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New Google Privacy Policy: Is There Such a Thing as Privacy with Google?

February 21, 2012 By 2 Comments

Google privacy policy concernsYou’ve likely seen all the hype about new Google privacy policy that was released last month. Everyone and their brother has an opinion about whether is evil or just invasive. But the truth is that these changes won’t affect you too much, and here’s why…

One of the biggest changes that Google announced was that they will now track your searches across all of its services, including Gmail, Google search and Google maps. Some of you may be thinking, “Hey, didn’t they already do that?” Well, the simple answer is no. Google has always stored user data. The difference is that now, each application can now have access to your search history for all of the other applications. So if you search for Florida rental property in Google, you might see ads in Gmail for rentals, and in Google maps for Florida vacations.

Will Google Share my Data With Anyone Else?

Google says no, they are making no changes to the data they share with third parties. Google owns plenty of applications you use on a regular basis, such as YouTube, Google Calendar and Google Docs, so really, they don’t have to share your data with anyone else. They already have a goldmine of knowledge about you and your online habits and now that they can cross reference then, Google will be able to target your ads with what might be frightening accuracy. There’s little need for Google to share their data with anyone else, Google does just fine with it on their own.

But there can be such a thing as ads that are too targeted. While Google has always featured personalized ads pulled from the data you share in its applications, now the cross referencing will provide far more personal targeting, and that may bother some users. Thoughtfully enough, new Google privacy policy has offered the option to opt out of these personalized ads.  By simply signing into Google, visiting your account preferences, and finding the Ad Preferences manager, you can opt out of either or both the ads in search and Gmail, and ads on the web.

What’s So Bad About Targeted Ads?

While some may find that Google’s new cross application data sharing is a bit too creepy for them, for the most part it’s not that big of a change from Google’s original data storage. But if you want to completely opt out of Google’s insidious data grabbing, consider using other services that aren’t owned by Google. It’s harder than you think, but it can be done.

Best to decide for yourself. You can see Google’s old TOS here, and their newly revised TOS here. Read it yourself, and pay attention to your ads in all of Google’s applications. You may not find it much different from your experience before the changes. But if you do, new Google privacy policy allows you to easily opt out.

Filed Under: Google

SEO Infographic : Goldilocks SEO

January 31, 2012 By

Anyone with more than a passing interest in internet marketing should definitely be reading SEOBook.com by Aaron Wall, who I believe is a Bay Area local. His approach is always well thought out and researched, and he’s never afraid to tell it like it is. In this infographic he’s likened SEO effort to Goldilock’s preference in porridge from story of  The Three Bears. Is your current internet marketing effort too hot, too cold, or is it just right?

SEO techniques

 

SEO Infographics by SEO Book

Filed Under: Search Engine Optimization

Google Search Releases a New Penalty for Pages with Top Heavy Ads

January 27, 2012 By

Google Search Ad PenaltyIf your page is top heavy with ads and offers content on the down low, Google will now penalize your page. No one likes to land on a site where they have to scroll past several ads that sit “above the fold” and Google Search won’t return these pages in the tops of searches any longer, according to a new post from The Google Search blog. Here’s what you need to know about the changes.

 Too Many Ads Above Content

Google Search laid out its changes to its “page layout algorithm” in this week’s announcement. The main change is in direct response to complaints from Google Search users who are tired of clicking on a search result, only to find what appears to be a page full of ads.  The content is generally found down below these ads, or “below the fold” of the page.

Sites that don’t offer their content near the top, but instead bury it under several ads and links will be penalized and left out of the high ranking search results from now on, according to the blog post. If your site offers content high enough on the page to be seen on landing, without having to wade through far too many ads, then your site won’t be affected by these changes. These changes don’t apply to pop-up ads or overlay ads either, according to Google.

 What Makes Too Many Ads?

If you’re not sure if you have too many ads above your content, Google won’t do a whole lot to help you find out. Their general guidelines advise you to study page size in different browsers, so that you’ll know what your visitor sees when they land on your page. If all they see are ads, you’ll want to make some changes. The best way to know that your page fits in Google’s idea of “too many” is to keep an eye on your page stats, and if you see them drop after today, it’s time to make your page more user friendly and less ad heavy.

Much like the Panda Update that Google released last year, this change will effect sites that Google Search deems ad heavy, and will attach a tag and impose a ranking decrease to your entire site, not just the landing page or any specific page. This is a heavy hit. But Google estimates that only about 1 percent of sites will affected by this release.

But even if you make changes to unearth your content and send your ads to the cheap seats, don’t expect your search results to bump back up right away. Google warns that it could take up to several weeks before your page is updated and re-ranked in their results. The blog post warns that the more pages you have on your site, the longer it can take to update your changes and remove the penalties from your search rankings.

Is Google the Pot or the Kettle?

After announcing the release, simply called the “page layout algorithm” for now, Google took some criticism for returning searches that appear to be top heavy with ads themselves. We’re all familiar with the search return from Google that features sponsored ads at the top of the page, as well as along the right side column of the page. This would appear to be ad heavy and seems hypocritical to some.

In response, the blog updated with a statement clarifying that Google’s algorithm takes into account all of the pages on a site in aggregate, and that the majority of their own searches only return one or two ads which sit well above the fold. The rare search that returns four ads which take up the space above the fold are highly uncommon, the blog explained. I’m not sure Google Search adequately defended its own practices, but our biggest concern is making certain our own pages are not penalized by this new update.

Filed Under: Search Engine Optimization

Google Search Plus Your World Equals Search Changes

January 16, 2012 By

Google Search Plus Your WorldGoogle is constantly working on the search experience, tweaking it and making changes to improve both search and their place at the top. Now Google has introduced its most radical change yet, as it rolls out “Search Plus Your World” this week.

The biggest +1 for users is the ability to find content from the whole World Wide Web combined with items that have been shared in your private Google plus account in one easy search result. But the new search raises some concerns over privacy and competition.

What You Can Expect to See with Search Plus Your World

Not everyone will see the change right away; it should take several days to go live across the board. For now, only those logged into their Google account and searching for English content can see the new search results. To know whether you’re seeing new Search Plus Your World results, look for a box at the top of a search that should alert you that you’re seeing new content.

The default setting in the new Google search includes “Personal Results” that come from your social connections through Google+.  The personal results are integrated with results from the rest of the web. You can see that you’re using personal search by looking for the buttons at the top right of the search return page, where you’ll find buttons to either include or not to include these personal results. By clicking the globe button, you’re turning off the personal search and only getting more traditional search results on the page.

What You Can Expect to Find in Search Plus Your World?

When you have personal search turned on, Google will return content from the web, both based on your personal web habits and social connections, and content from Google+ posts, updates and images that have been shared with you on the social media platform. The biggest concern for many is that Google also shows private content in search results. You should note that while this content seems to be available to all in the search, your private content will only show up in your personal search and that of those you have shared it with, not the whole Google world.

It just looks like it does.

For now, Google’s new Search Plus doesn’t include content from its biggest competitor, Facebook, nor from Twitter or Flickr. Content shared on those sites is fiercely protected by their Terms of Service. Google has been itching to get into Facebook’s data for years, and this new personal search may just be the in they’ve been searching for. If Facebook’s user numbers suffer when people find it easier to find info on Google+, Facebook may start to see Google in a new light.

Is Search Plus Your World Keeping Your Data Secure?

Google’s biggest hurdle in launching the new personal search had less to do with privacy concerns and more to do with security issues. When you use Search Plus Your World on a connection that isn’t secure, all of your search returns, including private content that should only be visible to you, becomes a target for virtual eavesdropping.

To solve this issue, Google encrypts any private material that is included in our search, and can be seen only by your browser and by Google. Anyone monitoring your date through the open Internet connection won’t be able to see the encrypted search results.

You can opt out of personal search by visiting Search Setting on your Google account, or on a search-by-search basis by using the toggle switches on the main search page. This toggle switch makes it easy to page back and forth between normal and personal search results.

As these new Search Plus Your World features are rolled out and users start learning more about them, more concerns over privacy and Google’s monopoly over search will no doubt come up faster than you can find them. For now, Google is at the top of the search game and Google+ is at the top of every page, whether you like it or not.

 

Filed Under: Google, Search Engine Optimization

Google Places and Local SEO: The Basics

December 21, 2011 By

Google PlacesThanks to Facebook and Twitter, it became necessary for people to constantly shout to the world what they’re doing right now, whether that be on vacation with family or standing in line at the post office. That has now evolved to where it’s not just about what you’re doing, but where you’re doing it. Enter Google Places – part of Google Maps, this free service allows business owners to get their company it’s own portion of the Google universe, and every-day users can find places to visit, rate their experience, and even share it with friends and loved ones.

Google Places Boosts Local SEO

What does this all have to do with local SEO, you may ask? First off, just being on a Google site is going to help you be found. According to Google Places‘ Website, 97% of people look for local businesses online. And at this point, who doesn’t use Google? And Google says you can also find out what keywords your potential customers are looking for, which as we all know can be key to SEO.

And there’s great potential here for small business owners to really boost their exposure through fully utlizing Google Places and your spot in it. For example, by having a fully-optimized Google Places listing – which would mean you would have claimed it as the “owner” of that business and fully filled out the profile to include hours of service, photos, even video – you’re saying that your place is legit, which will help improve your rankings.

Another tip to help your local SEO rankings through Google Places is to add items like coupons and citations to your Google Places page, and do your best to foster your customers to write reviews. And on the flip side, you also need to ensure the actual Website for your business is fully optimized for the Google Places experience, which includes adding appropriate meta data and tags, content that includes the keywords important to your business, and links to social media oulets like Facebook and Twitter (which should also have links to your Google Places page).

Want More Info on Using Google Places to Boost Your SEO?

If you have any questions about claiming your Google Places listing or local SEO in general, drop us a line! Our local SEO specialist will be happy to help.

 

Filed Under: Local SEO, Search Engine Optimization

HostGator Saves the Day!

December 13, 2011 By

Get Your HostGator Coupon Code for the Best DealWe’ve been using HostGator fairly exclusively over the last year, after trying some of the big name services, and time and time again they prove themselves to be the best solution for hosting, especially when it comes to WordPress. Whether it’s quick help in fixing a slow server, site migrations, or any other issue, their technical support staff are always there to help with their online chat.

So, WordPress 3.3 is now live, and it’s time to upgrade! It’s another milestone edition, codenamed “Sonny” and so far, the changes seem to make WordPress even more user friendly than it already is. One of our clients has a site we created and is hosted on Hostgator, but they prefer to manage it themselves rather than have us doing updates, etc for them. The problem is, one of the plug-in’s they were using was not compatible with the new update, and it inadvertently hosed the database, leaving nothing but the theme. Over 15 pages and 90 blog posts gone in an instant.

They called me in a panic, asking for help. After going through the usual steps of checking for offline backups and getting the rundown on what lead up to the issue, I put in a chat request with one of the HG techs. Apparently they’ve been busy today helping plenty of others with the same issue. Not to worry though, it turns out HostGator does routine backups of all sites on their VPS and reseller hosting servers! Within ten minutes, the site was back up and running, the restored and repaired database back in place as if nothing had ever happened.

I can tell you I encountered a similar issue a few years ago with one of the better known hosting companies where I needed a site restored after it was hacked, and after waiting for over a day for assistance, I was charged over $300 to get the site restored.

I should also mention relying on your host to cover your backups is not good practice, you should always have your own WordPress backup solution in place, but it is good to know that my host has got me covered in the even that doesn’t work out either.

If you’re considering a new web host, these coupons can help get you started. At check out, use coupon code BAYAREA25OFF to get 25% off.

What do you think of HostGator? Do you love them as much as we do?

Filed Under: Wordpress

What is Google Schemer?

December 12, 2011 By

Google SchemerGoogle has done it again. In its sinister – ok not so sinister – plan to take over the World Wide Web, Google has launched the Schemer platform closed beta. What is Schemer, you ask? It is a new Google family platform created by a small group of Google engineers to compete with FourSquare and Yelp.  Did we say compete? Google has not exactly stated that fact, but when you see the similarities we’ll bet you come to the same conclusion.

He’s a Schemer, I’m a Schemer, Wouldn’t You Like to Be a Schemer Too?

The private beta launched on December 8th, Schemer is determined to be the “go-to” source to find things to do, places to go and, of course, food to eat! The beta is invite only and if you weren’t sent an email invite, rumors are floating around suggesting that you might be able to obtain an invitation by visiting some of the “partner” websites listed on Schemer’s “About” page.

Come be a Schemer with Me, The Things We’ll See!

The new platform hasn’t adopted the location “check-in” style of FourSquare, instead depending on its users to create lists of cool things to do, or “schemes,” that come from the suggestions and ideas of friends. Once you have completed a scheme, you can go ahead and check it off your scheme list for your entire network to see. Friends share restaurants, great movies, and even shopping tips! The beauty of the entire operation is that it is all tied into your Google+ profile.

Professional Schemers

Google Schemer “accomplices” are also willing and able to share schemes with you! Just who are these sneaky little buggers? Content partners, of course! With brands like Southern Living, Idealist, Geek Dad, Bravo, Zagat and Rolling Stone on board, you will pretty much have all of your fun angles covered!

We’re still waiting for our Schemer invitation – didn’t you Google engineers get the box of freshly baked Snickerdoodles I sent you? Until then, we’ll simply while the hours away, waxing and twisting our mustaches in eager anticipation.

Filed Under: Google, Social Media

SEO Onsite Audit for The New Year

December 12, 2011 By

SEO Onsite AuditThe end of the year is rapidly approaching. Everyone is busy wrapping up their end of the year business and tying up loose ends in anticipation of the brand new year. This is the perfect time to site down and perform an onsite SEO audit on your site to help you start the New Year off right. Make it your New Year’s resolution!

SEO: Keep it Fresh

Keeping your website content fresh is one of the most important aspects of good onsite SEO. That doesn’t just mean writing a few blogs a week, it means refreshing the content of your non-blog pages every once in a while as well.

The first thing you’ll probably want to do is review the content on your landing page. Does anything need updated? Have you changed a phone number? Added a service? Or perhaps it just needs a little face-lift by swapping out some of the photos?.

Go through each page and ask yourself the same questions. Also, take a gander at your resources – are they outdated? Could that whitepaper you posted 6 months ago be obsolete now? Has there been some new study that is incredibly relevant to your business and to your clients that you might need to share? Now is the time! Give your SEO a little boost!

SEO: Conversion Rates

Now it’s time to do a little more in depth digging. Examine the conversion rates of each of your pages. Are there some that are just not hitting their marks? Compare them to the pages that are doing well and try and sort out what you can do to give them a little oomph.

Add some content to underperforming pages, and be sure that the keyword you are focusing on is still relevant. A good strategy is to imitate the content of your high performing pages. Obviously there is something going on there that the search engines, and the people using them, like.

Can you Share?

Onsite SEO and offsite SEO work hand in hand. Make sure that visitors to your site have a way to share your content. All too often websites forget that tiny little bit of code that enables people to share that content on the web’s most popular social media sites.

SEO is not static. It is an ever-evolving, fickle beast. Each time the search engines change their algorithms, it has the potential to alter the SEO standing of your site. In order to stay on top of the game you need to be vigilant and constantly analyze what works and what doesn’t, or risk being lost in the crowd.

Filed Under: Search Engine Optimization

Social Media Marketing: Not Just a Numbers Game

December 6, 2011 By

If you have often wondered how someone can have 5,000 fans or followers but no interaction, no “conversation” taking place on their Social Media pages, you are not alone. Many small business owners make the mistake of thinking that Social Media is all about the numbers.  In some respects they are correct, but in the grand scheme of things turning Social Media into a valuable marketing tool is so much more.

Choosing Social Media Platforms

Establishing which Social Media platforms to focus on is the first step in any Social Media marketing campaign.  Who is your audience? You want to make sure you go where the action is, where does your audience hang out?

Think about it this way, if you are a lawyer, you’re not going to go and establish a photo-centric blog on Tumblr. If you did, your peers would probably laugh you at you, but I digress. A lawyer would want to focus on the big 3, Twitter, Facebook and Google+. In addition they would obviously want to have a strong presence on LinkedIn to boost their professional image.

Diggit and StumbleUpon are also extremely valuable resources for business professionals. On the other hand, artists, fashion designers and the like would be remiss if they overlooked the power of Tumblr and deviantART. Musicians would want to embrace sites such as Buzznet,, Pure Volume, Last.FM and The Sixtyone.

The Numbers Lie

While it stands to reason that the more followers or fans you have, the more people are paying attention to your product or brand, that can be a great big, fat lie.  Ok, perhaps a lie is too strong a word… but it can be a misleading statement. In truth, a successful Social Media campaign should revolve around the quality of the followers or fans, not just the quantity.

Sure, someone can have 3,000 fans but if they aren’t buying what you’re selling, is it really doing you any good? Successful social engagement requires a commonality. All too often people are sucked in by these “quick and easy” “surefire” ways to collect fans and followers, but in the end are they really reading what you write or are you just another follower to add to their ridiculously long list as well?

In some upcoming blog posts, we’ll examine Social Media campaigns and dole out some pretty sweet ideas for how to gain organic follows and what industry specific platforms are out there.  Just remember, the numbers only count if people are engaged.

If you have any questions regarding Social Media Marketing for your small business, feel free to contact us and we’ll be happy to help!

Filed Under: Social Media

Siri Making Local SEO and Mobile Imperative

November 19, 2011 By

Sit tight, Siri Local SEO and Mobile - Photo by Mungousit’s coming folks. Pretty soon you won’t be able to avoid jumping on the mobile bandwagon because Siri is shaking up local SEO. You definitely don’t want to sit idly by and wait and see if this trend pans out, because the opportunity to reap its rewards might just pass you by.

What is Siri

Siri is a complex voice recognition software being used in iPhones to allow users to control their phone functions with their voice. You can do just about anything with it; look up a contact, place a call, send an SMS, and even search the internet, all without pressing a single button. It can even schedule appointments on your calendar and read your text messages aloud to you.
All you have to do is ask. How’s that for advanced technology?

What Does Siri Have to do With Local SEO?

Siri also has a very special function when it comes to internet search. The example used most often is looking for a cab. It’s 2am and you’re night out has come to a close and you need a lift home, but you didn’t put the cab company’s name and number in your contacts. What will you do? With Siri it’s as simple as saying “call a cab” and your little assistant goes to work finding a cab company for you and placing a call. Just how Siri chooses a cab company to call is still not known, but you can bet the hounds are on the hunt to find that out.

Mobile Optimization and Local SEO

With so much unknown, how can a business owner get ahead of the game? What is suggested is that business owners make their websites as mobile friendly as possible and enhance their local SEO.

  • The most obvious way to optimize your site for mobile is to add a mobile site template to your site. This allows users on mobile smart phones to land on a mobile friendly version of your website, alleviating a lot of the frustrations of slow loading pages and awkward scrolling issues.
  • Improving your local SEO is thought to be a huge factor in the Siri game. It’s speculated that Siri accesses data from Google Places, Yelp and the like, to make it’s decisions.
  • Getting rid of fancy Flash and Javascript is a must for mobile optimization. Sure, they look super on a regular screen, but for mobile they are a huge faux pas.
  • Make sure all of your important information is in text format. Don’t hide information in PDF’s or graphics. Siri is smart, but she can’t extract text from a picture.
  • Get out there and claim your profiles on review sites and business directories. Encourage your clients to leave favorable reviews and “likes” wherever they can.
Is Siri the end of local SEO as so many chicken little’s profess, no, I really don’t think so. However, it’s a technology that offers an opportunity to business owners and optimizing your site for this type of tech is just one more addition to the ever changing arsenal of SEO tactics that we need to accomodate. Dealing with technology and harnessing its value is an ever-evolving pursuit and it’s our job to keep up, or fall behind.
For more information on optimizing your site for mobile and local SEO, contact us and one of our SEO specialists will be happy to discuss some options with you.
Filed Under: Local SEO, Mobile, Search Engine Optimization
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