Real Time Twitter Posts Do Positively Affect SEO

So is there actually evidence that search engines are picking up on real time social marketing postings? There is now -- and I have the proof!

Since the unveiling of Twitter's own search engine we saw that it is possible to view real time postings in a searchable format. Here's how it works. I tweeted a post that read as follows:  
Busy adding new members to New Jersey LawSite -- New Jersey's premiere directory for NJ lawyers since 1996. http://www.njlawsite.com 

I then went to Twitter Search and searched for keywords 'new jersey lawyers'. See the screen capture below for my results.

OK, so there's my concrete, iron-clad proof that yes, we can view real time postings in a searchable format. You can see that my Twitter post came up as # 1 posted 3 minutes ago. But here's where it gets interesting. Back in May of this year, MicroSoft's Bing search engine partnered with Twitter and launched its beta version of an actual real time search at a bonafide Search Engine! Remember my post in Twitter? Well here were its results at Bing/Twitter Search:

Again, my Twitter post is at the top of the page. Can it possibly get any better? You bet. The Bing/Twitter Search also has a link at the top left reading "ALL RESULTS". Hit that and it takes you to Bing's regular search results and, you guessed it, New Jersey LawSite has a top ten position there. Double the bang for my buck? No -- double the bang for my no-bucks -- sweet!

So did Google miss the boat on this one? Let's not underestimate the reigning king of Search Engines. Mere hours after Microsoft made its Bing announcement, Google annouced that it too will include Twittter updates in its own search results. Read Google's VP of Search Products and User Experience company blog post. Ouch Microsoft -- should have made that agreement exclusive.

So what does this mean for you and me? Absolutely nothing. Should you optimize only for Google? Only for Bing? No way. Yes, you heard right. As long as you have organic positions at both of these search engines (which you do if you are an Arizona-SEO client) and are actively posting to your social media accounts, you will continue to ride the crest of good SEO.

I hope that this blog convinces you of the important role that not only SEO plays in your success, but the role of Social Media when integrated into your SEO can make. Please read our past blogs on SEO Basics and Social Media participation to boost SEO efforts. Not an Arizona-SEO client yet? Contact us with any questions or comments. We've been sending our clients to the TOP since 1996 and would love to bring you on board.

How does Web Video help my Search Engine Rankings?

Web video is a great tool to help boost search engine rankings. And you also get the benefit of video searchers viewing your video and having the ability to then link to your site! Here's how it works.

The above is a page at YouTube I arrived at after typing in 'new jersey criminal lawyers' and then clicking on David Schwartz' listing (which by the way came up as # 1, 2 and 7!) As you can see, his video immediately starts playing for the user to listen to. What also happens is that in the right column there is a small bio which contains a link to Schwartz & Posnock's website. We all know how Google loves incoming links so you have provided users with a chance to view this informative video as well as make Google happy with yet another incoming link to your site. Its a win-win any way you look at it. To make things even a little sweeter, their video shows up in the right column under 'Related Videos'. To view how this works in real time, just click here.

Need help implementing a professional video to appear at your site as well as at the video search engines? Just contact us -- we've been  sending New Jersey Lawyers to the TOP since 1996.

Google Makes Official Meta Tag Statement

It's official -- Matt Cutts (Head of the webspam team at Google) recently blogged and posted a video snipet that Google does NOT consider 'Keyword MetaTags' when ranking sites. That said ..... before you go deleting all of your keyword Metas or mistakenly believe that they are no longer needed in SEO, HOLD YOUR HORSES! Yes, Matt clearly states that Google does not use the 'keyword metas'; however he also clearly states they DO use 'description metas', and for some reason, does not address the 'title tag'. How should we react to this startling revelation? By NOT reacting at all. Consider the following.

1. Most all of my SEO clients have great Google search engine positions for their focus of law.

2. We pay great attention to all of our (your) Meta Tags -- Title, Description & Keyword.

So what gives? I've said it a million times, but at the risk of repeating myself I'll say it again :) A solid SEO strategy like ours does not rely on one component, but a compilation of components that we've proven have successful results. By eliminating your keyword meta tag, you will eliminate a major component of your total strategy and probably do major damage to your rankings at other engines such as MSN/Yahoo/Bing. Who's to say that in a year or 2 (which is the estimated time that this merger is expected to be in full swing) Bing won't be the new Google? Then you'll be sunk! At AJIS we will continue using our proven multi-faceted SEO method that has sent our clients to the TOP of the engines.

Here's a perfect model case to prove my point. I just checked my Traffic Analyzer for a site I own and administer, New Jersey LawSite. Google has sent that site close to 1,000 visitors so far today making them my top search engine in sending visitors. No surprise there -- its always in the Top 5. The next highest engine that sent us traffic was -- you guessed it -- Bing. So on down the line as follows: Yahoo, AOL, Search, Ask. So without the 'Keyword MetaTag' at New Jersey LawSite, we may have robbed ourselves of at least another 500 or so visitors sent from those combined engines. Pretty significant, wouldn't you say?

So in closing -- a simple plea from little ole me. PLEASE do not mess with anything at your site that may affect the success you are now enjoying at ALL of the engines, including Google. Your success is ours!

Don't Forget -- Basic SEO is ALWAYS First

OK, so lately I've been spending a lot of time getting everyone on board with social media. Its an important strategy that needs to be added to your SEO plan. But just in case I haven't made this perfectly clear, let me say it again, Basic SEO should ALWAYS come first.

The whole point of social media as part of SEO is to please the search engines by directing lots of fresh links to your site. BUT, if the search engines don't like your site in the first place, using social media alone will be a real uphill battle -- one that will often be lost. See our past post on Basic SEO 101 to make sure you've got the essentials down. Once your site is established and the search engines are paying attention to it, social media will only enhance that relationship. Think of it as eHarmony for your site and the search engines :)

Need help with your online SEO and social media marketing? Just drop us an email -- its what we've successfully been doing since 1996!

I Never Thought I'd Say This, But Start 'Tweeting'

OK, so we've covered all of the SEO Basics -- my tried and true standards, video, blogging and now, can it be . . .Twitter! I never thought I'd say it to my clients -- thinking they had too much on their plates to tweet -- but I'm now a believer. How can an outlet of such gargantuan proportions not be tapped? Last night while I was working on my laptop from the couch, my teenage daughter was watching the VMAs. I had the misfortune of watching Kanye perform one of his usual acts of rudeness and at the end of the show the commentator relayed that the incident received over a million tweets -- we're talking real time! This followed the bug that Jay Fleischman already put in my ear after reading his 'Legal Marketing Brief' on the importance of twittering. OK, enough on how a seasoned SEO Marketer is telling her most conservative clientele group to tweet. Now let's get down to the 'how to'.

Actually, this one is as EZ as 1, 2, 3.
1. go to twitter.com
2. Sign Up
3. Start tweeting

A few things to remember. Think of tweeting as just that -- short quips, nothing longer than 140 characters per tweet allowed. Get your friends and colleagues to 'follow' you by 'following' them. Be cautious and don't over-promote yourself -- make 20% about you and 80% about those you talk to.

Interested in sending your site to the TOP of the search engines with organic positions? Contact me asap -- Search Engine Optimization is what I've been doing since 1996!

Blogging Platforms

OK, you're ready to roll with social media to help your SEO efforts. Which blogger should you use? The 2 most user friendly ones out there also happen to be FREE -- WordPress, http://www.wordpress.com and Google's Blogspot, http://www.blogger.com
After you sign up, choose a name and select a Template, you are immediately ready to start blogging.

As discussed previously, use caution and stay away from posting stale information or lengthy Statutes, they have no place at your blog. You are the expert in your chosen field and you will gain a following if you blog about timely issues in that field. Are you a Realtor in Phoenix? Offer up your comments on a recent News article about the recession and how its adversely affecting Phoenix and what you can do about it. Or maybe you're in Family Law. I'm sure the economy must be having an effect on the divorce rate. If so, blog about it. The possibilities are endless.

OK, that takes care of getting you started with blogging. Monday we'll cover LinkedIn and Twitter....

Social Media -- SEO's New Best Friend

Aah, social media. Love it or hate it -- ya gotta embrace it if you want to keep your SEO alive. The engines have always loved fresh content and incoming links. With social media you can have both!

First, make sure all of your social media accounts link out to your site, preferably using keywords as anchor links -- remember those tried and true SEO basics now. Amass as many friends or groups as possible to keep movement going.

Second, and most important, make sure you blog or tweet on a continuous basis! Just setting up a Blog that links to your site is not enough . Let's remember the purpose of true blogging. That being, you are an established expert in your field and the internet community wants to know what you have to say. Say something of value every day if you can, but at least once a week. Be sure to keep it timely -- no one is interested in reading an old recycled case or Statute posted on a blog -- it just doesn't belong there.

Following these 2 very simple rules will do wonders for your SEO. Need help getting set up? Just email me -- its what I do! So where should you blog? We'll talk about that tomorrow...

The All Important role of Web Video

First we'll address the importance of video to your SEO web plan. If a picture says a thousand words, a video running at the homepage of your website speaks volumes. So not only will video serve your website by letting users catch a glimpse of you and get to know your business goals, but it also gives you the opportunity to have it play at Youtube, Google Video Search, etc. and link back to your site. Take a look at Lee Perlman's site -- now he knows what he's doing!

No doubt about it, web video is a major player in the game of SEO web marketing. And, it looks really cool too!

Monday I'll address social media and its importance to your online success. We'll talk then ...

So What Follows The Basics?

OK, now we have the tried and true Basics down, lets continue.

Now comes the part where we must stay abreast of what's happening all around us on the internet. Easy -- its social media, including video. On a daily, hourly, or in some instances minutely (if that's even a word!) basis we tell our wide network of friends whats new in our lives. I can even watch my niece's school talent show performance on YouTube from her school stage across the Country.

So what does all of this have to do with your web marketing? Everything if you're a search engine. The engines love seeing fresh newly updated content and as discussed earlier, they love incoming links. Social media provides us with just that. OK, your law firm does not belong on Twitter tweeting about your every move (or does it?), but it certainly does belong in YouTube and the like, LinkedIn, and blogging. All of this social media, of course, contains links back to your website forcing the search engines to stand up and take note of you. Here's an example:
Check out Schwartz & Posnock's video. I have their video up on YouTube (BTW, they come up first and second there when you pop in keywords, 'New Jersey Criminal Lawyers') and also at their firm website. To the right of the YouTube video there is a short blurb about the firm with a link to their website. See how this works?

Over the next few blogs I'll address the importance of each of the above 3 medium and how you need to embrace them for your online success. We'll talk then...

SEO Web Marketing 101

There are some basic rules -- the tried and true ones I've been using since 1996 -- that to this day still apply. They are:

1. Lots of good relevant content at your site;
2. Meta Tags (Title, Description, Keyword);
3. Incoming links from high ranking relevant sites;
4. Keeping the site fresh by updating often.

Yes, very basic but these should be the backbone of your site.
#1 is relatively easy. Look at other sites for ideas if you get stumped.
#2 requires knowledge of a little HTML for the Tags, but your webmaster or SEO person should be able to help you.
#3 is always the toughest. Finding a high ranking site that is relevant to your site is not always going to want to link out to you. New Jersey LawSite is a perfect example of a high ranking, site that New Jersey Lawyers would want to link to them.
#4 sounds extremely simple but does require some work on your part since you'll have to provide your webmaster with fresh relative content every so often. Good things do not come to the lazy, but to those who have passion for what they do.
Let's talk more tomorrow.

Arizona SEO Web Marketing

Hello Arizona and welcome to a place where you can finally find answers to all of your web marketing questions and concerns. We've been designing webs and promoting sites via SEO for our clients for some 13 years now. With so much happening on the SEO scene, including the recent Google Shake Up, I've decided to finally start blogging on the subject. Be sure to check back for my daily postings on these and other matters. But first, do yourself a marketing favor and visit our site for details on me and my SEO business.