Show archive of July 2008

    1. SEO Project Management

      July 30, 2008
       

      This week the hosts take a look at Internet marketing from the overall project view. From the important first steps of the site review process to account management to the coordination of the SEO and PPC campaigns, there’s a lot to look at when it comes to integrating all search marketing efforts. Bruce and Robert start off the show discussing the site review process client sites go through at Bruce Clay, Inc. Server information, on-page factors and keyword strategy are all evaluated as an agency makes its first impressions of the scope and depth of a new project.

      Virginia then talks to Bruce Clay, Inc. Account Manager Daerick Gross about project management over the life of a search marketing campaign. Daerick explains the need for someone in his position to have a strong understanding of SEO and PPC in order to be clear of the intimate details of a project, as well as have a basic understanding of how to communicate with the variety of personality types that undoubtedly are involved in every project. Daerick has written several articles on the subject of how both clients and vendors can work to make the project a success.

      Then Robert and Account Executive Randall Evenson discuss how to coordinate SEO and PPC efforts. Keyword data and optimized landing pages are key to the effectiveness of both SEO and PPC campaigns. Also, the ROI of a PPC campaign can end up paying for the SEO campaign. If both SEM and SEO are implemented, communication between the two is invaluable.

    2. SEO Copyrighting and Keyword Research

      July 23, 2008
       

      This week the hosts offer a holistic viewpoint of the SEO copywriting process and keyword research. Bruce, Robert and Susan kick off the conversation with a look at tips and procedures to keep in mind when researching keywords. From keyword suggestion tools to keyword metrics and effectiveness indicators, the research involved in targeting the most productive words and phrases for any campaign must be approached with adequate care and resources.

      Virginia then speaks with Carolyn Shelby. Carolyn authors cshel.com, her personal search marketing blog, and is also a host of fellow WebmasterRadio show SEO 101. She has more than a decade of experience writing content for the Web and offers a number of suggestions for where to find fresh content ideas and how to create optimized page copy and press releases.

      Susan and Virginia finish up the discussion from the writer’s viewpoint of crafting optimized copy. Aim for a natural and direct writing style, keep in mind what the audience is looking for, and focus on a limited number of targeted phrases that don’t appear overtly stuffed when distributed throughout the copy.

    3. Robots Exclusion Protocol

      July 16, 2008
       

      The Robots Exclusion Protocol is a powerful tool in any SEO’s artillery, offering a number of methods to control how a bot crawls and indexes a site. Bruce, Robert and Susan look at Vanessa Fox’s article Managing Robot’s Access To Your Website for an in-depth understanding of the various commands available for robot management.

      Virginia then speaks with Jonathan Dingman, author of Google Inside, for a look at recent developments of Google and, another of Jonathan’s topics of interest, WordPress. Jonathan is organizing WordCamp New York, to be held in October, for everyone interested in learning more about how to harness the power of WordPress.

      Robert and Virginia finish up the show with a look at ways for marketers to differentiate their agency from others. In the competitive field of search marketing, concentrating on specific verticals, offering special technologies, focusing on a geographic region, or providing top-quality service can set you apart from your competition.

    4. Small Business and Local Search

      July 9, 2008
       

      Hosts Bruce, Robert and Susan discuss a number of recent search headlines, with Google taking a starring role. Some of the topics covered include Google’s ability to crawl and index text in Flash files, the newly launched Google Affiliate Network, and Matt Cutts’s announcement about how the search engine uses the data it collects to fight spam.

      Then Matt McGee, creator and author of Small Business Search Marketing, talks to Virginia about how his blog has helped him gain feedback and insight into a new book he wrote about the rock band U2. Through a survey on his U2 blog, Matt also found that Twitter has not yet gained mainstream adoption, so social media efforts should focus on Facebook and MySpace. Matt recently accepted the position of Director of Strategic Search at the SEM company KeyRelevance.

      Following up on Matt’s suggestions for small business search marketing, Susan and Virginia offer some things to keep in mind when optimizing for local search. From the local results of the major engines and local-only search engines to Internet yellow pages and local review sites, local search is a fragmented space. Providing accurate business data through a number of avenues and going after long-tail queries should be a focus of any local campaign.

    5. Link Building Best Practices

      July 2, 2008
       

      Bruce, Robert and Susan start off the show discussing link building best practices. With marketers clamoring to gain inbound links, it is important to keep in mind proper decorum when searching for linking opportunities. Basics — like being courteous, developing a relationship, and keeping messages short and sweet with proper spelling and grammar — can go a long way when requesting links from other sites.

      Later, Virginia talks to two members of Bruce Clay Japan, Inc. about the Asian demand for SEO and SEM services. Harry Miyamachi, CEO, and Yoshi Akari, Strategic Planner, discuss the trade between and online transactions within Asian countries including China, Japan, Korea and India. The office, opened in May, primarily serves Japan-based global companies and international companies targeting Japan.

      Then Susan and Virginia look at some of the things to keep in mind when launching an international SEO or SEM campaign. The first topic to consider is whether or not global search is a worthwhile investment, considering the extensive resources required for success, and whether your campaign will focus on SEM or SEO. They also discuss some of the technical elements of how a search engine determines the relevance of regional search results.