I have a client, a Realtor, with a particularly hairy situation. This genuinely nice individual has managed to become entrenched in the mire with a unethical builder. Normally, I’d find this situation incredible — but I’ve watched it develop and it has made me wary of such situations for my other clients.

I know that times are hard for many in the industry right now. I know that people are running scared as the houses sit and the inventory increases. Builders are hard hit, real estate professionals are starting to struggle, even the general public is starting to worry and sweat what Forbes Magazine is calling a Recession Dead Ahead. But, as I read over the letter that this particular builder is now posting all over the Internet, blaming the Realtor and the broker for all the problems he and his family are experiencing, I just have to shake my head. (more…)

Recently, Forbes released an article about a company offering “reputation defense” on Google, the world’s most popular search engine.

By carefully promoting positive PR on Google via SEO techniques to minimize the impact of negative Internet blogs, reviews and articles, this company accentuates the positive (to quote a favorite Disney song.) Is this the latest business model? Protection from online publication (Google-Bombing-style) and negative pieces on the first page of Google? Hmmmm.

I’ll bet that Bush’s PR guy would have been happy to pay the $10K price tag for this service last year. (The company, Reputation Defender, also offers reputation monitoring services for a much more reasonable monthly rate.)

It continues to be a brave new world (tomorrow) for service businesses that we don’t even know that we need (today) resulting from the impact of online activity (yesterday).

My son called me today to show me a demonstration of “Google bombing” that he knew I’d enjoy.

If you would like to have your own fun (and especially if you aren’t a fan of our current President) you should go to Google and… (more…)

It’s interesting that the author of the cover story for Forbes Magazine this month should claim that bloggers are dangerously opinionated. I find it even more interesting that this writer entitles his article (in a fair and even-handed tone) “Attack of the Blogs!” which is illustrated with an (equally non-judgmental) image of a man being punched out by his computer monitor .

The author, Daniel Lyons, states, “Blogs started a few years ago as a simple way for people to keep online diaries. Suddenly they are the ultimate vehicle for brand-bashing, personal attacks, political extremism and smear campaigns.” Hmmm… Now THAT’s a fair, even-handed, and balanced and position, wouldn’t you agree? (more…)

While cruizin’ along across the Internet recently, I found an example of a whole new breed of advertising — it is to television and online advertising what blogs are to newspapers and online articles. It’s personal — plus, it’s super-polished.

George Masters, a high school teacher in California, has developed a cool little retro “commercial” for the new IPod mini — and this little “fansite” piece is quite clean, crisp, cool and … well… better than most of the commercially produced stuff I’ve seen lately.

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