Google Over-Optimization Penalty: Is it Coming?

Is Google playing mind games again with the SEO community, or can webmasters really expect an over-optimization penalty in the near future? The rumors started when a Google exec announced a while back at SXSW that the search engine mogul was working on an algorithm update that would essentially penalize sites that were too heavily optimized for SEO. In other words, if you have completely over done it, you may have to start shaking in your boots. But do you really?

Build My Rank Shut Down: Link Networks at Risk in the SEO World

As many of you in the SEO community are already aware of, Build My Rank has been shut down and closed its doors for at least the foreseeable future. There was speculation surrounding the status of Build My Rank for weeks, and finally, they posted the following on their site that confirmed any suspicions that the network was dead. After Google de-indexed a large percentage of sites in their network, they ultimately had no choice. So what does this all mean for the SEO community? Other link networks? Sites that used Build My Rank?

Do I Need SEO For My Website? What You Should Be Asking

For many different reasons, a lot of people aren't too sure if they need search engine optimization (SEO) for their website. As the digital world continues to expand, and more people rely on search engines to provide them with the information they are looking for, answering that question becomes imperative. So, how do you know if you need SEO for your website? Check out the following questions you should be asking yourself - you'll have your answer in a few minutes.

A Review of SEO Services: What Your SEO Company Should Offer

Search engine optimization (SEO) companies are popping up all over the world. The spectrum of services that these companies offer is quite broad. When you consider the range of pricing options between outfits, it becomes extremely important to review what services an SEO company provides before selecting one to manage your online marketing campaign. You have to know what you are paying for. Let's review the SEO services you will need to successfully market your website in the search engine results pages (SERPs).

Google's Paid Link Policy and How It Affects SEO

The paid link debate carries on in to 2012 with no end in site. If you want to fire up the SEO community, all you have to do is bring up the subject of buying links and watch the flames ignite. But what about Google? Where does the search engine giant stand? Have they changed their position recently? Let's define that once and for all, and discuss the impact their position has on SEO.

2012 Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Update

It is clear that local SEO continues to frustrate most that have been trying to solve Google's local algorithm over the last few years. 2012 is no different. The lack of consistency in the map results can drive a person bananas. Google is clearly running thousands of tests per day to try and determine which style of map results produces the highest click-through-rate (CTR). Amidst all the confusion, I want to try and hash out the things that we do know moving forward in 2012 regarding local search and optimizing for the map results. Here is an update!

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Basics Tutorial

Understanding the basics of search engine optimization (SEO) is imperative for anyone trying to boost the visibility of their website in the search engine results pages (SERPs). All too often people launch their SEO campaigns without nailing down the fundamental principles behind the art of website optimization. The following is a tutorial on the basic SEO principles - many of the discussion points are best practices that have been established within the SEO community for years. Let's get started!

SEO and Ecommerce: Best Practices and Tips

Ecommerce websites present a unique set of challenges to SEO professionals and webmasters everywhere. If you are running an Ecommerce SEO campaign, you cannot expect the same level of difficulty as you would from a b2b website. Structuring, optimizing, and accounting for the vast array of issues that can arise with content are some of the primary challenges associated with SEO and Ecommerce. Knowing how to adapt to these challenges as Google and other search engines tweak their algorithms is important. Let's take a look at a few tips you should work in to your playbook.

XML Sitemaps: Best Practices & SEO Benefits

XML sitemaps are often included in your typical top 10 best practices for SEO list. And while they should be, often we overlook their importance, how they should be utilized, and the concept behind their importance for any SEO campaign. Too many webmasters and professionals in the SEO community will generate a sitemap and upload it to the website in question without making any adjustments. And therein lies the problem. If you are going to make use of an XML sitemap, you have to know what the purpose is of such a file and how to best configure it to experience any SEO benefit. Let's revisit the best practices that will ensure such benefits are realized!

Open Site Explorer Review: the SEOmoz Link Analysis Tool

More search engine marketers are relying on Open Site Explorer (OSE) to analyze backlink profiles. Is that a good idea? OSE, the backlink analysis tool from SEOmoz, is quite effective, although there are a few things that people should be aware of. OSE has become more relevant in the world of internet marketing since Yahoo! Site Explorer shut down towards the end of 2011. So, what is there to like about OSE? What are the drawbacks of using it to assess backlinks? Let's break it down!

Why SEO is Important for Websites

Running a website without SEO best practices in place is like having a high definition, big screen TV in a home without electricity. In the long run, the website isn't going to do much. Over the course of the last several years, I have discussed this issue with many individuals that have recently launched a new website. When I ask these people if they have optimized the website for search engines, I am often surprised to learn that many have no idea what I am talking about, or simply do not understand what that would entail. With that in mind, here is why SEO is important for websites!

SEO for Blogs: Best Practices

From my perspective, implementing SEO best practices for blogs is not that difficult. It requires a little research, attention to the demographic you may be reaching out to, and an understanding of what type of traffic you are most likely to generate from Google's search results. A lot of individuals start a blog and assume that eventually, people will find it. Not really. In order for Google to display your blog in the search results - you need to follow these best practices for blog optimization!

SEO for Beginners: A Guide for Optimizing Websites

The goal of this post is to provide a simple SEO guide for beginners. There will be a list of 10 things any novice SEO or individual looking to optimize their website should be aware of and make sure they are attending to. If you are an advanced SEO or well versed in the field, there is no need to read on. If you are new to SEO and are looking for tips and strategies to get your site off the ground and ranking well in the search engine results pages (SERPs), I suggest you stay and check this out.

SEO for Restaurants: What You Need to Know

Search engine optimization (SEO) for restaurants is becoming more important as we move in to 2012. Search trends suggest that restaurant owners looked for SEO services online more in 2011 than any year prior. And  justifiably so. With the amount of people that search online for restaurants in their respective areas, having a website and business listing that is well optimized becomes essential for restaurant owners looking to increase their visibility online and drive new customers through their front doors. Here are some things that restaurants owners need to consider when it comes to SEO.

How Much do SEO Companies Cost?

Knowing how much SEO companies cost is extremely important prior to selecting an organization to manage your internet marketing campaign. Often, business owners want to increase their online presence and do so quickly. It is apparent especially for small businesses that in order to increase your visibility, build your reputation, and drive leads, operating a successful website is a must. My friends over at SEOmoz recently put out the results of their survey that attempts to answer the very question regarding what SEO companies are charging. Before you make a decision - take a look at the survey results!

2012 SEO Tips & Strategies

As 2012 approaches, the SEO community will be looking for bigger and better ways to drive rankings in the search engine results pages (SERPs). 2011 brought algorithm updates that devalued some SEO strategies that had been relied upon for years, while stressing the importance of others that are still new to the industry. It will be important for all SEO professionals to recognize new trends as we move in to the new year. Here are some tips and strategies to get you started!

Link Building With Directories: Does it Still Work?

In the past, submitting your website to SEO friendly directories as a link building strategy was a great way to build your backlink profile and improve your rankings in the search engine results pages (SERPs). It didn't take a lot of time, effort, or critical thinking to get the job done. As a result, it was one of the most relied upon link building strategies for many years. And yet, as Google and other search engines improve their algorithms to better recognize quality backlinks and the value behind them, submitting to directories as a link building strategy has become less popular. This transition has a lot of people throughout the SEO community asking, "Does submitting to directories still work? Should directory submissions be a part of my building strategy?" Let's discuss what you need to know.

Duplicate Content Issues With Search Engines

Duplicate content has long been a problem for many websites, one that ultimately has prevented these sites from ranking well in different search engines' results pages. For this post, I want to focus primarily on Google, and how that search engine views sites that have duplicate content. One reason I want to narrow the focus to Google is the fact that their Panda algorithm update, which has been rolling out all year, was implemented to reward sites that had valuable, unique content, while pushing sites back in the search engine results pages (SERPs) for those that do not.

Optimizing Websites for Search Engines: Revisiting the Basics

I like to revisit the basic strategies one can utilize to optimize their website for search engines every few months or so. One of the reasons I like to do this is that things change, namely the search engines and what is factored in to their ranking algorithms, and it is necessary to account for those changes and make adjustments on the fly. With that in mind, there are also a number of basic on-site and off-site elements one needs to know as he or she attacks the problem of how best to optimize their site so it can rank well in the search engine results pages (SERPs). No matter how much things change, the basics remain constant, and ensuring that they are worked in to the process a must. Let's recap exactly what those basics are.

Rand Fishkin Questions Matt Cutts' Statement Regarding Encrypted Searches

Rand Fishkin has (albeit indirectly) appropriately called out Matt Cutts via Twitter - and because Rand garners the sort of respect throughout the SEO community, Cutts actually responded. As many of you know, and as I discussed earlier this month, Google is encrypting searches for those that are signed in to a Google account. As a result, the keyword data for these individuals is no longer available within the Google Analytics reports. Regardless of what Google's intentions were for doing this (was it truly to address privacy concerns?), Cutts had stated that the number of people searching online while signed in only makes up a single-digit percentage of the total number of searchers. And because of that, the implication was that it shouldn't have a negative impact on running a search marketing campaign as the keyword data lost would be minimal.