Why optimized images are important:

Search engines' spiders are blind. They cannot "see" the images you choose for your Web site. Search engines do not know what the images show or what words are used in images.

Thankfully, there are SEO practices that allow search engines to understand your images, without actually seeing them. When used correctly, images can boost the relevancy and aesthetic appeal of your page, as well as aid the visually impaired to understand your Web site.

As you may have noticed, and as we explained last month, Search Engine Result Pages (SERPS) are changing with more diverse selection of Web sources. Along with these changes, Image Search is a growing trend. Search Engines recognize the impact of visual search and are making these results a priority.

As images become more and more important on the search engines, it is critical your SEO strategy includes optimized images.

Tips for Optimizing Images:

• Use keyword rich Alt IMG tags. Alt IMG tags are used within the HTML code of a Web page, and describe an image. The description you add within the Alt IMG tag is the text that appears on screen when you hold your mouse over an image. As important as keywords are, it is important not to overuse these as well. As always, use keywords naturally, overuse will appear as spam to the search engines.
  
  
• Include descriptive keywords within the image file name instead of just leaving it whatever your camera or scanner saved it as. If it is a picture of one of your products, include the product name in the file name.
  
  
• Include content near the image that uses the same relevant keywords. Give the image a caption. You can be more descriptive with the caption than you were with the Alt IMG tag.
  
  
• Keep the file size of the image low. Make sure it doesn't take too long to load on your Web pages.
  
  
• A good rule of thumb to remember is to save files as JPEGs. It is the preferred file format for images on the Web.
  
  
• Make sure the images you're using are of a good quality. When shrunken to a thumbnail, they should still be easily recognizable.
  
  
• Don't restrict access to your images. Many Web sites add the image folders to the robots.txt file. This prevents your images from being indexed by search engines.
  
  
• Add your images to social image sites such as Flickr. You will be able to add keyword rich descriptions and tags to the images. Social sites like Flickr also allow you to create detailed profiles where you can add links to your Web site. You can go beyond the tagging of your images and become active on the sites. Join groups, discuss other images, be active in related communities. You can use these sites and your images to establish yourself as an industry leader.

Following these simple steps for optimizing the images on your Web site is an easy way to get your site optimized and on track, ready to enjoy higher search visibility.

Labels: Organic SEO

You've been in investing in SEO for years and you have finally achieved the organic search positions you have been reaching for. Your company has spent thousands of dollars, if not more, now don't blow it! More often than not, once search visibility is attained, companies will take steps that impair or completely sabotage their SEO success to that point. Don't make that mistake.

Web Site Redesign / CMS Change

The most common way companies sabotage their organic search positions is by redesigning their Web site or switching content management systems without consulting their search engine marketing firm first. Your Web site is your platform for maintaining and achieving higher search visibility. Why would you completely renovate it when you've invested so much time and money in getting it the search visibility you currently have?

Redesigning your Web site affects a wide variety of top factors in obtaining search visibility. Navigation, architecture, past efforts, the way the content is presented, file names, interlinking internally - and the list goes on. Altering any or all of these factors can cause devastating results if done so in a manner that hinders the search engines. Not to mention what happens if you do not properly transition the old site to the new. You can demolish your search visibility before the new Web site even gets out of the gate by not using proper redirecting tactics. Don't make that mistake. From the beginning of a Web site redesign discussion, contact your search marketing agency and get them involved with the process. Read more about handling a redesign in 10 Issues to Consider When Reviewing / Designing Your Web Site.

No Changes Allowed!

Another common way companies sabotage their SEO investment goes hand in hand with the old wise tale that SEO is magic. Unfortunately, SEO agencies can't wave a magic wand and make search visibility appear. In order to achieve higher search visibility, there is a good chance some changes will need to occur on your Web site. It could be one or more of the following, depending on how well optimized your Web site is when the SEO agency begins: adding page specific meta-tags, optimizing content, adding content, navigational revisions, or complete architecture change. Your SEO firm will tell you what needs to be done, however unless the changes are made, do not demand results.

Attempt SEO on Your Own

Search engine optimization information is on the web everywhere. The trick is knowing what information is correct and up to date. There used to be a time where you could spam your meta-tags, join link farms, set up a hundred domains, etc. and achieve high search positions. However, that is not the case anymore. Some of the outdated SEO tactics, such as hidden content, can end up penalizing your Web site.

Before you attempt to make optimization changes on your Web site, check in with your Search Marketing agency. They will be able to guide you on whether or not to utilize this tactic and if so, help you implement correctly.

SEO is Web Development, Not Marketing

The other most common mistake that can be detrimental to your online search visibility is the mindset that SEO is a behind the scenes and a technical Web development issue. Search engine optimization is much more than adding meta-tags and putting some keywords into content. Those days are long gone. Yes, technical areas of the Web site may need adjusting, however search marketing strategies need to be intertwined within your entire marketing program. Marketing efforts offline need to be coordinated with your online efforts. The more search engine marketing is included within the companies overall Marketing plan, the more successful you will be.

So, next time you want to make some changes to your Web site or are discussing your new Marketing budget / plans, remember to connect with your search marketing agency. You don't want your competitors to take over because of a simple step you could have avoided.

Labels: Organic SEO

Filters can be a great addition to your Google Analytics accounts and profiles. They allow you to exclude or include certain data so that your profile reports are more accurate. They also help decrease the amount of data sifting that you would need to do after your reports were already produced.

For example, maybe you want to filter out internal traffic or maybe you want to only see traffic to specific subdirectories on your site in individual profiles. Filters can make this easy.

To set up a filter in Google Analytics, you first need to go into your account and edit the profile settings for the profile you are looking to filter. Remember to always leave a backup profile that remains unaltered, since you cannot recover data once it has been filtered. Once you are in profile settings you will see "Main Profile Website information"," Goals" and below your goals you will see an area that says "Filters Applied to Profile." Click on "+ Add Filter", you will now see the "Create a New Filter" screen.


Here you can choose whether you want to add a new filter to your profile or whether you want to add an existing filter to your profile. The "Apply Existing Filter to Profile" option allows you to add the same filter across profiles. For example, you may want to filter out your internal traffic on all of your profiles, so only relevant traffic shows up in your reports.

You also have the option to add a new filter to the profile in which you will create this new filter. You will want to name your filter something descriptive so you know what it is, like "only traffic from subdirectory A" or "excluding internal traffic". You will then specify whether you want to use a predefined filter or a custom filter (we will touch on custom filters in a future post). Predefined filters give you the option to include or exclude traffic from specific domains, traffic from IP addresses and traffic to specific subdirectories. You will then choose whether you want the data you filter to be equal to, to begin with, to end with, or to contain the domain or IP address that you enter. Then you have to fill in the domain, subdirectory or IP addresses that you want to include or exclude traffic to or from.

These options allow you to be flexible with how you include or exclude data. For example, if you want to include traffic to a specific subdirectory, but it has a dynamic URL for a sub directory, "/mydir/", you can choose the option "that begins with" and it will include all traffic where the URL begins with "/mydir/" any visit where the URI begins with "/mydir/" will be included or excluded from your traffic reports. So visits to "/mydir/31", "mydir/221", "/mydir/3984" and so on, would all be included in your traffic data.


Using filters is a great way to get more specific data, which in turn can lead to better data for decision making. Filters can be simple to use and they offer many options for how you want to see your data.

Labels: Google Analytics

Search engine marketing should be an important aspect of your entire marketing campaign. Online marketing and offline marketing should not be separate issues. In the same respect, the technical aspects of search engine optimization are not autonomous from the other aspects of a search engine marketing campaign. Search engine optimization is the collaboration of technical aspects of a Web site as well as content, links, traffic, social media, etc. Search engine marketing truly is a complete package.

One part of that search marketing package is your Social Media involvement. Social media is changing the way marketing is done. The days of push marketing are coming to an end. Marketing both offline and online are taking a new approach. Relationships are the key to success. Building relationships with your target audience in turn markets your product / service.

The social aspect of the Internet is becoming more and more obvious. Recently, Google has unveiled the Social Search feature, which allows users to find pertinent content from their social circles. Google finds relevant content from a user's friends and displays it under the other search results. The Internet is becoming more and more personalized. Does your current marketing plan account for these changes?

It's not all about simply putting a page on Facebook or tweeting once in awhile. You need to allocate the resources to successfully build a following on the various social media channels. Communicate with and provide the information your market is looking for. Market without Marketing. Provide the information your market wants and let them spread the word for you! By participating in social media correctly, your online visibility and search results will grow as well.

Times are changing, and search engine marketing is proving to be an important piece of the large marketing puzzle. Discuss your entire marketing vision with your search engine marketing firm, and make sure that your online marketing efforts reflect your entire marketing campaign. Look at the big picture, and your marketing efforts will be rewarded.

Labels: Organic SEO, Social Marketing

Talking with as many decision-makers as I do, I know it is hard to select a Search Engine Optimization agency. Few business people know what to ask or what to look for.

Google can guide your decision with useful information on how to select an SEO agency. Click on this link for Google's advice for Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

I could not agree more with Google advice. Here are excerpts:

Many SEOs and other agencies and consultants provide useful services for website owners, including:
• Review of your site content or structure
• Technical advice on website development: for example, hosting, redirects, error pages, use of JavaScript
• Content development
• Management of online business development campaigns
• Keyword research
• SEO training
• Expertise in specific markets and geographies

If you're thinking about hiring an SEO, the earlier the better. A great time to hire is when you're considering a site redesign, or planning to launch a new site. That way, you and your SEO can ensure that your site is designed to be search engine-friendly from the bottom up. However, a good SEO can also help improve an existing site.

Some useful questions to ask an SEO include:
• Can you show me examples of your previous work and share some success stories?
• Do you follow the Google Webmaster Guidelines?
• Do you offer any online marketing services or advice to complement your organic search business?
• What kind of results do you expect to see, and in what timeframe? How do you measure your success?
• What's your experience in my industry?
• What's your experience in my country/city?
• What's your experience developing international sites?
• What are your most important SEO techniques?
• How long have you been in business?
• How can I expect to communicate with you? Will you share with me all the changes you make to my site, and provide detailed information about your recommendations and the reasoning behind them?

While SEOs can provide clients with valuable services, some unethical SEOs have given the industry a black eye through their overly aggressive marketing efforts and their attempts to manipulate search engine results in unfair ways. Practices that violate our guidelines may result in a negative adjustment of your site's presence in Google, or even the removal of your site from our index. Here are some things to consider:

• Be wary of SEO firms and web consultants or agencies that send you email out of the blue.

• No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.
Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a "special relationship" with Google, or advertise a "priority submit" to Google. There is no priority submit for Google.

• Be careful if a company is secretive or won't clearly explain what they intend to do.

• You should never have to link to an SEO.

• Be sure to understand where the money goes.
While Google never sells better ranking in our search results, several other search engines combine pay-per-click or pay-for-inclusion results with their regular web search results. Some SEOs will promise to rank you highly in search engines, but place you in the advertising section rather than in the search results. A few SEOs will even change their bid prices in real time to create the illusion that they "control" other search engines and can place themselves in the slot of their choice. This scam doesn't work with Google because our advertising is clearly labeled and separated from our search results, but be sure to ask any SEO you're considering which fees go toward permanent inclusion and which apply toward temporary advertising.

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I hope this sound advice from Google helps you select an effective Search Engine Optimization agency for your business.

Labels: Organic SEO, SEM Back to Basics