Rivals Google, Microsoft and Yahoo have united on a way to reduce duplication content that could improve the quality of online searches on your site. Google team members Joachim Kupke and Maile Ohye explain if your site has identical or vastly similar content accessible through multiple URLs, this tag format provides more control for URLs returned in search results. The canonical attribute supported in the HTML link tag enables webmasters to specify the URL you prefer. Adding the tag to all the duplicate pages tells the search engines the version you want to use. Kupke and Ohye provide code …

For those small businesses ranting that search engine marketing has not typically delivered a return on investment, Erika Morphy suggests taking another look at some free SEM tools to help get started. Limited resources or capital investment don't have to stifle your strategies or campaigns, she writes. As the SEM industry matures, new services and products have been developed and unleashed on the market. These new approaches range from "establishing a baseline, to deciding which metric generates the most return for that particular business," Morphy writes. She provides insight into some "formulaic" processes and how to assess them.

Brian Easter suggests some "quick and painless" techniques that can have "dramatic effects" on search mistakes. Problems include lack of W3C compliance, 301 redirects, using JavaScript in navigation, and lack of best practices in URL structure. Take, for example, 301 redirects that tell browsers or search engine robots that the page has moved. One common SEO mistake made is to use a 302 redirect rather than a 301 redirect, Easter writes. He provides tips that will allow search engines to transfer PageRank and popularity more easily from old pages to the new ones.

The National Hockey League's (NHL's) Thrashers, the National Baseball Association's (NBA's) Hawks and the Philips Arena have signed with Atlanta, Ga.-based Search Discover to improve SEO and measure results, according to Brafton. Teams are looking to convert better search engine rankings on Google, Microsoft and Yahoo into ticket sales. The post cites a recent article in Search Engine Land that demonstrates the important of SEO for major sporting leagues. People searching for information on events often can't find start times, home game dates and more.

What would Valentine's Day be like without a little brand-to-consumer bonding on Twitter? British lingerie maker Agent Provocateur doesn't want to know. Through agency StrawberryFrog, Agent Provocateur began using Twitter in December, deploying the platform in tandem with a blog and Web video that launched around the same time. The lingerie company hasn't slowed since, according to Kate Kaye. Kaye notes that even though Twitter's tweets are about a 140-character chirp, brands find the correct words to have that two-way conversation with consumers. She tells us "the agency is measuring engagement, traffic, sales metrics, and media attention in …

Google launched a Guru Challenge asking the community of bakers to show off their best cake creations for Valentine's Day. The entrants and the recipes blew Google's YouTube and Food Network judges away.

If you are looking for way to increase search engine rankings through Digg, Reddit, Stumbleupon and Delicious, this case study using Google Analytics might provide insight. Guillermo Bravo tells us that if you are successful in hitting the first page on Reddit, for example, the story gets pulled to sites like Wired.com and Popurls.com. Using a sample article promoted by Best Rank, Bravo shows how social media marketing can help organic SEO efforts. He points out that Google appears to trust social media networks as a source for quality back links, even if most social sites indicate links …

Queen Elizabeth launched a new Web site today. Analyzing how it performs, Julian Sambles points out six SEO failings. The missteps range from numerous error pages, to misuse of keywords, even the most simplistic such as "Queen Elizabeth." Reminding us that the majority of search traffic, about 80%, gets directed through Google, Sambles points out that about 22,060 pages of the 30,400 indexed are error pages. It is "disappointing that... Her Majesty, has allowed the creation of a Web site" that should have been designed to engage people, but has overlooked the basics of good SEO, Sambles …

Gerald Weber shows us how to rank localized keywords in Google maps. He points to potential customers instantly getting details about your company, because it makes content information easily accessible, as one of the benefits. Weber steps through some process of getting your company posted on the site. He also provides insight into gaining better control of the terms you rank under. "I've had a 100% success rate for ranking for my keywords whenever Google's algorithm does choose to show the maps listing at the top," he writes, suggesting it's a fast and easy way to get top …

In a world full of information overload and 140-character Twitter blasts, Peter Da Vanzo gives us some advice on building an online following and keeping it riveted. It's not easy, especially if it is a free product or service you plan to promote. Many times consumers associate "free" with less desirable. So, Vanzo lays out a strategy to help you create a perception of value. He provides insights on branding the product, as well as how to prepare the product or service for launch through social networks like Facebook or YouTube.