Friday, November 28, 2008

Page number plugin for Wordpress

We found a great tool which is an alternative for Next page and Previous Page in your website. It is very easy to navigate, stylish and has a tighter internal link structure which makes it easier for search engines to find your posts.

You can choose between these themes:













Download WP Post Numbers


Wednesday, November 26, 2008

google: good seo means text

Google and Yahoo! are working with Adobe to get better at indexing the textual content within Flash movie files, for proper search optimization.

In the meantime, according to Adam Lasnik, who is a Search Evangelist at Google, webmasters should continue focus on their text content to make their sites visible to Google and accessible to all users because your text is still king.

Watch his video below:

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Advanced SEO Tips and Tricks

1. Syndicating Articles that Link to Your Sitemap
As you probably know, syndicating articles is one of the best methods for obtaining one-way backlinks.

They are also valuable pieces of search engine bait because search engine crawlers are frequent visitors to many high-profile article directories. If you want to get the spiders quickly crawling your site, simply submit an informative article to a site like EzineArticles, GoArticles, or ArticleCity.

However, there's another article marketing strategy that isn't mentioned much in marketing circles. This tactic can get the crawlers searching deeper into your site and indexing more of your pages. Simply link to your sitemap within the resource box. This will send the spiders straight to a content buffet where they can quickly slurp up all of your pages.

2. Translating Your Website Into Other Languages
Are you marketing in just one language? If so, you are missing out on 64.8% of your marketing potential. This is because 64.8% of the world is surfing the internet in a language other than English. By becoming a multilingual marketer, you immediately open up a stream of new markets. Google alone crawls web pages in 35 different languages.

One of the best ways to attract worldwide traffíc is to translate your site and register it with both English and foreign-language search engines and directories. If you are a seasoned SEO, you'll be happy to hear that the competition in foreign search engines is much less than in those of the United States.

In addition, online foreign language markets are currently growing at a much faster rate than English speaking markets.

You have the opportuníty to tap into this market while it's in an exponential growth phase.

3. ROR Sitemaps
As you probably know, sitemaps are important for making sure your site can be completely spidered and indexed by the search engines. Unfortunately, many of these sitemaps are specific to one search engine or another. For this reason, there have been a number of Google and Yahoo site map generators produced in recent years.

However, there is an alternative that is even more exciting. These are ROR sitemaps and they are readable by all search engines, not just by Google or Yahoo.

ROR is an exciting new sitemap tool that uses XML feeds to describe your website. These sitemaps are structured feeds that enable search engines to complement text search with structured information to better interpret the meaning of your site. With a ROR sitemap, search engines can better understand your products, services, images, newsletters, articles, podcasts, and anything else that you want to describe.

For example, if you are selling products, a ROR file enables you to document your product names, descriptions, prices, images, availability, affilíate programs, and any other

relevant information. Search engine crawlers like the Googlebot have an enormous job to do. It's time we start helping them to better understand our content.

4. Keyword Phrases that Convert
Selecting the right keyword phrases is the single most important aspect of any SEO campaign. Unfortunately, many webmasters target the wrong keywords. Too many of us target very general keywords like "real estate" or "internet marketing". Although these terms get lots of visitors, it is unlikely that you will be able to rank highly for them. Then, even if you do, this type of traffíc produces very low conversion rates because it does not target prospects.

You will be much more successful, if you target keyword phrases that are 3-4 words long. These terms are much less competitive and have been proven to convert much better than keywords that are 1 to 2 words long.

Who do you think is more likely to buy; someone who goes to Google and searches for "ipod" or someone who searches for "4gb black ipod nano"? Obviously, the person who searches for a more specific phrase is much closer to making a buying decision.

5. GoogSpy
Would you like to get an in-depth view of how your competitors run their business? Well, you can do exactly that with an online service known as GoogSpy. GoogSpy is a free research tool that will tell you what keywords your competitors are bidding on.

This tool tracks over 500,000 keywords every day from Google and then loads this goldmine of information into the GoogSpy.com database. Using this tool, you can browse by company or by search term.

This tool is extremely powerful. Unfortunately, many people take it for granted. This service basically hands you a business strategy on a silver platter. Maybe we should just keep this one to ourselves and enjoy the benefits of being one step ahead of our competition.

For example, let's say you wanted to do some in-depth research on Overstock.com, one of the largest companies online. You would simply go to googspy.com and type in overstock.com. You will then be shown thousands of words that this company bids on. These keywords are proven profít generators. Research like this would normally cost thousands of dollars, but they are providing it free of charge.

If you want to find keywords with high conversion rates, simply type in words such as buy and purchase. You will be shown keyword phrases that are bid on that include the words buy or purchase. These are very lucrative keyword phrases because the person who types in "buy sony playstation 2" knows exactly what they want. They're not just looking around, they are in buying mode. These are the type of keywords you want to bid on. Using GoogSpy, you can uncover these hidden gems in seconds.

Other high-converting keyword phrases include brand names and product names. Type in the keyword "camera" and you will find thousands of different brands and product names for cameras. These keywords are some of the best keywords because of their high conversion rate.

6. Internal Links Within Content
The navigation of your site is a crucial element of your search engine optimization campaign. Each link within your navigational structure should correlate with a keyphrase that you are trying to rank for.

However, you can also include internal links within your content. For example, let's say you have written an article about online marketing. Within the article are a number of keyword phrases. Some of these phrases include "link popularity" and "web site traffíc". If you have other articles within your site that pertain to these topics, then you should definitely link those keyword phrases to those articles. By doing this, you can increase the link popularity of other pages within the same site.

There are very few sites that take advantage of this optimization technique. By doing this, you enable the search engines to find and index much more of your site. These internal links also contribute to a higher ranking because of the anchor text that is used.

Many people only think of inbound links from outside websites when trying to raise their link popularity. However, the internal link structure is also a major ranking factor.

7. Using Your Log Files for SEO
Your server logs reveal very important information about your site. If you learn to use them properly, they can quickly help to maximize your site's traffíc and conversion rates.

One of the most valuable pieces of information found in your log files are search phrases. The log files will tell you exactly which keywords people are using to find your website.

Once you have optimized a page, the log files will tell you how people are finding that page and what keywords they are searching for to get there. If you find that people are using keywords that you hadn't thought of to get to a certain page, it would probably be in your best interest to further optimize that page for those keywords.

You might also want to create a new page optimized for that particular term. This is especially true if a new page would enable you to serve better information on the phrase being searched for.

In addition, by looking at how your site is found organically, you can determine whether the same keyword phrases belong in your paid search campaigns. Only choose the ones that are highly relevant. You will find that these keyword phrases have the best conversion rate.

Top Ten Most Powerful Internet Brands in 2008

Google is the number one brand in the world. Many companies attempt to dethrone it, but as you can see, the search giant is a threat for traditional businesses as well—on different levels, of course.















Source: Millward Brown Optimor (including data from brandz, Datamonitor, and Bloomberg)

Monday, November 24, 2008

The Internet Advertising Market on June 2008

comScore Media Metrix has released its monthly analysis of U.S. consumer activity at top online properties for June 2008.

The following are the Top 50 Sources for Marketing and Advertising your business online according to comScore Media Metrix:




















1. Platform-A**
2. Yahoo! Network**
3. Google Ad Network**
4. Specific Media**
5. ValueClick Networks**
6. Yahoo!
7. Tribal Fusion**
8. Google
9. Casale Media Network**
10. adconion media group**
11. DRIVEpm**
12. interCLICK**
13. Traffic Marketplace**
14. AOL Media Network
15. 24/7 Real Media**
16. MSN-Windows Live
17. Tremor Media - Media Partners
18. ADSDAQ by ContextWeb**
19. CPX Interactive**
20. Turn, Inc**
21. Burst Media**
22. AdBrite**
23. Centro
24. MYSPACE.COM*
25. Collective Media**
26. Vibrant Media**
27. Ybrant - Oridian - ADdynamix Network**
28. NNN Total Newspapers: U.S.
29. Gorilla Nation Media
30. Undertone Networks**
31. YOUTUBE.COM
32. Yume Video Network – Media Partners
33. MSN.COM Home Page
34. EBAY.COM
35. TattoMedia**
36. IAC Ad Solutions – Media Partners
37. Ask Network
38. Kontera**
39. MapQuest
40. PrecisionClick**
41. AMAZON.COM
42. NNN Top 25
43. Business.com Network
44. Real Cities Network
45. IB Local Network
46. FACEBOOK.COM
47. Quadrant One
48. EBAY.COM Home Page
49. The Nabbr Network - Exclusive Media Partners
50. Clearspring Widget Promotion Channel - Media Partners

source: Comscore Press Release

10 Rules for Driving Traffic Using Forums

1. Build Your Profile
When you register for a forum, you should fill in as much information as possible. Most forums have a page for your user details. People visit this page when they want to know more about you or send you a private message. Describe what you do and what your web site is about.

Avatars are an important part of your profile. Because of the volume of text on a forum page, avatars are the way people identify the poster. Make sure your avatar is unique and recognizable at a glance—you want to make sure people associate you with your ideas. And if you use an avatar on multiple forums and social networks, use the same one.

Most importantly, write a strong signature. This is the text that will appear at the bottom of every post you write, so put some thought into it. Like the signature of an email, your forum signature says who you are. Use your signature to link to your website.

2. Follow the Rules
Read the rules of the forum carefully, and follow them. Take the time to read through the discussions to get an idea of how people converse. There are implicit social norms that you must be mindful of.
If you follow my ten rules, you probably won’t violate any forum rules, but don’t take any chances.

3. Start by Responding
Forums are about conversations and communities. One person starts a thread, either with a question or a comment, then others respond, either with answers or their own comments.

People give advice free of charge in forums, but at the cost of their time and energy. They rightfully expect that the favor will be returned, so they shun people who take without anything to give.

It may not be your intention to be a leach on the community, but participants are wary of newcomers automatically. Take the time to respond to others before asking anything yourself. Post in other user’s threads before you start your own.

Most forums show the number of posts of the author next to every comment. Make 50 posts before you start your own thread. You might have an important question for the community, but it’s best to establish some social capital first. Otherwise, your question may be ignored.

4. Contribute Your Expertise
Don’t hold back. If you have an expert opinion, demonstrate it. Don’t give a half-baked response telling the member they can learn more if they follow the link to your page. Contribute highly relevant information immediately and in abundance. You don’t have to qualify your expertise unless it’s asked for. That’s what your profile is for.

5. Don’t Be a “Me Too” Poster
If someone has already said it, don’t bother repeating it. All you’re doing is wasting your energy and other people’s time. That’s not to say you shouldn’t state your agreement with someone else, but make sure you provide additional support to their argument.

In the event another poster disagrees with a thread you support, use the opportunity to contribute a new angle to the argument, using your own expertise.

6. Don’t Self-promote
Even if it’s allowed within the rules of the forum, don’t post about your own web site and products, unless it’s in direct response to a request for information. If you want to promote yourself, your signature is the place to do it.

On the flip side, tell people about great products you aren’t affiliated with. Sharing information is why forums exist.

7. Explain Yourself, but Be Brief
Don’t assume people have the same level of knowledge on a subject as you, but don’t imagine that they have the time or inclination to be either. Make your point straight away, then back it up with support. People who are interested in your initial thought will read more; those who aren’t will skip your comment and move on to the next thread.

Make sure you’re writing for the Web. Keep sentences and paragraphs short, with plenty of white space. Less is more.

8. If You’re Wrong, Say So
Forum discussions often hinge upon opinion, so nothing is more attention-grabbing than a poster on an internet forum admitting that they were wrong!

If you’re in the heat of a discussion, and someone persuades you to change your mind, say so. It’s a pretty big deal, and furthermore, you should thank that person.

Remember that forums aren’t soapboxes— they’re platforms for conversations and an opportunity to network.

9. Write Intelligently and Correctly
You don’t have to carefully revise and sculpt every forum post, but you should proof everything once. Consider using the spell-check if you’re not an impeccable speller.

Although most forums don’t set specific rules on grammar and punctuation, you should give thought to this: everything you say, every single post, every nugget of wisdom, is a representation of your personal brand. Writing like an intelligent adult is the equivalent of maintaining proper hygiene and a presentable appearance in the workplace; if you don’t pay any attention to it, it can undermine everything else you do.

However, be aware that the Internet is a global phenomenon, and some of the people you interact with will be non-native English speakers. You don’t need to point out any mistakes your fellow posters make.

10. Negativity is a No-no
It goes without saying, just because you have a degree of anonymity, communicating from the safety of your work desk, doesn’t mean you can harass other posters. This is especially the case when you’re trying to build an online reputation and attract users to your site. Forums posts may fall off the main page, but they never go away.

If someone disagrees with you, respond with a thoughtful rebuttal, or thank them for their opinion—for example, “It’s always interesting to hear a different take.” If someone attacks you, either thank them as if they’d simply disagreed, or ignore them entirely.

All forums have trolls—people who aggressively harass you just for their own entertainment. The worst thing you can do is engage with them.

SEO addon for Firefox / Mozilla

SearchStatus is a toolbar extension for Firefox and Mozilla that allows you to see how any and every website in the world is performing.


For every site you visit using, SearchStatus lets you view its
Google Pagerank, Google Category, Alexa popularity ranking, Compete.com ranking, Alexa incoming links, Alexa related links and backward li
nks from Google, Yahoo! and MSN.

You can also click on Highlight Nofollow Links - to identify what links on websites you look at are using NOFOLLOW.

What is Nofollow?
NOFOLLOW was intended to be an anti-spam tool for webmasters as the major search engines do not follow links with NOFOLLOW but to date it’s been largely ineffective at combating spam.

Download SearchStatus v1.27 addon:

SEO mistakes you need to avoid

* No robots.txt file – The robots file tells the search engine spiders where to go and not to go. By not having this file your entire site may not be fully indexed in the search engines. You can view a site robots file by entering www.site-name.com/robots.txt here is what our robots.txt file looks like.
* Bad Title tag – We see a lot of site just using their company name, or the same title for every page. It is ok to use the company name but we recommend using it after your keyword phrase, for example {Keyword Phrase – Company Name} or look at our homepage title tag
* Not utilizing meta data – While meta data may not be weighed as heavily as in the past it still help to determine a web pages relevance. Make sure you use Title, Description, and Keywords Meta tags . Think of your Meta data as your 1st chance for your web site to make a good impression.
* Flash – We really like flash and think it can be a very useful presentation tool; most web sites do not properly deploy it into their web pages. The search engines unfortunately are not able to index content or navigation that is embedded in a flash file.
* Directory listing - Dmoz or the open directory project is a volunteer group of editors. Google's directory is based on dmoz and is a very important incoming link. After you submit to dmoz be prepared to wait a while. Although it does cost $299 we recommend a directory listing in Yahoo. This is a trusted human edited link source plus Yahoo is the #2 search engine and the #1 web site overall for web traffic.
* No use of keyword or keyword phrase – We often get questions wondering why a page does not rank for certain phrases. For a search engine to rank your page for your targeted keyword, you need to use phrase a certain number of times and position that keyword properly in the body text.
* Targeting wrong keywords or not enough – Knowing what your customers are looking for is most important. This is why we recommend using paid inclusion like Google Ad-words and Overture. They bring traffic plus they are a great research tool to find your most effective keyword phrases.
* Bad site navigation – if your site visitors can not find your good content they will leave quickly. Use a site map and make it easy for users to find what they are looking for.
* No backlinks – Search engines use the sites that link to your site as a vote of importance and relevancy. You should attempt to get good relevant links for other important web sites. The best way to get good natural incoming links is to have good content. Try to offer useful information and services, give other site owners a reason to links to you.
* Bad anchor text (the text that is your underlined link) – Now it is good to use your company name for your link anchor text, but you also want to vary it and use your keyword phrases.
* Use of paid links - We learned our lesson the hard way. Here is a blog post by Google engineer Matts Cutts on the subject of paid text links .
* Do not be a dead end - Have links to other useful relevant web sites.
* Do not link to bad neighbors - Be careful who you link to. Make sure you link to qulity relevant sites, use common sence when linking to other web sites.
* Not staying within guidelines - Search engines have guidelines that need to be followed. Just reviewing them can help you avoid making a costly mistake. Here is the Google guildelines for webmaster, and this is the Google guidelines for SEO . Here is the Yahoo content qulity guidelines and advise to improve Yahoo rankings. Indexing and content guidelines for MSN search.