« July 2009 | Main | September 2009 »
August 27, 2009
Readers Question - "how much emphasis is placed on back links."
Dear John,
QUESTION:
I would like to know the future of how much emphasis is placed on back links.
Warm regards,
C.B.
---------------------------------
ANSWER:
Thanks for your question.
To ask "how much emphasis is placed on back links" is to ask a question such as "what is the perfectly accurate and true keyword density for a page?"
Why are these questions impossible to address?
Hint: There is something important missing in the question.
If you want me to answer this on back links and be perfectly accurate, then I need to know the exact keyword phrase you are optimizing for, the industry as well and the page itself you are referring to.
Search engines grade on a curve. Each competitive landscape varies significantly. Once we understand it is now possible to measure all influences together accurately, it changes the way we have thought "traditionally" about ranking. It changes everything.
Sure linking is still important. But "how important" totally depends on the exact competitive landscape.
"SEO best practices" which are what most people focus on, are a set of guidelines to follow that will help you.
But if you want to be accurate about SEO then it becomes necessary to perform a very careful analysis (in a very specific methodology) so you can determine exactly what a page needs.
The good news is that it is now possible to optimize a page in the minimum number of moves, instead of wasting weeks and months of time tweaking code and guessing at it. You can learn these SEO methodologies at any any one of these authorized Search Engine Academies in locations across North America and Asia.
Posted by John at 11:47 AM | Comments (0)
August 23, 2009
Roy H. Williams Extraordinary Business Wisdom
In a minute, a word from Roy H. Williams extraordinary business wisdom....
It can happen to anyone and unfortunately, it does happen all the time.
Unfortunately, the many people who aim for success on the Internet
often do fail. Have you ever got to the point where you just feel
like giving up on yourself?
Good people just simply end up quitting on themselves. Never give up
learning and growing your skills. When others try to tell you that
you are better off to just forget it. If you are feeling down, or
have had a bad week, that's when you need to draw from higher
resources.
Are you giving yourself the fullest benefit of supporting your own
interests?
It's time to take action and gather your resources and become a
"doer" (not only just a watcher.) Take action today and remember
that a difference in your performance - is a difference in your
profits too.
Okay, here's why I mention it:
I can remember an excellent article written by Roy H. Williams
called "The Critical 0.05%."
If you feel you need a little lift today -
here is the original article on Roy's Web site.
If you already understand the "Critical 0.05%" principle that
Roy Williams speaks of, then be encouraged, don't ever give up
learning and building towards your goals in the face of adversity.
Be greatly encouraged and lifted.
That's my wish for you.
highest regards
John Alexander
http://www.Searchengineworkshops.com
http://www.SearchEngineAcademy.com
http://www.OnlineWebTraining.com
Like the only REAL magic - the magic of knowledge.
Posted by John at 01:55 PM | Comments (0)
August 21, 2009
Recent Posts - news about local community SEO Workshops
Here are a few postings that were written about featuring several of our Community SEO Training Workshops:
Oregon Search Engine Academy - featured in the Oregon Business Magazine Blog.
Also Tampa Search Engine Academy recently written about
in the Leili Mckinley Blog:
The 4 Top Social SEO Programs for Social Media Marketers
Posted by John at 06:38 PM | Comments (0)
August 19, 2009
10 Commandments of Customer Service
Although these particular 10 Commandments were originally written by Pat Croce for his customer service team, you can apply these principles to any business and your personal life as well.
This will ensure you create an atmosphere of success. Enjoy!
Visit The Winning Attitude Blog
Posted by John at 10:26 AM | Comments (0)
August 16, 2009
Gain Stable Top Web Visibility to Your Most Correct Audience
Gain Stable Top Web Visibility to Your Most Correct Audience
Typically, traditional "SEO best practices" are a set of guidelines
that you follow to help you create very focused topic specific
pages which then appear in top places within the search results.
Some of the very basic influences include instances of your
researched keyword phrase used in places such as:
- Title tag
- Description META tag
- Keyword META tag
- Header tags
- Body text
- Link text
- Keyword prominence
- Keyword relevancy
- Keyword proximity
- Link popularity** (off-page factor)
- Link reputation** (off-page factor)
- Keyword Density
- Etc..etc
These are by no means the entire list. Google currently has about
200 different factors that contribute to relevancy of a Web page.
The Traditional SEO Challenge:
Traditionally, the search engine optimizers challenge, tends to be to focus on these types of things in general, but then the exact
elements that they apply can vary tremendously.
Of course, various tools have been used to try to identify the
important factors by percentage. Some newsletters and resources try
to tell you how the algorithm is changing each month. For example, you might read somewhere that your Keyword Density must be 2% and your Title Tag needs a percentage keyword weight and you must have so many characters included. Of course each month, the resource will tell you how much things have changed and therefore you get caught in the trap of "algorithm chasing."
Chasing algorithms from month to month is NOT the answer.
So as hard as you try, it never seems to work for you. So then often, some folks will work hard for days or sometimes weeks and even months - making tiny changes and fine tuning and "tweaking the source code" until the pages would move higher and higher.
Where the challenge is in this traditional process, (which is still
the way many professional optimization companies work) is that you
have a huge time element.
Nevertheless, there are plenty of success stories for businesses
that have operated in this fashion. (If you don't mind the huge gaps in time doing guess work.)
Time is money, they say, and with SEO skills, it's true too.
If you can do the same job and optimize a page correctly the very
first time, then you begin to also reap the business and the profit
much sooner too.
Gain Stable Top Web Visibility to Your Most Correct Audience
You may be asking what methodology will enable a search engine
optimizer to do the job correctly the first time?
Not only does it exists, but it works extremely well too!
It's an extraordinary SEO methodology based on much more powerful
precise and exact way of measuring accuracy in measuring all the
influences correctly (the very first time.)
It abolishes the weeks and months of tweaking and guess work.
We began to introduce this type of methodology throughout our
network of Search Engine Academies and Search Engine Workshops this
year and student graduates have been having highly significant
success. Here's a note just in from one of our July 2009 Students:
------------
"Dear Robin & John, I just wanted to thank you for all the
information. I have seen major results in the last couple of weeks
from a few things that I have implemented so far.
Previously we weren't found in the search engines. We now are in
the number 1 spot. The result has been a major increase in traffic
in our retail store. I am also working on other pages and should
have a series for you to take a look at soon. Thanks for a great
informative workshop!"
Cindy Stewart - Orlando SEO Workshop Graduate
Read dozens more SEO student success stories here.
-------------
Imagine taking a little break and having EVERYTHING you know about
SEO truth shaken up.
Imagine every bit of advice you ever heard (good or bad) just cast
up into the air. Then as you take a little time with us to explore,
each piece of information falls back into perfect place. But in a
perfectly fitting order.
What is the main difference before and after a Workshop?
The major difference is that now you are equipped understand the
SEO puzzle precisely, with a marvelous process for exact SEO
accuracy.
What does this mean to you?
It means you will no longer look at SEO as a trial and error
process ever again.
What is this worth to you?
You'll know how to measure and get at the exact truth each time you
work on any Web page. You can acquire this SEO skills training and
methodology at any Search Engine Academy in your local Business
community.
Just be sure to check and verify that it is a Search Engine Academy
or Search Engine Workshop listed on this page:
http://www.searchengineworkshops.com/workshop_dates.html
I should point out that this methodology for SEO exactness has
nothing to do with "reverse engineering" an algorithm. That's the
beauty of it. You are enabled and equipped to compete and be found
by your most correct audience and (of course) it's 100% white hat.
Would you like to join us in Las Vegas class on September 21-25?
SEO Workshop Agenda is here:
http://www.searchengineworkshops.com/workshop_agenda.html
SEO Workshop Registration Info is here.
Highest regards,
John Alexander
Search Engine Workshops
Search Engine Academy
PS: I still have a few blocks of consulting time open for August, if anyone would like some SEO consulting. Just write to me at:
John@searchengineworkshops.com for rates or to schedule some time.
Like the only REAL magic - the magic of knowledge.
Posted by John at 09:02 AM | Comments (0)
August 11, 2009
15 Sales Triggering Reasons Why People Buy Your Stuff
Give some thought to the benefits your product or service delivers.
Here are 15 Sales Triggering Reasons People will buy "for the benefit" of.
People will buy from you if there is a benefit of:
- saving money (Like a discount)
- making money (anything that makes people more profitable)
- improving their health (health is important to everyone)
- being entertained or to have some fun (ex. Online games or movies)
- streamline their processes (advantages of a systematized approach)
- prove they are right about some issue or win an argument
- improve their image or appearance in some way (Weight loss, Tooth whitening, etc)
- Anything that helps uniquely set themselves apart from the crowd (USP)
- owning certain specific brands or fashion (usually it has to do with prestige)
- educate themselves or learn some profitable new skill
- settle certain fears they may have
- satisfy their natural curiosity
- anything that saves them time (Time is money)
- if it somehow makes life easier or improves their quality of life
- if improves their safety (anything from safety shoes to Virus software or Hap Ki Do lessons)
Of course there are other reasons too,
but these are some of the most powerful
triggers why people will decide to buy.
Does the product or service you offer
deliver any one of these benefits?
If so, make sure to dialog about these
and be certain people understand the
true benefits of your products or your
service and your sales will increase.
John Alexander
Search Engine Workshops
Posted by John at 04:06 PM | Comments (0)
August 09, 2009
20 Questioning Keyword Phrases (KEI to 36,000.0)
It's interesting how we look to search engines to ask all types of questions about everything from historical dates, to medical questions and even things like very specific recipes.
For today's exercise we'll dip in to Wordtracker data to se how many high altitude questions people are asking specifically.
Remember that KEI is simply a mathematical equation. It's not perfect but it is extremely effective for saving you time in sorting through hundreds of results.
Let's start with some common questions.
I'm not giving all of the compete data that wordtracker provides, because you'll need to become a membership to access all the information.
Here we go then...
"when did the protestant reformation happen" KEI 336.2
"when was betsy ross born and when did she die" KEI 372.0
"how old was abraham lincoln when he died" KEI 393.0
"when did tennessee get its statehood" KEI 456.3
"when was sars discovered" KEI 514.3
And some more rather common questions....
"why do wounds itch when they are healing" KEI 585.0
"why do earthworms come to surface when it rains" KEI 592.0
"when are the government rebate checks being mailed" KEI 654.9
"when do you send out wedding announcements" KEI 672.0
"when will the next presidential election occur" KEI 768.2
Here are some much higher KEI values associated with these exact questions:
"when can i expect my tax relief check" KEI 1098.0
"who replaces the vice president when he resigns" KEI 1152.0
"what happens when you boot up the computer" KEI 1291.0
"when did america gain independence" KEI 1433.0
"who was president when congress launched the us navy" KEI 2556.0
"when did dr seuss win the pulitzer prize" KEI 2572.0
"what happens when batteries leak" KEI 9180.0
"when did gorbachev become leader of russia" KEI 10,040.0
"when will my tax refund be mailed" KEI 11,520.0
"when are united states presidential elections held" KEI 36,990.0
If you want more detail, check out Wordtracker.com
Need to speed up your keyword research?
Here's an easy way to save hours, dig deeper and find the nuggets of gold much faster. Keyword Forensics 2.0
John Alexander
Search Engine Workshops
Posted by John at 09:04 AM | Comments (0)
August 08, 2009
Instant keyword observations on "learning"
As I often like to say, focus your research on dialog and action related words. Also explore trigger words (which are the types of words influential to triggering sales.)
Okay here we go, let's dip into the data and see what we can find in the next 5 minutes on the root word "learn."
"left brain vs right brain function in learning" KEI 170.7
"museum learning exhibits early learners" KEI 200.0
"learn to draw caricatures free" KEI 205.4
"learner autobiography and presentation examples" KEI 289.0
"how do you learn to downshift a tractor trailer" KEI 320.0
"early childhood observational learning" KEI 486.0
"learning strategies for the visual learner in nursing" KEI 625.0
"learn drywall texture techniques" KEI 1012.0
"learn to draw a rose step by step" KEI 1330.0
"learn to make a wood bow arrows" KEI 3618.0
It's enough to make you want to start up a few affiliate informational Web sites. That's it!
John
Like the only REAL magic - the magic of knowledge!
Posted by John at 12:40 PM | Comments (0)
What's the scoop on KEI? Good or Bad for Keyword Research
Years ago, Wordtracker use to say that a KEI score of 400 was a good
keyword phrase. Basic rule of thumb was the higher the KEI the better or easier your optimization work would be.
This is true in principle but it's not perfect.
Some people these days proclaim KEI (Keyword Effectivness Index) as being a very weak thing to rely on.
But, here's another notable thing. It's interesting when I talk further these folks, I very often learn that they really don't focus on exploring data. I know that sounds crazy, but I've been teaching people for a long time.
I ask, "Do you do keyword research?"
Yes, they reply.
So then I say, let's do some together.
Without fail, probably over 80% of the time, I observe people who say they "do research" - but as I watch, they only tend to just guess at the most obvious keyword data. I suppose there is nothing wrong with guessing at keywords if you wish to, except usually it means the researcher will never see a fraction of the valuable behavioral trend data that many webmasters and business owners miss.
In principle there is nothing wrong with KEI (it's just a math equation.) But if all you are looking at are the KEI values you will miss the boat.
Here's the important thing to remember. As a rule, the higher the KEI value, the better the window of opportunity (easier it will be to get traffic and visibility.) It's not perfect, but it works just fine so long as you only just use the KEI to sort your list.
That's all I have ever used KEI values for.
Let's say that again, I only use KEI to SAVE time sorting through hundreds of results and bring the best potential windows of opportunity to the top. Once your list is sorted, forget KEI and focus on the phrases themselves, that tell you a story. Also you can monitor the compete values. KEI works just fine in this manner.
This type of research extends beyond keyword research, into what I call "user behavioral research" or keyword forensics" and identifies keyword phrase clusters that let you glimpse into the real reason why the searcher initiated the search as well as identifies the windows of opportunity for easy optimization.
Here's a good question.
Why do people search the Internet?
Mostly the reason is triggered by whatever the very real conditions are in their life. From entertainment or movie reviews to product reviews or searching for information that is important to them. Price comparisons, driving directions, historical data and of course connecting with other friends etc.
The point is, there is much to be learned by examining more data than just guessing a a few keywords.
Instead of going after keywords that matches your content. Would it not be smarter to study search behavior of your ideal audience first and then build the content that you KNOW people are looking for and need?
Also, if you want to scan more data, then try working with left and right hand word stemming turned on. Reduce your phrase to a single term, then let the tool tell you the other actual missing words. Let the tool do the work by giving it the opportunity to show you all types of phrase examples instead of only returning results on the terms you "think" are important.
Focus on questioning dialogue and you might be surprised at what common information is in high demand. Things that pull the correct audience in to your Web site - but topics that you would never dream of but when you see them in your research, they jump off the page at you.
Most of the time, I'm in and out of keyword research mode in minutes and once I have the data I need, I prefer to spend more time on what's important. Creating that original content that deserves to be found. Don't spend hundreds of hours staring at thousands of keywords only to emerge with weak data and nothing accomplished.
Do you want help speeding up your keyword research time?
It's not magic, it just feels like magic.
Check out our next upcoming SEO Mastery Class September 21-25 in Las Vegas. Best wishes for your continued success. Come join us and get your Web site fine tuned for prime time visibility.
More Keyword observations coming up shortly.
Highest regards
John Alexander
Search Engine Workshops
Online Web Training
Search Engine Academy
Posted by John at 11:21 AM | Comments (0)
Tips on Managing Your Online Reputation
Barry Byers, Co-Founder of Wolf 21, a Toronto based SEO Company, recently offers some good tips for Online Reputation Management.
According to Econsultancy.com, 7 out of 10 visitors will not click through to your website if there are negative comments appearing below you in the search engine results ranking.
Read Barry Byers full list of tips and suggestions for Online Reputation Management the Wolf 21 Blog.
John Alexander
Search Engine Workshops
Posted by John at 10:54 AM | Comments (0)
August 07, 2009
On Superficial Friends Vs. Genuine Relationships
On the subject of
Superficial Friends Vs. Genuine Relationships a partial snippet from Michael Campbell in his recent Internet Marketing Secrets newsletter puts it very nicely:
"WHO you know will always be more important than the How or What.
Cultivate real friends and real long term relationships, because
that's what truly matters in business and life. Everything else is
just an illusion.
The superficial friending of everybody is a waste of time. Helping
people achieve their goals, reliably and repeatedly is better than
all the pretend friends, socializing and networking events."
Michael Campbell - Internet Marketing Secrets
--------End of Quote----------
Another way I like saying it, is this way:
"Business is about making a profit - but life is all about helping
people. Money comes and it goes but in the end we will see that it's
people not money that are eternal. There is great wisdom in investing
in building genuine relationships."
John Alexander - Search Engine Academy
--------End of Quote----------
If you are interested in attending our SEO Workshop September 21-25
in Las Vegas, there is still some availability. Not only will we be
teaching powerful strategic white hat linking in the Workshop, but
many new skills with a focus on exactness and SEO accuracy.
Here is the Las Vegas SEO Workshop agenda:
A few recent student comments about the Workshop
Here is a list of other bonuses reserved for our Workshop attendees
Registration Info for Sept. 21-25 Las Vegas SEO Mastry Workshop
Also remember that for the remainder of the month of August, I am
accepting limited blocks of hours where you can have a personal
consultation with me on-screen or on the phone.
Write to me at john@searchengineworkshops.com for August pricing rates and/or to schedule some personal consulting time. I am currently accepting appointments for openings over the next 3 weeks of August. We can talk, review your Web site issues or I can answer your SEO related questions and help you in specific areas that are of the most importance to you.
John Alexander
john@searchengineworkshops.com
http://www.SearchEngineWorkshops.com
http://www.SearchEngineAcademy.com
Posted by John at 10:09 AM | Comments (0)
August 05, 2009
10 keyword research tips to find "new windows of opportunity" without "hunting for keywords."
10 More keyword research tips to find "new windows of opportunity" without "hunting for keywords."
* Use Wordtracker for exploring the conditions that exist in peoples lives that cause them to use the Internet in the way that they do. Ready for a paradigm shift?. Grab the e-book Keyword Forensics
* Have you ever thought about attracting in a new audience based on their interests and needs FIRST instead of being always focused on your objectives. Every Web page should have an objective to be fulfilled but sometimes you can get tremendous conversion if you put your objective to the back. It does not have to come first. Stop and go back and consider meeting the visitor's needs FIRST then offer them something that compliments their circumstance or provides a solution to their circumstance.
* How about optimizing a page for a specific Web based tool? Not just mortgage calculators, but literally any kind of tool, that will help them with a decision, a solution or something useful. If they are searching for a specific "tool" why should they not be using yours?
* Think about the conditions that exist in peoples lives that cause them to "search" the way they do.
What about all of the people who have financial challenges?
What about the people who live alone in this world who are dying from loneliness?
Or how about the folks who are suffering from a specific medical condition?
What about the people who are in the midst of mortgage foreclosure?
Do you have solutions for certain situations? Think about the conditions that you could help people solve. Be found for them and create magnificent content that reads well and meets their needs and don't forget your call to action.
* Consider researching "dialogue patterns." Did you know that we often communicate differently when we speak to each other, than when we are writing an article or creating content. Some of the simplest, plain, every day (even boring little phrases) and words we use when we dialogue with each other, can open up amazing new possibilities for traffic. Pay attention when your customers are talking to you and consider exactly, the words they use to speak to you. Try using some of those words as single "root" words to explore search behavior.
***It'll take you time to catch on to this tip because our brains our automatically attracted to the words we "think" sound important and we cannot see how some little acronym or boring sounding expression could ever help reveal anything. Don't miss the boat.
* Have you ever thought about exploring hot subject matter? Think more about the "topics" your customers are interested in discussing or learning about in general. People are interested in all types of causes and concerns from religion and politics to statistical data and news. People like to analyze things and discuss things that relate to their industry. Don't limit yourself to thinking that you can only optimize your Web pages to 3 or 4 keyword phrases because you "think" they are all that exist.
* Remember to exploring and research opportunities by researching specific colors. Color is a big deal in some industries.
* Consider exploring topics related to specific seasons, which may be appropriate for your Web audience.
* Try researching common acronyms related to your industry to open up more "unexplored data."
Make sure you are not mixing up acronyms between industries though. Did you know there are over 100 different related meanings to the common acronym we refer to as SEO? And many of these do not relate to the search engine industry. Try using Acronym Attic to check on the meanings for SEO.
* If you have not heard this World Talk Radio Interview on Keyword Forensics, you may listen to the archive to hear me speaking about researching behaviors for real estate and other competitive industries.
In Summary:
Remember that your researching behaviors and finding those niche trends greatly eliminates stress on the new SEO and allows you to compete for easy phrases that draw genuine traffic, but without the enormous competition from the crowds who are all targeting exactly the same phrase because they are guessing at the words rather than exploring the evidence that is readily available.
There are big differences in little phrase clusters that are well worth exploring.
Give yourself the liberty to stop " hunting for keywords" and go exploring the wealth of data in an illogical manner. Although you need to understand which keyword phrases to target, we need to stop guessing at keywords and instead, learn how to quickly explore the search data with alternative points of view that reveals those niche opportunities quickly
Check out SEO Mastery Workshop future dates and locations here.
Check out the Complete 5-Day Workshop agenda
Would you like a Free SEO Tip of the day sent to you by e-mail? It's free!
About John Alexander
John Alexander is Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with partner Robin Nobles as well as online search engine marketing courses through Online Web Training. John is author of an e-book called Wordtracker Magic and has taught SEO skills to people from 87 different countries. John's articles can be read in publications like REALTOR Magazine, Search Engine Guide, WEBpro News, SitePro News and many other popular publications.
Posted by John at 12:15 PM | Comments (0)