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SEO is a game you don't want to lose. Want to keep up with the ever-changing news in the confusing world of Search Engine Optimization? We've got'chur back with our weekly roundup - check out our picks for the top five SEO news stories that came out in the last week. 

1. A checklist: Important SEO points to cover in a content campain (Search Engine Land)
   You know we love a good checklist...this week Search Engine Land's handy list is a must-read. Anything you're missing in your content campaigns? (Shameless plug: Flair can help...).
2. How to conduct pre-research for SEO keywords (Forbes)
   If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Learn the down and dirty of getting ready to conduct your keyword research. One of the most misunderstood aspects of SEO, and a step we find so many clients totally missing, keyword research is an absolute MUST in your SEO efforts. 

SEO tips are easy to come by, but sometimes navigating what's important and the order of priority can be overwhelming. If I've just described your feelings on SEO, then this one goes out to you.

We deal with SEO all. day. long., so we know the best ways to improve it by simply (and consistently) using the right combination of tactics across all your content.

Learn everything you need to be doing – from the basic (do your keyword research), to the not-so-well-known (optimize your alt tags) – to get the best results from your SEO efforts. 

Each week we do a roundup for you, covering the top five articles that came out on a specific, digital marketing-related topic. This week's roundup is on SEO news. So if you had a crazy weed and weren't able to keep up on the SEO news that came out, don't worry – we've got you covered. Read on for the top five SEO-related articles that came out over the last week. 

1. How to Optimize Content Efforts for SEO (MarTech Advisor)
   One of the best articles "summing it all up" I've come across in a long time. Learn quick, easy ways to use SEO to its fullest potential. 
   
   

2. How to project SEO traffic levels and avoid saying, ‘It depends’ (Search Engine Land)
   So often we see our clients struggle to prove the validity or worth of content management to the higer-ups. I know it works, you know it works, but how do you prove to the boss that it works? Simon Heseltine helps you figure it out.  

Content marketing is a commitment, not a campaign. 

How totally (and for some, dauntingly) true is this?! So often (too often, really), we get the same push back when it comes to content marketing.

“We tried. It didn’t work.”

My response, every. single. time. I hear this?

“OK…I understand. I really do. Would you mind sharing a bit more about how or what you tried? What did you do?”

And, it never fails. I get the same answer, time after time.

"We blogged for [insert any length of time…a month, a quarter, a year] and nothing happened."

And there it is. I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it a thousand more times – content marketing is NOT a set it and forget it project. It’s a commitment. A dedicated, consistent, concerted commitment to so much more than just writing and posting a blog. To successfully create and implement a content marketing strategy (that WORKS), you must be willing to do it all.

If you want to stay in the know on the best ways you can help your brand, check out our list of the top 5 search engine optimization news updates for this week.

1. Google confirms it shortened search results snippets after expanding them last December (Search Engine Land)

Have you been spending extra time crafting longer meta descriptions for Google search results? It may have been time wasted after all—Google recently confirmed they've shortened the snippets they show in search results, after having increased them just last December.

But if you're already thinking of going back to shorten all your longer meta descriptions, Google says don't worry too much about it - many of the snippets they choose to include in search results are dynamic, pulling from your content on your site rather than from your meta descriptions anyway [TAKE AWAY: content is STILL important...do you need help optimizing strategic onpage content? See how Flair can help you!]  

Are you tired of your site not appearing in search engine rankings—or being so buried on the tenth screen that nobody can find it? Are you frustrated because you're not getting any traffic or visibility for your web site or marketing campaigns, even though you've spent thousands of dollars to create them?

You're not alone. Every day, I talk to business owners and marketers who aren't getting enough high-quality traffic and aren't seeing a good return on their marketing investment. But if you're like most people, your eyes start to glaze over when you hear the words "search engine optimization."

I'm here to help. Register for my "5 Ways to Improve Your SEO This Week (Even if You're Not a Developer!)" webinar and I'll walk you through these five steps that you can complete this week to improve your SEO and get more traffic:

There’s a reason SEO is an ongoing challenge for marketing professionals. It’s a fairly abstract concept.

There’s the part that’s easy to grasp—identifying words that resonate with each of our audiences. Now that makes sense. It’s easy for us to understand using the right words when communicating with one another in order to a make connection. That’s just being human.

But with SEO, it gets a little more complicated than that. We’re taking extra measures to ensure these words are identified by inanimate web crawlers. Now that sounds like Stephen King’s next best seller when you really think about it. That concept is a little more difficult to comprehend let alone throw into standard practice.

Are you frustrated because you have a web site, but it's not showing up in search results and you're not getting any traffic? Or you're not familiar with the latest changes to Google's algorithms?

We can help. We've recently created a new SEO Analysis package, and for ONE DAY ONLY, you can order your SEO Analysis package (which is valued at $500!) for only $99.

Learn more and order your SEO Analysis now:

http://landing.flairinteractive.net/seo-analysis-flash-sale

This sale is only going to last until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, and it is ONLY available to our 6,000 subscribers and social followers. Why are we doing this, you ask? It's simple...we want to get the word out about our new package and help you get better results from your web site. We love our subscribers and we want to help you succeed.

In the world of inbound marketing, we approach the marketing process in terms of four primary components: attract, convert, close, and delight.  In that first stage, it’s all about getting your business in front of the right audience. Attracting a well-targeted audience is critical; otherwise, you’re wasting your time and energy.

As you probably know, search engine optimization (more commonly referred to as SEO) is the key to ensuring that your site is seen on the internet, but what else do you need to do to increase exposure for your business? We’ve mentioned it before, but it’s worth saying again: you cannot simply build a great site and hope that it is seen. It’s a fact that SEO has become a mandatory part of website ownership and management, and press releases can be a very valuable tool to use as part of your SEO efforts.  Here are a few ways that press releases can give your SEO strategy a boost: