Internet Marketing, SEO, SEM, & Social Media Blog from Webbed Marketing

Columbus Marketing Firm, Webbed Marketing, Endorses Issue 1 in Ohio

Webbed Marketing, a social media marketing and search engine optimization company in central Ohio, endorses Issue 1, which renews funding for the Third Frontier, a program that fosters technology-based research and development and the creation of new jobs, without raising taxes for citizens. Passage of Issue 1 will authorize $700 million in bonds to extend funding through at least 2016.

“National economists are projecting that a significant percentage of net job growth is expected to come from compaines that are five years old or younger,” Amy Marshall, partner and COO of Webbed Marketing, said. “Providing entrepreneurs and businesses the resources we need to expand and prosper is one of the best ways to increase job opportunity in Ohio.”

Issue 1 will appear on the May 4 statewide ballot in Ohio. The measure proposes to authorize the state to approve an estimated $700 million bond over four years on the Ohio Third Frontier program. The $1.6 billion Third Frontier program started in 2002 under former Gov. Bob Taft and was designed to extend until 2012. However, according to officials, due to low state revenue, the program is now scheduled to end early. According to the Ohio Department of Development, the program has created approximately 500 companies and 8,000 jobs since 2002.

“Ohio has seen the effects of the Third Frontier program on our community, with immense job growth and new business opportunities since 2002,” Marshall said. “Issue 1 is an investment in Ohio’s economy and economic growth strategy. By voting yes on Issue 1, $175 million a year will be available for new business opportunities- this is an excellent opportunity for growth in these tight economic times.”

Webbed Marketing is proud to endorse this issue and encourages you to vote on May 4, 2010. To learn more about the importance of Issue 1, visit www.unitedforjobsohio.com For more about Webbed Marketing, visit www.webbedmarketing.com.

Columbus Internet Marketing Firm, Webbed Marketing, Achieves Several Business and Marketing Awards

Webbed Marketing, a social media marketing and search engine optimization company in central Ohio, earned several awards from local and national organizations for their work in Internet marketing, including recognition from the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Business First of Columbus, the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals (AMCP) and TechColumbus.

The Columbus Chamber of Commerce awarded Webbed Marketing's CEO and founder, Bill Balderaz, with the Small Business Leader of the Year award. A panel of Chamber members voted to determine Balderaz the Small Business Leader of the Year, after he was nominated by an outside party. The award recognizes a prominent business leader for what they bring to the Columbus region and how they inspire others. According to the Chamber, Columbus is known for its spirit of entrepreneurship, and leaders like Balderaz contribute greatly to the local economy.

"Earning Small Business Leader of the Year was a tremendous honor for me, and my team at Webbed Marketing," Balderaz said. "At Webbed Marketing, we work hard to stay ahead of Internet marketing trends and this is demonstrated in the work we produce for our clients. This kind of recognition is fuel to keep up the innovative work we're doing for our clients every day."

Webbed Marketing also earned a nomination for the Business First of Columbus "Best Places to Work" award. Business First's Best Places to Work program recognizes the top companies in central Ohio based on workplace satisfaction surveys. Business First of Columbus featured an article on Webbed Marketing in its Friday, Nov. 13 edition.

The prestigious TechColumbus Innovation Awards will be announced in February 2010, and Webbed Marketing is nominated for Outstanding Startup Business and Outstanding Service. In addition, Amy Marshall, co-founder and CEO, is nominated for Outstanding Woman in Technology, and Balderaz is nominated for Executive of the Year.

Webbed Marketing also earned several MarCom awards from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. The team earned the Platinum Award in the social media site category for their work on the "Romantic Makeover" contest for the Hocking Hills Tourism Association. Webbed Marketing's lead copywriter and "eScribe," Thomas Redmond, won the Gold Award for "Using Twitter for Business - A Three-Part Series" in the writing/feature category. In the writing/news release category, Webbed Marketing earned an honorable mention for a release titled "Fresh Start Bariatrics Shares Top Tips for Nutrition."

Along with all the awards and nominations, Webbed Marketing will be a featured panelist at the November Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) luncheon on Thursday, Nov. 19 at the Buckeye Cafe in Columbus. Balderaz will speak about social media ethics in the workplace.

For more information about Webbed Marketing, visit www.webbedmarketing.com.

About Webbed Marketing

Webbed Marketing is a team of experts in the Internet marketing field. Their goal is to grow businesses through the application of Internet resources. The firm specializes in search engine optimization and marketing, as well as viral marketing services, word of mouth and buzz measurement and social media strategies. Visit www.webbedmarketing.com for more information.

Leading Ohio Internet Marketing Firm Announces Growth in September

Webbed Marketing, a leading social media marketing and search engine optimization company in the Midwest, has announced that five additional professionals have joined its fast-growing team.

"Despite the economy, Webbed continues to win new business, attract great employees and provide more services," Founder Bill Balderaz said. "As corporations across the country look to search and social media as primary marketing channels, Webbed Marketing is growing like never before. We are excited for what the future holds, especially after adding five highly-qualified employees."

The additional positions cover a variety of backgrounds and expertise:

Bringing more than 25 years of experience, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Bill Tanner has served on the board or as CFO for more than a dozen companies. He has assisted with strategic planning, raising capital, mergers and acquisitions and business valuation. Tanner received a Bachelor's degree in business administration/accounting from The Ohio State University, and a MBA from the University of Minnesota. Tanner has taught accounting and business at the University of Minnesota, The Ohio State University and Ohio Dominican University and is a CPA and Certified Valuation Analyst.

Terah Rafiee, account manager, came to Webbed Marketing from the Dispatch Media Group, where she worked as the sole Internet marketing specialist, focusing on developing online marketing for Columbus Alive, as well as behavioral targeting through Yahoo!. Additional areas of expertise include Google Adwords and pay-per-click advertising.

As office manager, Carol Davis will utilize her previous experience as a business owner and executive recruiter. She also serves as treasurer for several charity/community organizations in the Columbus area. Davis has a Bachelor of Science in Education from Miami University and computer science curriculum from Villanova University.

An Ohio State University Fisher College of Business graduate in business administration, marketing and international business, Karen Schneider joins the SEO team at Webbed Marketing. Schneider previously worked at Coldwell Banker King Thompson, where she utilized blogging, online advertisements, and social media. She earned "Top Individual Listing Realtor in Upper Arlington 2008" as well as the "Quality Choice Award."

Mary Roebuck joins Webbed Marketing as a social media specialist. Roebuck graduated from Oberlin College with a degree in English and Cinema studies, before moving to Boston and serving as a digital archivist at Houghton Mifflin, a leading educational publisher in the U.S.

Columbus-Based Internet Marketing Agency Shares SEO Guidance to Prepare for Google Caffeine

Representatives from the search engine optimization (SEO) team at Webbed Marketing, a Columbus-based Internet marketing agency, announce that its staff and tools will be able to keep clients on top of their keyword rankings in the face of Google's latest algorithm change. Google "Caffeine", the newest alteration to the Internet giant's complicated algorithm, will affect how Web sites rank in the search engine. Webbed Marketing was sharing the breaking news, as well as their expertise on the topic.

"Google Caffeine, the most recent 'algo-change,' as SEO people like to call them, is expected to provide more pages in Google's search results, in addition to being much faster," Ryan Whiteside, SEO expert at Webbed Marketing said. "This is the type of Internet marketing and SEO news that we stay on top of at Webbed; this is our passion, and we strive to continue meeting- and exceeding- our client's expectations."

With a full SEO staff, a proven record of successful SEO campaigns, and an extensive client list, Webbed Marketing is prepared for Google Caffeine. In fact, according to Webbed Marketing, if Google Caffeine's claims are true, this will be an impressive addition to Google's already fast and in-depth search engine. The question Webbed Marketing is answering for users: how will this affect your Web site's search engine rankings? Web sites that avoid "tricking" the search engines will see very little difference with Google Caffeine. The sites that try to fool search engines through manipulation, forced keywords and writing focused for search engines, not humans, will struggle with this new algorithm. 

"At Webbed Marketing, we have dozens of methods for obtaining links," Whiteside said. "Each method is aimed at providing real value to the Web sites that are linking to our clients. Not only does it keep our clients happy with higher search rankings, it makes search engines, and the sites that are linking to our clients' sites, happy by providing a way that they can offer more information and resources to their visitors."

As the Internet marketing industry continues to advance, agencies like Webbed Marketing are determined to stay up to date on these trends, and use that knowledge and expertise for their clients' success. For more information on Google Caffeine, or to discover if your Web site is prepared for Google's latest algo-change, be sure to register for Webbed Marketing's webinar, "Wake up to Google Caffeine" on September 16 at 2 p.m. or visit www.webbedmarketing.com.

About Webbed Marketing 
Webbed Marketing is a team of experts in the Internet marketing field. Their goal is to grow businesses through the application of Internet resources. The firm specializes in search engine optimization and marketing, as well as viral marketing services, word of mouth and buzz measurement and social media strategies. Visit www.webbedmarketing.com for more information.

Source: Webbed Marketing
Webbed Marketing's Webinar: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/970514938

Central Ohio Internet Marketing Announced as Finalist for TechColumbus Innovation Awards

The agency, which has pioneered social media marketing strategies in the Columbus area, has also achieved nationwide recognition with a nomination for Business of the Year Awards.

Webbed Marketing, the leading online marketing agency in Central Ohio, has recently been nominated for multiple awards for their excellence and innovation in technology and business. The agency is a finalist for the 2008 TechColumbus Innovation Awards. Additionally, Webbed Marketing has been recognized as a finalist by Fast Pitch! for Top Startup Company. Bill Balderaz, the agency's CEO and founder, has also been selected to speak as a guest lecturer at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

On Thursday, February 5, 2009 the 2008 TechColumbus Innovation Awards will recognize outstanding achievements in technology leadership and innovation at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. From a record number of entries from individuals and companies in all disciplines and industries, 13 winners will be honored and the region's progress as an emerging tech center will be celebrated. Webbed Marketing has been selected as a finalist for Startup of the Year due to their innovation and excellence in online marketing strategy.

Fast Pitch!, the networking community for businesses, has also nominated Webbed Marketing as a top startup company for 2008. A total of 10 businesses nationwide have been nominated for this award, which is part of the first annual Business of the Year Awards. Voting for the final round of nominees will be open through January 30, 2009. A full list of finalists and voting information can be found at http://rpitch2u.blogspot.com/.

Additionally, Balderaz has been asked to present as a guest lecturer at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania - one of the top business schools in the country. He will be part of an exclusive panel which will present topics related to marketing strategy to MBA and BBA students at the university. Balderaz hopes to cover emerging online marketing topics related to social media strategy.

Balderaz was enthusiastic about the recognition. "Receiving recognition of this kind from organizations such as TechColumbus and Fast Pitch! is a great honor for Webbed Marketing," he said. "Being asked to lecture at the Wharton School is a huge honor and a testament to the way that internet marketing education is being embraced by mainstream business."

About TechColumbus

The TechColumbus Innovations Awards celebrate and honor individuals and teams in a variety of disciplines. Each category is an important component of the technology and innovation community. Receiving the top honor showcases an individual or team which is dramatically impacting Central Ohio and beyond. For more information about TechColumbus and the Innovation Awards, visit http://www.techcolumbusinnovationawards.org.

About Webbed Marketing

Webbed Marketing is a team of experts in the internet marketing field. Their goal is to grow businesses through the application of internet resources. The firm specializes in search engine optimization and marketing, as well as viral marketing services and word of mouth. To learn more about Webbed Marketing, or to schedule Balderaz for your next event, visit http://www.webbedmarketing.com/.

Most Search Engine Optimized (SEO) Press Release Ever: Tips for Building the Perfect SEO Press Release

Summaries for Search Engine Optimized (SEO) press releases should include keywords early and Search Engine Optimized press releases should repeat their most important keywords.

To create the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever, Bill Balderaz of Webbed Marketing, the Columbus, Ohio Search Engine Optimization agency, recommends using your most important keywords in the first sentence of the press release.

"In creating the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever, we focused on creating a release with our most important keyword phrase-- 'most Search Engine Optimized press release ever' into the copy. We also made use of related phrases, like 'tips for creating SEO news releases' and 'how to write a Search Engine Optimized media release.'"

Balderaz explained that he also included photos of his dogs, chickens and children in the release. "Uploading pictures greatly increases pickups of Search Engine Optimized press releases," added Balderaz. "Cute kids and animals are some of the best pictures to include," he said.

"In addition to focusing on the content and photos, we released the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever on PRWeb, although we have also used Webwire," he said. He also mentioned ClickPress, 24-7 PressRelease.com, and PRLeap, in case there is anything to the concept of latent semantic association. He mentioned that all of the above online newswires were useful in getting Search Engine Optimized press releases indexed in Google News and Yahoo! News.

"Search Engine Optimized press releases are things that should be written in the passive voice," Balderaz added.

He explained that a well search engine optimized press release must be found by your online influencers, consumers and the media. "No one goes to Google News and searches on 'Webbed Marketing' and not many bloggers have a Google alert set up for the term 'Webbed Marketing.' But influencers, bloggers and the media do search newswires for news on 'Search Engine Optimization' and 'SEO'. Over time, this release will also be indexed in the main search engine indexes. As people search for 'Most Search Engine Optimized press release ever', this press release should rank well."

Balderaz added that the release would create in bound links to the Webbed Marketing site, so he included keyword rich links like online public relations in the release.

According to Balderaz, he will also submit the release to Sphinn, Digg, del.icio.us, reddit, mixx and StumbleUpon. He said Webbed Marketing would also write about the release on its blog so it gets indexed by Technorati and Google Blog Search.

"Ethically, you need to make sure that everything from your keywords to your distribution relates to the content of your release," Balderaz added. "This release is all about helping searchers find tips on creating the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever." He added that he would never optimize this release on terms like "Britney Spears", "free iPod" or "win a Nintendo Wii." He did concede that a release about Britney Spears listening to a free iPod while winning a Nintendo Wii would probably really be the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever.

"Ultimately, my goal is that all online marketers and public relations professionals find the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever to be useful in their Internet marketing strategies," Balderaz said.

About Webbed Marketing:

Webbed Marketing consists of a team of experts with Internet marketing experience predating the launch of Google. The firm's objective is to help businesses grow by using the Internet to reach buyers and online influencers. Webbed Marketing offers its clients full Internet marketing services including online community building, viral marketing programs, pay-per-click search management, search engine optimization and affiliate program management. To learn more about Webbed Marketing visit www.WebbedMarketing.com.

Most Search Engine Optimized (SEO) Press Release Ever: Tips for Building the Perfect SEO Press Release

Summaries for Search Engine Optimized (SEO) press releases should include keywords early and Search Engine Optimized press releases should repeat their most important keywords.

To create the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever, Bill Balderaz of Webbed Marketing, the Columbus, Ohio Search Engine Optimization agency, recommends using your most important keywords in the first sentence of the press release.

"In creating the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever, we focused on creating a release with our most important keyword phrase-- 'most Search Engine Optimized press release ever' into the copy. We also made use of related phrases, like 'tips for creating SEO news releases' and 'how to write a Search Engine Optimized media release.'"

Balderaz explained that he also included photos of his dogs, chickens and children in the release. "Uploading pictures greatly increases pickups of Search Engine Optimized press releases," added Balderaz. "Cute kids and animals are some of the best pictures to include," he said.

"In addition to focusing on the content and photos, we released the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever on PRWeb, although we have also used Webwire," he said. He also mentioned ClickPress, 24-7 PressRelease.com, and PRLeap, in case there is anything to the concept of latent semantic association. He mentioned that all of the above online newswires were useful in getting Search Engine Optimized press releases indexed in Google News and Yahoo! News.

"Search Engine Optimized press releases are things that should be written in the passive voice," Balderaz added.

He explained that a well search engine optimized press release must be found by your online influencers, consumers and the media. "No one goes to Google News and searches on 'Webbed Marketing' and not many bloggers have a Google alert set up for the term 'Webbed Marketing.' But influencers, bloggers and the media do search newswires for news on 'Search Engine Optimization' and 'SEO'. Over time, this release will also be indexed in the main search engine indexes. As people search for 'Most Search Engine Optimized press release ever', this press release should rank well."

Balderaz added that the release would create in bound links to the Webbed Marketing site, so he included keyword rich links like online public relations in the release.

According to Balderaz, he will also submit the release to Sphinn, Digg, del.icio.us, reddit, mixx and StumbleUpon. He said Webbed Marketing would also write about the release on its blog so it gets indexed by Technorati and Google Blog Search.

"Ethically, you need to make sure that everything from your keywords to your distribution relates to the content of your release," Balderaz added. "This release is all about helping searchers find tips on creating the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever." He added that he would never optimize this release on terms like "Britney Spears", "free iPod" or "win a Nintendo Wii." He did concede that a release about Britney Spears listening to a free iPod while winning a Nintendo Wii would probably really be the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever.

"Ultimately, my goal is that all online marketers and public relations professionals find the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever to be useful in their Internet marketing strategies," Balderaz said.

About Webbed Marketing:

Webbed Marketing consists of a team of experts with Internet marketing experience predating the launch of Google. The firm's objective is to help businesses grow by using the Internet to reach buyers and online influencers. Webbed Marketing offers its clients full Internet marketing services including online community building, viral marketing programs, pay-per-click search management, search engine optimization and affiliate program management. To learn more about Webbed Marketing visit www.WebbedMarketing.com.

Most Search Engine Optimized (SEO) Press Release Ever: Tips for Building the Perfect SEO Press Release

Summaries for Search Engine Optimized (SEO) press releases should include keywords early and Search Engine Optimized press releases should repeat their most important keywords.

To create the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever, Bill Balderaz of Webbed Marketing, the Columbus, Ohio Search Engine Optimization agency, recommends using your most important keywords in the first sentence of the press release.

"In creating the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever, we focused on creating a release with our most important keyword phrase-- 'most Search Engine Optimized press release ever' into the copy. We also made use of related phrases, like 'tips for creating SEO news releases' and 'how to write a Search Engine Optimized media release.'"

Balderaz explained that he also included photos of his dogs, chickens and children in the release. "Uploading pictures greatly increases pickups of Search Engine Optimized press releases," added Balderaz. "Cute kids and animals are some of the best pictures to include," he said.

"In addition to focusing on the content and photos, we released the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever on PRWeb, although we have also used Webwire," he said. He also mentioned ClickPress, 24-7 PressRelease.com, and PRLeap, in case there is anything to the concept of latent semantic association. He mentioned that all of the above online newswires were useful in getting Search Engine Optimized press releases indexed in Google News and Yahoo! News.

"Search Engine Optimized press releases are things that should be written in the passive voice," Balderaz added.

He explained that a well search engine optimized press release must be found by your online influencers, consumers and the media. "No one goes to Google News and searches on 'Webbed Marketing' and not many bloggers have a Google alert set up for the term 'Webbed Marketing.' But influencers, bloggers and the media do search newswires for news on 'Search Engine Optimization' and 'SEO'. Over time, this release will also be indexed in the main search engine indexes. As people search for 'Most Search Engine Optimized press release ever', this press release should rank well."

Balderaz added that the release would create in bound links to the Webbed Marketing site, so he included keyword rich links like online public relations in the release.

According to Balderaz, he will also submit the release to Sphinn, Digg, del.icio.us, reddit, mixx and StumbleUpon. He said Webbed Marketing would also write about the release on its blog so it gets indexed by Technorati and Google Blog Search.

"Ethically, you need to make sure that everything from your keywords to your distribution relates to the content of your release," Balderaz added. "This release is all about helping searchers find tips on creating the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever." He added that he would never optimize this release on terms like "Britney Spears", "free iPod" or "win a Nintendo Wii." He did concede that a release about Britney Spears listening to a free iPod while winning a Nintendo Wii would probably really be the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever.

"Ultimately, my goal is that all online marketers and public relations professionals find the most Search Engine Optimized press release ever to be useful in their Internet marketing strategies," Balderaz said.

About Webbed Marketing:

Webbed Marketing consists of a team of experts with Internet marketing experience predating the launch of Google. The firm's objective is to help businesses grow by using the Internet to reach buyers and online influencers. Webbed Marketing offers its clients full Internet marketing services including online community building, viral marketing programs, pay-per-click search management, search engine optimization and affiliate program management. To learn more about Webbed Marketing visit www.WebbedMarketing.com.

Ohio Web Marketing Group to Host Internet Marketing Conference

Columbus seminar to focus on tools and tactics to drive web site traffic, sales, leads and brand awareness.

Leading online marketing experts will be gathering in Columbus on May 19th for an intense day of sessions, training and education, as the Ohio Web Leaders (OWL) hosts "Building a Roadmap for an Integrated Marketing Strategy", the group announced today.

The event will be held from 8:30 am until 4 pm at the Northpointe Conference Centre. Registration for the event is available at OhioWebLeaders.com.

The conference will focus on integrating online and traditional marketing campaigns to generate more sales, leads and awareness online through corporate websites.

"Ohio is home to a vibrant online marketing community," said Bill Balderaz of Webbed Marketing, a Columbus-based Internet marketing agency one of the charter members of OWL. "Online marketing agencies, technology firms, software solution providers, web design firms, and other Internet marketing experts all call Ohio home," he added. "This event is about bringing the online marketing community together to share knowledge with the larger marketing community."

The one day session will feature six sessions covering a wide range of topics including web design, search engine marketing, blogging for businesses, viral marketing and search engine marketing.

"Our goal is to have marketing managers from around Ohio attend this event and leave with a solid roadmap to help them drive more business with their web sites," said Tom Augustine, President of MindsOn Marketing, a marketing communications and web development agency (http://www.mindson.com). Augustine will be leading the web design session at the event.

"In one day, attendees will learn the basics for creating a solid integrated marketing campaign that uses both online and traditional tactics to drive visitors to their websites--and turn those visitors into sales and leads," Augustine said.

The conference will also feature Columbus-based ClearSaleing, ClearSaleing helps Internet retailers and direct marketers improve the performance of their search engine marketing and any other form of online advertising and prove their results through a technology that measures and optimizes online advertising. The company was founded by Ohio entrepreneurs Mike Lanese and Randy Smith and former Google executive Adam Goldberg.

"ClearSaleing has great clients and partners here in Ohio," Goldberg, who will be speaking at the event, said. "We're excited to take part in this event. This event is brining some of the most innovative online marketing minds in Ohio together. I'm looking forward to being a part of it."

The conference will feature a session on blogging for business by Jennifer Laycock, Editor of Search Engine Guide. Laycock, an internationally known speaker and blogger, specializes in common sense search engine marketing, viral marketing and customer outreach via social media and blogs. A former search marketing consultant and in-house trainer, Jennifer's clients have included companies like Verizon, American Greetings and Highlights for Children. She has been the featured speaker at dozens of online marketing events around the world.

"We're thrilled to have Jennifer Laycock featured at this event," Balderaz said. "Her support is key in building a strong online marketing community in Ohio."

"Blogging is one of those things that tends to get misunderstood in the marketing realm. Companies either push too hard, or don't push hard enough," Laycock explained. "Learning how to leverage blogs for conversation with customers and seeing the amazing results that can come with reaching out to your community online can go a long way toward helping a company improve their business prospects on the web."

Nihar Bihani, an organic search engine expert formerly with Columbus-based ECNext, will lead the day's session on organic search engine optimization. Bihani has managed organic search engine optimization programs for some of the largest and most visited business web sites on the Internet.

The conference will also feature a panel discussion with Ohio marketing managers who have successfully integrating online and traditional marketing to drive more business via the web.

"Integration is key," said Amy Marshall of Webbed Marketing, who will be leading the panel with Randy James from MindsOn Marketing. "The most successful web sites attract visitors from multiple channels, including both traditional and online campaigns."

"We're excited to have attracted such an all-star line up to our first event in Ohio. We know that attendees will learn a lot from the experts who are in this world every day. At the end of the day, we want marketing executives to leave knowing they have a plan to drive more business from their websites," Augustine said.

About Ohio Web Leaders

The Ohio Web Leaders (OWL) is an innovative group of marketing professionals located in Ohio who have a passion for helping businesses use the Web to drive their growth. By forming OWL and bringing similar professionals together with similar goals, we can learn and network with one another.

The mission of the Ohio Web Leaders (OWL) is to provide a platform for marketing professional to share effective Internet strategies that work to learn, integrate and understand how to utilize the Internet to grow their business. From building a compelling website to influencing target audiences online, Internet marketing strategies are quickly becoming a critical component to many businesses to drive their goals. And because the market is ever-changing with new ideas and technologies, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest online marketing trends and run your business. OWL wants to help marketing managers get access to the people and information they need to take advantage of the marketing opportunities using the Web.

Presidential Candidates Battle for Online Buzz

Hillary Clinton? John McCain? Barack Obama? Ohio based marketing and media agency to offer free online conference to examine who has the most online buzz.

Columbus, OH (PRWEB) February 29, 2008 -- Leading up to the key presidential primary in Ohio, one organization is offering a free online conference to look at the roles bloggers, webmasters and online influencers are playing in presidential politics.

The conference takes place on March 4th, 2008, the day of the Ohio and Texas primaries. There is no cost to attend the online conference and registration is available on the Webbed Marketing website.

"This is the first presidential election for the 'MySpace Generation,'" said Bill Balderaz, Chief Innovation Officer of Webbed Marketing, an agency that helps organizations measure, create and track online buzz. "This election's youngest voters don't know a world without the Internet. And since the last election, consumer generated content mediums like blogs and social networks have gone from being a novelty to a core way in which consumers and the media communicate with, and influence, each other."

He predicted that many undecided voters will turn to the Internet to learn more about the candidates. "More than 100,000 MySpace Profiles mention the name 'Hillary Clinton.' Do a Google search on 'John McCain' and a Wikipedia page about McCain is the second result--only behind the official McCain site. Every hour 140 blog posts are written about Barack Obama," Balderaz said.

"Most of this content is not created by the candidate's team of advisors, consultants, and attorneys. It is created by real people, who want a voice. And it's shaping the perception we all have about the candidates," Balderaz said. He added that among Webbed Marketing's corporate clients, content generated by consumers is often more influential than "official" corporate marketing.

"We're going to look closely at which candidates are generating the most buzz, and how they are doing it. We invite the media, analysts or anyone interested in the campaign to join us as we explore the relationship between online buzz and what happens in the voting booth," Balderaz said.

According to Balderaz, Webbed Marketing will track and analyze online buzz throughout the primaries, conventions and the general election.

"Our goal is to understand how online voter behavior influences, and reflects, the behavior of real voters in the voting booth," he said.

"For the Democrats, online buzz mirrors what the pundits tell us, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and dead even," Balderaz said, explaining that Webbed Marketing uses its Webbed-O-Meter tool to measure buzz generated by voters and the media. "Our algorithm has McCain trailing both Democrats when it comes to buzz."

Balderaz added that the number of blog posts and online discussions about the candidates is climbing every day. "Voters want to be heard. And no longer are political discussions among voters confined to the office water cooler or corner coffee shop. Today one influential blogger can reach hundreds of other voters, instantly. Constructive debates are taking place among voters who will never meet in person, but who are using social networks to communicate."

For more information on the presidential candidates and their online buzz, or to register for the free online conference, visit www.webbedmarketing.com.

About Webbed Marketing

Webbed Marketing consists of a team of experts with Internet marketing experience predating the launch of Google. The firm's objective is to help businesses grow by using the Internet to reach buyers and online influencers. Webbed Marketing offers its clients full Internet marketing services including online community building, viral marketing programs, pay-per-click search management, search engine optimization and affiliate program management. To learn more about Webbed Marketing visit WebbedMarketing.com.