Richard Cummings
Latest posts by Richard Cummings (see all)

How To Facebook For Business

Richard Cummings

How To Facebook For BusinessIn this article, we are going to look at “How To Facebook For Business”–the social engine optimization of Facebook. We will review why you need a Facebook business page, how to create your Facebook company page, attract Facebook likes, and update content so that your Facebook presence brings more visitors, both to your website and your Facebook company page.

Facebook, as we all know, is the gorilla of social media. What once was a website just for friends is now a critical business tool. Your business must have a Facebook page. Read More

Google+ Image Size: How Can I Shrink It?

Richard Cummings

google-plus-cover-photoQuestion: Google+ recently changed their default image size for cover photos and it’s way too big for my liking. Is there any way to adjust the size of the new Google Plus cover image for my company page? -Mike, McLean, VARead More

SEO and Social Media: Why Social Media Has Become So Important!

Richard Cummings

Social Media has become such a critical component of SEO that perhaps SEO should now stand for Social Engine Optimization. In this article, we will take a look at why traditional SEO practices have now fallen out of favor and given way to a whole new SEO ideology, that of Social Engine Optimization.

the importance of social mediaThis is the first article in our series Social Media and SEO, where we address how to optimize your online presence in a social media world. In the series, we will tell you how to create and optimize all of your social media outlets including Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

As a first step, today we are going to look at why social media must become an integral part of your SEO strategy.Read More

Twitter Business Tips: How To Social Media Marketing Plan for Twitter!

Richard Cummings

Are you effectively using Twitter for your business? In this article, we are going to look at Twitter how to business tips to improve your social media marketing plan. This article on Twitter optimization focuses on establishing your Twitter identity, creating and customizing your Twitter account, and optimizing your Twitter involvement for maximum results.

Twitter Business Tips

This article is part of our Social Engine Optimization series, a series that tells you how to incorporate social media in your SEO efforts.Read More

Booz Allen Hamilton: A Social Media Fiasco!

Richard Cummings

IT consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, with government contracts worth billions of dollars, is not minding their social media outlets very well in the wake of the “Edward Snowden” issue. Take a look at the Facebook photo below:

Booz Allen Social Media

Consumers React to Booz Allen, Edward Snowden, and Spying

Read More

duplicate-content

The Two Free Duplicate Content Checkers That You Need [2018 Edition]

Richard Cummings

duplicate-contentBecause Google frowns on duplicate content, you need access to quick, easy-to-use duplicate content checker software for your website to avoid any SEO penalties.

Most of you know that duplicate content on your site is a “no-no” in the eyes of Google. In all likelihood, the big G will penalize you for duplicate content.

However, duplicate content on your website is not the only problem. What if other websites have copied your content? And, even worse, what if they outrank you in the search engines for content that you created?

So you need to be able check for duplicate content in two scenarios: (1) Duplicate content on your site. And (2), duplicate content copied from your site.

Below, I will tell you how to check for duplicate content on your website and how to check for content that people have copied from your website.

To accomplish this, we’ll use the two free online duplicate content checkers that you need in 2018.

Read More

What Is My Google+ URL Address?

Richard Cummings

google-plus-url

Google Plus URL: The Proper Format

Question: What is my exact Google+ URL? I keep reading about the benefits of Google Authorship and that I need to get my Google+ profile out there, but I want to know what is the proper Google+ URL. When I hover over my name it gives me subdirectories like “https://plus.google.com/u/0/ XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX”. So, what is the proper format for the Google+ URL? -Nancy, Dallas, TXRead More

WordPress and Encrypted Search Terms?

Richard Cummings

encrypted search terms WordPress

WordPress Stats: Encrypted Search Terms

Question: Why am I seeing encrypted search terms in my WordPress Stats? I always use to see all of the keywords that people would use to find my pages. Now, I see just a few keywords and the one with most hits just says “encrypted_search_terms”. What is going on? -Catie, Bethesda, MDRead More

web-content-creation-vs-promotion

Content Creation vs Marketing: How I Increased Blog Traffic 3000% Using the Pareto Principle!

Richard Cummings

pareto-principle-marketingHave you heard of the Pareto Principle as it applies to online marketing and web promotion? If not, this article may be the key to unlocking the organic traffic you rightly deserve.

Do you spend the bulk of your time creating web content OR marketing content that you have already written?

I am going to show you how I increased blog traffic 3000% by taking a look at this very question.

It all boils down to the Pareto Principle or, as some call it, the 80/20 rule.

Most online marketers are doing their job wrong.

They hear “authorities” on the Internet exclaim: “Just create quality web content and visitors will come!”

This is the biggest lie perpetuated by those who are already an authority and deceives beginners into thinking that quality web content is enough.

Read More

Quotes in Meta Tags

Richard Cummings

Quotes in Meta TagsQuestion: Following instructions from your free on-page SEO guide, I am re-writing the meta descriptions for my pages to make them more search engine friendly. In doing this, I have one description that I want to use quotes in. Is it ok to use quotes in my meta description? -Val, Bloomington, IllinoisRead More

When and Why Google Should Fear Facebook: A Behavioral Analysis

Richard Cummings

While experts give us exhaustive speculation on user behavior, the best way to understand how people currently use Facebook and Google is to watch them.

Facebook vs Google

Google vs Facebook: Follow the Clicks!

With all the hubbub surrounding the launch of the of the new “Facbook Graph Search” feature, many speculated that this would spell the beginning of the end for Google search.   This is not the case.  I will tell you when and why Google should fear Facebook based on user behavior.Read More

Facebook Business Page: “Invite Friends” Unavailable

Richard Cummings

Question: On my Facebook Business page, the invite friends option is not available. I only see the “invite email contacts”. I have read and agree that inviting all of your existing Facebook friends is a good idea to jumpstart your Facebook business page but I can’t seem to find the option. Can you help? Thanks, Barbara–Sacramento, CA

Invite Friends Facebook tabRead More

URL of Facebook Wall Post?

Richard Cummings

Question: I would like to share my Facebook Wall posts to other outlets but I can’t seem to get the URL. What is the URL of a Facebook wall post? –Kathy, Topeka, KansasRead More