Not all site traffic is good. Like automobile traffic, sometimes traffic is just... congestion, and just gets in the way of those who you really want to come your way. How can marketers target the *right* sort of traffic? more

Even those familiar with SEO have common misconceptions about its value in B2B marketing. Frequently, I encounter prospects who understand that achieving a high ranking on a search engine is a valuable marketing tool that can make an impact on the bottom line of a business, but they mistakenly believe ... more

With Google AdWords, it is now possible to target prospects at the very moment they are thinking about buying your products or services. Here's how to maximize your success with Google AdWords. With proper preparation and execution, starting Google AdWords can be like planting a money tree that will provide ... more

Sometime last fall, Google launched a major update to its search algorithm, shaking up the search engine optimization community—and millions of Web site rankings. The update has been named Jagger and is apparently complete. The keywords that people used to find your site with in Google may not be producing as ... more

A good guarantee should not only appeal to the base emotion of a potential purchaser but also afford some real protection that the purchase he or she is making will provide meaningful results. Unfortunately, many of the most popular types of guaranteed SEO do not. Here's what really matters. more

Very often, the people who first recognize the potential benefits of professional SEO are not the key decision makers. They are the people on the front lines of the organization—the ones who deal with prospects and customers every day. But proposing professional SEO as a new marketing initiative to the ... more

Link building is arguably the most challenging aspect to search engine optimization. It's anything but straightforward; the process is fraught with landmines; and the outcome is largely outside of your control—since you can't dictate who links to you and who doesn't. Here's where to start. more

While getting people to enter your site through the home page of your Web site is ideal for conversion, occasionally visitors will enter through a sub-page, not designed for that same means. Marketers need to regularly utilize Web site analytic tools to keep a watchful eye on all pages, to ... more

Search engine optimizers typically label themselves as "white hat" or "black hat" to identify their basic philosophy, approach and methodology for SEO. As with most things in life, SEO probably isn't as much "black" and "white" as a spectrum of gray. And more importantly to marketers, the question isn't so much ... more

With paid search, you pay only for click-throughs to your site. Such accountability is a marketer's delight, but that's only half the story. What about all the people who found the site, saw the pitch but didn't buy? more

Having greatly benefited from my relationship with Google in the past several years, the author dedicated this article to the search engine superstar. Their friendship hasn't always been rosy. He got to know Google several years back, when it was just a small fish in a big pond. He started ... more

Is it time for your company to jump on the in-house bandwagon? Managing a successful paid and organic SEO campaign takes a dedicated staff, a savvy SEO plan and the time to make it happen. If your company is sitting on the in-house versus outsourcing fence, here are some tips ... more

Most people's concept of advertising is limited to the (sometimes woeful) ads they see on TV, or the billboards they drive past. Seeing these, they automatically assume that effective advertising is out of their reach. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Pound for pound, Google AdWords offers everyone, from ... more

In part one of this article, we talked about the uniqueness of B2B marketing and the dominant role of search engines in the B2B buying process. So it goes without saying that good search engine visibility is an excellent way to boost profitability. Now it's time to explore the return ... more

In the search engine optimization and marketing industry, there's been a rule of thumb: Longer keyword phrases have better conversion rates. But that's not the whole truth: conversion rates peak at four-word phrases. Here are strategies you should consider when developing keywords for your optimization and pay-per-click campaigns. more

Your average business Web site has come a long way since its brochure days. Savvy businesspeople have learned a lot about Web site design and usability, especially the importance of designing and testing landing pages to increase conversions. But has corporate America discovered the importance and effectiveness of organic search ... more

In search engine pay-per-click advertising, the unscrupulous use of a competitor's trademarked terms is a murky business and contentious topic. With a seemingly anonymous perpetrator, it's a relatively easy offense—and sets off a torrent of trademark-infringement concerns for many companies. more

When it comes to optimizing your site for search and the search engines, it's important not to overcomplicate your design and technical approach with things such as Flash, Java, frames and dynamically built Web sites. Here are 11 tips for design that works. more

A consistent problem with the "ranking-centric" mindset is that it doesn't reflect a powerful rationale for getting involved in SEO. Where is the true business case? What tangible results are desired? More and more frequently, people are getting into SEO for the wrong reasons. Achieving high rankings for targeted keyphrases, ... more

Recently, search engine revenues have rocketed, with pay-per-click advertising providing much of the fuel for growth. The other side of the coin: advertisers have been using PPC keyword advertising to meet their marketing objectives. But even with such heightened competition, there may be untapped, hidden opportunities for online marketers interested ... more

It's always been conventional wisdom that the fastest and most efficient way to research products and pricing is on the Web. But is search engine marketing cost-effective enough to increase profits for B2B marketers? You bet, and here's why. more

Search optimization is about getting links. The more links you get to your Web site, the more likely you are to get into the first page of search engine results. In other words, killer Web content gets killer Web links. Last week, we covered the basics. Here, we continue the ... more

Search optimization is about getting links. The more links you get to your Web site, the more likely you are to get into the first page of search engine results. In other words: Killer Web content gets killer Web links. Here are some guidelines to follow. more

A doorway page is content created specifically for the purpose of garnering high placements in the search engines. Search engines generally advise to avoid such pages as well as other "cookie cutter" approaches, such as affiliate programs with little or no original content. There are, however, acceptable alternatives. more

If you want to succeed with search engines in the long term, you should not primarily focus on how the search engine works. Rather, you should focus on how the brain of the searcher works. Because if you understand how people search, you're halfway there to getting found when they ... more