A Major Shift in Local Search Google rolls out a new algorithm update—internally dubbed Pigeon—which significantly changes how local search results are ranked. While there’s no official press release, webmasters, marketers, and SEO professionals are already seeing its impact. The update ties local search rankings more closely to traditional web ranking signals and improves distance […]
Search engine optimization
The Death of Keyword Data: What “Not Provided” Means for Your SEO and Social Content Strategy
For years, keyword data has been the backbone of SEO strategy. It told us how people found our content, what they searched for, and which terms brought real traffic. But as of this month, that era is officially over. Google has encrypted 100% of keyword referral data from organic search. What started as a trickle […]
Google Confirms It: Hummingbird Is the New Brain Behind Search
On September 26, at an event celebrating 15 years of Google Search, the company dropped a bombshell: they’ve quietly launched an entirely new algorithm called Hummingbird. It’s fast, smart, and designed to understand meaning — not just keywords. And here’s the kicker: they’ve been using it since late July — exactly when I wrote that […]
Is Google Getting Smarter Than Ever? Why Semantic Search Might Already Be Here
Something’s going on at Google — and if you’re paying attention, you’ve probably noticed it too. Over the past few weeks, many SEOs and digital marketers have reported unexpected shifts in rankings, especially on long-tail search queries. These aren’t your typical Panda or Penguin updates. They feel… different. Results seem to be getting better — […]
Responsive Design or Die: Why Your Website Must Go Mobile-First
By now, you’ve likely heard the buzz about responsive design — the ability for a website to adapt its layout based on the device viewing it. But in May 2013, this isn’t just a design trend. It’s a business necessity. With Google subtly shifting its algorithm toward mobile performance and smartphone adoption skyrocketing, “mobile-first” is […]
What Digital & Social Media Marketers Can Learn from Business Consultants [Opinion]
In the last five years I have heard some wild claims about who makes the best marketer – those claims have ranged from PR professionals, who ‘should be the only people to do it’, to Social Media, to ‘it takes a Sales Professional to provide the best internet marketing.’ I’d like you to think of […]
Favor Facts over Frills in B2B Copywriting
Platitudes and empty promises go over like lead balloons in the B2B world, where people expect results. While emotion can often play a key role in turning prospects into leads – after all, the customer has to like you – B2B customers are visiting your site with an objective. Too much fluff can end up […]
Four Secrets Every Freelance Writer Should Know
Finding the right balance between writing what you want and writing for a living can be a difficult challenge for freelance writers. There may not be a good target market for the style and subject you would prefer to write about, but there is an endless supply of work for social media, technology and business […]
Google Places for Your Service Industry
An innovative business known as PlumberSEO.net has found a way to use Google Places for service industry networking. While they specialize in working with HVAC contractors and Plumbers, PlumberSEO helps those in their industry take their businesses to the next level with effective online marketing with social media, SEO, map optimization and many other internet marketing tools.
Surviving the Google Penguin Update
Google’s April 24th update – codenamed Penguin – seems to have had some seriously adverse impact on many sites. Google has said time and time again, that SEO can be very constructive and positive. They have pointed out that effective SEO can make a website more accessible and crawlable. Basic SEO includes techniques such as […]