Here are just a couple of tips:

1. Follow other early adopters – there is no shortage of places to find the next shiny thing. A few choice selections on twitter will help but they can be easily missed so I’d suggest focussing on some key blogs. My favorite these days is TheNextWeb which has a very comprehensive coverage, so too Mashable which tends to crank out info by the second. Techmeme is my favorite aggregator.

2. Keep a master login list – the issue here is not that you should be concerned that your data is out there that you are not looking after but because there are times when you will forget about an account that maybe you didn’t “get” initially that upon a revisit recognize its value. This list (which can also remind you of your login info) can help to jog your memory. Evernote can be a useful tool for storing this list.

3. Really test – put it through it’s paces. Use it as if you want to break it and get to know it pretty well before looking around at reviews to see what others have discovered.

4. Use a persona – Mostly I use my own account for the testing but there is the odd occasion when an incorrect setup may impact your account so I have a few dummy accounts that i will use without fear of reprisal. I think a lot of us made the mistake of setting up Google Analytics accounts under our profiles instead of new accounts when it first came out and then losing that data when you had to move it over. We still come across those every once in a while.

While I’ve forced a move to a more manageable and balanced lifestyle (more away-from-the-computer time), I certainly enjoy that side of the business and it may be a big reason why I got into the Internet Marketing game in the first place. I feel like our clients would and should expect that we are doing this so that they don’t have to (until we decide that they need to).

So what’s my latest signup? I just signed up for an invite at www.so.cl, Microsoft’s own foray into social media…maybe. Also just began playing around with Gentlemint which is a guys version of Pinterest. How about you? Any newbies you want to share?

Images have suffered a similar fate, maybe to an even greater extent. The fact is that you don’t know if that image you found on Google Images is copyright protected or not. A watermark is an obvious sign but some are embedded in the pixels proving much harder to detect. We’ve seen a spate of clients come under fire from Getty Images who have been tracking down some of their images and asking for proof of purchase and bullying them into paying compensation even after taking them down. It certainly has the feeling of being a scam and most definitely reeks of unsavory business practices so it’s important that you take the necessary steps in getting yourself into a situation with them breathing down your neck.

How about avoiding Getty Images? Obviously not going to their website is easy but they have extended their reach beyond their own walls, especially with the purchase of the very useful istockphoto.com and my previous favorite sxc.hu. I really used to like that site but now they too have succumbed.

Other websites to add to your list:

1. Flickr.com – not only will you find a lot of personal photos here but professionals also share their wares and they set the copyright rules.

2. MorgueFile.com – I recall when these guys first came out their site was pretty basic. It has improved significantly and is a great resource. Again the rules vary but there are a lot available for free and without attribution.

3. Freemediagoo.com is most definitely free it can just be a little difficult finding what you want.

4. Dreamstime.com – if you like istockphoto, these guys are a solid replacement for cheap downloads. They also have a free section.

5. Public-Domain-Image.com – all images are under public domain and as such are free to use for commercial or personal use

As the Internet continues to mature, it’s becoming more and more obvious that we can no longer be so cavalier about our activities online. Whether companies like Getty Images break certain protocols in dealing with illegal activities is beside the point, and like the RIAA the hope is that their reputation and business will suffer as a result. The fact is that we have options, and good ones too, that allow us to choose alternatives which should be encouraged.

Remember the days when people would offer you feedback by coming to your counter and suggesting that your coffee was excellent but the mugs were awkward to use? Well people don’t seem to do that anymore in fact, they are far more likely to go to Yelp and write it out for everyone to see, which is why you need to be looking there as well. Now, I’m not actually suggesting that you listen to all the reviews (in fact I’d probably consider maybe 1%, if that) but in doing so, you may get a sense of what your customers a saying. Maybe you’ll pick up on a trend. If everyone is complaining about the same thing, you may well have an issue to address. That’s why you should be trawling.

So where to go and what to do. Here are some tips:

Yelp – Probably one of the more popular review websites. Many suggest that recent changes are impacting their numbers and there are stats to support it but it still has a huge user base and you should find a number of useful reviews of your place (hopefully).
Chowhound – one of the better review websites. While they have a smaller user base, they tend to be more knowledgeable than other sites.
GAYOT (pronounced guy-OH) – I find the website to be pretty awkward to get around and the ads are a bit much but they have a decent amount of reviews that you may need to check out.
CitySearch – this one always surprises me mostly out of the fact that people actually use it. Generally not a great deal of insight but they do have numbers.
TripAdvisor – a slick site with a huge volume of reviewers. Less about locals and more about travelers.
Urban Spoon – this fairly new player seems to have really benefited from having one of the more interesting iPhone apps and continues to be highly mobile.

Other notables include www.opentable.com, www.menupages.com, www.menuism.com, www.boorah.com, www.frommers.com

Quickly becoming essential tools that help to monitor chatter online is twitter which allows you to add the name of your restaurant as a search and then check regularly to see if people are talking about you. Google Alerts can also provide some info mostly when someone posts a blog about you.
And finally, the latest trends are pointing towards foursquare and gowalla as being new players in this space.

Even if you’re not using Social Media as part of your marketing mix, you really should be paying attention to it as quite often, potential visitors may be swayed by these reviewers, like it or not.

Clicking on the icon gives you the typical blurry appearance with blue/red shadows. Certainly without the 3D glasses, the image looks pretty bad and I haven’t had a pair of 3D glasses to check the view but I can’t really see massive use for this feature and continue to treat it as an extended April Fools gag.

No 3D Goggles

With 3D Googles View Selected

I like it and at about the price of a guide book, is a worthy investment.

Quite obviously a very slick scam aiming to catch your login info for Adwords. My recommendation is that you DO NOT login. Instead go and blog about it so that folks don’t get caught up in it.

To most people moving is an exhausting and expensive undertaking and that exhaustion and cost only increase with distance. But Transit Systems, an expert in moving and shipping services, has developed some tips for those long-distance moves. These tips, when properly employed, could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The following have been compiled through years of industry experience and customer feedback. Transit Systems proudly presents the Top Five Money-Saving Tips for Long-distance Moving:

Tip #1: Pay only for the space that is used. Moving companies typically dedicate a full truck to the move regardless of the space utilized. Consider a freight company that provides household goods transport. Each individual household load is sealed in its own section of the truck behind a locked divider. You will have to hire a separate moving crew, but even with this additional labor cost added in, the savings can be significant.

Tip #2: Take the DIY approach to loading and unloading. Although many moving companies do not allow customers to load and unload, contact the company and find out. Selecting a freight carrier (over a moving company) and using family and friends to load and unload can cut the total moving costs in half. If you cannot find a company that allows this, see Tip #1 above.

Tip #3: Pay for insurance. Yes, strictly speaking, insurance is an expense. But it is pennywise and pound foolish to move without it. Some degree of damage is practically inevitable during a long-distance move. Unless you are a furniture restoration professional, insurance will save you in the long run.

Tip #4: Do your own packing. Or at least the majority of it. Packing takes time, and time costs money. If you are willing to spend time upfront, your total moving costs will decrease.

Tip#5: Ponder, plan and prepare. A well thought-out move will create all sorts of savings, especially cost. Consider specifically what items should be professionally moved and what items are better off selling, giving away to friends or charity or simply discard. Create a detailed, written inventory and sort accordingly. This will prevent you from paying to move unwanted items unnecessarily.

Whether planning a move across the country, city or around the corner Transit Systems tips offer money-saving concepts to reduce common frustrations and moving anxiety. Removing some unnecessary costs from the equation will not only make your long-distance move more cost-effective, it will make your move more enjoyable.

About Transit Systems Inc.
Transit Systems Inc. is a nationwide provider of moving and shipping services to consumers and small businesses. They are available on the web at http://www.transitsystems.com. In business for over 19 years, TSI is licensed by the Department of Transportation and is approved by UPS and Mail Boxes Etc. for their centers to use.

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Keywords: Moving, Movers Small Moves, Moving Services, Long-Distance Moving, Freight Shipping, Moving Furniture, Shipping Furniture, Shipping Services

“From: janellesmom@embarqmail.com
Subject: Contact
Sent: 03/18/2008 at 08:36 AM from 71.0.98.4

Name: Vera Reed
Title:
Company:
Address 1: 498 RT 23
Address 2:
City: Franklin
State: NJ
Zip Code: 07416
Province:
Country: USA
Phone:
Fax:
Comments: I stayed at a Hotel that used your pillows and loved them. Can the consumer buy them? It was a polyester “New Generation” pillow. Thanks Vera

There doesn’t seem to be any benefit to the spam message. I’ll have to do some further digging I think.