Does the time it takes for a page to load on a Web site influence SEO? Although search engines likely consider Web page content, links and link text, they also might look at how quickly pages load and render in a browser, how much people might tolerate when pages load slowly, and how good an experience Web sites might deliver to their visitors, Bill Slawski writes. A U.S. patent application published in late July reveals a method and system to "characterize in some manner the performance that a user may experience when accessing a web document" to …

Aaron Wall reminds marketers to beware of flat-rate and scam no-value SEO services. Flat-rate SEO service providers rarely build quality links, he writes. Wall points to an analogy about contractors doing flat-rate home building to demonstrate his point. Anyone selling flat-rate SEO services sells "a service priced without exploring the market." Google AdWords, for example, doesn't sell keywords for a flat rate. The keyword auctions rise and fall with consumer demand. Wall also provides tips on finding competent SEO professionals that offer many options.

Write an insightful article. Build links with social media. Generate links with Twitter. Ron Jones throws out a few tactics to help marketers build SEO best practices for link-building. Whatever the strategy, offer valuable content that demonstrates to the online community why people should visit your Web site, he writes. Jones elaborates on building links through Twitter because of the site's popularity. He writes that when done properly, it can become one of the best tools to gain targeted, relevant, and natural links to most Web sites.

George Michie believes smart PPC advertisers and agencies would do well to study the direct mail model, because the industry has been on the leading edge of data modeling since the 1970s. The cofounder of Rimm-Kaufman Group, a paid search marketing firm, tells us about research underway to determine if some "well-known truths" from the catalog industry apply to paid search. The plan is to present the data to search engines in hopes of convincing them to design and add two additional tools that would allow PPC companies to manage programs better. Michie describes the tools as "population …

Imagine if Apple launched a search engine? What would it look like? Chris Mellor points out the idea has resurfaced because "Apple has recently ejected Google CEO Eric Schmidt from its board." Initial rumors from Search Engine Watch, Techcrunch and others flared and then fizzled late last year. Mellor writes that an "Apple-branded search engine on Macs, iPhones and iPods could bring in extra advertising cash," and provides examples of several different ways Apple could achieve this. Of course, this is highly speculative. As Mellor says, there's no "substance" behind the idea, and it's "all speculation--but wouldn't …

Richard Baxter points to a video Matt Cutts created that tries to answer some of the questions around recent changes to anchor text and links that influence the way to content serves up in SERPs. While some SEO experts felt the changes affect search volume data and ranking position, others believe Google had begun promoting brands for big money on category keywords. In the video, Cutts says webmasters shouldn't be concerned, and that the change only influences a handful of queries. However, Baxter provides a little more insight on the issue.

Richard Baxter points to a video Matt Cutts created that tries to answer some of the questions around recent changes to anchor text and links that influence the way to content serves up in SERPs. While some SEO experts felt the changes affect search volume data and ranking position, others believe Google had begun promoting brands for big money on category keywords. In the video, Cutts says webmasters shouldn't be concerned, and that the change only influences a handful of queries. However, Baxter provides a little more insight on the issue.

When a special event comes to town, online retailers need to pay more attention to opportunities that could attract consumers with local search. Chip suggests marketers should consider SEO practices to help consumers locate related information on the company's Web site. Aside from organic search, companies should consider using paid search, Google Maps, Yahoo Travel, and Trip Advisor. In Google Maps, for example, local business results return in local-based Google queries. Not only does the engine return results, it also provides insight into maps, addresses and directions.

Not creating a sitemap presents problems for search engines crawling your Web site looking for content to serve up to site visitors. Paul O'Brien believes it's not a good signal to Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and others looking for the content to serve up in SERPs. He likens sitemaps to walking into a restaurant and seeing a host, who stands at the entrance and directs patrons to tables. As a visitor, you expect to see someone or something at the entrance that provides an indication on where to go. O'Brien reminds us to build the sitemap welcoming visitors.

Marketers should have a basic understanding of how to build a Web site, even if you hire a Web developer to do the building. Stoney deGeyter reminds us that each page on a Web site is considered a unique document and that title tags identify the page's purpose. Aside from the title tags, deGeyter describes the importance of meta keywords, descriptions, body content, heading tags, images, and alt attributes. While there are many other components to building a Web site, these are the key elements, he writes. Many companies don't understand these key components and how they …