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  • 1 - Search Engine Optimization

    SEO - Search Engine Optimization is the science/art of customizing elements of your Website to achieve the best possible search engine ranking. Science because there are definite strategies to employ to increase your ranking. Art because those are constantly changing.

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    1.1 - Develop Webpages Based on Target Keywords

    Duplicate or nearly duplicate Web pages may get you penalized. Knowing this it would be best when developing the content for your site, to make sure that each page is focused on 2-3 targeted keywords for which you would like to rank high for. Let's say you sell "laser printers" in Vermont. In this case: develop a list of keywords featuring your business "laser printer," "laser printers," "vermont laser printers," "vermont printers," "laser jet printers"... etc. Select a couple of keywords and focus the content of the "Home" page on those two keywords. Then select two completely different keywords and write content for your "About Us" based on those two keywords... And so on. Keep in mind your keyword selection will change as you better understand what people are searching for and as it does you may have to tweak the content as well to correspond to your new keywords.

  • Linking Strategy

    1.2 - Linking Strategies

    Links to your Web page from social networking sites and other sites will help drive additional traffic. Google and other search engines consider each link to your Website as a vote. "Link popularity" is an important indicator of your Web site's relevance, more links = more relevance and higher rank in the search engines. However, all links / votes aren't all equal. Links from trusted, popular sites help your site rank higher than links from lower traffic sites.

    Request Reciprocal Links
    Find Websites in your industry and request a reciprocal link to your site (especially to your free service, if you offer one). Develop an out-of-the way page where you put links to other sites -- so you don't send people out the back door as fast as you bring them in the front door. Your best results will be from sites that generate a similar amount of traffic as your own site. High-traffic site Webmasters are too busy to answer your requests for a link and don't have anything to gain. Look for smaller sites that may have linking pages.

    Search for sites with similar topical content.
    When you locate sites that are in your field, send a personal e-mail using the contact e-mail on the site or to the administrative contact listed in a Whois Directory. If e-mail doesn't get a response, try a phone call. Warning: Only link to complementary sites, no matter how often you are bombarded with requests to exchange links with a mortgage site that has nothing to do with your laser printer store. One way Google determines what your site is about is by who you link to and who links to you. It's not just links, but quality links you seek. Reciprocal linking is hard work, but it doesn't cost you a dime out of pocket! Keep working at this continuously, a little bit at a time. Patience and persistence will get you some good links.

  • 2 - Search Engine Marketing

    SEM - Search Engine Marketing refers to the initiatives you begin after your Web site is built; the online directories, social networking, viral marketing and Pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns that drive more traffic to your site.

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    2.1 - Local Business Listings in Search Engines

    These days many people search for local businesses on the Internet. To make sure they find you, try and include on every page of your Web site the street address, zip code, phone number, and 5 to 10 other local communities your business serves. If you can, include community names in the title tag of each page, too. When you seek links to your site you should request links from local businesses with the name of the communities you serve and complementary businesses in your industry nationwide. Also make sure your Google, Yahoo, Bing local listings are accurate and up to date. If you don't have one...

    Be sure to create a FREE listing for your business on:
    Google Maps Local Business Center
    Yahoo! Local Listings
    Bing / MSN Local Listing

    That way your business will show up on a map when people do a local search.

    After you submit yourself to each of these listings you may have to wait for them to verify you are who and where you say you are. These should help you populate when a user does a local search.

  • 2.2 - Social Media Marketing - Social Networks

    Thanks to the mushrooming field of social media, people can find new employees, friends, clients, resources...etc all at the click of a mouse. It is like a 24 hour / 7 day a week networking event. There are four types of social media: (1) social networking sites, (2) blogs, (3) social bookmarking sites, and (4) online forums which we we'll examine in another article. Don't be upset if the distinctions between types of social media tend to blur. All forms of social media help to promote your site by a.) sending direct traffic, b.) producing links to your site, and c.) generating awareness. The subject of Social Media Marketing is too diverse to go into detail here. But here are some of the main social communities out there you should consider depending on your industry:

    Join Twitter
    Believe me, we protested it too! Famous for coining the term micro-blogging, Twitter is a great tool because it allows you to touch a much larger audience than any of the other online social networking communities.

    Join Facebook
    Helps you to connect and stay in touch with friends and locals in the area. Also if you set up a "business page" rather than a profile, it offers valuable metrics about your page's traffic.

    Join YouTube / Join Vimeo
    Either or both are good if you can offer "how to", funny or opinion based videos that provide value to your clients via video.

    Join LinkedIN
    Is mostly used by professionals to showcase their resume and work experience but can be used by anyone in any field.

    Join MySpace
    Has become more of a tool for people in the music and entertainment industries.

  • Setup a WordPress Account

    Begin a Business Blog

    Create a WordPress blog. Fresh content is one of THE MOST IMPORTANT factors that Search Engines consider when calculating a Websites page rank. Blogs allow you to update your content on your own without having to know HTML. You can either build the blog into your Web site or create a Blogger account and simply link it to your Web site. If you offer excellent content and regular industry commentary, people are likely to link to it, increasing your site's PageRank because people are linking to you and because your site has fresh content. Consistency and having something to say are key to visitors and Seach Engines.

    As the internet gets more and more interactive this will only become more important to Search Engines and users.

    Social Bookmarking Community

    These are social networks where members share information with each other about Web sites, articles, or news items that they like (or don't like). These include: Digg, Delicious, StumbleUpon & Google Bookmarks

    Search engine spiders crawl bookmarking sites looking for links to something new and relevant. The biggest gains come when other members mention you (which generates traffic to your site), link to you (which increases your PageRank and brings traffic), or bookmark you (which increases your PageRank and brings traffic).

    One important note, don't join a community and spam people or talk incessantly about your business. Like in any relationship you must listen, comment, and make a genuine contribution. Otherwise, your self-serving links and comments will hurt your reputation. If you'd like to get started, feel free to visit our social media pages and Become a Facebook Fan and / or Follow Us On Twitter -- Thanks!

  • 2.3 - Ask Visitors to Bookmark Your Site

    In addition to joining a social bookmarking community, ask visitors to bookmark your site or save it in their Favorites list. We sometimes use a widget called AddThis. When you put the AddThis JavaScript on one of your Web pages, it automatically determines the title and URL of that page. When visitors click the button on your page, they are automatically taken to a page that allows them to choose which bookmarking service they prefer, and then it populates the appropriate form with the title and URL of your Web page. You can use AddThis throughout your Website, as well as in your newsletters. If you have good content that people want to bookmark, this can generate hundreds of links to your site and significantly raise your rankings. While you're at it, be sure to "Bookmark and Share" this tool so as we update add new strategies you can come back to it without having to opt in again. Thank You!!

    Bookmark Image

  • 2.4 - Submit Your Site to Trade Specific / Specialized Directories

    There are directories that focus on a specific industry, such as education or finance. You probably belong to various trade associations that feature member directories. Be sure to ask them for a link. Even if you have to pay a nominal fee for a link from the organization, it may help boost your PageRank.

    Marginal directories, however, come and go very quickly, making it hard to keep up with, so don't try to be exhaustive here. Beware of directories that solicit you for "upgraded listings." Unless a directory is widely used in your field, a premium ad maybe a waste of money -- but the (free) link itself will help boost your PageRank and hence your search engine ranking.

    For example, Educo is featured in this National Website Design Directory. Here are three examples of the various industry specific directories: WebMD, Realtor.org, Lawyers.com



    Web MD Realtor.org Lawyers.com

  • 3 - Traditional Strategies

    Just because "old media" strategies aren't on the Internet doesn't mean they're not effective. A mixed media approach is the most effective. Again, just make sure that your marketing efforts are congruent. What does that mean? Create a well designed identity and a consistent message that you want to communicate and carry that through all your marketing efforts. People will pay a premium for your brand but you have to develop the identity and create the brand value. Having your business card match your Website and billboard ads may not seem like a big deal but it helps potential clients connect the dots. People have to hear something 5-8 times before they can recall it from memory. And when they do recall it from all your marketing they'll think as though it was their idea.

    3.1 - Include your Company URL on All Promotions...

    Make sure your business cards, stationery, brochures, and literature all contain your company's URL. And see that your printer gets the URL correct. In print, it is recommended leaving off the http:// part and including only the www.YourDomain.com portion. Possibly even leave off the www.

    Print Media

  • 3.2 - Promote Using Traditional Media

    Don't discontinue print advertising that you've found effective and if you haven't already get hooked up with a great PR firm. Be sure to include your URL in any display or classified ads you purchase in trade journals, newspapers, yellow pages...etc. View your Website as an information adjunct to the ad itself. Use a two-step approach: (1) capture readers' attention with the ad, (2) then refer them to a URL where they can obtain more information and perhaps place an order or schedule an appointment. Look carefully at small display or classified ads in the back of narrowly-targeted magazines or trade periodicals. Sometimes these ads are more targeted, more effective, and less expensive than online advertising. Consider other traditional media to drive people to your site, such as direct mail, classifieds, post cards, etc. TV can be used to promote Web sites, especially in a local market.

    Traditional Media

  • 3.3 - Develop a Free Service

    It's boring to invite people,"Hey come to our site and learn about our business." It's quite another to say "Use the free kitchen remodeling calculator available exclusively on our site." Make no mistake, it's expensive in time and / or energy to develop free resources, such as; this resource for example, but it is very rewarding in increased traffic to your site -- and a motivation for others to link to the site! Make sure that your free service is closely related to what you are selling so the visitors you attract will be good prospects for your business. Give visitors multiple opportunities and links to cross over to the sales portion of your site.

    Free Service
  • Email Marketing

    4 - E-Mail Marketing Campaigns

    Don't neglect e-mail as a viable way to bring people to your Website. Just don't spam people, that is, don't send bulk unsolicited e-mails without permission to people with whom you have no relationship. And always have a safe "Unsubscribe" link to allow people the opportunity to opt out. Many countries have anti-spam laws.

    Here are a few widely used Email Marketing Companies:
    Campaign Monitor
    Constant Contact
    iContact
    Mail Chimp
    AWeber

    Create and install an email signature to go out with all your E-Mails to help potential customers get in touch with you. Most e-mail programs allow you to designate a signature to appear at the end of each message you send. Be sure to limit yourself to no more than 6 to 8 lines: Company name, address, phone number, URL, e-mail address, and a one-phrase description of your unique business offering. Look for examples on e-mail messages that have been sent to you.

  • 5 - Paid Advertising Strategies

    None of the approaches described above are totally "free," since each takes time and energy. But if you want to grow your business more rapidly, there comes a point when you need to pay for increased traffic. Advertising is sold in one of three ways: (1) traditional CPM (cost per thousand views), (2) pay per click (PPC), and (3) pay per action (PPA) or cost per action (CPA) approaches. Examples of the latter are affiliate programs and lead generation programs. Banner ads get such a low click-through rate (0.2%) that we don't recommend paying much for them. Banner ads typically cost about 50¢ to $1 per thousand page views, except on targeted sites. Do some small tests first to determine response. Then calculate your return on investment (ROI) before spending large amounts. Google offers a Free Keyword Suggestion Tool you should explore to better understand how users are searching for your product or service.

    Purchase Pay Per Click (PPC) Ads

    Pay-Per-Click

    This strategy is way down on the list if you don't want to outlay any cash, but it is vitally important. Most Internet businesses will want to explore using Google AdWords to drive targeted traffic to their Web sites.

    Google AdWords

    Yahoo! Search Marketing

    Microsoft AdCenter

  • Sponsored Search Results

    These PPC ads appear on the search engine results page, typically both above and to the right of the organic or natural search engine results. Since they are keyword-driven, they can be quite relevant to what a searcher is trying to find. Your ranking in this list of paid text ads is determined by (1) how much you have bid for a particular search word compared to other businesses, (2) the click-through rate on your ad, and (3) your Quality Score, which reflects the relevancy and quality of your ad and the landing page it points to.

    PPC ads can be a cost-effective way to get targeted traffic, since you only pay when someone actually clicks on the link. But it is strongly recommended that you study this carefully and expect a learning curve before you invest large sums of money in PPC advertising. To get in touch with a specialist in the field here are a few places to start:

    US International Media - Mel Jose - 702.580.3010
    YellowPages.com
    DexKnows.com

    It wouldn't hurt to call all of them and find out what they can do for you. Just be mindful that traffic doesn't mean clients. It just means there are eyes on your Web site. You want to get conversions.

  • 6 - Miscellaneous Strategies

    Here are a couple of strategies that don’t fit elsewhere.

    Announce a Contest

    People like getting something free. If you publicize a contest or drawing available on your site, you'll generate more traffic than normal. Make sure your sweepstakes rules are legal in all states and countries you are targeting. Prizes should be designed to attract individuals who fit a demographic profile describing your best customers.

    Devise a Viral Marketing Promotion

    Viral Marketing

    Viral marketing uses existing communication networks to spread the word "infectiously". This is what YouTube, Twitter and the former MySpace are famous for. Word-of-mouth, PR, creating "buzz," and network marketing are offline models.

    The key to the best viral marketing is to create something so cute / fascinating / fun / bizarre that it gets passed around by viewers to their friends via e-mail and social networks -- thousands of times -- so that it propels more and more people to your Website, and, hopefully, enhances your brand, produce sales, and ultimately boosts your cashflow. Internet marketers often seek to launch viral campaigns on Digg (www.digg.com) or YouTube (www.youtube.com). This is because if enough people "Digg" you, you appear on the Digg front page and receive a huge number of visitors in a few hours. If your video goes viral on YouTube, you could get tens of thousands of visits to the site you promote in the video. However, viral marketing is difficult to do well.

  • 7 - Conclusion

    Search Engine Marketing is a huge category and the ultimate goal is to bring more people to your Website. And the most cost effective way you can do that is by:

    Leveraging the growing phenomenon know as social media and keeping your Website's content fresh.

    There are many ways to get traffic with out paying for it. However, the amount of your time it requires tends to go up as the cost goes down which makes the term "free traffic" become very relative. If you provide value and give users something to come back for you will be vastly more successful.

    If you'd like to get a better idea of how your Website is performing go to - WebsiteGrader.com and have a free evaluation of your Website and / or any of your various competitors.


    For More Information or To Get Started Optimizing Your Website

    Call or Email Educo:
    Toll Free - (888) 643-3826
    Office - (708) 613-5021
    Email - Info@EducoWebDesign.com

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