February 2009

Mike Moran

How do you get a specific Web page indexed?

I've often been asked why particular pages are not indexed. Honestly, you can never be sure until you fix the problem. If you think that you've isolated the problem, you never know if you've only corrected one of multiple problems. So, it's best to take it step-by-step....

Sage Lewis

Untouchable: Sage's All Time Favorite Movie Scene

Sage goes all gaga over one particular scene in the Matrix. He then goes on to use that scene as a metaphor for life: Get out of the day to day grind. Rise above it....

Sage Lewis

The World Is A Mess. Here's What You Can Do.

Sage discusses the difference of things you can control and the things you can't control. Sage labels these two worlds as the Circle of Concern and the Circle of Influence. We spend too much time in the Circle of Concern and not enough time in the circle of influence....

Stoney deGeyter

Dy-No-Mite Solutions to Dynamic Content Problems

Years ago dynamic websites posed significant problems for search engines. While the engines have come a long way since the early days of dynamic website development, there are still some key problems that arise. When engaging in the battle of online visibility, you don't want to sit around while Google figures out how to plug the holes with their indexing spiders. You need to be proactive and fix the issues so you can be competitive today, not tomorrow.

Jennifer Laycock

Six Key Tactics for Organic Success

Every time I come home from a conference, I'm reminded of just how many new people are streaming into the industry every day. While many of us have been optimizing web sites for a decade or longer, the greatest majority of site owners are just now finding their way into the world of organic optimization.

Manoj Jasra

Social Media Year over Year Stats

With so many different applications/websites popping up each day it's certainly interesting to watch the long-term trend to see which ones can continue to succeed month over month. I thought I'd check out some of Compete's stats for some of the most popular applications to see how they faired last year (in terms of visitors)....

Eric Brown

Social Media Or An Electronic Billboard

We are seeing more and more business entering into the euphorically messy space known as Social Media. The first order of business seems to be to put up a facebook page and start a blog. The problem here is this, NO ONE IS PARTICIPATING IN A CONVERSATION. If there are no comments on you blog and nothing on your facebook wall except from posts from you, You have an ELECTRONIC BILLBOARD, Which is NOT Social Media....

Miriam Ellis

Google's K-Pack Rocks Local

Google Maps gets sprinkled with thousands of little red dots - you get tons of new local business choices with the amazing new K-Pack!...

Stoney deGeyter

Dominating Your SEO Competition Through Competitive Knowledge

Knowing who your competitors are and what kind of time and monetary investment they are making into their online marketing is nearly as essential as implementing your own marketing strategy. If you have a good idea of what you're up against can make better decisions about where and how to invest your own time and money. You will also have a decent indicator of how quickly you might be able to see results from your efforts.

Eric Brown

ADVERTISING, A HORRIFIC WASTE OF MONEY

I set off a small firestorm the other evening when I Re-Tweeted the following tweet; "RT @KathySierra: "WONDERING HOW IT IS THAT WE CAN BE HORRIFIED BY THE FINANCIAL CRISIS YET NOT SEE MOST ADVERTISING AS A HORRIFIC WASTE OF MONEY" For those not familiar with Twitter, a RE-Tweet is just that, you re-tweet someone else's tweet. A tweet is a 140 character or less statement you type for anyone who follows you on twitter  to read.  So, I didn't originate the phrase, "Wondering how it is that we can be horrified by financial crisis yet not see most advertising as...

Miriam Ellis

The Latest In Local Search - SMX West And More

With SMX West, the SEMMYs and big news in the mapping world, my friends and colleagues in Local have been busy this past week. Keep apace with the latest in Local Search by taking a gander at these informative and important articles....

Stoney deGeyter

Don't Over-Think It! Yes, You Too Can Do SEO

SEO doesn't all have to be done at once, it can be implemented a little at a time, as you have time.

Mike Moran

Is there a standard way to measure conversions?

I constantly counsel people to make their Web site more than just an online brochure—they must measure their conversions online and offline so they know what it's worth to bring that extra visitor to their Web site. Only then do you know what to spend on marketing. Simple, right? Not always. What do you do when you have multiple ways of measuring conversions?...

Jennifer Laycock

SEO Bootcamp: Bring in the SEO Before You Build Your Site

Last week on the SEO 101 WebmasterRadio.FM show I host with Ross Dunn, we talked about some of the pet peeves we have about working with SEO clients. One of the things that came up in the discussion was companies that hire out their web development and THEN call an SEO once the new site is live. Ross and I talked about the frustration of having to tell a potential client the site they just paid oodles of dollars for doesn't have a shot in the engines, and how nice it would be if companies would call in an SEO consultant up front.

Ross Dunn

Google's Latitude Has Vast Mobile Marketing Potential

Google upgraded its Mobile Maps application this week to enable location-awareness. Called Google Latitude, this upgrade is not ground breaking but it does signal a change for the mobile landscape now that Google has put another foot in that arena. So where could this technology lead with Google at the helm? I put a few ideas together that seem entirely plausible and totally within the realm of Google's current capabilities....

Mike Moran

How do you find keywords in a specialized industry?

I am frequently asked how to find search terms in a specialized industry—the other day I was asked specifically about the Biotech and the Medical Device industries. I think part of the reason this question comes up is that we search experts always use popular examples, such as "digital cameras," to demonstrate keyword research. But what if you sell apnea monitors? Surely a product that specialized needs a different approach, right?...

Scott Allen

In Tough Economic Times, We All Can Get By With a Little Help From Our Friends

When the economy is recessed, it's easy to go into self-preservation mode (both personally and in our businesses). Thinking about others can easily get put on the back burner. However, when times are tough, it's more important than ever that we work together and help each other out. To borrow a concept from the Beatles, we all can get by with a little help from our friends. If we all do this, we can make it through tough times, together.

Wordtracker

Top 500 Search Engine Keywords Of The Week - February 4, 2009

This week's list of the top 500 most frequently searched keywords....

Brian Cooper

Google Street View Continues to Raise Privacy Concerns

Google Street View, a Google Maps feature that lets users see images of streets and the surrounding areas, continues to generate controversy. Since its launch in May 2007, the feature has prompted questions about whether it constitutes an invasion of privacy, complaints about inappropriate images, and even a lawsuit.

Eric Brown

SOCIAL MEDIA FAIL

If you think your customers aren't talking about you, better rethink your position. You can no longer bury your head in the sand without suffering the consequences. The story reported in the New York Times last week is a classic example of what Not To Do. It outraged folks and drew over eighty comments. Every company, small medium or large should be listening, and taking action. The world is different today, take heed, grasp and embrace this space we call Social Media.

How do you get a specific Web page indexed?

Untouchable: Sage's All Time Favorite Movie Scene

The World Is A Mess. Here's What You Can Do.

Dy-No-Mite Solutions to Dynamic Content Problems

Six Key Tactics for Organic Success

Social Media Year over Year Stats

Social Media Or An Electronic Billboard

Google's K-Pack Rocks Local

Dominating Your SEO Competition Through Competitive Knowledge

ADVERTISING, A HORRIFIC WASTE OF MONEY

The Latest In Local Search - SMX West And More

Don't Over-Think It! Yes, You Too Can Do SEO

Is there a standard way to measure conversions?

SEO Bootcamp: Bring in the SEO Before You Build Your Site

Google's Latitude Has Vast Mobile Marketing Potential

How do you find keywords in a specialized industry?

In Tough Economic Times, We All Can Get By With a Little Help From Our Friends

Top 500 Search Engine Keywords Of The Week - February 4, 2009

Google Street View Continues to Raise Privacy Concerns

SOCIAL MEDIA FAIL