Can search engines read PDF files and if so how well? This is a great question posed by one of our developers this morning at our staff meeting. So, guessing that others are asking the same question I thought I would create a post about it.

The quick answer is, Yes. All search engines can read PDF files. Therefore it’s important to optimize your PDF for the search engines.

How to Optimize your PDF for SEO -

1. First step is to make sure that you create your PDF in a text based program like Microsoft Word or Adobe Pagemaker. If you create your PDF in Photoshop, it is considered a large image and is not an actual readable PDF.
2. Optimize your title, header tags and descriptions. There are a few ways to do this.
   -  If you are working in Microsoft Word, use the H1, H2, H3 tags provided where necessary.
   -  Also, make sure that when you go into Adobe Acrobat you fill out the proper description fields. This means adding a title, subject and keywords into the appropriate content fields.
   -  Title your PDF with a keyword, for example it should be named keyword.pdf.
   -  And, lastly create alt text and captions for any images used in the document.
3. Don’t bury the PDF on your site. Make sure that you create a link to the PDF from a page on your site that is crawled often, like your homepage.

There has been a bit of discussion about how well a PDF will rank compared to html content. And, while we recommend html over a PDF, there have been cases where a PDF ranked for a certain search term quicker than the html version, however, eventually the HTML landed at the top.

Joan Woodbrey Crocker
If only Google Bots were as Cute as that Dog!

Facebook News Feed Update – You may have noticed a few changes this morning when you signed into Facebook. There is a layout change for one, but the major change is the Facebook News Feed.    You’ll notice that you now have Top Stories, which are marked by a blue corner, and then your most recent stories just below.

So, what is a top story exactly?  Facebook is pulling stories into your news feed that they think you will find interesting or that have been posted since you last signed in.

The news feed updates got me thinking about what the affect on the Facebook EdgeRank score would be, if it would change, or if it even mattered anymore since you would just get most recent updates.  However, according to Facebook, “We determine whether something is a top story based on lots of factors, including your relationship to the person who posted the story, how many comments and likes it got, what type of story it is, etc. For example, a friend’s status update that might not normally be a top story may become a top story after many other friends comment on it.”  So, my guess is that the Facebook EdgeRank score is still VERY important when it comes to showing up in someone’s top news feed.

If Facebook is pointing out something to you in your News Feed that you don’t think is interesting, they have made it very simple to hide or “unmark a top story”.   Also, you will have more control over what you see in your news feed by creating Facebook Smart Lists. 

The Facebook Real Time Ticker:  The ticker will show real time friend activity as it happens to the right of your screen just above your chat list.   This feature allows you to hover over an item to see the full story and also gives you an option to click in and join the conversation or comment. 

Larger Images:  Facebook has made the images that show up in your news feed larger.  And, who doesn’t love that??!!

Subscribe Feeds: Facebook has added a subscribe feature to personal profiles.  What this means is that you can allow people to subscribe to your updates.  This is very much like a twitter follow.  Like within Twitter you can follow someone without them following you back.  Same thing when you follow or subscribe to a Facebook personal feed.  It’s important to note that you will only be sharing information with subscribers that you post as a public update.  This is probably one of the tweaks that Facebook has added that most closely resembles Google+.

View Shares:  Lastly, Facebook has updated Facebook Pages by adding a ‘View Shares’ link on all posts.  So, you can now see who has shared content from your page with others.

The battle rages on between Facebook and Google+.  Who is going to have the better platform?  Who is going to lose or gain users? Which platform will be more important from a business standpoint to have a profile on?  My guess is that there is room for both and the battle will continue, which is a good thing for the end user.  The more they try to one up each other the better product we have to use at the end of the day.

What are your thoughts on the new Facebook updates?

Joan Woodbrey Crocker
Enjoying the Battle

Find Me on Facebook
Find Me on Google+

Google Plus Instant Upload is a little Big Brother but very cool.  Okay, so I have to admit I was a little freaked out by this at first…

Google Plus’s instant upload is really simple.  All you have to do is download the Google Plus app onto your Android phone.  The default setting for the app is has Instant Upload enabled. So, that’s all the set up that is required.  Then all you do is snap pictures on your phone as your normally would and they automatically get uploaded to your Google + account.  So, the next time you sign into the account you will have the option of whether you want to share the picture with your circles or not.  Watch my demo below…

If you are worried about privacy or you don’t want to use Instant Upload it’s really easy to disable.  Just follow the steps below.

1. Go to the Google+ App on your phone
2. Press Menu
3. Go to Settings
4. Scroll down to Instant Upload
5. Uncheck the box so that it no longer has a green check mark

You can also open up your Instant Upload settings from here to check on upload statuses, upload existing photos, decide whether you just want photos uploaded instantly or video too, turn off instant upload while roaming etc.

Joan Woodbrey Crocker
Maine SEO

Whether you are celebrating it’s arrival or wishing it away because you don’t want to keep track of yet another social network, Google Plus is here.  We will soon find out whether it is here to stay or a quick fad, but my guess is that this is the real deal.  If you haven’t had the chance to join yet make sure to go check it out.  And, If you are like me and you are thinking HOLY COW there is so much to learn and read.. Here are a few resources I found helpful gathered all in one place.

What is Google Plus and How Do I Use It:

How to Get Started With Google Plus: This is a great guide to getting started on Google + it gives great info and screenshots, but it’s a little less overwhelming than the Google Plus Collaborative Doc (below).

Google Plus a Collaborative Document: This is literally a guide to using Google Plus.  The Table of Contents lays out the document so that you can jump around and learn about the areas that you need help with.  This is probably the most in depth and useful guide I have come across.

The Google Plus Cheat Sheet: Exactly what it sounds like, a cheat sheet or glossary of terms on how to use Google Plus and what things mean…So, in case you don’t have the time (or patience) to go through the doc above.

10 Awesome Video Tips for Getting More out of Google + Don’t like to read? Check out these quick video tips!

How to: Get Your Own Google+ Vanity URL: Since Google Plus doesn’t offer vanity URL’s as of now for fear of spammers figuring out millions of Google+ users email account information, gplus.to has created a small app that makes it easy to create your own Vanity URL to make it easy to share your Google Plus Profile with your friends.

How to Get Google+ On My Phone:

Get Google+ On Your iPhone! And iOS App was released today making it possible for iPhone users to get Google Plus on their iPhones.  It’s been available since the beginning on Android phones and all you need to do is go to the Droid Market, to download your Google+ app for Free.

How To Use Google Plus for Business/Marketing:

10 Things CMOs Need to Know About Google+ Chris Brogan compares Google+ to the launch of Facebook and the leap people made from Myspace to Facebook.  Giving reasons such as Google is the King of Search so they will probably have their social network affect search, they are starting up business pages, it’s connections with gmail and other Google tools you already use and it’s fast growth in it’s first two weeks of it’s launch he thinks it’s the next BIG thing!

3 Ways to Use Google Plus in Your Content Marketing Efforts A lot of great tips here on Google Plus for content marketing as well as  a great list of related articles about Google Plus, such as “Can Google+ Rival Facebook and Twitter? Some Initial Thoughts” and “Top 6 Articles On Google Plus to help you Get the Most Out of Your Experience.”

Google + Now Part of Google Analytics: You can now track your social interaction as well on your Google Analytics by adding a bit of code to your sites.  Currently this tracks Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus.  There isn’t a code yet to track LinkedIn interactions.

More On Google +:

5 Ways Journalists are Using Google Plus
5 Chrome Extensions that Improve Google+
What Your Business Needs To Know About Google+
How does the Google +1 Button Affect Search

The more I research, explore, play and use Google + the more I like it.  It’s incredibly connected, dynamic and the uses are endless. For example…

It recognizes when I take a picture with my Android, and then without me uploading or doing anything it is already in my photos on Google Plus asking me if I want to share it.

My new Tag line: Google Plus… It’s So Smart, It’s Spooky!

Joan Woodbrey Crocker
Maine SEO

I read this article in Mashable last week that mentioned Google would wish you a Happy Birthday. Of course, I just had to try it for myself. When you add your birthday to your Google profile, you’ll see this logo on the Google homepage on your birthday.

When you click on the Google logo, they’ll send you to your profile page, where you’ll see:

Aww, Google, you shouldn’t have!

Nicki Hicks
They say it’s [my] birthday