CircleCount helps you better understand Google+

2013-06-19 02:37:49 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 10 +1s)

Google Analytics Hiccup?

Anyone else seeing this type of drop in reported hourly traffic today? I'm seeing something similar in nearly all client installations which means it's either an Analytics hiccup or the mother of all algorithm updates. 

#seo   #analytics  cc: +Google Analytics, +Adam Singer 

2013-06-18 16:56:27 (7 comments, 4 reshares, 20 +1s)

JONATHAN CHRISTOPHER KENDALL   (1962-2013)

With the greatest of sorrow I, +su ann lim , have to inform you that Jonathan Christopher Kendall, my fiancé and love of my life, died suddenly last night on 15 June 2013.  Despite the incredible efforts of our friends +Suzanne Jacob +Gaynal Brierley , paramedics and ambulance personnel he could not be revived.

Jonathan lived as he believed, telling it like it is, with wit and humour, enjoying life to the hilt, with honour, directness and compassion.  I was incredibly blessed to be the recipient of his immense love, and as each other's beloved, to share unbelievable happiness for too short a time.   Jonathan, I LOVE YOU with all my heart and miss you desperately.

One of the favourite activities in his life was to engage with all you here on Google Plus.  He thrived on the intellectual challenges, soaked up  avast amou... more »

2013-06-18 13:25:04 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 19 +1s)

I did not wake up in Beech Mountain, North Carolina.

#ididnotwakeupin via: http://abandonedplaces.livejournal.com/2464635.html?thread=29213307

2013-06-18 01:25:43 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

So much misinformation and so many people getting 'results' that fit their theories. 

#badscience   #badanalysis  

2013-06-17 14:03:13 (2 comments, 3 reshares, 11 +1s)

Links, Likes and Le Retweets

Direct, one-way links are best.  You know, the kind where your site impressed someone enough that they blogged about it, or shared it socially.  These are called organic, but you can also think of them as spontaneous as you are not actively working on building them – they simply appear.  These are best as they allow the engines the strongest confidence that the link is trustworthy.

I am constantly amazed at the businesses who claim these are the types of links they build.  If they truly were building this way, it would be highly cost ineffective for them.

I sincerely hope that you read the entire links section of this post by +Duane Forrester. He hits the nail on the head and gets points from me for trying for an alliterative title.  

#seo  

2013-06-17 13:55:54 (6 comments, 2 reshares, 14 +1s)

If I give away my content, don't I give away my business?

The social web is an incredible gift to businesses everywhere. For the first time in history, we can create relationships and build trust with people far and wide … through our voice, our views, our expertise. But the only way to do that is by unlocking and unleashing our content.

Even though I give away everything I know about business and marketing, people are still eager to hire me because they value my perspective and they trust me through the content I provide.

This is true and I've experienced it myself. The more knowledge you put out there, the more people beat a path to your door. You build the authority and expertise that people seek out when they're looking for assistance.

#blogging   #business  

2013-06-17 13:47:09 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Google Newspaper Archives

Some recent changes have made Google's newspaper archive a bit more hidden than it should be.  So I wanted to let you know how to find the (still up and running!) Google newspaper archives. Sure, you can search for it, but the best result is a bit hidden, so let me give it you up front and easily accessible.

This resource is interesting but the commentary here is even more so in my view. 

#search   #seo

2013-06-17 13:43:58 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 0 +1s)

The Surprising Conversion Power of Priming and Conformity

Why does priming work so well?

People who make commitments don’t want to be viewed as unreliable or inconsistent. They’ll consider the cost of looking like a flake higher than the cost of inconvenience. We are a people prone to saving face.

Priming is incredibly powerful and, sadly, often crops up in 'research' performed not really to understand a result but to support a position. 71%* of all surveys are generally prone to this in one way or another.

#ux   #marketing  

*Completely made up statistic but it feels about right to me.

2013-06-17 13:38:39 (3 comments, 3 reshares, 5 +1s)

Verify Your Site In Google Webmaster Tools Using Tag Manager

If you use Google Tag Manager to add and update your site tags, now you can quickly and easily verify ownership of your site in Webmaster Tools using the container snippet code.

This is handy. #seo  

2013-06-17 13:21:02 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 20 +1s)

I did not wake up in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina.

#ididnotwakeupin

2013-06-16 15:10:06 (4 comments, 4 reshares, 8 +1s)

Everyday I'm Excellin'

My presentation from #smx  where I cover a few of the functions and formulas I use everyday to turn hard jobs into easy ones. 

#excel   #analytics   #seo  

2013-06-16 14:40:48 (11 comments, 11 reshares, 50 +1s)

True story.

2013-06-16 13:28:01 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 12 +1s)

I did not wake up in Rochester, New York.

#ididnotwakeupin via: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8849509@N06/4882458065

2013-06-15 16:22:02 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 25 +1s)

True story.

2013-06-15 13:26:03 (1 comments, 8 reshares, 32 +1s)

I did not wake up in Skofja Loka, Slovenia.

#ididnotwakeupin

2013-06-15 13:24:11 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

2013-06-14 23:12:10 (6 comments, 3 reshares, 25 +1s)

2013-06-14 19:44:41 (0 comments, 5 reshares, 31 +1s)

Remember ...

2013-06-14 16:16:30 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 13 +1s)

Google Webmaster Tools Query Data is Worthless

The short version, if you want to skip me ranting like a lunatic: Google Webmaster Tools query data is, as far as I can tell, completely, 100% useless. It’s not a good ‘relative comparison.’ It’s so wrong that it might actually be a bad idea to use it at all.

Now, here’s the whole, tragic story.

I agree with +Ian Lurie and don't use the GWT data when I'm doing any sort of analysis. There are some fundamental issues with how the data is presented (UX issues which could lead people to wrong conclusions), gathered (sampled) and processed (rounded).

I'm fairly certain that for images it counts clicks on a result but not visits to the site which is only interesting in learning how much traffic you're not getting to your site and potential for attribution link building efforts (aka -you're... more »

2013-06-14 13:51:17 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

How I Win In Content Marketing

Content is a brand asset that can help you scale your marketing and lead generation. Because a single content can alter how your business will perform in the future.

One blog post can drive you hundreds of leads/sales in its lifetime, so what more if you have dozens or hundreds of this type of high-performing content.

Perhaps, that’s the reason why my main approach when it comes to content marketing only revolves around 3 primary elements - Comprehensive, Actionable, Evergreen.

This post by +Jason Acidre has the words 'quick wins' in the title but the piece is actually far more of a love note to a mindset of long-term compound interest.

"Content is an investment"

Exactly!

#seo   #contentmarketing  

2013-06-14 13:34:41 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 15 +1s)

True story.

2013-06-14 13:18:53 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 13 +1s)

I did not wake up in Big Sur, California.

#ididnotwakeupin  via: http://www.flickr.com/photos/suemejack/5460039206

2013-06-14 02:06:10 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 7 +1s)

"We've come too far / To give up who we are / So let's raise the bar / And our cups to the stars"

2013-06-14 00:15:26 (12 comments, 0 reshares, 20 +1s)

Lotus Esprit

2013-06-13 18:26:26 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

Home.

2013-06-13 14:03:17 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 6 +1s)

US Desktop Search Query Volume Increases 14% YoY

That's the third month in a row with double digit gains. 

Data Source: http://www.comscore.com/Insights/Press_Releases/2013/6/comScore_Releases_May_2013_U.S._Search_Engine_Rankings

#search  

2013-06-13 13:53:35 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Improving Photo Search

Last month at Google I/O, we showed a major upgrade to the photos experience: you can now easily search your own photos without having to manually label each and every one of them. This is powered by computer vision and machine learning technology, which uses the visual content of an image to generate searchable tags for photos combined with other sources like text tags and EXIF metadata to enable search across thousands of concepts like a flower, food, car, jet ski, or turtle.

For many years Google has offered Image Search over web images; however, searching across photos represents a difficult new challenge. In Image Search there are many pieces of information which can be used for ranking images, for example text from the web or the image filename. However, in the case of photos, there is typically little or no information beyond the pixels in the... more »

2013-06-13 13:35:45 (10 comments, 1 reshares, 14 +1s)

I did not wake up in Oahu, Hawaii.

#ididnotwakeupin

2013-06-12 14:56:25 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 7 +1s)

Why I Optimize for Quality Score (and You Already Do Too)

I optimize for quality score because I think it is my duty and privilege to not only maximize returns for my business, but to do it by molding my business to the ad network’s optimal performance levels and then going to work on my business to capitalize efficiently and very profitably on that channel.

Does that make sense?

I earn my reward by helping another (the ad network) earn their reward.

I really like this piece by +James Zolman. (The only thing missing is a better font and contrast.) It's conversational, has a distinct point of view and points to specific tactical actions. 

#ppc  

2013-06-12 13:27:44 (1 comments, 3 reshares, 8 +1s)

Your Site Needs Proprietary Keywords

Proprietary means “of or relating to ownership”. That’s what these are. That ties this all together. Keywords a site or brand “claims ownership” of. This doesn’t have to be in an official way like a trademark.

These are essentially words, once “claimed”, that form a deep association with your brand. And it’s hard for any other brand or company to claim them.

I really like this piece by +Dan Shure. What it really means is that you need to ensure you have a memorable hook. Sometimes that's a person and sometimes that's a product and sometimes that's some sort of thought-leadership phrase.

If you're a good marketer, your business should become synonymous with certain other terms. This is similar to my concept of modified branded search.

Related: http://bit.ly/seorecall
#seo  ... more »

2013-06-12 13:17:03 (1 comments, 0 reshares, 14 +1s)

I did not wake up in Finistère, France.

#ididnotwakeupin

2013-06-11 16:22:27 (1 comments, 5 reshares, 17 +1s)

Confessions of A $100/Month SEO Client

Last week, I got my kitchen counters resurfaced. Inevitably the service guy asked me what I did for a living. When I told him I did SEO, the conversation quickly turned to the local online marketing and I put my interviewer hat on.

This is a great reality check from +Andrew Shotland.

#seo   #local  

2013-06-11 13:19:55 (1 comments, 2 reshares, 9 +1s)

Changes in Rankings of Smartphone Search Results

To improve the search experience for smartphone users and address their pain points, we plan to roll out several ranking changes in the near future that address sites that are misconfigured for smartphone users.

Well, that's one way to make sure people start getting the mobile configuration right. 

#seo   #mobile  

2013-06-11 13:18:03 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 17 +1s)

I did not wake up in Millau, France.

#ididnotwakeupin via: http://www.flickr.com/photos/56105315@N07/5239512188

2013-06-11 05:24:16 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 13 +1s)

Walking back to the Edgewater Hotel after dinner at Delicious Pie with +Nathan Johns.

#smx   #goodconversation   #trainsarecool   

2013-06-11 01:31:38 (10 comments, 0 reshares, 21 +1s)

Made it to Seattle. Thinking about getting dinner out (maybe at List) before heading back to the room and finishing my deck.

Anyone from #smx  already here?

2013-06-10 17:22:41 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 9 +1s)

True story.

2013-06-10 15:32:32 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 4 +1s)

Google to by Waze for $1.3b

The acquisition of the Israeli navigation app and traffic report start up will be completed after months of speculation involving Google, Facebook and Apple.

It's not done yet, but it sure seems like it's going to happen and it makes a lot of sense for Google. 

#search   #mobile   #local  

2013-06-10 15:25:56 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 11 +1s)

The two linking sins of Internet Retailer

Internet Retailer is a well-written and informative publication tragically marred by two linking errors rooted in misguided efforts at self-promotion.

Why am I bothering to point this out?

- These errors show how easily one can damage a brand's good name in the interest of extremely nominal gains.
- "Focus on the user and all else will follow."  This demonstrates this wisdom of adhering to this Google mantra (http://bit.ly/11R0Jkd):  in a user-centric universe these errors simply would not have happened.
- These errors demonstrate the perils of aggressive self-promotion (even if it doesn't appear to be overtly aggressive).
- I think what Internet Retailer has to say is often insightful and well-worth reading, and it drives me nuts that they sully fundamentally good content with these childishm... more »

2013-06-10 13:50:42 (0 comments, 5 reshares, 9 +1s)

The Value of Google Result Positioning

Since Chitika Insights’ last report in May 2010 about value of Google result positioning, the Google search algorithm has changed hundreds of times. With these changes in mind, the Insights team sought to update our Google result valuation statistics. To quantify this study, Chitika Insights examined tens of millions of online ad impressions in which the user was referred to the page via a Google search. From the referring Google URL, Chitika is able to extract the position that the page was on within the prior search results page. From this, Chitika can measure what percentage of Google traffic comes from each position of the search results page. The data set was drawn from a date range of May 21st to May 27th, 2013.

This isn't surprising but it's nice to have it confirmed through an updated set of data. 

#search  #se... more »

2013-06-10 13:41:15 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 4 +1s)

The (Updated) Periodic Table of SEO Success Factors

Two years ago, we released ”The Periodic Table Of SEO Ranking Factors.” Now we’re back with an update. We’ve introduced some new elements, adjusted a few rankings and given the table a more encompassing name, The Periodic Table Of SEO Success Factors.

A little something I've been working on with the great folks at +Search Engine Land.

#seo   

2013-06-10 13:23:02 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 22 +1s)

I did not wake up in Sonoma, California.

#ididnotwakeupin via: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamiepaul/5228056750

2013-06-09 14:09:23 (4 comments, 7 reshares, 22 +1s)

2013-06-09 13:21:05 (1 comments, 1 reshares, 28 +1s)

I did not wake up in Mount Taranaki, New Zealand.

#ididnotwakeupin via: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nigelt46/5230010373

2013-06-08 16:53:48 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

I wonder how many people will get this reference in my upcoming SMX Advanced presentation.

#smxadvanced  

2013-06-08 15:17:23 (1 comments, 3 reshares, 6 +1s)

How Deep Should You Dig?

The more investment a web analyst makes in a project or a general optimization, the smaller the benefit over time. A quick optimization change is often the beginning of a project; leading to more continuous improvement or conversion increases which are only achievable with significantly higher costs. This law of diminishing marginal utility is universal enough to be frequently observed in practice with users!

This is incredibly important as more and more marketers embrace data analysis. There's a point where you need to pull the plug and move on to other projects. Getting to 80% can be rather quick, the remaining 20% can take forever and may not yield adequate gains for the effort.

#analytics  

2013-06-08 15:02:45 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 4 +1s)

Vine Passes Instagram in Total Twitter Shares

According to Topsy Analytics, there were about 2.37 million links to vine.co shared on Twitter over a 24-hour period as of about 11:30 pm PT Friday night. That’s well ahead of the 2.14 million links to instagram.com that Topsy counted in the same 24 hours.

The question for me is whether we're simply seeing two different companies in different stages of the hype cycle. I'm a believer in Vine but I wonder how much 'shiny new toy' activity is taking place.

#social   #vine  

2013-06-08 14:58:20 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Amazon Appears in 17% of Consumer Electronics Purchases

In digital retail, it is becoming Amazon and everyone else.  Amazon has joined Google as the two mostimportant digital properties in consumer purchase behavior. In digital pathways leading to a purchase, Amazon.com appears 17% of the time. In comparison, every other retail site combined showed up in 34%, meaning that when consumers go to retailers, one out of every three goes to Amazon.

This isn't surprising really but is a very important reminder as to Amazon's importance and why they're a very real competitor to Google for a lucrative query space.

#amazon   #search   #ecommerce  

2013-06-08 14:52:07 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 3 +1s)

Conversion Rates of Duplicate Leads Above-Average

Finally, timing may also be a factor in duplicate lead conversion rates: the data demonstrated that the longer the time period between the lead’s origin and its being flagged as a potential duplicate, the higher the conversion rate relative to the average. Generally, duplicates generated more than 6 months apart had the highest relative conversion rates. The researchers suggest that this could be because during that time span, the prospect’s situation may have changed to the point that they are ready to convert.

Well, they finally got around to the right conclusion. A long sales cycle will create duplicate leads over a span of time. 

#cro  

2013-06-08 14:47:04 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

Google Passing More iOS Referrers (for Paid Search)

If the percentage of missing referrers had dropped for organic searches at the rates observed for paid searches, we would expect iOS share of organic to increase by roughly 3-6%.  That would still trail its share of all site and direct visits — 40% of iOS 6 referrers are still not passed for paid — but it would be a much more accurate view of organic search traffic in our analytics packages.

Since we have not seen any real movement in organic traffic share, it should be safe to assume that secure organic searches from iOS 6 devices are not passing referrers at rates similar to what we have seen all along, despite what may be happening on the paid side.

I really wish we could get some consistency in these numbers and percentages. If this type of obfuscation and data integrity wobble continues we're likely tosee ... more »