Check out our new Link Buying Starter Kit and get: 1. A Free Link Buying Guide 2. $100 in Free Text Link Ads Get started today!

A Glance at Trellian's Keyword Discovery Tool
by Jennifer Laycock - If you're new to the search engine optimization game, you've probably heard a bit about the paid subscription keyword research tools, but you might not have had a chance to play with all of them. While Wordtracker is probably still the most popular tool, Trellian's Keyword Discovery tool offers up quite a few options that make it a must-try service for any business that is serious about their search engine marketing.

The Best Keywords Ever
by Stoney deGeyter - No, I'm not going to give you a list of most searched or most clicked keywords or whatever. Instead I'm going to talk about how to determine which keywords will be the best for you.

Making Link Bait and Viral Marketing Work - Part One
by Jennifer Laycock - Two of the most popular buzz words in the online marketing realm right now are link baiting and viral marketing. These two tactics are a great way to build links and to build branding when constrained by small marketing budgets, but there are several things you need to remember when planning these types of campaigns.

Mobile Search Site Creation and Optimization: Part 2 of 2
by Ross Dunn - The following is Part 2 of the coverage of the Search Engine Strategies (SES) New York presentation called "Mobile Search Optimization" by Cindy Krum of Blue Moon Works, Gregory Markel, President of Infuse Creative LLC and Rachel Pasqua, Director of Mobile Marketing at iCrossing.

Mobile Search Site Creation and Optimization: Part 1 of 2
by Ross Dunn - The following is coverage of the Search Engine Strategies (SES) New York presentation called "Mobile Search Optimization" by Cindy Krum of Blue Moon Works, Gregory Markel, President of Infuse Creative LLC and Rachel Pasqua, Director of Mobile Marketing at iCrossing.

Copywriting Makeover: Value vs. Vision - Part 2 of 2
by Karon Thackston - In Part 1 of this series, we discovered that explaining the value your products offer is only one part of the copywriting process. Creating a visual image is another. While Wholesalers USA knew their target customers better than most companies do, they needed help with two areas: optimizing their copy for the search engines and incorporating visual imagery.

Custom 404 Pages Aid Search Engine Optimization
by Lisa Barone - Despite your best efforts, users will click on broken links, they'll mistype a URL, guess wrong at what they think a URL should be or try to access a bookmarked page that has since moved. Users do all sorts of things to get themselves confused; sometimes it's not even their fault. And when they do, they'll meet your 404 page.

Lost Rankings Due to Site Redesign or Spam?
by Jill Whalen - We recently released our new website in Feb. and prior to release we held the number 1 position on Google for [our main keyword phrase] and the number 3 slot and number 2 spots for [additional keyword phrases]. Within days of our release our rankings fell through the roof as did the number of quality Google leads that were coming through our doors. Is it normal to fall like this after the launch of a new site?

Ongoing AdTech Coverage
Lisa Barone, my other favorite female blogger (my favorite, of course, being myself :-P) is covering more than a dozen sessions at this week's AdTech conference. For those of you that weren't able to make it to the show (or that just didn't want to go), it will be worth keeping an eye on the Bruce Clay blog to pick up any useful tidbits of information Lisa snags from the sessions.

A Glance at Trellian's Keyword Discovery Tool
If you're new to the search engine optimization game, you've probably heard a bit about the paid subscription keyword research tools, but you might not have had a chance to play with all of them. While Wordtracker is probably still the most popular tool, Trellian's Keyword Discovery tool offers up quite a few options that make it a must-try service for any business that is serious about their search engine marketing. (skip to "A Glance at Trellian's Keyword Discovery Tool" by Jennifer Laycock)

Protecting Your Links from Spying Eyes
There's been a lot of furor in the industry recently over Matt Cutts' blog post about hunting down paid links. While neither Matt nor Google have been forthcoming about what exactly they plan to do with that data, folks like Marketing Pilgrim's Jeremy Luebke are stepping up to offer some suggestions on how to keep your competitors from tracking down your incoming links.

You Can't Ignore the Conversation Any Longer
There's a great article in the Baltimore Sun that looks at the power of consumer voices online and the way that those voices can impact the success (or failure) of a company. With social media taking off like a firestorm and YouTube alone having more content online last year than the entire web did in 2000, companies that continue to ignore online reputation management are doing so at their own peril.

Defining Value of Social Media Campaigns
One of the challenges of viral marketing and social media campaigns is tracking the return on your investment. While it's fairly easy to say "sales went up" or "traffic went up," figuring out the actual monetary impact so that you can justify your spending can be difficult. That's why the teams at Fox Interactive Media and Carat have released a study that aims to quantify the success of two Carat clients that ventured into the social media realm.

The Best Keywords Ever
No, I'm not going to give you a list of most searched or most clicked keywords or whatever. Instead I'm going to talk about how to determine which keywords will be the best for you. (skip to "The Best Keywords Ever" by Stoney deGeyter)

Build Links Through Social Communities (But Not How You Think)
Much has been made of the link potential of Web 2.0 and of the social networks that have sprung up in the last two years. While it's true that there's link potential there in terms of marketing and link bait tactics, Debra Mastaler puts together a great post over at Search Engine Land today that talks about some overlooked ways of building links on the new web.

Build Relationships with Your Readers
Now I know that many of you just read that and said "Geeze Jen, we get it already!!" Stick with me though, because I'm not going to tell you yet again how important it is to build relationships online. (Ok, I am, but I'm going to tell you how to do it in a new way.)

Easy Ranking on Trusted Sites
Scoring links from a .edu web site is a fairly well known link building technique. Google tends to place a lot of trust on .edu sites and finding a way to harness that trust is nothing new in the game of search engine optimization. It's with that thought in mind that Badi Jones of SEOlogs points out .edu sites that are dominating the rankings for hot terms.

Making Link Bait and Viral Marketing Work - Part One
Two of the most popular buzz words in the online marketing realm right now are link baiting and viral marketing. These two tactics are a great way to build links and to build branding when constrained by small marketing budgets, but there are several things you need to remember when planning these types of campaigns. (skip to "Making Link Bait and Viral Marketing Work - Part One" by Jennifer Laycock)

Mobile Search Site Creation and Optimization: Part 2 of 2
The following is Part 2 of the coverage of the Search Engine Strategies (SES) New York presentation called "Mobile Search Optimization" by Cindy Krum of Blue Moon Works, Gregory Markel, President of Infuse Creative LLC and Rachel Pasqua, Director of Mobile Marketing at iCrossing. (skip to "Mobile Search Site Creation and Optimization: Part 2 of 2" by Ross Dunn)

It's Who You Know...But Not How You Think...
It's long been said that it's not what you know, it's who you know that will get you places in life. While that may be true, to an extent, in the real world, it's often VERY true when it comes to thinks like link building. It's absolutely essential when it comes to link baiting. Have you given some thought to who your friends are lately?

Google Bombing Isn't Dead Quite Yet
A few months back, I wrote about the supposed end of Googlebombing. Not long after, I had my run-in with the National Pork Board and ended up ranking seventh for the term. At the time, it was easy enough to point out that the filter was still working because my page included the search term and I was actively trying to rank for the phrase. Well, that's true, but that still didn't mean that Googlebombing was dead.

Mobile Search Site Creation and Optimization: Part 1 of 2
The following is coverage of the Search Engine Strategies (SES) New York presentation called "Mobile Search Optimization" by Cindy Krum of Blue Moon Works, Gregory Markel, President of Infuse Creative LLC and Rachel Pasqua, Director of Mobile Marketing at iCrossing. (skip to "Mobile Search Site Creation and Optimization: Part 1 of 2" by Ross Dunn)

Copywriting Makeover: Value vs. Vision - Part 2 of 2
In Part 1 of this series, we discovered that explaining the value your products offer is only one part of the copywriting process. Creating a visual image is another. While Wholesalers USA knew their target customers better than most companies do, they needed help with two areas: optimizing their copy for the search engines and incorporating visual imagery. (skip to "Copywriting Makeover: Value vs. Vision - Part 2 of 2" by Karon Thackston)

Whose Your Favorite SEO's Celebrity Look-a-Like?
Matt McGee has put together a cute little piece of link bait over at the Small Business SEM blog. He takes more than a dozen well known faces from the search marketing world (yes, my mug is among them) and offers up a picture of both the SEM and their celebrity look-a-like as suggested by MyHeritage.com. There are some pretty impressive matches among his list, though I had a little issue with mine.

Custom 404 Pages Aid Search Engine Optimization
Despite your best efforts, users will click on broken links, they'll mistype a URL, guess wrong at what they think a URL should be or try to access a bookmarked page that has since moved. Users do all sorts of things to get themselves confused; sometimes it's not even their fault. And when they do, they'll meet your 404 page. (skip to "Custom 404 Pages Aid Search Engine Optimization" by Lisa Barone)

Lost Rankings Due to Site Redesign or Spam?
We recently released our new website in Feb. and prior to release we held the number 1 position on Google for [our main keyword phrase] and the number 3 slot and number 2 spots for [additional keyword phrases]. Within days of our release our rankings fell through the roof as did the number of quality Google leads that were coming through our doors. Is it normal to fall like this after the launch of a new site? (skip to "Lost Rankings Due to Site Redesign or Spam?" by Jill Whalen)

Nikon Focuses in on Bloggers with New Campaign
More and more companies are understanding the value of approaching bloggers for product reviews and Nikon appears to be the latest. Word is spreading that Nikon has selected 50 bloggers to send a $1000 camera to in the hopes that they'll both write about using it and post the pictures they've taken with it. It's an interesting idea, but I can't help but wonder if some of the terms of the campaign haven't been tainted my the recent bashing Microsoft received over their own blog marketing plan.

Mainstream Media Target Readers with Pay Per Click
While the mainstream media and newspaper outlets are often charged with failing to understand or utilize Internet advertising, it was interesting to see the response that many of them had this past week to the horrible tragedy that took place at Virginia Tech. In an article published yesterday evening, The New York Times reports on the media's use of paid search advertising to drive traffic to their own coverage of the event.

Finding Success Outside Your Target Audience
It's not often that a company finds success outside of its intended target market. But that seems to be what is happening with the makers of Slingbox.

How to get top 10 rankings on Google and Yahoo!
Internet Marketing experts and computer magazines recommend this tool.

Skaffe.com Directory: Show off your website Express Submit today.
Quality directories like Skaffe.com offer you strong search engine exposure.

Sporge Directory from Skaffe.com
Under new management! All new with low submission prices.

WoW Directory
Powerful and affordable directory marketing services. Submit your website today!

New! Team Skaffe Directory from the editors of Skaffe.com
Up to 4 links for every submission. Free submission for non-commercial websites.

Free SEO Tools
Thinking of buying SEO software? Then try the best SEO tools free first!

Does Google Checkout work for you? Results?
Digital Point Forums - "I have been considering adding the Google checkout option to my site. I was wondering how much use it has gotten on peoples sites that have other options like PayPal and standard merchant accounts... Anyone have percentage comparisons? I expected to see a lot more sites add it as an option."

New In Google SERPS; "View And Manage Your Web History"
Webmaster World - "...a new feature for Google Account users that makes it easy to view and search across the pages you've visited. If you remember seeing something online, you'll be able to find it faster and from any computer with Web History. Web History lets you look back in time, revisit the sites you've browsed, and search over the full text of pages you've seen."

Are Seo's Part Of The Problem For Smo?
Cre8asite Forums - "...in reference to how SEO's are known to use and try to 'manipulate' Social Media, and points to the recent urging of the Steven Colbert as 'Greatest Living American' Google Bomb going on (complete with prizes!)."

Is Being "html 4.01 Transitional" Important?
High Rankings Forum - "I want to get this statistics tracking code inserted into my website but my SEO company is saying it will make my pages: '...no longer valid HTML 4.01 Transitional and that will hinder my SEO efforts because of performance, etc.' Does this have any truth to it?"

Google Starting It's Own Version Of Stumbleupon
Cre8asite Forums - "Google has so many resources allocated to certain fields, that when they try to compete in other fields they struggle. Examples include Google Answers and Urchin. A little "dice" button on the Google toolbar isn't really competition, maybe consolation."

Matt Cutts And Paid Links, What is the big deal?
High Rankings Forum - "Well I'm certainly not scared of it. I just think it's awful, and I don't believe in helping search engines figure out their algos. If they can't figure out what to count and what not to count, they might want to change how they determine relevancy, imo."

Could Google Underreport This Much?
High Rankings Forum - "No third-party analytic software will provide as much or as accurate data as your raw server logs, but when you are working with raw server logs you need to have as much information about who is visiting your site as possible. Keeping up with all the robots is very tedious work. If the Webalizer stats show a lot of traffic from a handful of IP addresses, that may be an indication of proxy servers, robots, or high traffic modem pools."

How To Establish Business Credit
"I started a rehab business last year and would like to purchase the homes using my business not my personal credit. What would be the best way to establish my business credit to be able eventually to purchase the homes in my business name."

Using Blog Search Engines To Build Links
"One of the questions that often pops up when I teach small businesses about link building is where to go to find sites to request links from. While most businesses understand the idea of going to directories and search engines and finding sites that way, many don't yet understand the power of using blog search engines to seek out blogs to target with your link building campaign."

Does This Infringe Copyright?
"Beware the YouTube pitfall ... site disclaimers are not a replacement for copyright clearance. If you intend to distribute images (even mosaics) under another person's copyright, you need to get clearance to do so."

Check out our new Link Buying Starter Kit and get: 1. A Free Link Buying Guide 2. $100 in Free Text Link Ads Get started today!