Tag Archives: search engine optimizaion

Building & Managing In-House SEO Teams

Last month, Search Engine Land columnist David Roth penned a feature on industrial strength entitled “How to Build & Manage Enterprise Search Marketing Teams.” From hiring search marketers to In-House SEO and SEO Team Building, this article is the complete guide to the effective management of search marketing teams. Roth moderated the PubCon panel discussion in which Blue Interactive Agency’s VP of Interactive Strategies, Peter Leshaw, participated.

While the panel discussion provided ample information regarding in-house SEO teams, it also focused on hiring, working with third parties and the interaction between marketing and IT departments. Josh Gampel, Senior VP of Onward Search, suggested that the hiring manager write the job description for search marketing positions, as s/he will have the specialized knowledge necessary to really “speak” to potential candidates.

Tony Adam, Co-Founder and CEO of Eventify, discussed how he built in-house SEO teams and his methods for SEO team building. “I loved his suggestions not only because of their innovative and clever nature,” said Roth, “but also because they obviously have implications beyond SEO.” Adam’s takeaway point was that SEO team building is about people, not SEO.

Blue Interactive’s Peter Leshaw touched on SEO team building as well, but impressed Roth with his knowledge and insight into dashboards and bringing in third-party consultants to work with your in-house SEO team. Peter Leshaw explained the importance of dashboards, and how they are a great way to track the success of client campaigns over time, as well as hold staff accountable for their individual responsibilities in the overall plan. On bringing in third-party vendors, Roth asked, “What’s the single most important thing to keep in mind if you’re bringing in an SEO expert to give an extra boost to your team? Peter says that it’s to make sure they have the same SEO approach, strategically, as the in-house lead.”

Hiring, managing and training an in-house SEO team can be a daunting responsibility. Thanks to industry veterans like those on this expert panel, newcomers have a much better chance to effectively create and manage a successful team. If you’re looking for search engine optimization, search engine marketing or other interactive marketing services, contact Blue Interactive Agency today at 954-779-2801.


Google Ventures Invests in Personalized Medicine

Google seems to be launching a new startup in a different industry by the day. Just two days ago, we told you about the company’s plans for a new cloud music store, and today, we learn that Google’s omnipresence extends into the field of personalized medicine.

Google Ventures, the venture capital investment arm of Google Inc., has invested in Foundation Medicine, a gene-sequencing company that develops sophisticated diagnostics for cancer treatment. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Foundation has extended a Series A round after raising it to $33.5 million last year with the help of Google Ventures and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. This will mark the third investment in gene-sequencing companies that aim to further the field of medicine for Google Ventures. The firm also joined in a second round of funding for DNAnexus, Inc., a platform technology for storing and analyzing genetic data that is aimed at researchers.

“Google Ventures–which has referred to genetic sequencing as a “foundational technology” with massive potential to disrupt diagnostics and treatment of various diseases–now has investments in gene-sequencing tools aimed at research institutions, practicing doctors and curious consumers,” reports WSJ. The company believes that as gene sequencing becomes faster and more affordable, it will graduate from research centers to actual hospitals, starting with cancer care.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – no billion-dollar company is perfect, but Google proves once again that they’re sticking to their “Do No Evil” motto. Whether it’s a billion-dollar company or a small business, giving back to your community is important. Blue Interactive Agency has participated in numerous local charity events, and makes continued efforts to support area nonprofits. If you are interested in interactive marketing services, contact Blue today. From Facebook marketing and Twitter marketing, to search engine optimization and SEO copywriting, Blue can transform your online marketing campaign to help drive ROI. Call 954-779-2801 today for more information.


10 Bare-Bones SEO Tools to Add to Your Arsenal

“SEO is easy. Graphic design is hard.” wrote SEOmoz’s Cyrus Shepard in a recent useful post on ’10 Ugly SEO Tools that Actually Rock.’ When it comes to visual appeal, a minimalist approach worked out pretty well for Google, so it’s not hard to imagine that some of the best SEO tools out there come without all the eye-catching bells and whistles. We’ve summarized Shepard’s list to provide a quick reference guide for any SEO aficionado looking to up their game with some lesser-known, but highly useful tools.

1. Shared Count: This all-inclusive tracker measures the social sharing statistics of any page you ask it to, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter. On top of that, it has an open API, allowing you to build and integrate your own tools.

2. IETester: Internet Explorer is the true test of cross-browser compatibility, and “9 times out of 10, [throws] you for a loop.” This tool is a free, downloadable browser that allows you to test different versions of IE in adjacent windows to check for errors, and also has a debugging option to target hard-to-find problems.

3. Blogscape: Monitor the popularity of any keyword, brand or URL on a daily basis with this nifty tool. Just enter a term or domain name to see a complete list of mentions, taken from a list of thousands of RSS feeds and more. Additionally, “advanced query operators allow you to track only posts containing a link to a specific domain – great for tracking new link discovery.”

4. URI Valet: Perform technical audits, site reviews and more using over 10 combined structural tools. Check server headers, text to HTML ratio, download speed, object details and quick links to W3C Validators.

5-6. Robots.txt Checkers (http://tool.motoricerca.info/robots-checker.phtml & http://www.frobee.com/robots-txt-check): Add both of these robots.txt file problem-finding tools to your bookmarks tab to find errors even when they’re not visible. “They even account for hidden code in your files that can trip up your average search spider.” Shepard guarantees that at least 1 out of 5 readers will discover errors they never knew existed.

7. Wayback Machine: Think of this tool as a digital time capsule that contains archived webpages going back 15 years. You can research old links that may have disappeared, or track site modifications that resulted in traffic changes.

8. SEO Browser: Get all of the vital SEO details in one view with SEO Browser. From the title tag, to robots.txt files, to analytics, this tool shows you all of a webpage’s important SEO structure in one view.

9. Rank Checker: This tool – you guessed it – checks a variety of different rankings, fast. Rank Checker runs on your browser so you don’t have to wait on a third-party to check your rankings for you. “Beware, because it runs on your browser it’s much harder to control for the effects of localization and other mitigating factors, but it’s still handy when speed is more important than absolute accuracy.”

10. Xenu’s Link Sleuth: Although Screaming Frog is the link checker du jour at the moment, Xenu’s Link Sleuth runs on your desktop and offers a “dead simple interface” with easy-to-understand reporting. This is a great tool for running quick site audits, as well as mining for link opportunities.

With countless SEO tools available, it’s easy to judge a book by its cover. But sometimes, the best tools are the bare-bones originals. To learn more about search engine optimization, contact Blue Interactive Agency today. From search engine marketing to social media marketing and SEO copywriting, Blue has the perfect interactive marketing solution for your company. Call 954-779-2801 for more information today.


Blogging Strategies: How to Top Search Engine Results

Nowadays, everyone’s a blogger. With a few clicks, you can have your very own blogging site, so it’s no wonder so many personal and professional blog pages exist. Although more and more businesses are getting in on organic search engine optimization through blogging, it’s important to remember the ins and outs of SEO, and how to get the best return on investment.

The Social Media Examiner published an article outlining some key tips on the most effective SEO blogging strategies. Each blog post should be considered as another opportunity to rank higher for a given search term(s). Here are some highlights from the article:

Choose the best blogging platform: While Joomla, Drupal and TypePad are all great platforms, WordPress has a few noteworthy advantages – ease of use, higher relative power over other platforms and a cache of SEO plugins designed to increase your chances of ranking.

Own your domain: Your business should be independent of your blogging site so that you aren’t building up inbound links to someone else’s site. It also allows you to “retain all the inbound links you’ve gathered over the years.”

Be consistent and committed: Unlike PPC, organic SEO blogging requires continuous effort in order to stay on top (and its effects last longer, whereas PPC stops the moment you stop paying). New, original posts should be created 2 to 3 times per week, between 300 to 700 words.

Brainstorm keyword phrases: Start off the process on your own, with co-workers and/or with the help of your client. Choose words you believe your prospects are searching for and test them with keyword analysis tools like Raven Tools, Google Adwords Keyword Tool or Keyword Discovery.

Best Use of Keywords: Since “search engines give more weight to the first three or four words in your title,” make sure you use your top keywords here. Try to use your phrase within the first two sentences of the post, and a couple more times throughout the body. Lastly, be sure to link to appropriate pages on your site. If you reference “search engine marketing,” be sure to link it that page on your own website

It’s not enough to simply create a blog post and send it out into the infinite web-verse. Careful and informed SEO copywriting is a necessity in today’s interactive landscape. If you are looking for professional SEO copywriters, contact Blue Interactive Agency today!


Statistics Speak

Statistics over the recent decade show that companies and investors are recognizing and utilizing Search Engine Marketing at a rapid rate. In 2006 North American advertisers spent an astonishing $9.4 billion dollars on SEM, a 62% increase from 2005 and a staggering 750% increase from 2002. I think it is safe to say that companies are realizing the unparalleled value of SEM to streamline internet marketing and bolster not only sales but hot leads.

It is no secret that SEM and SEO improve the quality and volume of search engine traffic to a website. This is accomplished by targeting keywords and algorithms commonly entered by people utilizing search engines. With SEM including paid placement, SEO, paid inclusion, pay per click ads, web banners, and press release placements it is easy to see why companies are willing to invest in the services, they know they will see a return on their investment.