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The Pervasive Power of Today’s Social Media

August 24, 2009 by Marc 1 Comment

Earlier I have written about how the desire for social connection helped launch the Internet and world wide web. Today Social Media like Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin are pervasive, powerful and respected. More importantly they are very wildly, ubiquitously used. They are the channel that will reach many of your prospective clients quickly, affordably and with a very high return on investment.

Here are some important bullet points and a video prepared by Erik Qualman, VP of Global Vice President of Online Marketing for EF Education, the worlds largest private educator covering the present reality and importance of Social Media.

By 2010, Gen Y will outnumber Baby Boomers — 96 percent of them have joined a social network.
One out of eight couples married in the U.S. last year met via social media.
Years to reach 50 millions users: Radio, 38 years; TV, 13 years; Internet, 4 years; iPod, 3 years. Facebook added 100 million users in less than nine months; iPhone applications hit 1 billion in nine months.
Eighty percent of companies use LinkedIn as their primary tool to find employees.
The fastest growing segment on Facebook is 55- to 65-year-old females.
Generation Y and Z consider e-mail passé. Boston College stopped distributing e-mail addresses to incoming freshmen in 2009.
YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world.
Twenty-five percent of search results for the world’s top 20 largest brands are links to user-generated content.
Seventy-eight percent of consumers trust peer recommendations.
Only 14 percent trust advertisements.
Only 18 percent of traditional TV campaigns generate a positive ROI.
More than 1.5 million pieces of content (Web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photos, etc.) are shared on Facebook daily.
Successful companies in social media act more like Dale Carnegie and less like David Ogilvy — listening first, selling second.

Erik Qualman is also an important contributor to Search Engine Watch, here are two of his recent articles which provide much more information on the impact and importance of Social Media: Social Media: Fad or Revolution? and 15 Social Media Maxims for Marketers. Check out both of them. And keep on blogging and tweeting and networking!

“Socializing” with your website visitors works! A Bottom Line Income Increase from using Social Media

July 31, 2009 by Marc Leave a Comment

The words “conversion” and “conversation” seem very similar to me. Plus I have never experienced converting anyone from a lead to a client without having a conversation. So if you can give your website the ability to engage in “conversation” or a dialog with site visitors you should have more conversions and increased business, right? Yes, it is true and here is a study with the proof!

The new research from social media platform Wetpaint and digital consulting firm Altimeter Group found that companies with the highest levels of social media activity on average increased revenues by 18% in the last 12 months, while the least active saw sales drop 6% over that period.

Among the top 100 brands reviewed, Starbucks came out on top with a score of 127, followed by Dell (123), eBay (115), Google (105), and Microsoft (103). Companies were scored based on the level of interaction across 10 social media channels including blogs, Facebook, Twitter and wikis.

Which is why I build websites using WordPress as the underlying site platform! It not only provides the most effective, best blog format, it is also the best for being a central hub managing Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and even MySpace. So instead of frantically keeping all your your social media appearing with fresh information you can just use your WordPress based website to manage it all.

No need to be a “mad plate spinner” constantly going from one social media site to another every day to post new information to have a wide social media presence.

A WordPress based “dialog website” with the other social media channels integrated will allow you to have a smooth relaxed but constantly current social media presence, with less time involved. Like a gear driven clock-work, except with Twitter, Facebook and the others driven by a WordPress based dialog website.

And it gives you a competitive advantage helping to increase your bottom line. To learn more about how I may help you increase your business and social media presence with a WordPress based dialog site, just send me an email through the form on the right.

Filed Under: blog, Blogs, Internet Marketing, Sales, Search Engines, SEO, Social Networks, Websites Tagged With: BluDomain, keywords, marketing, search engine optimization, search marketing, search optimization, SEO, Social Networks, web/blogsites, Websites, WordPress

SEO Gone Wild in Texas – UPDATED below

July 31, 2009 by Marc 1 Comment

Such is the situation in the race for the Texas governor’s office. But, what is the website for the campaign for Texas governor doing that is causing the uproar and that help us in our own efforts to get higher search ranking on Google? It is more than keywords, it is auto-generated keyword stuffing cloaked text content. Sometimes the best learning examples are what not to do.

This has been extensively covered in the press, most notably by the Austin Statesman. But it is not just adding keywords, like you might think of the keywords meta tag. What the website seems to be doing is taking search phrase keywords and adding then into a hidden layer of text content that you can’t easily see but search engines can.

This is considered black-hat SEO, it is unethical and in violation of Google’s webmaster’s guidelines and can get a website banned from Google’s index. Here are the specific problematic issues and SEO practice with the website that are contrary to Google’s specific guidelines (linked to guidelines); Hidden text and links, Cloaking, and Keyword stuffing

And not only are the SEO techniques used in violation of Google’s guidelines they also seem to be in violation of the website’s reported creators Election Mall Technologies own ethical standards.

It is important to realize that this website is the product of web professionals that know better and should have better ethical practice than to lead their client into this PR “nightmare” situation.

Here is a snippet of what the website presents to search engines that you cannot see, because of the “display:none” command to your web browser. The cloaked website text has hundreds of lines like these below -

<body onLoad=”showimg();”>
<div id=”Layer1″ style=”display:none;”>rick perry yell leader
www celebratingtexas
celebratingtexas
texans protecting our water environment and resources
cooper tire texarkana
texans for life coalition
bruchard nodes
ama on tort reform
carol strayhorn
strayhorn comptroller
rick perry campaign contributions
carole strayhorn
cjd texas
texans radio online
texas payroll tax rates
rick perry governor of texas

UPDATE

It seems that Google has de-listed the standbykay.com site from their index. SEO FAIL! Lesson on how not to optimize a site or operate an internet presence.

Still waiting for a comment from the reported site vendor, Election Mall Technologies, as to whether or not this is a feature of their website services. They did return my call but said it is taking time to answer because their “CEO is traveling internationally”.

Filed Under: blog, Search Engines, SEO, Websites Tagged With: search engine optimization, search marketing, SEO, SEO fail, Websites, wrong

BluDomain and the new Kertesz2 – like peanut butter and chocolate together for an SEO treat

July 23, 2009 by Marc 1 Comment

Nothing makes BluDomain sites work Google (and other search engines) better than Kertesz². We are offering a special opportunity to all current Bludomain site owners – we have decided to offer a $50 savings on Kertesz² to all current Bludomain owners.

Now it’s a breeze to take your beautiful (but poor search performing) Bludomain Flash portfolio site and turn it into a fully functioning website and blog with a minimum of effort by “wrapping” your Flash site in a very search engine friendly WordPress based splash or landing page. It replaces your current splash page and assists search engines in better “understanding” your site. And your Kertesz² enhanced Bludomain site can even easily interact with Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin if you wish, further enhancing your marketing.

Kertesz² finally provides Bludomain users an easy drag and drop way to create a compelling SEO powerful replacement for the standard Bludomain splash page. And like Bludomain, everything you need to manage and configure the Kertesz2 site expansion and blog is all contained within the site’s easy to navigate administration features.

With Kertesz², we fully install, configure, and make any needed adjustments to your hosting account. Next you make the styling changes you want to make it yours alone (Your Bludomain site will continue to function normally) Then when you are done customizing let us know, and will return to make any final adjustments and make sure all the SEO features are optimized, make sure it all works together and within 24 hours we will make it live. If you want we will even do the import of your current blog, be it Blogger or WordPress or other, into your newly enhanced site.

This gives you the beautiful Flash portfolio galleries of Bludomain with an SEO improved replacement for your splash page, improved content/information pages, menuing system, unlimited expansion, plus a fully functional blog with the ability to post images up to 900 pixels wide.

Because Kertesz² is built on the tremendously popular WordPress platform it offers unlimited pages and categories, thus allowing users to combine all the pieces of their online marketing into one site. You also get the ease of a fully widgetized landing page that is a “drag and drop” set up.

So, to all BluDomain users, here’s the deal: For a limited time, you can use coupon code BLUDOMAIN at check out and receive $50 off the standard price of $397 for Kertesz². And the real value is we’ll install and configure it, transfer your existing blog content and wrap your BluDomain site for you. Plus support!

Don’t get left behind on the offer or your site’s search engine improvement, (or forget the BLUDOMAIN saving code) this deal only runs for a limited time.

Filed Under: BluDomain, Internet Marketing, Search Engines, SEO, Websites Tagged With: Blogs, blogsite, BluDomain, Flash, Internet Marketing, marketing, search engine optimization, search marketing, search optimization, SEM, SEO, SMO, social media, Social Networks, web/blogsites, website marketing, Websites, WordPress

Easy, No Cost, Five Minute Off-Page SEO – Extend the time until your domain expires

July 21, 2009 by Marc Leave a Comment

Most meaningful lasting improvement is search page results comes for improving your site content and structure. But a few months ago I shared an SEO tidbit about increasing the time to expiration for your domain name. Something that takes just a few minutes and has no cost other then the prepayment of fess that you will pay at a later date. The experts that I tend to follow were giving it a good score, 4.1 out of a maximum of 5 for being a useful SEO technique.

Well let me say – IT WORKS GREAT! I have proof! Twice this weekend I have been in on using it to get a quick boost in search page ranking results. First, a photography client had been working diligently to get his site onto the first page for wedding photographer searches in his large metro area. After initially moving up quickly from obscurity since moving the site to our WordPress based platform from Flash, it seemed stuck on the third search results page. Since his domain was coming up for renewal he decided to renew for five years. Within 48 hours his site was number 3 on the first page of Google for the generic metro wedding photographer search.

Following this revelation, late Saturday I did the same five year prepayment with a very new site, less than two months old. It too rocketed up in less than 48 hours in a generic one word brand name search. It moved up over 90 slots and is now on the second page, with no other changes.

So my advice is that this is an important element right now in the Google formula and if you are intending to be in business with your current domain name go ahead and prepay five or more years of your domain name. Right now!

Filed Under: Internet Marketing, Search Engines, SEO Tagged With: marketing, search engine optimization, Search Engines, search marketing, search optimization, SEM, SEO, Websites

Photographer’s Bludomain Website Moves Up To “Top Ten” Organic Search Results in Less Than 30 Days

July 17, 2009 by Marc 4 Comments

A few weeks ago we began an effort to move a client’s internet presence up to the top ten Google results. And reduce their monthly expense. I blogged some about the big increase in SEO score we gained for the site last month it in this post

SEO that works! Now, less than 30 days later the Ambiance Studios website listing appears in the Google top ten, first page for generic search phrases like, “Wisconsin wedding photographers” and “Wisconsin wedding photography” and “Wisconsin wedding photographer”. Before the change, the website did appear in the first 8 pages (top 80).

Ambiance Studios of Wisconsin had a Bludomain website and blog on Xanga and PhotoBiz website all with different URLs.

To begin we installed WordPress and our Kertesz2 template on the same hosting account with thier Bludomain website. We then adopted some of the style and art from thier Bludomain website for the customization of Kertesz2. At the same time we imported the content of the blog from Xanga into Kertesz2.

When the new Kertesz2 site was ready the last step was to simply replace the Bludomain splash page with the new landing page from Kertesz2. And the new site was live “wrapping” the Bludomain site and lifing it all way up in search engine page rank results. A simple, affordable structural change to how Bludomain and a separate blog are usually setup and in less than 30 days it has produced measurable results. Looks good too.

Filed Under: BluDomain, Internet Marketing, Search Engines, SEO, Websites Tagged With: BluDomain, marketing, search marketing, search optimization, SEM, SEO, WordPress

The Power of Organic Search Ranking Compared to Adwords – a 9 to 1 Favorite!

July 15, 2009 by Marc Leave a Comment

The best thing about natural or organic search is that in the long term it costs less and you reach more prospective clients with it. A very lot more.

The difference is in the details. It may be easy to think that it does not matter how you get your website listed on the front page of Google. But it does.

Recent data from Compete.com is showing that the ratio of referrals (or click throughs) of natural or organic search versus paid search is about 94 to 1. In other words out of every 100 search referrals people chose to click on the organic or natural listing well over 9 times more frequently.

And the trend for paid search referrals is declining. It has dropped .5% since May.

So the lessons are;

If you are having poor results with paid search ad placement, it may be because over 90% of the time people are clicking on the top natural results.
The time and money that you would put into Adwords type advertising, may be better spent on having a better website and frequently adding content to get a higher search ranking.

Consider moving your website into what I call a WordPress based dialog-site the best option for SEO, for easier content additions, better natural search placement, lower advertising cost and social media participation.

Filed Under: Internet Marketing, Search Engines, SEO Tagged With: Internet Marketing, marketing, search engine optimization, search marketing, search optimization, SEM, SEO, web/blogsites, website marketing, WordPress

Proof – Site structure is your best SEO investment

July 13, 2009 by Marc Leave a Comment

The best and most economical way for a small business to achieve high search engine results placement is to simply have a solid proven platform for their website.

We all know how important search engine results placement (SERP) can be to your website and sales. Not only will first page position increase your traffic and sales, it will also enhance your credibility allowing you better profit margins. It is simple, High SERP = more sales, better profits.

Want proof that the website structure is the best SEO investment? Well we now have proof! We have the first 30 days results on the new site we just did for TWESA.

With TWESA we replaced their prior professional done website (which also had 12 months of additional SEO consulting work billings) with one of our websites designed using the WordPress open source platform. More importantly we provided no SEO work, only a new website with a site structure demonstrated to have superior search engine results. Long story short, the new TWESA site has increased its visitor traffic over 5 fold in just 30 days. Additionally organic search referrals have increased almost 1000% and now account for over 50% of total traffic.

The new TWESA site cost very little more than just the SEO work they had had done over a year previous. And which had little impact or lasting usefulness.

So the “take away” lessons are:

Search engines have gotten “smarter”. You are not going to get many results applying SEO to a website after the fact or its design. Insist that your website developer demonstrate that your website will perform well providing excellent search results out of the box.
And if you are considering using an SEO consultant, also consider just upgrading your site to a new platform. The results could be better than expected, long lasting and cost much less.

Filed Under: Internet Marketing, Search Engines, SEO Tagged With: Internet Marketing, marketing, search engine optimization, search marketing, search optimization, SEM, SEO, SERP, SMO, Websites

Bludomain websites offer the best opportunity for SEO improvement

July 12, 2009 by Marc 5 Comments

If you own a Bludomain Flash website and want to increase your search engine referal traffic, congratulations it is possible to make your website the fastest gazelle* in the herd.

Don’t blame Bludomain or Flash for sub-par search engine results. That is the nature of Flash websites. They are what they are and current technology and technique means that to get better results for your Bludomain or Flash based website you need to do some work outside the Flash “box”. And, that is my specialty.

Fortunately if you are a Bludomain website owner, this is very possible. Compared to BigFolio, Show-It, PhotoPalette, ifp3, and most of the others … Bludomain is the best of the Flash based websites for getting to first page organic search engine ranking results. Let me explain and I think you will understand why Bludomain has comparatively such a strong potential SEO advantage for it’s users.

Bludomain websites are hosted in a conventional manner on a shared server with a complete owner accessible functional cpanel control panel. This is true for both sites that are hosted with Bludomain and Bludomain sites that you have hosted on non-Bludomain host servers. A Bludomain site is truly your site. Unfortunately FlashPalette, BigFolio, Show-It and others do not allow you to have much access to your hosting account.
Bludomain websites run on internet standard Linux/Apache (LAMP) servers. This host environment has the broadest options for additions (and for the lowest cost) that can assist your website and domain towards front page organic search engine results.
Because Bludomain allows you access to your host account regardless of where your site is hosted you can add other files and additional third-party applications like WordPress and even RedCart in the same hosting account.
Importantly Bludomain’s license and user agreement also allow you to make whatever changes to the splash page of your website you want. While you cannot make code changes with the body of website, the splash page is fully accessible and allowed.

These elements all combined mean you have many world class options to increase the Search Engine Optimaization of a Bludoman website that are not available to the users of most other popular Flash based solution for photographers’ websites.

This post got a little longer that I wanted, but I wanted to share some of why if you are committed to using a Flash website, Bludomain is a very good choice.

Now if you want to make sure that your Bludomain website succeeds in the SEO “race”, just use the form on the right to send me a quick email. My specialty is helping photographers get outside the Flash SEO “box” of their website by placing their intact Bludomain website within WordPress for a low cost and preserving their investment of time and money.

Don’t let your Bludomain website be the slowest gazelle. I can give it the SEO speed of a cheetah

*Each morning the gazelle wakes up knowing it must run even faster than the fastest cheetah to survive. Each morning the cheetah wakes up knowing it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. Regardless of whether you are a cheetah or a gazelle, when the sun comes up you better start running.

Filed Under: Internet Marketing, Search Engines, Wedding Marketing Tagged With: BluDomain, Flash, marketing, photographer's websites, search engine optimization, search marketing, search optimization, SEO, web/blogsites, Websites, WordPress

Building a new website and domain? Replace your temporary landing page with a simple WordPress LAUNCH page for SEO and SEM jumpstart.

June 25, 2009 by Marc 1 Comment

When starting a new domain name and related website I like to use a simple WordPress blog as the landing page. This makes the old style landing page more of a launch page. Often typical practice has been just to put up a single static HTML page announcing the coming website. In some situations is is even worse, just an image, a pretty image, but virtually un-indexable.

By putting up a simple WordPress blog launch page of 2-3 posts you can create a 1 page “launch page” to:

announce the coming website and its purpose
provide potential customers progress updates
test your “60 second elevator presentation”
evaluate your site design elements
initiate strong search engine recognition
attract RSS subscribers
provide contact information
share your Facebook and Twitter links

and perhaps even convert a few early prospects to customers.

When your website is ready to go live, just import any content from the launch page into your site. Replace the index page and setup any needed redirects.

It is even easier if you are creating a Bludomain type Flash website. Just update the WordPress based launch page to be your new website’s new Splash page. Keeping all your search recognition, and RSS subscribers.

Brad Frost also has a good blog post on the “launch page” approach and its benefits.

Put it into action and you will be pleased by the results. If you want to put it into place on your new site, I would be pleased to assist. Just send me an email.