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Posted 09 May 2012 19:55pm by Heather Taylor with 0 comments

Negative SEO is not a new concept but it is one that has recently become more mainstream. These are underhanded tactics where companies do SEO activity for their competitors so it appears that they are breaching Google's guidelines and they get penalized.

This SEO campaign then ruins the competitor's organic rankings in order to improve their own rankings. The most common practice is to build low quality, anchor text links to a specific domain in order to trigger a Google penalty for that site or specific page.

We asked some SEO experts in the UK and US their opinions on negative SEO, what techniques are being used and how you can prevent it from happening to you.

It's actually pretty scary at the moment - as there is truth in negative SEO working effectively, see posts like this one from Aaron Wall. Of course Google are looking to favour brands in its search results and big brands will be more protected by this due to the fact that they have authority and more natural back link profiles.

This means that negative links wouldn't stand out as much percentage wise and the strong domain should be enough to protect it from any potential influx of negative links. It's definitely the smaller and less authoritative sites which are at more risk from this.

It is potentially possible...but it is extremely rare. I was chatting to one of the Google Quality team who reckoned they'd only ever seen a couple of cases ever that fell into this category, and they look at thousands of websites a month.

Yes, it is, and the SEO industry chatter on this topic is at its highest level in years. Google has rolled out the Penguin algorithm update on April 24, 2012 which is supposed to target websites that use spammy sources of links. However, the SEO community is in agreement that this update has increased the danger of negative SEO tremendously. Basically, a competitor would be able to engage in tactics that the Penguin update deems spammy and hurt a companys rankings.

Yes I used to believe that the worst case scenario from a negative link would be that it would have no impact. But we've seen a few sites take drops recently and the most obvious explantation is due to negative links. Of course you'd like to think that the only way to get to the top of Google is to focus on yourself and building a brand but you can't be nave to what is actually happening out there and you need to make sure that your site is well protected from any negative SEO activity.

Read the rest here:
The impact of negative SEO: the experts' view

Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most efficient but also most complex online marketing channels for the acquisition of new customers. For many companies who want to and can acquire new customers via the Internet, SEO can be the most efficient customer acquisition channel if its particularities and complexities can be coped with continuously.

The SEO channel can either be tapped into with one's own employees so called in-house SEOs or by working together with a SEO agency.

But how should one approach it?Have one or more in-house SEOs or collaborate with a specialized SEO agency? Or does a combination provide crucial advantages? How does one get to good, reliable and sustainable SEO?

A combination of those two options is not only possible but recommended if SEO is an important marketing channel for the respective company.

Let's look at the arguments for both options and hints on how to find the right mix for your own SEO.

A SEO in steady employment will try to implement projects as fast as possible. After all, he is motivated by promoting the SEO channel and convincing the company about its importance.

An agency, on the other hand, is often paid per time so there is a risk of it artificially expanding the extent and length of projects. The only way to minimize this risk is to explicitly address the issue during the process of becoming acquainted.

When comparing hourly rates the cost for an in-house SEO is lower than that for a SEO consultant. Additionally when working together with an agency there are costs for communication and coordination since the agency first has to get to know the company as well as its products and services.

SEO can be regarded as the most integrative marketing channel. Unlike other online marketing channels SEO doesn't just send new customers to special landing pages that may not even be integrated in the regular product and website of the company.

Without solid interaction and integration between product management and IT, it's impossible to deliver good SEO, and it's obvious that an in-house SEO can get acquainted with colleagues much easier than an agency can. A core task of an in-house SEO is to establish a certain consciousness and awareness for SEO topics within the companys collective body of thought, and someone who is permanently present is likely to succeed in this task.

The rest is here:
In-house SEO, SEO Agency, or Both? 17 Points to Consider

CARLSBAD, Calif., May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --"Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Marketing," a course taught by SEO Inc., a Carlsbad, CA based search engine marketing company, will be back at the University of California, San Diego this month.

The three-day, 3-credit course will run May 30 through June 1 from 8:30 am to 5 pm. Class sessions provide basic information on website architecture and search engine operation and now provide added information about social media marketing.

The SEO strategies taught in the course can be used by students to optimize websites, achieve higher rankings in the top search engines, and help increase web visibility, brand awareness and online sales and conversions. Students in the SEO class learn how to boost search engine rankings by researching competitors, optimizing code, choosing competitive keywords, writing search engine-friendly website content, and creating a successful linking plan.

"I have been teaching this course since 2008, and we continue to see full classes each semester," said SEO Inc. Senior Project Manager and course instructor, Burkan Bur. "Designed for webmasters, business owners, corporate marketers, and anyone else interested in increasing their website's ROI, it is believed to be one of the only courses of its kind to offer college credit.

The social media portion of the course covers blogging, social media community management, social media optimization and viral online marketing.

"By the end of the day you'll not only know how to use social media and blogging to improve your organic SEO, you'll also be able to effectively market to your communities through a variety of methods," said John E. Lincoln, Director of SEO Consulting & Social at SEO Inc. and co-course instructor. "We have a heavy emphasis on Facebook, Google +, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Pinterest, but we also focus on smaller social sites as well that provide big benefits to organic search and referring site traffic. Ultimately, we use social to drive better rankings, different forms of traffic, and increase conversions for your website."

SEO combined with social media is the fastest growing form of Internet marketing, and it is the most successful and cost-effective way to promote a website property and receive maximum ROI. For more information, call 877-736-0006 or visit http://www.seoinc.com.

Class registration is available online at http://extension.ucsd.edu/studyarea/index.cfm?vCourse=CSE-41157, or search course # CSE- 41157.

About Search Engine Optimization Inc.:

Search Engine Optimization Inc. is an integrated search engine marketing company that specializes in achieving high rankings for their clients on the internet's major search engines.

Originally posted here:
SEO Inc. Adds Social Media Training to SEO Course at UCSD

FRAMINGHAM, Mass., May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With National Pet Week underway, Rave Mobile Safety, the trusted software partner for campus and public safety, is encouraging the use of Smart911 to protect people and pets, as well as public safety personnel responding to 9-1-1 calls. Rave's Smart911 is a public/private partnership creating a first-of-its-kind, critical caller database that is already helping citizens and emergency responders across 23 states.

(Logo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120409/NE83750LOGO )

Currently, when 9-1-1 receives a call, only a phone number and some level of location data are displayed. With Smart911, citizens create safety profiles online holding personal data that is automatically displayed to 9-1-1 only during emergency calls. This can include resident photos, floor-plans, specifics on medical conditions and disabilities, home addresses of cellphone callers and other rescue-related data. It can also include information on pets. This enables emergency responders to be more effective because they have access to a rich source of critical health and logistics information before arriving at the scene of an emergency. Knowing that a pet is on premise during an emergency allows a much better chance of avoiding tragedy for all involved.

According to the 2011-2012 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association, 63 percent of all U.S. households have a pet, the highest level in two decades. The survey also showed there are 78.2 million dog and 86.4 million cat owners, with more than half stating they would leap into action for an injured pet.

Through Smart911, when police officers or EMTs arrive on the scene of an emergency they know if a dog is on premise and can take steps to see that the victim gets immediate attention without harm coming to a protective pet. Additionally, according to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), there are an estimated 2,560 civilian fire fatalities each year, deaths that generally occur when an individual is escaping, sleeping or is unable to act. With Smart911, firefighters know where bedrooms are located, who lives at a property, their names and such things as the location of a gas main. This is the type of information that can save the lives of people and the animals they love, and authorities generally agree that at least 40,000 pets die yearly from smoke inhalation.

"When emergency responders arrive at a residence with information on what awaits, their effectiveness increases dramatically," said Tom Axbey, president and CEO, Rave Mobile Safety. "Pets can be very protective and simply knowing an animal's name can alleviate a potentially stressful situation. Smart911 is a great way for owners to protect themselves and all family members, including pets, while facilitating the work of public safety personnel that are there to help during emergency situations."

About Rave Mobile Safety

Rave Mobile Safety is the most trusted software partner for campus and public safety. Used by leading Institutes of Higher Education and State and Local Agencies, the award-winning portfolio of RaveAlert, RaveGuardian, Eyewitness, Smart911 and SmartPrepare enables millions to feel safe, secure and connected. Rave Mobile Safety is headquartered in Framingham, MA. For more information please visit http://www.ravemobilesafety.com

Contact:Marty Querzoli Davies Murphy Group pr@ravemobilesafety.com (781) 418-2433

Original post:
Smart911 Marks National Pet Week by Encouraging Use of Safety Profiles to Protect People, Pets and Emergency Responders

ANGELA WALKER

ISLAND OF THE GODS: What to do if you're planning a getaway to the colour and chaos that is Bali?

With direct flights from New Zealand starting next month, Bali has never been easier to get to.

Where to stay

If you really must stay at Kuta Beach, home of beer, massages, Bintang singlets, tawdry bars and that singular breed of Aussie tourist known as the Bali bogan, head for the oasis of peace and calm that is the Pullman Bali Legian Nirwana. This nearly new hotel, right across the road from the famous beach, is set among beautifully landscaped lawns, gardens and pools and, indeed, is so relaxing it's hardly surprising to discover there's no alarm clock in the cool and airy rooms. The day spa is sensational and the rooftop pool divine, especially at 6am when the rest of Kuta is just waking up.

The Novotel Bali Benoa in Nusa Dua is about a 25-minute (on a good day) drive from Kuta and only 15km from the airport. It's one of the older hotels, but it's lovely - a big open-air lobby in traditional Balinese style, well- established tropical gardens and direct access on to Tanjung Benoa beach. There's regular hotel style accommodation but it's the private villas that are the stand- out - each with its own pool, garden, partly open-air bathroom and outdoor living area, where you can stay hydrated with the complimentary soft drinks, beer and water that are restocked daily. And all for less than NZ$330 a night, breakfast included. You can pay a lot more for villa accommodation in Bali so this is a great deal and it's perfect for a romantic getaway. If you're travelling with children, bad luck, but the hotel also offers a kids' club.

WHAT TO DO

Chef Heinz von Holzen runs endurance marathons, cycles across deserts and scares the be- jesus out of the guests attending his justifiably famous Bumbu Bali cooking school. He is, it seems, fearless and fearsome in equal parts. But this Swiss chef with a classical French background and Heston Blumenthal obsession is a hero in these parts for his work in recording and promoting Balinese cuisine and ingredients. During the day-long cooking classes you'll visit the somewhat confronting Jimbaran village market and nearby fish market then spend several hours in the open-air kitchen in the serene garden compound of Bumbu Bali. We all took turns in preparing scores of dishes, including basic spice pastes, grilled chicken in banana leaf, satays, a green papaya salad, pork in sweet soy sauce and the unexpectedly luscious snack of sweet corn with grated coconut. Then we all sat down to eat them. A great - and fascinating - day's work. Prices are $US85 with the market visit and $US75 without.

Dating back to the 11th century and sitting on sheer cliffs 70 metres above the pounding waves of the Indian Ocean, Uluwatu temple lives up to its reputation as one of Bali's most spectacular sites. To visit, you need to pay a small entry fee (about $2.60) and, for religious reasons, don sarongs and sashes (the colours are quite dashing). The temple proper is open only to Hindu worshippers, but a walk through the gardens and along the clifftop paths will more than satisfy. Watch out for the resident monkeys though - they'll happily strip you of jewellery, sunglasses and eyeglasses so hide them away before you go in. From Kuta it's about a one-hour drive, which you can do on a bus tour or you can take a taxi - just make sure you arrange with your driver for a return journey or it could turn out to be a long day. The return trip shouldn't cost more than $40-$50.

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK

Read the original here:
The beginners guide to Bali