Cyrus Shepard says, “It’s rare when Google reveals any of its actual ranking factors, so it came as a big surprise when representatives announced they would reward sites using HTTPS encryption with a boost in search results. HTTPS isn’t like other ranking factors. Implementing it requires complexity, risks, and costs. Webmasters balance this out with benefits that include increased security, better referral data, and a possible boost in rankings”. The Big List of SEO Tips and Tricks for Using HTTPS on Your Website MOZ Blog  [...]

Tim Allen says, “Diving into Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) for the first time can be a challenge. You are faced with a whole armoury of new tools, each containing a huge variety of features. Optimizely is one of those tools you will quickly encounter and through this post I’m going to cover 6 features I wish I had known from day one that have helped improve test performance/debugging and the ability to track results accurately. 1. You don’t have to use the editor The editor within Optimizely is a useful tool if you don’t have much experience working with code. The editor... [...]

Rand Fishkin says, “Whatever the motives behind Google’s recent removal of exact-match keyword targeting from AdWords, the resulting uncertainty makes keyword research that much more difficult. In today’s Whiteboard Friday, Rand talks about the implications of the change, and offers tips for the most effective research going forward”. Keyword Research and Targeting Without Exact Match – Whiteboard Friday MOZ Blog  [...]

Andy Curry says, “This month’s article will address how to build links to our website. This is one of the most critical aspects of search engine optimization and one of the most difficult to get right. Why Backlinks? The first point is to address why link building (also called “backlinking” or “backlinks”) is so important. Google first launched in the late 1990s with the premise that websites having lots of links from other websites is an indicator of popularity — and, therefore, a website people should see when they’re looking for that very thing”. Do-it-yourself SEO:... [...]

Miriam Ellis says, “If you work in Local SEO, chances are you’ve been fielding tons of questions from clients since Google rolled out the Pigeon update in late July. Need a little extra support providing sound advice in what are still the early days of this development that has caused both organic and local ranking shakeups? Here’s your chance to learn what six of the finest Local SEOs on the map are telling their own clients and readers about Pigeon, followed up by a checklist aimed at helping you Pigeon-proof your local presence. Read closely, and I believe you’ll find... [...]

Eric Devaney says, “The glitz, the glam, the glorious design elements that make your website look like a million bucks.When contemplating a website redesign, it’s easy to focus only on those features that are appealing to the eye. Unfortunately, redesigning a website isn’t simply an exercise in aesthetics. Sure, the purely visual elements of your newly designed website will likely get the most attention, but remember: a great website redesign also requires that you consider (and improve) what’s under the hood”. Redesigning Your Website? Why You Need to Think About SEO From the... [...]

Isla McKetta says, “In a post-Hummingbird world, we all know content matters. But many SEOs are still trying to work around this update because we think we don’t have the tools to gauge content quality.  If you’ve said, “I’m not a writer,” or, “How do I know what will resonate with my audience?” And even, “Content is hard and takes time; do I really have to?” You might be suffering from content anxiety. Content quality anxiety can come in many forms: What is content, really?”. “But How Do I Know if It’s Good?” How... [...]

Andy Franco says, “As a knowledgeable and methodical webmaster, you know that optimizing your website is a constant effort and that the World Wide Web is always evolving. You may have spent several hours adding and updating Meta and titles tags, keyword-rich content, H1 header tags on top of pages, quality web content, alt tags for photos, and even building inbound links. One thing you’ve certainly learned through all of this is that in order to rise and remain at the top of SERPs — all is never enough“. Back to SEO Basics: Why Relevant External Links Matter Business2Community.com  [...]

David Mihm says, “Our engineering team has been hard at work on a number of behind-the-scenes improvements since the launch of Moz Local in March, but today marks our first major feature release–streamlined submission for individual listings and a killer duplicate-closure upgrade”. Moz Local Summer Updates MOZ Blog  [...]

Travis Bliffen says, “Undoubtedly you have heard that SEO is a great marketing strategy. It is cheaper than many other channels of advertising and it sends a targeted message to the right audience. When you start preparing or refining your marketing strategy for 2015, I think you will find the following statistics will make the decision to implement SEO a very easy one. 1.Almost half of companies that implement inbound marketing efforts see a 25 percent greater ROI than companies that do not.  –CRM Daily 2.Leads generated through SEO close at around 14.6 percent while leads from other... [...]