LeapFish - Where Web Meets World

LeapFish released a new traditional, social and real-time search experience today.

I think a lot of people will perceive this as a release of "just another search engine" if they just read a press release or post and fail to go to the site. That couldn't be further from the truth with this new version of LeapFish. This is the first search engine that allows socialization of all discovered content at the click of a button.

Social media adoption is at unprecedented levels and content is truly becoming "king" as engines like LeapFish allow a simple sharing mechanism that is integrated into the search stream.

From the Press Release:

“Aside from the Web’s growing size and variety there is an emerging duality of “real-time” and “traditional,” which now requires a completely different search experience. One that includes both the content and the “contributor” in the search experience, such that both traditional and real-time searching and sharing are integrated seamlessly in our use of this Living Web,” said Ben Behrouzi."

This, in my opinion, was the missing step to a much larger movement in the search industry that is now moving away from static links and search results to a more dynamic search and socialization experience.

The best part of this release is that the combined searching and sharing functionality is only one of the incredibly innovative features that users will have access to when using LeapFish. My favorite feature is the customizable homepage that have feature-rich proprietary Twitter and Facebook apps that allow me to interact with my social communities without leaving my "personal dashboard to the web".

Go to http://www.leapfish.com/ dive into this new experience and start Living the Web.

Why "WE" Will Change the Web

The internet has always changed at a rapid pace. Recently (in the past 2 years) there has been a growing movement of real-time user generated interactions and content that is creating a completely new "internet" fueled by twitter, facebook and social media, essentially being fueled by "US".

Ben Behrouzi, posted an article today that captures the movement of the real-time web and how there is a need for integrating and sharing this new mountain of content that is created daily and how "WE" are creating the new "Web that will take the form of a living breathing database".

Excerpt from the article: Real-Time Search - 5 Reasons Why “We” Will Change the Web

"What is clear is that our daily use of the Real Time Web’s driving platforms — Twitter, Facebook and the like — is unprecedented. The Internet is no longer simply just a disconnected 3rd party container of tops down aggregation, “We” is now part of its determination. And, search as we know it will soon change to accommodate, thereby delivering a completely different experience of the Web."

The new web will require new tools to address the bottoms up approach to content and interactions that occur in real-time. Ben Behrouzi does an excellent job of giving us a sneak preview as to why this movement is critically important to the search industry and how "WE" are influencing the internet today.

Crush It! Is Cool...

I've always been a Gary V fan and I have enjoyed his principles and philosophies that he lives publicly. His new book "Crush It!" just hit the streets - its excellent and you get a deeper understanding of his philosophies as well as get some insight into what makes Gary tick.

Gary is real, unabashed and raw at times but THAT is what makes Gary who he is and why he is so loyally followed (and not just on twitter).

It's a fast read and you can pull some great nuggets from it if you are engaged in the online world or not. This is truly a book on "life-lessons" rather than just "online lessons".


His section on Authenticity is something that those online (and offline) really need to read and live - here is an excerpt from the book:

"If you want to dominate the social media game, all of your effort has to come from the heart; and it can’t come from the heart in the passionate, irrational, wholehearted way it needs to if you’re trying to be anyone but yourself. Authenticity is what will make it possible for you to put in the kind of hustle necessary to crush it"

Gary lives life on his terms and his authenticity blares through the usual "stuff" we see online.

Get his book, read it and then go out and do what you were designed to do - "Crush it!"

Business Athletes via Ben Behrouzi & Maverick Entrepreneurs - Cut from the same Cloth

I just read a great post, 10 signs of a Business Athlete, by Ben Behrouzi on his MaxStartup blog. He speaks to hiring Business Athletes rather than just hiring employee's. I like this one the best "#6 In any business, its important for team members to be able to make quick decisions with less than 100% of the necessary information"

Yanik Silver, cut from the same type of entrepreneurial cloth, also touched on a similar subject with his post about Maverick Entrepreneurs. This one is the best in my opinion "#20 Focus most of your time on your core strengths and less time working in areas you suck at."

Do you want to find out what it takes to have the edge in life? Read these two posts, print them out and put them up on your wall and read them everyday. The Business Athletes & Maverick Entrepreneurs won't need to do this because they already live it daily. But those that aspire to be a Business Athlete & Maverick Entrepreneur can't miss this opportunity to discover what their true potential is.

Ben Behrouzi of LeapFish Interviewed by Search Cowboys

Ben Behrouzi, CEO of LeapFish, was interviewed by the Search Cowboys blog last week. It is a deeper discussion of where LeapFish is going and why LeapFish is not just a meta-search engine or another aggegator in a sea of new engines that are appearing on a regular basis.

Ben Behrouzi in a quote to Search Cowboys makes it very clear where he believes search is going and especially where LeapFish is going to focus;

"We live in a time with a very multimedia and sophisticated Internet and we believe its time our search tools function in a similar way. LeapFish is undertaking a progressive and systematic application of advancements and innovations in search over the next several years that empowers users with the ability to access more of the multimedia web as well as interact with the data they find in a whole new way"

Search is heating up with a Microsoft/Yahoo partnership that was just sealed, Twitters new homepage and Google slowly sneaking in new features. Search is also evolving into a fresh, new, real-time and engaging experience for the user.

Read the rest of the interview at the LeapFish Blog

LeapFish CEO Engages Social Media But Social Media is a Failure for Most CEO's

LeapFish CEO, Ben Behrouzi, tweets on a regular basis. But many CEO's do not tweet or if they do the content is less than stellar.


An article from UBERCEO speaks to the marked absence of tweeting CEO's and calls them slackers:

We looked at Fortune's 2009 list of the top 100 CEOs to determine how many were using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Wikipedia, or had a blog. The results show a miserable level of engagement. Here are the topline results:

• Only two CEOs have Twitter accounts.


• 13 CEOs have LinkedIn profiles, and of those only three have more than 10 connections.


• 81% of CEOs don't have a personal Facebook page.


• Three quarters of the CEOs have some kind of Wikipedia entry, but nearly a third of those have limited or outdated information.


• Not one Fortune 100 CEO has a blog.

Social Media is now ingrained in the fabric of our interaction with each other as well as our interaction with companies and brands. Meeting someone new prompts a search and social media profiles, if present, are typically the main content that will rise to the first page of the engines.

Not only is Social Media engaging and controllable by the profile creator it also allows for "meeting others where they are". Instead of "requiring" others to seek out information on a deeper level (i.e. find the corporate website and dig through the About Us page or Management page) you can get a quick snapshot of not only a CEO's profile but also their personality as they engage others.

The other aspect that makes social media engaging and allows the type of interaction that would never happen is the "accessibility factor". I tweeted Gavin Newsom, Mayor of San Francisco, and he tweeted me back and then even sent me a Direct Message. My chances of interacting directly with the mayor of San Francisco were practically nil unless I was prepared to engage in a concerted effort to meet him. Twitter gave me quick access to what he was engaged in at that moment and allowed me to "connect" with him on a specific, and potentially fleeting, topic.

Social Media can be a tool that will allow a more personal connection with many CEO's and companies that seem untouchable. It can also allow your voice to be heard by the top dogs via a channel that was never available until the services (twitter, facebook et al) hit critical mass. CEO's that are socially disengaged have a lot to gain via social media channels and connecting at a deeper level.

Historical Changes Happening Right Now - CellPhones, Twitter, Facebook & Realformation

Clay Shirky has his finger on the pulse of the New Realformation Age. Realformation? Real-Time-Information, yes that's a word I just thought up but it's accurate. It's here, it's now and it's happening with or without you.

I went on a double date with my wife and some friends last night and we documented the fun on Facebook. Before we had even arrived at the restaurant we already had 2 comments related to the photo I posted of us driving there. Many more rolled in throughout the night. Not historical or groundbreaking but definitely indicates that communication as we know it is changing rapidly.

My mom even follows my Facebook updates because she lives in Colorado and it's the most up-to-date place she can see what is happening in our lives and to see the latest photos of her grandkids (no phone call required).

With my iPhone I can take a photo and add a caption within about 60 - 120 seconds and update my twitter and facebook accounts. No cables, no downloading to a laptop, no waiting = Realformation!

Clay Shirky is a master at pulling it all together and this video depicts real time and extremely impactful examples of how this medium can literally elect a president and begin to change countries policies about realformation. Enjoy...and get engaged.

LeapFish Affilate Program is LIVE - Earn Cash

The LeapFish Affiliate Program was recently launched and is getting bombarded with blog and website owners who are downloading the free widgets and are earning cash within minutes of installation.

LeapFish created the Affiliate Program due to numerous requests from advertisers and users of the engine to allow them to get engaged with LeapFish at a deeper level. The Leapfish Affiliate Program has been a definite success for the new affiliate members who have installed the free LeapFish widgets on their sites and started to earn extra cash immediately.

I installed the LeapFish search widget at the top right hand side of my blog so you can see how it looks and allow you to take it for a spin. Once you take it for a spin you can go to the LeapFish Affilate Program page and get your own free widgets and begin to monetize your blogs and sites today or just offer one of the best search engines on the planet to your users.

My LeapFish Twitter Feed for the Past Day

My LeapFish Feed from twitter;

oliviatrewatha: Helping WAHM & SAHM search the web faster! Go www.leapfish.com and see how fast we are!!! about 10 hours ago from web
leapfish: A picture's worth 1,000 words: http://bit.ly/ijuSy about 10 hours ago from web
bobbyringstrom: RT @markdotnextinc: RT @aprilgregory: Using http://leapfish.com? It's a great search aggregate[brings google,msn,yahoo & Youtube together] about 11 hours ago from TweetDeck
bobbyringstrom: RT @markdotnextinc: RT @aprilgregory: Are you using leapfish.com? It's a great search aggregate[brings google,msn,yahoo & Youtube together] about 11 hours ago from TweetDeck
markdotnextinc: RT @bobbyringstrom: FIND IT FAST on all (3) top search engines at once! http://leapfish.com about 12 hours ago from TweetDeck
markdotnextinc: RT @bobbyringstrom: Try searching with this powerful search engine: http://leapfish.com about 12 hours ago from TweetDeck
bobbyringstrom: FIND IT FAST on all (3) top search engines at once! http://leapfish.com about 12 hours ago from TweetDeck
bobbyringstrom: Try searching with this powerful search engine: http://leapfish.com about 12 hours ago from TweetDeck
tylerfleming: @leapfish Yup. To the dentist. about 13 hours ago from TwitterBerry
leapfish: @tylerfleming You took the subway? Whoa. about 13 hours ago from web
leapfish: Why does every weather forecast in Toronto include "but cooler near the lake"? Yes, we know, okay thanks. about 15 hours ago from TweetDeck
leapfish: @GARich74 Excellent! Let me know when you're around next, and I'll try to score some good seats for us. about 22 hours ago from TweetDeck
LenaShaw: @Building43 vry cool concept discussing The 2010 Web. I met @Scobleizer when he stopped by LeapFish w/ his infamous Mino! http://bit.ly/ ... 1 day ago from Seesmic Desktop
LeapFishMedia: @aprilgregory A new LeapFish 'er! The LeapFish Team is working on groundbreaking technology that will be released soon. Stay Tuned. 1 day ago from Seesmic Desktop

My first post to my blog from my iPhone. Technology is crazy isn't it?

Btw check out www.leapfish.com

Project Natal for Xbox & LeapFish Search

LeapFish pulls very cool results for Project Natal for Xbox 360.

You can see the results here for the LeapFish Search - http://www.leapfish.com/?q=project+natal+xbox

Its like a Wii but no controller - How cool is that. But not sure how it actually works yet without the controller. If anyone knows please leave a comment.

Here is a Video that shows up on the right side of the LeapFish results;

LeapFish Enables Search 2.0

LeapFish has had an incredible increase in traffic as it has grown over the past few months. A foundation was built around the ability to allow users to get information that they normally do not get when using other search engines.

This foundation was recently expanded to include an incredibly fast search interface - deemed the Fastest Search on the Planet. This was the piece of the Search puzzle that has enabled them to increase traffic and users at an exponential level.


Search has been the same for quite some time. And the big boys of search have now determined what is relevant for us. But what about all of the information we are missing? When you search the Big Boys of Search do you make it to the second or third page of results? If you're like me NEVER.

So who is to say some of that information isn't important to you? What if it is that all important piece of information that you needed but you never find it because someone deemed it to not be important?

LeapFish solves that problem. Increasingly, there is more and more information that matters to you, blogs, social networks, videos, images, shopping, news and smaller pieces of information that you want and sometimes NEED to have to get a full picture of that product or service you are buying or researching.

LeapFish gives YOU what YOU are looking for. We don't deem what is important you - You deem what is important and get it with LeapFish.