The Maine SEO Blog

Like Mom used to say…If you don’t have anything to blog about, don’t blog at all.

Wait a minute that’s not right. Quite the contrary, in fact. Keep blogging!

Out of ideas? Just not feeling creative? We all get like that. Here are some tips and tricks to help you through (less creative) rainy days…

Stock up. When your writing juices are flowing, keep going. (Excuse the rhyme.) If you have the time to devote, then write as many blogposts as you can. You’ll appreciate the stock pile when you have a blogging dry spell.

Short, sweet tips. Something you do, maybe everyday, may be the exact thing someone else can’t figure out and has been searching for relentlessly. A quick, simple “how-to”. For example, I couldn’t figure out how to fix my Google Analytics scheduled reports and when I finally did, I wrote about it.

Top 10/Most Popular Posts. If you can’t think of anything at all, go with what you’ve already done. Compile a list of your most popular blog posts – it might help someone see what they’ve missed!

Videos/Articles…not by you. If you see a great video, article, post, even podcast…take a clip, copy and paste, or drop it into a blogpost (giving the author credit, of course). Then, write a little about your take on it.

Write it down as you think of it. If you come up with a really great idea, but don’t have the time to expand on it, jot some notes down. Better yet, use a voice recording device and transcribe it later.

How about you; what’s your best tip for when you can’t think of anything to write?

Nicki Hicks
Today is my creative day

Recently, flyte began a relationship with Mentoring Minds, a company that sells educational tools with a goal to help teachers help students.

Like many Ecommerce websites, there was originally little content to be found on the site. While little content is good from a usability standpoint, we know there still has to be content.

How do you create the balance for Ecommerce?

One issue I’ve seen a lot in Ecommerce sites is the insatiable urge to force the user to make an obscene amount of clicks (less so an issue for this particular site). But if you have an ecommerce site, with a myriad of categories, subcategories, and finally individual product pages; ask yourself: Can I condense and simplify?

When you do have necessary category pages, like Mentoring Minds’ Response to Intervention page, make sure you use it as an opportunity to create content around the subject. Contrary to popular belief, people will scroll. That doesn’t mean you should force them to scroll a lot; simply that (nearly) gone are the days when everything has to be above the fold.

So if you (or the teacher in your life) need better tools for success in the classroom, be sure to give Mentoring Minds a call. If you need help optimizing your Ecommerce website, then be sure to give flyte a call.

Nicki Hicks
Maine SEO

About a year ago, a client requested to receive weekly Google Analytics reports; a request I was more than happy to oblige. In order to stay on top of the client’s statistics, I added my own email to the list.

Now, months later, our contract has been completed and I’m still receiving those pesky emails. While I’m ecstatic my client’s website continues to perform well, it’s become annoying that Google Analytics emails me every Monday morning..like clock work.

This morning I decided to do something about it.

After some searching, I found the current Google Analytics Help section on the topic is somewhat out of date, having been written before one of the minor redesigns.

In an effort to help others pestered with the same annoyance I was having, the solution is simple.

Go into “View Reports” of the account in question. On the left hand menu, you’ll see hiding under “My Customizations”, an Email button:

Once here, you can change, manage, or update any of your scheduled reports!

Nicki Hicks
Happily no longer receiving GA reports

Ever wanted to see how much traffic you’re getting from your social media networks? Or your email newsletter? How about from a particular link – maybe a directory?

You can obviously filter this traffic using Google Analytics; but with Advanced Segments, spending a little time now will save you a lot of time filtering from now on.

In the top right of your dashboard, you’ll see “Advanced Segments”, with a default drop down of “All Visits”:

Basically, an Advanced Segment is simply a way to compare sets of Analytics data against each other – whether it’s traffic, referring sites, time on site, etc. These are many of the pre-set segments.

Let’s say I want to see my total visits compared to those from referring sites. By simply checking off those two boxes, I can then see the data:

Keep in mind that you can change the date range, as well as travel to any other page (bounce rate, for example) and still have the segment set.

Since Google Analytics couldn’t create every segment, you have the ability to create your own. Click the drop-down Advanced Segments menu, then choose to create a new advanced segment.

You’ll be taken to this page:

Let’s say I want to see how much traffic I get from Facebook. I click down within Dimensions > Traffic Sources > Source, and drag it to the Dimension or Metric box. In this case, I’m going to match the dimension with “Contains”, for the traffic that contains the domain facebook.com. Input the domain, name the segment, and you’re done!

Notice you can add “or” and/or “and” statements depending on the segment you want to set. You’d use these if you were tracking traffic from multiple sources; for instance, all social media sources (twitter.com, facebook.com, and linkedin.com).

Not sure you did it right? Click “Test Segment” to see if it worked.

Then, if I go back to my dashboard and set “All Visits” and my new “Facebook” segment, I can see the comparison:

Again, this process takes some time to set up, but once it is, you’ll be able to create seemingly customized reports in no time!

Nicki Hicks
Create custom reports with the click of a button

Do you know who they are?

Sadly, many business owners don’t know who their audience is. A local Mom-and-Pop variety store may be entirely unaware of who they should be targeting.

So step one: figure out who your customers are.

Just ask

Seems silly, but why do all sorts of research and do little more than guess when you can find out for sure? Simply say, “Oh by the way, I was just wondering where you spend your time online. Do you have a favorite social network?”

Maybe your audience isn’t online, and therefore you don’t need to spend time there. You’ll find out pretty quickly where most of them lie: whether it’s on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or maybe a niche social media site that you’ve never even heard of. Asking is the easiest way to find out – and it’s far easier than guessing.

Be where your people are

After you find out where people are…go there. They may be on multiple channels, and that doesn’t mean you have to devote your time to all of them. Pick one if that’s all the time your resources allow; but sign up for all of them.

MySpace

For the right kind of business (and audience), MySpace could be lethal (in a good way). For musicians and new bands, MySpace has been a huge key to success.

With the ability, unlike most social networks, to customize backgrounds and profiles, MySpace is truly a brandable network.

Facebook

Create your personal profile first, then a business fan page. Starting suggesting that friends fan your business, and then start reaching out beyond your friends. You can search for specific keywords within your network; or simply keywords within profiles – depending on privacy settings.

Facebook ads are another way to gain fans. Right now, they’re ultra-targeted and relatively cheap per click.

Twitter

If your customer base is on Twitter, sign up and build out your profile (including a custom background). Search for people you already know and start following them. Then go to Twitter Search and find some gurus in your industry by searching for keywords in your line of business. Check out Nearby Tweets for tweeps in your area and start following them.

Download an app like TweetDeck and track keywords in either your industry or your physical location. By doing this, you’ll no longer need to search constantly on Nearby Tweets or a similar geo-locating tool. Also, make sure you track your business name. That way, if someone talks about you (positive or negative), you’ll be right there, ready to respond accordingly.

LinkedIn

If your audience is on LinkedIn, you should be too! Create a personal profile page, along with a business profile page. Then make sure everyone in your organization is on LinkedIn and become connected with them. Then, look for your audience. Start with people you know.

Begin joining groups – even creating some around your line of work. Be sure to check the Answers section in order to become the expert in your industry. Both Groups and Answers are great places to find people to become connected with.

You’re not done yet

Now that you’ve found your audience, make sure you continue to search for new fans, friends, connections, and followers constantly. Consistently engage with these people – no matter what network you’re on.

Nicki Hicks
Go where the people are

Just the other day, a prospect said this to me.

And I got to thinking about it. She’s exactly right.

Every day, old websites, blogs, heck even social media profiles, are being optimized. Most, obviously, not all, new websites launched are optimized to a certain extent.

So while, for the moment, there are plenty of sites to optimize…it may not be like that forever.

Instead, content creation is king. Constantly putting out new, fresh content is the way things have been, and will continue to be, headed.

You’ll hear time and time again that Google loves fresh content. What’s fresher than a blog? Or social media? Or social bookmarking?

More and more, people look for small, sweet snippets of information: easily digestible and quickly answering whatever query they may have.

What’s the lesson for you?

If your website isn’t optimized, start there. Get that puppy search engine friendly.

If you don’t already have a blog…create one. Then answer questions you get all the time, whatever industry you may be in; include images and video. Make lists, how-to’s, even step-by-step guides.

If you’re not on any social media network, first find out where your audience is. Then get there! Start putting out fresh content – some self serving, but more importantly information your audience wants to know – whether it’s stats, local updates, or even a piece of witty humor.

Nicki Hicks
Optimization may be dying, but content is thriving

Photo by subcess

For the past few weeks, I’ve been doing a step-by-step series on how to set up Google AdWords – in an attempt to make the (to some, seemingly daunting) task as minimally invasive as possible. The series is complete, and now you can find the entire guide in one spot: here.

Go through each step if that’s what you need, or pick and choose the steps that are giving you a hard time.

• Step 1: Setting up your account
• Step 2: Create your first campaign (Location, Language, and Demographics)
• Step 3: Create your first campaign (Networks, Devices, and Extensions)
• Step 4: Create your first campaign (Bidding and Budget)
• Step 5: Create your first campaign (Advanced Settings)
• Step 6: Create ad and keywords (Create an ad)
• Step 7: Create ad and keywords (Keywords)
• Step 8: Create ad and keywords (Placements)
• Step 9: Account Setup (Billing)

Nicki Hicks
Ultimate(ly) Setting up AdWords

Account Setup: Billing

We’ve come to the final steps of our AdWords account setup: showing Google the money, honey.

After choosing your country, you can either pick postpay/prepay billing. Understand that if you choose to prepay, your balance might run out before you want it to.

Although if you’re only willing to spend a set amount, then this option is perfect for you.

Read the terms of service, enter your credit card information, and…you’re all done!

Congratulations!

Nicki Hicks
9 Step Set-up

Create ad and keywords: Placements

Now that you’ve got your keywords in place; remember how when you chose to show your ads in the Content Network, I said you could choose which content networks later?

Later is now.

If you decided that Google couldn’t pick relevant content networks, or if you have website(s) or blog(s) in mind where you know you want your ad, this section is for you.

Or perhaps your know a content network where you don’t want your ad to populate. This section is also for you.

Simply list the website(s) and blog(s), as Google does. For those sites/blogs where you’d rather your ad not show up, put the (-) negative in front, similar to a negative keyword.

You might be saying to yourself: I don’t know which sites I want or don’t want to show my ad. No biggie. Leave this box blank. Once you gather data, you’ll know which content networks you’re getting impressions, traffic, and conversions from, you might want to exclude those sites not converting and basically decreasing your conversion rate as a result.

Congratulations!

You’ve successfully added placements for your ad in the Content Network! Next time, we’ll move on to the joys of billing.

Nicki Hicks
Yes there is a Step 9

Create ad and keywords: Keywords

Even though it seems a little out of order to me, you’ve created your ad – so now it’s time to choose the keywords you want to bid on for that ad.

Select Keywords

Based on your ad copy, Google will give you suggestions for keywords. Even with this list, as always, I would recommend getting a keyword analysis. You might be missing opportunities with paid search, just as with organic.

You can enter as many keywords as you like; just remember – you’re going to pay every time someone searches for one and clicks on your ad. Choose wisely.

As you input keywords, Google will estimate the search traffic. Notice that this estimate is for the entire list of keywords – not on an individual basis. What do these numbers mean, do you ask?

• CPC (Cost Per Click): How much you pay per click. In this instance, Google is estimating “pet gifts” will cost me anywhere between $.62 and $1.31
• Clicks/day: The estimated number of clicks (not impressions) Google estimates I’ll receive from this keyword per day.
• Cost/day: The estimated amount 60-76 clicks will cost.

While just estimates, the traffic summary will give you an idea how much the keyword costs – as well as how relevant it might be.

Match Types

Match types are, without a doubt, critical. In order to get traffic – the right traffic – and acquire accurate impressions data, make sure you root out any keywords that don’t apply to your product, service, and ad.

Broad match will match your phrase, including any other (relevant) variations. “Phrase match” will match the phrase, but still pick up searchers who add for long tail searches. [Exact match] will match only that phrase or term. - Negative match will ensure your ad does not show up for that query.

Negative match is one of the most powerful in the group – rooting out those queries that don’t apply. You may be thinking “when someone searches for my term, they’re looking for me”. Not so. Trying Googling your keyword(s). Look for results that both a) don’t exactly relate to your industry and b) don’t relate to this particular ad.

Congratulations!

You’ve just added your first set of keywords to the campaign! Next time, we’ll delve into ad placements.

Nicki Hicks
Keyword-holic