Archive for April, 2010
April 9th, 2010 by Patrick Hare
Tracking website changes is always advisable for anyone who has an SEO campaign in place. In many cases, SEO changes can get wiped out when a webmaster reverts to an older version of the site, or inadvertently deletes code placed on the website for better rankings.
Google has a tool that lets you monitor site changes, as part of its Google Reader platform. Even though Google Reader ostensibly tracks news sites and feeds, you can create your own custom designation for your target site in order to track alterations. Technically, you are “subscribing” to your own site, but the ability to monitor the site’s activity lets you know when things are happening, or if they aren’t. In many cases website design changes are expected to be made within a certain timeframe, and you may need to know if the site has not been updated.
Additionally, you can also use this tool to track changes to a competitor’s website or websites. In the field of SEO, this can be useful to see if someone is actively working on an optimization campaign of their own. As competitive research, you can also learn if someone has a new product, service, offering, or news. Many websites list principal employees on certain pages, so you can monitor the changes to a company’s personnel, track promotions, or make note of sudden omissions. You can also look for new investor relations information or changes to terms and conditions which may be of interest.
Tags: track changes
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April 9th, 2010 by Patrick Hare
Even though most of our SEO advice relates to getting traffic to your own website, you can still make sure your message gets out to the general public via YouTube. YouTube videos can be optimized so their titles show up in search engine results for popular topics, or specialized niche issues. If you have a local presence, you can even create your own brief “commercial” that can show up when people are searching for location-based services.
The best part of creating a YouTube video is that you don’t actually need a camera to make it happen. If you can put together a PowerPoint presentation, you can convert it into a video for YouTube. There is software that does this for you, and even lets you add music or special effects. Furthermore, you may already have free software on your computer that would let you create a video slideshow out of several digital pictures, so you could do a very low budget production that shows your business to the world.
What should you put into a video made with a few frames or PowerPoint slides? For one thing, you can put your phone number and website address at the bottom of each slide in the same location so someone can contact you without having to watch the whole video. You can show a selection of your products for sale, or example of services rendered. For instance, if you’re a bathroom remodeler, you can show pictures of various bathrooms, or some “before and after” shots.
YouTube Videos are the perfect addition to a Google Local business profile, especially since Google lets you integrate your YouTube video into your Local Business Center settings. If you are more artistically inclined, or have a relative who it willing to make a video for you, you can put several messages about your company out on the web. By ensuring that your video’s title includes your product, location or service (for instance: “Fishing Boat Rental Key West”) you can get more visibility online.
Tags: youtube
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April 9th, 2010 by Jessica Runberg
The popularity of micro blogging has given rise to the URL shortener industry. Because sites like Twitter have character limitations (Twitter limits “tweets” to 140 characters), it’s essential to shorten URLs so they not only fit in the space provided, but also leave enough space to include accompanying text in the post.
While there are a surprising number of URL shortening services available, TinyURL and bit.ly are among the most popular (currently, Twitter defaults to bit.ly). Using these URL shorteners can help your website spread the word about your products and services, while linking back to your website whenever appropriate.
But a note of caution: not all URL shorteners are alike. If you choose to use a different service than the ones listed above, be sure to…
Use a 301 redirect
Some shortening services use a 302 redirect, which is a temporary redirect. Unfortunately, search engines can’t tell the difference, which means that the actual Web page won’t get any credit for the link. A 301 redirect, on the other hand, ensures your site gets the credit it deserves.
Take advantage of analytics capabilities
Just as you use Google Analytics or other analytics programs for detailed stats about the who/what/when/where/why of your website, a similar tracking feature is available on many shortening services. Find out how many people are clicking on the links you tweet and use the data to your advantage.
Choose a service with a short URL
Sometimes the shortening service itself may have a long URL (even TinyURL is a tad on the long side). If possible, use a service whose own domain name is relatively short.
Use a custom or vanity URL
Some services allow you to create a custom ending for all your tiny URLs. For example, if you’re the New York Times, instead of qu6754 you could customize the URL to say http://bit.ly/nytimes (which, if you click on the link, you’ll see is exactly what they’ve done). Once a custom name is taken – it’s gone. So if you have a brand name you want to protect, you may want to consider registering it with the service provider(s) of your choice.
Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. To learn more, please give us a call to speak to an SEO specialist!
Tags: url shortener
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April 9th, 2010 by Jessica Runberg
If you’ve ever used the Internet, then you’ve probably seen a contextual advertisement. Contextual ads appear in the sponsored links section of a search engine or on a website’s advertising section. The most popular network of contextual ads is Google Adsense, which displays ads throughout the World Wide Web, similar to the way it displays ads on all pages of Google’s search engine results.
Also referred to as Content Matching, the ads are triggered by the presence of keywords in on-page content. The text-based ads are dynamically created in relation to the context of the page content and may also be influenced by a user’s search history. This form of Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising is highly effective when the ads are customized for the specific user, but still has a high impact when the ads are sufficiently relevant to the text on the page. The result is a targeted ad that has a phenomenal click-through rate.
If you’re new to PPC or haven’t updated your campaign in a little while, the possibilities for customizing ads are endless. One of our favorite new PPC products is the Google Adwords remarketing program that triggers ads on the content network anytime a shopping cart is abandoned. Although the program is still in BETA, conversion rates for this type of marketing have been very high.
Having a contextual advertising program in conjunction with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a great way to attract different types of traffic at various points in the buying cycle. By employing both strategies, you can ensure that you reap the benefits of both worlds.
Tags: Contextual Advertising
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April 9th, 2010 by Lisa Rosenkrantz
A press releases is a valuable marketing tool for your website and applying search engine optimization is a powerful way to drive a sizable wave of targeted customers to your business. Press releases are relatively simple to write and submit to news channels, but somehow people still make a number of mistakes that sabotage their efforts.
Many of these self-defeating errors can be avoided by simply hiring a professional SEO company to worry about drafting a perfect press release and optimizing it for the search engines. But, if you’re a diehard do-it-yourselfer, keep in mind what we consider the top mistakes to avoid.
Number 1: Not developing your target keywords. This is a must for optimizing press releases and you must conduct a bit of meaningful research to ensure you’re targeting the appropriate keywords for your objective.
Number 2: Not having a newsworthy angle. Your online press release serves a dual purpose – to broadcast something about your business (as with any press release) and to further your optimization efforts. Don’t blow it by just providing encyclopedia information – make an announcement.
Number 3: Not being timely. On occasion, people develop a press release around something that is old news or irrelevant to the current market. It’s best to wait until you have something new to say; you’ll have significantly better results.
Number 4: Recycling the same old information. Some people think they should regurgitate the same news and slap a new date on it, perhaps assuming that it’s only the links that count. Not so. First of all, Google doesn’t give much credence to duplicate content, and it will be equally useless to the reader. It’s simply best to write a press release about something current and newsworthy.
Number 5: Not including a compelling title. This is an especially important component, as your title will be shown everywhere, usually accompanied by a short blurb but often the only part of your press release that a searcher will see. You want to make sure it’s attractive enough so people will want to click to read more.
Number 6: Not writing quality content. Once you’ve drawn in your reader, there has to be something to keep them interested in your story. If you don’t have facts and figures or quotes from the principals, the credibility of your press release could be damaged.
Number 7: Not including a clear way to get the customer to respond. It’s important to make sure that the reader will click through to an important page on your site that will provide an opportunity to extend your business relationship with them.
Number 8: Not formatting your press release properly. What some people do is write their press release like a newspaper article and don’t educate themselves on the proper structure required by news outlets. The moderators of these channels will reject a press release very quickly if it’s not configured properly.
Number 9: Using ineffective press release services. Believe it or not, some are better than others. Many people who don’t have experience submitting websites use the wrong service and waste their money and their time.
Number 10: Using too much marketing language. When you’re obviously just selling something, using terms you’d normally use in a print ad instantly takes credibility away from your press release and may also result in rejection by the press release services.
Press releases are a handy way to drive highly targeted traffic to your website in a short period of time – if you handle it responsibly and cleverly. To truly get the most from your online press release, professional help is in order.
Tags: press release mistakes
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April 2nd, 2010 by Jessica Runberg
Corporate blogs and updates can take many different forms. From a simple Blogger template to an elaborate microsite housed on a separate domain, there are a myriad of ways to keep your clientele in the loop on your latest business happenings.
Micro blogging is another component of social media networking that allows you to post your thoughts, updates and announcements in a “miniature” format. These updates usually use a micro blogging platform such as Twitter or Facebook to post information in real time.
Micro blogging websites are easy to use and allow you to connect with customers precisely where they’re spending time online (i.e. social media sites). Logging in to Twitter and Facebook is a daily ritual for most people, and many social media users spend hours reading their friends’ updates and catching up with the people and companies they follow.
While a micro blog isn’t anything new (they’ve been around for several years now), there are still plenty of businesses that haven’t fully taken advantage of them. If you don’t have one – or don’t update it regularly – a micro blog is a smart way to keep in touch with your customers and increase traffic to your website. By posting periodic Tweets and Facebook updates, you can regularly give your customers little “touches” to remind them of your website and the products and services you offer. The best part? Your Facebook updates will appear on your fans’ walls and your Twitter updates will likely get “retweeted” by those who find them useful.
In other words, the word spreads pretty fast when you use a micro blog!
Think your business doesn’t fit the social media mold? Think again. Just about any business can take advantage of micro blogging sites from small local businesses to large national chains. Even Barak Obama and John McCain sent out regular “tweets” during the 2008 presidential campaign!
Tags: Micro blogging
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April 2nd, 2010 by Jessica Runberg
The goal of the search engines is to scour the Web in search of the most relevant information related to a query. In only a matter of seconds, they are able to sort through and rank millions of matches that include websites, videos, news articles, images, videos and more.
To accomplish this complex task, search engine spiders evaluate websites using hundreds of different criteria. From the number of external links referencing a given website to the keywords used in the meta title, there’s a lot going on in Google’s algorithm.
But until recently, Google gave no preference to sites from your social circle, including blogs and status updates from your friends. Now, thanks to Google’s Social Search program, those who are signed into Google will start seeing related results from their personal network of friends, family and colleagues.
How Does It Work?
Any time you’re logged into your Google account, the search engine will search through blogs, public profiles and other information from your friends’ Google Profiles to bring you any relevant matches from your personal network. This means that if you search for “restaurants in New York” and one of your friends has blogged about great restaurants in New York, this information will appear at the bottom of Google’s search results under the title: Results from People in Your Social Circle.
The goal of social search engines is to bring you results from the people whose opinions you value most. While a friend’s blog about the best places to dine in Manhattan may not have otherwise made the first page of Google, their opinion may be just as valuable to you – if not more so – than a well-known restaurant critic from the New York Times.
In other words, a social search engine helps you find information directly from people you know and trust, making your results more relevant.
These results are specific to you and include connections from your Gmail chat list, Google contact list, people you’re connected to via Twitter and FriendFeed, subscriptions from your Google Reader, as well as friends-of-friends from your social circle.
What Does It Mean for SEO?
It means that social media is more important than ever. Search engine optimization and social search marketing should not be treated as separate online marketing strategies. Social search engines will surely be a part of the online marketing game going forward. By establishing a strong social media presence, creating quality content and connecting with bloggers, you can reach thousands (or millions!) of potential customers.
Tags: Google Social Search, Social Search
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April 2nd, 2010 by Lisa Rosenkrantz
What is keyword cannibalization?
It is the repeated use of a particular keyword across pages of the same website. Also referred to as keyword blurring, it’s typically implemented by website owners who don’t realize the ramifications of this misguided attempt to rank for a keyword they have their heart set on. So what they do is place the keyword in the titles and content of every page on the site. They believe that this overzealous practice will make the keyword look more important and increase their chances of ranking on Google.
So what’s the problem?
There are quite a few. Since Google ranks each website page independently, having the same keyword on every page of your site forces Google to have to choose which one it will use to rank for that keyword. The other pages are left behind, so your efforts have been wasted. Also, if you use the same keywords in your content across the board, your visitors may get confused as to which one is relevant to their search. You run the risk of losing them.
There are also problems with linking. If you use internal anchor text, pointing to many different pages with the same subject reduces its value. Likewise for any backlinks – if they are all pointing to different pages with the same subject, their value diminishes and you’ve interfered with the most important component to ranking in Google.
In a nutshell, keyword cannibalization causes:
• Lowered SEO effectiveness
• Internal site competition
• Inadequate index depth
• Lowered content quality
• Reduced search engine traffic potential
• Internal duplicate content issues
• Search engine penalization
• Reduced conversion rate
How do you avoid keyword cannibalization but still rank for your desired keywords?
• Get rid of duplicate content
• Organize your keyword lists
• Organize internal informational structure
• Use Google External Keyword Tool to discover alternate keywords
• Vary keywords – both short tail and long tail
• Use more competitive broad terms on top level pages
• Write unique meta tag titles for homepage and internal pages
• Apply 301s on cannibalized pages, pointing to a single version
With a little SEO elbow grease, applying these remedies will make a big difference in combating keyword cannibalization and attracting quality visitors, thereby increasing your potential conversions and ROI. The quickest way to deal with cannibalized or blurred keywords is to clean up your meta titles, and make sure each one is concentrated on a specific page topic. Too often, a site will have the same titles on every page, or repeat the homepage title on interior pages. Even if you have to put generic titles (like your brand name) on less important interior pages, a unique homepage title can go a long way toward getting better search engine rankings.
Tags: keyword cannibalization
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April 2nd, 2010 by Patrick Hare
A recent CNN Article brings up the topic of “Astroturfing.” What is Astroturfing? Basically, the process involves the creation of a fake “ground swell” of popular support. In the same way that Astroturf is fake grass, Astroturfing is the creation of a fake grassroots movement. Previously, this was done by way of Public Relations firms and traditional print media, but new Astroturfing campaigns are carried out online as a form of reputation management and political advocacy.
Naturally, most small businesses don’t have the advantage of a multimillion dollar budget for this type of PR. In the world of search engine optimization (SEO), it may be possible to create a similar movement on a small scale, whether you’re trying to promote your product or handle negative online publicity. If you can put together an integrated approach, you may even be able to have several search results on the first page of Google which are presenting positive information about you and your services. Better yet, you can build some “natural” turf that improves your online presence and shields you from the odd piece of online defamation.
How would you start a “DIY Astroturfing” campaign of your own? First, you can publish some online press releases through sources like PR Web. Press releases show up in search results and often get added to “News Results” in search listings for a couple of days. By picking the right title for your release, you can present your name in relation to your keyword. Another somewhat low-tech approach might involve motivating your fan base to comment positively about you on their own social media accounts, link to you from their websites, or write a letter to the editor on your behalf. Generally speaking, it is best not to give people content or talking points to copy, as you can appear to be spamming the media, and it pays not to alienate news editors.
In the world of SEO, a mini-Astroturfing campaign would either involve the creation of multiple sites and/or the placement of content on various sources. There are quite a few internet marketers who are devoted to placing paid content on other websites in exchange for a fee. Therefore, you can essentially rent a page on a popular and relevant website with your own message, and that page is far more likely to move up in search engine rankings vs. a page on a brand new site. Obviously, you want to make sure you are complying with FTC regulations on paid content, and this usually involves having a disclaimer below the piece itself.
A similar tactic would involve buying blog reviews, which can be purchased for anywhere from a few dollars to many thousands of dollars, depending on the popularity of the blogger. Once again, FTC regulations may come in to play, but many of these posts can find their way into search engine rankings on top of the bump in exposure you’re getting from readers. You can also use the power of Pay-Per-Click to gain exposure by ensuring your ad and a brief message shows up when people do certain keyword searches. Whether or not you are actually selling products, you can still link people to a page that promotes your point of view or sets the record straight on a specific topic.
The ethics of an SEO Astroturfing campaign would vary by situation, but it is possible to use Astroturfing tactics in a manner that would not be dishonest. Understanding the potential of enhanced public relations is important to anyone who wants to promote a point of view or respond to negative criticism. Since the average SEO practitioner isn’t in the same league as a multinational corporation or foreign government, the campaign is going to be a lot smaller but it can still be effective. Every day, people and businesses face unfair criticism, which manages to make its way into search engines, so the creation of some “natural turf” of your own may be the perfect way to protect against new critics while managing PR hiccups that may already exist.
Tags: astroturfing
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April 2nd, 2010 by Patrick Hare
Implementing SEO changes can be one of the toughest parts of any search engine optimization project. Admittedly, it takes a lot of time and energy to come up with the right keywords, choose the right themes for pages, and write content, but in many cases the biggest challenge involves getting the optimization onto the site itself.
If you’re using a webmaster to upload your SEO changes, implementation problems are either a matter of scheduling or competence. We have run across “webmasters” who were retained by small businesses, even though web design was actually a paying hobby performed between construction jobs. Imagine being told that you have to call the webmaster on his lunch break, or after 6PM, if you want the code uploaded, and then imagine him asking you what you mean when you keep saying “FTP. “ Explaining the finer points of optimization changes can be tough when your contact is not too familiar with metatags.
You can also run into implementation issues when dealing in shopping carts or DIY CMS programs. Some shopping cart builds just aren’t “SEO Friendly” and if the original version of the cart was modified, it may not be possible to upgrade to the version that is current with search engine requirements. We have seen more than one case where a programmer was required to implement SEO code changes, because the software build was so customized that only one person (guess who) could make changes to it. Many content management systems also don’t allow for the robust implementation of SEO tags and tracking, or these systems will assign a single default title, description and keywords to the entire site. It may be necessary to upgrade your account or take it to another provider in order to make your site visible to search engines. Surprisingly, in 2010, there are still sites out there that operate with frames, and search engines can only see a portion of the homepage content for indexing.
Implementation problems can also become very complex. If a site has code errors that prevent spidering, or adds Session IDs into the URL, search engines can get confused. Depending on your programming, there may be “search engine friendly rewrites” or other solutions, but there are more than a few big companies that opted to go with custom designs which did not put SEO into the equation. You may be experiencing server issues that create errors when search engines come to visit, and these can be vey expensive to fix depending on the size of your site. Finally, you may be dealing with webmasters and people in IT who have a fixed idea of how SEO works, or who are prejudiced against anything that doesn’t look like elegant code. In many cases it is necessary to reiterate that you are working from the standpoint of a search engine spider which reports to an algorithm, so your desired changes might not be that intuitive at the execution level.
How do you implement an SEO program when you are faced with such challenges? The best way may be to do it in stages. Making sure you have good titles and content on your site is a start. If there are immediate steps you can take that will make your site more spiderable, these can be done first. Most optimization projects have elements that can be prioritized, and with a competent SEO consultant you can discover which items need to be fixed first, and which can wait. By prioritizing your optimization projects, you can push for initiatives that will help you get discovered, and then refine your site over time instead of trying to launch everything at once, which sometimes is just not possible. By the end of the project, you should hopefully have a site with all the major SEO elements in place, and you should be positioned for search engine rankings. If you can press on in your SEO when similar competitors are giving up out of frustration, you have already prevailed over a good share of your online adversaries.
Tags: seo implementation
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