SearchInfluence

1. Top 4 Strategic SEO Trends to Watch for in 2013 - Search Engine Journal

Don’t get lost in the mix! Take a broad look at your organization to make sure you’re producing top quality content, including social media, making your site mobile friendly, and understanding the knowledge graph.

2. Google Announces Retirement of RSS Reader – The Content Standard 

Google has just announced that on July 1, 2013 Google Reader will retire. This is part of Google’s plan to remove irrelevant and no longer useful services. If most of your audience is using this to get your updates, now is the time to transition them to a new service.

 
We’re excited to present this video of our CEO Will Scott speaking in a panel from the Search Insider Summit 2012. Moderated by aimClear’s Marty Weintraub, Social SEO: How Search Marketers Should Think About Optimizing Social examines the increasing social aspects of SEO and how branding with these tools can grow your business. Check out the full video after the jump!

Video streaming by Ustream

For a while now, Google has been showing “Related Places” AKA “The Competition in places view.

Google Related Places - AKA The Competition

While looking at the results for one of our clients who has recently opened a new office for his law practice in a New Orleans LA suburb I came across this.

Paginated Google Places Results

Clearly Google is trying to offer some alternative results for “Metairie Divorce” than our guy Will Beaumont at 3814 Veterans Memorial Blvd #302, Metairi ...

It’s always interesting to see the outcome of the annual “Local Search Ranking Factors” study. As contributors we have strong opinions about many elements, and like you, we’re always learning as well.

Now that we’ve had a chance to review, we’ve identified:

• Places where we agree
• Criteria where, for us, the jury is out
• Things we question

The Top Ten from This Year’s Local Search Ranking Factors Study:

• Physical Address in City of Search
• Manually Owner-verified Place Page
• Proper Category Associations
• Volume of Traditional Structured Citations (IYPs, Data Aggregators)

The Pets.com Sock Puppet

I was having a conversation today with one of our clients for whom we do Yellow Pages SEO, and I swear I was transported back to the year 2000. It’s amazing to me that more than a decade after Yellow Pages companies first started getting their feet wet on the internet, they still don’t quite get it.

“Trading print dollars for Internet dimes,” they say.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. The online opportunities are immense for well established brands like the Yellow Pages for SEO, websites, paid search advertising, social media. With feet on the street combined with the power of SEO, the Yellow Pages, if they could ever get their act together, would eat our lunch.

I posted a link to Matt McGee‘s 7 Questions Small Businesses Should Be Asking and got this question from one of our customers, Steve Kinchen at Hall Piano Company.

It was a great excuse to do a little impromptu analysis. We may do a brief series of these.

Hall Piano Company Local Search Analysis using Matt McGee's 7 Questions Businesses should be asking.

Steve Kinchen: Read the article… How does HPC stack up?

Will Scott: Pretty darn good, I’d say.

By @mattmcgee‘s standards you’re pretty well covered

1. How do the search results look for my company name?

Next week’s SMX Advanced Conference in Seattle is sure to prove itself a valuable experience for all in attendance. On June 8 and 9, some of the brightest minds in search marketing will gather in Seattle for a conference that has come to be know as a must-attend for those interested in gathering high level actionable information to apply to their strategies.

A quick thanks and a link, for your information, to an interview Mat Siltala did with me on Search Engine Journal.

Picture of Mat Siltala and Will Scott at SMX West

Mat and I often speak about search, local, social media and his favorite viral marketing. I appreciate the opportunity for the exchange of ideas and am always happy to spend time with Mat.

In the interview we talk about some of the Top Local Business Listing questions we receive.

Search Influence’s president, Will Scott, will be speaking at Search Marketing Expo (SMX) West on March 3, 2010.

The topic of discussion will be Facebook Ad Tactics For Search Marketers.

For the full agenda and exhibitor list, please visit Search Marketing Expo West.

I’d like a little help here please. Like my friend, Portland OR Web Designer, David Mihm I needed a head shot for SMX Local Mobile where I’ll be on a panel with a fine bunch of fellows on ranking factors for local search.

I went to see one of our clients Jessica Johanningmeier a New Orleans Wedding Photographer to have her shoot a few.

“Make me look young, thin and beautiful” I said and she felt right at home.

So without further ado I give you the choices. Please have a look and tell me in the comments which is your favorite: