Electonic Information - A blur of large numbers or the precision of just one?

There are 63 billion web pages out there. SPAM filters are now so aggressive even bona-fide emails don't get through. The Blogosphere is creaking under the weight of measured observation and insight (ya!). There are hundreds of "mainstream" social networking tools - and on just one - LinkedIn - a consultant in London has now reported a network of 9,300 "friends". (Must make Sunday lunch interesting).

The stats are so overwhelming and just the array of choice is so big, the odds are seemingly stacked against the small guy's websites, emails, blogs to the point they may feel they are never going to make headway. Never going to get seen, read, acted-upon, whatever, unless they either find that needle in the haystack... or cheat.

First off, let's not deal with cheating. Cheating is about playing the numbers game and Google will sniff you out. Large numbers (Spam mails, spammed keywords in websites or blogs, spam search impressions generate a lot of noise. You'll be found and blacklisted. DON'T CHEAT!.

And you DON'T have to find a needle in a haystack, either.

Just go on the basis that the best social networking tool is still word of mouth and that an effective website and marketing can only enhance, not create, an effective business behind it. In this way you are forced to focus on the basics Google wants you to and you will be found amidst the numbers soup. i.e. HAVE SOMETHING DECENT TO SELL AND HAVE PEOPLE REFER YOU. T'was ever thus.