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Avatar Went Hot: January 8, 2008 - 9:58 am
Posted By: incrediblehelp 242 days ago
Topic Type: News Story (Jump to http://www.jaankanellis.com)
Category: Online Marketing
Gene lists 10 things your small business DON’T need in any particular order:

1. RSS Feeds
2. Spam Filters
3. Antivirus Software
4. Blogs
5. Search Engine Optimization
6. Mobile Applications
7. Customer Relationship Management Software
8. AdWords
9. Online Video
10. Web 2.0

I originally Spunn my friends post on this same subject, but I just had to add my comments here.
18 Comments     

Comments

from IncrediBILL 242 days ago #
Votes: 2 | Vote:
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What's missing from this list is:
#1 Bad Advice from Gene Marks

from incrediblehelp 241 days ago #
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I keep thinking the post is a joke and Gene Marks doesn't exist, LOL.

from baiduyou 241 days ago #
Votes: 0 | Vote:
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This has to be a joke. There are a lot of people who have a negative perception of SEO, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone advising others against using Antivirus software.

from controltheweb 241 days ago #
Votes: 0 | Vote:
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It's an old style form of journalistic "bait" very popular with politicians: Provide simplistic answers to important questions. By covering a variety of important issues in a single short article, you get readership.

It requires mostly avoiding the actual issue (such as the need for malware protection--NOD32 ftw!) in order to be sufficiently simplistic. It appeals to the two ends of the bell curve: the smart people hate it, the other end loves it. People get to say what their inner caveman wants to say: "I hate _____," and "So-and-so said those things are done wrong." People love expressing feelings of frustration or righteousness couched in logic---it seems to be one of humanity's greatest pleasures.


(This form of article is also very popular with SEO's bashing Google.)

from clickfire 241 days ago #
Votes: 2 | Vote:
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I feel so liberated now that I've removed that burdensome antivirus soft--

from Gamermk 241 days ago #
Votes: 6 | Vote:
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What I find particularly funny is that at the bottom of the page to his article... there's an RSS feed.

The week has only just started and I can already tell that this will be the dumbest thing I'll read this whole week, likely this month, maybe even this year. (that's probably pushing it though)

from incrediblehelp 241 days ago #
Votes: 1 | Vote:
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Controltheweb, but it seems that all major media outlets are horribly misinformed on the subject of SEO.  Earlier culprits of this type of article are WSJ, USA Today and New York Times:

http://www.jaankanellis.com/new-york-times-columnist-comments-briefly-on-seo-for-newspaper-headlines-and-writing/

from GeneralLedger 241 days ago #
Votes: 2 | Vote:
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Hah, I wonder if this guy passes muster for Kalena's Dumba$$ of the Week. =] Gotta be in the running.

from incrediblehelp 241 days ago #
Votes: 0 | Vote:
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I would vote for him

from Kalena 241 days ago #
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Ah yes. I had read article this via a link on SEOBook earlier this week and thought what BS. Thanks for the suggestion Jaan - I did have a Dumbass all lined up for today but this guy might make a better one :-)

from Kalena 240 days ago #
Votes: 1 | Vote:
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Here you go Jaan: http://www.ask-kalena.com/rants/dumbass-of-the-week-gene-marks/. Thanks for the suggestion :-)

from incrediblehelp 240 days ago #
Votes: 0 | Vote:
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Nice work Kalena.  I can only imagine the crap he is getting for this internally.

from Kalena 240 days ago #
Votes: 0 | Vote:
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Or perhaps he's being patted on the back for the backlash traffic?

from CustardMite 240 days ago #
Votes: 0 | Vote:
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Let's face it - if he didn't own his own company, he'd probably be getting the boot right now!

The idea that small businesses can't make money from PPC would be laughable if it wasn't for the fact that there are actually people agreeing with him.

At least it gives me inspiration for my blog!

http://www.epiphanysolutions.co.uk/google-adwords/adwords-can-work-for-small-businesses.html

Seriously, I'm not sure what concerns me most; the fact that there are 'respected' people in the industry that believe this stuff, that Business Week can't tell carp when they read it, or the thought that people may take this stuff seriously...

from Webnauts 240 days ago #
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What can I say. You damn rule brother. :)

from emd5005 240 days ago #
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wow...living without antivirus software? i can only imagine...

from jeffquipp 240 days ago #
Votes: 0 | Vote:
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Paul's posted it to Digg (http://digg.com/business_finance/Probably_the_Worst_Business_Advice_Ever) too as 'Probably The Worst Piece of Business Advice Ever".

This will definitely be his legacy!

from WebmasterT 233 days ago #
Votes: 0 | Vote:
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Remove Anti Virus software.... now that's just irresponsible advice
SEO... there is some kinds of SEO that definitely isn't needed
PPC... not all products are PPC worthy... maybe that has been his experience
Online Video... now that's just as stupid as saying you don't need images!!!!!!!!!!
WEB 2.0... 90% hype... most businesses don't need it, and/or implement it poorly


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