What makes readers tune in for more? What are employees looking for in an SEO? These things are answered and more, in this week’s Fast Five!

9 Experts and a Summary: What Makes an Ideal SEO Employee? By Aamir Jiwa
What are employers looking for when seeking to employ an SEO professional? Aamir talks to nine industry leaders to discover, not only what industry knowledge they’re looking for, but also the personal qualities which stand out. Are you creative or methodical? It seems there’s a place for everyone in SEO!

Could Google Authorship Offer Protection Against Future Updates by James Brockbank
With more Google algorithm changes on the way, James believes Google Authorship will provide a protective shield for those who use it wisely. It is interesting how this little piece of code, which links your Google+ profile to your website or blog, can dramatically increase visibility within niche industries.

5 Data Insights into the Headlines Readers Click by Nathan Safran
How do you get people to care about important stuff amidst the avalanche of content we all face each day? What is the magic word formula that gets reader’s attention?
This post answers all that and there’s also some interesting internet statistics thrown in too.

5 Steps for Creating Super Hero Slides by Aleyda Solis
I love Aleyda’s Lego pictures in this post. Aleyda shares her secrets to developing memorable presentations that strike an emotional chord with readers.  This is one to bookmark.

And finally…

WordPress Most Popular Plugins by wptemplate.com
I can’t resist a good infographic and as a WordPress user, I’m always keen to find more useful plugins!

Happy reading!

*Image courtesy of Threadless

SEO the Future of Search Results by Daniel Cristo
Instead of viewing our SERPs as 10 blue links, we could soon be treated to a multimedia info card format. In this ‘back to the future’ post, Daniel presents some convincing examples of what’s to come.

Former Facebook Employee Warns Against Sharing Personal Info by SPN Staff Writers
Katherine Losse, former Speech Writer for Mark Zuckerberg, has warned Facebook users that if the social media site’s staff can access their information, federal law enforcement agencies can as well.

The Importance of Mobile Optimised Content by Ben Austin
Forget detailed explanations, quotes and anecdotes, according to Ben the future of copywriting for mobile devices is short, to the point, and laid out in bite sized chunks – not blocks of text. With over 1 billion mobile devices being used today, it’s important to change our writing habits to suit.

64 Google+ Content Strategies by Maria Peagler
Short on content ideas for your Google+ profile? This is a post to keep referring back to. Maria gives us plenty of ideas to make the most of the world’s fastest growing social media platform.

This one’s for all of us who spend more time than we should staring at screens…

Case Study: How a Corporate Consultant Built a Thriving Business with Content by Beth Hayden
Jen Waak started a successful business by tapping into a much needed area of attention – physical health for office workers – and consistently sharing her insights with others.  Keyboard Athletes is her invention and it’s a site all of us should bookmark.

This week’s collection is mostly about link building, but there’s also a little something about social media and mobile maps too!

Link Building Survey 2013 – The Results by James Agate
James has put together an excellent infographic covering the many perspectives of Link Building – including how much companies are spending on this aspect of marketing, biggest challenge, anchor text strategies etc.

Five Things You Probably Didn’t Know Are “Illegal” on Facebook by Jim Belosic
Facebook are constantly changing their rules – which are different for profile and business pages. Jim points out a couple of the most commonly broken rules – including sharing of contact information, photo guidelines, running contests and notifying winners. Plus several links to location where other rules exist (they are often obscure and hard to find).

The Future of Links by John Rampton
Personalised search has changed everything. This is particularly true of links and link building. This short article runs through the old methods and why they won’t work anymore. According to John, big brand thinking is the only way forward.

How to be Included in a Google’s News Feed by Zain Shah
This is a great article about how to get your content recognised across the web, regardless of who you are writing for. Google has made it clear that it is more about the writer than the publisher these days – thanks to Google’s Author Rank. Zain has put together a list of handy hints for writers and content managers which will help gain Google’s attention.

And for something different…

Google Just Released Google Maps for Android Smartphones and Tablets by Adam Morgan
This is a short fun post which I had to include given that I got lost the other day because I couldn’t work out how to use my smartphone’s GPS properly! Adam runs through a couple of the features of Google’s new maps for android technology, so we’ll never get lost again.

Happy reading!

*Image by Threadless

Hi everyone. Google Reader closed its doors this week, but there are plenty of alternatives out there. Also, is your business mobile ready? This week’s Fast Five contains blogs posts about all this and more.

Top Alternatives to Google Reader Plus Other Discontinued Google Products by Larry Kim
Google Reader closed its doors this week and for those who haven’t found alternatives, this post is a must. Larry lists free and paid alternatives to Google Reader – plus discusses the demise of several other Google products.

3 Things Businesses Must Understand to Leverage the Mobile Market by Vishal Sankhla
You only have to walk down the street these days to see how much everyone relies on their smart phones. Vishal rightly explains how business owners need to adapt their marketing strategy to make the most of this huge change in the way we share information with each other.

An Evergreen Content Case Study by Christopher Fieldon
Chris shows that if you keep an updated informative list on one page of your website – and constantly add to it – it will attract increased visitors over time. This is a really interesting post, not only because of the results, but the creative thinking Chris has used to grow his audience using content people in his niche are interested in.

Using the New Adwords Keyword Planner for Local SEO Keyword Search by Casey Meraz
Want to find out how many people in a particular location are searching for your services? Casey explains how Google’s new Adwords Keyword Planner can be used to modify your keyword marketing strategy to suit your specific needs.

And finally, something to ponder…

The Evolution of Search – Whiteboard Friday by Danny Sullivan
Search Engine Land’s Danny Sullivan made a guest appearance on Rand Fishkin’s Whiteboard Friday this week to discuss the evolution in search over the past 20 years. Fascinating stuff. This has to be the fastest changing industry on the planet and we have to wonder – what’s coming next?

Happy reading!

*Image courtesy of Threadless