SEO Blog

Expect a lot of chatter about Google’s spidering and filtering of websites in the coming weeks. There is preliminary discussion in the blogosphere and in a couple search engine optimization forums about strange behaviours seen in site logs and in Google’s search engine results (SERPs). Clearly something is happening though it is far too ealry to know exactly what.
Last week webmasters started discussing the value of anchor text used in links with some suggesting Google is devaluing the power a well phrased link once had. The effect appears to have been noted most on external links from blogs though not so much on exernal links from indexed sites or internal links on indexed sites.

Another point of discussion that has started up today has webmasters suggesting Google is assigning penalties to sites that change or alter the titles of indexed pages within the site. This measure might seems a bit far-fetched for most webmasters. They are page-titles for goodness sake! When one considers dynamicaly driven content might produce a new title specific to the request of the user (Google can now follow simple forms), the chance Google might see rapidly changing titles on indexed documents as a sign that page is violating its Webmaster Guidelines.

We’re back from the valley of the jolly IT giants. Last week a number of Metamenders attended the largest and most influential annual search conference, Search Engine Strategies San Jose. The four day (+1 day for training) had over 70 unique topic tracks and was attended by over 7000 people. For any search marketing agency, a conference of this size is important to attend and, for individual search marketers, the learning experience is a kin to a fourth-year university course.

Because the search marketing industry is built on communication, ideas or community memes tend to work their way into speakers’ notes and general discussion. Every conference thus has its unofficial theme. The only difference this year is the level to which search marketing has become entrenched in the overall advertising mix. The vibe at the conference felt more triumphant, more grounded and very much more important. This year’s unofficial theme was SEM as THE cornerstone of online marketing efforts.

The practice of search engine marketing has changed substantially over the decade the industry has existed. With a larger number of venues to perform services in and a wider range of services to offer, search engine marketing agencies have grown to become virtual gatekeepers to the greatest benefits of the Web. We are thus experiencing an interesting and important shift in the business of being search marketers.

It’s over. The four and a half day marathon of talking, learning, sharing and networking that is Search Engine Strategies San Jose has finally come to a close. Last night and this morning, thousands of attendees hugged their goodbyes in the lobbies and driveways of the various area hotels pledging to stay in touch and see each other next year. For the speakers and media, the time between shows is measured in weeks or, in some cases, days. We hug anyway. I love these people and even though the time between our meetings is often short, I know I am going to miss them terribly.

The close of any major conference is somewhat sad, sort of like losing the city built by the community in a few all too short days. At the same time however the close of a show means a welcome rest from the chaos of choice and the exhaustion of 18 - 20 hour days. This is especially true for the organizers of the show, all of whom have ample reasons to feel tired but also have a good excuse to feel the elation of accomplishment. SES San Jose 2008 was a very, very good show.

A human body emits approximately 500BTUs of heat-energy at 98-degrees F., or 37-degrees C. Imagine what a room full of about 7000 people feels like in the intensity of a late summer California day. Welcome to SES San Jose.

Many of the smaller conference rooms have ample air conditioning but the larger rooms start to feel muggy fairly quickly. The minor discomfort is easy enough to ignore however as SES San Jose is one of the premier learning and skill sharing in the industry. With over 80 unique 1.25 hour sessions, there is a tremendous amount of good information to be had here. It’s Monday, the first day of the conference which, traditionally is scheduled to be a somewhat lighter day in order to give attendees and delegates a chance to get up to speed and adjust their bodies to “conference-time”.

This year however, the schedule is anything but light on the first day of the show. To kick off the conference, delegates had the option of a attending one of five seminars, each of which would be considered highly advanced at almost any other search marketing show. My choice was titled, “Death of the Dot-Mobi”, a look at design options for mobile search.