Tweet

Shortcuts that aren't so short

Written by: Seth Godin

Article Overview: The cab drivers in my little village are an angry and bored lot.

Shortcuts that aren't so short

The cab drivers in my little village are an angry and bored lot.

It doesn't matter where you are going, they'll find a shortcut. Back roads, vacant lots... they'll drive two miles out of the way to miss a light.

I thought about this when I read a blog post describing the best way to get the most out of a Squidoo lens. The author said you should make sure that the keywords and title are perfect and limit outbound links so that you can be sure that people will only do what you want them to. Others spend time studying the algorithms of Google and Yahoo to figure out the very best way to jump ahead in the rankings for their blog or corporate site. Is it reciprocal links or careful metatags? What if I create some sort of ring so that the spider won't realize the scam?

Hey. It's not so hard. If you make great stuff, people will find you. If you are transparent and accurate and doing what's good for the surfer, people will find you. If you regularly demonstrate knowledge of content that's worth seeking out, people (being selfish) will come, and people (being generous) will tell other people. It turns out that it's easier and faster to do that than to spend all your time on the shortcuts.

There are some airlines that spend all their time dreaming up ways to lobby the government and others that spend all their time making flying a better experience. There are restaurants that dream up ways of charging more for bottled water, and others that work hard to create an experience worth bringing a group to enjoy.

All I know is that the cab drivers in my town are still angry about that light.

Related Articles
  Reach High-Profile Targets Quickly: Five Steps to the Artfully Manage the Gatekeeper
  Can you use webmail for email marketing?
  Short on time ... why not use a shortcut? - Todd Jamieson
  Here's a shortcut you might not have thought of...
  Are Your Business Cards Lazy

Article Tags: airlines, algorithms, back roads, bottled water, cab drivers, experience worth, google, great stuff, metatags, outbound links, reciprocal links, restaurants, shortcuts, squidoo lens, vacant lots, yahoo



Related Forum Posts
Re: Importance of web accessibility - This is a great concept - but like David asked, how does one best start this process. I personally havent had any negative feedback from my sites...how would we know if they arent 'accessible' Great post! Jude
Would you pass on a media opportunity? - On short notice... would you allow your fear of public speaking/stress/self-doubt cause you to pass on a media opportunity to promote your business? What can one do in a short period of time to prepare himself/herself for the challenge?
Re: How does an entrepreneur stay energized? - ;0) you obviously arent from Canada. A double double is a coffee with 2 creme, 2 sugar at Tim Horton's (our largest coffee shop chain in Canada) ;0) if you come, let me know, and I 'll buy you one. Jude
Re: The greatest gold mine in the world - [quote="Tami Szabo":2rm4pqyn]the sky is the limit! Let's use our minds and our hearts and see what incredible things can happen! Warm regards, Tami[/quote:2rm4pqyn] Hi Tami, I like to tell the teenagers in my class to aim higher than normal because even if they fall short, they'll still be in a better place than if they originally set lower expectations. For instance, if a person aims for a grade of 90%, he/she may fall short and get an 80%. However, if that same person wants 70%, he/she may fall short and only get 60%, etc.
Re: Trade Shows - Are They Worth It? - Tradeshows can be a great addition to your marketing strategies but in order for them to be positive, you must know what you are hoping to accomplish. most tradeshows now are very niched and very expensive. when you are starting out - attend as many as you can and gather as much information, and as many contacts as possible. you also need to make sure that tradeshows arent your only strategy. there are alot of tire kickers at tradeshows so be informed and aware... set goals and try new things


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

How To Improve Your CTA (Call To Action)

Business Coach Explains To You How To Add Value

How To Be A Management Legend

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.