SparkToro Blog

Posts by Rand Fishkin:

Startups

A Massive, Worldwide Middle Class

Rand FishkinBy Rand Fishkin
There’s a common refrain that entrepreneurs are, by nature, optimists. I certainly fit in that classification. I’m optimistic about people, about companies, about technology, about the progress we’ve made as a species in the past 200 years vs. the prior 20,000 and the past 20 years vs. the prior 200. Reading Foreign Policy’s analysis of the global middle class gave…
Personal

Minimalist Lifestyle & Time Management

Rand FishkinBy Rand Fishkin
I got a question last week over email that I realize I’ve never answered publicly on the web before: Whenever I hear anybody in the office say “I don’t have time to do that” I usually refer to you. That you manage to write blog posts, tweet, answer Q&As, participate in forums, email people back, plan and give talks, you’re…
Startups

The Problem w/ “Fire Fast”

Rand FishkinBy Rand Fishkin
It’s universally accepted in startup-land that “hire slow, fire fast” is a mantra to live by. The benefits are clear – by adding only the best to your team, and constantly pruning for non-cultural or skill fits, you can build the best possible team. And, of course, the best teams always win. This universal advice, though, might be in direct…
Startups

Impostor Syndrome

Rand FishkinBy Rand Fishkin
Someday, if you achieve great things, a man will show up at the door with a clipboard, ask you some questions and take away the life you’ve built and love, to replace it with the one you dreaded. If you’ve achieved any modicum of success or happiness in your professional life, you almost certainly fear this already. Here’s Neil Gaiman…
Startups

The Web’s Publishers Can Only Take So Much

Rand FishkinBy Rand Fishkin
The article 11 Sexy Girls with Star Wars Tattoos that You Don’t Have the Right to Publish should be scaring marketers and content creators at least as much as algorithmic updates from Google like Penguin and Panda scare SEOs. Content marketing is a phenomenal tactic, but this type of thing has real potential to ruin the power of great content…
Moz

Our First Foray into NetPromoter Scores

Rand FishkinBy Rand Fishkin
SEOmoz’s retention team, led by the phenomenal Joanna Lord, recently completed a NetPromoter survey project. Below is what Renea (from Joanna’s team) put together and sent out. Note on how Net Promoter score is calculated: those responding with results 9 or 10 are considered promoters. Responses 0 through 6 are considered detractors. Net promoter score is reached by subtracting detractors…
Moz Startups

The Power of Support

Rand FishkinBy Rand Fishkin
Sarah (Moz’s COO) and I snuck in a quick 10 minute sitdown today in between some other meetings. We do this pretty regularly – informal, non-calendared check-ins to chat about the big and little things we’re both handling. Sarah’s working on a potential acquisition and getting ready for our annual audit. I’m keeping an eye on a big release planned…
Seattle Startups

Seattle vs. The Valley

Rand FishkinBy Rand Fishkin
If you live in Seattle and work in or around the startup ecosystem, you’ll have heard the “why-can’t-we-be-more-like-the-valley” conversation plenty of times. The typical complaints are always the same: It’s easier to get funding in the Valley Rounds are better priced (meaning investors pay higher pre-money) There’s a stronger culture of true 24/7 focus The networking is better It’s easier…

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