Let's be practical, advertisement can only be so effective. For example, I went and saw the new Pixar film this weekend: Wall-E.

I'm a huge Pixar fan, and I knew as soon as I saw previews that I would go see it. Some of my friends however, were less enthused. In fact, they automatically assumed it would be "kiddy" and didn't want to go with me.

I went anyhow and loved it. In fact, I raved about the stunning visual art and great story line to everyone I met. Today, I found out, because I talked up the movie so much, two of my friends decided they would go see it.

These people saw the same advertisements I did, listened to the same hype I did; but they would never have gone to see Wall-E if I hadn't opened my mouth. I gave Pixar free publicity.

We do it everyday. We like totalk about our favorite, products, services and brands. We create sales for companies who don't even know we exist.

So how can you harness the awesomeness of word-of-mouth (or, in the case of the internet, word of net) power?

eMarketer put out a study in April about the Influence of "Social Shoppers". These are people who test products or services, then review them. Its not surprising that we are three times more likely to trust a peer than an advertising campaign. So, if you already have a good product and offer worthwhile service how do you get these "peers" to review you?

The Most Important Thing is Presence.
Being aware of these sites, and making your products visible is the first step. Many of these sites (for example, Kaboodle) allow you to "join". Once you are an accepted retailer, you can post your products to be reviewed. Its that simple. Of course, some sites have an associated cost, so weigh carefully.

Follow the Golden Rule.
As with any other kind of online social media, "give to receive" is key. If you join a social shopping site, do some reviews yourself. Put meaningful comments on product spotlights. Offer the same quality you'd want from someone else.

Simplify.
If someone wants to review your product: make it simple. Make your website and products easy to navigate. Don't create a profile, put up a link to your site and expect people to find you. Many sites allow you to upload images or link straight to your shopping cart. Explore your options! Check out other retailers and see what's worked for them.

Be Active.
Many social shopping sites are also social networking sites. Of course you don't have to dedicate time to networking, but it does help! Get involved, have fun! Who knows, you may learn something from your experiences that can make your product even better!

Everyone is a potential marketer.
The best way to ensure you get good reviews is to treat everyone like they are marketing for you. If you have great service, its going to eventually make it on to the internet. The same is true for bad service. Everyone has potential to be your personal salesman.

These are just some tips to get you started. The best thing to do is take action. Check out some social shopping websites and create a presence for your business.

I have only minimal experience with these kinds of sites, though I often browse them when I am considering a purchase. If you have joined or participated on a social shopping site, what was your experience like?

So I'm at the library and I notice this front page article displayed near the book drop. The cover of The Atlantic says in big colorful letters: Is Google Making Us Stupid? written by Nicholas Carr. Of course, this sparked my interest so I picked it up and read. After finishing it, I felt the need to respond. I found the article online but there is no way to reply (surprise, surprise). So I decided to post this in my blog instead.

Let me give you a quick synopsis... in case you don't want to read such a long article. Mr. Carr claims that he has trouble sitting down and reading lengthy articles or novels. He believes this is because the internet is programming the general public so that they cannot assimilate large chunks of information. He accuses Google of making information too available. He ties this all in to a scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey where Dave unplugs the insane supercomputer HAL.

To start with, since Mr. Carr cited a personal experience as an example, I'd like to do so as well. Personally, I have no problem digesting large pieces of text. I read lengthy novels every week, check blogs, keep up with tech and marketing articles and occasionally treat myself to a neurology study (I know, I'm a nerd). The only problem I have is this, sometimes I don't want to stare at my computer screen, so I print out the article to read on paper. Other than that... nope, no problems with understanding or following long works.

May I suggest that Mr. Carr's problem is a result of... old age? I mean, I don't want to get too technical and lose anyone but, well, its just a thought.

Mr. Carr reports that scientific studies prove that our brains adapt based on what we experience the most. For example, if we read only novels the size of War & Peace, we create a habit and our brains expect to learn via that medium. If we only read headlines, the same thing happens. I won't argue that this is fact. However, it also proves that if we continue to read long articles or books just as often as we surf the web... this problem will not exist.

But now I challenge you: Is this really a problem? Let's say all Mr. Carr's assumptions are true, the majority of people learn primarily through short snippets of information. Is there any harm in this? The internet has made more information readily available than we ever thought possible. In fact, things are simpler. I used to miss the news because I was in class at 6:00. Now I can get it off their website at two a.m. if I want!

Here's a better example. Let's say you wanted to give a speech on the current politics of Iran but you're not an expert. Ten years ago you would need to access a university library and ask permission to see their foreign policy journals, if they'd let you. And even then, those journals are often a month or two behind. Then, if you wanted to quote a politician or other leading expert you'd need to track them down by phone or in person which takes time, effort and possibly money. However, today, you could just go to the CIA's website and then read some political blogs and then you could deliver something educated at the very least.

In addition, the speed at which we can now read things on the internet, gives us a chance to spend more time interpreting and analyzing what we've read. Then the reader can spend more time deciding what information is true and what can be left behind instead of spending hours getting to the heart of a one-sided argument. Don't get me wrong, I love Tolstoy, but when it comes to making a decision on who to vote for, I want to having a multitude of information that I can quickly absorb and then decide for myself what to think.

If Google makes us stupid (which I doubt it does) it is our own faults. Google and other search engines merely offer a vehicle to get to information. In fact, this article has nothing to do with Google at all, it was merely dropped in as a big name that Mr. Carr could easily point to and therefore blame. I would even go so far to say the purpose of this article is just a backlash to the internet in general. The primary motivation: Fear. The internet is big and taking over. I can understand how someone whose job security relies on the printed page might see that as a threat. Of course, on the other hand, this article appears online as well as print, so the point is relatively obsolete.

If you want to see a different response to this article please do check out Google isn't making us stupid at Lost in Translation.

I've stated my case. I believe Mr. Carr is using strawman arguments and relying mostly on sensationalism to promote his ideas. So, take a minute to consider, check out Chris's article and then let me know you think - internet: friend or foe?

When it comes to the economy's impact: Size matters. Big companies/websites are the most affect. Mid-size, hardly touched and small continue to grow. At least that's what the numbers say if you are interested in that kind of thing.

Of course, I'd challenge people to really consider what makes an economy bad. Not too sound terribly mind-over-matter but don't you think that what we hear influences us? If we think the economy is going to be bad because the media says so, it becomes reality, where as if we continue to believe business will be good, it does? Lots of companies grow during a recession. Finding a niche and keeping standards can create an atmosphere of growth despite what might be happening at a national level.

By no means am I saying don't plan and pretend nothing is happening. Use this as a chance to hone your organic SEO, increase customer service and stand out. The news is full or alarmist, get the facts and plan your strategy to win accordingly. Best example: Dallas real estate. We've all heard national news bemoaning America's real estate market. Well Dallas is having one of its best years! It is completely false for DFW.

Does anyone know other ways to make a recession or bad economy help your business? Or good areas to focus on during that time?

Youtube, the sensational and borderline illegal website for all your badly-made video needs. Youtube grew to fame with the youth of today with the same voracious speed as MySpace. Personally, I've been looking forward to seeing what change would happen after Google purchased them. I was expecting a lawsuit but instead, the brilliant guys at google are capitalizing on new trends yet again.

Viral. That's what they call a video or marketing material that stands small and then (for debatable reasons) takes off with sudden popularity. With new technology its called "the tipping point" but with youtube its Viral Videos. Which I must admit, every time I hear "viral" I feel icky. Anyhow, Youtube created an algorithm to try and figure out what the next popular video is. Companies can then pay to be featured beside these videos with Google's new marketing strategy: Buzz Targeting.

My personal stance on paid advertisement is very clear if you've read anything else in my blog but this is just from the presses and worth talking about. I wonder if anyone else has thoughts about viral marketing and how to make it work for companies who might not b able to afford Youtube's pricing.