The sun has finally set on Google AdWord’s Keyword Tool and the new Keyword Planner is giving marketers mixed feelings.

The Google Keyword Tool, a staple for SEO’s and PPC managers alike, has officially retired. Of course, Google wouldn’t leave us all empty-handed and has provided the Keyword Planner in its place. While SEO and PPC experts all over the world will say goodbye to the Keyword Tool, the new Google Keyword Planner is being embraced with mixed sentiment.

Google Keyword Planner is said to combine the functionality of the Keyword Tool and Adwords’ Traffic Estimator, allowing users to find keyword ideas and the respective traffic for them. Sounds pretty similar to the Keyword Tool functionality, but there are some definite differences along with new features as well.

Points of contention

Login to AdWords – Instead of being an external tool, users now have to log in to an AdWords account in order to use the tool, which can be a bit inconvenient. For PPC managers who spend most of their time logged into AdWords anyway, it probably won’t make much of a difference.

No more match type data for search volume – The Keyword Traffic Tool would allow users to specify different match types, like a broad match and phrase match when gathering data. Google Keyword Planner, on the other hand, shows data for exact match only.

No more device targeting – The late Keyword Tool revealed data for the desktop by default, but would allow users to target specific devices like tablets or mobile phones as well. However, Google Keyword Planner targets all devices by default, showing a broader set of data. The plus is that keyword volumes are now more accurate because it incorporates data for users across multiple devices. On the other hand, users no longer have the option to see data for anyone specific device.

New Benefits

Get estimates for more keywords – With the Keyword Planner, you can get estimates for more keywords by uploading your own lists with up to 10,000 keywords. You of course still have the option to type in the keywords manually.

Multiply keyword lists – Many of you may be familiar with the concatenate feature in excel just for this purpose. Now the Keyword Planner offers a completely new feature where you can mash up different keyword lists.

More customized CPC estimates – With the Keyword Planner, you are able to get more customized estimates based on your actual budget, bids and location. This gives you a better idea for how many clicks and impressions you’ll receive and at what cost. The Keyword Planner also allows you to save your keyword plans and add them directly to your current PPC campaigns.

The simplicity of the Keyword Tool was its most appealing asset, but a brief introduction to the new Google Keyword Planner will soon erase any uncertainty. While a few of the old features have neglected to make it into the new tool, an influx of new ones will help soften the blow. The Keyword Planner still serves the purpose of its former counterpart, and at the end of the day, that’s what matters most.

If you have any questions about Google Keyword Planner or how to use it, please contact us for a free consultation.

Submitted by Erica Machin, Titan Growth

Facebook revamps its regulations, offering more leniency for marketers who run campaigns and promotions.

Facebook’s new promotional guidelines now make it easier for businesses of all sizes to run promotions straight from their brand Page. Before this update, brands were required to use third party applications to administer campaigns or they risked having their Page revoked. Now with the recent update, simple campaigns will be much easier to run for businesses everywhere.

What’s changed

Facebook has removed the clause saying that brands must use a third party app in order to administer their Facebook campaigns and that entries cannot be conditioned on things like post likes or comments. Until now, even a simple campaign had to be run through an app and entries could only be collected through the app itself.

In order to make it easier for brands to participate in promotions, Facebook has eased up on its rules and now allows brands to administer promotions both on third party applications as well as their own Facebook brand Page.

In addition to posting a promotion directly on a Page, businesses can now:

• Use likes as a voting mechanism
• Collect entries by having a user direct message the Page
• Collect entries by having users comment or like a post
• Collect entries by having users post directly on the Page

What you can’t do

While the rules have really eased up, there are still some things that brands can’t do when it comes to promotions. For example:

• Brands may not administer campaigns on personal Timelines
• Brands may not collect entries by Page likes
• Brands may not ask individuals to tag themselves in content that they are not actually in

Even with some leniency in the rules, there are still risks for those who don’t follow the guidelines, so it’s a good idea to be familiar with what you can and can’t do when launching promotions on Facebook. You can view the full promotional guidelines here.

Final Thoughts

Facebook’s regulation revamp makes it easier for businesses to run campaigns on their Facebook Pages and marketers everywhere now have more opportunities to engage their audiences. There will still be a time and place to use third-party applications (they’re not going anywhere) but these new rules allow for further flexibility and a better Facebook experience.

If you have any questions about the new Facebook Guidelines, or how to run promotions on Facebook, please contact us.

Submitted by Erica Machin, Titan Growth

Google updated their guidelines for what constitutes unacceptable link schemes. Make sure you are familiar with the changes, so you can avoid search penalties.

Google recently updated their definition of link schemes in webmaster tools to include overly optimized anchor text in press-releases, large-scale guest posting, and advertorials. While many white-hat SEO companies have been anticipating this change, many other companies and webmasters may be surprised, or worse yet, may still have no clue.

The most recent Penguin update was an eye-opener for many webmasters who found out the hard way that these link ‘strategies’ can result in major repercussions for their website and traffic. Avoid search penalties and traffic losses by knowing the most recent guidelines and how they can impact your website.

1. Overly optimized anchor text in press releases

What it is: Hyperlinked text, aka anchor text, is something that webmasters can control on internal pages of their website, as well as in articles and press releases that they create. Black-hat SEO companies began to take advantage of press releases by creating releases with multiple overly-optimized backlinks in order to manipulate their search rankings.

Example:

There are many wedding rings on the market. If you want to have a wedding, you will have to pick the best ring. You will also need to buy flowers and a wedding dress.

How to avoid a penalty: For articles and press releases, avoid unnecessary linking, especially links back to your own website. If your release does contain links back to your website, make sure to use either natural anchor text (ie: your company name, or the title of the landing page) or have the nofollow tag enabled, which means site crawlers cannot follow the link at all.

2. Large-scale guest posting

What it is: Guest posting can be a great way to raise brand awareness, build site authority and possibly pick up some natural links along the way. Where webmasters were getting into trouble was by engaging in mass guest-posting campaigns with articles that contained overly optimized anchor text for the sole purpose of obtaining optimized links.

How to avoid a penalty: Guest-posting can be great for your personal and brand presence, but choose websites that are legitimate and authoritative and relate to your industry. Make it a long-term commitment and post for the exposure, not for the sake of links. If you do link back to your website in any of your posts, be sure to use natural anchor text.

3. Advertorials

What it is: An advertorial is a paid article that highlights a business’ product or service. Black-hat webmasters were abusing advertorials by filling them with optimized links in order to increase rankings. Google now threatens to penalize any link that passes PageRank in a paid advertorial.

How to avoid a penalty: This doesn’t mean that you have to avoid advertorials at all costs, as long as they are reputable. However, what it does mean is that any link in an advertorial should have the nofollow tag so it does NOT pass on any PageRank.

While Google’s many guidelines may seem intimidating to keep straight at times, the best rule of thumb for practicing ethical SEO is to keep your strategy natural. Avoid participating in any strategy that uses ‘short-cuts’ or attempts to manipulate the search engines or searchers for the purpose of obtaining better rankings. If you have any questions about Google link schemes or are concerned that your website may be at risk of a penalty, contact us and we would be happy to conduct a free site audit.

Submitted by Erica Machin, Titan Growth