Ron McCoy May 17th, 2012
As expected a just-released study on the effects of coffee consumption noticeably leaves out any confirmed connection between drinking coffee and Google rankings. Researchers from The National Institutes of Health do mention that in some study participants a longer lifespan was observed, lending credence to the possibility that they will have more time to perform search engine queries.
According to inside sources it is believed that several employees within well-known SEO software tool maker SEOmoz drink coffee daily, prompting widespread speculation inside the search marketing community. However, Google spam chief Matt Cutts when questioned recently on the topic refused to confirm whether Google considers coffee consumption as a ranking signal. Cutts added, “If you brew a good cup of coffee then people will naturally want to drink it and baristas really shouldn’t worry about whether coffee affects rankings or not. Just focus on making a great cup.” Cutts declined to elaborate further citing concerns that webmasters might be encouraged to collude with baristas and possibly national coffee brands to manipulate Google rankings in violation of Google guidelines.
For additional information on the study see the CNN published study summary.
Ron McCoy May 16th, 2012
When not at work in my office there are times when working around town has its appeal. Coffee shops are always an option. The Caribou Coffee store at 2721 West 120th Avenue in Westminster is close to where I live.
The wi-fi connection is decent. There are tables and plenty of electrical outlets to use. Here’s a shot of the interior.
The photo was taken about lunch time on a weekday. As far as I know you don’t have to wear a cap to use a computer here. At least there was no sign. Drive-through SEO anyone?
Ron McCoy May 10th, 2012
If your site has last some standing as a result of Google’s recent “penguin” algorithm update we recommend the following:
1) Take the occasion to make an objective view of your website, how it’s promoted, where its current strengths and weaknesses are. Then set about making it better. There’s absolutely nothing to be gained by crying, whining, or complaining about how Google has treated your site unfairly. Consider penguin a Google “wake up call” and channel your energy going forward constructively.
2) Renew your focus on your site’s blog. If you don’t have one get one. Start writing. You have more to write about than you might think. Your daily experiences in the trenches of your business area will undoubtedly be of value to others. Don’t hold back. If nothing else it’ll be good therapy. Chances are that one blog will lead to another, and another, and so on. Often I think of blog topics when I’m away from a computer so I jot down titles and concepts on my phone. Be sure to capture those flashes of inspiration when they come lest they be lost.
3) Links to you website are still a good thing. Writing is perhaps the most underrated SEO skill there is. If you can write well you can acquire links and attention for your website. The more links and exposure your site has the better it’ll be able to withstand future Google “animal attacks.”
Google will do what it does and there’s not much the rest of us can do about that. So take care of what you can control … and that is your own site … and those your look after.
Ron McCoy May 8th, 2012
I read a fair number of SEO blogs during the week. Usually I’m pressed for time and my “reading” is more like “skimming” I admit.
I’ve noticed there are bloggers that seem to require a lot of space (i.e., lots of words) to say things. And there are those that can make their points more briefly. I’ve also noticed that I prefer the efficiency of the latter group.
I have about ten different blogs open in my browser tabs right now. Just estimating I’d say they range from about 150 words to maybe 2000 words or so. Most days there’s no way I’d spend the time reading a single blog of 2000 words (unless it was really something special). And I’d say that in many cases blog length doesn’t correlate with informational value. After all a blog that’s not read delivers no value.
I keep this in mind in my own writing. And with that in mind I’m ending this blog post … at just over 160 words.
Ron McCoy May 8th, 2012
Everyone who works in internet marketing has setbacks (Penguin anyone?), that is, when something whether rankings or other performance metrics don’t go as planned. On those dark occasions there are several options to pursue, a few are listed here:
1) Quickly move on from thoughts of harakiri and opt for less permanent acts of desperation. Haagen-Dazs or Ben & Jerry’s immediately comes to mind. Or better yet how about a good workout? Running a few miles usually does it for me.
2) Regroup and formulate a new plan. Invariably this means getting back to basics. Take solace in the knowledge that however imperfect, search engines do try to reward good websites. Search engines will likely get even better at this going forward, so activities that make a website “better” are an investment in the future.
3) Make your experience a blog topic. Confession is good for the soul they say. If your experience can be helpful to others then maybe there’s some good karma to come of it.
Ron McCoy May 5th, 2012
In this rush of daily events and running a business it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the continuing need to promote your website. Afterall a website’s promotion is never finished. There’s always more that can be done.
New ways to optimize and promote a website continue to pop up while old ways evolve, and sometimes even become obsolete. Some businesses enlist professional internet marketers to help with the work, while others tackle the work internally. To keep the process manageable and moving forward consider this 3 phased approach.
1) Plan:
Lay out all the known tasks and projects you’ve been thinking about. List them and determine a reasonable prioritization. Be objective about each project’s importance. Make a commitment to spend a certain amount of time each day or week working on them. Share your plans with someone you know (e.g., co-worker, friend, spouse) to help keep you accountable in sticking to your plan.
2) Do the Work:
Here’s where your prioritized list of items and Projects comes in. If you’re like me some of the items on your list will be more appealing, maybe because some are considered more fun, interesting, or whatever the reason. Be disciplined though and try to stick with your prioritization in sequencing the order of actual work. If the more interesting items aren’t quite at the top of the prioritized list, they’ll be an incentive to get those priority items done more quickly so you can move on to the more interesting ones.
3) Regroup:
When you reach a natural pausing point, take some time to review the items/projects on your list that you’ve successfully tackled. Chances are you’ve learned a few new things in the process too. Your expanded knowledge, skill, and perspective will be helpful as you begin the 3 phased cycle again.
Repeat 1 through 3 above.
Ron McCoy May 3rd, 2012
Clients pick SEO companies and consultants. SEO professionals also pick clients. In those situations where the fit just isn’t right (for whatever the reason) it may be better not to start a working relationship.
This realization, and what has become a de facto policy, started us thinking about what attributes an SEO client should have in order to be successful and effectively work with their chosen SEO firm or consultant. Here’s our current list (in no particular order and by no means comprehensive):
1) Has a sound business model.
If the business is proven and has measurable search traffic on its relevant keywords then we’ve got something to compete for. Sometimes it’s necessary to carve out a realistic target, such as a local or regional position in a larger national business category.
2) Is committed to “winning the web” in their defined space/category.
There will almost always be successes and setbacks along the way. An ability to take a long view and take short term setbacks in stride helps preserve overall forward momentum.
3) Is responsive and engages in necessary communication.
Clients are busy running their businesses, although some SEO strategies and activities (almost certainly content creation) needs to involve clients at some level. The ability to discuss planned campaigns and receive at least occasional input from clients is essential.
4) Understands that SEO is an ongoing process.
There will always be more to be done in the pursuit of increasing internet visibility and improving conversion rates. SEO like other forms of marketing and promotion is an ongoing process that is never “finished.” When budgeting for SEO services it’s best to begin at a level that can be maintained.
Ron McCoy April 28th, 2012
There’s no doubt that Google has the power to make or break businesses. Google isn’t perfect (and as far as I know doesn’t claim to be). Still there’s plenty of room for Google-love and three reasons are listed here:
1) Good intentions: Google makes an honest attempt to reward good sites. They don’t always achieve it in search ranking results, but the intention is there. Google’s interests are aligned with users of their search engine who seek relevant search results.
2) Allows SEO focus: Google’s dominant market share allows SEOs to focus primarily on one search engine. Most SEOs monitor Bing/Yahoo too but a Google success carries the most weight.
3) Webmaster resources: The webmaster resources provided by Google are significant. Google’s Webmaster Tools and Adwords Keyword Tool are among the most useful online resources. Google’s Webmaster Central Blog is a must-read as well.
Ron McCoy April 27th, 2012
Here are three things you can do today to improve SEO for your website.
1. Get Informed. Listen in and hear what some of the leading practitioners of SEO are saying. Among the blogs we read daily are:
Search Engine Land
SEOMOZ
Search Engine Roundtable
2. Write Something. Write about what’s on your mind or what you know and add it to your website. It doesn’t need to be a lot or award winning. This blog (for example) will only take a few minutes to prepare.
3. Solicit an Outside Opinion. Show someone your website and ask them what they think. What impression does it create? Ask the person to complete a small task (e.g., navigate to a particular part of your or conversion page) and see how they do.
Ron McCoy April 25th, 2012
Sometimes SEO clients ask us “what does Google think of SEO?” The excerpt below is taken from a post on the Google Webmaster Central Blog on April 24:
“Google has said before that search engine optimization, or SEO, can be positive and constructive—and we’re not the only ones. Effective search engine optimization can make a site more crawlable and make individual pages more accessible and easier to find. Search engine optimization includes things as simple as keyword research to ensure that the right words are on the page, not just industry jargon that normal people will never type.
‘White hat’ search engine optimizers often improve the usability of a site, help create great content, or make sites faster, which is good for both users and search engines. Good search engine optimization can also mean good marketing: thinking about creative ways to make a site more compelling, which can help with search engines as well as social media. The net result of making a great site is often greater awareness of that site on the web, which can translate into more people linking to or visiting a site.”
Click here to read the complete post from Google.
