Internet Marketing Articles » Online Content

Effective SEO Tricks

Duran — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:00:34 +0000

How to Think Like a Search Engine Spider Tricks and SEO are not really terms that go together. SEO is not about tricks, despite what some Blackhat SEO operators may tell you. Rather, SEO is about a set of processes, both onsite and offsite, that work together to “convince” Google, Yahoo and Bing et al that your website should be ranked higher than the others for a particular keyword or phrase. Whether you call them tricks or processes or techniques, here are some effective SEO steps that actually make a difference:

How Does SEO Work? (Search Engine Optimization)

Duran — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 18:57:33 +0000

In this article, we want to return to the roots and explain the basics of SEO. Currently, there’s a lot of activity in the online marketing world regarding Google and the changes planned for the way we do search. This does not come as a surprise to the industry as search technology and the algorithm [...]

Nexternal SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

melissa — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 03:13:12 +0000

Nexternal offers Ecommerce solutions to small and medium sized businesses. By creating static search engine friendly pages with the click of a button, they are able to base the static page on the client's product information database. A quick link-up to the root catalog page allows the search engines to start accessing the information which increases the search engine optimization in quick, easy steps. At Optimum7, we have worked with several Nexternal solutions and we are very familiar with how this shopping cart system functions when it comes to SEO capabilities.

Google Font Directory – Enhancing Design and SEO

Anthony — Fri, 21 May 2010 13:40:19 +0000

Google has released a bunch of cool technologies today at I/O. One which interest me is the Google fonts directory. This allows you to easily embed really cool open source fonts on your website for free! You don’t need to do any programming; all you have to do is add a special stylesheet link to [...]

What Type of Content is Best for My Site

melissa — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:31:19 +0000

Should I have a flashy website? What is a flashy website? Video? Music? Spokesperson? High Resolution Pictures? These are just a small fraction of the questions when folks starting thinking about content and what type of content is best suited for them.

A Preview of Google Wave, Gmail of the Future

melissa — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:47:47 +0000

The Gmail (Google) vs. Hotmail (Microsoft) war continues; and this time Google has really stretched far into the lead. Google looked to the development team of the Rasmusen brothers, the creators of Google Maps to help them build Google Wave. At the Google IO Convention, Lars Rasmusen gave a sneak peak to the new open [...]

SEO, Google Page Rank and the Richter Scale

Arthur — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:45:24 +0000

Organic Search Engine Optimization is that part of Internet Marketing that focuses completely on the organic or natural results for a keyword phrase. As opposed, to paid search, this is also targeted for keyword phrases, organic search results are achieved or earned, not paid for. So, those on the top 3 pages of Google (98% of searchers don't go past the 3rd page) have a great opportunity for "free" traffic; that is, no matter how many times the listing is clicked, it doesn't cost the website any money. However, getting to the first page(s) is no small feat, particularly for keyword phrases with over 100K or even millions or tens of millions of competing pages. So, how do the Search Engines and particularly Google determine / rank for relevancy.

Internet Marketing – Just Part of the Revolution

Arthur — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:53:56 +0000

Follow this list please - 1. Answering Machine 2. Voice Mail 3. Caller ID 4. VCR / Betamax 5. Cable TV 6. PC 7. National Do Not Call List / Directory 8. Cordless Phones 9. Cell Phones 10. Email Filters 11. Search Engines 12. Spam Filters 13. Pop-up Blockers 14. PDA's 15. Video on Demand 16. DVR's 17. Satellite Radio 18. Internet Radio 19. Podcasts 20. ITunes 21. GoToMeeting 22. iChat 23. Internet Marketing 24. SEO 25. RSS Feeds 26. Social Networks

Small Business – Marketing in Your Local Area

Arthur — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:44:04 +0000

Small Businesses have great opportunities to market their business by shifting their focus AWAY from traditional, poor return, tactics TOWARDS high return, highly trackable online Local Internet Market Strategies.

Efficiency in SEO and Internet Marketing

Arthur — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:34:24 +0000

In our previous article we illustrated quite clearly how Internet Marketing is TRANSPARENT where traditional marketing such as Direct Mail, Print Advertising, TV & Radio, Billboards, Telemarketing are quite the opposite.

Transparency in SEO and Internet Marketing

Arthur — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:27:06 +0000

The Internet, if nothing else, is a huge tool of measurement. Fundamentally, everything that occurs can be recorded and measured. This fact, in and of itself, makes Internet Marketing including all of its components and sub-specialties compelling for any serious marketer in the 21st century.

Website Optimization – The Total Picture

Arthur — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:04:08 +0000

What compels this writing is what I continue to see online regarding all things having to do with Internet Marketing. Here is what I mean:

Internet Marketing, Social Media and Evolution

Arthur — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:54:56 +0000

No, I am not going to write about “Survival of the Fittest,” “The Origin of the Species” or Charles Darwin. However, I think it’s time for a brief history lesson as a compass to the future. It’s a matter of connecting the dots. So check out this ever so brief timeline of the Internet, Internet Marketing and the winners online.

Understanding and Applying Content into SEO

Duran — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:25:41 +0000

We speak about content on a daily basis. We do this not only because Google tells us that it's valuable, or that countless marketers keep mentioning that it's the most important factor in SEO, but because we have great experiences with original, relevant content. We practice what we preach to our clients. We put a lot of emphasis on content, how it's written, how it's stationed on a specific site, and how it's promoted.

How to Track Phone Calls on a Website

Duran — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:55:32 +0000

This is one of the most common problems in SEO in measuring the success of an online marketing campaign. Most of the time, marketers can track clicks and all user interaction on the site including average time spent on site, pages viewed per visit, and the bounce rate. All these stats enable the marketer to make certain adjustments if elements of the marketing strategy are not functioning correctly. Data analysis is essential for a successful internet marketing strategy. But what do you do if you have the kind of business where your clients always want to call? They do not want to fill out a form, they do not want to send you an email, and they do not want to buy a product from you; they basically want to speak to you over the phone.

Google, Personalized Search and Different Search Result Pages / Rankings

Duran — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:55:25 +0000

Google now displays different search result pages personalized specific for each user based on cookies, Google account preferences, history, and other determining breadcrumbs. If you want to see if a specific search result page is personalized on your computer or a client's computer, here's what you do;

Custom versus Template Design – Which is better?

Duran — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:53:41 +0000

That depends on your goal for your web project. We've never been big fans of using template designed by others since we make sure all my sites are built from the ground up to perform in the search engines.

How Split Testing Can Increase Your Leads

Duran — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:45:47 +0000

Split testing is a strategy ideally implemented to increase conversion rates for a website. It can show how different variations of a website or a specific landing page can improve user behavior and interaction. This is an essential task for every internet marketing campaign and should be adopted as an everlasting step in the ongoing optimization process.

Internet Marketing Is Marketing!

Duran — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 04:28:00 +0000

Recently I was watching a video with an interview of Matt Cutts in which he makes some interesting remarks on the direction of Google and Internet Marketing, which I happen to agree with. It was almost eerie as it sounded like a playback of recent conversations I have had with others.

How to Measure Your SEO Campaign Success?

Duran — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 17:44:58 +0000

It's no secret. The main objective of all SEO Campaigns is high organic search rankings. The higher you rise on those top 3 pages, the more successful you become. Most SEO Professionals measure success with rankings. We follow a bit of a different route here at Optimum7.

Your Website is Already International

Duran — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:48:22 +0000

he primary business language of the world is English ... 50% of the websites in the world are English. The potential of reaching the biggest audience at minimum cost is already in all web site owners' hands, they just need to utilize it. Here are some pointers when focusing on a more international campaign:

Internet Marketing Services – 6-Point Checklist

Arthur — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 03:35:11 +0000

Whether you are looking for Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Paid Search Management (Pay per Click or PPC), you need to make certain that the Internet Marketing Company you are interviewing includes or excludes the following:

HOW TO BRING MORE TRAFFIC TO MY WEBSITE

Duran — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 05:48:58 +0000

So, you have a website which you have spent hours building or spent thousands of dollars having some other company build it, and you have no idea what to do with it other than displaying it proudly at the bottom corner of your shiny, flashy business card in bold letters. Don't worry, you are not the first, and you surely will not be the last.

Internet Marketing Tools to Stay Close to Customers

Arthur — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:24:45 +0000

In recent writings, I have emphasized the importance of using efficient means of deploying precious marketing budget moneys during these tough economic times. Clearly, staying close to your customers, while always important, is even more so in such an environment. Internet Marketing again proves to be a valuable tool here.

Fundamentals of Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Duran — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 19:32:24 +0000

SEM is no easy task. It requires a thoroughly planned execution strategy and a flawless process to be successful. Depending on the competitiveness of the industry, it might take 6 months to years to achieve substantial results. There are no tricks or magic involved here, just hard work and dedication. There are a lot of roads to take and strategies to implement. However, marketers should not forget the fundamentals of SEM.

Are You Committing Website Design Overkill?

Duran — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 19:02:56 +0000

The most important aspect of a website is to deliver a message to visitors and get then to fill out a form, buy a product, service, or make a phone call.

How to Attract More Local Customers Online

Duran — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 05:14:23 +0000

There are many small businesses that have difficulties in marketing, specifically attracting local customers. There are many market challenges for small business. Many mom and pop shops don't have large enough budgets for marketing. For most small businesses, print advertising becomes their medium of choice whether they post an ad in local Newspaper or pass out flyers made on a home PC. TV advertising isn't even an option for small businesses. Another challenge is that many small business owners do not have the experience in advertising. Very few small businesses are going to know how to calculate brand equity, opportunities-to-see, and day-parting. These are all terms only marketers understand. Another challenge to small businesses is time. Many mom and pop shops are working double the hours in this economy which leaves little time for implementation and tracking of marketing initiatives with various techniques such as pay per click marketing. Most Small business owners spend their time at the business, not sweating over statistics.

Internet Marketing – Survival of the Fittest

Arthur — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:43:34 +0000

We are in the midst of a frightening and deepening financial and economic crisis worldwide. The world is making huge adjustments to correct many flawed policies, processes and practices including the use of real estate equity to fuel a worldwide buying binge, highly leveraged global gambling casino-style betting on the success of highly risky credit in the name of Credit Default Swaps. The process is called "deleveraging" but really what this is the process of liquidating hard and soft assets to pay off what can be paid off in the face of never-before-seen lost bets on incredibly risky investments. As someone first said, "This too shall pass." But what will the world look like? In this writing I will focus on marketing and the lessons we can learn.

When It Is Time For A Website Redesign

Duran — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:59:18 +0000

Recently I wrote an article about how the next president of the United States Barack Obama was about to determine whether his website needs a redesign. In my opinion his website put him over the top.

Online Marketing and Innovation – Guide To Marketers

Duran — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:28:54 +0000

How can we differentiate ourselves from the competition? Many companies are using the same methods and procedures to create results for their clients. I have been hearing al lot of this recently at events and conferences. It seems to be a huge concern for companies who feel they cannot sustain growth or who feel they have hit a ceiling in their markets.

Static Versus Dynamic Urls, Which Is Better? Static.

Duran — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:21:37 +0000

There is a lot of back and forth about the topic of static versus dynamic URLs and it's implication to search engine optimization. Early on, Google told us to use URL rewrites whenever possible, and now they are saying you don't have to do any rewrites.

How to Increase Conversion Rates in Google Adwords (PPC)

Duran — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:29:27 +0000

Competition is fierce in Pay Per Click Advertising on both Google Adwords and Yahoo Sponsor Search, aka Overture. There's nothing more attractive than displaying your products and services to targeted audiences who are only looking for the specific products and services that you offer.

How I Do That “Creative” Thing

Duran — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:07:53 +0000

I have been trying to figure out why recently I've been able hit a home run with new projects, when in the past it was difficult to find the "creative" juice I need. I think I've figured out what motivates me into digging down into myself and connecting with the universe (life-stream, God, or whatever you believe in that gives you power and motivation), and channeling the energy that fills that blank canvas I am looking at.

Search Engine Marketing Companies

Arthur — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:45:59 +0000

If you are looking for a Search Engine Marketing Company, you must know by now that there are many to choose from. However, if you think through your goals and objectives, your “Search” for an SEM Company will become focused very quickly. Consider what your goals are; asked yourself the following key questions:

Search Engine Advertising

Arthur — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:40:01 +0000

Search Engine Advertising is a term that is inherently confusing. Some use this term interchangeably with Sponsored Search or Pay Per Click Advertising as in Google Adwords. Of course, these are actual advertisements that are tied to specific keyword phrases. As such they are targeted advertisements because they are only viewed based on the keyword itself. Others use this term to mean Organic Search Engine Optimization or SEO which in fact are not advertisements. Rather, these are listings based strictly on relevance as rated by the search engines themselves. These listings are not purchased or bid upon like PPC; they are earned through highly sophisticated optimization techniques. Successful Organic Optimization results in highly visible listings with no cost to the website owner no matter how many times the listing is displayed or clicked.

Internet Marketing Services … Now More than Ever

Arthur — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:57:38 +0000

At the time of this writing, the country is facing real and growing fear ... on Wall Street and on Main Street. The Congress, without shame, has passed the bailout plan along with a whole bunch of pork. In other words to get enough votes, individual members of Congress traded their "conviction" for their pet projects designed to do what ... get more votes and insure their own political longevity. This is Democracy?

SEO – A milestone … Not the Goal Line

Arthur — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 05:01:03 +0000

SEO (Search Engine Optimization), professionally executed, accomplishes an important piece of a very valuable puzzle towards a truly successful and profitable website marketing strategy. Using strong research for the best keywords, insightful competitive research, onsite and offsite optimization using great content and careful management using sophisticated website statistics are key elements towards high organic rankings for targeted keywords relevant to your business. Being easily found for these highly popular and competitive keywords generates huge amounts of traffic to the website. Although all of this is a great accomplishment, page 1 Google rankings by itself doesn't put a thin dime into your bank account. So we have reached an important milestone; but now what? How do we generate business from all of this traffic?

Microsoft’s Many Competitors

Duran — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:36:22 +0000

Microsoft has become what they feared most; the next IBM. With the latest release of their operating system, Vista, you have to wonder how they have lost their focus. They have a lot of competition and any attempt to expand their brand into other industries seems to fail. Here are some quick examples.

E-Commerce … Design Matters for Increasing Sales

Arthur — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:09:06 +0000

While Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is very important so that you are found by those seeking your product s, you still need to convert that visitor to being a buyer. If you are selling through an online store, conversion is easily measured … SALES. How do you know that your e-commerce site is generating all of the sales that it can? The answer lies in the statistics. Monitoring and analyzing your stats is absolutely critical towards the ultimate goal of maximized sales for your online business. You can almost count on, in every case, that you will find things in the stats that will indicate issues that are preventing you from achieving the best performance. Stats offer you a window into the user interaction with your shopping cart. You can see how effective and efficient the buying process is. Are visitors moving through the process smoothly? Do they seem to get stuck on a particular step or page? How many enter the checkout process? How many complete the checkout process? At what point is the checkout process aborted? Which products are producing the most sales … and the least? Compare the best sellers with the worst? Are there differences that can be attributable to the information and the way the information is displayed? Have you tested different designs, configurations to see which ones perform the best? There are hundreds, even more, factors involving color, font, positions, graphics that need to be tested to determine the optimum combination. Are you insuring that the visitor feels secure, confident and have the peace of mind that your site is secure, their purchase is secure? Do you offer guarantees, warranties, even money back guarantees? Do you offer customer reviews / comments to further promote a sense in confidence in you as a vendor and in the product itself? Not all e-commerce sites are created equal from an SEO point of view either? E-Commerce structure and internal software needs to be SEO-friendly in and of itself. The products need to be indexed through a well designed and structured relational database. Visuals are important as well; are you displaying high res / high quality images that can be enlarged? Are you offering more details / specifications … there are those that read this stuff so it needs to be made available. Your Back Office Your shopping cart requires active administration to: 1. Monitor and manage your product line and all available options. 2. Manage integration and options involving all of the major shippers. 3. Dynamically update the site map to include all relevant updates so that Google has your products properly indexed for universal search purposes. 4. Carefully review stats which is so essential as already said 5. Customize CRM (Customer Relation Management) features to reflect current operations, products and policies online. 6. Offer special pricing, coupons, promotions and other customer-engagement initiatives. There are hundreds of additional considerations depending on your particular situation. You likely will need an E-Commerce Design Specialist with demonstrated results both in Internet Marketing / SEO and Conversion Optimization. Both sides of the success formula, visibility on Google and the highest conversion rates on the site itself need to be addressed by a fully integrated Internet Marketing Services Company. The wide array of specialties and sub-specialties dictate the need for top-level expertise. The opportunity cost is huge without a dedicated company that is focused and skilled in all of these areas. The key, as with everything worthwhile, is being fully committed to the ultimate success of your website and your shopping cart in particular.

Website Optimization

Arthur — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:31:44 +0000

Website Optimization and Internet Marketing are synonymous terms. The major supporting cast or specialty is Search Engine Optimization or SEO.

However SEO is often misunderstood. It is not at all unusual to speak with prospective clients that think SEO is all about meta tags, title tags and even “tricks.” However so-called White Hat SEO or “ethical” SEO or much more accurately, EFFECTIVE SEO, involves no tricks and the lexicon of meta tags and title tags does little justice to the true scope of what is involved in SEO.

SEO Companies

Arthur — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:29:27 +0000

As is the case with many products and service providers, there is a wide disparity between and amongst SEO companies. Without essaying over the comparisons of “unnamed” companies or competitors, let’s review those qualities you should seek in selecting the right SEO company for your online strategy.

SEO Marketing

Arthur — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:26:42 +0000

One inescapable fact: No matter how great your website looks, it doesn’t mean a thing unless those that you want to find you on Google can’t find you on the top 3 pages for those keywords you would like to be found for.

Sixty-Eight percent of online searchers DON’T go past the first page … 98% don’t go past the 3rd page. Are you hoping that the remaining 2% will find you? Is that what you are banking on or hoping for? Don’t hold your breath.

Internet Marketing & Blogs… Is it really necessary?

Arthur — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:24:37 +0000

The answer to this question is not ambiguous … Yes!!! If you want to know why and how, I invite you to please read on.

If you are interested in a successful website and a successful website equals quality internet marketing and includes search engine optimization, conversion optimization, blogs should be an essential part of the overall website marketing approach.

How to submit a sitemap to all Search Engines using Robots.txt

Duran — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:22:33 +0000

I discovered this about a week ago and it frankly surprised me. Apparently the Robots.txt file has a new agreed upon protocol for implementing sitemaps

To simply add a sitemap to your robots.txt file simple open it in a text editor and input the following example:

How to Keep Your Customers Coming Back

Arthur — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:18:37 +0000

If your website has a goal, that is, sales made through an online ecommerce site, lead generation, phone calls, surveys that are completed, then you probably have put some significant effort in time and expense towards winning that client... and it all started with a conversion.

If you have been in business for any length of time, you should probably already know what a big percentage of NEW sales actually come from EXISTING customers. If you are doing a good job, this is most certainly the case. This should make sense; customer buys product or uses your service and you have provided the value, and hopefully more, than the client expected. Important customer-relationship dynamics take hold … trust, confidence, peace of mind and convenience all grow in your favor.

A Better Web Experience is on The Horizon

Duran — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:16:31 +0000

Recently Apple announced the iPhone 2.0, renamed "OS X iPhone" and an interested new Operating System Upgrade called "Snow Leopard 10.6.” The interesting part about these is how the two releases interact together.

"Snow Leopard" will not be a major upgrade like "Leopard" but a more of a speed and stability upgrade which will allow its devices to operate smoother. They are also going with a full Intel 64 bit processing for speed and more stability thus dropping Power PC support.

What happened to Microsoft Silverlight?

Duran — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:14:23 +0000

About a year ago there was talk about a Flash/Ajax eliminator. Microsoft was unveiling a new competing plug-in that would blow Flash, Ajax, JavaScript, and CSS apparently all out of the water. It was based on the .Net technology, and at the same time was cross browser AND cross operating system compatible.

1 year later, I don't see a lot of talk about it in the tech world, in fact I remember disregarding it completely when it was announce, and I believe most Flash and JavaScript Developers did. Interesting enough, People at the Y Combinator, which invest in web 2.0 and other emerging companies, don’t even take in consideration if Microsoft is already in the field when funding a company. They consider seeing if Google is in the field they are trying to get into, and ways t avoid them now. Google has all the power of a multi-billion dollar company, but a lot of the nimbleness and energy of a startup.

Why You Need Inbound and Outbound Links On Your Website

Duran — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:11:15 +0000

A website is like a train station, it has visitors that come and go through it to get around on the Internet. Think about it, whenever you visit a website, you click on a link that takes you to the next page that has the information on it your desire. Eventually if you click long enough you get to a web "station" that allows you to visit any website in the world.

This would in essence be a web portal, like Yahoo or AOL has. For these big web "stations" you can get to anywhere around the world. This is what the search engine spiders have to do; they can’t “Google” a web site like you and me. They rely on link to web pages, and eventually run into a huge web station that they constantly come back to for references.

Innovation – Why the Dinosaurs Need the Pirates

Duran — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:09:26 +0000

Recently I read an interview on Larry Page; co-founder of Google, and most of his answers were simply brilliant. Larry Page - http://money.cnn.com/2008/04/29/magazines/fortune/larry_page_change_the_world.fortune/index2.htm .

He speaks a lot about Innovation and the why there needs to be more risk taking behavior in technology. Risk taking was what leaded to all the great inventions of the last century and it is needed to drive us into the future. Here are two examples of innovation which were brought on by non-traditional means that have changed the way we view the world;

How To Get Rid of Spam on Form Submissions

Duran — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:06:47 +0000

Recently we had a client who started to rank up very quickly on the major search engines such as Google and Yahoo. We noticed that the amount of spam that was being passed through our web submission forms increased by 1000% and that happens to all major websites Well, over the next couple of months I came up with the best way and really the final way to get rid of all spam from web forms!

SEO Prices – Realities and Myths

Arthur — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:04:21 +0000

Search Engine Optimization (SEO), the service, and SEO, what you actually get, unfortunately are all too often mutually exclusive to each other. The primary reason for this is confusion in the marketplace of what you are actually paying for. We all understand numbers. But the buyer, the website owner, does not understand what to expect:

SEO – Significance to C-Level Executives

Duran — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:02:09 +0000

C-Level Executives have an important stake in the online business performance of their company websites. However, CEOs, COOs, CFO’s and other top execs are no different than any other top executives and business owners when it comes to their website and “the purpose of it all.” Often they are frustrated that a good deal of company money has been spent on website design and promotion yet the early optimism has faded with time as the hoped-for results in terms of sales, profitability and corporate efficiency just didn’t materialize.

Google Ranking Factors

Arthur — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:58:01 +0000

Internet Marketing Companies and, more specifically, Search Engine Marketing Companies focus their attention on Google when it comes to achieving high organic rankings. This should make obvious sense since the overwhelming and growing majority of internet searches are performed using Google. However what are the factors that Google uses to generate its rankings? As such, what therefore should be the chief strategies for Search Engine Marketing Companies? A great deal has been written about “best practices” by SEO (Search Engine Optimization) companies when promoting their services. This is in apparent response to some bad apples in this industry that attempt to “play games or tricks” to achieve high Google rankings … more on this later. Aside from mere ethics, the factors that really matter to the Google Spiders are as follows:

8 Ways to Build Traffic to Your Website

Arthur — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:54:44 +0000

Your Website must get traffic to have the opportunity to succeed. If your website is well designed to convert visitors into new customers and your business model is ready to go to execute new business and provide excellent support, then building traffic is the absolute key to your online success. Here are 8 straight forward ways to build traffic to your site.

Google – SEO Strategic Partner or Competitor

Arthur — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:51:54 +0000

Since Google announced its acquisition of DoubleClick, there has been a great deal of angst from SEO Firms and SEO professionals alike. The reason: An SEO Company named Performics was included in the purchase as a part of DoubleClick’s business. SEO companies were concerned that the giant of the industry, Google, would now have a vehicle to unfairly compete with all Internet Marketing Companies by providing “access” to information that is not currently made available to SEO Firms in delivering their Internet Marketing Services to their clients. In addition, there have been many concerns expressed about the cost and price in fear that Google might package, discount or even give away high organic search rankings in special arrangements also not available to competing Search Engine Marketing Companies.

Build It and They Will Come – This ain’t Hollywood, It The Internet Jungle

Duran — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:48:43 +0000

A new era of the internet has been brewing for some time now. A more visitor focused view has emerged which I credit to web 2.0 . Long is gone the build it and they will come framework, if it even existed. But as the internet evolves, there are still thousands upon thousands of websites still thinking in a backwards theory. The main reason for this is because most people think they can put up a website, sit back, relax and start counting their millions. Unfortunately this is not the case.For every 1 success story, there are at least 100 unsuccessful ventures which have not seen the promised millions. And on the internet, it is not different. In fact the ease of setting up a website has only multiplied the failure rate. So, why is it that most websites do not succeed? We could ask the same question for any new business offline as well. The law of supply and demand is one factor but there is another underlining problem with most people’s thinking process when venturing into a new project.

How to Dominate a Niche Category

Duran — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:45:18 +0000

This quick tutorial is an overview of the most common way Internet marketers have been able to control a niche category online. When entering a new niche/industry online, the path most website owners take is create only 1 site and build upon that site over time. Most “gurus” know this creates some common problems. The biggest problem is competition: 1 versus thousands/millions of other sites in the industry. Note: This is not for the faint of heart; this will not be quick, and this will not be painless. But if you follow these guidelines, you will join the few who say, they own a niche. Here is the method that pros use to overcome this dilemma:

Content is King, Traffic is Supreme

Duran — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:42:02 +0000

"What should I put on my website?" That is the question I receive mostly from newcomers. The answer is very simple, content. You have to give your visitors and prospects a reason to go to your website, and keep going to your website. "What should I put on my website?" That is the question I receive mostly from newcomers. The answer is very simple, content. You have to give your visitors and prospects a reason to go to your website, and keep going to your website. The Content Thou Art King The website's information; text, images, videos, audio, and other data are the content elements you provide. The flavor of the content should be unique, and entice the visitors to get involved in your website. The style of your writing, content will portray a personality in itself and provide flavor to your website.

RSS and How It Can Bring Your Site Traffic and Sales

Duran — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:37:26 +0000

So, what is RSS? (Really Simple Syndication) That must be one of the most often-asked questions we get from our clients. It’s very normal for individuals to dismiss an idea or “glaze over” when they hear a term such as “RSS” because they basically do not understand what it does. RSS is one of the many feed formats used on the web. A feed format is the way information is delivered to its recipient. It’s mainly used for frequently updated content such as blogs, news, podcasts and videos. The information could be just a summary or the fully detailed content. We know how much content there is on the web and it would be impossible to get all that content via RSS and read it. So there are ways to filter this content using RSS Readers and 3rd Party Web-Based and Desktop Applications. Let’s say I’m interested in Football and the scores in the NFL. I can go to the NFL site or any news site and subscribe to an RSS feed which then would bring that information daily (sometimes hourly) to my Desktop, Yahoo or Gmail. So, every time I turn on my computer or check my mails at Yahoo, I can see the scores. So, the information is filtered to what I want to see and then is delivered to me and displayed in the manner that I want .. PERFECT!

Not Using These 18 Steps to Generate FREE Traffic?

Duran — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:35:22 +0000

This is my version of an article named “10 Steps to Generate Free Targeted Web Traffic”, I have edited and update it to included new techniques and eliminate items that are no longer relevant. Update with 8 more FREE traffic generating techniques. This is a guide to help those on a budget and/or do not want to spend money on advertising, but still want to generate huge amounts of traffic. You now actually can have your cake and eat it too. 1.) Know Your Niche; this is a key to getting traffic to any website. You have to know more than the average person on the topics and items related to your industry.

Why You Need to Understand Latent Semantic Indexing

Duran — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:31:20 +0000

Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) is the underlying root of the entire major search engines' algorithms. There is a complicated Wikipedia version here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latent_semantic_indexing .. that goes into detail of the Matrix relationship of words, but to really understand it you will need some knowledge and understanding of Calculus and Advanced Algebra, and have not slept through the Derivatives and Matrices parts of class. I will attempt to show you a simplified version of it. Guess the theme/keyword of this next sentence: "I love linguini, spaghetti, and angel hair. I also like rotini, bow ties, and macaroni." Here is the same concept of the sentence with stuffed keywords: "I love pasta. All kinds of pasta. Without pasta, I couldn't survive. There isn't a type of pasta that I don't like."

Online Branding – Style or Substance?

Arthur — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:26:59 +0000

If I had to pick just one, it would be substance. When I refer to style, I am limiting the definition to items such as logo, name and title, public relations, advertising. While these and more are all important factors in creating a look and feel for your online visitors, they are all clearly secondary to substance. So what do we mean when we speak of substance? Substance, in its essence, refers to those elements that create a lasting impression, a unique and lasting “user experience.” In the real world of bricks and mortar, we can all quickly name scores of successful brands. They all have one thing in common … a distinctive and easily recognizable customer experience that is repeatable interaction after interaction, transaction after transaction.

How Top Management Can Increase its Revenue

Duran — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:23:25 +0000

Recently I read a great article about tapping into the hidden potential of the IT department (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120467900166211989.html), and it got me thinking about all the ways past employers missed opportunities towards improving customer satisfaction, internal productivity, product development … simply by “boxing me in” as the “IT Guy.”