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November 2012

3 Ways to Get Google + to Work for You

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Facebook is seemingly insoluble and undefeatable, seemingly… but will it always be the social media empire that it is today? Many experts in the field of social media simply say Facebook has done an excellent job, but it is really only a matter of time before their tombstone is adjacent to Myspace’s. “As a company like Facebook grows, it’s natural for middle management to begin to fatten up and become ‘safe’.

Create Ads with the Best Conversion Rates | Google Engage Certified

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The bane of most businesses when it comes to online advertising is the largely hit-and-miss tactic of keyword implementation. It is one thing to know which keywords should result in more click-through traffic and subsequently to more sales. However, keywords that should deliver do not always do so. The reasons are as follows, and they are surprisingly simple: Why Keywords Alone are Not Enough The goal of any online advertising campaign is to increase traffic that converts. Millions of page hits don’t do anything but drive up bandwidth usage if the click-through traffic does not result in sales once it reaches your site. Failed conversions usually revolve around some typical problems; for instance, many companies focus on keywords that don’t really add much content or traffic to their site, and they spend a lot of time, money, and effort to make something that is of little value. Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this: rather than choosing keywords with high traffic volume in the hope that conversions will magically happen, choose more relevant ones, ones that add to your site’s image and credibility. The Open Internet Exchange and You There are several companies that specialize in maximizing your ads and internet traffic that you can use, such as Endai, HTP Marketing, and Phorm Inc to name a few (learn more about Phorm Inc for marketing strategies). Typically, they work with advertisers directly at the Internet service provider (ISP) level to more efficiently and effectively pair Internet users with advertisements that are relevant to their interests. Each of the participating ISPs already keeps databases of anonymous user information regarding which sites users visit and when. This information is then submitted to the Open Internet Exchange (OIX). Advertisers create campaigns based directly on a product or service and submit those to the OIX from the opposite end. When a user at a certain IP goes to a page that has advertising, the OIX matches that user with advertising campaigns that are relevant based on current and frequent surfing habits. For instance, there is no point in showing ads for camera gear to a user who accidentally visited a photography supply site once for two seconds. Conversely, someone who visits sites about camera gear frequently for longer periods is more likely to click-through and buy when they see an ad for camera gear on another site. The OIX knows the difference. Sure, this type of targeted advertising may cost a little more than traditional services, but it is far more effective. Most companies find that their advertising budgets go further due to a rapid and steady increase in sales as a result of effectively targeting users. Kevin Kaiser is a SEO enthusiast and current dental student. Follow him on twitter @kevinckaiser .

Google Penguin Update | SEO TIPS

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In April 2012, Google updated the way it ranked websites, affecting thousands of page rankings. Intended to deter practices such as keyword stuffing, using duplicate content, and link schemes, the change had an unintended effect of marking innocent sites. The mighty search engine did show empathy for those who were affected by the update. Shortly after the Penguin update, it set up a forum for those who felt their site got unfair treatment; many of these site owners reported web spam still ranking higher than their sites. However, there are steps you can take to ensure your site won’t suffer from Google’s updates. The best weapon in your marketing arsenal  is to implement a few SEO practices that will help with your search engine rankings in the modern era. How to Stick with the Penguins Keywords, as any SEO company will tell you, are still one of the most important elements in website optimization. The trend has been to include fewer and no more than what seems natural in the text. More specific keywords make sense from a logical perspective, and ones known as long tail keywords can help put you on top of the queries. To use long tail keywords, include “cellphones with keyboards and Wi-Fi” as an alternative to more frequently searched terms such as “cellphones.” Google displays a title for all sites that appear in its results. Fit the most appropriate terms in the title because it is the first thing people see when clicking onto the website. Using key terms in the website header is also an effective practice, yet doesn’t carry as much weight as it used to. At the same time, relevance to the page and the website is still important and can be a boost for rankings. Pay Attention to Content Content is perhaps the most important tool in SEO, but in addition to your own site, pay attention to what is behind the links. Internal links not only make navigating a site easier, but also help Google monitor the content on all of your pages. With the Google Penguin update, the sites from which people get to yours are also factored into the equation. The quality of the sites with links to yours can have an effect on your own ranking. In addition, the search engine tracks images on your website. Google’s rankings now put more importance on the written content, or alt text, which describes the pictures and appears on image search queries. Image descriptions should ironically not include keywords. If written appropriately, you can use the alt text policy to your advantage. Website optimization is a constantly changing field and is heavily dependent on changes made to search engine algorithms. Keep up with the updates, and you maximize your chances for a high ranking with the search engines. The extra work can be beneficial to your online reputation and business success. Byline:  Carl is an aspiring writer who currently works for an SEO company . When he’s not working he loves blogging about anything and everything that crosses his mind. He’s constantly striving to strengthen his writing skills and is continuously grateful that the Internet allows him to share his thoughts with the world. Image Credit: 1 .

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