• SEO Made Easy? I Don't
  Think So!
• Foggy Marketing Message?
  Clear it Up for Great Results!
• Want to Boost Your Advertising
  Value? Get Your Business
  In the News!

Archived Issues

SEO Made Easy? I Don’t Think So! (Part 2 of 2)

In part one of our article last month, we talked about how “it used to be that if you added Meta tags such as description, title, and keywords, you were all set with your SEO strategy. Today, it takes so much more for the search engines to notice you, and it takes several strategies all used together to give your site a fighting chance."

The article went on to discuss some techniques you could learn in order to improve your search engine rankings, including (1) Search Engine Optimization, (2) Link Popularity, and (3) Articles. (Refresh your memory here.) This month in part two of the article, we will finish up by describing some of the latest techniques used to boost search engine rankings, including RSS, Blogs, and Diversification.

4. RSS

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It’s a way to use a special kind of web address, called an “RSS feed,” to see news headlines and stories, or read information about virtualy any subject matter that you choose. All you have to do is import one of these feeds into your web site, and you can instantly display any type of information that you think would be interesting to your web visitors. The benefit from a SEO perspective is that by using an RSS feed on your site, you are constantly providing fresh content for the search engines to index, which will have a positive impact on your rankings (search engines LOVE new, fresh content on a web site!).

5. Blogs

Blogs are really very much like an online journal where people can post comments, experiences, and diary entries. There are blogs on virtually every subject from personal to business, so visitors have a wide variety of blogs that they can read and/or post comments to.

Businesses often create their own blogs to establish expertise for their companies, use in-house experts to post useful or helpful information for customers, or showcase products or concepts in a way that educates readers. As long as they keep posting interesting information, visitors will keep showing up.

When you post to a blog, include your "signature" containing your web address. Each time you do this, it creates another inbound link to your web site, which raises your search engine ranking. If your company “owns” the blog, that also means there is more new, fresh content for the search engines to gobble up to boost your position, too.

6. Diversification

By using a search engine strategy that includes all of these SEO techniques (Search Engine Optimization, Link Popularity, Articles, RSS feeds, and Blogs), your search engine position will be strong, even if the search engines change an algorithm or two, which they do on a regular basis. Of course, there are many other effective techniques not covered in this article ( e.g., press releases, online directories, etc.). But if your only search engine strategy is optimizing your web pages, then you are missing out on other effective methods that not only boost your search engine positions, but also promote your business in other ways on the internet.

So if anyone tries to tell you that SEO is quick and easy, then he or she is probably not talking about the techniques that truly get results. It takes time and effort to design a comprehensive search engine strategy, and it must include more than just opitmizing your web pages. By using a combination of strategies, you can improve your chances of getting good search engine positions, and keeping them regardless of the inevitable changes that the search engines routinely make.

Foggy Marketing Message? Clear It Up for Great Results!

How clear is your marketing message? Does your target market know what you are selling? Do they care? Are they motivated to contact you or purchase your products? If you’re thinking “hmmm, I’m not sure,” then you may want to take another look at your main marketing message and make sure you’re being crystal clear with your audience! To get started, think about these questions:

1. Who is your target market? What qualities do your current customers have that make them good customers? Think of the things they have in common, and build on those traits. What type of new customers would be good targets for your business? Is there a way to categorize your customers? Write down of all the qualities that you can come up with, and consider things like gender, interests, location, income, etc.

2. How does your product or service solve your customers’ problems? Do they have additional problems you could solve? Think of all the possible problems your customers may face, then look at how your solution(s) fit into their circumstances.

3. How is your company unique compared with the competition? Think of the positive comments you have received from customers, or look at the testimonials you already have in your marketing materials. This should help you pinpoint the things your customers like best about your company that the competition may not offer.

Answering these questions can help you determine a very clear, specific marketing message that you can use for brochures, your web site, e-newsletters, business letters, advertising programs, and all of your company’s communication with customers and potential customers. Giving them a clear, concise marketing message will help them understand exactly what your company is about and will ultimately attract customers – old and new.

That’s an amazing number, but getting an interview or story in the news isn’t necessarily “free.” It takes time to build personal, ongoing relationships with people in the media, and many small businesses don’t have the time or resources to devote to such activities. That’s where marketing firms and public relations professionals often fill the gap for small businesses.

In the long run, however, it is always worth it to be considered an expert in your industry, and be available to reporters who are often under time constraints for their articles. Strive to be the “go-to expert” that reporters can count on!

Having your business in the news also increases your credibility, since news stories have a huge impact on a company’s reputation. Readers often think that “anyone” can buy an ad, but only leaders and experts are quoted or featured in news stories.

A strong relationship with the media, whether it’s through in-house efforts or through a marketing company, is a great marketing tool. It requires a significant commitment, but it also differentiates you from the competition and can boost your company’s image to the rest of the world. Remember, everytime your business is in the news, you’ve created a seven-fold “bang for your buck” in your advertising efforts.

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