The last week’s news of Google’s targeting of guest blogs should not have come as a surprise: Google’s Matt Cutts has been discussing the issue for the past two years, warning marketers that as recently as January 2014. But last week’s announcement that Google penalized ‘a guest blog network’ unfolded quickly when it was revealed […]
Quality SEOs, regardless of experience, defer to Matt Cutts, Google’s Distinguished Engineer (formerly known as Google’s Quality Control Czar) and one of the few semi-official faces of Google. Whether he’s discussing his latest 30-day challenge on his or shooting endless videos for YouTube, he’s everywhere, and he’s arguably the best resource for current best practices […]
Hashtags seem to be everywhere these days. No longer just used on social media to sum up a user’s feeling or the content of a post, hashtags have evolved. They are now used to promote TV shows, disseminate news, increase transparency in some governments, or even overthrow them. Often, the problem with hashtags isn’t the […]
is a small business located in British Columbia, Canada. Run by a small team, they specialize in water features, lawn care, Permaculture and total garden transformations. Like many other small businesses, the owners wear a lot of hats but can’t specialize in every element of business. It’s clear that these are talented, hardworking people who […]
“Penguins are so sensitive/To My Needs†If you’re a Lyle Lovett fan, you probably know what I’m talking about. If you’re not, should explain my otherwise unusual outburst. It’s surprisingly appropriate to this week’s Penguin update – the fourth major update (arguably the 25th overall) of the major Google algorithm that’s targeting spammy links. This […]
On May 2, a patent was filed with the USPTO for a smart-watch that will potentially include touch-pads, a screen, processor, wireless transceiver and communication abilities. The way it’s wired would essentially allow it to serve as a secondary body computer to Google Glass, or possibly compliment other Google products. While not a guarantee that […]
As the tragedy at the Boston marathon unfolded, everyone who knew competitors in the race wanted to know the same things. Are my loved ones safe? How do I get in touch with them? Where are they? There are always more questions than answers as a tragedy takes place. As time goes on, these questions […]
You’ve probably noticed that with certain search results, an image of the author appears directly below the link. This is known as Authorship, and is one of the most important elements of Google Plus. In this installment, we’ll look at the easiest way to establish Authorship in Google Plus, and explain why it’s in your […]
Aiming to take the wind out of the sail of Facebook’s announcement of changes to their Newsfeed later today, Google announced three changes to their social media platform yesterday. The most noticeable change is the re-sizing of the Cover Photo button. The photo size can now be up to 2120 by 1192 pixels and in 16:9 ratio […]
Ripples – The New Metric of 2013 Ripples are an interactive feature that tracks how posts or URLs are shared through Google and the Google Plus network. Valuable to both users and marketers, the Ripple feature demonstrates not only what we’re sharing, but how, when, and with whom. Launched in fall 2011, Ripples has stayed […]
The Hangout feature is possibly the most useful and underrated elements of Google’s social platform. Its versatility and ease of use make it ideal for both professional and personal work. For use on computers, tablets or mobiles (through the Google Plus app), there are two functions in the Hangout section to serve your needs: Hangouts […]
The community feature is exactly that – an ability to discover, interact and become a part of various communities in the Google Plus world. With a wide variety of interests and groups to choose from, it’s a great way to increase interactions with others, while learning more about a subject that interests you. If you’re […]
The image functions in G+ have many more functions than its social media predecessors. This installation explores the many functions of G+’s Photo section, and shows you how to make the most of it. Â Geo-tagging and location mapping If Exif information is available in your pictures (usually embedded by digital cameras), G+ provides the option […]
In the second installment in our Google + Series, we discuss more elements that will make G+ the premier social network in 2013 and beyond. Explore The Explore function of Google Plus allows the user to explore accounts they might not otherwise discover. Comprised of public postings from around the world, Explore will show you […]
Over the years, Google has made multiple attempts at creating a flourishing social media platform, with limited success. Now they have finally found a way to integrate user behaviour, search results and social into one cohesive platform – Google Plus. Available to anyone with a Google account, the G+ platform has many superior elements compared […]