Posts Tagged ‘SEO Company’

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Google’s Panda 2.3 Update

Posted by Tommy Hummer on July 28th, 2011

Google announced on July 26 that Panda 2.3 was officially up and running, as mentioned on Search Engine Land. Ever since the initial Panda update back in February, content Farmers that were gaining higher ranking through poor content have been fearful. Every one of Panda’s updates has filtered out more and more low-quality websites or “scraper” sites from Google’s list of high-ranking websites. Google’s new actions with Panda have caught the attention of everyday search engine companies since Google estimated that the new updates would cause 12% of queries to come back different.

Recently, Panda has been making major changes for Google users.  Prior to the Panda update 1.0, Google had frequently been changing its algorithm, but each change was not significant enough to be announced. But with Panda update 1.0, the change was not minor. Panda 1.0 impacted Google’s US search results by 12%, majorly dropping the rankings of numerous websites.

With the introduction of Panda 2.0, Google’s change impacted all English queries around the world, as well as all the US queries as before. Panda 2.0 also incorporated Google “blocking” data that resulted in a 2% change in search queries and search results.

In June Google released Panda 2.1, but did not release Panda 2.1’s percent of impact on queries since they admitted that it was not a major update or even close to having the same impact as Panda 2.0 did. Similarly when Panda 2.2 came out, Google proved to have only made a few additions, which as explained by Google’s Matt Cutts were, the improvement of scraper detection as well as making it clear that these updates were now being pushed out manually. Panda 2.3 continues the trend, showing multiple updates, including some new signals that further help to filter out lower- from higher-quality ranking sites on Google. Since the introduction of these multiple Panda updates, Google has been slowly paving a road for the most elite websites, helping them to gain rankings the right, natural way.

 

 

Google Place Search Feature – How This Change Affects Local Businesses

Posted by Kate Riley on November 10th, 2010

Thanks to Google, now it’s easier than ever to find the closest burrito to you.  The new Place Search feature changes the way local businesses appear on Google’s search engine result pages.  So if you’re searching for a place in San Diego to grab a bite, Google will recognize this and provide local business locations, based on your search, and rank them higher in the results.

The Place Search results will now include longer descriptions, as well as important contact information. In addition, it will provide a picture and reviews for each local business, building on the previous local map listings.  This feature will compete with local directories such as Yelp and Citysearch, and help local businesses compete for space on that first page of Google, leveling the online playing field.

What does this mean for SEO?

In a recent article from Mediapost.com titled “Google Place Search Emphasizes Local SEO”, David Harry, community manager at the SEO Training Dojo commented on the Google’s new search feature.  “The ability to rank high in the search engine results pages for local search will require SEO professionals to consider domain extensions such as .com .ca .co .uk” .

This change will mean businesses that don’t have a physical location in the city may get pushed down in the results. Also, businesses that have customer reviews are more likely to appear higher in the rankings. The organic results are being merged with the business’ local listing, if they have one.

Google’s new Boost advertising is another way that local businesses can better amp up their online presence.  When Google believes web users are searching for a local business, Boost ads appear in the “Sponsored Links” section and only cost the business owner when the ad is clicked.  A map located in the right hand corner of the page will appear containing various local business locations related to a user’s search.  The map also moves as the user scrolls down the page.

We tested this by doing a search (not logged into a Google account) for “sushi in San Diego”. What we found was that this highly competitive first page of Google empathsized the local listings more than the organic results. It takes quite a bit of scrolling with your mouse before you get to see the rest of the organic results.

It will be interesting to see how this feature changes the way searches are done for local businesses such as restaurants and other attractions. Put yourself in the best position by making sure you have a Local Buisness listing, with a captivating picture and keyword rich description. Also make sure to have people leave positive reviews on your listing on multiple local directories such as Yelp, Citysearch, and InsiderPages. Don’t have time? Ask us about our new local business package.

Is Extra Data Costing Your Website Millions?

Posted by Kate Riley on November 8th, 2010

Simply deleting extra data fields on your website can potentially save you millions, as shown in the article “Expedia on How One Extra Data Field Can Cost $12 M“. Expedia utilizes SAS® predictive analytics, which helps them understand their customer base statistically, based on web traffic and user behavior. They realized from studying this data, they they needed to eliminate ambiguous data on their online form  that was misguiding their customers away from their product.

Expedia realized customers were inputting their bank name in the optional ‘Company’ field and proceeded to enter their bank address instead of their home address in the subsequent field. This was preventing the credit card verification process and consequently driving customers away. By simply removing one misguiding data field, an immediate improvement was noticed resulting in a $12 million profit per year.

We can all learn from this example.  It is essential that the direction on your website is efficient for the average online user. Remember that people do not want to spend extraneous time on a website if they don’t need to.   The information you provide on online forms  must be straightforward and free of misunderstandings. Analytics can only obtain so much information about online users. One way to completely understand your website users’ behavior  is to  physically observe them navigating the website and note their confusions.

According to SAS analytics (http://www.sas.com/success/expedia.html), Expedia applies their resources in three ways: inventory selection optimization, website design and fraud reduction. Each facet of SAS analytics observes data in order to learn and optimize on previous customer behavior. These data collections ultimately prevent issues like credit card fraud and help interpret data that will be useful to a specific customer.

Although the primary purpose of using analytics is not eliminating problems such as these, it has proven to be useful in removing glitches to optimize a website’s performance. Analytics only provides statistical information which is why it is crucial to understand your customer in order to make your website as efficient as possible. Who knows, maybe removing a couple of optional fields on your website’s  online form could result in similar benefits.

Changes To The Google AdWords Keyword Tool

Posted by Kate Riley on October 11th, 2010

The simplification of the Google AdWord Keyword Tool, as expressed in the article, “R.I.P. Google Keyword Tool. Long Live SEO!“  creates a burning question to marketers who rely on this toolbar:  How does this change our process? Many have been questioning Google’s agenda behind this vast transition and it seems that monetary influence seems to be the driving factor behind it.

What is the Affect of Changes to Google Adwords Keyword Tool

How will this change affect marketers?

With other search engines like Bing and Yahoo gaining popularity, perhaps it would make sense for Google to restrict its vast inventory of information. “Commercializing” the keywords available to users may simplify the average users experience, but it greatly changes the way marketers go about retrieving SEO information. With less AdWords data available, advertisers are forced to buy more Adwords and this hurry to buy will undoubtedly cause the cost to increase even more.

According to the Google blog (http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/new-approach-to-how-we-work-with.html), the purpose of the newly implemented AdWords Keyword Tool is to help advertisers become more proficient and strategy-focused. Google’s new AdWord Certification Program requires advertisers to display their knowledge and capabilities through more challenging certification exams. These exams will match agencies with Google Certified Partners based on their needed criteria. Finally, Certified Partners have access to the new preferred AdWords API Pricing, which agencies must apply for and be accepted to view the Adwords API. Google emphasizes that advertisers should not be concerned with increased cost, but rather to experiment with new strategies and expand on the resources they already have.

It looks like marketers may just have to utilize other databases as well as Google Adwords Keyword Tool such as  WordStream, Trellian and WordTracker to obtain the information and research they need, since the tool now limits results. Google could be controlling what we, the user, have access to because that way, they will make more profit.  A large concern for a lot of users is the strategy that Google seems to be implementing, which gains control of its users and their capabilities as researchers. Whatever the motivation for this drastic change, it definitely changes the way online marketing will function in the future.

The Inverted Pyramid Writing Style

Posted by Kate Riley on August 31st, 2010

When writing content on the web, a good rule of thumb is to use the inverted pyramid technique, also known as Bottom Line Up Front.  This entails putting your most important point as the title and first paragraph of text in your article, and the supporting details towards the end.  Be sure to capture the attention of your users’ right at the beginning of your page, so that way they don’t need to scroll down to get the main points of your article. On the web, people tend to jump from page to page on websites, so you want to catch their attention right away.

Benefits for Readers

If a user likes what they see in your article from the beginning, they are more likely to bookmark it and read the rest of the article later. Or, if they are using a mobile phone, they can see the main point of the article and email it to themselves to read later on. (more…)

The Importance of Long Tail Keywords For SEO

Posted by Kate Riley on June 18th, 2010

Long tail keyword terms are several keywords grouped together as a search string into the search engines. Typically they are 4 keywords or more. The more long tail keywords that you have ranking, the higher chances you have to gain converting organic search traffic. From keyword research you can find many long tail keyword variations.  Whether you are optimizing an existing website or building a new one, you should choose keywords to focus on that are consistent with the content of your web pages as well as your website theme. An example of the evolvement of a keyword phrase is listed below:
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SEO Fraud: Small Business Owners Beware

Posted by Brent on June 7th, 2009

Like most industries, the Internet marketing world is fraught with companies and individuals seeking to make a quick buck by ripping people off.  One of the most common is SEO fraud.  There are unfortunately many firms or “consultants” out there preying on the unsuspecting small business owners and selling them SEO “guarantees”. 

Frankly, there are a lot of larger SEO companies doing similar things by charging outrageous prices while spending about 2 hours a week on your project and telling you to “stay the course” and that it takes time.  They use iron clad contracts and by the time you are frustrated by the lack of results and fire them (if you can get out of your contract), they have collected thousands from you.  These days of course that is harder to get away with because do to the economy, companies will price compare more often.

So how do you find the right SEO company? How do you compare the good ones from the not so good ones, and choose a company where you feel confident that the money you invest is in good hands and will generate good returns?  Here are a few tips:

  • Do as much research on basic SEO as you can on your own so you know what questions to ask
  • Choose a few firms and learn as much as you can about them
  • Be careful about the pitch where they show you all the “rankings” they have gotten for their clients – you never know what was involved, what kind of rankings the client had before, or if they are even still a client, etc.
  • Look at the firm’s own rankings and see if they practice what they preach
  • Look at their website:  if they are selling you SEO but don’t even have title tags, descriptions, etc…RUN!
  • Ask them details about their SEO practice, strategy, process, link building efforts, etc.
  • Know who their SEO engineers and project managers are:  chances are your campaign and keyword strategy will only be as good as that individual’s knowledge
  • Check certifications/qualifications
  • Read their blog, if they even have one
  • Ask if they attend the SEO trade shows, seminars, etc. to make sure they are continually learning too:  SEO these days is all about staying current
  • NEVER work with a firm offering ranking “guarantees” because you might be treading closely to black hat SEO and potential penalties

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Small Budget SEO Strategies

Posted by Brent on April 20th, 2009

As the web grows, search engine optimization (SEO) strategies will get more competitive.  Its happening already.  As SEOs scramble to keep up with the latest and greatest with Google’s algorithms there are other looming issues to keep in mind.  The simple growth of the web and increasing competitive landscape make it more difficult to rank for competitive keywords.  The search engines are also delivering better results on the first page and fewer users feel compelled to look any further.  One query will get them great web page results, news results, local business results, video results, etc. all on the first page.  So what is a company to do?

More and more companies are seeking to get a better return from their smaller marketing budgets.  To accomplish this, they are turning to the most cost effective and measurable way to market…Internet marketing.  Natually one of the best long term investments in a company’s web growth is in organic search engine optimization (SEO).  But then the question remains, how long will it take to get to page one and will it be effective for you?

There are many key elements of course that go into estimating when “success” will be reached.  Noone can really predict how long it will take to achieve results but you can look at your online marketing competition to see what they have done right (i.e. how many pages does their site have, how many inbound links do they have, is their website user friendly and does it provide fresh valuable content, etc…).  The list goes on and on.  When companies make the decision that they do in fact need to make this investment and start down the SEO path, they will need to consider a few fundamental items that will shape their future:

  • How much budget is available to put towards SEO in the next 12 months
  • How competitive is the industry online (i.e. what is a realistic timeline and budget?)

The bottom line is that companies that decide to higher and SEO company will have to face these questions and make some decisions.  These days companies large and small have budget issues.  These decisions will be different for every company depending on how large that marketing budget is and how many other marketing channels are being pursued.  SEO takes time to show results so the tangible ROI may be 6 months out or more.  Therefore, most companies will be using organic SEO combined with Internet marketing strategies that will produce more immediate results.  This will leave only a certain amount of money to put towards SEO and companies that are new to SEO may be hesitant to put all their eggs in one basket.

Naturally, Internet marketing companies and SEO firms will make recommendations based on the competitive nature of their keywords.  Also, SEO can be a get what you pay for strategy.   It is not realistic for companies who only have $500 per month to spend on SEO to go after highly competitive terms but there are ways to get creative and work towards these goals anyway.  Before we break down the recommendations for small budget SEO campaigns lets identify the differences in keyword strategies.

Broad Keywords:  Broad terms are generally reffered to as the more generic (less specific) keywords and keyword phrases that drive more traffic.  An example term would be “shoes”.  This type of search is very high level and usually used by a person doing general reseach, surfing the web, etc.  But ranking for it will drive high volumes of traffic.

Long Tail Keywords:  Long tail terms are more specific keyword phrases that drive less traffic but can be more targeted and have better conversions.  An example long tail term would be “women’s Spring shoe sales” or “women’s running shoes Nike”.  These terms are very specific.  Often they will have a geographic focus as well for people looking for something specific in their area.

From a competitive aspect, broad terms are naturally more competitive and hence usually take more budget to put together and effective SEO campaign.  They also take longer to achieve first page results.  Long tail terms might be a bit easier to get and have decent conversions, but will that alone be enough?  Generally, the recommendation is to develop a keyword list that combines both broad and long tail terms.  This gives the company a chance to capture the lower hanging fruit first while tackling the tougher times over time. 

So what should you do if you have a very small budget but your terms are highly competitive?  Here are some creative recommendations:

  • Develop a long tail keyword list and go after the less competitive terms
  • Make sure your website has basic SEO coding and a sound strucutre from which to build this effort
  • Get involved:  set up a blog on your site and start writing content relevant to your users, your indsutry, and your keywords (link keywords to pages relevant to those terms)
  • Write on other relevant blogs and send links back to your website
  • Try social media as a support element to the SEO effort
  • Don’t expect results over night, or in three months for that matter

All companies need to get creative on how they spend money and achieve success.  A great online marketing strategy does not have to mean huge budgets.  But be careful about the “doing it in-house” route unless you have a qualified team experienced in all aspects of the campaign.

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Universal Search: Out with the Old, In with the New

Posted by Brent on March 18th, 2009

The days of simple on page optimization are over and have been for a while.  A year ago most search engine optimization strategies included the simple practices of basic site structure, seo copy written content, and building inbound links.  As Google continues to progress and make new updates to the algorithms, we must also adapt and develop new strategies that will keep us competitive.  A well-rounded approach is imperative which is why a good Internet marketing company can take on all aspects of search engine marketing and combine them to create a truly united front.

I tend to use the analogy of military combat when analyzing business and marketing situations.  For example, the reason a small special operations force that has superior training and works as a team will always defeat a larger force with mediocre training is becasue each person on the spec ops team works in complete synergy with one another.  In Internet marketing, it will no longer suffice to use one approach with a non-targeted strategy if you want to be competitive.  A comprehensive online marketing plan will ensure true optimization of all online assets and maximum exposure and conversions.

So what does all this mean?  What is Universal search?  What are digital assets?

Bascially, it means that optimizing all of a company’s digital assets is the best way to ensure good rankings as they apply to Google’s new “universal” search.  Universal search means that Google gives rankings to not only web pages anymore but also news results such as press releases, video content, images, local buiness results, etc.  Simply optimizing the pages of a website will not ensure that a site will rank as well as its competitiors.  Websites that use well rounded internet marketing strategies are getting traffic from other assets that appear in the search results pages.  For example, a company’s web page might not appear for a specific result but a SEO optimized press release might.  That press release if optimized properly would then have links back to the website which would drive trafic.  The same situation would apply for video content appearing in the results.  The vidoes if well optimized could then have links or calls to action noting the URL that people should follow. 

So are we taking about social media?

Basically, yes.  Social media is popular for many reasons other than viral marketing and online reputation management.  Social media can be a fantastic provider of inbound links which of course supports the ongoing organic search engine optimization campaign.  A good SEO company will optimize all a company’s digital assets to ensure the best possible ROI.

Where does conversion optimization come into play?

True conversion optimization is at the root of all online marketing strategies…or at least it should be.  Nobody wants to spend time and money implementing any marketing plan unless there is a strategy to ensure conversions and ROI.  Conversion optimization is more than just manipulating a web page to make the user do what you want.  All marketing strategies should be completely complimentary and support the same goals…that goes for offline and online components. 

Not so long ago, an SEO team would work independantly from a PPC team, and nobody would be communicating with the print team.  These days that is just poor marketing.  Everyone must be in constant communication with each other…that is, if you were to use different teams for each component.  The best practice for having a truly effective online marketing plan is to use the same team for all aspects and make sure that team knows how to coordinate with traditional media aspects as well.

World Wide Local Web

Posted by David on January 13th, 2009

The Internet has changed a lot in how we search for real estate.  Ten years ago, I don’t know how many people could pick up their local paper and see an ad for a home in another country.  The World Wide Web is by definition a global product and service.  For example, a person in Italy can view property online in San Diego, CA, call up an International real estate agent and buy the property.  However, in the purest essense, real estate is local as are real estate agents. This means that real agents who are going to be successful should focus on optimizing their site for certain keywords.  One suggestion is that if you are a real estate agent in San Diego, CA, and your area of expertise is Pacific Beach, then you should optimize terms like: “Pacific Beach homes for sale.”  Any internet marketing company can optimize your site for general search terms such as “California real estate.”  But if you’re a real estate agent trying to get by in this market, you should contact an SEO company to help determine what the best search terms to optimize and what is going to fit in your marketing budget.  Plus, if you’re an agent, you can cater your site to the certain neighborhood and make it a very welcoming site.  There are too many sites out there that focus on the big city.  Real estate agents should focus on the local search terms which should help drive targeted traffic.  Sometimes it’s better to have 2 or 3 solid leads each month of motivated buyers than 200 – 300 hits that do not turn into a sale.  Once your site starts to place high organically in the major search engines for local search terms, and you’ve seen a positive ROI with your site, you should then contact an SEO Company and go into the broader terms.

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