Brafton: More than one-third of consumers share email content on social media

Brafton News Content Marketing

More than one-third of consumers share email content on social media Apr 30th 2012, 20:06 A report from BtoB magazine found that nearly 40 percent of consumers share interesting or valuable email content on social networks. As a result, an increasingly large amount said they like when email marketing campaigns they subscribe to make it easy to share content. The email sharing figure is the result of a study conducted by BtoB, aimed at analyzing the email marketing practices most likely to satisfy prospect demands. Thirty-seven percent of respondents said they regularly share email content on either Facebook or Twitter. While many of users subscribe to campaigns that allow them to share email content from their inboxes, missing the opportunity to integrate email with social media marketing can hurt their ultimate potential. The growing smartphone market is also affecting the way consumers interact with email marketing campaigns. More than 69 percent of respondents said it frustrates them when email content does not load properly on their mobile devices. Eighteen percent of these users said they will unsubscribe from a campaign if this occurs frequently. Brafton recently reported that consumers are increasingly active in terms of subscribing to email marketing campaigns from different companies. With email marketing activity growing by more than 40 percent in the last quarter of 2011, developing valuable email marketing content is important for companies to attract prospects to their campaigns. Media files: email-concept-e1327601047418-220x174.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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Brafton: Kindle Fire sales stay strong, boost Android tablet market

Brafton News Content Marketing

Kindle Fire sales stay strong, boost Android tablet market Apr 30th 2012, 18:19 Recently, Brafton has frequently discussed the growing value of the tablet market for companies looking to use content marketing. A report from comScore highlights two developments that could impact the plans of companies looking to create articles and other content aimed at the mobile audience. According to the study, the Amazon Kindle Fire has quickly become the most popular Android-powered tablet. Currently, the device accounts for more than 54 percent of all tablets running on the operating system. Given that it wasn't related until mid-November 2011, it's rise is quite astounding and encouraging for Android as a tablet OS. For marketers, the rise of Android as a tablet OS could help inform both organic and paid search marketing campaigns. Brafton recently highlighted a new feature in Google Adwords that allows those using PPC to target certain paid search ads at different mobile operating systems. With the Kindle Fire becoming increasingly popular, targeting content at the device could help companies using content marketing for both paid and organic search increase site traffic. Another interesting data point highlighted by comScore is the difference in content consumption based on the size of a user's Android-powered tablet. Owners of 10-inch devices average 125 different page views per month, while those using 7-inch tablets, including the Kindle Fire, view an average of 90 different pages. Brafton recently reported that mobile devices, namely smartphones and tablets, have become integral in researching potential purchases. More than 23 percent of consumers said they use tablets in conjunction with a desktop or laptop computer to view content related to items they wish to purchase.  Media files: Kindle-Fire-220x133.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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Brafton: 61 percent of Americans access news content on the web every day

Brafton News Content Marketing

61 percent of Americans access news content on the web every day Apr 30th 2012, 14:04 In its News in a Networked World study, Pew found that Americans have shifted the way they consume news content, with 61 percent getting news online each day. As the web becomes a primary access point to information, news content marketing campaigns can help companies appeal to the increasingly large online news audience - especially in light of the growing desire for different perspectives on news developments. While local television broadcasts came out as top news sources (cited by 78 percent of respondents), the popularity of web news content among nearly two-thirds of Americans means that people are open to reading new sources as they learn of them. Other traditional news outlets were similarly popular with radio (54 percent) and local newspapers (50 percent) garnering readership from at least half of respondents. Forty-six percent of respondents said they use four to six platforms every day to access news content, and the same amount reportedly access two to three outlets per day. Just 7 percent of respondents said that they access only one news outlet. Companies that want to attract more online audiences can use news content marketing to provide an interesting, industry-focused take on the news, while also helping companies stand out in search. Also, news updates can increase search visibility among news-hungry web audiences; Google has worked to make timeliness a factor in its search rankings. Another ranking factor that lends itself to the use of high-quality web content - of news or other varieties - is the recent roll out of Google's Penguin algorithm, which Brafton recently reported will snuff out websites sacrificing user experience for SEO. Using news content as part of an integrated new media marketing campaign can help companies avoid penalties related to overuse of SEO techniques without a clear focus on a quality user experience. Media files: tablet-owners-use-their-mobile-devices-in-bed-at-restaurants-and-even-in-the-restroom_3333_800582290_0_0_14028177_300-220x148.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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Brafton: Internet marketing news roundup, April 27

Brafton News Content Marketing

Internet marketing news roundup, April 27 Apr 27th 2012, 23:39 While most marketers were waiting for the first major Panda update of 2012 from Google, the company stole headlines this week with a new algorithm adjustment aimed at a different issue within search. The update (slightly) changes the focus of marketers concerned with SEO and simultaneously introduces a whole new animal into the search marketing lexicon - Penguin.  On Tuesday, Google rolled out its first Penguin search update with the specific goal of targeting websites the company believes exploit white hat SEO practices. Matt Cutts, distinguished engineer at Google and point man for all things search, wrote on the company's Webmaster Central blog that countless websites have abused SEO to boost their search ranking without delivering relevant content to its users. As is the case with Panda, the first iteration of Penguin is designed to bring website's that focus on informing and engaging users to the forefront of search results. Cutts highlighted the case of a website that created content with irrelevant keywords linked to other pages within the site. This tactic offers little value to the visitor, instead focusing on tricking search crawlers into shooting the website up SERPs for certain queries. More than anything, this update, which is likely just the first of many related to the new Penguin algorithm, is another step in changing the paradigm of what SEO really means. Websites that over-optimize in hopes of appealing to search crawlers without offering readers any valuable content will be penalized by Penguin, as Brafton reported. While Penguin was this week's biggest news from Google, Cutts also mentioned that a Panda update struck on April 19. Using his Twitter account, Cutts said that the data refresh was rolled out without much fanfare from Google. Like most other updates this year, Brafton reported that this latest appearance of Panda was little more than a data refresh. Dubbed Panda 3.5, it was not the major change many were expecting after a series of minor alterations in the first quarter. Penguin provided that first significant change in the way Google assembles its rankings. Actually, the first big change for Google search in 2012 came with the rollout of Search, plus Your World in mid-January. The move inserted Google+ data into search results for the first time, meaning Google+ activities, such as sharing content and +1'ing different pages throughout the web, would lift them up rankings. The +1 has been one of the few elements of Google+ to make any substantial progress. However, the action seemed to leave some confused as to what +1'ing content actually meant. With this in mind, Google rolled out a new Share option on Wednesday. Before, users would see the a pop-up box that asked them to share the content they had +1'ed, and perhaps many failed to understand that they had to take that final step to solidify their action. The addition of the Google+ Share widget is aimed at eliminating these mix-ups, Google announced in its Google+ Platform blog. Companies using Google+ for social media marketing can still use the +1 widget on their websites. However, this will not result in the page's link, its thumbnail and excerpt appearing on the profile of the user that who +1'd the content. Brafton reported that businesses with the +1 widget throughout their websites can leave it as is to collect +1s, which will likely still help in powering search rankings and informing trending topics on the platform. However, the Share widget will now act as the method for placing content on a user's account. An active Google+ presence is increasingly important for companies hoping to boost visibility in search, which should increasingly be a priority as more people use search for a growing number of tasks. BIA/Kelsey reported this week that search as a whole will continue its rapid growth through 2016 at least. According to the company, there were nearly 55 billion search queries conducted from desktop and laptop computers in 2011, with an additional 19.7 billion on smartphones and tablets. Each of these figures are on pace to maintain steady growth moving forward, signifying an increased importance in SEO campaigns. Brafton reported that BIA/Kelsey's numbers contain a particularly interesting forecast for search. By 2015, the firm estimates that mobile search will surpass desktop search as the most frequently relied upon method of finding information on the web. Based on current growth rates for both smartphones and tablets, BIA/Kelsey suggests that there will be 85.9 billion queries sent from mobile devices in 2015 compared to the 84 billion it projects from desktop and laptop computers. For companies using content marketing and SEO to drive traffic, the impending shift toward a mobile-dominated space means shifting campaigns to accommodate these devices. The current landscape of mobile search became a little more clear on Wednesday when Chitika revealed the various operating systems contributing the most to mobile search. According to the report, 54 percent of all web activity from devices running iOS, the iPhone and the iPad, is dedicated to conducting mobile searches. For Android, the most popular smartphone OS in the United States, 43 percent of all mobile web access is used to search the web. The local element of mobile search presents an interesting future for SEO-driven content marketing campaigns, Brafton reported. Ensuring that a website contains all of the relevant information related to location along with geo-friendly keywords. Other channels that could benefit from an increased focus on mobile include social media marketing. The sheer volume of people using different social channels is reason enough to adapt to these considerations. Facebook, for example, announced this that it has surpassed the 900 million-user mark. In its S-1 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company detailed its massive growth in recent years. Moreover, it pointed to rising activity on the platform. Brafton noted that the users generate 3.2 billion Likes and comments on Facebook on an average day. The growth of Facebook and the implementation of the Share widget for Google+ could result in an interesting year in social, as the search giant hopes to make its social thread a legitimate competitor to Mark Zuckerberg's company. In the short term, not much can be predicted, but with so much happening in the social space and seven months left in 2012, it's clear that this year will grow increasingly interesting for social and its place within internet marketing. Media files: Search-220x102.png (image/png, 0 MB)

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Brafton: Pinterest nearing plateau? Network grows to 18.7 million users, but expansion slows

Brafton News Content Marketing

Pinterest nearing plateau? Network grows to 18.7 million users, but expansion slows Apr 27th 2012, 18:42 Market research firm comScore recently reported that 18.7 million unique users logged on to Pinterest in March, USA Today relayed. While the figure demonstrates growth from February when 17.8 million people used the website, it also reveals that the rate of growth for the site has slowed considerably. In January, Pinterest attracted 11.7 million users leading into February's record traffic numbers. March's nearly 19 million users are a positive for the company, and the network recently announced in its blog that Monday and Tuesday of this week were its two biggest traffic days in its history. This could mean that April growth will return to massive rates seen prior to March. Regardless, it seems that new and existing users are turning to the website at an increasingly frequent rate. Along with the announcements of its improved traffic, Pinterest revealed some improvements to group boards, which will allow multiple managers to maintain groups more effectively for social media marketing. New notifications ensure that users wants to be part of boards before being added as contributors, which will help protect privacy and make it easier for some to manage their accounts. Brafton recently reported that much of Pinterest's growth is due to its focus on visual content, offering a different take on social media than competing networks. Moreover, a portion of the network's recent stagnation may be related to its mostly female audience - about 80 percent of Pinterest users are women. While females have flocked to the site for a number of reasons, men have adopted it in limited numbers. Media files: drop_pinterest-220x220.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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Brafton: Mobile content should focus on demonstrations of value

Brafton News Content Marketing

Mobile content should focus on demonstrations of value Apr 27th 2012, 17:04 In an interview with eMarketer, Kurt Hawks, general manager of Greystripe, said that companies creating content aimed at smartphone and tablet users need to demonstrate value with clear, concise messages. Hawks said that while consumers are spending more time with their handsets, content marketing campaigns aimed at these users need to convey value propositions of products or services as quickly as possible. Whether they're accessing smartphone apps or the mobile web, smartphone owners want information to load quickly and provide the most relevant answers to their research. Creating news content marketing campaigns aimed at mobile users may be the best way to reach these users quickly. Brafton has reported that on-the-go internet users seek more news information once becoming tablet owners. Articles demonstrating industry demand for services or product reviews written in the quick-hitting news format will help provide the relevant details as quickly as possible. "Smartphone users, they are have money to spend, and they're on the go," Hawks told eMarketer. "They make informed purchasing decisions. … They prefer a value exchange with advertising and free content." Brafton recently reported that consumers and B2B buyers are using their mobile devices, both tablets and smartphones, in conjunction with desktop computers as part of the shopping process. Nineteen percent of consumers said they use both their tablets and smartphones to research potential purchase decisions. Media files: nearly-100-million-americans-will-connect-to-the-mobile-web-this-year_3333_800583003_0_0_14010361_300-220x148.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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Brafton: Content marketing spend surpasses $40 billion, 82 percent invest in custom website content

Brafton News Content Marketing

Content marketing spend surpasses $40 billion, 82 percent invest in custom website content Apr 27th 2012, 14:48 Businesses spent more than $40 billion on content marketing in 2011, with investment in digital content and "other" content (including events and videos, though the latter is often characterized as digital content) hitting a record-breaking $16 billion. The Custom Content Council and ContentWise's Characteristics Study: A Look at the Volume and Type of Content Marketing in America for 2012 shows that print media dominates for now, but the data highlights the growing trend toward marketing with audience-targeted online content. The study compared marketers' use of print content, video marketing, white papers, email marketing, website content and more from 2009 through last year. As Brafton previously reported, the data reveals that digital white papers are a rising star in the content marketing world, growing from 23 percent adoption in 2009 to 38 percent in 2011. Email marketing also rose from 66 percent to 71 percent, but the largest growth came in video marketing adoption, jumping from 37 percent to 52 percent. Even as overall content budgets seem to rise, much of the growth in digital comes at the expensive of print. "Funds that were previously earmarked for print are being shifted to video and web content," said Lori Rosen, executive director of the Custom Content Council.  "Funds that were previously earmarked for print are being shifted to video and web content." The use of print content dropped from 91 percent to 83 percent over the three year study. This puts website content closely behind print as the most common form of content marketing, used by 82 percent of businesses. Fresh website content is also becoming a priority for brands, with companies investing in more frequent updates. The study found the average marketer made 145 site updates through articles, posts and more, representing a steady increase over 2011. Of course, this reported industry average still has a long way to go in terms of maintaining active sites to boost conversions: Brafton has previously reported that 92 percent of marketers who acquire customers via their blogs update with fresh content multiple times per day. Site updates can be a challenge for some, as finding the time to create original content has traditionally been cited a major roadblock in content marketing campaigns. A separate report from the Content Marketing Institute reveals that 70 percent of marketers will outsource content creation this year, while 87 percent are investing in content marketing. Media files: man-on-tablet-220x146.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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Brafton: Tablets, smartphones becoming part of purchase process for consumers

Brafton News Content Marketing

Tablets, smartphones becoming part of purchase process for consumers Apr 26th 2012, 20:22 A report from the Local Corporation and the e-tailing group suggests that tablets and smartphones are becoming as important to the buying process as any other internet-connected device. While most consumers still prefer to make purchases in stores, they are increasingly turning to the web whenever they can to research products and services they hope to buy. According to the study, 23 percent of consumers said they use their tablets in conjunction with their desktop or laptop computers to research potential purchases. In general, this figure represents an increase in shoppers' use of the web to ensure they are highly informed about options before spending their money. Content marketing campaigns optimized for the mobile web and the desktop web that focus on highlighting a brand's value to the user can help businesses reach these consumers. Marketers planning to publish and share content should also be conscious of when their audiences are most active online; 20 percent of respondents said they use their tablet at certain times of day to browse product listing or make purchases. Nineteen percent said they rely on both their tablet and smartphone to research items they're interested in buying. With both the tablet and smartphone markets growing rapidly, companies must alter their web marketing campaigns to ensure mobile users have complete access to their website content. Brafton recently highlighted a report from AT&T Interactive that found that just 10 percent of mobile searches result in website visits, with most making use of click-to-call features or address information. To ensure that consumers can find location or contact information from a mobile SERP, businesses must provide that information in readily accessible pages on their websites and actively maintain their Google Places listing. Media files: data-exchange-between-devices-220x146.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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Brafton: Facebook adds trending articles in users’ news feeds

Brafton News Content Marketing

Facebook adds trending articles in users' news feeds Apr 26th 2012, 19:16 Facebook recently began inserting trending news articles into its users' news feeds, which is the latest step in the company's efforts at social content curation. Facebook has discussed in 2012. The articles appear like any other activity from a friend or business page, and the feature could give marketers the opportunity to have their popular content reach a broader, relevant social audience . Based on a user's activity, Facebook will insert content that is frequently shared on its platform in line with the type of content that the user reads and shares. When users see the articles in their feeds, they have the option of hiding all content from the publisher, marking an article as spam or just hiding a particular article. (This sounds somewhat similar to how Google handles content it delivers, with searchers having the ability to block sites to customize results.) Perhaps the most compelling element of trending articles is that users can see which of their friends read the particular article, which may influence whether or not the link is clicked. Companies using both social media marketing and content marketing campaigns have a new opportunity to maximize exposure of their content with Facebook's trending articles. Sharing snippets of content with links to more in-depth website content or blog posts will encourage fans to click. From there, their friends are more likely to see the content with the trending articles. The feature has undeniable reach potential, as Brafton has previously reported that connecting to friends of fans helps brands get in front of exponentially larger audiences. As Facebook continues to add new features that can help social media marketing campaigns, it becomes an even more attractive option for businesses. Brafton recently reported that the platform is already the most popular network for social media marketing with more than 90 percent of businesses active in the channel using the site. Media files: squares_facebook-220x220.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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Brafton: Google adds Share button to clarify the +1 and encourage more interaction with website content

Brafton News Content Marketing

Google adds Share button to clarify the +1 and encourage more interaction with website content Apr 26th 2012, 17:31 Google has announced that it will offer two separate Google+ widgets for companies to add to their websites to encourage content sharing. The +1 button will remain, allowing logged-in users to signify that they like a piece of content. However, Google is adding a Google+ Share button, which will allow users to display a link to website content along with an excerpt and image on their Google+ profiles. This update caters to the popularity of the +1 button, in spite of Google+'s problems becoming a commonly used social network. Adding the +1 button to content pages throughout the web has helped organizations spread their articles, blog posts and videos more effectively. However, many users clicking the button don't seem to understand what exactly happens when they do. Previously, users would click a the +1 button and receive a prompt to share the content. By distinguishing between +1'ing content on the web and sharing it on Google+, the company is encouraging users to get more interactive with web content however they choose - and this may be good for content marketing campaigns. Notably, the feature might also encourage more people to share and update their Google+ profiles, which will foster activity on the growing social network. Businesses using Google+ for social media marketing can now select one of the two buttons to add to their page or use both if they desire. The Google developer page explains how to add the share button to websites. In December 2011, the +1 button recorded more than 2.7 billion clicks, Brafton reported. While the feature has had similar success since, users seemed confused by the request to Share content, prompting Google to add the Share feature as well. Media files: squares_googleplus-220x220.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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Brafton: Apple’s iOS claims highest percentage of mobile search

Brafton News Content Marketing

Apple's iOS claims highest percentage of mobile search Apr 26th 2012, 16:37 A report from Chitika found that Apple's iOS, the operating system that powers the iPhone and iPad, has contributed substantially to the rise of mobile search. The study found that Apple's mobile devices had the highest percentage of all web activity related to search, with 54 percent of all iPhone or iPad mobile internet use dedicated to conducting searches. Similarly, Apple's desktop Mac OS had the second highest percentage of web access related to search activity, with 48 percent of Mac-based internet traffic devoted to search. Android users were third, with 43 percent of web activity dedicated to search. With both iOS and Android processing so many queries, it's clear that the growing smartphone population is becoming more comfortable using their devices to find information quickly. Moreover, 36 percent of iOS searches were defined as local searches, according to Chitika. Local searches from Android account for 28 percent of all web activity on handsets running Google's operating system. For companies considering expanding their mobile search marketing campaigns, it's critical that they ensure users of all major mobile operating systems can access their content without issue. Brafton recently reported that Google has added mobile operating system targeting as a Google AdWords feature. Marketers can now ensure that their paid search campaigns and PPC landing pages are optimized for the operating systems specific to users. This is good news for paid search marketers, but SEO campaigns could use some mobile considerations as well; as Brafton has reported, mobile search is set surpass desktop queries in the next three years. Media files: mobile-payment-options-for-iphone-and-ipad-may-promote-mobile-commerce_3333_800366720_0_0_7052459_300-220x219.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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Brafton: Following webspam algorithm update, Cutts Tweets about Panda 3.5

Brafton News Content Marketing

Following webspam algorithm update, Cutts Tweets about Panda 3.5 Apr 26th 2012, 15:16 On Tuesday, Google announced a major shift in its search algorithm that targeted websites that exploit SEO. While the web was swirling with details of the update, Google's Matt Cutts Tweeted that there was another Panda algorithm update on April 19. The Panda update, likely 3.5, was another data refresh. Google has rolled out a series of changes in 2012 to keep its index updated. While none of the Panda updates have been particularly major, the frequent refreshes have kept businesses on their toes and mandated that sites continously focus on high-quality content marketing. Tuesday's webspam algorithm represents the first major change in search ranking from Google in 2012, though it focuses on the company's longstanding principle of promoting sites that offer value to users. According to Cutts' Twitter account, Google avoided publicizing last week's Panda update. No reason is clear, but the roll out of this week's new algorithm likely prevented the company from announcing two algorithm updates in such a short window. The general idea of most algorithm updates in the last 14 months, since the first Panda roll out, has been improving Google's delivery of quality content in search. At the time of Tuesday's algorithm shift, Brafton reported that Google hinted websites with linking schemes and keyword oversaturation may see their traffic drop as a result of a lower search standing. Media files: Panda-220x206.png (image/png, 0 MB)

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Brafton: UEFA Champions League matches break Super Bowl’s Twitter activity record

Brafton News Content Marketing

UEFA Champions League matches break Super Bowl's Twitter activity record Apr 26th 2012, 13:57 While it may not receive too much attention in the United States, the UEFA Champions League is among the most popular sporting competitions in the world. Every year, the premier soccer teams from each nation in Europe compete in months long tournament to declare the club champion of Europe. For marketers, developing content around the event can help drive traffic to a website and appeal to prospects. On Twitter, these matches are so popular that one of the semifinals of the tournament, which took place on Tuesday between England's Chelsea FC and Spain's FC Barcelona, broke the Twitter activity record set by February's Super Bowl. The game's record-breaking 13,684 Tweets per second bested the Super Bowl's 12,233 Tweets per second. Twitter made this announcement on Wednesday while the second semifinal between Spain's Real Madrid CF and Germany's FC Bayern Munich was going on. It's more than likely that this game, which features two of the world's most popular soccer teams, will be among the most discussed as well. Moreover, the championship game, set to be played on Saturday May 19 at Allianz Arena in Munich, will draw its own share of attention. Much like the Super Bowl, companies can use the Champions League as an interesting part of a content marketing campaign used to discuss how the event relates to their business or a certain part of their company. While sharing related content on Twitter is clearly a way to put a brand in the trending conversation, it might also engage search audiences. Google Trends shows that global search activity and national search volumes around the UEFA matches has also picked up in recent weeks. Major sports events consistently prove to be trending web topics, and internet marketers should take note.Brafton highlighted some similar ideas during the Super Bowl where companies used fervor surrounding the event to discuss different parts of it that related to their company, such as recipes or television sets. Media files: Champions-League-220x219.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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Brafton: Mobile web use rising across all demographics in the U.S.

Brafton News Content Marketing

Mobile web use rising across all demographics in the U.S. Apr 25th 2012, 17:44 Companies with broad target audiences must consider mobile internet users when developing new media marketing strategies. According to new research from eMarketer, mobile web access across all major racial demographics in the U.S. increased from 2010 to 2011, and the trend will continue as more Americans upgrade to smartphones and purchase tablets.  At the end of 2011, eMarketer said that 29.7 percent of Americans were accessing the mobile web regularly. Compared to the 20.2 percent at the end of 2010, this is substantial growth. Moreover, early predictions for 2012 suggest more than 36 percent of Americans. Businesses looking to target mobile users have a number of options to broaden campaigns. In terms of content marketing, making minor adjustments to keyword strategies to focus on location-based terms and phrases can help. Social media marketing campaigns should also be revisited with mobile prospects in mind given the popularity of Twitter, Facebook and other apps on the devices. Making adjustments now to ensure a sustainable mobile web presence moving forward will help companies attract the increasingly large portion of the population that accesses the internet on the go. According to eMarketer, more than 58 percent of American adults will be regular mobile web users by the end of 2016. Brafton recently reported that one of the most important elements of a mobile marketing strategy is search, with most expecting total queries from mobile devices to surpass those from desktop devices by 2015. This is front of mind for many marketers, with experts at the recent ad:tech conference offering strategies for mobile search marketing, including creating device-specific mobile content and considering screen sizes when deciding whats above the fold. Media files: iPhone4s_3upv2_Photo_Siri_Sprgbd_PIPH-220x251.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB)

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Brafton: Google updates search, urges marketers ‘to focus on creating high-quality site’

Brafton News Content Marketing

Google updates search, urges marketers 'to focus on creating high-quality site' Apr 25th 2012, 15:01 Google announced a new search algorithm targeting webspam is now live. Marketers have been waiting for an update since last month, when Brafton featured a comment from Google's Matt Cutts that essentially warned marketers that SEO was headed for a major shift. Websites focused more on gaming Google's algorithms to gain search visibility without providing users a high-quality experience were the likely target of the update, but no one knew when it would come.  Google provided the answer on Tuesday, announcing its new algorithm that fights webspam. Cutts explicitly mentioned keyword stuffing and link schemes as two types of webspam techniques the algorithm will target. Google has not given a prediction for how many search queries will be affected, though it referenced Panda's impact on 12 percent of queries. In Google's Webmaster Central blog, Cutts highlighted content from a website that offered a keyword-dense article, but the key terms used had little relevance to the overall content. While the site published content, it was clearly attempting to manipulate search rankings by stuffing keywords into a blog post that had little to do with the actual subject matter. "Sites affected by this change might not be easily recognizable as spamming without deep analysis or expertise, but the common thread is that these sites are doing much more than white hat SEO; we believe they are engaging in webspam tactics to manipulate search engine rankings... We want people doing white hat search engine optimization (or even no search engine optimization at all) to be free to focus on creating amazing, compelling web sites." Keywords have traditionally been a critical component of a content marketing campaign that businesses want to use to fuel search engine optimization (among other results). They still are essential to visibility, but companies will need to be more disciplined and strategic about their use of key terms as instances of excessive keyword use (and other exploitations of SEO best practices) will be punished moving forward. For companies that have created high-quality, user-friendly website content but struggled to move up search rankings, this algorithmic update may help them achieve the SERP standing they desire. Brafton had earlier reported that Cutts had mentioned "leveling the playing field" when describing future Google algorithm udpates. Ultimately, the description of the update suggests those that create content aimed at making a user's experience better will rank well. Those who sacrifice user experience to exploit search algorithms will be punished. There will be no magic bullets to determine which sites are safe from the webspam update. Cutts says: Google has made a series of updates in recent months with a similar goal in mind. Brafton has covered a number of Panda updates that resulted in countless websites' search standing dropping. Aside from these well-publicized updates, Google has rolled out new algorithms designed to detect content that was above the fold, which makes it easier for users to access the article, blog post or video they came to the site to see. Media files: Search-220x102.png (image/png, 0 MB)

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