International Search Engine Marketing Blog

A common question when a company is selecting a list of keyword phrases for an SEO campaign is whether or not it is required to add both the singular and plural variations of the words . I recently took a look at a Fidelity newsletter by Donald Dion that showed up number one in Google for the plural version of the underlined phrase, but number two for  the singular version of the same phrase. The takeaway is that even the slightest variations of words can make a difference on where a website appears in the local and international search engines.

Using the site http://www.fidelityadviser.com/ as an example, searchers can see in the image below that it currently appears number two for the phrase “fidelity newsletter”. However, when conducting a search for the plural version the sites appears #1 in Google.

Now there are many reasons why this can occur, but lets take a look at the two most basic aspects that determine a website’s rankings in the search engines results pages: 1.) The on-page content and 2.) References that point to the website. Generally, the keyword density of a page is a vastly overused term that has little meaning. However, in this particular case the Fidelity Independent Adviser uses the singular phrase, Fidelity newsletter, only one time. When attempting to reach the top of the search results for a particular phrase it is generally advisable to include that phrase at least once within the text of the page. The other and much more meaningful component is the number of references pointing to the site that use Fidelity newsletter. The top listing has multiple outside sources and other websites that utilize this phrase, whereas Don Dion’s newsletter has a relatively smaller number. Essentially, the more references a website has from trusted resources with the targeted phrase than the more likely it will appear for that phrase. Thus this case study in and of itself might alter the site’s positioning in the SERPS.

To learn more about how keyword variations can impact your website and the tactics that professionals employ, please continue browsing our Blog or share this post with a friend. There is a wealth of information available on the internet and if you still have questions then please feel free to give us a call at 1-877-SEO-1169.

I know that many people are currently wondering as to why a website suddenly shifts in the Google search results; especially as of late. This is true whether an individual manages their own SEM efforts or hires an outside company. There are many reasons why this can occur, but for the purposes of this post, we will assume that it is not the result of a webmaster employing practices that violate Google’s TOS.

Constant Flux

There Google SERPS are changing constantly. However, at certain points in time they change more dramatically than others for all websites or a particular website. The reasons can vary dramatically, but typically there are a few common rules that cause any particularly site to fluctuate in the search engine rankings, while other websites appear untouched.

The Website is Newer

Oftentimes a website will change position more frequently during its first two years of existing on the internet. This is not the same as the Google Sandbox, but it is fairly typical to see. The primary reason driving this is that newer websites tend to undergo a larger percentage of changes than existing website. Links originally purchased to help a website might loose some of their value. Since a newer website often has fewer links than a long standing one these changes tend to have a larger impact.

Many Recent Changes

Multiple changes to a website either on the page itself or recent addition of links can cause a change in the search engine rankings. Again this tends to be more prominent with newer sites for the reasons listed earlier, but still impacts even older sites if enough changes are made. Sometimes this is simply unavoidable. However, the best method to minimize such impacts is to rollout changes in phases.

Unexplained Jumps or Declines in the SERPS

Google and the other major search engines are not perfect. When investing time and money in an SEO campaign it is important to realize this. Temporary abnormalities will occur regardless of anything done. The best and hardest thing to do in this situation is just sit tight and keep on the same path as before. Wait a couple weeks; I realize this can result in lost sales now, but dramatically changing a strategy will generally result in a larger number of lost sales in the long run.

Increased SEO Competition

No matter how much work is done on your own site. A company cannot control what other business owners decide to do with theirs. If a topic becomes more popular and profitable then one should expect more players to enter the market and an overall increase in the competitiveness of obtaining and maintaining top search engines rankings. There is nothing you can do to prevent this, but you can take steps to ensure more resources are allocated as needed.

It Will All Work Out

The best single piece of advice I can give anyone is that it will all work out positively if your company follows Google’s TOS. Treat these terms as the bible and do not anger the Google gods. If a website’s SEM efforts follow the guidelines listed under best practices then over the long haul your company will reap the rewards. This is true whether focusing on a regional, national, or international audience.

Many people have heard of the Google Sandbox, but others often never hear of the term until later on down the road. For those who have not heard of this phrase, it is SEO lingo for a site that is penalized by Google and the other search engines simply because it is new. The reasoning behind this is relatively simple. Google wants to provide its visitors with the best results possible when a visitor hits enter. New sites are built and registered every day, but many of them do not last longer than eight to twelve months. Therefore Google simply does not display a website is its SERPS (search engine results pages) until after this time frame is over. At this point a site is not longer considered included in the Google sandbox.

There are a few quick tests one can perform to see if a site is still in the Sandbox. One simple test is simply to type the name of the website into Google. If it does not appear at the top of the SERPS and it is a new site than the website is likely still in the sandbox. A better and more conclusive test is to select a competitive keyword phrase that you wished your site to show up under. Then type in the following: allinanchor:the competive phrase; then type in only: the competitive phrase. If the website appears for the first search but not the second then it is likely in the Google sandbox. On the other hand, if it appears for neither, than I would suggest that at a minimum you consult with a professional local or international SEM company. If already hired an SEO company and gave them a decent interval of time to deliver as promised, you may wish to ask them what is going or listen to the opinion of another.

This brings us to the tile of the, the value of a seasoned domain. You should now have an idea on why a domain that is seasoned and aged has value; it is no longer in the Google sandbox! Now is the solution as simple as buying a domain that already exists and placing your website on it? Not quite, this is certainly an excellent idea and possible first step, but there are many other considerations to take into account. One such consideration is whether the older domain has links pointing to it and where those links are located.

The bottom line is that a seasoned domain has value and can have an impact in a successful SEO campaign; particularly for business that are just starting out and desire faster placement within the SERPS. I strongly advice those who read this do not simply go out and but an existing domain as an effort to bypass the Google sandbox. It is easy to end up overpaying for such a domain or purchasing one that will not add much value to any internet marketing efforts. I encourage our readers to feel free to add your suggestions and advice to the comments on this article.

While I do not want to underplay the importance of an SEO campaign, it is important to have one in conjunction with a well run website. Many times new website owners put the cart before the horse. Sometimes they build and optimize a website before considering what company will process the site’s payments and how to fulfill orders. Business owners often do not realize the large expenses associated with accepting online orders. Depending upon the payment provider selected a company that grosses $10,000 in sales with an average order of $50 can save upwards of a $4,000 per year based upon the processor, which is an amount that could easily cover starting a small SEO campaign. Below are the most common international payment providers and their fees.

PayPal 

PayPal tends to be easier and less expensive for new business owners, but watch out. There are a number of horror stories out there and many people have lost the whole balance in their account, which can cost more than any processing fees. Still many people elect to go with this processor. Those who do should heed this warning. The costs associated with a PayPal business account are vary depending upon the payment method the buyer users. To received payments from individuals within the United States the first $10,000 in sales costs $310.

2CeckOut 

This is an expensive method to process payments and not one I suggest as my first choice. There is a one time fee of $49 and then charges of 5.5 percent plus 45 cents per transaction. Using the parameters above the first $10,000 in orders would cost a company $689. Not a small amount of money in absolute or percentage terms. The upside to this process is that they accept virtually any business and it is a fast way to start selling goods or services.

Authorize.net 

To use Authorize.net you have to go through a reseller, a list of which is found on their website. Fees vary depending upon the reseller, but typically this processor offers the lowest fees and most security. The setup process can take slightly longer, but once that is done it is smooth sailing. Typically money received is swept from the merchant account and deposited into your checking account with a few business days.

SEO and Payment Processors

Now how does this tie into SEO? Quite simply a well chosen payment provider can easily provide the savings needed to launch a search engine marketing campaign. Why spend more than you have to for the same basic service? At least that is Agilis Marketing’s point of view.

One of the most disconcerting parts about working in this industry are all the fly by night operations that pop up and offer prospects unfounded promises. These sites offer website owners grandiose promises and sometimes downright lie. I had the unfortunate incident of dealing with such a website owner. Sadly, this is a common occurrence in the industry. Therefore I wanted to add a few general tips to watch out for, using Graphic SEO as a case study.

Research the company / site owner.

The owner of Graphic SEO is Joseph Alvini, a college student, who has no staff. The only alleged “expert” at the firm is himself. When hiring a firm, my suggestion is to find out more about the company’s owner. Is it a one man shop? Is the owner of that shop an actual expert or simply a self purported one? Before plunking down any kind of money with a firm do your homework.

Is the company a legal entity?

Check with the company’s city to see if it is actually a registered business. For instance, Graphic SEO currently has no business license and is operating illegally. There are plenty of legitimate companies out there. Do not waste time with one that does not even take the time to operate legally. Trust is essential in life and business. I find it difficult to trust any person or company that is operating without going through the proper channels.

Does the website have a phone number?

All reputable websites should have a contact telephone number. It is an indication that they care about customer service. Longer standing companies tend to have a toll free number to further prove their commitment to customer service. I am always weary if no contact number is prominently displayed or upon calling it nobody answers. The SEM industry is convoluted and confusing. Ensure you are dealing with a company that cares enough about their customers to actually speak with them.

There are of course many other common sense suggestions before conducting business with a firm. My hope is that this helps people save a few dollars and prospective clients steer clear of businesses, such as Graphic SEO, that are operating illegally and with little genuine concern for their clients. There are many excellent local and international search engine marketing companies that exist. Please simply be careful before sending one money.

I recently received a question from a business colleague and thought many other companies or individuals may wonder exactly how the different search engines value different types of links. The spurred from reading an article titled “SEO for WordPress”, part of which stated that Google does not provide as much consideration to sitewide links or links that are outside the main content area of the page. He went on to ask that, “I have also seen similar things before where people advise to keep the links only on the main page. As someone involved in the SEO field I wanted to ask the following: Do you think the above information is true? Or what is your opinion?”

As with much of the information regarding SEO and the value of links from other pages there conflicting information throughout the internet. Sorting the fact from the fiction can be a difficult process. While this is posed to me as a short question there is an extremely complex and ever changing answer. 

The bottom line is that with all search engines and the manner in which links are valued is largely determined by the perceived quality of the link. It is certainly true that Google values sitewide links differently than links placed only in one location on the page. A common misconception is that sitewide links can hurt a website. The reality is simply that sitewide links do not help a website. Typically, credit or link juice is received for the first link on the site, but the remainders of the links are generally ignored by Google. This is especially true when the links all have identical anchor texts and surrounding content. Yahoo and MSN value sitewide links differently. As of now, a sitewide link can be an extremely valuable asset and can increase a website’s position in the search engine results pages. However, it would come as no surprise if this changed in the future and the other engines adopted a strategy similar to Google with regards to link valuation.

As for the question on whether links within the content are more valuable than those outside the main body of the text, the answer is resounding yes. Links contained within relevant body text typically carry a much heavier weighting than those that are located within the footer navigations or the sidebars of the page. The rationale behind this is quite simple. If the webmaster finds the resource (website) valuable enough than the link will likely be posted in the primary content area rather than along the footer or another place where visitors are less likely to actually visit the site. 

Of course besides this, there are many other factors that influence the value and importance of certain links more than others. A well formulated SEO campaign ensure that there is a wide selection of all different types of links and looks at many other considerations such as the authority of the site that the link comes from.

I wanted to thank my colleague who originally posed the question. Hopefully I answered your questions. With any luck others will be able to find this post and also gain a better understanding of the value of links in a SEM or SEO campaign.

Lately, the hotel industry is starting to focus heavily on the search results displayed in Google and the other major engines. Top rankings for a highly trafficked phrase can result in a tremendous boon to business’ bottom line. Lately, even some of the larger players seem to be realizing this and are employing the services of search engine marketing companies.

As a case study let’s take a look at the largest vacation destination in the world, Orlando and a company that caters to its visitors. It might surprise a few people to hear that this Florida spot is the number one travel destination in the Globe, but it is true. Throughout the year, people from all across the Globe stay in Orlando hotels to visit Walt Disney World and the other major theme parks. The climate is ideal most of the season and the city is also a major convention area.

Previously the top search results were dominated by booking engines that search a wide array of properties. Only a few days ago www.orlandovacationhotels.com ranked near the top of the search results for the highly competitive and coveted phrase “Orlando Hotels”. As of this morning, the site is now located at the bottom of Page 1 in Google. Instead there are multiple other sites owned by the Wyndham and the Marriot that are appearing above this company’s site. While these results are likely nothing more than a temporary fluke, during the time Google is making internal changes to the way it displays search results, it is still a temporary disservice to searchers who rely on Google for results and guidance.

Usually, people searching for a general phrase, such as Orlando hotels, are looking for a plethora of options rather than viewing a specific hotel’s website. Users are looking for choices and suggestions not specific properties. I am certain Google realizes this and in a short time everything will return to “normal”, but it does not take away the fact the users are deprived of finding vacation booking engines such as the Orlando Hotels site mentioned earlier.

Putting aside my views of injustice for a moment, the bottom line is that Google wants to help its users and soon enough www.orlandovacationhotels.com will return back to the top of the search results for one its key phrases. Search engine marketing is tough, no doubt about that. That is why most companies in competitive industries hire professional SEO companies. I suspect you will see an ever growing number of marketing firms popping up wanting to help both booking engines and the larger hotel chains appear at the top of the rankings.