I know, I know…I don’t usually show video here except on Fridays but this one is worth the exception. I’m not an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) guy but this rap actually has some really good tips about what you need to do when you’re building a site.

I’m not a web designer or developer so some of this didn’t mean anything to me but as a social media marketer this had some valuable information and a few good reminders. Whether you build sites or just have people around you who do, this is worth the free SEO tutorial…fo’ shizzle.

Here are the lyrics:
Your site design is the first thing people see
it should be reflective of you and the industry
easy to look at with a nice navigation
when you can’t find what you want it causes frustration
a clear Call to action to increase the temptation
use appealing graphics they create motivation
if you have animation
use with moderation
cause search engines can’t index the information
display the logos of all your associations
highlight your contact info that’s an obligation
create a clean design you can use some decoration
but to try to prevent any client hesitation
every page that they click should provide and explanation
should be easy to understand like having a conversation
when you design the style go ahead and use your imagination
but make sure you use correct color combinations
do some investigation, look at other organizations
but don’t duplicate or you might face a litigation
design done, congratulations but it’s time to start construction
follow these instructions when you move into production
your photoshop functions then slice that design
do your layout with divs make sure that it’s aligned
please don’t use tables even though they work fine
when it come to indexing they give searches a hard time
make it easy for the spiders to crawl what you provide
remove font type, font color and font size
no background colors, keep your coding real neat,
tag your look and feel on a separate style sheet
better results with xml and css
now you making progress, a lil closer to success
describe your doctype so the browser can relate
make sure you do it great or it won’t validate
check in all browsers, I do it directly
gotta make sure that it renders correctly
some use IE, some others use Flock
some use AOL, I use Firefox
title everything including links and images
don’t use italics, use emphasis
don’t use bold, please use strong
if you use bold that’s old and wrong
when you use CSS, you page will load quicker
client satisfied like they eating on a snicker
they stuck on your page like you made it with a sticker
and then they convert now that’s the real kicker
make you a lil richer, your site a lil slicker
design and code right man I hope you get the picture
what I’m telling you is true man it should be a scripture
if it’s built right you’ll be the pick of the litter
everyone will want to follow you like twitter
competition will get bitter and you’ll shine like glitter
if you trying to grow your company will get bigger
design and code right man can you get with it

I’m working on a project and had to do a little digging into Flickr. One thing led to another and I discovered this photo by photographer Kris Kros. I don’t know what it is about this picture but it totally captivates me. There’s a story to it on the Flickr page too. It was a great find.

Thanks to Kris for allowing me to post the image on this blog. There’s more from Kris on his Flickr page.

The web 2.0 landscape just got a little more interesting. In December I was talking to a friend who mentioned a project he was working on. That project turned out to be GodTube, the social media/online video/networking site looking to provide Christians and non-Christians alike with Christ-centered video content and the tools to connect with each other.

When I first went to the site my initial impression wasn’t very good. I knew it was in beta (and still is) but I couldn’t help but think “geez, this seems like just a Christian copy of YouTube.” After a little more time seeing the site develop and learning from my friend about some different avenues they would venture down, I saw the emergence of the areas that will distinguish GodTube from everyone else.

The primary difference between GodTube and any other online video site I’ve seen is the technology to let people connect with each other (for free) via the live video conferencing as well as the implementation of a very cool video email feature. To me, this is where GodTube truly separates itself from the pack (and not just in the “Christian sites” pack but the pack of all online video sites).

Having already played with the video chat feature I can vouch for the fun there. The ministry opportunities are endless too. Got a team going on a mission trip and want to video conference a few families in? Give the GodTube video chat a shot. Or maybe this will be the opportunity for people around the world to connect live for discussions on leadership principles or evangelism strategies. This has all the ingredients needed for a virtual classroom where you could teach or learn about an infinite number of applicable studies.

The video email feature is a great way to send a memorable email that will certainly get anyone’s attention. It provides all the benefits of sending a video to someone via email without sending a massive file to someone’s inbox. The recipient just clicks on a link to see the video.

I have high hopes for GodTube. I know it’s still in development but I think it’s off to a very compelling start with some exciting new technology.