Author Archives: Michael

The “Don’t Be Evil” Tool: the Latest Weapon in the Social Media War

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Michael

Facebook and Google have never seen eye to eye. Last November Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg had gone on the Charlie Rose show and suggested that Google (among others) were the bad guys in the internet world. Zuckerberg later went on to make a jab at Google Plus, claiming that it was just a Facebook knock-of. Google’s Bradley Horowitz responded with the riposte that “[Google is] delighted to be underestimated. It’s served us very well to date, and that’s fine by us. I’m not going to clear anything up.”

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Posted in Facebook, Google, Social Media | Leave a comment

Facebook’s Continued Growth, and Why it Matters for SEO

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Michael

Experian Hitwise recently analyzed the top 1,000 search terms for 2011 and reported that “Facebook” was the top-searched term overall in the US. This isn’t much of a surprise, seeing as how this is the third year that the social networking website has been the top search term overall. This year it accounted for 3.1% of all searches, a 46% increase from last year.

Facebook’s continued growth is not really news, but this report does solidify our opinion that as more and more users come to associate Facebook (not just any social networking site, but specifically Facebook) with the web, it gives that organization more and more influence in terms of how people find and use information.

This is a preview of Facebook’s Continued Growth, and Why it Matters for SEO. Read the full post (351 words, 2 images, estimated 1:24 mins reading time)
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Google’s New Algorithm, Tuned for ‘Freshness’

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Michael

Google announced the first big update to their search algorithm since the infamous “Panda” update of earlier this year. This new so-called “freshness algorithm” is designed to provide more relevant information for searches that Google thinks are actually looking for timely results. Their example is that a person searching for the term “Olympics” is probably looking for information on the upcoming Olympic games, not for historical information.

As with any sweeping change to their search algorithm, the effects can readily be seen in a number of searches, but just how far-reaching this change proves to be remains to be seen. Following in the footsteps of the Panda update, it seems that Google is committed to following this path of dynamically updating their search results, now not just by location but by timeliness of content. Not that Google’s search results have ever been particularly static, but this latest update continues a fragmentation trend that Arizona SEO is keen to test and adapt to.

This is a preview of Google’s New Algorithm, Tuned for ‘Freshness’. Read the full post (666 words, 1 image, estimated 2:40 mins reading time)
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Top 5 Ways to Get Better Online Customer Reviews

Posted on September 20, 2011 by Michael

Google’s recent purchase of online review site Zagat.com last week has made the old blogosphere kick up a bunch of dust about online reviews. We’re not here to debate how useful or important online customer reviews are though, because we here at ArizonaSEO already KNOW how important they are, not just to your online reputation but to your SEO efforts as well. That’s why we thought we’d offer these 5 tips for how to start getting your customers and client to leave you more (and better!) online reviews for your business:

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Posted in Google, SEO Consulting | Leave a comment

3 Google Tools a Small Business Should be Using

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Michael

Google has been really busy lately launching products and features. Google is an essential part of any online marketing strategy for a small business, so we thought wed take the time to tell you about 6 tools you should be taking advantage of for your business:

1. My Places

Google launched a new tab on Google Maps called “My Places,” which gives users somewhere to see all of the places they’ve starred on Google Maps, rated on Google Places, or added to a customized map with icons and annotations through My Maps. It might be a good idea to encourage customers to star your business, which will keep you in their personal collection of places and encourage loyalty to your business.

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Google’s Latest Addition (Get it?): What You Need to Know About Google +

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Michael

You have to hand it to Google: the company is nothing if not audacious. Not every one of its ventures succeeds, but you have to admire their chutzpah when they announce something so audacious as Google +. For the last few years, it seems as though the web had settled into a comfortable social media lull, with every niche covered, and of course, the ten-thousand pound gorilla that was Facebook presiding over them all. No one would have thought that anyone could have a hope of seriously challenging Facebook’s dominance. And yet, here we are. Google +. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. You want to know what Google + is? Got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know about Google+.

This is a preview of Google’s Latest Addition (Get it?): What You Need to Know About Google +. Read the full post (1008 words, 3 images, estimated 4:02 mins reading time)
Posted in Content Creation, Social Media | Leave a comment

Venture Capitalists’ Should Delegate their Digital Due Diligence

Posted on May 12, 2011 by Michael

A successful venture capitalist knows their stuff. They know how to separate short-term profits from long-term sustainable business strategies. They understand how markets function and how to recognize talent and good management. But they also know when to seek advice for things outside of their expertise. So as venture capitalists look to invest in web-based businesses, it is more important than ever that they seek out expert advice on how the internet can be used and abused by those businesses.

This is a preview of Venture Capitalists’ Should Delegate their Digital Due Diligence. Read the full post (541 words, 1 image, estimated 2:10 mins reading time)
Posted in Link Building, SEO Consulting | Leave a comment

PPC Management: Pivot Tables Put Money in Your Pocket

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Michael

In our business we often come across businesses looking to maximize their PPC investment, but they have no clear idea of where to begin. Their hesitancy is understandable; there is a lot to know about pay-per-click. To that end, Arizona SEO is going to offer up a set of articles over the next few weeks relating some basic tools used to run an efficient PPC campaign. The first tool up for discussion: pivot tables.

This is a preview of PPC Management: Pivot Tables Put Money in Your Pocket. Read the full post (566 words, 1 image, estimated 2:16 mins reading time)
Posted in Pay-Per-Click Management, SEO Consulting | Leave a comment

10 Reasons You Should Use a Local SEO Company.

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Michael

So, you’re starting to look at your options for Search Engine Optimization. You see some advertised rates and promised results from a big national chain, and you think you might give them a try. Hold that thought. Here’s 10 reasons why you should call a local SEO company today:

1. The Bottom Line
You’re a business owner. You want to know that you’re getting the best bang for your buck in whatever you invest in. We get it. That’s why going with a local SEO company makes the most sense. Large SEO companies uniformly charge more to pad their profit margins so they can cover their higher overhead costs. Small, local SEO companies can and do undercut their prices.

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Posted in Local Search, SEO Consulting | Leave a comment

SEO Firm Fined $770K For Client’s Transgressions: Be Careful Who You Host

Posted on March 29, 2011 by Michael

How much responsibility should a web hosting and SEO firm have for the content of their client’s web sites? What if their client is offering something illegal? That’s something many SEO and small hosting firms are asking themselves this week in the wake of a judgment against “Bright Builders”, an SEO, web-design and web hosting company. On March 14, a jury in the United States District Court for South Carolina awarded $770,750 in statutory damages against Bright Builders for what’s known as “contributory infringement of trademark”. Here’s why SEO firms are taking notice:

This is a preview of SEO Firm Fined $770K For Client’s Transgressions: Be Careful Who You Host. Read the full post (592 words, 1 image, estimated 2:22 mins reading time)
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment