Getting started with a search engine optimization campaign?  Here are some basic tips for getting started:

1.    Keyword Selection

The goal of SEO is to rank organically for specific keywords.  So, how do you know which keywords you want to go after?  Think about how someone would search for your services or products online, and compile a list of some variations of those core keywords.  Some keywords are highly competitive and the search engines will return tens of millions of results. While those keywords can bring significant traffic to your site, they may take longer to rank for and might not be the type of visitor you’re ultimately seeking.  If this is the case, consider formulating your SEO strategy on some “long tail” keywords that are less competitive but will still bring targeted traffic.  Taking your core keywords and attaching geographic terms like your city or zip code are a good way to break out a “long tail” list.
There are many tools out there to aid with keyword research.  A couple good ones to start with include Wordstream’s Free Keyword Tool and SEO Moz’s Keyword Difficulty tool.

2.    Good Quality Content that Gets Love

“Content is king!”  This phrase is thrown around a lot in the SEO world, and it’s pretty accurate.  Search engines want to show quality websites to their users and having good, informational, and relevant content on your site is a big step towards being recognized as a quality website.  Producing unique content helps you stand out from the competition and will also generate natural inbound links from other sites who find your material unique.  So, take some time when writing copy for your product or service web pages.  Blogging is a great way to produce fresh, relevant content in which both visitors and search engines will take notice.

3.    Meta Content and Page Titles

While developing your quality content, be sure to structure it in a search engine friendly manner.  This includes a keyword rich page titles, targeted headlines, and appropriate keyword usage throughout the paragraphs.  Any images that are placed on the page should have alt descriptions and keyword related file names.  If you are attempting to optimize an interior web page for a specific keyword be sure to have content that is closely related to that keyword and use it consistently throughout the page.  Don’t overdo it and spam your page with keywords!  This is easily identified as amateur SEO and won’t do you in favor in the search engines.  Keep in mind that you’re producing content and good descriptions for humans first and search engines second.  Here’s a guide to the perfect SEO page via SEO MOZ

4.    URL Selection

Creating a new site, or looking for a new domain? URL selection is critical to not only your brand, but also which keywords you want to rank for.  Try to find a URL that has one of your core keywords in it, but stay away from multiple hyphens.  A strong ranking factor for Google is keywords in the URL, so if you can find a gem of a URL you will most likely be ranking for that keyword with relative ease.  Shorter is better than longer from a usability and user recognition standpoint.  Shorter URLs are also easier to share on sites such as Twitter.  Striking a balance between your brand name and your keywords is important, but don’t stray to a .info or some other lesser known extension.  People are used to .com so try to keep that level of familiarity with your users.

5.    Relevant Inbound Links

Links are the lifeblood of a successful SEO campaign.  Links are how search engines determine a site’s relevancy and popularity.  The theory goes that if many sites are linking to you, then you have something of value to say, and if you have something of value to say then search engines will want to point users to your site.  However, not all links are created equal.  If you have a site that sells car parts, then getting a link from a website that sells flowers isn’t going to do you much good.  In other words, you need links from sites that are relevant to your subject matter.

Google, Link Building, search marketing, SEO

As of Today 9/8/10, Google will be moving forward with a new technology called Google Instant.

Google Instant is basically an integration of Predictive Search Phrases combined with a Search Engine Results Page (SERP).

Anyone who has used the Google Search Tool Bar will see how Google will try and predict what query you are entering in before you finish. Google provides a few guesses which appear grayed out below the box. Up until now they were merely suggestions – As of Today, Google Instant now powers dynamic SERPs without ever pressing the Search button.

Notice in this example, I searched for Engine Rea, but I did not say Engine Ready nor did I press search. After 3 seconds, if Google has provided a suggestion, it will automatically render the page as if you performed the search using the 1st Predictive Query in the box! This counts as an AdWords Keyword Impression

What will this do to online performance? Will this assist a user in finding a more relevant result or will the user simply drop dead from seizures caused by the ever rapidly changing ‘dynamic’ page?

As a rule of thumb, mark today in your calendars so you can benchmark Impression volume pre and post Google Instant’s implementation.

Please post any findings you see on your accounts here.

For More Information: http://adwords.google.com/support/aw/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=187309

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This week on Best Search Strategies, we will cover the little-known segmentation tools that Adwords offers.  Not many marketers use them yet, but those that do recognize the power of segmentation tools within AdWords, and the resulting competitive advantage gained.

Listen in as you’ll learn how to:

• Easily identify keyword performance trends with surgical precision
• Use AdWords’ cutting edge segmentation to quickly weed out non-performing networks
• Simplify your bid management by using AdWords’ powerful filtering capabilities
• Find potentially top performing keywords hidden in your AdWords account

For more information check out the BSS website or tune in this Wednesday to Webmaster Radio. com at 2:00 PM (PST).

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You may notice when you log into some/all of your Yahoo accounts today 9/2/2010,  you will have a notification screen which informs you to link your Yahoo! account and your adCenter account.

Against all odds, Yahoo and Microsoft appear to be on Schedule for the final integration into the AdCenter run Search Alliance. Lets take a look at whats involved:

You will be required to agree to selecting a check-box which states:

“(Required) By selecting this checkbox, I agree to allow Yahoo! to disclose all of my information (including my contact information, billing and payment information and credit card number, and account information) and transfer any remaining account balance to Microsoft for the purpose of Microsoft providing me with search advertising services.”

You will be given an option to select the check-box which states:

“(Optional) By selecting this checkbox, I authorize Yahoo! to copy to Microsoft adCenter any of my analytics data that has been or may be collected via Yahoo! Code on my website. If using Yahoo! Code on my website, i agree to update my privacy policy to notify my visitors that anonymous data may be collected by both Yahoo! and Microsoft.”

Once you continue by selecting the button at the bottom of the page, you will be brought to a Microsoft AdCenter login page. From here you will either log into your current AdCenter Account or Create a new one from scratch. At this point Yahoo will begin parsing your campaign data into MSN.

Compatibility Alerts:

MSN will ask you if they should increase low bids to AdCenters minimum Bid and if you want to continue to serve Canada ads.

Compatibility Check:

When the system finishes parsing your Yahoo campaign structure in Adcenter you will be presented with a number of compatibility issues which where found. <Remember: Yahoo’s keywords and Ads follow a completely different set of rules than AdWords and AdCenter. Headlines in ads can be greater than 25 characters and they have only 1 description line. Yahoo also runs with Standard and Advanced match keywords as opposed to Broad/Phrase/Exact.>

You now have 3 options:

1. Fix Issues and Import: You will be shown your account structure with tabs for each settings/keywords/ads/etc.. Red outlines will show where attention is needed. When completed, your Yahoo account will be 100% compatible with AdCenter.

2. Import only compatible data: If there is an compatibility issue between the Yahoo and Ad Center structure then ignore it. Upload anything that doesn’t need changing.

3. Import all data later: You may want to select this option if you want to import your account structure from AdWords which is nearly 95% similar to AdCenter and would require only minimal campaign settings adjustments. It will save a copy of your Yahoo account to a csv file.

From here you are brought to screen which says: Transfer your Yahoo! Search Marketing accounts to Microsoft adCenter and a drop-down box which will allow you to select the adCenter account under the login you used to transfer to. The problem here is that AdCenter Will Not let me continue. After testing with 3 accounts the process gets derailed here. We are currently waiting on a response from the AdCenter team but we suspect that take some time with all of the questions advertisers are going to have.

I know the first thing that entered my mind when I read transfer any remaining account balance to Microsoft for the purpose of Microsoft was: Does this mean that Yahoo is finished as of today? Absolutely not. You need to continue advertising in Yahoo!. When exactly the funds from Yahoo! will be transferred is still vague though and another question we are waiting on.

http://www.yadvertisingblog.com/blog/2010/08/31/advertisers-begin-your-account-transitions

3) Continue to manage your Yahoo! Search Marketing account
The last stage in the transition process will occur when Yahoo! Search ad serving moves to adCenter, which we expect to begin in mid-October and be completed by the end of October. During this period, you should expect traffic from your Yahoo! Search Marketing account to decrease, and increase in your adCenter account. But until this process is complete, you’ll still need to actively manage your Yahoo! Search Marketing account to have your ads displayed on Yahoo! and our partner sites.

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I personally am looking forward to this transition as management will become a bit easier. I do have my concerns about the numerous advertisers who are now going to flood AdCenter. My particular concern revolves around the campaign imports. The vast majority of advertisers use Google and I see no reason anyone would go through the effort of modifying their Yahoo account when they can import their Google account in minutes. This means that instead of the low CPC bids from Yahoo being used, the Absurdly high CPC bids from Google are going to flow into AdCenter. Only time will tell if my concerns are warranted?

microsoft adcenter, Search Alliance, Yahoo