Articles

CHANGES COMING TO GOOGLE SEARCH

September 24, 2015 by SEOScriptor

3 Pack Placement — A Scriptor Client in a 3-Pack

For a while now, the Google organic search results have undergone some changes and there are more coming. No longer do we see A-G on page one of the organic search results. Now, only three businesses are listed showing a taste of the Google maps results. It’s called a 3 pack. Below the 3 pack are websites that have earned their place on the first page one of the organic results.

How do I Get Into a 3 Pack?

Make no mistake. No one can guarantee a spot in a 3 pack. It is great effort to even make it to page one. There’s lots of tweaking and rewriting going on behind the scenes that can take up to 12 months to reach the ultimate goal. It will not happen overnight. First page placement and appearing in a 3 pack is a process takes time.

And that’s what proper search engine optimization is, a process that can take, at the very least, 4-6 months. After that it must be maintained, monitored and issues resolved as they arise. Issues will and do arise as sure as the sun rises in the east sets in the west.

More Changes on the Way

Another change taking place as of November 1st concerns mobile sites that use interstitials to hide content and prompt app downloads. These websites will most likely take a heavy penalization hit. You may have been to one of these before. You get there ready to read an article then the content becomes obscured. You are then encouraged to download their app to view the site. It’s a great way to lose a visitor!

Google correctly feels that when you click on a search result you want to see content, not be prompted to download something. It can be a very frustrating experience for the visitor and they will just leave. If your website has any of the above issues, get them fixed as soon as possible.

Need Web Services?

SEOScriptor clients are already in the 3 pack, their mobile responsive websites are on that very same page and they have first page placement on Google maps for their keywords and primary business location. In addition, they’ve got excellent links back to their sites with our Platinum Powerlistings. All work done is clean, purely organic and can withstand algorithm updates. Projects are completed in-house and are never outsourced.

No matter what changes Google may make to the search results, there is never a mad dash to “fix” things to comply. Our clients are never, ever penalized or Google slapped. Need a fix for your internet presence? Call (727) 248-0715 for help in preparing for the coming Google results page changes.

Website Optimization – Ongoing SEO Management Process

November 17, 2014 by SEOScriptor

Website optimization is not just a one night stand. It is an ongoing SEO management process that involves continuous site changes that affect placement. There may be instances when keywords can be changed, rearranged, or added to reflect changes occurring in the search results. Keeping abreast of current trends and algorithm updates is crucial for the web manager to implement any needed tweaks and maintain the hard work of great search results placement.

SEO Management: Layers

Optimization is a constant. It never stops and will always need tweaking throughout the life of the website. The process involves building layers of organic site enhancements to culminate in first-page search result placement, preferably above the fold. This can only come about through ongoing website and SEO management to constantly build new layers.

Relevancy – The beginning layer connects title, keywords, description, and content together and should be relevant to each other. This meta data information is what the search spiders use for website indexing.
Links – The best links to and from your site are citations built over time. Like mini web pages for your business, citations are business listings on high traffic directories such as Yelp, Yellowbook, Merchant Circle and dozens of others that are instrumental in the link building process. In addition, these citations can and do appear in the search results!
Web Design – Web design and layout encompasses the finished product and defines the message to the visitor. Fast loading and easy to navigate, it gives prospects information of interest allowing informed decision making and a call to action.

How Long does it take?:

While site indexing can occur in 3-5 days, reaching the first page of the search results can take up to 12 months to come full circle but, count at least on 3-4 months. By the time 12 months have past and layers have been built, the site should be perched on page one sticking like glue. It’s one thing to get there, quite another to STAY there. A dedicated website manager expertly and professionally handles all of this while the business owner concentrates on running his company.

Other factors and layers exist such as social media, traffic sources and reviews. However, the primary effort is to ensure first page worthiness and the best way to accomplish that is through the ongoing optimization and SEO management process. SEOScriptor provides this service and more with a 100% client success rate.

~ The Scriptor ~

Google Cold Calling You? Listing Verification Scam!

November 16, 2014 by SEOScriptor

Google Listing Verify It is most likely that anyone with a business website has received their fair share of cold calls from online vendors selling their services. Cold calling is a legit form of advertising employed by enterprises offering goods and services to the public. However, not all cold callers lead you to believe they are Google verification when in fact, they are not.

The Scam

The scam is making you believe that it is Google calling to verify your listing. That is the hook. Instead it is a sales call from an unknown to provide listing management. This may very well be true but the call is not from Google and the cold caller does not work with or for them.

The first phone call received caught me completely off guard. Being greeted by a recording stating “Our records show that you have not verified your Google listing. To verify your listing press #1.” This was followed by another recorded message saying the call would be monitored/recorded for training purposes, leading me to further believe that it was actually Google calling. Suddenly there’s a male voice on the other end of the line. “Who am I speaking with?” He asks.

Feeling giddy all over (after all it is the Great Google calling ME!), suspicion arose when asked what my domain name was and what services are provided. I’m like, you should know this if you’re verifying my Google listing.

The cold caller continues. Well, you’re not on the first page at all. I can’t find you.”

“I most certainly am on the first page for my keywords and keyword phrases that I want”

“Oh!” He says, hangs up and communication is broken.

Who Was That Masked Man?

Then it hit me. That wasn’t Google! That was a someone trying to make me think they were Google and, here’s the kicker. He stated he couldn’t find me. Well, how did he find the number to call? Must have found it somewhere. There have been 5 calls altogether, each time trying to find out more about who is actually calling but, always end up tipping my hand that I’m on to them and they hang up. The point is this. Google does not do cold calling and no one will call from their offices to personally verify your business listing. That is not how Google works.

To verify a business listing, the owner gets a verification post card delivered by postal mail to the physical business address. The owner or listing manager (that would be me) then logs into the associated Google account, enters the PIN numbers in the required field then click to verify. The whole process does not require speaking with anyone. Something else about these scam phone calls is that for years clients have told me about mysterious calls they’ve gotten from Google. I’ve told them the calls weren’t from Google.

Schmoozed by a Scam Artist: The Slaughter

About 4 years ago a client fell for a similar ruse. He was told by these scammers that they could get his business listed in cities where he had no physical presence. His traffic flat lined and he had no phone calls for two weeks. Luckily I caught it one morning about 5:30 am and called him. He had completely disappeared from search. They had put up a generic, unoptimized and juvenile looking landing page instead of the one I built for him and a different phone number for his business where his calls were tracked tracked. When calling the number listed, it said this number is no longer in service. He was schmoozed by a scam con artist that practically ruined his business.

I repaired the damage and he swore to never do that again. He is still a client to this day and business is thriving. It took four weeks to clean up the slaughter and even a nasty call to the slaughterers. I “gave ’em hell for what they done!” [sic] Yes, I’m territorial and fierce about taking care of clients online well being.

In Summary & Conclusion:

If a cold caller will mislead you about who is calling, they won’t be truthful about anything else. Should you get the call and a recording says your Google listing needs verified, know that it is a scam cold call that hooks you first by having you believe it’s the search engine giant on the line. Their verification system is automated so, don’t fall for it. It’s a scam cold call and it’s not Google calling.

Still Using Paid Ads? WHY?

September 5, 2014 by SEOScriptor

If you are paying an SEO company for search engine marketing, why are you still using paid ads? You shouldn’t have to. If your company website is on the first page of the organic search results, A-G Organic Maps (Google maps local business listing) on page one organic and first page Google maps search results you should not need paid advertising.

Surely, many people think SEO companies are a dime a dozen. There’s one around every corner and we all tout our optimization skills and ranking abilities. If clients still need to buy paid advertising after our efforts (unless they just want to) then something is not right.

It’s a Fact!:

It is well known that paid ads do not get clicked as often as organic search results. In fact, they’re practically invisible much like banner ads are. Looking closer you’ll see companies appearing in paid ads rarely appear in organic SERPs where they’ll get more clicks. Therefore, why pay for optimization services AND paid ads too? Choose one or the other as you shouldn’t “need” both unless you can afford it. Most small business cannot and find it rather costly.

Efficient Search Marketing:

Paid adverts can be cost prohibitive for small businesses. A more efficient approach to search engine marketing is to have website SEO done properly and content that is relevant to the information in the meta tags. There are more factors than this that go into the total process but, the point is to achieve first page organic rank the website must be organically optimized for it. When this occurs, appearing on the page one without having to go the paid route can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

It should also be pointed out that success may not happen over night. To be honest, it is a process that can take a few months or more of tweaking to get things just right in a pure organic way. But once there your company’s web property should stick like glue. In addition, it should be able to handle algorithm updates eloquently.

In Summary:

Not against paying for search advertising at all. It’s very handy but can get expensive. If your website SEO is on target you won’t need to ask yourself why you’re still using paid ads.

~ The Scriptor

Panda Algorithm Update – How The Strong Survived

May 24, 2014 by SEOScriptor

I’ve been reading a lot about the latest Google Panda Algorithm Update. Scouring SEO blogs, bumping into various online articles and having been blinded by colorful charts and grafts depicting search engine traffic losses and gains. Some websites had to shut down completely because of the hit they took while others continued to receive traffic from Bing and other marketing venues. So what’s this all about?

SPAM:

The war against spam ever rages on and there appears to be no light at the end of the algorithm tunnel. SEO Masters scramble to keep up with the changes and chew their nails down to the quick anticipating the fallout for client websites they control. Why, the very mention of a pending algorithm update sends chills up the spines of some of the most seasoned experts.

Oh yea of little faith. Why the worry? If you’re using search engine optimization techniques for top placement that are void of questionable methods, you need to relax. However, Panda will get you if buying links to manipulate rankings, have duplicate content or use of shady tactics to land on the coveted first page of the search results.

SEOScriptor Clients Retain Top Placement In Spite of Panda:

Our customers can sleep easy. After checking through each one during the current “Panda-demic”, no one lost their top first page placement in the organic SERPs because…wait for it…The Scriptor uses ONLY pure organic white hat SEO. And as a result we’re not tripping over ourselves trying to clean up the blood after a slaughter. Again and again the follow-the-rules white hat optimization practices used here have never failed to perform in retaining top placement in spite of earthquaking algorithm updates.

Website optimization is an ongoing and perpetual endeavor. Metadata must be periodically tweaked and maintained just like cars need an occasional tuneup and other maintenance to continue running properly. If not, just as the car will eventually quit working, the non-tuned website will disappear off the first page of the results and discontinue delivering fresh new customers.

Survival of the Fittest:

Google’s algorithm updates can be strong lessons in the art of a website’s online survival. When initiating website SEO and employing the solid virtues of pure organic white hat, only the strong will survive.

The Scriptor