Search engine ranking has become a tricky skill to master. Even with all the SEO companies out there willing to help, there are still some circumstances that roadblock any chance of success to be at the top. Lead generation companies are one of these obstacles. Many new companies looking to get their business ranked higher in their communities don’t realize how these controversial, yet effective “lead gen” companies can greatly effect the ranking of their site; no matter how well it is SEO optimized. The New York Times David Segal presents an interesting story of a Seattle man’s locksmith company and its struggles. Read the article here.

There is no doubt the popularity of social networking networking has exploded over the past few years. With Facebook now holding just over a half a billion users it’s evident this is the new form of communication. With that said, we have seen sites such as these slowly fall of their pedestal, including Myspace. Who’s to say Facebook won’t follow the same path. Blake Snow, a freelance writer and media consultant discusses this on cnn.com. Read the article here.