Search engine marketing and Web design publications

Omni Marketing Interactive has been featured in many online marketing and design publications worldwide. Below are links to online marketing and design publications we are featured in 2007-2010:

This is one of my favorite "Shari Thurow" interviews:

• Interviewing Shari Thurow on SEO Et Al
  My perspective on search engine optmization and Flash, AJAX, social media, local search optimization. Also my opinion on "expert" understanding of SEO fundamentals -- the answer might surprise you.

Current search engine marketing and design articles

Search Engine Land
The 100% Organic column covers issues related to being listed in the free, natural or "organic" listings in search engines. The Just Behave column covers searcher behavior and how search engines work to improve the user experience.

• Information Architects are from Venus, SEOs are from Mars
  An SEO professional’s spin on information architecture (IA) can lead website owners down the wrong path. Here are some common mistakes that SEO professionals make that can negatively affect search engine visibility and ROI.

• Customer Loyalty and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
  A principal goal of SEO should be customer loyalty. Read how search engine optimization professionals can measure customer loyalty as a part of a successful search experience.

• Is Social Media Ruining Search Results?
  I think the commercial web search engines are giving social media items far more attention and validation than they deserve. Do you?

• Understanding Orienting Search Behaviors for SEO and Conversions
  Orientation is a search behavior that no one should dismiss. Quick-and-easy orientation contributes to a positive brand experience, increases conversions and sales, and makes content easier to find.

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Searcher Mental Models
  Do search engine optimization (SEO) professionals architect Web sites to match searcher mental models? The answer might surprise you.

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and the Scent of Information
  To truly understand web searcher behavior, many search engine optimization (SEO) professionals should know how searchers locate, discover, and follow the scent of information.

• Commercial Intent and Web Searcher Behaviors
  When do web searchers have commercial intent? What types of search queries do they try before actually making a purchase?

• Optimizing for Re-finding Search Behavior
  Re-finding search behavior is common in Web (text) search, image search, and video search. What is it, and how can you make it easy for Web searchers to re-find your content?

• The 3 Search Engine Conference Personas
  Think the person sitting next to you at a search engine conference has the same goals and skills you have? Think again.

• Search Behavior: The 4th Building Block of Search Engine Optimization
  SEO is actually optimizing a Web site for people who use search engines, both web search engines and site search engines. The key ingredient has always been searchers — their characteristics and behaviors.

• Don't Forget SEO for Navigational Searches
  Don't make the stupid mistake many search engine optimization (SEO) professionals make - not optimizing for searchers' navigational queries.

• Hey Usability Professionals: Get With the SEO Program
  Many SEO professionals work very hard to understand web site usability. Read about my beefs with usability professionals and SEO.

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Web Site Architecture
  Learn about the different perspectives of information architecture from information architects and SEO professionals.

• Will the Real SEO Professional Please Stand Up - SEO Hybrids
  Most SEO professionals are not only search engine optimizers. They are SEO hybrids—the blend of a search professional with other areas of expertise.

• Why User Experience is a Crucial Part of SEO
  On the Web, the term user experience, commonly abbreviated as UX or UE, is used to describe the overall perception, experience, and satisfaction that users have as a result of their interactions with a Web site. Do search engine optimization professionals truly get the user experience?

• The Most Dreaded Keyword Phrase
  In Web site usability, one of the hardest obstacles to overcome is the mentality of “This is what I would do.” Here are some guidelines to help other search engine optimization (SEO) professionals effectively respond to this somewhat misguided mentality.

• SEO Ethics Are In the Eye of the Beholder
  Many SEO professionals consider themselves to be ethical search engine marketers. Labeling a company as an "ethical search engine marketing (SEM) firm" is a great sales pitch as it implies credibility in this industry.

• When Keyword Research and Search Data Deceives
  As search engine optimization (SEO) professionals, we obsess with search data from a wide variety of resources. Which one is best for our clients? Does our web analytics data validate our keyword research?

• The Inmates Are Running the Search Engine Asylum
  For search engine marketers and clients to communicate effectively, they must utilize a shared, common vocabulary. Sometimes, though, search engine reps themselves are to blame for the confusion.

• So, You Think You're a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Expert?
  Is an SEO professional with advanced programming skills truly an SEO expert? Or are there three groups of SEO experts with three unique skill sets?

• Meta-Tag Optimization Tips: A Search Usability Perspective
  Seasoned search engine optimization professionals might yawn and roll their eyes - and that is precisely the attitude Web site owners should not have, because meta-tag content does have an impact on how searchers interact with your search listings. Read more....

• What SEO/SEM Professionals Should Know About Website Usability – Part 2
  I asked usability professionals to answer the question, "What should SEO professionals know about usability?" Part 2 shows answers from well-known Web site usability experts, Dr. Jakob Nielsen and Kim Krause Berg.

• What SEO/SEM Professionals Should Know About Website Usability – Part 1
  Although I laud SEO/SEM firms focusing on the user experience, I f their conclusions and methodologies are often full of errors. Two-part article gets answers from well-known Web site usability experts, Peter Morville and Dr. Susan Weinschenk.

• You'd Be Wise to "NoFollow" This Dubious SEO Advice
  Reasons to use, and not to use, the 'nofollow' attribute.

• SEO and SEM Outside the U.S. -- Tips and Advice
  Things to remember when utilizing search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine advertising to an English target audience.

• Understanding Search Usability - Part 2
  Identifying the different types of search behaviors and how they are all related, and designing a Web site that accommodates a wide variety of search behaviors.

• The "Design" Part of Search-Engine Friendly Design
  The term "search-engine friendly design" has been twisted to have different meanings, mostly centered around URL structure. The "design" portion of search-engine friendly design is notoriously missing.

• Understanding Search Usability
  Both SEO professionals and Web site usability professionals misunderstand the term "search usability." Learn what it is and how to apply it.

• Black-Hat SEOs are Worthless Shady Criminals
  Black hat, white hat, blue hat, new hat... why should anyone care which color hat any search engine optimization (SEO) professional labels him- or herself?

• Don't Abuse Users' Search Experience with 301 Redirects
  Link development gurus commonly obsess over 301 redirects. The problem with this 301-redirect obsession is that the focus is on search engine positioning, not users or searchers.

• The Right Way to Think About Site Maps
  If you asked one hundred search engine optimization (SEO) professionals to explain a site map and show you what an effective one looks like, chances are you will get 100 different answers.

• Understanding Search Engines Duplicate Content Issues
  Learn how the commercial Web search engines deal with duplicate content.

• Term Highlighting and Search Engine Optimization
  An organic listing's appearance in a search engine results page (SERP) is very important, which is why all SEO professionals should know about term highlighting.

DirectConnect
Quarterly newsletter for DirectAvenue, a firm specializing in direct response and brand marketing.

• Understanding Web Searcher Behavior and Search Engine Optimization
  Search engine optimization (SEO) has classically been defined as optimizing a site for Web search engine visibility. Why is this definition wrong?

WebTrends Blog
Web analytics giant WebTrends provides a blog to openly share ideas and expressions about improving the customer experience.

• Duplicate Content Delivery and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
  The way search engines view duplicate content is not the same way that the average search engine optimization (SEO) professional views duplicate content. Learn about the different types of duplicate content delivery and the searcher experience.

Internet Retailer
Search engine optimization (SEO), Web site usability, and Web design articles for e-commerce sites.

• Targeting Search Engine Rankings
  Whenever a retailer sees a Wikipedia listing appear in search results, that retailer should immediately ask: ‘Are there pages on my web site that meet the searchers’ informational needs?’” says Shari Thurow, founder and search optimization director at consultants Omni Marketing Interactive. “Many retail web sites contain informational pages, but many retailers might not realize it.”

• Tips and Techniques for Designing Web Pages That Search Engines Notice
  from Guide to Retail Web Site Design & Usability
  The key to success with natural search is to consistently monitor and evaluate shoppers' search behavior, which in turn leads to higher optimization. This article by Shari Thurow, founder and search engine optimization director, Omni Marketing Interactive, addresses seven important optimization strategies for designing better pages and generating qualified search engine traffic and more sales.

• A Perfect Match: In commintting to a search marketing partner, retailers must use their wits to find The One
  Retailers should understand that their preconceived notions about search might not be accurate,” says Shari Thurow, founder and search optimization director at Omni Marketing Interactive. “A No. 1 position on Google does not guarantee that a site will generate thousands or millions of dollars in sales, or guarantee a long-term positive brand perception.”

• Speakers Call Rich Media a Powerful Tool to Use With Care
  Shari Thurow, founder and search engine optimization director of Omni Marketing Interactive, offered tips for making sure rich media on a site works for and not against a retailer’s sales objectives. Rich media applications must first meet user expectations, she says, meaning that what a user thinks will happen when he clicks a site feature actually happens.

Clickz
Search engine optimization articles from Clickz.

• You Don't Know Jack About Web Site Usability
  Why SEO professionals don't know jack about Web site usability.

• Free SEO Consultations
  How to ask (nicely) for search engine optimization advice.

• SEO Epiphanies
  Three epiphanies that changed how an SEO expert Shari Thurow viewed and approached the optimization process.

• Microsoft adCenter: For SEM and SEO
  Three-part interview with Mel Carson, Microsoft's European adCenter community manager. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

• Worldwide SEO Myths and Misconceptions
  Spanning the globe to correct some erroneous SEO assumptions.

• Best SEO Contests and Ratings
  Why top-rated SEO/SEM firms may not use best practices or get results for clients.

• SEO Professionalism / SEO Tantrums
  Encourage healthy debates or flinging insults? Whay type of SEO professional are you?

• Search Personalization and SEO
  Personalization scares many clients and SEO professionals alike. Those sites who practice search usability have no reason for concern.

• Difficult SEO Clients
  Some of the most challenging types of SEO clients.

• SEO Niches and the Big Picture
  Having an SEO specialty is great, but you cannot solve the complex SEO puzzle with just one piece.

• Web Analytics, SEO, and Site Usability
  The boss is not going to spend thousands of dollars on the products and services you offer on your Web site. But your visitors will.

• Short- vs. Long-Term SEO
  Which approach is better for your company and site?

If you have any questions about Omni Marketing Interactive's search engine optimization (SEO), Web site usability, information architecture (IA), or Web design services, please call us at 847-426-8978 or email us at info@search-usability.com.

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