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Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Monday, December 3, 2012
An Introduction to SEO | Webdesigntuts+
SEO is hot. Thanks to fierce competition between websites it?s become more important than ever for online success. But what exactly is SEO? Which approaches are recommended and which tactics should be avoided? In the following weeks we?ll find an answer to these questions. Today we start this Tuts+ Session with an introduction to SEO.
What is SEO?
SEO is an acronym for Search Engine Optimization. It describes a series of techniques which improve the visibility of a website in search engine result pages. The goal of such optimization is to rank as highly as possible for a certain search query. Naturally, this is easier said than done?
Optimization techniques can be divided into two categories:
Techniques that search engines recommend as part of good design are called white-hat SEO. They are considered safe and produce long term results.
Black-hat SEO on the other hand, uses techniques that are disapproved of by the search engines. Websites that employ these techniques can suffer a ranking penalty; worst case scenario being complete removal from the index. For some examples of black-hat SEO, take a look at DesignHammer?s 17 Black Hat SEO Techniques to Avoid.
When we talk about SEO we usually refer to Google as a search engine. After all, Google has a market share of 91%, making it the most important search engine. But the techniques we?ll be discussing are just applicable for Bing and Yahoo as well.
SEO Glossary
In the following articles we?ll be using certain SEO-related keywords. Knowing the meaning behind these terms can be useful for newcomers. Below you?ll find an alphabetical list of terms we?ll be frequently using.
- CMS: Content management system, for example WordPress or Drupal.
- CTR: Click-through rate, the percentage of users that click on a link.
- GYM: Google, Yahoo and Microsoft, owners of the biggest three search engines.
- Link juice: Link quality that is transferred between sites/pages.
- Long tail: More specific keywords, e.g. ?navigation bar photoshop tutorial?
- META tags: Code in the head-section of a website that is used on search engine result pages.
- Organic traffic: Traffic that comes from search engines.
- PR: PageRank, a measure for the link popularity of a website.
- SEO: Search engine optimization. Techniques that are used to make your website rank more highly.
- SERP: Search engine results page. The page with the most relevant web pages for your query.
- Spider: A bot that is used by search engines to crawl and index websites.
- Stuffing: Using the same keyword too often on the same page.
- UGC: User generated content, a great way to add unique content to a page.
Why is SEO Important?
SEO is all about ranking. But why is this position so important for websites?
In late spring of 2011 Slingshot SEO conducted a study about the CTR of search results. They compared the position of a website in the SERP to the respective click-through rate. This is the outcome of their research:
The result is clear: higher ranking = higher CTR. For companies who make most of their money online, such as web shops, this can be a matter of life and death. Thanks to SEO these companies can improve their organic traffic (and income) significantly.
Good SEO is not something you do without a game plan. A good place to start our SEO efforts is learning how search engines work. This information can give us some ideas on which tactics work and which are useless.
How Search Engines Work
The internet is incredibly large; there are (currently) approximately 50 billion indexed web pages and without search engines it would be impossible to find useful information in this clutter. It would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Search engines bring order to this chaos. By building an index they can show you the most relevant web pages for your search query. But this index changes frequently. New websites are added daily, web pages are redesigned, new files are uploaded, etc. Because the internet is a dynamic entity, search engines need a tool to help the index stay up to date.
That?s where crawlers come into play. These automated robots scrape web pages for information; they index links, images, videos and other files.
Here?s how a search engine uses crawlers to create search engine result pages:
- Discovery: The crawler finds your website, either via a link from another website or via the Add URL page. Currently, Google only follows href and src links.
- Indexing: The web pages are processed and indexed. Note that not all content types can be indexed (e.g. some rich media types or dynamic pages).
- Results: When you enter a query, search engines analyze their index and show you the most relevant web pages.
In order to show you the most relevant results from their index, search engines need to use a ranking system. There are several factors that are taken into consideration and understanding these factors is essential for your SEO success.
Search Engine Ranking Factors
Relevancy is determined by over 200 factors. It?s impossible to discuss them all, partially because it would take too much time, but mostly because we don?t know all of them. However, research has identified several elements that are important:
Links
When we talk about links, we talk about PageRank; the link analysis algorithm used by Google. It was made by Larry Page (hence the name PageRank) and Sergei Brin, the company?s founders.
This algorithm takes quantities of links into account ? every link to a website is seen as a vote for that website. The more links you get, the higher you will rank.
One thing you should keep in mind is that this is not a democratic system. Not every link has the same weight. Links from authoritative websites have more influence than links from less popular websites.
Keywords
The keyword distribution on your page is also important. Google checks how often the search query can be found on your page. If it appears in your domain, url, title, header tags, content? the page will be considered more relevant.
Site Age
Old is gold. Google considers older websites to be more authoritative than new websites.
Freshness
Frequently updating your website is a good idea. Add new pages or update old ones. Fresh pages are a sign that the website is not dead.
Other Factors
As I?ve said before: it?s impossible to discuss all the ranking factors. There are others, such as site speed, AuthorRank, site structure? but these are some of the most important.
If you want to know more about search engine ranking factors, I suggest you read Search Engine Ranking on SEOmoz.
Algorithm Updates
Do the words Google Panda and Google Penguin mean anything to you? No??
Over the years there have been several algorithm updates. These updates are meant to increase the quality of search results. Two recent updates with a big impact were the Panda and Penguin update. The Panda update went into effect in February 2011. It affected almost 12 percent of all search results. The Penguin update was announced in April 2012 and affected approximately 3.1% of search queries.
This means that a sudden drop in traffic (an unusual, long-term drop that doesn?t correct itself), might be caused by a change in the ranking algorithm. Check the date in your analytics program and cross reference it with this overview of algorithm updates. Find out what might have caused the problem and adjust your web pages accordingly.
With these updates negative SEO saw the light of day. Negative SEO occurs when a competitor?s site is targeted by a huge amount of low quality links. If the amount of these low-quality links is high enough, Google might penalize the website. For more information about negative SEO, check out this infographic on TastyPlacement (Google recently released a tool to counter these practices, but more on that later).
What About Mobile SEO?
Mobile SEO is logically becoming increasingly important as the market of smartphones and tablets continues along its upward trajectory. Did you know that in 2011 more smartphones were sold than PCs (488 million vs 415 million respectively)? Optimizing your website for mobile devices has become a must.
Up until a year or two, we saw a lot of mobile subdomains, for example m.company.com. These subdomains hosted a website that was specifically designed for mobile devices. As a result, it was completely detached from the original site (often with less content).
Thankfully there?s a more labor-efficient way to show your content to mobile users: responsive design. A responsive design adapts itself to the current screen size by using CSS3 media queries. This means that you only need to develop one site instead of two.
Responsive design is recommended by Google(!) because of the following benefits:
- A single URL is easier for users to interact with.
- A single URL helps Google?s algorithm assign the indexing properties for the content.
- Reduced loading times because no redirection is needed.
- Responsive pages can be crawled by any Googlebot, improving crawling efficiency.
One thing you should keep in mind is that searches on mobile devices are usually shorter than on desktops. If your content is targeting mobile users, optimize for these shorter search queries.
What?s Next?
Now that you have a little background information about search engine optimization, we can take a look at some of the things we?ll be discussing during the following weeks. The posts can be divided into 3 categories:
- Site-wide SEO: Techniques that are used site-wide and have an effect on all pages.
- On-page SEO: SEO tactics that can be used on an individual page.
- Off-site SEO: Tactics that are beyond our website.
Hope to see you again soon!
Source: http://webdesign.tutsplus.com/articles/general/seo-basics-introduction/
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
10-year-old girl's laptop confiscated after copyright offense
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If you're confused over a recent email from Facebook regarding its data use policy, you're not alone.? The email ? with the subject line "Up... Read more
13 hrs.
Police in Helsinki?seized?the laptop of a young girl during a search of her family's home last week, according to her father.?The alleged?offense? Using the?popular BitTorrent website The Pirate Bay to download a single album.
Last year, 9-year-old Julietta?came across a torrent on The Pirate Bay after searching on Google?for Finnish pop star Chisu's latest album. The download failed to work, and she and her father went and bought the album together shortly afterwards.?Unbeknownst to them,?Finland's Copyright Information and?Anti-Piracy Centre (known as CIAPC, as well as its Finnish acronym, TTVK) had already?taken notice.
The events are related by the girl's father,?Aki Wequ Nylund,?in?a public?Facebook post. (Though Google Translate's Finnish is not very good, an account of the translated?story?was posted at copyright and BitTorrent news blog?TorrentFreak.)
This spring, a letter arrived from the TTVK?alleging that the Nylund's account had been linked to a copyright infringement. The letter gave the option to pay a settlement of ?600 and sign a non-disclosure agreement ? a common tactic used by copyright holders that removes the need for formal charges.
Nylund contacted the?TTVK?lawyer to contest the matter, but?the TTVK continued its pursuit of damages. Last Tuesday morning, he found a pair of Finnish police officers standing at his doorstep.
The police presented a search?warrant, entered, and identified the now 10-year-old?girl's Winnie?the?Pooh-decorated laptop as the object of their search, and confiscated it.
Unsurprisingly, the events have drawn criticism locally and abroad. Finnish Internet rights watchdog Electronic Frontier Finland denounced the actions of the TTVK in a statement and blog post, calling attention to the arbitrary nature of the settlements and their use?as a scare tactic. They also point out that?Nylund's acknowledgment?in this case notwithstanding, an IP address used to track an infringement cannot be linked to a person's identity.
The TTVK's executive director defended the actions in comments to Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, saying that TTVK and the police were only working to enforce the law.?
Chisu, the pop star whose album was at the center of the controversy, expressed in a Facebook post that she supported copyright law but apologized for the situation.
Niko?Nordstr?m, CEO of Warner Music Finland, acknowledged (also via Chisu's Facebook page)?the limits of IP-based enforcement, but said?"this procedure is currently the only way to tackle illegal downloading" (translation by Google).
Had the TTVK known that the infringing party in this situation was a young?girl, might they?have taken a softer approach? In past cases,?U.S. media associations have not?made accommodations for minors, either.
As for Julietta's lost laptop, an anonymous benefactor sent a brand-new MacBook Pro to replace it. Her father reports that she is already putting it to use, playing online with her friends. An administrator at The Pirate Bay promised VIP privileges to her as well if she wants them?? ?although after this experience, it would be understandable if she opted not to take advantage of the offer.
Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBC?News Digital. His personal website is?coldewey.cc.
Military OneSource connects troops, families to resources
Military OneSource connects troops, families to resources
Posted 11/27/2012
by Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service
11/27/2012?-?WASHINGTON (AFPS)?--?As the Information Age continues to shape modern communication, the Defense Department has revitalized and consolidated the Military OneSource website to better serve military members and their families, a Pentagon official said in a recent interview.
Zona Lewis, military community outreach online and resource operations manager, told the Pentagon Channel and American Forces Press Service that the Military OneSource overhaul incorporates new functionalities, enhanced social media platforms and multiple access methods.
"We took this opportunity to look at industry best practices, to look at social media capabilities and to investigate making a mobile platform," Lewis said. "People are accessing information on their phones and iPads today. They're not waiting until they get home or back to the office to get that information on a computer."
The revamping, Lewis said, comes at the behest of President Barack Obama, who sought an overall reduction of government websites, prompting DOD officials to have Military OneSource absorb MilitaryHomefront.
"We looked for commonalities to merge the sites," Lewis explained. "Though MilitaryHomefront had a service and family member component, it was ... geared toward leadership and service providers [seeking] family programs, policy and reports."
Officials therefore transferred the leadership and service provider information from soon-to-be retired MilitaryHomefront to the Military OneSource umbrella, Lewis said.
"We ... met the expectations we had for the site. We wanted the content to be easy to find, [with] the website easy to use," Lewis said, adding that user-driven content enables more customizable information.
"You can see what other people are looking for and see if they're [seeking] the same thing," Lewis said, adding the social media aspect of the site enables users to "retweet," "like" and share mobile- and tablet-friendly information through personal networks.
Lewis noted the particular usefulness of the locator and directory widgets, which enable users to type in their installation and instantly connect to local resources and relocation assistance.
Military OneSource also provides round-the-clock consultants available worldwide to assist with family life topics ranging from moving to nonmedical counseling referral, including anger management and communication skills.
"Military OneSource offers 12 nonmedical counseling sessions per issue per person in your family at no cost," Lewis said.
"[This] is your quality of life program so call, click and connect. We're there for you."
Monday, November 26, 2012
Falcons overcome mistakes to beat Buccaneers 24-23
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? No one has led more late game-winning drives during the past five seasons than Matt Ryan, and the Atlanta Falcons quarterback did it again with his fifth one this season.
Matty Ice threw for 353 yards and overcame two critical turnovers to stop Tampa Bay's four-game winning streak with a 24-23 victory on Sunday.
The Falcons (10-1) are tied with the Houston Texans for the NFL's best record, and Ryan had plenty of help in withstanding a challenge from the up-and-coming Buccaneers (6-5).
"They are playing with a lot of confidence," said Ryan, who has won seven of his past eight starts against the Bucs. "It's always been a tough place for us to come play. They play with great effort, and I think they have a good football team."
Ryan teamed with Julio Jones on an 80-yard TD midway through the third quarter, but the Falcons found themselves trailing 23-17 after the Bucs marched for a touchdown, then used a sack-fumble to set up a field goal that left Atlanta needing another strong finish from their quarterback.
Ryan obliged by a leading a six-play, 64-yard march that Michael Turner finished with a 3-yard TD run that put the NFC South leaders ahead for good with 7:55 remaining.
Connor Barth missed a 56-yard goal for Tampa Bay (6-5) in the closing minutes, and the winning streak that's helped the Bucs climb back into playoff contention following a slow start ended when Josh Freeman's desperation pass fell incomplete in the end zone on the final play.
"The last drive, that's something we've done before this season," Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez said. "I really think that's a positive for us to be able to come up with plays like that when we have to like that. ... I'm really happy with the way we responded."
It's getting to be a way of life. Ryan has also led late marches to beat Carolina, Washington, Oakland and Arizona this season and has put together 21 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime since entering the league in 2008 ? four of them against the division rival Bucs.
The Falcons won't have long to celebrate this one. The host the New Orleans Saints Thursday night in a rematch of the only game they've lost.
"Ten-and-1 is great, but I'll tell you what I've said since the beginning of the season: We're just jockeying for position," Gonzalez said. "We just want to put ourselves in the best position, playing the best football. Right around this time is when you want to start gelling as a team and take it on into the playoffs because that's the most important thing."
The win stopped the Bucs, who've won five or seven following a 1-3 start, from tightening the NFC South standings. Turner also scored a fourth-quarter TD that helped the Falcons overcome six turnovers to beat Arizona 23-19 last week.
Doug Martin scored on a pair of 1-yard run for the Bucs, however the rookie who began the day leading the NFL in total yards from scrimmage was limited to 50 yards rushing on 21 carries.
Barth kicked field goals of 22, 42, and 48 yards, the latter giving the Bucs their six-point lead after cornerback E.J. Biggers sacked Ryan to force a fumble. Ryan threw a second-quarter interception ? his sixth pick in two weeks ? that led Barth's field goal that made it 10-10 at the half.
Ryan completed 26 of 32 passes, including four straight on the drive that Turner finished with his TD run. Jacquizz Rodgers had a 5-yard TD run in the first quarter, and Jones finished with six receptions for 147 yards despite playing on a sore right ankle that limited him in practice.
Ryan started the game with 10 straight completions before Ronde Barber's interception and 28-yard return to the Atlanta 31 led to Barth's first field goal.
The Falcons drove to the Tampa Bay 4 in the closing seconds of the half, but wasted an opportunity to regain the lead when Matt Bryant hooked a 22-yard field-goal attempt wide left as time expired. The Atlanta kicker missed a 48-yarder with 8 seconds left, giving the Bucs one more chance to pull out what would have been their first signature victory under first-year coach Greg Schiano.
"It was a hard-fought game by both teams, a very physical game," Schiano said. "But I do think missed opportunities were a big part of it. There were some chances both offensively and defensively, and in the kicking game."
Freeman finished 19 of 30 for 256 yards, and Vincent Jackson had five catches for 96 yards. A big factor in the loss, though, was Atlanta's held the Bucs to field goals after each of Ryan's turnovers, once after Tampa Bay had 1st-and-goal at the Atlanta 3.
"I thought our defense did an outstanding job again. They were put in some tough situations after turnovers," Falcons coach Mike Smith said, adding that slowing Martin was one of the keys to the game as well.
"We knew it was going to be one of our 'musts,' and I thought we did a nice job," Smith added. "I thought we played the run extremely well, controlled the line of scrimmage. That is an outstanding running back."
NOTES: Falcons starting cornerbacks Asante Samuel (shoulder) and Dunta Robinson (head) left the game with injuries in the third quarter. ... Barber, who made his 210th straight start to tie Jim Otto for the seventh-most consecutive starts in NFL history, has 47 career interceptions. ... Martin has 1,050 yards rushing yards, eighth-most in a season by a Tampa Bay running back. ...Gonzalez had five receptions for 62 yards, and Roddy White had six for 57 yards for Atlanta.
___
Online: http://pro32.ap.porg/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/falcons-overcome-mistakes-beat-buccaneers-24-23-211827070--spt.html
Black Friday sales slip as shoppers opt for Thursday ?doorbusters?
Black Friday, the official kickoff to the holiday shopping season, saw more foot traffic than ever before, according to estimates. But it appears so-called "doorbuster" deals offered the day before dinged sales.
According to ShopperTrak, which tracks retail foot traffic, there were more than 307 million store visits on Friday, up 3.5 percent. But Black Friday shoppers spent an estimated $11.2 billion, down 1.8 percent over 2011, when consumers spent $11.4 billion.
And for once, the sluggish economy is not to blame.
"It is all Black Thursday's fault," ZeroHedge.com said.
[Slideshow: Black Friday madness]
Shopping malls were "less hectic" on Black Friday this year, Bloomberg.com reported, as retailers "have turned Black Friday, once a one-day event after Thanksgiving, into a week's worth of deals and discounts."
And Thursday's deals "attracted some of the spending that's usually meant for Friday," ShopperTrak said.
Big box stores like Wal-Mart and Target were open on Thanksgiving night, drawing crowds that were--in some cases--rowdy. (Thankfully, it was nothing like the dystopian version of shopping hell recently envisioned by "Saturday Night Live.")
Another reason for the Black Friday dip: people skipped lines and shopped online. According to comScore, Black Friday online sales topped $1 billion for the first time, jumping 26 percent to $1.04 billion, compared to $816 million last year.
And according to IBM Benchmark, online sales rose 17 percent on Thanksgiving and 21 percent on Black Friday.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Sports: Great Slow Cooker Recipes forTailgating | Food and Drink ...
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