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Google is Changing the Game

“Google has me in its grip. With every new day, I am subjected to some new persecution for which there seems to be no escape.”  Read her full article at SiteProNews

Do you feel like this? That website organic placement, placement on Google Places (now Google Local) is a moving target. You’ll want to read the story of Marilyn’s travel so you can feel her pain. But does it have to be so complicated?

Here’s my short list of things that you should do for your website to garner organic placement (that means unpaid placement) on Google.com. Don’t get spun up on things that won’t help or hurt you if you simply don’t have the time or know how.

  1. Make sure you are blogging with the blog posts archived and posted using your own domain name so that you build consistent interesting and fresh content.
  2. Do make sure that your website is linked to your personal Google+ account and that you do have a Google+ account for your business.
  3. Do verify your Google+ Local page so Google knows that you are the business owner.
  4. Do get on a plan to build great website content and write regular new informational pages for your website.
  5. Do implement rich snippets with your website reviews if you have the know how.

I don’t feel that making yourself crazy of what Google picks up and doesn’t pick up will help or hurt you. Do the best you can if you are updating your own website.

The real key to placement on Google.com is to have great content first and foremost that people will want to link to in a natural manner. Google is not going to drop your placement if you don’t have your website connected to Google+, but they will drop you if you have duplicate or poor content.

Stay focused on the things that make sense for your business and if you have the budget, hire an expert to help with the rest.

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New Cover Image Coming to Your Twitter Page

Coming in November 2012 to each and every Twitter profile is a new Twitter cover, but a nice big image is not all you’ll get.

First Twitter recommends a cover image of 1200×600  with a maximum file size of 5MB. To add your new cover follow these easy steps.

  1. Login to your Twitter account at Twitter.com.
  2. Click the drop down menu for settings at the top right. Look for the gear icon.
  3. On the left sidebar click design.
  4. Under header in the body of the page click to add your own photos. You can add anything from your camera or phone.
  5. Size the photo the way you like once loaded by moving the zoom in icon.
  6. It may take several tries to get your header image to load. I am not sure what but I had to try three to four times.
  7. Update your bio and check your web url.

The best thing about the new cover is that your bio will appear overlayed on the cover image AND your now CLICKABLE website URL appears on the cover as well.

There is simply no more need for a special background image if you don’t want one and the ability to have the clickable URL is worth all the effort to get your header image to load.

You can visit our Twitter page @mccordweb to see our cover shot and how the new cover works on your Twitter profile. Keep in mind that Twitter will make every site have a cover in November and if you don’t add an image you will have a big gray block at the top.

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Ready to Connect on Google+ Here’s How

I consider activity on Google+ important for business owners. The real SEO and search benefits are however not achieved by updating your Google+ Business page, but rather your Google+ personal page.

So, how can you connect with others to start building your Google+ empire and improved rankings for your company website in the organic listings?

  1. Start by making sure the content you write is on target, on topic, and engaging.
  2. I use my Google+ page for business and not personal use. Consider doing the same for now.
  3. Work to actively add users to circles and respond when someone adds you to one of their circles.
  4. Click +1 and leave comments on posts you find interesting. You’ve simply got to spend some time.
  5. Consider starting a hangout. Well I am still thinking about that one, but have participated in several others and they can be fun. I have just not initiated one.

I personally find that for placement Google+ will be very important. As Google does not allow any automated or scheduled updates to be passed to your Google+ page, you will find the community of business people,legitimate, real and engaging.

Personally, I use Facebook for personal interaction on my locked down private page and Google+ as my face on social networks for business.

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Facebook Cleans Up Fake Users and Likes From Accounts

Did you know that September 27th Facebook started to purge its system and your account of fake likes and bogus users?

In fact this is what Facebook Security had posted on its wall:

“These newly improved automated efforts will remove those likes gained by malware, compromised accounts, deceived users, or purchased bulk likes.”

That means if you bought followers – actually I know some business clients who were actually thinking of doing this at one time, when a like actually meant something. So far our Spokesdog Facebook page is still there, but Facebook may clean that up too in the not too distant future.

Facebook states that this clean up effort is to improve things for personal accounts and brands, and it does make sense. With the ability of people who friend you to have access to your wall for their business or spam, it is a good idea for Facebook to clean up its act.