ON TARGET SEO

Search Engine Optimization or SEO – Getting a website listed at the top of the search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, MSN and AOL.

This term is used in reference to organic or natural SEO which involves working with a website’s programming, such as applying meta tags (hidden programming tags), optimized text and strategic linking with other websites.

There are over 200 different elements that Google uses to index or rank sites. Among them are elements necessary for detecting techniques that the search engines frown upon and consider unethical for which they will ban websites, including:

• Hidden text or hidden links
• Cloaking or sneaky redirects
• Automated queries to Google
• Pages with irrelevant keywords
• Multiple pages, subdomains, or domains with substantially duplicate content
• Pages with malicious behavior, such as phishing or installing viruses, trojans, or other badware
• “Doorway” pages created just for search engines, or other “cookie cutter” approaches such as affiliate programs with little or no original content
• If your site participates in an affiliate program, make sure that your site adds value. Provide unique and relevant content that gives users a reason to visit your site first.

Prices vary for search engine optimization services depending on how much work is involved and the competitiveness of the targeted keyword terms. The more competitive the keywords, the larger budget required and more time to see results. Pricing usually starts at $3,000 for an SEO package and goes up from there. Additionally, there is usually a monthly maintenance fee involved to maintain the rankings. There are companies that charge lower fees, however their services are generally not effective.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than 45 million Hispanics living in the United States, representing 15 percent of the population. They’re also the fastest growing minority group, with Hispanics projected to represent 30 percent of the U.S. population by 2050.

What this means to every American business is a growing need to market to the U.S. Hispanic population. And that means marketing in Spanish since it is the first-language of 34 million people (5 years or older) who are Spanish-speakers at home where they make buying decisions, especially online.

In other words, translating your website content from English into Spanish is critical if you want to reach one of the biggest target audiences online today.

As many as 65 percent of us spend at least 8 hours a day online! However, here in the United States, one segment of the population logs even more internet hours – Hispanics, spending an average of 20 percent more time online than non-Hispanics.

So obviously, as a business with an internet presence, reaching the Hispanic market should be a top priority. That’s why you must carefully consider this: of the websites frequented by U.S. Hispanics, more than half of them are written in Spanish.

For details on how CyberMark can translate your website into a Spanish version, call 623-889-3380 extension 229, or email sales@cybermark.com, for a custom quote today.

Google Changes How It Handles rel=”nofollow”

At a recent SEO seminar, Google engineer Matt Cutts announced in a Q and A setting that Page Rank Sculpting using the rel=”nofollow” attribute no longer works as it once did. Google has not clarified any further on the issue. It remains to be seen how this will affect SEO, and while CyberMark does use PageRank sculpting on select websites, we do not expect to see any negative effects from this algorithm update.

Google Follows JavaScript

JavaScript has never provided any value to search engines, and as such has never been indexed or crawled by the search engines. Due to this fact, both black hat and white hat SEO’s have routinely used JavaScript to hide certain information from the search engines. Ethics aside, JavaScript has been used for many years for many different techniques, good and bad. That is until now. Google announced it is now indexing and crawling JavaScript files.

As with the nofollow update referenced above, CyberMark does use this technique (in ethical ways) but has not and does not expect to see any negative effects of this change. Plus, we have techniques to combat this change that are very easily implemented.

These latest updates, like all search engine algorithm updates over the years, have not negatively affected CyberMark clients. It proves that CyberMarks research and development continues to be on target with what the search engines are doing now and in the future.

Whatever your perception of Twitter may be, the only way of fully understanding its potential for growing your business is to create an account. As long as you regularly update your account (or “tweet”) and strategically follow other tweeters, you will discover that Twitter can help you:

1. Strengthen your online presence.

2. Strengthen your brand.

3. Personalize your company’s identity.

4. Interact directly with existing or potential customers and clients.

5. Target potential customers and clients in your city, state or region.

6. Target potential customers or clients who are specifically interested in a product or service like yours.

7. Promote your website, blog, Facebook page or other online venue.

8. Share company updates, new products and specials.

9. Search tweets for people looking for your product or service, then reply or direct message them about your product or service.

10. Include within your updates keywords relative to what you do so that you’re tweets will be listed when fellow tweeters do a Twitter search.

Whether you need to sign up for a Twitter account, or already have one, please follow CyberMark. We regularly tweet about SEO and other internet marketing strategies, including Twitter tips. And if you’re a CyberMark client, your tweets will no doubt be among our favorites – so much so that we’ll regularly “retweet” your updates to all of our followers too!

In its best effort to compete with Google, Microsoft is spending $80 to $100 million dollars in print, TV and radio ads to promote Bing, a new search engine that is replacing Microsoft’s under-performing Live Search model.

Officially launching on Wednesday, June 3, 2009, Bing promises to make online search a more satisfying experience – a goal inspired by Microsoft research showing that most people who search online do not find exactly what they are looking for. After multiple searches, they simply give up and move on.

Though Bing is live now, additional improvements are set to roll out in the future, so it may be some time before it’s clear just how effective and, in turn, popular Bing will be.

Notable features of Bing include:

• Implementing a hover feature to display more information about each listing without having to click through to the webpage.

• Displaying “Related Searches” in the top left-hand corner of search results, presumably to help you improve your results within the category you are searching.

• Displaying “Search History” underneath “Related Searches” so that you can easily return to a search that may have been helpful to you before. You can actually click the “See All” button and it will display for you the exact date and time when you made these searches through Bing. You can also “Clear All” search history results or turn this feature off completely.

• Displaying video search results in an easily-scannable video grouping as opposed to Google’s vertical display.

• Offering “cashback savings” on products you find and purchase through Bing. Though you pay full price at checkout, “You can request your cashback about 60 days after your purchase (the waiting period varies by store) and with at least $5 in your cashback account.”

Bing is also noticeably different from Google in its aesthetic appeal, as it will feature a different background image every day of the year.

As with all search engine developments, CyberMark will monitor the growth of Bing and other emerging search engines (like Wolfram Alpha) and, if necessary, adjust our SEO techniques accordingly. From our initial research, CyberMark clients are ranking well with Bing, though newer clients may take a little longer to show up in the search results.

What do you think? Search Bing now.

Related Blog Posts:

Wolfram Alpha Engine Poised to Change the Way We Search

How to Protect Your Rankings in Response to New Google Changes

In recent months, we’ve been closely monitoring a change in Google search results that may now dramatically affect your search engine ranking. In some categories, Google is listing regional search results above national search results.

For CyberMark clients with regional websites, this is fantastic news. In fact, we’ve been aggressively adding regional sites to Google local listings for this very reason.

However, if yours is a national site with no regionalization, the high rankings you are accustomed to may fall as regional listings push yours further down the page.

As Google explains in its official blog:

“If you specify your location in your query, we often show your results on a map. But we’ve noticed that much of the time users make simpler searches, like [restaurants] or [dentist]…. We like to make search as easy as we can, so we’ve just finished the worldwide rollout of local search results on a map, which will now appear even when you don’t type in a location. When you search on Google, we will guess where you are and show results near you.”

Google guesses location based on the online user’s IP address, though there is an option to “change location” if the guess is wrong.

“We try to make our guesses as good as they can be so that whether you’re shopping for [groceries], [sporting goods] or [flowers], or looking for your [bank], your [gym], or the [post office], you can just say what you want, and we’ll try to find it right where you are.”

Again, this is a big plus for regional websites, but we cannot help but have mixed feelings about this change as it may negatively affect clients with national websites. It is for this reason that CPC marketing is going to become increasingly important.

If you want to continue to compete in the national or international marketplace, it is absolutely essential that you start or expand your CPC marketing campaign and start adding regional marketing pages to your site. CyberMark specializes in this guaranteed form of search engine listings. You need only call us to get started on your CPC campaign – the only way of ensuring that you will stay at the top of your national listings.

What if a search engine could create an answer that didn’t exist before you asked it?

That’s exactly what Wolfram Alpha can do, a new search engine that launched today. Unlike other search engines that simply return a list of pages in response to your query, Wolfram returns an answer, as well as a page of related information. So instead of you doing all the digging, Wolfram does it for you.

Essentially, Wolfram understands and responds to ordinary language in the same way a person would, a direction in which online search is expected to continue to grow.

As with all search engine developments, CyberMark will monitor the growth of Wolfram and other emerging search engines and, if necessary, adjust our SEO techniques accordingly.

It launched today, so you can try Wolfram Alpha now. 

After being nominated for this year’s award, CyberMark submitted a 90-page application to the Arizona Better Business Bureau for use in their evaluation of all nominees. Below are excerpts from our submission representing what we believe to be the top 10 reasons the BBB chose CyberMark as a finalist for the 2009 BBB Business Ethics Award.

1) Implementing Ethical SEO

The key to effective SEO is closely monitoring search engine algorithms, as they determine the criteria that search engines use for website ranking. With each new set of criteria often comes the need for new CyberMark services – creative, innovative ways to generate more revenue for us and, in turn, more traffic and revenue for our clients.

Currently, CyberMark SEO and other internet marketing services include:

· Keyword Data Reporting – Keyword Research

· Meta Support and Website Programming Search Engine Optimization

· WC3 Compliant Code

· Inside Content Pages in Frequently Asked Question Format or Product Showcasing

· Creation and Posting of Educational Articles

· Monthly Upkeep and Submissions – Monthly Rank Monitoring and SEO Maintenance

· Rank Reports

· Press Releases – Online Press Release Search Engine Optimization Program

· Paid Directory Package – Paid Search Engine Optimization Inclusions

· Social Media Marketing – Blogging and Video SEO

· Cost Per Click Marketing – CPC Marketing for Guaranteed Search Engine Listings

· Google Adwords Marketing Product Features

· Yahoo Search Marketing Product Features

· Google Analytics – Advanced Website Metrics

· Google WebMaster Tools – Advanced Tools for Diagnosing Problems

· Yahoo Site Exlorer – Similar to Google Webmaster Tools

· Responsible Opt-In Emailing Services – Mailing List Setup

· Banner Advertising

· Domain Name Registration

· Website Hosting Services

· Website Design

· Web Application Programming

· Site Content Management Tool

· Site Translation Into Other Languages

However, not all of our clients will benefit from the same set of internet marketing services. That’s why every client’s package can be customized, ensuring that we never sell a service that our clients do not need.

2) Correcting Unethical SEO

Website owners sometimes discover CyberMark only after investing in an SEO company that used unethical practices to optimize their site, such as doorway pages or invisible text. Instead of ranking higher, their investment in expensive search engine optimization actually ranked them lower in the listings than where they were ranked before. Though there are times when the damage done is so severe that it requires drastic measures – such as contacting the search engines directly – more often than not, correcting unethical SEO is typically a matter of incorporating CyberMark’s ethical techniques into a site.

3) Optimizing for Long-Term Results

SEO is not a one-time fix. On the contrary, SEO is an ongoing process that must be managed and maintained on a regular monthly basis for as long as you want your website to rank high in the engines. That’s why CyberMark’s commitment to honesty, integrity and doing the right thing is directly responsible for the prosperous growth of our business. Our ethical SEO techniques generate both immediate and long-term results.

4) Providing Superior Customer Service

Our clients consistently tell us that CyberMark customer service is unmatched in the industry – all a part of our commitment to keeping the customer happy no matter what, which more often than not means going above and beyond the call of duty to do so.

5) Generating Rank Reports for Accountability

CyberMark runs a monthly rank report detailing the rank of each targeted keyword on 10 of the major search engines, including Google, Yahoo, AOL, MSN, Netscape and more. Though we cannot guarantee a specific spot in the rankings (and we warn clients to avoid SEO companies that do) we can guarantee excellence. These monthly rank reports help prove we’re following through on our promise, to our clients and to ourselves.

6) Distributing Monthly Client Newsletters

We consider it our responsibility to educate our clients on search engine optimization – not only when they come on board, but for as long as we are providing their SEO. Though we share new information anytime we are having a one-on-one conversation with a client, the best way of ensuring that all CyberMark clients always have the most up-to-date information is through our monthly newsletter program.

7) Maintaining an Unblemished Record of Membership with the BBB

Since September 2001, CyberMark has been an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau of Central, Northern and Western Arizona, during which time we have had zero complaints. This speaks volumes to clients who take great comfort in this formal recognition of CyberMark’s commitment to integrity.

8 ) Maintaining Membership with the Web Assurance Bureau

In the event that any consumer experiences a financial loss due to the misconduct of a member company, WebAssured.com will reimburse that consumer up to $200. This is the only purchase guarantee program of its kind on the internet today. CyberMark has been a member of the Web Assurance Bureau since 1999, with zero complaints!

9) Resolving Issues in a Timely Manner

Whether it’s a client’s shopping cart that’s down or a contact form that isn’t working right, our staff responds immediately, devoting themselves to the problem for as long as it takes to get it resolved even if that means staying beyond regular office hours.

10) Resolving Issues Not Related to CyberMark

As an internet marketing business, it is common for clients to turn to us with all of their company’s website issues, whether they are CyberMark’s responsibility or not. Rather than turn them away on a technicality, we go above and beyond to do all we can to help, providing direct tech support when possible or referring them to someone else who can.

For faster, easier and safer browsing, upgrade to Internet Explorer 8. It’s filled with new features that will simplify and secure your online navigation, including:

1) Accelerators. Let’s say you find a new restaurant you want to try. Instead of copying the address from the restaurant website, then going to a different website to paste in the address for driving directions, an accelerator will do all that for you without having to leave the page. Simply highlight the address and click on the blue accelerator icon that appears. From there you can select the “driving directions” option. There are similar options for translating text, defining words, emailing content and more.

2) InPrivate Browsing. Since we do so much of our shopping online these days, it can be hard to keep a secret when it comes to gift-giving, as your browser displays everywhere you go. Internet Explorer 8 solves this dilemma with an InPrivate Browsing option. When activated, your browser will not record and save your history.

3) Web Slices. If you check your email multiple times a day – as most of us do – you could save yourself a lot of time and energy with Web Slices. This feature enables you to keep track of different “slices” of the web, including your email so that you will be notified when you have a new message to check. The same is true of sports scores, weather reports, auction items and any number of other things that may be updated online throughout the day.

4) Search Suggestions. Not only will Internet Explorer 8 offer relevant suggestions as you type words into the search box, but it also has a “find on page” button that lets you search for text within the page you are already on.

5) SmartScreen Filter. Protect yourself from unsafe websites and software before it’s too late. Internet Explorer 8 will notify you when you’re trying to visit a site or download software that could be harmful to your computer.

Click this link for your free download of Internet Explorer 8.

Instead of cryptic numbers and codes, always include in the URL the words that best describe the content of the page. This not only attracts human users, but the search engines too! Consider the following example.

If you were interested in rare baseball cards, which one of the following URL’s would you be more likely to click?

http://www.brandonsbaseballcards.com/folder1/1089257/x1/0000023a.htm

OR

http://www.brandonsbaseballcards.com/articles/ten-rarest-baseball-cards.htm

Obviously you’d pick option number two, which is precisely the point Google makes with this example in its SEO Starter Guide on the topic of URL structure.

Attracting Search Engines

If an online user searches “rarest baseball cards,” Google not only crawls for those terms in the title tag, meta tags and on-page text of your website, but also in the URL. So the better your URL reflects the content of your web page, the better your chances that Google will rank your site higher in the search engine listings.

In fact, using the wrong characters in a URL can prevent search engines from crawling your site at all. For instance, Google will stop dead it is tracks if it comes across a # symbol. That’s why AJAX can be bad for SEO, as AJAX uses JavaScript which uses the # symbol in its URL’s.

Attracting Visitors

Displayed in search engine listings underneath your web page’s title and description is the URL. If the term searched by the user appears in this URL, Google will bold those words accordingly, which reinforces to the user that your web page contains content relative to what they’re looking for.

Ideally, you want visitors to your website to be so impressed with your content that they want to link to it themselves. In some cases they may use the URL itself as the anchor text on the page. Just like you, their visitors will be more likely to click the link if it contains words referencing what they will find on your page.

Of course, there will be instances when online users will type a URL directly into their browser. Lengthy URL’s filled with numbers and characters only increases the chances that they’ll type it in wrong, get a “Not Found” message and give up before ever getting to your site. Words are so much easier to process and remember.

So when it comes to URL structure, always 1) opt for words over numbers or characters, 2) keep it relatively short and 3) make certain it’s relevant to the content on the page.