Search Advisory

Google is nothing if not experimental. This can be a rather large and particularly uncomfortable pill to swallow – especially for search marketers. Normally those of us at SEM agencies love testing. User testing, A/B testing…you name it, we test it. And many of the brightest minds in the field write endless articles on the benefits of testing and experimenting.

But when Google begins rolling out new changes, we tend to collectively hold our breath.

Earlier last week Google announced a new way forward to improve user relevancy and transparency. Read more…

The AdWords Display Network functions much differently than the Search Network. Yes, an advertiser can still use keywords to target web users, but they function in a less clearly defined manner. For display, Google takes an ad group’s keyword list and matches the subject of the page opted into the display network with the theme of the ad group established by its set of keywords. This means that individual keywords do not act alone as they do in the search network, and that no keyword-level data is available to measure the effectiveness of a particular keyword. So, instead of optimizing the keywords ads are running for, an advertiser has to resort to other targeting strategies. Thankfully, AdWords has a number of targeting options and allows an advertiser to narrow down where ads appear by layering these different options.
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At first glance, one might think landing page A/B testing and multivariate testing are long and involved processes.  However, Google Website Optimizer takes much of the pain and manual work out of the picture and simplifies the process.  Today I’m going to talk specifically about A/B testing, and I’ll discuss multivariate testing in an upcoming post.

To begin an A/B test, you need the original landing page URL, the variation landing page (or pages) URL and the conversion page URL.  Keep in mind, the more variations you have, the longer it’ll take to declare a winner.  When you set up the experiment in Google Website Optimizer, Google will give you different tracking scripts to include on each page of the test.  A set of control and tracking scripts will need to be implemented on the original landing page, and a tracking script needs to be implemented on each page variation.  Lastly, you also add tracking script to the conversion page.  Once all of the tracking scripts are in place, Google validates the pages. Next you can preview the versions of the pages you’re testing and launch the test.  Voila – your A/B test is ready! Read more…

I’m asking this as a personal question about your search habits – this isn’t a blog post on how to actually conduct an online search.  Stop and think about it for a second.  Step back a bit and think about how you use search on a personal basis on the weekends and at night when you’re not working.  And this isn’t a rhetorical question – really think about it.  You might learn something.

My search habits have evolved quite a bit during the five years I’ve been a search marketer.  I used to pride myself on the number of ways I could conduct a search on the same topic and find all sorts of different results.  I’d show off to my family – “Look honey. Here’s a BETTER way to search for a condo at the beach.”  And then I’d launch into a tutorial of how to conduct searches and get the most relevant results.  I’d explain about relevancy to the search query, ramble on about backlinks and how sites get ranked organically, and pontificate on the differences between paid and organic results.  My family and friends were astounded by my abilities – or at least I think they were.

Now, however, I must admit I’ve become a lazy searcher.  Read more…

Google has recently reclassified link data in Webmaster Tools.  The latest update is designed to closely align your backlinks with how you define internal and external links.  Due to this major change, many sites can expect to see a decrease in external links and an increase in internal links, depending on how your site is arranged.

Previously, links that were categorized as internal had to start with your site’s exact URL.  If they started with something other than your site’s exact URL then they were considered external links.  For example, if you entered your site as www.prominentplacement.com/bestSEMfirm/Google , links from www.prominentplacement.com/bestSEMfirm/Google/Professionals would be considered internal, but links from prominentplacement.com/bestSEMfirm would be considered external.  As such, links from www.prominentplacement.com and prominentplacement.com would be considered external.

Here is a quick lesson on how Webmaster Tools views different types of domains Read more…

Reflecting its relentless drive to speed up the web, and possibly in response to grumblings about drag from the +1 button, Google has announced changes that will allow the +1 button to load up to three times faster.

The speed boost is a result of updates from Google that will make both the +1 button, and the page loading it, faster.

Google is currently rolling out changes that will increase the speed. If you have already added the +1 button to your site, Google says you do not have to make any changes. It will automatically load more quickly.

Google is also introducing an asynchronous snippet, which will further increase speed.

According to Google: “The async snippet allows your web page to continue loading while your browser downloads the +1 JavaScript. By loading these elements in parallel, we’re ensuring the HTTP request to get the +1 button JavaScript doesn’t lead to an increase in your page load time. For those of you who have already implemented the button, you’ll need to update the code to the new async snippet, and then you should see an overall improvement in your page load time.”

To generate the new async snippet, use Google’s +1 Configuration Tool.

The Google +1 button was launched June 1 and has been swiftly adopted across the web.

If you haven’t done it already, here’s how to add the +1 button to your site.

Here’s the info for webmasters and programmers who want to customize the +1 button for your site.

Confused? Here are answers to a slew of questions about the +1 button.

We’ve partnered with our friends at Atlanta advertising agency MAX, and they’ve produced a cool, two-minute video all about Prominent Placement.  Our services and benefits are summed up in an entertaining way.  Want to know the typical return on investment we generate?  Curious about what makes us different?  Wonder no longer!

Some of our favorite Vert & Search Discovery folks

The food is always awesome at Park Tavern!

This is the third and final post on our notes from the AiMA/SEMPO Social Impact on Search event. First up is a very interesting account from the VP of E-Business for Newell Rubbermaid, followed by a summary of the Q+A at the end of the event.

Bert DuMars, Newell Rubbermaid

It’s not common for brands to allow reviews on their websites.  One example from Newell Rubbermaid’s experience was working for two years on a product launch which allowed customer reviews to be posted to their site.  There were seven immediate responses; five of them were negative.  While this was an uncomfortable start, he said it really helped them make immediate product improvements.  Another learning was that by providing users a forum for writing their own product descriptions, it helps prospective buyers to get beyond what product managers want you to know to what actual users are saying about how they use the product.
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AiMA & SEMPO Atlanta event

Mixing & Mingling

Here’s part 2 of our notes from the AiMA/SEMPO Social Impact on Search event. To view part 1, click here.

Check out what the representatives from Google and Bing had to say about social search:

Walton Norris, Google

The evolution of the internet looks like this:

Phase 1:  Links rule the ranking algorithm
Phase 2:  Applications rule – such as ecommerce, virtual tours, gaming
Phase 3:  Now, social rules – connecting people and facilitating interactions
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The Social Impact on Search

PPI Team Members Enjoy the Event

Last Wednesday, the Prominent Placement team made its way to Park Tavern for the AiMA/SEMPO event The Social Impact on Search. We learned how Google and Bing are transforming into “social search engines” and Newell Rubbermaid shared how making their site social helped their business. We have a lot of great info to share!

Panel :

• Dave Williams, BLiNQ Media  – Moderator and Event Sponsor
• Walton Norris, Google
• Mike Ching, Program Manager of Bing Social
• Bert DuMars from Newell Rubbermaid

Read more…