A comprehensive guide to SSL certificates

A full range of SSL products are available on the market today that cater to various domain and security needs. Though many webmasters are exploring the possibilities, hoping a move to SSL will boost their search rankings, it can be overwhelming to try to compare these options, let alone fully understand what you’re paying for.…

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17 link resolutions for 2017

Back in 2014, I had 14 link resolutions. For 2017, I have 17 for you. Maybe you’re doing some or all of the following already; congratulations if that’s true, as you’re much more proactive than most. If you aren’t doing any, start with just a couple — but please, please, please make sure you do the…

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Local SEO is about so much more than tools

Welcome to my first Local SEO column of the year on Search Engine Land! While most other sites are publishing roundups or predictions for 2017, there’s really only one way to kick off the beginning of a new year: a new installment of Greg’s Soapbox! As you faithful readers know, my posts are almost always…

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Paradigm shift: Has Google suspended defamation removals?

A number of attorneys who specialize in online defamation/libel cases have reported to me that Google has recently suspended its longstanding, informal policy of removing URLs from US search results that are specified in duly executed court orders. This poses a major paradigm shift for many victims of online reputation attacks. Beginning around August or…

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4 steps to make your organic listings more effective

You’re a savvy digital marketer. You follow Google best practices and read “all the SEO blogs.” You sound like a zookeeper with your extensive knowledge of Pandas, Penguins, Possums and Pigeons. You’re always looking for ways to improve organic search rankings. Instead of investing your time researching some of those gray (or even black) hat tactics…

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Why Your Website Needs a Storyteller Instead of a Designer

Your website is the hub of your online presence – period. (Well, maybe that’s not exactly true from you right now, but it must be!) As such, it has to do some heavy lifting and that heavy lifting must extend far beyond the interactive brochure still built today by many business owners. Your website must…

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3 ways in-house do-it-yourselfers can prepare for PPC management

Does this sound familiar to you? Your company has finally agreed to spend some resources on pay-per-click (PPC), but instead of hiring a PPC professional or agency, they want you or perhaps Sally down the hall to take on the role of managing PPC. Never mind that you and Sally already have full-time jobs and…

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SEO in 2017: Mobile optimization as a competitive advantage

In 2016, the inevitable happened, and mobile overtook desktop as the primary device used to access websites. This didn’t come as a huge surprise because, as far back as 2015, Google reported that more searches were conducted on mobile than on any other device category. In many industries, this may be conservative and, at the agency I…

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How your startup should be using Google AdWords

If you’re just getting started with your business, figuring out who should manage your AdWords campaigns and what to do first can be a challenge. Columnist Brett Middleton offers tips to get you on the right path. Brett Middleton on December 22, 2016 at 1:03 pm For the founder sitting in coworking spaces like The…

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Uncovering the white spaces of opportunity for local search

The time has come for businesses to frame their search marketing in the context of a broader media landscape that includes all the ways people discover brands. One of the implications of this is a new focus on location. Because “near me” mobile moments are experiencing a dramatic rise, brands must use the context of…

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