelling mistakes. Thanks for reading!

The Bridgewater Clubhouse view from driving range

You see, the first thing you notice about this extraordinary country club is the clubhouse…because it’s HUGE.  In fact, the clubhouse is over 70,000 square feet and the construction was supervised by S. Vic Jones and Associates out of Dallas, Texas.  He’s won several awards for his work and has designed over 200 clubhouses throughout the United States.  If a course around here is willing to put that type of effort into the clubhouse – you know it’s going to be among the best golf courses in Indiana.  Needless to say, I’ve been staring at this course and clubhouse (all while still keeping my eyes on the road of course) while driving through Carmel for over a year now.

Since The Bridgewater Golf Club is a private golf course,  I wasn’t exactly sure how or if I’d ever get the chance to play.  Luckily, I have a good friend named Chris Theisen who happens to be, well, pretty damn good at golf.  Long story short, his team won the Westfield Chamber Golf Outing at The Bridgewater so he received a certificate for four to play golf…and he was nice enough (especially since I’m a bogey golfer) to take me along.

In addition to the clubhouse, the first thing you notice is the top-notch practice facility at The Bridgewater Club.  A very nice 23 acre driving range and 6 acre short game practice area greet you on the other side of the clubhouse.  Talk about a place where you could spend hours practicing and never get tired!  If you are planning to play, you’ll definitely want to get there early to check out this practice area.

Flatscreen TV above urinal in clubhouse bathroom!

Once you hit the course, you get just what you’d expect from an upscale country club golf course in Carmel, Indiana – nice fairways,  well maintained greens, plenty of mature trees, lakes and ponds.  There are several beautiful holes that are sure to tempt you to pull out your cell phone camera to take a picture.  And how could I forget the houses?!  Some of the finest homes you’ll see in Carmel are situated on The Bridgewater golf course.  It definitely adds to the country club style scenery.

The course itself is very challenging – especially for the “everyday” golfer like myself.  Several tight holes and plenty of hazards come into play when you’re playing from 1 of the 2 sets of back tees.  The greens also really stood out to me. Not because they were fast or slow, but because they are very large.   Not only are they large greens, but they were difficult to read that day.  I think we only had 1-2 birdies all day in our group of 4.  While I may struggle off the tee, I consider myself a good putter and I just couldn’t figure these greens out.  It could have had something to do with the rain too, but I am not one to make excuses…LOL

While the private country club style experience is not for everyone, if you do get the opportunity to play The Bridgewater Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana – definitely go!  Even though you’re there to play golf, it’s always nice to know you’re going to play a course that’s in great condition and receive first class treatment from employees.  There are so many courses out there that compete on price alone (just ask Chris about this) that the customer friendly, relaxing atmosphere you’d expect at a golf course gets lost.  So, if you want to play an outstanding course and get treated like a VIP – look no further than The Bridgewater.

P.S. – Did I mention they have flat screen TVs above the urinals in the bathroom (see pic)?  I mean how much more VIP can you get?

Additional Golf Resources

• If you are from Indiana or traveling to Indiana and  like to play new courses check out this directory of  Indiana golf courses.
• If you are a just a fan of golf, check out the latest on PGA Tour stats and courses.

We arrived in Culver early so we’d have time to swing by Cafe Max for breakfast.  Even though this was a golf trip, I must mention the delicious breakfast at this small town cafe.  The Blueberry oatmeal pancakes and sinful french toast (basically a fried cinnamon roll) were outstanding.  After getting some energy, we were ready to check out the course we’d heard so much about.

One thing I really appreciate about Culver is that whole “small town” feeling (you know, the kind where you can tell people are really sincere and appreciate life) and upon arriving at the course that feeling was continued.  We were greeted promptly by Shirley who welcomed us to the course.  She told us how much fun she had at the Pete Dye Golf Trail launch event and seemed thrilled that Mystic Hills was able to be a part of it.  Shirley also filled us in on the Dye Tees (the back tees at the course marked with a skull pictured to the right).  The “Dye Tees” are a great idea – something Chris and I definitely feel like they can use in marketing.

Shirley then introduced us to Earl, the Golf Course Superintendent.  Earl told us the key to the course were the greens – boy was he telling the truth!  They were some of the smoothest, quickest greens I’ve ever putted on and it was a treat.  They were so well maintained, I’d compare it to taking a hockey puck and just giving it a soft push across the ice – the ball just kept rolling!

The front nine at Mystic Hills is a links style open feel which was built on sand.  The back nine features some tighter holes with a more traditional look.  As Chris said, “it really is the best of both worlds.”  The weather was perfect and there seemed to be a steady flow of golfers out on the course, especially by the time we got back in the clubhouse.  Overall, the course was in very good shape, even with the lack of rain we’ve had this summer in Indiana.

After finishing up our round, we had the chance to chat with the Head Golf Professional, Dave Pugh.  He told us the story of Mystic Hills and how Pete Dye was very hands-on once he decided to commit to the project.  At one point, Dye even kicked Dave off a tractor to take over creating a bunker!  Knowing the story behind the family-run course sure does make it seem special to Indiana and the Pete Dye Golf Trail.

The Head Pro (Dave Pugh) even mentioned that he’d recently bought some more property on the course and would be opening up a stay-n-play package for golfers that wanted to check out this course – perfect for people from out of state or even those traveling a long distance within Indiana.  I am sure VisitIndiana.com will add this to their site as soon as it’s ready.

In conclusion, Mystic Hills Golf Course is definitely worth the trip to Culver, IN.  In fact, if you like the small town feel and good eating – I’d recommend making a day of it.  There were a few additional places we wanted to check out in downtown Culver, IN, but I guess we’ll have to save that for the next time.

(Photos taken by Chris Theisen using HTC Thunderbolt)

Quick Tip:

If you love checking out new golf courses, take a look at this free directory of Indiana golf courses.

Of course living here in Indianapolis, Indiana it’s impossible to really see first-hand what is going on in other parts of the world.  You have to rely on outside sources to keep you updated.  But still I get the feeling that people and businesses are finally starting to get it.  I can definitely say that I have seen a huge shift in my connections toward people becoming less resistant.  More are really starting to embrace this powerful tool we call social media.

I see people posting a new Facebook status every day that I never thought would be wanting to share updates with the rest of the world.  Why?  Because these are the same people that I was working with a year ago that ran for the hills when anyone mentioned Facebook.  I, of course, did my best to explain the value but for a lot of people it’s really just a matter of time.  Now they are making new connections every day and many share with me their surprise that it’s actually beneficial.

I see businesses every single day joining Twitter to find out what their customers are really saying and keep up with the latest news.  Some are even running contests to grow their following and expand their network.  They realize that this will later benefit them when those people are making purchasing decisions.

I see people creating events and promoting them through social media.  They realize that it’s one of the best tools to increase awareness and attendance.  Most seem to even realize that the people they meet at these events will eventually be their best friends and business partners.

Being in the Internet marketing/social media industry, I understand that not everyone will understand the full potential and that everyone will use it differently.  I also realize that my small sampling of people is not reflective of “everyone.”  Nonetheless I am still seeing a significant trend.  The points above were not made to show great case studies, but  to illustrate that people of all backgrounds are finally starting to come around.  Posting a status on Facebook definitely does not mean you are gaining any type of value from your post, but it does show that plenty of people are finally there and more are becoming active users.

If you read blogs from anyone discussing social media, you will no doubt find posts all about convincing people who resist social media that it’s here to stay.  You will see things like, “your business needs to change now, otherwise you won’t be in business much longer.”  So let me ask you this – are people finally starting to catch on?

It’s the easiest excuse in the book.  It’s also the most popular excuse.  It all has to do with attitude and the way you look at social media.  If you look at it as just another thing to do and think about everything else you have to do in your already busy life, then you probably don’t have time.  But if you look at it as way to manage your online reputation while generating more leads and more business for your company, then it’s a little easier to find time.  Break down your daily schedule instead of being overwhelmed by thinking about everything at once – then you will find that you really do have time.

As I am talking with other people that are considering a social media strategy, it helps to have some local examples in the Indianapolis, Indiana area of business owners using social media effectively.  One of my favorite case studies of a very busy business owner that still finds time for social media is Scott Wise at Scotty’s Brewhouse.  He is all over social media and is connecting with his customers in a very special way.  The bottom line is that his hard work is paying off.  Every Scotty’s location in the Indianapolis area that I have been to over the past year (and believe me I frequent all locations regularly) is always PACKED.  It doesn’t matter if it’s lunch or dinner…day or evening.  And I know that a large portion of this success is due to Scotty’s use of social media.  I know this because I have heard him say it and seen him write it…and he wouldn’t continue to invest the time in it if it didn’t work.

Next time someone tells you they don’t have time for social media have them check out Scotty’s online efforts.  Then have them read the below quote that Scotty shared as part of the description for his upcoming Blog Indiana session on “10 Twitter Tips and Tricks.”

“I don’t have time.” “There is no value for my company.” “It is just a stream of garble and garbage.” I have 600 employees, 7 restaurants, twin 1 years olds and a 3 year old. No excuses. If I can make it work, you can too. I will show you how… with value to you and/or your company.

I also encourage everyone to check out Blog Indiana coming up in August and be sure to stop by Scotty’s presentation.  I know it’s going to be great!

I first saw this commercial last night from a link on MSN.  At that time, it had just over 300 views.  The YouTube video now has over 1,290,000 views.  Needless to say plenty of people are talking about this commercial and it’s creating some controversy for using Earl’s voice as many rumors indicate he was unfaithful to Tiger’s mom.  Say what you want about this commercial, but it definitely does 3 things:

• Grabs Your Attention – It’s very quite and all you hear is Earl Woods talking and only see a close up of Tiger (of course wearing Nike).  It’s also black and white which makes it stand out even more.
• Promotes Discussion – As I mentioned above people are talking about Nike’s choice to use Tiger’s father and if Earl would approve.
• Shows Nike Will Stand By It’s Superstar – Nike is one of the few sponsors that hasn’t abandoned Tiger.  And this commercial reiterates they do not plan to do so anytime soon.

Enough writing about the commercial – check out the video below for yourself.  What is your opinion on this decision from Nike and Tiger?

I had narrowed down the dealerships at which I was going to look to two. One dealership has been around forever and I have done business there before – we’ll call this dealership #1. The other dealership is at a new location and I felt comfortable doing business there as I have built a relationship with the General Manager through a networking group – we’ll call this dealership #2.

I walked in dealership #1 and stood there for about 5 minutes before I was helped. I was directed to the representative that I have been working with for years. He was moderately helpful and said he would look for some cars then get back with me the next day. Days went by and still no call with updates. Needless to say I was very disappointed with the follow-up.

Dealership #2 was totally different from the beginning. When I arrived to dealership #2, I was promptly greeted at the door and the employee even held the door open for me to enter – talk about a first impression! Come to think of it, I have NEVER had to open a door at this dealership myself. The representative was very attentive to my needs . He asked what type of car I was interested in purchasing and key features I was seeking. He called me back that same day to follow-up.

Throughout the sales process I never heard back from dealership #1 and dealership #2 continued to go above and beyond. While I am sure they both have very equal products, my purchasing decision came down to the experience created by each dealership. Needless to say, dealership #2 won my business.

Now, let’s stop and think about the new iPad released by Apple last Saturday. This is a great product, but how much of the frenzy it has created is based upon the Apple Experience?  The ads, the new product announcement, the countdown to release, waiting in line at the Apple store to pick up your iPad, the “coolness” factor of being able to say you were one of the first to get your iPad.  It’s all of these things that really take sales to the next level.  And it is because of the experience that iPad sales are now over 500,000 in less than a week. 

The buying experience is not just a factor for cars and Apple iPads, it is a HUGE factor in nearly every purchasing decision we make.  Just think about it…. When will those “other” companies finally get it?

Do you remember that NFL team EVERYONE seemed to be talking about.  Why did their coach throw the perfect season away?  Is Peyton Manning the best quarterback ever?  Yes, January 24th was the date the Indianapolis Colts won the AFC Championship and seemed like they were going to be a sure winner in the Super Bowl.  But we all know how that turned out.  My how quickly we forget!

It’s okay.  Right now Indianapolis is focused on the Final Four & cheering on the Butler Bulldogs.  I wonder how long it will take us to forget all about Butler should they lose?

Timing is so important; especially in Email Marketing.  And on January 24th at 6:16 PM Dick’s Sporting Goods got their timing right.  Like many others I was watching the Indianapolis Colts as they claimed the AFC Championship.  And like many others I had my computer and mobile device within an arm’s reach that evening.  Instantly I received the email below from Dick’s Sporting Goods will all of the AFC Champs apparel for the Indianapolis Colts.  Not only was their message highly targeted – it was also PERFECTLY timed!  Now I could instantly order the items the players were wearing on the field.

Check out the screen shot below and think about how you can plan ahead for your next email marketing campaign to be timed perfectly.

I am continually amazed at the ease of passing referrals using social media.  Recently a co-worker of mine was looking for a realtor in the Washington Township area in Indianapolis.  She is looking into purchasing a new home and needed a starting point.  I offered to post this request on Facebook to see if my network of friends could help.  It took just seconds to post my request online for all of my friends to see in my status update.  Within 30-40 minutes I had a list over 10 realtors to give to my friend!  But these weren’t just any realtors.  These were all realtors that came highly recommended.  And they were not just highly recommended by anyone, they were highly recommended by my friends and people I know.  I was able to confidently pass along these names knowing that my friend will have a solid list of realtors from which to pick.

These requests are taking place every single day on social media networks.  Keep your eyes open and take advantage of the opportunities!