Byron B. Warnken's Blog

The Domain Name is a key factor in SEO

Seth Godin had two interesting posts about domain names.  As usual, he gave us an insightful look on the customer and marketing take, stating, "The internet has taught people what to do when they see a domain" and "It's not just an address, it's the first bit of marketing."  Two right on thoughts in consecutive sentences.

My latest site has the domain: allmyaffairs.com.  Is it great, no.  Will it help with my seo?  I actually hope not.  But it is unique because anyone who has worked a twelfth step knows what it is.  I appeal to my niche.

But I did want to bring up the point that Seth missed.  Domain names are incredibly important for search engine optimization or organic traffic.  Not type-in traffic, which, as Seth says, is on the decline - but the main results box in Google (or those other ones).  I have learned from my inadvertent career in SEO that optimization is the magic, and that the domain name is a huge factor in rankings.  So gloves.com may miss the Safari appeal, but you couldn't have a better tool for exposure to someone on google who searches for gloves.

And (assuming you know how to use it) the SEO value of that name is worth millions over the long-term.  I, like Seth, wish I would have understood that 13 years ago.

Fit to Print?

My sister was completely misquoted in a major national magazine.  The quote was not taken out of context, it was just completely made up.  How is it that a major media outlet can be both so unprofessional (complete misquotes) and so cruel.

Mark Cuban has an excellent recent post on what the media is all about.  He summarizes that media looks for anything that weakens a subject and exploits it.  In my sister's case, when they can't find one, they make it up.

It is one thing to observe the weakness of American culture by seeing what society reads.  The prevalence of tabloid and garbage reading is a sign of weakness.  But what those publications contain about their subjects - continually looking for negative attributes - is far worse.

Our appetite for humiliation of those more famous, wealthy, or pretty than us is a sign of sickness.  Schadenfreude has gone completely, unbelievably out of control.  If you are a victim of it in the extreme in which it now exists, you have been brainwashed.  Capitalism owns you.  Because the only reason to take such pleasure in the downfall of others is because you want what they have in the first place.

But, of course, if you had the money, fame, or looks, then everyone would be looking to find your greatest weakness.  So the covet not only makes you brainwashed, it makes you stupid.

If Facebook is worth $10B, it is bubble 2.0

They have about $150M in revenue from what I have read.  60x sales is absurd.  Yes, I understand they are growing - fast.  But with 60% ebitda (which is sure to fall as they get larger), that means putting on a well-over 100x multiple. 

What if they do not keep growing?  What if three years from now they have all but been forgotten about?  Think back ten years ago, how many of those players are still here and still thriving.  A handful.  Even if Facebook is one of them, they won't produce enough return for a buyer to justify the risk.

But we're in a new paradigm...They control the eyeballs...They've built their own Internet...Typical valuations don't apply to them.  This all sounds familiar.  Perhaps the biggest thing that tells me Facebook is currently overvalued (even if it is just talk) is Henry Blodget talking them up.  Remember that name?

As far as them crushing Google.   How?  Why?  What?  What does that even mean?

Feel free to tell me I'm wrong, just tell me why I'm wrong.

RM-Disadvantages

Reverse Mortgages are undoubtedly increasing in popularity.  Seniors are becoming more familiar with how they can benefit from a reverse mortgage.  However, they do not seem to be aware of all of the disadvantages of a reverse mortgage.  Without the proper circumstances, a reverse mortgage may be entirely the wrong product.

1. Reverse Mortgages are expensive to originate.
2. A reverse is a loan, just like any other.  This is not necessarily a disadvantage, but many people are unaware of this fact.
3. Without the proper time horizon, a reverse mortgage will "eat up" the whole value of the home.

I think it is important that all aspects of a reverse mortgage are understood.

A big box retailer needs to be a community center

One way to figure out what moves to make in business is to spot the trend and take it to its logical end faster than a competitor.

Stores (particularly big box retailers) should merely be community centers.  Maybe they shouldn't even have any product at all.  They should be product demonstration stations and store website portals (with lots of trained, truly LIVE customer service reps.)

Retailers know retail has to become an experience to keep it from being a commodity.  They've known it for a long time.  The Internet and e-commerce is accelerating this at an unprecedented rate.  So people give me cookies at the supermarket (this has been there forever), and they let me play video games in comfy chairs right in the middle of the store, or they give me a listening station, or a virtual golf swing trainer, or they help take care of the kids, or whatever...

What if the coomunity center aspect was the concept.  Retail was the monetization.  The kids stay entertained for half a day, moms and dads browse and chat and sip and spend.

It's just taking the direction that things are already going, and accelerating them.

All brick and mortar retailers have cancer.  The cancer is the Internet.  Some take really good medicine (better customer experience and service, beautiful layout, unique conditions, etc.).  Some were so healthy before the diagnosis that, though it will weaken them, the cancer isn't likely to be what kills them.  Some have already succumbed.  And, of course, some know it and are doing something about it.  But unless they realize won't need to exist ten or twenty years from now, they have not fully come to grips with the severity.

The Four Hour Workweek

I've heard a great deal about this book The 4 Hour Workweek.  I have not read it, though I probably will.

But I have just one question?  If you are intelligent enough and savvy enough to make a living in four hours a week, shouldn't you be making more of a contribution to your society and your world?

Just I thought. I'll read it.  Maybe it's addressed.