Does Google’s algorithm make you uncomfortable?  You’re not the only one.

Ah, the misperceptions about search engine optimization.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAzBQLyqHOA

If Google ran Heaven:

Poor Snuffy.

There are a lot of organizations that don’t do SEO (Search Engine Optimization).  They have a lot of good reasons for that choice.  So, I thought I’d put together the top 10 reasons why you really shouldn’t do SEO:

10. If your business grows, you might have to hire some new people and that can really be a hassle.

9. If people like your organization enough, they’ll keep searching for you…even to page 1348.

8. You already are getting enough visitors to your website.  100 visitors a month is a lot, right?

7. Your business is already making enough money.  Anyway, if you made more, you’d just have to pay more taxes.

6. SEO, SEM, PR, SERP…Ahh!  There are just too many acronyms.  IKR? AAMOF IHA 2. IMHO, PCMCIA, 4COL! AWHFY?

5. Nobody really uses search engines.  It’s just a fad.  The Yellow Pages, that’s what people use.

4. Your classes are full and you don’t want to bother with one of those annoying “waiting lists”.

3. You like having a small church.  You don’t need outsiders.

2. You’re a Christian organization.  God will simply cause people to contact you like He provided manna for the Israelites.  You don’t have to work at it.

1. Someone else will help those people.

So, if any of these apply to you, stay away from SEO!  If they don’t, give me a call.

What does Jesus think of Twitter? Add your own caption or comment…

Happy Friday everyone!  Today we’re taking a break from the Leadership in Communications series to have a little fun.  Take a look at this funny video created by Meredith Gould about social media and the church.

Unfortunately, a lot of people have a actually had conversations like this.  How about you?

I came across the image below on this blog. Maybe you’ll find it funny. Maybe you’ll find it offensive. Maybe something else.  I thought I’d experiment with something new on Christian Web Trends, a “caption this” post. If you’re not familiar with “caption this,” don’t worry, it’s easy… just write a caption for this…

It was only a couple of weeks ago that I came a cross my newest “worst video ever,” Friday by Rebecca Black. Step aside Rebecca, we’ve got a new “worst video ever,” a Christian take-off on Friday called Sunday.

Christians have a long, sad history of producing cheap imitations of popular culture (see 90% of all Christian tshirts). This video would set an all-time low… if it weren’t for the fact that it’s a parody and is light-heartedly making fun of both Rebecca Black and the tendency towards lame rip-offs in Christian pop culture.  Have a look…

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npgdw5Zb7TY

If you missed it, here’s the original “Friday” by Rebecca Black…

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD2LRROpph0

What do you think of “Sunday?”  Funny parody?  Or another lame Christian rip-off?

Microsoft has a great commercial out promoting their new Windows phone.   It’s one of the funniest commercials I’ve seen in a long time.  Have a look…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHlN21ebeak

While the commercial is obviously intended to be funny by showing people using their mobile phones in some ridiculous circumstances.  It also succeeds at being somewhat convicting.

How many of us have caught ourselves using our phones in some of these same situations?

I know I have.

Walking down the street… At the beach… At a concert… On a boat… And yes, I admit it, even in the bathroom and in bed.  (But it was only for a quick second.  I promise.)

It’s amazing to always be just a few touches away from anyone anywhere in the world.  But, in our hyper-connected world it’s also a challenge to be fully present, in the moment, where we are.  There are times when we want to be fully engaged in an experience, fully engaged with a person.  That requires setting some boundaries.

Do you have any boundaries for your mobile phone use?

• Will you check your phone in a business meeting?
• During a church service?
• While you’re out on a date?
• In the middle of a conversation?

Do you want or even expect others to give you their full attention at certain times?

As much as Microsoft would like us to believe a Windows phone is going to resolve this issue and enable us to be fully present whenever we should be, it’s not.  It’s going to take real intentionality on our part.