MOZ team says, “What you measure is what you’re able to improve. While there’s no one magic solution that works for everyone, setting yourself up for success involves measuring your traffic metrics the right way, so you can identify areas to work on and implement the right actions. In the first Whiteboard Friday of 2016, Rand explains what you need to include when building your own traffics metrics dashboard in the new year“. How to Build the Right Traffic Metrics Dashboard for 2016 MOZ Blog  [...]

Shannon Evans says, “One of the biggest responsibilities SEOs have on their plate is keeping up with the ever-changing search environment. A proactive way to stay sharp is to reflect on the past successes and failures of yourself and others. As we approach 2016, it’s time to take a look at all the major events and changes that happened in the industry this year. Algorithm Updates and Refreshes Google updates or refreshes their algorithm around 500 times a year, but some have more impact than others. Below is an outline of the major updates from 2015: May – Almost halfway through 2015,... [...]

Your site needs traffic, actually, it needs more traffic and better traffic (i.e., traffic likely to invest in your offers.) That traffic does exist; no doubt about it. You just need to find it. Abbas Ravji had the same problem, and he decided to do something about it. When he analyzed the situation, he realized that the sites on Google’s page 1 are getting the traffic he needs. If only he could find out how they get the traffic and steer some of that traffic to his site. The result of his investigation is his new plugin, Wp RankMe. This new WordPress plugin digs into the public information... [...]

Jim Yu says, “The search and content marketing world has undergone some major changes during 2015. The stage has been set for a shift away from producing content for its own sake. Instead, there is a trend towards the use of search and social data to guide content creation. This development will be a critical part of boosting engagement for brands and helping their content attract the desired audience. Although the content itself has a central role to play in the conversion of customers, the importance of the more technical side of search optimization should not be overlooked. The industry... [...]

Matt McGee says, “SEO (search engine optimization) has come a long way. After experiencing the “wrath of Google” years ago, some marketers have exited the SEO game and opted instead to use paid traffic to generate their leads and prospects. However, when done correctly (and ethically), there is no match for the longevity, consistency and quality of the lead flow you’ll experience from SEO. Today, I want to offer you an insider’s view of how to do this well. All of my businesses are built entirely on organic SEO, and if I were to stop doing everything today, they would continue... [...]

Matt McGee says, “A 2015 study by Smart Insights showed that 50 percent of businesses doing digital marketing had no form of digital marketing plan or strategy. They were doing digital marketing, yet there were no clearly defined objectives or goals. Does this seem a little crazy to you? In our experience helping businesses large and small, we’ve also found that most businesses don’t have a digital marketing plan (or a marketing plan of any kind, in many cases). Unfortunately, smaller local businesses are often the worst offenders here. Micro budgets require a solid ROI, but cutting... [...]

Kelsey Reaves says, “The link building world is in a constant state of evolution. New tools are continually introduced to the market, with SEOs ready to discover what works best. Our outreach team at Modernize recently found ourselves in this position. In need of a new email automation service, we were eager to explore and test out new tools to see what improved our overall outreach system. Modernize is in the home improvement space, and we focus heavily on energy efficiency and green living — thus, we target lots of green blogs, solar websites, etc. Our aim at Modernize is to be a resource... [...]

Michael Guta says, “Google originally acknowledged that clicks do help “Google My Business” rankings earlier this month then seemed to reverse itself on the subject. The about-face from Google was observed by Barry Schwartz of Search Engine Roundtable. The reversal on Google’s part leaves those working to promote their brands through Google My Business to wonder which is the case. On Dec. 2, 2015 Schwartz wrote about what he said was the first admission by Google that clicks affect the Google My Business ranking. At the time, Schwartzreported that a company representative, Rahul J,... [...]

MOZ team says, “It’s the season of giving, and that notion extends to search! Brand preferences have an almost tangible impact on several levels, from consumer affinity to a rankings boost on Google. In this holiday edition of our now-traditional Whitebeard Friday, Rand explains why it’s important to keep brand recognition at the forefront of your strategy, and offers up a framework on how to get started on giving searchers a reason to prefer your brand“. Giving Searchers a Reason to Prefer Your Brand MOZ Blog  [...]

Dan Bagby says, “Don’t limit your SEO strategy to your own website. There are many ways to increase your brand’s exposure in search by optimizing social profiles and getting other sites to rank for your brand in search. This can help you 1) protect your online reputation by dominating the first page of search for branded search, and 2) rank for keywords faster than you would be able to with only your own domain. Optimizing Social Profiles For Branded Search Your own site cannot dominate the first page of search results, which leaves you vulnerable to having negative content on other... [...]