tools

How To Use Index Status in Google Search Console (GSC) to Diagnose SEO Problems

{Updated on 3/28/16 to reflect the name change from Google Webmaster Tools to Google Search Console.} In late July, Google added Index Status to Google Search Console to help site owners better understand how many pages are indexed on their websites.  In addition, Index Status can also help webmasters diagnose indexation problems, which can be caused by … Read more

How To Use Social Reports in Google Analytics To Analyze Specific Blog Posts or Content [Tutorial]

In March of this year, Google Analytics released a set of new reports for measuring the effectiveness of traffic from social networks.  It was a great addition and provides some valuable information about how social is affecting your business.  For example, you can view social referrers, content that received traffic from social networks, view conversations … Read more

It’s Official: Google Wonder Wheel is Back, and It’s Called the Contextual Targeting Tool [Tutorial]

Keyword research is a critical component to a solid and rounded SEO strategy.  When you break it down, you need to know what people are searching for in order to target the right terms.  Keyword research fuels your content generation strategy.  I use a wide range of tools when conducting keyword research and each has … Read more

How to Manage Negative Keywords in Microsoft adCenter Desktop Using the New Negatives Tab [Tutorial]

Microsoft adCenter has been rolling out new features and updates at a rapid pace recently.  Several of the changes aim to make your life a lot easier, and bring AdWords-like functionality to adCenter.  That’s great news, because when you’re managing a lot of campaigns, ad groups, and keywords, you don’t want to have to deal … Read more

How To Use Fetch As Google In GSC To Submit An Updated Page To Google’s Index [Tutorial]

{Updated on April 18, 2016 to cover the latest changes in Google Search Console (GSC).} Any marketer focused on SEO will tell you that it’s sometimes frustrating to wait for Googlebot to recrawl an updated page.  The reason is simple.  Until Googlebot recrawls the page, the old content will show up in the search results.  … Read more

The 5 Minute Guide to Identifying Spammy, Paid Text Links Using Open Site Explorer

It’s 5AM and I launch Outlook to check my email. There’s one email in particular that catches my eye, based on the subject line “SEO Help”. It’s from a Director of Marketing that’s reached out to me for SEO assistance after reading one of my blog posts. Her organic search traffic just got blown away … Read more