Paying your SEO based on performance may sound like a good idea, but Mikkel deMib Svendsen points to some negative side effects of CPA SEO. He gets many inquiries for CPA SEO deals from people who have "clearly not through about the consequences." So, Svendsen outlines five reasons performance-based SEO may not be right for some professionals. Among the pitfalls, it could cost more and require a long-term contract as well as an exit fee after the SEO stops supporting the site, he explains.

It's not that marketers spearheading SEO projects aren't amicable, but following Stoney deGeyter's seven basic "things (good) SEO clients do" could smooth projects along a whole lot faster for both companies. It all starts with trust, he writes. And although it includes measuring results, not rankings, it doesn't end there. DeGeyter believes it's important for clients to get involved. Don't leave all the decisions up to the hired SEO expert. Know what you're talking about when it comes to making improvements. It will help you communicate what needs to be done.

Last month, Google introduced a new user interface for maps called Place Pages. Clicking the "more info" link takes you to a full-screen presentation with the old tabbed data. Google describes Place Page as "a Web page for every place in the world" that organizes all the relevant information about it. The author writes that to get a Google Place page you need a Google local business ad, which allows you to create a company profile in Google maps. She explains how to complete text information, add pictures and benefits to the page.

We all make mistakes. Eric Ward shows us how to recover from link building mistakes, whether they are "unintentional," "inconsequential" or "catastrophic." Ward writes he has been getting new clients who don't want him build links. "They want a linking damage control strategy because they previously paid for (and took) bad SEO advice," he writes, explaining these are the scenarios where link builders can correct the mistakes. Ward attempts to calm nerves for those who discover that "years ago, before your time, someone engaged in a paid link fest for your site." So, he lists a few proactive …

The VoIP company Skype carries the latest scam meant to spread rogue anti-virus software, according to John Leyden. He explains the message originates from an account named "Online Notification." Leyden describes the events that could lead an unsuspecting person to unknowingly download malware. Black hat SEO scams remain the method to seed scare tactics. Skpe is no exception. People who follow fake search results onto a compromised site are redirected to scareware download sites, but only if they are referred from Google, Leyden writes.

Sam Niccolls tells us that the SEOmoz Social Media Marketing Guide has been released. The updated resource for marketers combines the Social Directory with the Social Media Marketing Tactics. Along with information on the guide, Niccolls lays out five tops for using it, including filtering based on category, and targeting social news sites with largest community.

Linkdex introduced SearchDNA, a link analysis tool that the "company says goes deeper than the already crowded field that it's competing against," according to Matt McGee. He explains that Linkdex claims SearchDNA has a database of about one trillion links through a partnership with Majestic SEO. McGee writes that SearchDNA will enter private beta soon, and when the product is complete it will run about $50 per month for a crawl of between 100,000 and 200,000 pages. He also provides a list of other link analysis tools.

Herndon Hasty tells us how to get the most from your SEM agency. For starters, keep the doors of communication open. Companies outsourcing tasks to another must keep everyone up to date on events, changes in status and expectations. And while information is essential, pick and choose the data to share. Hasty reminds us that not all reporting is good. "Too many details, or the wrong details, can distract you from more important trends," he writes.

Eric Enge looks at how keyword research can help determine a new Web site's architecture. He suggests starting by searching in a keyword research tool for related words to the topic. If the site focuses on "nursing," the keywords returned will likely include "nurse pay scale" and "nursing journals." Enge steps through the process to filter the list and draw conclusions. He explains how to plug in the results from your keyword research to determine the type of content to include on the site.

So, you have done all the basic link-building tactics, from getting listed on partner Web site, to quality online directories, but your site still doesn't rank in the search engine result pages as well as you would like. Consider link bait, interactive media relations, articles, blog comments, blogger outreach, relationships, and guest posts, according to Tom Pick. Pick's seven advanced techniques for SEO link building could help Web site inch their way to the top of query results. He steps through each to provide insights on where to go when you think you've done it all.