Hummingbird is Nothing to Hum About!

By Carl Weiss

Black-chinned Hummingbird -- Moab, Utah, USA (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You may have heard that Google recently released its latest algorithm update named Hummingbird.  This new algorithm hasn’t brought any smiles to advertisers faces. I haven’t seen anyone singing (or humming) Google’s praises since they announced the change. What I find interesting is that Google always seems to name its updates after cute little animals like pandas, penguins and now a hummingbird.  Meanwhile their effect on many websites is more like being attacked by lions and tigers.  That being said, what I have brought you today is a cold, hard look at when, why and how search engines of all kinds insist on playing games with all website owners and what you can do to keep ahead of changes that can leave you in the darkest regions of cyberspace.

How to Make Google Your Best Friend

Courtesy of www.stgermaine.ca

By Hector Cisneros and Carl Weiss

Do you want to be successful with your internet marketing? Are you making daily sales and tracking customer traffic? Is Google your internet friend or your worst enemy? In this article, we will look at all the ways you can take advantage of what Google has to offer. Make Google your friend and laugh all the way to the bank. Try and trick Google and you will regret the day your website was born!

The Care and Feeding of the 800-Pound Gorilla in the Room Named Google

Courtesy of www.fanpop.com

By Carl Weiss

When I was a young boy I saw the movie "King Kong." It was just an amazing movie for me. Kong was gigantic, he could do what ever he wanted on his island. He was the undisputed ruler of his world. Like King Kong, we now have a new undisputed ruler of the internet world. Our new gorilla is often gracious in what it provides and yet can be ruthless when obtaining what it wants. So who is the new King Kong? It's google of course. Here are some fact worth noting.

Is Too Much Technology Bad for Business?

Courtesy of Flickr

By Carl Weiss

Having worked the web professionally since 1995, I can remember a time when we weren't so hardwired to technology.  Sure a lot of the elements of online life that we take for granted today were already in vogue back then, like Apple vs PC, inkjet printers, zines (the forerunner of blogs), and even cellphones had already made the scene.  The chief difference between then and now was the way in which the public viewed the wired world.  Back then going online was more of a convenience than a way of life.  While some people (particularly the young) were addicted to certain aspects of technology, more teenagers were hooked on video games then the Internet in 95.

Holy Algorithm, Batman, the Penguin Strikes Back!

by Carl Weiss

Gorilla (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Many website owners were shocked and dismayed to find their sites had suddenly disappeared from page one of the world’s most popular search engine after Google launched its Penguin 5 Update at the end of April.  While Google’s recent action has left many website owners blindsided and scrambling to recover lost rankings, the move, while ruffling more than a few feathers, was hardly unprecedented.  So if you have suddenly fallen out of favor with the 800 lb gorilla in the room, what you need to ask yourself is whether you want to get mad, or whether you want to get even.