Featured – Page 9

Snapchat: What’s the Big Deal?

October 27, 2014 Beth Devine

snappening — This work is a derivative of “Ouija Board” by jmawork, used under CC BY.

Remember having long conversations on telephones? Back when you had to pick up a landline, punch in a series of numbers, and then gab with your friends for hours?

That’s what Snapchat is for the Millennials – where today’s teens and young adults get their gab-fest fix. It’s no accident that they named it Snapchat.

The snap portion of its title corresponds to the ephemeral nature of the mobile app. Snapchat lets its users send pictures and videos that last only a few seconds. With a reported 100 million monthly users worldwide sending 700 million Snaps a day, it’s no wonder brands are interested.

Happily for any brand who wishes to communicate with the tech-savvy young generation, Snapchat said it’s now offering advertising. According to its blog post, the decision to begin ads is simple, they “need to make money.”

Any company looking to capitalize on this latest opportunity must adhere to one chief rule. It seems you can’t be “creepy and targeted.” Additionally, ads won’t be allowed in users’ personal communication, otherwise known as Snaps and Chats, because “that would be totally rude.”

Advertisers follow the same rules as users who post in Stories, the alternative way of sharing Snaps. They’re a series of Snaps added in the form of a narrative and are found in the “Recent Updates” section, disappearing after 24 hours or after they’re viewed.

The first advertisement appeared over the weekend and was far creepier than expected, given its no-creepy-ads-allowed rule. The Snap ad, a twenty second trailer to the horror movie Ouija, makes you wonder if their public advertising statement, “It’s going to feel a little weird,” was a cloaked warning from the dark beyond.

In case users are concerned about the new advertising gig, Snapchat assures us that you can choose whether or not you want to watch the Snap ad. It is, after all, “no biggie,” Snapchat explains.

So if it’s no biggie, then perhaps brands will no longer be reluctant to work with Snapchat despite the messaging app’s reputation as a potential conduit for disagreeable direct-response advertisers, teen sexting, and other inappropriate content.

Snapchat said they won’t be giving advertisers any user data and that it doesn’t wish to target its users. How Snapchat could manage to do this is unclear given the nature of the messaging service and the erasure of user information along with the messages.

Only the United States will be featuring this first run of advertisements, which means only the U.S. will be subject to advertising described by some as “untargeted spam.”

The creepy advertising comes at a time when 200,000 Snapchat images were leaked via an app that allows users to save Snapchats without the sender knowing. The app site, Snapsaved.com, has since closed down since what’s been called the “Snappening.”

Despite Snapchat’s recent brouhahas, brands should keep an eye on opportunities for promotions, including Snapchats of discounts and coupons. While about half of the users are between the ages of 13 and 17, 77% of college-aged students use Snapchat daily, with half of them saying “they would open a Snap from a brand they’d never heard of.”

If you’re not already Snapping (if that’s even a verb yet), then perhaps you ought to be.

Why the Password Will Never Die

October 17, 2014 Beth Devine

password is not dead — This work is a derivative of “door key” by woodleywonderworks, used under CC BY.

A password is like a house key. It’s job is to secure the lock on your door. If you were to lose your key and a burglar got a hold of it and broke into your house, would it be the key’s fault?

The key is merely doing its other job of allowing entry. The blame rests on the burglar, or the fact that you managed to lose your key.

The same goes for passwords. Blaming passwords for security problems isn’t looking at the whole problem. How the hackers are able to steal vast amounts of data is the real issue.

When deciding how to protect users, it boils down to a choice between security and usability. Most of the time, the choice leans towards usability to make it easier for users. No one likes being locked out of their accounts.

Multi-Factor Authentication Gives You Better Security

More services, however, are adopting the option of a multi-factor authentication system as a heightened security measure. This system requires the combination of several things in order for access to be granted to your data.

Google, for example, has adopted a two-factor verification system which requires two things. One is something you have, in this case a verification code sent to your smartphone. It could also be a physical smart card or token you plug into your device. The second verification is something you know, such as your password or PIN.

A third possible verification for multiple factor authentication is something you are, like Apple’s iPhone option of using your fingerprint. Other possibilities include face, palm, or eye (retinal or iris) scanning.

Making the shift from service utilization to service security will give you greater data protection. Requiring users to adopt added layers of security will assure heightened security. Leaving users in charge of changing their behavior to create better and safer passwords, for example, is a doomed mission.

How Do Our Passwords Fail?

Passwords are guessed, recycled from password dump sites, cracked through brute force attacks, stolen with a remotely installed keylogger, or totally reset by a hacker.

Because guessing is the simplest method, it’s hard to believe that people continue to use predictable, shoddy passwords. There are free password-cracking tools that are available to anyone who wants to try and break in, often with helpful YouTube videos so any novice can do it.

Passwords are reused with wild abandon. You know you do it. You create the perfect combination of letters and numbers, and every time you need to devise a new password for a new account, you fall back on your handy password creation.

Thanks to the inundation of password “hashes,” encrypted but readily crackable passwords that are dumped online for anyone’s consumption, your reused password makes for easy entry into multiple accounts through a single point of failure.

The invention of the cloud makes the ability to trick customer service reps into resetting passwords easier than ever. A hacker can find all sorts of personal information about you online and then use that to gain entry, first into one account, then into another.

The password is not dead, but we need to change our terrible password habits. Strengthen your password and create different versions for different accounts. Use multi-factor verification whenever it is offered. Keep your password keys safe so they can do their job.

Do your part to save the password from death.

More Password Hacking Methods and How to Stay Safe

October 12, 2014 Beth Devine

This work is a derivative of “Credit Card Theft” by Don Hankins, used under CC BY.

Nearly half of all adults had their personal information exposed by hackers this year. The total number of accounts compromised was 432 million. This ongoing targeted theft isn’t going away.

Last month, 5 million Gmail usernames and passwords were published on a Russian bitcoin security forum. This follows the 70 million Target customers’ personal information, 33 million Adobe user credentials, 4.6 million Snapchat users’ account data, 3 million Michael’s payment cards, and 1.1 million Neiman Marcus cards.

The damage is real. Each record typically includes personal information, such as your name, debit or credit card, email, phone number, birthday, password, security questions and physical address.

It’s enough to get hunted down by an abusive ex-spouse. It makes you an easier target for scams. And even if only basic information about you is stolen, that can easily be paired with stolen credit card data, empowering impostors.

Top-tier hackers continue to take advantage of the fact that we are increasingly moving our lives online. They will often publicize sensitive information for other hackers to scramble and use. Their exploits are multifarious, leaving its victims – and potential victims – to scramble to stay ahead of their game.

What You Can Do To Stay Safe

By staying aware of the methods hacker’s use and taking the appropriate steps to prevent attack, you will be far safer than other users. “Cybercriminals exploit the weakest target first.”(CSIS Security Group)

WiFi Sniffing

Anytime you’re in public using your phone, tablet, or laptop, and you’re connected to a network outside your home, you’re opening the door to WiFi sniffing.

While you are browsing through an unprotected WiFi, you’re also broadcasting your data to anyone who wants to look. Because your data is sent to the router on radio waves, it reaches all connected devices at the same time.

Most users won’t be paying attention to the data you send, but the fact is, someone could be using a WiFi sniffer to pick up the information you’re broadcasting. Your URLs, passwords, usernames, and any other private data is up for grabs.

Use a VPN service which provides encryption in its connection. A virtual private network extends your private network across the public network, giving your WiFi-enabled device the same security it has when on your private network.

Malware Attacks

Malware are hidden programs that bury inside of your computer and then send data to other people without your knowledge. They are an epidemic on Windows and Android programs.

The most common method is through installing a keylogger or another type of spyware in your computer that watches what you type on the keyboard or see on the screen. In many cases, the goal is to steal entire systems of passwords and data, so the targets are often large organizations.

A devastating malware example is Zeus, a Trojan horse virus which made its appearance in 2007. This example combined the tactics of phishing with email to send users a rogue link. Once clicked on, the malware is installed in your computer and waits for you to log in to your online banking account.

In the case of Zeus, small businesses were a prime target, with $70 million stolen from 390 victims in one case in 2010. Educate yourself and employees on phishing email and link-clicking only on trusted sites and sources.

Security Questions

Hackers who gain access to your email account will often have an easy time of cracking your security questions. Because they have access to your social media, deducing the answers to basic security questions like “What city were you born in?” or even “What’s your favorite pet’s name?” is a walk in the park,

Once they manage to break through this flimsy security barrier, they are able to reset your password and get into your accounts. When you answer security questions, it’s a good idea to either answer with a lie or choose “other” when offered and create a security question that’s impossible for someone to guess.

Cyber Security Threats: Is This the Digital Wild West?

September 28, 2014 Beth Devine

password hacking — Image is a derivative of “Cowboy” by Kevin Walsh under CC BY.

The battle is on and you’re a potential target. It doesn’t matter what you do to protect yourself from data theft, it is a real possibility.

Like a bank robbery, cyber threats will always be a present danger. As technology continues to advance, new methods of thievery are being devised.

You can, however, try to stay out of the crossfire. Keeping aware of the different password hacking methods used to steal your data is the first step in tightening your own security measures.

How Safe Are You from Password Hacking?

The most common form of hacking involves password and username theft. Our online passwords fail in every imaginable way when it comes to cyber security.

There are a variety of strategies hackers use to break into your accounts and steal your password. These three common methods are the first in the line of fire on your security.

Password Scavenging/Recycling

Most hackers rely on other more adept cyber criminals to grab your password and username. Scavenging takes place when the top-level hackers put stolen passwords hacked by compromising a database into a temporary public document for others to grab and use.

Once these hackers have their hands on your information, they try your password out on known services like PayPal. Imagine the fun they have when they discover that these users have the same password across many different accounts!

Phishing

Most of us have been recipients of attempted phishing because we have an email account. Hackers try to get your password and username (as well as your money) by pretending to be a website or company you trust.

The email will appear to be valid and authentic. Last week I received one from Delta airlines saying my ticket was attached and ready for printing. Funny thing is, I don’t recall planning on traveling to Oakland, CA!

Sometimes the emails are from your friends, but they normally will contain little information except the infected link.

Cloud Breaching

There’s a new school of hacking that’s rivaling phishing. This new wave of password theft involves breaching the cloud where vast amounts of data lie. If you weren’t already nervous about password theft, this new development is worth your attention.

Thanks to the recent news of the celebrity photo iCloud breach, more people are learning about this vulnerability. In the case of the celebrities, Apple said in a statement that certain celebrity accounts were compromised by “a very targeted attack on user names, passwords and security questions.”

Because we tend to reuse our passwords and usernames in multiple accounts, your personal information stored in the cloud is ripe for exploitation as one service allows entry into another. Tricking customer service agents into resetting passwords is a growing complication to this devastating method.

Stay tuned for more password hacking methods next week, followed by what you can do to protect yourself. Even the Wild West was eventually tamed.

Duplicate Content Causes and Some Easy Fixes

September 12, 2014 Beth Devine

Duplicate content is just what it says it is – content that appears in more than one place. When duplicate content occurs on the internet, search engines can’t be relied upon to decide which is the most relevant version to give when someone makes a search.

Search engines will display all the relevant results, but won’t show the duplicate content versions. Google and the other search engines have to choose which version is the original one, or which is the best one.

What does this mean for your website? Your SEO can be compromised. Your duplicate content links are diluted, and your ranking potential for a given keyword is reduced.

Most of the causes for duplicate content are technical and baffle those of us who remain un-techified. The fixes, however, are often less daunting.

Here are the most common duplicate content causes and some easy fixes.

URL Parameters that track data

An SEO-friendly URL won’t have parameters, and if it does, no more than two should be used. Parameters are the part of the URL that provides data for correct retrieval of records.

For example, these two sample links demonstrate different parameters for tracking data:

http://www.example.com/keyword-x/

http://www.example.com/keyword-x/?source=rss

Be sure to tell your programmer to always build your parameters in the same order. See, that’s easy to do!

Link Back to Original Content

Duplicate content that comes from outside your own site can be “scraped,” or used without your consent. This leaves the search engine with another version to rank, making competition in ranking for your original version.

Because search engines aren’t able to effectively filter out original content from the scraped content, website owners should create links to their own sites within their content. This way scraped content will point back to the original content and allow for some potential traffic.

If the links aren’t removed by the scrapers, it could also help search engines to determine the original content if enough links point to your site.

Session IDs

For every website visitor you have, a different session ID is stored in the URL. This is used for ecommerce sites that want to keep track of visitors and make storing items in a shopping cart possible.

A unique ID number is added to the URL for every visitor to your site, and for every page of your site. For example:

http://site.com/product?id=1234567890

http://site.com/product?id=1234567891

http://site.com/product?id=1234567892

The other option is to disable session IDs in your systems settings and instead allow cookies for tracking visitor’s products.

Printer Friendly Pages

If you have a link on your website that reads something like “click here for a printer-friendly version,” you have duplicate content.

Every time a visitor follows this link, a separate document containing duplicate content is loaded, search engines will find these and decide which version to show.

Because you want the version that contains all your additional site information, not just the stripped-down, printable version, you should use a print style sheet.

Since this is a rather un-techie solution, ask your web developer to help you. Or you can go to the WordPress Styling for Print page to see for yourself.

Pick Either WWW or non-WWW

Search engines still can get this wrong when it’s possible to access both versions of your site. Solving this problem means choosing your preferred domain and telling Google which site should be shown in search engine page results – the one with the WWW or the one without it.

Take your pick:

http://www.example.com/example.html

http://example.com/page.html

Get your easy fix to this split-identity issue by following my help in Improve Your WordPress Site’s SEO With a Single URL. Remember, if I can do it, so can you.

Remember to stay consistent when you link within your website and always stick with your preferred domain.

Two More Duplicate Content Solutions

Sometimes you want to have multiple versions of a page available for users, or you simply can’t get rid of it. You can manage this duplicate content in two ways.

1. Adding a Canonical URL Link

Once you’ve chose your preferred domain, you might need to add the rel=”canonical” links to the <head> section of your site. It will look like this:

2. Do a 301 Redirect

Another option for dealing with wrong URLs for content is to redirect them. A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect that’s set up from the duplicate content page and sent to the original content paging, passing the ranking power to the redirected or original page.

See Improve Your WordPress Site’s SEO With a Single URL for instructions.

For the non-techies, this could prove to be confusing, so ask for help.

For a great tool to check for duplicate content, use Google Webmaster Tools. Go to Search Appearance, and then HTML Improvements to see if there’s any concerns you should know about.

Are You Botching Up Your WordPress Site’s SEO?

September 5, 2014 Beth Devine

It’s true that WordPress is one of the best content management systems out there. What’s not true is that when you hit publish on a post, you are now done with your SEO.

There is a lot you can do to optimize your WordPress site for search engines. Chances are, no matter what you are doing, you’re still not doing enough.

Here are 5 SEO actions you don’t want to botch up for your WordPress SEO.

1. Set Preferred Pages By Choosing a Canonical URL

Look like uber-geek computer talk to you? It’s not as difficult to do as it sounds. When you choose a canonical URL, you’re telling search engines how to find you.

If there’s too many choices, your search rankings will be lower. By telling Google and other search engines how to find you, they won’t end up picking from multiple options of the same page.

Your first step in choosing a canonical URL is to decide if you want it to be http://www.yoursite.com or http://yoursite.com.

Tell WordPress which one you want (See Improve Your WordPress Site’s SEO With a Single URL )
Tell Google through Webmaster Tools
Use a plugin like WordPress SEO by Yoast so your canonical URL is always defined for each site page. With this plugin, “you automatically get canonical link elements for every page type in WordPress.”

2. Create Custom Titles and Descriptions

These titles and descriptions are what people see when they search for your site. Even if your site is ranked lower than other sites, your information on a given SERP can be more authoritative and receive greater response.

These two features provide your potential readers with concise data on each of your pages and posts:

The Meta Title is the headline replacement and displays in bold in the first line.
The Meta Description can be used instead of the first lines of your post to describe what it’s about.

This is a simple task that can be done using the WordPress SEO by Yoast plugin. For each page published, you input the desired title and descriptions, and the rest is done for you.

3. Do Your Categorization and Tagging

Using your categories and tags correctly is a way to increase website traffic, and it can also help visitors stay longer on your site.

Effective tagging lets search engines know what your pages are about, like a street sign tells travelers where to go. Tagging and categories indicate the relevant keywords on your site and should be equally limited and relevant. The “less is more” approach is the way to go.

4. Supply Google With a Sitemap

A sitemap is a file where you can list the web pages of your site to tell Google and other search engines about the organization of your site content. Search engine web crawlers like Googlebot read this file to more intelligently crawl your site. (Webmaster Tools)

So sitemaps are the way Google finds pages on your website. While there’s no guarantee Google will find every last page of your site, you won’t be penalized for creating a sitemap.

Thanks to the coding gods and goddesses, the process of setting up an XML sitemap is as automatic as one click. With either the Google XML Sitemaps or the WordPress SEO by Yoast, you can get your sitemap up and running in seconds.

5. Mark Up Your Site for Google+ Authorship

Or not.

In case you didn’t get the memo, last Thursday Google put the kibosh on its Google+ Authorship program, which let Google rank content based on the authority of who wrote it.

The long game of trying to rank on the gargantuan search engine is never over. There will be new ways to attempt better rankings, better search results, and better clickthrough rates.

But don’t count on Google to make it happen. Don’t count on anything outside of serving up great content that educates and entertains your audience. Give them exactly what they want.

Like Copyblogger suggests, if you want a “wider audience, more subscribers, better conversion to paying customers, fanatically loyal readers, and enviable word of mouth,” there’s one thing you need to do.

Giving your readers what they want means “treat your readers like dogs.” (Treating them like cats can work too.)

Instead of spending hours and hours on SEO, create great content that rewards your readers. Spend your time figuring out what they want and producing that content.

There is no perfect formula for SEO success, but there will always be this last hard and fast rule. Meet your audience’s needs first.

The latest SEO tactics, like the very promising Authorship program, will come and go, but your audience will continue to be there, asking for what they need to know.

7 Tips for Your Content Management System

September 1, 2014 Beth Devine

CMS — Photo a derivative of “Blank sign post, empty field” by Ano Lobb under CC BY.

A content management system (CMS) like WordPress is a software that lets you create, manage, store, edit and publish all of your of content without any serious HTML or programming skills.

Thanks to this ability to edit your content from any computer that connects to the internet, you don’t have to rely on a third party, like developers or web hosts, to stay up to date, right?

Well, sort of.

A CMS is designed to streamline your workflow, making life easier, while also reducing costs and increasing productivity.

It’s true that a CMS website gives you greater control. You get the benefits of overcoming technical barriers to adding content, allowing multiple people to add and edit content, and facilitate faster updates.

It’s also true that with greater control and power comes greater responsibility.

Just because a CMS gives you the flexibility to manage content whenever you want doesn’t mean it’s getting done and getting done right. At its most serious, mismanaging your CMS website is like hanging up a sign that informs hackers you’re open for attack.

Here are 7 tips to follow when you have the responsibility of a content management system.

1. Maintain Site Security By Updating

The developers and contributors are constantly updating plugins to keep WordPress efficient and secure. When a bug or vulnerability is discovered, they get to work on a solution right away.

If you’re not updating your WordPress site and its plugins on a timely basis, this means it’s unsafe and probably vulnerable to hackers. With a single click, you can maintain your website’s security by simply updating your theme, plugins, and the latest version of WordPress.

It’s always possible that a security hole exists somewhere on WordPress since it’s an open source software and highly targeted by hackers. However, keeping your data updated will greatly reduce the risk.

2. Perform Backups

Besides regular updates, part of keeping your CMS secure involves performing regular backups. Determine who will do this and how often you want it done.

There are several backup solutions available, including paid versions such as the highly touted VaultPress. Your web hosting provider will often offer backup plans as part of your hosting package.

3. Basic Updates of Site Content

When content needs to be updated, it is often confusing to people who are either not adequately trained or who aren’t using the site regularly. A CMS like WordPress isn’t difficult to use when you’re working with it on a regular basis.

If you know you need basic updates of site content monthly, for example, then be sure someone is trained and tasked to do so.

4. Configure Your Content Management System for SEO

SEO is user-friendly with plugins like the WordPress SEO Plugin by Yoast. Custom titles and meta descriptions are common elements with these plugins, but there are other important configurations as well.

Generating a sitemap file, customizing URLS, and eliminating duplicate content are just three ways to improve your site’s SEO, helping you gain more subscribers and elevate your rankings.

5. Blogging for SEO

If your website includes a blog, your CMS will make it simple to manage regular content curation. Manually posting and maintaining valuable content for your site’s SEO can be easily handled by the same people who write and develop it.

The only trouble is dedicating someone to this task and making sure it is regularly scheduled for consistent SEO results.

6. Not So Simple Navigation Changes

Making navigation changes may seem like a no-brainer in your CMS, but even the simplest changes can have enormous consequences.

Your navigation menu is like a road sign directing street traffic. Without it, your visitors will have difficulty finding their desired destination. This is one area where you should be well-informed with WordPress before altering things and dramatically affecting the user experience.

7. Keep Current With Comments

If you have a comment section for your blog, you will need to keep current with your readers’ comments and be prepared to write replies. Comments give your visitors a way to interact with you, creating a sense of community and encouraging return visits.

Setting your comments so they publish only when approved is a good practice, allowing you to weed out spam, a way for insidious malware to sneak in through your backdoor.

Make a plan to keep your CMS well-groomed and secure with either an internal process or with your web hosting company. Don’t let your CMS-based site appear shabby, out of date, or open to hackers.

Get Better Email Open Rates With Your Subject Line

August 21, 2014 Beth Devine

If you want to see improved email open rates, then spend time crafting an effective subject line. By working the subject line, you’ve overcome a third of the battle because 33% of email recipients open email based on subject line alone.

Check out these 7 easy tips for improving email open rates by writing a better subject line.

1. Don’t try for the vague approach

Most people will spend about 15 seconds reading your email. Give them what they want to know, not some vague trickery in the subject line to try to get them to open it.

Get to your point quickly and keep to one topic, and be sure to make it relevant to your email content.

2. Keep it short and sweet

Your subject line has room for only one subject and no more than 50 characters. You need to say a lot in a few words, making it descriptive and to the point.

Using fewer than 10 characters could mean an open rate of 58%, so keeping it short is a mean feat of concise success.

3. Avoid buzzwords

The last thing you want to do is trigger a spam filter in your recipient’s email system. These emails will never get read if they go straight to the trash.

Buzzwords to avoid include the word “free,” which is a big red flag, as well as the more innocuous words “help,” “percent off,” and “reminder.”

On the other hand, certain words boost open rates for B2B companies, such as “money,” “revenue,” and “profit.” (Adestra July 2012 Report)

4. The first-name basis approach

By personalizing the subject line with the recipient’s first name or something else pertinent, you’re establishing trust. It’s a reminder that they have given you a name and email as a way to communicate.

The personal approach is a way to break through the large amount of clutter your audience receives in their inbox and stand out from the crowd.

5. Give them something to act on

You can create a sense of urgency by offering an incentive for your recipient to open the email. But be careful here. Sounding too slick and salesy can backfire and turn people off. The best subject lines tell, not sell what’s inside.

It’s also not a good idea to put a date in your subject line in an attempt to build urgency. This will date your email for those who don’t check email often.

6. Add your newsletter or company name

This reminds recipients of the relationship you have, as well as making sure they are aware of the nature of the content. Sometimes on smartphones email providers only display the subject line and not the sender name, making it more important to include a company name.

7. Get the right “from” name and email

Speaking of the sender name, it’s important to get it right. Okay, so this isn’t in the subject line, but it’s located directly above it and should reflect your company name and image. Call it the subject line’s counterpart.

If possible, it should match the department that is relevant to the email, such as coming from “returns@company.name.”

The best way to know what is working is to test it! Check your open rates and compare this with your subject lines to find out how your audience and specific marketing situations respond to different attempts.

SEO Benefits to Embedding Video

August 15, 2014 Beth Devine

Embedding video in your website has many SEO benefits, including the two-for-one benefit. You get two listings for the price of one – one for your website and one for your YouTube (or other hosting) channel.

We already discussed why embedding video is better than uploading on your WordPress site. By embedding videos and using YouTube as the host, you give search engines added content to rank. Since YouTube is a Google product, using YouTube for embedding videos gives your site that much more traffic-building power.

So how do you get the most out of embedding your videos?

Here are 8 tips to help your SEO with embedding video:

1. Name your video title with video keywords.

Google Trends is another way besides Adwords to see what keywords are good for your YouTube videos.

Go to Google Trends and begin a search for something. Then click on “Web Search” in the upper right and select “YouTube Search.” Check out the search queries used as well as the trend over time to see what keyword terms you might wish to try.

2. Describe your video.

Completely fill in the description portion using these same keywords. Use your website URL in the top line of your video description so viewers will see this first when they search.

3. Transcribe your video.

By adding a transcription of the video, you’re reinforcing the keywords with additional text. This is especially useful as well for how-to videos, giving users another way to view your explanation.

To do this, go to your video listings on your channel via Video Manager. Click on “Edit” then “Subtitles and CC,” “Add subtitles or CC,” and select a language. You can then choose to upload a file of your text or transcribe and set timings by typing in the text as the video plays. The video automatically pauses while you type.

4. Label your video.

You can add a watermark or other labeling by using Annotations. This is also a great way to add your website URL as a live link.

5. Link to your video from you website.

Don’t forget to add a link from your website to your YouTube video. This is another way for viewers to access your YouTube channel and your other videos, which are in turn all have links to your site.

The more your videos are viewed, the higher they can potentially rank in YouTube searches.

6. Create a video sitemap.

Or not! Video sitemaps are a way to make sure Google (and other search engines) index your video. The good news is when you embed YouTube videos, YouTube does the work for you, giving you much better visibility.

7. Place your video on a product page.

Placing your video in other locations such as a product page will help you to stand out in SERPs and give you a video thumbnail in the search results as well.

The added stickiness (increased time a viewer remains on a webpage) of video viewing is an indicator of page quality, another consideration in your rankings.

8. Don’t forget to share on social media!

It’s important to get inbound links to your video. By sharing your video on social media sites and email blasts, you are encouraging views, giving you increased website traffic.

This careful attention to your videos is good for your SEO because it helps search engines (and humans) to understand what type of content you are sharing. Optimize your website’s embedded video content and get your two-for-one benefit today.

Embedding vs Uploading Video to WordPress

August 7, 2014 Beth Devine

reasons to choose embedding video — This is a derivative of a photo by Filmm, used under CC BY.

When you add media to your WordPress website, your dashboard probably reads “upload new media.” With only a few clicks, you can upload images as well as videos.

But why choose uploading over embedding your videos? What are the benefits of embedding vs uploading video?

Uploading Video and Why It’s Risky

By uploading video in your WordPress dashboard, you are taking up space on your server. If you upload multiple videos, you could potentially take up too much space, and if many users attempt to view your video, your site load times could severely slow down.

Uploading a video uses your server’s bandwidth, and if other people link to or embed your video in their site, your own site will suffer even more from use of your bandwidth.

There is a file size limitation to video uploading. Your WordPress site will have a much more restrictive file size, whereas third-party sites such as YouTube will allow for much larger sizes.

Shared hosting servers (versus dedicated servers) offer an unlimited amount of bandwidth, but that won’t prevent them from suspending your account should you create enough stress on the server from a video being viewed by hundreds of people at once.

Not only does your server suffer (and everyone else who shares it), but your viewers also feel the pain of your uploaded video. They can experience slow loading, unexpected pauses, and refusal to play. Because bandwidth is a shared resource, this can grow even worse when other accounts on the server are also hosting videos.

The one clear benefit of uploading video is the autonomy it allows. You have complete control as a self-hosting platform. As long as your server is functioning, your video will also operate. But that’s pretty much where the benefit ends.

Embedding Video Is the Best Choice

The risks of uploading video clearly outweigh the benefits. Besides the risks involved with uploading video, embedding video is your preferred alternative for another critical reason: SEO.

Third-party servers that are dedicated to hosting your videos offer the added plus of bringing more views to your video and more viewers to your site.

Rather than detract from your SEO, viewing your embedded videos on sites like YouTube and Vimeo can add to your SEO. YouTube is currently ranked number three globally as a top site by Alexa, down recently from number two. Your videos have the benefit of being searched within YouTube as well as on other search engines.