Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
Yeah, sorry to say it, but please — don’t get hung up on your rankings. Just because you are number one in Google for your search doesn’t mean you’re number one in Google for your customer’s search.
As I mentioned in my post on personalized search, Google customizes your search results based on your search history. Test it yourself. Google something. Now find a friend and Google the same thing on her computer. Most likely your results are different… unless you’re both in the same field and mostly do the same searches.
The point is (and I do generally have one) — your site content has to sell your product, whether you show up above the fold or below in the rankings. If the 5 sites above you don’t help a searcher solve his or her problem and you DO, you get the sale…and the 5 competitors get the honor of “being ranked top 5″ Great. Let them take that to the bank while you close another sale.
– Stacey Morgan Smith
By Stacey Morgan Smith
January 21st, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
Google announced on its official blog last week that it is “extending personalized search to signed-out users worldwide.”
Generally, this means that Google will use a “cookie” to customize your search results. If you often search for Internet Marketing Services and usually choose NetStrategies (which you do, of course), Google will remember your preferences and might display NetStrategies higher in your search results.
Read More »
By Stacey Morgan Smith
December 18th, 2009 at 10:07 am
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
Google continues to revolutionize the way we get information.
I’ve been a reliable reader of the Washington Post for close to 15 years. Home delivery, read it each morning on Metro…even drove 20 miles to pick it up weekly (at a huge markup) when I lived in Central Virginia. Moving back to Northern Virginia 3 years ago, the very first thing I did was go online and order a 7-days-a-week subscription.
Now I’m faced with recycling papers I can’t find time to read. Google, the Post and the NY Times are making it easier for me to stay on top of the issues. Read More »
By Stacey Morgan Smith
December 10th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
My final Tuesday session at SMXEast in New York addressed “Universal & Blended Search Opportunities.” Vanessa Fox, Contributing Editor, Search Engine Land, moderated the session. Highlights from the speakers include: Read More »
By Stacey Morgan Smith
October 12th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
An afternoon session on Tuesday at SMXEast in New York allowed us to “Ask the SEOs.” This session, moderated by Danny Sullivan, Editor-in-Chief of Searsch Engine Land, gave us the opportunity to get opinions from and discuss SEO questions with some very talented Internet marketers. The speakers included Greg Boser, President and CEO, 3 Dog Media; Bruce Clay, President, Bruce Clay, Inc.; Vanessa Fox, Contributing Editor, Search Engine Land; Todd Friesen, President, Oilman SEO; Rae Hoffman, owner, Sugarrae Internet Consulting; Stephan Spencer, President & CEO, Netconcepts; and Aaron Wall, Author, SEO Book. Notes from the Q&A include : Read More »
By Stacey Morgan Smith
October 12th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
Tuesday’s sessions at SMXEast in New York continued with “Ask the Search Engines: Best Practices Edition.” Danny Sullivan, Editor-in-Chief of Search Engine Land moderated, and notes from the presentations and Q&A with Google, Yahoo!, and Bing include: Read More »
By Stacey Morgan Smith
October 11th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
Tuesday’s sessions at SMXEast in New York began with Shari Thurow and “Search Engine Friendly Web Design.” Shari is the Founder and SEO Director of Omni Marketing Interactive and has a background in design. Takeaways include: Read More »
By Stacey Morgan Smith
October 10th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
My final Monday session at SMXEast in New York included the all-important topic of link building. Though it was a bootcamp/basics class, link building is often considered a difficult part of SEO. Attending the class gave me a few new pointers and useful information. Read More »
By Stacey Morgan Smith
October 9th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
Monday afternoon I left the “SEO track” and visited the Analytics room at SMXEast in New York. I spend a lot of time looking at my customers’ analytics to plan the next steps in their SEO, so I attended the the “Actionable SEO Insights from Analytics Data” session. Read More »
By Stacey Morgan Smith
October 8th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals | Stacey Morgan Smith
My second session at SMXEast in New York, Duplicate Content Issues: The Search Engine Edition, was informative and included some breaking news. Read More »
By Stacey Morgan Smith
October 6th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
