'Metrics'

Choosing an Internet browser (the program you use to access the Internet) may seem like a non-decision.  Historically, many people have simply used the Internet browser that ‘comes on their machine.’  They assume all browsers are the same.  However, with each new version released, browsers like Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari are differentiating their features.  [...]

Remember when Google announced that your page’s meta description was no longer used in their search algorithms? Google hasn’t completely changed decision to discount meta descriptions as a ranking factor; however, meta descriptions CAN affect your personalized search results. This change reflects just another Google algorithm update. Last year alone, Google changed their algorithms over [...]

In November ‘09, Allison Kulage presented the topic “Is Your SEO in Balance?” for Cincinnati (Ohio) technology community network, The Circuit.  Impressed by her expert knowledge and enthusiasm, The Circuit released a subsequent interview with Allison for their January newsletter.
In the interview, Allison educates readers on:

why visitor behavior is #1
the “three-legged stool” of SEO success
diversifying [...]

Boo!  Below is actual data of Halloween-related terms Googled worldwide in October, 2009.  Look like a random list of countries to you?

It’s actually not random at all.  (The blue bars show popularity ratio.)  I ran this Google report after watching the History Channel special “The Haunted History of Halloween.”  Below, you’ll see how search engine [...]

You’ve seen recent TV ads for Dos Equis Mexican beer, right?  Featuring fictional brand icon “The Most Interesting Man in the World” (pictured below) who doesn’t always drink beer, “But when I do, I prefer Dos Equis.”  Yep, those commercials.  This ambitious advertising campaign is now a multi-platform smash, and we have a lot to [...]

I didn’t grow up here in Los Angeles, so I’m still trying new restaurants around town.  It’ll take me a long time, eh?  To cut losses, I count on sites like Yelp.com and Chow.com to read Testimonials by people who have already eaten what I’m sniffin’.  Crucial restaurant questions are answered: how long was the [...]

1,000,000 visitors are useless…if none becomes a sales lead.
So Upright designs sites for easy navigation, integrating keywords logically to provide the solution to each visitor.  We analyze visitor behaviors monthly to uncover areas of statistical difficulty.  And as weak spots are suspected, we utilize Google Website Optimizer and live usability tests.  (Notably, we code and [...]

A few months ago, I wrote a nice little article called “Don’t Sweat the Rankings So Much. Metrics is the Answer” where I offered a bit of advice to stop worrying so much about where you rank and start focusing more on metrics.  I predicted that in the next year or two, to be prepared [...]

The number one New Year’s Resolution for many business-to-business companies is to generate more qualified leads for their sales teams. I’d like to add a second part to that resolution: follow-up fast with the leads that you receive.
There was a great post recently on Bryan Eisenberg’s blog, GrokDotCom, which detailed the poor state of [...]

It is a common practice of SEO companies to report on a client’s search engine rankings. For the most part, this has been an effective way to measure success. But what does a #1 ranking really guarantee? It doesn’t always guarantee traffic or sales. If you rank well for a keyword that no one is [...]