Orange County SEO™ Blog

Understanding Google Indexing

Google seems eerily good at understanding language these days, but it is not because the search engine is growing a brain.  Semantic searches have become ever-more sophisticated, and Google is “learning” how language is put together.  Understanding how semantics affects Google’s search capacities is something that will benefit you as you construct search query terms and decide on keywords.

Our SEO firm in Orange County can help you market your website and your company more effectively with strategic search engine optimization.  Talk to us about your SEO needs and find out how we can help you build better links. Read More »

TOFU Marketing Campaigns

With updates like Panda and Penguin, search engine algorithms are entering a new era.  Link building is still important, but the shift in focus to high-quality content has many webmasters scratching their heads.  What used to seem so simple is now a complex arrangement of marketing strategies and few people seem to have simple answers as to how marketers should respond.

Using internal links in your blog posts and web sites is still good marketing strategy, but Google is coming down hard on what it sees as junk–in both links and website content.  Some of the practices that have existed for a decade are now off-limits, such as reclaiming content from archaic sites and using existing links to pull traffic to your page.  In order to be considered relevant and high-quality by Google, web sites must contain fresh, timely, and original content.

Content marketing is about more than just posting links. It is about sharing valuable content with potential clients, customers, and followers.  If you are investing in professional content marketing, your Orange County SEO company should be focusing on goal-driven campaigns that incorporate links as only one part of your strategy. Read More »

Trending Keywords: One Key to Success

It is difficult, but not impossible, to do some predictive work on trending keywords.  One crucial task is to predict keyword volume, which, according to SEOMoz, you can do before the data appears in AdWords (PPC), Bing, or any other search engine.  Predictive keyword research is an advanced technique, so it pays to learn the tricks of the trade if you want to utilize this technique successfully.

Trending keywords are important for two reasons.  First, internet searches are event-driven; when something happens, there will be an upsurge in interest about that topic.  This can produce large volume for content marketers.  Second, unless you are in the news business, chances are your competitors have not begun to predict what will be trending, so you will have an edge with your marketing and advertising.

Here are a few tips to get you started on your quest to predict keyword volume and popularity.

• Stay on top of things.  Read the latest information in your field on a daily basis.  You cannot predict if you do not know what is currently trending.  Look for interesting facts, figures, or information that comes out of that reading.  What sparks your interest?  Chances are, other people will be interested, too.
• Check out Q&A sites.  There are sites specifically devoted to Q&A such as Quora and Formspring.  These sites will tell you what people are currently asking about.  Look for trends and opportunities that seem to repeat themselves, especially over a wide audience.
• Decide if you are a “longtailer” or a “fat header.”  “Longtail” refers to a high volume of search terms, “fat head” to a few well-chosen ones.  Both strategies have legitimate rationales, but it is important for you to decide which is most appropriate for your audience.  Will your customers be looking for one or two specific phrases, or are there a variety of phrases they might use?  Tailor your keywords to these facts.
• Write relevant content.  No matter how good your keywords, poor content will not generate traffic.  Be sure your content is relevant to both topic and audience.
• Publish and promote your content.  This is not an event, it is a process.  Check constantly for feedback on your performance, and analyze what is working and what is not.  Do not be afraid to change things if they do not give you the results you want.  Continue to monitor Q&A sites to see what people are talking about.  Sometimes predictions on keyword volume sink out of sight without coming to fruition.  This is not a failure but an occupational hazard.  Pick something else and move on.

By following the basics of keyword optimization, you will generate traffic on your website over time. Orange County SEO has learned that learning to predict keyword strategies is a skill that takes time to master, but it can give you a keen competitive edge in a very crowded marketplace and make your website stand out from the crowd consistently—and that translates into a growing body of loyal users.