Lunes, Mayo 18, 2015

Google Algorithms: Top 10 Search Features You Need to Know to Learn How They Work

Without sufficient knowledge on how Google Search algorithms work, it would be quite difficult to create an organic strategy to boost your content or website’s visibility on the SERPs (search engine result pages). Learning the basic explanations how they use these algorithms to refine search results is the first step in fully understanding how the search giant rates and ranks websites. But, before we’ll delve with that, let’s have a quick discussion first about the technical definition of an algorithm.

What is an Algorithm?

According to Google (http://tinyurl.com/pphtvx2), the term algorithm in the context on how they use it to improve their search services, is defined as a computer process and formula that take in the queries of search users and turn them into answers. If you are familiar with programming, algorithm is simply a set of programs (lines of instructions understood by computers) used to command a computer to function according to what the programmer wants.
The search engine giant divulged that the algorithms they use these days are relying on more than 200 unique signals. Here’s the exact statement they posted on their website.
“Today Google’s algorithms rely on more than 200 unique signals or “clues” that make it possible to guess what you might really be looking for. These signals include things like the terms on websites, the freshness of content, your region and PageRank.”

Top 10 Search Features You Need to Know to Learn How Google Algorithms Work

Google algorithms is composed of “projects”, the components of their search process that they regularly update to meet the needs of their users and to deliver better results. To better understand how their algorithms improve user experience, you need to fully understand these components.

1.) Answers

When you look for immediate answers such as the current value of dollar against pounds, sports scores, or even the weather forecast in the next few days, Google instantly provides answer without the need for their users to be redirected to a new page. See sample below how a query of the weather forecast in Dallas looks like.
Answers

2.) Autocomplete

The aspect of Google Search that predicts what you are searching for while you are typing the key terms of the information you want to see. This helps users expedites their query in an instant. See sample below.
Autocomplete

3.) Google Instant

As you type the keywords of the information you want to search, Google automatically gives you possible and relevant results.
Google Instant

4.) Knowledge Graph

When you search for something in Google, it gives you results based on a database of real world people, places, things, and the connections between them. For example, if you search about a famous personality such as Barack Obama, Google would give you results not only about him but also about the people who are related to him, the latest news about him, and even results that link to his social media accounts. See screenshot below.
Knowledge Graph
Read more on Google makes search more human.

5.) News

When you are looking for the latest and hot off the press information about the subject of your search, the News tab is the most reliable feature of Google Search. It gives you the freshest data from the most trusted news websites all around the web. See screenshot below.
News

6.) Safe Search

With this feature, search results that displays explicit content are being censored. It mainly reduces the amount of adult web pages, images, and videos in your results. In the example below, the results for “adult sexy photos” are totally censored.
Safe Search

7.) Spelling

One of the best features of Google Search is the automatic spelling correction wherein even a slight misspelling is automatically corrected. See screenshot below.
Spelling

8.) Site & Page Quality

Something that can’t be shown in the SERPs is on how they measure the trustworthiness, reputability, or authoritativeness of a website. But, one of the most popular ways of knowing how they value a certain page is through the use of Page Rank. If your website has a higher page rank, then you have a better chance of getting a top spot on the search result pages.
Site & Page Quality
Also Read http://tinyurl.com/pnhhchz

9.) Snippets

One of the most informative feature of Google Search is the snippets. It shows a brief yet informative description about each of the search result it displays. This includes the webpage’s title and a short descriptive text about it. See how it looks like in the screenshot below.
Snippets

10.) Videos

If you are looking for videos, the videos tab instantly displays thumbnail results of videos that match your key terms. These thumbnails enable users to quickly decide which video to watch. See screenshot below on how it looks like in the SERPs.
Videos
The rest of the features of Google Search that make it the world’s number one search engine are as follows:
  • Books,
  • Freshness,
  • Images,
  • Indexing,
  • Mobile,
  • Query Understanding,
  • Refinements,
  • Search Methods,
  • Synonyms,
  • Translation and Internationalization,
  • Universal Search and
  • User Context.
Check out how these “projects” work by clicking this link (http://ift.tt/1S0lYhl).

Final Thoughts

Taking a closer look on how Google Search algorithms work is quite beneficial if you are figuring out how you can enhance your search marketing efforts by learning how the system serves its users. Since Google focuses mainly in providing better user experience, your efforts should also gear towards a more customer-oriented approach.
By: Qamar Zaman
You can follow Qamar Zaman on Linkedin
Qamar Zaman
Chief Visionary at One SEO Company. An Internet Entrepreneur SEO & lawyer Internet marketing professional & Starbucks Lover.


from Dallas Internet Marketing Blog

Huwebes, Mayo 14, 2015

Lead Generation Expert Helps Grow Business Using Linkedin

Tips in Keeping Up with Your Network Connections in LinkedIn using the Relationship Tab

If you have been using LinkedIn for quite a while but haven’t explored yet how you can leverage from its features that can help you track your network connections, then you are missing something really important.
When 1 out of 3 professionals (http://tinyurl.com/opsjhnm) in the planet has a LinkedIn profile, the need to build a network that can help you make sense of every people you’ve meet can be quite beneficial to your business in the long run.
Building and keeping track of your network connections are made easier by LinkedIn’s Relationship tab feature. If you are overwhelmed with the volume of people you need to communicate and connect with inside the professional network, this feature can help you organize and manage your relationships smoothly.

5 Helpful Features of LinkedIn’s Relationship Tab

To maximize the benefits of the Relationship tab, you need to be more familiar how each of its functionality can help you in organizing your network connections. Screenshots are lifted out from LinkedIn’s blog (http://tinyurl.com/pkyhpuo).

1. Notes

Notes
The very first function you will see after you click the Relationship tab (under your connection’s profile) is the Notes section. This function allows you to record or create an entry about your connection. Anything important that you need to take note about a particular contact should be inputted in there.
For example, if you are looking for employee prospects, you can record the specific skills of that contact that make him/her stand out among other candidates. Or, if it is a potential business partner, you can take note your first impression when you checked the profile of this person. Anything that can help you draw a better picture on how you can create a beneficial relationship with you contact should be in there.

2. Reminders

Reminders
Managing a business and at the same time trying to build a network of connections through LinkedIn can be very time consuming especially if you are a hands-on entrepreneur. The Reminder sub-tab is a very powerful functionality that can help you keep up to date with important events that you need to accomplish for each of your contact.
For example, you can schedule a reminder that you need to follow-up a prospect every week. Recurring reminders for monthly meeting schedules, seminars, or even birthdays and anniversaries can be set-up in a breeze.

3. How You Met

How You Met
This feature is very important especially if you have a large network of connections. If you meet through a networking event or if someone introduced the person to you, it’s practical to note it so that you won’t get confused or forget the next time you’ll meet. This can also help you build more sincere relationships with industry personalities who may play important roles in your business in the future.

4. Tags

Tags
LinkedIn calls this one as the most important functionality inside the Relationship tab. It mainly organizes your contacts into categories so that you can check them out easily. Every time you connect with new contacts, use the Tags feature to put them in a category that describes who they are or what they do. Of course, you can put each contact in two or more categories.

5. Messages

Messages
All conversations you had with your connections can be found in the Relationship tab. This helps you to have easy access on what you and your connections have been talking about. You just need to click the subjects of the conversations to view the details of the messages.

Final Thoughts

LinkedIn is definitely the number one social networking site for professionals. Utilizing the full potentials of its social media tools can definitely boost your productivity when it comes to building your reputation and relationships within your network. The Relationship tab is one powerful feature every serious entrepreneur should utilize to effectively connect with their contacts inside the network.
How about you? Have you tried using the Relationship tab to better connect with your LinkedIn contacts? How was it? Share your experiences by commenting below.
Call Qamar Zaman or visit OneSEOCompany.com to for hype free marketing ideas for your business. 972.437.8942
Qamar Zaman
Chief Visionary at One SEO Company. An Internet Entrepreneur SEO & lawyer Internet marketing professional & Starbucks Lover.


from Dallas Internet Marketing Blog