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Category: Industry Insights

  • How to Link Your AdWords and Webmaster Tools Accounts

    Google recently announced a new feature in the “Dimensions Tab” of Google AdWords. Once you link your AdWords account to your Webmaster Tools account, you will be able to view the “Paid and Organic” data. This report shows you a variety of valuable information, including the organic keywords that are delivering your website as a result and the clicks on those results. This is extremely valuable information given that Google is now masking all keyword data as “(not provided).” Below are the steps for linking your AdWords and Webmaster Tools Accounts.

    First, make sure to verify your website in Google Webmaster Tools. Then follow the steps below.

    1) Go to the gear icon at the top right.
    2) Select “Account Settings” from the drop down.
    3) Select “Linked Accounts” from the left sidebar.
    4) Select “View Details” under Webmaster Tools.

    Side Note: It’s a good idea to link your Google Analytics account, but for these purposes, you only need to link your Webmaster Tools account.

    5) Type in your domain and select “Continue.”


    6) If you did it correctly, you will get the following message:

    Now you can view all of the great data in the “Paid & Organic” report! You will find some interesting info here, especially how the combination of paid and organic play into each other. It will take some time for the data to accumulate, but once it does, you can gain valuable information.

    So What am I looking at?

    Query: The search query that delivered your website as a result. This will show the exact term that was searched, and whether you had an organic-only result, an ad-only result or both shown.

    Ad Stats

    Clicks: The number of times a person clicked on your ad for a given query
    Impressions: The number of times your ad was shown on the search engine results page for a given search term
    CTR: The number of clicks your ad received divided by the total number of impressions
    Avg CPC: The average amount you were charged for clicks on your ad
    Avg Pos: The average position your ad appears on the search result page

    Organic Stats

    Clicks: The number of times your organic listing was clicked on for a given query
    Queries: The total number of searches that returned your organic listings over the given period
    Clicks/query: The number of clicks your organic listing received divided by the total number of queries
    Listings/query: The average number of times a page from your site was listed in the organic results per query
    Avg. Pos: The average organic rank of your organic listing compared to other sites

    Combined ad and organic stats

    Clicks: The number of times a person clicked your ad or organic listing for a given query
    Queries: The total number of searches that returned your ad or organic listings over the given period
    Clicks/query: The number of clicks your ad or organic listing received divided by the total number of queries that returned one of your ads or organic listings

    What do you think is the most valuable thing to learn from this new data that is provided by Google (if you have an AdWords account)?

  • 5 of the Best Long-Term Graphic Design Trends

    The key to being trendy when it comes to graphic design is finding a trend that will last. When you’re looking to create a design, be sure to choose your trend wisely and pick one that is going to last for the long-term. Here are 5 of the best long-term graphic design trends.

    graphic

     #5: Artisan Craft Inspiration

    While people gravitate towards simplicity, many also appreciate the art of handcrafted work and the value of the classics. For example, when creating a logo for a restaurant or bakery, try communicating some of the tradition behind the handcrafted nature of this business with a design inspired by an old-fashioned sign.

    #4: Patterns

    Looking for a way to keep your design clean but not too simple? Consider using a pattern within your design.  You can use a classic that already exists or you can create your own!

    #3: Hand-drawn Typography

    While some typefaces will remain timeless and beautiful, creating your own type might be the best way to make your design unique. You can hand-draw an already existing typeface or you can make your own. Either way, the imperfections of hand-drawn typography make it beautiful.

    silo

    #2: Silhouettes

    While people’s fashion trends may change, their silhouettes, relatively speaking, will not. Using silhouettes for people, animals, or objects is usually a safe choice. Vectors keep the design clean, simple, and trendy.

    And the #1 Long-Term Graphic Design Trend:

    Simplicity. Keep the focus on the message and don’t overwork or overdevelop your design. White space or negative space is a good thing.

     

     

  • Google Plus Rolls out Vanity URLs! Kind of…

    Google+ has rolled out new costume vanity URLs to select brands and users. This is pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. The vanity URLs look cleaner and are easier to remember, so they are better associated with brands. Also, it looks so much better on your professional printed materials than, “Follow me on G+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/111184837779438209699/posts.”

    If you or your business are one of the lucky chosen ones, you will receive a message from Google via email and notification in your Places Dashboard (or LBC…not quite sure. Get it together, Google!). They will present you with the vanity URL of their choosing. You can request a different URL if you like, and after several business days, Google will contact you saying it has been approved or denied.

    I am sure there is method to the madness. I just cannot tell what that method is. For example, if you are Lady Gaga (https://plus.google.com/+LadyGaga/posts), who has over 7.8 million people followers you get one. Or, if you are MTV UK (https://plus.google.com/u/0/+mtvuk/posts) who only has 240,000 followers, you get one as well.

    One for you Lady Gaga. You go Lady Gaga!

    YouGoGlenCoCo

    But, if you’re Jimmy Kimmel (https://plus.google.com/u/0/107381356195126362734/posts), who has just over 1 million followers, you will not get one.

    And none for Jimmy Kimmel!

    The vanity URL does not come without concessions. The URL can be revoked at anytime. Google has even stated they may charge for it one day. I’m not sure why they would charge for it other than the fact that they can. Hopefully they roll these vanity URLs out to everyone for free. Let’s face it, we know the have the ability to do so. Facebook and Twitter do it!

     

  • 6 Tips for Preparing for a Job Interview

    Searching for a new job can be a daunting project for most people.  First, you must figure out what types of opportunities that you are qualified for interest you.  Then, you need to create a resume that sells your skills and craft a cover letter that not only outlines why you would be a great fit for the position, but also why this position is the perfect fit for you and your ambitions.  That in itself can be a lot of work.  But many successful job searchers will tell you that the real work begins after the company has reached out to you for an interview.  Below are six tips designed to help increase your chances of having a successful interview.

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    1. Read the job description/posting thoroughly

    Most employers have taken a great amount of time to develop a job description that outlines what they are looking for.  Although they do not think of it this way, they have given you some of the interview questions ahead of time.  They have outlined the skills, behaviors and characteristics that the successful candidate will possess.  Now its your job to deliver a story that convinces them that you have demonstrated that skill, behavior or characteristic in the past.  My advice here is:

    • List out all of the potential questions.

    • Create your best STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) story for each question.

    • Practice delivering the story.

    • Get feedback if possible.

    • Go back and practice it more.

    When you get the question, you will appear confident and comfortable as you wow your future employer.  Additional tip:  Write down your answers.  You will be surprised how often skills, behaviors and characteristics are repeated across employers, especially for similar jobs.  You may be able to recycle these stories during your next interview.

    2. Know your resume

    This should really go without saying.  If you come across this question during an interview, you can consider it a freebie.  I cringe every time I ask someone to walk me through their resume and they pull it out to read it to me.  I cringe for two reasons:

    1. You can assume that I read it.

    2. You should know it, as it is your experience.

    This is another area where a little practice can go a long way.  The great thing about this is that you can recycle this for every potential employer.  After you get this down for one interview, you will only need to review it briefly before your next interviews, to ensure that you are highlighting the experiences that are most relevant to the position. handshake

    3. Do some research on the company

    One of the best ways to show that you are truly interested in a company is by showing that you took the time to find out what they do, who they do it for, and how long they have been doing it.  Here are some places that you should look:

    • Their website – This is perhaps the best place to find information on your prospective employer.  Here you can learn about the company history, what they do, who they do it for, and in some cases, who is on the team.  Additional tip: If you cannot determine what they do from their website, do a quick Google search on their industry.  Wikipedia or a competitor may have explained the industry in deeper detail.

    • Google the Company Name – This can be a good way to find a great deal of useful information:

      • Company Reviews – What are their customers saying about them?  Does it tell you anything about their competitive advantage?

      • Company News – What have they been up to?  Have they received any awards?  Recruiters are generally proud of the companies they work for.  If you can bring up a recent headline during the interview, you may score extra points. Additional Tip: Try working this research into a question (See Tip 4 for more on this).

    4. Prepare some questions

    At the end of almost every interview, you will be afforded the chance to ask some questions.  Not only is this a chance to get some information about the company, but it is a chance to show off how thoughtful you are.  One caveat here, know your audience.  You may want to avoid asking the entry level recruiter a question about the high level strategy of the company.  Although they may be aware of the company’s direction, if they are not, you run the risk of embarrassing them.

    If you really want to impress the interviewer, develop a question from the research that you did on the company.  If you are able to ask a question about the impact of some recent company news, it will not only remind them that you did your research, but will also show that you have done some critical thinking on the topic.  It may even give them the chance to do some bragging on their own company, something most interviewers love doing.

    5. Do a Google / LinkedIn search on the interviewer

    See above.  If they love talking about their company, imagine how much they love talking about their own background and accomplishments.

    6. Follow Up

    Ok, so this is not really preparation, but it can still be important.  As with everything, timing is paramount, and sooner is much better than later in this instance.  A well written thank you will not only show your gratitude for the meeting, but it can also reaffirm why you are a strong candidate for the position.  The key here is to personalize it.  You just spent upwards of 30 minutes with this person, and hopefully you connected on something.  Use that to your advantage.  Be sure to tie your letter back to some of the questions that they dove deeper on and sell yourself.  This may be their last impression of you before they decide on the next steps.

    These steps may have seemed basic as you read them, and to an extent they are.  That said, you would be surprised at how many of them are often overlooked.  Don’t get overconfident during your job search.  Put in the time, and ensure that you are prepared.  If you do, your search will be much more successful.

  • Remember that Google Update?

    Remember that Google Update

    As all you SEO-ers know, at the end of May 2013, Google released a significant update to the ranking algorithm. Many businesses saw a complete shift in their rankings. Google stated the update was an attempt to minimize multiple listings for one website and give preference to bigger brand presence.

    As the weeks and months continue to pass, they are constantly updating and tweaking “Penguin 2.0”. Many businesses are starting to see some recovery in rankings and traffic. Still, the update has left quite a few flaws out there.

    As we all speculate, Google may be placing more weight on a site’s bounce rate. The lower your bounce rate, the better the content and site, right?

    Doing some recent searches, I’ve noticed some pretty wonky results showing. For one of our clients, a login site is showing in the top results for broad key terms. Right after the update, it was showing in position 1! It has since fallen to around 7, but it’s still on the first page of results. Seems a bit silly to me.

    Photo of Penguin 2.0 GPS Fleet Tracking

    It’s most likely that this page on the site has a very low bounce rate as you are most likely to log in and advance deeper into the site upon arrival. Still, does this mean it should be showing in the top spots for major search strings?

    Another website that was simply a generic WordPress welcome page showed in the top spots for some legal search terms.  Doing some recent searches, it doesn’t seem like this site is appearing on the first page of results any longer – thankfully!

    Moral of the story is that even Google gets it wrong. As they are continually updating their ranking system, small business owners are likely to notice small dips and rises in their rankings. As a website owner, it’s important to always publish quality content and produce natural links to your site to withstand the constant changes by Google!

  • Why Google Should Be Your Priority

    GoogleYou already know why Google is king of the Internet, but you may still be hung up on those significantly lower search traffic numbers from Yahoo and Bing. As I find myself saying on a fairly frequent basis, while it is certainly imperative to monitor your performance on other search engines and intervene when things seem off, it is important to keep the numbers in mind. Here are a few main reasons why:

    1. Market Share

    Google owns 67% of the search market share alone with Bing trailing behind at 17.9% followed by Yahoo at 11.3%. This is where your search traffic is coming from. This is it. Take out the other guys and, sure, you’ll see a little dip, but no where near the site traffic tanking than if you were to eliminate Google search traffic completely from the equation. So, if Google owns a majority of the market share, it would only make sense to proportionately spend a majority of your efforts there.

    2. Even Yahoo knows the power of Google products

    Here’s a fun thing I found the other day. Do a Yahoo search for “maps” and see which result Yahoo deems most relevant. What’s that topping the chart? Google Maps!

    Screen Shot 2013-09-18 at 12.45.39 PM

    3. Googling is actually a verb in the English language

    Not only are ya mom ‘n ‘em using this term, even our dear friend Merriam-Webster has added this term to his vast lexicon. Hows does he define “google” you ask? If I may borrow the cliche high school speech opening, Merriam-Webster defines “google” as a verb meaning “to use the Google search engine to obtain information…on the World Wide Web.” Not Yahooing, not Binging, and not even Dogpiling (well in search engine related terms that is). Our excessive use of the once slang term has creeped its way into our very own language. If that doesn’t tell you this search engine is on top, then I don’t know what will.

    As I mentioned previously, I do not condone ignoring these other search engines and how they bring traffic to your site. My point here is to reinforce the sheer magnitude of Google’s influence on website traffic, online authority, and even our daily lives and habits. If you’re a small business owner hoping to improve your search presence on a small budget, focus your efforts where they will provide you the most return on your time investment.

  • 4 Things I Have Learned So Far from Google Manual Actions

    Like most  in the SEO industry, I see the addition of Manual Actions in Webmaster Tools as a move by Google toward more transparency.  Of course, it is in Google’s interest to report Manual Actions.  According to Matt Cutts in this video, Google receives 5,000 reconsideration requests a week.  I imagine any company would want to put into place some funnels to whittle those numbers down a little.

    Like most SEO agencies, we have seen a few websites penalized, but up until August 8th when the Manual Actions made their debut, we debated if the penalties these sites experienced were manual penalties, algorithm hits, or devalued backlinks effects.  Really, a Penguin algo hit and a devalued links hit is basically the same result, so that’s just a name game when you are trying to fix the problem.  But there is a real difference between the clean-up effort for a Manual Action and an Algorithm smack down.

    Manual Actions are a big red flag

    The most obvious result of the Manual Actions showing up in WMT is that we–the Search Influence team–have learned which penalized sites were the results of Manual Actions.  If there is a Manual Action in WMT, we have a definitive course to follow.  Yes, a single site could have multiple penalties, but if we have a big red flag Manual Action, we have a solid place to start.  This removes some of the educated guesses — it removes a LOT of the educated guesses. I am always a fan of having more information.

    Manual Actions in WMT are a big red flag

    Surprise!

    In some instances, the affecting backlink example given in the Manual Action tab was a surprise. The clear majority of the examples given were not surprises, but a small few raised some eyebrows, followed by, “Oh, damn.”  In these few cases, the examples were quite enlightening, and I sure would like for each Manual Action to give me just a few more examples!  I’m being a little greedy, I suppose, wanting everything handed to me on a platter.

    Limits are good

    Up until August 8th, no one in this industry could definitively say a client’s site was hit with this penalty or that penalty.  The general discussions were do a Disavow and a reconsideration request just to cover all of your bases.  I have not been a proponent of doing a reconsideration request just because your site lost rankings, even dramatic losses.  I don’t have to defend my opinion anymore, because now a reconsideration request is simply not allowed for an algorithm penalty.  I’m pretty excited about this.  We can only do an RR in the Manual Actions tab in WMT if a Manual Action was taken.  The RR form is gone: “Google only allows you to submit a reconsideration request, which they are now calling ‘request review,’ under the manual actions.”   I have to say I really like this.

    We have had a some percentage of clients come to Search Influence because they have had penalties and need us to help them clean up after their previous SEO company who used questionable tactics.  (Yes, we do penalty audit and clean-up services.)  When we felt like the penalty was an algo hit, we found ourselves fruitlessly defending our decision to submit a Disavow but not an RR.  There are a lot of scared businesses out there wanting to throw everything at it, hoping something will fix the problem.  I understand that, but now we truly can say we simply cannot submit an RR.  It’s just not an option.  Limits are good in this scenario–they help us stay focused and give us more to reassure the nervous clients.

    Reconsideration Requests don’t disappear into a black hole

    So the Manual Action is a step toward more transparency.  Although, I think providing it is ultimately self-serving for Google, I still appreciate that it’s there and that we seem to be getting some quick responses. We submitted a reconsideration request, and within 24 hours we had a message in WMT saying that the request was received.  Woo hoo!  This is unlike a Disavow file where it feels a little like throwing your text file into a black hole and hoping and hoping ….

    Also, we received notice at day 7 that they processed the RR, and we had some feedback.  We didn’t pass with an A+, but we had some success and just have to go a little further on that one. There are a lot of businesses out there who have gotten a lot of really ugly backlinks built over years and years.  It took years to put on that link weight, and it will take some time to get shed the excess.  Clean up is not overnight, y’all!

     

     

  • Pizza Party USA: Finding a Way to Survive While Working an Unpaid Internship.

    One of the most important bits of advice I was given while finishing my undergrad in Graphic Design and Communication Studies was to get an internship. So while I was in my senior year, I did just that. However there was one small problem, it was an unpaid internship. Although the fairness of unpaid internships is a hotly debated topic in the media right now, it’s pretty common practice. What you need to remember is that it’s not impossible to live while doing so.

    pizza

    So as I did my 6-month internship gaining valuable experience that I rely on today, I was faced with a dilemma: I needed to make money somehow to pay my rent and buy my ramen food supplements. With school and work during the day, I was at a lost of how I could work at night without lessening the already dwindling hours I slept each night. It was a friend that came up with the solution: pizza delivery.

    The most taken-for-granted job ever became my savior to my financial problems. I could work from 6 till 11 p.m., which was great compared to being a bartender and staying up till 3 a.m. I could listen to class notes or use the alone time to think of assignments or projects. I could use the opportunity to talk to the very people I was trying to design for in some of my projects.

    intern

    So my advice to students or recent grads, get an internship. Go out there and try to get a job at your dream company. The connection you make as an intern could lead to a full-time position once you graduate, and even if it doesn’t, you’ll gain invaluable experience. Don’t be afraid if it is unpaid either. While not ideal, you can survive. Just think creatively about part time work available to you–even if it means going on a Ramen diet, like I did.

  • Kick Butt with Keyword Research

    keywords

    Keyword research may seem like a rudimentary aspect of SEO, but this one component can really make or break search traffic to your website. It is of the utmost importance to get the right words and place them on the correct pages of your website. Think of these words as the golden ticket to bring traffic to your website. That’s why we call it research folks. Put some real effort and elbow grease when working on this project. When you break it down to its core, keyword research is essentially market research.

    Below are the best ways to get those solid gold keywords:

    •  Simply begin typing a phrase into the Google search box and see what appears in the suggested search terms below. You might find that your current words might not be so ideal after all.

    keywordresearch

    • Another resource that I enjoy using is the Google Keyword tool. This also provides other words related to the root term that is entered. Keep it relevant though!

    narwhalkeywordresearch

    • The final and most simple method is to become the ideal customer of the website. Clear your mind of all the SEO trappings and just search what you think the average Joe would type in his or her search engine of choice. It even helps to ask your peers for their opinion.

    While this may seem menial in the scheme of things, keywords are the chupacabra of online marketing. When you spot that great keyword phrase, it is like catching a glimpse of a narwhal (the unicorn of the sea) in real life. So go out there and find your unicorns!

  • Importance of Having User-Friendly Mobile Website

    Phone 1

    If you have a great web presence but haven’t made your site mobile friendly, chances are you are missing out on business. Recent research shows that more than 90% of people with a smartphone are using local searches while on their phone. Those using mobile searchers are typically looking for general information. From locations to services, they want to find what they need while they are on the go.

    By having a mobile-friendly website, you widen your presence and open yourself up to a larger customer-base. In fact, users are more likely to make purchases on their phone than they are sitting at home on their computer. Transitioning your current site to a mobile platform doesn’t have to be overly complicated either. Just follow some of the same rules when optimizing your site, such as targeting popular keywords. Also make sure the most important information like directions and contact information is easy to access.

    Phone 2

    When you are designing your mobile site, be sure to keep it user-friendly and compatible with all devices. Sites should have a responsive design element that adjusts the content to fit on the various screen sizes and be easily readable so that it translates properly to all phones and tablets. Having this element of design will also prevent you from needing two completely different sites, eliminating the risk for inconsistencies and making it easier for each user to find content.