What is a SERP?
A SERP, which is an acronym for Search Engine Results Page, refers to the web pages displayed by the Search Engines as a result of a search query. Each major Search Engine shows the results in a slightly different format.

Here is an example of a Google Canada (Google.ca) SERP.

Vertical Navigation
There are now two vertical navigation menus that gives the Google user the option to search different verticals, such as images, videos, news, places, maps etc… A Vertical Search will result in a more limited index. The default is “Everything”.

Search Query Box
The search query box is designed for the web searcher to enter keywords or keyword phrases based on their Search. It is displayed on the SERP for reference. Next to the search query box is the option to perform an Advanced Search or a Search via Google.com (rather than Google.ca).

Results Information
This section displays the estimated total number of search results for the search query along with the time it took Google to return these results. This number should be used as a rough estimate only as it is not highly accurate.

Organic Search Results
Organic algorithmic results or natural listings (also known as unpaid) appear in the left section of the SERP with a white background. This section also includes Google Places (formerly Google Local Business Center), which has become very visible in local search queries. It corresponds with Google Maps now displayed in the top right section are also organic results. These results are generated from the primary indexes of the web. In this case, Pages from Canada. Ranking is based on relevancy determined by the search engine – which is based on their complex (and constantly changing) algorithms.

Paid Search Results
Typically the paid search results will be found to the right of the SERP page (under Google Maps if displayed) and often above the unpaid results. Paid search advertising is identified simply as “Ads” (formerly Sponsored Links) by Google. These text ads are generated by Google’s search ad platform – AdWords. Ranking depends on a number of factors including relevancy, bid amount and quality score.

Google is forever testing new formats and changing their SERP’s layouts. Generally beta testing occurs via Google.com – and then is rolled out to the other English language versions such a Google Canada.

How are you appearing and ranking in the SERPs?

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Anatomy of a Google Canada SERP (Search Engine Results Page) is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

Search

• Google makes 200-300 changes every year – and they kill off 2/3 of their initiatives.
• Google’s efficiency with Search saves us about 350 million hours per year.
• BING stands for “Bing Is Not Google”
• There are more searches made on Twitter each month than Yahoo! And Bing combined
• Google Instant isn’t changing the way people Search, but the way they read the results. With Instant, searchers rarely look past the top 5 results.
• Google Instant decreased time to click by 50%
• SEO is not just about rankings, it’s about conversions
• 3 key success factors for Search: Relevance, Speed and Usefulness
• The average search query on Google today is 4.3 words
• Over 50% of queries are over 3 words in length – and 2/3 of them yield no exact match
• Local Search queries are up 54% year over year.
• YouTube is the 2^nd most popular Search Engine on the planet
• When optimizing videos, follow similar SEO practices – links always matter!
• Multi-lingual SEO is a whole other ball game. Adidas faced many challenges with international campaigns which included SEO for 19 languages and the use of slang terms
• With multi-lingual SEO, you can’t just translate keywords. You need to consider different dialects of languages in different regions
• Your homepage is not a consumer’s first impression of your brand online. It’s what they see on a Search Engine Results Page.
• Go after those who are actively searching for you, stop searching for them.
• Are you optimizing your landing page? Bring users to where they want to be. Stop sending them on a wild goose chase.
• Always add negative keywords into your PPC campaigns.

Social Media

• There are over 1 billion Social Media users worldwide spending 2 billion minutes a month
• 25% of activity on Facebook is from a mobile device
• Facebook is becoming a bigger enemy to Google than Microsoft is.
• Three often overlooked YouTube Ranking factors: 1) Increase of views over time 2) Quantity of inbound links 3) Inclusion of video in playlists
• When it comes to Social Media don’t ask What – ask Why? “What” is a tactic, “Why” is a strategy.
• Foursquare experienced 3400% growth in 2010
• When creating a Facebook Deal consider the “What if’s”. What if 500 people claim a 50% off deal? Can you support your deals?
• The 4 pillars of Location Based Strategy: Context, Location, Social Interaction and Platforms

Mobile

• 101 million smartphones were sold in Q4 of 2010 compared to only 94 million PC’s
• 2011 will be the year of mobile – expect for it to really take off
• A major difficulty faced with mobile advertising is the discrepancy between a user’s location vs. their destination.
• Is your website optimized for mobile? If not, do it.
• All 5 of Google’s strategic initiatives for 2011 revolve around mobile
• 544.6 million text messages were sent in Q2 of 2010

Online Reviews

• 62% of consumers read reviews online before making a purchase
• 62% of people trust online ratings and reviews of people they don’t know
• 18% of people who were contacted by a company after they had left a negative review ended up buying more from that company in the future
• 33% of those mentioned above removed their negative review, and 34% went on to write a positive review about their experience.
• A bad review online shouldn’t be seen as a threat. It is a great opportunity to address the problem, satisfy that customer, and show others that you care.

Quotes

• “How do you demand innovation, creativity and radical rethinking if you can’t imagine it?” – Avinash Kaushik
• “My three year old son will look at a keyboard the a same way I look at a rotary phone” – Mitch Joel
• “Plugging your computer into a phone line to get Internet ten years ago was so barbaric. Look how far we’ve come.” – Mitch Joel
• “Your brand isn’t what you say it is, it’s what Google says it is.” – Chris Anderson
• “Never do anything in marketing that doesn’t add economic value to your company.” – Mitch Joel
• “Incorporate your digital marketing efforts into your marketing mix. Think “with” not “instead of”.”
• “Just because someone is on Facebook all day it doesn’t make them a Social Media Marketing expert. I turn the lights on when I walk into a room, am I an electrician? No. “ – Mitch Joel
• “Display will grow into a $200 billion market” – Eric Schmidt
• “Search is the connection between intent and content.” – Bill Barnes

That’s all folks! Two days of intense sessions with lots of great insights and takeaways. Have you considered these strategies when it comes to marketing your business online?

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Search Marketing Expo Toronto Recap is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

Here are five good SEO reasons to use Google Analytics:

1. Search Engine Traffic
Google Analytics tracks search engine traffic to your site. This captured data tells you how many of your site visitors arrived via engines as well as the how your search traffic ranks compared to your other traffic sources (direct traffic / referring sites). It also identifies the engines (i.e. Google, Yahoo! Bing) and who sent the most traffic. By default, GA tracks more than 20 different search engines. There is also a breakdown available between paid and non-paid keyword driven traffic.

2. Keywords
In addition to automatically tracking search engine sources, Google Analytics tracks keywords that send search traffic to your site. This data tells you which keywords / keyword phrases were used by your site’s visitors and ranks them according to popularity. You can drill down further to determine more details for each keyword including statistics on organic and paid search.

3. Content Performance
Since optimizing content for search is the basics of search engine optimization, tracking page performance is essential. Google Analytics tracks data on which web pages attract site visitors and displays them in order of which are performing the best (listed by URL). You can also view this data by Page Title. The Content Drilldown report provides a list of top pages based on content sections within your website. Top Landing Pages, sent by search engines traffic can also be identified, as well as data on how well they perform.

4. Campaign Tracking
This is a more advanced feature than the above three, as it needs to be set up. Google Analytics can do campaign tracking. This includes Google AdWords by default. However you can also track any search marketing (as well as offline) campaigns. Campaign tracking is implemented by using link tagging (a unique URL to identify each marketing source).

5. Site Search
Likely the most overlooked – yet a real valuable source of SEO data. This is only for those sites that have a search box and allow web visitors to do an internal search to find information. Google Analytics can track these search terms as well a search term refinements at the site level. This requires set up as well.

Accessing the data, of course, is only the first step in the web analytics process. You need to measure, analyze, test and modify – always working towards your desired outcomes.

If you do not have Google Analytics installed on your website or if you are not monitoring your site outcomes, it is time to get started.

Recent Post: Google Analytics Qualified Professional Helen Faber

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Why use Google Analytics for SEO? is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

The new Google AdWords Certification program replaces the long-standing Google Advertising Professionals (GAP) program. It features a more rigorous examination process designed to provide more comprehensive and up-to-date strategy-focused training based on the latest tools and best practices for managing Google AdWords accounts.

“As a full service Search Engine Optimization agency, we pride ourselves in staying on top of search including paid search. Therefore, it was important for us to complete the new standards to achieve the new Google AdWords Certified Partner status” said Helen Faber, Owner of WebFuel Inc..

Google AdWords Certified Partners Status – What is it?
For those of you who aren’t sure what that means, Google Adwords Certification is a globally recognized certification program, operated by Google. Partner status is awarded to certified agency partners that provide digital advertising – and meet the eligibility criteria.

How can you verify Google Partner Status?

Click to verify

Google provides certified partners with a badge to publish on their website. This clickable AdWords badge links to a Google Certification Program profile page to show clients that the agency is an authentic Google Certified Partner. In addition, authentication can also be done via Google Partner Search page. Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) also lists Google AdWords under the certifications section in each member’s profile. This is also done via a verification process.

WebFuel adds this certification to our rapidly growing list of accomplishments. Last month, we announced the AdWords certification of two employees with specializations in Display Advertising. In October, Helen Faber was appointed the Ontario Chair, SEMPO Canada.

About WebFuel Inc.:

WebFuel is an ethical Search Engine Optimization (SEO) agency specializing in Canadian Search.

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Google AdWords Certified Partners – WebFuel Ottawa’s First Official Certified Partner is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

Myth One: PPC impacts SEO
It is still commonly believed that a Pay-Per-Click Campaign, such as Google AdWords, helps your ranking in organic search results. This was not true last year (on the list) and is still not true in 2009. Just ask any PPC expert.

Myth Two: Sites must be submitted to Search Engines
A more common search engine myth is that you need to submit your URL to the crawler-based engines (Google, Yahoo!, Bing/MSN). In reality, they find your website (and do a good job of this). It used to be true – but it no longer is (with a few exceptions). If there are industry-related specialty engines, that do not have as advanced indexing technology as the major engines, then by all means – submit.

Myth Three: Meta keyword tags improve rankings
This was once true many years ago (likely the biggest myth) and based on outdated understanding of how Google indexes (still King of Search in 2009). This crawler-based engine ignores this tag. As a result, this will not help your positioning in search results.

Let me repeat: Google does not use the keywords meta tags. And…don’t take my word for it; here is Matt Cutts, Google Software Engineer.

Myth Four: SEO is a one-time deal
Another misconception that has likely been around the longest. Those new to search engine optimization often just assume that once improved ranking have been accomplished – the SEO process is complete. Just like fixing a broken car. In reality, the SEO process is more like maintaining a car so that it continues to run well. Why? Google (and the other Search Engines) are constantly upgrading and changing their formula (algorithms) and that does not even factor in what your online competition is doing to improve their rankings.

Myth Five: SEO Firms can guarantee number 1 ranking
Unfortunately, this myth still exists and is likely the most frustrating one for reputable SEOs. Google, and the other major search engines, determine ranking based on (constantly changing) complex formulas. They are not public knowledge. Nor do search engine optimizers have special relationships with the big search engines (if they claim to have a partnership with Google – beware!). This one is like the old saying…”If it sounds to good to be true….. it is!”.

And… always remember that not all SEO companies are equal (White Hats / Black Hats) – nor are all those offering SEO equally skilled and up-to-date with the latest trends.

What are the most common SEO myths of 2009? is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

You will be receiving an email from Google (if you haven’t already) advising you that your account will be converted to the new interface in the near future.

How can you get ready for the switch?

Google has provided lots of resources to help AdWords users learn more about the upcoming interface as well as to understand the changes.

1. Watch: Overview of the New Google AdWords Interface

2. Attend: Webinars for the New Google AdWords Interface
Starting this week, Google will be holding weekly free webinars. The first one will be held this Friday, June 19th.

3. Read: Google AdWords New Interface Guide
The Guide to Changes in Camapaign Management is available in PDF format.

And… ensure that you are using one of the supported web browsers which currently includes Firefox 3, Internet Explorer 7 and Google Chrome.

New Google AdWords Interface: Are you ready? is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

Google AdWords Qualified Professional Status – What is it?

Individuals must pass an official Google Advertising Professional Exam in order to attain “Qualified Professional” status. Additional requirements include managing client accounts and meeting minimum PPC advertising spend requirements as specified by Google. This must be maintained on an ongoing basis in order to retain this qualification.

How can you verify Professional Status?

Google provides companies and individuals who have demonstrated superior knowledge of Google AdWords with a logo to publish on their site. In addition, authentication can also be done via Google AdWords Status Page. Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) lists Google GAP under certifications in each member’s profile. This is done via a verification process. Whoisgap? does the same. On this non-Google site, you can either search for a company alphabetically or search by country.

Why hire an AdWords Professional – What are the benefits?

The primary benefit is to have someone with expert knowledge and experience with Google AdWords optimize and manage your PPC campaign. In addition, the insights from managing multiple clients can be quite valuable. And…. working with AdWords on an ongoing basis means keeping on top of all the Adwords changes (either software updates or publishing guidelines revisions). This, of course, is just standard practice for an AdWords Professional.

Helen Faber, our AdWords Professional, is the only consultant in Ottawa to receive this certification – and the first local search engine optimizer to attain this status.

Google Visibility is at the core of what we do at WebFuel. In addition to providing professional Google AdWords Services, we specialize in Google Optimization (getting found on the organic side of search). In addition, we provide our clients with Google Analytics Services for tracking and improving site (and organic/paid search ) performance. WebFuel is a Canadian owned company – founded in 2004.

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Google AdWords Qualified Professional Helen Faber is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

Many countries now allow businesses, and individuals, to register the right to use a country extension. For example, the .ca domain, belongs to Canada, and is globally recognized as Canadian. There are currently over one million dot-ca domains registered.

Some famous Canadian domains include:

• Maple Leaf Foods Inc is a truly Canadian company and uses the domain www.mapleleaf.ca.
• McGill is a well-known Canadian university and uses www.mcgill.ca.
This, of course is important, in terms of recruitment in a global setting.
• Maclean’s, a Canadian current affairs magazine, runs with www.macleans.ca.
You know the site will contain Canadian content even before you launch it.

Rick Mercer is, in my opinion, truly Canadian – and so is his show. However, he is not using his .ca as his primary domain name. So… unfortunately, I cannot add him to the list.

Google is a perfect example of a global company that uses country domains targeting specific countries. For example, Google’s Canadian Internet identity is Google.ca. This search site was created to be used by Canadians.

So… what are the benefits of a Canadian Internet identity?

Credibility
Only Canadian organizations, and those that live in Canada, can legally register a dot-ca domain name. This gives you credibility on the web.

Branding
For those companies that are proud to be Canadian, or operate only in Canada, this is a great way to build your brand on the web.

And…..

Don’t forget Google Insurance
Even if you have been using one of the other extensions, purchasing the rights to the .ca domain is a good idea. We call this Google Insurance. In other words, it insures that your competition cannot use this domain name.

But don’t stop there
To protect your own name, I would recommend registering it as well.

So what does this have to do with search engine visibility? A trusted domain, one that appears in an organic search result, or even in a paid listing (such as Google AdWords), has a higher click through rate. Isn’t it all about getting qualified traffic to your site?

WebFuel, a Canadian Search Engine Visibility Company, owns webfuel.ca. I, of course, have helenfaber.ca registered as well.

Use a Canadian Certified Registrar
Before you register a Canadian domain name, ensure that the registrar is in good standing with the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA).

What are you doing about your .ca domain(s)?

Why the domain dot ca? is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

The third session of our Search Engine Visibility Education Series being offered is Introduction to Google AdWords. The format of this customized workshop is one-on-one (small group). Training is based on your Google AdWords account, with a hands-on approach – and is offered at your premises. The session is two hours.

Who should sign up?

• Website Owners
• Marketing Specialists
• Webmasters

What will you learn?

• What is Google AdWords?
• Google AdWords features and benefits
• Campaign snapshot and settings overview
• Ad group targeting and testing strategies
• Keyword selection and bidding
• Landing pages (Google Website Optimizer)
• Integration with Google Analytics
• Accessing and interpreting the data
• Creating and sending reports
• Goal setting (conversion tracking options)
• Getting help

What makes us different?

The foundation of our company is built on education. Our Google AdWords instructor, Helen Faber has successfully completed the Google Advertising Professional (GAP) training and exam. She is the author of Search Engine Visibility: Simplified – a SEO/ SEM Education blog and the Search Engine Visibility Glossary (an Education resource).

WebFuel is a member of Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO), a global non-profit organization serving the SEM industry with members in 41 countries (including Canada).

Related Training:

• Introduction to Search Engine Optimization
• Introduction to Google Analytics

Related Post:

Contact us to schedule your customized onsite Google AdWords training session today!

Ottawa Google AdWords: Need training? is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel

Here is a basic list of PPC acronyms – and what they stand for.

CPA: Cost Per Action. Also stands for Cost Per Acquisition.
CPC: Cost-Per-Click. Also commonly known as Pay-Per-Click (PPC).
CTR: Click Through Rate
GAP: Google Advertising Professional
GYM: Google Yahoo MSN
PFI: Pay For Inclusion
PFL: Paid For Listings
PPC: Pay-Per-Click
SE: Search Engine
SEM: Search Engine Marketing or Search Engine Marketer
SEMPO: Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization
SEP: Search Engine Placement.  Also stands for Search Engine Positioning and Search Engine Promotion.
SERP: Search Engine Results Page

For SEO acronyms and search industry definitions, visit the WebFuel SEO/SEM Glossary.

What do all those PPC acronyms stand for? is a post from: SEO Ottawa | Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing Agency | WebFuel