Finally, some transparency for Google AdSense

The biggest gripe that I heard over and over again at the SES conference last September was that Google lacked transparency. Especially in it's reporting on clicks from content sites in the AdSense network.

In the next two weeks, Google will be rolling out the new reporting called "Placement Performance" which will show advertisers exactly which sites have displayed their ads along with a number of other metrics to help determine which sites perform best. The next step is to exclude sites that are poor performers from the buy.

This is a big step for us as advertisers and something that has been sorely lacking. For more info, see this article

SEO Myths Busted and Truth Revealed

Shari Thurow, an SEO writer and web developer that i've know for years and respect highly has written an excellent article about common misconceptions about SEO. These are the same issues and questions that I confront regularly.

The truth about SEO is that it isn't about tricks and whiz bang technology. Good ranking happens because a good SEO addresses the basics first and knows that without them the site won't rank well no matter how much the client wants it to.

1. Unique content that makes use of the keywords your audience use and search for.
2. Site design that gives the user AND the search engines easy to follow, logical access to the content.
3. Quality third party inbound links pointing to the site.

SEO, just like site design, is an ongoing process. So, do the basics, test, and adjust based on the results. That's a formula for good ranking and happy users.