SEO Headlines – Microsoft’s Bid for Yahoo!

Microsoft Raises Its Yahoo Bid. Slightly.

It looks like Yahoo’s shameless flirting with Google may have worked, as the latest is that Microsoft’s board of directors will raise their initial bid of $31 a share to $32-$33 a share. It’s not quite the number Yahoo was hoping but it sure is a lot closer and frankly quite generous given where their stock is currently sitting. It’s also a lot friendlier than the hostile takeover Microsoft threatened if Yahoo didn’t come around by last weekend. But don’t think Steve Ballmer has gone soft. Steve says he knows exactly what Yahoo is worth and that he won’t pay a penny more. He expects the situation to resolved “in short order”. Okay then!

Based on the Wall Street Journal article, it looks like the decision on what to do will fall on Steve Ballmer’s shoulders. What will Ballmer do: Raise the bid again, go with the hostile take over or just walk out and open up Yahoo to be bought by someone else? We’ll have to stay tuned in to find out. I know that I, for one, am riveted. [grabs popcorn]

Web Analytics Intervention

Perhaps it’s because the spirit of eMetrics is in the air, but we’re starting to see a lot of great Web analytics content coming out! This time around, Shane Atchison issues A Web Analytics Intervention, Part 2 which serves as a 7-step great walk through to help get virtually anyone on the path to Analytics success. Shane identifies the 7 steps to Analytics bliss as:

1. Admit There’s a Problem
2. Admit the Problem is Your Own
3. Agree This Is A Corporate Intervention
4. Set Your Goals
5. Anticipate Risks
6. Know You’re On The Right Track
7. Summarize the Journey

Love it. And you know it’s going to be that first step that’s the hardest to get everyone to sign off on. A lot of times executives are simply unwilling to invest in analytics because they don’t understand its value. For these occasions, Matt Bailey suggests turning it into a story and stripping away all the geek speak. I think that’s a really good way to ease executives into things and get them thinking the right way. Once you tackle that first step, the rest should be a breeze!

Get Over Your Inferiority Complex, Loser!

Over at ProBlogger, Darren Rowse offers up a remedy for blogger inferiority complex and gives readers a guide on how to focus on the positive, put the bad into perspective and tackle the blogosphere with your passion and purpose rekindled. Huzzah!

The article is definitely worthy of a read. We all have a tendency to focus on the things we’re lacking and ignore the stuff we do have in our favor. And you can replace “blogging” with whatever it is you do on a daily basis. If you’re an SEO, there’s a reason you got in the business. You had some knowledge, talent or desire that made you think THIS is what I want to do! As spring swings into effect, take some time to explore what you have going for you and find ways to build upon that. Everything else is being reborn you may as well be too. :)

Fun Finds

Susan and I went head-to-head in the SEO Newsletter this week. My article Smaller Size Means Bigger Rewards talked about the value of small search conferences and took on her The Value of Going Big. Give ’em both a read and let us know which side of the fence you fall on.

Barry Schwartz mentions over at Search Engine Land that SEMPO is now offering agency training certification.

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.