Google Web Alerts appears to now be reporting Twitter posts via its Google Alerts product.
Twitter Google Web Alert
I received the Google Alert above today for data gathered yesterday May 21, 2009.
This is the first Google Alert I have seen which included Twitter posts within Google Web Alerts.
What implications will this have on Search Engine Results Pages for search engine marketers and search engine optimizers – if any?
Microsoft has re-launched Live Search along with its xRank features.
Today I was surprised to find the following picture embedded in Microsoft’s Live Search home page.
Or is it the other way around?
I was surprised to find the Microsoft Live Search box embedded in a picture of Barack Obama.
Live Search Barack Obam
I am not sure but I think this is a first.
Embed your search home page in images from the day’s headlines?
If your search appliance isn’t gaining search traffic market share from its competition piggy back your product on news and images known to produce search traffic by bolting your search box onto the backs of the day’s top headlines?
Yahoo already does this to some degree but Live Search has taken its editorial to a new level.
If search was previously defined by it’s transparency and absence of bias, Microsoft Live Search has now flip flopped with its decision to make its editorial choice the cover of their Live Search home page.
It will be interesting to see if this decision increases Microsoft’s Live Search traffic volume and market share or if it puts off both its otherwise loyal search users while dissuading potential additional search audience members from visiting the Live Search site.
Drilling down from the home page Live Search provides five categories of Live Search xRank results: Celebrity, Musician, Politician, Blogger and Olympics.
I assume as news cycles ebb and flow, so will their xRank editorial categories selections.
By optimizing its home page for maximum search audience traffic through co-opting the day’s headlines, Live Search has literally given new meaning to the terms search engine optimization and SEO.
Live Search xRank Celebrity
Live Search Celebrity xRank
Live Search xRank Musician
Live Search Musician xRank
Live Search xRank Politician
Live Search Politician xRank
Live Search xRank Blogger
Live Search Blogger xRank
Live Search xRank Olympics
Live Search Olympics xRank
I am presenting a Webinar on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to Medicare Marketing professionals July 10th, 2008 @ 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM EDT.
I recently presented at the World Research Group Medicare Marketing Strategies conference in Washington DC. I am looking forward to working with World Research Group again.
The Medicare Marketing Strategies Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Webinar Overview:
Harness the Power of the Internet! An increasing number of potential Medicare beneficiaries are turning to the web, and specifically to Google, to find and research area plans. Make sure your name is at the top of their list. This webinar shows how Medicare plans can utilize Google-specific Search Engine Optimization techniques to improve their outreach among prospective enrollees.
Who should attend the Medicare Marketing Strategies Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Webinar:
From Health Plans:
Also Vice Presidents, Directors, and Managers of:
Medicare Marketing Strategies Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Webinar Agenda:
Learn how to:
About Tim Cohn:
For more information about the Search Engine Optimization Webinar or to register, please contact the World Research Group toll free by phone at 1-800-647-7600, via e-mail at info@worldrg.com or sign up for the Medicare Marketing Strategies Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Webinar at World Research Group.com
The following are some initial questions I ask potential clients when evaluating the search engine marketing potential of their business.
This multiple-choice Search Engine Marketing Communications Survey takes about two minutes to complete.
Download your copy of the Search Engine Marketing Communications Survey PDF.
What is your primary business?
A. Store-based merchant
B. Catalog
C. Virtual merchant
D. Consumer brand manufacturer
Which type of search engine marketing do you use the most?
A. More pay-per-click than organic
B. More organic than paid
C. Both equally
How does search engine marketing perform compared with your other marketing programs?
A. Better
B. Much better
C. Same
D. Worse
E. Much worse
How large is your keyword inventory?
A. Less than 50 words
B. 51 words to 100 words
C. 101 words to 200 words
D. 251 words to 500 words
E. 501 words to 750 words
F. 751 words to 1,000 words
G. 1,001 words to 5,000 words
H. 5,001 words to 10,000 words
I. More than 10,000 words
What percent of your online sales are attributable to search engine marketing?
A. 5% or less
B. 5.1% to 10%
C. 10.1% to 15%
D. 15.1% to 20%
E. 20.1% to 25%
F. 25.1% to 30%
G. 30.1% to 40%
H. 40.1% to 50%
I. More than 50%
What percent of shoppers who come to your site through your paid search program make a purchase?
A. 0.5% to 1%
B. 1.1% to 2%
C. 2.1% to 3%
D. 3.1% to 4%
E. 4.1% to 5%
F. 5.1% to 6%
G. 6.1% to 7%
H. 7.1% to 8%
I. 8.1% to 9%
J. 9.1% to 10%
K. 10.1% TO 15%
L. More than 15%
In the past year your pay-per-click conversion rate:
A. Went up
B. Went down
C. Stayed the same
By what percent did your pay-per-click conversion rate increase?
A. 2% or less
B. 2.1% to 5%
C. 5.1% to 6%
D. 6.1% to 7%
E. 7.1% to 8%
F. 8.1% to 9%
G. 9.1% to 10%
H. 10.1% to 12%
I. 12.1% to 15%
J. More than 15%
How much do you spend in a typical month on all types of search engine marketing (pay-per-click and search engine optimization)?
A. Less than $1,000
B. $1,001 to $2,000
C. $2,001 to $4,000
D. $4,001 to $6,000
E. $6,001 to $10,000
F. $10,001 to $20,000
G. $20,001 to $30,000
H. $30,001 to $40,000
I. $40,001 to $50,000
J. $50,001 to $60,000
K. $60,001 to $75,000
L. $75,001 to $100,000
M. More than $100,000
What percent of your online marketing budget is spent on search engine marketing?
A. 5% or less
B. 5.1% to 10%
C. 10.1% to 15%
D. 15.1% to 20%
E. 20.1% to 30%
F. 30.1% to 40%
G. 40.1% to 50%
H. 50.1% to 60%
I. 60.1% to 75%
J. More than 75%
What is the average amount you pay per click?
A. 5 cents or less
B. 6 to 10 cents
C. 11 to 15 cents
D. 16 to 20 cents
E. 21 to 25 cents
F. 26 to 40 cents
G. 41 to 50 cents
H. 51 to 75 cents
I. 76 to $1
J. More than $1
Will you increase your amount of pay-per click advertising this year?
A. Yes
B. No.
Do you manage your search engine marketing program in-house?
A. Yes
B. No
Do you plan to outsource your search engine marketing program?
A. Yes, within six months
B. Yes, within one year
C. Yes, within two years
D. No plans
Which search engine produces the best web sales results?
A. Google
B. Yahoo
C. AOL
D. MSN
E. LookSmart
F. Other
Which of the following programs or strategies are you using to improve your paid search program? (Check all that apply)
A. Adding more multiple word phrases to keyword inventory
B. Writing more descriptive ad copy
C. Testing keywords and phrases to land on appropriate home or product pages
D. Monitoring competitors’ use of keywords and phrases
E. Syncing keywords and phrases with product availability
F. Testing keyword inventory effectiveness using cluster analysis, data modeling and other tools
G. Other
Which of the following programs or strategies are you using to improve your organic search engine optimization? (Check all that apply)
A. Rewriting keyword descriptions on the home and product pages
B. Including the actual phrases commonly used by searchers on product pages
C. Including common product keywords in the image file names and in image display captions
D. Designing customized landing pages and creating exclusive merchandising sections
E. Enhancing site navigation
F. Increasing the use of header tags in content on the home page and product pages
G. Better use of web analytics
H. Other
What benchmarks do you use to measure the effectiveness of your search engine marketing program? (Check up to 3)
A. Site traffic
B. Sales
C. Conversions
D. Average order size
E. New customers
F. Click-throughs
G. Cost-per-clicks
H. Rank on main search engine page
I. Other
Did you allow your affiliates or other third-party resellers to bid on your brand name?
A. Yes
B. No
Do you bid on the brand names of your competitors?
A. Yes
B. No
What is the annual sales range of your online retail business?
A. Less than $1 million
B. $1 million to $4.9 million
C. $5 million to $9.9 million
D. $10 million to $24.9 million
E. $25 million to $50 million
F. More than $50 million
Thanks for taking the Search Engine Marketing Communications Survey.
The following email came from a client who received a “targeted” search engine optimization services pitch from a search engine optimization salesman who was prospecting for clients.
I changed the search engine optimization company and client names.
This is after my optimization of their old website started “miraculously” producing over 4,000 web visitors per month and new business – telephone calls, online and in store sales – where none had came from before.
Clients amaze me!
Hi Tim-
What do you think about this e-mail? I thought this was what your website optimization was supposed to accomplish. Help?
[Preferred Client]
—–Original Message—–
From: [ABC SEO Company]
Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 3:14 PM
To: Website owner
Subject: Attn: [Jane Doe] Regarding [preferredclient.com]
Hello [Jane],
I was recently looking through [ABC Consumer] magazine and saw your advertisement. I took a look at your website and found it very appealing. I decided to do a little research on Google to see if your website was on the first page.
I searched for “[general product term] Oklahoma City” and your site did not come up in the natural search results on Google. I then tried “[another general product term] Oklahoma City” and even “[and even another general product term] Oklahoma City” again with no results. Potential customers are currently using keyword phrases similar to these to search for a company like yours. [PreferredClient.com] could and should be on the first page of major search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN.
I work for ABC SEO Company, a search engine marketing firm. We help position websites on multiple search engines so you will come up for targeted keywords. It is surprising how many more customers you can attract with online marketing. If you have a couple minutes I would be happy to give you some information on how our services could benefit your business.
Please let me know if you have a few minutes to talk.
Best Regards,
ABC SEO Salesman
Research and Development
ABC SEO Salesman
PH: xxx-xxx-xxxx
Fax: xxx-xxx-xxxx
My response:
Hi [Preferred Client],
Well, my work sent 4,127 visitors from 11 different search engines between January 6, 2008 and February 5, 2008 via 1,528 keywords whereas prior to my work your site received 0 visitors monthly via 0 search engines.
During the same time period the visitors who came to your site via the 11 search engines on average viewed 13.46 pages each and spent 3:48 of their time on your site.
84.01% of the 4,127 visitors who arrived at your site via search engines had never been to the [PreferredClient.com] website before.
I don’t know whether the progression from 0 searches to 1, 2, 3 searches etc. is considered arithmetic, geometric or quadratic but I think the difference is quantifiable.
I also don’t know how many searches he thinks his recommendations would yield daily, weekly, monthly or yearly but I would definitely ask him for his estimate.
I think all you can do when you receive these type of emails is ask the sender what kind of search traffic they estimate their recommendations will deliver and then weigh their response with what your before and after search experience has been and is now.
I think only then would you have the necessary information needed for deciding whether pursuing their recommendations or not would be in the best interest of your business.
Wouldn’t you agree?
Let me know if there is anything else I can do for you.
Thanks and all the best,
Tim Cohn
I am amazed at some of the comments and inquiries my sites receive.
Lately I have been receiving a slew of email spam for top placement in Google.
However, the following was entered by hand at marketingprinciples.com.
The irony is that the salesman who’s name and company I have changed to protect the guilty, found my site via a search engine!
Submitted on Tuesday 6/26/2007 8:36:31 AM
(Profitable Internet Marketing)
“Joe Blow” sends the following:
Dear Website Owner, If I could get you five times the RELEVANT traffic at a substantially reduced cost would you be interested?
“Acme Optimizers” can place your website on top of the Natural Listings on Google, Yahoo and MSN.
Our Search Engine Optimization team delivers more top rankings than anyone else and we can prove it. We do not use “link farms” or “black hat” methods that Google and the other search engines frown upon and can use to de-list or ban your site.
The techniques are proprietary, involving some valuable closely held trade secrets. Our prices are less than half of what other companies charge.
I would be happy to send you a proposal using the top search phrases for your area of expertise. Please contact me at your convenience so I can start saving you some money.
Please do not hesitate to email or call me if you would like further information.
Sincerely,
“Joe Blow”
Executive Vice President
“Acme Optimizers”
123 Main Street
Anytown, USA 98765
Toll Free: 1-800-Optimizers
joeblow@gmail.com
Profitable Internet Marketing
Search Marketing Communications 
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