Tag Archives: QueryClick

SEO Agency Generates New Visitors For Luxury Hotel Resort

Online marketing agency QueryClick has helped a luxury hotel resort dramatically improve its Natural Search returns by driving over 30,000 new unique visitors to its website between 2011-2012.

One of the specialities of the search marketing firm is to help businesses get better results online through Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), which ensures that their clients’ websites appear higher and perform better when Internet users make searches on Google.

The Edinburgh-based agency also helped generate 33,824 organic visits to the Rockliffe Hall website – an increase of 50% compared with the previous year. Of those visits, 3,883 came through on non-brand terms compared with 1,999 during the same period of the previous year. This represents a 94% increase in traffic from non-brand, organic keyphrases.

Chris Liversidge, founder of Queryclick, said: “We’re delighted with the success of our work with Rockliffe Hall since we started working on the search engine optimisation of their website in August last year.

“We helped with the design and launch of their new site at the beginning of December and since then it’s gone from strength to strength.

“The site has already reported a significant rise in total and organic traffic and in January the site achieved the highest level of traffic in 12 months with a total of over 48,500 hits with over 20,000 new visitors which is a massive achievement.”

Rockliffe Hall is the newest and most exciting 5-star luxury hotel resort to open in North East England and is set on a magnificent restored 18th century estate on the banks of River Tees. With there being strong competition in the hospitality industry success is increasingly linked to online performance.

Over the course of the campaign Queryclick ensured that Rockliffe Hall achieved a total of 82,926 organic SEO visits between January and March this year which is an increase of 23,008 during the same period in 2011.

Chris Liversidge added: “The results speak for themselves here and when you consider that since the new website went live in December there has been over 97,000 organic visits compared to 73,000 in the three months prior to launch, the value our expertise has brought the business is invaluable.”

“Going forward we’re eager to further improve website functionality and help increase traffic levels and conversion rates by implementing E-Commerce tracking, as well as completing outstanding page title and meta description updates.”

Via EPR Network
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The Google Homepage Redesign Explained

QueryClick advise users on the recent changes to the Google homepage as part of its ongoing revamp.

Google has unveiled a new look for its homepage in what is being described as one of the firms ‘biggest changes to date of its homepage’. The revamp, which has been rolled out to a few selected users, has been designed to showcase all of Google’s other products to users – without having taking up too much of the homepage.

Christopher Liversidge, Managing Director of QueryClick explains: “The revamp of Google’s homepage is something that’s been around for a few weeks, and essentially it has been created in order to streamline and ‘tidy up’ Google’s homepage. Currently a user may see the ‘revamp strip’ along the top of the Google homepage, and when this strip is clicked, it reveals seven different Google products, such as Maps, YouTube, Images and Google+ to the user, with the option to reveal another eight related topics, including Calendar, Translate and Reader.”

This revamp, which Google has explained has been created in order to promote all of Google’s services to users in the most accessible and tidiest way possible, unlike some of the other search engines available, such as Yahoo’s infamously ‘busy’ design. Users will also be able to navigate to certain Google services much more easily as this redesign means a maximum of two clicks is all that is needed for a user to move from the homepage to another Google page, such as News or YouTube.

Christopher continues: “The Google homepage had undergone various redesigns since 1998, but the homepage has always stuck to the original format, that is the Google logo, the search bar and the list of all Google’s other services. However, this is the first time that Google has moved away from this design, and it;s very likely that these changes will have come about because of user feedback and case studies, and at QueryClick we know how important SEO case studies are to the search industry, so we’re really looking forward to seeing how this redesign will be received by users.”

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Beyonce’s Baby Bump, Justin Bieber and Tigerblood: What the World Tweeted in 2011

A recent industry survey has revealed the most popular subjects for Twitter users last year, but what does this mean for 2012, ask QueryClick.

With 2012 just beginning, new online industry figures have revealed the topics that dominated Twitter throughout 2011 – and the results are rather surprising. The results, which were put into an infographic by the financial advice website, FrugalDad have revealed that 2011 was truly the year of the celebrity on Twitter, with events such as the singer Beyonce Knowles announcing her pregnancy at the MTV Music Awards generating an incredible 8,696 tweets per second.

Christopher Liversidge, Managing Director of the UK SEO agency, QueryClick comments: “2011 really was a very interesting year for Twitter, as a number of breaking news stories, such as the Japanese tsunami in March and the revolution in Egypt, were widely reported on using Twitter,in fact the hashtag #Egypt was the most used hashtag last year. However, celebrities dominated Twitter throughout most of 2011, with Justin Bieber’s tweets being the most retweeted, with 5 million retweets on average, compared to Barack Obama’s tweets receiving an average of 250,000 retweets.”

In terms of celebrities and Twitter, 2011 was the year that Charlie Sheen joined the social networking site, and broke the record for the fastest time to reach 1 million followers, as after joining on the 1st of March, Sheen hit an impressive 1.2 million followers in a mere 25 hours and 17 minutes. The second most popular hashtag of the year was Sheen’s infamous #tigerblood catchphrase, which was closely followed by the #Japan hashtag.

Christopher continues: “While last year was a very interesting year in terms of politics, international events and revolutions, it would appear that users are still using Twitter to follow their favourite celebrities. While this is probably one of the best ways to find out what famous people are doing, and stay on top of all the breaking gossip, it’s also a great tool for breaking news stories and other big events. Last year was a very important year for the social network, and while it has been dominated by famous names, we at QueryClick believe that in 2012 Twitter will be seen as a more reliable news source for users, and that it will will help them find out about important world events, which is a great use of this unique social network.”

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Facebook Could Soon Have a ‘Dislike’ Button

Following recent speculation in the online industry, QueryClick comment on the news that Facebook have made a few changes to their Open Graph that could let users have the much wanted, ‘Dislike Button’.

At the recent F8 conference in September, a lot of publicity surrounded the announcements of some of Facebook’s biggest changes to date, such as Facebook’s new Timeline feature. However, this was not the only change to that users could experience, as developments have led to as a change in the Open Graph has opened up a whole lot of opportunities for users to express their opinions one their friends’ posts, say QueryClick.

Christopher Liversidge, QueryClick‘s Managing Director comments: “For a very long time, Facebook users have been able to ‘like’ their Facebook friends’ posts – this means that they could show their appreciation for something that a friend had posted on Facebook by hitting a ‘like’ button. But for as long as the like button has existed, users have been asking for a ‘dislike’ button, where they can show their disapproval or simply their negative feelings towards something they’ve posted. These recent changes to Facebook’s Open Graph have actually made it more possible for users to do this, thanks to Facebook’s new ‘Gestures’ feature, which follows their popular ‘verb any noun’ feature.

The ‘verb any noun’ feature gives users the chance to create their own actions, such as saying that they have ‘watched’ a particular movie, ‘listened’ to a song or alum or even ‘read’ a specific article online. While this may seem very different from ‘like’ and even ‘dislike’, this where ‘Gestures’ comes in because it gives the developers the power to create their own actions, such as ‘challenge’ and ‘cheer’, which means that a ‘dislike’ button may not seem that far away after all, say QueryClick.

Chris continues: “The ‘Gestures’ feature could really transform Facebook for users and developers, as it could open up so many possibilities for communicating with loved ones on the site. It would seem pretty logical that if developers can create buttons for specific actions, that a ‘dislike’ button could be within reach. While Facebook have yet to confirm that the ‘dislike’ button is to be added to the site, the ‘Gestures’ feature could lead to a new and different way of sharing information online, which is just fantastic.”

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Google AdWords Express Arrives in the UK and Germany

After a long wait, Google’s latest addition to the Adwords family is now available in the UK and Germany, and could make advertising online even simpler for companies in Britain and Europe, say QueryClick.

This month it was announced that Google would be launching AdWords Express, a new service that they promise is a faster and simpler way for smaller and more specifically, local businesses to kick start and run a paid online advertising campaign. The service, which was launched in the US in Autumn last year, and was originally named Boost is a great addition to Google’s existing AdWords services, and will help inexperienced and smaller businesses gain a better online presence, say QueryClick.

Christopher Liversidge, QueryClick‘s Managing Director comments: “AdWords Express has been designed and created for businesses that don’t already use AdWords to help them become more visible online, and therefore attract more customers. Because Google is aware that using a new product like AdWords can be quite intimidating the very first time, they have specially created AdWords Express to be not only very easy to use but also very simple and quick to set up for the first time too.”

When a new user uses AdWords Express for the very first time, all they have to do is provide some very basic information, then create their ad using their own words, and their campaign will be finished and ready to go when the user is. AdWords Express will then work out what searches would trigger that ad to appear, and then the ad will only be shown to people who have been looking for the kind of products that that business has to offer. Also, the ad will be shown in Google Maps, using a blue pin, which means that users can see where a business is before they click on the website.

Christopher continues: “What’s really good about AdWords Express is that it allows people to create really specific ads, such as product specific and location specific, which means people in a certain area of the UK and Germany will be able to find you quicker and more easily. So, for instance, if a webmaster of a toy shop in Manchester signs up to AdWords Express, they will appear whenever a user searches for “toy shops in Manchester” or if they’re already in Manchester, then if they search for “toys” that ad will then appear, which means that search becomes easier for both the consumer and the webmaster.”

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New Research Reveals Gmail is Growing in Popularity

New analytics reveal that just five years after its launch Gmail for business is poised to be more popular than Microsoft Outlook, say QueryClick.

Recent research from leading analysts at Gartner, the information technology and research company has revealed that Google’s cloud-based Gmail email for business has become a ‘viable’ alternative to Microsoft’s Outlook. While Microsoft’s Outlook service has traditionally been the email provider of choice for many companies, Gmail’s growing influence within the business sector means that the gap between these two providers is getting smaller, say Queryclick.

Christopher Liversidge, QueryClick’s Managing Director says: “The research from Gartner is really very interesting because it reveals that Gmail is not only a good service for personal emails but also a well-respected email service in what is still a relatively small market. Web-hosted email services account for around 3-4% of the enterprise email market, Gmail’s overall market share currently stands at 1%, which sounds minimal, but is actually quite a large section of the existing market.”

The cloud-based email system that Gmail uses is seen to be much more secure than traditional email systems, and much easier to access remotely, ie from home, work or even on holiday than any other system that’s currently available to users. While Microsoft have recently launched their own cloud-based email, Office 365, a new version of it’s well-known Exchange email server, the gap between these two technical giants could be getting smaller, as the cloud-based technology becomes more popular, say QueryClick.

Chris continues: “While both Microsoft Outlook and Gmail are considered to be very reliable email systems for both personal and commercial use, it is predicted that email services are going to grow over the nest few years, with email services expected to make up 20% of the total market in 2016, and grow to a 55% share by December 2020. This is obviously a prediction, but it’s true that businesses are becoming more reliant on emails as a method of communication, and they will obviously need an excellent email system to help them do that. So, with so much riding on email, both Microsoft and Google are bound to be making more and more updates to their existing systems, which can only be a good thing.”

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Facebook’s Smart Lists to Improve User Experience

Facebook have decided auto-generate relevant content for users, which could help improve the overall user experience, say QueryClick.

Earlier this month, Facebook announced that it was going to improve its lists feature by introducing so-called ‘smart lists’, a new feature which auto-generates lists of updates and contents for users. The update which is already in operation was designed to group together associated pieces of information such as status updates, photographs and links into the correct list, or category, and could help make finding specific information much easier on the site, say QueryClick.

Christopher Liversidge, QueryClick’s Managing Director comments: “The new ‘Smart list’ feature was designed with user comfort in mind because it helps Facebook users in creating special categories or lists on their news feed, based on their information. For example, if a user has put down what school or University they attended, and some of their Facebook friends who went to the same school or University do too, then a Smart List for that very establishment will be created. So , if a user says that they went to Oxford University, and then their friends Bill and Ben also confirm that they studied there, then a smart list called ‘Oxford University’ will be created, with the original user, Bill and Ben all on it.”

All in all, there will be four categories that make up the auto-generated smart lists, namely: Work, School, Family and City, which means that users will be able to streamline their news feed and be able to concentrate on the people and the subjects that mean the most to them on any given day. So if a user wants to try to find an old school friend, all they have to do is go their school’s smart list and scroll through what’s there, which will save time and effort, according to QueryClick.

Chris continues: “The addition of these smart lists will really make it so much easier to find relevant information in Facebook, as everything associated with a certain place, such as a school or a place of work have been handily put together, which means that users will find what they’re searching for quite quickly, when compared to searching for it manually through the site. Users can also choose to add their Facebook friends as either a close friend or an acquaintance to filter content further, and Facebook can even suggest users to add to lists, which not only makes using the site much easier than before, but also a lot more fun.”

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Google Confirm Testing of New Search Options and Results, say QueryClick

The search engine giant is currently testing out a number of new features on the search results page that could soon change the way the site identifies the most relevant results.

After months of speculation, Google has finally confirmed that it is indeed trying out a new user interface test on their search results page. The changes, which show the left side search filters are in a scrollable filter, are just part of their move towards testing a form of infinite scroll web search, which is when users don’t have to click a button to take them to the next page, as scrolling down will load more search results instantly, which will give users more and more results for their query.

Christopher Liversidge, QueryClick’s Managing Director comments: “Google’s decision to test infinite scroll web results comes less than a year after they were forced to deny that they were doing exactly that, when a report surfaced in November 2010 that they were already working towards creating these results. While these reports were found to be based on search results caused by a Chrome extension called FasterChrome, the potential for these kinds of results obviously interested Google.”

The news that Google is experimenting with new features on their search results page shows that the search engine is keen to give the user as many results in possible, and also means that they won’t have to continually click through to other pages in order to find what they’re looking for, say QueryClick.

Chris continues: “Over the past year it’s become clear that Google has made a number of tweaks and changes to the way they display their results, in order to make them more accessible to the user. For example, in July 2010, it was revealed that they were making big changes to their image search and Image Search Ads, including larger thumbnail previews, a hover pane, a new landing page, and of course, instant scrolling. So, if these trials are successful, instant scrolling and a whole host of other features could soon be the latest additions to Google’s search results, which can only be good news for Google’s users.”

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Bing’s Streetside Feature Now Available in the UK

Following the recent announcement by Microsoft that Bing’s mapping feature, Streetside was coming to Europe, the first images of the project are beginning to appear, say QueryClick.

In April, Microsoft announced that Streetside, Bing’s visual mapping feature was going to appear in Europe in the coming months, its first images of London have already begun to appear online. The appearance of these images mark the first time that people outside of the US are able to use Streetside, and London is the first city to experience this new service, say QueryClick.

Christopher Liversidge, QueryClick’s Managing Director comments: “There was a lot of excitement earlier this year when it was revealed that the URL microsoftstreetside.co.uk has been registered, and following on from the official announcement it has emerged that the first images of London are now available online for all to see, which is great news for Bing users in the UK.”

Microsoft has previously said that it wasn’t going to be focusing on capturing every street or road in the capital, with the emphasis going on ‘urban and more heavily trafficked areas’, so not every single street in London will be available to view online. However, users can still use Streetside to view some of the busiest streets in London, and in either traditional 360 views seen in Google Streetview or as a basic panorama, which gives users a choice in how they view their maps, say QueryClick.

Chris continues: “If user want to view the images in 360, then they will have to have access to Silverlight, an alternative to Flash Player, which will enable them to see the streets in clear and high-quality image of the street in question. But if they don’t have Silverlight, then they can still view the images in what’s known as “Bing Maps Classic”, which is the official name for a panoramic image on Bing. While Bing has only been concentrating on London so far, they hope to expand their UK Streetside project to a number of other cities and towns in Britain in the future, which will give Bing users more options for when they want to use Bing’s maps.”

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Facebook Founder Calls For Lifting Of Age Restrictions, A Smart Move Says SEO Company Queryclick.com

Following news that Mark Zuckerberg thinks children 13 years and younger should be allowed access to social networks, SEO experts Queryclick.com suggest he’s taking a logical stance.

Star of the social networking field Facebook has been at the centre of controversy recently, thanks to the suggestion from the CEO that age restrictions should be removed.

Founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, has said he believes children ages 13 and younger should be allowed to access the social networking site for the benefit of their education.

Speaking during the New Schools Venture Fund’s Summit in California, Zuckerberg said he expected education to become more social in the future, in the same way already seen in health, retail and finance sectors.

At the summit, which explored innovation in education, the Facebook founder explained he was passionate about education reform. Zuckerberg was relaxed as he spoke about the subject with interviewer, and venture capitalist, John Doerr.

He claimed that letting younger children interact with social sites could prove beneficial for them in the long term. SEO experts Queryclick.com said the young star of the social scene has a valid point, although he may find it difficult to win over his dissenters. “Social media has really exploded in the last few years, making it obvious to any doubters that the medium is here to stay,” said a spokesperson.

“Many young children are already very savvy when it comes to social networking, but many retain massive security concerns, which were born in an earlier era of the internet.”

As it currently stands, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) mandates that websites that collect information about users (like Facebook does) aren’t allowed to sign on anyone under the age of 13.

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SEO Experts QueryClick Welcome Launch of Google’s New Online Magazine Think Quarterly

In a word dominated by constant algorithm updates and product launches, Google’s release of this polished, beautifully crafted, and highly informative magazine (or book as it is referred to by the search engine giant) offers a more reflective and in-depth look at the wider issues surrounding online business.

As Matt Brittin, Managing Director of Google’s UK and Ireland Operations, insists, Think Quarterly is:

“a breathing space in a busy world. It’s a place to take time out and consider what’s happening and why it matters.”

For UK SEO company QueryClick.com, the online magazine is a very welcome addition to the industry. A QueryClick spokesperson commented on the benefits of the publication:

“Although the vast majority of businesses are highly aware of the importance of online marketing, and SEM in particular, there remains a degree of inhibition regarding the ins and outs of search engines and the extent of the importance of active engagement with search engine optimisation.

“Think Quarterly will hopefully serve to demystify some of the more inaccessible tenets of search engine operations by reaching out to businesses on a more accessible level.

“By attracting a broad spectrum of business minded individuals hoping to gain a better understanding of online culture, the significance of SEM will hopefully permeate (whether directly or indirectly) through the pages of the magazine.”

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UK SEO Company QueryClick Ltd Analyse The Updated Version of Google Analytics

Four days ago, Google announced that a new version of Google Analytics would be rolled out to all GA users. For UK SEO company QueryClick.com, the new and improved feature means an enhanced ability to analyse data and report their findings back to clients.

The announcement came at the Google Analytics User Conference in San Francisco last Thursday. Though the new version will not be immediately available to users, a closed beta version has been offered out to willing test participants, eager to get a first look at any changes and improvements.

Many of the refinements which have been implemented were the result of feedback from frequent GA users, something which has been backed by the SEO experts at QueryClick.com:

“By assessing the actual user experience, and acting upon feedback provided by those who rely on Google Analytics on a daily basis, Google has demonstrated its ambition to create a truly user-friendly experience.”

Some of the major refurbishments include the ability to view various advanced segments without the need to compare against ‘All Visits’, as well as the option to customize an account dashboard. The latter provides users with a greater level of control over the hierarchy of their data, as well as allowing for enhanced visual customization; you can view data in whichever format (pie chart, timeline, table etc…) you prefer.

Much of the renovation has been focused on the look and feel of the user interface, with significant alterations being made to the overall design, as well as to the report nomenclature. What was previously categorised as Goals will now be labelled as Conversions, while Network Properties and browser capabilities will now fall under the umbrella of Technology.

For QueryClick.com, the allowance for multiple dashboards per client is one of the more attractive new features. A spokesperson said:

“This allows for a far more comprehensive set of account highlights, offering users the ability to access the key points of different aspects of any campaign with far greater ease.

“For example, those who track the social media performance of a site, or have a particular interest in specific site activity, can collate all the basic info they need in an easy to reach location.”

The latest development has come following the recent integration of Google Analytics with Google Webmaster Tools. Though the integration was not deeply rooted – users can now access a client’s referral traffic report from the GWT links section – it provides a preview of things to come.

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Closure of MyBlogLog Indicative of The Stifling Effects of The Yahoo Brand According To SEO Experts QueryClick.com

It comes as no surprise that the MyBlogLog service will be closing this year, following the leaked statement in December 2010 concerning the closure of a stream of services including Delicious, Yahoo Buzz and Yahoo Picks. The leaked screenshot surfaced when it was posted to Twitter by former Yahoo employee and founder of MyBlogLog, Eric Marcoullier.

MyBlogLog was acquired by Yahoo little over 3 years ago for a sum of $10 million. Its purpose was the creation of widgets which site owners could insert in order to track fellow MyBlogLog members who read their blogs. Similar to the idea behind the display of “like” widgets by external websites.

The service is to be officially shut down on the 24th May this year, with any unused subscription portions due to be refunded back to premium service users.

UK SEO company QueryClick.com commented on the familiarity of the ill-fated acquisition:

“The demise of MyBlogLog is the latest in a series of failed acquisitions by the company. Such an anti-climactic relationship has become a miserable familiarity where Yahoo is involved, with many citing the persistent failure to follow up on initial hopes and promises as the major flaw of both sides.”

Several examples can be cited, such as the largely forgotten acquisition of ‘Upcoming’ (a site providing a local and national listing of events) in 2005 and the deal between Yahoo and Flickr dating back to the same year. The latter promised much, but has since withered into the background for anyone except photo enthusiasts, with Facebook consuming up more and more of the photo sharing market. Upcoming on the other hand, was one of the Yahoo services earmarked for mergers or consolidation in the leaked screenshot of December 2010.

The cuts being made are in accordance with the overall plan to reduce costs within Yahoo, who had also made the decision to layoff hundreds of staff at the end of last year.

The demise of so many of Yahoo’s acquisitions can be categorised under one main defect, largely the neglect of the acquired company following the initial phase of thrill and ambition for the future. A spokesperson for SEO experts QueryClick.com pin-pointed the common factor between the doomed Yahoo acquisitions:

“For so many of those start-ups taken on by Yahoo, a primary sense of optimism was soon stifled by an excess of bureaucracy and an inability to agree and get to work on new products or innovations.”

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Bing’s Integration of Facebook ‘Likes’ Is The Next Phase In Social Search, Claims SEO Experts QueryClick

True to form, the world of social media shows little sign of slowing down in terms of infiltrating every aspect of our lives; search engines being no exception.

While Google laid bare plans to include relevant content from social media sources such as YouTube, Flickr and Twitter, Microsoft’s own search engine – Bing – has been preparing its move into the realm of social search with a much touted tie with Facebook.

Now Facebook “liked results” will become integrated with everyday Bing searches which Bing’s development team described as “part of a longer journey” into an improved cohesion between search and the social sphere.

Commenting on Bing’s inclusion of Facebook ‘liked results’, a spokesperson for Edinburgh-based SEO experts QueryClick said:

“QueryClick are not surprised to see Bing announce a tie with Facebook in a bid to keep shoulder to shoulder with Google following the launch of the latter’s real time, social media search results some 18 months ago.

“The ability to ‘like’ search results and see those that your friends have ‘liked’ is another step closer to a much more personalised search experience that pulls in the activities and opinions of an individual’s social circle.

“It’s also highly likely that personalised search will lead to a much greater emphasis on personalised advertising which has already been seen on Facebook.”

The introduction of the ‘Bing Bar’ – a simple tool bar function – will also serve to blur the line between search engine and social media platform even further.

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Google’s Decision To Include Social Media Updates In SERPs Is The Latest Move Towards A Greater Emphasis On The Social Sphere, Says Search Engine Optimisation Experts QueryClick

In true Google style, barely a month goes by without the search giant making a tweak here or a change there to its algorithm.

While some changes are kept under lock and key to prevent spammers and unethical SEO practices degrading the quality of search results, other tweaks are allowed to create something of a stir.

Google’s most recent announcement regarding its inclusion of social media results in SERPs was one such change that – quite appropriately – caused sites like Twitter to get all in a flutter.

Working by aggregating content from social networking sites such as YouTube, Twitter and MySpace, the move is yet another step towards a bold blend of search and social; all under one roof.

Commenting on Google’s decision to make its search results richer in social media-related content, a spokesperson for SEO experts QueryClick said:

“QueryClick’s SEO predictions for 2011 contained a big focus on the move to mobile search as well as a greater emphasis on social media so it’s not surprising that Google have taken the step to introduce more social media-specific content in their SERPs.

“In terms of the benefits of this change for search engine optimisation, there’s now improved opportunities for sites which are under performing or in highly competitive verticals, jumping onto the first page – albeit temporarily – if their social media output relates to search terms.”

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Wikipedia Is The Site To Beat According To SEO Experts QueryClick.com

Wikipedia (WIK-i-PEE-dee-ə) is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 17 million articles (over 3.5 million in English) have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world, and almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site. Wikipedia was launched in 2001 by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger and has become the largest and most popular general reference work on the Internet, ranking eighth among all websites on Alexa and having 365 million readers.”

Based on the wisdom of crowds, nothing summarises a concept better than Wikipedia. The reference site has came a long way in its ten years in existence. From a heavily criticised agglomeration of unreliable information, and the bane of the teaching profession, to the most widely used point of reference on the internet.

Its credibility derives largely from the very aspect of its being which was the cause of such negativity in the early days; the indiscriminate access to the article editing process. By not only affording everyone the chance to modify, update and add to existing articles, but to encourage this strategy, the site attracted many sceptics.

However, following some extensive Wiki-vandalism, in which users would deliberately and cynically alter information, it seems that the joke has worn off. Prevailing attitudes have demonstrated the overwhelming success of the open approach to knowledge sharing, in which it has been proven that those who actively edit and submit articles are the people who care enough about a particular subject to do so.

According to SEO company QueryClick.com, such an approach has unquestionably paid off, a fact powerfully demonstrated by the strength of Wikipedia’s performance with search engines. A spokesperson from QueryClick said:

“From personal experience, we are all aware of the unrivalled visibility of the online encyclopedia in search engine results pages. It is often we find that all that stands between our clients and the top spot is a Wikipedia entry on that particular subject.”

Speaking of a venture which has paid off, the relative success of Wikipedia seems all the more impressive given its non-commercial status. It is entirely free to use, and is funded by the Wikipedia Foundation which in turn relies on public contributions and grants.

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SEO Experts QueryClick Welcome The Rise In Professional Usage of Social Media

The consistent growth of social media interaction throughout society has been a central topic of technological discourse over the past few years. The more recent uptake of the platform as a base from which to broaden business, as well as social connectivity, has become the latest development in the evolution of the social media phenomenon.

A study published by Trendstream on Tuesday demonstrates the progressive adoption of social media by businesses as a key tool in their inventory, equipping them more effectively and further enabling them to better communicate their message. The research, as part of the wider Global Web Index project, purports to illustrate the evolutionary shift in social networking over the past 18 months.

It is now believed that approximately 60% of Fortune 500 companies have created a Twitter account; almost double of the figure for the previous year. At the consumer end, research by ExactTarget stated that 40% of a survey had expressed their approval of a company or brand via Facebook in order to receive promotions and discounts.

QueryClick.com spokesperson commented on the positive findings of the report:

“From the research carried out it is clear that the growing trend for B2C interaction via sites such as Facebook and Twitter has been bolstered at both ends by the behavioural modifications which have taken place.”

According to the findings of Trendstream, the advertising and marketing industry are leading the way in their involvement in real-time social media activity. Behind them – and by some distance – comes IT, retail, healthcare and the financial services, all of whom have embraced the business potential offered by social media activity.

Whilst the participation of the study respondents in real-time social networking and microblogging increased by some 20% over the time-scale, contribution and engagement with blogging and other static online dialogues decreased significantly. Blog writing has fallen by 4%, while forum contribution has undergone an 11% decrease.

The move away from the creation platforms (blogs and forums) to real-time networks mirrors the move into the world of immediate updates and constant communication by professional individuals and firms. One insightful statistic provided by the Trendstream report sheds further light on the connection between these factors: that the increase in links to company news stories was bettered only by the rise in the upload and browsing of personal photos.

Via EPR Network
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Bing Making Friends With Facebook Is A Wise Choice For Microsoft’s Search Engine Claims Edinburgh SEO Company Queryclick.com

Microsoft’s bid at the search engine market has been slowly chipping away at Google’s stupendous lead, but Bing still has a long way to go before it could have any dreams of clinching the top spot.

However, a massive upgrade to the decision engine could see Bing with a new selection of offerings that will draw young, savvy searchers its way. One of the biggest changes are the way the engine will return some searches with less of a traditional results page and more an interactive app that allows searchers to quickly modify the results. The other is the inclusion of a social search feature.

By teaming up with Facebook, Bing will look through recommendations made by your friends in the aim of returning more relevant and personalised results to your searches.

A spokesperson for SEO company Queryclick.com said this was a good choice for the company, and one that could pay off for it in the future. “When you look back at the way the social market has grown in the last few years, it’s clear to see that more and more people are turning to the internet as a way to interact with friends as well as a way to find information.

“By combining search results with a social aspect, Bing could prove attractive to web users who spend the majority of their time on Facebook – and there are plenty of those out there.”

The new feature is the result of a deal between the decision engine and the leading social networking site. Providing users have recently logged into their Facebook account, Bing will automatically recognise their account and search through all of the content associated friends have chosen to click a ‘Like’ button for.

The brand power of Facebook could be a huge asset to the decision engine and the partnership could also see Bing able to offer something new to the search market. While Google has also attempted to tap into the social networking market, its success has been nowhere near that of Facebook, and by partnering with the biggest social networking site of the time Bing may have the power to shake the foundations of Google’s prime position.

Via EPR Network
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Google Plans Education Software For App Shop

SEO experts Queryclick.com thinks Google is on the right track with plans to sell education software through its app store.

Always a company keen to look ahead for potential expansion, it’s been revealed that Google is planning to sell education software through its app store.

The industry for online learning products in the USA has been predicted to reach a value of as much as $5 billion in coming years, and recent reports that Google has been talking to educational software companies suggest the search king is eyeing a slice of the educational-pie.

Google App Marketplace already has games and instruction tools for teachers but the online powerhouse is said to be in the process of luring new developers onboard, to help it broaden its offerings. This would allow outside developers to market their products to educational establishments and would be a new venture for the search engine, which already works with schools by providing teachers and students with free software.

Google is wise to continue looking for ways to remain relevant, said a spokesperson for SEO company Queryclick.com. “Google didn’t get where it is today by sitting back and letting new innovations roll over it. Time and time again we’ve seen the search giant snap up start ups or established players in markets that are set to heat up.

“What’s more, apps are where it’s at right now, largely thanks to Apple and the original iTunes model, so it seems sensible for Google to find ways to offer unique content and applications to users.”

If Google’s foray into educational apps is successful, it could provide the company with a substantial new revenue stream, but could also prove invaluable when it comes to netting new customers for the company. By giving Google products prominence at an education level, the Mountain View giants could build brand recognition at an early age and ensure it remains relevant for the next generation of internet users.

Speaking of the initiative, Google’s business development manager for education, Obadiah Greenberg, said: “If we can provide access to education apps to our 10 million users in thousands of schools, then that would be a win all around.”

Queryclick agreed with the view that Google could be making a tactical brand movement as well as a revenue driven one, explaining: “For Google, brand is incredibly important and, despite hanging on to the title as the biggest search engine, it can’t afford to sit back. Recent news that Facebook has overtaken the search giant as the most popular site for American users is sure to have the company searching for new opportunities, and the educational business could be the perfect opening.

Via EPR Network
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Search Engine Optimisation Experts QueryClick Welcome The Intellectualism of Google Search

Google has long dominated the search culture in society, providing solutions to all manner of queries. Whether you need directions, a plumber or a birthday present, for many the first stop is Google. It has entered into the social lexicon as a synonymous term for search itself; to “Google” something is to find the answer to your question.

The search engine giant has taken a step further into our lives recently with the development of their ‘Culturomics’ tool. This searchable database of over 5m digitised texts allows Google to compare and analyse the significance of certain words, phrases and concepts within the context of culture, dependant upon their relative proliferation throughout the literature.

The tool represents a new dimension in search, providing insightful information on society in addition to simply presenting users with suggested solutions to arbitrary questions. Of course, Google has always utilised various algorithms in their quest to organize SERPs into an order based on relevance, however, the latest undertaking offers the means to engage with that order in a more analytical and in-depth manner.

QueryClick spokesperson commented on the new approach to cultural research:

“The computational analysis of cultural trends is not a new phenomenon, but the Culturomics tool represents the most comprehensive and widely available instance of such an approach to sociological study. Using the tool, research into linguistic development as well as cultural shifts can be studied with ease.”

For instance, a quick comparison of the proliferation of Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra over time shows that the latter was theoretically the most popular/famous/written about of the two until the late 1980s. After this point Elvis took over and has remained more culturally significant since.

In addition to the culture comparison tool, Google has also developed the Reading Level function, available within the Advanced Search options. The process allows users to set their reading level to either basic, intermediate or advanced depending on the complexity of results they seek. This filter then separates the wheat from the chaff so to speak, and purports to offer a more relevant group of results based on the user’s reading level.

The results can sometimes cause concern with regards to their implications however. For example, a search for ‘biology’ on the advanced level returns the wikipedia page for the term, whilst the basic results allocate top spot to a video of the Girls Aloud song entitled ‘Biology’. From this it seems that if you don’t like complex biology, you must either be a girl, prefer pop music, or both.

Via EPR Network
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