Welcome to the Q&A Forum

Thanks Natalie-Alexis

But where is that link? I don't see it in any footer, sidebar, etc. It is as if it is meant to be obscured>

Thanks

I sent an email a few minutes ago to support@moz.com but don't know if that is a usable address or not.

I would prefer an answer from a Moz staffer.

Thanks,

Hello Miriam,

Yes, the firm name conflicts with same term for B.Sc. I am readying a document where I suggest we change the business name and at first I thought, "we could just go to a different URL," but then I realized that doesn't change all the content with BSC in it.

I agree the key is searcher intent and that is what validates at least having a discussion about changing the company name.

Thanks as always for your great insight.

Robert

I am currently perplexed over a client's search results. They are an established company and well known in their field. (Unfortunately, I am not comfortable providing a link or their name.) The company is a consulting firm and let's assume it is an accounting firm, which it is not. When you search on BSC Accounting the results give them the first result but the next 18 results are around education - BSc Accounting. Consider the DA on the site is 34 and the PA for homepage is 39.

Is there a chance that when someone is searching on accounting firms that having the BSC in the name skews what they are able to rank for? Forget about searches for their exact name, I am more interested in thoughts as to how the BSC effects general searches for their specialties.

Thanks Kristina,

Just frustrated so wanted an instant answer of course. I will wait to hear from them.

Sorry, but it is getting a bit frustrating.

I have logged in multiple times and cannot get link metrics to show on mozbar. 
Help

OK Fine. You are right and I hate it. 
As I started to read, I went duhhhh. Yesterday I blocked third party cookies when I was testing something and forgot to change it.

Thanks for the assist and double thumbs up to you!

Anyone having issues with the Moz bar? Lately no matter how many times I log in, getting data is difficult as it keeps asking me to create an acct. or log in. Even logged into Moz and on Q&A it is asking me to log in.

THanks

I was doing some KW research for a client and noticed something interesting with regard to Yelp and Justia. For a search on DWI Attorneys, they each had over 300 character meta descriptions showing on the SERP without truncating. Everyone else was either truncated or within limit of roughly 160 characters. Obviously if there is a way to get something other than a list to show that way you can own some real estate. Would love to hear from some of you Mozzers on this. Here are two images that should assist.

Best

Edit: I found one that was not a directory site and it appears it is Google doing it. The site has no meta description for the home page and this is what is being pulled by Google. There are 327 characters here! The truncation marks are showing it being pulled from different parts of the page. Image is Killeen DWI Attorney.

NOTE None of these are clients, etc. I also changed the cities so this is a general search.

zAQpA qZ9KI 06p7U

I don't think you understood. They are not using the flags as languages, please re read. It is a feature in the app that I am asking about. Do you have any experience with it? Thanks

OK, I have spent a bit of time on this one and I have to ask.......why does it matter? First, I looked at both sites and see some things that they are doing that you are not and I think even though you have higher page and domain authority some of your links are just a bit questionable. In fact, I wonder if you have not overdone it. But that is not the issue.

You are worrying about a single search term: Colorado Springs Realtor that is not one of the better queries for real estate. (Yes, I currently build and manage RE sites, but not exclusively). In Colorado Springs real estate type queries for today the term you used here has 8100 local (US) queries on average. they are ranked 1st on that term and you are ranked 11th.

Better terms are Colorado Springs Homes - 74,000 They rank 1st and you are 2nd!

Colorado Springs Real Estate -  33,100 They are first your are 19th

Homes for sale Colorado Springs - 18,100 They are 23rd you are 7th!

I really think the difference is they researched their keyword terms before writing content and their site is really designed toward someone who is looking for a home. Theirs has Co Springs addresses yours doesn't. Etc.

I think too often we spend time worrying about who ranks higher when worrying about having people come to sites and then turn into customers is more important. Look at what the two sites offer side by side (OK have someone unemotionally involved do it) and ask yourself this question: If I wanted to buy a home in Colorado Springs, what would I type into the search bar and what would I want to know or see.

Best of luck.

PS All of the page ranking is from Google and was established by way of SEOmoz Rank Tracker.

Not a bad question at all. I own an SEO, SEM agency so my answer comes first from ROI: Did the investment bring me a reasonable return. Current one year pro is around $950 or $99 a month. We charge our clients a fee for ongoing SEO. The Pro Tools allows us to utilize less people to provide that service and to provide the written deliverables to the client. (For us, we have no contract and we are not cheap. Every client is told at the moment we begin they only need give us 30 days notice and we will leave without a fight. We follow that with this, "If we are not providing you what we promised or what you needed, the greatest thing you can do for us is to fire us - that will be a wake up call that we have lost our way." 
Obviously, I do not want to lose a single client and I do not want to see a single client lose. By having so many tools and resources (such as this Q and A) available to me on a moment's notice, I can deliver as promised. _Just the Q and A alone has been worth every dime I have spent.  _

I have only asked one private question in 17 months, but I had a top staffer continually answer follow up questions for about a ten day period. The insight gave me what I needed to conquer the issue. (And, it has never recurred.)

Beyond that, I have in the last month ended two other relationships with a similar fee structure. I just did not see any evidence that the $139 and the $79 was giving me really actionable data. One was actually mentioned multiple times on SEOmoz, but I found the data too broad and too irregular in timing to assist me in assisting clients. So, I am not bashful about pulling out if it does not work.

Now, I do have a beef with SEOmoz. As it stands now the membership "levels" are too rigid and in no way help me. I am pro, will be going to Pro Plus in the next few days, but am disappointed in the way campaigns are geared more to large sites. Pro = 5 campaigns and 10K pages with 300 keywords. Pro+ = 12 campaigns, same 10k and 1K keywords. Pro Elite is 30 campaigns, 3500 keywords, and 20K pages. So Pro = $100 per 10K pages, Pro+ = $199 for same, and ProE = $500 for 20K pages. Or P = $20 per campaign, P+= $17 per campaign, and PE= $17 per campaign.

We have a lot of clients with multiple small sites (less than 10 pages). Most are focused on not more than 5 to 10 keywords generally. But, for us the 5 campaigns equal 45-50pgs. and roughly 50 keywords - counting dupes among sites. Someone with one site and 5K pages with 250 keywords gets a better deal. Yet, I am still here and increasing my spend.

The reason for me is that the package of tools (some are available elsewhere for free) along with quality staff and phenomenal members is just a no brainer. I make at least a ten to one return on what I spend. No BS.

Hope you join Pro and give it a try. Would love to know your before and after opinions.

Jared,

As I got my coffee and realized the news of the world had not changed I opened up the computer and saw your question. I immediately thought of one not mentioned in your list: WordTracker. I just started using it so jury is out and I still like keywords tool. James Norquay did a nice post on youmoz on advanced keyword research that is worth the read. 

Before I wrote a response to your question I was struck by how it was Christmas and I was looking at work. But, it really isn't work to me. (And we do our celebrating on Christmas Eve for any who think I may be a Grinch). So, I started writing about keywords and Christmas. Sorry, I just couldn't help myself.

As the family rises for Christmas,,,much slower than me,
I jump on the moz to see what could be key.
One clients a lawyer, another sells skis,
I just gotta wonder what words will be keys?

To find one a case or the other a sale,
Then my clients smile brighter, and don't send me hate mail.
My PPC group has it easy you see,
Just send them some money as leads they aren't free!

I tell clients slow down, analyze and take heed,
If you slow down a bit - less money you'll need.
I understand well, you just want it now,
but you gave me a field, and it has to get plowed.
It's a field full of holes and rocks, and nothing that matches.
but we'll find a way when an idea catches.

Then you'll call me brilliant, "those records he smashes!!"
But it just took some digging so your money's not ashes.
Then back to the moz, to Shah, to Ryan, to EGOL, and associate's one through thirty three,
Gianluca, Rand, Keri, Alan, Cyrus, don't forget Dr. Pete,

Some I didn't name cause my wife's coming down the stairs,
When she sees me at 'work', it will be stares!
But thanks SEOmozzers for the help small and in batches,
More questions tomorrow about words and matches!!

It so easy for the others, NUMBER ONES GUARANTEED!!
But with me and you Mozzers
Next year's guaranteers, damn well better take HEED!
**Wishing each of you a wonderful, prosperous, New Year. **

I realize this is not a highly technical question, but I just read over the post by Trevor Klein on the new Beginners Guide to Link Building by Paddy Moogan at Distilled. I cracked up when I saw the post had 31 Thumbs Up and 1 Thumb down. I see this regularly on very good posts where someone just had to thumb it down. I wish there was a way that person could anonymously post why they did so just so we could discover their wisdom that we are obviously missing.

It kills me that I cannot find the time to produce such quality work and post it to Moz. I start a ton of posts, but am just too busy with client work to finish them. I finally finished one around ugly directory sites blocking link tracking tools and patted myself on the back for days (Thank you Keri Morgret for your editorial assistance). But, really, is it just that there is someone who woke up from a really rough night and thought, "Why the ___ are all you people so ____ happy?! Arrrrrgggghhhh!!!"

Obviously, there is no correct answer and you are more than welcome to thumb this into hell if things are that bad. Peace.

I am going to start putting the wrong keywords in. So on a physician site for lipo, my keywords will be: Saw 2, barbequed ribs, Halloween 3, Dexter, cannibals, etc.

Can't wait to see that competitor rank now!

Thanks EGOL!

Will,

I appreciate your dilemma, but will start with a why are things as they are: I had a few quotes from firms who used this and they basically tried to sell me the world for £500 a month.

So I have done my own SEO over the past 5 months and I think the figures are slowly going up, as are visits and sales (albeit slower than the visits).

There is a reason that there are fees associated with SEO. There is a lot of work involved and there is a lot of learning involved. A corollary to this is medicine. As an RN I would often hear someone saying: They charged me $1,000 and all they did was look in my throat and and write me a prescription. No, the hospital bought land and built a facility, the nurses, doctors and techs all went to school for many years at a high cost and the hospital has to pay them based on that and their value in the marketplace. So, you paid $1,000 for the convenience of coming into a trauma center for a quick diagnosis of a flu or strep throat and for the ability to be given a prescription as opposed to having one of us kill a chicken, smear you with blood, and shout oba doba do while another one throws rocks at the moon. (Not really sure that would cure the flu, but I sure as hell wouldn't complain about it anymore).

So, there is a reason for the costs of SEO. I am going to give you a quick glance audit that will hopefully provide insight and assistance though. Secondarily, your second sentence re I think the figures is a bit troubling as they either are or they are not. You need to know that and how much precisely given that you are in eCommerce.

So, first and foremost, we speak often here of the www vs non www issue. You have a big issue in that when you enter your url without the www you get either web5 or a 404. This is costing you $$. I am not sure what you are built on, and the web5 reminds me of a server or platform some time back, but there are a lot of great coders who may see this and help. Minimally, you should go into GWMT and select www as your preferred domain. When there is no preferred domain and (for your situation) the non is not 301 redirected to the www, you are seen as two sites as opposed to one. Now, that said, you may have done this in some way server side or with a plug in that i am not seeing, but you have blocked visitors who do not use www when typing in a domain. (probably most mozzers and maybe 40% of population).

Next, here on SEOmoz, there are several guides you should read. Beginner's guide to SEO being the starter for you. Also this from Danny Dover on Small Business SEO.

You have overlong title tags (you are attempting to tell all in the wrong place. No more than 70 characters).

Your meta descriptions should be different for every page and should be designed to make me want to click on your site in a search. It is a sales tool for click through. So, instead of telling what you have, think of what are they searching for: men's designer shirts at great prices, easy to fit, fast and free delivery, guaranteed return for no fit, etc.

Your H-1 is the same on all pages (win a pair of creative trainers...) The H1 should apply to the page and the free offer should be side bar content.

You need to do some key word research to insure you know what people are searching on. (You can start with your Google analytics to see where traffic is coming from - what search terms.)

You have an ad for Like to Fight in the bottom left of page. When I click on it I leave your site but not for another window or tab. When I close like to fight, you are gone. This is a personal issue to me with eCommerce in that if they were searching for Armani burlap mens underwear, found you ranked, liked your meta description, clicked on it, then clicked on the ad and, not liking what they saw, closed it...well you may lose a potential customer. What if they search on same again, but see a different company they go after as opposed to browsing your store? I hope you own like to fight and it makes you more money or that they pay you a ton per visitor.

Lastly, you could use some good quality links. As near as I can decipher, your main traffic keyword is around designer menswear. I don't see you in the first 3 to 4 pages of Google.ie.... so, that isn't good.

You will need to learn a lot or pay someone to assist you. Now, I am not sure that pounds 500 per month is the best you can do there, so shop around. I would think that in pounds you could find someone to do an initial site evaluation for around 500 to 1000 pounds. Then likely about 200 to 300 pounds per month. (If they like clothes and are men, well make a trade). But, understand this, you will pay no matter what: If you do it you will pay in time to learn what needs to be done and how to do it and in sales lost during that time. Or, you can find someone and pay them.

Here is the good news, For what I gave you I ask only one thing: If you see someone who needs a hand, a cup of coffee, or pound or two to get a meal, help them out.

Good luck,

Nico,

The short answer is you do not unless, you want to create a massive problem for yourself. In Local - and most attorney sites are Local - you want to take care of the NAP. Name, Address, Phone. If you have the same address and phone number but different business names, you create the possibility of merge listings, etc. which cost massive time and money to fix.

I understand how it would at first seem logical: If "x" strategy worked for us in employment law, let's use it for these other areas. But, the other problem I think you can create is brand confusion. (We work with large and small law firms in the US and groups of law firms though we are a full service agency.) I think, there are two methods you could follow:

- If the firm is situated where they can have an address that is Ste. 101, 103, 105 and have 3 distinct phone numbers (I caution against even close to the same), you could possibly do what you are talking about without a problem arising around duplication and merging.

- If not, your options are a bit more diminished given how specific ... employment lawyers is. This becomes a bit of a branding issue. If over three years, in Sydney people assume anything with Anton Forrester is employment law you will have a hill to climb without some rebranding work. (Trust me, this is a better choice than tearing down all you have done with citations, etc.) You could use another Masthead attorney in the firm with Property Law and a third with Conveyance. (Knowing attorneys, I leave it to you to handle the ego issues. Typically that is something handled by written agreements.)

As to the site, you could do it with three sites and no matter what you choose, you still have to have different enough address and phone number with each entity. Typically, I would say you could use the employment law site and build out pages for the other areas; I am not as sure in this case based solely on the branding component tied to the local merging issues.

Please understand, we have dealt with many merged local listings for a long time and are very, very, strong in Local. You really are risking a lot with trying to use the same name (Anton Forrester), Address, and Phone.

I hope this helps,

Robert

The Yahoo directory is still a good link. The question of value can only be answered by you. Do you have a site with a lot of links to it that are strong? Did your PA/DA improve with that and did you measure other links that were added over time? (This in my estimation would be the only way to determine even a quality guess).

For me, some sites - clients who are new with reasonable spend available, clients who really need all they can get, etc. it is a good spend. For smaller local without highly competitive areas, those with history (2 plus years), strong locally, i do not see the point in it as there are good ways to optimize them without the spend.

Best

I have read the comments and the frustrations associated with the recent issues and would like to suggest that with any software such as this there will be glitches from time to time. We currently use roughly 30 to 40 SaaS providers of many different types and I cannot think of one that hasn't had an issue at one time or another. Having been with Moz for over 5 years I will say that the issues are few and the response is always transparent with frequent updates. (I cannot say that for most other providers).

I would suggest to anyone who is doing client work that as soon as you can afford to have more than one service provider you do so. There are two basic reasons: if there is an issue you always have back up and second, you get the benefit of being able to compare data. Personally, I find this invaluable for client work. I do not feel disloyal to Moz, I just know that every piece of software has its own limitations.

Good luck to all with the current travails.

Hey Jon, 
That (your founding of Active Rain) was why I said, "Given your experience.."  
It is funny though, I really did understand what you were asking. Given the question you asked: I have $5k per month to spend on SEO. Where should I spend it?The site is for BrioRealty.com - we want to rank for all cities and neighborhoods in Western Washington.

For me, I was answering that question and did before I saw your reply to Casey. But even with that, and I know you have done RE Brokerage, etc., I still believe some of the best money we spend is on the site overall as it relates to user experience (including content) and the on page SEO - which is a derivative of quality keyword analysis.

We see questions daily where the question is in some way qualified about on page SEO: "I know my on page could use some work, but......." When you look at their on page then, you realize it is off page somewhere. So, for my $, on page is important as is good usability, navigation and, especially in real estate, content. Don't forget, if your CTR is zero, it won't matter what your PA and link status are. You will end up on page 38 at some point.

But, Looking beyond the things said about the site, look at what else was said:

Casey Kulver: _I would also have someone look at your analytics and perform a full on analytics and SEO audit, deep competition analysis, and map out a real strategy for the next 12 months. _

Ryan Kent: SEO is .... 3 components...__, ___, and site promotion (link building + social media). AND (this next one is part site but important re quicker listings - real time, and it is the new standard. etc):I can see the site uses a IDX feed for MLS info. I suggest updating to a RETS feed. AND - offer a mobile site.

Brent Copstead: ****that is a lot you want in a very competitive aggressive market.  A) _I don't believe $5k a month will work. B) _First, I would target on a much smaller, reasonable area.  (Not all of western Washington) C) Then I would start an aggressive link building campaign (blogging, chambers of commerce, connections, press releases, etc), but be smart and safe with this.  D) Toomuch too fast will hurt you. E) I would also focus on Social interaction.

James Norquay: I would invest in the following areas:

_- Social Media (1k/month) - or do you have a split social media budget. _

_- Content - Blog posts, articles, PR (1.5k/month) - I would target niche events in your target market and create blog posts around these areas, I would target a huge range of local keywords via these posts. _

_- Link Building - (1.5k/month) - Target high quality links, not easy do competitive research. _

- Consulting (1k a month) - Calls, Research and thing else.

_Do you also have offline sponsorship I would try and leverage every thing to the site. _

EGOL: From an SEO and practical standpoint I would start granular - where I can win traffic and where my company has an ability to do something with the traffic.

_Also a tip about alphabetized lists.  Order them vertically instead of horizontally.  That way if you are looking for a city that begins with a "V" you immediately know it will be in the right column.    Visitors who know how to present list information will be cussing you - especially as your list grows. _

That other guy said:_ Lastly, the most important investment for RE is Local SEO. Spend there after the site. _

I always tell RE people to get on Active Rain. Don't know how it will be over time, but it has been a great link resource, etc. When you look at the Q&A on SEOmoz, you are looking at a group of people who are really amazing in my eyes. I have learned so much here and I have found colleagues I did not know I had. Bright people all. 
I never cease to be amazed at the knowledge level here. I would say this as to the site comments: Ask yourself this question: If the people that answered this question were compared to SEO's nationwide, where might they rank? And, if you believe it would be in the top 25% even ask this: What does all of them mentioning how important on page is say to anyone who reads it?

I am sure you will build a killer site and I can't wait to steal some ideas from you Hang around and teach us all some of what you know about gaining traffic, linking, blogging, etc. Hell, after all this free advice you owe us at least one post

Best to you and all mozzers,

PS - Did I mention anything about Open Source Developers needing to eat???