SEO Dance

What is this? An article on New Year’s resolutions? But we haven’t even made it past Christmas yet you might be saying. The New Year can be full of hope and promise, so why not start planning for it as soon as possible? Besides it will get your mind off all that Christmas shopping still left to do.

Since all of my websites are blogs, my resolutions all revolve around making my blogs better for search engines and for readers. Here is my list of resolutions:

Blog on-topic. I maintain several blogs that all are about a different subject and yet I still manage to stray from the topic.I just cringe when I notice that I have more posts filed under MISC or off topic than that are on topic. I will put my readers first by staying on topic. If they come to my gaming blog, then they will find only game-related articles. It’s so easy for me to get off topic but in 2008 I will try very hard to stay focus.

Comment on comments. I love to receive comments but seldom respond to them. To hopefully encourage more, I will make an effort to respond to each and every comment I receive.

Blog daily. I’ve become quite fond of blogging during the evening hours. I will start dating some of those posts to go live the next day. This way I will have fresh content each day instead of having one day with three posts and then two days with none. It can be very hard to blog each day on every blog. I usually make it to each blog every three days, so if I write a few extra posts when inspired, then I will have fresh content all the time on every blog.

Concentrate on SEO. Maybe not to much on individual posts but as an overall theme for the blog. Some keywords are extremely competitive but are the words people use for searches. So, I will continue to go for long tail keywords but also try to concentrate on a few narrow keywords. An example would be my casual games blog. I will try to work in the words ‘casual game’ more into my articles since this is what my blog is all about.

I will probably add more as the new year gets closer, and I really think about how I can improve my websites.

There has been much speculation about the recent PageRank loss of several blogs and websites. Several has suggested that the PageRank loss was due to paid links, and it appears they are right as Google posts more information about paid links when it comes to PageRank.

Matt Cutts from Google posts a compelling post about paid links. Paid links that don’t use no follow or use another method to not pass PageRank can cause a search term to be more popular that it naturally is. In his example, he gives a medical example that if someone wants to learn more about a medical condition and the top results are paid links, they won’t find any useful information. Google wants to make sure that those searching for terms find the most relevant and useful information fast and easy.

His analogy might be interesting and tug at the heart strings, but frankly when I have taken information I have learned from the Internet to my doctor I’m quickly given a lesson on you can’t believe everything you read. At it’s core the Internet is entertainment and not necessarily a great source for factual information. I thought the example was in poor taste since it tugs at emotions and not on what Google is really doing when it comes to devaluing very good blogs and websites.

For me personally, Google has their hand in too many virtual cookie jars around the Internet. It would be nice to see a watchdog group do an unbiased PageRank-type system. Sadly, since it would take so many resources, I doubt that will ever happen.

Google isn’t the only website that ranks websites. There is, ofcourse, the Alexa ranking and many others. Technorati ranks blogs as well as several blog directories. IZEA, the new parent company of PayPerPost, has announced RealRank for their bloggers to show an actual rank of blogs within their system. I’m sure there are many others and let’s not forget websites like Sitemeter and StatCounter that show all sorts of information for webmasters to study over for hours. While it’s a small start, one company has taken notice of the recent PageRank shift and has responded to the change with a huge decision.

Some companies use PageRank in calculating their own ranking of websites/blogs. Eatonweb is a well-known and respected blog directory. Earlier this month, they announced on their blog that the will stop using PageRank as a factor in determining the rank of blogs on their network. PageRank will be phased out within the next 12 months. They cited that the recent decision by Google to penalize websites with paid links was one of the reasons as some very good authority websites have received a penalty. Therefore, the PageRank system has been comprised if Google plans to shun certain websites from it.

It will be interesting to see if other ranking websites follow suit. I believe the PageRank has outlived its viability. A number 0-10 reveals very little about how trustworthy or how useful a website actually is.

If more ranking websites lessen their dependence on PageRank, it will be a clear message to Google. But if they actually care is anyone’s guess.

Social networking is hot right now, so it only stands to reason that taking part in various social platforms will help you get recognized. Websites like Twitter can provide an easy way to update your website content on the fly. A new service, Utterz, looks to rival Twitter with a few neat tricks up its sleeve.

Once you get past the cow puns (utter, be herd, etc), Utterz is a fun service that lets you share pictures, audio, and video content. You can add tags to your media as well as a caption. You can also update your Utterz page from your cell phone, making this an equally appealing option as Twitter.

Of course, Utterz has widgets galore that allow you to showcase your latest utter on you blog or blogs. Once you’ve set it up for display, you can submit your website for consideration to be featured on Utterz. Utterz might still be in beat but shows a lot of promise. All of the social networking perks are built in to Utterz. Build your profile, share your favorite websites, send messages, invite friends, etc. There is plenty to explore with Utterz. With being able to share photos, videos, or even audio makes it a more dynamic choice for the “what are you doing?” type of social network services.

Add connections, send out notifications, and other interesting ideas are right at your fingertips. While Twitter may be more well known, look for Utterz, with all of its features, to start showing up on social networks and blogs.

It’s the question most people dread at an interview but it should be the easiest one to answer. “So, tell us about yourself.” I cringe at just the thought of having to answer the question. Where to begin and what to say? It really is a vague question, don’t you think? Why not ask me about my qualifications?

The open-ended question does it open for the person to answer any way they wish. They might want to talk about their experience or something that is not on their resume but would make them a great asset to a company. The About Me page of a website is pretty much the same blank slate. People can put whatever information they want to. They might want to talk about their experience or knowledge on the subject at hand or they might make it more personal by talking about their family. Whichever route you take, the about page is vital to a website much like the site map. It’s a way for your readers to find out more about you. The about page can also be a great way to reinforce what should be in the title of your page - keywords that your website is an authority on.

Household tips, another 451 Press blog, has a great about page. Right off the bat Stephanie reiterates what her blog is all about by starting off with the words “household tips.” She follows that by telling readers what type of tips to expect. It’s a nice example of a smart about page that tells the reader about the website but also uses keywords associated with the content.

The about page doesn’t have to be a novel. It can be a few sentences of compact information. Use your most important keywords in your first sentence. Don’t fret too much over what to write. Grab a nice cup of coffee or soda, and relax for a bit. Then think about what you want your readers to know about you and go from there. Believe me, the words will soon follow.

about me page

Twitter is a website that prompts users to answer one simple question: what are you doing? It’s social networking-lite and can be good for your website. How you ask? Well, here is what I think.

First users must sign up for an account. Then you can add a widget -a snippet of code - to your blog or website that will display your last twitter message. You can either post what you are doing or use it to preview new content you are working on. Either way it will be something new for your visitors to see each and every time they visit your webpage.

With Twitter, you can either update through their interface or text your message from your cell phone or through instant messaging. Just think you can add new content from practically anywhere. Suppose that you have a great story but haven’t had time to finish it. With Twitter, you can tease it to your audience. One of the secrets to successful blogging is to have new content each day. New content gives those faithful readers something new each day. Lately I’ve been updating more in the afternoon and always feel rushed to do so. With Twitter, I can put up a teaser in the morning and then feel less stressed knowing that my readers know that some new content is coming.

The Twitter community is growing, too. As more bloggers take advantage of the service, the more potential friends you will have who will see your postings from their Twitter homepage. It’s another way to reach potential new readers while having fun.

The Twitter interface is easy to navigate and uncluttered. Updating it is simply typing in a text box. Your last update is the only one that shows in the widget. All public updates show up in the public time line that is even more exposure to your profile to other users.

‘What are you doing?’ is my two-year-old’s favorite question. It seems we start at an early age curious as to what others have going on. You can share that and other information on the go or from your computer with your readers. Twitter can be a fun way to add new content to your site while giving your reader’s a little glimpse into your world.

Here it is. 5 days after Halloween and Christmas decorations adorn a lot of businesses. I took notice of it all today as I kicked off my holiday shopping. While I was shopping, it made me think that I also need to prepare my websites for holiday traffic. To maximize the holiday we traffic, it’s best to get those articles written so that they will be indexed by search engines.

For my gaming websites, list of the hottest games for Christmas or from 2007 would be good content. For my household tips and product reviews website, content centered around Christmas parties or cleaning for the holidays would be a good choice. So, part of my holiday strategy is to decide what type of content to place on which websites.

Once I have a plan, then I can think about keywords. Usually I go with the main theme of the article for keywords. It’s really important to get it written and live as soon as possible.

While retailers gear up for the holiday season, so should bloggers and webmasters as the holiday traffic won’t just be on that busy thoroughfare in towns across the country. Think about what content you should be writing this holiday. Is it a how to survive holiday travel or is it more product review related like the best toys for boys?

Christmas is a short few weeks away. Get busy on that holiday content today.

The acronym NaBloPoMo is one you might see a lot this month. It stands for National Blog Posting Month, which happens to be November. Bloggers sign up and pledge to post on their blog every day in November. Taking part in NaBloPoMo will help to increase exposure to your blog as well as immerse you more into the blogging community.

Once you sign up with NaBloPoMo, the interface is much like a social network. Join or start groups, add friends, or visit the forums are just some of the features of the community. When you sign up your blog, you’ll be listed in the members area as well as become a part of the randomizer, which displays a NaBloPoMo blog randomly. Oh and did I mention there are prizes? Some bloggers have generously donated prizes that will be randomly given away at the end of the month to bloggers who posted each day.

NaBloPoMo can not only be a challenge to you but might garner new readers, new links, and new friendships. It’s a win-win from any angle you look at it. New content every day is vital to a blog, so taking part in this challenge will help you get into the groove of blogging daily. Blogging daily will keep both visitors and search engine crawlers coming back on a regular basis.

Today is a perfect day to get started since it’s November 1st.

NaBloPoMo

Keyword searches are how Internet surfers find what they are looking for. Using keywords in your content will help associate your website with those words, which will help in search engine placement as well as authority on the web.

Use keywords in your title as titles tell what a webpage is all about. It’s tempting to do cute titles and to use cliches but try to refrain. Using keywords related to your content will be much more beneficial.

Use keywords in first paragraph. Think of your writing as how a newspaper reporter writes his story. He applies what is called the inverted pyramid. This means that the important information goes first. Search engines look to the first few paragraphs to get a good idea as to what the content is about.

Relate keywords to the content of your website. A website about games would do well to use sentences that mention the word games every once in a while in it. Sure, readers might can tell by your Xbox 360 banner that your content relates to the video game console, but search engines don’t have eyes - at least not yet anyway. Reiterating your keywords throughout text in your website will not only help with search engine placement but will help to brand you as a source for the selected subject.

Keywords rule when it comes to search engine results. It’s always a good idea to keep keywords in mind when writing content.

Earlier this year, Ask.com underwent an extreme makeover. Ask.com relaunched itself with a sleek and clean user interface loaded with tons of options.

After coming to the conclusion that I use Google way too much for searching only to get lackluster results, I was determined to give some other search engines a try. This weekend I spent playing around with Ask.com and was quite pleased with my search results. Since I needed to write an article about games, I did a search for spooky card games since it soon will be Halloween. The Ask.com results were just what I was looking for. Searching Google with the exact same phrase did not net the same results. In fact, on the first page of the Ask.com results was listed just what I was searching for. I did not have the same luck with Google.

With Ask.com you can sign up for an account where you can essentially bookmark your search results, making it easy to find them later. Add your own tags, so your results will be categorized. It’s an easy interface that makes it simple to find past search results.

For webmasters who want their website crawled by Ask.com, there isn’t a “submit your website” form. Ask suggests that you have a sitemap of your website. This way if they haven’t stumbled upon your site from a link that they can learn about it through your site map. To get more information on Ask.com, visit their about page that is loaded with useful information.

ask.com

Problogger is reporting confirmation from Google that some of the drops are indeed because of paid links. Some blog network websites have also taken a hit in PR.

I do obsess a lot about PR. I’m not sure why but is most likely because PR is a symbol of just how important a website is to the Internet. Well, in light of recent events, it’s really just how important it is to Google. I guess that’s been the case all along, but I was lulled into thinking that it was really something for the greater benefit of the Internet.

I’m disheartened but yet motivated at the same time by this last hit to PR. I did have two websites that increased in PR. Maybe it’s time to spend less time worrying with PageRank and focus more on breaking off my dependency to Google for search traffic. Next week we’ll take a look at some ideas for doing just that.

No doubt you have heard about the drop in PageRank this week of some very prominent blogs. It’s being speculated that Google is cracking down on those websites that sell paid links without using the nofollow tag on said links. Is Google punishing websites or is this something else entirely?

I’m a firm believer that PageRank will change in the future. When PageRank was developed, the Internet was a much smaller place. Now there are thousands upon thousands of new websites created each month. PageRank, with its simple (at least displayed value) scale of 0 to 10, just doesn’t seem to cover it. It might just be the geek in me that would love to see a more complex number.

So just what is happening with PageRank? I don’t know. It could be the Google dance with this influx being ironed out over the next few days. Or it could be Google is making good on their promise that paid links will hurt a websites’ PR. Time will tell I guess. That and official word from Google.

I have to admit that I’m obsessed with PageRank. I wish I wasn’t and didn’t care what my PR was. Every time one of my websites has a lower or higher PR, it renews this hobby of mine to learn all I can about PageRank. The bad news is my websites have only moved in PR once or twice, so I really haven’t done an extensive amount of research on PageRank.

This morning my PR 4 was down to a PR 3. It was a devastating blow. How can this happen? This is the same website that I did very little with and was a PR 5 just over a year ago. What is different and what has happened to my PageRank? And while I’m asking questions, just what is PageRank used for?

I have very few answers for my questions but this is what I have learned. PageRank is a number from 0 to 10 with 10 being the best possible PageRank value. Top websites are given a 10 and I believe set the bar for other websites. PageRank is more like a range that your website falls into. I think this explains the ups and downs of my website. As websites surpass me, they bump down my PR.

What is PageRank good for? It is one of several factors Google uses to determine search engine results. How important is it? Only Google knows if it’s a small part of a big part. Luckily my search engine traffic seems to be about the same as usual, so at least my PR drop is not negatively affecting that.

So, PR is just one of several factors that goes into search engine page results. It’s just a number. It’s a number I would love to see higher but for now my keyword search results are still on the radar, and that is the most important thing of all.

Sometimes Google search results are less than stellar. Some high ranking pages won’t have anything to do with the search term at all. I had thought that I would just have to get over it when this happens but apparently not. I noticed an interesting link located at the very bottom of search result pages.

It’s a link that allows you to voice your concern about the search result to Google. While they will not respond to your comments, it might just help them make Google better. I can’t stand to have a search result that has a 4 year old forum posting as the top result. Now finally I know what I can do about it.

In the form you basically write what results you were expecting. There is also a box to add any websites that you were hoping to find from that result. So if there is a relevant website that has content on the subject you are searching and you think it should be in the results, you can suggest it.

Now at least maybe I have a sounding board to voice my disappointment when searching with Google.

Digg is a social media portal where users share stories from various websites. Of course, you probably already knew that, and there is no doubt that you know that Digg can drive a lot of traffic to websites. For a website to garner Digg traffic, it needs to be fairly popular on Digg. How do some stories seem to acquire so many diggs while other ones never seem to take off? Digg is basically a popularity contest, so to have a successful Digg story, you must first do some homework on the Digg community.

Digg has many rivals from websites like Bumpzee to even more specialized websites like Writersbase.com. It might be worth the trouble to check into other social media websites or it might be better just to full concentrate on Digg.

Just where to start with figuring out Digg? The key to Digg success is to use the service. Submit stories and add friends to your profile. When submitting a story, throw caution to good SEO writing and think more of a newspaper headline. The headline should be catchy and complete. It should be related to the story but not give too much away. You want to pique the interest of Digg users to click on it to learn more.

Before you begin submitting every story that you read, hang out on Digg for a few days to see the type of stories that become hugely popular. This will help you gage just what seems to make it in the Digg community. Instead of hanging out on Digg all day, configure a widget like the one below to keep an eye on the top stories of a certain category.

It is easy to get discouraged with Digg if you don’t build your network. Work on adding friends, digging good stories, and submitting popular content to help you get noticed. Sign up for the RSS feeds of popular blogs that have a lot of Digg submissions. That way you can hopefully be on top of the big news of the day and be able to digg it before someone else.

To be successful at Digg takes a lot of work but doesn’t it with everything? It’s best to evaluate the stories on Digg to see if your content will even be popular on the website before getting too involved. Digg can be a powerful resource for website traffic if it’’s done right.