Optimizing your website for search engines has more to it than just designing a great website and leaving it alone. One of the best ways to keep your rankings high, and even improve them after launching a website with SEO, is to add a blog to the website and update it in a way that gets noticed by the search engines. Blogs can affect search engine rankings in several ways, and paying attention to all of them will give your website the most exposure.

New Content

The more up-to-date your website is, the less likely it is to begin slipping in the search engines. Search spiders crawl regularly and new content is one of the things they are looking for. If you are adding new content to your site on a regular basis through your blog, this keeps your site as a whole near the top of the rankings as you continually get the boost from the new pages. Search engines index blog posts very quickly, so you should expect to see your new content giving you a boost right away. You will see the results if you update your blog at least once per week, with two or three posts providing even better results.

Natural Keyword Use

Blog posts give you a chance to use keywords in a natural setting, rather than having to incorporate them into the text that serves as the framework for your website. Every time you want to target a specific group of people, write a blog post that includes some keywords that they are most likely to search for. Don’t go overboard, though, because they will be most likely to stay if the blog post is about something relevant to them, not just about getting them onto your website. Provide useful content for your readers so they will be interested in your blog and maybe even come back to read it again.

More Internal Links

Your blog provides the perfect place to naturally add more internal links between the pages on your website. The blog is set up to already link between posts by allowing you to set up archives and navigational tools to click to the previous or next post when reading, both of which add plenty of links within your site. In addition to these, include at least two or three internal links in each post, either to pages on the main part of your site or to other blog posts you have written. However, make sure these links are relevant to what you are writing about in the post so they don’t distract readers.

More External Links

Writing high-quality blog posts also increases the chance of developing external links from other sites linking to the posts that they found most helpful. External links give your website authority and more of a presence, which helps it rank higher on the search engines. To get external links, focus first on writing posts that your readers will want to share with others. Also make a practice of reading other blogs and adding comments to them with your blog in your signature. As long as the moderators on the other blogs view your comments as useful, they will leave these as external links to your blog.

The steps you take to create and update a blog will give you a competitive edge in search engine rankings. Writing content that includes the best keywords for your business and adding it to your blog regularly increases your chances of appearing in search engine results. On the more technical side, the extra links in and to your blog help search engines give your website priority over others that don’t have as many links.

Related Articles

• February 6, 2012 -- Make Your Blog an Interactive Social Media Hub
• December 19, 2011 -- Writing Right: Blogging Tips for the Non-Writer
• August 24, 2009 -- No Right to Slander Via Blogs
• April 23, 2009 -- Tweet No Tears for Old Media Biases
• February 19, 2009 -- Posts about Todays PageRank Discussion in the Blogosphere: as of February 19, 2009

The development of social media has been a huge boon in the world of affiliate marketing. Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter make it easier for affiliate marketers to reach out to larger audiences, often with a noticeably smaller time commitment. However, some marketers fail to understand that simply logging in to a social network will not ensure success.

Social media is a tool that can be used to make great gains in the field of affiliate marketing. But as in any type of tool, the misuse of social media can bring about some terrible results. Unfortunately, a number of affiliates are privy to a variety of mistakes while advertising on social networks. Over time, seemingly small mistakes can cost affiliates big time.

While audiences are able to look past certain mistakes, there is one thing that they are rarely willing to forgive: excessive enthusiasm. This concept may initially seem counter-intuitive. Aren’t affiliate marketers supposed to remain positive at all times? The answer is yes, affiliates should maintain a positive outlook in their dealings with present and future customers. But there is a big difference between displaying a positive demeanor and browbeating audiences with a message.

There’s an old cliche that bears repeating: “It’s not what you say; it’s how you say it.” This cliche certainly applies to affiliate marketing. Two different affiliates can provide the exact same message and get completely different results. The content of the message is not nearly as important as the delivery. And the right amount of subtlety is everything when it comes to providing a decent delivery.

The problem with social media is that it leaves less room for mistakes. There is a lot less room for recovery in a Tweet or a Facebook status than there is in a blog post. On Twitter, you only have 140 characters available to get your message out there. There is little room for mistakes. While a direct and concise message is a necessity on Facebook and Twitter, it does not give you license to be brash. This will only turn visitors off of your site. Instead, you’ll have to work all the harder to craft a message that is both direct and subtle.

Subtlety is most needed when inserting links into text. On a blog or website, it is easy to get links in the right place without giving visitors the wrong impression. This is a little harder on a Twitter feed, where there is less room to work. Instead of turning your Twitter account into a big advertising feed, simply use the site to post links to your blog or website. Use the Twitter or Facebook page to introduce the topic that will be covered on the blog. If visitors like what they see on your blogs, they’ll be more willing to click through the ads.

A modicum of subtlety is helpful in any business, but this is especially true for affiliate marketing. Don’t just fire off random links and tell visitors to click on them; provide some sort of material that will interest them. Social media works best with affiliate marketing when it is used as a tool for gathering audiences. Use that tool carefully and you’ll find yourself with a targeted audience that is willing to listen to what you have to say.

Related Articles

• January 6, 2012 -- News Blurbs: Say WebmasterRadio To Smartphone and Listen; SEO 101 Back; Returning Shows Update
• December 19, 2011 -- Navigating the Tricky Terrain of Affiliate Marketing in Social Media
• July 14, 2010 -- Social Media Optimization…
• February 18, 2010 -- Twittaholics Unanonymous
• December 30, 2009 -- WebmasterRadio-FM 2009 in Review

PPC Rockstars returns tomorrow to WebmasterRadio.FM at 1pm Eastern and 10am Pacific with brand new hosts, Location3 Media VP Alex Porter and director of paid search Jared Schroder.

Alex and Jared will discuss the Pros and Cons of Brand Terms or also known as Tradename Terms. Why, When and How much to bid for them as they cover the long-debated question of whether or not marketers should bid on their clients branded keywords.

“Im really looking forward to sharing some of the hard-won lessons Jared and I have learned over many years in paid search. Location3 Media has been in this game from the beginning and were constantly adapting to changes and advances, so its exciting to be able to discuss whats happening next,” said Porter.

Every week , Alex and Jared will feature breaking industry news, in-depth analysis and insider tips, all with their Brasco-approved unique brand of humor. They will feature exclusive guests from the biggest names in search and global brands, along with the latest developments in Google AdWords and Microsoft AdCenter.

“With increased competition, call tracking integration and expansion into the mobile and social space in 2011, PPC continues to be an essential part of every internet marketing campaign,” said Jorge Hermida, WebmasterRadio.FM director of programming and production. ”Since 2008, PPC Rockstars has been, and will continue to be, an educational and informative resource for listeners looking to improve their PPC performance.”

Alex and Jared take over the hosting duties from David Szetela, who hosted the popular radio series for 94 episodes from 2008-2011

Related Articles

• February 4, 2012 -- Best Bets for February 2012
• February 2, 2012 -- PPC Rockstars Back on Tour While Mobile Presence Reconnects
• April 20, 2009 -- Guy Kawasaki Talks Twitter Live on PPCRockstars, 4PM Monday
• April 13, 2009 -- Dark Arts PPC Tweet-up w/Marty Weintraub on PPC Rockstars
• February 27, 2009 -- Newly Improved :: WebmasterRadio.FM

Did Google’s “Panda” update destroy the Internet? For some affiliate marketers, it appears so. After Panda, many successful affiliate marketers suddenly found their rankings tanking, and as a result their income dropping. Yet, others are still thriving, and even bringing in greater numbers than before the change. Understanding Panda and what these changes mean is the key to thriving in the new world governed by Google.

Who Was Hurt by Panda?

The Panda update was designed to make search results more useful to the user. Before Panda, all you had to do to get site after site filled with Google ads and weak content was search a popular keyword string. It took several clicks or advanced searching techniques to find the quality content you wanted. Panda changed this, because the new algorithm lowers the ranking for sites with thin content, while sites with relevant, quality content soared to the top. For the user, this was a welcome change. For the affiliate marketer relying on poor content, the change destroyed a once lucrative income stream.

How to Thrive in Post-Panda Affiliate Marketing

If your affiliate sites were hurt by Panda, all hope is not lost. With a few changes to your marketing and content, you can improve your rank again and start bringing in profit. Panda did not kill affiliate marketing, but your poorly written site is hurting your efforts. A few tweaks and a change in focus is what you need to thrive post-Panda.

Focus on engaging, authoritative content. Content that contains research, analysis, and reports is going to rank better than rehashed gibberish. Original content is also essential. If your content is similar or identical to the content on several other sites, even if they are your sites, you need to change it.

Remove low quality pages. Take the time to analyze the various pages to find those with a huge drop in traffic. Separate the pages with high-quality, unique content from those with auto-generated pages, placing the poorer quality pages on a separate section that is blocked from crawling or deleting them altogether. You may find that your ranking improves drastically in a very short period of time with this step.

Optimize your site for social media outlets. Do you have Twitter and Facebook share buttons on your articles? If you do not, add them to make it easy for your readers to share the posts you are writing. Google is watching the social media giants to see what users are viewing as relevant content, so the more ways you give your readers to share your web pages, the better your results will be. Of course, getting shares from readers requires valuable, engaging content.

For years, content has been king on the Internet, and in reality Panda has not changed this. Content is still king, but affiliate marketers can no longer push their sites to the top with cheap, auto-generated, or copied content. Instead, the content Panda awards is unique, authoritative, and relevant. In the end, by focusing on making the content that Panda will like, you will turn your page into a trusted resource, and this will only increase your affiliate marketing income.

Related Articles

• January 8, 2010 -- Thoughts on a Year that will Change Everything
• February 9, 2012 -- Maintaining Subtlety in Social Media and Affiliate Marketing
• December 19, 2011 -- Navigating the Tricky Terrain of Affiliate Marketing in Social Media
• January 27, 2010 -- AffCon2010 Denver Agenda Posted
• January 25, 2010 -- Greg Niland and Frank Watson Search for Solutions on WebmasterRadio.FM

Mobile Presence, the weekly mobile marketing radio series that examines all things mobile from devices to software, services and SEO, returns with new episodes on WebmasterRadio.FM.

“When Mobile Presence first debuted in February 2009, the mobile marketing industry was a billion dollar business and now on pace to reach a $100 billion by 2015, not to mention a smartphone customer base that bought over 400 million phones in 2011 those facts reflect an unquestionable need for WebmasterRadio.FM to bring back “Mobile Presence” said WebmasterRadio.FM’s Director of Programming and Production Jorge Hermida.

“This radio show will provide listeners with a new way to connect and learn about new advances in mobile application development and marketing. Listeners can choose from a variety of online live and stored sessions,” said Thomas Castleberry, Chief Operating Officer at SkyWire Media, Inc. “We are thrilled to be a part of and discuss mobile technologies, our extensive experience, and our patented mobile solutions with the Webmasterradio.FM listeners.”

The premiere episode will feature new hosts Nicole Hurley and Joe Walczak offering helpful tips for Deploying a Successful Mobile Marketing Strategy.

“Internet Marketers should recognize that with the rapid expansion of mobile phones and smart devices, their messages can and will be heard faster with quicker responses from their customers when utilizing mobile technologies, “said Hurley. “This means their messages will need to be clearer and more concise with value propositions the consumers can act on immediately.”

Mobile Presence will air every Wednesday at Noon Eastern / 9am Pacific.

Related Articles

• February 2, 2012 -- PPC Rockstars Back on Tour While Mobile Presence Reconnects
• December 22, 2011 -- PubCon 2011 Coverage Featuring a New WebmasterRadio.FM Show Host
• August 4, 2011 -- SEM Synergy and the Bruce Clay Team Are Back With New Episodes
• December 30, 2009 -- WebmasterRadio-FM 2009 in Review
• February 18, 2009 -- Mobile Presence Debuts on WebmasterRadio.FM

Bloggers often feel that it is sufficient to provide regular and timely content to their readers. What they often overlook is the need to blend their social media networks into their blogs. While it may be great to have well written content, unless people are finding, reading and sharing it, you might as well be talking to yourself when you blog.

Why Social Media Matters

There have been numerous accounts of how Google’s Panda update impacted blogs, writing sites and even high-powered websites. Many of these sites screamed that their content was original, timely and relevant. However, Google went a step further and rated content based on how much traffic it was able to attract. Today, bloggers who fail to share their content on their social media sites will typically find their traffic staying at the same levels for days, weeks or even months at a time.

Incorporating social media

Bloggers often feel that incorporating their social media activities into their blogs means they are going to have to learn how to do all types of fancy programming and that it has to be time consuming. This is no longer the case since social networking sites have made it easier than ever to link blogs to social media accounts. There are several options available, some depending on the platform that the blog is created on including:

• Plugins – WordPress platforms work best with high-quality plugins. These are generally created by independent programmers and available for a small fee or donation to the developer. These plug-ins vary from those that will allow readers to share content with others to those that will automatically notify social media sites of new posts.

• Badges – Many of the popular social media sites offer users the ability to obtain code directly from the site and insert it into individual blog posts or along side-bars. These badges link the readers directly to the bloggers social media sites. These are especially good for those who maintain fan pages on Facebook, Groups on LinkedIn or have an active Google+ account.

• RSS Feeds – Perhaps one of the most overlooked tools for bloggers is the RSS feed. These feeds allow bloggers to do numerous things including (a) setting up an interactive newsletter, (b) making a “sticky” post of social media feeds or (c) feeding new posts directly to social media accounts.

Today, webmasters must prepare their blog and social media campaigns carefully in order to draw attention to their websites. Whether a business is providing services or products, all of the pieces must be carefully integrated for maximum success. Not too long ago, many business owners felt that having a website to display their products or services was enough. Today, this is not the case as users are growing more demanding and Google as well as other search engines are putting a higher emphasis on the value of social media.

Related Articles

• February 10, 2012 -- How a Blog Boosts Search Engine Rankings
• February 9, 2012 -- Maintaining Subtlety in Social Media and Affiliate Marketing
• December 19, 2011 -- Writing Right: Blogging Tips for the Non-Writer
• December 19, 2011 -- Navigating the Tricky Terrain of Affiliate Marketing in Social Media
• November 22, 2011 -- SES Chicago 2011 Roving Reporting Now Online

Marketing Nirvana (February 6th) Host Brad Geddes helps up as we learn how to track phone calls with David Szetela, whom you may remember from his time at Clix Marketing as well as the original host of PPC Rockstars.

Market Edge with Glenn Engler (February 7th) Scheduled guest is Chase Garbarino, the Co-founder and CEO of Streetwise Media, a new media company in Boston that operates Pinyadda.com, a social news aggregation platform, and BostInnovation.com.

Mobile Presence (Season Premiere-February 8th) New hosts Nicole Hurley and Joe Walczak discuss offer some helpful tips to Deploying a Successful Mobile Marketing Strategy.

LPO:Landing Page Optimization (February 13th) Learn more about usability and conversion rate optimization as host Tim Ash interviews with Advanced Common Senses Steve Krug, plus Tim discusses internet marketing and website conversion rate optimization with Vertical Measures CEO Arnie Kuenn (February 27th).

Related Articles

• October 3, 2011 -- Fall Back Into Returning Shows and Returning Hosts
• December 30, 2009 -- WebmasterRadio-FM 2009 in Review
• January 5, 2009 -- Get the comScore on PPC Rockstars – 4PM EST today
• December 1, 2008 -- PPC Rockstars – Epiar’s Ken Jurina and Curtis Dueck
• February 8, 2012 -- Location3 Media To Host Returning PPC Rockstars Podcast on WebmasterRadio.FM

Mobile is ready to make its Presence known again on WebmasterRadio.FM and the PPC Rockstars are going back on the road.

Mobile Presence returns Wednesday February 8th and PPC Rockstars on Thursdays beginning in late February.

SkyWire Media Sales Executive Nicole Hurley and Senior Account Manager Joe Walczak will take over hosting duties of Mobile Presence every Wednesday at Noon Eastern/9am Pacific.

Location3 Media VP Alex Porter and director of paid search Jared Schroder will host PPC Rockstars on Thursdays at 1pm Eastern/ 10am Pacific.

Stay tuned to the blog as we showcase each series and ask the respective hosts what to expect on each series next week.

Related Articles

• February 8, 2012 -- Location3 Media To Host Returning PPC Rockstars Podcast on WebmasterRadio.FM
• February 8, 2012 -- Mobile Presence Reconnects with Listeners Starting Wednesday February 8th.
• December 30, 2009 -- WebmasterRadio-FM 2009 in Review
• February 4, 2012 -- Best Bets for February 2012
• April 20, 2009 -- Guy Kawasaki Talks Twitter Live on PPCRockstars, 4PM Monday

-Mobile Listeners of WebmasterRadio.FM via the Tune In application can now use a new feature called Car Mode that offers a voice search button to easily search and tune in to our live stream in seconds. Just hit the button and say Listen to Webmaster Radio and our live stream loads right up.

-A number of our radio shows will make their way back this month. Here is an overview:
SEO 101-returns January 9th with scheduled guest Stefan Spencer, author of The Art of SEO to look at what to expect in SEO in 2012.
Ecom Experts is tentatively scheduled to return from an extended holiday break on Monday January 9th.
Office Hours- Vanessa Fox is scheduled to return with a live episode on Wedensday January 18th.
Affiliate Marketing Insider returns with new host Cresta Pillsbury on Thursday January 19th.

-Brasco, your lovable gracious and humble radio producer is looking for your votes in the 2012 Shorty Awards, which honor the best of social media, recognizing the people and organizations producing real-time short form content on across Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube, Foursquare, and the rest of the social Web. If you would like to nominate Brasco for a shorty award, please nominate him in the #radio category by clicking here. You can also catch his campaign video on YouTube where he begs and pleads for you vote.

Related Articles

• December 30, 2009 -- WebmasterRadio-FM 2009 in Review
• July 14, 2010 -- Social Media Optimization…
• February 9, 2012 -- Maintaining Subtlety in Social Media and Affiliate Marketing
• December 22, 2011 -- PubCon 2011 Coverage Featuring a New WebmasterRadio.FM Show Host
• December 14, 2011 -- SEO 101 Celebrates 100 Podcasts of Fundamentals and Friendly Banter

Search Pulse (hosted by Barry Schwartz (Search Engine Roundtable and Rustybrick) Ben Pfeiffer (Rank Smart Search Marketing) and current SEO Rockstars host Chris Boggs, and The Alternative (hosted by Webcology hosts Jim Hedger and Dave Davies) have finally been restored on on our website and via iTunes.

These restored audio archives are part of an ongoing process following the migration of the WebmasterRadio.FM website after being hosted on a secure content management system.

With over 5,000 shows produced since 2004, our archivists have worked diligently to bring back some of our most popular programming that we have featured on the radio network. Some of those programs that have returned due to the archive restoration project included Net Income, The Shoemoney Show, The Hook with Katie Kempner and Good Karma.

Search Pulse, which we commonly referred as The Pulse, featured a weekly roundtable discussion on current search topics that received the most buzz from within the search community.

The Alternative was solo-hosted by Jim Hedger that began each week with a look at search engine news segments with Dave Davies, followed by interviews with guests that helped us discover the alternatives in search engines, advertising, revenue and verticals. The Alternative would cease production in the summer of 2007, but Jim and Dave would return in October of that year with Webcology.

Related Articles

• December 30, 2009 -- WebmasterRadio-FM 2009 in Review
• September 26, 2008 -- Friday Recap: Dynamic URLs were the talk this week
• October 31, 2011 -- New Rewind Episodes: Meeting of Marketing Titans; Search Pulse in SES Chicago
• October 14, 2011 -- WebmasterRadio.FM Audio Extras: Digital World Expo Recap; SEO Q and A
• August 30, 2011 -- WebmasterRadio.FM Rewind; Daily Searchcast Archives Set To Return