Local SEO for villages: a playbook
How a village business gets found on Google when "near me" means half an hour of driving.
By Robert ScalesSEO & search
47 posts in this category, newest first.
How can AI be used for SEO? A practical workflow
Since Google's March spam policies, sites that mass-produced AI content have been losing ground. We present a workflow that uses AI effectively, along with the steps that must remain human.
By Robert ScalesWhat do AI Overviews mean for the SEO of small sites?
Google has just placed AI-generated answers at the top of search results. We explain what this changes for small sites and which steps we recommend taking now.
By Robert ScalesE-E-A-T: experience joins the list
Google added a second E, for Experience. With AI-generated text now widespread, that single letter may be a small business's greatest advantage.
By Robert ScalesSearch Generative Experience and the future of clicks
Google is testing AI answers above the search results. If users click less, what role does a business website play?
By Robert ScalesGoogle's helpful content update: a self-check for small business sites
Google is targeting content written for search engines rather than for people. A practical self-check for small business websites.
By Robert ScalesThe page experience update rolls out
Google is rolling out the page experience update this summer. The ranking effect should be limited, but the fixes are worthwhile for your visitors.
By Robert ScalesCurbside pickup and click-and-collect for small retail
Order online, pick up at the door. How small shops can maintain curbside pickup with the tools they already have, without adding complexity.
By Robert ScalesKeeping your reviews and listings active while you are closed
A closed business is still searched for. How to mark a temporary closure properly, continue responding to customers, and show that the business is still active.
By Robert ScalesCore Web Vitals announced: Google puts numbers on a slow site
Google states that three speed and stability measurements will count in ranking. What they mean, how much weight we expect them to carry, and where to begin improvements.
By Robert ScalesBERT comes to Google Search
Google now reads the small words in a search. What the BERT update changes, and why writing for real questions now outperforms repeating keywords.
By Robert ScalesBERT: language models are learning to read
Two weeks ago, Google researchers published BERT, a model that reads words in both directions. It indicates the direction search is likely to take.
By Robert ScalesThe Medic update and why trust has become an SEO issue
A Google core update this month strongly affected health and finance sites. The question behind it is straightforward: who wrote this content, and why should readers trust it?
By Robert ScalesGoogle My Business posts
Google now allows every business to publish updates directly in its listing. This is free space at the top of Google, and most businesses are leaving it empty.
By Robert ScalesMobile-first indexing is coming
Google will read the phone version of websites first. Many tourism sites hide half their content on mobile, which makes now the right time to check.
By Robert ScalesVoice assistants move into the home
Smart speakers will be among many holiday gifts this year. When a speaker answers on a business's behalf, the business listing becomes its voice.
By Robert ScalesPenguin goes real-time
Google has integrated Penguin into its core algorithm. Sites no longer wait two years for a refresh, and large site-wide penalties are likely to become rare.
By Robert ScalesRankBrain: machine learning is now part of Google search
This week, "machine learning" and "SEO" appeared in the same sentence. What Google's RankBrain does, and what it means for small business websites.
By Robert ScalesMobilegeddon: Google's mobile-friendly update is rolling out
Since April 21, Google has favoured mobile-friendly pages in mobile results. What small sites need to correct this week, and how to verify it.
By Robert ScalesGoogle Pigeon and local search
Google's Pigeon update brings map results and website rankings closer together. What it changes for local businesses, and three tasks worth completing now.
By Robert ScalesGoogle Hummingbird and conversational search
Google has replaced its core algorithm with one designed to understand complete questions. In our assessment, this change matters more than Panda or Penguin.
By Robert ScalesSEM vs SEO: where to spend a small budget
Paid search generates bookings immediately; SEO generates them over the following year. How we recommend dividing a small budget while AdWords undergoes major changes.
By Robert ScalesStart Blogging to Increase Your Site’s Search Engine Ranking
Search engines favour sites that are updated often and rich in keywords. A company blog does both, and builds trust, reach and community.
By Holistic HybridHow to Create a Sitemap
A sitemap is a list of pages of a website accessible to crawlers or users. What sitemaps are, how to create an XML sitemap and how to submit it to Google.
By Holistic HybridSEM vs SEO?
It is quite common for people to confuse Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimization. SEO is only one type of SEM — here are the others.
By Holistic HybridHow to create a Google Places page
Google Places, Google+ Local, Google+ pages: the names are confusing, but the steps that place a business on the map are straightforward.
By Robert ScalesHow to Create a Google Places Page
Google Places has become the phone book of the Internet. Getting your business registered and verified is essential to being found in search engines.
By Holistic HybridCrystal Divers Bali: rebuilding an established dive brand online
We have begun web work for Crystal Divers in Sanur. The first principle: audit before redesigning, and preserve every old URL.
By Robert ScalesPhoto SEO: alt text, file names and speed
Underwater photos are a dive site's best content, yet largely invisible to Google. Here is how to address that with file names, alt text and speed.
By Robert ScalesThe Knowledge Graph: things, not strings
Google has begun recognizing entities instead of simply matching words. Here is why that makes your business name, address and phone number important.
By Robert ScalesGoogle Penguin: link schemes stop working
Google's new Penguin update is pulling down sites built on bought links. Here is what legitimate link building looks like for a small business.
By Robert ScalesSearch plus Your World: when Google got personal
Two weeks ago, Google began showing each signed-in user their own results. Page one is no longer the same for everyone.
By Robert ScalesSiri and the question-shaped search
The iPhone 4S shipped with Siri. What changes for search when people ask full questions out loud, and the steps a small business site should take.
By Robert ScalesLive from the Minnesota Search Sprint, Day One
Day one of the Drupal search sprint in Minnesota: node ranking, distributed search, the OAuth module and first experiments caching search results.
By Djun KimAuthenticated Distributed Search (OpenSearch, OpenID)
Approaches for authenticated distributed search across a network of secure Drupal sites using OpenSearch and OpenID, from naive HMAC to OpenID extensions.
By Steven WittensDrupal OpenSearch Aggregator
I just committed a working version of my new OpenSearch Aggregator module to Drupal Contrib CVS.
By Steven WittensClaiming Technorati (and thanks for lunch)
Lunch with Tantek and Ryan of Technorati about microformats, and why claiming weblogs in a multi-user system like Drupal is kind of a pain.
By Boris MannOrganic Search Results vs Sponsored Listings
A 2005 eye-tracking study showed searchers scan Google results in an F shape. Robert's take: keep faith in organic SEO and treat pay-per-click like poker.
By Robert ScalesSearch Engine Submission Tactics
Optimize titles, descriptions and headings for a few key phrases, keep your code W3C-compliant, and be patient: rankings take months to settle.
By Robert ScalesThe Future of SEO
Are home pages on their way out? In 2005, Robert predicted visitors would arrive through any page a search engine surfaced, and sites should be designed for it.
By Robert ScalesWebsite Optimizations for Better SEO
SEO starts long before submission: plan, design and develop with web standards, make your content indexable, and build it right the first time.
By Robert ScalesSEO is dead - It's about creating compelling content constantly on a Web 2.0 site
Search engine optimisation in the classic sense of link spam, referer spam and link farms is dead. Content driven SEO is what works in 2005.
By Roland TanglaoWhat to Know Before Hiring a SEO Firm
Red flags to watch for before you hire an SEO: unsolicited email, guaranteed #1 rankings, secrecy and no written contract. When in doubt, walk away.
By Robert ScalesSEO Resources
Some of my favourite SEO links: the sites I read, software I use and other links I am scouting these days.
By Robert ScalesHow Search Engines Rank Sites
Keyword prominence, placement and inbound links, plus what a month of standards-based development and blogging did for Raincity's own traffic.
By Robert ScalesBook Review: Search Engine Visibility
One of the most important things to remember before you start submitting your newly-built website is how search engines' spiders/robots work.
By Robert ScalesUsing a Bryght Site to Achieve #1 Rankings in Google
Bryght sites are even more effective than blogs for achieving a high Google rank. Why? Two reasons.
By Roland TanglaoYour business deserves to be found.
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