Archive for July, 2007

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Google search for small business websites

Wednesday, July 18th, 2007

Google have announced they are releasing a new search function on a subscription basis for websites. Although users can currently include a Google search feature on their sites, it often returns results which includes advertising from competitors.

Google Enterprise Custom Search will allow users to customise results and apparently you can skew the results to guide them to the products you want to sell. For more information go to Google Enterprise

Posted in Google, Search | 1 Comment »

Google launches AdWords for maps

Tuesday, July 17th, 2007

Google AdWords now allows users to advertise on Google Maps in Australia. This is a big boost for geo-targeting, with maps displaying up to four ads per page, it’s also a reminder for those of you who haven’t registered with Google Maps to get in there now!

If your industry is not well represented there’s a chance for you to make it to the first page without having to pay for AdWords. Oh and it helps to add what you do to your business name. For example, I registered BlackMax Media, Web Design and SEO Sydney, and now when you type SEO or web design into business maps search, I appear on the first page. Registering is free… http://maps.google.com.au/

Posted in Google, Search | No Comments »

SEO Sydney – A search full of professionals

Monday, July 16th, 2007

OK, sometimes I feel I do harp on a bit about the search engine landscape in Australia and the basic crapness of it. But we’re a tiny market compared to the US and UK and still “professionals” resort to sneaky tactics to get on the first page of Google.com.au.

Today’s case particularly peeved me as we’ve been sitting on the first page for a good six months for “SEO Sydney”. Today I see we’ve been bumped to page 2 by some charlatan using hidden CSS. Only they haven’t called it hidden, they’ve called it “unshown“. Here’s their html:

<body onload="set_height(); MM_preloadImages('images/submit_on.jpg');externalLinks();">
<div id="scroll"></div>
<div id="unshown"><h1>Web Design Sydney</h1>
<p><a href="web_site_design/index.html">web_site_design</a></p>
<p><a href="seo_sydney/index.html">seo sydney</a></p>
<p><a href="web_design_sydney/index.html">web_design_sydney</a></p>

<p><a href="web_development_sydney/index.html">web_development_sydney</a></p>
</div>

and here’s their offending css:

#unshown {
 position:absolute;
 left:-1000px;
 top:-1000px;
 width:999px; height:999px;}

These guys even have supposed Microsoft Certification. I wish they had some more text on their website so I could make fun at what they’re really good at, only they don’t. They’re playing they mystery card…

Posted in Google, Hall of Shame | No Comments »

SEO sensationalism in the Daily Telegraph

Monday, July 9th, 2007

Oh dear, The Daily Telegraph is writing about search engine optimisation. For you out of towners, The Tele is a lowbrow newspaper, which capitalises on sensational articles. This article appears in their “Business Owner” section and is verging on advertorial since it was written by a chappy who is director of a Sydney internet marketing agency.

Mmm, of course I am jealous that this chappy has got a heap of free advertising, but it’s rather disconcerting he forgot to mention when selecting a firm to carry out SEO, it’s important to see how they rank. In his case, I can’t see his firm in the Top 100 for:

SEO Sydney – we are number 3 11
search engine optimisation Sydney – we are number 9 4
search engine optimisation – we are number 69 (yes it’s the thorn in my side…) 25! Holy Toledo Batman!
SEO – we are number 33 30
organic search engine optimisation – we are number 3
natural search engine optimisation – we are number 5
Updated 24 July

His article is titled “Get noticed by Google” yet Google hasn’t noticed him.

Posted in Google, SEO, Search | 1 Comment »

Demystifying SEO #1

Friday, July 6th, 2007

The SEO industry speaks its own language just like any other industry. Sometimes, SEO agencies will use this against their clients. Lately I’ve seen a lot of SEO sites advertising a fee to get your website indexed in Google in 48 hours.

In Australia this fee goes up to $150!

What does “indexed” mean?
Indexed only means that Google has visited your website and can probably now place you for your company name, unless your company name is not unique. It does not mean within 48 hours you will appear in Google search results for any of your keyword phrases.

Indexing generally occurs when the search engines follow a link to your website. If there is not one link to your website it will take roughly 2-4 weeks to get indexed by Google if you have submitted your website via the add url tool. But remember, indexing doesn’t mean anything.

As a general rule of thumb it will take up to 6 months in Google Australia to have your new website return any decent results in the search engines. In google.com it will easily take up to a year or maybe more depending on the competitiveness of the industry.

So why would you pay to have your website ‘indexed’? Yes, why would you indeed? At BlackMax Media we place all new website clients in our web design portfolio page, so when Google indexes our site it will follow a link to our clients website and they are indexed.

So, if your agency offers to have you indexed in 48 hours for a fee don’t do it. Jump over to Google’s add url tool and do it yourself. Let me say it one more time, indexing just means Google has visited your website – it does not mean search engine results.

Posted in Demystifying SEO, Search | No Comments »

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