Writing on building web products, AI, SEO, product development, and growth.https://valon.info/https://valon.info/writing/favurl/six-onboarding-tasks-that-changed-favurlhttps://valon.info/writing/favurl/six-onboarding-tasks-that-changed-favurlSix simple onboarding tasks that teach the whole of favURL, improve every profile, and quietly rebuilt the dashboard around momentum.Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTai-agentsfavurlproductstartuphttps://valon.info/writing/favurl/know-a-social-media-managerhttps://valon.info/writing/favurl/know-a-social-media-managerThe last post in the favURL series, and the one with an ask. The freemium features are free for real: no card, no timer.Thu, 04 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTai-agentsfavurlproductstartuphttps://valon.info/writing/favurl/real-pages-real-businesseshttps://valon.info/writing/favurl/real-pages-real-businessesPeople asked what a favURL page looks like, so I built a gallery at favurl.com/world: hundreds of real businesses, from real Google reviews.Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTai-agentsfavurlproductstartuphttps://valon.info/writing/favurl/200-reviews-one-ideahttps://valon.info/writing/favurl/200-reviews-one-ideaMy friend Valter's restaurant had 200+ Google reviews doing all the marketing work, sitting unused. That became favURL, and he became an accidental co-founder.Tue, 02 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTai-agentsfavurlproductstartuphttps://valon.info/writing/favurl/one-project-a-month-zero-shippedhttps://valon.info/writing/favurl/one-project-a-month-zero-shippedFive months of building one project a month with AI in the loop. Everything shipped, everything quietly let go, and what 'fail fast' finally taught me.Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTai-agentsfavurlproductstartuphttps://valon.info/writing/ai-agents/hello-again-building-with-ai-agentshttps://valon.info/writing/ai-agents/hello-again-building-with-ai-agentsAfter years away from entrepreneurship, I'm back, using AI agents to develop ideas and turn them into working things, and documenting the journey here.Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTai-agentssaasproducthttps://valon.info/writing/startup/meeting-jason-fried-at-startup-grindhttps://valon.info/writing/startup/meeting-jason-fried-at-startup-grindMeeting Jason Fried in Redwood City. Why Basecamp's approach to strategy and scale is the one I keep coming back to.Tue, 03 Oct 2023 00:00:00 GMTobservationsstartupconferenceshttps://valon.info/writing/observations/thank-you-and-have-a-good-onehttps://valon.info/writing/observations/thank-you-and-have-a-good-oneA short farewell note from the badivuku.com era: what I have been working on with startups, where to find me, and what comes next. Catch you later.Fri, 24 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMTobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/what-i-learned-building-qysh-mehttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/what-i-learned-building-qysh-meLessons from launching an Albanian-language educational platform in 2011, before edtech was even a word people used in Kosovo.Wed, 01 Sep 2021 00:00:00 GMTstartupproductqysh-mekosovohttps://valon.info/writing/seo/mozcon-2021-takeawayshttps://valon.info/writing/seo/mozcon-2021-takeawaysThe lessons I took away from MozCon 2021, from data validation to the value of being in rooms where you get schooled.Mon, 12 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMTseomarketinggoogleconferenceshttps://valon.info/writing/startup/juniorgeeks-graduationhttps://valon.info/writing/startup/juniorgeeks-graduationWatching young Kosovars graduate from a STEAM program gave me genuine hope about where the country is heading.Sun, 20 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMTstartupobservationskosovohttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/startups-that-rebrandedhttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/startups-that-rebrandedBrand names and identities are changing all the time. Here are 35 companies that evolved their identity and became something bigger.Tue, 12 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMTstartupmarketinggooglehttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/brands-that-pivotedhttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/brands-that-pivotedStarted reading about company pivots and found myself blown away: Nintendo and other brands that made complete 180-degree turns from their first idea.Wed, 28 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMTstartupmarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/seo/mozcon-2020https://valon.info/writing/seo/mozcon-2020Notes and takeaways from attending MozCon 2020 virtually during lockdown, a refreshing SEO conference that went ahead as scheduled from home.Tue, 14 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMTseomarketinggoogleconferenceshttps://valon.info/writing/kosovo/brain-drain-after-pandemichttps://valon.info/writing/kosovo/brain-drain-after-pandemicNotes from a STIKK panel on brain drain after the pandemic and how Kosovo can prepare its market and talent for the future. I joined from abroad.Tue, 30 Jun 2020 00:00:00 GMTobservationskosovohttps://valon.info/writing/resources/free-svg-illustrationshttps://valon.info/writing/resources/free-svg-illustrationsA curated list of the free SVG illustration resources I keep coming back to for projects, from undraw and Humaaans to isometric and hand-drawn sets.Fri, 01 May 2020 00:00:00 GMTresourceshttps://valon.info/writing/startup/hackathon-in-times-of-coronahttps://valon.info/writing/startup/hackathon-in-times-of-coronaHack the Crisis Kosova brought together researchers, startups, and tech enthusiasts to build solutions during the pandemic.Thu, 26 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMTstartupobservationskosovohttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/t-mobile-ceo-t-shirthttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/t-mobile-ceo-t-shirtHow a CRM, a social media giveaway, and tracking my prospects led to a free t-shirt from the T-Mobile CEO, and why every brand should do the same.Tue, 14 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMTmarketingobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/short-urlhttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/short-urlOne no-brainer for representing yourself online, whether it is a personal brand or a business: go and get yourself a short URL.Thu, 09 Jan 2020 00:00:00 GMTmarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/dua-acquired-qyshmehttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/dua-acquired-qyshmeQysh Me has been acquired by Dua, a network that aims to connect Albanians around the globe. We believe in Dua's mission and its leadership.Sat, 30 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMTstartupqysh-mekosovohttps://valon.info/writing/observations/happy-holidayshttps://valon.info/writing/observations/happy-holidaysSigning off until the new year to spend quality time with my wife and family. A short note on stepping away, and why the break matters this year.Thu, 28 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMTobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/observations/apple-card-2https://valon.info/writing/observations/apple-card-2Apple launched Apple Card this year, but it turns out Apple had a branded credit card concept back in 1992. A look at the surprising throwback.Wed, 06 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMTobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/seo/google-webmaster-conference-product-summithttps://valon.info/writing/seo/google-webmaster-conference-product-summitNotes and photos from the Google Webmaster Conference Product Summit in Mountain View, 4 November 2019, a day with Search product managers.Tue, 05 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMTseogoogleconferenceshttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/internet-marketing-acronymshttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/internet-marketing-acronymsA plain-English glossary of the internet marketing acronyms you will actually run into, from CMS, CPA, and CPC to the rest of the alphabet soup.Fri, 01 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMTmarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/seo/webmaster-conference-in-mountain-viewhttps://valon.info/writing/seo/webmaster-conference-in-mountain-viewGoogle is bringing its Webmaster Conference to Mountain View on November 4th, and I got in. Why I am excited and what to expect from the day.Thu, 24 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMTseogoogleconferenceshttps://valon.info/writing/resources/computer-sciences-video-channelshttps://valon.info/writing/resources/computer-sciences-video-channelsA curated list of YouTube channels for the core of computer science and the math and theory behind it, from CS50 and MIT OpenCourseWare to 3Blue1Brown.Tue, 22 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMTresourceslearninghttps://valon.info/writing/resources/audio-and-video-video-channelshttps://valon.info/writing/resources/audio-and-video-video-channelsA curated list of YouTube channels for audio production, video editing, motion design, and 3D, covering tools like After Effects, Blender, and the major DAWs.Thu, 10 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMTresourceslearninghttps://valon.info/writing/resources/digital-design-video-channelshttps://valon.info/writing/resources/digital-design-video-channelsA curated list of YouTube channels for digital design, from Illustrator and flat-design illustration to Procreate and hand-drawing, beyond just web design.Thu, 10 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMTresourceslearninghttps://valon.info/writing/resources/game-development-video-channelshttps://valon.info/writing/resources/game-development-video-channelsA curated list of YouTube channels for learning game development, covering Unity, Unreal, Godot, and Pygame, plus game design and the code behind it all.Thu, 10 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMTresourceslearninghttps://valon.info/writing/resources/hardware-video-channelshttps://valon.info/writing/resources/hardware-video-channelsA curated list of YouTube channels for computer hardware: PC building and buying guides, plus Arduino, Raspberry Pi, 3D printing, and DIY electronics.Thu, 10 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMTresourceslearninghttps://valon.info/writing/resources/internet-and-networking-video-channelshttps://valon.info/writing/resources/internet-and-networking-video-channelsA curated list of YouTube channels for learning how the internet and networking actually work, from home routers and DNS to CCNA-level fundamentals.Thu, 10 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMTresourceslearninghttps://valon.info/writing/resources/life-skills-and-job-searching-video-channelshttps://valon.info/writing/resources/life-skills-and-job-searching-video-channelsA curated list of YouTube channels for the job search, tech interviews, and personal finance, the practical skills school never quite gets around to teaching.Thu, 10 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMTresourceslearninghttps://valon.info/writing/resources/machine-learninghttps://valon.info/writing/resources/machine-learningA curated list of YouTube channels for learning machine learning and deep learning, spanning practical applied ML, PyTorch and TensorFlow, theory, and research.Thu, 10 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMTresourceslearninghttps://valon.info/writing/resources/operating-system-videohttps://valon.info/writing/resources/operating-system-videoA short, curated list of YouTube channels for genuinely understanding operating systems, from installing and managing Linux to running Windows Server.Thu, 10 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMTresourceslearninghttps://valon.info/writing/resources/programming-general-videohttps://valon.info/writing/resources/programming-general-videoA curated list of YouTube channels for learning to program: Python, C and C++, C# and .NET, Java and Kotlin, plus algorithms.Wed, 09 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMTresourceslearninggooglehttps://valon.info/writing/resources/web-development-videohttps://valon.info/writing/resources/web-development-videoA curated list of YouTube channels for web development: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript fundamentals through React, Vue, and Node, plus web design and freelancing.Wed, 09 Oct 2019 00:00:00 GMTresourceslearninghttps://valon.info/writing/observations/apple-card-paint-offhttps://valon.info/writing/observations/apple-card-paint-offDiscover methods to customize your Apple Card by removing the white coating and engraving designs. Benefits and considerations to think aboutWed, 14 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMTobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/observations/apple-cardhttps://valon.info/writing/observations/apple-cardIf you do not know much about Apple Card, here is friendly advice on credit scores, APR, and the interface beyond the Wallet app.Mon, 12 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMTobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/what-a-satirical-partys-ending-taught-mehttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/what-a-satirical-partys-ending-taught-mePartia e Fortë dissolved in 2019. On why a joke that worked so well eventually stopped, and why that ending may be its most honest part.Mon, 20 May 2019 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/startup/google-acquires-mozhttps://valon.info/writing/startup/google-acquires-mozWe're better together. With our keyword and link research tools combined with MOZ's daily rankings and SERP analytics now have most robust organic searchMon, 01 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMTstartupgooglehttps://valon.info/writing/google/at-google-campushttps://valon.info/writing/google/at-google-campusHere's me trying to write a blog post about my visit at Google campus. There is nothing that I can say because those are the rules.Wed, 06 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMTobservationsgooglehttps://valon.info/writing/observations/hello-2019-im-backhttps://valon.info/writing/observations/hello-2019-im-backBack to writing after the holidays and a herniated disk that kept me on my back for weeks. A note on recovery, family time, and the year ahead.Mon, 04 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMTobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/google/traveling-to-silicon-valley-guidehttps://valon.info/writing/google/traveling-to-silicon-valley-guideA local's guide to visiting Silicon Valley: the tech landmarks, museums, and company HQs worth seeing, plus events, neighborhoods, and what to watch out for.Sat, 26 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMTobservationsgooglehttps://valon.info/writing/startup/hello-im-back-startup-school-by-y-combinatorhttps://valon.info/writing/startup/hello-im-back-startup-school-by-y-combinatorAfter a mix-up, Y Combinator accepted all 15,000 Startup School applicants, my team included. What it was actually like.Wed, 05 Sep 2018 00:00:00 GMTstartuphttps://valon.info/writing/seo/moz-con-2019https://valon.info/writing/seo/moz-con-2019MozCon is happening in Seattle, Washington is the ideal location for SEO Talks to launch another discussion series and tech blog. SEOWed, 11 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMTseoconferenceshttps://valon.info/writing/kosovo/attending-pardot-training-at-salesforcehttps://valon.info/writing/kosovo/attending-pardot-training-at-salesforceTaking the next step toward becoming a certified Salesforce Trailblazer with hands-on Pardot marketing-automation training. Notes from the sessions.Fri, 22 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMTobservationskosovohttps://valon.info/writing/kosovo/finally-we-got-engagedhttps://valon.info/writing/kosovo/finally-we-got-engagedEngaged! - Having never been together for more than 10 years, this was just formality but looking back two weeks later I think we had was a blast.Fri, 08 Jun 2018 00:00:00 GMTobservationskosovohttps://valon.info/writing/seo/googles-image-analysishttps://valon.info/writing/seo/googles-image-analysisI ran a few images through Google's Cloud Vision API. The objects and labels it detected show how easily your images can undermine your site's content quality.Wed, 09 May 2018 00:00:00 GMTseokosovogooglehttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/spam-bad-my-grandma-would-know-ithttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/spam-bad-my-grandma-would-know-itWe all get some SPAM emails during the day, but some emails are just better than others. Down below I will share a good video similar to Georgina RowlandFri, 27 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMTmarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/seo/3-bussines-tire-shop-seohttps://valon.info/writing/seo/3-bussines-tire-shop-seoMy tire blew out on I-880, and while stranded I found three real local-SEO business cases: map-pack ranking, off-hours demand, and shops with no web presence.Thu, 26 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMTseokosovogooglehttps://valon.info/writing/observations/amazing-how-accurate-about-future-gaminghttps://valon.info/writing/observations/amazing-how-accurate-about-future-gamingA 1982 illustration predicted the future of gaming. Looking at today's photoreal graphics and VR, a reflection on how close those old predictions actually got.Thu, 19 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMTobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/observations/illustrated-map-1927https://valon.info/writing/observations/illustrated-map-1927In 1913, California purchased the state of Nevada to create an illustrated short history of itself in an attempt to increase tourism.Mon, 16 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMTobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/seo/seo-talk-at-linkedin-with-bayareasearchhttps://valon.info/writing/seo/seo-talk-at-linkedin-with-bayareasearchNotes from a BayAreaSearch SEO meetup at LinkedIn, where experts shared their biggest SEO mistakes and lessons learned, from Aleyda Solis to Andrew Shotland.Fri, 13 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMTseogooglehttps://valon.info/writing/observations/you-should-see-this-mechanical-calculatorhttps://valon.info/writing/observations/you-should-see-this-mechanical-calculatorLet us imagine we can divide by zero and see what happens. This is what an old mechanical calculator does when you ask it to.Sun, 08 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMTobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/observations/minimum-wage-machine-work-in-progresshttps://valon.info/writing/observations/minimum-wage-machine-work-in-progressThis means valuing non-monetary forms of compensation, such as happiness, fulfillment, and personal growth, just as highly as financial rewards.Fri, 06 Apr 2018 00:00:00 GMTobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/observations/san-jose-gardens-parkshttps://valon.info/writing/observations/san-jose-gardens-parksThe List of Gardens and Parks in San Jose is a page for anyone interested or visiting San Jose, these are open to the public almost all the time.Fri, 02 Mar 2018 00:00:00 GMTobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/kosovo/albanian-translations-monthhttps://valon.info/writing/kosovo/albanian-translations-monthYour Albanian translations have been seen over 3B times this month. Which is so cool to know that you might help your community with something like this.Fri, 01 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMTobservationskosovohttps://valon.info/writing/observations/sending-bricks-to-trumphttps://valon.info/writing/observations/sending-bricks-to-trumpThe guy is shipping back bricks, with a prepaid postage (from the campaign fund) that was sent to him to ask for campaign support.Tue, 18 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMTobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/convert-instagram-profile-businesshttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/convert-instagram-profile-businessInstagram will not charge you to convert your personal account to a business account. But what it does do, is allow you to pay for advertisementsWed, 27 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMTmarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/product/pokemon-go-virtual-reality-advertisinghttps://valon.info/writing/product/pokemon-go-virtual-reality-advertisingPokémon Go got millions of people to walk outside on command. That behavior-change engine points to where location-based advertising goes.Mon, 25 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMTproducthttps://valon.info/writing/observations/man-pays-pizza-13-years-laterhttps://valon.info/writing/observations/man-pays-pizza-13-years-laterBack in 2002 a man who was going through a very difficult financial time went to a pizza place and ordered a pizza for his family. Paid 13 years later.Mon, 16 May 2016 00:00:00 GMTobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/good-credit-scorehttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/good-credit-scoreTips For Maintaining A Good Credit Score. Treat all of your debts equally when it comes time to pay. Keep old credit cards open to maintain a longer historyWed, 27 Apr 2016 00:00:00 GMTmarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/keeping-wordpress-secure-updatedhttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/keeping-wordpress-secure-updatedA popular WordPress site is a target. The unglamorous maintenance discipline that kept Qysh Me safe and online as its traffic and reputation grew.Tue, 08 Mar 2016 00:00:00 GMTqysh-mewordpressproductkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/facebook-ads-local-gymhttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/facebook-ads-local-gymA neighborhood gym wasting money on a broad audience. How tighter targeting and a real offer turned Facebook ads into steady memberships.Tue, 09 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMTsocial-mediamarketinglearninghttps://valon.info/writing/seo/blog-content-seo-b2b-clienthttps://valon.info/writing/seo/blog-content-seo-b2b-clientAn early content-SEO project for a B2B company sitting on a silent blog, and how answering real customer questions grew qualified leads.Thu, 19 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMTseomarketinglearninghttps://valon.info/writing/product/four-years-of-testinghttps://valon.info/writing/product/four-years-of-testingYears of testing every shiny new thing in digital marketing. What survived, and why the testing itself turned out to be the only thing that mattered.Wed, 28 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMTmarketingobservationsproducthttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/wordpress-at-scale-taxonomy-searchhttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/wordpress-at-scale-taxonomy-searchAs Qysh Me grew into hundreds of how-to articles, structure became the product. How we organized WordPress so readers could find things.Wed, 14 Oct 2015 00:00:00 GMTqysh-mewordpressproductseohttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/we-told-everyone-to-steal-our-workhttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/we-told-everyone-to-steal-our-workRipost invited readers to copy and repost everything we made, including the sentence saying so. What that position cost, and what it bought.Tue, 08 Sep 2015 00:00:00 GMTripostkosovoobservationsmarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/snapchat-for-brands-testhttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/snapchat-for-brands-testPosts that vanish in 24 hours sound insane for a business. So I talked a client into testing whether that is a bug or the whole point.Wed, 19 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMTsocial-mediamarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/building-booking-widget-web-producthttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/building-booking-widget-web-productAn early project where the real fix was a small web product: an online booking tool for a salon drowning in phone calls.Tue, 11 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMTproductweb-designlearninghttps://valon.info/writing/seo/seo-for-a-site-that-wants-to-be-copiedhttps://valon.info/writing/seo/seo-for-a-site-that-wants-to-be-copiedRipost invited people to copy everything we published. Notes on canonicals, speed and structure when duplication is the strategy, not the problem.Tue, 07 Jul 2015 00:00:00 GMTripostseoproductkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/trying-periscope-live-videohttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/trying-periscope-live-videoLive streaming from a phone is suddenly a thing. I convinced a nervous client to go live, and the unpolished realness is exactly what worked.Sat, 30 May 2015 00:00:00 GMTsocial-mediamarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/ripostime-the-river-that-replaced-the-front-pagehttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/ripostime-the-river-that-replaced-the-front-pageBelow the featured mosaic, Ripost ran an endless river of items labelled by format, not section. On designing a homepage for scrolling.Tue, 26 May 2015 00:00:00 GMTripostproductweb-designkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/seo/mobilegeddon-is-herehttps://valon.info/writing/seo/mobilegeddon-is-hereGoogle's mobile-friendly update lands today. For once I am not panicking, because I have spent a year fixing my sites for phones.Tue, 21 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMTseoweb-designgooglemarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/landing-page-ab-test-service-businesshttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/landing-page-ab-test-service-businessA service business whose landing page looked fine and converted poorly. One A/B test, a clear winner, and the habit of testing over guessing.Wed, 15 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMTmarketingweb-designproducthttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/punpun-show-made-for-the-internethttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/punpun-show-made-for-the-internetProducing PunPun at Ripost meant unlearning television. On short formats, cutting for the phone, and losing the broadcast slot.Tue, 14 Apr 2015 00:00:00 GMTripostkosovoproductsocial-mediahttps://valon.info/writing/seo/the-user-journey-was-a-hashtaghttps://valon.info/writing/seo/the-user-journey-was-a-hashtagRipost replaced the category menu with a row of live hashtags across every page. What that changed about how people moved through the site.Tue, 10 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMTripostproductweb-designkosovoseohttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/qysh-me-100000-facebook-likes-milestonehttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/qysh-me-100000-facebook-likes-milestoneFour years after launching Qysh Me, our Facebook page crossed 100,000 likes. What that number really meant, and the slow, unglamorous work that got us there.Thu, 05 Mar 2015 00:00:00 GMTqysh-memarketingsocial-mediastartupkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/facebook-video-vs-youtubehttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/facebook-video-vs-youtubeFacebook is pushing its own player hard. I ran the same video two ways to see how much it favors native uploads, and it was not close.Thu, 12 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMTsocial-mediamarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/designed-to-be-repostedhttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/designed-to-be-repostedIf your platform's name is a verb, the interface has to let people do it. UX notes from Ripost on building for sharing and screenshots.Tue, 27 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMTripostproductweb-designkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/product/email-welcome-series-ecommercehttps://valon.info/writing/product/email-welcome-series-ecommerceAn early e-commerce project where the biggest win was an email that did not exist yet, and what it taught me about owned audiences.Tue, 27 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMTmarketingproductlearninghttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/shipping-ripost-in-betahttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/shipping-ripost-in-betaRipost carried a BETA label next to the logo on purpose. Notes on running formats as experiments, and what the label bought us.Mon, 15 Dec 2014 00:00:00 GMTripostproductstartupweb-designkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/ab-testing-email-subject-lineshttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/ab-testing-email-subject-linesI always wrote subject lines by gut. Then I started split-testing them, and the results were so lopsided I will never guess again.Fri, 21 Nov 2014 00:00:00 GMTmarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/product/ripost-is-not-a-portalhttps://valon.info/writing/product/ripost-is-not-a-portalWe founded Ripost as an internet platform, not a news portal. What that distinction meant in practice for a newsroom of misfits.Tue, 18 Nov 2014 00:00:00 GMTripostproductkosovostartuphttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/the-drone-easter-egg-on-zerihttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/the-drone-easter-egg-on-zeriWhen a drone stopped a Serbia vs Albania match, we put one on Zeri's pages within minutes. What a fast team and a willing partner can do while a story is still alive.Fri, 24 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMTsocial-mediamarketingkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/instagram-facebook-boutique-retailerhttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/instagram-facebook-boutique-retailerAn early social project for a small fashion boutique. How a consistent content rhythm grew a real audience, and what I still recommend.Tue, 30 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMTsocial-mediamarketinglearninghttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/everything-going-mobilehttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/everything-going-mobileHalf my traffic is now on phones and my sites were built desktop first. How I am testing every page the way people actually use it.Thu, 04 Sep 2014 00:00:00 GMTweb-designmarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/growing-qysh-me-facebook-pagehttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/growing-qysh-me-facebook-pageFacebook was where our audience already lived. How Qysh Me turned useful how-to content into a growing, engaged page, and why we shared value instead of links.Tue, 19 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMTqysh-memarketingsocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/seo/local-seo-google-business-dental-clinichttps://valon.info/writing/seo/local-seo-google-business-dental-clinicAn early local-SEO project for a dental clinic invisible in local search. The unglamorous fixes that got them into the map pack.Tue, 24 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMTseomarketinglearninghttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/what-partia-e-forte-taught-me-social-strategyhttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/what-partia-e-forte-taught-me-social-strategyNo one handed us a manual. In the middle of this strange experiment, here is what I think I am learning about how attention actually works.Mon, 16 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/71-votes-satirical-candidate-2014https://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/71-votes-satirical-candidate-2014When the June 2014 results came in, my name had 71 votes next to it. A small number with a lot to say about audience versus electorate.Wed, 11 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/instagram-for-non-visual-businesshttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/instagram-for-non-visual-businessA client swore their business was boring with nothing to photograph. Here is the Instagram experiment we ran to prove there is always something.Tue, 10 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMTsocial-mediamarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/live-on-national-tv-defending-the-promisehttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/live-on-national-tv-defending-the-promiseYears of running a party's social media from behind the feed, and then a live national TV debate. What changes when the person making it happen has to be the person on screen.Mon, 02 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/my-454-person-facebook-survey-2014https://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/my-454-person-facebook-survey-2014Before Kosovo's June 2014 vote I surveyed my own network on where the parties stood. What it found, and what it honestly could not tell us.Mon, 02 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/manual-per-burra-satire-with-a-pointhttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/manual-per-burra-satire-with-a-pointNot all of Partia e Fortë's work was light. How 'Manual për Burra' used an absurdist voice to poke hard at gender roles in Kosovo.Sun, 25 May 2014 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortekosovosocial-mediahttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/taking-qysh-me-mobile-first-albanian-apphttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/taking-qysh-me-mobile-first-albanian-appBy 2014 most of our readers were on phones, so we built Qysh Me an app and billed it, half-jokingly, as the first Albanian how-to app.Tue, 20 May 2014 00:00:00 GMTqysh-meproductweb-designkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/the-poster-campaign-my-face-on-a-billboardhttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/the-poster-campaign-my-face-on-a-billboardFor 2014, Partia e Fortë turned its candidates into the ad. I was number 28, and my poster made a joke at my own expense.Tue, 20 May 2014 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/candidate-number-10-partia-e-forte-2014https://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/candidate-number-10-partia-e-forte-2014In May 2014 Partia e Fortë registered 64 candidates for parliament and I was number ten. On putting your real name behind the joke.Fri, 16 May 2014 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/testing-retargeting-adshttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/testing-retargeting-adsThose ads that follow you around after a visit? I set them up for a client. The results are surprisingly good and a little unsettling.Wed, 26 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMTmarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/first-client-website-mobile-rebuildhttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/first-client-website-mobile-rebuildAn early agency project: rebuilding a local restaurant's site for mobile, and what a single responsive redesign did for their bookings.Tue, 18 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMTweb-designmarketinglearninghttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/qysh-me-mobile-first-designhttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/qysh-me-mobile-first-designLong before mobile-first was standard, most of Qysh Me's readers were on phones. How the small screen made the whole product better.Tue, 28 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMTqysh-meproductweb-designkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/when-the-world-noticed-partia-e-fortehttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/when-the-world-noticed-partia-e-forteA satirical party from a small Balkan country ended up in the international press. On watching a local joke become a story told abroad.Wed, 22 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/facebook-organic-reach-fallinghttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/facebook-organic-reach-fallingOrganic reach on my Facebook Pages drops every month and Facebook clearly wants us to pay. What I am testing to hold on to my audience.Fri, 17 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMTsocial-mediamarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/satire-as-civic-participation-kosovohttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/satire-as-civic-participation-kosovoPartia e Fortë was funny on purpose but never only a joke. On what it meant that young Kosovars found their political voice through satire.Tue, 10 Dec 2013 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortekosovosocial-mediahttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/from-likes-to-votes-2013-local-electionshttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/from-likes-to-votes-2013-local-electionsAn online following is not the same as a result. How Partia e Fortë turned an internet audience into an actual seat in the Pristina municipal assembly.Tue, 05 Nov 2013 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/seo/content-marketing-is-seohttps://valon.info/writing/seo/content-marketing-is-seoEveryone talks about content marketing like it is new. It is the same goal I always chased, only now the honest way and the winning way agree.Thu, 31 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMTmarketingseohttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/satirical-spots-baklava-to-millionaireshttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/satirical-spots-baklava-to-millionairesPartia e Fortë did not just post, it produced: campaign songs, absurd video spots, a plate of baklava as a political broadcast.Wed, 30 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/do-te-behem-milioner-anthemhttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/do-te-behem-milioner-anthemIn October 2013 Partia e Fortë launched a campaign song, 'I Will Become a Millionaire.' I helped present it, and it still holds up.Mon, 28 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/measuring-what-mattered-partia-e-fortehttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/measuring-what-mattered-partia-e-forteVanity metrics are a trap, and a satirical party is easy to fool with them. How I decided what was worth measuring when the goal was impact.Tue, 15 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/startup/meeting-peter-sunde-startup-grind-prishtinahttps://valon.info/writing/startup/meeting-peter-sunde-startup-grind-prishtinaMentoring at Startup Grind Prishtina, where a co-founder of The Pirate Bay presented and we spent the evening arguing about sharing, distribution, and everything in between.Thu, 03 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMTobservationsstartupkosovoconferenceshttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/building-partia-e-forte-digital-teamhttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/building-partia-e-forte-digital-teamA satirical party with no budget cannot buy reach. It has to be built by volunteers who find the work fun. On organizing the people who made the campaign run.Tue, 24 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/youngest-list-in-prishtinahttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/youngest-list-in-prishtinaFor the 2013 Pristina assembly election, Partia e Fortë fielded the city's youngest candidate list, average age 25.9. That was the point.Wed, 04 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/seo/google-authorship-photohttps://valon.info/writing/seo/google-authorship-photoGoogle Authorship attaches your photo to your articles in search results. I set it up this week, and it is doing something to my click rate.Thu, 15 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMTseogooglemarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/design-as-a-weapon-partia-e-forte-identityhttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/design-as-a-weapon-partia-e-forte-identityThe satire lived in the writing but traveled on the design. On Trembelat's identity and why a joke party had to look more serious than real ones.Tue, 13 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/timing-the-jokes-newsjacking-kosovo-politicshttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/timing-the-jokes-newsjacking-kosovo-politicsThe difference between a satirical page that grows and one that dies is timing. How I ran Partia e Fortë's channels as a real-time operation.Tue, 02 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/building-qysh-me-writer-communityhttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/building-qysh-me-writer-communityQysh Me could not scale on two people alone. How we brought in contributors, kept quality high, and turned readers into writers.Tue, 11 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMTqysh-mestartupproductkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/seo/not-provided-keywordshttps://valon.info/writing/seo/not-provided-keywordsThe (not provided) line in analytics keeps growing and hiding my search terms. Instead of complaining, I am finding other ways to read intent.Tue, 28 May 2013 00:00:00 GMTseogooglemarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/we-always-promise-slogan-to-movementhttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/we-always-promise-slogan-to-movementEvery campaign wants a slogan that sticks. Ours worked because it was also an accusation. A look at how 'We always promise' carried Partia e Fortë.Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/google-reader-shutdownhttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/google-reader-shutdownGoogle is shutting Reader down in July. Losing the quiet engine behind how I stay informed is a hard lesson about free tools I do not own.Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMTmarketinggoogleresourceshttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/writing-satire-people-sharehttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/writing-satire-people-shareThe hardest part of running social for Partia e Fortë was keeping a voice so consistent people knew a line was ours before they saw the name.Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/why-we-built-partia-e-forte-on-facebookhttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/why-we-built-partia-e-forte-on-facebookBefore we had an office, a recognizable logo, or a single vote, we had a Facebook page. Why the platform choice was the strategy.Mon, 11 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovomarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/product/test-test-and-testhttps://valon.info/writing/product/test-test-and-testAfter two years of arguing about what works in marketing, I found the answer. Stop arguing. Test it. The idea that changed how I work.Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMTmarketingproductobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/burrat-me-musteqe-100-vjet-shtethttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/burrat-me-musteqe-100-vjet-shtetA 2012 poster calling Prishtina to a moustache walk two days before Albania's independence centenary, and why the print run mattered.Mon, 26 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMTsocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/how-we-started-partia-e-fortehttps://valon.info/writing/partia-forte/how-we-started-partia-e-forteIn November 2012 a group of us in Pristina started a party that promised everything and meant none of it. This is how it began.Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMTpartia-fortesocial-mediakosovohttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/seo-albanian-language-qysh-mehttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/seo-albanian-language-qysh-meSEO for Qysh Me meant ranking in Albanian, a language with almost no digital content at the time. Why that emptiness was an advantage.Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMTqysh-meseomarketingkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/trying-responsive-designhttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/trying-responsive-designResponsive design is the phrase of the year. Rather than argue about it, I rebuilt one site to adapt to phones and watched the numbers.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMTweb-designmarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/my-first-infographichttps://valon.info/writing/web-design/my-first-infographicEveryone in marketing is making infographics right now. I finally tried one, spent way too long on it, and learned that the design was the easy part.Tue, 11 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMTmarketingweb-designhttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/qysh-me-gatu-cooking-verticalhttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/qysh-me-gatu-cooking-verticalHow Qysh Me's cooking section grew into a vertical with its own identity, its own audience, and the first ads we ever sold.Sat, 25 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMTqysh-meproductmarketingkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/pinterest-surprise-traffichttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/pinterest-surprise-trafficI signed up for Pinterest as an afterthought. A few weeks later it is in my top referrers. Here is what I am testing to figure out why, and whether it lasts.Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMTsocial-mediamarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/qysh-me-content-engine-how-to-articleshttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/qysh-me-content-engine-how-to-articlesThe editorial system behind Qysh Me. How real questions people were already asking became a repeatable how-to content engine.Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 GMTqysh-memarketingstartupkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/seo/google-penguin-seo-tricks-deadhttps://valon.info/writing/seo/google-penguin-seo-tricks-deadPenguin is punishing the exact link-building and keyword tactics people sold as gospel two years ago. I am cleaning house, and relieved.Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMTseogooglemarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/product/winning-the-first-startup-weekend-prishtinahttps://valon.info/writing/product/winning-the-first-startup-weekend-prishtinaWe built an Albanian audiobook platform over a weekend and won. What actually decided it was not the product, it was the letters we got signed.Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMTstartupproductkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/facebook-timeline-for-pageshttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/facebook-timeline-for-pagesFacebook is forcing every Page onto Timeline. I spent the weekend testing what the big cover photo and pinned posts can do for a brand.Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMTsocial-mediamarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/the-numbers-behind-qysh-me-2011https://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/the-numbers-behind-qysh-me-2011A single month of Google Analytics from Qysh Me's early days: 44,111 visits, 163,950 pageviews, and a traffic mix that quietly explained the whole business.Sat, 05 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMTqysh-meseomarketingkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/rss-secret-weapon-bloghttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/rss-secret-weapon-blogEveryone is chasing Facebook and Twitter, but the quiet thing growing my blog is RSS. How I use Google Reader and Feedburner daily.Thu, 03 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMTmarketingresourceshttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/making-wordpress-fast-slow-internethttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/making-wordpress-fast-slow-internetHow we optimized Qysh Me's WordPress site for slow connections and cheap phones, and why performance doubled as an SEO strategy.Sat, 08 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMTqysh-mewordpressseoproductkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/testing-qr-codeshttps://valon.info/writing/marketing/testing-qr-codesQR codes are suddenly on every poster and business card. I ran an experiment to see whether people in Prishtina actually scan them.Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMTmarketingobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/trying-google-plushttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/trying-google-plusGoogle finally made a social network that is not a Facebook clone. Circles are clever, and I am testing whether any of it helps a brand.Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMTsocial-mediagooglemarketinghttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/chasing-my-klout-scorehttps://valon.info/writing/social-media/chasing-my-klout-scoreKlout claims to measure your influence with one number. Getting obsessed with pushing mine up taught me more about vanity than influence.Mon, 09 May 2011 00:00:00 GMTsocial-mediamarketingobservationshttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/why-we-built-qysh-me-on-wordpresshttps://valon.info/writing/qysh-me/why-we-built-qysh-me-on-wordpressWhy a two-person team building Albania's first how-to portal chose WordPress over a custom build, and what that choice let us do.Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMTqysh-mestartupwordpressproductkosovohttps://valon.info/writing/seo/google-panda-changed-the-ruleshttps://valon.info/writing/seo/google-panda-changed-the-rulesThe Panda update shook up SEO this year. Thin content is punished, real content wins, and I think that is good news for people like me.Tue, 15 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMTseogooglemarketing