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Practical SEO and web strategy from the SEO Century team.
Meet Alphabet and Sundar Pichai as Google's New CEO
Google restructured under a new parent company called Alphabet, with Sundar Pichai stepping in as Google's CEO. What this means for the search giant's future.
2 min readGoogle Is Rolling Out A New Interface For Hotel Finder
Google's Hotel Finder is getting a redesigned interface with improved filtering and map integration — a signal of Google's continued push into vertical search.
3 min readLinkedIn Crosses 1 Million Publishers On Its Blogging Platform
LinkedIn's long-form publishing platform has hit a major milestone, with over 1 million members now publishing posts. What this means for B2B content marketers.
2 min readPinterest Rolls Out Buyable Pins for iPhone and iPad
Pinterest launched Buyable Pins for iOS, letting users purchase products directly within the app — a significant step toward social commerce.
4 min readWhy You Need Visual Content Marketing
Visual content has never been more important. For many internet users, visuals determine whether web content is even worth their time — and the data backs it up.
8 min readRel-Alternate-Hreflang Annotations: Common Issues To Pay Attention To
If you have multilingual or multinational websites, hreflang annotations are essential — and frequently misconfigured. Here are the most common mistakes to avoid.
7 min read6 Essential Tips for Creating Awesome Social Media Marketing Plan
A social media marketing campaign is not as simple as being present on networks. It's about what you post, how often, and how well you do it. Here's your plan.
2 min readNew Blocked Resources Report in Google Webmaster Tools
Google Webmaster Tools has a new report showing blocked content across your entire website — useful for surfacing unintentionally blocked CSS, JS, or images.
5 min readSmart Tips to Manage Your LinkedIn Activities
LinkedIn is one of the most useful professional networks, yet most people manage their presence poorly. Here's how to do it right and build genuine authority.
5 min readSocial Media Marketing Automation: Good or Bad
No matter how dedicated you are, you can't be online 24/7. Is automating your social media updates actually a good idea? The answer is both yes and no.
5 min readTips for Local SEO in 2015
If your business targets a local audience, local SEO is critical. Here are practical, actionable tips for optimizing your pages for local searches.
6 min readTop 5 SEO Tips Every Webmaster Should Follow
Every webmaster should have a solid list of SEO fundamentals. Too many sites are built without search in mind — here's what to fix first.
5 min readHow to Engage Your Customers
Customer engagement is not just a buzzword — it's the difference between a one-time visitor and a loyal audience. Here are proven tactics that actually work.
3 min readTwitter to Show Tweets in Google Search Results
Twitter reached a deal with Google to make tweets more searchable online, giving Google direct access to Twitter's firehose — the full stream of 284 million users' tweets.
6 min readHow to Make a Great Presentation
A great presentation is not about the slides — it's about the story. Here are the principles that separate forgettable decks from ones that move people to action.
3 min readBing’s Top Searches In 2014: Kim Kardashian the Most Searched Celebrity
Bing released its annual year-in-review search data. Kim Kardashian topped the celebrity charts, with Robin Williams and the World Cup dominating broader trends.
3 min readGoogle Launches Mobile-Friendly Test Tool
Google released a simple tool to test whether a page is mobile-friendly — a direct indicator of what their algorithm now uses as a ranking signal.
2 min readHalloween 2014 Google Doodle Logos
Google's 2014 Halloween Doodles were among the most elaborate the company had produced. A look at the animated treat that greeted billions of searchers.
4 min readGoogle Releases Penguin 3.0 Update
Google confirmed the Penguin 3.0 rollout is complete. The update targets spammy links so they no longer pass credit — the most anticipated algorithm refresh in years.
6 min read5 Tips to Follow in Your Social Media Marketing
For a brand to reach its potential fan base, being active on social media is essential — but one mistake can badly hurt your reputation. Here's what to do instead.
5 min read3 Content Types that People Would Love to Read
When writing content, it's critical to put the reader's interest first. Before covering any topic, know what users are looking for — and give them more than they expected.
2 min readTwitter Adds ‘Buy' Buttons To Tweets For E-Commerce
Twitter began testing Buy buttons embedded directly in tweets — a move toward social commerce that could change how brands sell directly to their audiences.
4 min readGoogle tests drone deliveries in Project Wing trials
Google revealed Project Wing, a secret two-year effort to build delivery drones. The trials in Australia showed the potential — and the challenges — of aerial delivery.
7 min readSEO is a Never Ending Marathon: How to Keep Running
SEO is almost 20 years old. Its strategies change constantly, but the main idea remains the same — it's about marketing, creativity, and relentless hard work.
2 min readChanges to What Users See in Their Twitter Timelines
Twitter announced changes to how tweets are ranked and surfaced in timelines — moving away from strictly chronological feeds toward relevance-based ordering.
3 min readShare Link Generator
We built a tool that generates custom share links for any page or file — works in emails, PDFs, and signatures. Here's how it works and why we made it.
4 min readHTTPS as a ranking signal: Google to Prioritize Secure Sites
Google confirmed it will give preference to HTTPS websites in organic rankings — a move that encourages widespread encryption and changes the SEO landscape.
2 min readNew Translation Feature in Google Search Results
Google began surfacing inline translations directly in search results for foreign-language content — reducing friction for multilingual searchers significantly.
5 min readGoogle's Panda 4.0 Forces PR Newswire to Take Action Against Spammers
Panda 4.0 hit some of the web's most established domains. PR Newswire was forced to crack down on spammy press releases after significant ranking drops.
2 min readYouTube Mix for Artists/Bands on the Sidebar. Is it new?
A new YouTube sidebar feature surfacing artist/band mixes caught our attention. We investigated whether it was a new rollout or something quietly live.
3 min readGoogle's Matt Cutts on how to tell if the site is affected by algorithm
Matt Cutts explained how webmasters can determine whether a ranking drop is caused by a manual action or an algorithmic change — critical for recovery.
2 min readIs This an Addition to Google Search Results
We spotted an unusual new element appearing in Google's search results pages. A look at whether this was a test, a rollout, or something else entirely.
2 min readLikely There Will Be No Toolbar PageRank Update This Year
Google confirmed there would likely be no PageRank toolbar update before year's end — a sign of how the public-facing PR metric was being quietly phased out.
2 min readBlackberry is Acquired by Fairfax Financial Holdings
Fairfax Financial announced a $4.7 billion bid to take BlackBerry private. A look at what the deal means for the once-dominant smartphone maker.
2 min readVideo on Instagram
Instagram launched 15-second video sharing, entering direct competition with Twitter's Vine. The feature included 13 filters and a cinema stabilization tool.
3 min readGoogle Penguin 2.0
Matt Cutts confirmed Penguin 2.0 was coming. The update targeted sites manipulating rankings through bought links — a more powerful version than the original.
2 min readTheShortCutts
A look at TheShortCutts, the parody site poking fun at Google's Matt Cutts and the world of search engine optimization. SEO has a sense of humor after all.
3 min readGoogle Webmasters Help for Hacked Sites
Google expanded its Webmaster Help resources specifically for hacked sites — comprehensive guides for diagnosing, cleaning, and recovering compromised domains.
2 min readGREEN SEO
An early look at sustainable digital practices and how running an SEO campaign responsibly — without black-hat shortcuts — is the only long-term winning strategy.
3 min readGoogle Webmaster Tools ‘Links To Your Site' Number Reduces? You're not alone!
Many webmasters noticed a sudden drop in their 'Links To Your Site' count in Webmaster Tools. We investigated what was happening and whether it was cause for concern.
2 min readAlicia Keys: BlackBerry's Global Creative Director
BlackBerry announced Alicia Keys as their Global Creative Director at CES. A bold celebrity partnership move — and a fascinating marketing gamble for a struggling brand.
2 min readPinterest: Testing A New Look
Pinterest was testing a redesigned interface with a cleaner layout and new navigation patterns. A look at what was changing and what it meant for the platform's growth.
3 min readA Faster Image Search To Provide A Better Experience
Google rolled out a significantly faster image search experience with improved filtering. A deeper look at what changed and why it matters for image-driven SEO.
2 min readThe largest LCD released so far
LG unveiled the 84LM9600 — an 84-inch 4K LCD that was the largest consumer display available at the time. We took a closer look at the specs and the price tag.
1 min readKeep Calm And Have A Cup Of Tea
A brief moment of calm in the middle of the SEO news cycle. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your strategy is step back and think clearly.
3 min readGoogle Analytics design and structural changes
Google rolled out significant design and structural changes to Analytics — new navigation, updated reporting dashboards, and a cleaner interface overall.
3 min readSEMrush Open Beta Testing for Position Tracking Tool
SEMrush opened beta access to its new Position Tracking tool. An early look at how it compares to existing rank tracking options and what makes it stand out.
2 min readGoogle Is Most Shared Social Video Brand Of 2012
Google topped the charts as the most shared social video brand of 2012, beating YouTube as a separate entity. The data behind the ranking.
2 min readFacebook fine-tunes Messages filters, tests $1 option
Facebook began testing a $1 fee for sending messages to non-friends — a controversial experiment in reducing spam and filtering inboxes.
3 min readInternet Advertising Revenue Report – Historic High in Q3 2012 – $9.3 Billion
Online advertising revenue hit a historic $9.3 billion in Q3 2012 according to the IAB's report. A breakdown of where the money went and what it signals.
2 min readGoogle Updates SafeSearch Filter In Image Search
Google updated its SafeSearch filter for image results, removing the intermediate 'moderate' setting and simplifying the experience for users and administrators.
3 min readBest Places To Work – Top 50 Companies 2013
Glassdoor released its annual Best Places to Work list for 2013. Google topped the rankings again, with a look at what makes their workplace culture stand out.
2 min readIs Google god or evil.. Bing is not Google..
A philosophical look at the autocomplete suggestions Google and Bing produce for their own names — a surprisingly revealing window into public perception of search engines.
2 min readTests on Single Column Facebook Timelines
Facebook began testing a single-column Timeline layout, departing from the two-column design it launched with. Early impressions and what it means for brands.
3 min readBest Global Brands 2012 by Interbrand
Interbrand's 2012 Best Global Brands report put Apple at the top for the first time, displacing Coca-Cola after 13 consecutive years. The data behind the rankings.
2 min read404 Error pages to include ‘Missing Children Messages'
A creative initiative proposed using 404 error pages to surface missing children notices. A look at the technical and ethical dimensions of this idea.
3 min readEMOTICONS ARE 30 YEARS OLD NOW :-)
The simple :-) celebrated its 30th anniversary. We trace the history of the emoticon from Scott Fahlman's first post on a Carnegie Mellon bulletin board in 1982.
2 min readSEO Century: Working Solutions
Our founding philosophy: working SEO solutions that actually deliver results. A look at what sets our approach apart from the industry's noise and shortcuts.
2 min readYandex Maps to be integrated into Apple software in Russia
Apple announced Yandex Maps would power its mapping service in Russia — a significant regional deal that highlighted the limits of Google Maps' global dominance.
4 min readiPhone 5 & Samsung Galaxy SIII
A head-to-head comparison of the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy SIII at their release — specs, design, and real-world considerations for both consumers and marketers.
2 min readFACEBOOK: 543 Million Mobile Users
Facebook reported 543 million monthly active mobile users — a staggering number that underscored just how rapidly the platform's audience had shifted to smartphones.
2 min readMicrosoft's New Logo
Microsoft unveiled its first logo redesign in 25 years — a colorful four-square design reflecting the Metro design language introduced with Windows 8.
2 min readGoogle Voice Search: 13 New Languages
Google expanded Voice Search to 13 new languages, bringing the feature to hundreds of millions of additional users around the world.
2 min readPinterest is now open
Pinterest dropped its invite-only requirement and opened registration to everyone. We look at what this means for the platform's growth and brand opportunities.
2 min readGoogle free iPhone
Google ran an unusual offer giving away free iPhones in an early digital marketing experiment. A look at the mechanics and what it reveals about early growth hacking.
4 min readFacebook Fake Accounts: 83 million
Facebook disclosed in an SEC filing that approximately 83 million accounts — about 8.7% of its user base — were fake or duplicate accounts. The implications for advertisers.
3 min readGoogle's New London Office
A look inside Google's new London headquarters — a workspace designed to reflect the company's creative culture with slides, climbing walls, and open collaboration spaces.
3 min readGood Bye Hotmail & Welcome Outlook.com
Microsoft launched Outlook.com as a full replacement for Hotmail — a modern, clean interface and a direct challenge to Gmail's dominance in web-based email.
3 min readSocial Login and Social Sharing Trends Q2 2012
Data on social login and sharing trends from Q2 2012 showed Facebook dominating authentication while Twitter drove more actual content sharing.
3 min read26 Biggest Social Networks
A visual overview of the 26 largest social networks by user count in 2012 — some giants still standing, others long forgotten. A fascinating snapshot of the era.
2 min readGoogle Calculator
Google upgraded its built-in calculator with a full graphing function — a useful tool for students and a reminder of how much Google had expanded beyond search.
3 min readGoogle Nexux 7 Tablet
Google unveiled the Nexus 7, a 7-inch tablet built with Asus and priced aggressively at $199. A look at the specs and what it meant for the Android tablet market.
2 min readProper SEO = Higher PROFIT
A simple but powerful equation: invest properly in SEO and your return compounds over time. Here's the argument for treating SEO as a core business asset, not a cost.
2 min readWelcome to SEO Century
The very first post. SEO Century was founded on a simple belief: that every business deserves a fighting chance online. Here's where it all began.