JWTSC SEO Group Blog

Case Studies Updated

As I like to say, "Nothing proves our skill like evidence of past success." Check out case studies from our work with Italian automaker Maserati, Sutter Health, and the United States Marine Corps.

http://www.jwtsc-seo.com/case-studies.php

Google adds integrated job search to it's SERPs

One of the major facets of our SEO practice is recruitment. In fact, I think we're one of the only full-service SEO firms with a solid recruitment expertise. So today I was poking around in Google, and I noticed a search for 'google careers' turned up a funny little box...a job search that filters by locations. Seems like it was ~~copied from~~ inspired by Indeed.com and other similar sites. So far I've only gotten the box to show on searches for big names, i.e. 'google careers', 'google jobs', etc. Seems like it's still in beta as many major corps like Ford and Apple still aren't triggering the box.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=google+careers&btnG=Search

JWT SC SEO Group January Newsletter

Our January Newsletter just went out today - I encourage you all to have a look. If you'd like to subscribe to our newsletter please use the subscription form on the right sidebar.

Read the January newsletter here.

--Sean

Over 60 million people use search every day

Great article by eMarketer outlining search growth over the past few years. As many of you know, seach has always been the second most popular internet activity after email, but as the eMarketer article shows the gap between the two is shrinking rapidly. It's quite possible that in the next few years search will be #1...and that should come as no surprise. The internet as it is today would not exist without search. It's simply impossible to navigate billions of documents without some sort of searching tool to point you in the right direction.

http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?1003698

--Sean

Yet another index update at Yahoo

While Google is starting to wind down their Jagger update, Yahoo is now launching another mini-update. Announced in the Yahoo Search Blog, this update should be mostly done by the time you read this. Might be a good time to check how your rankings are faring.

http://www.ysearchblog.com/archives/000213.html

--Sean

Google Local Mobile - Live maps on cell phones

The new Google Local Mobile Java app by Google allows you to get live maps, directions, and store searches all from your mobile phone. You'll need a data plan and a Java enabled (J2ME) phone to use this - unfortunately it doesn't currently support BREW-enabled phones (e.g. Verizon, Alltel, U.S. Cellular), Nextel phones, Blackberry devices or Palm devices.

I installed this app on my Audiovox SMT-5600 with a T-Mobile data plan and it's very impressive. Everything worked well and the maps loaded quickly. A search for local pizza places in San Francisco's SOMA district pulled up a number of places, marked them on the map, and even gave me phone numbers. From my initial tests I think this app is poised to be another star in Google's lineup.

--Sean

Google Jagger Update

Google recently implemented its latest update to its search algorithm. This update, dubbed Jagger by the Webmasterworld Forums, should have shaken up the search engine results quite a bit by now. I'm curious to get some before and after results from readers. How has the update affected you?

--Sean

Have you heard of RSS? New article by the JWTSC SEO Group

I've recently written up a quick article on RSS, a new technology used to syndicate content across the web. It's a very high level introduction to RSS and gives some insight into where I see RSS heading over the next couple of years. I encourage you to check it out:

Have you heard of RSS?

--Sean

Google Loses GMail in the UK

So maybe Google won't be taking over the world after all... Tiny $5.8M Independent Internation Investment Research (IIIR) has won in a dispute with the giant $85B Google over the Gmail trademark. As it turns out, IIIR registered the Gmail trademark several years ago. Google then went ahead and launched its own super-successful Gmail in early 2004 without checking (or perhaps ignoring) if anyone else owned the trademark. Little did they know the tiny IIIR would fight back, and to the surprise of many they won. From now on new Google Gmail users in the UK will be given a googlemail.co.uk domain, but existing users who already have a gmail.com domain will not be forced to give it up.

College Students find search more credible than TV, friends & family

According to a new study by Yahoo and Greenberg Brand Strategy, college students find search to be more useful and trustworthy than almost any other form of referral - even friends and family. This shows that younger Gen Y folks find search to be a very balanced and relevant source of information. Read more about the study here.

--Sean

Anti-SEO - People who hide from search

While us SEO's spend all our time trying to show up for searches, some people put a lot of effort into not being found. The reasons people do this are quite varied. Everything from people avoiding stalkers or abusive partners to those who avoid the governmet to those who are simply conscious of their privacy. A very interesting read that's tangentially related to SEO:

The Un-Googleables

--Sean

Man proposes to his wife via Ask Jeeves

To take a step back from the business side of search for a moment, I recently came across what was billed as the first ever marriage proposal via a search engine. 'Rustybrick', the internet alias of a well regarded SEO professional, managed to work a deal with Ask Jeeves so that a search for the name 'Yisha Tversky' brought up a graphic proposing marriage.

Read more about it here: http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/002596.html

--Sean

SEO Newsletter - What do you want to see?

Hey all - I thought it would be interesting to see if anyone out there would like to make some suggestions as to what to put in our next SEO newsletter. We always aim to deliver valuable content to our readers, so why not take advantage of that and suggest topics for us to cover? If we select your topic we'll research it and publish our findings in our next newsletter. Our only requirement is that the topic be related to SEO, SEM, Blogs, or RSS.

The best way to suggest a topic would be to contact me directly via email or simply comment on this blog post.

Take care,

--Sean

Lycos Top 50 Searches over the past 10 years

Lycos has been publishing its Top 50 for some time now, and it's a great historical look at internet culture. Check out who & what have been the biggest searches, including mainstays who have been in the Top 50 for the entire life of the list!

http://50.lycos.com/

--Sean

Determine CPM & CPC For Organic Search

These articles are the result of months of research to determine how to calculate estimated CPM and CPC metrics for organic search. These two new articles have been published on our What We Think section.

The basic idea is that search can be used as a branding tool as well. By calculating how many pairs of eyeballs see your search listing, you can determine the estimated brand lift you're receiving from organic search engine optimization efforts. Also, by estimating the number of clicks you receive against the cost of your campaign, you can determine the estimated ROI of orgainic search engine optimization.

Links to the articles are below:

» Calculate CPM & CPC Metrics for Organic Search - Summary
» Calculate CPM & CPC Metrics for Organic Search - Full Dissertation

I'd love to hear you comments on the articles!

--Sean