Improve your SEO via paid search

Very good article on how looking at your paid search data can help you refine your organic seo - How PPC Can Improve Organic Search Conversions.

Paid search + organic optimisation = better results

While the article focuses mostly on conversions and how paid search results can help you drive your organic optimisation, it is important to remember another point: paid and organic search work hand in hand.

If you keywords produce results both on the organic and paid side, then customer confidence will be increased and the likelihood of them clicking through to your site will be greater.

Click path matters

Very often searchers will follow a path when looking for something, and this path will involve clicks on paid ads and organic results. if your keywords are present on the 2 channels, your CTR should increase along with your conversion levels if your landing pages are optimised.

The right balance

What's important is to find the right balance in your SEO strategy. I'd always recommend to work on your onsite SEO as well as developing paid search campaigns to maximise performance. And as the article shows, you can then take the learnings from your paid campaigns and apply them to your overall SEO strategy (and vice versa)

Life after Panda....it's all about quality content

How to deal with the effects of Panda and what techniques to use to make sure your site still gets indexed - another great article from search engine land: 5 New Tactics For SEO Post-Panda

As indicated by the demise of link farms, the latest google update focuses heavily on quality content, so if your site is optimised for users, with no duplicate content, then you shouldn't have to worry.

Along with good onsite optimisation, the name of the game is now even more so on link building and how good content can help you achieve top rankings.

Backlink Analysis Tools

I'm currently getting back into SEO monitoring and link building and I came across this very useful article about the best tools to analyse your backlinks: The 5 Best Backlink Analysis Tools

With link building in the spotlight again since the Google Panda update, it is crucial for all business to get their strategy right.

It is also essential to use the right metrics to find out who links to you and your competitors, so using the right tools is critical.

According to various sources, link building weighs around 60 to 70% of search engine rankings, so it needs to be an integral part of any SEO strategy.

Black, white, grey...what colour is your SEO hat?

Search Engine Land and Sphinn have once again reopened the never ending discussion about white hat and black hat SEO:

Hot At Sphinn: SEO/SEM Standards & Certification, Black Hat Vs. White Hat & More

I do like the point about the fact that SEO is measured by the level of risk you take and how far you're willing to go to optimise. But as we all know, optimisation is not an exact science so the debate will never stop.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm all about ethical SEO.

What's your view?

Marketing love...How to make your agency relationship last

Nice article about the don'ts when managing agencies in a digital role. Mistakes I’ve made managing agency relationships | Econsultancy

Here are a few tips to help to help you make the right choice:

1 - Be honest

I've managed quite a few of these relationships in the past, whether it was for seo, ppc, display advertising or other online services, and what I'd say is that it always pays to be honest but firm.

2 - Check for references

Always check for references as you don't want to enter into a yearly agreement only to realise a few months down the line that you've made the wrong choice.

3 - Have clear objectives

Whoever you decide to work with, make sure to have clear objectives before the work starts so that you can inject some direction to the project.

4 - Keep tracking

No matter how much you trust your agency, make sure to keep tracking progress and get regular updates on work.

5 - If you're not happy, say it

This links to honesty, but if at any point in the relationship you feel there is a problem, just raise it! The last thing you need is to waste your precious resources on something that doesn't work.

These are just some basic pointers, but they should hopefully help you make the right choice.

Did you have problems with an agency? do you have other essential advice? share your views

SEO - what not to do

I've been following Jill Whalen and her High Rankings blog since I started working in Online Marketing / SEO 8 years ago now....

Her no-nonsense approach to search engines is very refreshing and her straight to the point advice has always been of great help.

While I have to admit I don't always agree with her views, she's got great expertise, and today's article about which SEO tactics not to use is again very useful: 16 SEO Tactics That Will NOT Bring Targeted Google Visitors.

The evolution of link building

Very interesting article in Search Engine Land on the evolution of link building and how demographics influence link building strategies. Can Likes, Pluses & Tweets Cleanse The Link Graph?