Denver SEO Blog: Web Development, SEO & Marketing

It’s been one whole year since we founded the Denver SEO Meetup. We have now had 13 meetups, with 119 members and growing. Expectations about the number and types of SEOs we’d meet have been exceeded, as noted Denver SEO professionals large and small have attended. Among our top lessons:

1. We have great synergies with attendees from related industries
Several great contributors to the Denver SEO Meetup aren’t even SEOs - they are affiliate or internet marketing professionals from the Denver/ Boulder area. Or SEO folks looking to hire/ be hired. While the group is targeted toward full-time SEO professionals, it’s been a happy accident that we’ve also attracted so many other great members.

2. Denver Web Designers and Webmasters attend, expecting a learning group
Several webmasters have attended or joined the group, and left disappointed when free SEO training wasn’t offered. All Denver SEO experts started as beginners at some point, but the meetup is really targeted toward socializing - not educating. Unfortunately, there have been hurt feelings. We have heard the cries, and are working in conjunction with Colorado SEMPO to provide a mixture of educational programs in addition to this social event.

3. SEOs like beer, wine and socializing, not laser tag
The SEO meetup was initially a lasertag group. Of one. It didn’t take long to figure out that should change.

4. Denver SEOs are normal people. Even the “Black Hats”. Especially the “Black Hats”.
Denver SEOs have families, pet sites, hobbies, etc. Even the black hats. More than just search engine optimization rules their worlds. Some of the best SEO conversations have started about families, pets, travel, and things without any acronyms whatsoever.

If you are a Denver SEO Firm, search marketing agency, SEO freelancer - or a curious Black Hat - consider this an invitation to join the group. To socialize, network, and relax a little. Hope to see you there!

Tags: denver web design, search engine optimization, website development, denver web development, seo, website design

There are many parts of the web that Googlebot has not been able to access, but Google has been working to shrink that. Google wants to find content, and while many webmasters do not make it easy, Googlebot finds a way.

1. Crawling flash!
Adobe announced today that they have released technology and information to Google and Yahoo enabling them to crawl flash files. It may take the search engines some time before they are able to integrate and implement these abilities, but a time is coming where rich media is less of a liability. I wonder if MSN/Live was left out to prevent them from reverse engineering Flash for their new silverlight competitor? At any rate, MSN is still working on accessing text links, so let’s not swamp them.

2. Crawling forms
Googlebot recently started filling out forms on the web in an attempt to discover content hidden behind jump menus and other forms. See our previous article if you’d like to keep Google out of your forms.

3. Working with Government entities to make information more accessible
A year or so ago, Google started providing training to government agencies to assist them in getting their information onto the web. I’m assuming much of the information has been hidden by URLs with large amounts of parameters.

4. Crawling JavaScript
Many menus and other dynamic navigation features have been created in JavaScript, and googlebot has started crawling those as well. Instead of relying on webmasters to provide search friendly navigation, Google is finally getting to access sites created by neophyte webmasters that haven’t been paying attention.

5. Google’s patent to read text in images
Google also knows many newbie webmasters use text buttons for navigation. By attempting to read text in images, the Googlebot will once again be able to open up previously inaccessible areas of a site.

6. Inbound links
Of course, Googlebot has always been great at following inbound links to new content. Much of the invisible web has been discovered just through humans linking to a previously unknown resource.

7. Submission
Of course, you can always submit a page location of currently invisible content to Google. This is usually the slowest way, especially compared to inbound links.

8. Google toolbar visits, analytics
Recently, many SEO professionals have noticed links being indexed that have not been submitted. The only plausible explanation was that Google has been mining it’s toolbar and analytics for information about new URLs. Be careful - Google is watching and sees all!

9. Sitemap.xml files
The somewhat new stemap.xml protocol is very helpful for webmasters and googlebots alike in getting formerly invisible content into google’s hands.

Tags: website development, website design, seo, denver web design, search engine optimization, denver web development

This is a guest post by Everett Sizemore.

I had an interesting discussion with a friend before publishing this about what the title of the article should be, and how I should present the tactic. Should I present it the way I use it personally (fortifying external links) or what it could be used for (laundering link juice)? In the end I decided to do a bit of both since it is essentially the same tactic with different implementations and intentions.

Fortifying External Links:

The process of second-degree link building by which an SEO builds links into sites that already link to them for the purpose of increasing the page rank of those sites, thus indirectly increasing their own page rank.

The first step in fortifying external links is to find those links. This is the easiest part. Use Google Webmaster Tools, Yahoo Site Explorer or your favorite linkbuilding tool to find out who is linking to you. I’ve found the best way to go about this is by doing the link:yourdomain.com command in Google Blog Search or using a tool like SEO Spyglass to uncover blogs that have linked to you that are in danger of going supplemental (i.e. no-to-low PR, way back in the archives…) or that link to you with your favorite anchor-text.

Once you have decided which pages you want to drive links into, the second step is to devise a plan for getting those links. There are several dozens of ways to build links into someone’s domain, but that’s not the topic of this article. Regardless of your means, the end result is that you are driving more links – thus page rank – into the pages that already link to you, thus increasing your own page rank and ensuring that those pages don’t go supplemental.

I wouldn’t do this to dozens or hundreds of pages at once. Instead, use Google Alerts and/or Yahoo Alerts to subscribe to link:yourdomain.com so you know whenever someone links to you naturally. If you think the post/page isn’t going to get any page-rank on its own, give it a little help by linking to it from a distributed article, a thoughtful dofollow comment on another site, a social bookmarking profile or any number of linking opportunities.

Laundering Link Juice:

Creating a degree of separation between your site and less-than-white-hat link building tactics by driving those links into pages that already link to you naturally instead of sending them to your own site.

Google makes it a point to say they “try” very hard not to let people harm other domains by using link sabotage. Nevertheless, you should be respectful of sites that link to you. If someone gives you a bit of link love from their unknown blog, please don’t do anything that you know could get their site banned. I have found this tactic to be most effective when used along with white-to-gray linkbuilding techniques like manually submitted blog comments and article distributions. Abuse this and Google – if they don’t already – WILL eventually learn to find the common denominator (a link to your site) among all of these relatively unknown, otherwise clean blogs that you’re laundering link juice through.

Call it “fortifying external links”, “laundering link juice” or just common-sense SEO, but it is one of the few optimization tactics that I use as much today as I did three years ago.

Socialize with Everett Sizemore:

http://www.twitter.com/balibones

http://www.digg.com/balibones

http://www.plurk.com/user/balibones

http://www.mixx.com/users/balibones

http://balibones.stumbleupon.com/

Tags: website design, seo, search engine optimization, denver web development, website development, denver web design

SES is coming to Denverкомпютри early next week. Search Engine Strategies is one of the most important Search Marketing conferences, and the May event seems particularly tuned for small business needs. The two tracks of training are:

Track A:
Local Search Engine Marketing 101
Advanced Keyword Research

Track B:
Search Engine Optimization Workshop
How to Effectively Use Social Media for Search Marketing Campaigns

Of course, the track you should choose depends highly upon your own search marketing goals. I encourage any small business owners to attend SEO training whenever possible. When implemented correctly, Search Engine Optimization can yield a tremendous return on investment.

Tags: search engine optimization, seo, website design, denver web development, website development, denver web design

Less than a year after starting the Denver SEO Meetup, we are pleased to announce that it is quite successful.

The Denver SEO Meetup is a great place for Search Engine Optimization professionals throughout Colorado to network and socialize. Both freelance and agency Denver SEO folks are encouraged to attend. The environment is a very friendly, even laid back. Are you a Denver SEO firm or practicioner? Come on down to our Denver SEO meetup!

If you are a web developer, web designer, webmaster, or business owner interested in learning more about SEO, we highly recommend the training program at the SEMPO Institute instead of the meetup. The courses were created by some of the industry’s leading Search Marketing professionals, and can help you build your online business.

And coming soon: Those professionals belonging to SEMPO will soon have a Colorado SEMPO group available!

Tags: seo, website design, search engine optimization, denver web development, denver web design, website development

Hyper Dog Media is providing Search Engine Optimization tips at the Association of Strategic Marketing’s upcoming seminar. The full agenda includes information from experts in PPC (Pay Per Click), Web Analytics, and more:
Proven Strategies for Improving Your Search Engine Marketing

Are you optimizing your greatest asset? Website content is an essential part of online success. Help search engines see the relevance of your sonic payday loanadvance? cash loan online payday ?consolidate payday loan debt,consolidate debt loan paydaypayday loan store milwaukeepayday loan canadamoney tree payday loanquick cash payday loanno fax payday loan missouriapplication loan online paydayfaxless online payday loanfaxless loan online paydaycheap loan long payday term,cheap loan paydayhour loan online paydayfax loan no online paydayloan online? payday quick ?,quick payday loan without checking account,loan payday quicksonic payday loan,loan payday sonicameriloan loan paydaysavings account payday loanfastest loan online paydayloan online payday,2 loan online payday,payday loan online bad creditlow fee payday loangeorgia payday loanpayday loan on linebad credit loan loan payday,bad credit loan payday,bad credit loan payday quickchicago loan payday store,chicago in loan payday storeadvance loan mexico new payday,advance loan payday,advance loan payday software? ?cashquick payday advance loancash till payday loanpayday loan in savings account,account loan payday savings,account loan payday people savingsadvance fax loan no paydaycash loan payday tillcheck credit loan no payday,no teletrack no credit check payday loancash america payday loan,america cash loan paydayloan online payday quickcash advance until paydaycash advance loan online,advance cash loan online,advance cash fast loan online paydayadvance america cash advance,advance advance america cash center,advance america cash firstpayday cash loancash advance new yorkadvance america cash company,advance america cash advance center inc,cash advance americaadvance cash day pay,cash advance until pay daycash till payday loancash til payday loancash loan payday untilcash loan payday tillcash until payday loanfirst cash advance houston tx,first time cash advance,first cash advancegeorgia no fax cash advance,advance cash fax no,savings account cash advance no faxcash advance servicescash advance no credit check,advance cash check credit no online,advance cash check credit no pages, articles, press releases and more. Learn to identify and target ranking opportunities with titles, headings, bolding and additional techniques. Also, HTML can be used to communicate the relevance of your website and content to search engines. You don’t need to be an HTML whiz either!

Once you have the content, you must know how to maximize your search engine exposure. Find out how aggressive search engine submission may harm your ability to get into Google’s listings, as well as modern strategies on how to get your site indexed safely. Learn how to take an active role in getting pages indexed quickly in the major search engines as you add new content. Finally, links from other websites are an important source of traffic and search rankings. Several kinds of links will be discussed and you are sure to leave with new link building ideas!

5 reasons to attend!

• Translate the user experience to all online channels
• Learn about online measurement and analytics tools
• Use your SEM campaign to maximize your ROI
• Ensure you are paying for profitable clicks
• Discover 26 sources of links to target

BONUS! Free manual with registration

Hope to see you there!

Tags: search engine optimization, website design, denver web design, website development, seo, denver web development

AOL could become another internet marketing powerhouse. The company has recently announced it’s new “Platform A”, a mixture of the technological successes of Advertising.com, TACODA, Third Screen Media, Lightningcast, and ADTECH’s global ad serving platform.

Platform A is poised to be a powerhouse of ad distribution through tightly defined niches like mobile advertising, video ads, behavioral targeting, and more. AOL has noticed CPM advertising is requiring more than just selling a bundle of clicks. Internet Advertisers and search marketers are requiring more demographic information before purchasing CPM these days. Without the right targeting, return on investment for CPM can be difficult to track(or realize!).

But Platform A also has the breadth of distribution to compete with Google: Platform A already reaches more than 90% of the domestic online audience, according to comScore. It will be interesting to test the two internet ad networks side by side: Each will likely have their own flavor, but one is going to clearly emerge as the leader. The competition will be good, but I doubt Google will be toppled just yet.

Tags: denver web development, search engine optimization, website development, denver web design, website design, seo

Mobile Search Optimization has been a bit of a buzzword this last twelve months. Web sites have long ignored the cellphone-based web surfer, but lately there has been much interest. There may be huge opportunities for websites optimized for cellphones, PDAs, toasters, and all of the other crazy devices visitors might be using to surf the web. More and more consumers are requiring email and even web access on their cellphones. Initiatives are merging local search, coupons, and even GPS. Mobile search optimization surely is the next huge possibility for traffic. Is your website ready?

It may not matter. With Apple’s impending introduction of the iPhone, everything may change. Again. Consider:

1. There will be a whole new set of expectations for how a phone should browse. With the iPod, Apple defined the niche. Competitors were weighed against Apple’s offering. With the introduction of full-featured browsing via the iPhone, consumers are about to demand more from their phones. They won’t demand a better mobile experience. They are demanding the full desktop experience in a mobile phone.

2. Who would visit a .mobi site, when the full featured experience of a .com is available? In most cases, I would be too lazy to attempt a .mobi surf - since I KNOW the .com is available. We all just want to get our data and get on our way. Only hobbyist surfers would want to go check out the .mobi sites. Who wants to look at a dumbed-down webpage?

Was mobile search optimization a waste of time? Having a few major companies optimize their websites for cellphones probably didn’t make much of a blip on the radar. It’s hard to say what the ROI was for their efforts, but it was likely more of a bet for the future. What do you think - Is mobile search optimization worthwhile for your company or clients?

Tags: website development, website design, search engine optimization, denver web design, seo, denver web development

There was an excellent story in the San Francisco Gate in May about Lake Champlain Chocolates, and the lessons they’ve learned with Pay Per Click Advertising. The story title is “PAY-PER-CLICK PROBLEMS: Emeryville gourmet chocolate company has a rough go of it“, but the real value of the article is the PPC secrets it gives away. The article discusses two chocolate retailers: Lake Champlain Chocolates and Charles Chocolates. Lake Champlain Chocolates has experienced successful growth due to their PPC campaign, but Charles Chocolates did see any measurable growth from theirs.

1. Use negative keywords
In the article, words like “cheap” and “free” were used as negative keywords to avoid showing ads to less affluent searchers. Every time you show an ad it’s like holding out a dollar bill for your searcher to snatch away. Be sure to get a prospective customer in return!

2. Refrain from using the content network
Google AdWords users expect that the content network will show ads in all the right places. In a perfect world, new customers would see your ad and keep you in mind for their next purchase. But it isn’t a perfect world(Don’t even get me started!). Consider:

- Visitors probably will not click. Content ads are like billboard ads. How often do you see a billboard and pull off of the highway to make an immediate purchase? It’s highly unlikely. Like the company in the article learned, “The return was never there.”

- Visitors who click your ad won’t buy that day. They were reading, not shopping. At best, they will signup for your newsletter or bookmark your page. Is the landing page converting them into bookmarking or signing up? Probably not. Either fix that, or turn off the content network for now.

- Clickfraudsters will click your ad and keep half. Click fraud is a plague of the content network. Last June, Outsell estimated that click fraud could be as high as 14 percent. The real estimate is probably a little lower, but click fraud does exist.

3. Use large sets of focused keywords
The successful Lake Champlain Chocolate seller had a keyword set as high as 70k at one time, and now has it trimmed down to 30k. That’s  a big keyword set!

4. Use advanced keyword features
One of the issues Internet Marketing Consultant Lael Sturm found with the struggling Emerville Chocolate Retailer Charles Chocolates was that they “hadn’t modified the ad text to match each specific keyword.” Be sure to use the advanced keyword options that PPC engines like Google AdWords provide. In Google AdWords, the code is {keyword: your keyword}. This option shows the keyphrase your user was searching for in the text of your ad.

5. Measure and adjust
Is money being wasted in your campaign? You won’t know unless you are measuring. Lake Champlain saw they spent money attracting a searcher for “Chocolate covered scorpions,” something they didn’t sell, and decided not to let that happen again. Along with measuring what ads are the most effective, be sure to measure what you are paying for and remove/adjust the ads lacking good ROI.

6. Outsource your campaign to professionals to dramatically increase your sales
Even with Lake Champlain Chocolate’s success inhouse, they were able to DOUBLE their sales by outsourcing their PPC management to professionals. You just can’t beat having the right help. Get to your friendly neighborhood search marketing agency today!

Tags: denver web development, seo, website design, search engine optimization, website development, denver web design

I’m still getting two copies of Search Marketing Standard magazine, but I’m not reporting it. First off, it’s so good that I don’t want to possibly miss an issue by having anyone mess with my subscription. With other magazines, I’ve found that fulfillment centers sometimes get confused, and it’s usually months before I realize a certain issue isn’t coming. I just can’t risk it. Every article is good.

Secondly, I’ll probably read through it twice. Might as well have a fresh crisp copy the second time. I wonder if I’ll even dog-ear the same pages?

Here are four excellent resources for anyone interested in SEO, internet marketing, ecommerce, and the affiliate scene:
1. Search Marketing Standard. If you’ve thought the SEO world moves too fast for print, think again.

2. Practical Ecommerce. Not just for ecommerce store owners. Every web developer creating ecommerce websites should be in tune with the industry.

3. Revenue. Great for affiliate marketers, ecommerce merchants, or any company creating PPC(Pay Per Click) campaigns on Google AdWords or Yahoo Search Marketing.
4. Internet Retailer. Especially important if you are helping larger companies with their SEO, SEM, PPC, and ROI! This publication is best at industry trends influencing larger retailers and online merchants.

It is essential that web designers and web site developers start paying attention to the many facets that can make or break an online business. These publications can help get you serve your clients!

Tags: website design, denver web development, seo, website development, search engine optimization, denver web design