http://www.bullseyemedia.co.uk/ Latest news from example.com en http://www.bullseyemedia.co.uk/typo3conf/ext/tt_news/ext_icon.gif http://www.bullseyemedia.co.uk/ 18 16 Latest news from example.com TYPO3 - get.content.right http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:38:00 +0000 http://www.bullseyemedia.co.uk/seo-news/details/pinterest-and-seo.html As the holidays approach, maybe you’re looking for gifts under $20. How about animal butt magnets?... SEO world. How could the social site fit in with your optimisation efforts? Pinterest allows users to pin their favorite products or items on their own personal boards, which are shared with their followers. The benefit is increased exposure, as well as getting your product in front of social media influencers. Since other users can “repin,” this gives you the chance to go viral in a sense. Here are some tips for leveraging Pinterest:

• Do a search and see if you can find if any of your business’s products are pinned on the site. If so, see if you can get those Pinterest users to link back to your site. There are some great suggestions to help you do that here.
• Pin your own products to the boards.  To do this, download the “Pin It” button from Pinterest. This allows you to pin any item from any website (particularly yours!) to the boards.
• Set up a profile and write a good About section, optimising with targeted keywords.  For local SEO, make sure to list your city’s name. 
• Connect your Pinterest profile with your other social media profiles, and link back to your URL.
• Be a good neighbor; follow users in your geographical area or area of interest.  Like other users’ photos.
• Encourage users to visit your business (if locally-based) and offer a prize for the best picture of your establishment.
• Don’t be spammy.  This site is fun and social – don’t let marketing speak get in the way of the good time. 

]]> Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:38:00 +0000 http://www.bullseyemedia.co.uk/seo-news/details/cro-big-for-2012.html The reason why content is king is because even the best, most effective SEO won’t make you a dime... The reason why content is king is because even the best, most effective SEO won’t make you a dime or ensure entrepreneurial success if it does not correspond with CRO, or conversation rate optimisation.  They are really two sides of the same coin, but CRO is poised to become even more important in the coming year.  Continual changes in search algorithms and, indeed, the entire industry, make driving traffic inconsistent; focusing on CRO not only helps boost SEO efforts, it creates a better experience for users. Putting aside the jargony acronym, CRO is actually built on a very simple basis: to get people to do something - to buy, to sign up, to get email updates, or whatever your site is geared for.  Excellent, relevant, interesting content is a major component of this, but other factors play a role as well:

• Intuitive site navigation.
• Clear path from entry to purchase (or desired outcome).
• Consistent branding.
• Security certificates (such as the VeriSign seal)

Many of these issues are related to web design and development, so it is worth your time to see if your site is structured to encourage CRO.  Your first stop should be Google Website Optimizer. First, because it’s free.  Second because it helps you test your website and analyse content and conversation rates.  You can, for instance, see which content combinations drive conversions, which landing pages are most effective, increase time spent on your site, and more. This is an invaluable tool, particularly for small businesses. A study by Econsultancy found that businesses that implement a structured CRO approach are twice as likely to increase sales and that technology is not a barrier.  Any website owner can find the tools necessary, like Google Web Optimizer, to make the necessary changes. It is a matter of prioritizing it – and it is really time to put it at the number one spot on your SEO to-do list.]]> Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:48:00 +0000 http://www.bullseyemedia.co.uk/seo-news/details/path-is-slightly-social.html Facebook fatigue, social media oversaturation. Whatever you call it, social media’s hold on... Facebook fatigue, social media oversaturation.  Whatever you call it, social media’s hold on our lives is arguably at its peak.  It is difficult for new platforms to come and compete with the big guys – even the biggest guy, Google, is having a hard time of it.  So the little guys will have absolutely no chance, right?  Not quite.  Path, which began life as an iPhone app, has carved out a niche for itself as a more selective sharing site.  It offers, says CEO Dave Morin, a “slightly social experience.”  And after dealing with the time-suckers that are other social sites that may be a very welcome experience indeed. Don’t expect marketers to descend on Path quite yet.  With a million users, it has a much more modest fan base than other social sites, and this is how Morin and his staff like it.  “The idea has always been to give you a trusted place to share with your close friends.”  It is a journal that documents your life and shares it within a close circle. Path has released a new version of its year-old program, which adds auto location updates, increases the number of friends a person can have from 50 to 150, institutes strict privacy controls, and integrates Twitter, Facebook, and Foursquare. Path is redefining itself as a “smart journal,” a way to share the important moments in life with others – and yourself.  The switch in strategy may help the rookie social network survive another year and find other users who want to be slightly social.]]> Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.bullseyemedia.co.uk/seo-news/details/bing-bans-content-thin-sites.html Last holiday season, US retailer JCPenney landed on the wrong side of Google when their link scam... Last holiday season, US retailer JCPenney landed on the wrong side of Google when their link scam was exposed.  As another Christmas rolls around, so too another controversy.  Search engine Bing has banned sites that they deem “thin” on content, many of them holiday deal sites.  This is in contrast to Google, which will drop a page’s rank and make it more difficult to find.  With Bing, you cannot get to the site at all via search engine.  Among the sites blocked was CyberMonday.com.  This is the original Cyber Monday site; in fact, its creators created the phrase in 2005.  It appears first in Google’s results for “Cyber Monday.”  It is interesting to note that Bing’s owner, Microsoft, is a member company of Shop.org, which owns CyberMonday.com.  This didn’t curry any favors with the search engine that has built its reputation on being the anti-Google.  Bing’s own deals pages, however, did see some benefits. A Bing spokesperson said the move was intended to deliver better results for users.  “[W]ebsites that seem to rely mostly on affiliate content or that offer only thin content don’t deliver the value searchers are looking for…”  And yet, as SearchEngineWatch points out, there are ads on Bing that lead viewers directly to these sites.  Their “thin content” is not turned down as a revenue source. This comes as both search engines gear up for the lucrative holiday season.  People are flocking to engines to find gifts, gift ideas, entertaining tips, decorating tips, party supplies, and more.  More traffic, more ad exposure, more willingness on the part of advertisers to pay a bit more for space.  Both Google and Bing are running intensive campaigns to target users, and Bing has appropriated the classic Rudolf to lead their team.  The results?  It seems Google is still in the lead; when asked about their response to Bing’s ban, CyberMonday.com officials had no idea they were blocked from the site.]]> Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.bullseyemedia.co.uk/seo-news/details/seo-establish-your-expertise.html Website owners usually think of SEO in terms of the technical tips and tricks that can help search... Website owners usually think of SEO in terms of the technical tips and tricks that can help search engines find them.  While this is an important aspect, the key to drawing, and keeping, quality traffic is offering authentic, original, relevant, and valuable content.  If it is not initial traffic, it is not going to convert; and, with new search algorithm changes, you will find it more difficult to reach them at all.  One of the best ways you can ensure quality is to become an expert on your topic.  How can you establish your expertise? Make it readable. Regardless of your area of expertise, make your content easy to read.  Sites are tending to more simple aesthetics, so you really want to pay attention to keeping your site uncluttered.  Break text into manageable chunks, use subheadings, bullets, and carefully selected infographics. Narrow in on your niche.  If you are an expert in diabetic nutrition and recipes, for instance, narrow in on that.  It will help you stand out from more general “experts” and will make it easier to find you via keywords.  Have a bank of articles on that subject or related subjects. Target keywords.  Make sure people will find your niche by carefully selecting keywords.  Targeted long-term keywords often have less competition than more general terms.  Take a little time to do some initial research and see what people are searching for. Balance this against the competition for those terms. Use links strategically.  Link to quality pieces that are helpful to your readers. To use our example again, if you are writing nutrition advice for diabetics, you could link to a respected medical website or a site with nutritious recipes.  Check which sites are linking back to you as well.  You can also link back to articles or posts within your site, but do not go overboard with this. Post as needed. Post only as you need to say something. Sometimes, especially with social media, people feel it’s publish or perish.  But this can lead to lower quality, irrelevant, repetitious, or simply useless content.  It is often more effective to post less frequently but with higher quality content.]]> Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.bullseyemedia.co.uk/seo-news/details/freshness-update-is-your-site-feeling-not-so-fresh.html Google makes scores of changes to its search algorithms every year, but only occasionally do they... Google makes scores of changes to its search algorithms every year, but only occasionally do they make waves that are noticeable by the vast majority of websites.  The Panda Update was a notable exception, as is the newer so-called “Freshness Update.”  What is this, and how many sites will be affected? More than a third of sites will be impacted by the update, which is geared towards making content more fresh or relevant for searchers. When you search for “World Cup,” Google will assume you want information on the upcoming 2014 games instead of more general information on the Games or on past World Cups.  Complementing the rise of social media, this algorithm shake-up is designed to provide real-time, up-to-the-minute results.  Many of the sites affected experienced a jump in traffic.  A big winner, according to SearchMetrics, is last.fm.  The UK-based site is the world’s largest online music catalogue and saw an almost 13 percent jump in traffic.  It was a clear winner because of the social nature and sharing capability of the site.  Cable company Comcast, by contrast, lost about 23 percent, presumably because its content is not “fresh.”  It is relevant, but it does not change frequently. This is excellent for blogs and news sites, but it will prove challenging for those with information that does not need updating.  This has led many to speculate that businesses will start depending more heavily on blogs, which are frequently updated. How else can they get around the update?

• Make sure to use proper timestamps.
• Check out Google News’s content policies and submit your site for inclusion.
• Create forums, social sharing features, and Q&A pages to encourage interaction and fresh consumer-generated content.

]]> Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.bullseyemedia.co.uk/seo-news/details/what-is-apples-siri.html Speak naturally; Siri knows what you say. The new iPhone 4 “ambassador” allows you to send... Speak naturally; Siri knows what you say.  The new iPhone 4 “ambassador” allows you to send messages, make calls, check the weather or sports scores, and more.  Unlike other voice recognition software – think of those telephone menu services – Siri can decipher your natural speech.  If it doesn’t quite get you, it can ask questions.  In beta, Siri is already prompting some to call it an SEO killer, or at least a local SEO killer.  Why?  What can Siri do to local? Say you are in a new city and are looking for a restaurant.  You ask your trusty personal assistant, Siri, to find you a good Thai restaurant.  Siri processes the request, automating the search process.  You don’t have to bother with entering in a search, and so you bypass traditional SERPs and PPC ads.  If Siri proves to be a well-loved and well-used tool for Apple fans, this could limit the impact of both SEO and PPC. Regardless of how Siri gathers the information or what sources it pulls on, local businesses need to optimise for mobile search.  In the next few years, the percentage of local searchers will increase; by 2015, a local component is expected to be included in almost one-third of searchers.  Siri doesn’t have to be an SEO killer; you just need to be able to work around it.  Focus on adding a mobile site template and streamlining graphics and navigation. Concentrate on local SEO, and make sure your address, number, email, hours, etc., are easy to see and access.  Make sure you’re in all the right places – Google Places, Yahoo and Bing Local, Yelp, Savings.com, Foursquare, Facebook, Twitter, Citysearch, and other directories can provide enhanced exposure, and Siri may draw on this data to help answer queries. Siri is an exciting new feature, and it can be an opportunity to kick more businesses into local gear.]]> Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:39:00 +0000 http://www.bullseyemedia.co.uk/seo-news/details/is-google-worth-your-businesss-time.html In July 2011, PC Mag’s Ilie Mitaru and Elsa Wenzel predicted that Google+ would “trump” Facebook... In July 2011, PC Mag’s Ilie Mitaru and Elsa Wenzel predicted that Google+ would “trump” Facebook pages. Search, ecommerce, mapping and location-based tie-ins, advertising, analytics, mobile payments, and other features would be enhanced. “So when Google+ business profiles allow you to integrate your business’s presence into trusted tools used by everyday searchers, it’s a proposition that neither Facebook nor business owners can afford to ignore.” Now, closing in on the end of the year, has Google+ proved to be a threat to Facebook and a boon to businesses? Eh. Why not “hang out live with the local bike shop or discuss your wardrobe with a favourite clothing line” asks Google. Some companies, including Ford, had been operating a + profile for months as part of a beta phase for business, but last week, it was opened up for general company use.  About 61 percent of the world’s top 100 brands seized the opportunity and hoped customers would, indeed, hang out or discuss.  So far, Google+ hasn’t trumped Facebook; 94 percent of these same companies have a presence on that social network.  Let’s have a look at the numbers so far:

• Coke, McDonald’s, and other major corporation have millions of fans on Facebook; their Google+ numbers are far less extraordinary at just a few dozen.
• Collectively, these top100 companies have 300 million Facebook fans; they have fewer than 150,000 Google followers.

Not a record-breaking start for Google+, but it is important that it is a start.  The business-oriented side of the service is a week old.  And it appears that companies aren’t putting their full attention to the platform.  According to BrightEdge, only 12 percent of the companies have a link from Google+ to their homepage, compared with 53 percent that have a link from Facebook. While Google+ isn’t burning Facebook into the ground, it is far from safe to declare it a dud.  In fact, new research from Experian Hitwise indicates that traffic to the service is up.  This is because they dropped the “by invitation only” requirement and opened it up for general use.  The site receives millions of visits each week and average visit times and rates of returning users have both increased.  And that’s a proposition that business owners really can’t afford to ignore.]]> Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.bullseyemedia.co.uk/seo-news/details/the-dark-side-of-ppc.html Just as SEO has its evil twin, blackhat SEO, pay-per-click has click-jacking fraud. Click-jacking... Just as SEO has its evil twin, blackhat SEO, pay-per-click has click-jacking fraud. Click-jacking is when web users are goaded into clicking on web pages and revealing information, including their names and passwords.  Other goals include tricking users into making their social networking profile public, sharing or liking Facebook links, or making them follow someone on Twitter. The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently concluded a two-year investigation, bringing down a multimillion dollar click-jacking scheme. The far-reaching plot affected four million computers, including 130 NASA computers and those belonging to governments, schools, and businesses, and raked in over $14 million, or £8.8 million.  How did they do this?  The cybercriminals (six of whom have been apprehended) redirected computer users from legitimate sites to rogue sites.  The benefit for them is that they made money on the advertising revenue.  Each time users clicked on links or the ads were displayed on these sites, they were paid. The malware program that was used by the criminals had a few different functions:

• Redirect the users to rogue sites.
• Prevent popular websites, such as Amazon and iTunes, from displaying their content.
• Place large ads on sites like those mentioned above in place of their regular content.
• Prevent users from accessing antivirus sites and removing the malware.

Computers in 100 countries were affected.  An FBI agent involved in the case said, “They were organised and operating as a traditional business but profiting illegally as the result of the malware.  There was a level of complexity here that we haven’t seen before.” Can computer users protect themselves against click-jacking?

• Make sure your browser and add-ons (like Flash) are updated.
• When using social media sites, be careful about the information you share or “like.”  If you are prompted to enter personal information, even on a legitimate site like Facebook, do not.  Scams like this often trick people into making their profiles public or in providing credit card information.
• Be very cautious about clicking on links from emails.  If possible, search for the site instead so you do not have to follow or copy the link.
• If you use Firefox, get a NOSCRIPT extension.
• Make sure your antivirus definitions are all up to date.

]]> Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.bullseyemedia.co.uk/seo-news/details/google-looking-at-ad-to-content-ratio.html Industry leaders, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors descended on Las Vegas, Nevada, US, this week... Industry leaders, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors descended on Las Vegas, Nevada, US, this week for PubCon.  The conference/trade show is designed for web pros and site owners, with an emphasis on search and social media innovation.  Even if attendees lose a little at the tables or slots, the coordinators of the event say they are “confident that every attendee will come away with valuable new ideas and solutions for their businesses.”  One of those ideas may be rethinking their ad placement strategy. Google’s money-maker, AdSense, has always advised web owners:  “all other things being equal, ads located above the fold tend to perform better than those below the fold. Ads placed near rich content and navigational aids usually do well because users are focused on those areas of a page.” They even provided a handy graphic which highlights the best position for ads, and sure enough, the best spot is dead center, above the fold. But during his keynote address, Matt Cutts indicated that the search engine may consider ads that are placed according to this layout to be spammy. Cutts, head of Google’s web spam team, said, “What are the things that really matter, how much content is above the fold. If you have ads obscuring your content, you might want to think about it.” Google has revamped its “best practices,” and offers new advice: “While placing ads above the fold is a good way to improve ad performance, also make sure that users can easily find the content they are looking for. For example, if your site offers downloads, make sure the download links are above the fold and easy to find.”  They also want ads to look like ads so end-users don’t confuse content with advertising, which is easy to do on some sites.  To avoid being tagged as spam, evaluate your site and make sure that:

• Content is distinguishable from ads and easy to find.
• Ads do not mimic the layout or format of content.
• Placement eliminates “accidental” clicks on ads.

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