SEO Lessons Learned in 2009
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Search engine marketing is not becoming any easier for small businesses to follow. To simplify the learning curve, a St. Louis SEO company was the host of several symposiums in 2009. Google analytics, social media networking and email marketing were the focal points of these interactive seminars. In this installment of SEO St. Louis, we’re reviewing some the lessons learned about SEO in 2009:
Google’s Analytical Tool
Throughout 2009, the marketing mantra was: Use Googles’ analytical toolbar to enhance sales and customer retention. In the realm of search engine marketing, the Net Impact also demonstrated the importance of using Google’s analytical tool to track target audience traffic. Just to recap a few bytes, review the video
YouTube Google Analytics Trending
Email Marketing Campaigns
Based on the information gleaned from analyzing traffic or (Clickstream tracking), companies can develop an email campaign to target and convert prospective new clients and customers. Moreover, database marketing email campaigns provide transparent results. In other words, these marketing catalysts illustrate measurable statistics, enabling businesses to custom fit the communiqué to augment conversion rates.
Additionally, with an exacting Web site traffic analysis, demographic segmentation, and Net Impact’s email marketing database programs, achieving a higher retention rate is a matter of putting a strategy into motion. Review the Email Marketing Guide
In November of 2009, Search engine marketing analyst, Erica Scharringhausen hosted a highly informative search engine marketing overview. If you click on the link below, you can watch the video to discover the importance of social media tagging and how to do-it-yourself.
For additional information, watch the YouTube video. Be sure to contact The Net Impact team with your search engine marketing questions and feedback.
To learn more about implementing a solid social media networking or developing a stalwart marketing strategy, the Net Impact offers complementary SEO Consultations.
Sowing the Seeds of SEO
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There is a parallel between search engine optimization (SEO) and produce. Cultivating a vegetable garden is verisimilar to optimizing a site for search engine exposure. A regular schedule of water, sunshine and pruning is key to the harvest. When Web sites are not nourished with new information, search engine bots have no reason to re-index old content.
For the company Web site, seeds are sown from frequent content updates and submissions to RSS feeds, search engines and other online news directories.
Content management systems, blogs and company news pages require new doses of information for one major purpose: to sow the seed of SEO as in organic search engine exposure.
Organic search engine exposure is like growing vegetables
without any pesticides or chemical additives.
In other words, organic search engine exposure is when a company’s Web site appears in the top 5-page results of Google, based on its name and services. It does not rely on a sponsored ad or pay-per-click campaign to boost its visibility. It’s 100% pure SEO.
Here’s an example:
A search query on Google, using the words “St. Louis Web Design company” returns The Net Impact on the first page. The site is an organically popular Web site. Since several resources refer and link back to the company’s Web site, it has a high page rank sans any crafty SEO tricks.
Back in the vegetable garden, propagation yields more crops. In the realm of search engine marketing, this means disseminating the message to multiple sources. Other blogs, RSS feeds and of course social media networking sites are accessible outlets to circulate link popularity.
For instance, Google Blog Search and Topic Exchange are two blog engines to fuel your Web site’s visibility. For obvious reason’s Google’s Blog search engine assures that the company web site achieves optimal exposure. Topic Exchange is comprised of information aggregated from a cross sector of market places. When your site adds new information, make sure your content pings the aforementioned sites.
But in the agricultural world, not all farmers cultivate their own crops. And in the business strata, not all companies sow the seeds of their SEO.
Do you need help sowing the seeds of your site’s SEO? If so, click on St. Louis SEO company to learn more.
Deconstructing Irrelevant Page Titles
Search engine optimization (SEO) is not always complex. Components of SEO, such as the navigation, are commonsensical. Reviewing the most over-used navigation page titles, let’s review terms that are irrelevant to the architecture of any Web site.
Services
When’s the last time that you or anyone else you know conducted a query on a major search engine, using the keyword “services?” On Google, more than 2,110,000,000 billion site pages contain the term.
Generic words, used in a site’s navigation, devalue its search engine prominence. Select keywords, which illustrate the types of services your organization provides. In other words, specify the core services your company offers.
Here is an example:
Company X-Ampl provides printing services for postcards, brochures, flyers and other mass-production print jobs. However, on the company Web site, their printing services are labeled under the heading of services. Once the visitor clicks on the service page, few details describe Company X-Ampl’s printing services. The content is presented on a static page. (Static pages are merely invisible to search engines).
As a result, if someone were searching for printing postcards, the Web site with a page labeled “postcard printing” on the site map / navigation would have better search engine traffic and exposure.
About Us
The “About Us” page is another controversial page. When the key phrase is queried via Google, the search engine returns some 1,200,000,000 results. But, how many online consumers are submitting searches, using the words” ‘about us’?
Let’s say that Company X-Ampl is a printing company based in Dubuque, IA.
To capitalize on the best search engine strategy, a page titled Dubuque Print Company would serve as an overview of the company and appease the search engines. By replacing the company’s ‘about us’ page in the navigation with a geo-location and an exacting service, Company X-Ampl will attract better traffic.
Testimonials
Another irrelevant page name are “testimonials.” Not many consumers search for testimonials. However, Google generates 94,900,000 results of the term.On the contrary, testimonials are credible tools that authenticate an organization’s offerings. Testimonials are best incorporated with a case study or white paper. As an alternative, integrate testimonials with the corroborating service.
Choose your keywords wisely.
In the meantime, click “SEO company,” to learn more about optimizing your site’s pages with relevant search words, terms and titles.
Rethinking Twitter
“Twitter, bah humbug,” that’s how some business owners feel about being tied into the social media networking. And, because no one can attribute or quantify the results in terms of exact financial returns, the digital channel remains somewhat of an enigma. But, vowing to abstain from Twitter could be the actual marketing injection certain entities necessitate.
Businesses and marketers, who endorse Facebook and Twitter, have already reaped the results of these time-consuming, dynamic mediums: good old-fashioned relationship building and loyalty. As for those naysayers, who are trying to refute the power of Twitter, review a few of the benefits this social media networking affords:
Demonstrate expertise, leadership and integrity.
Social medial networking platforms, such as Twitter are a showcase for brand building. The ability to use an interactive technology to gain trust, partake in the discussion and provide entertainment and information value underscores Twitter’s influence.
Using a hardware store as a Twitter prototype, Hardware ABC sells fireplace inserts that qualify for the EPA’s Tax Credit for energy efficient appliance. Hardware ABC ‘tweets” information and incentives about taking advantage of the tax credit. In turn, the market strategy validates their leadership, expertise and integrity.
Incentivize an exchange of relevant information.
Companies no longer have to rely on those poorly made cable commercials that seemed to tarnish the brand identity. Instead, Twitter enables any-sized business to take a proactive approach to initiating the dialogue with the target audience.
For example, Hardware ABC could run a sweepstakes on Twitter offering a free fireplace insert. All the while, the hardware store ‘tweets’ various do-it-yourself repair, safety and living green tips.
Bolster search engine visibility.
Twitter is merely marketing on oxygen. It does not cost anything. With the company Web site linked to an active Twitter account, developing the same link popularity could take years. Social media networking is one of the most effectual marketing tools for maximizing search engine visibility.
The linking strategy is straightforward. Hardware ABC offers do-it-yourself tips, tax credit information and other incentives – all of which are linked using the keywords, which are sourced right back to their online hardware store.
Nonetheless, not every organization has the internal resources to “tweet” the day away. That’s why it’s okay to hire a SEO company do the grunt work.
Rethinking Twitter? If so, let us answer your social media marketing, questions, by clicking “SEO company.”
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Auctori™ CMS – SEO Built to Last
High performance web design exceeds aesthetic functionality. Developed with a search engine marketing strategy to convert clicks into results, quite often consumers need moderate prodding to seize the moment. The Net Impact innovated a state of the art content management system with built in search engine optimization (SEO). The idea was to develop a simple CMS that even a 10 year old could add content to and still maintain its search engine optimization (SEO) characteristics.
Before the dawn of Auctori™, content management systems were riddled with innumerous keyword, SEO programming glitches. The applications were unable to accommodate and automate the SEO process. Making internal Web site updates was a potential marketing calamity in the making.
As search engine optimization (SEO) is an ongoing process, regular content updates fulfill that need. With Auctori’s mechanized technology, companies are no longer married to the Web designer to make site updates; instead, they can meet the urgent demands of changing offers, adding new information and updating Web pages at anytime or anyplace without marring the integrity of a site’s SEO structure.
Overtime those regular updates amount to better page rank, search engine exposure and ultimately more consumer retention. That’s web design that subliminally impels a visitor to act now:
• Subscribe for future communications
• Test a product
• Learn more about
• Purchase your products
With the Auctori™ content management system; your SEO is built to last. Which means that your site warrants major search engine traffic with legitimate (white hat) programming tactics to improve site exposure for the lifetime of your site.
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Some Companies Ban Twitter
SEO St. Louis:
Several months ago, we created a Twitter page for our mortgage company. Due to several security glitches, we stopped posting updates or communicating with our followers. Since the president does not think that Twitter quantifies the results of its time and efforts, Twitter has been banned at our office. Is there any concrete evidence that Twitter works?
Twitter-less in St. Louis
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Your company is not the only entity to ban social media networking. In a recent study, more than 50 percent of companies prohibit or block the following social networking sites: Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
However, on the other side of the social media networking controversy exists ripe business opportunities. “Social” media networking is the underlying purpose of Twitter. The idea is to nurture new relationships.
Consider this hypothetical situation:
On Twitter, your mortgage company has 155 “followers.”
At any given time, maybe a fourth of those followers plan to purchase new property, refinance their home or has a friend, who needs a new mortgage.
Based on the communication with your company and what transpired recently in the mortgage /banking industry, those online excerpts and interactions are invaluable. In fact, they are emblematic of future prospects and business referrals.
But for the sake of argument, let’s say that your organization does NOT have any followers, then what?
O FOLLOWERS
Twitter is not only good for social networking; it improves your search engine marketing strategy.
Here’s how it works:
If your company uses its Twitter page to provide a mortgage or personal financing tip, and then comment on new blurbs or re-tweet (responding to other people’s tweets), with links referencing your site, you’re creating green shoots to your company’s Web site; thus bolstering your site’s link popularity. Overtime, through the generation of posts, comments re-tweets, your site is inevitably building it’s own Internet linking legacy — thus better search engine exposure and droves of unique visitors.
Hope this answers your question. In the interim, you can always outsource the management of your Twitter page to St. Louis’ top SEO, company.
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Social media networking seems to be on every sized company’s marketing strategy. Between Facebook and Twitter, the questions are which is better and how does each differ.
Facebook is MySpace, Yahoo Messenger and YouTube – all in one. For the person who wants to stay virtually connected to family and friends, Facebook is the hook-up. Although, certain companies try to incorporate Facebook into the marketing stratosphere it is one which requires the end user to remain engaged all the time, featuring:
• Instant messaging
• Video sharing
• Photo exchanging
• Emailing
When it comes to profiling the target market mesmerized by the allure of Facebook, the demographics range from college students to Baby Boomers. Facebook solves all social networking needs in one, alleviating the need for other interactive applications.
Twitter is instantaneous, succinct, imparting information in byte-sized chunks. Prime for posting deals, promoting upcoming events, Twitter serves as immediate communication gratification.
Since Twitter is an exchange of random thoughts, and ideas, it’s the perfect catalyst for disseminating brands. Additionally, it works as an appropriate medium to interact with prospects. For the business with various market segments, Twitter allows companies to segment the target audience into different contact pages. More importantly, in terms of Internet marketing, Twitter allows linking, which fortifies your company’s search engine exposure.
For more social media networking uses and strategies, contact the experts, The Net Impact.
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Some small-sized businesses complain: “We have been scorned by Google’s Ad Word campaign, left feeling like a PPC fool.”
As a company that designs SEO-friendly Web sites, and who manages companies search engine-marketing (SEM) campaigns, we work frequently with organizations scorned by Google’s Ad Words pay-per-click (PPC) programs.
In 98 percent of the cases, the aversion to Google’s Ad Word campaign is based on the following sequence of events:
Company Xample spends months studying the Google Ad Words “way.” They invest painstaking time learning how to select keywords. Next, detective work comes into play, researching competitors and their online marketing tactics. And after Company Xample does all the “due diligence,” they set their ad bids. Meanwhile, the only return on their investment is overwhelming disillusionment.
In the interim, another disgruntled company ends up scorned, boycotting Google, thus hindering the success of their site’s results.
Whether we (the masses) approve or disapprove, Google has cornered the online advertising market – meaning that if we want to gain Internet exposure we have to play by their nebulous rules. So, how does a company beat Google Ad Words PPC at their own game?
The answer is quite simple:
LANDING PAGE
The secret recipe, to creating a successful ad campaign — as in lead generation and sales transactions, relies upon the development of a high conversion-landing page.
And for anyone, who wants to learn how a high conversion, landing page can assure a veritable ROI, contact The Net Impact for more details. Simply call us and say: “High conversion landing page HELP.”
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Social media networking sites are instigating the dialogue between companies and their target audiences. Celebrities, promoting their latest movies, and college students touting their most recent escapades are not the only end-users who can benefit from creating a buzz on the likes of Twitter and Facebook.
Social networking sites are redefining how small to large entities market their brands. While these community-inspired hubs will never replace the need for a website, they afford an affluence of Internet marketing advantages. Below are several reasons to consider marketing your business via social media networking:
Branding made easy. A page on Twitter and Facebook enables any-sized business to interlink a brand-focused community.
Unbelievably, economical. Social media networking sites are an affordable direct marketing approach for small to large corporations. Even if you hire a Web design / SEO company, the cost is unbelievably economical to develop an effective social media marketing (SMM) strategy.
Organic SEO. A regularly updated page on Twitter or Facebook serves as an authentic catalyst for improving Web site rankings, organic links and keyword optimization. In other words, your website achieves rampant Internet exposure.
Fortifying consumer loyalty = better sales results. Ultimately, a well-maintained Twitter or Facebook page nurtures brand loyalty and more sales.
Delegate your social media network marketing to a leading SEO company.
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Ever wonder why your site visitors don’t complete the details of your site’s form? Quite often these forms are too cumbersome to respond. Generally, it is the magnitude of the form. Too many questions can confuse and distract your prospects. Nevertheless, forms are part of your Internet marketing strategy too. The Internet is overwhelmed with too many forms as it stands. And excessive form fields tend to turn-off the prospect. Use these web design form tips to compel more form conversions:
Take the guesswork out of filling in numbers. Enable visitors to input anything requiring numerical entry fuss-free. For instance, instead of chunking the field for phone numbers and credit cards, create separate spaces so that the end user can enter the information as they please. Set the form interface so that it deletes extra spaces, dashes and parentheses.
Enforce minimal requirements. Excessive field requirements motivate form abandonment. Make your fields optional with two to three required questions. Delete questions that are redundant in or unnecessary. For example, salutations such as Mrs. Ms. Mrs. and Miss are irrelevant. Although, how did you hear about us is important for understanding where your traffic or referral is coming from, it is a pointless to the prospect. This question can be posed when you follow up with the prospect.
Ready, set – go. Configure the keyboard to the first field of your form. It will heighten your conversion rate and save your prospect just one more click.
Keep it real. Would you provide personal information to someone disguised in a Halloween costume? The same concept is applicable to your Web site – especially if you are trying to get your visitor to “buy now” or “learn more.” No physical address about the real location of your company devalues the credibility of your organization.
Seek professional assistance from a St. Louis premier web design company.
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