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I'm writing an article about this issue but I thought I'd preview it here first, maybe even get some more ideas from your comments. Click this link http://aalbc.it/look4troy to run a simple Google query on my name, Troy Johnson. Your results will vary depending upon... well God know what, but I can guarantee you the following will be the same no matter who you are. The query will returns the big social media sites before anything on AALBC.com! My Facebook profile is at position #4 My LinkedIn Profile is at position #6 My Twitter profile is #10 AALBC.com does not appear until #16 on the 2nd page! Given that there are almost 25 million pages returned, and that I have a common name, shared with a few celebrities, the fact that I have 3 pages in the top 10 would normally be considered as great by some. This is very bad news because I do not own the 3 top pages. Forget about giving me SEO (search engine optimization) advise, I got that down. Besides my content is more complete and comprehensive that the other social media sites (I created it all). My site's content is almost 15 years old the oldest site beating me, with my own content, is less than 5 years old. I put very little information about myself on Twitter. Facebook has nothing that AALBC.com does not have -- indeed all I use Facebook for is to link back to AALBC.com. I don't really use LinkedIn. The obvious reason for this is that Google, despite all their bullshit about directing people to the best sites with their, complex and secret algorithm, is simply sending people to the large sites first. You might say why of course genius -- waddya expect? Well the fact of the matter is that this was not the case since there was such a thing as a search engine. Google only recently started favoring these large social media sites. If you queried my name a few months ago an AALBC.com page would have come up in the top 5. Watching this happen is astonishing, partially because it is happening right under our noses and no one not the government or the people have a clue it is happening or why it is important. The Internet was once a truly open an democratic environment. Today it is not. Tomorrow is scary.

“...we have fewer independent book sites focused on black authors than we did five years ago. And the ones that remain are even more difficult to find.” Read the rest of the interview: http://aalbc.it/troy2011

Author Chris Hicks, AAMBC and The Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park presents 2nd annual Baltimore Urban Book Festival Sunday May 6, 2012 at 1pm-8pm, at the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park: 1417 Thames St, Baltimore MD 21231. Celebrating Baltimore's ONLY book festival focusing on African American literature. GENERAL ADMISSION 5.00 ALL KIDS/HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE FREE!!!! ALL REGISTERED BOOK CLUBS ARE FREE ADMISSION!!!! ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS FREE WITH ID!!!! FOOD VENDORS WILL BE AVAILABLE!!!! EARLY REGISTRATION AUTHOR TABLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE!!!!! (early registration ends January 1,2012) Visit our website to register and purchase at www.baltimoreurbanbookfestival.com Featuring some of the country's most influential bestselling authors: Omar Tyree, T. Styles, JM Benjamin, Jimmy Da Saint, Kiki Swinson, Miss KP, Tamika Newhouse, Trice Hickman, Nicola Mitchell, Chris Hicks, Ladawn Black, Moses Miller, Nikki Turner,and Booker T Mattison PANELS/WORKSHOPS: -AAMBC Awards Ceremony honoring this year's top performing authors -Omar Tyree lecture and book signing -Chocolate Chat workshop featuring: T Styles, Jimmy Da Saint and Miss KP -The real talk with the men of ECE (Ebony Chronicles of Elevation) featuring: Corey Barnes, Q. B. Wells, Moses Miller, Omar Tyree, and Chris Hicks -African American Literature Panel Panelist will be announced soon (MORE PANEL/WORKSHOPS WILL BE ANNOUNCED) CHILDREN ACTIVITIES storytelling, free treats, games, face painting, moon bounce, Annual free book giveaway drive and a special storytelling feature from Baltimore Ravens Some of the proceeds from this event will benefit The Fredrick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park a program of the Living Classroom Foundation, in support of their Voyage of Exploration a science, technology, engineering, and math program (STEM). Media sponsors; Mosiac Books, The Baltimore Times, Urbania Magazine, DMD Experience, BMore News, AAMBC, The Urban Twist, Rolling Out Magazine, Urban Literature Review, ILuvblackwoman.com, EDC Creations, My Soul Radio.com, BaltimoreBlack.com,AALBC,BooksofSoul.com SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNTITIES AND FOOD VENDORS ARE AVAILABLE!!!! please contact Chris Hicks directly at chrishicks@baltimoreurbanbookfestival.com or chrishicks.hicks@gmail.com