Pimp My Keywords

SEO Tactics, Tips & Helpful Advice - No. 61

While planning and implementing your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy, I would highly recommend keeping a journal.

Not only should you make sure you have everything in order - and that you're following a plan - but you should also document what strategies you implemented and when.

Why?

Why not?

As you update content; tweak Page Titles; work on link building and continue with other SEO elements for your website, you should also refer back to various tasks and then track your results.

For example, did updating the content on your website's Home page improve rankings, traffic, and conversions? Did a new inbound link from a directory or website result in new traffic from the source? Does four blog posts per week cause more feedback than two blog posts per week?

Keep a record of your SEO actions and then compare to the results. You might be surprised at what you find.

Is the Internet, Google or Twitter Killing Newspapers?

Using Google, we can find just about any newspaper article on any topic in the world.

With Twitter, you'll learn of any news event (a la Michael Jackson) before CNN has time to upload a breaking news story on the web.

So, it comes as little surprise that some newspapers - and newspaper owners - are quick to blame Google for their demise.

"There is a charitable view of the history of Google," says Les Hinton, Dow Jones Chief Executive.

"It didn't actually begin life in a cave as a digital vampire per se. The charity view of Google is that the news business itself fed Google's taste for this kind of blood."

Dow Jones owns the Wall Street Journal.

Most, myself included, like to have the newspaper in hand. It's a daily routine I enjoy.

However, recently, I truly believe my newspaper carrier will have to tie a rock to the newspaper in order to have some weight in reaching my front lawn.

Some newspapers have started charging for "reading" articles online. Sort of a "pay per read" approach.

Would you pay to read an article online?

SEO Tactics, Tips & Helpful Advice - No. 60

We've promoted them before, but some of the best SEO tools are available at http://tools.seobook.com/.

Some tools are free; others require a membership to the community. Go with the free ones first.

Advanced Pay Per Click Techniques Webinar Set For July 2

Purple Trout, LLC a Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Company located in Cincinnati, Ohio, is offering a free, online webinar focusing on advanced pay per click techniques.

The webinar will be held on Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 10 a.m.

Steve Phillips, principal of Purple Trout will be joined by Project Director Ilona Vijnik in helping you take your PPC campaigns to the next level. Seminar topics include: how to improve the quality score of your campaigns; writing ad copy; PPC budgets; integrating keywords into your campaigns and landing pages and more.

The webinar will take place from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Admission is free. To register, visit www.purpletrout.com/seminar.html. For questions, please contact Purple Trout at (513) 885-5000 or steve@purpletrout.com

SEO Tactics, Tips & Helpful Advice - No. 59

Google has introduced some new reports in conjunction with Google Maps.

If your business has a physical location, you want to make sure you submit your business, address, contact information, hours, etc., to Google Maps.

First, you'll need to set up a Google account (which is free). Then browse your way to the Local Business Center link within your Google account settings. There, you can add a new listing and have it confirmed via snail mail or a telephone call (Google will give you a secret 4-number PIN).

Once this is completed, you can sit back and wait as Google may take up to four weeks to including your Google Map information. Once you have been approved, you can edit your information and add a business description, keywords (up to five), hours of business, payment information, etc.

Now, here's the cool part: Google will generate reports which will include number of impressions (how many times your business has appeared in Google Maps) and the actions (such as how many times users clicked to obtain more information on Maps; how many users clicked when looking for driving directions, and how many clicks directly to your website.

You will also be able to see the top search queries (keyword searches in which your Google map listing appeared).

Disappointed In Your Google Rankings?

Here are 10 things to consider if you are disappointed with your search engine rankings:

1. Make sure you are using the right keywords for your website. Target 1-3 keywords per page.
2. Make sure your pages are optimized for the targeted keywords.
3. Write stronger Page Titles (with keywords).
4. Write stronger Page Descriptions (with keywords).
5. Make sure your website's content is keyword rich (but don't over-stuff your website with keywords).
6. Tag everything, including pictures, graphics, logos, videos, PDF files, etc.
7. Write fresh content.
8. Publish press releases.
9. Publish articles.
10. Improve your link building efforts by earning more one-way links from other websites pointing back to your website.

Quit Whining And Start Optimizing, Writing, Blogging...

I've come to the startling conclusion that we tend to be more whiners than we are doers.

For example, a few recent conversations I've had with potential clients:

• "I went over my budget on my state-of-the-art website, but I'm not getting any visitors to my website. Can you give me some cheap SEO services?"
• "I think a blog might be a good idea for my website, but I don't have time."
• "No one is going to read my blog about (fill in the blank).
• "What the heck is Twitter?"
• "Twitter is stupid"
• "Facebook is for kids."

Shocking isn't it?

Today, Web Pro World reported that 95% of all blogs are abandoned. I also read that more people are quitting Twitter than those starting new accounts.

Are we bored, or is it just easier to be entertained by a video game?

What are you doing to get more traffic to your website? Seriously.

Unfortunately, if half the energy spent whining was put into optimizing, blogging, writing, link building and twittering, you'd be a little bit surprised at the results.

SEO Tactics, Tips & Helpful Advice - No. 58

Need to check inbound links pointing to your website?

The best - and easiest - tool to use is Yahoo.

Go to www.Yahoo.com and enter link:www.yourwebsite.com

Within the Yahoo results, change the "Show Inlinks" option to "Except From This Domain" to get an accurate count of inbound links to your website.

Tip: Why not use this tool to check inbound links to your competitor's website?

A New Chapter Begins Today For Purple Trout

Today, for the first time in nearly 18 years, I will actually drive to work.

While it's not a big deal for millions of Americans who commute to the office every day, I've had the luxury and privilege of working from home. No rush hours. No traffic jams. No worries over bad weather.

Until today.

After 13 years as an independent software consultant and trainer, I founded Purple Trout, LLC - a search engine marketing firm - nearly five years ago. For over three years, I operated Purple Trout myself before bringing on employees, freelancers and contractors. As business continued to grow, I continued to add staff.

Crammed into the lower level of a tri-level home, desks were pushed next to desks; power strips were filled, and circuit breakers were maxed out. We were, literally, sardines and we prayed that no one came to "work" with a bad cold.

Conferences were held in the kitchen; employee interviews were conducted at Starbucks and I actually hosted one webinar in my bedroom because space was limited.Warmer weather allowed us to move outside from time-to-time and have lunch while watching deer, squirrels and birds in the backyard.

It worked. We made it work.

Over the weekend, Purple Trout, LLC moved into its new offices on Monmouth Street near Newport on the Levee in Newport, Kentucky (just a raft and a paddle away from downtown Cincinnati).

While the two-story building is a little bit larger that what we really need, it gives us room to grow; room to host meetings, interviews and small conferences. We have room to spread out; room to think; room to have a private telephone call and room to cough without everyone worrying if you have a new flu strain.

It hasn't always been easy. 

The usual start-up problems haunted us from time-to-time: long hours; contracts; deadlines; pleasing clients and fighting off vendors. Of course, there were ice storms (when I'd worry about a power outage) and a hurricane in the fall (yes, in Ohio) that forced us to work from a local library.

It's been worth it.

So, today, as I open the door to our new office, I will have a mini celebration in my brain. Working from home has been great, but now it's time for this fish to grow and move into a bigger pond.

But first I'll need to find a place to park.

No Big Deal With Microsoft's Bing

Have you had the opportunity - or desire - to check out Microsoft's new search engine Bing?

Sigh.

The reviews are in and no one seems to think it's any big deal. Bing is Microsoft Live with a fresh coat of paint.

Microsoft is pumping $100 million in an advertising campaign, but does that mean regular Google users will switch to Bing? Or will some Yahoo users crossover? I seriously doubt it. Everyone is trying to catch up.

I did read one prediction: Bing will become a powerful e-commerce and shopping search engine.

We'll see.