Creating a Google+ business page could become frustrating for some. So Paul Chaney guides us through three steps to make the process much easier. He tells us that the benefits include direct connections to search queries, better audience segmentation, and face-to-face connections with consumers, employees and vendors through tools like hangouts. 

This link-building how-to tutorial will give marketers insight on fundamentals and advanced tactics. Tom Demers takes us through the process of building a resource list and tells us why it is so important. One of the biggest benefits, he writes, is built-in syndication from people and organizations that provide a great resource. He describes how to create the list and gain the most benefit from each name.

Microsoft will build a new research and development center in Beijing, according to Sina Tech, reports Matt Brian. The center aims to increase investments in Internet technologies throughout Asia. As part of Microsoft's search deal in China with Baidu, the Redmond, Wash.-based company receives better access to the country's estimated 450 million Internet users. Brian tells us Microsoft will integrate the former Search Technology Center Asia (STCA) and advertising technology center in Beijing, opening opportunities for hundreds of R&D personnel from the city with a new center.

Reaching target audiences takes work and planning -- especially in social networks. Take LinkedIn, for example. Unlike paid-search ads in Google's or Bing's ad platform, keywords are not used to bid for space. Lisa Raehsler serves up some best practices and tips for using LinkedIn paid-search ads. She tells us LinkedIn uses a cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-thousand (CPM) ad bidding system. The minimum CPC is $2 and the minimum daily budget is $10. The best practices include tips on targeting options, ads, and bids and budgets. 

A tool from Google dubbed Social Extensions allows the company's social network Google+ to interact with AdWords ads. It can help improve click-through rates, according to Bryan Watson. He takes us through the process of creating a Google+ business page, explains how to set up the +1 ad feature, and explains how the tools benefit the campaign and the page. Google has also added reporting features for this extension: Impressions with personal annotations, and basic annotations. 

Millions of advertisers use Google AdWords, but many don't have a clue as to how it works. Elisa Gabbert has put together an infographic to detail the process. The infographic provides insight into how the AdWords auction works, including what gets entered into the auction, how Google determines the ads that will serve up related to specific keywords, and how Google determines what advertisers pay. 

Don't think keyword research and keyword targeting as separate strategies. This can happen because the SEO person is not always involved in the design of the content strategy or what's going to go on the Web site. Rand Fishkin explains how to map keywords to content. 

Spencer Haws serves up the "ultimate" tips on link building and keyword research for niche sites. He believes that by simply finding low-competition keywords and providing relevant content on a targeted site, that site often ranks well with very few links. Haws tell us how, and explains what not to do when link-building, the best places to get articles, anchor text variations, and much more. 

Yes, Web sites can recover from Google's Panda algorithm, for those marketers who wonder. Jon Wade explains what happened to his Web site MotleyHealth.com. He witnessed traffic fall by around half on April 11, the day Panda struck. Wade tell us that the loss of traffic led to a substantial decline in advertising. Skip down to the middle of the post to find his strategy for recovery. 

It's time for marketing to think about paid search, search engine optimization -- and yes, even social marketing. Lee Odden reminds us that of the daily queries on google.com, about 16% have never been seen before. So how can marketers optimize keywords that have never been searched on, he asks. The answer might be to optimize for discovery, consumption and engagement, Odden suggests. He tells us how to take advantage of the diversity, differences and similarities.