As I type this post on my phone, I’m currently standing outside the DMV waiting in a line that would enable me to get into another line inside the DMV. It’s about 90 degrees outside and it’s looking like I have at least a two hour wait in front of me.

As one could imagine, it was a pleasant surprise when three teenagers hopped out of the back of a pickup truck with handfuls of bottled water.

“Hey, we’re from Curry Auto,” the tallest one calmly announced to the crowd while pointing to the auto service center across the street. “Would anyone like a bottle of water?”

I can’t think of a better possible marketing campaign than providing a free, helpful service to a targetted and localized demographic. Moreover, it’s a clever way to positively introduce a brand to customers that would normally associate it with the hassle of a broken car. It’s a fantastic way to build a relationship with a new customer base.

*Note: just had to take a one hour break because I was told that my second form of ID was insufficient. There has to be a better way to administer driver’s licenses, no?

If you want to succeed in search engines, find a relevant audience and do something that helps them in a real and meaningful way.

Then give it to them for free.

*Note: after 90 minutes of waiting, I have been told that the camera processing system is down and i’m going home without a license. I wish I was making this up.

I’m pretty sure I had a point to make about reputation, brand management, and doing right by your customers, but I think the Virginia DMV just made it for me.

Back in the first post of 2008 on this blog, I predicted that 2008 would be the year of Reputation Management.  Given the trends we’d seen in customer referrals, it seemed like a pretty safe bet. 

Over the course of the year, we did indeed gain some buzz monitoring / reputation management contracts, which we successfully completed.  However, reputation management was not an over-riding discussion point throughout the year.  Just as Local Search wasn’t in 2006 or Mobile Search in 2007, it was just a part of the bigger picture of internet marketing.  Although, you could say that each was indeed a larger part of that picture by the end of each of those years.

SEO and potentially, PPC can be large parts of your reputation management solution, social media involvement can help your SEO and reputation management, and so on and so forth.  What you really need to look at for 2009 is that bigger picture.  Where does everything fit together?  Where are the holes in your internet marketing plan?  Where should you focus your budget, and how flexible can you make your spend?

In 2009, what I’d like you to do is not to focus on the shining promise of ‘the next new thing’ at the expense of everything that’s already working for you.  But instead, keep an eye out for the potential of that next new thing, and be prepared to test and see if it can / will work for you, either now or in the future, and how it plugs in with what you’re doing now.

There are few places where I feel more stupid than in an auto parts store.  Because…when I am in an auto parts store that means that there is something that is VERY basic in my car that needs fixing.

I hate knowing that everyone in the store knows more about everything in the store than me.  And I hate not having any idea of how much things should cost.

As I stood at the counter of the NAPA auto parts store this morning, trying to figure out how to purchase a gas cap to replace the one I lost, it occurred to me that many people feel the same way about finding a digital agency as I do about buying auto parts.

SEO, PPC, Social Media, and Analytics are topics that are rich with jargon and self-proclaimed experts who want you to think that there is no way that ordinary people could be successful and that the only way to be successful is to hire someone to do all the work (e.g. outsource it to them).

After many years in the working in the industry, from traditional agencies, to consultancies, to an analytics provider, I know this is not the case.  So, just like a good auto part store will help you find the tools you need, take the intimidation out of a foreign situation, and explain what you need in plain English – so should a good digital agency.

So, if you need a gas cap, I can’t recommend NAPA auto parts highly enough.  Not only did the gas cap cost less than $7 (which I assume is a good price), but the salesperson did not even make fun of me when I asked the difference between the locking and the regular gas cap.  He kindly explained to me that, ‘Well, the locking gas cap….locks.’

If you need a good digital agency, contact us – we can explain to you how your current campaigns are doing and train you on how to do better.

This is the conclusion to the three part series on SEO and PPC’s quest to have an amazing night out on the town.  If you missed part one or part two – check them out before reading on. 

While both SEO and PPC are now having an amazing time, they both feel like it can still be taken to the next level. Just then Web Analytics reappears, but he is not alone this time. On one side, he’s got the one person that PPC has had their eye on the entire night while on the other side, SEO sees the one that they’ve been after.

With PPC, you can tell there are instant sparks and they immediately head out to the dance floor. SEO, however, is the type to take it real slow and so they go take a seat on the couches. It doesn’t take long for the chemistry to build and soon they are having an amazing time as well.

With a smile on his face, Web Analytics knows that SEO and PPC have learned an important lesson tonight. While they both can get into the party on their own and have a decent time, the night will not reach its full potential unless they work together.  They need to bring along their friend, Web Analytics to show them how best to play off each other and eliminate the obstacles that present themselves along the way.

This experience that SEO and PPC had can be translated into the real world of SEO and PPC. SEO is a slow process that requires a lot of patience while building up rankings for the targeted keywords. The pages that visitors will be going to are often more content rich. So, it can often be a slower process before a visitor actually makes a purchase.

PPC on the other hand, provides instant gratification. It’s quick to get going and quite easy to move into the top positions if you’re willing to pay the price. It’s generally flashier since you have full control over the marketing message and the landing page that a visitor goes to. It is generally more offer-oriented and is designed to generate an immediate purchase.

All too often…SEO and PPC aren’t done in conjunction with each other. Each forges out on their own and can experience success. But, unless they are working together they are likely not reaching their full potential. That is where Web analytics comes into play.

The Web analyst needs to understand how SEO and PPC work together and find the optimal balance. It means nothing to rank #1 in the SERPs for a “key” search phrase if all you’re doing is sending crappy traffic that never converts. You need to know the types of keywords that do convert into sales or other site goals and refocus your efforts around those.

Too often, I see the excitement on people’s faces when they’ve finally achieved a goal of ranking on the first page of the SERPs and the site suddenly begins to see an increase in traffic. A high volume of traffic, however, does not necessarily translate into an increase in conversions of the site goals.

The Web analyst should know the keywords that are working well for PPC and those that work well for SEO. If it works well for PPC, then it’s probably worth trying for SEO purposes. The same holds true for keywords that are working well for SEO. If you have a set of keywords that you rank highly both organically and in PPC, then there is another task that the Web analyst needs to work on.

That task is finding the right position for the PPC ad based on where the site ranks organically. It may be that the #2 spot in PPC generates the highest return, but it could also be taking away sales that otherwise would be coming through organically. Understanding what position for PPC generates the highest overall (both organically and paid) return will allow your company to realize the greatest return.

That is just the beginning, but this would go on forever if I began getting into the importance of multivariate testing and the full analysis of user behavior for organic and paid visitors that should continually be taking place.

Instead, I’ll hopefully be leaving you with an understanding that a truly integrated SEO and PPC effort requires more than just the SEO and PPC teams working together. It requires the Web analytics team to also provide insights and advice to help take it to the next level.

So, while SEO and PPC can get into the party that is the first page of the SERPs, they really should enlist the help of Web Analytics to take the party up to the next level and really begin to drive the highest level of sales while delivering the best overall return.

This is Part Two of a three part series on SEO and PPCs quest to have an amazing night out on the town.  If you have not already read Part One, check it out before reading on. 

Once SEO and PPC finally meet up a new set of issues arise. Neither of them can manage to get past the crowds and up to the bar to get drinks. To make matters worse, the cocktail waitresses seem to be ignoring them. Frustrated, they decide they will instead mingle and see who they meet. They each go their separate ways, but after a while they both begin to get frustrated. While everyone seems to be out for attention tonight, neither SEO nor PPC is having much luck. Both of them seem to be getting ignored or shot down more often than not which is quickly making the night a disappointment.

Just then, an old friend who neither SEO nor PPC has seen in ages shows up. The old friends name is Web Analytics. SEO and PPC explain the frustration each is having with how the night is going and seem a bit upset as a smile comes across the face of Web Analytics.

Web Analytics explains that he can help turn the night into the type of party that SEO and PPC thought they were going to at the outset. He explains that PPC and SEO need to work together to have the night they envisioned and once they find out how best to play off each other then everything else will fall into place.

Armed with their new advice - they again try their luck. After a bit of experimenting with different tactics, their luck starts to change. Suddenly, they seem to be the center of attention with each generating their fair share of interest from almost everyone they come in contact with.

There is still one area, however, that SEO and PPC have yet to master and that is the ability to get a drink. Seeing that, Web Analytics sends over a cocktail waitress to SEO and PPC who are laughing and having a great time with a couple of new friends. After taking their order, the cocktail waitress tells them that she will keep an eye on them and makes sure they are taken care of for the rest of the night.

While both SEO and PPC are now having an amazing time, they both feel like it can still be taken to the next level. Just then, Web Analytics reappears – but he is not alone this time.

Find out who Web Analytics has brought with him in the conclusion next week.

This is part one of a three part series that was first published as part of Marketing Pilgrim’s Scholarship Contest. The finalists were determined by the number of visitors that read the post as well as factoring in bonus points for a low bounce rate and high average time on site. While this post was not a finalist, it did have the second lowest bounce rate of any entry and the eleventh highest average time on site. I guess what that means is that I should have made an effort to drive visitors to the post.  Oh well, there is always next year.

But, without further adu here is part one of the post.

How does search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising relate to your quest to have an amazing night out at the hottest bar or club in town? And, what friend should you make sure to bring along so that you will definitely have a night to remember? Well, I won’t require you to have the patience of SEO. But instead, I’ll give you the instant gratification of PPC.

Two friends, SEO and PPC are getting ready to head out on their quest to have an incredible time at the new local hotspot. They decide they will meet at the club since they live on opposite sides of town. As usual, PPC quickly gets ready and heads out the door. There is no style lost, however, in the quick process of getting ready. In fact, PPC is looking quite flashy and really stands out from the crowd. PPC quickly finds a parking spot right next to the club and heads past the long line waiting to get in. As usual, PPC is on the guest list and is ushered right inside.

SEO on the other hand takes a long time to get ready, but once ready looks every bit as impressive. After SEO finally makes it out the door, through the traffic heading downtown, SEO eventually finds a parking spot far away from the club a new obstacle arises. SEO does not seem to be on the guest list and instead has to wait patiently in line. SEO could be upset and frustrated, but instead excitedly anticipates the fun night that hopefully is about to begin. An hour goes by, but eventually SEO is let through the doors and to the party inside.

Does this sound familiar to all you SEO and PPC experts? PPC is always the one that can be up and running in no time with a flashy ad and ranking in top positions for all the important keywords. PPC can slip right into the party and start generating sales in no time. SEO on the other hand has to be patient since you’re likely not going to be able to join the party on the first page of the SERPs right away. Instead, it will take hard work and a lot of patience before you finally make your way in. That hard work and patience, however, can really pay off and potentially can be more cost effective than PPC in the long term. But anyways, back to the story…

Next week part 2…

Just when you think people may be starting to understand what Search Engine Optimization is all about, and how it can help your site – you come across a Website that just doesn’t get it such as this one from the Gruniad (old joke about the name, they’re famous for typo’s)…

It’s all about search engine optimisation these days, readers. See, ORGY the more words SEXY BITS that interweb types search for PARIS HILTON COVERED IN GREASE that the Mill HOW TO GET A GIRLFRIEND, YEP JUST ONE WILL DO, IS THAT ASKING TOO MUCH? sneaks into this article the higher up it will PARIS HILTON COVERED IN KETCHUP appear on Google…

Is that what SEO is? Merely stuffing keywords into the body content and sticking <Strong> tags around them? Well, they did place the term Paris Hilton in the title tag, a <h1> tag, and in the alt tag of the image of Paris Hilton (the description tag reference a post from another day, looks like they forgot that one); so they are trying to see if they can rank for these terms.

Why are they doing this? Surely, the Guardian is a well respected newspaper / site in the UK.  Do they really need to resort to this kind of rubbish (ranking for non-relevant keyword terms)? No they don’t, and the reason they’re probably doing it is just because they want to see if it works.  Or, possibly because they want to see if they can get these terms to show up on the analytics reporting and embarrass whomever presents the reports. Why? Well, it’s because this particular section of the Guardian is known for it’s humor and wit (or in some cases failing attempts at both).  And, because the site itself is well trusted, with a large number of incoming links…they stand a good chance of success.

Photo by casaroger, fake ketchup added by me

How is it doing for them? Well, after a few hours they were already ranking first for “Paris Hilton Covered in Grease” and “Paris Hilton Covered in Ketchup”.  Although, you really have to wonder how many people are going to search for those terms (according to KeywordDIscovery that would be 0). Even if people are searching for them, how pleased would they be to find upon arrival at the site they didn’t find their hotel heiress covered in condiments as promised, but instead found a recap of daily soccer rumors for July 3rd? Probably not too thrilled, so they’ll mostly head right back out the way they came.

This all gets back to the issue of relevance. Whatever your goal is for your site, your content should support that. For you to increase your conversions, you need to funnel people in in specific ways.  Tricking them onto your site may increase your traffic, but it’s going to substantially reduce your conversions, and that’s what really counts (unless of course, the only metric you’re measuring is traffic, in which case I’d suggest also adding time on site and bounce rates into the mix).

Whoops… wrong Flash. The big search news from Google, Yahoo and Adobe is that those two search engines are now able to pull all text from Adobe flash (swf) files. So if there is text within the file it can be indexed and found through a subsequent search.

What are the implications? Well, for starters it means that I need to make changes to my SEO training slides where I state that Flash should only be used sparingly if at all (although I do believe that making Flash readable in some manner this year was an ADA requirement). It also means that you may see a shift in the search results as they roll this out, as it’s not a new form of flash that’s being indexed, it’s all flash that’s already out there. The difference is that there’s a new flash parser (reader) that Google and Yahoo are taking advantage of.

One other implication is that any urls in the flash will be crawled, which could result in flash files being stuffed with links in the near future.

So should you rush out and “flash up” your site? Well, since we don’t know yet how well this is going to work, I’d advise caution, plus you also need to think about the usability of your site. Does flash present the look and feel that you feel represents your organization best?  How will the search engines handle the state of the Flash file?  Will they be able to take you to a particular location in the Flash file, or only to the start?  What about sites that are entirely flash based?  Will everything just point you to the first page?  These are just a few of the many things to think about before making the Flash leap.

What I can say is that this is a good move for Adobe, as by giving over 85% of the search market the capability to index Flash, they’ve removed a fairly large barrier for using that format.

Anchor text is the text on a Web page that you click which takes you to another page. To get a little bit more technical, it’s the hyperlink text. It’s the text that the search engines look at to get some idea of the context of the page being linked to. If the anchor text says NonProfit Services, then the search engines start to think that the page has something to do with NonProfit services. Simple enough?

Then, why do so many people still insist on using “Click Here” as the anchor text? Back in the early days of the Web, when the average user was still getting acquainted with the Web - informing the user of the action that they should take was more necessary.  These days it’s downright wasteful.

The page on your site with the video on the starving children in Africa isn’t about “Click Here.”   You should motivate users to “View the Video on Famine Stricken African Children,” or whatever keywords you’re trying to target.

If you really do want to rank for “Click Here,” you’ve got one heck of a job ahead of you trying to knock the current champ off that perch…

One problem that I’ll frequently hear when gathering requirements for a Search Audit, is that a site used to rank well for a particular term, but no longer does.  I’ll ask what content they had that used to rank for that term.  Sometimes I’ll hear that it was either pages that were taken down due to redesign, or due to seasonal content.  The most common response is – “We don’t know, that’s why we called you in.”

In those cases, a simple 301 redirect could be used to preserve those rankings by redirecting the page equity to a page with similar or like content.  What you don’t want to do is have a 404 page (always No-Index them) or some other stop page be presented to the user.

In the example below, Oxfam had a page calling for donations for the 2004 Asian Earthquake.  This campaign is now over.  So, what did they do with that page?  They changed the title to “Campaign Expired” and presented a “This Campaign has Expired” page to the user.  As you can see, this doesn’t look good in their search results.

What should Oxfam have done?  I would recommend that they put together a landing page that talked about the results of the 2004 campaign which would be linked to current campaigns – with strong calls to donate on the page.  This lets people see what’s been done with money in the past, gives them a chance to donate to wherever the need is now (opening up the previously closed conversion funnel), and preserves the rankings by providing like, relevant content for the search.