Announced by Matt Cutts during a panel at SXSW 2012 in March, the new Google “over-optimization penalty” (trending as the “Penguin Update”) has been making the headlines recently. A post this week at Google Webmaster Central confirmed the announcement: “In the next few days, we’re launching an important algorithm change targeted at webspam. The change will decrease rankings for sites that we believe are violating Google’s existing quality guidelines.”
So what does this latest tweak to the Google algorithm mean for your company’s SEO and inbound marketing efforts? What qualifies as over-optimization? And how do you avoid it, while still maximizing search visibility?
Read Full Post »
Hi. We’re looking for someone who is interested in learning and implementing search engine optimization. We use only white hat strategies and industry best practices. No spammy SEO techniques.
The position is remote (although it would be best if you’re in Austin, so we can meet up occasionally) and will begin with 5 hours per week. This number will certainly grow for the right candidate.
A genuine interest in SEO and inbound marketing is more important than previous experience. Here are some additional qualities that would be great: Read Full Post »
Okay, maybe it a little presumptuous to call myself a “veteran.” I first attended in 1997 and I’ve been every year since 2005. I began doing SXSW as a member of a band and a music fan, but over the last few years, the interactive conference (SXSWi) has become just as interesting – if not more.
Because that’s where the money is. Interactive companies have the best parties – free drinks & snacks, often live music, lively guests. There’s optimism in the air.
RSVP and attend as many SXSWi events as you can. Don’t be afraid to talk to strangers. You’ll definitely meet lots of fascinating people if you’re not too shy. I’ve made many enduring business contacts by just striking up a conversation with whoever’s standing next to me.
Remember, the objective is to have a good time. Leave your stuffy business face at the office. This is South-By! Read Full Post »
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.
Read Full Post »
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. Read Full Post »
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:
Read Full Post »
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/ Read Full Post »
In order to help combat spammy websites and other blackhat online marketing tactics, Google introduced the “nofollow” HTML attribute in 2005. The tag is also recognized by other major search engines.
Any link that includes this tag will not benefit from legacy page rank power or “link juice.” In other words, a nofollow link pointing back to your site will not help your Google rankings.
The attribute is primarily used to prevent keyword stuffing and spammy links. Because nofollow links do not help Google rankings, there is no benefit to spammers.
Read Full Post »
URL is the first thing Google looks at when determining how to rank websites for a particular search query. Consequently, any information contained in the URL will help Google establish what your website is about.
For example, if two different sites would like to rank highly for the keyword “polyester pants”:
www.qualitytrousers.com/
www.polyesterpants.com/
Read Full Post »
