How Google Instant Will Impact Your SEO & PPC Campaigns

October 1, 2010 By clinthughes 1 Comment

The introduction of Google Instant means that searchers can constantly refine their query without actually clicking on the “search” or “enter” button and still get a concrete list of better & faster results. However, many are trying to figure out what effect Google Instant will have on their businesses and are asking “is SEO dead?” The answer is simple: “Of course not.”

Google Instant does not change the ranking process of Google’s search results (says Google engineer, Ben Gomes). However, SEO techniques are continuously changing and although Google Instant Search will not kill SEO, there might be a few changes to your SEO strategy.

How will Google Instant affect your SEO/PPC strategy?
Google Instant will now change how many people see and click on your site because for all you know Google Instant could be persuading searchers to enter a completely different keyword than what they had actually set out to search for.

The first major change is in the drop down “suggestion box” that tries to predict queries even before they are completely typed. Depending on the query, the search result occupies one and sometime up to three of the advertisement positions on the first page. Google is bringing the paid and universal search listings as high as possible, but is simultaneously pushing the SEO results “below the fold.”

So you need to plan out your SEO strategy keeping in mind:

Your page Titles are going to need to be even more compelling than before.

You need to not only attract the searcher to your listing, but you have to get them to commit to the search query. That’s going to take a lot of engagement on your part.

Take a close look at what long tail keywords Google Instant suggests.

Make sure you have a page ranked for all the important variations. Show up, no matter what final keyword string the searcher commits to.

Top ranking is now more important than ever.

Users are less likely to scroll below the fold as related results are instantly reconfigured as the search query is completed.

Good & bad news for PPC advertiers:

Google’s Johanna Wright says there will be no change to the ranking of ads under Google Instant, however ad impressions will change (for the better). Google will now record an ad impression if a searcher types a partial query and clicks within the search results page or if he stops typing for three seconds while an ad is displayed. For PPC campaigns it will calculate as an impression (affecting CTR) only after a pause of three seconds.

Showing PPC ads on “predictive queries” that may or may not be relevant to what the user is ultimately searching for could push down the click-thru-rates of these ads.

Here is what Google’s Advertiser FAQs say:

When someone searches using Google Instant, ad impressions are counted in these situations:
The user begins to type a query on Google and clicks anywhere on the page (a search result, an ad, a spell correction, a related search).
The user chooses a particular query by clicking the Search button, pressing Enter, or selecting one of the predicted queries.
The user stops typing, and the results are displayed for a minimum of three seconds.

At an average of 9 seconds per query, that’s 2 additional add impressions before a customer actually tells Google exactly what they are looking for. This should give your business even more exposure to searchers.

While Google Instant is great for searchers by giving them faster results, it will certainly pose a challenge for business owners and search marketers.

by Courtny Mills of ineedhits

Filed Under: Marketing, SEO, Small Business, Social Media

SEO and Page Rank

September 22, 2010 By clinthughes 4 Comments

Someone asked me yesterday, “What do you think of PageRank?” That’s kind of asking “What do you think of sunshine?”

Google is the 800 lb. gorilla. PageRank is part of their “secret sauce” in determining how your site pops up in organic search results. PageRank just IS – it’s part of the SEO game.

You might not agree with Google as to what is relevant; you might not agree as to what is timely; you might not agree as to what is popular; and you might not like sunshine. However, what can you do? You have to play the game if you want to be high in the search results.

The rules change all the time – on purpose. Just as soon as you think you have it figured out Google will tweak their algorithm and you go from the #1 result to the #10 result.

SEO is the physical fitness of your site. You can’t go to the gym once and work out for 30 minutes – then lose 30 pounds – and become the fit “Mr. Universe.” SEO takes constant work (i.e. – working out). You have to keep tweaking your site and your strategy to keep up with the tweaks that Google makes in their algorithm.

Finding someone to help you with SEO and Social Media Strategy is like hiring a personal trainer to help you get fit. In getting personally fit you can read a book and follow the diagrams and see some results taking place in your physique. However, if you REALLY want to see results you hire a personal trainer who will take into account your body type, your diet, your goals and your budget (time and money).

So if you REALLY want results for your company find a certified professional who will take in to account ALL your marketing needs – it’s called Integrated Marketing – bringing all your “traditional” marketing channels together with all these “new” digital opportunities.

One size does NOT fit all – think of me as a digital tailor.

Filed Under: Marketing, SEO, Small Business, Social Media Tagged With: Marketing Consultant, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, SEO Marketing, Social Media Consultant, Social Media Marketing

50+ is the HOT Social Media demo

August 28, 2010 By clinthughes Leave a Comment

At times like this I love to say, “I told you so!” Those of you who have been reading my blogs and/or have attended one of my workshops will NOT be shocked by this news. Social Media use within the 50+ demographic has nearly doubled according to the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project. In April of 2009 just 22% of the 50+ demo were using sites such as Facebook – in May of 2010 that jumped to 42%. In the 50 – 64 demographic 47% are using social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.

The results I obtained through the research I conducted for the University of Texas – Dallas Ph.D. program for the School of Arts and Technology were also reinforced by this study. “Young adults continue to be the heaviest users of social media, but their growth pales in comparison with recent gains made by older users,” said Mary Madden author of the Pew report. “Email is still the primary way that older users maintain contact with friends, families and colleagues, but many older users now rely on social media platforms to help manage their daily communications.”

This proves that Social Media is NOT all about 18-24 year-olds. You have to:

1) Develop an Integrated Marketing Strategy. How are you going to bring together your “traditional” marketing channels (TV, Radio, and Print) and these “new” digital marketing channels (SEO, PPC and Social Media)?

2) Think about WHO is going to “quarterback” your marketing department or company down the digital field – a “walk-on” quarterback from a Division II school OR an All-Pro who knows what it takes to find your target customer and make your cash register ring.

I’m sure there are marketers with a few grey hairs that have experiences similar to mine. I’ve been involved with eCommerce since the early days of the Internet. I’m certified in SEO and Social Media Strategy. I’ve seen CRM evolve from a mailing list for postcards and coupons to psychographic databases for targeted digital inserts.

I’m sure there are CFOs that started with a ledger book and a calculator who are now using complex back office software programs to balance the books.

We have a saying here in Texas, “Fish where the fish are!” Make sure you have an experienced “fishing guide” to teach you the right bait to use. Look for someone who “has been there, doing that.”

That’s the News
From Clint Hughes

Filed Under: Marketing, SEO, Small Business, Social Media

Social Media Etiquette

August 19, 2010 By clinthughes 2 Comments

Being an SEO and Social Media Consultant is like being a doctor – whenever you go to a party people pull you aside and ask you how to cure their ills. It is “the Wild West” out there right now – a lot of “snake oil salesmen” profess to be experts and make promises that can not be fulfilled.

SEO and Social Media are the physical fitness regimens of your corporate marketing body. You can’t get off your couch after years of inactivity and run a marathon. You can’t magically start an SEO and Social Media Strategy and jump to #1 on all the search engines.

Let me give a quick overall answer to one of the questions I am asked most often – “What do I say on the Social Networks?”

Here’s is what happens:
Imagine the Social Media world as a big high school reunion/family reunion/neighborhood block party. What would you think of someone who went around interrupting every conversation trying to sell anyone who would listen a “super magic drink?” People would tune them out and then before long run away whenever that person approached.

Social Media is like that. If you are constantly trying to sell to anyone/everyone who might be reached by your Twitter Feeds, Facebook updates or blog, people will tune you out!

Here’s the general rule of thumb:
90% of your Tweets and updates should be informative and/or conversational – 10% should be self promoting. Go back to the reunion/party theme: if you have interesting stories and helpful ideas people will engage you in conversation – your social networking is working. If you ONLY talk about yourself you become a pariah.

You might ask – “What do I say? How often do I say it? I don’t know where to start!” Like a doctor would say, “Stop by my office for an exam and we will run some tests. I’m sure you will be fine.”

So go to my contact page and it will send me an email OR call me – my phone number is right there at the top of the page. Relax, now you have a professional “captain” to help you navigate the choppy seas of social media.

Filed Under: Marketing, SEO, Social Media Tagged With: Marketing Consultant, Social Media Consultant, Social Media Marketing

SEO and ROI

August 12, 2010 By clinthughes 1 Comment

* The value of SEO boils down to “clicks” – preferably clicks that result in a sale conversion. SEO should be measured on the same cost-per-click basis any search-engine-marketing (SEM) or pay-per-click (PPC) campaign would be – i.e. the basis of ROI. If you don’t know how many clicks or orders you want, do not engage SEO until you do.

* SEO is not static and optimization is competitive. You may be on the first page today but your competitors aren’t necessarily going to sit still forever. You could be bumped at any time. So if you’re not prepared to maintain an ongoing and strategic SEO effort – no matter what the competition does – then save your money.

* Search engine “secrets” are just that – secret. The search engines aren’t telling them – it takes persistence, follow up and testing.

* From the search engine point-of-view, if your site doesn’t have enough useful and relevant content to be on the first page, ethical SEO notwithstanding, eventually it won’t be. This is the objective of the search engines and there’s little likelihood you can out-think Google, Yahoo!, Bing and others in the long run.

* Focus on keywords that are realistic. You’re not likely to get a good placement with a keyword like “real estate” but you might get first page with long-tail keywords like “Hill street real estate”;

* Make sure your keyword is mentioned in the link to your page. Instead of saying “click HERE” make sure the text for the link says something like “for more information about HILL STREET REAL ESTATE”;

* Make sure your keyword is mentioned in your page title, your keyword list, your page content, bolded page content;

* For every keyword you’re interested in, make sure you have an appropriate page to focus on it (and that it complies with #1, #2, and #3 above)

* Register with search engine webmaster accounts so that you can submit your site to them quickly and efficiently (search for “google webmaster”, “bing webmaster”, or “yahoo webmaster” to find the details).

* Enroll in all relevant local or regional directories – (search “free directories” to find lists of these); many will be free, some will want nominal fees or backlinks. You decide.

* Ensure that any press releases and announcements you make refer to your site and specific pages within it.

* Post pages of your site to delicious.com or to digg.com and to similar bookmarking sites.

* Ask local friends and business acquaintances if they will exchange links with you.

* On the other hand, DO NOT sign up for paid links without the guidance of someone experienced in Internet marketing.

You need to think in terms of what kind of return you are going to get on your investment. The calculation is simple: Divide the total SEO cost (yours or a 3rd-party’s) by the number of orders/sales you’ve received as a result of the effort. Then compare that cost-per-sale against your margin-per-sale. If you have margin left over, you’re in the right territory. If you don’t, you’ve got a problem.

The bottom line is that when you talk with any SEO service provider, you must think in terms of ROI. Not in terms of “secrets” or first pages or top spots, but ROI. (Note: it is theoretically possible to be on the 3rd page and still get a positive ROI – not likely, but possible) If the ROI doesn’t work, then search engine optimization may not be for you and other Internet marketing methods might yield better results and a better ROI.

Filed Under: SEO Tagged With: Search Engine Optimization, SEO Consultant

SEO – 10 Critical Google Ranking Factors

August 5, 2010 By clinthughes 1 Comment

SEO – The 10 Critical Google Ranking Factors | ineedhits Slide Presentation: http://bit.ly/a4lFZj

Filed Under: Marketing, SEO, Small Business

Ethical SEO

August 1, 2010 By clinthughes Leave a Comment

SEO is complex. SEO is maddening. SEO is confusing. But more than anything SEO is EFFECTIVE.

It is unanimously agreed that SEO is the top source of driving targeted traffic to sites. Everyone wants top SEO rankings. The problem is, you look at the SERPs (search engine results pages) and you find sites there that you don’t expect to. You see sites that are filled with spam, you see sites with no content, you see sites with no inbound links.

And worst of all is what you don’t see – YOUR site.

It makes no sense – you’ve done everything you can, followed all the rules and still your site is no where. How are these other sites that don’t belong there holding on to your coveted spot?

The truth is, as smart as the engines are, they don’t catch all the garbage sites out there as quickly as we would like them to. There are 2 things we can do to help eradicate this problem.

1. Report any and all spam and garbage sites to Google (and the other engines you use). This is not being a tattle tale, this is not going out for revenge. This is simply asking Google to uphold the rules that they are asking you to follow. It is saying, “I’m playing fair here, so level the playing field so my competitors that are “less-than ethical” don’t rule the SERPs”. To notify

Google of a spam site, click here:
http://www.google.com/contact/spamreport.html

2. The second thing you can do is follow best practices 100%. Be aggressive, be proactive, but be ethical. The more people insist on “black hat” tactics, the more sites we’ll see that are sneaking by Google. Know that with active efforts Google is making daily to weed out spam – you have everything to gain by patiently, aggressively and ethically optimizing your site.

Filed Under: Marketing, SEO, Small Business Tagged With: Marketing Consultant, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, SEO Consultant, SEO Marketing, SEO training, Social Media, Social Media Consultant, Social Media Marketing

Secrets of SEO

July 25, 2010 By clinthughes 3 Comments

The Secrets Of SEO

There is so much information floating around out there about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and how to get some rankings. So much of it is contradictory and confusing.SEO Secret # 1: There are no secrets!

The search engines make it all very public and clear what you need to do to get top rankings. The success lies in the details and proper implementation. But there is no top secret, proprietary technique for getting top rankings. secrets, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t information you need to know, such as:1) If you don’t optimize your site, you won’t get top rankings.
2) Your site structure matters!
3) Don’t just focus on small keyword list that is made up of the most popular and competitive keywords.

It really is that plain and simple. If the engines can’t spider your site and you don’t have links and strong content, you don’t stand a chance against the sites that do have all that in place. So many people don’t want to spend money on SEO, or are afraid to take the plunge but then they can’t understand why they don’t have rankings. So maybe there is a secret – maybe the secret is take action and get your site optimized! I can’t tell you how often people have said to me “I know my site is a mess, but I don’t want to spend the money fixing it, so can’t you just throw up some keywords and Meta tags and get me some rankings?” Ummmm, no, I can’t. Your site structure is your foundation. You would never build a house without a solid foundation, why would you build an SEO campaign without a solid foundation?

You will be missing out on opportunities for great keyword phrases that convert really well. Expand your list. Include long tail phrases. They may have less traffic but they will convert at a higher rate and if you get enough of these phrases they will likely add up to be better than your original list.

SEO is changing and evolving so staying current on what the engines are looking for is important. Either hire a firm to get you top rankings or find a way to make sure you stay current with information you can trust.

Social media and SEO go hand in hand – truth is there is a lot of competition out there for website traffic so why not use all the tools at your disposal?

Get out there and be social. You can optimize your site without doing social media, and you can do social media without an optimized site. But why would you? The two enhance and compliment each other. Focusing on SEO without focusing on conversions is a mistake.

You are going to work so hard, or pay someone your hard earned money to get you top rankings. You can’t afford to ignore marketing issues. Make sure your site is going to convert all that great new traffic you are going to send to your site.

Google Webmaster Tools and your web stats are a goldmine of information.

Make sure you take time to see what words people are actually using to find your site and see what people do once they get to your site. See how many people link to you and which of those sources are driving traffic. Find out if there are errors on your site. There is so much information to be analyzed; you just need to make the time to check it out.

Successful SEO requires time, patience, skill, knowledge, persistence, attention to detail, knowledge of HTML, current information and an understanding of marketing helps too – then you can write the best possible text while using the keywords well, and it will also help you write compelling Title and Description tags….OR – the willingness to invest in a professional firm to get those top rankings for you.

SEO requires time, patience, skill, knowledge, persistence, attention to detail, knowledge of HTML, current information and an understanding of marketing helps too – then you can write the best possible text while using the keywords well, and it will also help you write compelling Title and Description tags….OR – the willingness to invest in a professional firm to get those top rankings for you.

SEO requires time, patience, skill, knowledge, persistence, attention to detail, knowledge of HTML, current information and an understanding of marketing helps too – then you can write the best possible text while using the keywords well, and it will also help you write compelling Title and Description tags….OR – the willingness to invest in a professional firm to get those top rankings for you.

Filed Under: SEO, Social Media Tagged With: Marketing Consultant, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, SEO Consultant, SEO Marketing, Social Media, Social Media Consultant, Social Media Marketing

SEO and ROI

SEO – 10 Critical Google Ranking Factors

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