Algorithms

As an important part of any brand building and Internet marketing strategy, SEO considers how search engines determine relevancy (algorithm) and what people are actively searching for. A webpage’s relevancy, is calculated using a search engine’s unique algorithm. Possibly one of the least understood words found on the Internet, an algorithm (in this application) refers to a strict system of instructions, that a crawler or spider follows; in its endeavor to correctly rank websites. Therefore, the optimization of a website or webpage, primarily involves editing page content and Meta data to increase overall relevancy to specific keywords; and remove barriers to crawling/indexing. As such, it is recommended that businesses incorporate search engine marketing strategies, into all website development and design elements; that require current or future search engine exposure.

Spiders and Web Crawlers

Popular search engines, such as Google and Yahoo!, use “spiders” to locate relevant pages; for their algorithmic search results. Also known as a Web crawler, a spider is a computer program that browses the World Wide Web; in a systematic and fully automated manner. In an effort to return the most current and relevant data, Web crawlers are sent out to visit websites, read the content, Meta data and also follow any links that the website connects to. The Web crawler, then returns all collected information back to a central depository; where the data is indexed. Periodically in the future, spiders will return to webpages; and record any information that has changed. Thankfully, pages that are linked from other search engine indexed pages, do not need to be submitted; as they are found automatically.

Getting Indexed

Some search engines, notably Yahoo!, operate a paid submission service that guarantees crawling of a website; for a set fee or cost per click. Such programs usually guarantee inclusion in the database, but do not promise favorable organic rankings; within the search engine’s organic results. Nevertheless, to assist website owners with their ongoing search engine marketing efforts, the Industry’s most influential search engines, have made valuable information available to everyone (with a verified account). Google for example, offers a Sitemaps program, to help search engine optimizers learn if Google is having difficulty; crawling or indexing their webpages. This remarkable service also provides dependable data, about overall Google search traffic to the website. Furthermore, Google provides a list of suggested practices, to be used as guidelines; for do it yourself webmasters. In similar fashion, Yahoo!’s Site Explorer provides a means for website owners to submit URLs, determine how many pages can be found in the Yahoo! index; and review relevant link information.

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As you can imagine, your first step will be to create a Google Account. This is accomplished by visiting the Google homepage, and selecting “Sign in“; located in the top right-hand corner of the webpage. Create and verify your account. Once your account is established, you will have access to some of the most powerful tools available; for webmasters and website owners. Here are three (3) of the most important:

1. A Google Profile is an excellent way to introduce yourself to Google. Take some time to accurately complete the Profile information, that Google has requested (Google Account Settings –> Profile). Be certain to make consistent use of your established keywords and optimized text. Moreover, your Google profile gives you an opportunity to add your website link, and create powerful inbound links your Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin or YouTube accounts.
2. Google Webmaster Tools, allows you submit your sitemap to Google; telling them important details about your webpages. This may include: which ones are the most valuable, and how often they change. Furthermore, webmasters can also let Google know how they would like the URLs indexed; to appear. As you know, this important detail must remain consistent; throughout your linking and optimization campaign. Taking much of the guesswork out of website analysis, Google Webmaster Tools provides webmasters/website owners with detailed reports; about the visibility of their webpages in the Google index. Detailed reports indicate how Google crawls and indexes your website/webpages; and relays specific problems the search engine is having accessing it. Furthermore, Google provides a dependable overview of your website; and offers solutions for problems it discovers. Perhaps most importantly though, Google will help you determine your link and query traffic, by providing comprehensive data about internal and external links; to your website. Google provides answers to which search words, terms and phrases are driving traffic to your website, and displays exactly how users are arriving there.
3. Google Analytics is a free, enterprise-class web analytic solution offered by Google. This remarkable software, provides detailed insight into your website traffic and overall marketing effectiveness. Google Analytics can be used to track visitors from all referrers, including search engines, display advertising, pay-per-click networks and email marketing. As such, the product is aimed primarily at marketers; as opposed to webmasters and technologists.

Taking the time to explore the benefits of the many tools Google freely provides, will greatly increase your chances of search engine marketing success. Google makes it difficult to appear on page one, but not impossible. I recommend that you follow the guidelines they set out, and pay close attention to what they are telling you; in detailed reports and other collected data. If you can consistently give Google what they want, they will happily give you what you want.

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Furthermore, the tools found in Yahoo Site Explorer, can be used for:

1. Exploring a Website
2. Registering and Authenticating Websites
3. Deleting URLs
4. Managing Your Feeds
5. Dynamic URLs

Webmasters or website owners do not need to have an existing Yahoo ID (or sign-in), to explore websites with Yahoo Site Explorer. However, to add websites for tracking or authentication purposes; you will need to create or sign in with a current Yahoo ID. You may be asking yourself, why would I need to authenticate? Authenticating your access to a specific website provides additional benefits, such as tracking website feeds and valuable metadata reports about your website, individual webpages and URLs. As well, website owners or webmasters can reap enormous benefits from using Yahoo Site Explorer tools to:

• Find which websites and subpages are indexed by the Yahoo Search engine.
• Find inlinks or webpages that link to any website or an individual webpage.
• View the most popular webpages from any specific website.
• Submit and track feeds for your websites.

Yahoo realizes the importance of website content, and as such the search engine allows webmasters and website owners to use the robots.txt protocol, to prevent the Yahoo Search web crawler (Yahoo Slurp); from crawling and indexing certain website content. However, it is important to note that using the robots.txt protocol method will ensure that Yahoo does not crawl the URLs you have excluded, but it will not deny URLs from the index; if they are discovered from any other sources on the Web. In an effort to return the most current and relevant search results, the Yahoo search database contains detailed information; about billions of webpages. This enormous database stores valuable information about links established between webpages, and uses that information (in partnership with it’s algorithms); to determine the overall popularity of a given webpage.

Yahoo reports that using Yahoo Site Explorer, and authenticating a website, has no effect on a website’s status in the Yahoo Search index; or its ranking in Yahoo Search results. That is because, it is the information generated within Yahoo Site Explorer, and the interpretation of that valuable data, that provides the necessary direction; to improve your search engine marketing results. As with any tool, Site Explorer must be used properly and effectively; to be beneficial.

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The most significant change from Bing, is that the search engine now organizes search results into categories. By selecting the category links, visitors can drill into more specific results- Google offers a similar search service it calls “related search suggestions.”

Microsoft says: “With categorized search what we’ve done is take the related searches for individual queries and pop them up a level of abstraction to about classes of entries. That allows us to offer a consistent set of refinement tools between different queries about the same class of entries.”

Anticipating that some search clients may ignore the new category options, Bing also automatically returns results from each category and places them into the results of the main page; into what it calls “Web Groups.” Well aware that most search clients do not venture past the first page of results, this innovative approach can return (as many as) twenty (20) search results; in contrast to ten (10) results, which has long been the standard. If Bing’s new major search feature, can grab and hold the attention of consumers, it will make Microsoft (Bing) search remarkably distinctive from Google; and very difficult to replicate.

Bing (MSN) strongly believes, that search engine optimization is about building and maintaining credible web resources and websites, that are genuinely good for visitors. Bing’s latest approach to search services, introduces innovative opportunities for Bing search clients, and rewards search engine marketing companies, who have consistently made the effort to build the content quality and architecture of their website; and earned several, high-quality inbound links.

With that being said, the best advice for achieving optimum website ranking in Bing search results; is to obey and adhere to the following four (4) recommendations:

1. Develop great, original content (including carefully selected/utilized keywords) targeting your intended audience.
2. Use well-architected code in your webpages (including images and sitemaps) so that web browsers and search engines can read the content.
3. Earn several, high-quality, authoritative inbound links.
4. Follow and review the valuable content found in Bing Webmaster Center tools. Use these tools to review important website data.

Microsoft says that it is putting its own unique blend into Bing search. Will that be compelling enough to satisfy current search clients and/or convert loyal Google fans? It might be time to make your own decision about the new “decision engine.”

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At a fraction of the cost of an aggressive national or international optimization campaign, local SEO offers an affordable marketing solution; for big and small businesses. By focusing their search engine marketing efforts on local consumers, merchants and retailers can improve their website’s exposure; and increase the likelihood of consumer contact or purchase.

When optimizing for International marketplaces, successful search marketing strategies require professional webpage translation, local registration of a domain name with a top level domain; and web hosting that provides a local IP address. Otherwise, the fundamental elements of search engine optimization remain much the same, regardless of language.

The relationships, conduct and reputation you forge when developing and promoting your new website, will closely mirror the social interactions you engaged in at school; particularly your High School social life. It would seem that pubescent self-esteem, and in this instance your website’s success, is determined by the level of popularity and recognition you achieve; amongst your peers.

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The successful strategies applied in High School, to gain notoriety and popularity; can easily be mirrored in your search engine marketing strategies. However, providing misleading information to your peers, or pretending to be something you are not; can have similar negative consequences. In the case of your new online presence, the much sought after word of mouth endorsements of popular High School peers, have been replaced by word of mouse marketing strategies; and the reviews of opinionated consumers.

More powerful than High school gossip, Internet and Social Networking participants are relentless in their pursuit of the latest news or gossip; and are quick to expose faults and untruths. Unlike faded memories of lost love, or the quick sting of an embarrassing moment; indexed web pages do not disappear.

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In 2005, the Wall Street Journal reported on a company named Traffic Power, which allegedly used high-risk techniques to improve Search results; and failed to disclose those risks to its clients. It was later confirmed by Matt Cutts, that Google did in fact ban Traffic Power and some of its clients; as a result of the methods employed. Such penalties can be applied either automatically by a search engines’ algorithm, or by conducting a manual website review.

SEO companies that employ overly aggressive techniques, anticipate that their websites will be discovered; and eventually banned. As such Black Hat SEO techniques include hiding content, either as text colored similar to the background, in an invisible div, or positioned off screen. Another technique known as cloaking, deceives search engines by displaying one page of content to human visitors; and quite a different one to Web crawlers. Regardless, these methods of optimization will not result in the long-term success you are seeking; and as such, are not recommended.

Properly utilized, search engine marketing techniques can ensure that your business, products/services and brand building efforts, are favorably showcased to targeted and motivated Internet consumers; at the moment they want to see it.

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Meta Tags provide search engines with structured meta data about your webpage; allowing it to be categorized and indexed effectively. The Meta Tags are placed in the head section of an HTML or XHTML document, and specify a page description, relevant keywords and other relevant meta data.

With that being said, here are two (2) very important things you need to know about your meta data content, and it’s effect on your search engine marketing efforts.

1. In April 2007, SEO leaders concluded that (in respect to Google) having keywords in the meta-content; were of little or no value. Furthermore (in September of 2009), Matt Cutts substantiated this claim, by saying that Google is no longer taking keywords into account; whatsoever. Nevertheless, the Yahoo! Search Engine has indicated that it still makes use of the keywords Meta Tag, in conjunction with other factors; for improving a website’s Yahoo! rankings.
2. The Description attribute provides a concise explanation of a Web page’s content. This allows webpage authors to offer a more meaningful description, than might be displayed if Search Engines were unable to generate a description; based on the existing page content. The Meta Tag description is often (but not always) displayed on search engine results pages; in the form of a snippet.

Meta Tag Influence on Search Results

All things considered, Meta Tags have significantly less effect on search engine results, than the volume of incoming links from related websites, the quantity and quality of your content; and consistent search and visitor traffic.

My Summary: Meta Tags, when used in partnership with related inbound links, relevant content and consistent website/search traffic; equals SEO success.

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The valuable information collected through your efforts, will ensure that you have the necessary information; to determined the most effective digital PR services and Internet marketing strategy. A detailed assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of your current and potential competitors, provides strategic offensive and defensive information; to help identify potential opportunities and threats.

Failure to be thorough, could place your company at risk of overlooking competitive blind-spots. When your research is complete, you will have comprehensive answers; to the following four (4) important questions:

1. What is your industry? Clearly defined scope and nature.
2. Who are your top 3 competitors?
3. Who are your clients/customers?
4. What benefits do your clients/customers expect?

Collecting information about the competition in your Industry, offers you a clear competitive advantage. A properly generated profile of Industry rivals, could reveal weaknesses that can be easily exploited; and provide the strategic agility to anticipate a response. Furthermore, if a weakness or niche is exposed, an offensive strategy can be implemented more quickly; capitalizing on your strengths. In similar fashion, brand and reputation management teams can employ a defensive strategy, to efficiently counter the threat of an attack on your reputation; and avoid exposing your own weaknesses.

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Listed below are three (3) proven methods, of collecting the detailed information; you will require:

1. Recorded Information: Seek-out publicly available information about your competitors. Regional, National or International newspapers, magazines, and online publications, all contain prudent information; about the companies you are researching. As well, press releases, annual reports and product brochures are easily available, and may contain valuable facts and figures; published internally or externally.
2. Observed Information: To effectively acquire this type of information, you must actively seek-out, and assemble the data you need; from as many resources as necessary. Begin with examining your competitor’s pricing, strategic partnerships and proven distribution methods.
3. Opportunistic Information: Collection of this type of information requires detailed planning and and organization. In many instances, this information will result from discussions with current/past suppliers, customers and employees of your competitors.

Make several repeat visits to your arsenal of informative resources. Pay close attention to how competitors greet their customers, address consumer concerns, create a brand and add value to their prices. Perform a Google, Yahoo! and Bing search of your competitors name, to effectively determine what other people are saying; about the competition.

Connect with Kristoffer Howes, for more Internet marketing and brand building tips, strategies and advice.