Google Rolls Out New +1 Button
Google recently unveiled a new feature that could change search engine optimization forever. The “+1″ feature, which echoes Facebook’s “Like” button, allows users to recommend the site to others while also giving it a boost of credibility.
To use the +1 button, you have to be signed in to a Google account. In addition to helping people share relevant pages with their contacts, the +1 button will also Google tailor search results to users’ individual preferences. Here’s how it works: Continue reading
Confessions of an SEO Copywriter
Confession: I have purposely inserted misspellings into my own writing.
I have rejected really good headlines and great lead sentences for mediocre ones that start with a keyword or phrase.
I have stifled the urge to delete redundancies. I’ve even added redundancies to get one more keyword into my writing.
For a former journalist, this is painful to admit. But for an SEO copywriter, it’s all in a day’s work.
Read the rest of my guest blog post at SEOSage.org.
Video: How To Write Killer Copy For The Web
The Lancaster SEO Meetup Group recently invited me to speak on one of my favorite topics, writing killer copy for the web.
Copywriting describes writing that appears on sales and marketing materials. (No, it has nothing to do with copyrighting, or registering stuff with the government.) Continue reading
What Do You Get When You Google Yourself?
There’s a little restaurant in my hometown that has been in business for years. The food is delicious but the owner is … how can I put this? Eccentric.
Arrive on a good night, and he’ll treat you like royalty. He’s been known to keep the kitchen open past regular hours to feed visitors from out of town.
Arrive on a bad night, and he’ll hover over your table, help himself from your bottle of wine and drunkenly curse at your dinner companions. He’s also particularly ornery toward anyone who uses a coupon.
I’ve never seen any of these altercations, but I can quote some of them word-for-word. (“It’s a shame it takes a coupon for people to come here!“)
How is this possible? In a word: Google reviews.
Thanks to the internet, you can find out all sorts of things about the world. That’s nothing new. But do you know what search results appear for your business’s name? What about misspellings of your business’s name? Your name?
Searching for your business name is also a great way to make sure that your data is complete and up-to-date. Many places, including Google Local, will let you upload a photo and even a coupon or two.
If you’re not listed under sites such as Google Local and Superpages, take a moment to add your business. You’ll not only increase your visibility, but your search engine optimization as well.
Finally, don’t forget to set a Google Alert for your business’s name, so you can handle press as soon as it appears. Read my blog post on Google Alerts for step-by-step instructions.
