SEO Headlines 04/15/2008

Get Ready For SEM Synergy

As Virginia told you last week, we’re about to launch our very own WebmasterRadio show called SEM Synergy and we’re pretty excited about it. As the name suggests, SEM Synergy will be about honing in on the synergy that exists between all the various slices of the Internet marketing pie. We’ll be talking to all your favorite search marketers, introducing some new faces, taking questions, and basically just running amuck on the airwaves. You’re not going to want to miss it.

The show will be hosted by Bruce, along with Bruce Clay’s VP of Operations Robert Esparza and his won’t-go-away sister Susan. The first show airs tomorrow, Wednesday, at 12 noon PST or 3 p.m. Eastern. You can read more about the fun by visiting the new SEM Synergy Web site.

How Do You Measure The Success Of Your SEO Campaign?

The question came up over on Kichus asking how should you measure the success of your SEO? I’ll give you a hint, the answer isn’t rankings.

High rankings do not make a successful search engine optimization campaign. A successful SEO campaign is one that increases the number of targeted users finding you, and in the end, conversions. Frankly, number one rankings are easy to come by. All you have to do is go after a term no one else is using or one you completely made up. People do it all the time. ;)

However, that’s not what you’re after. If you’re investing in search engine optimization you want to make sure you’re getting a real return on your investment. That means increasing your visibility for the terms customers are typing in when looking for a business like yours. You don’t need a herd of visitors finding your site. You just want to attract the ones that will convert. That’s what a successful search engine optimization campaign is built around.

How Much Is A Strong Blogger Worth?

David Krug shares the lessons he’s learned about blogging and Web site acquisitions and unleashes a quote that I will carry with me and whip out as often as I can.

David says: “A strong social networked blogger is worth far more than a blog, a blogger is worth its weight in gold”. True that, my friend.

I can’t stress this enough, but if you’re a company who has been lucky enough to find a skilled blogger who connects with your audience and gets them excited, hold on to them as tightly as you can. Or rather, trust them with your brand and then let them go.
A lot of companies seem to underestimate the impact of having a competent blogger on their team. They don’t understand that it is the strength and the passion of that person that will make the blog successful. Your blogger has a unique opportunity to improve your company’s brand, to reenergize your audience, to make friends and build connections. If your company blog isn’t going anywhere, take a look at the person you’ve put in charge. There’s a good chance you’ve hired the wrong person.

I’ve always argued that giving up control of your company and handing the microphone off to someone who is socially connected, passionate, and knowledgeable is often the most valuable thing you can do for your company. So to that respect, yeah, David’s right. A strong blogger is worth the entire valuation of your company, because they’re the ones who can make or break it. And the best thing you can do for that person is to give them the keys and then get the heck out of the way.

Fun Finds

Penelope Trunk says that writing without typos is totally outdated and that you’re stupid for complaining about them. Spend your time on perfecting ideas, not your grammar. Hells yeah! [I just corrected three typos in this post. Don’t hate me. –Virginia] Siiigh. Way to ruin the dramatic effect, Virginia. You get to live only because we need you to run the SEM Synergy radio show. Premieres tomorrow!

Lisa Barone is a writer, content marketer & VP of strategy at Overit Media. She's also a very active Twitterer, much to the dismay of the rest of the world.

See Lisa's author page for links to connect on social media.