We are so proud to announce ISM was named Vendor of the Year by California Closets.

We’ve been partnering with California Closets for the past 4 years and are so excited to accept this huge honor. We are really looking forward to continuing our long-standing partnership with California Closets and all the new exciting things ahead.

Celebrating winning Vendor of the Year at California Closets Annual Convention.

For more information, check out our press release: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130430005483/en

It’s been well over a year since Google started encrypting searches for users who are logged into their Google account (and enraging most of the SEO community). In fact, some studies claim that “not provided” data accounts for up to 39% of organic visits (most of our clients are in the 25–30% range).

When you’re experiencing a year over year improvement in organic traffic, having missing data as high as 30% can be pretty inconvenient; but if there’s a year over year decline, this missing data makes it difficult to not only problem solve (modifying and refining strategies for the remainder of the year becomes a cryptic puzzle), but also answer to your boss.

Since it’s entirely possible that the percentage of NP data may continue to increase over time, we decided to take a proactive approach to finding a workaround. This way, we could at least figure out what chunks of this NP organic traffic were coming from brand vs. non-branded keywords. The solution outlined below should give you the ability to provide analysis as needed with a fairly low margin of error (3–5%)–and hopefully help you begin to better understand your organic traffic.

**PLEASE NOTE: This will be a lot easier to do and make a lot more sense if you’re an intermediate to advanced Google Analytics user.** 

1. Start by exporting about a quarter’s worth of landing pages for your site. Comb through these landing pages and categorize them by page type since different page types will all have different brand to non-brand ratios (you’ll probably want to do this in Excel). For example, a homepage vs. a deeper level content page will have a different brand to non-brand ratio. Try to stay under 10 categories (if you can). Examples of categories I used: Home, Local, Category, Products. This categorization will serve as your v-lookup later on so the more landing pages you get through in this step, the less you have to do later on.
2. Create mutually exclusive custom segments to segment a quarter’s worth of traffic by brand, non-brand, and not provided. To make sure that we’re looking at only organic traffic, make sure each segment excludes any paid URLs that might accidentally be pulled as organic.
3. Individually export the segmented brand, non-brand, and not provided data with landing pages as your primary dimension.
4. In Excel, combine all three data exports to make sure that each landing page has corresponding brand, non-brand, and not provided visits.Figure out what your traffic looks like for each landing page WITHOUT not provided numbers.
5. Divide brand traffic by total traffic (without not provided); Do the same for non-brand. This should give you the ratio of non-brand to brand traffic for each landing page.
6. Take this established ratio and apply it to your not provided data.
7. Use the data set you created in step 1 and set up a vlookup so that each landing page has a page type assigned to it. By now you data excel spreadsheet should look a little something like this.
8. Pivot this data so that you can determine the % of brand vs. non-brand traffic by page type and use these percentages to divide traffic in the future.
9. Steps 1–9 give you two things you’ll need moving forward: a page type categorization & brand vs. non-brand %s by page type. You will use this information every time you want to investigate specific brand vs. non-brand numbers. I suggest repeating steps 2–9 every quarter, just to make sure that brand vs. non-brand numbers don’t differ too much quarter to quarter.
10. Now, select a time period (let’s pick December 2012) where you’d like to specifically investigate organic non-brand vs. brand numbers. Select not provided as your keyword and use landing page as your secondary dimension. Export.
11. Use the data sheet you created in step 1 and categorize each landing page by page type.
12. Use the brand vs. non brand %s calculated in step 9 to find specific brand & non-brand traffic numbers for each landing page.
13. PIVOT and SUM up all traffic numbers by brand and non-brand. And now you should have brand & non-brand numbers for NP data for December 2012.
14. Repeat Steps 10–13 for not provided conversions/revenue if you are interested in those numbers as well.

This is an extremely long setup process (steps 1–9 will take about 4–5 hours). But steps 10–13 (the only steps you should be repeating month to month) will take approximately 30–40 minutes (fewer if your vlookup data from Step 1 is extremely extensive).

What formulas have you been using to get around the NP issue? We’d love to hear them!

Asking Google to become a marketer is kind of like asking Stephen Hawkins to enter a wet T-shirt content — a terrible waste of cranial processing power (and frankly, not something I’d particularly want to see).

- Gord Hotchkiss via Mediapost

Do you agree that Google’s marketing efforts have generally failed? Should they stick to their engineering prowess?

Just a little photo collage of all the great food that contributed to an amazing iSM Family Thanksgiving Potluck! From homemade turkey, to fresh greens, to several kinds of  sweet potatoes and pies, we all feel truly grateful for the ability to share great food and even greater ideas. Go team!

iSearch Media is proud to announce its support for Breakthrough San Francisco, a national non-profit program that supports motivated students with limited educational opportunity. BreakthroughSF is making an eight-year investment (that started in 2011) in each student, supporting him or her until college enrollment. In addition, BreakthroughSF trains outstanding high school and college students from across the country for careers in education.

iSearch Media is partnering with Breakthrough in an effort to impact local youth at a crucial point in their academic development. In addition to providing financial support, iSearch Media is donating used office computers for Breakthrough children to use. On July 27th, iSM will host a group of students interested in the tech and marketing industries for Breakthrough’s Career Day.

“iSearch Media is proud to be a corporate partner with BreakthroughSF. We enjoy having the opportunity to give back to the community, and perhaps provide inspiration for young people to pursue a fulfilling career in an exciting internet-based industry,” said iSearch Media President Charles Hentrich.

Breakthrough offers a range of meaningful volunteer options geared toward 7-8th graders, high school students, college students, and adults, including corporate teams. To learn more about the initiative please visit http://www.breakthroughsf.org.

Are you a local business owner who has no idea what to do given the recent integration of Google Places and Google+ Local? Worry not, iSM has your back. Since the transition has been a bit messy (there are now duplicate listings everywhere), we’ve put together a quick POV that should be easy enough to understand and give you some action items to start checking off your list. For more background on the actual switch and what happened, you might want to check out our previous blog post on the transition from Google Places to Google+ Local.

Overview

Google recently migrated local business profiles from the Google Places directory to the Google+ social platform. Placing business profiles within Google’s social network will have three effects:

• Drive more traffic to Google+
• Improve social signals for local search
• Enable users to search for brands ‘socially’ within Google+

Technical Changes

The new product, Google+ Local, is not to be confused with the Google+ Business Pages as they are currently entirely separate. As a result, some businesses will have 2 Google+ Pages; however, Google has confirmed plans to eventually merge Google+ pages with local accounts. For the time being, your company’s corporate Google+ efforts  (particularly for franchise-based businesses) should be directed towards the Google+ Local pages.

The new Google+ Local pages are more robust than Google Places, laying out information and images succinctly in the design structure of Google+. The same information that was found in the old interface is available in the new, but it’s now organized under an “About” tab. The tab includes snippets including a location description, categories, hours of availability, phone number, URL and an “at a glance” keyword summary. Photos from previous incarnations of the Places page are also visible in this new page, but come with a new tab called “Photos” that allows companies to add even more beyond the original limitation of five. There are a few new actions offered on the Google+ Local pages:

1. Directions
2. Share (via Google+)
3. Upload of a photo
4. Execute a +1 on the location

Account Management

While there have been changes in regards to how local listings work and are displayed, the back-end management of listings has not been impacted.  Google+ Local profiles are still hosted on the existing Google Places back-end management system.

Social & Reviews

In the past, user reviews on Google Places came from either traditional Google user profiles that were loosely tied to the Google+ network, or “anonymous” users. Now users must allow Google to display their full name tied to the account before publishing any reviews.  This aims to eliminate black-hat review strategies. Businesses should only work with review generation agencies that can tie reviews to actual Google+ users.

The new review system is two-fold: it now includes Zagat reviews, and it features a new 3-tiered rating system based on the Zagat formula (three qualitative ratings on a scale of 0–3 that are averaged and then multiplied by 10 to reach averaged scores). Google still reports the number of reviews on the SERP, so only after arriving at the Google+ Local page will a searcher be able to view and read reviews.

As Google+ integrates with local, social signals will be given increased weight in the local algorithm. It is more important than ever for brands to not only provide quality customer experiences in-store, but also to assimilate those customers into their Google+ social circle. Franchises can bring customers into their Google+ network by increasing Google+ connections and reviews.

SEO Implications

Users will now be able to access Google+ Local pages via a search on Google.com, Google Maps, mobile apps or through a search on Google+.  Unlike the old Google Places profiles, Google+ Local pages will be indexed into the traditional search algorithm like any other web page.  With proper optimization, businesses have the opportunity to have their main website and their Google+ Local page(s) rank on the first page of the SERPs. It’s now more important than ever for businesses to assimilate their customer base into their Google+ social network, especially because social signals will play a major role in determining the SEO strength of the page.

Next Steps

We recommend staying the course as if nothing has changed for the moment. While there are several issues currently at play, Google+ Local will eventually iron things out and provide a more robust analytics platform to gauge the impact of the changes and, we hope, social activity. Immediate actions to take:

1. Claim all of your Place pages.
2. Align location-level URLs to these Place pages so that qualified traffic will click through to the appropriate local page with the intended content.
3. Be cognizant of social activity happening at the location level, including reviews and photo uploads from the Google+ community.  Review benchmarks should be set with proper accountability structures in place (Will be established with LE’s corporate review policy).
4. Continue to manage, update, and keep local listing data fresh and accurate in the Google Places platform.

Google Places is gone.  As of May 30, Google converted its estimated 80 million Places pages into Google+ Local Pages.  What is Google + Local, you may ask? Good question.  Here’s a screen shot of the new tab within Google+:

Simply clicking on the tab will deliver recommended places based on Zagat ratings, people in your circles, and previous reviews (I had a different ‘top result’ every time I clicked on the tab). Note that the Google/Zagat merger from September 2011 is finally coming into play here. Google is implementing the Zagat 30 point rating system which individually accounts for food/décor/service; nixing the ever obscure 5 star rating system. More importantly, Zagat’s entire archive is now free.

As you can see, there is a search function at the top that is similar to the Yelp search bar (it even has the autofill aspect, and allows you to search different neighborhoods within cities). Type in sushi, type in a specific restaurant, and Google will deliver the result accordingly. Let’s take a look at Zero Zero’s page (a local favorite restaurant of the iSearch Media team):

As you can see, these Google+ Local pages are more dynamic and visually appealing than the old Places pages. Businesses can develop and interact with followers (Google also mentioned they will allow for social experiences like hosting hangouts, sharing videos, etc). Consumers can upload photos, get directions, and even secure reservations directly from this page (OpenTable is the primary reservation function).

Users can be directed to these pages through Google search, Google maps, mobile maps, or simply a search on Google+. Here’s an example of a SERP for “pizza near San Francisco:”

Here’s a search within Google+:

As you can see, the Google+ result has richer content and more functionality than the more traditional SERP.
Personally, when I search for a restaurant on the web or my iPhone, I’ll toggle between the Yelp App and the Google Maps function when deciding where to go (the lack and quality of previous Google reviews didn’t do much for me). With the integration of Zagat reviews, I can see myself slowing weaning away from Yelp.

From a business perspective, owners can no longer ignore Google+ (and if they do, it will be to their own disadvantage). Google is throwing these businesses into the deep end of the social pool, and rewarding those who figure out how to swim (did we mention these pages are going to be indexed? Hello, SEO potential)! By encouraging local merchants to establish and continually update their Google+ pages, Google is positioning itself to better compete against other social sites like Facebook.

Could Google+ be a starting point for search in the future? Will this change allow Google to better compete with review sites like Yelp, or social sites like Facebook? What exactly are the SEO implications and how can we take advantage of them for our clients?
Oh, Google. Thank you for always keeping us on our toes!

Thanks to Greg Sterling at Search Engine Land  for additional insights.

Clients often ask us, “What should we be doing with Google+?” Usually it’s already understood that it’s a social offshoot of Google that fits somewhere into the scheme of online marketing, but the details of how to get started can often get confusing.

1. Changes are happening fast — check for timestamps on articles online (this one, too).
2. As Google continues to integrate Google+ with existing assets, bloggers from a variety of industry segments are racing to declare the latest implications. The most dramatic pronouncements tend to gain inflated visibility because of their share/click appeal.

ISM set out to take a closer look at Google’s latest offering, crossed that with some quality investigative blog posts, and boiled the results down to a roadmap for businesses. Many thanks to gurus Danny Sullivan, A.J. Kohn, and many others whose research efforts were included this article.

Google Plus Background

Overview

Google+ is a social network created by Google, integrated with existing Google user accounts, the “+1” sharing system, and other existing Google assets. Google+ users can “follow” or “friend” other Google+ users or pages by adding them to their “Circles”. Google+ Circles provide a way for users to organize their contacts and interests.

Google+ Business/Local Pages

Google+ Pages are social profile pages that users create on Google. Recently Google started allowing business pages.
As in other forms of social media, increasing the number of users who include you in their Circles is the key to expanding your visibility and influence on the network.

How Google Plus Affects SEO

Recent History (2012)

Google has started including Google+ content on regular search results. These results are usually contextual to logged-in users, showing content from people and pages in their Circles. Content published publicly via the Google+ platform may also appear as part of normal search results (non-logged in users will see it). This is one area where Google+ differentiates itself from Facebook.
Both scenarios – logged in and non-logged in – should be considered when building a strategy to increase organic visibility using Google+ business pages.

Benefit 1: Boost Brand Visibility

The most immediate influence of Google+ pages for business is allowing business to claim more SERP real estate for branded searches.
For example, a search for “at&t”:

Not every business can expect this kind of result, but it demonstrates how Google+ profiles are becoming another asset for controlling SERP visibility for your brand term. In this example, Google has pulled in posts from AT&T’s Google+ page (comparable to tweets or Facebook status updates).

Results like the example above are much more likely to be generated if the logged-in user has the Google+ page in their circle. Expanding the number of followers on Google+ is a critical ingredient to any Google+ marketing strategy.

Benefit 2: Increase Non-Brand Visibility

Content posted via Google+ represents a new medium that is governed by a separate ranking algorithm, opening up new avenues for content visibility.

Creating Google Plus Pages for Business

Signing Up for Google Plus

Start by logging into a Google account and going to https://plus.google.com. We recommend the creation of a corporate Google+ page as well as local pages for each franchise.

Create a Product or Brand Page

On https://plus.google.com, look for “Create a Google+ page” in the right column. Choose “Product or Brand” as the category:

Provide the company name, website, and the most relevant category to complete the initial setup.

Creating Local Business Google+ Pages

To extend the benefits of Google+ into geo keyword verticals, we recommend creating (or coordinating the creation of) Google+ pages for each franchise. Use the same instructions as above, except choose “Local Business or Place” instead of “Product or Brand”

Increasing Traffic via Google+ Pages

1. Optimize Google+ Page

Like other content on the web, SEO strategies can help influence the visibility of Google+ Pages in organic search results. Early industry studies have led to the following SEO best practices for Google+ pages.

Content Optimization

Include target keywords within the “Introduction” section of the “About” page:

Keywords That Surface Google Plus Pages (on Google)

Google looks for the following qualities in keywords when deciding whether to pull in Google+ pages on regular SERPs:

• Is typically used in social contexts (e.g. topical keywords related to recent events)
• Is a close match to a Google+ page in the user’s Circle (if they are logged in)
• Is a close match to a Google+ page that has received a high volume of +1’s

Link To Your Business’s Google+ Page

Help both new and existing customers find your Google+ pages by adding links to them on the web site. Eye-catching widgets are available to help attract clicks: https://developers.google.com/+/plugins/badge/config

Verifying Your Business On Google Plus

Google looks to form links between Google+ pages and websites as a measure to improve search results. To help accomplish this, Google provides steps to get a Google+ page verified as an official business page. Follow these steps to get verified:

1. Link to Your Website From Google

2. Link to Google+ From Your Website

Link to your Google+ page and include a rel=”publisher” directive in the HTML that specifies the correct URL for your Google+ page. This will take the format https://plus.google.com/(10+ numbers here)

3. Submit verification requests

Websites can request a “manual” verification from Google if the Google+ page exceeds 1,000 followers (in addition to the interlinking described above):

http://support.google.com/plus/bin/request.py?contact_type=extended_verification

Publishing Strategy for Businesses on Google+

The following strategies are recommended as part of an active social media campaign. The benefit with Google+ is that each post—especially public posts—double as possible entry points via new keyword searches on Google.

Post to Public

Make sure posts are public so that Google may include them in regular results. This also makes your content to visible to other users within the Google+ network that aren’t in your Circles (or vice versa).

Post Frequently

Signal freshness and attract followers by regularly posting

Lure +1’s (up-votes)

User up-votes (+1’s) are a powerful signal in Google’s real-time system, so posting items users are more likely to share will help get your content—and your brand—onto more search result pages and in front of more users.

Flag Other Users with “@”

Use the @name function to create visibility for posts on other pages and also engage new groups of users (just like Twitter and Facebook).

Respond to Engagement

When users +1 content, circle them or otherwise engage them. Use the @name function in replies when applicable.

“Circle” People

Add team members, business partners and industry experts. Search Google+ users who match terms that suggest interest in your business’s product and services and circle them, too.

Monitor real-time searches

From within Google+’s search (not public search), keep an eye on brand results and keyword results related to recent posts. This will help your business become actively engaged with the most influential Google+ users and pages in your space.

References

• http://support.google.com/plus/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1713911
• http://searchengineland.com/google-pages-now-open-for-businesses-brands-places-more-100217
• http://support.google.com/plus/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1713826
• http://www.blindfiveyearold.com/google-plus-seo

ISM is pleased to announce its support for the ClearWater project, which aims to provide sustainable clean water to thousands of indigenous families spread across 20 villages and hamlets in the oil-ravaged areas of northeastern Ecuador.

ClearWater is a collaboration between local communities in the northeastern Ecuadorian Amazon, the grassroots organization Amazon Defense Coalition, Berlin-based child welfare charity Saving an Angel Foundation, San Francisco-based charity GroundWork Opportunites, and the international environmental and human rights organization Amazon Watch.

ISM is proud to offer SEO and social media consulting services to the project owners in an effort to maximize search engine visibility and encourage the virality of the ClearWater vision.

Please take a few minutes to watch the video below, and if you are so inclined, donate to this important cause.

A selection of the cookie contest entries

After many controversial company competitions, including guacamole & salsa-offs, the company was finally able to settle on the ultimate food competition this quarter: a cookie bake off.

The competition was tight with 7 entries ranging from chewy to crunchy and chocolaty to nutty. After we were given very specific scoring instructions (1 means best, not worst!) the tastings began aided by flowing cups of milk, soy milk and champagne (good combo, right?). From chocolate chip cookies, to nutella to raspeberry thumbprints, we had quite an array to test. Let me take a moment for a PSA (for the uninitiated into cookie bake-offs): do not eat 7 cookies in a 10 minute time frame…you might not feel so good afterwards!

For proper testing purposes, a few bites of each cookie were necessary!

We all handed in our ballot and waited anxiously for the results to be tabulated. It seemed to take hours as we contestants chewed our finger nails in anxiety hoping  to win the grand prize: a $100 gift card! Though I hoped desperately that I could edge out a win, it was no surprise that Annie Meurs, with her delicious soft and goey creation: salted caramel stuffed chocolate truffle cookies, was the illustrious victor. You know if a cookie has that many words in its name it has to be good!

Our President & CTO, Charles Hentrich, came in 2^nd, and sadly, I came in third. I should have known better, my “cookies” were hardly cookies at all (I made matzah candy).

Now all that remains is the decision for our next competition. Will it be dips? Or pies? Stay tuned!

Annie Meurs: Cookie Baking Champion Extraordinaire