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# Jose Uzcategui

Digital analytics, performance marketing and personal anecdotes.

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Blog](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/blog/)
- [Reviewing 2025, Planning 2026 (Personal)](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2026/01/19/reviewing-2025-planning-2026/) - It's the fourth day of 2026, time to review where I've been and where I want to go. Every year I do this. Take time to think about the last 12 months, recalibrate, check priorities, and pause. Most of the time it comes with some amount of "I'm completely lost" and a pinch of "...but
- [Documenting Injuries of January, 2026](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2026/01/19/documenting-injuries-of-january-2026/) - Seems it's best to pile up the injuries at the start of the year. I hurt my back a little carrying my daughter on my back while doing a full sprint. Two days after I hurt it a lot with a misstep on the sidewalk, really banging my back on the same side where it
- [Personal sGTM and Google Tag Gateway for Advertisers Shenanigans](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2025/10/07/personal-sgtm-and-google-tag-gateway-for-advertisers-shenanigans/) - Preface: this post is just a personal note, not an implementation guide. I've been ringing the bell for Google Gateway for Advertisers for some time, excited about the possibility to address the ITP issue in iOS without much technical investment. That was until I was corrected by our tech team that, even though cookies are
- [Book: “Careless People” by Sarah Wynn-Williams](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2025/08/27/book-careless-people-by-sarah-wynn-williams/) - Well, that was something else. I started listening to this book on the way back from Fujiyoshida (富士吉田) thinking. The book is about someone's experience at Facebook, social media, policy... just the type of stories that I enjoy and make my 7 and 9 year old go to sleep. I had to stop at the
- [Book: "Revenge of The Tipping Point"](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2025/06/10/book-revenge-of-the-tipping-point/) - After the last book, this book felt fairly easy to go through. Malcolm Gladwell is such a good story teller. I listened to the audio book, and it was enjoyable to hear. He even adds some nice guitar backgrounds for dramatic effects in or smoother transitions. The book talks about how the stories we consume
- [Book: "Lord of Finance" - Thumbs Up](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2025/06/06/book-lord-of-finance-thumbs-up/) - Finally, I finished listening to Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World. (Longer book than I was expecting). This book came recommended by a friend who I find has immense knowledge on economics - not only world related events, but personal strategies as well. The suggestion came after having talking about the gold
- [Big Changes - Japan, We're Back!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2025/02/26/big-changes-japan-were-back/) - We arrived February 24 from Ottawa. Kumagaya. Tokyo. Ayudante. It feels like I'm back. But I'm not. A new chapter begins, though I'm not yet sure how or what to write. I do know the proverbial writing never stops. So, focus.
- [[Video] Toronto From Above](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2024/03/26/video-toronto-from-above/) - Going to Toronto has become almost a monthly thing. I typically go by train because the two times I've gone by plane I've been delayed by several hours. The last time I was there I was delayed by 7 hours. The silver lining, a beautiful view of Toronto from the plane. I was tired, enjoying
- [Renewed My Google Cloud Professional Data Engineering](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2024/11/28/renewed-my-google-cloud-professional-data-engineering/) - It's a PASS! This week I successfully renewed my Google Cloud Professional Data Engineer certification. Yay for me, because this one is not easy. This professional certification requires a real closed-book test either at a designated place or at home, proctored (being watched over camera and screen monitoring). No asking GPT in the extra monitor,
- [Reflections On "Quit" (Book) -  Great Read](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2024/11/19/reflections-on-quit-book-great-read/) - Every now and then, we come across a book that resonates deeply, arriving at just the right time. For me, that book in 2024 was Quit by Annie Duke. Published in 2022, I only wish I had read it sooner. The full title is Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away. As the
- [My Blurry Right Eye and Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR) Experience](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/03/14/my-blurry-right-eye-and-csr-experience/) - It’s been a little more than 5 weeks since my vision in my right eye went blurry. In this post, beyond telling the story, I want to document what’s happening for future reference. So bare with me if I get a bit too detailed. The blurriness on my right eye, as I recall, became apparent
- [BigQuery Google Analytics Queries - Just for Personal Record](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2019/10/29/bigquery-google-analytics-queries-just-for-personal-record/) - I keep recreating queries from client to client, case to case. Let's see if I can just use this blog as a future resource. Query using SAFE_OFFSET SAFE_OFFSET is great. I can't remember the purpose of this query in particular (just posting here before deleting from my files), but I do remember SAFE_OFFSET. with v
- [Yet Another Unhappy Mobile Plan Story - FIDO](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2023/05/25/yet-another-unhappy-mobile-plan-story-fido/) - It's been a year since we've been back from Japan. While in Japan we would hear stories about people frustrated or unhappy with their mobile plans. I guess now it is our time. When I signed up with FIDO I was supposed to get a promotion that would wave our signup fee, $50. They said
- [My Turn: I Got COVID](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2022/06/27/my-turn-i-got-covid/) - Last week I went to one of the biggest conferences I have ever been Collision Conference 2022 - more than 35,000 attendees. The venue was huge. Everyone was excited to get together in what for many of us was the first "post-covid" event. Of course, no one was wearing masks... not the speakers, not the
- [My Experience: Master of Science in Computer Information Systems at Boston University](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2021/07/14/my-experience-master-of-science-in-computer-information-systems-at-boston-university/) - In 2018 I mentioned how I was taking steps towards a bigger plan. Well, this was it. March 19, 2019 This month I got accepted to the Masters of Science, Computer Information Systems at Boston University. Today is the start of the first class. This is my experience. First, I must start by confessing I
- [Reporting Earthquakes with the Richter Scale is Useless](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2022/03/17/the-richter-scale-is-useless/) - It must be said again, reporting the strength of an earthquake with the Richter Scale is useless and confusing. Seriously folks, last night a Magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit Tokyo. You might have seen it in the news. 7.4? The first thing to do after seeing that number is to research where it was felt, if
- [We're Moving To Canada!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2022/03/03/were-moving-to-canada/) - After 8 fantastic years in Japan, we are moving back to Canada! We are as excited as we are nervous about the move to our new hometown, Ottawa, Kanata area. The move is mid-April but posting this a few weeks early in case it is possible to do a symbolic kampai with some of you.
- [Thoughts on Google Analytics 4 – Pains and Opportunity](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2022/02/24/thoughts-on-google-analytics-4-pains-and-opportunity/) - For those of us in the digital analytics the last year or so have been focused on the newest version of Google Analytics: Google Analytics 4. To be candid, GA4 has been a pain. The launch felt rushed, the transition seems pushy, expectations misaligned, and bugs with no documentation at every turn. I was an
- [I read a fantasy book: "A Wizard of Earthsea"](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2021/07/14/i-read-a-fantasy-book-a-wizard-of-earthsea/) - I didn’t grow up as an avid book reader, but still enjoy it. Most of the books I read are about my profession, business, biographies, or something that has some learning to it. There is a part of me that ties reading to some type of study or self-improvement, not entertainment. This is nonsense; I
- [It's Graduation Weekend! Join My Virtual Commencement Ceremony!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2021/05/14/its-graduation-weekend-join-my-virtual-commencement-ceremony/) - This weekend is my long awaited commencement ceremony - MET Boston University class of 2021 - my class! Masters of Science in Computer Information System with a concentration in Data Analytics. What?! It's awesome. Yes, allow me to boast at least for the weekend. Want to attend? Not a problem. The first prerecorded ceremony for
- [Thoughts from a Nelson Mandela Biography](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2021/01/17/thoughts-from-a-nelson-mandela-biography/) - During these holidays I got a random book from the local library – a biography of Nelson Mandela. What a short but intense story. Having grown up in Venezuela and lived most of my adult life in Canada and Japan I probably have not been exposed to blatant racism like in some countries – like
- [Thoughts on COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2020/03/12/thoughts-covid-19-coronavirus-pandemic/) - This is just a memo. It is mid-March and I think it is worth writing a few words of what is happening: a pandemic. Something I have not experienced before. In some places also a pandemonium. What information do I have at this moment? The virus originated in a "wet market" in Wuhan. The type
- [Thoughts On 'Shoe Dog', The Story of Nike's Beginnings](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2019/11/10/thoughts-on-shoe-dog-the-story-of-nikes-beginnings/) - This week I finished reading “Shoe Dog”, the memoir by creator of Nike. I enjoyed it, a mix of entertaining and motivating stories. I've heard that most entrepreneurs say that, if they knew all the risks and hardships they would have to face before hand, they would likely not go through it. This book. Yes,
- [2018 Recap - Family, Work and Travels](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2019/03/04/2018-recap-family-work-and-travels/) - It’s now March. Folks, I think it is safe for me to recall 2018 and welcome 2019! 2018 was, to put it lightly, a pivotal year. In 2018... I had my first son, left Amazon, traveled 20+ hours (with kids) to visit family in Florida stopping by Canada after four years of absence and went
- [One More Step:  Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2018/12/03/one-more-step-java-programming-and-software-engineering-fundamentals-specialization/) - Last week I completed Duke University's Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals Specialization via Coursera. The specialization consists of five courses starting with high-level JavaScript and HTML and dives into Java fundamentals. It took a few months of learning not only programing languages, but how to approach software engineering - a key takeaway for me.
- [Done! Architecting with GCP Specialization on Coursera](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2018/10/04/done-architecting-with-gcp-specialization-by-coursera/) - Finally, I just completed the sixth and final course of the Architecting with Google Cloud Platform Specialization delivered by Coursera! Why did I spend time on this? Because I believe cloud technologies have become a critical piece for analytics and many areas of marketing. On my last post I shared some thoughts on some of the
- [I'm AWS Certified! Solutions Architect - Associate](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2018/06/10/im-aws-certified-solutions-architect-associate/) - Last February I passed the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate exam. I had to study my ass off for a couple of month to pass it, so at the very least, a blog post should go up. Cloud architecting for analytics has been calling my attention for the last few years. While at ASICS we
- [Amazon Japan - A New Chapter](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2017/06/19/amazon-japan-a-new-chapter/) - Today I start my role in perhaps the most influential company in the digital world, Amazon. By now I should be on the way to the office – I wrote this yesterday. I join the Amazon Prime team in Tokyo. Exciting times. It’s a funny feeling, really. I’m aware I’m joining an organization that is
- [Farewell ASICS. Thank You!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2017/06/17/farewell-asics-thank-you/) - After three and a half years, yesterday I left the office for the last time as a member of the ASCIS Global Ecommerce team. I am going to miss ASICS and the people I worked with. A lot happened under the ASICS umbrella. I came to Japan, got married, had my first child, made good
- [The lifetime of AE Jeans Post On LinkedIn](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2021/04/20/the-lifetime-of-ae-jeans-post-on-linkedin/) - A few moments ago I posted the article below on LinkedIn. It is my first time creating an article on LinkedIn, rather than posting writings from here. While I am not a fan of creating articles in platforms I don't control, I am curious on the effects. The complete article can be found here: How
- [Basic Script for R + Google Analytics](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2020/12/23/basic-script-for-r-google-analytics/) - I get tired of wasting time searching for this in old files... I typically use BigQuery, but when it is handy, it is handy. #install.packages("googleAnalyticsR") library(googleAnalyticsR) library(googleAuthR) ga_auth() #authorize googleAnalyticsR to access your data my_accounts
- [Cookie Permission Screens on Different Sites](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2019/07/26/cookie-permission-screens-on-different-sites/) - I keep coming across different ways of sites asking for cookie permissions and forgetting the ones I think are noteworthy. I'm creating this post as a scrapbook of sorts, with the different permission screens that get my attention. Feel free to email me if you think I should add one. Telegraph Uniqlo UK
- [Google Cloud Developer's Cheat Sheet Image](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2019/08/21/google-cloud-developers-cheat-sheet-image/) - I had come across something like this developer's cheat sheet a while back and forgotten about it. Today I received an email from Google pointing to it and though I'd better save it for future reference. Also, I wonder how well this is going to age :) The image is from https://medium.com/google-cloud/every-google-cloud-product-described-in-4-words-or-less-4d3f37f4567b by @gregsramblings
- [On Digital Analytics and The Cloud](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2018/09/20/digital-analytics-and-the-cloud/) - As a non-techie delving in digital analytics I often come across the notion that SQL, Python, R and other scripting languages are the main requirement to enter this space. No doubt, these are important. But in this post I would like to make a case for web analytics folks to better understand the cloud. The
- [30 Day Work and Personal Review - July 2016](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2016/07/22/30-day-work-and-personal-review-july-2016/) - Time... I don't have it anymore. Writing and exploring new ideas has been one of the many things I enjoy doing, but no longer have the time to do so. Between the Tokyo lifestyle, being a new dad, and in an industry that moves faster than anyone can keep up with... well... let's say things have
- [Artsy Tableau Visualizations](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2016/05/20/artsy-tableau-visualizations/) - It happens every now and that that, through just playing around with Tableau, I get some interesting visualizations. To be honest, most of the times this happens I'm just throwing metrics and dimensions around like rice on a wedding. In other words, don't ask me to redo these, because I have no idea how I
- [Tableau TDE vs Live DB Connection](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2016/05/15/tableau-tde-vs-live-db-connection/) - These last few days I've been exploring the best setting for enterprise analytics when using Tableau. Tableau, like most tools, has database connectors that allow live connections to your database. But one of the benefits of Tableau is able to extract data, package it in a Tableau friendly format (.tde) and boost speed of calculations
- [A New Life As Dad and Other Work Thoughts](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2016/05/06/a-new-life-as-dad-and-other-work-thoughts/) - I'm sitting on a train on my way to my in-laws, we've been staying there for 3 nights now. The train is good. It allows some time to sit back, think, and create posts like this. The kind of post closer to an out loud thought than anything contributing to whomever reads this blog. So
- [My First Marketing Plan, 11 Years Ago](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2015/11/28/my-first-marketing-plan-11-years-ago/) - I just came across a few old photos of what could possibly be my first marketing plan for a private company and though I would share. This was around summer 2004. I had already worked 8 months as a Program Assistant with the Communication Department Coop Program at SFU, but this was my first job with a
- [Speaking at Opticon Conference by Optimizely](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2015/10/28/speaking-at-opticon-conference-by-optimizely/) - Last June I was invited to speak at Opticon, Optimizely's Conversion Optimization Conference on challenges and perspective for conversion optimization teams from a global perspective. It was really a great event. The great vibe aided by even greater weather. I'm a bit late to the party writing about the event, but it's also a good chance
- [Growing Sayuridesigns.net](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2015/04/11/growing-sayuridesigns-net/) - I've been behind some of the efforts for the newest and most wonderful handmade jewelry collection on Earth, now available at www.sayuridesigns.net. We're very happy to have had launch our new sites, which is always improving, but at the moment we like very much. Since it has been recently launched, we're asking for people to
- [DAA Practitioner of the Year Finalist!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2015/02/24/daa-practitioner-of-the-year-finalist/) - What an unexpected, humbling and motivating recognition! Earlier this year, to my surprise, I was nominated for the Digital Analytics Association's (DAA) Awards for Excellence 2015, Practitioner of the Year. The DAA organizes these yearly awards to recognize people in various position in the industry. I've followed these awards for a number of years now never
- [Now Fully Married!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2015/02/14/now-fully-married/) - I just came back from spending some time in Fort Lauderdale, near Miami, where I was with all my family celebrating my wedding ceremony. It was a small but just perfect wedding in my cousin's house. Thank you to all of the people who made this possible. And thank you all the good wishes. We
- [2014: Congratulation Andres, You Are an IRONMAN!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2014/12/29/2014-congratulation-andres-you-are-an-ironman/) - September of 2104 saw my brother Andres complete an IRONMAN Triathlon. WHAT?! Yes, IRONMAN is code-talk for a 3.86km swim, a 180Km bike, and a 42.2Km run. It boggles the mind why someone would do that. But Andres, for reasons unknown to those who are sane, completed this challenge and is now officially an Ironman. It’s
- [Thank You 2014](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2014/12/29/thank-you-2014/) - The last few days of the year are always a good time to look back and evaluate accomplishments, new people in our lives, prepare for next year, and just do a quick reality check to see if what we’re doing is in line with what we want. I must say, 2014 was incredible. I… joined
- [Challenges of the Personal Online World](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2014/11/29/challenges-of-the-personal-online-world/) - Every day I get on a computer before 9:00am and start checking emails, looking at Google Analytics, checking Optimizely, quick meeting, looking at more emails... Most of my working days is based on these four activities - Emails, GA, Optimizely, Meetings. Then I come home and think about my personal emails. I check quickly if there
- [Google Analytics Channel Grouping Email vs email](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2014/08/17/google-analytics-channel-grouping-email-vs-email/) - I recently came over the silliest of “misunderstandings” with Google Analytics. One of our teams was puzzled by the GA’s Default Channel Grouping setting: Email. The problem was that, even though they were setting their email campaigns medium to “Email”, they were not showing in the expected channel grouping. Instead these campaigns were listed in
- [Joseuonline.com is now Joseuzcategui.com](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2014/08/02/joseuonline-is-now-joseuzcategui/) - Today I say good bye to Joseuonline.com, welcome Joseuzcategui.com. It fits. Seems everything about my life is changing. After many years since arriving to Canada, within the last 6 months I became Canadian, changed jobs, got engaged, moved to Japan... and now this. A new life offline calls for a new life online. Joseuzcategui.com will
- [Embracing Change - I'm Canadian!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2014/03/28/embracing-change-im-canadian/) - Fourteen years ago I landed for the first time in Canada. Abbostford, BC, became a new home and the start of a future that is still shaping my life. Below are some of the many experiences in this country that would eventually lead to March 21, 2014. The day I became Canadian. Landing in Abbotsford,
- [Embracing Change - New Job in an Old Country](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2014/03/23/embracing-change-new-job-in-an-old-country/) - “They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.” Confucius You may have noticed that I have been quiet for a while. The last few months have spawned a few big (I mean, huge) changes in my life, which I’m now ready to share. The first change I will describe in this
- [Thoughts on Online Marketing and "The Big Picture"](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2013/09/28/thoughts-on-online-marketing-and-the-big-picture/) - Working with enterprise clients as always fascinating. They often bring a wide array of challenges, and with great challenges comes great opportunities to generate results. Lately I've been thinking about "big picture" vs. its opposite, I guess "small picture" and feeling like a lot folks get lost on the "big picture" and fail to accomplish
- [Starting to Scratch the Japanese Market](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2013/07/13/starting-to-scratch-the-japanese-market/) - Because of reasons I'll go into in a future post, I've been informing myself about the Japanese analytics industry. It's quite different than the North American. I'm polishing my Japanese and getting comfortable having business conversations in Japanese. Of course, there's a long way to go, but I think it's one of those things that
- [Referencing Cells in Excel with Next Analytics V5](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2013/03/18/referrencing-cells-in-excel-with-next-analytics-v5/) - Cell referencing is one of the great advantages of leveraging NEXT Analytics and Excel. Recently I started working with the new Version 5 and found myself scratching my head when it came to referencing cells to define the time period a query - a silly little detail but, let's write about it because surely I'm
- [Testing A New Theme](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2013/03/02/testing-a-new-theme/) - After being hacked a couple of months ago I've been trying to find the easiest way to redo my blog into something that's fast and reliable so I can keep writing about analysis and other thoughts. I've chosen to go with the theme you're seeing now (TwentyTwelve). It's clean and simple, that's what I'm looking
- [Yay! - I'm in the LinkedIn Top 5% of 2012!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2013/02/13/yay-im-in-the-linkedin-top-5-of-2012/) - I recently received this email from LinkedIn with a congratulations. My profile was in the top 5% of those viewed in 2012 - right up there with Barack Obama. (Okay, he was #1) Here's a little bit more about us top 5%... Top 200 in LinkedIn I'm one of 10 million - but hey, 5%
- [Hacked!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2013/01/14/hacked/) - I've been battling with my site. It was hacked and I'm trying to fix it. I was using a theme called Cocomonio, looked great but I'm thinking it has something to do with the hacking. I switched to this, my old theme, and the paragraph talking about loans and such is gone. Here I am
- [Testing UserReport and Google Analyitcs](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2012/12/11/testing-userreport-and-google-analyitcs/) - This blog post from Google Analytics blog features UserReport as one of the tools you can leverage and integrate into your reports to get more information about your customers. [youtube]http://youtu.be/03rb0Wn8c58[/youtube] Please participate in the survey when you see it! Asking questions about users is something I'm constantly asking clients to do. Now there seems to be
- [Help me decide: July 16 Week Challenge!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2012/07/13/help-me-decide-july-16-week-challenge/) - So it's past mid year and it's time to push the envelope... even if just a little bit. I'm looking for a challenge next week, can you help me? Some of things I'm considering are: Write a blog post every day. Write a blog in Spanish every day. Read _____ in a week. No coffee
- [Yahoo! Facebook App is Trying to Trick Me!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2012/04/03/yahoo-facebook-app-is-trying-to-trick-me/) - A couple of days ago while I was browsing my Facebook wall I came across a news article that I found interesting . As it's usual in many sites and blogs I could only read the first paragraph, at the bottom there was a click to "read the article". I clicked on the typical button
- [Google Seminars for Success - Thank You Atlanta!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2012/04/03/google-seminars-for-success-thank-you-atlanta/) - I'm on the plane on my way back to Vancouver from the Google Seminars for Success in Atlanta. The crowd in the Google Analytics 101 and 201 was great. Good questions, lots of nodding in approval, comments about the presented material was a good sign indicating that the audience was engaged. There is always the
- [Segmenting Experiences - Guest Posted on Online-behavior.com](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2012/01/19/segmenting-experiences-guest-posted-on-online-behavior-com/) - Last week I wrote a few thoughts on segmenting experiences for the web (posted on online-behaviour.com). It's truly amazing to be in a space where most human actions can be measured and analyzed. Though there are some obvious pros and cons. On the one hand visitors are losing the ability of keeping anonymity. Privacy has
- [BestBuy Santa Commercials Were Mean](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/12/30/bestbuy-santa-commercials-were-mean/) - It was the season to be merry, sharing and giving, but not for BestBuy. Instead, they mounted a campaign against Santa. Apparently they were cheaper and better than Santa and just couldn't help but to be complete d*cks about it. Sharing and giving? No, eating Santans' cookies and kicking decorations off rooftops... Yeah. Very nice
- [Google Search encryption means less keyword analysis](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/11/07/google-search-encryption-means-less-keyword-analysis/) - A couple of weeks ago Google announced that in order to make personalized searches more secure, Google Search is going be encrypt searches. Almost everyone in the Internet marketing community is pretty bummed out by this decision because this means that analytics tools, all of them, won't be able to read the URL and collect
- [Target.com' Disaster Site Discussed, Entertaining Post](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/09/05/target-com-disaster-site-discussed-entertaining-post/) - A few days ago an Brian LaFrance posted an awesome article about how Target.com 's new site is failing at SEO, usability and... well, he points out a lot of things gone wrong. The article sparked a lot of interest and polemic conversation after a comment from a user who called himself MadDog. Who basically
- [Replying Times...](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/08/28/replying-times/) - I'm catching up and replying to week-old emails. It feels they might as well be last year's. Has replying within a day or two always the norm? I feel 100 years ago you could take a bit of time to reply, but not today.In fact, there are a couple of vendors that are really close
- [Super Twitter Profile](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/08/07/super-twitter-profile/) - This gentleman just followed me on Twitter. I must say, he has the most impressive Twitter profile I've seen. The only thing missing is "President" and "Medical Doctor"... I'm not sure if Daniel is trying this for SEO, Internet marketing, or other optimization purposes. But I'm having a hard time pinpointing what exactly is his
- [Quick Personal Update](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/07/13/quick-personal-update/) - It's been a while since I published anything, sorry. First things first, how about the photo above, eh? It was during a Meetup organized by ING Vancouver a year ago or so. I'll use that as default. So lately every spare minute I get off work I spend on a couple of other sites. I'm
- [Unveiling Joseuonline.com New Look!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/05/02/unveiling-joseuonline-com-new-look/) - My blog (ahem, now my site) has a new look! What do you think? It still incomplete, but considering the site has been under "Maintenance" for almost a week, I had to put something out. It took me a while to customize a few things, and the sidebar still needs work, so please comment and
- [Followup Report: YellowPages 360 Solution Keyword Experiment](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/04/08/followup-report-yellowpages-360-solution-keyword-experiment/) - This is a follow up on a previous post targeting Yellow Pages aggressive media camapaign, “360 Solution”. Click to download my experiment’s basic traffic report here (PDF) Soon after publishing the post targeting “Yellow Pages 360 Solutions”, much to my surprise, I ranked top position right away. That was because of the Yellow Pages’
- [3 Great Internet Marketing Events Coming Up in Vancouver](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/04/11/3-great-internet-marketing-events-coming-up-in-vancouver/) - There are three Internet marketing events happening in Vancouver I recommend you check out. Two Meetups and a Conference, all with world-class speakers. Here are the culprits Vancouver SEM Meetup – April 18, 2011 The topic will be “From KPIs to Dashboards: Coloring meaningful data for deep insight with Ani Lopez.” What we report to
- [Wow, Ranking for Previous Post: #1 for Intended Keyword](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/03/26/wow-ranking-for-previous-post-1-for-intended-keyword/) - It's been more than a week since I published my last post as an experiment targeting keywords that should belong to Yellow Pages. To my surprise, the post is ranking #1 for the intended keyword. I will gather a couple more days of data and give the heads up to the Yellow Pages team in
- [Yellow Pages 360 Solution](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/03/19/yellow-pages-360-solution/) - With Yellow Pages 360 Solutions you will connect with ready-to-buy users, get powerful insights, and reach more customers that are interested in your business.
- [Conversion Rate Testing Effects on SEO - Published on SEOmoz.org YOUmoz blog!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/02/18/conversion-rate-testing-effects-on-seo-published-on-seomoz-org-youmoz-blog/) - A couple of weeks ago I mentioned on my previous post that I had submitted a blog post talking about possible effects of conversion testing on SEO. It's now published, yay! Check it out, Conversion Rate Testing Effects on SEO, and let me know your thoughts. Feel free to give it a thumbs up. Really,
- [Pretty Cachapa - Before and After](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/02/21/pretty-cachapa-before-and-after/) - A couple of days ago I made cachapas, a typical Venezuela dish made out of corn - take a look! The basic cachapa recipe is illustrated pretty nicely on this video, but I encourage you to make your own tweaks. For example, my tweaked recipe has a pinch of brown sugar among other things. They're
- [SEO Tools I Frequently Use](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/02/08/seo-tools-i-frequently-use/) - When it comes to SEO Tools, I’m pretty agnostic. Like most SEOs I’ve gotten used to a series of tools more because of the habit than anything else. I still keep those tools in my repertoire, though I'm open to suggestions, in case seyou have any recommendations. Depending on the situation, I will use different
- [No More Unlimited Internet Plans For Canada](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/02/01/no-more-unlimited-internet-plans-for-canada/) - I thought it was a joke, but no, it is now impossible get unlimited internet access in Canada. The Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced it, and now there’s no more unlimited access unless overturned by the government.
- [Conversion Testing Effects on SEO Post Submitted to SEOmoz](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/02/05/conversion-testing-effects-on-seo-post-submitted-to-seomoz/) - A common question out when it comes to testing is, can conversion optimization testing affect SEO? Yes, I believe testing can affect SEO, particularly when it comes to inexperienced testers. I've submitted the post to SEOmoz today and will update everyone once is reviewed. Cheers :)
- [Parting Ways With WiderFunnel](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2011/01/27/parting-ways-with-widerfunnel/) - You might have already heard the news, as of yesterday, I’ve parted ways with WiderFunnel, the company I was working with, and am no longer part of their team. What happened? There was a bit of a disjoint between my strengths, what I like to do, and the position requirements. It just didn’t work out,
- [Mobile Email Campaign Fail (BlackBerry) - Whistler-Blackcomb](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/12/11/mobile-email-campaign-fail-blackberry-whistler-blackcomb/) - Like most of you, I constantly receive promotions over email, which I check on my BlackBerry on my way to work. I'm always victim of frustrating usability issues thanks to having a BlackBerry (Pearl Flip) phone. At least in North America, everything seems to be targeted to iPhones and Androids. Granted, creating an email campaign that's perfect
- [Dear Dell – If You Want To Break Up, Just Say So](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/12/04/dear-dell-if-you-want-to-break-up-just-say-so/) - The other day I received your “Deal of the Week” email. You got me excited. Finally, you were going to give me that chance to buy that thing that I’ve been wanting all year; my PS3 console.
- [SeoQuake’s Foxy Fox On a Good Day](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/12/04/seoquake’s-foxy-fox-on-a-good-day/) - Has anyone noticed the "I've been working out and filling fine" version of SeoQuake’s Foxy Fox? Incredible what a little workout and makeup can do... what's her name anyway?
- [My Salesforce.com Billing Issue - Rant  ](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/12/05/my-salesforce-com-billing-issue-rant/) - Last year I signed up for the most basic service from Salesforce.com. At the time it was $99. A few months back I get an email reminder that my credit card on file has expired and that I need to update this information. As I consider if to update or not I find out that
- [Suspicious Foursquare Invitation to Connect](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/10/23/suspicious-foursquare-invitation-to-connect/) - Today I received a Foursquare invitation to connect with Eko. I don't know any Eko's, let alone from Indonesia. The guy has 0 check-ins, 0 night outs, and yet has more than 1,100 friends. I'm sure that you would also think Eko is not your old pal who wants to connect so you can get
- [Web Designers Directory for Canada](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/10/03/web-designers-directory-for-canada/) - Today I've decided to showcase a new resource for web designers in Canada, the Web Designers Director for Canada. As part of the launch, everything on the directory is free - listings, articles and everything to showcase your company within the directory is free, including ads. If you're a web designer or cater to web
- [Ken Jurina, Vancouver SEM Meetup and Negative Keywords](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/09/28/ken-jurina-vancouver-sem-meetup-and-negative-keywords/) - Last Vancouver SEM Meetup was in conjunction with IMC Vancouver, and we were lucky to have Ken Jurina. Ken presented on Negative Keywords, a topic that I believe is very underdeveloped in the PPC industry. In fact, Ken proved that even I could pay a little more attention to negative keywords. But Ken's approach to
- [IMC Vancouver 2010 Thoughts](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/09/28/imc-vancouver-2010-thoughts/) - Last week the Internet Marketing Conference Vancouver happened. I was able to attend a few sessions, the keynote by Guy Kawasaki, and a couple of after parties. Overall, I’m going to give IMC Vancouver an “good” rating this time around, here’s why: A big part of my very technical rating: there was little promotion for
- [Baidu vs Google Stock Growth](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/09/14/baidu-vs-google-stock-growth/) - If the stock market is any indication of a search engine’s success, then I suggest we start paying attention to Baidu, the most popular Chinese search engine. Today, while looking at Google's stock performance, fantasizing going back in time and investing in Google’s IPO at $85, I came across a very interesting trend. Baidu’s performance
- [Next Vancouver SEM Meetup / IMC Vancouver Is Coming!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/09/13/next-vancouver-sem-meetup-imc-vancouver-is-coming/) - Internet Marketing Conference (IMC) Vancouver is upon us, so it’s the next Meetup. Next Vancouver SEM Meetup will be part of the IMC, and best of all, it will be free for everyone – Meetup members and IMC alike. Ken Jurina from Epiar.com will be presenting on using negative keywords and Adwords. I recommend you
- [I Joined WiderFunnel as an Account Manager](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/08/22/i-joined-widerfunnel-as-an-account-manager/) - Two weeks ago I left my Internet Marketing Specialist position at Snaptech Marketing to join a conversion optimization firm called WiderFunnel as an Account Manager. I want to tell you about it. Both Snaptech and WiderFunnel are solid companies. However, one of the biggest differences between the two, while Snaptech is a full service web
- [Thoughts on Social Media While Abroad](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/07/25/thoughts-on-social-media-while-abroad/) - This post I wrote two weeks ago while coming back from a family trip in Boston. I’m sitting at a bar at Boston Logan airport waiting for my flight to Vancouver. My trip is over. Ironically, now I feel safe sharing some thoughts about the trip that just happened. The first thought that comes to
- [Stronger Link Building I – Jose Uzcategui From Snaptech – Vancovuer SEM Meteup](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/07/06/stronger-link-building-i-–-jose-uzcategui-from-snaptech-–-vancovuer-sem-meteup/) - Last Meetup was my turn to present at the Vancouver SEM Meetup. I chose link building as the topic because a couple of interesting projects we’re undertaking at Snaptech.
- [Hootsuite Japanese Flavour?](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/06/24/hootsuite-japanese-flavour/) - I just tried to log into Hootsuite and found this "Under Construction" page. The surprise was not that Hootsuite is down, but that the message is in both English and Japanese. If you didn't know, I spent 3 years of my life in Japan. So every time I see a Nippon connection, I'm intrigued. Is
- [SEO Campaign Fail, Funny](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/06/06/seo-campaign-fail-funny/) - This is really funny. I was doing some seo research and I came across search result that read “Why my SEO campaign failed? Part 3: Common Link Structure mistakes ...” Click on it and it takes you to an Error page with “Server Not Found” …point well made :) ***Clicking on this search result:*** ***Takes
- [Vancouver SEM Meetup - SEO Clinic Review](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/05/24/vancouver-sem-meetup-seo-clinic-review/) - The slogan was 5 minutes, 5 SEOs, 10 sites. Basically, we had five minutes to take a look at a site we had never seen before and make recommendations from a Search Engine Optimization perspective. It was fun. The Internet connection was pretty crappy, but it gave us enough to go over most sites. It
- [Trying Out SocialScope On My BlackBerry- A Social Media App](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/05/19/trying-out-socialscope-on-my-blackberry-a-social-media-app/) - Today I finally got an ivitation to try SocialScope, a mobile application for Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and Flickr. Their tagline is "A Mobile Inbox for your Social Networks"... okay. I applied for the invitation months ago. It’s long enough that when I saw the email, I thought it was Spam. But I installed the application
- [Marta Turek from Enquiro at Vancouver SEM Meetup](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/05/02/marta-turek-from-enquiro-at-vancouver-sem-meetup/) - On our last Meetup Marta Turek, a Search Marketing Strategist at Enquiro, presented on the measurability of PPC when it comes to B2B. You might find by reading my previous posts that I always come out with something valuable from any presenters. This time two very different things impressed me about Marta's presentation: her perspective
- [How I Use Foursquare ](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/04/17/how-i-use-foursquare/) - Lately I’ve been getting an unusual amount of Foursquare* request to connect with people. Most of the people sending the requests, unfortunately, will find that I’m ignoring it. That’s probably because either I don’t know you well enough, or I don’t recognize your user name. So before you go sending me or anyone else a
- [Mixing Personal And Professional on This Blog](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/04/10/mixing-personal-and-professional-on-this-blog/) - Lately I've been wanting to write about personal stuff. But too many non-professional things have crossed my mind and I've been reluctant to write here and dwarf the professional aspect of this blog. So what should I do? On the one hand, it is my blog. I can do whatever I want. And there's no
- [Ani Lopez on Multicultural Multilingual SEO at Vancouver SEM Meetup](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/03/27/ani-lopez-on-multicultural-multilingual-seo-at-vancouver-sem-meetup/) - (This post is a bit overdue – my apologies.) This month’s Vancouver Search Engine Marketing Meetup’s presenter was Ani Lopez, a Vancouver SEO consultant who specializes in multi-lingual and multi-country SEO. Very suitable topic for Vancouver, one of the most multicultural cities I know. SEO projects, accordingly, have to deal with particular challenges a this
- [Mailchimp for Vancouver SEM Meetup Communication](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/03/07/mailchimp-for-vancouver-sem-meetup-communication/) - Last week I used Mailchimp, a popular email service provider, to send a newsletter-type email to the Vancouver SEM Meetup group. This idea came about while thinking a better way to communicate with the group’s members. Mailchimp offers pre-designed formatting, tracks clicks, opens, and a ton of other information I thought I could take advantage
- [I Played Ultimate Frisbee Today - Grrrreat!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/03/01/i-played-ultimate-frisbee-today-grrrreat/) - Go Zephyr! It’s been a while, but tonight I’ve decided to write about a somewhat selfish anecdote, I played Ultimate Frisbee. And it was great. After checking out the Vancouver Ultimate League website (www.vul.bc.ca) I emailed a bunch of team captains too see if anyone was looking. One of them recommended for me to try
- [John Hossack from VKI Studios at Vancouver SEM Meetup – Jan 2009](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2010/01/13/john-hossack-from-vki-at-vancouver-sem-meetup-jan-2009/) - My first post of the year is going to be to thank John Hossack and VKI Studios for coming out last Monday to present at the Vancouver Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Meetup, which I organize.
- [Meetup of Meetups 09 - Too Immediate Post](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/12/16/meetup-of-meetups-09-too-immediate-post/) - It’s almost midnight. I’m a little tipsy and not sure if it’s kosher to write while in this condition, but as Nike says, I’ll just do it. I’m coming back from the Meetup of Meetups here were more people that I could count. The word is that there were more than 500; and I would
- [IIMA Sponsors Vancouver SEM Meetup](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/12/13/iima-sponsors-vancouver-sem-meetup/) - The Vanouver SEM Meetup was lucky enough to get a sponsorship offer from the International Internet Marketing Association (IIMA) last week. They are offering 25% off new individual and corporate memberships for the month of December. That’s a generous chunk of cash (thank you IIMA :)) and I wouldn’t be surprised if IIMA membership goes
- [Vancouver SEM Meetup (Nov 17) Thoughts and Photos](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/12/06/nov-17-vancouver-sem-meetup-thoughts-and-photos/) - The last Vancouver SEM Meetup (Nov 17th) was about Bing.com. James Laitinen from the International Internet Marketing Association presented a very insightful point of view on what could happen with this relatively new search engine.
- [Happy Birthday To Me!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/10/15/happy-birthday-to-me/) - Today I turn 30 years old… and though some people are horrified by the 3-0, I am nothing but excited. I’m dead-on my life’s mission, including experiencing the good, the bad, and learning as much as possible, sometimes through my own stubbornness, and sometimes by learning from others' mistakes. My 20s were good. Starting today,
- [Google Suggests Interesting Things](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/11/30/google-suggests-interesting-things/) - I'm not sure if this qualifies as Google Suggest #Fail, but as playing around with keywords trying to find out if it's usual to use underlay for commercial carpeting, Google suggested the following:
- [Twitter Username Problem Fixed – I can Tweet Again!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/11/20/twitter-username-problem-fixed-–-i-can-tweet-again/) - You know how I’ve been complaining about the username problem that wouldn’t let me use third party applications? Well, it’s fixed! YAY! It was roughly a month without Twitter for me - except for the odd Tweet. At first, I didn’t think much about it. But 2 weeks in this no-Twitter life I noticed my
- [Vancouver SEM New Ning Community](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/11/17/vancouver-sem-new-ning-community/) - Vancouver SEMs have a new Ning community to ask and answer questions, exchange ideas, and network online: http://vancouversem.ning.com. Following the success of the Vancouver SEM Meetup Group we would like to invite all of you SEMs, SEOs, PPCs (can you PPCs?) and those who have questions about the topic to join and participate. The Ning
- [Major Update: New Job!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/11/15/major-update-new-job/) - Tomorrow I officially start my new role as Internet Marketing Specialist at Snap Technologies (www.snaptechmarketing.com). Though there's much I need to learn about the company, last year Snap Technologies was featured as one of the top IT companies by the Burnaby Board of Trade and this year they were nominated for Burnaby Business Excellence Awards
- [Going Through Some Changes...](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/11/10/going-through-some-changes/) - I haven't posted anything for a while. That's because there are some changes on the way. Don't think for a second that there's no movement on this side of the world. It's like Disney World, sometimes the haunted house is closed for repairs.... Expect some updates next week me explaining what's going on. I know
- [Adobe Acquires Omniture!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/10/27/adobe-acquires-omniture/) - Imagine a PDF document with some kind of cookie that could tell you how many times it has been opened! Sounds cool right? Well, it could happen soon. Adobe (the ones behind Acrobat, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, ColdFusion and a bunch of other cool software) has officially acquired Omniture (the web analytics software).
- [Changing Username #TwitterFail - Waiting For Fix](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/10/22/changing-username-twitterfail-waiting-for-fix/) - I made the move and switched names. But little did I know that Twitter users are having problems switching account settings, usernames in particular. Now I can only sign in with my email, but when I do the username reverts to the old one. If I click "home" to post an update it takes me
- [Twitter @jose_u Is Now @joseuonline](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/10/21/twitter-jose_u-is-now-joseuonline/) - In Twitter, Jose Uzcategui was @jose_u until today. From now on you can find me on Twitter at @joseuonline.
- [Popular Twitter Clients (List)](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/10/20/popular-twitter-clients/) - Today I came across this list of Popular Twitter Clients on my printed copy of websitemagazine.com. I thought you might find it interesting.
- [Vancouver SEM Meetup - Oct 6th - Raquel Hirsch from Wider Funnel](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/10/13/vancouver-sem-meetup-oct-6th-raquel-hirsch-from-wider-funnel/) - Last week the Vancouver Search Engine Marketing Meetup had Raquel Hirsch from Wider Funnel as a presenter. The presentation, I thought was great; the sound and A/V quality at Ceili’s, not so much. Here are my thoughts:
- [Google Street View is now available for us Vancouverites!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/10/07/google-street-view-is-now-available-for-us-vancouverites/) - I’ve spent some time this morning like many others who have heard the news, looking for places I frequent on Google Maps and looking out for a glimpse of myself, my friends, overall craziness or Waldo.
- [Bing Now With 10% of Search Market](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/10/04/bing-now-with-10-of-search-market/) - Bing, Microsoft’s new search engine, is slowly but surely becoming “the other” search engine. It’s still small when compared to Google’s 64%, but C-net recently reported its now at 3rd place with 10% following Yahoo! with 16%.
- [Do We Need SEO? ...um, YES!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/09/30/do-we-need-seo-um-yes/) - Have you noticed an increase on articles praising social media and asking, “do we really need SEO?” Well let me answer that for you, YES. Social media is mighty powerful, true, but it’s not a substitute for SEO, it’s part of it.
- [The Vancouver SEO Meetup Group Changes Name!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/09/19/the-vancouver-seo-meetup-group-changes-name/) - The Vancouver Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Meetup Group is changing its name to The Vancouver Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Group.
- [On Blogging for Money](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/09/07/on-blogging-for-money/) - Blogging for money… To be honest, the reason why I started this blog was to brand myself, share ideas, offer Internet marketing services and fool myself that millions of people are secretly reading and admiring what I say. The thought of making money from this blog never fueled it, but has always been there. Like
- [Vancouver SEO Meetup, Aug 09 #vancouverseomeetup](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/08/27/vancouver-seo-meetup-aug-09-vancouverseomeetup/) - Two nights ago the Vancouver SEO Meetup brought together some of the most influential SEOs in Vancouver. This was the first SEO Meetup featuring a presenter, Alex Brabant from www.emarketing101.com, and he did a great job presenting about SEMPO Canada.
- [WordCamp Fraser Valley 09 #wcfv Thoughts](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/08/24/wordcamp-fraser-valley-09-wcfv-thoughts/) - Last Saturday you could have caught me at WordCamp Fraser Valley 2009 (or in Twitter tagged as #wcfv). I was there representing Out-Smarts, as we sponsored the event.
- [Basics: Help Google Discover And Index Your Site](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/08/12/basics-help-google-discover-and-index-your-site/) - Once you've created a website, you need to let Google know it exists. Then you should give Google and the others some guidance on how to index your site properly. Here are some ways you can help it along.
- [Re: Selling Out on Youtube (Video)](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/08/05/re-selling-out-on-youtube-video/) - I came across an article titled "Selling Out on YouTube: vloggers weigh in on brand integration online" by Xiaochang Li, where she mentions a great ongoing conversation on Youtube. Here's my take on it:
- [To Wait or Not To Wait (For A Topic)](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/08/01/to-wait-or-not-to-wait-for-a-topic/) - If you haven't read my last post, it was on a real situation a friend of mine, Rick, is having with a client. I thought the situation was interesting, and so did many others here and on LinkedIn.
- [How Would You Convince This Client The Effort Worked?](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/07/19/how-would-you-convince-this-client-the-effort-worked/) - A friend of mine, let’s call him Rick, just shared a little dilemma with me - and then with you. Rick is dealing with a difficult client and wants your opinion.
- [On Vacation, Privacy and Social Media](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/07/14/on-vacation-privacy-and-social-media/) - Privacy is one of the most popular counter arguments to social media. Your location and current activities are indeed very private pieces of information we might not always want to share.
- [No Free Wi-Fi? Ridiculous.](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/07/04/no-free-wi-fi-ridiculous/) - Don’t you think that by now free wi-fi should be like public bathrooms? I mean, not having free wi-fi is already a liability for most places. Can you believe I’m sitting at Toronto Pearson Freakin’ International Airport and there’s no free wi-fi? As usual, you have to connect through any of the paid services that
- [Retrieving Accidentally Erased Code From Wordpress Editor](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/07/01/retrieving-accidentally-erased-code-from-wordpress-editor/) - Last night I copied a line of code into the Wordpress editor, hit “Update” and *POOF* Everything bellow the line of code I just copied disappeared! What the F*%&?!
- [Vancouver Meetup of Meetups 09 - #yvrmeetups](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/06/26/vancouver-meetup-of-meetups-09-yvrmeetups/) - Last Wednesday Ceili’s Pub witnessed the Meetup of Meetups, a.k.a. the Mother of All Meetups, a.k.a. #yvrmeetup, and 3 floors were not enough to hold the 700+ people who RSVPed.
- [Chip's Not Dead Yet Memorial Mile - That Was Fun](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/06/22/chips-not-dead-yet-memorial-mile-that-was-fun/) - Last Saturday I ended up watching people run in costumes, bridal dresses and underwear, riding a Ferris wheel in Kitsilano and drinking beer while listening to live music in the middle of West Vancouver’s 10th, and it all started with a tweet.
- [The Link Request Letter I Received Today](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/06/16/the-link-request-letter-i-received-today/) - Today I received a letter requesting a link from my blog. Because I'm a relatively small player, I though some of you might be interested in seeing what one of these looks like.
- [Get Ready, Facebook Pretty URLs Are Coming!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/06/12/get-ready-facebook-pretty-urls-are-coming/) - Facebook recently announced on a blog post that they'll be implementing vanity URLs starting this Saturday at midnight. So get ready, because this means that millions of users will be racing to get a pretty URL.
- [Twitter: To Follow or Not To Follow (Video)](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/06/10/twitter-to-follow-or-not-to-follow-video/) - Here's my take on following people on Twitter. Though this is what I usually do, lots of people share the same principles.
- [Challenge: Generational Communication Gap (video)](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/05/23/challenge-generational-communication-gap-video/) - If you’re here, reading a blog, using the “Internets”, and have tried to explain this stuff to people from other generations, you know it's a challenge.
- [May 09 Personal Headlines (Video)](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/05/17/may-09-personal-headlines/) - The first week of May has been a rather eventful one - and I actually say that in this video. So I made a summary of all the things you'll be hearing about when meeting me these days - social media, business networking, career advancements, and family celebration news have come together.
- [Trivial Tweets are Okay - Sometimes](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/06/03/trivial-tweets-are-okay-sometimes/) - We've all complained about it. We all have "that guy" who tweets about nothing valuable. And we all advise those coming on to Twitter to tweet with care. Well last night, at the The Vancouver Sales Performance Meetup, I had the all too familiar conversation about non-sense tweets.
- [Basics: How to Install Google Analytics on Wordpress](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/06/05/basics-how-to-install-google-analytics-on-wordpress/) - Here's a nice video on how to install Google Analytics on your Wordpress Blog.
- [Passed the Google Analytics Individual Qualification Exam!!!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/06/01/passed-the-google-analytics-individual-qualification-exam/) - Yes, the Google Analytics Individual Qualification (GAIQ) exam exists, and I just passed it! Indeed I've been polishing my skills. First, the Advanced SEO Certification I mentioned on my last posts; this week was the GAIQ; and next will be...shhh, it's a secret. I enjoy learning new things, which is good since constant learning and Internet marketing go hand and hand.
- [Completed: SEMPO Insitute's Advanced SEO Certificate](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/05/26/completed-sempo-insitutes-advanced-seo-certificate/) - This month I completed the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) Instute's certificate on Advanced Search Engine Optimization. Overall, it’s a good course. I was familiar...
- [Vancouver Third Tuesday - John Chow](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/05/20/vancouver-third-tuesday-john-chow/) - I have to blog about this. I’m sitting on the Skytrain heading back home from Vancouver’s Third Tuesday. John Chow, a blogger who has managed to make a six-figure income with a blog telling people how to make money and rambling about food, took the stage this time. And I’m inspired.
- [Captions on Your Videos Help Your SEO/SEM](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/05/09/captions-on-your-videos-help-your-seosem/) - I've already talked about videos on your site and how important it is for you to have one or two laying around. The problem is that, even though video enhances user experience, search engines and some visitors are not able to understand video content. That’s where captions come in.
- [How To Track Clicks On Your Shortened Links](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/04/14/how-to-track-clicks-on-your-shortened-links/) - Yes, you can track how many times people click on your shortened link. From the different choices out there I've only tried TweetBurner (www.twurl.com), the one I use, and www.bit.ly, another popular choice.
- [On Calculating ROI for Social Media](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/04/18/on-calculating-roi-on-social-media/) - It’s true, social media is a tough sell for business - and understandably so. Execs want numbers, data, percentages… something other than opinions on how spending time and resources on Facebook or Twitter is worth the money - ROI. To illustrate, allow me to share a brief conversation I had last week.
- [This is a Tweetup (in Vancouver)](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/05/04/this-is-a-tweetup-in-vancouver/) - What is a “tweetup”? Regardless of how I answer this question, tweetups are a terrifying concept to those of haven’t experienced one … a gathering of nerdy people talking about Twitter and iPhone apps – the horror! Last Friday I went to a tweetup organized by @netchick and… it’s better if I just show you.
- [Net Tuesday Vancouver - April 09](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/05/02/net-tuesday-vancouver-april-09/) - This week was my second time at the Net Tuesday Meetup, a popular meetup for “social media and Web innovators.” Net Tuesday might be one of the best meetups to learn about social media in Vancouver, from the basics to the nerdy.
- [Oh, the blog? I was busy...](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/03/04/oh-the-blog-i-was-busy/) - The last 10 days were very, very hectic – I was a host for my mother who came to visit me from Venezuela, I kept up with my writing course, worked part time – and I didn’t follow my own advice: always schedule time for social media.
- [SEO Basics: You Can't Pay Google to Be 1st](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/04/25/seo-basics-you-cant-pay-google-to-be-1st/) - I keep meeting people who still believe you can pay Google to influence search results. Well, can you? Yes and no. When you make a search query in Google you get (a) unpaid “search results” and (b) paid “AdWords ads.”
- [Thanks to All Workshop Attendees ](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/04/12/thanks-to-all-workshop-attendees/) - Thanks to everyone who attended the social media workshop last week. And thanks also for the great feedback - I’ll make sure I keep the goods and tweak what’s needed.
- [Vancouver Massive Tech Show - Photos and Thoughts](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/04/02/vancouver-massive-tech-show-photos-and-thoughts/) - This year was my first year at the Vancouver Massive Technology Show. There was a lot of social media going on - courses on Twitter for business, the effect of social media on sales and marketing, BalckBerry tips, social media and corporate responsibility, and more. I keep hearing people say how different this show was this year in comparison to the last few. Whatever the case, I liked it.
- [Is Your Company On LinkedIn?](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/03/31/is-your-company-on-linkedin/) - If you joined LinkedIn back in 2004 but haven’t been active it in the last couple of years, you might not know of some of the features added to this powerful social network. Some of the people I've talked to lately were very surprised to hear you could search company profiles on LinkedIn, even though these people have been a part of the social network for a few years.
- [Groups on TweetDeck - what are yours?](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/03/14/your-groups-on-tweetdeck/) - I've thought of a few ways to organize these groups - numbered (1,2,3,4); US threat-style colours (green, orange, red); descriptive (close friends, news, hot bloggers) - and wonder what people do out there.
- [Is it Possible to Pursue Separate Goals with Social Media?](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/03/21/is-it-possible-to-pursue-separate-goals-with-social-media/) - Here’s an interesting situation brought to me by my good friend, Jane Doe. She’s an academic pursuing a PhD in political philosophy by day and going after a dancing hobby by night.
- [You Will Want This Metric Tool](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/03/24/you-will-want-this-metric-tool/) - Exciting new features from Radian6 from radian6 on Vimeo. I want to bring up Radiant6 as one of those tools you, as an business owner or professional who is interested in what's being said out there, should have an eye out for. It's not free. You have to sign up for a demo, so this
- [Why You Should Have Video On Your Site](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/03/30/why-you-should-have-video-on-your-site/) - The rule of thumb is YES, you should have video on your site. Why? -It's free. -It's entertaining. There's a better chance for...
- [Book Comparison - Web Analytics and SEO](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/02/11/book-comparison-web-seo/) - Book Comparison: Web Analytics: An Hour a Day and Search Engine Optimization: Your Visual Blueprint for Online Internet Marketing.
- [Red Carded by a Vancouver Whitecaps Guerrilla Ref!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/03/18/red-carded-by-a-vancouver-whitecaps-guerilla-ref/) - Today a group of young referees swarmed downtown Vancouver giving red and yellow cards to anyone on their path - no fouls, just promoting the Vancouver White Caps joining Major League Soccer.
- [Trust - Another Reason To Be Out There](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/03/17/trust-another-reason-to-be-out-there/) - but the one thing that stood out above all others for me: “People trust other consumers more than they trust ads OR third party reviewers.”
- [Casecamp Vancouver - Good Stuff](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/03/10/casecamp-vancouver-good-stuff/) - Today I attended Casecamp. It was an "unconference" - that is, a conference without a set agenda - on what I think was marketing and entrepreneurship.
- [Divide and Conquer (and Marketing)](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/03/09/divide-and-conquer-and-marketing/) - A couple of days ago I got into a bit of a heated discussion about online marketing strategies. My partner, a young woman who I'll call Lisa, defended the idea that the "dividing and conquer" marketing strategy is not the best idea for what she want's to do - *gasp!* According to her, it would limit her market. I argued otherwise - it is essential no matter what.
- [Have a Sitemap.xml, it's good for your site.](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/02/03/have-a-sitemapxml/) - A sitemap.xml file is important for your search rankings and easy to get, so get one!
- [Online Strategies Your Website Should Have By Now](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/01/13/online-strategies/) - Basic online strategies
- [I'm going to YVR Twestival ](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/02/04/im-going-to-yvr-twestival/) - Are you?
- [It's the Time to Go Crazy!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/02/07/its-the-time-to-go-crazy/) - A couple of days ago I got a letter from the Canada Export Centre that really struck a nerve...For me, it was one more reason to go crazy.
- [Vancouver Twestival Rocked!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/02/14/the-vancouver-twestival-rocked/) - A couple of days ago the Vancouver Twestival happened... Wow, what an event!
- [Relationship SEO – After Valentine’s Special](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/02/16/relationship-seo/) - Valentine’s Day is a great time for single people to reflect on what they’re doing to be found by cupid – your “single rankings.” So, how did you do?...
- [Northern Voice Kick-off Party - Wooohooo!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/02/20/northern-voice-kick-off-party-wooohooo/) - I told you it was going to be an extraordinary party - so it was! We drank great wine, eat incredible food, witness Federico himself sing while playing 3 keyboards, and danced until it was over!
- [GreenDrinks Vancouver - Feb 09](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/02/20/greendrinks-vancouver-feb-09/) - [singlepic=6,320,240,,right]Green Drinks Vancouver always, and I mean always, delivers on good times – it’s like a huge party where the main topic of conversation is the environment. There’s always a good variety of people. All have an interest with environmental issues, some come because it’s an excuse to drink beer, and some check it out
- [Third Tuesday Vancouver - February 09](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/02/19/third-tuesday-vancouver-february-09/) - Third Tuesday is one of the most well attended Meetups I know. I’ve gove to the meetups a couple of times and every time there are great speakers. Last Tuesday Stephen Jagger took the stage and talked about different tools small businesses can use to cut costs.
- [SFU's Concepts and Practices of Technical Communication - Review](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/01/03/course-completed/) - I'm starting this New Year with a new course under my belt: Simon Fraser University's Concepts and Practices of Technical Communication. The course was 100% online through SFU's WebCT, 13 weeks, with 8 group assignments and 4 individual assignments. The text, Writing Revisable Manuals: Print and Online, was uploaded to WebCT, which made it easy
- [Choosing a Company Name for Robots And Not People?](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/01/25/choosing-a-company-name/) - The effect of SEO on choosing a business name
- [I Want To Know, Not Buy!](https://www.joseuzcategui.com/2009/01/09/i-want-to-know/) - Today I received a promotional email from Moores Clothing, a store I visit from time to time. It was titled “Don’t miss your last chance for huge savings during our Year-End Sale!” I clicked and browsed the content for two seconds – literally – and erased it. I’m not planning to buy anything right now,

## Pages

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