InternetBeacon

Twitter Tools and Tips for Managing your Followers

Dustin — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:48:04 +0000

If you use Twitter, by now you have probably have a large number of people that you follow as well as a solid following for yourself. One of the quickest ways to build a following besides offering popular content is to follow other users in the hopes that they follow you back or influence other users to check out your content. Are the people that you follow offering useful and relevant information or are they just people you followed in order to increase your presence on the social network? Although this can be a great way to get started, once you have gained a good number of followers these users may no longer be relevant.

Twitter Logo from http://www.twitter.com, Nov 2011
Twitter tools and tips

Twitter Tools and Tips

Managing a professional or company Twitter account is a lot different than managing a personal one, mainly because you are not as lax with your company page as you are with your personal account. A business Twitter page should be all about offering industry, consumer, and company information while an individual page is more often used for social communications with friends and family. It becomes much easier to manage the two if you avoid mixing your personal and professional Tweets.

When to follow someone on Twitter:

If they keep you informed.
If they entertain you.
If they make things easier on you.
If they are already an active member of your network.
If they are someone you’d like to get to know.

When Not to Follow Someone on Twitter:

If the user is not industry related or only use their account for personal tweets.
If the user still has the default Easter egg avatar or if they use a provocative female as their avatar when it is clearly a man or corporation tweeting.
If the user doesn’t list anything in their bio. (No website, no location)
If the user only uses this medium to try to sell something and doesn’t offer actual content.
If the user follows a lot

… Read the rest

Using Your Competitors to Help Improve Your SEO

Dustin — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:18:33 +0000

In any type of business there is always competition, some industries just face more of it than others. If you are like most people then you probably have a hard time dealing with the stress brought on by your competitors. If you feel this way about competition it is completely normal but if you know how to use your competitors to your advantage you can almost always turn this into a positive feeling. Competition isn’t all bad because it helps us to better ourselves or our business because it plays off our relentless desire to be the best that we can be.

With Search Engine Optimization the goal is to have your website ranked the highest and receive the most traffic or conversions. Being the most prominent and relevant website is crucial to the success of most businesses. The competing websites that you encounter when performing your SEO may seem like a bad thing, however they can almost always assist you in making better internet marketing decisions. It may seem sneaky to spy on your competitors but it has become a common practice and competitive analysis is a crucial component to website marketing. Knowing who your competitors are and how they are conducting their SEO can provide you with some very valuable marketing data. Below is a short list of how you can benefit from exploring the trends and movements of the top competitors for yours or your client’s website.

Social Media:

Social Media is probably the easiest place to start. Check out what social networking sites that your competitors are using and see which ones would be beneficial to your website. In addition see how they are using these sites to communicate with their audience and what type of content they offer on their social pages. Identifying how your competition is using these platforms is a great way to get an idea of what people like, what they don’t like, what is successful, what isn’t successful, and what you can be doing that they aren’t.

Meta Information:

Although most Meta Data has become extraneous over the past years, the search engines like Read the rest

Top Must Have Elements for a Successful Lead Capture Form

Dustin — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:26:33 +0000

A lead capture form is often the highlight of a landing page. These forms are the most important elements to driving customer contact and capturing new leads. The lead capture form is an absolute necessity and can often make or break your landing page. Without a lead capture form the landing page remains just another hurdle between you and your prospective clients. If you don’t already have a lead form posted on your landing page then we advise that you make creating one a top priority.

The following are some of the critical elements that every lead capture form should have along with some extra tips for improving your landing page:

Basic Landing Page Tips:

The real measure of a successful website isn’t the number of visitors but rather the number of conversions. A conversion is when a visitor comes to your site and performs a certain task. These desired actions could be purchasing a product, getting a quote, signing up for a newsletter, or any other specified goal. Upon landing on a page, customers consider if they are in the right place, the trust level they have for the site, the amount of time the process will take, and the potential benefit from the conversion. The landing page should address these concerns and then proceed to display your introduction copy, any media content, product information, customer testimonials, and lead capture forms.

Create a headline or tag line that really captures the interest of your visitors. A strong headline should urge potential customers to stay longer, learn more, and influence them to provide their contact information.

Have a strong call to action that stands out and instructs your visitors to perform your requested action. A good call to action is found above the fold and will help urge your visitors to take immediate action.

Makes sure that your landing page is visually appealing and easy to understand. Use visual cues to draw attention to the areas that you want visitors to focus more on. Using the appropriate colors, text, images, and layout can drastically impact

… Read the rest

Blog Pictures: Best Practices for Finding and Using Blog Pictures

Dustin — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:13:40 +0000

Adding a visual interest to your blog is a great way to attract an audience and it also serves to break up some of the more text heavy articles. However using an image on a blog can be a little tricky due to copyrights. Now of course this doesn’t apply to people who create their own custom images or showcase their personal photos. For the rest of us it is important to know how to protect ourselves from any possible infringement. The following is some background on copyright infringement and the best practices for avoiding it when applying a picture to your blog.

Basic Creative Commons licenses

Blog Pictures – Why Images are good for your blog:

As the saying goes a picture can speak a thousand words, having an illustration that is relevant to your content add a level of detail to your content and often influences readers to read your article. Utilizing an image on your blog can also help increase SEO value with the use of Alt attributes. ALT attributes help the visually impaired readers who use screen readers and may provide bonus points with Google.

The best types of images to add to your blog:

Eye catching photos – Something that relates to your article or can be used as an interpretation of the article’s title.
Photos with people in them – Displaying a relevant image with people also helps the audience connect with the theme of the article.
Screen Shots – Screen shots are probably the best way to depict the topic of the article because more than likely it will be a screenshot of the subject that you are talking about. For example if you are writing a tutorial you can provide step by step screen shots. Additionally, if you are talking about a specific software application you can take a screen shot of their company logo or user interface. A good screenshot tool to have is GreenShot.
Customer Creations – Making a unique and appealing graphic in a program like Photoshop allows you to combine text with an image and will stand

… Read the rest

Guest Blogging: Tips for getting Backlinks from Guest Blogging

Dustin — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:54:42 +0000

As we have mentioned numerous times before one of the most important aspects of Search Engine Optimization is accumulating high quality backlinks. Backlinks are incoming links to your web pages and serve as an essential building block of a successful SEO strategy. Also known as inbound links, backlinks are important because they help indicate the popularity of your website and help to direct or drive in a high amount of new traffic. Websites are determined more relevant depending on the types of website as well as the quantity of websites that provide a backlink. Search engines like Google will often contribute more credit and place a higher rank on a website that contains a higher number of good quality links.

Search engines determine the relevance of a website associated with a keyword according to its collection of backlinks and the anchor text used within the backlink. The anchor text of a back link is very important when gathering these links because it denotes the subject of the page and helps target your specific audience. One of the ways to acquire a backlink is guest blogging efforts. As we briefly mentioned in our past blog post, guest blogging is when another website hosts one or your articles or when you showcase an article from another blogger.

Why Guest Blogging:

Guest blogging is a great device to drive in traffic to your website and allows you to network with other bloggers from your industry. Besides driving in new traffic and networking with other bloggers, guest blogging also helps with branding and getting your name or company in the spotlight. Guest blogging is also helpful in building your social media profile and gaining more industry experience.

When to Guest Blog:

How do you know when you are ready for guest blogging? You should wait until you have established a well written blog and have confidence in your blogging abilities. When you guest blog you should do it on a website that is similar to your own and on one that shares a common audience. It is beneficial to guest post… Read the rest

How often should you be updating your website?

Dustin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:47:17 +0000

Updating a website refers to the addition or modification of content as well as the actual design and layout of the website. Stale websites can quickly discourage web visitors and are one of the major reasons behind high bounce rates. A bounce occurs when a visitor quickly views the page that they have landed on and then decides to leave the site rather than exploring its other web pages.

How often should you be updating your website:

So, how often should you be updating your website? There aren’t any set expectations for how often a website should be updated. However it is suggested that you perform updates as frequently as possible in order to prevent your website from looking dated and losing your valuable web traffic. It is recommended that you try to update your website at least 1 to 2 times a month. These weekly or monthly updates should be designed for only adding or refreshing content unless the entire website’s design is fatigued. As long as you develop a site that is both visually appealing and easily accessible then your primary updates should focus solely on your content.

When asked, most webmasters and search engine marketers agree that the more you update your content the more impact it will have on your Search Engine Optimization. Updating is especially helpful when it comes to blog content. Continuously adding new blog posts leads to more of your pages being indexed and draws in more visitors and potential customers.

Reasons for Updating Your Website:

Updating provides your visitors with a visually appealing user experience.
Updating your website establishes fresh and relevant content.
Updating helps your website get indexed more often.
Updating attracts new traffic.
Updating increases rank and influences other websites to link to your website.

Tips for Updating Your Website’s Design:

Move to a popular CMS like Joomla!, WordPress. or Drupal
Link your website to your blog.
Use share widgets for social media sites like Facebook, Digg, and Twitter.
Get rid of barriers

… Read the rest

iPhone 4s: Apple introduces the iPhone 4s but is it worth the Upgrade?

Dustin — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 16:30:07 +0000

Apple’s iPhone4s

from
www.apple.com/iphone/features/siri.html

Apple’s much anticipated October 4, 2011 press conference was rumored to be the public’s introduction to the iPhone 5. Leading up to the press conference Apple advertised with the phrase “Let’s talk iPhone”, which added to the already growing iPhone 5 rumors. During the press release Apple did talk about iPhones but not the one most consumers expected. The press conference may have left iPhone 5 enthusiasts disappointed but still delivered an amazing iPhone 4s.

The 4s offers many new features that should keep customers satisfied until the iPhone 5’s eventual release date. Although the iPhone 4s offers new and exciting features some people are still wondering if it is worth upgrading. The following guide includes some of the new features of the iPhone 4s to help you with this decision. The iPhone 4s will be available from $199-$399 next week on October 12, 2011.

Dual-Core A5 Chip:

The Dual-Core A5 Chip delivers the fastest and most powerful iPhone to date. The A5 chip allows for 2x more power and 7x faster graphics. The new chip makes the iPhone 4s faster and more responsive when launching applications, web browsing, and gaming. The Dual-Core A5 also provides users with an even longer battery life than any previous versions.

Siri Intelligent Assistant:

Siri, probably the most exciting of the new features is an intelligent assistant that allows users to control their device using their voice. Unlike most voice activation software, Apple claims that Siri not only understands the words that you say but also understands what you mean. Siri does what you tell it to do or locates the information that you request all by simply clicking on the microphone icon and speaking. Users can do things like ask about the weather, ask for directions, make calls, send messages, take notes, schedule meetings, and set reminders. The new Siri intelligent assistant software makes using your iPhone even easier.… Read the rest

The Benefits of RSS Feeds and how to use them for Internet Marketing

Dustin — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:10:22 +0000

An RSS feed or a “really simple syndication” is a media format that pushes frequently changed web content to subscribers. RSS feeds are mostly used to provide updated content such as blog post, news headlines, audio, or video. RSS channels are read using an RSS reader, software that can be web, desktop, or mobile based. RSS feeds allow web viewers to access content that has its presentation and formatting stripped away. In essence, an RSS feed removes useless clutter and leaves only relevant and easy to understand content.

RSS feeds allow users to stay informed by receiving the latest news and website updates. In order to access RSS content, a user must first subscribe to a websites RSS feed. Most websites will have an RSS feed subscription button displayed prominently on their home page or blog. To subscribe, simply click on the RSS icon and select the RSS reader that you wish to use (If using Firefox you can also open the bookmarks menu and click “Subscribe to this page”). After subscribing to a feed, the reader will routinely check for new content. The RSS reader provides an interface where users can view the latest content from their favorite websites, all in one location.

The Benefits of an RSS Feed:

RSS feeds can be beneficial for both web publishers as well as web visitors. The following are some of the benefits for each.

Publishers:

Improves Search Engine Optimization
Enables Faster Web Crawling and Indexing
Publicizes your new content automatically
Helps Reach New Audiences
Free Marketing and Easier to market than sending out email campaigns

Visitors:

Provides the latest content and updates all in one place
Saves time because the content is delivered to you
Easy to subscribe and unsubscribe

How to use it to help your Internet Marketing:

One of the benefits of an RSS feed is that it helps with SEO. The following are a few examples for how an RSS feed can be used to assist your Internet Marketing efforts.

Stay in tune with the latest industry trends by subscribing to competitors and industry experts.

… Read the rest

Why Blog Comment Backlinks Don’t Always Help Your SEO

Dustin — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:29:44 +0000

Recently we have been discussing backlinks and the benefits that they provide for your website. Backlinks are an essential part of the SEO process because they help your site’s search engine visibility and web rank. A backlink, also known as an inbound link is a link on another website that is directed to one of your web pages.

When search engines like Google determine a website’s relevance for an associated keyword, they consider the quantity and quality of inbound links to that site. Inbound links with content related to your site they are thought to be more relevant and a more valuable SEO factor. In short, websites with the most relevant content to your website will produce the best quality inbound links.

High quality links are obtained through a number of different methods, one of which is leaving comments on other blogs. In addition to looking good in the eyes of the search engines, leaving your website’s URL on industry related blogs is a good way to direct new users to your content. For several reasons however leaving blog comments will not always produce the preferred results. The following are explanations why blog comments don’t always help your search engine optimization efforts as well as some of the things you should look for when pursuing blog comment backlinks.

Why Blog Comments Sometimes Don’t Help:

The impact that blog comments have on SEO depend on both the blog’s restrictions and the type of comment that you post. Some of the reasons why the comments that you leave on blogs might not contribute to your SEO are

If Your Comment Appears As Spam:

Most blogs require that you use a human name when leaving a comment on their posts. The name you use to post is extremely important, having a too common name or using a company name will often be ignored. Sometimes blogs will even state that you must use a real name in order for your comment to be approved, however some do not and feel that it is an implied rule. Some blogs use anti-spam filters that reject… Read the rest

Over 25 Ways to Gain Valuable Website Backlinks

Dustin — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:04:01 +0000

Constructing a website for a business is only the first part of attracting your online customers. There are many factors that determine your position on the search engine results page, one of them being the quality and quantity of your inbound links. In order to increase traffic and gain a good web rank your website should have a significant amount of backlinks. These backlinks should connect with valuable, authoritative, and industry related websites. Gathering backlinks should be a top SEO priority because without them it can be extremely hard to move up in the search engine results or generate more website visibility.

There are a number of ways to build backlinks to your webpages, one of which we mentioned in our previous blog entry, “Reciprocal Linking”. Reciprocal or two way linking is when two websites agree to exchange links with each other. However linking doesn’t always have to be mutual, this type of linking is called one way linking. The following list provides some popular sources and methods of obtaining one way links.

Create Superior Content and Resources:

In addition to creating a visually appealing and easy to use website you will also need to have high quality content or linkbait to draw the attention of visitors. This content is used to influence visitors to link back to your website by sharing your content. When other websites share your content on their website they will typically link back to the original source.

Create 101 articles that describe the basics of your industry related subject.
Create Top 10 or 100 lists.
Lists the top professionals from your industry.
Create an infographic that displays industry information in an intriguing and exciting way.
Create free helpful online tools or downloadable software programs.

Start a Blog:

A blog is a handy instrument when it comes to gaining momentum and popularity over the Internet. A Blog has many benefits for example it is an excellent way to reach existing clients and find new ones, it helps establish you as a professional, it builds a following for your website, and it helps gain your respect within… Read the rest

Obtaining Reciprocal Links and Establishing Valuable Anchor Text

Dustin — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 13:12:37 +0000

If done correctly anchor text and reciprocal links can have a tremendous positive impact on SEO. These two concepts work together to provide valuable link value to your website and have the potential to increase your website ranking.

In our last blog entry “Creating Infographics to Build Links and Increase SEO” we briefly touched on the topic of Anchor text. The anchor text is the hyperlink or clickable text that is found on a web page. Using accurate anchor text is essential for good Search Engine Optimization and when used appropriately it can drastically boost your rankings in the search engines. The anchor text provides descriptive and useful information for the page that it links with.

The anchor text enables websites to use cleaner looking text rather than displaying an unpleasant and distracting hyperlink. For example a hyperlink for Internet Beacon.com would look like <a href=”http://www.internetbeacon.com”> Internet Beacon</a> however by using anchor text it would present as Internet Beacon on the page.

The most common mistake when dealing with anchor text is using the dreaded “Click Here” anchor text. Click here not only causes you to miss out on the possible SEO benefits it also neglects to describe the content to the page visitors and the search engine crawl bots. At one time Anchor text was heavily manipulated and was referred to as Google Bombing. Google Bombing used large amounts of anchor text to influence the rank of a link that directed visitors to unrelated content. For example during the 2004 United States presidential election the anchor text of “miserable failure” was linked to the George W. Bush‘s White House biography so many times that when users searched for the terms miserable failure the link to the biography appeared in Google’s search results. However in January, 2007, Google created a new algorithm which reduced the impact of Google bombs but none the less anchor text still remains important in SEO.

Where to use Anchor Text:

External links – links from other sites
Internal links – links on your

… Read the rest

Creating Infographics to Build Links and Increase SEO

Dustin — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:59:31 +0000

What is an Infographic? An infographic is a pictorial representation of specific data or knowledge. Infographics can be a great way to showcase information on a particular subject area and can prove to be a good source of link value. Infographics have the ability to transform plain material into interesting and exciting web content. Over the past few years the value of infographics has grown tremendously because many have begun to recognize the potential they have to connect with their target audience.

from http://www.seomoz.org/blog/4-essential-seo-infographics, September 2011

Link value or link juice is a term often used in Search Engine Optimization and refers to the amount of value that the search engines like Google attribute to a website or link. Link juice is assigned to web pages and is dispersed throughout a website based on how well your website is optimized. The more links and most importantly the more high quality links a website has directly translates into the more link juice a website is likely to have.

When talking about Links it is important to understand some important fundamentals. Total links quantity indicates the total number of links that your website or webpage possesses. The merit of these links can vary which brings us to the linking source. The linking source describes who is linking to your content and how credible or trustworthy they are. The sites that have a higher rank will pass on more value than those with a lower web rank. Even though the websites with a higher rank may provide more value it is also important to have diversity among your links. It’s ok to have links from lower ranked pages as long as there is a balance between link values.

Another major factor with links is anchor text. The anchor text is the keywords and descriptions other websites use when linking to your content. Accurate anchor text is essential for good SEO. You want something that describes your content well and not something like “Click here”. The visible text for a link or the anchor text should include the source and a short description of the linked… Read the rest

Tips For Choosing a Great Domain Name and Creating Friendly URLs

Dustin — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 14:57:38 +0000

One of the most important elements of creating a website is selecting a proper domain name. A domain name is commonly part of a larger Internet address called a “URL”. Having the right domain name for your website can significantly help establish an online reputation and generate greater visibility. Domain names give both the human visitors as well as the search engines the first description or impression of the website. Choosing a domain name can often be just as important as deciding the name of your business and should not be taken lightly. Finding a successful domain name will require time, patience, and creativity. The following tips are designed to assist in creating successful domain names.

Best Practices for Creating a Domain Name:

Describe Your Website by Matching Your Domain, Website, and Company Name

A domain name is one of the first elements of a website that visitors see. Matching your domain with your company name will help target your existing as well as potential customers. Having a company and domain that describes your website will also let people know what the website is about and draw in targeted traffic. For example with the domain www.DeliciousPastries.com Delicious Pastries is the company name, website name, domain name, and also highlights Pastries a major descriptive keyword.

Keep it Short and Readable-

There are several incentives for keeping your Domain name short which include it being easy to type, easy to remember, and easier to travel by word of mouth. A domain name that is longer than 3 words should use hyphens. However a domain name with more than 3 words and hyphens will raise the websites level of spamminess.

Use Keywords-

Having a keyword in your domain name will help rank not only because it is part of your domain but also because it is the anchor text that others will use to link back to your website.

Alternative Domain Top Level Domains (TLD)

It’s recommended that you only purchase the .Com version of your domain name. Additionally purchasing lower quality TLD in order to increase traffic is also strongly advised against.

Once you have established a domain name… Read the rest

Using Strategic Keyword Placement to Amplify SEO Results

Dustin — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:04:35 +0000

One of the most important and easiest Search Engine Optimization concepts is keyword placement. SEO Keyword placement refers to the integration of targeted keywords into locations on and off the webpage. Keywords or key phrases are generated to represent the terms that users search for when trying to locate your company and website. A website using the wrong or inaccurate keywords is as equally bad as a website that ignores keywords all together.

Keyword Cloud

Having accurate and descriptive keywords however is only the first part of the equation. Once you establish a list of relevant keywords they then need to be strategically placed throughout the website in order to increase traffic. Each individual page of your website should be optimized for one to three unique keywords. Selecting keywords along with the placement of these keywords is crucial in order to increase your website’s visibility and guide targeted traffic directly to your website. Below are the 10 most important positions to consider when performing keyword placement.

Where to Use Keywords:

Title Tag

It is recommended that you always place your keywords near the beginning of the title tag. Not using your keywords in the website’s title tag can make it extremely difficult to rank for your targeted keywords. Keyword placement in the title tag is thought to be the most important search engine ranking factors, each page title should be unique to that page and optimized for that specific keyword.

Meta Description Tag

Although the Meta Description Tag seems to play a very little role in the actual search engine ranking it can still be used to influence potential customers to visit your website. Any keywords that your description tag has in common with the search query will appear bolded in the Search engine results page (SERP). Similar to the title tag each page should also have a unique description tag that targets only 1-2 keywords.

URL

Having your keywords in the URL will further identify your target audience. A URL that includes your keyword can increase… Read the rest

Submitting Updated URLs with the New Fetch as Googlebot Feature

Dustin — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:28:21 +0000

Google’s Webmaster tools now provide users with a new way to submit new or updated URL’s for Google indexing. The fetch as Googlebot feature allows users to identify individual URL’s and submit them to Google’s crawl schedule for index consideration. Unlike the other methods of URL submission the Googlebots will crawl the submitted pages usually within one day of their submission. Although the response time is faster Google will still use the same selection process when considering a URLs inclusion in their index. The Fetch as Googlebot helps Google discover a web page faster but like its natural discovery process there is no guarantee that the page will be included in their index.

from http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2011/08/submit-urls-to-google-with-fetch-as.html, August 2011

In order for Google to crawl and index a page it first needs to know that the site exists. The fetch as Googlebot feature may be a new and convenient method to submit a URL to Google but it’s not the only option. The process of discovery and can take place in a couple of different ways. Traditionally discovery occurs through links which is why it is extremely important to make sure that all your web pages are linked internally. Pages don’t always have external links connecting them, making internal links necessary for bots to travel from page to page.

Google also uses RSS feeds, XML Sitemaps, and Public URL Request to discover URLs that are not yet indexed. An XML Sitemap is a complete list of URL’s that you want Google to crawl for your website. The public URL request is an “Add URL” form that is available for anyone who wants to request that a URL be added to the index. Recently the add URL form has been renamed to the Crawl URL Request Form and to use this feature you must be signed into a Google account. Similar to the… Read the rest

7 Reasons Why Social Media can be used to Enhance SEO Not Replace It

Dustin — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 20:47:57 +0000

Most people can agree that social media has drastically changed the way businesses perform online marketing. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have provided businesses with the resources to create detailed portfolios and interact freely with their customers. Some companies even believe that Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is no longer important and social media should be their main focus.

Does SEO still matter? Social media sites have done a great job of connecting businesses with customers. However even with all the advantages that social media has to offer it shouldn’t replace SEO. Instead social media websites should be thought of as a complement to SEO rather than its substitute.

There are many benefits to using social media like attracting new clients, staying in contact with clients, and the ability to build a positive reputation. It’s clear that due to its popularity social media has begun to push other key SEO elements into the background but that doesn’t mean those elements are not still important. As important as Social media is it remains only one portion of the SEO puzzle. The following is a list of reasons why SEO still matters.

1. SEO Finds The People That Want to Find You!

Social networking will put you in front of other social media users but that doesn’t mean they are customers. With SEO you have a better chance of being found by buyers. Social media is often used to communicate with users that are already part of your circle whereas SEO can be used to draw in users to your circle.

2. SEO Provides More Relevance to Customers!

Social media can increase awareness of your company but with Search Engine Optimization you can specifically target customers seeking your product or service. SEO helps you rank for relevant searches which increases the chance of conversion. Additionally each keyword can be optimized to target a different group of consumers.

3. SEO Enhances The Conversion Process!

As mentioned, SEO focuses more on increasing the chances of conversion. SEO focuses on streamlining the conversion process. Every step from targeting, attracting, landing, and retaining a customer is planned out to achieve the best results. SEO optimizes not only keywords but the site’s architecture, calls to action,… Read the rest

Meta Tags: Do They Still Matter, If So Which Ones?

Dustin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 19:34:38 +0000

Meta tags are special HTML tags that contain information or Meta data that is readable by browsers, search engines and other programs. Meta data is commonly referred to as “data about data”. It is documented information about a specific set of data and is essentially used to describe the contents of a webpage. Meta tags only contain page information, they do not change the appearance of the page. These tags are placed in the heading section of HTML code and are only visible to users when viewing the source page. The following is how Meta tags appear in a website’s source code.

<HEAD>
<TITLE>How to Create a Meta Tag</TITLE>
<META name =“description” content=”Everything you want to know about Meta Tags”>
<META name =”keywords” content=”Keyword 1, Keyword 2, Keyword 3, Keyword 4”>
</HEAD>

from http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2009/09/google-does-not-use-keywords-meta-tag.html , July 2011

Are Meta Tags helpful? Meta tags are usually used for Search Engine Optimization and are thought to help web crawlers index your pages more accurately. Although at one time Meta tags held tremendous value for website ranking they no longer carry the same importance. Over time, less and less weight has been assigned to Meta tags due to their manipulation and user abuse. Eventually websites began to perform keyword stuffing (excessive use of keywords) and listed irrelevant information in their Meta tags to try to attract and mislead traffic to their pages. As users caught on to the black hat SEO techniques for Meta tags the search engines started to divert their attention and place more emphasis on actual content. Shifting their focus allowed the search engines to evaluate web pages appropriately based on visible content rather than depending on a Meta tag to deliver accurate information.

Meta tags no longer play the same critical role in SEO as they once did, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are all worthless. It is believed that certain Meta tags can still generate greater website visibility. For example, the Meta description tag can help increase click through rates and provides website owners with a great opportunity to pre-advertise… Read the rest

Dealing With the Aftermath of Google Panda Update Version 2.2

Dustin — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 20:26:05 +0000

In February 24, 2011 Google introduced its new method for evaluating the quality of a website. Google Panda or “The Panda Algorithm” affected a little under 12% of search results and drastically reduced page visitors for many websites. At first 12% may seem like a small percentage but when considering the size of internet the figure becomes fairly significant. Google released Panda 2.0 in April and followed with version 2.1 in May. According to Search Engine Land Google had also just recently released its newest version (Panda 2.2) sometime during June.

from http://www.google.com/logos/logos11-2.html, July 2011

The Panda version 2.2 updates are thought to be the source behind the recent fluctuation in search listings and PageRank. Whether you experienced this change back in February or the new update is finally catching up with you, Google Panda seems to be impacting a tremendous number of websites and site owners across the Internet.

Although it is commonly called the Panda Algorithm, Google Panda is more of an individual Ranking factor rather than an entire new algorithm. Google uses a number of different factors when assigning a rank to a website. These factors are continually tweaked in order to provide the best user experience and return the most relevant search results. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) focuses on these evolving factors in an effort to increase site traffic and conversion rates. Although Google makes these adjustments to its ranking algorithm on a regular basis they usually go unnoticed or cause minor changes for most websites. However there have been a few major exceptions similar to the Google Panda update such as the Mayday Update of last year and the Vince Update in 2009.

How does Google Panda work? Google Panda acts as a filter to identify low quality pages. According to Matt Cutts the Panda Filter is not running all the time. Instead Panda performs periodic scans that occur during each of the new releases for Panda. So far there have been four Panda releases meaning that websites listed on Google have be subject… Read the rest

WordPress 3.2 is Available: Are you ready for the Upgrade?

Dustin — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 20:16:56 +0000

Prior to last year’s release of WordPress Version 3.1, WordPress announced that 3.1 would be the last version to support PHP 4 and MySQL 4. During the announcement WordPress stated that version 3.2 could be expected early 2011 and emphasized that it would require PHP 5.2.4+ and a minimum of MySQL 5.0.15. The reason for their early announcement was to provide users with plenty of time meet the future requirements. At that time, WordPress had over 45 million users and 11% of those users were still using PHP 4. Along with the new requirements for PHP and MySQL, they also decided to drop support for legacy browsers such as Internet Explorer 6. Users who access the software using an outdated or unsupported browser will now be notified by a new built in feature.

WordPress 3.2.1 Upgrade Notice

WordPress 3.2 was released to the public last week, July 4, 2011. Focusing on a faster and lighter experience the WordPress 3.2 features a redesigned dashboard, Twenty-Eleven theme, admin bar, and a full screen editing mode. The new dashboard design removes the old administrator header and replaces it with the new and improved admin bar. The new admin bar now offers more options and links to important places within WordPress. In addition to the admin bar version 3.2 adds more drop down menus for easy navigation and a faster selection process. The redesigned dashboard provides a more seamless experience that can be fully customized. Another major feature with the 2011 release is the full screen distraction free text editor. With this feature users can focus completely on their writing and easily access hidden editor tools by hovering at the top of the editor. WordPress also adjusted and improved comment approval and reply options for a more streamlined conversation management.

Are you ready to update?

Before beginning the upgrade process users are advised to complete the following checklist

Check to make sure that you meet the minimum WordPress 3.2 Requirements
Perform a Backup for your WordPress Database
Disable Plugins (some can interfere with the installation

… Read the rest

Attracting More Website Traffic with YouTube Video Optimization

Dustin — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 13:07:47 +0000

YouTube is a video sharing site that works similar to a video search engine. YouTube differs from a video search engine because it does not utilize crawlers to search the internet for videos. Instead, YouTube relies on users to upload their own video files. Like most social media sites YouTube is a great resource for free marketing. Anyone with an account can upload a YouTube video, the real goal is to increase your presence and offer value or entertainment to the other users. The following tips focus on the various aspects of YouTube video optimization and are designed to increase your YouTube marketing efforts.

from http://www.youtube.com/ July 2011

Increasing Search Success:

Similar to Search Engine Optimization, one of your objectives is to use terms that your customers are searching for. Using the same words or phrases that are being searched for will make your video much easier to locate. Although they are not specifically designed for YouTube, some of the same tools used for SEO keyword research can also help generate some popular video search terms. With any marketing the step of selecting the right trigger words is vital either with or without the help of a keyword tool.

When it comes to keyword research and competitive analysis users can also gather information in a number of other ways. For example when performing a search on YouTube you can begin your research by paying attention to the auto suggestions that appear when typing. The auto suggestions identify the terms that other users have recently searched for that relate to your video’s topic. Gathering search patterns surrounding your topic enables you to target your audience more appropriately and will guide more traffic to your content. In addition to the search suggestions, YouTube also provides a list of related terms. Along with the related videos and search suggestion a marketer can also take cues from their competition. Performing competitive analysis by viewing the most popular videos on your subject is a sure fire way to generate new ideas and guide you in the right direction.

Optimizing Context:

Optimizing the context of your video refers to establishing the… Read the rest

Google Gears Up to Launch Its New Social Network, Google +

Dustin — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 20:13:41 +0000

On Tuesday June 28, 2011 Google announced that they are very close to launching their new social network called Google +. Not to be confused with Google +1, the new Google + is a social network that is currently in a “field trial period” with a limited number of testers. Although there is no news available regarding the interaction between Google +1 and Google +, it seems logical that eventually the two Google services will somehow be used to complement one another. The goal of Google + is to bring more humanity or emotion to the world of online sharing and interaction.

The foundation of Google’s social network feels similar to other social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. From the looks of it, Google + appears to incorporate the basics of social networking that we have grown comfortable with and even manages to offer a few unique and innovative features. Users can expect the following features to be included on the Google + Social Networking website following the trial testing period.

from http://www.google.com/intl/en/+/learnmore/, June 2011

+ Profile:

Creating a Google + Profile is similar to a Facebook profile. The profile enables users to fill in a bio, contact info, interests, upload photos, and link to other sites that they have created. This profile lets users remain in control by specifying who has access to their information and how much of their information is visible. The post tab located on the profile page also contains a record of all the posts made by the users. It’s important to mention that changing a Google + profile name will also change the name associated with your Google account and other Google services.

+ Circles:

Sharing on social networking should be more selective. In most cases the things you tell people depend on the type of relationship. It’s unlikely that you would share the same information with your friends and family as you would with co-workers or associates. The way a person communicates with different individuals often contributes more meaning to their relationships and this aspect shouldn’t change while communicating online. With… Read the rest

Firefox 5 Supports Multiple Platform Do not Track Feature

Dustin — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:25:43 +0000

It was only two months ago that Mozilla released Firefox4, one of the most successful browser releases that received over two hundred million downloads. Following the success of Firefox 4, Mozilla had announced and implemented a new production cycle to accommodate a rapid product release environment. The new production has enabled Mozilla to quickly develop and test new products which have led to them being able to offer a new version of Firefox only months later. As described in the Mozilla Blog, the new release is the first browser to support a Do Not Track privacy feature on multiple platforms.

from http://blog.mozilla.com/blog/2011/04/13/new-channels-for-firefox-rapid-releases/, June 2011

Mozilla first announced its new Rapid Release Development Cycle back in April. The previous production cycle contained three channels which included “Nightly Testing Builds”, “Firefox Beta”, and “Firefox Final Release”. The new development process introduced “ Aurora”. Aurora allows users to test new features and concepts that are more refined than those in the Nightly testing and less polished than the ones available in Beta testing. For a full description on the Mozilla constructing, testing, and release process visit the Mozilla Development Center. The new cycle has enabled Mozilla to test their feature and execute a faster product delivery for their customers. The two months it has taken Mozilla to develop Firefox5 are a drastic difference compared to the two years it took to deliver Firefox 4 to the public.

According to Mozilla “The latest version of Firefox includes more than 1,000 improvements and performance enhancements that make it easier to discover and use all of the innovative features in Firefox. This release adds support for modern Web technologies that make it easier for developers to build amazing Firefox Add-ons, Web applications and websites.”

Visually the new version and Firefox4 display no differences however the recent release now offers support for CSS animations, Do Not Track preferences, improved canvas and JavaScript support, better tuned HTTP idle connection logic, and better standards for canvas, HTML5, XHR, MathML, and SMIL. The look and feel of Firefox4 remain intact, the new version… Read the rest

Google Announces New Features that Change the Way We Search

Dustin — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:32:38 +0000

Eliminating the barriers that stand between users and information is an endless goal for Google. The company continues to revolutionize the way users search the internet and strives to provide only the most relevant and superior content possible. On Tuesday June 14, 2011, Google held a media event in San Francisco to announce their new features that they hope will drastically change how users will search the internet. Among the features that were announced were Instant Pages, Search by Image, and Voice Search.

from http://www.google.com/insidesearch/voicesearch.html, June 2011

At the event Google also shared their latest search statistics. The stats showed that mobile search is following the same usage pattern as the early years of Google desktop search. Within the past couple years mobile searching has grown tremendously and with technology like voice recognition, mobile searching is expected to grow even more. Google believes that voice recognition is a technology that shouldn’t be limited to the mobile experience and that is why Voice Search is now available on a desktop. Their voice recognition is currently comprised of over 230 billion words or phrases and each day their system captures over 2 years’ worth of voice searches.

Voice search allows users to effortlessly speak what they are looking for and Google will find it, searching doesn’t get any easier than that. Voice search also helps out when users need to perform searches that are longer, more complex or harder to spell. Google Chrome 11 or higher and a microphone are required to use Google Voice Search. From there, voice searching is as easy as clicking on the small microphone button located by the search bar and speaking your search terms.

Another feature that first staked its ground on mobile devices was Google Goggles. Google Goggles allows users to search by snapping a picture with their mobile device. Google search now lets users search places, art, and animals using images on desktop computers. When on the Google Image Page, a user can search with an image by clicking on the small camera… Read the rest

Google +1, How Is It Measuring Up to the Like Button?

Dustin — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:20:32 +0000

Back in March Google began rolling out their +1 feature locally on their Google results page. The new feature enables users to activate the Plus 1 button when they wanted to recommend a website to other users. Since Facebook did not want to have their Like Button located on the Google search results page and chose to showcase it on Bing instead, Google has taken action and created its own way to boost social interaction. Similar to the Facebook Like Button, the plus 1 feature lets users put their stamp of approval on a website.

From http://www.google.com/+1/button/, June 2011

Exactly one week ago on June 1, 2011 Google announced that they are now offering the +1 button to website developers to place on their own content. On the day of the announcement the +1 buttons started appearing on major websites like Bestbuy.com, TheHuffingtonPost.com, and Nordstrom.com. After only a week the button now appears on large and small websites all across the Internet. Websites can display the button and enable people to recommend their website, blog or even individual products. Already the Google +1 feature seems to have a solid foundation but it continues to work towards being as widely used as its Facebook counterpart. From what we can tell here at Internet Beacon, the Google +1 button is being used frequently on the search results page but doesn’t quite yet have the exposure necessary to properly compete with the Facebook and Twitter sharing buttons that are on individual websites. In time this could change drastically, after all the button is only a week old.

It makes sense that Google would eventually assign some sort of values to this feature where the more plus ones a website has would equal a rank better, however it is still unclear how this development will affect SEO and the Google website ranking algorithm. Google could determine that sites who utilize their social media metric are more trustworthy or valuable sources, or perhaps they will maintain the plus one feature strictly as a social device… Read the rest

Apple iCloud Rumors to Be Confirmed at the Annual WWDC on June 6, 2011

Dustin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:12:23 +0000

Apple has recently announced that they will be unveiling the latest cloud storage service at the upcoming 2011 Worldwide Developers Conference on June 6 th. The WWDC is held annually in California at the Moscone Center which is the largest convention and exhibition complex in San Francisco. The convention takes place over 5 days and during this time Apple announces their latest software and technology for developers. The WWDC has taken place since 1983, each time with CEO Steve Jobs kicking off the convention with a keynote speech. Although Jobs has currently been on medical leave Apple has confirmed that he will still take part of this year’s convention kick-off.

from http://developer.apple.com/wwdc/about/, June 2011

This year, Apple plans to unveil their latest cloud storage service along with their next generation software – Lion, the eighth major release of Mac OS X and iOS 5, the next version of Apple’s advanced mobile operating system which is used by the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

The past couple of months have given way to much speculation regarding the Apple “iCloud” Storage. It is said that the service would work similar to Amazon Cloud Drive and Google Music Beta. However, since Apple’s service would possess licensing agreements they will be able to offer extra features that will provide them with a competitive advantage. One of the features is said to be a scan and match action that scans the user’s hard drive for music files and automatically matches it to a music file already on their service, thus eliminating the time it takes for user’s to upload their music. The iCloud music service will also offer users the option to store and access their music from any location or device with an internet connection.

Apple has reportedly already signed cloud-music licensing agreements with EMI Music, Warner-Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and is currently finalizing a deal with Universal Music Group. In late April, Apple purchased the domain name iCloud.com from a Swedish company Xcerion which has now relocated their cloud storage service to Read the rest