From analytics, to content (thanks Alan for the visit and for mentioning Content Developer), to vlogging, Alan delivers a quick exploration of a cross section of companies and individuals that are helping to shape the San Antonio Social Media Ecosystem.

Even if you follow social media closely, chances are you might learn about something or someone new in the article — I did.

…The software architect behind TED lives here in San Antonio.

And in a nice multi-platform example of how to build your digital brand by using traditional print media content to drive traffic to your new media content, Alan’s following up this column with a series of video interviews with some of the people mentioned in his newspaper piece.

You can watch those interviews as they’re published over on Alan’s public relations blog and his YouTube Channel.

Good work Alan.

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graphic from wsj.com

The evolution of page ranking is interesting. Back in the day, your keywords and description metatags were the holy grail. They pretty much have been kicked to the curb right along with the Netscape browser. It’s now all about how many pages link to your site, and the value of those sites that link to you.

While the juicy details of exactly how sites are ranked are kept locked up pretty tight, Google does offer some limited explanation here.

Some nice history (is it urban myth that google trademark term pagerank is play on larry page?), explanation and some sample formulas on the topic as well found on WikiPedia.

from wikipedia

Well then, that should clear up any confusion.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve met some of the people at the station and like them. I pitched them a documentary project about their startup, which they turned down, but I still like them and what they are out to do. Being a stand alone broadcaster up against the Clear Channels and Viacoms, which dominate this market, is not for the timid. Props to them for that one.

KAHL has a unique kind of vibe and is developing a personality and a voice. Some like it, some don’t — that’s fine. But that is what a broadcast property needs. With little or no conscious branding effort, they seem to be developing a brand naturally. That is usually the best way. Props to them for that one as well.

After all that buttering up, you knew a downside was coming. Here it is. The disappointment to see their website, Call1310.com. For a news/talk broadcast property to go live with a 1995 looking brochureware site rather than a format that stores their ever accumulating knowledge and makes it easy to share with a worldwide audience is hard to fathom.

I’m guilty of building many lame brochure style sites myself over the years and feel a special obligation to do what I can whenever possible to slow down their spread. Years of experience building a variety of media sites has shaped my core belief to a point that if a site doesn’t add value to the user, why bother. Your audience will not visit more than once. Years of studying Webtrends traffic reports has shaped that philosophy.

Unless you are building a temporary site to launch an isolated project, like a movie for instance, then a brochure style site is a questionable choice. Even in the case of the movie example, often there are opportunities to include value added features to enhance the user experience.

The bottom line is this — Any web site which is the core site around which you build your brand online should add value for the user.

As part of my penance for past web developer sins, I sent the station an email today to see what was up and to offer some input. I appreciate the challenges that a startup radio staion faces and wish them the best.

Ask yourself what would happen if we put a portion of our Social Security money into private accounts and invested it, not in the stock market, but strictly in US Government bonds?

First, we could double the rate of return our Social Security money is earning without adding any additional risk. Second, we would allow the creation of private accounts in such a way that provides the benefits those accounts produce while adding none of the risk. Third, we would leave the existing Social Security system in place while changing the structure just enough to force a more effective accounting of the numbers.

The devil is in the details, so let’s dig a little deeper.

First, how we double our rate of return with no added risk? Figures circulating in the Social Security debate suggest that right now our Social Security retirement money is yielding somewhere between a 1.2 and 1.7 percent return per year. For the sake of argument, let

We got incorporated in 1995 but I didn’t quit my day job until 1999 so I was able to put off this challenge for a while.

After the tables were turned and I was sitting on the employer’s side of the table as well as the employee’s I started looking more closely at the issue. That research prompted me to get involved with one of the early pilot programs for something called a Medical Savings Account, known as an MSA.

There were some hoops I had to jump through to be eligible for the MSA program but when I found these things I said WOW and was willing to put forth the effort.

The way the MSA policy worked was that you bought a high deductible health care policy and combined that with an IRA type savings account that allowed you to deposit up to 67% of your deductible amount in the MSA. You then draw the money out of your savings account to pay all your medical expenses up to your deductible.

What if you are blessed and have a good year and don’t have many medical bills? That money stays in your savings account and it accumulates, year after year. Sweet.

Another plus was that the policies that were available with MSA’s weren’t super restrictive HMO type policies but the usually more attractive PPO which gives you more choice in choosing physicians etc…

Last year the MSA pilot program was essentially ended when Health Savings Accounts, HSA’s, were included as part of the 2003 Medicare Modernization Act. The drug plan got most of the attention but HSA’s were a big part of why some people supported passing that plan.

HSA’s work about like MSA’s, but are even better. You can deposit 100% of your deductible amount into a tax deductible savings account with an HSA.

They may not be right for everybody, but if you are wondering how you are going to handle providing you or your employees health care, you may want to take a look at HSA’s as an option.

Have had one for a few years now, I am a believer.

I have found that HSA Insider is one of the better sites to start your research at.

Good luck.

If we’re not generating a required rate of return on our ventures, then we have a hobby — nothing more. That holds true for any business.

With that harsh bit of reality in mind, am setting up a new “small business” category today to archive topics that can apply to any business.

For example — how are we going to handle our retirement? The retirement of our employees?

Now that you mention it, how are social security benefits calculated anyway?

With the debate focusing on reforming social security moving to the forefront, found an article that gives an easy to understand overview of how social security works.

On a related note, read an Op-Ed by Paul O’Neil which put forth an interesting idea that involves funding every newborn with a Personal Account in the amount of $2000 a year for the first 18 years of their life and then locking that money away till they retire.

An original idea. At first glance, we like it.