After the news about the leakage of Google’s quality guidelines for its search results raters, people became too eager to know what this document really has inside. To satisfy your cravings to this issue, here are some of the most important contents you can find in this document.

The Vital Factor in Rating Search Results

One of the most important contents that can be found in the Google’s quality guidelines is the part where Google reiterated and stressed the significance of the intent of the search query. According to this document searches can be divided into four types which include the following:

1. Go Queries – A search can be called Go Queries if the intention of the searcher is to look or find a particular page on the internet.
2. Know Queries – Know Queries are those searches made with the searcher’s intention to find information on the web.
3. Do Queries – This is when the intention of the searcher is to find a particular site or place on the web wherein he or she can perform and accomplish a goal. Some examples of goals include downloading, playing games on the internet, buying items, and many more.
4. Combination Queries – This is the type of search which corresponds to when the searcher combines 2 or more intentions into one search.

What are the Rate Options?

Search results ratings from Google search engine according to the Google’s Quality Guidelines can be classified into the following categories:

• Grade A (Useful Pages) – The raters should rate the pages ‘Grade A’ if those pages are very useful and helpful to the users or searchers. The basis would be its quality and its appropriateness to the query or search. Most pages that could be Graded A by the search results raters must be exceedingly satisfying, entertaining and authoritative. For most SEOs, this is the kind of ratings they want their pages to be tagged on. This is the best rating you can get from the search results raters.
• Grade B (Relevant Pages) – This rating could be given to those pages in the search results wherein the content is still useful and helpful to many users. However, the content is not as useful or as high quality as the Grade A-rated pages. Relevant pages are usually placed after the useful pages so it still needs to be improved.
• Grade C (Slightly Relevant) – This rate should be given to pages that can be relevant to the queries or searches but not necessarily helps the users. These ratings mean poor quality and badly needs improvement. If you want to get to the top of the Google rankings, this rate is definitely not the rate you would want your page to receive.

For some people, knowing this information and being familiar with Google’s basis of rating the search results could definitely be very helpful but does not necessarily mean it can instantly make you richer or it can give you the gold. Still, it could be a way!

Trying to be the best in something always requires hard work and dedication. This thing goes the same with SEOs who wanted to be on top at all times. For SEOs getting higher rankings in different search engines especially Google means a lot. Sometimes, it could be the basis of success in this kind of business. In line with this, you must have heard already of the news spreading virally on the internet today involving an online marketer named PotPieGirl.

PotPieGirl claimed to have found the Google’s Quality Guidelines documents which is for the search results raters’ guidelines to rating. This document contains all the guidelines made by Google for their contracted search results raters. Hence, SEOs have been eager to see or to read what particular guidelines Google set to achieve higher rankings.

One of the focuses of this document is the guidelines for raters on tagging spam flags to a URL. Upon evaluation of page, raters should use one of the three Spam Flags given by Google. These three Spam Flags are as follows:

• Spam – Raters should give a spam flag to a page if after evaluation of the said page, the rater believes that the page was build or created using the deceptive web-design techniques.
• Maybe Spam – Maybe spam flag will then be given to a page that looks like a spam yet the rater cannot fully say or state that it was designed using the deceptive web-design techniques.
• Not Spam – A not spam flag should then be assigned to a page which the rater strongly believes that is not built, designed or created using the deceptive web-design techniques.

For those who are asking, the deceptive web-design techniques full description and details can be found in WebSpam Guidelines. In connection with the raters responsibility to tag spam flags on the pages as they evaluate them, raters are also ordered to include some remarks or explanation on the rationale of tagging the page as Spam or Maybe Spam.

How not to be considered as a spam page?

• Continuously improve your content and make it sure that you have useful contents to users as raters are ordered to put or tag a ‘spam flag’ to URLs or pages that have no useful or helpful contents.
• If you are in a competitive niche, you might double up your ‘content optimization technique’ so you can maintain a ‘Grade A’ rating.
• If your page is full of ads and if it is only designed to make money, you might want to improve your content as Google instructed their raters to tag such pages with ‘spam flag’ as well.

Generally speaking, the content of the leaked Google’s quality guidelines is not new to experienced and veteran SEOs. However, knowing its content can still help a lot not only those new people in this kind of business but also those experienced as seeing that they are on the same page with Google when it comes to assessing the quality of search results is definitely encouraging!

The wait is almost over for Google+ Pages. Since the announcement regarding Google+ Pages, millions of people have been waiting for its arrival. Recently, Google officially announced the looming arrival of new Google+ Pages for brands and businesses which is a significant piece of the Google+ puzzle. Marketers have been waiting for months because of its possible significance in SEO. Currently, there are already about 20 Google+ Pages available, however, if you visit the “Create a page” link, you will be informed that creating a page is still not available.

As of now, several Google+ Pages are already live including Anderson Cooper 360, Angry Birds, Burberry, Fox News, Good Morning America, Macy’s, Pepsi, The Muppets, WWE, etc. Some of these Google+ Pages like Pepsi and Macy’s still have no content.

What are Google+ Pages?

Google+ Pages are Google’s own version of Facebook Pages which allows brands or businesses to connect with customers or fans. This enables the brand or business to post updates/news, interact with customers/fans and check the number of +1s. To create one, you need to have a personal Google+ profile and choose one of the five categories namely Local Business/Place, Product/Brand, Company/Institution/Organization, Arts/Entertainment/Sports or Other. Then, you can add additional information that depends on the particular category you choose.

The Difference between Profiles and Google+ Pages

At initial glance, Profiles and Google+ Pages appear very much the same. However, there are key differences according to the help page of Google:

1. Pages can’t add people to circles unless someone adds a Google+ Page to their circles or mentions) using the + or @ before the name) the page.
2. Pagesare for entities; profiles are for people.
3. Pages are public by default.
4. Pages have a +1 button.
5. Pages can’t +1 other pages, play games, share to extended circles, receive notifications via email, text Google+ bar, or hangout on mobile devices.

Google Direct Connect

This is in unison with Google’s vision to “transform the overall Google experience” by including identity and sharing in all of its products. Regarding search, Google is adding a feature which allows you to enter a plus sign followed by the name of a Google+ Page and you will be taken directly to the Google+ Page. According to Google, a small icon will appear in the search suggestion box. The search results page will thereby be bypassed. As part of Direct Connect, Google advises owners of websites to add the Google+ icon. To be eligible for Google Direct Connect, your Google+ Page should be linked to your website and your website to your Google+ Page with the use of the rel=”publisher” code.

You have probably heard about Google Adwords keyword tool and know basically what it is. Besides, Google Adwords is one of the most popular tools around. But in terms of effectiveness, do you really think it can help you succeed?

Google Adwords Benefits

Keep in mind that paid search must complement organic search and not replace it. Creating significant content to strengthen your presence on major search engines and drive high-quality website traffic are the basic goals. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to completely shun paid search since it may target different audiences that may not be drawn using organic search.

Moreover, paid search can be your testing ground to optimize organic search using keywords. Let’s face it. Initially, it’s quite tricky to determine which keywords can draw higher conversion rates. With this in mind, why not test the popularity of various keyword phrases using Google Adwords then specialize later on in organic search strategies that seem more popular and useful?

2 Strategies to Maximize the Efficacy of Your Google Adwords Campaign

Keywords stressed in Google Adwords (Ad Copy) must match the content on your subsequent landing page

The primary goal here is to let Google view your site as provider of quality search results so Google would assign a higher Quality Score to your website. Google may also charge you less money as incentive for providing quality search results. Additionally, this tactic tends to build quality website traffic. Prospects will be converted to leads if they find the keywords interesting and will likely to stay put if the landing page has similar content. Besides, no one wants to get deceived by inconsistent keywords vis-à-vis content and wasted time.

Find the Right Combination that Maximizes Your Ad’s Effectiveness

How? By testing your ad from multiple dimensions using Google Ads Dashboard. This is the beauty of this tool, you can actually create several ad campaigns in seconds. Test same keyword phrases while targeting different locations. This will show you exactly which areas have more demand for your products and services.

Timing also has big contribution to make your ad successful. Instead of setting a time when the ad will be displayed, run the ad uninterrupted instead particularly during the experimental stage. This will allow you to see which time ranges are your products and services “hotter”. Target the criteria that give high lead conversation rate.

You know, paid ad can be intimidating especially if you have no idea how to do things right. But with proper campaign plan and execution, you can maximize its effectiveness to give your business a boost.

In the past, everyone from different parts of the world had exactly the same search results for particular terms. Today, people have different search results even if the exact same search terms are used for the same search engines. This means that every person is now getting a personalized search experience. There are different factors that affect search results. Here are some of these factors:

Country

One of the main personalized factors for ranking is the country of the person making the search. Someone in the United States searching for “boxing” will get results about boxing in America. While someone in Asia using a local version of the search engine (ex: google.com.sg) will get results about boxing in Asia. The results will be different. This means that for webmasters, it is important to make your site relevant for other countries in order to rank well. This is called international SEO and should be given importance in order to significantly increase traffic. Because the best practices in international SEO change often, you need to research on the latest. This will prevent you from implementing incorrect and outdated international SEO tactics that can hurt your efforts.

Locality

Search engines such as Google don’t just stop personalizing at the country of origin level. They also take into consideration the locality, city or metropolitan area of the person making the search. It is basically the same with country personalization where you need to make sure that your website is relevant to the city or locality in order to get good rankings. There are also special search engines dedicated to local search that some people use for particular purposes. However, these are not often used except if a person is really looking for something in a particular area. Most internet users don’t even know how to perform a local search.

Personal History

Google and Bing consider personal history when determining which search results to display. This means what you have been searching and clicking on. This also includes the sites you usually visit, interact with, and purchase from. For this personalized factor, there is no easy way to make a website more relevant. However, you can improve on the design and functionality of your website to make good impressions. This increases the chance that visitors will come back to your site therefore making it more relevant and having better rankings in search results. A like in Facebook, tweet or +1 in Google also helps a lot in terms of personal history as a personalized ranking factor.

Many people don’t like Steve Jobs. However, there are also many others who look up to him as an amazing innovative genius. Either way, he really is an amazing person who already achieved something that most people will not be able to achieve in their lifetimes. Here are some ideas from Steve Jobs that can be applied to SEO:

The Goal of Steve Jobs is to create something wonderful and not to make money

When translated to SEO, this means creating great content instead of ordinary and almost useless content that can improve rankings. It is a basic rule of SEO to have quality content. According to experts, as long as your site contains high-quality content, everything else will follow or higher rankings and traffic will naturally follow. Always think with your audience in mind. Think about their needs and how you can give them
something for these needs. The content should really deserve to have the top rankings with search engines.

Attractiveness is the key

According to Steve Jobs, the buttons they use on their gadgets are so good-looking that people would want to lick them. In SEO speak, you should be able to at least make web users curious or interested in clicking your site once it shows up on search results. This can be achieved with informative, interesting and helpful content. The design of your website should also be attractive. It is very simple; people love and tend to be attracted to beautiful things. Because of the preview option on Google’s results pages, people will be able to check your website design without going to your site.

Design is how something works

According to Steve Jobs, functionality should always be in mind when creating a design. This is the case for the iPod, iPad and all Apple gadgets. Not only do they look stunning but they also work brilliantly. In terms of SEO, sites should be created with usability in mind. Always think in the viewpoint of your users. The design should be an essential part of functionality.

Don’t be ashamed about copying ideas

Look at other websites and incorporate great ideas into your site. Most of the best SEO strategies start with a little copying form the best-ranking sites (not the contents!). You can look at the top ranking sites for keyword ideas and opportunities for link building. The best way is to look at th top sites for great ideas and make these your own.

What is Panda? There have been talks about Panda. It’s a new Google algorithm implemented wherein the overall search capability is improved by weeding out or not including low quality website in the search results. Many websites have been struck and affected by this algorithm because many websites received lower and lower visits. The page rank of many websites has gone down.

Some websites benefitted from this but sites which are just starting out are put at a disadvantage. It does have a potential to really improve searches of many users because their search results among others are all good and high quality. However, Panda made many sites starved of much needed traffic. The searches focused only on a number of big websites and left the small and new websites in a dilemma.

There was once a time where the World Wide Web is an even playing field but now, the web now mirrors what is happening in the real world. Many users feel that Google is developing a brand bias. Big businesses rule the searches and small businesses are left in depleted traffic. Many webmasters talk about how their website has been affected by Panda and many articles involving attacks on Panda are now spread out in the internet.

Google now labels many websites as low quality or high quality. If it is labeled out as low quality, it will be weeded out on the search results. These sites will now have to rely solely on back links for visits. Many websites have attacked Panda but sometimes it is the site’s fault why they are negatively affected. The webmasters should take a look at their site and check the quality of the site and its content. If Google have labeled your site as low quality, often times, you have to make changes to your website.

Make sure that the content is in order and there are no keyword stuffing in your site. Keyword stuffing which involves overuse of many keywords for search optimization is one of the reasons your site have been labeled low quality. Clear and decrease your use of keywords. Add more quality content and make your site more user friendly by clearing out many unnecessary items that would make your site look cheap and of low quality. Many webmasters have been ranting about how they are affected by Panda but it is better to renovate the site so as to remove the low quality label.

What is social media?

Even your teenager would be able to answer this.

Face book, Orkut, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, MySpace, WordPress or LinkedIn.

The latest buzz is the Google Buzz, The Search Engine Master too has augmented in the Social Media Segment.

No one wants to lag behind. Microsoft’s Bing, Yahoo and Google all have a hand shake with twitter, to milk the enormous market share, the micro-blogger posses.

What’s that makes Social Media site, The Head turner?

Man is a social animal; this traditional adage explains the human urge for social interaction.

Social Media Sites blazes into the masses due to their high accessibility and scalable publishing techniques.  It is a platform that connects you to the entire world, through text, images or videos.

The traditional forms of social Interactions transferred the media from ‘one-to-many’. Today the social interaction sites makes media reach from’ many-to-many’.

How it becomes a Media for marketing?

Social Interaction sites or Social Media sites slip the messages in; subtly, through the back door, very elegantly and diplomatically. It creates a ‘pull effect’.

It transforms the ‘content consumers’ to ‘content producers’.

Such a site opens a doorway, to your product, business, weblog or website. Then you form relationships with those coming in contact, by interacting with them.  The relationships have ample scope to reach to new levels, when people start following you or your content.

It comprehensively and judiciously integrates analytics, SEO, Banner Advertising, Flash Games, Widgets, Rich Media and Mobile Communication. If you can tune in with the possibilities this immense integration provides, you can certainly create Brand awareness and generate ‘leads’ and ‘sales’.

The flavors of Social Media sites:

Blogging sites,

Social networking sites,

Micro blogging sites,

Image sharing sites and

Video sharing sites,

The platter has variations to match your needs and keep you socially involved.

How the www has webbed around it:

Many new concepts and services have come up with the advent of social Media Sites.

With the marketing tools and concepts like social Media optimization, social media marketing and others, web marketers are leaving no stones unturned, to reap the immense business possibilities associated with social Media and Interaction.

Every day, we find a new feature coming up in the online scene, which magnifies the scope of business through such social media sites even more.

To exemplify a few,

Micro Blogging phenomena has given rise to URL shortening, Celebrity Tweeting , Account verification and many more such concepts.

A host of interactive games flourish through the Social networking sites.

A crowd of business concepts like, Bookmarking, content writing and Link building revolves around Blogging.

What some might consider drawbacks:

Time consuming, privacy invading and wrought with annoying marketers, a critic might find these as show stoppers for Social media market.

But when introduced to the nostalgic experience one has when you reconnect to someone in the past, even a loner would start acknowledging the benefits that come along.

Its like a room full of people, enjoying each other’s company, sharing ideas and contacts, with each other, playing interactive games. So what are you waiting for…? Join the party!