Florida-based ICM Registry is the domain operator handling worldwide .xxx domain registrations in collaboration with companies like GoDaddy.com and 101domain.com (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/sep/4/as-porns-pre-eminent-domain-xxx-to-mark-spot/).

What does this mean for your company?  Even if you’re not in the adult entertainment industry it still means quite a bit.  First of all, it means you’ll need to assess whether or not you would like to block your company’s name from becoming available in the .xxx domain registry.  The projected one-time fee to block domain name registrations ranges from $200 to $300.  The option to block a domain name is only available to owners of domains that use their registered trademarks.  You may wish to consult your attorney to discuss your options.

Secondly, you may want to confirm that your company name, and subsequently, your URL root is a registered trademark.  Enterprise companies may hold hundreds, even thousands of registered trademarks for brand entities.

Why do you want a registered trademark?  Here is a little snippet from Wikipedia that explains it pretty well, at least, in the legal sense.

“A trademark may be designated by the following symbols:

• ™ (for an unregistered trade mark, that is, a mark used to promote or brand goods)
• ℠ (for an unregistered service mark, that is, a mark used to promote or brand services)
• ® (for a registered trademark)

A trademark is typically a name, word, phrase, logo, symbol, design, image, or a combination of these elements.^[2] There is also a range of non-conventional trademarks comprising marks which do not fall into these standard categories, such as those based on color, smell, or sound.

The owner of a registered trademark may commence legal proceedings for trademark infringement to prevent unauthorized use of that trademark. However, registration is not required. The owner of a common law trademark may also file suit, but an unregistered mark may be protectable only within the geographical area within which it has been used or in geographical areas into which it may be reasonably expected to expand.”

NOTE: The information contained herein is not legal advice.

The content of this posting is intended for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice.  Legal advice depends on the specific facts and circumstances of each individual’s situation.  Those seeking specific legal advice or assistance should contact an attorney.

Frequently compared to the highly-publicized O.J. Simpson trial, many are saying the Casey Anthony trial is to social media what the O.J. Simpson trial was to cable television. While many Americans have been glued to HLN, CNN and other news channels these past two months, watching the events that will ultimately lead to the fate of a young mother accused of killing her two year old daughter, many have also been connected to this case via social media channels. Unlike the O.J. Simpson trial coverage, the media is not the sole outlet for exposure in the case of ‘Florida vs. Casey Anthony’. Through social media, people now have the opportunity to participate in court cases in way never before thought possible.

Emerging technology has provided a global audience with a coveted front row ticket to the trial named “Social Media Trial of the Century” by Time Magazine. From the first frantic message posted by Casey’s mother, Cindy Anthony, on MySpace in July of 2008, to social media affecting the selection of the jury, MySpace posts and search engine usage being used as evidence in the trial, and finally to the live twitter stream , social media has played a significant role in the controversial trial.

Sam Diaz, a Silicon Valley-based social-media expert and consultant, points to social media as the fuel to recent world news —”Social media has allowed everyone an instant megaphone on the Internet, to express, argue and form opinions instantly,” Diaz said. “In the old days, we used to watch a newscast or read a news story. Now we get things so quickly that we are immediately reacting and feeling passionate.”

Mainstream journalists are tweeting from inside the courtroom where Anthony is being tried so people can get notified about court proceedings as they occur. Nearly 40 seats are reserved for local and national media, and bloggers who cover the trial on a daily basis. These credentialed media are allowed to use smartphones, iPads and other devices to disseminate information in real time.

Those following the trial can watch  live-streaming video and then discuss ( or even argue) with others in the Orlando Sentinel’s online-chat room (which has attracted up to 124,680 people per day). In 140 characters, those on twitter can hashtag #CaseyAnthony to view and participate in a never-ending conversation. These hashtags connect the conversation about the topic and makes it searchable. Twitter accounts such as @NinthCircuitFL, which is managed by the 9th Judicial Circuit Court, are adding hundreds of followers each day due to their up to the minute trial coverage. With the click of a mouse, those following the trial can also use Facebook to instantly publish their thoughts about the trial to their online friends. The Facebook Page “Casey Anthony Updates” has over a whopping 109,635’ likes’. As if that wasn’t enough, there are iPhone apps that stream the live feed straight from your phones. These apps have rapidly become best sellers in the paid news category in the App Store. Even an online press release regarding the Casey Anthony trial and attorney Jose Baez is now a top story on both Google News and Yahoo News.

“People from all over are seeing our release involving the Casey Anthony trial we distributed for a client,” says Shannon Hannon Oliviero, executive director of marketing and client services for PR NewsChannel. “The online press release has been viewed thousands of times from all parts of the world and shared more than three times that on social media.”

To say the least, the “online jury,” is not shy about sharing their feelings and thoughts on the trial or on the defendant. Numerous blogs have been created regarding the case, and Facebook and Twitter posts are consistently published as the trial progresses. Does communication via these popular social platforms affect the proceedings inside the courtroom? A recent study found that peer-to-peer opinions are considered the most credible and have more influence on the Internet today. Internet marketing professionals know that understanding the sociological formation of social media communities and listening to the peer-to-peer communication is fundamental to the task of effectively publicizing the brands in which they represent. In the minds of many social media users, reviews and online opinions have become the source to get authentic, objective news, making the relationship between social media and the legal system a complicated one.

There is no doubt that online reputations can impact court cases. But is this communication influencing the proceedings inside the courtroom? Persuasive communications expert Juliet Huck told WebProNews that the judge in this case had a difficult job on his hands in terms of keeping the online influences away from the jury. Social media has become such a dominant player in society that it is a challenge to keep it away from even the most conventional practices like the legal system.

What can we learn from social media’s role in this case? Developments in technology are making court cases available to the masses, as a result, forever changing the way the public participates in the legal system, the way news is consumed, and how public opinions are formed. As millions of online users try to make sense of this nonsensical action: the murder of a 2-year-old girl, social media provides the opportunity to keep up with literally every moment of this capital murder trial. Bottom line: the Casey Anthony trial is only proof of what is to come, from now on it will be extremely difficult for the legal system to have sole control over all of the evidence and news that is released before, during and long after the verdict.

Have you leveraged social media platforms to stay up-to-date with the Casey Anthony trial or others? What are your thoughts on social media’s impact on the legal system?

According to ICANN President Rod Beckstrom, “ICANN has opened the internet’s addressing system to the limitless possibilities of the human imagination,” (BBC NEWS). Limitless, it seems, as long as the domain ties to an identifiable and established brand. ICANN is hiring numerous IT experts and consultants to verify that domains are registered by the appropriate companies or governments.

Using real estate as an analogy, this stringent application process is, “Roughly the equivalent of getting approval to build a sky scraper,” according to Bruce Tonkin of Melbourne IT, a domain registry service. ICANN will charge $185,000 for each domain name to cover the costs of new staff, domain development, and potential legal fees for gTLD disputes.

The high price point prohibits many smaller firms from registering for gTLDs, but larger corporations and municipalities will have unprecedented control over an online brand with the new naming convention. Many organizations already expressed interest in pursuing gTLDs for two principal reasons. According to research in Business Wire, most companies pursuing gTLDs seek to protect their brand from infringement and gain a competitive brand advantage.

Whether corporations are strengthening a brand or guarding against domain name cyber-squatting, ICANN will put its new investigators to use when the application period begins early next year.

In the video below, I’ve outlined the most valuable insights (MVI’s) I mined from my 27 pages of SXSW notes.   If you have any questions or want any further SXSW information for 2012 just find me on Twitter @TheNetImpact.

Vickie’s many responsibilities as Director include developing business growth opportunities, building and maintaining relationships with existing clients and prospects, as well as marketing and selling the Auctori:law legal content management system and Auctori:law’s wide range of Internet marketing and web design services. Vickie brings with her an extensive background in the legal online marketing industry, and we are excited to have her on board!

Read the Press Release

Auctori:law is a search engine friendly content management system that puts the power and control of a law firm’s website in the hands of attorneys and legal professionals. In addition to standard content management features, Auctori:law is equipped with features designed specifically for legal industry, such as an attorney biographies module, news and articles module, and an images module. The Net Impact partnered with the Auctori:law team to provide legal clients with the opportunity to manage their own professionally designed, custom website.

Included in the three-day long exhibition are nearly over 100 educational sessions on the latest technologies, business solutions and emerging trends. Auctori:law Representative and President of The Net Impact, Steve Thomas, will lead the vendor showcase session:“Growing your Legal Business through Social Media and Search Engine Optimization”. This interactive presentation will cover the hot topics of social media and search engine optimization and how they are relevant to the legal industry. The educational session will take place on Monday, May 3 from 1:30 pm – 2pm.

Auctori:law will be exhibiting at booth #420. The booth will feature live demonstrations, product information and “relaxing” product prizes from The ROHO Group Inc.  Attendees may register at www.Auctorilaw.com/relax.  Auctori:law representatives will be on hand to answer questions and show you how Auctori:law can make maintaining your law firm website stress-free. This will be the first ever presence of Auctori:law at the Annual ALA Conference.

Check out the Press Release

Just a little over ten years ago, lawyers saw websites as simply another entry point to their firms, the other entry points being their office phone and of course, their firm’s front doors. But today’s overwhelming increase in the activity on social networks by legal  professionals, has created an exponential number of entry points for law firms. According to the recently released, 2009 American Bar Association Legal Technology Survey Report, one in eight firms uses social networks. The report also stated that tools that use the Internet are significantly increasing the productivity of lawyers and decreasing their wasted time.

When used to a lawyer or law firm’s best advantage, social media has the power to serve as an effective public relations tool that has the power to increase awareness of a lawyer’s expertise, knowledge or experience in their practice area. In addition social media has the ability to create and build on relationships that will make a positive impact not only on a lawyer’s image, but also on their overall career.

Four ways legal professionals can benefit from social media
 

1.) Enables the exchange of valuable information

The consistent exchange of information is the essence of social media. An example of this would be reading or writing a blog post. Blogging is particularly useful for enhancing one’s legal knowledge. An attorney who commits to maintaining a blog, or frequently participating in conversation on social networks,  builds credibility as they  develop and refine substantive expertise in their area of practice through their online content. Discussing developments through writing and online interaction requires a very concentrated effort and is an ideal way for a lawyer to share their expertise and establish themselves as a leader in their area. In addition, most blogs allow readers to leave comments in response to posts, and many bloggers use this feature to carry on dialogue with readers.

Due to the possibility of user-generated content and ongoing communication, a single blog post can function as an excellent learning tool for a number of people. Many lawyers may reference their own blogs or the blogs of others in their field to research daily questions that may arise. Another positive benefit is if someone is looking for a lawyer in your area of expertise and sees that you are committed and are passionate enough about your career to blog regularly on the topic –  you may be placed a step above your competitors in their minds. Apart from gaining substantive insight and sharing valuable information, social media sites, such as  Twitter, can function as a great resource to find people who are talking about a very specific topic.

In the October Issue of Missouri Lawyers Weekly, I recently came across an excellent article that shared an example of how lawyers can use  Twitter as a tool to find out where a  certain conversation is taking place . According to the article by Jane Pribek, entitled “Twitter Tools for Tech-Savvy Attorneys”, Milwaukee lawyer Sean M. Sweeny, of Hailing & Cayo S.C., utilizes the popular twitter application.”You can enter search terms, and it will create categories where there are posts with only those terms. For example, I’ve been interested in the Milwaukee sick leave ordinance lately, so I entered that as a search term and some some interesting posts on the topic,”  said Sweeny. 

2.) Expands your professional network and opens up opportunities

Social media will put you in touch with others who are interested in your subject area, and getting to know these various groups online will provide you with possible collaborators, employees or employers. Through this personalized means of communication, you can connect with other attorneys, students, reporters and of course reconnect with old and new friends, and each new person you connect with has different value and potential.

According to a LinkedIn spokeswoman, there are 90,000 attorneys with LinkedIn profiles, and 212,000 people registered there as being in the law practice industry. With numbers like this, it is becoming increasingly easy for lawyers to utilize social networking tools to effectively network. For example, a partner at a firm may be looking to hire a lawyer and may come across your LinkedIn profile and present you with a job opportunity, that may not have presented itself had you not developed a strong presence on.  Also, since social networking sites are search engine friendly, don’t  be surprised if you get a phone call from a member of the press asking you to provide insight for a story or to publicize a recently won case.

3.) Social media has the power to humanize your firm
People want to hire other people, not businesses. While it is vital for your firm to have a  website to establish credibility and to provide all of the necessary information, it can be advantageous for attorneys to cultivate a uniquely individual online presence through social media. The overlap between social and professional makes lawyers more personable and more approachable. A major asset to social media is the ability to establish rapport online. Potential clients may be less intimidated to pick up the phone and call or email you if they feel like they know you. Sometimes being able to match a name with a face can increase their trust and comfort level, and put you a step above a competing firm that is a not as personable. People want to be able to speak with a specific person, and many times social networks can place a face with a name.

For example, a Facebook profile demonstrates you have a life outside the law office, and reminds clients that you are a person just like them. What’s more, your use of social media can benefit the profession by functioning as a public service. It is a simple fact that people looking for legal information go online. If you have written about or discussed some topic on which someone needs help, you have in a sense, provided a pro-bono service.

4.) And last but not least, social media can attract potential clients.
One thing we have uncovered through our experience in creating legal websites, is that social media is bringing profound change to law firm marketing. Word of mouth marketing, the leading source of work for the best lawyers, now ocurrs on the Internet. Due to social media sites. clients, potential clients and other attorneys alike can post comments on an individual lawyer or firm, and due to the unique characteristics of social networks, these comments are highly visible in search engines.

Building a positive reputation online and off, is the most effective public relations tool there is and brings in the best clients. Social media has the ability to spread your reputation far and wide to a variety of projects that may have otherwise not been aware of services.    

In conclusion, lawyers who successfully leverage social media tools to communicate, collaborate and network have a distinct advantage over those who do not. The most effective way for lawyers to use social media is to talk to people, not at them. Engage in conversation with others, don’t simply advertise your services or firm. Share information about your yourself and your personal experiences, and most Importantly, don’t be afraid to take off your  “attorney hat” and talk like you would in everyday conversation with friends, social media should be fun too! 

Legal web design and marketing,  is one of our specialties at The Net Impact. Whatever look and feel your law firm desires of its law firm’s online presence, we can help you accomplish it. We are confident that our skills in attorney marketing, social media and web design, can help your law firm’s web site reach the top. Contact The Net Impact today for a complete law firm marketing solution that is customized specifically to meet your law firm’s web site objectives.

 The Internet is overflowing with law firm websites that all present a very similar message. For this reason, it is extremely important that your law firm has a creative, yet professionally designed website that captures the interest of visitors and holds their attention long enough to convince them that you are the firm that can meet their specific needs. Simply building a website for your law firm is not enough. The website has to be built in a fashion that is user-friendly, professionally designed, visually appealing, informative and also search engine optimized. A poor overall appearance combined with confusing navigation and outdated content will leave your potential clients clicking away to your competitors.

From an internal management perspective, too often a legal website is static, meaning even the simplest changes to the website can get bogged down in an IT to-do list or create added expense from outside technical services. An excellent solution to this problem is using a content management system to build your law firm’s website to have a professionally designed site that can be updated at anytime, from any location by the lawyers and other staff themselves. Content management systems are expediting communications on the company web  among law firm personnel.

How will using a CMS benefit my Firm?

-Content management systems are customizable software solutions. Designed specifically in accordance with the discerning needs of the corporate infrastructure, CMS is all about ease, convenience and the utmost productivity.

-It’s secure. The CMS assures that the right departments and people are authorized to review and add content.

-CMSs deliver efficiency. Partners who are out of the office or working from home can receive and respond to time sensitive information.

With a CMS, you are not only  simplifying interdepartmental productivity. In the marketing sphere, content management systems multitask as a viable marketing tool.

3 ways content management systems can function as an effective marketing tool:

Establish a firm’s credibility in a specific area of law.
A website serves as a firm’s online portfolio. It is a place to announce new laws, litigation scores and other unclassified client-case information. Having the  access to keep this information fresh and updated will send the message out to potential clients that your firm is up-to-date, well-organized and a step above a competitor.

Expose a law firm to media visibility.
Content management systems are developed to syndicate news and events to search engines, ultimately disseminating information among media outlets. Whether it’s a high profile case or a law firm’s achievements, a CMS makes it easy to publish and firm updates and legal victories.

It will be easier for potential clients to seek you out on the web.
Most people refer to the Internet to research legal services. Many web content management systems are built specifically for Search Engine Optimization purposes. This will increase that a potential client will come across your website in search of legal services.

Not all new software integrations are a nightmare. The transition to a content management system is non-intrusive. It does not impose any network outages or require daily operations. Content management systems are customized to accommodate a law firm’s unique communication requirements, making the adjustment and simple and worthwhile process. As for the learning curve, CMS training is minimal. Once the functionality and design decisions have been determined, it is easy to start inserting content and images.

In the end,  using a CMS to market your firm’s area of specialty is an economical and user-friendly marketing tool – well worth the return on investment.

A law firm’s website should attract new clients, communicate with existing ones and aid in the sharing of information among the lawyers of the firm. If an attorney website is skillfully constructed and has regularly updated content, it can prove to be an effective tool for marketing your firm and presenting your business in a professional manner. Law firms should view their website as a living, ever-changing and interactive space for their communities, as opposed to a place to simply lump articles, biographies and press releases. A content management solution may just be the simple solution your law firm needs to meet all of it’s online needs.

The Net Impact’s CMS solution of choice  for law firms is Auctori:Law founded upon the Content Management System Auctori. Unified Development, Inc. (Unidev®) designed the CMS in association with several law firms to give attorneys and legal professionals an easy to use, but powerful system to update and maintain their professionally designed website. To see two excellent examples of Auctori:law™ in action, please visit The Stolar Partnership, LLP www.stolarlaw.com and Paul J. Passanante, PC & Associates at www.passanantelaw.com.

The value and significance of the legal industry demands a certain website environment that The Net Impact has been able to perfect. The Net Impact Team fosters an understanding of your profession and the aggressive marketplace that you are competing within. Contact The Net Impact today to learn more about how we can help your law firm enhance their online prescense!

Videos from juvenile associates who can’t tell the difference between a prank on their friends vs a real world crime  are not the issue we are discussing.  This post covers the responsibilities your firm should consider for the safety and benefit of your brand and your people.  Many firms have run helter- skelter into social media with little to no forethought as to what that could  mean.  Yeah, 2.0  can be a good thing to promote the company.  Yeah, it is the USA where everyone has the right to free speech.  Yes, these are adults and you trust them to keep a business from personal separation. Right?

Seinfeld’s “Worlds Collide” theory from The Pool Guy episode  could be the unintentional consequences of having no published policy or at least a dialogue about Twitter, FaceBook, personal blogs and the like.

Let’s say Bob in sales (it’s always the sales guy right?) has a really rough appointment with a big client.  Does Bob know that after a vodka he really should resist pulling out his IPhone and updating his FaceBook about how he is at his favorite waterhole recovering from a meeting with Jane Doe of Your Best Client, Inc.?  What if Sarah from accounts receivable sees and tweets about all of the deadbeats she has to stay late to collect from?  What if Cyd the designer is so excited about a new product line that he scoops your PR team on his own personal blog?  Or, Dean’s wife keys how she is looking forward to going with him on an upcoming business trip to San Francisco, which is supposed to be a secret from your competition.

Does this happen? You bet.   I have witnessed an instance where a developer (not one of ours)  posted code online in his personal blog.  The problem,  the company had developed this code for a client.  He thought the code was “cool” and wanted to share it.  Damage done.  The firm had no 2.0 policy.

I have also seen where schools have “encouraged” their students in leadership to take unacceptable pictures and content off of their personal FaceBook and MySpace site.  Why? The name of the university was thought to be tarnished by the background of a beer sign where the group posed for pictures.

Public companies, like IBM, have a stated Social Computing Guidelines paper that encourages “responsible engagement in innovation and dialogue”.  IBM stresses honesty and integrity.  The use of an online alias or pen-name is discouraged in this policy.   “Be who you are,”  “speak in first person,” and “use a disclaimer,” separating the firm from the “IBMer” are all well thought out principles for an international public company.

Major firms like Dow Jones of course are concerned about how information is given to the public but you don’t have to be a huge company to have an errant post impact your stock, sales or brand.  True, it will be nearly impossible to control every utterance from every person in or involved with your company.  So where to start?  Begin to create a set of social marketing guidelines that assist your associates in engaging in the world, informs them of some unforeseen issues that could innocently arise  and direct them to information regarding your own code of conduct that will guide their journey through this unsettled and evolving world of citizen journalists.

Top Items for a Social Media Policy:

• Let your people  know your level of support for 2.0.  The CEO of Zappos has his own regular Twitter login with over 700,000 followers.   What do you support and what are you concerned about?
• Tell your team “why” this policy needs to exist.  Explain investor relations, legal issues and the business reasons behind your guidelines.
• Give them a go-to person for any questions.  In a non-invasive and private manner, they can get their questions answered.  It’s OK if they have made an error in judgement or make a mistake.  Just don’t hide it.
• Establish honesty and integrity up front.  If an associate has a gamer base where their Warcraft  ID is important and Jim.Gamer@yourcompany.com won’t work, then an alias might be good (even preferred).  But let the staff know that when they are  online, even at 2 AM on a Sunday, they are still a part of the firm as far as the never sleeping WWW is concerned.  Encourage them to be honest about who they are.  The separation between work and play will continue to get more blurred.  If they doubt that, show them Google Wave.
• For the item above, publish a disclaimer that can be used by your associates and either strongly encourage its use or make it a requirement for their personal sites.  Likewise, your brand, logo and IP are off limits.  The reasons are obvious.
• If you have specific rules regarding the safe use of handhelds or proper use of desktops, then make sure that these guidelines are understood.  If texting on a company Blackberry while driving a company car is forbidden, then so is tweeting.  Let everyone know you are serious about this for their own safety.
• Help everyone understand that there are better and more effective ways than a public forum to complain about lousy working conditions like dirty restrooms or no vegetarian items on the cafeteria menu.  If negative postings by associates is happening or could happen, give them a release point internally and privately.
• Have a code of ethics guideline link available for all associates to use as a sounding board for their social activities online.  You hired smart people.  Let them use their brain.
• Lastly, have a review team look at the policy periodically to see what needs to change.  All we know is that the next social phenom is on its way.

Need advice?  Talk to your friendly neighborhood SEO firm.  With a little common sense, a spirit of cooperation and some solid groundwork policies you can develop a great mutually beneficial 2.0 approach with your people, the web and whatever the next MySpace/FaceBook/Twitter coolness turns out to be.  Do you doubt there will be one?

Artistic Sensations Quality Kids and Teen Room Decor

Every once in while it’s good to review the basics for conversion like, “What is working on my Home Page?” For this conversation, I selected a small but mighty retailer of teen and kids furniture, Artistic Sensations.  The Net Impact is currently running several Google Optimizer tests on this site including several to improve conversion.  Yes, you always want to improve conversion. Many of the elements on the current home page for Artistic Sensations are the results of previous tests.  What did we learn and how does it relate to this Home Page Pointers post?  Here are a few quick and easy take-aways:

Finally, keep testing and making changes.  All we know is that this version of your site is what the customer likes today.  As for tomorrow?