Ways to identify a reputable SEO company

Posted on December 10, 2011 by Michael

Actually, I should have called this post “How to disqualify an SEO services provider,” but I prefer an upbeat title.

There are a number of SEO best practices to follow when optimizing a website for search. These have either come straight from Google and Matt Cutts, or they have been deduced by smart, reputable search engine experts over an extended period of time.

Here are a few quick tests you can conduct, when you are considering a particular SEO agency or provider. If the potential SEO company falls short on any of these tests, I would recommend looking elsewhere. Because if they are not implementing SEO best practices on their own website, they are either lacking in expert knowledge, or they are not detail-oriented enough to be a reliable service provider. Let’s get started.
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Easy ways to generate tweets for your business

Posted on October 23, 2011 by Michael

Everyone knows by now that social media is all the rage. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and now Google+ are demanding our attention. And there are more social media networks in the pipeline. It can be overwhelming. “Do I really have to learn how to use another platform?”

Of course, there will be a shakedown among social networks at some point, and a few dominant networks will remain. What seems clear is that since its launch in 2006, Twitter has reached critical mass and a state of nondisplacement. It is the world’s source of instant information.

Furthermore, following its Panda update in early 2011, Google acknowledged it is now incorporating social media indicators into its search algorithm. It’s no longer deniable. If you’re competing for search, you need to have a presence on social media platforms – Twitter in particular. Continue reading →

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How to set up Twitter for your business

Posted on September 23, 2011 by Michael

If you haven’t yet established a presence for your business on Twitter, it’s time to do it. And not only for organic marketing reasons: since early 2011, Google compiles and analyzes Twitter data to influence its search results.

Here are the nuts and bolts of getting your company set up on Twitter:

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Dashes or underscores in the URL – Which is better for search?

Posted on July 14, 2011 by Michael

In a previous post, we discussed the importance of descriptive URLs (also known as canonical, clean, or “pretty” URLs) in helping Google understand the content of a Web page. I used the following fictitious example:

www.polyesterpants.com/mens/bootcut/
www.polyesterpants.com/womens/bootcut/
www.polyesterpants.com/kids/bootcut/ Continue reading →

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