Matt Cutts (Head of Webspam at Google) offers a video blog on Google developments and we thought it was important to publish his video on our own blog, so SEO Marketeers and web-masters are aware of what to expect in the next few months (as early as May 2013)

The video begins by Matt reinforcing how Google remains constant and uniform in their goals and values for supporting websites with high quality content. He stresses that with all the changes that are developing in Google’s algorithm, websites that use ‘white hat SEO strategies’ with high quality content  - should not be affected. However, for websites that have been using ‘black hat’ strategies, it’s going to be an eventful summer.

So what should you expect?

• The next generation of Penguin 2.0: this will be concentrating on ‘black hat SEO web spam’. For more information on Penguin, please read our blog on Penguin: Will Your Business Be Affected?
• Focus on advertorials: Whilst there is nothing wrong with advertorials and paid for content, they should not have passed on page rank. Google will also have stronger enforcement, particularly on businesses who are not using clear disclosures.
• Mr Cutts also mentions that they are trialling different systems for link analysis, along with other new technology for hacked site detection
• Updating Panda to help find additional signals to help websites that were originally seen as a “grey area” sites

Please find the full video below

For more information on what to expect from Google and how this will affect your SEO, feel free to contact the Digital Clarity team on +44 (0)845 388 4071 or email info@digital-clarity.com

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As the threat of another Penguin update grows, it’s imperative for businesses to analyse their link profile and realign their SEO strategies with Google’s terms of service.

What has happened already?

There have been a number of Google Penguin updates over the past 12 months which focus on the quality of inbound links, and essentially penalises businesses that have been manipulating Google’s algorithm to improve their organic search rankings.

Google don’t seem to be afraid of what impact their updates will have, whether they penalise small businesses or high profile websites such as Interflora.

So what areas of your strategy should you be evaluating?

Link Graphs

Something important to remember – Google doesn’t mind link graphs; it just doesn’t like bad link graphs or “bad neighbourhoods”. Whilst some websites use link graphs legitimately as effective architecture between their pages on sub-domains, some businesses create artificial link graphs to manipulate Google’s algorithm by creating artificial domain authority and other trust metrics.

Google have the capabilities to effectively identify these “bad neighbourhoods”, so expect to see more and more cases of devalued sites – as quickly as overnight!

Link Trust

Don’t get confused, there is a difference between trust and quality.

• Link Quality: looks at the quality of that particular link
• Link Trust: concentrates on the trust of other sites or “trustworthy neighbours”

Make sure that you evaluate the your link profile for these 2 areas- higher quality and trust means you are less likely to be affected by Penguin.

Link Velocity

Link velocity makes reference to how quickly links are acquired. We all know that the higher the link velocity, the faster goals and targets are reached, however it would also be fair to say that natural quality acquired links, happen at a steady rate; whereas cheap low quality links are bought in bulk.

Whilst it is important to have a varied link profile on your website with a combination of higher and lower quality links, Google can recognise when sites earn links consistently. For those who have volume peaks of acquired links, Google may see this as a manipulation.

Social Media

We have all noticed how Google+ is being pushed upon us not only as a social media platform, but as a platform to assist SEO. Historically social media ‘shares’ indicated how popular and trustworthy a business is. Moving forward, SEO experts see social media as a good indication of the quality of the website, as well as the business and brand.

Anchor Text

Anchor text is a visible hyperlink – for example Digital Clarity Home Page

It is imperative that if you are using Anchor text you use them an intelligent way. If there are anchor text links from multiple quality sources pointing to a page (with the right keywords) then it is more likely Google will view this favourably.

Conclusions

We know that SEO has evolved, but we predict that link building in general is going to become more of an art and a skill. Google is looking for “natural” links and the only way to build “natural” links is by investing time and effort to research and source them opposed to the traditional (spammy) ways of bulk buying.

For more information on SEO, how it has changed and what you can do, check out some of our latest blogs

• How has SEO changed 
• How to build quality links now SEO has changed 
• 5 reasons why PR is even more important 

Alternatively please feel to call the Digital Clarity team on 0845 388 4071 or email info@digital-clarity.com

Sources
SEOMoz
Search Engine Watch
Search Engine Land

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As technology becomes more advanced and search becomes more sophisticated, user behaviour has become equally more complicated and diverse.

People are searching at different times of the day, from different locations, with different devices and each search has a different objective. Whether one is; looking to buy, looking to research, looking to find a store or just looking to email or call, our search behaviour changes and adapts to our circumstances – so  our search results should change too.

This is where Google Enhanced Campaigns come into play.

Before, if you wanted to segment your advertising messages by variables such as device, time of day and location – then your account structure would have included campaign duplication and extensive campaign management.

For example; if you wanted your strategy to display different bids and ads to customers dependent on; what product they are looking for, what device they are using, whether it is night or day time and where they were located, then your account could be set up this:

• 5 different products = 5 different campaign
• With 3 different devices = 15 different campaigns
• With 2 different times of day = 30 different campaigns
• And 2 different countries = 60 different campaigns

Now, with Enhanced Campaigns, Google allows it’s advertisers to manage and run all these variables within a single campaign, allowing advertisers the chance to manage their accounts in a much smarter, powerful and advanced way.

Smarter Ads

Advertisers can now have ads that change and adapt to variables such as time, location and device. This will enable you to display a different site link, app and ad content dependent on what, where and when your customers are searching.

For example, you may only want “contact us” as a site link during your call centre opening hours, or to show directions to users 1 mile away from your store.

Powerful Marketing Tools

With multiple bid adjustments, advertisers can bid differently for different devices, time of day and locations – all within one campaign! This is done with a ‘%’ system.

For example, if mobile users are more important than desktop users, you may want to bid +50% more for mobile. If your mobile web experience is poor and doesn’t convert, you may not want to bid on mobile, in which case it will be -100% less than desktop.

Advanced Reporting

Advertisers can now track new types of conversions, such as calls, downloads, in store purchases and cross device conversions. Please note that in the UK, additional conversions are only calls and downloads.

• Tracking in store purchases is currently on in the USA and this measures “offline redemption of saved offers from ad extensions”.
• Cross device conversions is a development that is coming soon, which will be able to measure a conversion that started on one device and ended on another.

Next Steps

Firstly, keep an eye out for Enhanced Campaigns in your account and begin to migrate over.

My advice would be to start experimenting with Enhanced Campaigns as soon as possible.

Set a small budget aside on an enhanced campaign and get a feel of its capabilities. For more information on how to successfully migrate your campaigns to enhanced campaigns give the Digital Clarity team a call on 0845 388 4071 or email info@digital-clarity.com

Last few things to remember!

Below are 6 key points that are important to remember when migrating and optimising to enhanced campaigns

1. Finally! Google have introduced individual management and reporting for site links. This will enable advertisers to see which site links are getting clicks and impressions and optimise them accordingly.
2. Tablets and PCs are now considered one device not two separate devices. Google have suggested that users are now using tablets like PCs which means that we should be optimising them the same.
3. Calls can now be measured as conversions, and you can set how long the call needs to be in order for it to be measured as success.
4. There will now be an ad preview pane, so you will be able to see what the ads look like on mobile and PCs.
5. Campaigns will run on all devices, so make sure that you are either not bidding on mobile, or set up mobile specific ads and bids.
6. Mobile bids are NOT at keyword level – for the time being, it seems that these will have to be adjusted at campaign level.
7. Google will be automatically opting everyone into Enhanced Campaigns so make sure you are prepared in plenty of time.

Let me know how you are getting on with Enhanced Campaigns and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

In the meantime – Happy optimising!

The post Google Enhanced Campaigns – What They Are And What They Mean appeared first on Digital Clarity.

On Tuesday 22^nd January, I attended my second show of the year – the Toy Fair 2013

Bad weather didn’t deter visitors as they arrived in their hundreds to an impressive statue in the entrance hall, which immediately set the tone for the whole show.

The Toy Fair 2013 had large press coverage across the country and it was great to see such positive reports.

Samantha Loveday from Toy News explains how the toy industry seems to be “recession resilient”  with only a drop of just one per cent on the year before. Despite the current climate parents are still buying their children birthday and Christmas presents and will continue to do so in the following years.

Gary Grant (Managing Director of The Entertainer) makes a very important point that “internet and retail are merging into one”. As more and more high street shops face the wrath of the current economic climate, it is more and more important to ensure that your telecommunication, high street, exhibition and online offering are integrated and working effectively for your business goals.

For more information on how to integrate your strategies, please read my recent blog 4 Steps on Business Success or call the Digital Clarity team on 0845 388 4071.

The post Toy Fair 2013: Get Online and be Recession Resilient appeared first on Digital Clarity.

First things first, don’t compare Facebook Graph Search to Google, compare it to Google+. Facebook Graph Search is not a web search engine, but rather one that searches its own data with Microsoft Bing technology, to help it’s users to find new or long lost friends.

What does this mean as a Facebook user?

As a Facebook user, Graph Search will allow you to do in-depth search on information posted by friends, as well as public posts made by anyone else using Facebook. With more than “a billion people, 240 billion photos and a trillion connections” (Daily Mail) the Graph Search can pull and display information on four main areas;

1. People: able to search by profession, name etc
2. Photos: capabilities to find photos based on date ranges or locations
3. Places: able to search for cinemas in Bristol or restaurants in Norfolk
4. Interests: this can include anything like movies, TV shows, and brands

Not only will you be able to find long lost friends, but this search tool could act as a new platform for internet dating, potentially putting companies such as Match.com and eHarmony at risk.

At the moment, only a small segment of users have access to this new search, however upon learning of its success, I’m sure Facebook to start to roll this out to all its users.

What does this mean for privacy?

Facebook claims that despite this new technology, they have “built Graph Search from the start with privacy in mind, and it respects the privacy and audience of each piece of content.”

In other words Facebook claim that the information generated from Graph Search is still the same information you can already get. The difference is that with this new search software, you are able to make more in-depth searches and segment data more effectively.

For example, you will be able to search for “friends in London” or “people who are interested in Twilight”. To take it one step further; you can do a combined search like “friends in London that are interested in Twilight” or “Chinese takeaways liked by friends from Nottingham living in Bristol”

So word of warning!!! Make sure you double check your profile on what people can see. If you don’t want photo’s showing up on Graph Search – put your privacy settings on!

What does this mean as a business user?

Well, it can mean a range of things – but all in all, it is a positive change.

1. Reduction of waste: Companies that advertise on Facebook can generate a much more targeted list of potential consumers
2. Increasing Conversion Rates: Advertisers can deliver much more targeted and specific ads, to the right people
3. Quality Recruitment: since the lack of interest in Branch Out (the professional network for Facebook) Graph Search enables recruiters to find suitable candidates with the right experience and lifestyle

How else can Facebook develop?

Facebook continues to grow and expand on ideas to improve usability and advertising revenues, but there are still areas that Graph Search can develop on.

• Search Graph to expand in other languages other than English
• API for app developers
• Search Graph to become ready for mobile users
• A PPC model for search results
• Search results to also include posts and actions from apps

For more information on Facebook Graph Search, or how to effectively use social media for your business marketing campaigns, feel free to call the Digital Clarity team on 0845 388 4071 or email info@digital-clarity.com

The post Facebook Graph Search Explained appeared first on Digital Clarity.

• Branded pages
• Vanity URLs
• Photos
• Social media links
• “Amazon Analytics”

This new services provides companies with three templates to create brand-specific web pages on Amazon.com.

Benefits include;

• Personalised shop front for branding
• Using a “familiar and trusted purchasing environment” to increase sales
• Posting on social media to increase your reach
• Better insights with Amazon Analytics to help drive business objectives

For more information on how to push your business further this Christmas, feel free to call the Digital Clarity team on 0845 388 4071 or email info@digital-clarity.com 

The Amazon logo, Amazon.com and Amazon Analytics are all trademarks of the company, Amazon.com Inc.
Digital Clarity respectfully acknowledge all trademarks. 

The post Are you getting the most from Amazon? – New ‘Amazon Pages’ up for grabs! appeared first on Digital Clarity.

Whilst you can still appear on Google search for free (with organic listings) if you want your products to appear in a dedicated ‘Google Shopping’ area, you are going to have to pay for it.

It has caused such debate, as it is the first time Google has removed a free product, and changed it to a paid one. Could this mean that other free services will soon be paid for?

Google insist that the main reason for the change is to help improve the end user experience, giving companies the continued opportunity to advertise and display their products to the largest possible audience. Sameer Samat, vice president of product management for Google Shopping says;

 “This is about delivering the best answers for people searching for products and helping connect merchants with the right customers”

What does it mean for PPC?

Google shopping is being tested in the US, but when it comes to the UK it could also have a dedicated area at the top right hand side of the page. Whilst this makes Google Shopping more prominent to the end user, it also means that PPC text ads will be pushed below the 1^st page fold. Could it mean that it will be ever more important and more competitive to feature in the top 3 ads?

Another big change is that Product Listings Ads (PLAs) will start to be phased out once Google shopping is in full swing. So I would suggest that you start PLAs to start preparing for the Google shopping hand over.

Google shopping will work pretty much like product listings on AdWords although you won’t need to bid on particular keywords, but rather on a product type. You will also be able to show offers and promotions through Google shopping, feeding straight from your merchant centre.

What does it mean for SEO?

Good News?! Bad News?! Some are predicting that CTR on organic search will start to suffer. If there is a visual picture, with a price and a discount, end users are more likely to click on that product. However some are predicting that it could help organic CTR as it gives the chance for more natural listings to appear above the fold of the page.

What should you expect?

As the paid inclusion version of Google Shopping rolls out, merchants are understandably up in arms as this platform is a necessity for some businesses and Google are now enforcing those ‘free sales’ to become paid for sales. This may force merchants to increase product prices to compensate for increased costs.

On the flip side Google shopping has been pot luck to get your products to appear for many businesses. Trying to optimise product feeds and reviews of products just to get a look in and still seeing no results can be frustrating. For some advertisers the case that there will now be a model to allow advertisers products to appear at all is a positive.

Google says ranking in Google Shopping will be based on “a combination of relevance and bid price”, so you could therefore expect to see higher competition with your PPC ads. As less PPC ads are shown above the fold of the page, competition will be stiff, and more than likely, more expensive.

Next Steps

The new Google Shopping model is currently being tested in the US and it is more than likely going to make its way over to the UK, however if you are in the US, Google are offering credit to those companies interested – so make sure you sign up!

• If you create product listings ads by 15^th August 2012, you can receive an automatic monthly credit of 10% of your product listings ad spend through the end of 2012
• For those people who already have product search, if you fill out this form by the 15^th August, you receive an additional $100 credit to get started with product listings ads
• For more information check out the Google Shopping information page

For more information on any of the points raised or how an integrated approach can help your business grow, feel free to give us a call on +44 (0)845 388 4071 or email info@digital-clarity.com

The post Google Shopping – hints, tips and how it affects your PPC and SEO appeared first on Digital Clarity.

Earlier this year Google released their concept idea for Google Glasses allowing the wearers to view directions, emails and social media updates through the glasses, now Markus Gerke, a designer from Germany, has come up with the brilliant concept idea of having Instagram filters built into the lenses of sunglasses so that wearers can choose view the world though their favourite filter!

The filters can be changed at the push of a button and the ‘Instaglasses’ also have a 5 megapixel camera and Wi-Fi built into them so that wearers can take a picture and upload the photo to the Instagram app straight away.

These glasses have proved a hit in our office, who else wants some?

The post First there was Google Glasses, now there’s ‘Instaglasses’ appeared first on Digital Clarity.

As the dust settles, website owners and consumers alike are beginning to live with the new EU Cookie Law. Initially, it was believed that a website would be required to ask permission from each visitor before creating and storing a cookie on their computer. Cookies are a small file that store pieces of data that can be used to identify a user and react accordingly.

However, up until recently there had been very little guidance from the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) on what was and wasn’t legal, but on the 11th hour the ICO updated its guidelines (as of the 25th May 2012) and introduced a last-minute policy change. This policy change is viewed by many as a watered down version of the original European directive and changes the requirement of ‘requiring consent’ to accepting ‘implied consent’.

The change by the ICO infers that the user or visitor has already given consent and as long as they are alerted to the fact and may opt out of accepting the cookies this would be adhering to the law.

Though not a total shift from the original law it is encouraging to website owners, especially e-Commerce businesses who rely on the information stored in cookies to operate and for all businesses that use analytics or online advertising to collect data on performance of the website and user interaction.

The ICO has published an updated download. A link to the ICO Guidance on Cookies can be found here.

Dave Evans, Group Manager at ICO.

According to the ICO information, the starting steps are:

1. Run a Cookie Audit
2. Review your website’s cookie information
3. Apply relevant changes to your site to comply

If you would like further advice or to discuss a cookie audit, please contact us on 0845 388 4071 or info@digital-clarity.com 

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On May 26th 2011 a new EU originated law came into effect that requires website owners to make significant changes to their sites and may fundamentally change the whole web browsing and shopping experience for everybody.

This Cookie Law is an amended privacy legislation that requires websites to obtain informed consent from visitors before they can store or retrieve any information on a computer or any other web connected device.

As of May 26th 2012 this law will be in full effect in the UK.

Tom Collinson & Reggie James have put togeather an extensive post that explains what the law means, the implications and what steps you can take to ensure compliance for your website.

The EU cookie law: What you need to know

You may have noticed a lot of news recently concerning how personal data is used by large internet publishers such as Google, Apple and Facebook, for either improving service or as a pervasive and targeted tool for advertising.

Recently, Digital Clarity sent a newsletter highlighting the changes with Google’s Privacy Policy. It seems that the desire by the internet giant to simplify and blend some current 60 privacy policies into one is (currently) falling fowl of EU regulators…

View EU Cookie Law Guide on Startups.co.uk

If you have any questions regarding the EU Cookie law, compliance or assistance in carrying out a Cookie audit of your website please get in touch on +44 (0)845 388 4071 or email info@digital-clarity.com.

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