Posts Tagged ‘SEO’

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Keep Track of SEO Success

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

Monitoring your keyword performance, adjusting your terms and updating your site as necessary is a time-consuming game of strategy, but its payoff is well worth the effort. A successful SEO program is not only about bringing a lot of traffic to your website, it is about developing your content to be of optimal value to your end user. The better your site works for your clients, the better your chances are of generating organic traffic flow to your page. As you progressively optimize your site to work for your ideal consumers, your chances for reaching your goals will skyrocket.

You can get feedback on data such as pages visited, inbound links, daily traffic, average time on site and more using analytics tools like Google Analytics. That way you can monitor the traffic on your site, adjust your content to better serve the people visiting your pages and ultimately increase your site’s profitability.

A good way to monitor your SEO success is to look at your search engine rankings. You should regularly check your position, as well as that of your competitors, so that you can keep track of your progress. The information on your keyword performance, position changes and trends in your placement can be used to guide you in updating your keyword choices and further developing your content to increase your chances of attracting your ideal client base.

Analyzing bounce rates is another way to monitor your SEO efforts. Let’s say you sell hand-tied fishing lures. If users make their way to your site by entering “hand-tied fishing lure” into a search engine, but quickly leave before taking any action, the search engine will notice. It will identify your site as not being a good “hand-tied fishing lure” link and will send future traffic to your competitors. Looking at bounce rate data for your keywords and phrases will enable you to figure out what your users are looking for. Then you can optimize your site to create the best experience for your customers so that they stick around and take action rather than bouncing off of your page.

Creating the optimal site for your users is not an overnight job. Monitoring and updating your site is an ongoing process that requires work and strategy. But, if you put in the time and effort, you’ll receive amazing results.

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Cool Tools for Keyword Research

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

When it comes to online visibility for optimal Internet marketing, it’s vital that you use the right keywords so you can drive traffic to your website. A brilliant design and clever text are inconsequential if your potential customers and clients can’t find you. Using the right keywords and key phrases is a huge part of getting your search engine ranking higher. And, the higher your search engine ranking, the more likely people are to discover you and your services when they go to Google or Yahoo.

Seems simple enough. You know what your business is and you know what your services are, so making a list of proper keywords should be a snap, right? Think again. You might know all the proper rules for keywords, like using “buying” terms rather than research words, but coming up with an extensive list can be daunting and produce some severe writer’s block. Even if you can come up with plenty of keywords and phrases, how do you know they’re the ones being plugged into search engines by your potential customers?

No worries! There are a great deal of cool online tools that provide assistance, not only to generate plenty of keywords and phrases, but also to analyze them to ensure they’re the right ones to use to attract the clientele you want.

Here are some great resources for you to check out:

Wordtracker Free Keyword Suggestion Tool

http://freekeywords.wordtracker.com/

Google Adwords External & Internal Keyword Tool

https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

Google Sets

http://labs.google.com/sets

Trellian Free Keyword Suggestion Tool

http://www.keyworddiscovery.com/search.html

Also, be sure to stay on top of your keyword list. As time goes on, your site and your customers’ needs will change. Make sure your keywords change with them. Monitor trends and update your list as necessary; stay current and stay relevant.

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Using Fresh and Original Content for Effective SEO

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

One of the best online strategies you’ll find is using fresh and original content for effective SEO results. Fresh content includes articles about topics that haven’t been run into the ground by other writers and that—even if they have been covered (which is likely)—haven’t been approached in the exact manner you plan to approach them.

For instance, the web is loaded with articles about effective SEO. But how many of them discuss the content of your articles as opposed to the layout, strategy, keywords or other aspects of the articles? Most deal with where to place keywords, how many keywords to use, what kind of keywords to use, or how to track keywords. Few deal with how important fresh and original content is to your SEO as this one does.

The problem with writing fresh content is deciding what to write about! Writer’s block often creeps in and hinders the creative process so severely that it’s a chore just to churn out 300 words, let alone original ones. Here are several ideas to use when writer’s block hits your writing muse. Use them as they are, or adapt them to better meet your needs. Write about…

• an article you wish you had written

• a blog post you found informative

• a blog post you found irritating

• a book you just read in your niche

• a current news story

• how you’ve organized your workspace

• how your readers can make your website better for themselves

• a lesson your target audience could learn from your favorite TV show

• links to resources you use every week

• a movie quote that inspires you

• a new client order you received

• one of your pet peeves as it relates to your niche

• one thing that motivates you every time

• a long-term client

• saving money as it relates to your niche

• something funny that happened on the way to the office

• the top 10 websites in your niche

• the top five articles you enjoy

• a trade show you participated in

• a website you would love to own

• the worst website design you’ve ever seen

• your latest project

Be sure to put your own spin on whatever topic you choose to write about. Your personality, your insights, your knowledge and ideas… that’s what will make any writing you do truly fresh and original. And that’s what will boost your SEO efforts more than anything else.

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Use SEO To Stand Out From The Crowd

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

There are millions of websites vying for attention. Regardless of your niche, you can use SEO to stand out from the crowd and attract visitors to your site in order to be successful. If you don’t use SEO, though, all your hard work may simply be a waste of time.

There are various elements which are critical to your online success. For instance, using long-tailed keywords to attract extra visitors that are specifically looking for what you have to offer. It’s vital that you don’t overstuff your site with keywords, however, because the search engines consider that spamming and it affects you negatively in search engine results.

Create inventive title tags using your main keywords. This is one of the most important aspects of website optimization and every site should use it. The ideal keyword density for a webpage is to use the keywords once in the title tag, once in the heading tag and once in each paragraph (depending on paragraph length).

Using a blog is one of the easiest ways to keep your site active and it enables you to use keywords more often which will boost your ranking. Valuable content is extremely important to your success and will help you attract more visitors while keeping your site from becoming stale.

There are many “black hat” techniques that should be avoided when you use SEO to stand out from the crowd. Their usage can destroy your site’s credibility. These include invisible text that can’t be seen against the background, tiny text, irrelevant links, using keywords in creator tags, etc.

Also ensure that all incoming links use simple keywords and phrases. Search engines prefer simple, appropriate links to your site and rank them higher. Reciprocal links to other relevant sites are useful since your keywords are utilized more often and that increases your rankings and lets more people know you exist.

It’s easy to get bogged down with technical details when you use SEO to stand out from the crowd. But keep your site easy for readers to understand and visitors to find. Doing so will keep them happy and keep them coming back for more of what you offer.

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Using a YouTube Channel for SEO

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

A lot of people have YouTube accounts so they can keep track of videos they enjoy. Have you ever thought about using your YouTube channel for increasing your SEO? If you haven’t created a video for your business, it’s time to get busy.

Internet users search YouTube on a regular basis for all sorts of things. Take advantage of this trend and improve your business, sales, conversions and returns. You can record a video on just about anything related to your business. A welcome video, business tips, product information, or a thank you for visiting are just a few ideas to consider. Anything that will inform, entertain, instruct or inspire can make a good video.

Grab a camcorder (one may have even come with your computer), sit down and share some information. There are a number of freeware programs available that will let you polish your video when you’re finished. Use one to ensure your efforts are top-notch.

After you’ve made the video, sign in to YouTube and upload it to your account. Remember to use proper SEO techniques in your title, tags, and description when you’re setting it up. It will make a difference in how many people can find it.

A good description is key because it gives viewers an idea of what they’ll see. It’s important to use applicable keywords and choose your words carefully so you know you’re using terms your target market searches for.

YouTube comments will be helpful to your SEO efforts. Encourage comments on your videos by inviting friends and subscribers to view them. Many more people will visit your site when they read the comments left by others. Even negative comments can garner visits, so don’t worry if you get some. Once someone arrives at your site, it’s up to you to provide them with reason to stay.

Your website is a valuable tool for your business. While you can earn money online without one, it’s much more difficult, especially if you want to grow a business. Make it work for you by applying valid search engine optimization, one of those being starting and using a YouTube Channel for SEO.

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Don’t Let a Lack of Links Defeat Your SEO Efforts

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

The purpose of search engine optimization (SEO) is to improve your site’s rankings in the search engines. If your website isn’t linked to relevant, high ranking sites, you can lose your rank in search engines and directories. A lack of links can defeat your SEO efforts.

When other sites link to yours, you’ll begin to notice your pages ranking higher in search engine results. Instead of your link showing as the 25th result, it will move up to 10, and then—if you’ve done your job well—up to five, or one! Links from relevant sites that rank high on their own are key to developing a strong search engine ranking for your website.

Once you realize this, the issue then becomes how to get links from such sites. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Write an article. Submitting an original article to a site from which you’d like a link is a great SEO strategy. Not a reprint, but a unique, one-of-a-kind article that you submit only to that website. You’re not asking for anything from the webmaster. Instead, you’re offering something of value. Free.

If you can write even reasonably well, you can churn out an article in an hour or two. If not, you can hire a writer for less than the cost of a dinner out for two. Either way, it’s worth every penny, and then some, for the benefit of being published on a top quality site and having them link to your site in the resource box.

Write a blog post. Again, a great idea. And this one will get your link into Google quickly. Blogs are indexed almost immediately so if you’re wanting fast results, this may be your best bet.

Comment on a blog post. Visiting blogs that match your website’s topic area or niche and leaving appropriate, thoughtful comments on blog posts can gain a valid backlink for you in record time as well.

Be sure the blog you comment on is a do-follow blog. This means they have modified the blog to allow comments and removed the no-follow attribute. Do-follow blogs encourage more visitor participation and give you link credit for commenting, which helps your SEO results.

Another aspect of commenting on a blog post is to comment often. Some blogs have a little widget installed that ranks the top commentators each month. Being in such a list can double your backlink results with every post. What’s not to love about that?

These are just a few of the least expensive and simplest ways to build relevant links to your website so that you don’t let a lack of links defeat your SEO efforts.

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Build a Recession Proof Business in Internet Marketing Thursday, June 10, 2010 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM PDT

Monday, June 7th, 2010

Looking for an executive, professional, home-based franchise business that will help you achieve financial freedom? Then join us as we teach you how to Build a Recession Proof Business in Internet Marketing!

By investing just hour of your time in this enlightening Webinar, you will gain an inside view in how Kevin Dean, a WSI Franchisee owner, left his corporate position with over 20 years as a semiconductor manufacturing executive, and found financial independence in a recession proof industry in only four short years.

Discover how Kevin leverages the WSI systems daily to provide top value Internet marketing solutions that allow his clients reach their financial and business goals.

If you’re searching for a new career in a high growth industry, don’t miss this remarkable opportunity to glimpse an inside view of how a typical WSI franchise operates and makes money.

WSI is the largest Internet marketing consulting company in the world with over 1,500 franchise offices in 87 countries. Entrepreneur.com has ranked them the #1 franchise in Internet Services for the last 10 years in a row! That’s a record to be proud of, and one from which you can benefit.

Since space is limited, be sure to reserve your Webinar seat now at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/229989432. Please plan to join us!

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Using a Blog to Increase SEO Results

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

Using a blog to increase SEO results is one of the easiest ways to make your blog  work to your advantage. Superior SEO is crucial for your business, but it must be done correctly so you don’t waste your time.

There are several ways to optimize blog posts so they’ll aid your SEO efforts. Consider these tips when start blogging for better search engine results.

  • Write posts with the keywords appropriately spaced throughout. Use your keyword (or keyword phrase) in the first sentence, the last sentence, and then one to four more times throughout the body of the post, depending on the length.

For example, if your blog post is 300 words, include your keywords one to three times in the body. If the post is 500 words, use your keywords three to five times.

  • Each blog platform is different, but they all offer the ability the include keywords, often called tags. Choose your keywords wisely since they will directly affect who finds your blog post. Select the keywords or keyword phrase that will best work to attract visitors to your site. Think of what you would search for if you wanted to find the information you’re publishing, then include those specific keywords in your tags.
  • WordPress offers a free SEO widget that you’ll want to add to your blog. It lets you include the title of your post, a brief description, and the keywords you chose, then includes this information automatically for each post. This can increase your SEO much quicker than even the keywords alone.

When your target market searches for articles, blog posts or websites, you want them to find your content. And they will, when you use proper keywords based on your content and niche. Using a blog to increase SEO results is one of the simplest—and quickest—ways to help your target audience find you every time they search for what you offer.

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Black Hat or White: Which SEO Choices are Best?

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

Knowledgeable website owners understand the ins and outs of search engine functionality. Naturally, they want to be as high in the rankings as possible. However, there are two clear paths to choose. Will you wear a black hat or white one when determining which SEO choices are best?

Evil versus good. Honesty versus dishonesty. White hatters are, of course, the good guys as anyone who’s ever watched an old western knows. If you’re a white hatter, you believe in learning how Google works and following their guidelines so your site will be found at the top of a search, regardless of where the boundary lines are placed.

Good guys basically follow the rules. Ensure content is accurate and informative so visitors are more likely to stay. Use the right balance of relevant keywords to avoid misleading people who may come via inbound links on other sites. Avoid overuse or misuse of irrelevant terms. Take advantage of the search engine spiders’ strict algorithms that ensure rankings are accurate and white hat sites are more successful with increased longevity by following such directives.

Black hatters, on the other hand, are the shifty website builders who break the rules in their no-holds-barred attempt to grab as many visitors as possible. They overstuff meta tags and add misleading tags to their pages. They use a variety of unethical and unwanted techniques to overstuff keywords as well. Hiding words in the same color as the background of their site, creating lists of meaningless words that have nothing to do with the content, and swapping links with other irrelevant sites are just a few of the tricks they enjoy.

Whenever you create a website, deciding if you’ll wear a black hat or a white hat, by deciding which SEO choices you’ll make is important. While black hat tactics may be tempting and seem easier, you have to live with your decisions. Dishonesty and trickery versus hard work and legitimacy. The choice is up to you.

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What’s a Landing Page and Do I Need One?

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

First off, a landing page is an optimized Web page intended for the solitary purpose of getting a website visitor to act in some way, whether it’s to buy your products, subscribe to a newsletter, become a member of your site, etc. TripWire Magazine stated recently that landing pages are vital to businesses who want to sell products or services online. Accepting that to be a valid statement, your website does need a landing page. So where do you start?

Before you create your first landing page, determine what type of action you want your website visitors to take. Deciding on the desired action in advance will help you select the content for the page and determine what components will create the right kind of page to meet your needs. A landing page is not designed to supply every answer to every question your visitor has about your business. It is designed, instead, to persuade her to do one thing—whatever that one thing may be.

Do you want your visitor to…

  • subscribe to your mailing list?
  • give you his address?
  • leave you feedback?
  • become a member of your site?
  • test drive your software?
  • complete a survey?
  • buy your product?

Then, build a page around that single action.

For instance, if you want someone to subscribe to your mailing list, create a page the details the benefits of subscribing, what they get in return, and why they should want to. Optimize your page to that end, then track the results. Watch your conversion rates. If they’re not high enough (15% is about the most you can expect), then tweak the page and keep trying.

Building and using landing pages successfully isn’t a one-time task. It’s something you must continue to fine-tune until you get the highest number of visitors to take the action you want them to take.

If your landing page doesn’t appear to be working, change it. Try a different approach and monitor those results. Are they better or worse? Like any form of SEO, this is an ongoing process from which you learn and grow a successful online business.

Does your site need a landing page? Absolutely. A landing page can dramatically increase your sales, subscriptions, memberships and more. Learn to use them effectively, track your results, and watch your conversions improve tremendously.

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