Unless that is, you take definitive action to make them come. Search engine optimization (SEO) is how you do it. Problem is though, there are differing opinions as to what that really is and how much it should cost. In the early days of the Internet, SEO simply meant creating a lot of pages of content, with a search phrase embedded in every sentence. The idea was to “game” the Google search algorithm, and it worked, but only for a little while, and we’re thankful for that. Keyword packing only results in lots of very badly written copy that’s written for an algorithm, not for people. Even if your keyword-packing tactics do get traffic to your site, once the actual people have found you, the klunky writing style of the keyword-packers will only make you look unprofessional and foolish.

Yes, you do need to write your web site copy with Google’s search rules in mind, but you can’t stop there. There are real, live people coming to your web site, and you have to write for them, and that means taking a much more organic approach to SEO rather than the mechanical keyword-packing, forum-spamming, artificial link-building tactics taken by the low-cost providers.

In addition to keywords, SEO also means creating mentions of your company and site in other locations, mainly for the purpose of creating links back to your main site. This helps your Google rank, and is a great tool for building traffic, but only if it’s done right.

Like the keyword-packers who generate bad copy that is little more than vessels to hold keywords, some link building services promise to give you an impressive number of links back to your site in a short period of time. The fact of the matter is, this is an organic process and it takes time to do it right. Here’s the dirty little secret these guys don’t tell you: They build spammy links by joining forums on your behalf, inserting links back to your site, and making article and forum comments that are meaningless nonsense–and make you look like a complete idiot. Most of these posts get deleted after a short time, but those that do persist will harm your reputation. This is not money well spent, and you don’t want those type of links.

And while we’re on the subject of dirty little secrets, here’s another one, relating back to the keyword trickery mentioned above. There are low-cost providers out there, who will offer, for what seems to be an unrealistically low fee, to get you ranked on the first page of Google SERPs, “guaranteed.” First of all, no reputable SEO expert is going to make guarantees, because there are too many factors out of his or her control. And, the way they are able to make these guarantees is by leveraging what are called “long tail keywords.” They make these guarantees, but if you read the fine print, they get to pick the keywords that you will rank for. If you want to rank for a primary keyword, for example, “tablet computers,” it’s going to take a lot of work. The “guaranteed first page results for $300 in one week” guys work this way: You’ll rank on page one, alright–but not for the key phrase “tablet computers.” You will rank on page one for a series of longer, very infrequently searched key phrases, such as, “macaque monkeys using tablet computers to search for bananas”. Obviously, the long-tail key phrases are very infrequently searched, so ranking on page one is easy–but does you very little good.

My key message is this: Search engine optimization doesn’t come in a box. It’s not a “package”, and it’s not a mechanical process. It’s ongoing, it’s organic, and more than anything, it involves sound marketing practices and just plain, old-fashioned good writing.

So today I’m a little torn. Tonight there are two local shows with great line ups on nearly opposite ends of the town. Tonight, Cheers will be hosting Battle of the Babes featuring Geronimo, Michigan City Vandals, Bitch Slap, Projekt Cog and a group of some of my favorite people, AKA Jed. The Bender Ballroom, located by the lovely Wooden Indian Motel, will be packed with talent presenting the bands Jassy Grazz, Fillmore’s Ladder, the Electric Jug Band and one of my favorite local talents, Infinite Buffalo. Unfortunately, I have told people at both venues that I would make an appearance, which complicates my evening.

It’s not so much the drive as it is Roseland. The venues are only five miles away from each other but the Roseland Police Department has had a lot of practice picking off the less responsible Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s students and believe me – they will get you! Many scholarships have been lost on highway 933. I believe I’ve had nine tickets across several states for various traffic related offenses in my life, two of which are from Roseland. My last encounter transpired in the early morning hours after I passed an officer who was stopped at a red light that turned green as I approached, before I had to begin slowing down. I had my cruise set at 30 mph (yes, I’m paranoid) but he didn’t like that I passed him. I got off with a scolding and a written warning, thankfully, even though I think both were unsolicited.

Anyway, enough about Roseland…

There’s little known fact that I would I would like to share with the world: South Bend harbors some of the most talented musicians you’ll find anywhere. It also lodges some pretty awful musicians too, but I’m getting better The general consensus about South Bend seems to be that there’s nothing to do. It’s terrible that this stigma is so prevalent because it’s not true. The mindset itself is a double-edged sword. It’s this mindset that has led many of my peers to destruction. But this is the same ingredient that makes great musicians. This perceived boredom has provoked several of us to pick up an instrument at some point in our lives and learn to play it.

I love music. I don’t love the radio. I would much rather listen to my friends play than turn on the radio only to have my heart broken when I hear Five Finger Death Punch destroy Bad Company’s, Bad Company. So support your local business and your local musicians! I hope to see people spilling out the doors wherever I may end up. Just please… love each other and be responsible

Most small businesses, in fact, are “back pocket” funded, on a shoestring, and cobbled together mostly with smoke and mirrors, and a lucky few make it through and succeed.

Now, we’re at the very beginning of something truly ground-breaking. I recall at the beginning of the “dotcom boom” of the ’90s–most people didn’t know it was a “boom,” but those who were there and took advantage of it at the beginning, went on to create great things, launch successful companies and make lots of money. Although there were a lot of noteworthy failures, a lot of great things did come out of that era, and it changed the very nature of business forever. Crowdfunding will offer a change of that same proportion.

We are today on the verge of another major disruptive trend, which will once again change the nature of business forever. What we have is a “perfect storm” of circumstances, and those small businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators who jump on right now will become tomorrow’s Facebooks and Googles. Just what does that “perfect storm” consist of?

1. The long recession and painfully slow recovery changed the business model for good, and more companies are operating leaner than ever. “Fat” companies are gone forever, and even with an economic recovery, more large firms are finding their operating models work better with slimmer staffs and more outsourcing. This results in an opportunity for smaller businesses that are on the receiving end of that outsourcing pipe.

2. The long recession and slow recovery also put a lot of innovators and executives out of work. The fact is though, people like that don’t stay in the unemployment line for long–and many times, they launch their own businesses. We are already seeing this happen.

3. Cloud computing–this underlying technology allows those small businesses to offer the services mentioned above, at a cost-effective basis, and from any location.

4. Lower cost of start-up. Once again, due to cloud computing technology, launching a dotcom is cheaper than ever. During the ’90s, it may have taken millions, because the data center and infrastructure had to be built from scratch, but today, you can have the same functionality with a few hundred dollars a month.

5. And the final piece of the puzzle in this perfect storm–crowdfunding. The innovators that circumstances have put into the mix, now have the wherewithal to get funding for their creations.

The result is going to be a phenomenal rush once the crowdfunding sites are up and running and the government finally pulls the trigger and says “go” sometime near the end of this year. It’s going to be an exciting time–and now is the time to jump into it.

We’re all ecstatically happy about the new spacious digs, just adjacent to the historic Studebaker corridor where they used to make those fantastic automobiles 50 years ago. We like to believe we’re on the forefront of something big here, and part of a city-wide transition from old to new.

We’re also excited about broadening our service menu to include things like web video, full-service graphics, forum management and social media, and technical documentation. But what’s most exciting is being on the forefront of a new “tech bubble” that will rival the dotcom boom of the ’90s. What I’ve termed the “dotcloud boom” will bring in a lot more players, give smaller and SOHO businesses a seat at the table, and forever change the very nature of how people work and do business.