Archive for category Search Engine Optimization
First You Strategize
Posted by Sheryl Sargent in Brand Building, Internet Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Social Networking, Web Design on June 17, 2011
Everything you do for your business should have an end-goal in mind. For most of us for-profit companies, that goal is to make money. If you’re not seeing the $$$ you’d expect, then it’s time to revamp your strategy. It’s kind of a “Duh” moment, yes. However, despite being an integral component to your business, strategy can be neglected when you’re trying to maintain sales, staff, accounting and cat naps at your desk to keep your business in operation, especially when it comes to the small details that can make a big difference.
Take a look at Marion’s quick and dirty bird’s eye view of what strategies you need to consider going forward.
Business Strategy
- Branding Strategy
- Market Research
- Customer Definition & Understanding
- Customer Benefits
- Competitor Understanding
- Market Plan
- Creating Brand Experience
- Integrated Marketing Mix
- Brand Identity
- Company
- Market Research
- Goals
- Sales Strategy
- Marketing Strategy
- SEO/ Internet Marketing Strategy
- Company Website
- Mobile Website
- Bing/Yahoo
- Social Media Marketing Strategy
- Blogging
- Public Relations Strategy
- SEO/ Internet Marketing Strategy
What are the B2B Buzzwords for 2011?
Posted by Sheryl Sargent in Entertainment, Internet Marketing, Mobile Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Networking on May 20, 2011
Since it’s almost halfway through the year, we can say the cultural climate for 2011 is pretty much set in sand. (Check back with us in January 2012 for a definitive answer.) We marketers like to consider the “in” words, better known as buzzwords, for business that will dictate how companies captivate their targeted audiences.
So what’s the forecast for 2011? Being the nostalgic person that I am, I wanted to look back at the predictions made earlier this year and the latter part of 2010 to determine if they held water, while taking a glance at 2010 buzzwords as well. After a little research at the international, highly esteemed research library Wikipedia, this is what I discovered…
2010
…When someone turned off the lights. In this year, words like caution, recession-proofing, budgeting and downsizing became the operative words for business. However, 2010 also brought new importance to terms like relevance, reassurance, value-added, social media, and SEO as firms searched for alternative methods to preserve (or improve) customer retention.
2011
This year we’re finding our chi and thinking happy thoughts. Transformation, revitalize, creativity, emergence, reinvention, comeback, and reenergize are the keywords many business owners believed would set the pace, with ongoing emphasis on SEO, social media and now mobile marketing.
Our deduction?
We say these predictions are right-on. While seeking to recover from 2010, many firms are more aggressive about SEO and use social media and mobile marketing as vital resources to retain relevance and visibility. Meanwhile we notice evolving business strategies and management systems to bring new life to company.
Want to contribute your two cents? Join the conversation on Twitter. #buzzwords2011
Find out what we think and give us your business buzzwords.
Google Changes May Effect SEO
Posted by Sheryl Sargent in Internet Marketing, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Networking, Web Design on May 4, 2011
If Google was a celebrity, it would be Joan Rivers – Obviously enhanced, possibly money-hungry, but fabulous nonetheless.
Let’s review the latest nip/tucks from Google…
Google Places: Now Infused with Hotpot
Introduced in November 2010, Google Hotpot offers recommendation to Google Search results. So when you’re looking for spicy Indian cuisine or the best place to get Precious Moments figurines, Hotpot displays a list of local places along with inline user reviews. Now this service is dropping its name and has been added to Google Places, which only makes sense. That’s probably where it should have started. Now through Google, you can rate businesses, be rated and make and receive recommendations, all while using the same profile. I too have grown tired of creating so many derivatives of my name. I draw the line at mizzIHEARTthaBIEBER97.
What this means for you? Well, Google isn’t saying. But what we do know is that you can never have too many positive reviews. Beef up your reputation with good PR through social media marketing and a likeable branding strategy.
Google Ads Become More Transparent
I’m sure you’ve noticed changes to Google Search with “Google Instant” and “Google Instant Previews,” where Google returns results as you type with a graphic overview of each result. (Just click that little magnified glass.) Google has now applied the same technology to pay per click ads (PPC). Read Google Instant Previews for Ads.
What this means for you? Now would be a good time to review (and revise if need be) your SEO strategy, at least for your landing page. Not sure how to tell if your site is optimized? Marion’s SEO Checker will help.
Although Google affirmed previews will not be considered in their decision-making algorithm, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Since the search process has been condensed, it’s more important than ever to ensure you’re using the right keywords and messaging to grab the attention of users.
Also, insist that your homepage is preview-friendly. In other words, you want it to be appealing because an unprofessional or dare-I-say flat out ugly landing page will probably repel more users than it attracts. Give your site a facelift with a custom web design.
Google Offers Google Offers
After Google’s unprecedented six billion dollar bid to acquire Groupon was rejected, Google found a new love to partner with…itself. Google introduced, Google Offers, their answer to daily deals, which is slowly hitting the mainstream.
What does this mean for you? Nothing…for now. Google is testing the service in Portland, Oregon with no word when they’re going to branch out to the rest of us.
Dinner +1
Google is rolling out +1, a feature similar to Facebook’s Like button…in fact it’s exactly like Facebook’s Like Button. The +1 button allows users to recommended different venues, recipes or even shoe repair stores for your friends to see as soon as they search for the related keywords. It’s available through Google Search at the moment, but the plan is for publishers to start adding the +1 button to their websites, and there’s no telling where Google is going to go from there.
What does this mean for you? It’s not clear that getting someone to +1 your site counts as a positive review. I would say so. While it’s still in the testing phase, Google has yet to integrate the results from this service into their complex algorithm, however we know Google and we can bet it’s not going to be too long, granted enough people choose to +1, +1. (Word of advice, get on the +1 bandwagon now. You don’t want to be the last.)
Buzz-ectomy
And finally, in non-Goolge related news, Marion gives our condolences to Yahoo for its shutdown of Yahoo! Buzz. Launched in 2008, the sun set on Yahoo! Buzz, the community-based news site. In its two year life span, the site never really gripped the public and thus it ends. O, Yahoo! Buzz, we hardly knew thee.
Customize your Web Design with Google Places
Posted by admin in Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Uncategorized, Web Design on March 23, 2011
A Google Places Map shows all of your business locations on a single map. It is good to have your locations listed on Google, but it is great to incorporate a Google Places map on your website. By customizing a Google map to show all of your local businesses within a region, your customers are able to locate and get directions to the nearest branch location.
For a customized Google Map, follow these steps:
- Go to Google’s Homepage at www.google.com
- Click on the Maps tab.
- Click on My Maps.
- Click on Get Started.
- Log in by using an existing Google user name and password or create a new account.
- Click on Create New Map.
- Title your map and give a brief description. You can choose between creating a public listing or an unlisted listing. By creating a public listing, anyone searching Google can see it.
- Click Save.
- Now you can begin creating your custom map!
- Zoom on the map to find your exact location and click the blue balloon to place a marker at that spot.
- Once you have a marker, you can give it a title (e.g. Office – Northside) and then give a brief description (e.g. Address, Telephone, Email, and Office Hours).
- Click OK to save that marker.
- Continue this process until you have created all of the markers you need.
- Tired of the blue balloons? Well add your own logo! While creating your marker click on the blue balloon and click Add an Icon. Then you can input a URL that has your logo.
- Make sure to Save! Now you have created your very own Google map.
Don’t forget to add this map to your website. If you currently have a Contact Us page, you can upload this map and use it as a tool for your customers to easily locate the closest branch to them without ever leaving your site!
Looking for even more customization? Talk to the amazing and talented people at The Marion Group for all of your web design needs.
When Good SEO Goes Bad
Posted by admin in Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Networking, Uncategorized, Web Design on February 18, 2011
In light of the recent JCPenney (JCP) SEO scandal, it seems that even the biggest brands are not immune to falling into troubling “black-hat” SEO tactics. The monster retailer fell into trouble when it posted links to its site on thousands of pages, some totally unrelated to its products and even some abandoned sites, a big Google no-no. While JCP shot to the top of every Google search from “dresses” to “living room chairs” for months, it became victim to Google’s wrath when its strategy was unveiled in a NY times article (Read the full article here). As a punishment, Google pushed the JCP site to the bottom of their search results, replaced by many eager competitors.
JCP claims to have not known about the dirty back-links tactics that their SEO firm was implementing but still bore the grim consequences (the SEO firm was fired shortly after). Idiotic, right? Well, while the JCP example falls under the list of extreme, black-hat abuses, many companies’ web sites suffer a similar fate when they fail to employ a good SEO strategy and end up violating Google’s SEO guidelines unbeknownst, to the company itself . While JCP is likely to recover from Google’s slap-on-the-wrist, many companies with less-developed brands may not fair so well. Which begs the question, how do you keep your company’s SEO strategy white hat while fully optimizing your site?
1) You need custom web design
Start with a reputable website design and marketing team like Marion. Successful site optimization begins at the design level; after all, the most important optimization lies in integrating good content into the meat of your site (see A Coastal Collaboration: Custom Web Design for Coastal Spray).
2) Optimization and exposure
After the website is created, an SEO team will further optimize the site, expose your business, and improve your web positioning using search engine tools, linking your site via relevant pages, finding and using the right keyword strategy to improve page rank, and utilizing the ever-omnipresent social media vehicles like blogs, Facebook, and Twitter to maximize your web and search engine exposure.
3) Make your SEO team your best friends
It is important to keep open communication with your SEO and web design team. SEO tactics are constantly evolving and it’s your SEO firm’s job to stay informed of the latest developments. SEO is an important part of your business and you should be comfortable with the tactics implemented on your behalf. Ask questions and make sure your team keeps you informed of its movements.
Marion will work with your team to achieve your internet marketing goals with creative web design and SEO tactics. You can call us Google’s Little Angels.
Follow Us!