Google Freshness Algorithm Counts Even More Now

by James A. Martin on December 8, 2011

On its Official Google Blog, Google recently announced “a significant improvement” to its ranking algorithm that will affect about 35 percent of all searches. The goal is to make search results as fresh as possible.

The algorithm update will show more high-quality pages “that might only be minutes old,” according to the Google blog. Because of the algorithm change, Google will also show you the most recent results related to a regularly recurring event, such as Dancing With the Stars results. (Now there‘s information the world can’t wait to absorb.) And you’ll reportedly see the freshest content related to topics that aren’t newsy per se, but the information on them changes often. Example: A search for best digital cameras would give you the latest reviews of the best cameras.

It’s still early to say how Google’s algorithm update might impact your SEO and social media efforts directly. But it’s pretty safe to say that being topical whenever possible–in your social media updates, blog posts, press releases, and other content–may help that content rank well in Google searches.

How do you make your content newsy and topical? Check out the trending topics on Twitter, Hashtags.org, Google Insights for Search, and Google Trends. Find a hot topic that you have something to say about, and then say it. Use relevant hashtags on Twitter and keywords in blog posts and other content.

Of course, a small company’s Facebook Page with a post about Occupy Wall Street isn’t likely to rise above a breaking CNN story on the same topic in Google search results. And even if it did, it would not stay on top for long, especially if it’s a news story that’s continuing to develop. Still, being fresh in your online content will help you stay part of the conversation and might even help new customers find you.

Blogging Tip — Be Topical and Personal

by James A. Martin on October 14, 2011

As an experiment, I launched a personal blog, A Southerner in San Francisco, in mid August. Until early this week, the blog had only two ‘members,’ or subscribers–one of whom was my sister.

And then, by the end of the week, the blog had 104 subscribers and page views were way up. What happened?

I wrote a blog post, “Steve Jobs’ impact on my 92-year-old mother,” after the former Apple CEO’s passing. I posted the blog last Saturday. On the following Tuesday, my blog was highlighted on Google Blogger.com’s Blogs of Note. Suddenly, my inbox was filling with appreciative comments from people whose lives had also been touched by Jobs, or who simply related to the story of how Apple products had enabled me to share memories (via video and the iPad) with my mother, who has Alzheimer’s.

So if you want to increase your blog’s traffic, be topical. Think about what people are buzzing about at the moment, and see if you have something to say. When I took over writing the iPhoneGuide blog, I focused on newsy blog posts; traffic increased 25 percent.

And whenever possible, offer a personal story that’s relevant to the hot topic. Be authentic. You’re more likely to touch a nerve and keep readers coming back.

Beware of Twitter Malware

by James A. Martin on September 13, 2011

I could blame it on Klout, but really, it’s my own damn fault.

A few days ago, I was using HootSuite, an excellent social media monitoring and updating tool, to check my Twitter streams. I look at the Mentions stream frequently, to see if anyone has done an @mention of me; in my case, that would be @james_a_martin, as that’s my Twitter handle.

I discovered an @mention from someone I’d never heard of. The tweet simply consisted of my Twitter handle and a bit.ly link. Naturally, I was curious, thinking someone had mentioned me in a blog post or whatever–the kind of thing that can help improve your Klout score.

I clicked the link. Up popped a browser window informing me that I’d been entered to win a free iPad. Translation: You’ve just clicked on malware.

Having used a Mac exclusively for the past two years, I haven’t bothered to install anti-virus software. I asked my tech-support guy, the excellent Paul Bray, for help. He suggested I download, install, and run a free Mac program called Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition, which I did. It found 52 ‘threats’ on my iMac, most of which were the same virus/malware that I obviously downloaded by clicking the Twitter link.

The malware’s name, by the way, is Mal/Badsrc-C, which has been around since 2008 and according to Sophos, only affects Windows machines. The perpetrator’s Twitter name, unfortunately, I can’t supply, for not long after I clicked the malware link, I went back to HootSuite to find the perp’s Twitter handle so I could report it. The @mention of me was gone from my stream, obviously deleted.

So a painful lesson learned: The act of malware spreading is getting personal on Twitter, and you could be next. Please stop and think for a second before you click a link in an @mention of you from someone you don’t know.

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