Not too long ago a document was making the rounds of the Internet that appeared to be the newest official Google Quality Guidelines document.  This document, most people hoped, would hold the secrets to ranking well within Google.

Now, you might wonder how this can happen.  After all, Google is especially secretive about what it takes to rank well within their site so how could it possibly be that the document used by Google Raters made it’s way online?  Was it a fake?  A distraction?  Something conjured up by a savvy online marketer to gain exposure?  Sounds very conspiracy-theorist doesn’t it?

Well, it’s actually not as exciting as one might think.  The fact is, Google hires folks from all around the world to do work for them and help them detect whether or not a particular web site should be ranked where it is based upon a variety of factors.  These people that Google hires, receive a document that tells them what specifically to look for and how to determine the merits of a site.  Due to the vast numbers of people who do this work, it’s not unheard of for one of these documents to make its way online.

The document (which has since been taken down online at the request of Google), contained an area that talked about spam; and how to determine what should be flagged as spam and what should not.

Whenever one of Quality Raters took a look at a website, it is their job to mark a site as:

• Spam
• Not Spam
• Maybe Spam

Pretty basic right?

The criteria for marking a web page as spam should not come as a surprise to anyone who has been in the industry for even as little as a few months.  It’s really very basic knowledge, but just to clear up any confusion, here are the definite “no-no’s” when it comes to your own site (and which you can also read here:  http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=35769#3).

• Don’t use cloaking;
• Don’t use hidden text;
• Don’t use framed pages;
• Don’t keyword-stuff your URL’s;
• Don’t use JavaScript Redirects
• Etc.

Again, pretty common sense stuff.

But, what you don’t see here is that according to this document, Google Raters are to mark pages without any useful content and designed only to make money, as spam.

There’s no doubt that you’ve come across these pages yourself.  These are the ones that have domains parked on them and where there is nothing more than a listing of ads; pages that are chock full of ads that have very little unique content on them, etc.

And yes, it should be noted that even if a site is attempting to generate income using AdSense ads (Google’s own product), that this will likely be marked as spam as well.

As a matter of fact, the blatant abuse of this has likely prompted Google to recently announce at PubCon that they (Google) will be taking a look at content that is immediately above the fold on a web page.  The assumptions are that Google will begin to penalize those sites that show ad-related content above the fold; above the fold meaning the content you can see on a web page without needing to scroll down.

Which brings me back to the whole point of the title of this post.  Does it make a difference in where you rank if you aren’t trying to sell anything?

Well, yes, and no.  We don’t know how sites are going to be affected by this new rule of having ads above the fold, but it is unlikely that major retailers who say, show products at the top of their pages in response to a specific product query, will not be penalized.

On the other hand, if a site is nothing more than a few bits and pieces of content yet chock-full of ads, especially ads above the fold, then it can be assumed that you would be penalized.   We’ll all just have to wait and see how it plays out but for now, if you’re one of the ones who has advertising listed above the useful content on your site, it would be advised to move those ads to a different location.

After all, if you’re linking to one of your own sites, you want any PageRank to pass along to your own site, you need to be especially careful when you’re choosing a URL shortener so that this does in fact occur.

This has been a question in many SEO’s minds for quite some time.  Before Google started indexing sites like Twitter, it really wasn’t all that big of a deal.  But now that Twitter, as well as many other sites like them are getting indexed more and more frequently, it’s important that if a page does follow a link that the shortener that was used passes along that PageRank.

That said, it should be noted that Twitter does not follow links – therefore the PageRank theory is null and void in this case but this does not mean that other services like Twitter don’t employ the same tactic.  I use them as an example only because it’s one of the more well-known micro-blogging platforms online.  As a matter of fact, there are many, many places where you would employ the use of a URL shortener and when you do, you want to make certain that you are getting any and all PageRank passed on to you.

Most URL shorteners are pretty good at this and do it the correct way by using a 301 redirect.  In case you’re still unsure which one to use, in the video below Matt Cutts, head of Google’s Web Spam team specifically says that shorteners such as bit.ly and goo.gl do in fact employ a 301 redirect.

Here’s the question that came into Matt and his answer on the topic:

Google has begun to roll out a new service where you can now pay to have a Google local listing. How soon it will come to your area is tough to say but right now it’s being tested in San Fransisco and San Diego and truth be told, it’s really too soon to see if it pays off or not.

Probably one of the most disturbing things that I’ve noticed thus far is that if you do a search in one of these markets, say “Salon San Diego” nearly everything above the fold is an advertisement leaving the organic search results pushed to the bottom of the pile.

(Note that in the image below, the local salon’s in San Diego that are using this service are highlighted at the top of the page with the blue balloons next to them.)

Google Local San Diego

Now this is not to say that every single time you do a search in Google will you see and entire half-page full of ads. It only (at this point in time) appears to be those more competitive local markets.

So how is this supposed to work?

1. You need a verified Google local listing within the Google Local Business Center.

   “…Local Listing Ads is available for business owners who have verified their free listings in Google Local Business Center in a limited set of categories based on advertising policy, and other considerations.”

2. When you purchase a local listing ad, your ad will show up whenever a local user searches for your kind of business.
   1. The ads will show up on Google.com and on Google Maps.
   2. You get your first 30 days free.
   3. You’ll get reports on how many people called you, how many people clicked, and how many people wanted directions to your business.
3. Unlike AdWords where you bid a price on specific keywords, the only thing that Google Local Listing Ads require is that you select a category (A category; meaning ONE) for your business and then pay a flat monthly fee for that ad.
   1. The flat fee is set by Google themselves and is based on how many people are looking for your kind of business in your area.  (So in other words, Google tells you how much you’ll have to pay based on their estimation and you either pay that or you don’t get a paid local listing).
   2. Second, Google is offering a “free call tracking” service.  How they’re doing this I don’t yet know (the local paid listing is not yet available in my area), but what Google will do is give you an announcement prior to that call that says “This caller brought to you by Google”.  As of today this is NOT optional.

Now, something that I want you to notice in the screenshot above, is that there is a 7-box (a map with 7 listings next to it) that are not listed in the Google Local Paid listings above.  That said, I can only surmise that the added benefit to having a Google local paid listing is to show up at the very top of the page where you might see typical AdWords ads like so:

My largest concern was that the typical search results we’re all used to seeing would be heading out and only the sponsored results would remain.  This however, does not seem to be the case (at least not yet).

In summary, it’s really too soon to say how this will affect local businesses (if at all), and how much Google is going to charge for these listings in your market because obviously it will differ greatly depending upon your location.

This will definitely make for an interesting test as soon as they bring it to all markets.

Brian has a free report called Authority Rules.  And anyone, I don’t care who you are, what kind of business you’re in, what you want to accomplish online, needs to read this report.

It’s an easy read, fairly short to read, but it’s the actionable content that will really get your brain cells firing and your fingers dancing along the keyboard at lightening speed.

So, go to the site, read it online or simply download the PDF file.  It can be quite possibly the turning point that you need in your business right now.

I am an actual OWNER of the original version of Commission Blueprint (which many other “reviewers” cannot say), and unlike many online products, this one is the real deal.

So who are these guys anyway who have this product?  (You have every right ot be guarded with the number of products being released daily.)  Here’s a bit of background on the two developers of Commission Blueprint.

It was created by Steve Clayton and Tim Godfrey who operate and run a vast number of successful online businesses that generate more than $7 million dollars a year.

What follows is a quick product overview which might help answer a lot of your questions.

What Commission Blueprint 2.0 Offers

In keeping with their previous Commission Blueprint version 1.0, which was (and still is) of extremely high-quality, Commission Blueprint 2.0 promises to be “an exceptionally high quality product with a huge video library along with numerous manuals and amazing tools that will propel their clients to a 5- figure monthly income.

Not just with Clickbank but using Commission Junction, CPA networks, Amazon and many more.

• The secrete to getting around the current Google slap.
• Numerous case studies.
• Great for Beginners all the way to experts.
• 10 Modules
• Multiple videos for you to learn from.
• Manuals to help guide you
• Even access to tools to help you along the way.

I highly suggest that you check it out…if anything to satisfy your curiousity.

There’s about a six minute video on this page that explains what it’s all about given by the creator Steve Clayton.

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In the session “Facebook Ads: Reaching Prospects Earlier In The Decision Cycle,” Sarah Smith, Manager of Online Sales Operations, Facebook, offered tips on targeting your audience, creating compelling ads and getting a solid return on investment.

Coverage of the SES San Jose conference continues at WebProNews Videos.  Stay with WebProNews for more notes and videos from the event this week.

Sarah Smith

Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open. Facebook has over 250 million users globally and has open registration.

Facebook allows you to target your exact audience. With other ad options you are not able to target your exact audience.

Targeting capabilities structured and unstructured. Structured includes: location, age/birthday, gender, education, workplace, relationship and language.

Unstructured (keywords): activities, interests, music, TV, movies, and books.

Keywords are generated because users actually put these words in their profile.

Tips to top ROI on Facebook ads:

- Experiment with multiple ads
- Target relevant audiences
- Design and refresh compelling creative
- Create and optimize socially enabled landing pages
- Use Facebook reporting
- Become a fan of Facebook Ad page

Users can decide what they think of Facebook ads by giving them thumbs up or thumbs down. This can help advertisers refine their approach.

Consumers can become fans of your page via Facebook ads using links to the page.

Best practices to boost CTR:

1. Keep ads short and simple
2. Ask questions in ad text
3. Avoid overcapitalization
4. Strong call to action “ACT NOW!”
5. Mention offers or discount code

Design ads that demand attention
-target the right people and find success

Refresh creative with simple changes
-color of the image…

Exploit pockets of opportunity
Adjust landing pages for engagement
Build a fan base to connect with customers
Optimize with Facebook ad manager
Dig into Facebook reports
Report type
Set up a test with Facebook ads
Use unique tracking links to measure ROI
Experiment
Mix targeting

Question & Answer:
Are ads currently being approved only in English?

Ad approval process is being built out in Facebook to cater to other languages.

How do we use CTR versus thumbs up/thumbs down? What’s the correlation?

Not sure. Both the CTR and thumbs up/thumbs down both weigh equally.

How do you know what clickthrough rate to expect?

Advised that you bid on the high end and adjust later on. Facebook doesn’t have any benchmark right now but says that you shouldn’t expect same CTR on Google AdWords on Facebook Ads. Seen ads with high ROI and be successful with a .04 CTR.

Why do I want to target those people who are already of my page?

May not necessarily be customers yet.

What is the definition of a fan in the sense of the sales funnel?

Example is Maria Smith (?) – you get more exposure by that free exposure. A fan is a potential customer or evangelist of your business. Can also be influencers. Companies can also use it as a CRM tool to get feedback on their products.

Will Facebook be implementing tracking codes to monitor conversions?

They are looking at it – it’s a huge value for advertisers but it’s difficult for Facebook right now.

Google Knol

At first, many thought it was a direct competitor to Wikipedia, however, the more you get to know knol (say THAT ten times fast), the more you begin to realize that it leans to more the side of a Squidoo or Hubpage.

That said, here’s some quick and easy tips to creating your own free Knol and what it can do for you.

A “Knol” is a “unit of knowledge”.  And you can create a Knol on any topic you can come up with.  Unlike Wikipedia however, where anyone can add to the content, with a Google Knol,  people can still add to your content but you have to approve it first…needless to say this will cut down on the amount of spammy content you might otherwise receive.

Here’s how it can help your business get better rankings.

One of the benefits to having a Knol is that you can, without regard, actually use it to promote your own products and websites.  If you’ve ever used Hubpages before, you know that they’re sticklers when it comes to linking up your content…even if it promotes your own site and Squidoo isn’t much better although it does allow for a lot more wiggle room.

Google Knol even states in their policy “You may use Knol to create articles for your business or to promote your lawful products or services that are not otherwise prohibited by our Content Policy or Terms of Service, unless you are in Cuba, Iran, Burma (Myanmar), North Korea, Syria, or Sudan.  There are some commercial uses we don’t allow.  We don’t allow pages that have the primary purpose of redirecting visitors, acting as a bridge page, or driving traffic to another website.  We also don’t allow Knol pages that have the primary purpose of profiting from displaying ads from any publisher network, such as pages created with little or no unique content that exist only to display ads.”

And if you wanted another reason to start a Knol of your own, consider this.  When Google first opened up Knol it said that it would no follow the links on the Knol pages…however, this is no longer the case.

But don’t think that all of your links will automatically be followed by Google.  You now have to earn “trust” with Google in order to get your links followed.  They state that “they are now at a point where we “trust” a certain fraction of authors and a certain proportion of user contributed links, and so we now use a “follow” directive for links within such Knols.”

Some links however, will permanently remain no follow including:

• Links within comments
• Our [Google's] automatically generated links to “similar content on the web”.
• Brand new pages and recently-added authors are liable to remain “nofollow” for a period of time.

Although they don’t state what that period of time is.

Here’s how to start your own Knol…

Sign in using your Google account (or get one if you don’t already have one) and simply follow along with the instructions.  It’s a very easy-to-use interface that anyone can follow.

When you’re ready to start writing, you’ll want to use some general SEO techniques such as:

• Title – Like a web page on your site, use a keyword here.
• Sub-title – Like a sub-heading on your web pages.  Use additional complimentary keywords here.
• Summary – This is where a little bit of copywriting experience comes in.  You’ll want to entice anyone finding your Knol to read further…so make it appealing.
• Publishing Mode – your Knol will not be published until you actually tell Google to publish it.  On the right hand side of the page is a section that says “Author controls” where you can click a button to publish your Knol.
• If you don’t want to moderate comments on the Knol, change this under “permissions” on the right hand side.
• The default setting for a Google Knol is to give the Knol a Creative Commons Attribution license.  I talked about this at the very beginning of the newsletter.  You can change this to the other methods you’re given.

Now, in addition to the basic steps outlined above, here are a few more ideas that will move you ahead of the pack.

Google gives high quality Knols badges and awards.  Items such as “Top Viewed Knol Award”, “Top Viewed Author Award”, “Top Pick Knol Award”, and “Top Pick Author Award”.  But in order to get these badges, you need to keep your Knol “better than the rest”.

Here’s how to do that:

• Keyword optimize your title – discussed above.
• Optimize your content – just like your web pages use the keywords you want to rank well for at the beginning of your Knol.  Use keywords throughout your content and work in related words and phrases centered around that topic. When you link out to your own site, be sure that you use those keywords in your anchor text.
• Don’t try to fake your way through a Knol.  If you know about your topic, you’ll have a much better chance of getting seen.  If you don’t, I suggest you beef up on the topic you’ll be writing about.
• Use engaging elements in your Knol.  Use things like videos, images, audios, documents, spreadsheets, calendars and more.
• A Knol is NOT a blog!  A Knol provides high-quality information presented from all sides of the issue. It is not the place to blatantly promote your own products (although you can link to them), but rather it’s a professional resource that covers all facets of the information you’re presenting.  If you aren’t sure how to write your Knol in a professional manner, visit the Knol’s that have already earned badges and see how they spoke about their content, what they added, how they presented their information.  And then use that framework to speak on your own topic.
• Keep it updated!!!  Fresh content is a plus when it comes to a Knol.

Lastly read http://knol.google.com/k/peter-baskerville/how-to-write-knols-that-rank-top-10/14j3i4hyjvi88/19# which explains to you how to write a Knol that ranks in the top 10.

Additionally, here’s another top Knol tip for you that a lot of people aren’t currently aware of.  Google is currently experimenting with Text to speech on their Knols.  What this means is that right now, only a handful of high-quality Knols have the “listen” option which will read the Knol to the visitor.

Since Google is only choosing a small number of Knols to experiment with at this time, there are some tips you can follow to be sure that if and when this becomes an option for you that it reads well for your audience.

1. Don’t use contractions in your Knol.  Use “we are” instead of “we’re”, “you are” instead of “you’re”, cannot instead of “can’t”, etc.
2. If your Knol has some kind of image or chart this cannot be translated into audio.  So when using visual aids, be sure that a full explanation of that visual aid is available for those who cannot actual view it but rather are listening or have downloaded the Knol audio into an MP3 format.

Here’s the breakdown:

• No Spam.  Ok, not exactly “new” but they’ve reiterated it…again.
• No more X-rated material.  So if you’re in that market, you might want to start considering moving your material to a new home or changing the Squidoo content page(s) you are using to comply.
• No “Junk Topics”.  Now, “junk topics” mean different things to different people.  Just what constitutes a “junk topic”?  Well, here’s Squidoo’s list of them:
  • Drugs/Pharmaceuticals
  • Weight Loss / Dieting
  • Affiliate Lenses promoting affiliate programs.
  • Gambling
  • Credit Card Debt, Mortgages, Currency Trading, Envelope Stuffing, etc.
  • Hate Lenses (now, my question is, why has this not been a “Squidon’t” already?)
  • Ringtones
  • Lyrics Lenses.  According to Squidoo “…a serious copyright issue.”  But, according to an article on USA Today from NMPA not necessarily.  As a matter of fact, she pretty much says “we don’t care if you’re not making any money off of those lyrics.”
  • And a few “…harder to generalize, but obvious when we see them.”  In other words, it’s our opinion what stays and what goes.  (Does that sound familiar to you?)
• There’s a new limit on overly-promotional lenses.  They state “…this doesn’t mean you’re limited to just 9 outbound links total on your whole lens…just 9 to the exact domain.”  However, they also state “any links generated by Squidoo modules (like Amazon or Wikipedia) don’t have a limit, nor do feed modules (like the RSS module or the Zazzle module) or modules that your readers post in…”  Do with this information what you will.  They’re practically telling you exactly what to do.They’re also whitelising Allposters affiliates and placing Clickbank affiliate lenses in the middle ground; not whitelisting nor blacklisting.

If  you’re worried about any of your lenses, don’t worry, you still have time to act.  None of this will take place until Mid-July so you still have time to export your content if you feel as if your lens(es) might get dinged.

The entire piece is listed here for your reading pleasure.  Note though that you do have plenty of time before these changes go into effect and if you do read the content (which I suggest you should) also take the time to read what they’re *not* saying.  In other words, read between the lines because you can come up with some great ideas for future use.

And no, I’m not saying to try and “game” the program.  They’re flat out telling you what’s acceptable and what’s not if you want to stay listed but they’re not playing Google at this point and just “doing it” without your knowledge.  As a matter of fact, they even give you some great advice.  I suggest you use the information they’re handing to you.  It’s a lot more than people usually get.