Google Map Business Categories, Unraveling the Black Box
Autor admin | 08.02.2008 | Category SEO
Google Map Business Categories, Unraveling the Black Box Nearly all things "search" blend known algorithmic ranking attributes with mysterious black box elements. Much like the Federal reserve, even a stray comment from the kingmakers sends legions of search marketing minions scurrying for cover. Best-practices surrounding Google Map business category optimization, are amongst the most annoying partially unknowns. The local SEO answer to "how the heck do we optimize for that" has always been "gee, we just don’t really know for sure." Landing your business in the appropriate Google Maps business category has always been something of a mystery for SEM professionals and small business owner alike.. (Read the full post about ‘Google Map Business Categories, Unraveling the Black Box’…)
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Yahoo News Reports Microsoft Bid Change
Autor admin | 08.02.2008 | Category SEO
Yahoo News Reports Microsoft Bid Change This just in: Yahoo! News (AP on Yahoo News) scooped the world on the most amazing number ever reported for MicroHoo. Since all wait with linkbaited breath for the latest Microsoft-Yahoo bid, here ’tis: $45 MILLION dollars! Microsoft agreed to pay how much for Yahoo? Would the Yahoo board of directors accept this low-ball offer from Microsoft? O who will save Yahoo from Microsoft? We need a white knight. Our suggestion, Sir Spamalot orSir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir Lancelot Maybe several bidders led by Leader of The Knights who say NI! And now for something completely different, a Black Knight. Who caught this typo last week? (Read the full post about ‘Yahoo News Reports Microsoft Bid Change’…)
Y! Live is Dead! Long Live Yahoo! Live
Autor admin | 08.02.2008 | Category SEO
Y! Live is Dead! Long Live Yahoo! Live Live from Yahoo! It’s Y! Live Night! Or not. Yahoo! Live, the experimental live video service, debuted and crashed and crashed, resulting in a public apology and mea culpa from the 6 engineers who launched the service. The web service is boldly (and entirely coincidentally) named Y! Live in the grand tradition of MSN Live, Live Windows, and Windows Live triumphant product releases. “Yes, Yahoo! Live is alive! Yahoo! Live is an experiment in personal live video broadcasting, brought to you by our Advanced Products team,” wrote Eric Fixler, the aptly-named Y! Live engineer on the Yahoo Developer Network’s launch of Yahoo! Live Web Services. (Read the full post about ‘Y! Live is Dead! Long Live Yahoo! Live’…)
Decision Time for Yahoo?
Autor admin | 08.02.2008 | Category SEO
Decision Time for Yahoo?
According to Michael Arrington at TechCrunch, today’s the day Yahoo’s board will make a decision on how to proceed with Microsoft’s takeover bid:
“There are only two options left. Accept the offer in principal, and try to increase the price with no negotiating leverage at all, or do a deal with Google to outsource search advertising and, likely, search itself.
The board, we’ve heard, is basically being told by outside advisors to take the Microsoft deal. But we’ve also heard that a contingent of senior executives at Yahoo, who are willing to do literally anything to thwart a Microsoft takeover, are pushing for the Google deal and will present their case at the meeting.”
One concern of Yahoos may be losing the company’s identity and being assimilated by Microsoft.
SEW Experts: How To Market Your Search Engine Agency
Autor admin | 08.02.2008 | Category SEO
SEW Experts: How To Market Your Search Engine Agency
You’d think that being in the marketing business would mean you were an expert at marketing your own business. In reality, it can be a struggle to keep a regular pipeline of sales leads. In today’s Business of Search column, “How To Market Your Search Engine Agency - Part 1,” Fionn Downhill shows you how to reach your target market and get those leads, which are so important when developing and growing your business.
Tracking and Analytics 101
Autor admin | 08.02.2008 | Category SEO
Tracking and analytics are the next stage of the SEM (define) learning cycle. You have your keywords, ads, and landing pages. Thanks to Chris Boggs, you know how to rewrite your URLs.
Next to be added to the mix is Web site analytics, where tracking code on your site differentiates sources of traffic and visitor behavior. All future decisions are made based on analytics. Today, we’ll just focus on the terminology.
The lack of uniform analytics definitions creates problems for marketers. For precise definitions and standards, you can download the Web Analytics Association definitions. Here are my definitions to get you started:
Page Views: The number of pages viewed is the basis of analytics and site traffic.
The 411 on Local Search Data for Business
Autor admin | 08.02.2008 | Category SEO
Ever wonder why Emily’s (the file clerk in the basement) phone rings off the hook? Is she really that popular? Upon closer examination, you realize her direct phone line is listed as the main sales line for your company on a number of local search sites. So in effect, those are your local search sales leads going out the window. The culprit: incorrect listing information for your company has found its way into the local listing database of some data provider and is now spreading like wildfire from local search site to local search site. Parallel problem: you go to a local search site and discover that a particular restaurant you just drove by doesn’t exist, at least according to the online map site, even though the restaurant has been there for six months. (Read the full post about ‘The 411 on Local Search Data for Business’…)
How To Market Your Search Engine Agency - Part 1
Autor admin | 08.02.2008 | Category SEO
You’re in the marketing business; therefore you should be an expert at marketing your own business! True, but it can be a struggle to keep a regular pipeline of sales leads.
This is one of the most important issues when developing and growing your business. To get these leads, you must be able to reach your target market.
Develop a Marketing Plan and Strategy
It’s important that you take time to develop an organized marketing strategy. This should become part of your marketing plan.
The plan should outline exactly what you’re going to do to reach your target audience. There are many marketing options open to you.
(Read the full post about ‘How To Market Your Search Engine Agency - Part 1′…)
Microsoft’s Near-Term ‘Live Search’ Plans Revealed
Autor admin | 08.02.2008 | Category SEO
Despite the announcement of its takeover bid for Yahoo, senior Microsoft executives exhorted employees in an internal Webcast last Friday to continue to push forward aggressively toward already-defined goals in the areas of search and online services.
That includes work on the next major release of Microsoft’s Live Search engine – codenamed “Rome” – which is scheduled for launch this spring, according to a transcript of the Webcast filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It also includes what execs term “Wave 3″ of Microsoft’s Live-branded online services.
Microsoft held the Webcast to explain the proposed Yahoo deal to its nearly 80,000 employees.
(Read the full post about ‘Microsoft’s Near-Term ‘Live Search’ Plans Revealed’…)
SEOs of the World, Unite!
Autor admin | 08.02.2008 | Category SEO
SEOs of the World, Unite! January was a bad month for SEO reputation. Will February be SEO Groundhog Day? Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, along comes “SEO Expert” the world’s most evil cartoon character. We don’t know whether we should sue, or just let him do battle with Cartoon Barry. Danny calls these attacks “SEOs are scumbags” incidents. He says, “I find myself with little energy to push back against them with yet another defense of the industry.” So SEOs of the World, Unite! (Read the full post about ‘SEOs of the World, Unite!’…)