SEO

Will search engines penalize you for duplicate content?

First of all, for those that are just getting their feet wet, what is duplicate content? Duplicate content is just that - text that is the same, word for word, on different pages; mostly found on different websites as well (it wouldn't make much sense to duplicate your own pages). We differentiate between external (content on external websites) and internal (content within the same website) duplicate content...  read more »

How to apply SEO to websites with more than one language?

All of the search engine optimization (SEO) techniques we discuss here at Guru of Search apply to websites, regardless of language. However, when it comes to search marketing, language and culture play a large role. Read on to find out how you can optimize your search marketing campaigns to take advantage of differences in language and culture...  read more »

Structuring Your Site For SEO

Following is a list of essential tips on how to structure your site and its pages and directories optimally for search engine optimization purposes...  read more »

Should my page title include my website name?

This is a question we've gotten a lot from clients. Will the website name distract from the keywords in your page name? Will the website title deter visitors from your page or attract them? Read on to find out...  read more »

Same website, new website, or sub-domain?

One of the questions important to anyone that is creating a website, including those that already own and run a well established website, is:  Is it better to create a new website for new content or is there an advantage to publishing the new content within an existing website?  ...  read more »

To ping or not to ping?

What does it mean to ping a website?

Ping has historically stood for Packet InterNet Grouper.  Ping is used as a computer network tool to test whether a particular host is reachable across an IP network.  In the search field, a ping can be used to notify search engines and social bookmarking services that your page has been updated, or that you have posted new content...  read more »

Why use Google Analytics?

What are the advantages of using Google Analytics?  Analytics is the free successor to the previously commercial Urchin Analytics software.  Google Analytics is constantly being updated and improved, and is a must-have resource for your search marketing campaign.  It will show you valuable data about your visitors that you can use in combination with your Google Sitemap and other Google services...  read more »

What are sitemaps?

There are two types of sitemaps - a navigational sitemap, which is intended for your website visitors and search engines, and a search engine sitemap, which is intended primarily for search engines...  read more »

Every page has its own identity, or keyphrase

The first thing you want to be aware of when building and structuring your website is that when search engines index pages, they look at each page as having its own identity.  It's important that you only talk about related topics on one page, and start a new page once you begin a new topic.  Why?  Because you want each page to have its own unique identity...  read more »

What is Search Engine Marketing (SEM)?

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) encompasses all strategies that involve promoting a Web site in the search engine rankings.  The higher your website is in the rankings, the more visitors you will receive, and the more sales you'll make.  SEM includes search engine optimization (SEO), which involves optimizing the code and layout of your website to cater to search engines.  In other words, if search engines understand your website, they will be more likely to index its pages.  Your pages must be "indexed" by search engines before they can appear in search engine results pages (SERPs)...  read more »