Ever wonder how individuals are able to have their image placed next to their Google search engine results as shown below? Welcome to the new future of search engine optimization: Google Authorship.

Google Authorship has been the talk of the town for individuals and businesses wanting to rank higher and more consistent in Google search.

Google Authorship, also known as Google Rank, is the new future of search engine optimization allowing authors to increase their search rankings click-through rates (CTR).

Another upside is Google Authorship allows for ownership of content, limiting the opportunity for online piracy. Click here for more on Google Authorship.

Over the last couple of weeks, we have been overwhelmed with the number of emails from individuals and businesses trying to implement Google Authorship for their website(s).

Today’s post will be a quick and easy how-to guide to help you successfully setup your Google Authorship account. in hopes of having your image placed next to your authoritative online works.

Ready, well then here we go…

How effective are billboard advertisements in comparison to premium domain names?

Well, that’s a loaded question based on who you ask, where they live, and their perspective on life as well as their habits as a consumer.

From global to national to regional to local search engine marketing, Kickstart Commerce has a plethora of experience in helping customers to find the best media combinations or medium whereby their marketing and advertising spend will achieve the greatest return on investment (ROI).

And what a challenge this is due to the nature of each customer we partner with attaining various business nuances to take into consideration.

In today’s post, we’ll attempt to uncover the advantages and disadvantages of both billboards and premium domain names.

Performing some daily reading over various blogs, I saw Brian Cray’s post, Time On Site & Bounce Rate: Get the real numbers in Google Analytics, and had to share with the Kickstart Commerce Community. 

I know many of you utilize the free web analytics tool, Google Web Analytics, provide by Google to monitor web traffic, conversion rates, bounce rates, traffic sources and more.

Brian’s post is God sent as it will help you to find the *REAL* Time On Site and Bounce Rate of your website.

For those not using Google Web Analytics or some other web analytics to measure the effectiveness of your website, then you are throwing away opportunity and opportunity to understand what your website does very well and what does not do very well.

If you and your business have ever encountered unethical business practices as it relates search engine marketing or search engine optimization, please know that it is your right to report such companies to the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Not another business or person should have to suffer due to such unethical business practices.  The FTC will and can handle complaints about deceptive or unfair business practices. To file a complaint, visit: http://www.ftc.gov/ and click on “File a Complaint Online,” call 1-877-FTC-HELP, or write to:

Federal Trade Commission
CRC-240
Washington, D.C. 20580

If your complaint is against a company in a country other than the United States, please file it at http://www.econsumer.gov/.

Have you or anyone you known ever encountered unethical business practices that cost your business in time and money?

Most business owners are busy with the day-to-day tasks of ensuring their customers are properly serviced and satisfied, employees are showing up and performing at an optimal level and payroll and bills are paid to name just a few.

And should the business garner most of its sales online, then all eyes are glued on ensuring the website is functional at all times and without show stopping glitches that could harm sales.

In today’s post, I will cover the common pitfalls of untidy code and how it greatly harms search engine rankings as well as potentially harms online sales.

Are you trying to figure out what the pros and cons of SEO and PPC are?

Well, there are many businesses, small and large alike, around the world on a daily trying to figure out how to get the best bang out of the buck in both SEO and PPC.

Whether your business selects SEO or PPC will all depend upon your line of business and how your business markets and advertises to customers.

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and search engine optimization (SEO) have one thing in common: both sources are means of driving traffic to your website.

You have a domain name, check. You have a website, check. You wait on search engines to index website, check. You have amazing traffic, *crickets*.

The above is typical response received when conversing about search engine optimization (SEO) with potential customers.

I have noticed there are a number of different steps a customer can take in optimizing their website. One of the most overlooked steps is the use of Google Webmaster Tools.

This value-add tool provides a website owner (a.k.a. webmaster) imperative information about their website and website’s overall health as Google sees it.

In today’s post, I’ll discuss the importance of Google Webmaster Tools.  I’ll also provide a very easy step-by-step, downloadable guide explaining how to use Google Webmaster Tools to complete the following:

• verify your website
• create a sitemap file for your website
• submit a sitemap file for your website