Archive for June, 2007

The KEI is a component within the initial keyword analysis and is an important criteria to consider at the time you’re choosing keywords you want to optimize your site for, and the keyword competitiveness.

The Keyword Effectiveness Index is a ratio of the # Searches per month over the # of Results per month expressed as a percentage. For example: If the # Searches per month were 10,000, and the # of search results is 1,610,000, then the KEI is 0.62%.

The higher the KEI, the more popular your keywords are, AND the less competition they have. That’s a good indication that they are gonna be easier, quicker, and less expensive to optimize than a lower KEI.

However, the KEI can be deceiving. Imagine if there are a low amount of competitors…but they had very strong inbound link profiles, and were optimized to the hilt? You’d might think by only looking at the KEI that you’d be able to perform well on this keyword, but think again. Once you’ve identified your keyword to optimize for, you’ll need to examine at least the top 10 competitors in the SERPs. And, in some cases you’ll see the first 3 pages in the SERPs dominated by very strong authoritative and SEO’ed websites.

5-Step Method to Choosing Keywords

1) Use a Keyword Generation Tool to build a keyword list of terms your website is related about.
2) Cross reference with keyword data from your web analytics.
3) Identify the keywords with a high enough search volume to make a difference.
4) Narrow the list down to the most specific & relevant terms. Perhaps you already can identify a keyword that has a high conversion rate or ROI from your PPC campaigns. Or, you can see a similar high performing organic keyword from your web analytics.
5) After you’ve narrowed your keyword list, you can apply the KEI (Keyword Effectiveness Index) to further analyze the keyword competitiveness of each keyword before making your final decision. Although, don’t completely rely on the KEI.

Long tail keywords are typically less competitive and easier to optimize for than head terms. Long tail terms should also bring to your site more relevant and interested visitors. But, here’s the trick…If you decide to optimize long tail terms, you should use keyword phrases that are common enough that people actually use them, so they generate enough traffic to make a difference.

Depending on your business objectives, SEO budget, and keyword competitiveness, you might choose to go after Head terms instead of the Long tail terms.

“Buying Terms” that are further along in the conversion funnel should improve your chances of getting a better ROI from your SEO campaigns. A long-tail buying phrase like “buy a car stereo online”, should provide a better ROI than any Consideration term.

Choosing the right keywords can make the difference whether or not you succeed in your SEO campaigns.

I was asked a question regarding using a Google API vs Google Sitemaps.

Is it better to get webpages indexed by using the Google API or Google Sitemaps?

So, let’s define what an API is, and how it is typically used. Wikipedia says an API is “An application programming interface (API) is a source code interface that a computer system or program library provides to support requests for services to be made of it by a computer program.”

The Google API can be used to build a web utility that performs various functions of the Google search engine (site query, related links, number of results per query, keyword ranking reports, etc.). There are already web utilities built and free to use. All you need to do is sign up for a free Google API key, then enter your API key into the program to run a query.

Ready for the surprise? Google Sitemaps is using the Google API to index your website.

To start using Google Sitemaps you need to generate an XML Sitemap. The Google Sitemap Gen is a python script open-source project that can generate the xml sitemap for you. Or, you can use any of the Sitemaps Third Party Programs .

Steps to getting your site indexed:
1) Setup a Sitemap, and place it on your server.
2) Then, submit the URL of your XML Sitemap to each search engine.
3) Work on the link structure of your website. Eg: link to the category sections of the site and then from there place links to sub-category and product pages.
4) Get quality related deep linking inbound links to your website.

I went to the Mobile Marketing Forum in NYC a couple of weeks ago, and ever since, I’ve been desirous of, and wondering how to monetize a mobile website. Obviously, it needs to be WAP enabled, and written in a language like xhtml.

One of the mobile ad networks thought very highly of the Walled garden strategy within a category. Mobile users typically don’t like typing websites into the browser. So, this strategy keeps them within their topic of interest, and due to limited time of a business traveller (typical demographic), will either convert or leave the mobile web session.

So, I decided to choose Chocolate as my mobile topic. Perhaps, I can enter into an arrangement with a local chocolate store similar to an affiliate agreement.

So, now to choose my mobile domains. I decided to use the .mobi extension. But, needed to buy a few domains.

To assist me in choosing which mobile domain names to buy, I used the Wordtracker keyword generation tool. Then I pasted the Wordtracker results on a Spreadsheet. Added a column for the domain. Then, concatenate the two columns. I created this simple spreadsheet to use as a Domaining Tool.

Next, I pasted the cocatenated results on a Notepad, and removed the spaces using the “replace” feature. If you follow these steps, now you’re ready to see if those domains are available. Go to a bulk domain buying tool. I used the Go Daddy Bulk Domain Registration tool.

You can further strategize your decision on what to purchase by the number of searches on the keyword provided by Wordtracker.

I haven’t decided how to use these domains yet. Chocolate, Software, Ringtones, Wallpaper, Games, and Music are all options. The thought crossed my mind that they could be used similarly as MFA (made-for-adsense) sites. Or, to actually sell chocolate gifts. Here are the domains I purchased:

CHOCOLATEBUNNIES.MOBI
CHOCOLATEBUNNY.MOBI
CHOCOLATECAKERECIPES.MOBI
CHOCOLATECOOKIES.MOBI
CHOCOLATEDREAMS.MOBI
CHOCOLATEFOUNTAINS.MOBI
CHOCOLATEHEAVEN.MOBI
CHOCOLATEJESUS.MOBI
CHOCOLATEMILK.MOBI
CHOCOLATEPIE.MOBI

I know…they don’t seem like really great domains. Of course, the good ones were already taken. So, I chose these based on monthly keyword searches, and the premise that the mobile site should be easy to find, and remember. This is similar strategy as non-mobile sites. Use short memorable URL’s. Pehaps use a .mobi domain rather than something like: wap.mysite.com, or .com/wap. Of course these mobile sites should be treated like any other site, and optimized. A Mobile website Optimization is essential.

According to Telephia, the size of the Mobile Internet Population is 34.6 Million. Most downloads on Mobile are from ringtones, wallpaper, and music….not chocolate. But, I’m targeting a niche market. The busy business traveller, or busy mom, student or anyone with a busy lifestyle on the go.

If you already have a great website, you can mobilize it. However, mobilizing a site does not mean compressing current content to fit a smaller screen, or detecting the useragent and serving a version of the site based on it. Most long pages of content are a nuisance on the Mobile Web. Instead, mobile design requires matching user needs with the content that is directly relevant to their mobile goals. A few short sentences with links. That’s all that’s needed. Think of the mobile user as having a 30 second attention span.

When it comes to deciding on which language to code your site, you can choose among four different language technologies. You can code a mobile Web site in XHTML, or develop a comparable application using Flash Lite, Java ME, or the .NET Compact Framework for Windows-based devices. Java applications that reside locally on a user’s mobile device speed interactions because they only rely on the network for data. Adobe Flash Lite, can give users access to client-side data that can be accessed even when network connections get dropped. I personally like xhtml for it’s simplicity and search engine friendliness. And, make sure the code is 100% valid.

Once your sites are up…Drive traffic to your site. You can use ad networks for text & banner buys on a CPC, or CPM basis. Also, use search engines like Google to create a mobile adwords campaign. Enpocket states that mobile CTRs are higher than those in most online campaigns.

Use a call-to-action through banner ads, and search… to your WAP enabled site that could feature downloads, screen savers, viral ’send to a friend’ and other options.

Mobile functions that prompt user actions include click-to-call, click for a coupon, click to subscribe, click to locate, click to win, click to download, and click to buy.

The thing I love the best is that some mobile purchases (eg: ringtones) don’t require a credit card. Making it extremely easy to purchase. The cost is reflected on the customer’s next phone bill.

I created this SEO Presentation as an educational / evangelistic way to promote Organic Search. It contains Industry Research and compelling reasons to conduct an SEO initiative. The sales slide is slide#7. There are a total of 16 slides.

If you’re spending your marketing budget on Paid Search, Banners and other Display ads, then this is the presentation that makes a strong case to allocate budget for Search Engine Optimization.

This deck can be used to educate existing clients, and persuade potential clients to hop onto the SEO bandwagon.

Also, there are a couple of slides on a Myspace Optimization.

What is Section 508 Compliance Law? It states that government websites are mandated by law to be Section 508 compliant…written & coded in a way that makes the website assessible for people with disabilities to read. There are now estimated to be 49.7 million people with some form of disability in the US accessing the Internet via traditional means.

Now we know the market volume of the target audience. But, there are several SEO benefits in implementing this correctly…even for non-government websites.

Implementing the 508 is a major endeavor, and quite frankly I don’t think it’s necessary component of the SEO plan to achieve high rankings in the Search Engines. There is lower hanging fruit which is less manually intensive, and cheaper, that will provide a bigger bang for the buck. But, a 508 implementation is definitely politically correct and the “right thing to do”.

Additional Resources:
Assistive Technology Devices
Search Engine Accessibility and Section 508
Usability is Three Times Better for Non-Disabled Users
Section 508 Compliance Web Page Checklist
Making the Web Easy to Use for Users With Disabilities
List of companies that provide 508 software
Creating Accessible JavaScript
Section 508 Standards -
Section 508 Practices & Procedures
Section 508 Standards
Section 508 Software Tools

The post is slightly off-topic, but well worth it.

This is a recipe that I found from a cookbook I discovered in my grandparent’s basement many years ago. I don’t have the cookbook anymore, nor do I know the name of the cookbook. But, this thing was wriiten in the 1950’s, and was during a time period when people ate a lot of ground beef.

I tried it. And, let me tell you something…this ain’t no ordinary meatloaf. Ketchup would ruin this tasty dish. This is Gourmet Meatloaf. No joke. It’s official name was “Delicious Meat Loaf”.

Here’s the recipe:

1.5 lbs Hamburger meat
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 envelope Onion Soup mix
3 cups of flavored bread crumbs (I use Jason’s Bread Crumbs )
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup melted margerine
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Mix all ingredients and place in a 2 Quart casserole pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Yield: 4-5 servings

If you make it, please let me know what you think.