As the web expands beyond more traditional means of getting traffic via search engine optimization and paid advertising, social networks and related data management services should become an important part of your online search marketing strategy. Learning how to use blogging can help you create authority, connect better with your customers and lift your visibility in the search engines.
We know that search engines are making changes to accommodate for shifts in the marketplace, as well as a more internet-savvy community. We can see this by the way the top search engines change results and test those changes on the user community. Google's universal search layouts, for instance, embed data from video, news and podcasts in the natural search engine results. Additional services, such as personalized search, are available that allow for search engine results swayed more toward user preferences or behaviors.
Universal search results represent an issue for search engine optimizers since less screen real estate is available for traditional text listings. You may find your listing pushed off the first page if you aren't watching and executing better than the competition. Social media optimization is something you should look into now, if you haven't already.
Blogs are a great first step. WordPress is a popular option that has an open source development community and several cool and powerful plugins. You get an RSS feed infrastructure and a place for embedding not only text content, but also video streaming and audio podcasts.
To take full advantage of social media optimization, here are six things you should do:
1. Set up your WordPress blog.
If you're running a business and want to start building your own authoritative blog, I recommend using a trusted hosting partner like GoDaddy.com. It takes about 10 minutes to set up. Apply for a Linux-hosted account, since WordPress isn't compatible with Windows. Unless you have a unique domain set up for this, I suggest adding the blog as a directory of your domain: your-site.com/name-of-blog-with-keywords. TypePad and the Movable Type blog system are other free services. Blogger.com--Google's platform--is free, and Yahoo! Small Business has a variety of options to select from as well.
2. Add content.
Add a blog post once every week or more to start. Frequency is important to search engines, and users will come to expect regular updates. When you add content, make sure you add the tags and category. Tags and directory structures help show the search engines what your post is about. To get ideas for content, look up article directories EzineArticles.com and GoArticles.com. If you copy the entire text, include the author's bio box and be aware that Google may catch you for duplication of content. A better way is to start with the article ideas, change the content and make comments about the article, while still referencing the original author.
If you have more money than time, have someone from RentACoder.com, Elance.com or Guru.com write it for you. You can also look into private label rights articles, but watch for duplicate content there, too. eBay has a lot of these types of articles available, but try to make them your own. If you're in the B2B arena, you hopefully have good marketing and information-based materials you can reinvigorate for your blog.
3. Manage RSS feeds.
RSS is an easily tracked and managed XML-based file structure that allows compatible web systems to read the data. Get an account with Technorati.com and update them with your site feeds--also known as pinging. You can also use FeedBurner.com and OnlyWire.com to help distribute content and PingOMatic.com and Pingoat.com to alert systems that you've made a new post.
4. Promote your blog.
Always leverage the search engines when you can. Conduct solid keyword research to find out what people are searching for within your niche. Use the Overture search tool and look for longer keyword phrases rather than starting with the most competitive keywords. Include these keywords in the titles of your posts.
If you're active in the online community, visit related forums and other blogs to exchange dialogue and links. Make sure to tag everywhere and try to get a listing on Digg.com, as well as del.icio.us, reddit.com and MySpace.com. Educational content, such as "how to" articles, tend to be very popular.
5. Leverage podcasts and videos.
Podcasts are a simple way to provide more detail and personalization around your company or service. The MP3 format can easily be streamed for listening on the web and from your blog. You can podcast your files and even manage them via iTunes. You also can stream video into your visitors' homes and let them watch it on their Apple TV, a recently announced product.
6. Optimize your WordPress blog.
A blog should be optimized for users, search engines and income, in that order. A professional-looking blog is important. Look for clean sites--a white background works well--at the WordPress Theme Viewer site. Some of the themes are less SEO-friendly than others. Add a form to capture names and e-mails to build your e-mail list. For SEO, change your permalinks to this custom option: /%year%/%monthnum%/%day%/%postname%/ and enable the customizable permalinks. This is a search-engine friendly URL that's commonly used.
As I mentioned earlier, WordPress has a number of powerful plugins to consider. Here are some to start with:
Google Analytics--tracks everything on all pages
Chicklets--an array of social media tags for your users, including RSS reader icons
AdSense Deluxe--for publishing ads on your site
Google Sitemap Generator for WordPress--creates a sitemap for your site
Akismet spam filtering--filters link spam from blog comments; requires WordPress API key
SEO Title Tag--easy optimization of title tags across your WordPress blog
Ultimate Tag Warrior--incorporates the tag name into title pages on tagged pages
Podpress--everything you need for podcasting
More plugins are available at the WordPress plugin directory.
After you're set up, follow the basic rules for long-term success:
Do not use Black Hat SEO--unethical techniques--to stuff keywords and duplicate content in your blogs.
Provide value through quality content. If you're selling something, don't be pushy. Try to provide educational and constructive comments on products, services and competitors.
Use the chicklets you see on many blogs, including a big button for your RSS feed, so visitors and search engines can easily get to your data.
Place strategic AdSense components to generate money for yourself, while still providing value. Don't feel bad; big companies do it, including news outlets like CNN. Match the text and color with the layout of your site. Over time, you may get a check from Google.
Article source: http://news.alibaba.com
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Small and Medium IT Companies reap benefits of online Networking Sites
While looking up the profile of a prospective client on LinkedIn, a business networking site, the salesperson of a small and medium IT firm found that he had a Twitter account. The salesperson followed the client on Twitter, an online messaging service, and messaged him about the company. On a working day, in 15 minutes, the salesperson got a response: “Get back in touch with me.”
“There is a culture today that respects an online connection,” says Narasimhan Mandyam, CEO, PK4 Software, a Bangalore-based firm that deals with on-demand CRM (customer relationship management) solutions, narrating this incident.
One way small and medium (SME) IT companies can benefit from this culture is to get into the social media space for marketing. Given the current economic scene, the online space is a cheaper marketing option. But despite the cost advantage, there is a debate on whether to latch on to the social media bandwagon or not.
Understanding lacking
Many SME IT firms do not have a clear understanding of what online marketing is, says Mr. Mandyam. “We believe in an equation – pay X amount of money for an advertisement and get Y returns. But, the value of a discussion in blogs, online forums, or Twitter has to be understood in a larger context.”
Marketing on social media is different from traditional media as it follows a “pull model rather than a push model,” says Suresh Sambandam, founder and CEO, Orangescape, a software product firm. Rather than selling your company, you share ideas and knowledge, and people come to you if they find the information useful. This, in turn, benefits the company.
To see these benefits, you have to cultivate relationships. There is value in looking beyond your work, and providing thought leadership in your area of work, says Gaurav Mishra, CEO and Founder, 20:20 Web Tech, a social media research and analytics firm. “When you form a readership in that area, you can make connections with more people.” For a small services company, to be able to build relationships with 10 potential customers is huge, he adds.
Honesty pays
Being honest about what you and your company stand for is important, says Mr. Mandyam. “You cannot create an image that is not you or your company.” This is something which many SME IT firms have difficulty understanding.
If companies are apprehensive about the uncontrolled flow of information, they could have guidelines for social media in place, says Arvind Muthukrishnan, manager-business development, UST Global, an IT services firm, who is also a social media consultant. It is also important not to spread negative information about your competitors; it could backfire.
But, for SME IT companies, rather than controlling information, a better strategy would be to evolve an open culture, says Mr. Mandyam, tying it back to his stress on the need for honesty online.
Marketing through social media is measurable, says Mr. Muthukrishnan.
There are a variety of tools and metrics. But, to use these metrics, companies need to define first, what their objective is.
article source: http://www.hindu.com
“There is a culture today that respects an online connection,” says Narasimhan Mandyam, CEO, PK4 Software, a Bangalore-based firm that deals with on-demand CRM (customer relationship management) solutions, narrating this incident.
One way small and medium (SME) IT companies can benefit from this culture is to get into the social media space for marketing. Given the current economic scene, the online space is a cheaper marketing option. But despite the cost advantage, there is a debate on whether to latch on to the social media bandwagon or not.
Understanding lacking
Many SME IT firms do not have a clear understanding of what online marketing is, says Mr. Mandyam. “We believe in an equation – pay X amount of money for an advertisement and get Y returns. But, the value of a discussion in blogs, online forums, or Twitter has to be understood in a larger context.”
Marketing on social media is different from traditional media as it follows a “pull model rather than a push model,” says Suresh Sambandam, founder and CEO, Orangescape, a software product firm. Rather than selling your company, you share ideas and knowledge, and people come to you if they find the information useful. This, in turn, benefits the company.
To see these benefits, you have to cultivate relationships. There is value in looking beyond your work, and providing thought leadership in your area of work, says Gaurav Mishra, CEO and Founder, 20:20 Web Tech, a social media research and analytics firm. “When you form a readership in that area, you can make connections with more people.” For a small services company, to be able to build relationships with 10 potential customers is huge, he adds.
Honesty pays
Being honest about what you and your company stand for is important, says Mr. Mandyam. “You cannot create an image that is not you or your company.” This is something which many SME IT firms have difficulty understanding.
If companies are apprehensive about the uncontrolled flow of information, they could have guidelines for social media in place, says Arvind Muthukrishnan, manager-business development, UST Global, an IT services firm, who is also a social media consultant. It is also important not to spread negative information about your competitors; it could backfire.
But, for SME IT companies, rather than controlling information, a better strategy would be to evolve an open culture, says Mr. Mandyam, tying it back to his stress on the need for honesty online.
Marketing through social media is measurable, says Mr. Muthukrishnan.
There are a variety of tools and metrics. But, to use these metrics, companies need to define first, what their objective is.
article source: http://www.hindu.com
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Go Straight to Google for SEO Truths
Matt Cutt’s video series is worth watching.
There are a lot of half truths in the search engine optimization industry. So it’s refreshing to get an inside take from Google’s traveling search guru, Matt Cutts. I recommend watching his video series on YouTube.
As you know, I don’t usually recommend watching videos. But Cutts “cuts” to the chase (sorry, couldn’t help myself), answering the question in the first 30 seconds of each clip and then explaining his answers. Here are some of the questions Cutts answers in his videos:
-Should I use hyphens or underscores as separators in URLs? (A: Hyphens)
-How much does a domain’s age affect its ranking (A: Nothing really now, but this might matter in the future. Google filed a patent on this, but as of February this year it hadn’t implemented it.)
-Is redirecting a large number of domains suspicious? (A: Not necessarily. Google redirects a bunch of typos.)
-Does the position of keywords in the URL affect ranking? (A: Barely)
-Why does Google index blogs faster than other sites? (A: It may index them faster, but it may be just the blog index.)
Article source: http://domainnamewire.com
There are a lot of half truths in the search engine optimization industry. So it’s refreshing to get an inside take from Google’s traveling search guru, Matt Cutts. I recommend watching his video series on YouTube.
As you know, I don’t usually recommend watching videos. But Cutts “cuts” to the chase (sorry, couldn’t help myself), answering the question in the first 30 seconds of each clip and then explaining his answers. Here are some of the questions Cutts answers in his videos:
-Should I use hyphens or underscores as separators in URLs? (A: Hyphens)
-How much does a domain’s age affect its ranking (A: Nothing really now, but this might matter in the future. Google filed a patent on this, but as of February this year it hadn’t implemented it.)
-Is redirecting a large number of domains suspicious? (A: Not necessarily. Google redirects a bunch of typos.)
-Does the position of keywords in the URL affect ranking? (A: Barely)
-Why does Google index blogs faster than other sites? (A: It may index them faster, but it may be just the blog index.)
Article source: http://domainnamewire.com
Monday, June 15, 2009
SEO is the Good way to Generate Online Sales, Forbes
The best way for marketers to generate sales online is to start with search marketing techniques, according to a new study from Forbes.
The study reveals that 48 per cent of marketers believe that search engine optimization (SEO) was the best method for generating conversions online.
More than one-half of marketers with budgets up to £1 million agreed. For both small- and large-budget marketers, site or page sponsorship and SEO were considered the most effective ways to build a brand online.
The next-most-effective conversion tactic for smaller marketers was e-mail and e-newsletters, followed by pay-per-click and search ads, behavioural targeting and page sponsorships.
For larger marketers, the list of effective online tactics was nearly the same, except search and e-mail were flipped. Pay-per-impression ads were also more effective for larger marketers.
To build, maintain or change brand perceptions required different tactics, however. Pay-per-impression ads came next on the list for big spenders, while the more budget-constricted focused on e-mail newsletters, pay-per-impression and viral marketing.
In anticipation of the end of the recession, marketers are changing their spending priorities in the six months after March 2009 to feature more viral marketing, SEO, behavioural targeting and pay-per-click, according to the study.
Jon Smith, head of Aedgency Cashback said, “Smith said, "Search Engine Optimisation takes time and effort, but the rewards of a successful strategy are more customers, more revenue and dominance over your market.
"Web users seldom search beyond the first results page and if you don't have at least one of the coveted twelve positions you can bet your competitor will have. From this perspective, investing in effective SEO is business critical."
Article source: http://www.utalkmarketing.com
The study reveals that 48 per cent of marketers believe that search engine optimization (SEO) was the best method for generating conversions online.
More than one-half of marketers with budgets up to £1 million agreed. For both small- and large-budget marketers, site or page sponsorship and SEO were considered the most effective ways to build a brand online.
The next-most-effective conversion tactic for smaller marketers was e-mail and e-newsletters, followed by pay-per-click and search ads, behavioural targeting and page sponsorships.
For larger marketers, the list of effective online tactics was nearly the same, except search and e-mail were flipped. Pay-per-impression ads were also more effective for larger marketers.
To build, maintain or change brand perceptions required different tactics, however. Pay-per-impression ads came next on the list for big spenders, while the more budget-constricted focused on e-mail newsletters, pay-per-impression and viral marketing.
In anticipation of the end of the recession, marketers are changing their spending priorities in the six months after March 2009 to feature more viral marketing, SEO, behavioural targeting and pay-per-click, according to the study.
Jon Smith, head of Aedgency Cashback said, “Smith said, "Search Engine Optimisation takes time and effort, but the rewards of a successful strategy are more customers, more revenue and dominance over your market.
"Web users seldom search beyond the first results page and if you don't have at least one of the coveted twelve positions you can bet your competitor will have. From this perspective, investing in effective SEO is business critical."
Article source: http://www.utalkmarketing.com
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