Barry Schwartz says, “Google may have made some tweaks to their algorithms this week on how they target link spam and other forms of spam. Google would not confirm or deny there was an algorithm change, but based on the signals I am tracking, there appears to have been an algorithm update that has hit those who undergo more aggressive link building. The update seems to have happened around February 1, 2017. It may have been a tweak to how Google Penguin detects and discounts spammy links, or it may be a totally new algorithm — we are unsure. But many of the folks within the “black hat”... [...]

Ted Dhanik says, ““If you find yourself dumbfounded by the notion that 21-year-old Logan Paul could become a millionaire with goofy online videos like this, then you’re probably not a millennial,” correspondent Bill Whitaker said last fall during an edition of 60 Minutes. During the segment that followed, Whitaker explained the social media influencer phenomenon to a viewership that may know little-to-nothing about it. Influencer marketing — if you’re one of those viewers — is seen as a way, maybe even the way, to connect with Gen Y and millennials, the age groups... [...]

Emily Carrion says, “What if you didn’t have to wait months to find out how a new feature is resonating with your audience? What if you could hear from 25 percent of your audience on a regular basis — not just the vocal minority? I’m going to show you how you can leverage your mobile app audience for rapid feedback loops and why traditional focus groups are dead. The problem with focus groups Yes, focus groups are a great way to learn about how a potential demographic will respond to a yet-to-be released product. They can give you a sense of how your brand resonates in the market as... [...]

Ginny Marvin says, “Google has been slowly building out the new AdWords interface, which was introduced last March. More accounts have been granted alpha access, and on Tuesday, Google’s head of search ads, Jerry Dischler, said it is rolling out to even more AdWords accounts in the next few months. When you first get access, you may be taken right to the new interface, or you may see a notification in the top right corner or at the bottom of the screen like the one below. Don’t worry about clicking it and never being able to get back to the land you know. You can toggle back and forth... [...]

Ginny Marvin says, “Automation is nothing new in AdWords, but this month, Google launched a pilot that adds new text ads to advertisers’ accounts. Dubbed Ads Added by AdWords, the program started on January 26. Not surprisingly, this news has set off alarm bells among paid search managers that worry about Google usurping control over the ad creation and testing process. Here is what we know so far about this test. The initial set of advertisers were notified of the pilot on January 12. For those that chose to participate, ads were added to ad groups two weeks later, on January 26, at which... [...]

Barry Levine says, “Let’s say you create a mobile app. And you get it accepted into Apple’s and Google’s app stores. Now what? There are zillions of apps added to the app stores every week, so your biggest problem is simply getting found. Maybe you could luck out and get featured by the App Store. Or maybe you invest a considerable budget in ads encouraging users to install your app — even though they don’t really know it. Palo Alto, California-based Branch is out this week with a free solution that it believes could dramatically change these choices, by changing how app content... [...]

Fi Bendall says, “It is almost impossible these days to run a small business without an online presence of some sort. And it is almost impossible to have an effective online presence without at least a little knowledge of how to use the many tools Google puts at the disposal of businesses. A business owner who learns to use these tools puts themselves at a huge advantage over those who don’t. You will have more potential customers visit your website; you will be able to market your business more effectively; and you will be able to monetise your online presence. Google is constantly developing... [...]

The SmartCompany has released an ebook titled “How do I get found on Google?”. The SmartCompany team says, “Make it easy for customers to find you with this easy simple guide to search marketing. Search engine optimisation (SEO) may still be a buzzword for some, but its importance cannot be overstated if you want consumers to find your website online. The more refined and sophisticated your SEO and SEM strategy, the better your website ranking, and the more traffic you’re likely to get to your site for conversions. Download this guide, brought to you by Sensis, to gain insight... [...]

Russ Jones says, “There are a handful of data sources relied upon by nearly every search engine optimizer. Google Search Console (formerly Google Webmaster Tools) has perhaps become the most ubiquitous. There are simply some things you can do with GSC, like disavowing links, that cannot be accomplished anywhere else, so we are in some ways forced to rely upon it. But, like all sources of knowledge, we must put it to the test to determine its trustworthiness — can we stake our craft on its recommendations? Let’s see if we can pull back the curtain on GSC data and determine, once and... [...]

Ian McKee says, “The first known instance of ‘influencer marketing’ was in the late 19th century.  Yeah, you read that right — 1873. Jules Verne, a hugely influential author, was known to be writing another adventure novel when he was lobbied by transport companies for mentions. Perhaps if Jules had been a millennial, then ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ would have been an Instagram Story featuring definitely-not-awkward contract-fulfilling selfies taken on the Orient Express. I’m sure the world would have been a richer place. New tricks for old dogs You can see my point, through... [...]