Weekly SEO news: 10 February 2009
Welcome to the latest issue of the Search Engine Facts newsletter.

This week, we're taking a look at three tips that will help you to compete with established websites on Google.

In the news: Google releases the results of an eye-tracking study, Google experiments with the search result pages, a study shows the importance of being listed in search engines and more.

Table of contents:

We hope that you enjoy this newsletter and that it helps you to get more out of your website. Please pass this newsletter on to your friends.

Best regards,
Andre Voget, Johannes Selbach, Axandra CEO
1. Three tips to compete with established websites on Google

Old websites have a big advantage over new websites. Websites that were around several years ago had far fewer competitors and it was much easier for them to get high rankings in that environment.

As these websites have been around for a long time, search engines trust them more and they had a lot of time to get inbound links. If you have a new website, it will be difficult to compete with these established sites.

Ranking progress on Google

It is possible to compete with the big players if you have a new website. Here are three tips that will help you to compete with established websites:

Tip 1: Use less popular versions of your target keywords

It's nearly impossible to get high rankings for competitive keywords. Of course, these keywords should be included on your web pages but you should also optimize your web pages for less popular keywords that are not targeted by your competitors.

If your competitors target the keyword "pizza new york" then you might optimize one of your pages for "pizza newyork". Even if your version of the keyword gets only a fraction of the original keyword, you will still get more visitors than before.

It is much better to rank #1 for a slightly less popular keyword (you will get some visitors) than to rank #60 for a very popular keyword (you will get no visitors).

Tip 2: Optimize your web pages for as many keyword variations as possible

Repeat tip 1 with as many keywords as possible. For example, you might use "best pizza in new york", "recommended pizza restaurant new york", etc. Even if each keyword delivers only some visitors, you will get many visitors with all keywords combined.

Another advantage of getting high rankings for many of these long keywords is that your website becomes relevant to a topic. The more high rankings your website has for keywords that are relevant to a topic, the easier it gets to get high rankings for more competitive keywords.

Optimize different pages of your website for different keywords and optimize as many web pages as possible. People who search for long keywords are usually people who really care about the subject. These people are more likely to buy something and they might also link to your site.

Tip 3: Create web pages just for getting links

Some web pages on your website should generate revenue, others should help you to get inbound links. The more inbound links your website has, the easier it is to get high rankings.

Create web pages that solve the problems of the web searchers. Write "how to" articles about a very special topic. These web pages often get many inbound links. Of course, you should also actively build inbound links.

Getting high rankings for a new website is not difficult if you choose the right way. Do not attack the big players directly. Start with many related keywords and then proceed to the more competitive keywords.

Focus on both optimizing your web pages and getting good inbound links. Your website must have good optimized content and good inbound links if you want to get high rankings on Google.

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2. Facts of the week

Eye trackingGoogle publishes some results of their eye-tracking studies

"Based on eye-tracking studies, we know that people tend to scan the search results in order. They start from the first result and continue down the list until they find a result they consider helpful and click it — or until they decide to refine their query."



Google tests a new interface for Google Suggest

"[Google runs] an experiment that simplifies the interface for Google Suggest and adds Google's search buttons below the list of suggestions. [...] This is not the only experiment for Google Suggest: other changes include the direct access to the top result for navigational queries, direct answers and suggestions from your search history."



Google tests a new branded local one box in the search results

"[Google tests] a new Universal Local Search Result; the Branded Local One Box. The new Universal Result appears to only show in Firefox, for regional brand related searches. It requires that the searcher is in the same general area as the business."



StudyOn-line retailers winning Internet search battle

"The results show that on-line retailers have a very strong presence, representing well over 30% of the listings shown [...] With consumers' search activity growing to more than 10 billion searches each month and Forrester Research reporting that 24% of all off-line purchases are influenced by the Internet, the importance of a strong search presence is clear."



 Critics: new Google app gives abusers too much latitude

"As it stands right now, Latitude could be a gift to stalkers, prying employers, jealous partners and obsessive friends. [...] For instance, the group said, a phone left in a repair shop could be secretly enabled. Or someone could give another a Latitude-enabled phone as a gift."



Search engine newslets

  • AdSense testing larger font in ad units.
  • MSN/Live Search adds a fourth ad to the top of the search results.
  • Pay per post: Google uses every trick to beat Yahoo in Japan.
  • Google accused of invisibly deleting blog posts on the RIAA's say-so.
  • Is Google the next victim of creative destruction?
  • There's still room for Google killers, study says.

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3. Success stories

"My site rocketed to the first page on Google."

"In 2 weeks, with the help of IBP my site rocketed from no rankings to the first page of Google for one of our main keywords - 33,000 searches per month and 12 million competing sites!"
Steven Arsenault, eDateTravel.com



"Within a month I went from page ten to page one on Google."

"I started using IBP last year. I was skeptical about how it could guarantee top 10 rankings on Google but gave it a try anyway.

Within a month I went from page ten to page one on Google. I have since used it to fully optimise my site and I am seeing a good increase in rankings and traffic!"
John Scotland, www.roomsininverness.co.uk



Do you want to have top 10 rankings on Google?

High rankings on Google mean more website visitors, more customers and more sales. Watch the video for further information:


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160,000 readers will see YOUR website

Let us know how IBP has helped you to improve your website and we might publish your success story with a link to your website in this newsletter. The more detailed your story is, the better.

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