Utah Tech Spotlight

Utah Tech Spotlight Events

Local Review: Utah Technology Council: Marketing with Domain Names

  • Posted by Steve Spencer

Article posted on Mar 12

Yesterday I attended a UTC event at the Desert Star Theater in Murray.  I few notes before I event get into the topic or the speakers: This was my first time at the Desert Star.  It is really neat inside, plus even though it looks tiny from the street, there is a ton of parking in the back.  I am definitely planning to hit some of their upcoming shows.

This event was dedicated to the use of domain names, and how they can help you:

  • Market your business
  • Protect your IP
  • Make money by “squatting” (although the speakers felt that squatting was not the right definition… in my opinion I think it is.)

The speakers were Chris Finken, CIO and co-founder at Orange Soda, and Michael Taylor Alvarez from Ochoa and Taylor.  This was my first time meeting either of these gentlemen, but I found them both to be very intelligent, and extremely knowledgeable about the topic of discussion.

I want to pass along a few key items fromt he presentation that I thought were really good:

Keywords

When getting a domain name for your website, or a domain name for a secondary site about your company that then links into you main site, it’s important to remember that not everyone cares who the heck you are.  You ahve to ask yourself what they are really looking for.  If you think they will be specifically looking for your comapny by name, then a domain name that is your company makes sense.  But that may not be the case.  If for example you produce frozen meals that can be cooked quickly, even though you company name is Susan Foods, a domain name like “fastmeals.com” might make more sense for you, as that is what the customer is really looking for.

Additionally, even if you don’t get the value from a domain like “fastmeals.com” it is a domain name that someone else might want in the future and you might be able to monetize in other ways.

Missssspellings

You can protect your own company from losing intended traffic, and potentially capitalize on intended traffic for other domains by grabbing common misspellings.  What are some of the ways that people misspell you company, product or value proposition?  Grab those domain names to make sure people end up were you want them to be.

My opinion on the event:

My opion on the event would have to be that I was very impressed with the people they found to speak on the topic.  Very sharp guys.  I was also pleased with the presentation on domains.  But where I was left wanting a little bit was the narrowness of the scope.  Domains are very very key to driving SEO, which we know is Orange Soda’s specialty.  but since the scope of the presentation was just on domains, we never got into the questions that were right there, waiting to be answered in regards to URL structure, blogs, and so many other areas.  It was like we had a meeting to explore baking cakes, but chose to focus this first meeting on only discussing what eggs to use.  This may sound more harsh than I mean it.  The meeting was wonderful.  I just hope they follow it up with a few more int he “series” to round the picture out, and that as the series progresses there are recaps on the other, relevant data that has been presented.

All in all, nice job UTC, Chris, and Michael.  Also, thanks to the Desert Star.

Local event review: Utah First Friday… a bit about linked in

  • Posted by Steve Spencer

Article posted on Mar 10

At the end of last week I had the pleasure of going to hear Jason Alba from Jibber Jobber speak at Utah First Friday on Linked In.

Now, many of you have heard me speak before as to what a huge mentor on social media Jason has been to me over the last year, and I am pleased to say that he did not disappoint.  Jason realy does a great job of conveying some of the core key value propositions of Linked in.  He really cut right through the crap, and into the meat of the matter.  It was not a speech on “What can Linked in do?”… it was a speech on “What can linked in do for ME, and why the heck should I care?”

I am a very acive user of linked in.  I don’t mean that I have more connections that everyone else… because that’s counter to how I use linked in.  What I mean is that I actually USE it, and derive value.  If I am looking to hire people wit key skill sets, I look for them on linked in.  If I have a business meeting with someone later in the day, I first research them on linked in to find out about them, and possibly even call connections we have in common for more details.  Applicants?  I always call people who I know and have in common with them to find out what they are really like.  But tha’s just what I do.  Jason pointed out so much more.

Linked in is a great job finding tool, applicant tool, and marketing tool.  Additionally, Jason is one heck of an engaging speaker… although he is fairly new to this, and I know will improve with polish and time, it is his personality and wit, and genuineness that keep the audience engaged.  Jason, if you are reading this… I have a question:  I would guess that sales, marketing , and even HR teams in many companies could really benefit from a short, personal level perentation to their group on what you went over.  Is that something you’re interested in doing?  How might people contact you for that?

A few updates on local events and the Tech Spotlight

  • Posted by Steve Spencer

Article posted on Mar 03

Howdy all!

Wow.  I don’t know about everyone else, but altough there may well be a financial downturn around the corner, we are definitely not feeling it yet.  I have never in my life been busier.  But I did want to update you on a couple of local events that I attended recently, and an upcoming item for the Tech Spotlight.

40 under 40:

Utah Business Magazine held their awards luncheon for the annual 40 under 40 last week.  The luncheon was really nice, and it was a great bunch of people to hang out with.  I also really like how diverse the field was.  There were companies represented from all different areas from Tech, Financial, Health, Modeling, Outdoor, Construction, and pretty much everything else under the sun.  What I would really LOVE to see as a side benefit of this type of event is a quarterly Alumni type get together.  It was just so neat to hang out for a couple of hours with these folks, that it would be good to keep in touch.  UTC, here’s a suggestion for you, Utah Business, and Digital IQ: You guys do sucha great job with your CEO Peer 2 Peer meetings, and really get discussion and comradery going.  A similar event to get the 40 under 40’s interacting at that same level would be inredible!

Utah Entrepreneurial Challeng, Meeting of the Minds:

The Utah Entrepreneurial Challenge had their Meeting of the Minds event last week.  This is an opportunity to pair up local entepreneurs to brainstorm with these up and coming companies.  Officially, the entrepreneurs are referred to as “Mentors”, but I think I speak for all of us who were sitting at a table, brainstorming with our team, that the learning was definitely flowing both ways.  Perhaps, “older pupils” is more apt :)

I am working wit Qgia, a really exciting idea around video (sorry can’t share much more than that yet.)  I am really impressed with how events like the Entrepreneurial Challenge, Funding Universe’s Speed Pitching events, and so many of the student mentoring programs that folks like Alan Hall and others put in place to help grow the future innovators of this state.  It’s amazing how much some people are doing to ensure the futures of our children for generations to come.

You oughta be in pictures:

The last week of March I am having my crew ready to do a several video podcast sessions.  We will then be trickling these out once per month.  So if your company is super cool, or you know of one who is, let us know.  Will do a video with them, and have it transcribed (so anything said will also be searchable), and get them plenty of exposure, all for free.  Just trying to help bring more visibility to Utah and all the cool stuff going on here!