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Google’s Got a New Patent Disclosure Out

Google is on a roll. Here’s a link to another new patent that Google is working to get on content discernment. I have not read the full patent disclosure yet, but it appears that Google working to identify content and assign it an Agent Rank and assign an authority rating based on the author. Well, that is it in a nutshell in very simplistic terms.

There has never been a more important time than to become an expert in your own field using your website to disseminate information about your area of business and to keep your clients and readers up-to-date with information using a blog, RSS news feed, and e-newsletters archived on your website. Doing this will establish you as an authority in your marketplace and provide value to your readers.

In the past four months, this will be the second patent disclosure from Google that I have read. The earlier disclosure had to do with identifying duplicated content across websites and identifying which website should be the one to receive top ranking as more authoritative. Now we have a disclosure to identify how authoritative a writer is on the web. These two patent appear to dovetail very nicely with each other.

You can click our blog post title and read the full patent disclosure. It I glean any additional information today, I will post it here tomorrow.

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The Face of Search Engine Optimization Has Changed

The art of search engine optimization has changed significantly in the last two to three years, and now it has changed again thanks to Google’s personalized results.

These used to be the tactics that worked for search engine placement:

  1. Insert keywords into comment tags
  2. Insert keywords into image alt tags
  3. Build reciprocal links with other sites more=better
  4. Bold keyword text on your page
  5. Create a good title tag
  6. Have a good meta description and loads of meta keywords
  7. Use keywords in h1 and h2 tags

Out of that list the tactics that will really work now are:

  1. Create a good title tag
  2. Have a good meta description Use keywords in h1 and h2 tags
  3. Strive for a good keyword density on your content pages
  4. Work to have excellent content and offer information that will benefit your readers
  5. Have a blog on your site to keep your content fresh and targeted

It is amazing to me that some people still think that keywords stuffed inside comment tags still work. In fact it does not and Google will penalize you for the use. (Been there done that.) Interesting that a very high-powered Flash designer told me he is using this tactic when we talked about the trouble with his Flash websites placing organically. I do not recommend doing this at all; this is old news.

With personalized search being a default now for Google on the Web, content and I mean good content, is more than important it is crucial. Many of the techniques previously used will not work now to get good site placement.

The face of optimization is changing and now is the time to do your research and change your style and tactics to move your site forward using strong time-tested strategies that really work.

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Very Hot Google Tip

Okay this is hot and you really should take advantage of it. In certain markets, Google is now showing a map and local listings above the organic search results. That means that you should make sure that you are in Google Maps! This is a similar approach to what Yahoo has taken, but has charged big time for based on metropolitan market. I have one client who paid Yahoo $800 per month to have this type of positioning that Google appears to be giving away free.

Now here is the hot tip, it appears that Google Maps is now also showing reviews for businesses tied to the Google Maps information and the reviews are all coming from a site called Yelp.com. You can click our post title and go there directly to check it out.

It can really work for you when you have a great review about your business from a real customer and now Google is helping you to get business and credibility for free. Wow, that is a big deal — first take advantage of Google Maps and second build your credibility online by pointing satisfied customers to Yelp.com to build your online reputation.

Note: I do not recommend that you do this in a bogus way, do not try to pad your references online; that would be disreputable and Google is very smart, it may come back to haunt you. Best to play it straight up and honest!

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MSN adCenter Beta Have You Seen It?

I haven’t seen this in any of the professionals forums or even on the MSN adCenter blog, but I was looking at a potential client’s account for management services and his account is on MSN adCenter Beta. Interesting! Of note was the fact that MSN adCenter is moving to a control panel much like Yahoo’s.

Of particular interest to me was the fact that in adCenter Beta, MSN has dropped “Orders”. Now there are only campaigns, ad groups, and ad text just like the Google AdWords model. The interface was much more user friendly and is clearly a new change for MSN which is struggling to resolve some of the “issues” that professionals find with their current pay per click advertising interface.

I am looking forward myself to migrating to this new fresher and hopefully bug-free interface for Microsoft adCenter.