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SEO Monitoring Tools and Tips |
Posted: 22 Jan 2012 02:38 PM PST Posted by willcritchlow In the real world, things go wrong. While we might all wish that everything we did was "fix once, stay fixed", that's rarely the case. Things that were previously "not a problem"(TM) can become "a problem"(TM) rapidly for a variety of reasons:
In all of these cases, you'd rather know about the issue sooner rather than later because in most of them your ability to minimise the resulting issues declines rapidly as time passes (and in the remaining cases, you still want to know before your boss / client). While many of us have come round to the idea that we should be making recommendations in these areas, we are too often still creating spectacularly non-actionable advice like:
Today, I want to give you three pieces of directly actionable advice that you can start doing for your own site and your key clients immediately that will help you spot problems early, avoid knock-on indexing issues and quickly get alerted to bad deploys that could hurt your search performance. #1 Traffic dropsGoogle Analytics has a feature that spots significant changes in traffic or traffic profile. It can also alert you. The first of these features is called "intelligence" and the second "intelligence alerts". Rather than rehash old advice, I'll simply link to the two best posts I've read on the subject:
This is the simplest of all the recommendations to implement and is also the most holistic in the sense that it can alert you to traffic drops of all kinds. The downside of course is that you're measuring symptoms not causes so you (a) have to wait for causes to create symptoms rather than being alerted to the problem and (b) get an alert about the symptom rather than the cause and have to start detective work before paging the person who can fix it. #2 Uptime monitoringIt doesn't take a rocket surgeon to realise that SEO is dependent on your website. And not only on how you optimise your site, but also on it being available. While for larger clients, it shouldn't be your job to alert someone if their website goes down, it does no harm to know and for smaller clients there is every chance you'd be adding significant value by keeping an eye on these things. I have both good and bad reasons for knowing a lot about server monitoring:
There are three main elements you might want to monitor:
Website availability There are two services I recommend here:
Here's what the Server Density dashboard looks like: And here is the response time graph from pingdom: You can see the spike in response time during the DDoS attack and the lower average response time over the last few days after we implemented cloudflare Incidentally, you may not have noticed (it had passed me by until Mike gave me the heads-up the other day) that Google rolled out site speed to all analytics accounts without the previously required change to the GA snippet so you can get some of this data from your GA account now - here's the technical breakdown from some of Distilled's pages:
#3 Robot exclusion protocols, status codesThis was the most ambitious of my ideas for SEO monitoring. It came out of a real client issue. A major client was rolling out a new website and managed to deploy an old / staging version of robots.txt on a Saturday morning (continuous integration FTW). It was essentially luck that the SEO running the project was all over it, spotted it quickly, called the key contact and got it rolled back before it did any lasting harm. We had a debrief the following week where we discussed how we could get alerted to this kind of thing automatically. I went to David Mytton, the founder of Server Density and asked him if he could build some features in for you lot to alert when this kind of thing happens - if we accidentally noindex our live site or block it in robots.txt. He came up with this ingenious solution that uses functionality already present in their core platform: Monitoring for any change to robots.txt First create a service to monitor robots.txt - here's ours:
Then create an alert to tell you if the MD5 hash of the contents of robots.txt changes (see a definition of MD5 here):
If you copy and paste the contents of your robots.txt into an MD5 generator you get a string of gobbledegook (ours is "15403cbc6e028c0ec46a5dd9fffb9196"). What this alert is doing is monitoring for any change to our robots.txt so if we deploy a new version I will get an alert by email and push notification to my phone. Wouldn't it be nice to get alerted in this way if a client or dev team pushed an update to robots.txt without telling you? Spotting the inclusion of no-index meta tags In much the same way, you can create alerts for specific strings of text found on specific pages - I've chosen to get an alert if the string "noindex" is found in the HTML of the Distilled homepage. If we ever deployed a staging version or flipped a setting in a wordpress plugin, I'd get a push notification:
Doing this kind of monitoring is essentially free to me because we are already using Server Density to monitor the health of our servers so it's no extra effort to monitor checksums and the presence / absence of specific strings. #4 Bonus - why stop there?Check out all the stuff that etsy monitor and have alerts for. If you have a team that can build the platform / infrastructure, then there are almost unlimited things you could monitor for and alert about. Here are some ideas to get you started:
PS - today is the last day for early bird discounts on our Linklove conferences in London and Boston at the end of March / beginning of April. (There's also a sign-up form on that page if you want to make sure you always hear about upcoming conferences and offers). I hope to see many of you there. Sign up for The Moz Top 10, a semimonthly mailer updating you on the top ten hottest pieces of SEO news, tips, and rad links uncovered by the Moz team. Think of it as your exclusive digest of stuff you don't have time to hunt down but want to read! |
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Years ago, my bosses and I needed to finalize the pricing for a new line of software I was launching. In the room we had MBAs from Harvard (2), Stanford, Tuck and, I think, Wharton. We had three prices in mind, and the five of us couldn't agree. So we did the only scientific thing: we flipped a coin (two out of three, just to be sure).
Pricing your product is actually simple, as long as you consider it from the buyer's point of view. How much it costs you to make something is irrelevant. They don't care (of course, you can't price something at a loss and hope to stay in business for long). The two keys to the analysis:
Substitutes: Every purchase is a choice, and that means the buyer can choose to do nothing or buy something else instead. If there are easy and obvious substitutes to what you sell, that has to be built into your pricing. If you make something rare and unique, you still might not be able to charge a lot--because people can always choose to buy nothing. A 42 carat diamond, for example, might be hard to replace, but it's not worth $100 million unless someone actually chooses to buy it.
Part of the work of design and marketing is to help people understand that there are no good substitutes for what you have to offer, meaning, of course, that you can happily charge more.
Story: The other half of the pricing formula is the story the price itself tells. A Prius at $40,000 or a Prius at $10,000 is the same car, but the price becomes a dominant part of the story. You can tell a story of value/cheapness/affordability, or a story of luxury. If you price your product or service near the median, you're telling no story at all with the price, giving you the chance to tell a story about some other element of what you sell.
If you're not happy with your pricing options, focusing on your costs might not be the right path. Instead, focus on how the design or delivery change the availability of substitutes, and how the price becomes part of the story of your product.
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Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis |
Posted: 22 Jan 2012 11:01 PM PST The bickering over a half percentage point reduction on the discount rate continued over the weekend as Greek Bondholders Draw Line in the Sand Private owners of Greek debt have made their "maximum" offer for the losses they are willing to accept, the bondholders' lead negotiator has said, implying that any further demands could kill off a "voluntary" deal and trigger a default.The IMF wants to put Greece on a path for a debt-to-GDP ratio of 120 percent by 2020. Anyone remember the original proposal a year or so ago? The idea then was austerity measures would put Greece at an 80 percent debt-to-GDP ratio by 2013-2014. That Fantasyland proposal was soon followed by haircuts of 21% on Greek debt which I said would not work, then 50% which I said would not work, and now 65-70% which once again I suggest will not work. Greece is in a depression and things are going to get worse. Portugal and Spain are also in depressions. Ambrose Evans-Pritchard thinks Italy is headed for depression as well. Please see Money Supply Figures Suggests Italy Headed Into Depression; Non-Performing Spanish Loans Hit 134 Billion Euros, 7.51% of All Loans, Highest in 17 Years; Eurozone Unemployment Charts for a discussion. Granted, 2020 is a long way off, but recall the Maastricht Treaty requires a debt-to-GDP ratio of no more than 60%. European Debt-to-GDP Ratios CNN has a nice interactive map of European Public Debt at a Glance. Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, Spain, and Greece are all in violation. In fact, 13 out of 17 nations are in violation of the treaty. Estonia, Slovenia, Finland, and Luxembourg are the only exceptions. The map is from 2010 and some countries such as Spain that were on the edge before are no longer on the edge. Greek Talks Hit a Snag Over Rates The New York Times reports Greek Talks Hit a Snag Over Rates Greece's private creditors, which hold about 206 billion euros, or $265 billion, in Greek bonds, are resisting accepting a lower rate. They argue that they are already faced with a 50 percent loss on their existing bonds and that the lower rate would increase the hit they would take.CDS Holders Have Vested in in a "Credit Event" Not a Deal Hedge funds that have plowed into Greek debt did so with credit default swaps. Those CDS holders would be made whole on any "credit event". They have no vested interest in reaching a deal. So not "all" sides want to reach a deal as stated in the article. Other creditors are upset that the ECB itself will not partake in haircuts. The ECB holds 55 billion of the 206 billion euros of Greek debt. The rest of the EMU according to fixed percentages are on the hook for that debt. The Times reports ... The [ECB's] refusal to take a loss has been regularly cited by investors as unfair, and many have said that they will sue Greece if they have to take a loss while the bank does not. Separating Fact from Fiction in Selective Reporting The proposal is for the ECB to sell its bonds back to Greece so that Greece will then take a hit. With that in mind, look at this preposterous claim by a senior official "The bonds' rate "is the only issue," said a senior official directly involved in the negotiations. "We have to accommodate the needs of the Greek economy." I see two sentences and two lies. Indeed the entire article is crammed pack with lies made by various IIF and EMU officials. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
Posted: 22 Jan 2012 11:20 AM PST Reader "Brisbane Bear" from down under sent potpourri of links on the dwindling prospects for the Australian economy. Oceanfront Homes for 65% Off In apples, rot starts at the periphery and spreads to the core. In real estate, rot starts in condos and vacation homes, then slowly encompasses city after city. Please consider Investors snap up coastal property bargains in Queensland. While prices soar in some coastal towns close to mining centres, astute buyers are managing to secure ocean- front homes in traditional tourist locations for $500,000 or more off peak prices as vendors cave after years of trying to sell.Chain Sales and Contingent Offers When all else fails, buyers accept any offer they can get including contingent sales as noted by The Age in Risky ride on the vendor-go-round. SELLING a home is stressful at the best of times. Failing to sell at auction in the midst of a property downturn can be its own kind of nightmare.Retailers Brace for More Job Cuts Following a dismal Christmas selling season, Retailers brace for job cuts THE battered retail industry is bracing for a fresh wave of job cuts, with the crucial Christmas shopping season failing to deliver a much-needed surge in sales.Cusp of a White-Collar Recession Please consider Bank on white-collar crisis AUSTRALIA is on the cusp of a white-collar recession with insiders warning that thousands of jobs are at risk in the finance sector, after it emerged yesterday that ANZ planned to cut 700 jobs.Australia is not on the "Cusp of a White-Collar Recession", Australia is smack in the midst of a general recession affecting nearly all aspects of the economy but mining. As China slows, mining will slow as well. Expect the real estate rot to spread to the core, sooner rather than later. The collapse in commercial real estate values, condos, and homes will be stunning. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
Irish Journalist Hounds ECB Official Regarding Irish Taxpayer Bailout of French and German Banks Posted: 22 Jan 2012 10:16 AM PST The video below is from a European Central Bank press-conference in Ireland. Journalist Vincent Browne demands that the ECB representative explain why the ECB required the Irish people to bail out a bank's uninsured creditors. The bureaucrat mouths bland reassurances, then asserts (despite all appearances to the contrary) that the question has been answered. Browne doesn't let up. Link if video does not play: Irish journalist humiliates EuroBank technocrat who won't stop ducking hard questions Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
Posted: 22 Jan 2012 03:11 AM PST In spite of a carefully timed announcement by Newt Gingrich's ex-wife Marianne on an "Open Marriage, Mistress Proposal", Gingrich rallied from a 16 point deficit on January 3 to a stunning 12 percentage point slaughter of Mitt Romney less than three weeks later. South Carolina Primary Results The Associated Press announces these South Carolina Primary Results. This goes to show you that "It ain't over until it's over." Dog Whistle Politics The Financial Times reports Victory Horrifies Republican Establishment Gingrich didn't just win the primary. He crushed Mr Romney, by more than ten percentage points, and that after the former Massachusetts governor had a lead of similar dimensions over Mr Gingrich just a week before the poll.Who is the New Torch Bearer of Freedom? I will take flack for this but it's all over for Ron Paul. He finished a disappointing 4th. I do not like the news but I cannot ignore it. This will not stop me one bit from pointing out the flaws of Gingrich, the flaws of Romney, and the flaws of the Republican and Democratic parties in general. Indeed I hope and expect Ron Paul to carry his message to the end in an attempt to change the Republican platform. The Republican party needs a new torch bearer. New Jersey governor Chris Christie walked away from the opportunity. Christie was not the perfect candidate, rather he was an acceptable candidate. Nonetheless, one thing is certain. Neither Gingrich nor Romney is the future of the Republican party. Both are failed politicians of the failed past. A new torch bearer will not come from the existing Republican establishment. My eyes turn towards Rand Paul. Mike "Mish" Shedlock http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List Mike "Mish" Shedlock is a registered investment advisor representative for SitkaPacific Capital Management. Sitka Pacific is an asset management firm whose goal is strong performance and low volatility, regardless of market direction. Visit http://www.sitkapacific.com/account_management.html to learn more about wealth management and capital preservation strategies of Sitka Pacific. |
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