Google doodle of Richard Trevithick's steam locomotive. Photograph: Google

Google Announced early today that page layout is going to play a more important role in search results.(i.e. The algorithm is changing to take into account page layout.) This means for some people they are going to need to check the specifications Google has outlined. You can read the changes for yourself: Google Page Layout

The Overview:

Basically Google wants to penalize websites that run ads as the top portion of their sites. These websites may rank well for the content they have, but have buried it under a plethora of ads. When a web user navigates to a page, from the search results page, they generally give a site 8 seconds of attention. If the site can’t prove that it has the information the user wants, the user will go back to the search results. This counts as a “bounce” against the web owner, but more importantly to Google, this is a failure in the users experience.

If it’s one thing Google wants it’s the best User experience they can offer.

How this affects website owners:

A common guideline for SEO minded and UI minded web designers is the “above the fold” design. Basically the less a web user has to scroll the better your site should do in theory. This concept is strongly recommended for the home and landing pages.  Imagine your website was a brochure that was handed to a person folded at the “scroll down” point. What is the message that this person will receive and perceive? What intakes them to look beyond the fold?

As for subsequent pages, it would very difficult to constrain to such a limited space. You can still keep the “fold” in mind and design your site in a way that people can scroll to get more info, once the content above the fold tells them what they want to know or where to get more information.

 Conclusion:

If you are a website owner check out your Analytics reports and see what pages people are “landing on”. Are these pages working above the “fold”? Review your home page and check the fold. Get your designer to fix any flaws.

For web users, rejoice in the change. The new algorithm change should produce better search results and allow the sites you actually want to find appear.

Getting Published

I’ve been asked a few times how one can be published in a newspaper/magazine/etc. There are the traditional ways, writing a press release, mailing articles to a publisher, going to groups that focus on getting published, etc. A simpler way is to wait for a reporter writing a story that is looking for someone with your expertise.

HARO is the acronym for Help A Reporter Out. It’s a newsletter service that publishes requests from reporters looking for subject matter experts, professionals, and people of various backgrounds. The published list is filtered a various of ways depending on what (and who) you know. You get a copy of the various stories reporters are working on and the people being sought. If you match the criteria, follow the directions as specified in the newsletter. If the reporter decides you are what they need, you may get a follow up call or e-mail or simply get published. Be sure anything you send them includes your e-mail address, website, and phone number.

To get started jump on there site:

http://www.helpareporter.com/

Create a profile, sign up as a Source, outline the various topics your familiar with and in a few days your e-mail box will be filled with inquires.

It’s one way to get published. If it works for you come back and let me know.

~JD

Go to this website:

Use the same e-mail address as the admin’s e-mail address. Voila! You’re done!