Duck Duck Google is a new game being played that could impact millions of business owners and online marketers around the world.  The game is a great enhancement to Google Maps and looks like fun for consumers searching for information about specific geographies.  It also looks like fun for local small business owners hoping to get found by these consumers.

Here’s how it works.  People searching Google are given a map with a set of results.  The results are push pins on a map. The push pins are correlated to a set of local business listings.  Nowadays, each local business has a full page associated with it’s listing.  When claimed this page is capable of hosting rich and detailed information about that business.  These pages will also “suck in” relevant business information, such as reviews, from different places all over the web.

It’s cool.  But here’s the problem — despite public promises from Google that it would not index these pages — it seems the game is rigged as it relates to natural search results.  In other words, these maps pages — which are controlled by Google — are indeed getting indexed and are surfacing on page one of Google’s natural results.

NOTE:  Danny Sullivan thinks this might be a simple mistake caused by Google product managers not understanding the difference between between a robots.txt block and a meta robots block.

Let’s hope he’s right.  If he’s not — online marketers everywhere will be forced to play a game that’s not quite fair.

In Google’s case they are increasingly making assumptions and guessing the person’s intent by returning a mix of search results that MIGHT actually match.

For example, if you ask Google about “Pizza” — are you interested in recipes?  Nutritional info?  Or a listing of local delivery shops?

Without knowing your true intent — Google will guess and give you back a hodge-podge of results.  If Google guesses wrong — it’s no big deal.  You’ll probably refine your search query — and give Google a second (3rd, 4th, 5th) chance to return a better set of results that hopefully satisfies your needs.

Although Google’s guessing game is no big deal to the consumer — it’s a HUGE deal to other people — namely internet yellow pages and online directory sites.  You see now nowadays people searching for pizza will get a list of local delivery shops whether you wanted that info or not.  It’s called the Google 10 pak and it’s the list of businesses plotted on a map with address and contact details.  In other words — it’s the kind of information you used to get from the yellow pages or an online directory.  Indeed Google used to prominently surface these directory sites in their search results.  Nowadays the directory sites still get surfaced on Google — but it’s below the 10 pak — and possibly on page 2.

To see the true impact  of this dynamic, check out this great post by Chris Silver Smith.  In summary, yellow pages and directory sites are being hurt by Google’s guessing-game because they are getting less traffic referrals.

So what’s the genius idea behind CloudProfile?

Quite simply, it’s the modern equivalent of the print yellow pages and helps SMBs talk about themselves online so they can engage consumers in authentic conversations and attract more customers.

To learn more check out this great video by Alex Hawkinson.

Here are 5 things small business owners can do to make Facebook and Twitter relevant:

1.  Visit www.CloudProfile.com and signup for a FREE profile

2.  Create a Facebook and Twitter account and connect it to your CloudProfile.  I know it sounds hard — but it’s really not.  Check out http://learn.cloudprofile.com to see how easy it really is.

3.  Use CloudProfile’s simple interface to talk about your business.  Whatever you say about your business on CloudProfile is automatically published to your Facebook and Twitter pages so it’s easy to amplify your online marketing voice.

4.  Use CloudProfile’s amazing social radar tool to listen to what others are saying online by tuning-in to the conversations that you care about.

5.  When you hear something important or interesting, use CloudProfile’s simple communication services to engage people in authentic conversation and invite them to your store.

“The web is increasingly conversational and real-time – especially as Facebook and Twitter continue to grow in popularity” said Alex Hawkinson, CEO of SMBLive.  “To attract and connect with modern consumers, SMBs need simple online marketing tools to amplify their online voice so they can be heard in this new world.”

Customers can try CloudProfile completely free for 30 days.  After that, the service is just $49.95 per month.

50 companies, including CloudProfile, have been selected to strut their stuff and show their innovation in the demo pit at TechCrunch 50 on September 14th and 15th in San Francisco.

SMBLive is one such company and I am super excited for the world to see how CloudProfile is helping small businesses like the Four Firkins amplify their online voice, engage in virtual conversations and attract more customers.

The event is still 2 weeks away — but if you can’t wait that long — visit CloudProfile and see it for yourself today.

One easy way to do this is to improve your online listening skills. Listen to people talk.  Hear their needs.  Discover their likes and dislikes.  Believe it or not — the simple act of listening enables you put your finger on the pulse of people and improves your ability to engage them in authentic business conversations.

Improve Your Online Listening Skills. Amplify Your Business Voice. Attract More Customers. Get CloudProfile.

Becoming a better listener also allows you to protect your online reputation and fine-tune your own business.  For example, listening allows you to react quickly to any negative complaints that might arise.  It’s an opportunity to show how much you care.  Customers, even disgruntled ones, generally like businesses that care.

In today’s world, with so many people spending time online — how are small business owners supposed to become better listeners?  How is it possible to tap into the conversations of others to grow your own business?

The answer is surprisingly simple — thanks to www.CloudProfile.com.

Check it out. It’s free for 30 days and it gives you a simple way to talk about your business online.  Plus, the key-words you use to describe your business serve as a guide for CloudProfile to automatically monitor the Twitter-sphere and the online conversation of others in support of your business.

Are you a wine retailer like The Leesburg Vintner in Virginia?  Wouldn’t it be great to know if someone in town is looking for 10 cases of wine for a wedding reception?

Are you a purveyor of craft beers like the Four Firkins in Minneapolis?  Wouldn’t it be great if you could tune into the conversations of people who have an appreciation for fine beverages?

So listen up!  Get yourself a free CloudProfile.

It’s a great way to become a better online listener — and attract more customers to your business.

Online marketers everywhere are abuzz with talk of social services like Twitter and Facebook and are busy trying to create interesting ways to leverage these rich online conversations to help businesses get found by more customers.

Adding fuel to the fire is Twitter’s recent announcement that it will soon offer developers the ability to parse lat and long data from any Tweet.  This means that businesses everywhere will not only have the ability to hear what others are saying on Twitter — but where they are saying it.  This added context of “location” creates compelling scenarios whereby business can listen to people talk about needs, wants, likes, dislikes — and can proactively engage if the person happens to be nearby.

Imagine if you’re a wine merchant and you can easily monitor what people in your local area are saying on Twitter about wine.   You hear  about a guy in town who’s daughter is getting married.  He’s planning a huge reception at his home.  He needs to buy a bunch of wine.  Bingo!  You come to the rescue at the perfect time.  Not only do you sell him 20 cases of wine — but you look like a hero in the process.

Imagine if you’re a professional stone mason and you can hear when homeowners on Twitter are looking for contractors to help build new patios.  You hear this women frustrated with her current contractor.  She’s located in a nearby town and she’s looking to hire someone new.  In a matter of seconds — you reach out and offer to help.  Right time.  Right place.  Another big job for you.

For several months now, the people behind CloudProfile have been working with the Twitter and Facebook APIs to refine some truly innovative services that bring to life the magic of the “local social web” for small business owners.

The Local Social Web from CloudProfile

With CloudProfile — you don’t have to be a rocket scientist or expert internet marketer to leverage the power of the local social web.  All you need is a profile for your business — just like this one — and a passion for serving the needs of customers in your local area.

As any small business owner will tell you — word-of-mouth is their most powerful form of marketing.  By using CloudProfile — small business owners not only become better online marketers, but they can harness the power Twitter to engage online conversations in a tuly local context.

CloudProfile is FREE for 30 days.  Give it a try and see for yourself how easy it is to harness the power of the local social web.

Take Your Small Business Online

Whether you’ve been in business for 20 years or 20 minutes, CloudProfile provides a simple way to talk about your business online so more consumers hear what you have to say.

Talk About Your Small Business So People Can Hear You

Whether you’re a dry cleaner or a hair dresser — consumers love to be appreciated.  CloudProfile is the perfect to  engage your customers in conversations and shower them with service.

Engage Your Customers and Shower Them with Service

Whether you know it or not — the phone book is dead and consumers are moving online.  Word-of-mouth is still the most powerful form of marketing for any business — especially small business.  CloudProfile is the easiest way for small businesses owners to get the word out so consumers can find you and talk about you in Google, Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere.

The more you say about your business the more people will find you

Don’t believe me?  See for yourself.  Signup now.  It’s free for 30 days!

As a small business owner, you’ve probably never even heard of FriendFeed and you’re probably wondering why in the world you should give a crap?

Here are 3 reasons you should care:

1.  This deal is proof that Facebook has it’s heart set on becoming the place where consumers go to search for things that their friends and other people like.

2.  This means that Facebook is not only competing directly with Twitter — but also with Google.

3.  As more and more people talk about likes and dislikes in online networks such as Facebook and Twitter — more and more consumers will begin to search these networks to see what other people are saying.

Say Something. Be heard. Get CloudProfile.

Successful small business owners will more than “care” about this deal — they will take action and do something about it.

Specifically, they will seek out and find simple and elegant marketing tools to help them drive “word-of-mouth” momentum on Facebook, FriendFeed, Twitter and other sites where consumers hang out, shoot the breeze, and search to find out what others are saying.

What are you waiting for?  Say something.  Be heard.

We began by partnering with British Telecom to develop a white label online directory platform called Tradespace.  The idea was simple.  Help UK based SMBs get online and get found in Google.  It’s been a journey with ups and downs.  We made some great friends.  We celebrated some victories.  We took some arrows.  But overall it’s been a remarkable experience and a huge success with greater than 300,000 businesses taking the Tradespace plunge.  Most importantly we’ve had the benefit of a front row seat to watch and learn “what works” and “what doesn’t” — in terms of helping SMBs become better online marketers.  The knowledge gained from these “real world” lessons now serves as an incredibly solid foundation for our second generation platform called CloudProfile.

Small businesses like Leesburg Vintner, Brooks Stone, Cardinal State Design and KrantzPR use CloudProfile to talk about themselves online so they get found in search (Google, Yahoo, MSN) and make their voices heard on social networks (Facebook and Twitter).  It’s an incredibly simple and affordable service.

So after four years, I can honestly say that it’s been a truly fascinating and worthwhile journey.  My apologies in advance for being corny — but I am honestly reminded of the Green Day song:

Time grabs you by the wrist;
directs you where to go.

So make the best of this test
and don’t ask why.

It’s not a question
but a lesson learned in time.

It’s something unpredictable
but in the end it’s right.

It’s right because of CloudProfile.  So if you, or someone you know, owns a small business — you have to take a look.  You’ll see an amazing piece of software built by an amazing team of people.  You’ll also see how it’s now possible for normal, everyday, people to embrace the social web and become better online marketers.

Looking forward to the next four years!