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compliance

E-Commerce Compliance – Think PCI

Key Legal Considerations in E-Commerce

In the wake of rapid technological advancements, e-commerce has become a common enterprise in the contemporary world. The Internet has made it possible for SMEs and large stores to reap huge benefits from online businesses. However, the U.S. has outlined various e-commerce compliance laws to guide such ventures, and it is important for any online business owner to understand them or consult an experienced transactional lawyer to dissect them before launching the business.

complianceDifferences between Operating an Online Business and a Brick and Mortar

More than in brick and mortar business, customers’ privacy and security are paramount in Internet-based business. In this regard, “Websites should provide the customers with choices regarding the use of their personal information, and incorporate security procedures to limit access to customer information by unauthorized parties” (Nasir, 2004). Alongside the existing and potential e-commerce regulations, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has instituted reliable vigilance to protect customer information every time they shop online. Therefore, it is important to understand E-Commerce compliance and all the legal implications regarding infringement of clients’ data and privacy when operating an e-business or develop alternative law-compliant data collection and management functions from the onset. Many web-based businesses have a privacy policy to inform the users on how (if need be) their data would be collected and used while others feature “click through” dialog boxes seeking customer consent on matters pertaining to their information.

One of the biggest legal dilemmas yet to be addressed is establishing who has the jurisdiction or authority to apply a certain law over various transactions. For instance, whereas customers can launch disputes at local small claims courts, such institutions are irrelevant in cyberspace, according to Ron Presser from the American Bar Association (Sayer & Deveaux, 2000). When operating an online business, it is important to understand that not all transactions involving two different parties based in two different nations are successful; they should be ready to address questions regarding extra-territorial jurisdictions over online transactions.

The Basic Elements Of E-Commerce Compliance

Intellectual Property

Before signing a contract with a designer or developer, it is important to understand that “a domain name is a form of intangible intellectual property” as a state court in Virginia court once ruled (Lovell, Fausett, Fertik, Loundy, Palfrey, & Ward, n.d.). Therefore, the business owner should make the domain name a protected trademark lest he or she engage in unnecessary conflicts and negotiations with the web developer or other entity over its ownership. In other words, he or she should own all the intellectual property to the web design, including the logo and the domain name. Unclear contracts have resulted in different cases of “cyber-squatting,” whereby an opportunist registers a website that has a URL resembling that of a reputable brand and then seeks to “hold the brand owner hostage” (Marsh, 2000).

Web-Hosting

Another e-commerce compliance consideration is the negotiation of the web-hosting contract, which demands that the owner understands what he or she has a right to and what he or she is not. It is noteworthy that “the actual services offered in a web hosting agreement vary from provider to provider, making it difficult to generalize what, exactly, comprises hosting” (Lovell, Fausett, Fertik, Loundy, Palfrey, & Ward, n.d.). This necessitates the services of a transactional lawyer to ensure that the designer fulfils all the client’s interests in the hosting agreement or satisfactorily makes changes to the boilerplate hosting agreements.

Customer Privacy

It is also necessary to consider customer privacy policy and protect their information. Alternatively, the owner of the e-business can explain what he or she is protecting and what he or she is not. As such, there is a need to inform customers the business owner will use such information and whether he or she is going to disclose it to third-party marketing agencies or not.

Type of Business and Cyber-Attacks

When it comes to cyber-attacks, the type of business does not matter, but the size does. Hackers only go for websites that are “much easier to gain access and pilfer the desired information,” and it remains the responsibility of the designer to support the

enterprise with a stronger cyber-security solution on behalf of the owner (Song, 2016). In fact, cyber-criminals do not spare online auctioning, e-commerce stores, community membership sites, magazine publishing, blogs, and affiliate marketing. It turns out that “not only are small businesses now firmly in the crosshairs of cybercriminals, but they are also fast becoming their favoured target” (Smith, 2016). In particular, SMEs have become softer targets for hackers and scammers due to their weaker online security and unpreparedness for cyber breach.

Other Considerations About E-Commerce Compliance

Before launching any type of online business, it is important to understand and comply with federal and state laws regarding e-commerce. As such, the business owner must be aware (even to some degree) of e-commerce compliance, PCI, liability limitations, jurisdiction under which the business will operate, delivery terms, and how to protect the customers’ information. Another key point to note is that e-commerce has slim operating margins, and neither SMEs nor large businesses are immune from cyber breach. In as much as the business owner wants to abide by all the e-commerce laws, it is also important to keep an eye on the cybercriminals and fraudsters marauding the Internet lest the business suffer massive losses or even close own.

This is not legal advice and does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter or potential legal matter. Consult a licensed attorney for compliance guidelines for your state.

References
Lovell, M., Fausett, B., Fertik, M., Loundy, D., Palfrey, J., & Ward, L. E-Commerce: An Introduction, Part 1: Set Up. Cyber.law.harvard.edu. Retrieved 8 August 2016, from
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/olds/ecommerce/setuptext.html
Nasir, M. A. (2004). Legal issues involved in E-commerce. Ubiquity, 2004(February), 2-2.
Marsh, M. (2000). Starting An Online or Web Based Business – Legal Issues To Consider.
Your Legal Corner. Retrieved 8 August 2016, from http://www.yourlegalcorner.com/articles.asp?cat=comp&id=130
Sayer, P. & Deveaux, S. (2000). Court in the Net: Jurisdiction in Cyberspace. Computerworld. Retrieved 8 August 2016, from http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/87587/court_net_jurisdiction_cyberspace/
Smith, M. (2016). Huge rise in hack attacks as cyber-criminals target small businesses. The Guardian. Retrieved 8 August 2016, from https://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2016/feb/08/huge-rise-hack-attacks-cyber-criminals-target-small-businesses
Song, J. (2016). Why Hackers Want to Attack Your Small Business. Tech. Retrieved 8 August 8, 2016, from http://tech.co/hackers-want-attack-small-business-2016-01
google-panda_google-penguin

Google Panda And Google Penguin Algorithms

Understanding the Google Panda and Google Penguin Algorithms

Google continually focuses on enhancing internet user experience in as far as searching for information is concerned. They often come up with algorithm changes and Google filters that make search engine results relevant to users while at the same time curbing cheating and web spamming by online content managers or website owners. Even though Google makes hundreds of algorithm changes in a year, estimated to be over six hundred, among these changes often are some big and significant ones. Good examples of such impactful changes include the Panda and Penguin Algorithms.

The Google Panda Algorithm

Panda is a Google algorithm created to prevent low-quality websites from getting an undeserved top page ranking and enable quality, in-depth and frequently updated sites to get the coveted spots. When this Google filter first came into the limelight, many content managers referred to it as the Farmer update because it widely affected content farms or sites that lift content from other platforms to improve their Google ranking.
Contrary to the initial misconception that Panda targeted sites containing artificial backlink structures, it primarily focuses on quality of the website pages. As a result, sites with low-quality, thin and duplicated content or those that have too much advertising and poor navigation, end up on the lower pages of the search results. The launch of the Panda was named after one of its creators Navneet Panda.

The Google Penguin Algorithm

It is a Google algorithm that aims to minimize the amount of trust Google gives to sites that cheat through the creation of unnatural or artificial backlinks to get favorable top rankings on the Google search engine pages. While the focus for Google Panda algorithm is on web pages quality, Penguin primarily focuses on unnatural backlinks, keyword stuffing, cloaking and to some degree anchor texts. The quality of links that direct to a particular site acts as a form of confidence for that website.

Simply put, if a reliable online platform redirects to a website, it endorses that site. Similarly, backlinks from many relatively unknown sites would provide the same effect. This Google filter explains why many content managers try to manipulate the links or even create artificial links. The Penguin algorithm attempts to detect sites that violate Black-hat SEO techniques, and when it identifies such links, it determines the site to be dishonest, consequently reducing the website’s page rankings.

google-panda_google-penguinHow The Panda And Penguin Algorithms Impact Websites

Although the Panda algorithm can affect a section of the site or the website, it rarely targets individual pages. It assesses the overall website content. A site might have quality content, however, if the content is thin or duplicated the Panda filter can cause the penalization of the entire site. Penguin, on the other hand, affects individual parts on the website on a keyword or a page level. However, in the event of web spamming and overuse of keywords, the Google algorithm can determine that the site is untrustworthy and flag the site causing it to rank poorly.

How To Recover From The Panda And Penguin Algorithms Filters

Recovery From The Panda Filter

On average Google refreshes this algorithm at least once each month. In case the Panda algorithm affects your website, you just need to make a few changes to the site. Identify the pages that have thin or no content, plagiarized or duplicated content and make them right. Remove the copied material and elaborate on the wanting contents. Once you do that, the performance of your site should significantly improve after the proceeding Google Panda refresh. At times, however, it might take months before the changes become visible especially if it takes Google an extended period to revisit your website to notice the changes.

Recovery From The Penguin Filter

If the Penguin filter flags your site, you need to look for the artificial or unnatural links that redirect to your site. Furthermore, look for links that originate from the IP address or domain name, as they portray an impression of purchased links. Once you identify these backlinks, remove them or if that is impossible, use the Disavow tool to inform Google to stop counting the links. If you successfully remove all the unnatural links, the website should eventually regain Google’s trust leading to improved site performance after a few algorithm refreshes.

The existence of Google algorithms and Google filters like Panda and Penguin compels website owners and online content managers to take a strict approach to their content. That includes analyzing the links to ensure that the site has a quality link profile and creating original blog content that is relevant to the target niche.

content marketing

Duplicate Content Is Bad For SEO

Why Copied Content Is a Big No-No with Google

In today’s online business environment, your web design and SEO strategies have to be top notch to remain competitive. Previously ignored issues like copied content can no longer be taken for granted and failure to take immediate action can mean a long and arduous road ahead for your online business. Duplicate content is bad for SEO.

You already know how important good content is to your site. It drives visitors to your site and converts them into leads, thereby bringing in huge profits. There are many helpful tips available out there for anyone who wants to write quality content. Nonetheless, many people still assume that copied content is good for their website. But the truth is that copied content is a big no-no with Google and the content world as a whole.

Why Duplicate Content Is Frowned On By Search Engines

There are numerous reasons why you should avoid posting duplicate content on your site. One of the main reasons is that you will never be a trustworthy source for clients who are always looking for unique, high quality content. Your readers want to see that you are an authority in your niche market, and if you are regularly copying your content or articles, you will be hurting your reputation.

Other reasons duplicate content is bad include:

Google Wants High-Quality Unique Original Content

Plagiarism is a big word with bigger consequences in today’s content world. The work of Google is to index and provide as much unique content as possible, presenting a variety in the results. For example, imagine searching for a business such as a plumbing service. If the plumber serves many locations and all the locations had a single web presence with the same content, then you won’t get variety within the search engine results when it comes to business services. What you are actually searching for is a variety of plumbing services that you can choose from.

Duplicate Content Will Put Your Site on Google’s Naughty List

Google will actually reward your site for having high quality, original content. However, it will punish it accordingly if you have duplicate content. Using the same article from the internet throughout your website, or even copy-and-pasting content from another website can greatly hurt your Google rankings. It is true that a website can have good rankings throughout other search engines, but still not reach anywhere in Google results. A search using a reliable plagiarism checker can help determine whether the content on your site is being used on other online sites or directories.

Copied content will make your website look like an illegal business, even if you’re a legitimate one. This is because that’s something trolls and spammers are doing on a daily basis. They copy and paste everything on a website in an attempt to stay relevant.

Google has been at the forefront of the fight against duplicate content and any content that looks deceptive or manipulative is penalized. When writing content, your aim should be to stand out from your competition and gain trust in the market. You want to write content that is helpful and engaging for your visitors to attract clicks, interactions and sales.

When you use duplicate content, however, you run the risk of losing even your most loyal visitors and not converting your leads. Copied content will keep your site hidden and your competitors will be seen by potential customers, instead. Duplicate content does not only harm your authority on Google, but it also harms your domain value, so don’t be cheated into thinking that it is a way of saving some money.

Avoid Duplicate Content And Enjoy The Benefits Of A Trusted Site

You may have tens or even thousands of pages on your site and just thinking about writing content for each other them can be frightening. However, the truth is that you have to do it if your seriously want to rank well in Google. If you don’t know whether or not your site has duplicate content, you can use a reliable plagiarism checker to make the job easier and faster. You should make sure there is little or no copied content on your site.

If you are looking for high quality, original content to replace the existing duplicates, then it may be time to hire a copywriting service. This will help you get professionally written articles that you can use to get rid of duplicate content on your site.

local seo

Geolocation Tactics For Local SEO Success

Learning to Love Geolocation – Smart Geolocation Tactics for Marketing Success

If you want to increase your website conversions and boost your online sales, you need to target your customers where they live. Geolocation services allow you to do just that, and in this age of smartphones and mobile devices finding your customers where they are is easier than ever before. Often referred to as geo-fencing or geo-targeting, the ability to target your audience close to home is a game changer.

Consumers have reached a certain comfort level with geo-tracking and geolocation services, and most leave these services turned on when they shop, run errands and take care of the necessities of daily life. That means you can use geolocation to find the customers most likely to need what you have to sell.

local seoTaking advantage of geolocation is a great way to boost the bottom line, but success is far but guaranteed. Your competitors are working hard as well, and staying ahead of those competitors has never been more important. Here are some tips you can use to improve your results and boost your website conversions.

Use the Exclusionary Principle

Geolocation lets you know where your customers are, but it also allows you to know where they are not. Geolocation is very much a double-edged tool, and smart companies have learned to make the most of the exclusionary principle.

If you run a bar or club in a university town, your normal target audience is probably the students who go there. Throughout the semester, you can use geolocation services to find those students and entice them with drink specials, low-cost food and other goodies.

When school is out for the summer, however, those loyal university students will be gone. That means targeting another class of customers until class is back in session.

Prioritize Prime Locations

Marketing is all about striking the proper balance. Casting too wide a net can mean wasted money and effort, while making your target too narrow could mean losing out on customers and sales.

When it comes to optimizing geo-targeting, it pays to prioritize the  best locations. Over time you will get to know which locations perform the best, and spending your limited marketing dollars targeting those areas is one of the best ways to improve click-through rates and ultimately sales as well. That may mean raising your bid for those prime locations, but the results will be well worth the extra cost.

Improve Your Results with Paid Search Ads and Location-Specific Keywords

Paid search is not always the best marketing choice, but this technique can really improve local results. Using a combination of location-specific keywords and paid search can make it far easier for your target customers to find you – and that is good news for them and for you.

Examples of location-specific keywords are nearly endless, ranging from things like “Cleveland area gyms” and “Italian restaurants in Chicago” to “coffee shops near Union Square” to “hotels near the White House.” By using these location-specific keywords and testing your results, you can fine-tune your marketing and boost your conversions over time.

Local SEO -Remember To Own Your Home Market First!

Reaching your customers where they live, play and work has never been more important. The popularity of smartphones means that today’s consumer is always connected – and always ready to buy. The companies who are best able to reach those consumers and provide them with what they need are the ones most likely to succeed. By using smart geolocation practices, you can be that successful company and see your profits soar.

seo wireframe

Silo Site Structure For Success

Silo Your Site Architecture

Silo Site Structure: What The Structure Of Your Website Should Look Like

Search engines have evolved, your site architecture needs to evolve too! Silo site structure is one way to improve your website performance. The engines with their bots and crawlers track the organization structural patterns of your sites. The secret here is to have your website structured naturally and logically as if you were writing a thesis paper with topic and subtopic, introduction, main body, and epilog. The purpose of such a structure is to make it easy for the website user to navigate your site. Make sure that you’ve organized content in a meaningful way.

Remember that you can always rewrite your online content so change and experiment with different keywords and key phrases over time to produce the best results for your online business. Consider building a couple of websites to see which version of your online content ranks better and faster.

sitemap-silo-exampleSilo sites are sites that are organized structurally to boost the main landing page in the search result pages by proper information on the website that links back to the landing page which is optimized for the primary keywords. The content of your site should be valuable to the end user however quantity is not as important as one might think. Constant updates of content are not necessary since the engines do not factor in the updates in the algorithm behind the intricate workings of search engines.

The crucial factor to ranking is to keep close attention to how your content is organized and linked on-site and off-site. You can easily create a silo site by making a plan of your SEO content for the webpages of your website. First, you need to focus on long-tail keywords and expanding on those long-tails with additional keywords and phrases. These keywords are the skeleton of your silo site. A silo site is like a thesis on a specific topic that expands with sub-topics which all link back to the main topic to support it and rank it in the search result pages.

Silo Site Structure For Success

The aim of a silo site is to rank higher for your main target keyword with all the secondary articles with long-tail keywords and wordings that all link back meaningfully and in an organized tier structure to the primary keyword optimized landing page. The long-tail keywords of your site are the waves that push your main keyword up in the search result pages. Remember that you still need backlinks from other sites in your niche that link back to your silo site. Silo sites will always rank longer than non-silo organized sites due to the changing landscapes of the world-wide web.

seo whiteboard

Little Used On Page Optimization Tactics

Least Known On-Page Optimization Techniques

These little used on page optimization tactics can significantly increase your organic traffic when added into your overall grassroots SEO strategy.

1. Readability level

Readability level is a measure of how easy or hard it is to read a webpage. Internet users range from young primary school pupils to retired and elderly people. If your webpage language resembles that of a legal document, how many users would read and understand it? Many would have to sit with a dictionary and still have doubts. Therefore as you write, consider the readability level of your articles and make sure that they are easy to read and understand. Note that Google arranges search results according to reading level scores among other factors. Use a reliable tool to weed out spelling, punctuation, vocabulary and grammatical errors.

2. Embed content related videos

The human mind can remember visual information more easily than text. Videos increase the average time that users spend on a webpage. Consider if you embed a 2-minute video in your article. Some users will watch that video and also spend time to read the article. This means that the average time spent by a user on that particular webpage is increased. The good thing about sites on which visitors spend more time is that Google gives them a lot of importance. So before you publish an article, check for interesting videos on popular video sites like YouTube. You should only embed videos that are directly related to your content.

3. Reader comments and reviews

Readers will leave comments on a website if they found it helpful. Comments are important in helping Google to understand the context of a website. Thus go through the comments, look for and approve those that contain your target keywords. Comments that contain one or two keywords are very valuable because they add up to the content of the article. This will consequently increase the organic traffic to your site.

4. Internal linking structure

Internal site linking or sidebar linking involves adding a link to a webpage from the sidebar. Creating a sidebar link that points to an internal article is a form of interlinking that is fully supported by Google. A site wide link is such a valuable interlink because it has the potential of drawing traffic from all the other webpages of a website. Thus you should have an increase in organic traffic of the webpage that the sidebar link points to.

On Page Optimization Beyond The Basics

Using the above on-page optimization techniques will go a long way in helping you capture more organic traffic from your competitors.