In a May 13 blog post, Google’s Matt Cutts posted a video on what web developers should expect in the next few months in terms of updates to the way Google ranks sites.  A lot of these changes will have an impact on webmasters and the SEO community.

Some of the changes are a continuation of updates (Penguin, Panda) and others focus on specific issues that Google is working to address.

The highlights of Cutt’s comments appear below.

“We’re relatively close to deploying the next generation of Penguin”

Cutts confirms that an update of Penguin is coming, and explains that Penguin’s focus is on trying to identify and address blackhat webspam. Penguin 2.0, as the Google team identifies it, is expected to go deeper and be more comprehensive than the previous iteration.

“We’ve also been looking at advertorials”

Google will be looking more closely at advertorials. When it comes to sites that take money, link to websites, and pass PageRank, Google will be looking at ways to be stronger on enforcement with advertorials that violate quality guidelines. There should be clear disclosure so that users realize that something is paid and not organic.

Going to “areas that have traditionally been a little more spammy”

Responding to feedback from users with complaints about certain search results,  Google will also be focusing on some types of queries that tend to produce a lot of spam. Without getting into much detail, Cutts explains they have two different changes that will attempt to manage those types of queries in different ways.

“We’re working on a completely different system that does more sophisticated link analysis”

Google will employ new strategies for dealing with all types of link spam. According to Cutts, Google is looking at ways to go “upstream” to deny value to link spammers. Google will be rolling out several new ideas for achieving this in the coming months, and also working on evaluating data for a more sophisticated link analysis system in the future.

“We will also continue to work on hacked sites”

Google intends to do a better job of detecting hacked sites. In the coming months, they plan to launch a site detection strategy  that is more comprehensive. Along with this, Google will work to provide better support and communication with webmasters. The goal is to provide more comprehensive informational resources in Webmaster Tools, to help webmasters clean up hacked sites.

“We’re doing a better job of detecting when someone is more of an authority”

Cutts says that Google will help regular webmasters by doing a better job of detecting when a site is more of an authority on a specific subject. If the algorithms determine that website content is more authoritative, it will be deemed more appropriate and rank more highly.

“We’ve also been looking at Panda”

Google has also been working to refine Panda, looking for additional signals that will soften the impact on “border zone” websites that fall into a more gray area. Cutts says they will be looking for quality indicators that will, to some degree, help sites that have previously been affected  by Panda.

Less likely to see a “cluster of several results all from one domain”

In response to complaints about too many results from the same domain on some queries, Google has worked to push these clusters of result further down. Cutts explains that they are also looking at developing a change that would mean once a user has seen a particular cluster of results from one site, they will probably not see additional results from that site.

In summary, Cutts says that Google will roll out these enhancements and continue working to provide more information to webmasters. Throughout his message, he emphasizes that plans are always in flux and subject to change. He assures webmasters that, “as long as you’re working hard for users, we’re working hard to show your high quality content to users.”

The beginning of a new year finds most everyone in a mindset of what they can do to improve. Let this attitude permeate your thoughts on website strategy for 2013. In the days before online marketing, a business might publish a yearly catalog and not give much further thought to it until the next edition. Your website is dynamic, so you have the benefit of being able to make continuous improvements! If you have been stuck in a static mentality regarding your website, make a resolution to keep it fresh and interesting.

Fix Technical Problems

Things like broken links, typos, and poor images are easy to fix, but also easy to put on the back burner. While these small issues might not seem like a big deal, they convey a negative image of your business. It is well worth the time it takes to review each page of the website for glitches and get everything fixed.

Fill in the Gaps

If you have any areas of your website that lack content because you have not had time to get to it, now is the time to do so. Visitors are not likely to “check back later” to see if you have filled in those spots so make sure your information is available while you have their attention.

Update Your Company History

Does your company history still describe the same “ten years of experience” that it did ten years ago? Are you still using a concept drawing for your facility image years after its opening? Be sure to update your company data and images to convey the most up-to-date information and to put forth the best impression.

Review Your Message

Take a look at your website from the perspective of someone who is unfamiliar with your business. Make sure it clearly and concisely describes all of your products and services. Your message should also include what distinguishes you from your competition and tell prospective customers what you have to offer them.

Evaluate Website Usability

How easy is it for a new user to navigate your website and find what they need? As new pages and information are added over time, it is easy for a website to become disorganized and confusing. Your website should have a logical flow that leads prospects clearly through your site to the action you wish them to take.

Add New Content

The best way to get your website noticed not only by prospective customers but also by search engines is to regularly add new, useful content to your site. Consider adding a Frequently Asked Questions section or more in depth product information. If you have a blog, post regularly about topics that will be of interest to your customers.

Make a Plan

Your website New Year’s resolutions should not only consist of a review in January, but developing a schedule for tweaks and updates throughout the year. Remember, if you need any assistance in any of these areas, the Upright Team is ready and available to help you make this year your best year ever for effective website lead conversion!

As Dorothy discovered when searching for her heart’s desire, she did not have to look any further than her own backyard. This concept seems to be proving equally true for consumer search and online marketing. In order to find your future customers, you need to understand where they are looking for you.  As consumers are increasingly focused on convenience and efficiency, local search methods are being more widely used.

Search Engine Watch reports that U.S. mobile local advertising revenues are projected to grow substantially over the next five years. The article points to three main highlights:

• U.S. mobile local advertising will grow from $664 million in 2011 to $5.8 billion in 2016, a CAGR of 54.2 percent.
• This represents a 41 percent share of 2011 overall U.S mobile advertising ($1.6 billion) growing to 58 percent of 2016 mobile advertising ($9.9B).
• Search is the largest mobile local revenue component and will remain so through the forecast period. It will grow at a 52 percent CAGR, from $390 million to $3.2 billion.

Small businesses can get a jump on this trend right now by establishing a solid local search presence. A great way to start is to make sure you a have a Google+ page for your business. This will improve your Google search rankings in two ways. First, Google recognizes when local results are most relevant for searches and shows Google+ local business pages near the top of the results. Second, for Google+ searches, businesses that have a Google+ local business page will have far less competition and distraction.

To get the most from your Google+ page, you will want to include as much engaging information as possible. Enticing photos, as well as business details, and positive reviews will all make your page more effective. While gathering information about your business make take some time, building good reviews will probably also take a little more effort. We’ll have more on this in an upcoming blog post.

Considering whether not you have the time to invest in building an online local presence with a Google+ local business page? Remember that when it comes to finding loyal customers, there’s no place like home.

Upright Communications is pleased to welcome two new interns to our team – Michael Hostiuck and Jacob Meyer.

Michael Hostiuck earned an Associate Degree in Applied Science from University of Cincinnati, where his studies in the Electronic Media Communications department focused on web development and graphic design. His professional work has included freelance web development as well as experience as a computer technician and diagnostic expert.

In working with Upright, Michael looks forward to gaining further insight into the web development industry. So far, he has found it interesting to learn the full scope of what Upright has to offer clients as an SEO partner. Michael says he has been impressed with the unique and efficient production process at Upright, and enjoys having the opportunity to focus on honing his skills in WordPress development as well as other CMS systems.

When not at work on web development, Michael enjoys reading. His favorite book series is the Foundation Novels by Isaac Asimov. Michael appreciates the ability Asimov had to predict many technological advances that eventually came to fruition, and says the author has greatly inspired his own creativity.

Jacob Meyer is currently working on a degree from Cincinnati State and plans to pursue a career in marketing. He brings to Upright a wide range of experience garnered not only from his education, but an interesting variety of jobs. In addition to providing work experience, Jacob’s jobs financed a backpacking trip throughout Western Europe, which he says was extremely rewarding, both intellectually and emotionally.

As a member of the Upright Team, Jacob hopes to gain hands-on experience in web-based marketing. He sees the internet as a very powerful and quickly growing marketing tool, and believes his success in the marketing field will be greatly enhanced by a working knowledge of web marketing strategies. So far in working with Upright, Jacob has enjoyed being involved with and learning from both a broad spectrum of clients and a wide variety of project tasks.

In his free time, Jacob enjoys science fiction, in particular the X-Files series and the Twilight Zone series. He likes the fusion of sci-fi with crime and mystery themes, and especially appreciates episodes that involve the time-space continuum and quantum physics, two of his favorite science topics.

Michael and Jacob have been making great contributions to the Upright team so far. We look forward to continued growth within our team as we work to provide the best services for our clients.

As the biggest name in online search, Google answers more than one billion queries every day. In order to maintain their powerhouse reputation, Google is continuously tweaking their methodology, which allows them to offer the best possible search results for users while presumably keeping webmasters from “gaming the system” to gain better rankings. Website owners and SEO experts are constantly kept on their collective toes, trying to keep up with the on-going developments in order to achieve the highly coveted first page Google ranking. There are two primary ways through which Google impacts the ranking of a website – manual actions and algorithmic updates.

Not another Panda update!

Manual actions include instances in which a website is reviewed by a person on the Google Team and assessed a ranking penalty for using practices that are not in keeping with Google guidelines for SEO. Manual actions may or may not be the result of a specific complaint against the site. According to Matt Cutts, head of Google’s spam team, Google now provides notification for all nearly all manual actions.  If a manual action is taken against a website, the webmaster can request Google reconsideration. With manual actions, the Google team can typically respond a little faster, since they can see what problem led to the action. The impact of algorithmic updates may be harder to pinpoint.

Algorithmic updates occur as the result of changes automatically made to Google’s search algorithms. Google describes their algorithms as relying on more than 200 unique signals. Some of the signals you might anticipate include how frequently the search terms occur on the web page, if the terms are used in the title, and whether synonyms of the search terms are used on the page. Others are not as easy to predict.

The recent series of algorithmic actions known as Panda is getting a lot of attention these days. These updates are aimed at helping users find higher quality websites, while giving webmasters who have worked hard to create a quality site the opportunity to rank better.  Unfortunately sometimes sites are unjustly penalized, either by mistake or through an unintended misstep, causing webmasters a multitude of headaches. With over 30 Google algorithmic changes this year alone, if a webmaster does notice substantially lower rankings, it may be difficult to discern which, if any, update might have caused the drop.

Engaging in ethical SEO strategies such as building quality links and good original content should keep your website from being suspect and vulnerable to scrutiny. If you are concerned about Google actions that may affect your website, there are a few places you can go to for guidance.

• Looking for information on the best way to keep your site in good standing? Google provides extensive webmaster guidelines to assist developers in creating websites and content that should fare well under scrutiny – whether by person or Panda.
• Would you like to check your site’s health for potential issues with Google?  Visit Google’s Webmaster Tools page to register your website and get helpful guidance.
• Wondering just how many Panda slaps there have been? SEO MOZ has a good comprehensive timeline review of Google algorithm change history, including all of the Panda updates.

Keeping up with the constant changes in the world of SEO is complicated and time consuming. Like many other website owners, you may have another full time job, with a host of its own complications that command your attention. Contact the knowledgeable and experienced Upright Team – we are ready to assist you with your SEO program and give you one less thing to worry about.

Developed for the non-marketing professional who wants to promote a small business, the free Yahoo! Marketing Dashboard provides a means for the monitoring and analysis of online marketing efforts.

Yahoo! Marketing Dashboard allows users to:

• Monitor business listings on search engines and directories
• Follow what customers are saying online and manage business reputation
• Track website visits and analyze traffic sources
• Evaluate online marketing campaigns
• Discover new business opportunities.

Local Splash Blog reports that recent updates have been made to the Yahoo! Local Account Marketing Dashboard. The changes include a new layout, which allows direct linking with Facebook and Twitter. A merging of the “edit” and “sign up” buttons now allows users to edit listings through both options.

Other changes include the ability to upload logos when resubmitting, rather than only during the initial submission, and the requirement that Yahoo! Local listings must be verified. A new option allows users to preview the listing in search results, before it is published.

For more on the Yahoo! Local Account Marketing Dashboard, see the Local Splash Blog article.

At the end of April, Google released a new algorithm update designed to improve search results for users by targeting what Google considers to be “webspam.” The “Penguin Update”, as it is known, follows the “Panda” series of algorithm updates, which focused on penalizing low quality sites with poor content.

Targeting webspam is not a new thing for Google. As Matt Cutts explains in his Webmaster Central Blog post on the subject, this latest update is about improving their approach:

“We’ve always targeted webspam in our rankings, and this algorithm represents another improvement in our efforts to reduce webspam and promote high quality content. While we can’t divulge specific signals because we don’t want to give people a way to game our search results and worsen the experience for users, our advice for webmasters is to focus on creating high quality sites that create a good user experience and employ white hat SEO methods instead of engaging in aggressive webspam tactics.”

With the aftershocks of “panda slaps” fresh in memory, webmasters may be worried about “penguin pecks” and want to steer clear of offending practices. Some examples of webspam tactics include:

• Link schemes – cross-linking for the sake of improving rank, disregarding the quality of the links, the sources, and the long-term impact it will have on their sites
• Keyword stuffing – filling a webpage with keywords in an unnatural or hidden manner for the sole purpose of manipulating rankings
• Cloaking – presenting users and search engines with a different webpage or content
• “Sneaky” JavaScript redirects – using JavaScript to deceive search engines
• Doorway pages – poor quality pages optimized for specific keywords
• Duplicate content – substantive text blocks across or within domains that totally match or are significantly similar

When optimizing a website, the key is to first focus on creating a quality site rather than on ranking tricks. For example, while keyword stuffing is bad, writing useful, quality content that allows for the frequent use of keywords will add actual value to the webpage. And while link building schemes are verboten, it is still possible to build links without offending Google. In a recent Search Engine Land Local Search column, Andrew Shotland, explains that directory submissions are great way to build links, if attention is paid to four important factors:

• Quality – only use high quality local, vertical and niche directories
• Relevance – make sure the directories you link with are relevant
• Diversity – use a variety of deep links with varying keyword rich descriptions
• Timing – rather than using an automated tool, submit links over time

Whether Panda or Penguin, as the algorithm updates roll out, Google acknowledges there is always the potential for wrongful penalization. In this case, webmasters can request Google reconsideration of a website that has been unjustly slapped or pecked.

You’re a busy businessperson.  You don’t have time to read commentary and speculation on the future of Google+.  You just want to know how to create a solid Google+ Page for your business.  Because it gives your business vital, local visibility.  And you’re smart like that.

STEP 1: Check whether your business already has a Google+ Page.
To do so, visit http://maps.google.com and search “your business name” + “city, state”.  What do you find?

• If you find a result for your business location(s), you have a Google+ Page.  Click on your business name in each legitimate result, and then click “more info” in the map at right, to review your current Google+ Page(s).  Go beyond — scroll to the bottom-right of your Google+ Page to find a “Manage this page” button.  Click this button and follow all prompts until the Page is under your control and your Page is fully complete with your contact information, website URL, hours, service offering, photos and more.  AND THEN YOU CAN STOP READING THIS POST AND GET BACK TO WORK! 

• If you do NOT find a result for your business, you do not have a Google+ Page. Click “Sign In” in the upper right corner to log into your Google account.  After logging into your Google account, follow any prompts until your personal account has been upgraded to Google+.  Don’t have a Google account, click here to create a Google account.

STEP 2: You now have a Google+ personal profile.  Now you need a Google+ Page.  Ensure you are still logged in to your Google account. Then click here to create a Google+ Page. Follow all prompts until your new Page is fully complete with your contact information, website URL, hours, service offering, photos and more. If any verification steps are required, follow them so your Page remains under your control forever.  AND THEN YOU CAN STOP READING THIS POST AND GET BACK TO WORK!
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This post was simplified for the crazy-busy business owner.  If you have questions, post them in our Comments below and we will do our best to help.  Best of luck with Google+!

PS from Google Headquarters:
If you are a business owner, you should continue to manage your information in Google Places for Business. You’ll still be able to verify your basic listing data, make updates, and respond to reviews. If you don’t yet have a Google+ Page for your business, we encourage you to create one now. And if you do already have one, hold tight for news on how to get it linked to your local listing.

Napster founder Sean Parker launched an ambitious new social video platform in New York City on Tuesday.  Connected through Facebook, Airtime allows you to video-chat with strangers around the world with your same interests.  The official launch event featured demo video chats between celebrities Snoop Dogg, Jim Carrey, Ed Helms, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Joel McHale, Alicia Keys, and Olivia Munn.

Watch the promo video on Youtube.

A little piece of trivia as you watch the promotional video — Upright’s own Eric Frye was a friend of the production and can be spotted in a split-second cameo at 1:24.  Screen capture below!

Forbes’s Anthony Wing Kosner is enthusiastic about Airtime’s future success.  “The excitement of meeting new people with whom you have no ‘friends’ in common, only interests, geography or kinks, are probably enough (to propel the product).”

Try Airtime for yourself, here!

UPDATE: MAY 30, 2012

Google announced in July 2011 that there would be one day be Google+ business profiles.  We didn’t know they’d look like THIS…

We here at Upright have been spending our after-hours tonight scouring through the new features of Google+ pages.  In our conversation we’re focused on the entirely new system of reviewing businesses on Google, using a 0-3 numerical scale.

When Google drop bombshells like this, we get to headscratching and re-strategizing!

Starting now, this blog will feature a series of helpful posts teaching business owners about the new Google+ pages, including:

• how to create a Google+ page
• how to make your Google+ page earn new business for your company
• how to instruct customers to leave feedback on Google+

In the meantime, search for your own business in Google, ie. “Upright Communications Cincinnati OH”.  If you find a link to a Google+ page, click it to explore how your business is now marketed locally on Google.

Stay tuned!