Calls and clicks keep falling as Google Maps becomes the destination
New findings show rankings remain stable while customer behavior changes, making profile quality and reviews critical for local visibility.
Topic: Matt Mcgee
Matt McGee on the Wild West days of SEO
Matt was also the former Editor-in-Chief at Search Engine Land, so this interview is full of great SEO topics.
Google ties in Local Services Ads advertisers to Maps app
Google is launching Local Services Ads on the iOS version of Google Maps, with no option of running LSA without having it on.
An update on executive changes on the editorial team
Flagship sites Search Engine Land, Marketing Land and upstart MarTech Today look ahead as personnel shifts present new growth opportunities.
Search Engine Land’s Top 10 News Stories Of 2016: Goodbye right-rail ads, goodbye visible PageRank & more
Our annual year-in-review coverage starts with a look at the most popular news stories we covered in 2016.
Dana Lookadoo Memorial Scholarship Fund Now Accepting Donations
The "Dana's Fund" scholarship honors the legacy of a respected and gifted digital marketer who was a shining star within the SEO community.
SEO Industry Mourns The Loss Of Dana Lookadoo
Dana Lookadoo died Monday after a long battle with injuries she suffered in a November 2013 cycling accident.
Local Content Silos: The Secret To Local Search Success
Wondering how your multi-location business can achieve visibility in local search? Columnist Greg Gifford has the answer.
Want To Speak @ SMX West? Here’s How
The agenda is live, and we’re now accepting submissions to speak at Search Marketing Expo – SMX West 2015, March 3-5, at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. To increase the odds of being selected, be sure to read the agenda. Understand what the sessions are about. Ensure that your pitch is on target […]
Want To Speak @ SMX East? Here’s How
The agenda is live, and we’re now accepting submissions to speak at Search Marketing Expo – SMX East 2014, Oct. 30 – Sept. 1, at the Javitz Convention Center in New York City. To increase the odds of being selected, be sure to read the agenda. Understand what the sessions are about. Ensure that your […]
Google’s New Look Search Results: Still An Experiment
More and more searchers, SEOs, webmasters and advertisers are seeing the new Google design test we’ve covered here a couple times where the ads blend in more to the search results and the font size is larger and the underlined links are gone. Last night, at Search Marketing Expo West, Google’s head of search, Amit […]
Google To Launch New Search Results Design With Larger Fonts & No Underlines Soon?
Over the past few months, Google has been testing many, many layouts that made the search results look a bit easier to read by increasing the font size and removing some of the underlines for the hyperlinked content. It seems Google has increased those tests, as we are seeing more and more searchers post about […]
Google Busts Yet Another Link Network: Anglo Rank
Google’s head of search spam, Matt Cutts, just confirmed on Twitter that Google has targeted another “private link network” – this one is named Anglo Rank. Matt’s tweet was pretty direct, he wrote: “There are absolutely NO footprints linking the websites together” Oh, Anglo Rank. That is a quote directly from Anglo Rank’s marketing material, […]
Facebook Graph Search Fully Rolled Out To All US English Users
It’s official. If you are based in the United States and use the English language version of Facebook, you now have access to the Graph Search product. Announced back in January, Graph Search has taken a good bit of time to fully roll out, with many changes cropping up along the way. As Matt McGee mentioned last […]
Across From Google I/O, Microsoft Runs The “Bing It On” Challenge
Coming out of Google I/O at Moscone Center in San Francisco yesterday, I did a double-take. Was that Microsoft pitching its “Bing It On” challenge against Google directly across the street. Yep. “Put the science back in computer science: test your Google bias inside,” read a big banner, over the entrance to the Metreon Mall, […]
SMX Social Media Marketing 2012: Blow Me Away Blogging
Blow Me Away Blogging Presentations from SMX Social Media Marketing, December 2012 For many, a blog is the hub of a company’s social media marketing efforts. But building a consistently high-quality blog is a challenge. How do you keep your blog updated with fresh and appealing content? Is there a way to get more comments […]
Facebook’s Graph Search & YourTrove’s Social Search: 5 Questions With Jesse Emery
[Ed. note: This is the first of what will be an ongoing interview series called “5 Questions With…,” in which we’ll publish brief interviews with interesting and important online marketing newsmakers. Depending on the topic, the interviews may be published on Search Engine Land or Marketing Land and, depending on the topic and interview subject, […]
SearchCap: The Day In Search, December 11, 2012
Below is what happened in search today, as reported on Search Engine Land and from other places across the web. From Search Engine Land: Google Finally Adds Their Hanukkah Decorations To The Search Results If you search for [hanukkah] or [dreidel] or [menorah] and so on – you will see special Hanukkah decorations on the […]
Search Engine Land Turns Six, Celebrates With New Editor-In-Chief & Expansion Plans
It’s our sixth birthday here at Search Engine Land, and we’ve got some news — a new editor-in-chief and expansion plans for the future. Congratulations to Matt McGee, on his new position as Editor-In-Chief of Search Engine Land & Marketing Land! He starts on January 1, 2013. Matt joined our publications in September 2008 as assignment editor for Search Engine […]
SMX East 2012: Conversation: Is There Really "Advanced" Link Building?
Conversation: Is There Really "Advanced" Link Building? Presentations from SMX East, October 2012 Despite all the recent changes in search engine algorithms, garnering great links remains one of the single most important components of an effective search marketing campaign. But how can you gain an edge? Are the tools available to analyze competitor links effective? […]
Google Confirms Hidden Benefit Of Authorship: Bonus Links After A Back-Button Click
Google has confirmed that there’s a hidden benefit to having authorship status: If a user returns to the search results after reading an author-tagged search result for a certain period of time, Google will add three additional links to similar articles from the same author below the originally clicked link. Say what? A couple visuals […]
SMX Advanced 2012: Hardcore Local SEO Tactics
Hardcore Local SEO Tactics Presentations from SMX Advanced, June 2012 Successful local SEO is largely a matter of proper blocking and tackling. But you can take steps to gain an edge beyond Google Places. Boost your results with the advanced local search tactics shared in this session. [flv:https://searchengineland.com/video_assets/advanced12/ppt/697.flv 364 264] Moderator: Matt McGee, Search Engine […]
SMM 2011: Free Facebook Tactics to Drive Traffic & Conversions
Free Facebook Tactics to Drive Traffic & Conversions Presentations from SMX Social Media Marketing, December 2011 With 800 million users, a new Timeline feature and integration of everything people do from link sharing to exercising, Facebook offers a huge opportunity for marketers. This session looks at how to drive traffic and conversions through fan pages, […]
SMM 2011: SoLoMo: Social, Local & Mobile – A Crossroads Of Opportunity
SoLoMo: Social, Local & Mobile – A Crossroads Of Opportunity Presentations from SMX Social Media Marketing, December 2011 For the first time, web-enabled mobile devices like smartphones and tablets are outselling computers as people increasingly want to be online everywhere. Kleiner Perkins internet visionary Mary Meeker has deemed the next five years as the era […]
SMX East 2011: Google Survivor Tips
Google Survivor Tips Presentations from SMX East – NYC, NY, September 2011 Although Google says only 12% of all websites were affected by its recent "Panda" update, many legitimate websites felt the sting of new ranking algorithms. But fear not: If your site was "pandalized" you can get back into Google’s good graces by following […]
SMX East 2011: The Hidden Treasures Within Google Analytics
The Hidden Treasures Within Google Analytics Presentations from SMX East – NYC, NY, September 2011 All analytics packages come with dozens, if not hundreds of reports that slice, dice and segment countless variables, all purporting to offer comprehensive metrics about the performance of your search marketing campaign. While many of these reports are great, you […]
SMX East 2011: Beyond Rankings: Actionable SEO Reports Your Boss Will Love
Beyond Rankings: Actionable SEO Reports Your Boss Will Love Presentations from SMX East – NYC, NY, September 2011 Still doing search ranking reports for your boss or clients, even though you personally think they’re useless? Or maybe you’re not doing them, but you’re still looking for new ways to show that your SEO campaigns are […]
SMX East 2011: Hard Core Local SEO Tactics
Hard Core Local SEO Tactics Presentations from SMX East – NYC, NY, September 2011 Successful local SEO is largely a matter of proper blocking and tackling. But what can you do to gain an edge beyond following the boring "claim your Places Page, make your address and phone numbers consistent, etc." advice? This session explores […]
Search In Pics: SMX Sign At Javits, Blekko Is Sorry & No Crying In SEO
In this week’s Search In Pictures, here are the latest images culled from the web, showing what people eat at the search engine companies, how they play, who they meet, where they speak, what toys they have, and more.
Ripoff Report Not Banned, But Removes Itself From Google’s Index
Ripoff Report is completely gone from Google’s index and Google says it’s been done at Ripoff Report’s own request. But, the question now is whether that request was made on purpose or an accident. Update: As our postscript below explains, Ripoff Report is now back in Google’s index. As the image above shows, a site:ripoffreport.com […]
SMX West 2011 Slide Video: WordPress SEO
WordPress SEO Presentations from SMX West, March 2011 WordPress has morphed into a fully-featured alternative to traditional content management systems, with many web sites using it as a primary content publishing platform. But like other content management systems, WordPress isn’t always search engine friendly. This session explores how to deal with search engine optimization, scalability, […]
SMX West 2011 Slide Video: SEO Myths, Mistakes & The Madness of Crowds
SEO Myths, Mistakes & The Madness of Crowds Presentations from SMX West, March 2011 Myths are prevalent in the SEO industry, in part because someone’s job or reputation is tied up with a myth that may have been at one point true, or because some technology du jour – like Google Instant – is being […]
SMX West 2011 Slide Video: Content Farms
“Content Farms” Or The Smartest SEOs In the World? Presentations from SMX West, March 2011 You may not be familiar with the names, but companies like Demand Media, Seed.com and Associated Content are big businesses built on closely watching what people are searching for and creating content to match. Using cheap or free labor, these […]
Google’s +1 A Potential Boon To Paid Search Marketers
For an in-depth overview of Google’s new +1 extension of social search, see Danny Sullivan’s Meet +1: Google’s Answer To The Facebook Like Button. In addition, Matt McGee has written How To Get Google +1 Buttons For Your Website for publishers interested in adding the new button. Danny’s article briefly discusses how +1 will be […]
Video: 12 Days Of Googlemas Carol From Google & Search Engine Land
Some of the members of the Search Engine Land team spent some time at Google last week. They put together a 12 Days of Googlemas Carol for all to listen and watch on YouTube. Sitting in front with the laptop and yellow shirt is Google’s Matt Cutts. In the blue shirt in front is Danny […]
Welcome, Pamela Parker! Congrats, Elisabeth & Matt!
I’m happy to welcome Pamela Parker to the Search Engine Land team! Pamela is a new corresponding editor who will focus on paid search coverage as well as search news coverage in general. Pamela has been covering digital marketing since 1998. She’s worked as managing editor of ClickZ and moved on to help monetize independent […]
SMX West 2010 Video: Your 90-Day Fitness Plan
Your 90-Day Fitness Plan Got a small business or small staff? Or just want a strategy to get your SEM efforts in shape? This session provides a realistic workout plan to pump you up in 90 days. [flv:https://searchengineland.com/video_assets/west10/your_90_day_fitness_plan.flv 364 200] Moderator: Jennifer Laycock, Social Media Strategist & Editor-in-Chief, Search Engine Guide Speakers: Stoney deGeyter, President, […]
Nominations For 2010 SEMMY Awards
Our very own Matt McGee announced the nominations for the 2010 SEMMY awards is now live. Respected judges in the SEM industry will vote on articles from 17 categories. The articles that win the judges votes will then move to the next stage of the awards contest, where general public voting will be accepted. The […]
Google Removes Phone Numbers From 7 Pack
Google has apparently removed phone numbers from the so-called 7 Pack of organic local results. The numbers were present as recently as 24-36 hours ago. Immediately below is an example of a recent search result for “dentist, San Francisco” (within the last several weeks) and then for the same query this morning: The result on […]
Hunch: Your “Personal Decision Maker”
Hunch is not a “search engine” insists Flickr co-founder Caterina Fake, one of the people behind the new site. But you’ll probably start seeing it show up in (Google) search results, just like Wikipedia or Yahoo Answers. And in some ways it’s like a mix of both of those concepts, as Matt McGee discusses in […]