In Google Analytics, under keywords, you will find the total number of keywords used to find your website via the search engines. This is an important number.

What is your number?

Too many business owners focus only on the rankings of their favorite keywords in search results.  They define success by their pet keywords moving to the top of the search page.

Keyword rankings are important, but they are not the only measurement of success.  It is hard to know all of the combinations of keywords and their rankings that are relevant to your website.  This makes it difficult to completely measure SEO (search engine optimization) success.

Any keyword traffic will not do.

An SEO’s (a person who optimizes websites) job is to attract the best traffic to your website.  None-the-less an increase in the number of keywords directing traffic is still an excellent indicator of a successful SEO campaign.

Keep track of your search result rankings, the amount of traffic coming from search engines, the total number of unique visitors and the total number of keywords delivering traffic to your website.  This package of indicators will give you a more complete SEO picture.

One way to keep track of search engine optimization (SEO) success is to measure the number of keywords people use to find your website.

In your Google analytics account under traffic sources you will find a list for keywords (see figure on the left).  At the bottom of the list you will find a total.  This total represents the number of keyword combinations people used to find your website.

Make note of the total number of keywords at the beginning of your campaign.  It is impossible to know all of the combinations of keywords people can and will use to find your site.  The more work you do on your SEO campaign the more  keyword combinations will develop.  Even if your target keywords do not rise dramatically in the search results listings you should see results in your total keyword number.

If you don’t see any improvement over 3-6 months you should rethink you SEO strategy.

Rosh

Why would you take the time to review your LinkedIn Analytics?

Did you know Analytics are available for your business page? Search for your company in the search box on LinkedIn.  If you are an administrator for your company page you should see a tab for Analytics

LinkedIn Analytics are not very deep, but if you are sharing products, services or recruiting it is important to know if people are looking at your information.

Even if you are not taking advantage of the business opportunities LinkedIn offers it is good to review the over all trend. Are more people searching for your company?

If you are running a branding campaign your LinkedIn statistics can be used as one measure of increase company brand awareness.

One of the first places to start when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO) is what would you type in the search box?

If you were looking for what you do, what would you ask Google?

It means very little to be number one in search results for who you are.   Your company name should be number one with little effort.  Being number one for your name is for the people who already know who you are.  They are looking for phone numbers, employee names, new products and directions.

SEO is for people who don’t know your company.

The people who don’t know you ask questions like where can I find a web designer in Michigan? Sometimes they make search statements such as Florida attorney, or Italian restaurant in Cleveland Ohio.  Whatever the case they don’t know you.

Your SEO needs to reflect how people are searching for your company not corporate or industry jargon.

Start the process by opening Google (and other search engines) and start searching for your company without using its name.

Good luck.

Rosh

While reviewing client search results for our search engine optimization (SEO) program I've noticed some startling issues creeping into Google results.

Organic (unpaid) research results are disappearing.

Arron Wall at SEObook has a good post addressing this issue. What is the issue? advertising and local search are replacing organic research results - especially above the fold in your search browser.  Many search results once proudly displayed on the front page have not lost their organic ranking, but now find themselves crowded out on to the second page of Google.

Panda, the newest big Google algorithm upgrade from early 2011 is the culprit (along with numerous additional Google updates since).  I hope Google makes improved adjustments in the future, but for now it is important to aim higher and work for the number one spot and make sure your Google Places account is up-to-date.

Arron brings up a good point in his post.  Google states that pages with over 50 percent advertising are not considered worthy, but Google is breaking its own rules - seemingly in the name of increasing revenue.  Isn't that why others do it too? Why is OK for Google.

If they keep this keep this up, Google's search results will become unworthy too.  I wonder how Bing is looking these days?

Rosh

• Sprint and Google
• Facebook party check-in
• Happy birthday Twitter 5!
• Google adding instant video preview http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/this-week-in-search-31111.html
• Blogger is getting updated. Finally.
• Four square merchant updates – specials

• A) SEO verses SEM  http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1008270
• B)  PPC blog: translating AdWords campaigns http://ppcblog.com/translate-adwords-campaigns/

• Podcast title: The Driven Business
• Hosts Rosh Sillars and Greg Evans.
• Time 22:40
• The Driven Business is a podcast powered by Synectics Media. Synectics Media is a Metro Detroit Michigan based integrated marketing firm. We are focusing on combining the best of traditional marketing with what works in the
• Rosh Twitter
• Comment line 206 202 3568
• Synectics Media email
• Email Rosh
• Email Greg
• Synectics Media –  248 246 6855

• The Driven Business
• Hosts Rosh Sillars and Greg Evans.
• Time 21:02
• Bi-weekly podcast
• The Driven Business is a podcast powered by Synectics Media. Synectics Media is a Metro Detroit Michigan based integrated marketing firm. We are focusing on combining the best of traditional marketing with what works in the digital world.
• Topics in this weeks show: Introduction to Synectics Media, Greg Evans, Web Site Landing pages, Web Site Content and SEO, Your web site message and call to action, Bounce rate, Social media, design of page, web site conversion, contact forms, Business follow up.
• Rosh Twitter
• Comment line 206 202 3568
• Synectics Media email
• Email Rosh
• Email Greg
• Synectics Media –  248 246 6855