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DECEMBER 2009


Feature Article

Real-Time Search: A Game Changer

Most web users today – more than 80%, use search engines when looking for products, services, and information on the internet. Search engines make it easy for them to type in a combination of keywords and phrases, and in return get a page full of results that may or may not match what they were looking for in the first place. Sometimes, the information is really good, but sometimes it is totally off-target, not relevant, or really old and outdated (or a combination of these). But now that real time search has arrived, things are changing quickly.

Earlier this month, Google announced that it has started using information from blogs, news sites, and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter as a way of providing users with fresher, more relevant search results. This is great news for search engine users, but what does it mean for small business web sites?


Marketing Tips

Thinking About SEO? 5 Things You Should Know

There are so many misconceptions surrounding search engine optimization and how it works that often it’s hard to know what to believe. One report says keywords are the most important thing, while another says inbound links are what matters the most in getting good rankings. How can you know what’s real and what’s not?

Here are five things that most SEO experts agree you can count on when optimizing your web site for better search engine positions:


Building Effective Web Sites

Inbound Links - 8 Ways to Build Visibility

By now, you’ve probably heard that inbound links are critical to helping your site show up at the top of the search engine results. So what exactly are inbound links? Inbound links are one-way links that point to your site from another “site” on the web; however, not all inbound links are created equal. The inbound links that will help you the most are those that come from authority web sites, industry and/or expert blogs, social networking sites, and other quality sites that provide solid, one-way inbound links to your web site (see the section on inbound links in the previous article, above, for additional details). But how do you actually get those quality, one-way inbound links that point to your web site?

Here are eight techniques you can use to build the types of inbound links that will not only help your site perform better in the search engines, but can also help improve your web visibility and drive new traffic to your site at the same time!


December Special Offer

Google Place Pages Special Offer

Heard About Google Place Pages Yet?

Google has another small business resource just waiting for you to take advantage of, called "Place Pages". In fact, your business may already have one, and you don't even know it!

Place Pages extend your Google Local information into an online profile for your business. The pages also display "aggregated" information about your business that Google finds elsewhere on the web. However, since your existing Google information may be incomplete or outdated, you need to take control of it to ensure accuracy.

That's where our new Custom Google Place Pages service comes in! We can create an enhanced page for your business that:

Ensures complete, accurate business information
Includes adding interactive elements, such as
video, to your Google Place Page
Includes online coupons
Includes uploading images or photos
Includes SEO elements to match your web site
Assigns appropriate business categories and sub categories for searches
Convenience of having the work done for you

A Custom Google Place Page not only shows off your business in the best possible light, but also ensures that Google sees complete, updated, search-engine-optimized information to help your business be found in Google!

MAKE YOUR BUSINESS STAND OUT IN GOOGLE!

- Add interactive features like video

- Upload images and photos

- Use search engine elements to match your web site

- Add online coupons to highlight special offers

SHOW OFF YOUR BUSINESS IN THE BEST POSSIBLE LIGHT!

Special Offer for Biz Talk Subscribers!

GET STARTED HERE

Welcome to the December issue of Biz Talk E-Newsletter. We offer this e-newsletter in two formats: 1) As article summaries with links to full articles, and 2) as a complete online version here (there is also a permanent link to the online version in the top gray header bar).

We would love to hear your thoughts about the new look, the new features, and the new format on the Biz Talk User page!

Biz Talk is a Free Publication of Five Sparrows, LLC

Because Five Sparrows specializes in working with small businesses, we understand their specific needs and challenges. We offer a full range of products and services at a fraction of the cost of what traditional marketing and web site firms charge, all designed to help small businesses get a big-company presence on a small company budget.


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In This Issue:

Real-Time Search: A Game Changer

Thinking About SEO? 5 Things You Should Know

Inbound Links - 8 Ways to Build Visibility

December
Special Offer:

Google Place Pages
Special Offer for Biz Talk Subscribers!

Find Out More >>

What's New:

Spring Social Networking Tour May 17-21, 2009!

Five Sparrows will be hitting the road in our new mobile office May 17-21, 2009, visiting Michigan's Chambers of Commerce with free seminars and hands-on workshops to teach members how to use Social Networking to market their small businesses.

Chambers can reserve a spot on the tour by calling toll free at 877-451-0145.

Tip of the Month:

Before investing in a new direct mail marketing campaign or placing another print ad, consider implementing an email marketing campaign instead.

Email marketing is typically faster, cheaper, and easier to implement than most other types of marketing, and the results can be tracked and measured.