Signs that you need a break from SEO. Poking fun at Web 2.0 naming conventions. Copywriting mistakes to avoid—and tips for writing better copy from a standup comedian. How not to use PowerPoint. Search engine rap (oxymoronic, but true). Clueless tech support. What do these have in common? They're all here in this collection of amusing, creative and strange posts from the last year. Stupid marketing copy mistakes by iMedia Connection Christopher Richards provides an amusing tour of common mistakes made when ad copy strays, under categories such as "sloppy copy" and "beyond clich é." tags: Web 2.0 MORE >>

Is there SEM life beyond AdWords (and if so, where?)? Tips to Save Money on Pay-Per-Click Campaign by Saad Kamal Great advice on how to set up an AdWords program that produces positive ROI, though written more for newbies than seasoned pros. How do you write a killer search ad? What should you look for when hiring a paid search agency? Which metrics are most important for measuring PPC success? What steps should take to optimize SEM campaigns—and which mistakes should you avoid? Superpages , Facebook , Quigo (interesting), ContextWeb , LookSmart , ASK (lower CPA than Google? MORE >>

Which social media sites are most helpful for SEO? What common mistakes should you avoid when optimizing a site for search? Which factors do search engine algorithms weight most heavily in determining search position? How can you generate more clicks even when your site isn't in one of the top three spots in search results? Get the answers to all of these questions and others here in the final(!) set of the best posts of last year on search engine optimization. Among his findings: organic search is the source of both the highest volume and best quality of traffic. Social traffic (e.g. MORE >>

With the rapidly increasing use of social media tools for marketing and PR comes growing pressure to demonstrate results. But what metrics are really most appropriate for social media measurement? How can you monitor everything that's being said about your company, competitors and key industry topics across the social media landscape without spending a fortune on monitoring software? Is your social media strategy built on a solid foundation, or is it more like a Hollywood movie set—a pretty facade with nothing behind it? This tutorial is clear and generously illustrated with screenshots. MORE >>

Which factors are really most important in search engine rankings? How do search engines treat different forms of keywords? How can you get the most of out of Google's free webmaster tools to improve rankings? What other tools are worth checking out for keywords, linking and website analysis? Find the answers to these questions and others here in more of the best SEO blog posts from this year. sites including "kayaks" or "kayaking" will show up on a search for "kayak"). On that last point though, keep in mind that for popular search phrases, even a single character can make a big difference. MORE >>