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    Beanstalk's SEO News Blog

    At Beanstalk Search Engine Optimization we know that knowledge is power. That's the reason we started this SEO blog. We know that the better informed our visitors are, the better the decisions they will make for their websites and their online businesses. We hope you enjoy your stay and find the SEO news contained within this blog useful.


    December 19, 2007

    Digg For Sale

    While there have been rumors that social media uber-site Digg.com has been up for sale, it’s only recently that they have hired Allan & Company (a small but reportedly influential private investment firm) to broker the deal. The price? They want a paltry $300 million dollars.

    This of course leaves the question – who would want to buy it? Sure it’s cool enough but what value does it really hold? Well, not as much as some similar properties or they wouldn’t be looking for someone to broker a deal – they’d already have an offer and be looking for someone to make sure the i’s are dotted and the t’s crossed (oh, and to negotiate the highest possible value of course).

    When we think about it, who stands to gain the most out of the Digg userbase (it’s primary offering asset). It doesn’t hold a value or information anywhere near what Facebook has.

    If I were a betting man (holdem anyone?) I’d put my money on a max offering of $150 million (if that) and the offer will likely come from an outsider as opposed to one of the usual suspects. Perhaps if anyone … ASK’s around they might find a bidder. :) And no, in reality I’m not saying Ask will be the buyer but that the purchase will likely be made by one of the suspects in that level of the game. Good – but not dominant.

    SEO news blog post by @ 5:41 pm

    Categories: Uncategorized
    Tags: , ,

     

    November 8, 2007

    SEO: A Job Or An Addiction?

    I was chatting with one of my clients today and he was noting how their site has been holding steady for a while in the top five and how he’s now nervous about updates. Funny, you look forward to them when you’re not in the top 20 and you fear them when you enter the top 5. :)

    I realized that my client was not the exception to the rule. I get IMs, calls and emails every day from clients who monitor their sites for the slightest fluctuations. And then I recalled that when I launch my browser in the morning it launches with 4 tabs, 2 with different Google datacenters, one with Yahoo! and one with MSN – all launched with our primary phrase in the search box. OK, maybe, just maybe, I/we have a problem. :)

    I decides to let me fingers do the walking and clicked my way over to helpguide.org’s list of signs and symptoms of addiction. Here’s what they had to say about it (their references are to drugs but we can all make the comparison):

    • Inability to relax or have fun without being high … um … in the rankings.
      Do you relax when there’s an update going on and you’re not sure how your site is faring.
    • Angry outbursts, mood swings, irritability, manic behavior, or overall attitude change.
      How did you behave the last time your site dropped in the rankings, even temporarily?
    • Talking incoherently or making inappropriate remarks.
      Normally towards a monitor.
    • Deterioration of physical appearance and grooming.
      No comments needed on this one.
    • Wearing sunglasses and/or long sleeve shirts frequently or at inappropriate times.
      Too pale from dark offices to not wear sunglasses and long sleeves outside – even in the harsh moonlight.
    • No longer spending time with friends who don’t optimize sites and/or associating with known users.
      Social life? That’s what we do on Facebook when we’re having downtime right?
    • Engaging in secretive or suspicious behaviors, such as making frequent trips to the back room, basement, or Starbucks where Internet connectivity use would be undisturbed.
      Excuse me, I just have to check on something quickly (… 2 hours later …)
    • Talking about optimization all the time and pressuring others to do it too.
      It’s a great way to make money from home! And you can signup for the affiliate programs in my downline !!!
    • Expressing feelings of exhaustion, depression, and hopelessness.
      This doesn’t apply if your site is in the top 10.
    • Checking your rankings first thing in the morning.
      If you need to check your rankings more than you need a coffee in the morning – you have a problem.

    So it was this that made me really realize it … I have a problem and chances are, if you’re on this blog, you do too. Because most of us don’t have a life outside our computers and SEO conventions (go ahead, admit it) I’ve created a Facebook group for us. Of course we’ll all probably chat about SEO and … ummm …. OK maybe I’m making the problem worse but if you’re not afraid then you can visit Beanstalk’s Facebook Page to join us on the dark side. ;)

    SEO news blog post by @ 7:02 pm

    Categories: Uncategorized
    Tags: ,

     

    November 1, 2007

    Links Links and … well … Links

    Today we’re going to discuss three things. Links, links and … well … links. Where to begin where to begin? I know, let’s start with links:

    Bill Slawski - smarter than your average bear.Links
    Today Jim Hedger and I hosted our weekly radio show on Webmaster Radio. We covered a variety of topics from Google surpassing $700/share in trading to the battle over advertising and Google’s upcoming issues with Facebook (i.e. Facebook stands to provide a TON of relevant search and advertising opportunities and they’re going to provide them to Microsoft).

    After a brief discussion on those topics we had on patent guru Bill Slawski for the remained of the show to discuss … you guessed it … links. Bill definitely knows more than your average bear about search engines and links and was happy to share his wisdom bringing up important points to consider such as the move AWAY from global search results to results tailored more to the individual user’s likes and dislikes as defined the the user, their search behavior and the behavior of similar users. If you’re interested in this subject (and if rankings are important to you – you should be) you can read more about it in an article I wrote on Personalization as well as on Bill’s blog where he lists the important patents related to personalization. To get a full feel for it you’ve just going to have to visit Webmaster Radio and download the podcast. :)

    Links
    And so let’s move on to topic #2. Links. The link counts are getting messed up at Google again (not that they’ve ever been particularly reliable. As Jim Hedger points out, whenever we see these sorts of fluctuations going on it usually means there’s something bigger about to happen.

    I was already predicting an algorithm update later this week or over the weekend. Could this just be the tremors before the Earthquake. And please dear God let Google haven’t learned a valuable lesson from the Florida update of 2003. ;) (and for those of you who were SEO’s at the time (white hat at least) you’ll shudder at the mere though)

    Links
    And lastly we’re look at links. Well, we won’t so much look at links as we will a rap about them. I’ve gotta say, this is a first for me. :)

    [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC3UNewnA5g]

    SEO news blog post by @ 2:55 pm


     

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