Hello Matt, a recent article of Danny Sullivan suggests that Google uses Twitter and Facebook links as a ranking signal. Can you confirm this? Can you elaborate a little bit more on this? -WebSEOAnalytics

Matt confirms that Google uses Twitter and Facebook links in the ranking. They use it for reputation.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6zGjcf6Snw

Read Google's help article about SEO here: http://www.google.com/support/webmast...

With a lot of my potential clients, the first words out of their mouth when building a site is "Can you make my site #1 on Google?" This question is extremely annoying to me... how can I respond in a professional and honest manner?

Land Lubber, Colorado

Since being launched in 1999, SageRock has specialized in law firm marketing. With the Internet becoming more and more popular each year, law firms can benefit from search engine optimization or a pay-per-click campaign. Internet users are constantly utilizing search engines to find a law firm to suit their needs, which makes the Internet a useful marketing tool for people in legal industry. As more and more people use search engines to find attorneys, the Internet is a valuable marketing tool and a great way for law firms to grow their client base.

When doing keyword research (finding words or phrases that search engine users are typing into search engines to find a service or product), different terms for lawyers, law firms and attorneys show up in the Google Keyword Tool (an online resource to do keyword research) as having as high volume search terms. These terms show high levels of search volume and the Google Keyword Tool shows the different types of attorneys search engine users are looking for. For example, typing  in the keyword “attorney” will show keywords such as “civil attorney”, “divorce attorney”, “family law attorney”, “medical malpractice attorney”, and much more.  This proves that search engines are being used to find different types of attorneys to fit their needs.

You can access the Google Keyword Tool by clicking the link below and try it for yourself:

https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

When doing a keyword search by a region, terms related to attorneys, law firms and lawyers show up as having high search volume as well. For example, if someone typed in “Cleveland lawyers” into the Google Keyword Tool, it will display a large list of keywords related to lawyers in the Cleveland area. In other words, law firms can be found by search engine users in region specific searches and bring in new clients.

Based on how the Internet has become a great research and search tool for consumers, a search engine optimization campaign is a great way for law firms to drive more traffic to their web-sites and bring in new clients. By utilizing search engine optimization, law firms can have their web-site show up near the top of a search engine results page (also known as a SERP) without having to bid on keywords or pay the search engine money. In other words, the law firm’s web-site can show up near the top of the organic listings (meaning the business did not pay the search engine to be near the top of the SERP or bid on keywords) with a search engine optimization campaign. Someone in need of a specific type of attorney can simply type what he or she is looking for in the search engine and be able to get results right away. Web-sites closer to the top have a greater chance of being clicked on so utilizing a search engine optimization campaign can bring in more business for law firms.

Google will also provide a map near the top of a search engine results page to show organic listings. The Google search engine can detect the IP address (similar to a home address, this is where the server of an Internet connection is located) to find listings that are relevant to where the user lives. For example, if someone living in Shaker Heights is searching for a tax attorney, the Google search engine can find the person’s IP address and list law firms closest to that area. These listings come with a link to the web-site and the phone number is shown on the map making it easy for a search engine user to contact that business. A business can also lay claim to a specific listing in which a longer description, updated phone number and other features can be added. Laying claim to a listing also prohibits a competitor from going in and altering the information in that listing.

With a search engine comes the ability to bid on certain keywords in order for a web-site to show up in what is called a sponsored search. A sponsored search means the business pays to bid on keywords so their web-site shows up at the very top or on the side of a search engine results page. Web-sites listed in a sponsored search are listed in a shaded area near the top of the SERP or on the side where Internet users can easily click on them. These campaigns can be set up as a pay-per-click campaign meaning the business only pays the search engine whenever the link is clicked on. This is a cost effective way to market a business because a specific daily or monthly budget can be set and the results can be tracked easily. Law firms utilizing this approach can simply bid on keywords that are relevant to their business. For example, if a law firm specializes in education law, this law firm can bid on keywords like “education lawyer,” “education attorney”, “education law”, “education law firm” and more so that their firm shows up easily in a sponsored search.

With many different options available, the Internet is a valuable marketing tool for law firms. With a search engine optimization campaign, law firms have the ability of showing up near the top of a search engine results page and on a Google search map without having to pay the search engine money. Those wishing to pay to have their web-site near the top of a SERP can do so with a sponsored search and a pay-per-click campaign by bidding on keywords and phrases. The Internet has numerous opportunities ahead and the ability to bring more clients to law firms.

For more information on SageRock’s work with law firms, click on http://bit.ly/52ypMW.

Since being launched several years ago, search engines have grown to become one of the most popular ways to find businesses, products and other information. With consumers looking for different products and services with a search engine, businesses utilizing search engine optimization have the opportunity to grow.

Taught by Sage Lewis of SageRock and Web Marketing Watch, Cleveland State’s Search Engine Optimization course shows you, the business owner, how customers can find your business on the Internet. By learning the importance of key phrase research, developing a web-site that can be accessed easily by a search engine, designing web pages for targeted key phrases, and link building, Sage will show you how the Internet can add value to your business.

With search engine optimization becoming more important each and every day, this class is a must for any business owner.

Previous web experience in HTML and CSS are helpful but not required. Additional information for Sage's Cleveland State University Search Engine Optimization class  can be accessed at http://www.csuohio.edu/ce/catalog/courses/CPTR518601.html.

Business owners looking to learn more about emarketing will get their opportunity to do so at the eMarketing Techniques Conference will be taking place December 4^th in North Canton, Ohio.  Taking place at Stark State College, guests will have an opportunity to meet and hear lectures from industry leaders in web-marketing.

The eMarketing Conference Techniques Conference will feature Jeffrey Rohrs from ExactTarget as the keynote speaker. Rohrs, who has presented at other events around the country, serves as the Vice President of Marketing for ExactTarget and is the driving force behind the company’s social media, interactive and marketing education programs.

Scheduled to speak at the event will be Sage Lewis from SageRock and WebMarketingWatch.com, author and content strategist Joe Pulizzi, online community pioneer Don Philabaum, and Mike DeAloia from the LNE Group. The event will also feature sessions on using social media for web-marketing  purposes, using business blogs to generate leads, and improving web-site traffic by using search engine optimization, social media and other web-marketing strategies.

Anyone looking to attend the event is eligible to win a free admission pass courtesy of WebMarketingWatch.com. The pass is a $199 value and those looking to enter to win can do so at http://www.sagerock.com/stark. The winner will be chosen at random and will be announced in the Web Marketing Watch newsletter.

This has been the case for like forever. But for the record, let it go. The keywords tag has no value. It does, however, use the meta description tag.

For more information, please see the our blog post: http://googlewebmastercentr...

The Creare Group introduce 'The SEO Song' starring Charlie And The Martyrs! It aims to promote the problems associated with black hat SEOs, and to raise awareness of the need for small to medium sized businesses to protect themselves against illegitimate optimisation techniques. Too many companies are promising to achieve top results in the search engines when they just cannot achieve these positions. The video seeks to place SEO at the forefront of attention in a fun and accessible way!