Some quick points:
1. A Tab will show up in “YSM later this month”, so be sure to login and look around.
2. Yours ads can server in adCenter right away when you transition.
3. Silverlight will continue being used. I still need to test and see what functionality might be missing when I login from my iPhone or an older mac. I hope whatever missing features degrade well!
4. The upcoming changes to organic search are later this month. We anticipate a rocky ride, as Microsoft will likely need to make ongoing tweaks.

Dear Advertiser,

As your transition to the Microsoft Advertising adCenter platform approaches, we have more details to share to help you prepare for the changes to come.

Considerations for your upcoming transition

adCenter account
Soon, you’ll need to either create a new adCenter account, or link an existing adCenter account to your Yahoo! Search Marketing account. Later this month, you’ll see an “adCenter” tab within your Yahoo! Search Marketing account. Clicking there will take you to the beginning of the account transition process, where we’ll walk you through the simple steps to create or link accounts.

Budgeting
Once you create your adCenter account, it will be active and your ads will be eligible to serve on Bing right away. As a result, you’ll be managing both your new adCenter account and your existing Yahoo! Search Marketing account in parallel until ad serving for Yahoo! traffic transitions to adCenter, so plan to budget accordingly.

Microsoft Silverlight
With Silverlight installed, you’ll be able to see and address key differences between your Yahoo! and adCenter accounts as you transition. Download Silverlight now.

Organic search transition
Yahoo! organic search results will be powered by Bing as early as late August. If organic search results are an important source of referrals to your website, you’ll want to make sure that you’re prepared for this change. For more details, check out this blog post.

As we’ve stated previously, our primary goal is to provide a quality transition experience for advertisers in the U.S. and Canada in 2010, while protecting the holiday season. However, please remember that as we continue to go through our series of checkpoints, if we conclude that it would improve the overall experience, we may choose to defer the transition to 2011.

We are committed to making this transition as seamless and beneficial for you as possible. We appreciate your business, and look forward to bringing you the benefits of the Yahoo! and Microsoft Search Alliance.

Sincerely,
Your Partners in the Search Alliance, Yahoo! and Microsoft

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1. Use an high quality embedded player like wimpywasp.com’s player. Avoid embedding youtube’s player in your site, as it directs traffic away from your site – and provides a less professional impression to your visitors.

2. Each video should have it’s own page. This page should have it’s title tag, h1 heading, and meta description focused on the targeted keywords. Text and text links that can be crawled should also be on the page.

3. Provide the video in several of the major formats, including FLV, MOV, MPG, MP4, AVI, WMV.

4. Use the keyword opportunities when naming the video files themselves, as well as in any keyword, title, and author fields.

5. Provide a text transcript of the video, and either link to the transcript of the video from your targeted page – or include the text at the bottom of the targeted page itself. This provides additional content that – hopefully – includes your targeted keywords.

6. Distribute the video everywhere: youtube, blinkx, metacafe, Aol Video etc.

7. Offer a video rss feed and a video sitemap to sites like Yahoo video. Be sure to link to the RSS feed properly from each video page.

8. Provide links to Social Bookmarking sites, for easy bookmarking and sharing.

9. If appropriate, offer the option to embed your video in other sites. This really encourages people to spread the video around.

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

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Last week, our president Jim Kreinbrink spoke about “Driving traffic to your blog with SEO techniques”. It was a technical presentation that gave away many great tidbits. The audience was full of experienced search marketers, and we hoped to show the value of collaboration and community.

The previous month, two excellent PPC case studies were presented by Alex Porter from Location 3 Media. Seeing the approaches Location 3 took for two PPC campaigns, and the results attained, were very exciting.

Search marketing is growing in a recession, so expect a packed house. The focus on measurable, trackable results makes it particularly appealing to agencies and advertisers alike. All this means that the Denver search marketing coomunity will continue to grow and flourish.

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Accessibility: Search Engine robots must be able to find your content. These reasons help the bots find your postings without a lot of muss or fuss.

1. Pinging
Most blog software sends out a “ping” when there is a new post. Instead of waiting for a search engine crawler to come across your site’s new content – either via a routine crawling or via a link – a notification is sent out to sites like pingomatic, technorati, and even google blog search. This notification tells the search engine robots to come and fetch some fresh (crunchy) content.

2. RSS feeds provide deep links to content
RSS Feeds are useful for so many, many things. They contain links to your latest postings, but also consider that they contain links right to the postings themselves. Even crawlers that aren’t that smart (you know who you are, little bots!) can figure out how to find a link in a list. That’s essentially all an RSS Feed is: A list of links in a predictable format. Hint: You subscribed to your feed in iGoogle, didn’t you?

3. Standard sitemap.xml provide deep links to content
If an RSS feed isn’t enough, use a sitemap.xml file to notify search engines about your site, including any new posts. A great thing about sitemap.xml files is that they can communicate additional information about a link, like how often a search engine robot should visit and what priority the page has in relation to your site.

4. Based on modern HTML design standards
Most blogging software was created or updated very recently, and doesn’t use outdated HTML methods like nested tables, frames, or other HTML methods that can cause a bot to pause.

Relevance: Once found, search engines must be able to see the importance of your content to your desired audience.

5. Fresh content, updated often
Nothing quite gets the attention of a search engine robot like fresh content. It encourages frequent repeat visits from both humans and robots alike!

6. Fresh comments, updated often
Of course, the blogosphere is a very social place. Googlebot is likely to come back often to posts that are evolving over time, with fresh new comments being added constantly.

7. Keyword Rich Categories, Tags, URLs
Invariably, some of your best keywords are likely to be used in the tags and categories on your blog. If you aren’t using keyword rich categories and tags, you really should be.

Popular: Google looks at what other sites link to your site, how important they are, and what anchortext is used.

8. RSS Feeds provide syndication
RSS Feeds can help your content and links get spread all around the internet. Provide an easy path to syndication for the possibility of links and, of course, human traffic.

9. Extra links from blog & RSS Feed directories
The first blog I ever started was for the possibility of a link from a blog directory. But RSS Feed directories exist too! Be sure to maximize the link possibilities by submitting to both.

10. Linking between bloggers / related sites
Blog rolls are links that blogger recommend to their audience. sometimes they have nice, descriptive text and even use XFN to explain relationships between bloggers. Some of your best human traffic can be attained through blogrolls.

11. Social bookmarking technologies built in
Blog posts are usually created with links directly to social bookmarking services like delicious.com, stumbleupon, and other social bookmarking sites. You’ve never made it easier for your audience to share your posting and give you a link!

12. Tagging / Categories with relevant words
Tags can create links to your blog by relevant pages on technorati and other blog search engines. These tag pages sometimes even have pagerank! They deliver keyword rich links and quality traffic.

13. Trackbacks (Conversations)
Trackbacks are conversations spanning several blogs. They are an excellent way to gain links (although often nofollowed these days), and traffic. Other blogs can be part of the conversation, thanks to the trackback system!

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

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The first session, Search Engine Optimization, addresses increasing web site rankings in Google, Yahoo, and more. SEO is all about helping the search engines see and understand the content of your website. Search engines want to be successful in directing visitors to quality destinations, and SEO should be focused on connecting with the right visitors.

The second session focuses on targeting potential customers with PPC (Pay Per Click) and other advertising. It’s possible to waste enormous amounts of money on Pay Per Click advertising networks like Google AdWords. this session will show how to make your limited budget work most efficiently for your business.

The third session builds on the first two. The Solution Clinic is for businesses that already have a web site and want real time evaluation and solutions for their site. Bring your hosting information, and we might just be able to fix it on the spot!

The training is sponsored by Southeast Business Retention, Expansion, and Attraction. For more information or to register, call the SEBREA office at 719-336-1523.

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

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It’s going to be at the Tivoli Center on the Auraria campus. You can see details below and on our Denver SEMPO Meet Up page. There is also a charge of $25 for the program. It will be a good very informative meeting. We’d love to see you there.

Date: October 23 — 5:30-7:30

Go to Denver SEMPO Meet Up page: Denver SEMPO Meetup Group

InHouse vs. Agency – Search Engine Marketing Insights Panel
> Is there a difference between an internet marketing campaign created by an In-House Marketer vs. an Agency Marketer?
> Are the challenges different?
> Which is more likely to be successful?

Learn the perspectives from both sides of the fence!

Instead of the normal Denver SEMPO Meet Up we are going to have a panel discussion concerning the difference between in-house search marketers and those from agencies. Your paid RSVP gives you access to an evening of great networking opportunities with likeminded SEM’ers, light refreshments and the chance to “pick the brains” of some of the top people in our profession.

The following search marketing professionals will be taking questions from attendees and sharing their professional knowledge and experience in establishing, growing and maintaining their search marketing campaigns:

In-House Search Engine Marketers:
* Everett Sizemore – Gaiam
* Jim Brown – Quark (SEMPO)
* Joe Gira – Regis University

Agency Search Engine Marketers:
* Steve Riegel – Faction Media (SEMPO)
* Jason Lehman – Hyper Dog Media (SEMPO)
* Nicholas Yorchak – Lee Ready (SEMPO)

The evening is certain to be worth your while.

Save the date and spread the word.

To Register: Denver SEMPO Panel Discussion Registration

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This week’s Denver SEMPO meetup was an excellent educational program provided by Jim Brown, Online Marketing guru for Quark (of QuarkXPress fame). The presentation focused on opportunities in Social Media. Jim provided great information regarding Twitter, Facebook, and Facebook ads. While his presentation was friendly to all audiences, even seasoned Denver SEO professionals left with a new trick or two. And most valuable were the brand ambassador experiences Jim relayed to the group.

The Denver SEO Meetup followed, just a few blocks away. Many members attended both meetup groups. The Denver SEO Meetup is not an educational program, but a social function – founded our our President Jim Kreinbrink. Many notable SEO professionals regularly attend, but Search Marketing, Advertising, and Affiliate marketing professionals are also frequenting the meetup. Several SEOs noticed glitches in running Google ranking reports for clients that week, and it was nice to exchange what was working and not working in small informal conversations. Of course, don’t come to the Denver SEO Meetup hoping to learn all about SEO: It’s a more relaxing networking function, not an educational opportunity.

With SEO / SEM knowledge and professional networking available in here in Colorado, why travel to search marketing and ad industry conferences every weekend?

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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 Denver 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!

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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 Denver 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.

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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:
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