Remember years ago when a cell phone was unheard of? I remember being in high school with a pager. I was on my way to work in the morning when I realized that in this day and age it would be hard to live without technology. Walking out of the door, I grabbed my digital camera because I might want to take some pictures. I grabbed my BlackBerry. It’s like AMEX, don’t leave home without it. I grabbed my iPod. Plug it into the car radio and it becomes more effective than a compact disc changer. Almost forgot, grab the laptop and I’m ready to go. I finally get to work after sending tweets (from Twitterberry) about sitting in traffic only to get an IM with a link about the new BlackBerry Bold soon to be available. I think I’m going to go camping with no phone and no iPod for a few days. I’ll probably come back crazy.

Someone brought it to my attention that I hadn’t added this one to my blog yet, after 200,000 YouTube views.

As a Project Coordinator/Marketing Specialist at Pop Labs, I meet lots of business owners who sign up for our service mainly because they are seeking results. They’ve either tried SEO/SEM and didn’t do it correctly, don’t have time or simply don’t know how to do it. Majority of them tried and failed at it which resulted in loss revenues and time loss. I also realized that even though they are business owners, they don’t understand the sales process and how to “close deals” of potential new clients. I was probing for ideas for a new SEO rap, and I thought, why not do one on how to get conversions and how to close the deal. So…with that, the latest installment of my SEO raps is…”Conversion Closing”
Lyrics:
You launch a campaign but thats not all you need
your campaign not working if its not generating leads
no emails, no phone calls
no new sales, man you destined to fall
spent your money on words that was way to vague
then optimized your site for the wrong keyphrase
look, it’s not easy but it can be fixed
if you do it by the book with no gimmicks and tricks
Google rules are strict, its a must you abide
do it right and get rewarded, that’s how we survive
first pause your ad’s, no more hits on your card
money don’t grow on trees at least not in my yard
did you set up analytics, please tell me you did
gotta figure out whats generating them clicks
take the time to go and search with the words you chose
do any of your competitors show with any of those
then what you do next
check your ad text
spice it up a little, add some adjectives
check your link display
and check your CTA
and check your site design it might be chasing them away
and is your site complete, is your deal sweet
competitive industry, can you compete
you might be obsolete probably best to retreat
before your finances deplete and then you face defeat
but if you are elite,
then stay in your seat
you client base cold I can show you to the heat
lets start with your meat
talking about your content
it drives the search engine anything else is nonsense
make it keyword dense, that’s just common sense
but don’t write for the search write for your audience
after all, they the ones grab the phone and call
the search engine won’t do anything but crawl
now don’t drop the ball, identify your goal
set conversion tracking, remain in control
like a cop on patrol, evaluating traffic
respond to your clients, reduce all the static
when you get a lead, you should be ecstatic
contact em immediately, that’s just automatic
ask em where they from and add it to your demographic
ask em what they search but be charismatic
then close the deal if you have sales skills
they already qualified, just show em the appeal
I’d rather get 100 clicks and close 35
than get a 1000 clicks and I only close 9
listen to my design, don’t get caught up in the rhyme
you don’t have to be number 1, strive for top 5
we can talk about positioning another time
if you follow the guidelines you’ll be just fine

I was blessed to grow up in a neighborhood where everyone knew each other.  My mom still stays there.  You meet these kids in elementary school not knowing that you would also attend junior high and high school together.  I said that to say that I’ve developed a close nit group of people who I can truly call friends.  Obviously, there’s a ton of associates and individuals I’m cool with but there is about 17 who I can really call friends.  Now, we have our ups and downs but at the end of the day….that’s still my n****.  I know someone said you can count true friends on one hand and in most cases that’s probably true.  I’ve been blessed to have friends that I consider brothers.  Friends are dependable.  Friends care.  Friends don’t lie to you no matter what it is.  Friends will tell you no sometimes.  Friends take care of your family when you aren’t available.  Friends don’t hate on you.  Sometimes friends are closer than family.  So…to quote the legendary Whodini…Friends, how many of us have them?

Well, it’s about time for me to give an update on this world of sports that seems to captivate my attention so much. First off, SportsCenter is almost the best thing since sliced bread. I must say, being the huge Rockets fan that I am, discouraged is how I’m feeling about the season thus far. T-Mac is out again, this time his ankle. When will it be his back? We continue to lose games that we should win or better yet, blow teams out. We lost to Philly and Toronto recently. Rick started Steve in each of those games. I said it before and I’ll say it again, Steve shouldn’t start at point guard. He is a better scorer than play-maker. He should continue to bring him and Mike off of the bench when Yao goes out. Hopefully, they’ll turn it around and get it straight before the All Star break. How about KB and the Lake Show? As much as I dislike him off the court, I ride with him on the court. They are looking alright this season although they probably won’t make it out of the first round. Dirk, JT and Josh will make it to round 2 but that’s it. I think Phoenix loses to the Spurs again this year and you end up with the Rockets & Spurs in your western conference finals (hey, it could happen). It seems like Beantown is the place to be right now, for sports fans. Boston Red Sox won the pendant. The Patriots won’t lose, I guarantee that and, the Celtics look pretty good. I think they have a good chance of making it to the eastern conference finals, maybe. I’ve noticed they choke in games with good competition. My boy RaLew and dem Magic gave Boston their issue. King James did too. I think when Miami gets to full speed they will also. I’m hoping for a unexpected eastern conference final, like the Buck’s (who are playing very well) against Orlando. I had a fight party this past Saturday at my house. I was glad to see Pretty Boy knock Hatton out rather than win by decision. I personally don’t think there is anyone who can beat him or even provide a good match. There is no need to fight Sugar Shane, he just lost. Cotto may provide a good fight, but he’s too slow, but I’d fight him anyway just to take his belt. Here are my closing points:

• Congrats to our Houston Dynamo.
• 23 months is a lot less than I thought Vick would get so, Mike, be happy.
• Rockets, please stick to the offense, it works when you run it, and trade for rebounding power forward.
• Isaiah, I think you did it.
• Who can block Tony Parker’s layups?
• Philly should start Feely and make Donovan second string.
• Good luck Barry Bonds, I’m riding with you.
• Kevin Durant is the truth.
• The BCS still sucks. Oklahoma should be there and not Ohio State.
• Ricky Williams is probably blazing up right now.
• Kubiak, go find a running back.
• The Patriots and the Cowboys will play on Superbowl Sunday.
• The NBA championship finals will most likely be San Antonio and Orlando.

Well, that’s it, for now, I think. Peace & Blessings…ya dig!

Ladies & Gents, I’ve did it again. We’ve just recorded Paid Search 101 which is a rap similar to Link Building 101 except it is focused on..well..paid search and the basics of setting up a PPC campaign. I was going to stop after Link Building 101 which was the first one but I had to do one about Social Media and then I received a request to do one on Paid Search.
Here are the lyrics:

you want to start SEM well heres what to do
focus on a product and find a niche too
you want to get the listing
I’ll give you some assisting
SEo & SEM, they are coexisting
to cover all the bases
you must have patience
research all your keywords and your phrases
they all sound good but they may not be a factor
several ways to check and I prefer word tracker
very vague phrases should get denied
longtail keyphrases are more qualified
check the cpc, that’s the cost per click
make a judgement call, is is worth that hit
if it is then keep it
if its not then delete it
stay within your budget, that’s not a big secret
track your results, reporting is critical
and set your goals right be Google analytical
Google Adwords and Yahoo Search Marketing
if your business local make sure you geo targeting
the user only clicks on what sounds best
make sure you use very descriptive ad text
its a must that you use correct landing pages
if they see what they want, they easily persuaded
when they convert that’s a win win
when your site is bookmarked they’ll come back again
cpc will go, ctr will skyrocket
roi will get better, that’s more money in your pocket
and if you smart, you’ll invest in more phrases
but that’s up to you, I’m just giving you the basics
you got it then fine, if you don’t hit rewind
listen closely and play it back 1 more time
that’s just the start anymore might cost
I have to deal with my boss
if I tell you the secret sauce
like using paid search to enhance seo
and revolving ad text is the way to
uh oh, I gotta go, that’s too much for you to know
but if you want more, wait for the next video

Here we go again Houston. I feel like I already wrote this post. In the middle of October God called Big Moe home. Last month was the anniversary of DJ Screw’s death. Two days ago, Chad Butler, otherwise known as Pimp C died. I was checking emails first thing in the morning like always and reading up on the latest entertainment and online marketing news when I landed on the TMZ site. Pimp C found dead in hotel room. I was like, man hell nall, this can’t be true. Then I turned the radio on to the Madd Hatta Morning Show and Hatta was like, “Houston we have a problem. Pimp C of the great UGK was found dead”. My heart hit the floor. My inbox began piling up and I received about 100 text messages saying RIP Pimp C. I’m still shocked. I hope it was from some sort of natural causes and he didn’t get murked. I hope it wasn’t drug related either. UGK was affiliated with the Screwed Up Click and everyone thinks that the SUC members who have passed were drug related deaths, which is a lie. I pray that God wraps his hands of grace around Chad’s family, especially his children. My heart goes out to Bun B. I can only imagine what he going through (keep ya head Bun B, the city is here for you). He kept Pimp C alive while he was incarcerated by branding “Free Pimp C”. Hopefully, he’ll keep him alive by branding “RIP Pimp C”. This is a devastating blow to the rap scene down south. I created an Imeem playlist of some of my favorites dedicated to Pimp C. I want to encourage everyone to squash all the beef you may have with people. It’s just not worth it. Give the people you love and care about their flowers while they can smell them because like Bun and Pimp said, “One day you here and the next you’re gone”….ya dig…Peace & Blessings!

This past weekend, while sitting at the laundromat, I was thinking about families. This was after a call from my BM (baby momma) with some news about my youngest daughter(age 5). Apparently, she has been acting up in school. She went on to say that the disciplinary efforts (butt whippings) she was giving weren’t working and recommended that I have a talk with her the following weekend when I had them. So, naturally I couldn’t wait until then and caught up with them at “Granny’s” house. Prior to meeting them, I had a conversation with her teacher. I was told pretty much what I expected to hear, that her work is outstanding but her behavior won’t be tolerated. I thought back to my childhood and realized that I did the same thing after my parents split and I was about the same age. Every week, when I see my children, they are so happy to see me. We have so much fun and the weekend goes by so fast. We get sad after church, because we know it is approaching time to part ways. When it’s time for the drop off, it never fails, they hate to leave, especially the youngest. I was taking my clothes out of the dryer and thinking, are her behavior problems due to the lack of Daddy time? Last year, when this same situation occurred, she acted out, I was notified, I showed up, and it all stopped. This year, she isn’t with Granny anymore, she is with Mommy and at a new school. It could be the dramatic change of environment, lack of time with me, or both. Needless to say, on the weekend, we had a long talk over a bowl of Blue Bell Cookies & Cream and she opened up. Her argument was right to the point. “Daddy, why can’t we live at your house?” I asked her , “who is we, you your sister and brother?” She quickly added, “and momma”. I was like, uh, um, hmm, literally scratching my head. After another spoon of ice cream and a bit more thought, it hit me. She didn’t understand the split between her parents. It happened fast, with alot of commotion, and then all of sudden she was living with Granny for a couple of years. That was ok for her because that was “get spoiled central”. But now, she’s with mommy and there is no daddy and vise versa. I tried my best to leave out the logistics of the separation and answered her question. I assured her that I loved her followed with some kisses and a tight squeeze. I invited her brother and sister in to join and we had a group hug. I could tell they felt the same way but chose not to act out. They all had a look of relief on their face like, ok the world isn’t coming to an end. I told my youngest I didn’t appreciate her behavior in school and that it wasn’t Christlike. She promised she would do better. I gave them all my business cards and told them to memorize the phone number and call me anytime. They still didn’t want to leave at the drop off, but it wasn’t as bad as it normally is. I think we’re making progress….ya dig…Peace & Blessings!

Well, since I love hip hop and try to collect the albums that are released, I figured I post my thoughts about the latest albums I’ve collected. Starting in the south, the UGK album, “Underground Kingz” was all it was hyped up to be. It is another UGK classic, although I think “SuperTight” and “Riding Dirty” was there best work. Cham’s “Ultimate Victory” is a certified jammer. He showed growth. TIP has yet to let me down. His album was throwed but “Urban Legend” is still his best work. Other than those, everyone else dropped was alright, except for Plies, his album was hard too. Trae’s album was cool, but it didn’t sound complete. He needed a song with ZRO. I’m anxiously awaiting the new Scarface album that is supposed to drop in December. I don’t think I picked up any album from anyone on the West Coast, and I probably won’t until Game drops or Detox finally comes out. I might get that Snoop when he drops. I heard the single and he was singing on it. I had a debate with my boy Feetoe about who was holding it down in Philly. We sat and listed to Freeway and Cassidy’s albums. Cassidy took it lyrically, hands down. I think overall, Freeway’s album was better though (probably the features from Busta, Hov, Jada and Face). Speaking of Hov, “American Gangster” is artwork. It bumped “Reasonable Doubt” out of my top 3 Jay Z albums (The Blueprint, The Black Album & AG). Kanye beat Fiddy and he should have. The album was just better. Fiddy’s album was better than I thought it would be, but, Kanye overly exceeded expectations. I think that’s about it. Those albums are what made it to my regular rotation. Oh yeah…Keisha Cole…great album to pick up. So…I’m still waiting on the official “Carter 3″ from Weezy F, a new album from B. Siegel (supposed to drop soon), Lil KeKe (whenever Swisha House decides to let it out) and somebody please save the West Coast…ya dig…Peace and Blessings!

I’m finally recovering from Thanksgiving.  Every year, I eat entirely too much and then ask myself why did I do that.  I’m sure I’m not the only one.  More importantly, I hope that people who do celebrate Thanksgiving actually took the time to give thanks.  Really, those of us who are saved should be giving thanks daily, because he (God) brings us through so much every day.  This time of year though, we should really reflect on the grace of God and how good he has been to us.  I know he has been good to me.  I thank God that my children are healthy.  I thank him for giving me a sane mind and full motion of my limbs.  I thank him for placing me in a career where I am happy and wanted.  I thank him for shelter, food and transportation.  I’ve been trying to look over the material things I’ve accumulated through God’s blessings and thank him for the necessities of everyday life that I have when there are lots of people who don’t have them.  Lord, continue to show grace and have mercy on me, my family and my peers.  In Jesus name…Amen.  Peace and Blessings…ya dig!