SEO Content Marketing Roundup, Week Ending January 25th, 2012

Yet another busy week is captured in this edition of the latest and greatest Web writing news! “Data retention” legislation usurps SOPA as the newest threat to online privacy and freedom, while Apple’s astonishing first-quarter $13.1 billion profit has all online marketers in a state of shock and awe.

Meanwhile, the big G is roasting in both internal and external PR debacles with its self-serving Google+ corruption of search results, and Facebook rolls out its widely-anticipated open graph app’s.

Whatever your calling – content, social media, SEO and/or search  – you’re sure to find a post or two to illuminate your world here…Enjoy!

Follow-Up on The SOPA Saga

Todd Wasserman reports that SOPA is no more as Lamar Smith, the chief sponsor of the bill, pulls it (for now) at Mashable.

Miranda Miller warns of an emerging threat to online privacy and freedom in the way of legislation forcing internet service providers to collect and retain data on all users, at Search Engine Watch.

Ian Lurie rips into both SOPA and content thieves at Conversation Marketing.

Content Marketing

Level 343 discusses using the old-school marketing concept of “AIDA” (Awareness/Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) as part of a smart internet marketing strategy.

Heidi Cohen shares seven tips for creating content “that pulls prospects in” at Content Marketing Institute.

Five (likely) flaws in your mobile content marketing strategy are shared by Scott Forshay at Mashable.

Pamela Vaughan posts the ambitious and comprehensive “Everything Marketers Need to Measure and Prove Content ROI” at HubSpot.

Incredible stat’s from YouTube: Danny Goodwin of Search Engine Watch reports that YouTube is now serving 4 billion videos a day.

Mike Lewis discusses why online video marketing is essential for marketers in 2012 at Socialnomics.

Stephanie Tilton discusses how to join the ranks of “best in class” content marketers at Content Marketing Institute.

SEO & Search

Quantum growth: TechCrunch posts “Apple’s Massive Numbers And Some Context,” noting that Apple’s 2012 first quarter profit of $13.1 billion is equivalent to its fourth quarter revenue of 2010.

WordStream’s Larry Kim posts a breakdown of the top 10 industries contributing to Google’s 2011 advertising revenues of $37.9 billion, complete with an infographic noting each industry’s commonly-used keywords and their cost per click.

Citing comScore’s December 2011 data and Media Matrix rankings, Matt McGee reports on the widening gap between the “big three” search engines and Facebook (in terms of both aggregate and unique visits) at Marketing Land.

Kate Freeman posts “Bill Gates Recalls Final Talks with Steve Jobs” at Mashable.

Danny Sullivan pens a detailed post on the introduction of the “Don’t Be Evil” tool, backed by Facebook and Twitter, at Search Engine Land.

At Search Engine Watch, Miranda Miller explains the intent of the “Don’t Be Evil” tool:  “…to call Google on the carpet over the preferential treatment given their own Google+ posts and pages in organic search results.”

David Angotti discusses Google’s new user account registration requirements in “Google+: Growth by Brute Force,” at Search Engine Journal.

TheNextWeb reports that Google is now allowing users to start conversations directly from its search results.

Matt McGee posts his in-depth interview with a “Google Search Quality Rater” at Search Engine Land.

A.J. Kohn posts “The Ultimate Guide to Google+ SEO” (covering “every aspect and angle of Google+ and how it impacts search”) at Blind Five Year Old.

Brian Whalley shares “Five Google+ Tricks to Dominate Google Search Results” at HubSpot.

TechCrunch discusses Google’s new privacy policy in its ongoing war with Apple, Facebook and Twitter with “Google Stockpiles Data Ammo Through Privacy Merge, Guns To Win Relevancy War.”

Danny Sullivan submits a proposal for a social network détente (specifically Google, Facebook, and Twitter) at Search Engine Land.

At Search Engine Roundtable, Barry Schwartz reports on Google’s new page layout algorithm change that could penalize and downgrade sites that are “top heavy” with excessive ads above the fold.

Will Reynolds posts the interesting “Never Worry About an Algorithm Update Again, a History” at SEOmoz.

Aaron Doades discusses “Understanding Keywords in Search Retargeting” at Search Engine Land.

Bill Slawski posts the insightful “Google’s Query-Based Analysis and Reranking of Search Results” at SEO by the Sea.

Ian Lurie shares an updated version of his Google Analytics tutorial (Install) at Conversation Marketing.

Kristi Hines posts an excellent how-to on getting “actionable data” out of Google Analytics at KISSmetrics.

Rand Fishkin posts his answers to “43 (Twitter-solicited) questions about search, social, content, conversions and more” at SEOmoz.

Tim Ash continues his ClickZ blog series on fixing your website with “Step 3: Determining What to Test.”

Neil Patel discusses the importance of website design for SEO with “How to Design Your Blog for Awesome SEO” at QuickSprout.

Social Media Marketing

Facebook’s integration of 60 apps with its Timeline headlines Social Media Examiner’s weekly news.

Another perspective on the Facebook apps roll-out is posted at SEOHacker, with “Facebook is blurting out your private information.”

Lance Ulanoff questions the timing of Facebook’s apps launch (“Facebook Timeline-ageddon: Why Now?”) at Mashable.

Maya Grinberg discusses what marketers need to know about Facebook’s Timeline at Social Media Examiner.

Lee Odden posts “11 ways to get smarter and stay current in a world of social information overload” at Top Rank.

Lauren Schaefer lauds the benefits of Pinterest, the hot new social-sharing (“virtual pinboard”) platform, at {grow}.

According to stats and data from Hitwise and comScore, Pinterest “is growing like gangbusters,” at Marketing Land.

Citing survey findings from Borell Associates, Matt McGee expresses relief that small businesses are measuring social success “the right way” (with new customers) at Small Business Search Marketing.

Mark Burgess discusses the strengths of Google+ for small businesses at Blue Focus Marketing.

J.R. Pittman shares her epiphany about what “build your brand story” actually means at Level343.

Ekaterina Walter (guest) posts “Brand-Jacking: Social disaster or the highest form of flattery?” at Brian Solis’ blog.

Jeff Bullas shares his top 10 social media posts from 2011 at his blog.

MarketingProfs shares five ways to boost B2B fan engagement on Facebook.

Sexy Social Media recommends five tools for enhancing your Twitter experience.

Seth Godin discusses icky mercenary and obligatory social sharing with “Trading favors.”

Ashley Zeckman shares four tips for “avoiding the social media time suck” at Top Rank.

Finally, Brian Solis posts “Looking Beyond 2012: Trends for Leading Transformation.”

photo credit: Jachin Sheehy