You Ask, They Answer: Conversion Conference 2012 Speakers’ Q&A Series 8

Vertical Measures CEO Arnie Kuenn on the Hottest Conversion Trend, the Biggest Optimization Mistake, and Seafood-tripping in SF

Editor’s Note: With Conversion Conference 2012 San Francisco just around the corner, we thought it’s about time you learn a bit more from each of our speakers. So we put on our journalist/paparazzi hat and placed each speaker on the proverbial hot seat by asking four questions, including one which can be considered a burning issue for digital marketers and other professionals in the internet industry: the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA). From this day until the conference, we’ll be featuring a speaker and their answers to the questions so be sure to check out our blog regularly.

But wait, there’s more! You can join in and do some pre-conference engagement with our speakers by sending in your own questions through email, Twitter, or our Facebook Wall. We’ll make sure your questions get the attention they deserve and even feature them here.

Arnie Kuenn must be having the time of his life, with his book Accelerate! getting nominated for and subsequently winning in the marketing category of the 2012 Small Business Book Awards. We were glad we sent in our questions earlier or our email would have gotten buried in the deluge of fan mail. For those who don’t know Arnie, he is the President of Vertical Measures, a full-service internet marketing and link building company in Phoenix. Now hear his thoughts on the hottest conversion trend, the biggest optimization mistake, and where to go for the best seafood in SF:

1) What do you think is the hottest trend in optimization or conversion for 2012?

As far as optimization is concerned, in my opinion “thickening” of your content will be (or should be) the hottest trend.  Our research indicates that pages offering more insightful, engaging, in-depth content are ranking higher than those that are still trying to get away with the minimum.  I recently wrote a post offering several tips on how to thicken your content if you care to read it: http://www.verticalmeasures.com/content/6-ways-to-thicken-your-content/

2) What would you say is the biggest mistake people (still) make when it comes to optimization?

The first mistake that comes to mind is still the title tag. Each page of your website needs to have a unique title tag.  Not only that, the tag needs to be crafted in a way that uses your primary keywords for that specific page and also “sells” the searcher on clicking on your link.  Your title tag is used everywhere; it’s the primary link in the search results, it is what gets shared in most social media and it’s important to the search engine algorithms. Lastly, I recommend putting your brand at the end of the title tag, not the beginning.

3) What’s your take on the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA)?

I have to be honest: I just do not know the issue well enough to comment on it.

4) What’s your favorite place to hang out in San Francisco (that one place you just have to drop by/visit when you’re in the city)?

Queue the groans… I really like the Fishermans’ Wharf, Pier 39 and Ghirardelli Square area. I love all the activity and of course the seafood. If I have time I also like taking the ferry over to Sausalito to just wander around a get a bite to eat. The ferry ride across the Bay is like a day cruise.

Got a question for Arnie that can’t wait till March? Post it on the comments section below, tweet it to us, or post it on our wall and we’ll make sure he gets it.

More About Arnie

Arnie Kuenn is the president of Vertical Measures, a search, social & content marketing company helping their clients get more traffic, more leads, and more business.  Arnie has held executive positions in the world of new technologies and marketing for more than 20 years. He is a frequent speaker and author of Accelerate! Moving Your Business Forward Through the Convergence of Search, Social & Content Marketing available on Amazon.

See Arnie Live!

Arnie will be presenting a session on “9 Powerful, Low Cost Content Ideas to Grow Your Business in 6 Months or Less” at Conversion Conference West 2012 in San Francisco, California. See the full agenda and read more about this session.

Want to save on your Conversion Conference Registration? Follow Arnie on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn and contact him to request a discount code!

P.S. Regular Pricing for Conversion Conference SF ends Friday, March 02, 2012. Don’t wait the last minute, register now to enjoy some savings while you still can.