The semantic web is going to mean many things to each and every one of us and as the semantic layer, or framework integrates with the web we have currently, it will eventually affect every aspect of every business process.

The good news seems to be that in general, business won’t need to change core processes because the technology uses it rather than the other way round.  Put simply, the semantic web is the process of making everything readable by computers so they can find meaning.  Once that’s all done then it gets really interesting.

Once the web has readable data, all data can be used to make connections between people, documents, products, places, times, events.  Anything and everything.  Everything is linked in some way to something else.

Once you start to think about ‘everything’ and absorb the enormity, it actually becomes quite easy to let your mind wander off and drift through the possibilities.  At some point, you then begin to see how this raw, collaborative sharing power will open up real doors of opportunity for existing and new businesses.

Once data can be read and is understood by the new web, the way you control your research, advertising, marketing, search and business in general will never be the same.  Used in the right way and in the correct context we can genuinely expect Read the rest of this entry »

The way the web works is changing and the groundswell behind the introduction and implementation of semantic applications has already affected lots of businesses. We are starting to see it’s effects become more apparent in SEO and marketing practices as the industry gets a better understanding of what the semantic web is and its currently defined parameters.

A very useful article Don’t get the Semantic Web? You will after this concludes “All the semantic web is trying to do, is make sure everything is structured in a consistent manner, with a consistent dictionary behind the content, so that a machine can draw connections.”

In a nutshell – every thing is connected to something and it’s better to make sure your data is machine readable.  That way it can be used, shared, linked or found easily.  The chances are you are already using semantic technology and didn’t even know it.

Semantic Search Engines

Semantic search is IMO the way forward.  From what I’ve seen so far from semantic search engine beta’s like Hakia (and a few others), the search results are a lot more focused as they are based on concept match rather than keyword match or popularity ranking.  Its not a huge leap from there to see the potential of semantically delivered advertising.

It’s also interesting reading Marissa Mayer’s interview talking about Google at 10 and 20. Marissa is the vice president of search product and user experience at Google and she says “I think there will be a continued focus on innovation, particularly in search. Search is an unsolved problem. We have a good 90 to 95% of the solution, but there is a lot to go in the remaining 10%.”  Maybe she was referring to semantic search technologies being incorporated.  I hope so.

One of the common links to unlocking all of this potential in a business is Read the rest of this entry »

The semantic web is here and it’s growing all the time. Following on from my last post I thought it would be useful for seo, sem, social marketers and anyone else interested in discovering how the semantic web will affect online business to hear what it should be from the man who invented the world wide web, Tim Berners Lee.

Tim is a true modern visionary and in this video his genius, compassion and desire to make things better shines like a glowing beacon on hope for all.

How can this video help marketers?

I think all marketers and SEO’s need to remember that the semantic web has a much higher goal than just selling goods and products. We need to remember that in many respects marketers have hijacked new technologies for their own ends since the web took form and gained popularity. Software has been developed to artificially improve search positions and while it’s not a bad thing it’s effects have helped to speed up change to deal with the growing flood of useless content that chokes the net.

The semantic web can and is helping business online. I’m also sure that even now there are software developers who are coding the next ‘must have’ tool on behalf of marketers to help beat the system. And therein lies part of the problem as I see it.

Why would you want to beat a system that is being developed to provide and deliver more accurate information to the people who are looking for it?

Search as we have known it is changing and the semantic web infrastructure has the power to render current search practices almost obsolete. So lets look at what the original aim of the semantic web was from the eyes of the man who knows. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Improve it and roll with it.

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What do you think?

An excellent article by Charles Heflin about digital footprints and how they affect social marketing activities needs to be read by anyone with an online business who is using any automated tactics to improve their search engine rankings.

It prompted me to comment and reminded me to start sharing some of the useful information I’ve picked up on where the net is heading and why carrying on some current SEO practices could be devastating the ability of some websites to be found in the near future.

For the past two years I’ve been involved in private SEO and SEM research which has been looking at where the web is heading and why.  Much of what I learned very early on made me understand that virtually all of what was being said and the tools being sold or promoted by marketers, to improve my search rankings, would have a shelf life of around 18 months – if I was lucky. Why? Because things change and there’s a problem.

The following video explains more way better than I can but put simply, one of the root problems is that Read the rest of this entry »