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Google’s New Page Layout Algorithm Penalizes “Above-The-Fold” Advertising – A SPN Exclusive Article

On Wednesday, February 23, 2011, a category 5 hurricane named “Panda” swept through the Gulf of Google devastating businesses large and small alike. The hurricane was reportedly named after one of Google’s engineers. So what was the reason for this catastrophic and “game-changing” update? Well, according to Google: “This update is designed to reduce rankings for low-quality sites – sites which are low-value, copy content from other websites or sites that are just not very useful. At the same time, it will provide better rankings for high-quality sites – sites with original content and information such as research, in-depth reports, thoughtful analysis and so on. It is important for high-quality sites to be rewarded, and that’s exactly what this change does.” (Source: Google Blog ) Mission accomplished. Anyway, in the aftermath of the Panda update, there are 11 important SEO facts I’ve learned based on my own personal experiences, the experiences of my clients, and from listening to top SEO professionals across the Internet. The above passages are from an article I wrote last July titled, Google Panda Update: 11 Important SEO Facts You Should Know . In item #7 of the 11 SEO facts I wrote: 7.

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Google’s New Page Layout Algorithm Penalizes “Above-The-Fold” Advertising – A SPN Exclusive Article

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SEO Short Cheat Sheets

1. Keyword Basics: The most important thing with keywords for your website is that you have to begin the process with proper research. Take advantage of free tools and services at your disposal such as the Google Adwords tool, and consider paying for more advanced and detailed programs. Remember that keyword density is a thing of the past, there is no density you should be opting for. Instead, focus on natural inclusion of your targeted keywords, working them in where possible without doing it excessively. Google Keyword Tool – google for “KeywordToolExternal.” Note: The fastest results are seen in targeting a larger number of lower level competitive terms. 2

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SEO Short Cheat Sheets

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Advantages and Features of Mobile Web Design – What You Need to Know

2011 is being touted as the year when mobile technology really comes to the fore. So what are the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of mobile web design? Which web development features are mobile friendly and which are not? Lastly and most importantly, how do you find out how mobile web design could work for your business? Advantages of Mobile Web Design * A well developed mobile website can mean an increased range of web visitors to your web site who will be happy to use your site to full effect and appreciate that it functions in the right way. * If your business targets people on the move (e.g. a restaurant or hotel), you’ll most likely pick up business with good mobile web development. * Even if your business isn’t a natural fit with mobile technology, giving thought to good mobile web design can present your company as a professional, cutting edge outfit which embraces new technology.

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Advantages and Features of Mobile Web Design – What You Need to Know

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10 Surefire Marketing Tips That Will Improve Your Website Conversions

Like millions of other people, I’m a huge NFL football fan (go Giants), and the one thing I’ve learned over the years is that on any given Sunday, the worst team in the league can beat the best team in the league. It happens all the time. Why? Because in sports, just like in business, there’s a very thin line between success and failure – winning and losing. And the team that executes their game plan the best and makes the fewest mistakes will invariably win the game. That’s not a theory – statistics bear that out. In sports, mistakes are the wild card – the great equalizer

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10 Surefire Marketing Tips That Will Improve Your Website Conversions

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Locating SEO – A SPN Exclusive Article

As we all know, SEO is evolving by leaps and bounds every day. As we all chase after Google’s meticulous algorithm updates, we continue to find ways to help companies increase their Internet profile, though some of those methods often go under even our radars. Here are a few advanced techniques for SEOs looking for innovative ways to secure links for clients. LOCATION BASED SEO The key tenet of SEO is always and has always been relevance. How is your content relevant to the searcher? In the nebulous wilderness of the Internet, it can be hard to find relevance that goes past identifying a searcher’s interest and presenting them with information about that interest.

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Locating SEO – A SPN Exclusive Article

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17 Ways to Make Sure Your Website is Working for You

Is your website bringing in at least five new inquiries per day? If not, you need to look at its functionality. Your website acts as a “storefront.” You should put as much thought and care into your website as you would to the display in your store’s window. Your website needs to attract customers and keep them coming back for more. The following should give you a place to start and a guideline of what a good website should have and what it should do: 1. Where Do Your Eyes Go First? You only have a few seconds to catch a visitor’s attention

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17 Ways to Make Sure Your Website is Working for You

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Finally… Google Analytics to Provide Real-Time Reporting

Like millions of other website owners, I use Google Analytics to analyze my website stats. And while I actually like GA a lot, it isn’t perfect. My biggest pet-peeve with the software is the fact it doesn’t provide real-time results. It has a lag time of at least an hour or two before you can view most of your data, and a full 24-hour lag time on full data reporting. With all the brilliant engineers Google employs, that particular flaw has never made any logical sense to me. That negative aspect of GA has been bugging the heck out of me for years. Well, finally, that’s all about to change and fast. How fast

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Finally… Google Analytics to Provide Real-Time Reporting

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Reader Rescue : Should My Meta Description Tags Just Duplicate My Title Tags?

Hi Everyone From early days learning SEO, I went ahead and did all my meta descriptions with a bit of blurb about the page but my *Guru* has told me this is incorrect and I should include only the title of the page in the meta description, eg “Antique Dining Chairs” whereas I had put in “Antique Dining Chairs – over 500 chairs on display at the Glebe Antique Centre.  Dining chairs to match your table, occasional chairs for that special place in your home” . Any thoughts before I go and change everything yet again? Christine ————————————– Hi Christine From where I’m sitting, your *guru* is wrong. Remember, your meta description tag is often used as the snippet on the search results pages to describe your site. So apart from including keywords, it has to do the job of convincing people to click on it. A nonsensical list of keywords is not going to convince people to click so you have to balance it out with an appealing sentence, preferably including a call-to-action or reason to click. Yes, it’s important to put your keywords at the start of the tag if you can, but you have up to 160 characters in that tag indexed by search engines , so you should use the space to your advantage. Having a short, unimaginative meta description or simply copying your title tag is not going to make any difference to your overall rankings and is more likely to turn your potential visitors off. Google admitted that it no longer considers the meta description tag in their ranking algorithm anyway, so, other search engines aside, the main job of the tag in Google SERPs is to convince people to click on the link and visit your site

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Reader Rescue : Should My Meta Description Tags Just Duplicate My Title Tags?

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Video That Sells: Using Memory Triggers

Web videos have many purposes: they display, present, inform, educate, enlighten, and entertain; they also persuade, motivate, and sell. Marketing videos can serve any one of these purposes, or they can serve all of them. What is important is the audience remembers the message and the company that delivers it. Without penetrating the audience’s consciousness and making an indelible impression, the resources invested are wasted. Of course the lasting impression you impart must serve your branding and sales objectives. Creating effective marketing videos entails a lot of creative skills in order to take a self-serving business message and make it not just palatable but memorable. To begin, you need a concept, script, performers, and technical expertise in video, editing, and sound design; as well as the psychological insight to understand, and the creative ability to manipulate, emotional reactions while emphasizing key points

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Video That Sells: Using Memory Triggers

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Google Meets Teenage Angst

Today marks Google’s 13th birthday. No longer a tween, Google’s a teen! To celebrate, Google’s home page sports a tribute doodle 3D birthday card. The card features a retro-inspired birthday party scene complete with party hats, balloons and nanna’s flowery tablecloth. Clicking on the doodle takes you to SERPs for, (unsurprisingly) Google. Seems like just yesterday that Google was still in diapers, clutching lovingly at the legs of it’s users at every opportunity. Teething was tricky, with quite a few painful months sucking on everything across the web in an effort to stop the pain. Independence came early, with Google spending less time with it’s family of users and more time with those naughty shareholder kids in an attempt to grow up too fast

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Google Meets Teenage Angst

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