- Big beach balls in the background to jazz things up and give the sense of tons of personality

- Guy drawing a funny-face picture on the invisible dry erase board when talking about their awesome culture (although I do loooove dry erase boards and markers)

At the end of the day, I’m so glad to see the world’s most influential company is filled with super smart people that are trying to solve the difficult problems. There Google! I redeemed myself- so please don’t fry my brain with a laser from a satellite that is probably watching me type this.

Custom Google Search Commands

Want to bend Google’s search results to your evil, maniacal ends? Or…just for some good SEO research? Either way, Google offers several helpful custom query options allowing searchers to tailor the results to their needs. I utilize several of these every single day, for competitive analysis, link building and when I’m trying to immerse myself into a new clients online industry to get myself up to speed about the landscape we are about to compete in. The following are some of my favorites along with my description of how I might use it in my day-t0-day SEO work.

site:

The ‘site:’ command allows me to limit the results page to just one specific website and lets me know how many pages for the site have been indexed by Google. Also, it’ll let me know the major sections of the site- particularly if there are sub-domains, blogs and the general layout of the site. I find it helpful to look into 2-3 of the competing sites to tell the same thing. It’s helpful to know what kind of footprint the competing sites have. How large of a site, with sub-domains included, are we competing against.

inurl:

The ‘inurl:’ command is helpful to analyze competitors use of URLs throughout their site. When I’m researching a competitor that I know is engaged in aggressive SEO, I can quickly see what main keywords they are going after by seeing the major keywords they have worked into their sub-page URLs.  Also, using this command to analyzing the site I’m working on to identify duplicate content issues or poor URL structure.

cache:

Although I usually use Google’s ‘Cached’ link beneath a search result, I occasionally do a direct ‘cache:’ search to quickly see the latest Google cached version of a site. Once here, I really enjoy looking into the ‘Text-only version’ link on the top right corner to see all the text that Google is able to identify. It offers a great ‘naked’ view of the content on the page.

intitle:

When I want to search just the title tags of sites, I’ll use the ‘intitle:’ command. It’s useful while link building, as I can find sites that are targeted towards the phrase (particularly long tail) I’m optimizing for. It’s a nice query for searching industry specific directories or blogs.

- (minus sign):

The ‘minus’ command is one I use every day. Both in normal searches and in Google’s Keyword Suggestion Tool. It removes from the search keywords I don’t want to include, helping to filter and refine the search.

| (pipe):

The ‘pipe’ command simply adds the ‘OR’ operator to the search. If I want to view an industries forums or blog, I’d search ‘forum | blog’. Obviously, I’d add a industry specific keyword to find forums or blogs specific to the client I’m working with.

Feedback: What other Custom Searches do you use? Either in everyday searches or for specific SEO tasks?

Less than a week ago, I summarized a rumor going around the tech industry that Facebook and Google were courting Skype. Like Jack and Sawyer going after Kate. Well, as is too often the case, Benjamin Linus has outsmarted them both, and Microsoft has come in with $8.5 Billion to purchase the company.

Sooooo, as Microsoft owns a 1/4 billion dollars worth of Facebook, it may come in as a win for Microsoft and Facebook. However, this is a very high price tag. Google and Facebook were not nearly this high. A desperate play on becoming sexy and relevant? Skype integrated with Kinect or Xbox? Facebook chat to include video conferencing? We’ll see how this plays out.

Check out the video chatting about the purchase:

Feedback? What is Microsoft thinking? How will they implement the Skype technology? Let us know what you think.

First Off…

I started watching the Lost tv series. I know, I’m probably the last person in America that hasn’t, until now, even seen one episode. Well, I now know what all the buzz was about. I’m addicted. I’m through the 5th episode of season 4- and I’m loving it.  I’m still a little confused by some of the characters and identifying who is truly good and bad, but I have refrained from doing a quick Google search to find all the answers. Don’t you dare spoil it for me! This is a personal journey for me, into the hearts and pasts of these lost souls (this is sad…it really is).

With island drama on the mind- a recent rumor about Facebook, Google and Skype has reminded me of the love triangle going on with Kate, Sawyer and Jack. Let me explain…

The Situation

Reuters just reported that Facebook and Google are currently in talks with Skype for a buyout or potential joint venture.  Talks are early, and may all be just another juicy rumor, lapped up by a hungry tech industry, already hyper-susceptible (is that a legit phrase?) to any scrap thrown out by Facebook or Google.  A quick look at the players adds to the drama.

The Players

Kate: Super hot girl, with lots of potential, but a damaged past- being chased by Sawyer and Jack. Skype has been through a lot over the past several years, from being purchased by eBay (I never got this) then sold off when a integration never came to fruition. They have been around the tech-block.

Sawyer: Exciting, like-able but sometimes people have a hard time trusting him. Facebook has come on the scene as a HUGE internet player, for better or worst, they are the front door to many people’s internet experience.

Jack: Super smart, loaded with cash, tries to do the right thing and a little dorky. Google isn’t suave with the ladies, they just go about their business- making loads of cash while delivering a quality service.

How Will This Play Out?

Both Google and Facebook may be able to utilize a face-to-face communication technology such as Skype to add depth to their current services. However, Facebook seems like the better marriage- because they get people. Google doesn’t. They get engineers (who are technically people, I suppose) but not everyday social beings. Seeing people’s face while using Facebook just feels like a better fit. Sorry Jack, the girls dig danger and you’re the nice guy- I’m afraid you’ll be out on this one.

Thoughts?

Will any of these rumors turn into anything real? Who would be a better match for Skype, Google or Facebook? Let us know what you think.

Google’s Reading Level Indicator

In December Google launched a Reading Level option in the advanced search feature. Recently, they integrated the new feature into the SERPs sidebar- making it easily accessible.

What is the Reading Level feature?

A brief video tour shows you how the feature works, including the option in the sidebar, reading level indicator at the top of the search page and the site-by-site level annotation throughout the results.  Take a look:

How does Google determine Basic, Intermediate and Advanced content?

In February, Daniel Russell, a Google employee, wrote about the search filter and how the levels are determined. He stated:

“So… what’s “Basic” versus “Intermediate” versus “Advanced”?   The reading-level is based primarily on statistical models we built with the help of teachers. We paid teachers to classify pages for different reading levels, and then took their classifications to build a model of the intrinsic complexity of the text. With this model, we can any webpage with the model to classify reading levels. We also used data from Google Scholar, since most of the articles in Scholar are considered advanced.”

How will this impact search in the future?

Will Google keep the feature contained to this simple search filter or use the or use the capability to help customize search results. For example, if they are able to label the content on my site as ‘Advanced’ in nature, wouldn’t they want to favor that content when a query seems to be searching for more technical data? The more Google knows about me and my search habits, wouldn’t they want to tailor my results based on the level of content I prefer to read? One thing I am certain of- Google will be monitoring the data and making a decision based on what they find.

What do you think? Could the writing level of my copy help it to show up for certain searches in the future? Let me know what you think.

Google’s new CEO Larry Page announced his new Senior Management Team last week in an effort to combine forces of key service components to form one unstoppable techno-hero like the Voltron cartoon from our childhood. Comprised of 6 Senior Vice Presidents- each representing an area of business.  Several of these members are no surprise for anyone who closely follows the company. There has been a lot of chatter about notable exclusions, but I’m more interested in the 6 divisions that are represented making a clear indication about what Google finds to be the most important. These divisions are now:

1. Search: Now led by Alan Eustace (previously SVP of engineering and research), a big player in Google since 2002, it is no surprise that he now heads the division that is essentially the backbone of the entire company.

2. Social: Long time Microsoft exec, Vic Gundortra has quickly become a Google favorite, in large part because of his public demeanor and speaking prowess (watch Vic cooly interact with Conan in a hilarious 45 min. interview). He now leads the very prominent social team. How prominent? in 2001, all bonuses throughout the company have been tied to it’s social innovations. Google is clearly trying to make up for lost ground in the social arena- and is putting it best public figure to lead the charge.

3. YouTube and Video: Looking a bit like Jerry Seinfeld (at least in this picture) Salar Kamangar was made CEO of YouTube in late 2010, replacing co-founder Chad Hurley. However, Salar was essentially running the company for the past 2 years, being a critical leader of Youtube’s money-making business strategy, after it’s legendary $1.7 billion purchase in 2006.

4. Chrome: Sundar Pichai, hotly sought after by Twitter in early 2011, now leads Google’s Chrome strategy. He has been in charge of overall desktop strategy after joining in 2004.

5. Mobile: The founder of Android, Andy Rubin, is the natural pick for Google’s ongoing mobile strategy. After purchasing Android in 2005, Google has made huge inroads into mobile computing. Andoroid now is the most used mobile operating system for smart-phones in the U.S.

6. Ads: Most know that Google is as much a marketing as a search company (if not more). In 1998, Susan Wojcicki’s garage served as Google’s headquarters. As Google’s first marketer, she has been instrumental in the monetization of Google, turning it into an online marketing juggernaut. She now heads the Ads group.

That’s the new Google. Notably missing is Google’s Location team, lead by Marissa Mayer. Are they shifting from their aggressive local presence in search? Or just trying to make up ground, and hence adding emphasis, on Social? SEO’s like myself take note of the new focus on social, while the other areas are pretty predictable.

Your thoughts? Local going to join Google’s growing elephant graveyard of services that get left behind?

“Congratulations…you almost won.”

“Of all the losers you came in first… of that group.”

“You’re the #1…loser.”

“No one lost…ahead of you.”

-Jerry Seinfeld

At least 2-3 times each week I get asked about the value of showing up on the first page of Google versus the second. How many people actually scroll to the bottom of the page and click the ‘next’ link? Several months ago Chitika (ChiTika- not the banana people) Insights studied the click through rates of each position on the first and second pages of a query, and their findings clearly demonstrate the HUGE difference between first and second page results- and the traffic that each position get.

A sample of over 8 million clicks shows that over 94% of users clicked on a first page result and less than 6% actually clicking to the second page and selecting a result displayed there.  One of the biggest drop off’s is between the 10 spot (bottom of the first page) and the 11 spot (top of the second page) from 2.71% down to 1.11%. That’s a 143% dip from one position to the next. Even though the second page doesn’t get many clicks, I’m starting to see some firms advertise second page placement. It just shows how competitive some phrases are getting if companies find ROI in the scraps. Are these clicks, albeit few and far between, more qualified than first page clicks? I’d like to hear feedback or see any research on the question. Feel free to post any ideas or online resources.

The first position has always been the most clicked on location, but many are surprised to see that it gets over 1/3 of all the available clicks. Hence, the  exponential nature (richter-scale-esque) of increasing difficulty as one tries to move up the rankings.  I wonder if the top few spots have increased in clicks with the fairly new Google Instant feature. My behavior has definitely changed, as I tend to watch the results as I type- waiting for one of the top rankings to answer my query as I type.  Let me know if you’re the same- do you find yourself relying on the combination of the first 2-3 results and Google Instant to track down sites you want to visit? Are you still typing your query and scrolling through the page? I will be watching these stats over the next several months to see if they shift at all- and posting my findings.

Check out the little video showing the rise of this music phenom.

Also, if you’re really bored and have an hour to kill, watch the Google interview of Lady Gaga. It was posted a week ago and has over 1 million views.

A lot could be, and has been, said about why these companies top the list. Google’s 20% personal project time for engineers, lavish cafeterias, on staff barbers and oil changes at the office are easy candidates for reasons young people want to work for this online juggernaut. However, a look at the rest of the top 10 may reveal something else. Included are the U.S. Department of State, FBI, CIA, NASA, Teach for America and #11 is the Peace Corps. Looking at the larger picture it looks like young people may want to work for large institutions that are pursuing ‘bigger than me’ goals and have a purpose rather than a bottom line to look after. Even Google, ideological to the core, could easily fit into this category.

Take a look at my overview below and let me know what you think- do young people want to chase the money or are many looking to contribute to a perceived cause bigger than themselves? Let me know what you think.

Almost  2 years ago, Google announced Rich Snippets, making it possible to structure specific data to be displayed on Google’s search results pages.  It’s been getting a lot of love lately, because local search has become so important and Rich Snippets are very useful for geo-targetted search phrases, such as restaurants and product reviews. There are, however, several types of data that benefit from the use of Rich Snippets, these include:

• *Reviews

  *People

  *Products

  *Organizations

  *Recipes

  *Events

If your site contains information of these types, then you’ll want to include rich snippet code in your HTML. The code is pretty straightfoward, but can be entered using Microdata, Microformats or RDFa code. For this example, I’ll use Microdata rich snippets. Let’s say we want our products to show up in search results pages displaying an aggregate of the reviews left for the product, as well as the price and the item stock status. In the code, you’ll notice several new elements that call out specified data to be displayed in the search results.

Now let’s take a look at the actual properties within the code:

1. 1. 1. 1. itemprop=”itemreviewed“: identified the pizza restaurant name that is to show up, followed by the store photo
      2. 2. itemprop=”rating“: calls out for Google to display the ratings about the pizza restaurant
      3. 3. itemprop=”average” and itemprop=”best“: identifies the average rating, to be displayed with star icons
      4. 4. itemprop=”votes” and itemprop=”count“: relays the information about how many votes have been tallied to come up with the rating

As you can see, the code isn’t that difficult, it just requires the correct data being highlighted and clearly defined. Once you’ve added the code to your page, you can check it on Google’s Rich Snippet Testing Tool, where you can see exactly what your page will look like in search results.

Check out the Rich Snippets Testing  tool here