Inexperienced general puzzle

Yesterday, Google confirmed there was a core ranking algorithm update over the weekend. They also informed the industry that the Panda algorithm is part of the core ranking algorithm now. Both items we reported yesterday, but the Panda news was actually something that likely happened months ago, whereas the core ranking update was this weekend. Reporting both the same day may have led to some to confusion in the industry. In addition, whenever Google shares more information about their algorithms with the community, it often leads to even more questions and confusion. I wanted to share some of the confusion within the industry and try to clarify what I can at this point and explain what I cannot clarify at this point. The Weekend Update Did Not Refresh Panda Penalties Since Google said the Panda algorithm is part of the core ranking algorithm, some would assume that the weekend core ranking update may have set new Panda scores, and thus may have “freed” some of the sites … [Read more...] about SEOs Confused, Puzzled After Google’s Mystery Update

The Pew Internet & American Life Project just released the findings of a new survey of 4,001 U.S. adults that segments Americans into a range of groups based on usage of and attitudes toward the Internet and mobile phones. The report is provocative (even surprising) but long, so I’m just going to summarize it at the very highest level. (You can get a copy of the report here (PDF file). Out of the survey findings, Pew developed an elaborate classification scheme based on ten types that fit into three broad categories: Elite users (31 percent) Middle of the road users (20 percent) Those with few “tech assets” and limited use of technology (a whopping 49 percent) Below are the verbatim descriptions of the various sub-segments, according to Pew: Technology Elites Omnivores (8%): They have the most information gadgets and services, which they use voraciously to participate in cyberspace, express themselves online, and do a range of Web 2.0 activities. Most in this … [Read more...] about ‘Web 2.0’ Crowd A Small Minority

We’re well into Q2 2019 and how are your New Year’s resolutions faring? If, like me, you forgot about some of them and are either very off track or haven’t started at all, let’s take this opportunity to dive into one of these 30-day challenges and get a head start on our goals for the rest of the year. General Digital Marketing 1. Listen in on Sales or Customer Service Calls Spend 15 minutes every day listening to your sales or customer service/customer success phone calls. What are the top issues people are having that your problem solves? What type of language do they use when they talk about those issues? Where can you address those issues on your digital properties to help sales and customer success teams? Every good marketer will tell you the importance of listening, and this is one of the most accessible ways to do it. 2. Test an Experimental Ad Platform All the paid search people I know are always testing, but this idea is to experiment with something … [Read more...] about Thirty 30-Day Challenge Ideas That Are Perfect for Digital Marketers

Back in June, I spoke at Microsoft as part of a regular series for those involved with its webmaster tools group and anyone generally interested in search. My talk was called “Tough Love For Microsoft Search,” and I covered various reasons why I felt the company has generally failed to make headway in the space. The core premise is that Microsoft as a company isn’t succeeding at search because it views search as a task it has to do, rather than one it really wants to do. The article below is an adaptation of that presentation. There’s even a movie. Let me say from the outset that there are those within Microsoft who DO love search — in particular, those involved with the search products. I also want them to succeed. Very much so. Google does need a counter-balance, and Microsoft has a quality search product that could provide this. But sadly, I also feel the same people within Microsoft who are so diligently trying to succeed are let down by a company … [Read more...] about Tough Love For Microsoft Search

Tomorrow I’m giving a talk at the eMetrics summit in San Francisco. A search marketing perspective can often seem “refreshing” in the context of the discipline of marketing in general; it even seems to go against the grain a bit. I’ll be telling the eMetrics audience a bit about how I use core stats in paid search to iterate much more rapidly than most analysts are used to. In other words, I won’t be talking about the fancy stuff you get from analytics reports, but the bread-and-butter stuff, like CTR and even initial Quality Scores (yes, that’s a statistic!). The majority of data analysts look for patterns after the fact, gathering information from large volume corporate campaigns and developing strategies in response to research. While the hunger for more rapid iteration is starting to trickle into many larger companies’ web strategies, the lightning-iterative environment of paid search seems hectic and loosey-goosey by comparison. We are the … [Read more...] about Make Your Ads Better: Three Powerful Techniques