Archive for the 'SEO News' Category

Google Releases SEO Starter Guide

Google Gives SEO AdviceIt’s not often that Google tells website owners and webmasters how to improve their rankings in the search results, so when they do it’s important to listen. A few weeks back, Google released their SEO Starter Guide, which provides valuable information for those looking to improve their website’s performance within Google’s rankings. The guide provides a high level overview of search engine optimization in plain English, and can certainly help anyone understand what’s needed to make their website more accessible to Google.

The Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide covers a variety of topics, including titles and descriptions, URL structure, site navigation, content creation, and much more. The guide is beneficial not only because it’s officially supplied by Google, but also because it’s written for nearly any experience level. Inside there are helpful illustrations and dos and don’ts which help to make it a valuable resource.

For those who want to gain a little more knowledge of SEO, but don’t know where to start, the guide is definitely worth downloading. Continue reading ‘Google Releases SEO Starter Guide’

Search in the Automotive Marketing Mix - OEMs and Dealers Alike are Embracing Search Amid Downturn

Domestic automakers have had very visible weaknesses in recent months. Falling overall auto sales have hit domestic brands especially hard, and as a result budgets are drying up fast. Faced with financial uncertainty, automakers have been forced to cut marketing budgets, while search and interactive media have been utilized to make up for more costly media choices.

General Motors, for example, has already announced widespread cuts to the media budget for 2009. Ford has also cut their budget by about 35 percent. Automakers are also veering away from sponsorships and other alternative forms of marketing, in favor of search marketing, digital video, and other forms of online media.

Search Could Ultimately Be the Solution

While the automakers themselves are dumping more of their budget into online marketing, car dealers would be wise to follow suit. In the midst of economic woes and skeptical consumers, Internet marketing departments should consider allocated marketing dollars to ROI-based marketing such as SEO and SEM.

Search marketing spending in the automotive space has increased dramatically recently, and that trend is only expected to continue. If only a small percentage of a dealer’s marketing is showing a return, it makes no sense to continue to dispose of valuable marketing dollars on methods that simply don’t work. This is especially important to consider when the National Automobile Dealers Association has predicted that hundreds of dealers will be out of business by years’ end due to the economic slowdown.

With new car purchases on the decline, automakers and their dealers are realizing the incredible value of online marketing - specifically search. With fewer new car sales, dealers have to be more flexible, promoting other profit centers such as used cars, parts, and service. Unlike other media, search provides the greatest flexibility in promoting these other profit centers, both in terms of organic and paid search. This flexibility provides not only the means to boost new car sales, but also seamlessly boosts awareness of a car dealer’s other profit centers, which are becoming increasingly important to a dealer’s success.

Opportunities for Car Dealers in the SERPs

Utilizing search to promote profit centers beyond new car inventories is the key to success these days, and there are plenty of dealers that are heading in the right direction. For example, a search for ‘body shop Costa Mesa’ delivers searchers directly to Cost Mesa Lincoln Mercury’s body shop page, without requiring the user to take additional steps from the dealer’s home page.

Likewise, regular vehicle maintenance is another profit center that many dealers are looking to promote these days. Searching for an oil change Reading PA, for example, delivers drivers directly to Savag61 Dodge’s service page on their website, making it easy for those needing maintenance to locate their facilities and/or schedule service.

While new car sales have slowed, used car sales have actually increased for many dealers as buyers are looking to save as much money as possible. This can be seen with a Used Cars Burnsville search which delivers searchers to the pre-owned page of Burnsville Toyota’s website.

With financing becoming a growing concern for dealers, many potential car buyers are eager to get information on financing a car, and determine if they even qualify for a car loan. As such, a search such as ‘Sinking Spring car loan’ is important to Savage KIA, and as such searchers can easily access their finance department straight from the SERPs.

If a dealer offers something that no other dealer offers, there’s also a huge opportunity to capitalize on what sets you apart. Richmond Ford for example offers a huge commercial truck inventory, and performing a search for Commercial Trucks Richmond sends potential commercial truck buyers directly to their specialty page, rather than a page that will simply waste their time.

Automotive Marketing Strategies Reflect Economic Constraints

With the potential for losses high among dealerships these days, taking an integrated approach when it comes to organic SEO and paid SEM can deliver exposure that will compensate for other forms of media that provide high expense and low return. Ideally, OEMs would be wise to take note of the value that search marketing can provide and align their strategy with that of their dealers; however such a move has yet to take place for many automakers. Despite this disconnect, search will continue to grow for dealers for its ability to produce leads and provide extensive local marketing coverage.

The full extent of the credit crunch’s impact on the automotive industry has yet to be seen. Many dealers across the country are expected to go out of business, and as budgets tighten, dealers have many struggles ahead. With loan delinquencies on the rise, and the availability of credit on the decline, dealerships have less room to operate. But with search marketing, the potential to drive customers to money making services aside from the dealer’s new car inventory is high, which is precisely what’s needed to help dealers keep their doors open.

The economy is a top concern for potential car buyers. As a result, traditional advertising that attempts to draw consumers to dealers isn’t enough. Marketing dollars should be allocated to outlets that speak to a driver’s needs and will help satisfy what they want, whether it’s buying a new or used car, a new vehicle accessory, or simply an oil change. Search has the ability to address each of these needs and more.

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Browser War Heats Up With the Google Chrome

Google appears to be heating up the browser war by introducing the company’s own open source Web browser called Chrome. Word of the new browser first spread thanks to an early release of a comic strip that depicted the Chrome and its functionality.

One of the Google Chrome functions is powerful tabbed browsing that will allow each tab to run its own processes, improving overall speed and performance. This will require additional memory upfront, but will improve stability when opening and closing multiple tabs over time.

The Google Chrome will also be running with Webkit, which can also be found in Apple’s Safari browser and the upcoming Android mobile platform. In addition to Webkit, Google has also built its own JavaScript virtual engine called V8 that will improve the rendering of JavaScript applications. Google will also make V8 available to other browsers as well.

Of course, the Google Chrome will also have robust search features built in. The Chrome will feature an address bar, called the omnibox, which will also enable users to search using their favorite search engine. The Chrome also supports private Web browsing thanks to its Incognito mode that prevents the browser from recording any information your activity. The tabs will also be located above the address bar, rather than below such as with other browsers.

Security has also been a top priority in the development of the Google Chrome. One such security feature is the sandbox that will help stop malicious malware from getting through. In addition, a constantly updated list of phishing and malware websites will also be downloaded to the user’s computers to help warn users before visiting potentially harmful sites.

Not only is Google trying to continue its ongoing battle with Microsoft by fighting Internet Explorer’s dominance, but it will also be competing with Mozilla’s Firefox and Apple’s Safari browsers.

With an additional Web browser available, car dealers need to consider compatibility issues when developing their websites. Chances are that the Google Chrome will have a strong following considering that many users already using Google’s search, email, and chat products will also be curious about their new browser.

The Google Chrome should be available in beta tomorrow.

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The Google Dance Explained

Each year, SES San Jose attendees get a rare treat in the form of a party called the Google Dance hosted by Google at the company’s Mountain View headquarters. This year the party seems to be bigger, lounder, and even more outrageous than the year before, giving search marketers the opportunity to have a drink and play Guitar Hero with the Googlers themselves.

However, the Google Dance is a term not know to many marketers, and even fewer car dealers. When Google updates its index of included web pages on a monthly basis, some pages are added, while old ones that no longer exist may be removed. This indexing also may include changes to the algorithm which further changes how websites might be ranked.

Although many don’t even see evidence of this process taking place, many become frustrated when their high ranking site suddenly gets bumped lower in the rankings, or perhaps vice versa. This change in the index has become known as the Google Dance.

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7 Ways to Get Your Website to Page 1 Organically – Day 2 SES San Jose

Although most panels at Search Engine Strategies are not sponsored, Day 2 of the conference did offer insights from companies that actually paid to present. One company was Think Profits, which is headed by Shawn Moore who presented to a packed ballroom regarding the necessary component to ranking on the first page of results in Goolge.

Why’s the first page of results so important? According to Think Profits, about 91% of searchers (using data sourced from AOL) click on a result on the first page, while only 5% go on to click on the second page of listings, with subsequent pages getting even fewer click-throughs. Although having the number one ranking is a difficult task on its own, ranking at least somewhere on page 1 is absolutely crucial.

First step to getting ranked organically on page 1 is having quality content. We’ve all heard that “content is king” and it still holds true. Without quality copy, images, and video on your webpage, search engines like Google will not simply assume that you’re an authority when it comes to the topic you’re trying to rank for.

Navigation and site architecture cannot be overlooked. Allowing both people and the search engines to move through your website and find your content is a crucial element of being indexed and ranked well. This also means that some types of Java and other drop downs should not be used to ensure the pages of your website can be crawled.

Blogs make a world of difference. Blogs allow website owners to produce fresh original content on a regular basis, which is precisely what Google and other search engines love! The more content you have, the more pages can be indexed and ranked within the SERPs.

Inbound linking is like a vote for your website. Quality, keyword-rich inbound links and drastically improve rankings. Taking the time to promote your website and get links from related automotive websites and blogs can pay off significantly in terms of improve search engine rankings.

Choosing the right database that isn’t hard to find could make or break rankings. The data behind a website is crucial, and making sure your database is crawlable is easily missed. But if your database can’t be seen by the search engines, you’re going to miss out on big rankings.

Electronic press release submissions. With the advent of Universal Search, which adds a variety of content within search results, press releases can help you more than ever before since they could be included in the SERPs right next to your website listing.

Choose the right domain name strategy. Your domain name could be a powerful way to rank for a specific keyword. Although choosing a branded domain name for your dealership may be unavoidable, having keyword-focused URLs can yield positive results. In addition, registering your domain for more than a year indicated to Google that you’ll be sticking around for a while. For car dealers, the initial idea is to go the branded route, which isn’t necessarily wrong. But looking at Used Cars Burnsville, the domain is far more relevant and keyword rich as it includes Minneapolis Used Cars within the domain, which may not be the best for branding, but it’s certainly a good tactic for searchers to find their website!

Although these tactics make up the most valuable components of a search engine optimized website, it’s also important to consider just how you will be converting this traffic.

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