Getting your site ready for mobile-first indexing
Monday, December 18, 2017
Showing posts with label Google+. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Google+. Show all posts
Thursday, March 1, 2018
Google and Mobile Search: Get Your Site Ready for "Mobile-First Indexing".
A great article from the Google Webmaster Central Blog. The shift to mobile search continues motivate Google to make changes in its bot crawling and webpage indexing protocols.
Getting your site ready for mobile-first indexing
Monday, December 18, 2017
Getting your site ready for mobile-first indexing
Monday, December 18, 2017
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Aggressive Link Building for B2B SEO is a Fool's Game
Artificial link-building for short-term B2B SEO advantage is a mirage and an affliction.
Don't do it.
You don't need to engage in artificial and risky attempts to build links to boost your webpage's B2B SEO success.
My SEO philosophy is to build quality content, target and exploite long-tail-search opportunities, and network those pages into cohesive and related clusters of relevant content. Then let the search engines rank these pages, ideally getting to page one results. When done correctly, this will encourage the proactive creation of quality, natural, inbound links from other websites which find my material relevant and worthy.
Inbound links are valuable if they are organic, have natural fit, are mostly unsolicited, and come from quality sources. Call this the 'white hat' laissez faire school of 'let them come' link SEO.
Buying links, joining link networks and participating in link-farms are blatant attempts to unnaturally and artificially circumvent search engine organic ranking systems. Search Engines hate these 'black hat' tactics because they can pollute organic search results with spammy pages of poor quality, pushing more deserving webpages down in rankings. Such tactics can create manipulated results which strike at the core consumer value of Google and BING. That's why Matt Cutts and Google have declared war on unnatural link-builders attempting to "game" SERP results.
I've witnessed various in-house marketers and agencies proclaim that acquiring links was their primary tactic. It didn't seem to matter that their webpages content was ageing, verbose, too broad, and too long. Nor did it matter that their webpage organization and hierarchy was poor. Never mind that their webpages violated the principles of long-tail-search and the content was not concise, not precise, nor relevant. None of that mattered. Chasing links would do the heavy lifting for SEO success, wouldn't it? No, not really. Especially not if you are in for the long-haul.
In my 12+ years of search engine marketing and lead generation success, I've never engaged in a systematic attempt to increase the number of inbound links to my websites. Not once. I'm too busy optimizing niche content, focusing on long-tail-search, and enhancing website structure and hierarchy. In other words, I am focused on providing a superior, quality, product for humans (my potential customers) and search engines.
During a recent presentation I gave on Search Engine Marketing, during Q&A someone asked why I had not brought up link-building. When I told them that my success has come without link-building projects, there was an audible gasp from several people in the audience. I was apparently committing a form of SEO Linking blasphemy, in their link-loving minds at least.
Link-building hurts the innocent, too. I've met a some poor souls recently whose company websites were hit hard by recent Google updates and actions. Their pages dropped out of vital page one search results. Their company websites, built invariably by some hired, local SEO agency and/or 'seo expert', were set-up for disaster because a major part of the SEO strategy was to buy links. Once Google's anti-spam filters caught up with these sites, they were severely punished. Now these companies are scrambling to rebuild their sites, disavow links, and petition Google to give them another chance.
Matt Cutts video on "Unnatural Links to Site":
Creating a B2B search engine optimization programs based on aggressive link-building is fraught with danger, risk, and ultimate failure. "Black Hat" link-building may look like a short-cut to SEO success, but in the end such link-building tactics can, and will, backfire.
Focus on precise content, relevant content, webpage organization, and long-tail-search instead. You'll be amply rewarded.
Feed Your Website. Feed IT.
Don't do it.
You don't need to engage in artificial and risky attempts to build links to boost your webpage's B2B SEO success.
My SEO philosophy is to build quality content, target and exploite long-tail-search opportunities, and network those pages into cohesive and related clusters of relevant content. Then let the search engines rank these pages, ideally getting to page one results. When done correctly, this will encourage the proactive creation of quality, natural, inbound links from other websites which find my material relevant and worthy.
Inbound links are valuable if they are organic, have natural fit, are mostly unsolicited, and come from quality sources. Call this the 'white hat' laissez faire school of 'let them come' link SEO.
Buying links, joining link networks and participating in link-farms are blatant attempts to unnaturally and artificially circumvent search engine organic ranking systems. Search Engines hate these 'black hat' tactics because they can pollute organic search results with spammy pages of poor quality, pushing more deserving webpages down in rankings. Such tactics can create manipulated results which strike at the core consumer value of Google and BING. That's why Matt Cutts and Google have declared war on unnatural link-builders attempting to "game" SERP results.
I've witnessed various in-house marketers and agencies proclaim that acquiring links was their primary tactic. It didn't seem to matter that their webpages content was ageing, verbose, too broad, and too long. Nor did it matter that their webpage organization and hierarchy was poor. Never mind that their webpages violated the principles of long-tail-search and the content was not concise, not precise, nor relevant. None of that mattered. Chasing links would do the heavy lifting for SEO success, wouldn't it? No, not really. Especially not if you are in for the long-haul.
 |
| Play to Win, without buying Links. |
During a recent presentation I gave on Search Engine Marketing, during Q&A someone asked why I had not brought up link-building. When I told them that my success has come without link-building projects, there was an audible gasp from several people in the audience. I was apparently committing a form of SEO Linking blasphemy, in their link-loving minds at least.
Link-building hurts the innocent, too. I've met a some poor souls recently whose company websites were hit hard by recent Google updates and actions. Their pages dropped out of vital page one search results. Their company websites, built invariably by some hired, local SEO agency and/or 'seo expert', were set-up for disaster because a major part of the SEO strategy was to buy links. Once Google's anti-spam filters caught up with these sites, they were severely punished. Now these companies are scrambling to rebuild their sites, disavow links, and petition Google to give them another chance.
Matt Cutts video on "Unnatural Links to Site":
Creating a B2B search engine optimization programs based on aggressive link-building is fraught with danger, risk, and ultimate failure. "Black Hat" link-building may look like a short-cut to SEO success, but in the end such link-building tactics can, and will, backfire.
Focus on precise content, relevant content, webpage organization, and long-tail-search instead. You'll be amply rewarded.
Feed Your Website. Feed IT.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Google Search Amit Singhal At SMX West 2014
Amit Singhal, the top manager of Google Search, was interviewed by Search Engine Land's Danny Sullivan during SMX 2014 in San Jose. Here is a link to that interview. For anyone who is exploiting search engine marketing for leads, revenue, and ecommerce, this interview is worth a quick read.Live Blog: Head Of Google Search Amit Singhal Keynote At SMX West 2014
There is also a surprise appearance from another famous Google Employee.
A partial video feed can be seen on YouTube.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
New Google Interactive Infographic: How Search Works
Here is a great review and update on Google's search criteria for ranking quality organic search results, courtesy of Danny Sullivan and Search Engine Land.
You can view the animated and interactive Google infographic in the Google.com "Inside Search" website section: HOW SEARCH WORKS - From algorithms to answers ("The Story").
Google has now searched and indexed over 30 Trillion webpages, which is one of the reasons why Google is the best search engine around and dominates the global search engine market.
Search Marketing Expo – SMX West is this month (March 2012) in San Jose, California.
You can view the animated and interactive Google infographic in the Google.com "Inside Search" website section: HOW SEARCH WORKS - From algorithms to answers ("The Story").Google has now searched and indexed over 30 Trillion webpages, which is one of the reasons why Google is the best search engine around and dominates the global search engine market.
Search Marketing Expo – SMX West is this month (March 2012) in San Jose, California.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Is Saying SEO is Dead... Dead?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is not Dead. But don't get too complacent.
SEO extinction doom and gloom tends to come out of hiding whenever Google makes notable changes to its search algorithm. As Google is a quasi-monopoly in search, these dire alarms should be looked at and evaluated. The changes made by Google primarily focus on filtering out spammers and improving SERP quality. Big changes like Panda and Penguin can crush black and grey hat SEO efforts. But white hat SEO rarely is adversely affected. So use white hat tactics. In other words, if you conduct your SEO efforts with your target market needs, website usability, and original content relevancy as top of mind, then you'll have a good chance to succeed with organic search optimization for Google, Bing, Blekko, and other search sites. |
| Here lie the ancient ruins of SEO, destroyed by barbarian pandas, penguins, and SERPs. |
Search Engine Land has produced a humorous infographic detailing the failed predictions of SEO disaster and SEO death over the years. Folks have been predicting the death of SEO for as long as SEO became an acronym for search engine optimization.
As someone who has been successfully conducting and managing B-to-B web marketing SEO for over 10 years, I find this infographic amusing and entertaining. We've heard urgent 'SEO is Dead' warnings before, I just didn't realize that SEO downfall predictors have been at this for so long. This infographic pulls all the SEO doom and gloom prognosticators together in one handy guide.
To see this infographic please visit: "The Death Of SEO, Failed Predictions Over The Years"
For anyone who has been at SEO for a few years, predictions that the SEO sky is falling can have a déjà vu feeling. Like other apocalyptic predictions of death and destruction (zombie invasion, thermo-nuclear war, magnetic pole reversal, peak oil, mega-quakes, killer asteroids, alien invasion, supernovas, super-bug pandemics, evil super-computers, mega-solar storms, etc.) this one has not happened, just yet. Given enough time, like a Monte-Carlo probability simulation, the unthinkable could happen, SEO could be squashed like a bug one day. So in this regard we shouldn't mock SEO death predictors, but monitor their early-warning chatter. One day, they could get it right.
Alternatives to Google Analytics 'Not Provided' Organic Search Keywords: Google Closes The Curtain on Organic Keyword Research.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Life after Google Penguin - Pretty Good!
How has your SEO life been faring after Google’s Penguin update?
Mr. Milind Mody, CEO at eBrandz, has posted an excellent question on Linked-in today regarding search engine marketing and the Penguin Google search updates which have shaken up the SEO industry.
His question is straightforward:
"How has your Life been after Google’s Penguin Update? – Diagnose, Recover, Rebuild"
My answer is essentially: No Worries. (Good) Content is (Still) King
Here is my extended answer, posted on Linked-in:
I can discuss B-to-B search engine marketing, I realize B-to-C is a different matter. The SERP rankings for the B-to-B businesses that I cover are excellent, and even 'dominate' many important search results. I've been enjoying this happy state of affairs for years now. I focus on the target customers first and try to provide relevant + concise + precise long-tail content, apply suitable internal cross-linking, use niche social media and other 'white hat' best practices.
I do not engage in link-buying, nor spend time on link-building campaigns. I trim extraneous content to enhance the pages for both the reader and Google. I ignore artificial techniques attempting to 'game' the system in a useless attempt to acquire inbound links. I don't need them!
Penguin, Panda, Farmer and the rest of the Google anti-spam updates have cleaned up the SERPs and have benefited my content focused pages and my SERP results. I try to stay on a virtuous path regarding SEO... this approach has brought significant benefits to our search engine marketing and lead generation results.
Learn more about the Penguin SEO anti-spam updates:
Mr. Milind Mody, CEO at eBrandz, has posted an excellent question on Linked-in today regarding search engine marketing and the Penguin Google search updates which have shaken up the SEO industry.
His question is straightforward:
"How has your Life been after Google’s Penguin Update? – Diagnose, Recover, Rebuild"
My answer is essentially: No Worries. (Good) Content is (Still) King
Here is my extended answer, posted on Linked-in:
 |
| Matt Cutts + Google + Penquin = SERP Pain & Suffering for Some. |
I do not engage in link-buying, nor spend time on link-building campaigns. I trim extraneous content to enhance the pages for both the reader and Google. I ignore artificial techniques attempting to 'game' the system in a useless attempt to acquire inbound links. I don't need them!
Penguin, Panda, Farmer and the rest of the Google anti-spam updates have cleaned up the SERPs and have benefited my content focused pages and my SERP results. I try to stay on a virtuous path regarding SEO... this approach has brought significant benefits to our search engine marketing and lead generation results.
Learn more about the Penguin SEO anti-spam updates:
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Fun With Big Data @ SES San Francisco 2012
Big Data and Analytics
Search Engine Strategies covers a wide range of important topics to web marketers, which is why I find great value in attending this conference. Today, the first day of the official three day conference was especially valuable for me by focusing on one big topic: Big Data.
It was hard to avoid Big Data and its related sibling, Web Analytics today at SES.
Big Data is everywhere.
Avinash Kaushik Keynote Speech:
The opening keynote address at SES San Francisco was by Avinash Kaushik, Digital Marketing Evangelist at Google. In Avinash's enthusiastic, entertaining and informative speech he revealed hard facts, trends and tools regarding social media strategies, data, data visualization, and more. He stressed analytics as a powerful tool to understand what is going on in your website, and shared some excellent data driven visualization sources, including http://d3js.org/. Avinash stressed that one should understand ultimate behavior before taking action, citing a common mistake of 'killing off' many generic search terms because they do not convert on the first visit.... when in fact they are often a crucial first step in the sales cycle. Understand the data behind the activity before doing something you'll regret later!
Mr. Kaushik addressed Social Media measurement. Social Media, he said, is permanently changing Marketing, but slowly. Successful social media should add value to the lives of the audience. Post and tweet outward, link to outside sources. "Interrupt the audience at the point of need. Then fulfill that need!". Tell your audience something new and useful. Tweeting about recent promotion of a VP in your company does not pass this test. Avinash's ideas on how to measure social media data can be found at Best Social Media Metrics: Conversation, Amplification, Applause, Economic Value. He also shared an interesting social measurement tool at: http://www.truesocialmetrics.com/.
Big Data: What Marketers Need to Know:
Speaker: Bryan Eisenberg, SES Advisory Board, www.bryaneisenberg.com
"The Money is in the Data". Brian drives this point home over and over again with real world examples of how companies are generating more success, revenue and profits by seeking to understand the huge mountains of data they own, and then exploiting that data. Amazon is a key example of how a company exploits the data it owns for success. Some key points from Mr. Eisenberg:
Introduction to Analytics:
Speaker: Matthew Bailey, SES Advisory Board; President of Site Logic Marketing
Matt Bailey is an expert on Google Analytics, and just as importantly an expert on how to apply the vast amount of big data produced to practical and effective use for superior website performance and financial results.
Some of the many key points made by Matt:
Matt Bailey has a stellar business-centric focus on data and analytics, along with his skills in web design, SEO, and usability. I hired him as a consultant during a key exploratory phase of our next generation website project. Mr. Bailey has an excellent book I strongly suggest to anyone conducting web marketing of any kind: "Internet Marketing: An Hour a Day".
Search Engine Strategies covers a wide range of important topics to web marketers, which is why I find great value in attending this conference. Today, the first day of the official three day conference was especially valuable for me by focusing on one big topic: Big Data.
 |
| Opening Keynote address by Google's Avinash Kanshik. |
Big Data is everywhere.
Avinash Kaushik Keynote Speech:
The opening keynote address at SES San Francisco was by Avinash Kaushik, Digital Marketing Evangelist at Google. In Avinash's enthusiastic, entertaining and informative speech he revealed hard facts, trends and tools regarding social media strategies, data, data visualization, and more. He stressed analytics as a powerful tool to understand what is going on in your website, and shared some excellent data driven visualization sources, including http://d3js.org/. Avinash stressed that one should understand ultimate behavior before taking action, citing a common mistake of 'killing off' many generic search terms because they do not convert on the first visit.... when in fact they are often a crucial first step in the sales cycle. Understand the data behind the activity before doing something you'll regret later!
Mr. Kaushik addressed Social Media measurement. Social Media, he said, is permanently changing Marketing, but slowly. Successful social media should add value to the lives of the audience. Post and tweet outward, link to outside sources. "Interrupt the audience at the point of need. Then fulfill that need!". Tell your audience something new and useful. Tweeting about recent promotion of a VP in your company does not pass this test. Avinash's ideas on how to measure social media data can be found at Best Social Media Metrics: Conversation, Amplification, Applause, Economic Value. He also shared an interesting social measurement tool at: http://www.truesocialmetrics.com/.
Big Data: What Marketers Need to Know:
Speaker: Bryan Eisenberg, SES Advisory Board, www.bryaneisenberg.com
"The Money is in the Data". Brian drives this point home over and over again with real world examples of how companies are generating more success, revenue and profits by seeking to understand the huge mountains of data they own, and then exploiting that data. Amazon is a key example of how a company exploits the data it owns for success. Some key points from Mr. Eisenberg:
- We are surrounded by data. Today the world produces more data in 2 days than was previously produced from 2003 going back all the way into ancient history. 190,000 additional data scientists will be needed in the next 3 years.
- Big Data = Complex Data.
- Understanding Big Data takes People, Processes, and Tools.
- The process for understanding Big Data requires planning, improving, measuring, then repeating.
- Important Big Data Tools come in several flavors: Analytical Tools, Predictive Analytics Tools, Data Driven Tools, and Adaptive Learning and Optimization Tools.
- There is significant latent value in the piles of web visitor data your analytics tool is sitting on. There are new tools and companies out there which can help you understand and then leverage this data.
- Bryan is a member of the Digital Analytics Association.
- The blog to the DAA organization is at: http://waablog.webanalyticsassociation.org/
Introduction to Analytics:
Speaker: Matthew Bailey, SES Advisory Board; President of Site Logic Marketing
Matt Bailey is an expert on Google Analytics, and just as importantly an expert on how to apply the vast amount of big data produced to practical and effective use for superior website performance and financial results.
Some of the many key points made by Matt:
- Customize analytics to work for You.
- STOP pushing out meaningless data every month in your reports. Break the habit.
- Avoid repetitive 'copy and paste' analytics reporting.
- Go beyond- - into real data which can be actionable. Build content and measure intent.
- Ask questions: Where did the visitor come from? What did they see? How did they react?
- Set Goals, Segment, Define Conversions. Then Measure! Ask "Are we meeting business goals?"
- Goals can be simply stated: What makes me $, What will make me $, What could make me $.
- You define what is a conversion.
- Dig deeper to get beyond superficial measurements, such as bounce rate. A high bounce rate may in fact be a good thing and suggests an opportunity to exploit. Understand the data.
- Unique visitors are actually unique devices such as computers, phones, tablets... not 100% people. Therefore this metric is not dependable.
- Build Context with Keywords. Put the Keywords into Buckets and sub-Buckets to Segment and analyze.
- Value: What is the value of a lead? Value by Keyword? Value by Landing Page?
- Value is the missing metric you must supply. "Visitors who searched for ____ are worth ____ $$$".
- Don't forget to data-mine your internal search engine's data.
- Keyword ranking reports are good if Context is understood.
- Keyword analysis - look at value, not rank alone.
- There was a lot more big data and analytics wisdom given, I just couldn't write it all down!
Matt Bailey has a stellar business-centric focus on data and analytics, along with his skills in web design, SEO, and usability. I hired him as a consultant during a key exploratory phase of our next generation website project. Mr. Bailey has an excellent book I strongly suggest to anyone conducting web marketing of any kind: "Internet Marketing: An Hour a Day".
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
How does Google search work?
Matt Cutts describes the Google Search process in under eight minutes in this very educational video. Matt also provides some some interesting Google history.
How Search Works - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNHR6IQJGZs
Connect with Erik Holladay on Linkedin.
Search Engine Marketing is Industrial Strength Lead Generation (Or Should Be).
How Search Works - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNHR6IQJGZs
Connect with Erik Holladay on Linkedin.
Search Engine Marketing is Industrial Strength Lead Generation (Or Should Be).
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Inside a Google Search Engine Meeting - Video
Google offers a real-life glimpse into a Search Engine Meeting inside the Mountain View HQ. You might recognize some of the attendees... Matt Cutts, for example.
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| Lights, Camera, SERP: Google Quality Launch Review Meeting |
Meeting participants gathered in Mountain View and joined on videoconference from Moscow, New York, Zurich, Seoul, Haifa, Tokyo, and other locations.
Obviously, Google released this video because there are no hidden, amazing, newly revealed algorithm secrets to encourage black-hat spammers and all SEO practitioners to 'game' the system. But this is still a remarkable, if transitory, lifting of the Google curtain of secrecy. I very much enjoyed watching this..... talented Google denizens coming to life.
Why do I feel like I'm a fly on the wall of a secretive Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meeting? LOL.
A very special thanks to Brandignity for bringing this to my attention!
You can watch this Google Video at:
http://insidesearch.blogspot.com/2012/03/video-search-quality-meeting-uncut.html
Connect with Erik Holladay on Linkedin.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Thoughts on PANDA, FARMER and other Search Engine Creatures.
Like so many other Google algorithm changes, "PANDA" and "FARMER" caused quite a lot of intentional panic, chaos and scrambling for many search engine marketers who depend upon search engine rankings for leads and affiliate and referral business.
The intentions of Google in making these changes to their search engine ranking methodology are noble. Google wants to keep relevancy of organic search results the top priority. This focus on relevancy and perceived neutrality is the reason why users love Google as a search engine resource, and why Google blew past all of its major competitors years ago.
We search engine marketeers are always trying to beat our competitors and rank high in Google. This goal is is to be expected and is healthy if content is king. But when "spammy" websites (including websites full of links, ads, and little original relevant content) try to "game" the system by attempting to manipulate Google's search ranking algorithms to rank high in organic search result pages (SERPs), the alarm bells ring in Mountain View and Google seeks to change the rules of the SEO game to push "spammers" down or out of search engine results. Google wants quality results, pure and simple, their customers are the end-users making the search, not us marketing types seeking SEO nirvana.
What impact are "PANDA" and "FARMER" updates having on my own webpages and websites?
My experience with Google SEO updates, including PANDA and FARMER, going back to 2003, is that the impact has been beneficial or neutral to my niche B-to-B webpages.
I try to always follow the SEO content school of keeping web content concise, precise, original, and relevant to my target audience and markets, with good website navigation, etc. My focus on relevancy and precision has been working extremely well for organic search.
There is usually a lot of excited SEO marketing chatter whenever Google rolls out a publicized search algorithm update... these Google tweaks go on all the time, and many changes are made under the radar. The only people who appear to really need to be concerned about these Google updates and changes seem to be those with websites which have marginal or poor content, are 'spammy', and engage in nefarious 'black hat' practices.
Regarding Google search results overall, there is always room for improvement... but then again, all the other search engines like BING and ASK have plenty of room for improvement. Search engine rankings are dynamic and always changing. This helps make the search engine optimization game never boring and always very interesting!
The intentions of Google in making these changes to their search engine ranking methodology are noble. Google wants to keep relevancy of organic search results the top priority. This focus on relevancy and perceived neutrality is the reason why users love Google as a search engine resource, and why Google blew past all of its major competitors years ago.
What impact are "PANDA" and "FARMER" updates having on my own webpages and websites?
My experience with Google SEO updates, including PANDA and FARMER, going back to 2003, is that the impact has been beneficial or neutral to my niche B-to-B webpages.
I try to always follow the SEO content school of keeping web content concise, precise, original, and relevant to my target audience and markets, with good website navigation, etc. My focus on relevancy and precision has been working extremely well for organic search.
There is usually a lot of excited SEO marketing chatter whenever Google rolls out a publicized search algorithm update... these Google tweaks go on all the time, and many changes are made under the radar. The only people who appear to really need to be concerned about these Google updates and changes seem to be those with websites which have marginal or poor content, are 'spammy', and engage in nefarious 'black hat' practices.
Regarding Google search results overall, there is always room for improvement... but then again, all the other search engines like BING and ASK have plenty of room for improvement. Search engine rankings are dynamic and always changing. This helps make the search engine optimization game never boring and always very interesting!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Suggested Reading: "How Google Makes Algorithm Changes"
If you are involved with organic search engine marketing, and your lead generating is thriving or suffering depending upon how the search engine gods treat your webpages, then you should read this informative and eye-opening blog by Jennifer Ledbetter, otherwise known at as the author of "PotPieGirl.com".
In October 2011 she wrote an excellent blog offering insight into how Google engages in the complex work of making search engine algorithm changes, and on a little known fact that the human factor is applied as a sort of sanity check. Yes, the Android company will utilize humanoids as needed to check on computeroid algorithms.
 |
| Results by Algorithms, Computers, Humans? |
Google Search can be your "best friend" in SEM (it is very often for me), or your most stubborn "opponent" (ditto). Best to get to know Google as well as you can. Don't take it personally. This blog from Jennifer provides some great learning material.
What this particular blog posting on Google algorithm change processes will not do is help you write clear, concise, precise, and relevant content which will soar to the top of organic search engine rankings... there are no miraculous short-cuts and no SEO voodoo magic juice is available. But her fascinating blog will give you an interesting look at how Google works. Know your frenemy!
Google is not unlike a secretive government agency - - it must be deliberately murky, cloaked, vague, and always focused on keeping high relevancy in search results. This is a core mission. This is why Google is the number one search engine in the world. Thus, Google is always looking for spam and ways to eradicate it. This is why Google is always changing the search "rules" to keep a healthy advantage over the collective efforts of millions of clever people attempting to manipulate organic search results via SEO, seeking to gain top rank positions "deservedly" or not.
Visit www.potpiegirl.com to see more of Jennifer's work and services. Jennifer has a healthy fascination with Google's inner workings. We need enthusiastic people like her to help shed a little light behind the mysterious Mountain View curtain.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Google Ad Innovations @ SES San Francisco Live
The Google Ad Innovations session at the Search Engine Strategies SES Conference this week was a stellar example of why going to SES is so valuable for web marketing professionals. Here was a rare opportunity to hear directly from Google personnel about what's new and what's coming in Google ad marketing.
The Google team:
Dan Friedman - Google New Ad Formats
Bill Kee - Google Analytics
Alexandra Kenin - Google Optimization
Here is a short outline of what they shared:
1. Google Search Overview:
a. Ad Innovations Resource:
Excellent source for new information and updates at: http://www.google.com/ads/innovations/
b. "Search is becoming more Visual, Local and Personalized" - - with all that implies for how Google will continue to evolve search engine results (SERPs) in the coming year.
c. Google's ongoing mission is to continue to improve SERPs, and made searching more easy, relevant and intelligent.
2. Adwords Automation Rules:
a. Extended automation rules - schedule automatic changes to criteria you specify - free your time up.
b. Opportunities Tab - - optimization ideas can help customize your account and goals.
c. New Display feature - - Interest Categories. Activate 'Audiences Tab' - - there are over 100 categories. Over 500 million daily users are categorized in some manner.
3. New Google Ad Formats:
a. Make your Ad relevant. (What else would you expect from Google! LOL)
b. Ads are evolving at Google as the web evolves: "1/3 of Google ads are served in new formats."
c. Ad Sitelinks create lift. 3 Line sitelinks bring a 40% CTR lift. 1 line sitelinks a 17% CTR lift.
Related update: Google's New 'Sitelink' Search Dominates Results - PC World, Aug 16, 2011.
d. Ad sitelinks help your visitors navigate to your site pages faster and more efficiently.
e. Sub-category links allow for faster drill-down. Mobile ads can benefit from a 30% lift in CTR.
f. Product Ads: Ad Block of Product Listing Ads give 100% CTR Lift. Text ads with product extensions give a 6% CTR lift.
g. For ecommerce sites, Google Merchant Center links with your ad account. Commission based platform.
h. Google Media Ads: Combines Brand advertising with the 'Intent of Search'. Good for video, TV, entertainment, etc.
4. Local & Phone:
a. Click to Call Features: Mobile devices. Phone extensions. Adding phone number helps conversion.
b. "Vanity Phone Numbers can now be added." Example: 1-800-Flowers
c. Call Only creative available. Not a click-to-call. Helps to segment channels if needed.
d. Hyperlocal Ads: Increases phone call rate, reduces CPC.
e. Product Local Ads: Show in-store inventories
5. Adwords Experiments:
a. Adwords Campaign Experiments: Now in Opportunities Tab.
b. "Test Smart" - Test keywords, Bids, Ads, Ad Groups, Ad Creatives, Placements, Remarking Lists.
c. Run experiments on keyword and bid ideas.
6. Google Analytics: More data on funnel behavior and Social Media coming.
a. Most leads require 3 to 5 'touches' before conversion occurs. There is a need to better understand this process using analytics.
b. Multichannel Funnels built on goals and ecommerce. A set of 5 reports now available, providing an understanding of the path towards conversion.
c. The Impact of Social Media Beta: Social Interactions and Source - -"Tracking behavior across channels, including social media."
Whew! My apologies for such a lengthy blog post, but in this short 1 1/2 hour long presentation by Google there was a huge amount of valuable information and updates... this session alone made SES worth attending. There was something here for experienced search engine marketeers and novices alike. Having Google HQ, along with Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and other powerful web marketing platforms, just a short drive from the Moscone Center is an prime advantage for SES San Francisco.
Other sources on Google Innovations at SES San Francisco, 2011:
 |
| Google Adwords at SES San Francisco 2011. |
Dan Friedman - Google New Ad Formats
Bill Kee - Google Analytics
Alexandra Kenin - Google Optimization
Here is a short outline of what they shared:
1. Google Search Overview:
a. Ad Innovations Resource:
Excellent source for new information and updates at: http://www.google.com/ads/innovations/
b. "Search is becoming more Visual, Local and Personalized" - - with all that implies for how Google will continue to evolve search engine results (SERPs) in the coming year.
c. Google's ongoing mission is to continue to improve SERPs, and made searching more easy, relevant and intelligent.
2. Adwords Automation Rules:
a. Extended automation rules - schedule automatic changes to criteria you specify - free your time up.
b. Opportunities Tab - - optimization ideas can help customize your account and goals.
c. New Display feature - - Interest Categories. Activate 'Audiences Tab' - - there are over 100 categories. Over 500 million daily users are categorized in some manner.
3. New Google Ad Formats:
a. Make your Ad relevant. (What else would you expect from Google! LOL)
b. Ads are evolving at Google as the web evolves: "1/3 of Google ads are served in new formats."
- The latest display benchmarks and Adsense Ad formats from Google.
c. Ad Sitelinks create lift. 3 Line sitelinks bring a 40% CTR lift. 1 line sitelinks a 17% CTR lift.
Related update: Google's New 'Sitelink' Search Dominates Results - PC World, Aug 16, 2011.
d. Ad sitelinks help your visitors navigate to your site pages faster and more efficiently.
e. Sub-category links allow for faster drill-down. Mobile ads can benefit from a 30% lift in CTR.
f. Product Ads: Ad Block of Product Listing Ads give 100% CTR Lift. Text ads with product extensions give a 6% CTR lift.
g. For ecommerce sites, Google Merchant Center links with your ad account. Commission based platform.
h. Google Media Ads: Combines Brand advertising with the 'Intent of Search'. Good for video, TV, entertainment, etc.
4. Local & Phone:
a. Click to Call Features: Mobile devices. Phone extensions. Adding phone number helps conversion.
b. "Vanity Phone Numbers can now be added." Example: 1-800-Flowers
c. Call Only creative available. Not a click-to-call. Helps to segment channels if needed.
d. Hyperlocal Ads: Increases phone call rate, reduces CPC.
e. Product Local Ads: Show in-store inventories
5. Adwords Experiments:
a. Adwords Campaign Experiments: Now in Opportunities Tab.
b. "Test Smart" - Test keywords, Bids, Ads, Ad Groups, Ad Creatives, Placements, Remarking Lists.
c. Run experiments on keyword and bid ideas.
6. Google Analytics: More data on funnel behavior and Social Media coming.
a. Most leads require 3 to 5 'touches' before conversion occurs. There is a need to better understand this process using analytics.
b. Multichannel Funnels built on goals and ecommerce. A set of 5 reports now available, providing an understanding of the path towards conversion.
c. The Impact of Social Media Beta: Social Interactions and Source - -"Tracking behavior across channels, including social media."
Whew! My apologies for such a lengthy blog post, but in this short 1 1/2 hour long presentation by Google there was a huge amount of valuable information and updates... this session alone made SES worth attending. There was something here for experienced search engine marketeers and novices alike. Having Google HQ, along with Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and other powerful web marketing platforms, just a short drive from the Moscone Center is an prime advantage for SES San Francisco.
Other sources on Google Innovations at SES San Francisco, 2011:
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
SES Conference: Search Engine Strategies Live. Day One
I've just finished day one of Search Engine Marketing University..... an action-packed day at the SES Conference during CONNECTED Marketing Week. Today was a deep dive into search engine marketing and related areas. More tomorrow. Between the SEO and PPC presentation tracks it was a full and richly educational day. I had no time for the other tracks on Social Media, Accelerator and Kick Start topics. There is just too much to absorb, unless you send a team. I've never been able to attend an SES conference before due to timing and logistics.... finally did it, and I can say SES was well worth the wait. If you have to pick one mega-conference on Online Marketing, go to an SES Conference. You will learn literally hundreds of tactics, ideas, options and strategies to help make your marketing more effective and efficient. And there are two more days to go!
There were so many useful bits of expert knowledge broadcast to the large audiences today that I can only give you the briefest of outlines:
The Tools of the Trade for PPC:
Moderator: Kevin Lee, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Didit
"Don't look at Search as a silo. Look across channels."
"PPC audit process - look at structure, creative, tracking."
"Utilize Negative search terms"
Try "Match Type" campaigns to further target.
The Tools of the Trade for SEO:
 |
| SES Morning Session. |
The Tools of the Trade for PPC:
Moderator: Kevin Lee, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Didit
- Speakers:
- Thomas Bindl, SES Advisory Board & Founder & CEO, Refined Labs GmbH
Jeff Ferguson, CEO, Fang Digital
Tim Mayer, Chief Strategy Officer, Trada
"Don't look at Search as a silo. Look across channels."
"PPC audit process - look at structure, creative, tracking."
"Utilize Negative search terms"
Try "Match Type" campaigns to further target.
The Tools of the Trade for SEO:
 |
| Google and Symantec Exhibit Booths at SES. |
- Moderator:Rob Garner, Vice President Strategy, iCrossing
- Speakers:
Bruce Clay, President, Bruce Clay, Inc.
Jamie Smith, CEO, Engine Ready - "First set your website priorities and KPIs."
- "Review of Keyword research tools, SEO tools, Paid Search tools."
- "Visibility = Impression / Rank / Position"
- "Search marketing SERPs are changing, thanks to local search, instant search, etc."
- "Multichannel Analytics Beta available from Google. Ask your Google Rep about it."
- SEOToolSet Version 5 now out - - excellent presentation by Bruce Clay.
- "Social Media is emerging. Facebook has organic and PPC search sectors."
- "Search Engines enjoy higher conversion rates."
- "If you want to be in the top three organic search results, you better study the guys in those spots and BEAT them at their own game."
- Google and Links: "Trust Score getting more weight. Page Rank getting a bit less. All in an effort to reduce spam results."
- Insider Tips to Ad Optimization:
- Moderator:Bryan Eisenberg, SES Advisory Board and NYTimes Bestselling Author, bryaneisenberg.com
- Speakers:
Nicholas Gadacz, Director of Search, CafePress.com
David Greenbaum, Founder and CEO, BoostCTR
John Yi, Marketing API Program Manager, Facebook - "Get a copy of 'Ad Magic' from your Google Rep."
- "Use a team of Ad writers for better results - - reduces the blind spots."
- "Test Test Test - - - CTR and Conversion"
- "Facebook is optimizing for 'word of mouth' - - we're only 1% finished!"
- "Facebook is about a 'Friend's voice', not a 'brand voice' in terms of influence.
- "Facebook will provide more metrics for advertisers, they're coming."
- "Use resources to find those WORDS that SELL."
- Google Adwords Author, Expert and Trainer Brian Geddes was spotted during the morning sessions.
- Website SEO Expert and Author Matt Bailey was spotted at SES, and he hosted a table during lunch.
- Crossing the Digital Divide: The Leap from Search to Display:
- Moderator: Chris Sukornyk, CEO, Chango, Inc.
- Speakers:
Emily Iverson, Director of Display Media, Booyah Online Advertising
Bill Leake, President and CEO, Apogee Search - Yes, Display Ads do matter and they are going to play an even bigger role. And you can bid on them like Adwords. Search is "Pull" advertising. Display is "Push" advertising. You benefit from having both.
- DSPs are Display Side Platforms - - Services you can use to coordinate and bid on Display Ad space across many websites. Use only one DSP agency at a time or you'll bid against yourself.
DSPs can be very cost effective compared to massive display campaigns negotiated with large sites like Yahoo, NYT, etc. - "Use auction driven display ad options - be smart."
- The "Lift Factor"
Search + Display Ads running: +119% - Search Only: +82%
- Display Only: +16%
- "Google will be a winner in Display Ads."
- "Display + SEO + PPC = the biggest lift." Integrate them all.
- Display Ads are the best tool to fight market lack of awareness and low visibility challenges."
- "Exploit Google Trends for potential niche targeting and brand awareness."
Here in one day, four sessions, is plenty to think about and act upon. And I'm not including the sessions I missed from the other simultaneous tracks.... SES is huge and offers a lot to absorb.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
B-to-B Lead Generation: The Rise of the Web.
Lead Gen Revolution:
Dramatic change to Business-to-Business (B-to-B) lead generation in just 10 years.
Over the last decade, promoting technical services to businesses has been transformed, going from mostly 'physical' tactics like sales rep cold calls, trade shows, print ads and stamped mail shots to new technologies including dynamic websites, paid search, organic search, banner ads, social media, and email campaigns.
I am very lucky and privileged to have been a full and deep 'brick-and-mortar' web marketing player in this unique period of human history - when the business world became wired and went global. When marketing began to transform from 'analog' to 'digital'. Back in 2000, business websites were rather simple, static, 'brochure-ware webpages', not really written nor geared to this novel new way people could find and scan (not read) information on the web. Most people had only thin copper wire connectivity to the web. Broadband was expanding but a rarity. Worse, many sites were not search-engine friendly because search engines like Google and Overture were not a big factor in search engine traffic.... yet. Remember those disastrous 'framed' content management systems?
I had the pleasure of seeing my first web-leads generated in 1998, they came from extremely qualified customers who were technology savvy, early adapters - - they saw and understood the fantastic potential of the internet, and also appreciated it as extremely cool. They were the customers who kept asking me why we didn't have a website. After months of advocating and pushing, I secured agreement and resources to get the new site built. And surprise! We started to get visitors, and real live leads. That first web-lead in 1998 was very exciting, the beginning of a dramatic shift in lead gen, and a big surprise to skeptics and doubters.
How did the clients find us in those pioneer days? Promotion. Mostly because I insisted we have our URL domain and an email address printed on business cards, ads, listings, and promotional giveaways. Promotion was our primary way to build awareness of the site, search engines were not an important factor back then. I first heard about Google in 2000, and my first impression was that the name was pretty funny. Little did I know that because of Google, I would spend literally thousands of hours working on webpages, Adwords and Analytics to generate tens of thousands of B-to-B leads a year.
Once Google, Yahoo, Ask Jeeves, MSN (AKA: Paleolithic Bing), Copernicus, and many other search engines became popular, lead generation from B-to-B websites really took off. I am honored to have been involved in the exciting, early stages of this revolutionary change.
Organic and Paid search became extremely important for generating leads. A potential customer could now find that needle-in-the-haystack with relative ease - - you being that needle, that lucrative niche service, for example, if you did your job right!
The customer now controlled the lead generation process, to your advantage. If you took the initiative in, say 2003, with fresh web content and innovative paid search, and your competitors were oblivious (and most of them were), you could enjoy a near-monopoly on key search terms and web leads.... an enviable situation which is still possible today if you are dedicated, creative and focused.
Organic and Paid search became extremely important for generating leads. A potential customer could now find that needle-in-the-haystack with relative ease - - you being that needle, that lucrative niche service, for example, if you did your job right!
The customer now controlled the lead generation process, to your advantage. If you took the initiative in, say 2003, with fresh web content and innovative paid search, and your competitors were oblivious (and most of them were), you could enjoy a near-monopoly on key search terms and web leads.... an enviable situation which is still possible today if you are dedicated, creative and focused.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Where Google is Hiring.
Google Wants You - -
Google to Hire 6,200 New Positions in 2011 across the World.
Google Senior vice president of engineering and research Alan Eustace announced this week that Google will hire a record 6,200 new employees in 2011. For the best and the brightest, this is a great opportunity to join one of the world's most successful and innovative companies. Google will grow in 2011 to an employee count of over 30,000. In an effort to retain the culture (and advantage) of a Silicon Valley start-up, Alan wants to keep engineering teams small and focused, averaging 3.5 people. Opportunities to join Google will happen across the world.
Google USA Locations:
California - Mountain View Global HQ
(Google plans to hire 2,000 new positions in Silicon Valley)
California - Santa Monica
California - San Francisco
California - Irvine
California - San Bruno (YouTube)
Colorado - Boulder
Colorado - Thornton
Georgia - Atlanta
Illinois - Chicago
Iowa - Council Bluffs
Massachusetts - Boston Cambridge
Michigan - Ann Arbor (Google is hiring 10 positions in Ann Arbor)
Michigan - Detroit
New York - New York
North Carolina - Lenoir
Oklahoma - Mayes County
Oregon - The Dalles
Pennsylvania - Pittsburgh
South Carolina - Berkeley County
Texas - Austin
Virginia - Reston
Washington, D.C.
Washington - Seattle/Kirkland (Google is hiring over 100 Positions in Seattle)
Wisconsin - Madison
Multiple USA Locations (includes telecommuting)
Google Locations in Canada and South America:
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Google EMEA Locations (Europe, Middle East, and Africa):
(Google is hiring over 1,000 positions in Europe)
Africa
Austria
Belgium
Czech Republic
Denmark
Egypt
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland (EU Headquarters)
Israel
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
Google to Hire 6,200 New Positions in 2011 across the World.
Google Senior vice president of engineering and research Alan Eustace announced this week that Google will hire a record 6,200 new employees in 2011. For the best and the brightest, this is a great opportunity to join one of the world's most successful and innovative companies. Google will grow in 2011 to an employee count of over 30,000. In an effort to retain the culture (and advantage) of a Silicon Valley start-up, Alan wants to keep engineering teams small and focused, averaging 3.5 people. Opportunities to join Google will happen across the world.
Google USA Locations:
California - Mountain View Global HQ
(Google plans to hire 2,000 new positions in Silicon Valley)
California - Santa Monica
California - San Francisco
California - Irvine
California - San Bruno (YouTube)
Colorado - Boulder
Colorado - Thornton
Georgia - Atlanta
Illinois - Chicago
Iowa - Council Bluffs
Massachusetts - Boston Cambridge
Michigan - Ann Arbor (Google is hiring 10 positions in Ann Arbor)
Michigan - Detroit
New York - New York
North Carolina - Lenoir
Oklahoma - Mayes County
Oregon - The Dalles
Pennsylvania - Pittsburgh
South Carolina - Berkeley County
Texas - Austin
Virginia - Reston
Washington, D.C.
Washington - Seattle/Kirkland (Google is hiring over 100 Positions in Seattle)
Wisconsin - Madison
Multiple USA Locations (includes telecommuting)
Google Locations in Canada and South America:
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Google EMEA Locations (Europe, Middle East, and Africa):
(Google is hiring over 1,000 positions in Europe)
Africa
Austria
Belgium
Czech Republic
Denmark
Egypt
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland (EU Headquarters)
Israel
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
Google Asia Pacific Locations:
(Google plans to hire over 500 new Asia Pacific positions in 2011)
Australia
China
Hong Kong
India
Japan
Korea
New Zealand
Singapore
Taiwan
(Google plans to hire over 500 new Asia Pacific positions in 2011)
Australia
China
Hong Kong
India
Japan
Korea
New Zealand
Singapore
Taiwan
For the right person, this is a golden opportunity. Best of Success! Learn more about Google.
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