SEO Tips City » Finance

SEO For Your Small Business

Seo Men — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:31:28 +0000

In today’s world, just about everything in business can be connected to the Internet. This applies to all types of business, from multimillion dollar companies to the smaller mom and pop stores. Small business can be losing out on a large customer base is they do not understand the power of the Internet and how maintaining a well optimized website has many benefits. When people seek information on services or products, most likely the Internet is the place where they will begin their search. Let’s take a look at SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and what this means for your small business.

SEO means search engine optimization. The acronym “SEO” can also refer to “search engine optimizers” professionals who can take your website, optimize it correctly and in the end, bring you a lot of traffic and potential customers.

SEO For Small Business

Let’s take a look at why this is so important and how this applies to a small business. Just about everyone has a website in today’s world, from international companies to personal sites. Phone books are rarely used anymore. When someone wants to find out about services or products, they turn to their computer.

Having a well planned out website is very important for a small business. You want any person to easily see who you are, what you offer and by which methods they may obtain your services or products. However, even if you have a wonderful website, this does not help you if no one can find you.

One business person created a well thought out, easy to read website and was very excited that when entering the search term for their business they came up first in the search results. However, it will do your small business no good if you can only be found by the particular name of your business.

You want to be found when people enter in certain keywords. What are keywords, you may ask. Keywords are words that the average person enters into a search bar to find out information. For example, if you sell hammers and nails you would want your small company’s website to come up high in the search results for “hammers and nails”.

The goal of most business websites is to appear on the first page of results. Very rarely does the average person look passed the first page. If they do, it is even more rare if they look passed the third page. You can always pay to appear first, this would be a sponsored listing. However, if you website text is optimized correctly, you can appear highly ranked for the key words of your choice.

The object of optimizing a site is to edit the content and HTML coding to both increase its significance to particular keywords and to remove barriers to the indexing activities of search engines.

The majority of people search via Google, although other search engines are used as well. In most cases, a website should be created to please Google and other search engines will follow along. Do SEO for your small business and you will be been by more people than you thought possible. If you are not optimized correctly, you could land so far back in the search results that no one will ever find you. Never underestimate the need for proper SEO for your small business.

Web 2.0 Website Templates, Making The Internet Easy To Understand

Seo Men — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:33:58 +0000

Have you ever been to a website, and you did not know what was going on? You could tell that it was something you wanted to look at, but the design was all over the place. Well if you said yes, then you were not looking at a website that was made with a Web 2.0 template. These are great web templates that people can use to make their websites easier to understand, and best of all, easier to use. No longer do we have to guess at how to use a web site. Web 2.0 makes it easier for everyone to understand and use. Now we can all enjoy the beauty of the internet.

Web Template 14014

There are many different programs out there that you can use to make websites. However, if you do not understand how to use HTML then you are going to be stuck using website templates. Now these are fun to use, and plus they are easy. Of course, some of the website templates that are out there leave you will a little something else being needed. What is that something you ask? They do not make the website user friendly to the people that are coming to look at your site. The good news is now there is help. With Web 2.0 website template you are going to be able to make great websites that not only look good, but they are easy to use. Do not scare away your customers or friends with websites that are too over the top. Use the Web 2.0 templates, and make your website a welcoming one.

If you are thinking about using the Web 2.0 web site templates then you are thinking of using the main type of design for the internet nowadays. This is because everyone is trying to swich over to being easier to use. Now that computers cost less than they use to, everyone is getting connected around the world. However, for some people this is there first time on the internet, and they do not understand it as well as some people. Even so, with the Web 2.0 templates you can make your web site look top of the line, but without looking too scary. You get a lot of stuff whenever you get a Web 2.0 template. First of all, you get bigger and easier to read text. You also get a visibility aspect to your website that no other company can give you. Also, all of the Web 2.0 templates come with an enhanced navigation system that allows your users to surf your site with ease.

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Trying to find user friendly web templates can be hard, and some of them are hard to figure out how to use. This does not mean that you should give up. This means that you are going to have to switch your website over to the only template that you are ever going to use, the Web 2.0. Not only are these websites going to be easier for people to surf, but it’s going to be easier for you to set up. It’s hard trying to set up your first website, let Web 2.0 help you. There is no reason for this task to be hard, and when using one of these templates it no longer has to be. Once you see your website on the internet for the first time, it’s a feeling that you will never forget. So go out there and get your Web 2.0 template today.

Deconstructing Google: Chapter 4, After The Google Breakup

Seo Men — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:53:31 +0000

Previous chapters have covered how the growth of Google and fears of how it was reshaping the communication landscape led to the application of existing anti-trust laws along with new ones to force a Google breakup in 2010. This chapter looks at the immediate aftermath: the “Baby Googles” or “Googlets” that were formed in the name of greater competition and consumer choice.

The Google brand name remained with the company’s first product, search. Virtually all search-related products were kept part of Google, including enterprise search. Google continued to operate the Google search engine, which itself remains by far the most popular search engine in the United States and in most countries around the world.

What didn’t stay with Google? As covered more in chapter 3, the Search Engine Reform Act of 2009 (SERA) had a fundamental principle that companies with business models around being guides to the web – regardless of the technology or human effort involved to create those guides – were forbidden from also owning content that might be listed in those guides.

“If I buy a restaurant guide, I don’t expect the publisher of the guide to also own or make money off of some of the restaurants in the guide,”

said one US senator during debate over the act.

Away went products like Google Knol, as well as Google’s ability to offer an ad brokerage service like AdSense to publishers. Google could still sell ads – indeed, the AdWords program remains the chief source of revenue for Google. However, those ads are restricted to Google’s own search results pages or the search results pages of affiliate partners.

Critics pointed out that it wasn’t illegal under US law for these conflicts to occur in other areas. Movie studios were free to own magazines that might cover their movies, for example. Nor could anyone show solid evidence that Google had allowed the inherent conflicts to become real ones. But the argument of search deserving special regulatory protection won out.

Google was allowed some exceptions to the “no content” rule. Community maps were deemed “search-like,” so Google’s Wikipedia-like social mapping effort could continue. Google News, where pages of “content” are built in an automated fashion, were still deemed to be search-like because of their “discovery” nature and thus were allowed. Local reviews of merchants were also allowed. Hosting of video content through YouTube? That was not deemed a search activity, so YouTube was spun off.

As coming chapters will explain, the changes were not limited to Google. Microsoft and Yahoo both found the act required them to divest and divide up various business units. Ironically, one of the chief backers of the reform act – the newspaper publishing industry – got a rude awakening when they found it applied to them. Plans for a pan-newspaper portal to rival Google News came to a halt when it was deemed in a lawsuit that the portal would violate SERA because, as a search engine, it was listing newspapers that it also would have an interest in favoring.

Understanding that gray areas would come up, the reform act also established the Search Commerce Commission. Among its many duties is serving as an arbiter of whether a search engine has slipped too much into the content-hosting space.

Google Finance Fights Back

Seo Men — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 11:34:12 +0000

Google’s side of the story
Rick Aristotle Munarriz: Google Finance’s launch last year came years after Yahoo! (Nasdaq: YHOO) and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) hit the scene. How is Google Finance different? What is it bringing to the table?

Katie Jacobs Stanton: Google Finance was a natural extension of Google’s overall mission to better organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible. Google Finance was designed to help users find the most relevant, useful, and comprehensive financial information as quickly as possible. In the past, users have often waded through a lot of irrelevant information to get the financial data they want or need. Our goal is to provide a fresh perspective on finance-related search.

Google Finance brings a lot to the table. I’ll highlight the top three distinguishing features. First, Google Finance offers an easier way to search for financial information. For example, you can search by the name or symbol of worldwide public or private companies or mutual funds. Try searching for “Bloomberg” or “Vodafone” (on the London stock exchange, not the ADR) or “Apple” on Google Finance and then conducting the same search on any other online finance site. You’ll instantly see how much easier it is.

A second major difference is our charts. We were the first to launch interactive charts where you can click and drag to view different time periods. Further, the charts are essentially a mashup of stock prices and news stories to help provide additional context as to why a stock may (or may not) have moved. You can also easily compare stocks and indices on one chart, as well as view splits and dividends. Lastly, I’m not aware of any other chart that allows you to see extended hour trades plotted. This is particularly important during earnings seasons or when a major company announcement occurs in extended hours.

A third major difference is our company coverage of news, blogs, and videos. We incorporate news stories from over 4,500 English sources to provide the most relevant, unbiased, and timely news on a company. We also launched Google Finance with blog search results to offer an even wider perspective of views on a company. And more recently, we added financial videos on our front page from dozens of sources to help provide a richer perspective on financial markets.

Munarriz: What are some of the latest features added to Google Finance?

Stanton: First, you can go to our blog to always stay on top of our latest features. Over the summer, we had a number of launches, including several Google Finance gadgets on iGoogle, the personalized page of Google. We also recently launched Google Finance Canada, our first international version of Google Finance. Smaller updates included more historical data for U.K. and Canadian stocks, additional views on charts, and historical price integration with Google Calendar.

Munarriz: The discussion boards on Google Finance are a mixed bag. Some boards are buzzing with activity, while others are surprisingly dormant. Any theories?

Stanton: We have some very strong discussions on companies like Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), Google, and NYSE Euronext (NYSE: NYX). These boards are full of high-quality and thoughtful discussions, which was part of our original goal. Also, we offer discussions on [over-the-counter] stocks such as GBRC, which are not available on other popular sites, including the Fool.

That said, it is true that other discussion groups are very light. When we launched discussions, we were very serious to put anti-spam measures in place. There is a lot of noise on other [services'] boards, and we wanted to create an environment where users could connect and have on-topic conversations.

Munarriz: You recently had an interactive Q&A session on the Google Finance blog to solicit user feedback. What did you discover? What do people want most?

Stanton: We had so much fun doing the Q&A session both on SeekingAlpha earlier this year and our own Google Finance blog. Four main themes resulted from the Q&A:

Real-time quotes. One of our top requests is access to real-time quotes. We feel strongly about this, too. In January, we announced a deal with the New York Stock Exchange which would allow our dissemination of last-sale quote data to all of our users for free. We reached a similar agreement with Nasdaq shortly thereafter. However, because market data pricing is regulated by the SEC, we have to wait for the SEC to approve these deals.
Internationalization. There were a lot of suggestions to add quotes from various international markets, including Australia and India. Currently, Google Finance offers quotes from many international stock exchanges, including Amsterdam, Brussels, Lisbon, London, Paris, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Toronto.
Tools. Many asked for more tools like stock screeners and technical charts. Most of the tools out there today haven’t been updated in years, so we agree there is a lot of room for innovation.
Content. We’ve had a number of suggestions to add earnings estimates, institutional ownership, and options data. These are all very important pieces of content for investors. Currently, we offer links to other sites that do a good job of providing this type of content. Unlike traditional finance portals, our goal is to quickly connect people directly with the source of information they are looking for, whether it is on Google or a third-party site.

Munarriz: Traffic has been improving at Google Finance since last year’s launch. Any numbers you would like to share? If not, any third-party data?

Stanton: We have seen great growth on Google Finance since we launched, but particularly strong growth over the past six months. Third-party research doesn’t always accurately capture traffic. While page views are one way to measure success, there are other ways that users are accessing Google Finance — for instance, from mobile devices and our portfolio gadget on iGoogle.

Munarriz: Google Finance hasn’t even hit the Terrible Twos yet. What can one expect out of Google Finance over the next year?

Stanton: You can count on us to listen carefully to the feedback we have received so far and offer more of the features stemming from our Q&A. We also have a bunch of features planned in Q4 that, to our knowledge, do not exist elsewhere. You’ll have to watch our blog, or, since you’ve been so kind to offer us a rebuttal, perhaps we’ll give you a sneak peak so you can help break the story on The Motley Fool.

PayPal: Importance of being safe online

Seo Men — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 07:44:42 +0000

In light of the report by the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, into the security of the Internet, Cristina Hoole, Spokesperson for PayPal, comments about the importance of being safe online:

The security of people who use the Internet and shop online must become a top priority, not just for the Government but also software vendors, if the ongoing threat of e-crime is to be culled. Continued proactive action needs to be taken so that people in the UK are not put at risk. At present more than 27.4 million people in the UK have received a phishing email at some point, with 18.1 million people receiving an email that has purported to have come from their bank. These are worrying statistics, especially if anyone has been tricked into responding to them.

“Online companies have an obligation to consumers to help them stay safe online, so they do not become the unwitting victims of e-crime. PayPal does a number of things to help its customers stay safe online, and at the heart of our own activity is consumer education. However, a successful programme does not, and cannot stop there – Government, the police, financial services providers, internet providers, retailers, must all work together to fight the criminals who will otherwise continue to target online consumers with increasingly complicated scams.”

PayPal top ten tips on how to spot a fake email:

Check your account! If a PayPal user is ever sent an email which seems suspicious the immediate and most basic action to take is to log into your account and verify any activity before going ahead with any transactions.
Generic greetings. Many spoof emails begin with a general greeting, such as: “Dear PayPal member.” If you do not see your first and last name, be suspicious and do not click on any links or button.
A fake sender’s address. A spoof email may include a forged email address in the “From” field. This field is easily altered.
A false sense of urgency. Many spoof emails try to deceive you with the threat that your account is in jeopardy if you don’t update it ASAP. They may also state that an unauthorised transaction has recently occurred on your account, or claim PayPal is updating its accounts and needs information fast.
Fake links. Always check where a link is going before you click. Move your mouse over it and look at the URL in your browser or email status bar. A fraudulent link is dangerous. If you click on one, it could:
- Direct you to a spoof website that tries to collect your personal data.
- Install spyware on your system. Spyware is an application that can enable a hacker to monitor your actions and steal any passwords or credit card numbers you type online.
- Cause you to download a virus that could disable your computer.
Emails that appear to be websites. Some emails will look like a website in order to get you to enter personal information. PayPal never asks for personal information in an email.
Deceptive URLs. Only enter your PayPal password on PayPal pages. These begin with paypal.com. If you see an @ sign in the middle of a URL, there’s a good chance this is a spoof. Legitimate companies use a domain name e.g. company.com. Even if a URL contains the word “PayPal,” it may not be a PayPal site. Examples of deceptive URLs include: paypalsecure.com, paypa1.com, secure-paypal.com, and paypalnet.com. Always log in to PayPal by opening a new web browser and typing in the following: https://www.paypal.com/. Never log in to PayPal from a link in an email.
Unsafe sites. The term “https” should always precede any website address where you enter personal information. The “s” stands for secure. If you don’t see “https,” you’re not in a secure web session, and you should not enter data.
Pop-up boxes. PayPal will never use a pop-up box in an email as pop-ups are not secure.
Attachments. Like fake links, attachments are frequently used in spoof emails and are dangerous. Never click on an attachment. It could cause you to download spyware or a virus. PayPal will never email you an attachment or a software update to install on your computer.

If you receive a spoof email, forward the entire email – including the header information to spoof@paypal.com, then delete it from your mailbox. Please note that the automatic response you get from us may not address you by name.

AdWords Campaign Optimizer now available

Seo Men — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 11:18:43 +0000

Today, we’re happy to announce the launch of a new ad performance tool called Campaign Optimizer.

Google AdWords Optimizer

It’s an on-demand AdWords tool that provides personalized campaign ideas in just minutes.

AdWords Campaign Optimizer Tool

We’re always looking for ways to help you improve your account performance and increase your advertising return, and we’re excited that this tool can help jumpstart your optimization efforts. To start, click on the ‘Optimize Campaign’ link on the ‘Campaign Summary’ page, as shown in this screenshot below.

More details: adwords.google.com

Yahoo Buying a High School and College Sports Network

Seo Men — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:23:56 +0000

Just one day after the management shake-up at Yahoo, the company’s board was called on to make a decision that had nothing to do with the resignation of Terry S. Semel as chief executive or the appointment of the co-founder Jerry Yang to succeed him.The board voted Tuesday to approve the acquisition of Rivals.com, an online network focused on college and high school sports, a deal the company plans to announce today.

The move is intended to bolster Yahoo’s position as an online destination for sports fans, where it competes with ESPN.com, Foxsports. com and others.

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It is not a major acquisition. But Yahoo executives said buying another content provider underscores the company’s commitment to its media group, based in Santa Monica, Calif., whose strategy has shifted over time and whose future has been a subject of speculation since its chief, Lloyd Braun, left in December.

“We are very serious about leading in the media space,”

said Scott Moore, senior vice president for news and information at Yahoo.

“This deal will help us connect with the college and high school sports fan.”

Yahoo executives would not disclose the price of the acquisition, but individuals close to the company put it at around $100 million.

Yahoo hired Mr. Braun, a former ABC executive, in 2004, in part to set up a studio to produce original text and video content. But the scope of Mr. Braun’s ambitions were scaled back as he clashed over budgets with top executives at Yahoo headquarters in Sunnyvale, Calif.

He left in December amid a company wide reorganization. Since then, other executives in the media group, including those who ran music, health and food Web sites, have left.

Since the departure of Mr. Braun, responsibility for the media group has been divided between Mr. Moore and Vince Broady, who is senior vice president for entertainment. Both report to Jeff Weiner, one of Mr. Semel’s protégés, who is responsible for much of the content and services on the Yahoo portal. The company is not seeking to replace Mr. Braun.

Mr. Moore said criticism of the media group was misplaced.

Yahoo has been bolstering its offerings, licensing content from a variety of top media partners like ABC, CBS and Fox. Yahoo is the most visited destination for news and finance, Mr. Moore noted.

In sports, Yahoo ranked second, with 15 million visitors, to ESPN.com’s 17.5 million visitors in May, according to comScore, a Web audience measuring firm, but its audience is growing at more than twice the rate than that of ESPN.com.

Full news at NYTimes.com

AdWords Editor 3.5 Update

Seo Men — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:14:23 +0000

We’d like to ask anyone still using AdWords Editor 2.0, 2.5, or 3.0 to upgrade to the latest version (3.5) before July 10, 2007. After July 10, versions 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 will no longer be supported. To upgrade, just follow the automatic download prompt that appears whenever you start AdWords Editor. You can find instructions on how to preserve any comments or unposted changes when you upgrade here.

For a complete list of version-specific changes, see AdWords Editor Release Notes

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