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April 16th, 2012
Recently, Google’s Maile Ohye, Developer Programs Tech Lead, shared via video five common SEO mistakes the Google teams sees on a regular basis. If these catch Google’s attention, they must be worthwhile to know and understand so you won’t make the same mistake. At SEM Media, we know how to avoid these five common SEO mistakes and how to get your site ranked high in search engines.
Mistake #1: Your site has no value proposition before you start building it.
“Ask yourself, why would a user choose my site in the search results?” says Ohye. Whether your website is promoting an offline business (like a brick-and-mortar store) or an online business, you must know and be able to relate that which makes you different than your competitors. Do you have the lowest prices, free shipping, are you a non-profit, have a good central store location? Relating these answers is what will give your business (and thus your website) value.
Mistake #2: Don’t have a segmented approach to SEO.
Segmentation is “great for your sushi, but it’s not as great when there’s no communication between your marketing, business development and SEO team,” explains Ohye. You must consider SEO in the entire user experience, from your marketing campaign to conversion.
Mistake #3: Wasting time on time-consuming workarounds instead of researching best practices and new features. On sites with lots of pages, a “canonical” approach can dilute pages in the search index. Rather, Google now allows for “next” and “prev” markups for paginated content, giving equal weight to each page on your site, not just your home page. However, avoiding Mistake #3 and lead to Mistake #4, so be careful.
Mistake #4: Getting caught up in SEO trends. In the “old days,” both websites and search engines were trying to reach the same audience: users. Today, however, it seems more sites are trying to reach search engines instead of users. To avoid this trend, you need to produce good content that will interest a user.
Mistake #5: Slow iteration. “At Google, we’ve been known to say that the main constant in SEO is that it’s constantly evolving,” says Ohye. The faster your team can iterate the better. You must be able to define metrics, implement improvements, measure the impact, create new improvements and repeat.
So those are the mistakes Google sees, but what about the good things we do with SEO? Google suggests the following for “best practices” in SEO:
• Do something cool
• Include relevant keywords in your copy
• Be smart about your tags and site architecture
• Sign up for email forwarding in Webmaster Tools
• Attract buzz and natural links, votes, +1s, follows
• Stay fresh and relevant (social media sites, accessible on new devices)
SEM Media thrives on following the above “best practices.” If you have questions about how your site ranks, or you want to be better at SEO, contact a SEM Media professional today.
Tags: 5 Mistakes, Google+, SEO
Posted in Internet Marketing | Comments Off
March 31st, 2012
 On March 30, Facebook rolled out the mandatory Timeline for all Brand Pages, and those companies that took early advantage of switching over to the updated look have gotten a sizeable bump in their brand engagement.
According to research company, Simply Measured, a small sampling of brand pages showed that their engagement increased by 46% over previous engagement. On the higher end of the scale, both the Livestrong and Toyota brand pages saw an engagement bump of 161% and 156%, respectively.
While direct responses to status updates fell after brand’s adopted the Timeline, responses to both videos and images rose a composite 65%, likely due to larger image displays, says Simply Measured. This may prompt more Facebook marketers to post more videos and images on Facebook.
Already over 8 million brands on Facebook have switched over to Timeline before the March 30 deadline, roughly one-fourth of all brands on Facebook.
To recap some of the features of Timeline, pages now have the ability to post a banner image (851 x 315 pixels) at the top of the page, users can send direct messages to your page instead of making public wall posts, you will have the ability to pin posts you want displayed at the top of your page (for up to seven days at a time), and customers will have easier access to your About page on Facebook.
SEM Media has been managing and marketing Facebook brand pages for many of its clients. If you have questions about the change over to Facebook Timeline, talk to the professionals at SEM Media.
Tags: Brand Pages, Facebook Timeline
Posted in Social Media | Comments Off
March 25th, 2012
With great foresight, SEM Media is not surprised by Google’s head of search, Matt Cutts, as he spoke at the end of SXSW saying that Google will be tweaking its search engine to stop favoring sites that go overboard with SEO.
Cutts explained that Google’s move was aimed at getting websites on a “level playing ground” and those who have been overly-ambitious about search engine optimization will have their sites demoted compared to those who are making great content and a fantastic site. That’s why SEM Media doesn’t fear this change by Google; we’ve been stressing the importance of good content and great site craftsmanship since day one. We’re not into “black hat” SEO techniques; we build up organic traffic through both innovative and time-honored techniques.
Again, Google is going after those sites that abuse SEO and overstuff keywords or exchange too many links; basically, they are targeting sites that are too aggressive in their SEO tactics. So, as a business owner, beware any SEO firm that tries too hard to sell you on their far-reaching SEO talents; they may just be taking you too far for Google’s liking.
Cutts explained at SXSW that the change has been in the works for months and will finally come out in the next several weeks.
Google has already made one change toward this goal last year, when the company rolled out its infamous Panda update, which slashed traffic to previously popular sites, such as About.com and eHow.com, by 30%. Previously, these sites ranked high for keywords because of the sheer volume of content on them; Google was asking that content on websites also be useful, not just plentiful.
That’s why SEM Media builds state-of-the-art websites with useful content as a standard practice. If you have questions about how your site may be affected by Google’s change, talk to an expert at SEM Media today.
Tags: Google+, SEO
Posted in Internet Marketing | Comments Off
March 19th, 2012
You started your business because you assumed it could succeed, right? If you didn’t believe that you wouldn’t have even tried. However, it’s unfortunately common enough to note that too many business owners end up over their heads with their business and cause it to fold prematurely.
To avoid this catastrophe, SEM Media has put together a list of five ways you can save your business through research and sharp marketing strategies.
- Know if your product is sales-worthy. You have to put in the time to find out if your product has a viable place in the market. If your product appeals to the general public and provides a solution to a common problem, it should do well. If it’s something they can live without, however, they probably will.
- Know thy audience. If you don’t already know the people who will be buying your product, you’re lost. Knowing your customer base before your product launches will help you target your marketing efforts. Of course, your audience will evolve over time, but that just means your product will need to as well.
- Let your customers find and afford you. Once you know your target audience, make sure they can afford what you have to offer. You also need to be where they are, and more often than not your customers are online, and so should you. SEM Media can assist you with your e-commerce site.
- Inform your customers. Your customers won’t be able to find your business, no matter where it is, if they don’t know about it. So it’s imperative that you have a marketing plan in place just to inform people you exist.
- Hang on to your customers. Once a customer buys from you, you need to make sure they keep coming back. While some time should be devoted to finding new customers, you can’t ignore the ones you have. Make sure you can effectively reach your existing customer base and let them know about specials and exclusives. Their loyalty may just save you.
If you need help launching or branding your business, talk to the professionals at SEM Media. It may be the one call that saves your business!
Tags: Business Ideas, Marketing
Posted in Business | Comments Off
March 12th, 2012
As professional Internet marketers, the team at SEM Media knows all too well the perils of people who jump on board of the “latest and greatest” thing on the Internet only to find an empty treasure chest. While some new techniques and resources should be explored, and perhaps implemented, it is a mistake to leap blindly into a strategy just because it seems “BIG”.
Take, for instance, social media. Facebook has been the “next big thing” for a long time now, and rightly so. Probably nearly everyone you know is on Facebook, right? Even people who mainly use their computers to view pictures of their grandchildren are doing so now on Facebook. This is why an overwhelming majority of new business ventures that has been selling goods or services in the last couple years has been marketing themselves through Facebook, at least to some degree. So can Facebook sustain you? Will it fill you up?
No. Facebook is needed and important, no doubt. But if you focus your marketing efforts solely on social media and Facebook, you’ll be blessed with that unfortunate gift of “hindsight.” What we mean is that you will be limiting yourself by not employing time-honored methods of Internet marketing, ones we’ve been performing successfully for years.
One of the big reasons that Facebook won’t feed all your business goals is that it tends to “glue” people into staying on Facebook. People who are on Facebook want to stay on Facebook. They don’t want to visit every link they see that takes them to another website. So it’s not getting people’s attention on Facebook that’s the hard part; it’s getting them to act.
The other major issue with Facebook is that you don’t control Facebook. That means you don’t control policies, layout changes, procedures or content. What if all your efforts to build a brand page, one day, suddenly disappeared? There’s no way to back up your data on Facebook. It would be gone without a trace.
This is why it’s very important that social media is only one prong in a multi-pronged approach to Internet marketing. You still need good link building strategies, SEO and quality content. There’s no way around it. Use social media only in a sensible correlation to other marketing techniques. And if you want to know how to do that, talk to us at SEM Media. We can show you how to feast instead of famish.
Tags: Facebook, Social Media
Posted in Social Media | Comments Off
March 6th, 2012
Facebook has been releasing several design upgrades in the recent days, most notably the Facebook Timeline for Pages. With uncanny control, new ways to boost engagement and a load of new features, it will take time to master, but you should certainly make it a point to do so.
For a limited time, Admins of your Facebook Page can activate a Timeline preview manager, where changes will only be seen by the Admins, not your fans. This will allow you to play around with some of the new features in private. After March 30, Timeline will automatically be visible to your fans on all your Pages.
Visually, the most notable change is the ability to post a banner image (851 x 315 pixels) at the top of your Page. Facebook says this space is not designed for “calls to action,” such as discount coupons or “Please Like Us” messages. It’s there to allow for visual cues into your product and/or business.
A change that may be a little harder to get used to is that no longer will you have the ability to assign which page your visitors land on first. Everyone will land on the home page, so you’ll lose out on any sign-up widgets or coupon pages you currently have. However, with a greater visual nature to the home page, your customers will easier access to your About section, so make sure you fill it out with short, punchy descriptions of your products and business.
From a customer service standpoint, a major change with Timeline is the ability for users to send your Page direct, private messages. No longer will every question a customer has be posted front and center on your Wall. Instead, customers can connect with your business on a one-on-one basis. The flip side, however, is not possible. You cannot engage your fans through private messages; you can only respond to a message that has been sent to your Page first.
One of the new features that should be mastered quickly is Pinned Posts. You will have the ability to pick one post on your Wall and keep it “pinned” at the top for seven days. This is how you can direct customers to important announcements, promotions and photos. You can also select important posts that will appear the full width of your Page. They won’t be “pinned,” but they will be larger than other posts.
If you have questions about your Facebook Page, or if you’re concerned your business isn’t ready for these changes, talk to the professionals at SEM Media. We can guide you through all social media platforms.
Tags: Facebook Pages, Facebook Timeline
Posted in Social Media | Comments Off
February 28th, 2012
A common conundrum in SEO is whether to copy what works or create new inroads into search optimization. This is where the delicate balancing act comes in. Just by copying your competition’s tactics doesn’t mean that you will have greater success that they are (They’ve obviously been doing it longer than you have if you’re copying them, right?).
Granted, there are plenty of time-tested tactics for good SEO, and those should be utilized as best as your budget and ambition allow. But in the end, your website needs to be different than everyone else’s, and that’s what will ultimately put you at the top.
And to be different you have to be willing to try things that have never been done before. If we could just follow the wisdom of other SEO experts, every website would look the same. That’s why there is one thing that can never be copied by anyone else. That is: your voice. Your website should have your voice and your philosophy present in it somewhere. Your voice is your style, your commitment to your customers, your commitment to yourself made public.
If you run a company blog, not only does the content represent you, but the frequency with which you publish content, the length of each post, and the depth of the information all represent your voice.
What happens is that your voice becomes your brand’s value, and the more you put your voice out there the more value you put in your brand. This also means you’re putting more content out there, and that’s where it begins affecting your SEO (positively).
So how do you beat your competitor when you’re both playing the same game – be better at the game than they are. If they’re not being innovative or taking risks with SEO, then you should. If they’re limiting their voice on their site, then make yours heard loud and clear. It’s the most reliable way to win. Just balance what you know works with what you make work.
Tags: SEO, website
Posted in Internet Marketing | Comments Off
February 27th, 2012
From meta tags, meta data to keywords, descriptions and title tags, the SEO “lingo” seems never-ending. Luckily, SEM Media understands it all and this week is going back to the basics by showing what is arguably the single most important element of SEO on any web page: the title tag.
A title tag is part of the meta tag that lives at the top of your HTML, inside the <head> area. If it helps, think of title tags as the chapter title in a book – it clues visitors and search engines into what your page is about. It is the title tag that shows up in search results, so it should contain important keywords to help search engines find your site.
The trick to a good title tag is to write them for humans but format them for search engines, and that’s where the value of an experienced SEO team, like SEM Media, pays in dividends.
If you would like to assess your own title tag, SEM Media has prepared a quick checklist for you:
- The length of your title tag should be no more than 70 characters (including spaces).
- Your site’s most important keywords should come first.
- Use pipes (|) to separate keyword phrases; don’t use commas.
- Keep your wording short and simple.
- Put your company name at the end of your title tag, as it’s not usually a targeted keyword.
- Don’t duplicate: title tags should be different for every page.
- Be relevant; they must describe the actual content on the page.
If you have questions about the strength of your website’s title tags, contact the pros at SEM Media today.
Tags: SEM, SEM Media, SEO
Posted in Internet Marketing | Comments Off
February 22nd, 2012
Google Plus (+) has been out long enough for most people savvy to search to have either seen it or used it. Now the “+1” button is about as common as the Facebook “Share” button and the Twitter “Tweet” button. In other words, it’s a common way for people to share the content they discover with their friends. But what does Google+ do for a website’s SEO?
The +1 has an indirect effect on a website’s search ranking. Unfortunately, having lots of +1’s will not translate into a directly highly ranking in traditional search results, but it can help you. Here’s why. When a Google user +1’s a piece of content (web page, blog article, etc.) he/she finds useful it now shows up in Google’s new “Search plus Your World” functionality, where the first results given are personal if a person is signed into their Google account when searching.
Users are now seeing which search results have been “endorsed” by their friends, so those sites/articles/etc. that have been +1’d tend to have higher a CTR (Click Through Rate), and that is what then leads to that user sharing the content via their social media accounts and providing quality traffic. It is these two things that drive up a website’s ranking.
So while getting a ton of +1’s doesn’t factor directly into higher rankings, it will/should have an indirect effect on traffic volume and other social sharing, and that will help your SEO. So continue to encourage your customers and fans to +1 your content; just don’t expect it to bump you to the top of the search results immediately.
Tags: Google+, ranking, SEO, website
Posted in Social Media | Comments Off
February 13th, 2012
SEM Media knows how to build good business websites. Here we put together 10 features that every good business website should have. If your website doesn’t have these, then talk to our professionals at SEM Media today.
1. A Clear Roadmap. Almost more important than aesthetics is that your business website is easily navigable. Plan out how your website will work before you type a drop of HTML. Then you can create a mock-up and test it out.
2. Complete Business Information. You would be surprised how many business websites fail to provide complete information about their business. From mission statements to what you sell, you must list what makes your business a business.
3. Contact Info. How can customer find you and buy from you if you fail to list good contact information, and we’re not talking about just an address. Provide all the links to your social media accounts and email addresses so people won’t have to work to get in touch with you.
4. A Navigation Strategy. Essentially your “call to action,” your navigation strategy should make your website easy to use and pleasing to the eye. Think about what your customers will want to know when visiting your website and make sure that information is easy to find.
5. Be Secure. If you run an e-commerce site you must invest in securing your site with an SSL certificate. Without good security, you’re a sitting duck.
6. Social Media Presence. As good as your website may be, you must have a voice in the world of social media. It will boost your SEO and help you connect directly with your customers.
7. Be Mobile-Ready. Smart phones are not the “wave of the future” – they are the reality of today. 70% of smart phone owners use them for simple and everyday tasks, like surfing the Internet. Make sure your site is ready for mobile traffic.
8. An FAQ. Don’t assume your customers won’t have questions. Gather the most frequently asked questions your customers have and create an online FAQ.
9. Reliable Hosting. Your site must be in good hands, 24/7. If your host goes down, it costs you money. Invest in the best web host you can.
10. What You Don’t Need. Your site does not need “bling,” so forgo the auto-play music, obnoxious Flash and anything else that might slow down your page load speed and otherwise risk annoying your customers.
If you have questions about your website, have a web professional at SEM Media take a look at your site.
Tags: business, SEM Media, social, website
Posted in Business | Comments Off
February 6th, 2012
Online marketing is a fast changing place to do business. Luckily, SEM Media knows how to keep pace. For instance, SEO has been around for about 15 years now, and Google just now released some of its most significant changes to date. With influences like Google+ and other social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), the importance of remaining competitive is now paramount.
With that said, let SEM Media point to two different ideas as they relate to creating online content. First, create a “content mix.” Instead of posting web page SEO, blogs and videos and trying to drive traffic to them; if companies would first research their customer base and find out what type of content they prefer to see, that company can then tailor their approach to their customers’ preferences. This allows for information discovery, a richer user experience and deeper customer engagement. All of which equals increased sales.
Through this idea, the “optimize” part of SEO (search engine optimization) is just that – the optimal alignment of content for the customer. It’s functional and effective. Done right, customers will be more willing to buy, refer and share your content and products.
The second idea is founded on the premise that the Internet world changes – fast! To remain competitive, an SEO firm, and their clients, need to have in place both processes and plans for fast detection, testing and evaluation of the latest social or online techniques to see if they are a good fit for a company’s marketing goals. Not every new program or social media site will stick around forever, so it’s important to quickly identify and maximize one’s presence on the ones that will.
Through an adaptive approach, a company can leverage its image by being in the right place at the right time. Most of that adaptive power and insight will come from your SEO agency, like SEM Media; however, a company should also tap into the collective power of their fans, followers and customers for what’s important to them.
If you have questions about your business’s optimization plan, contact SEM Media today.
Tags: customer, media, online, SEM Media, social
Posted in Internet Marketing | Comments Off
January 30th, 2012
You may be looking over your bounce rate stats for your website and scratching your head. That’s okay, because SEM Media knows how to use bounce rate optimization to improve your website’s search rankings. Here’s a little about how we do it.
Google recently released yet another algorithm update, and this one now factors in page layout as a ranking factor, with an extra focus on how much above-the-fold real estate is dedicated to visible content versus advertising and other “distractions.” In short, Google wants to highlight more websites that are built for users, not for search engines. This is according to Google’s own Quality Guidelines. SEM Media knows these Quality Guidelines inside and out.
Google has always been open about considering a page’s load speed into its search rankings (i.e. faster pages rank better), but with page layout now in the mix, we can look at our bounce rate to find out what kind of visitation experience we’re providing to our visitors. If they’re “jumping ship” right after landing on our page, we lose twice – once from losing the opportunity to make an impression on our customer and converting traffic into sales, and we lose a second time by having Google penalize our website because it’s not attractive to a user.
SEM Media employs bounce rate optimization by improving your site’s page load speed optimization, performs detailed user testing and A/B and Multivariate testing. Improving page load speed is the easiest of these tasks – it’s low-hanging fruit, if you will. User testing is vital because it puts real users behind the wheel of a new website, allowing them to flesh things that don’t work well. A/B and Multivariate testing helps SEM Media quantify the impact of our changes. We rely on detailed examinations to determine which pages we optimize first so we can improve rankings as quickly as possible.
Do you want to improve your bounce rate optimization and rank higher in search engines? Contact SEM Media today to find out more on how we can help.
Posted in Internet Marketing | Comments Off
December 30th, 2011
As the New Year looms around the corner, it is a perfect time to assess your business goals for the next 12 months. And if you are committed to your business’s online reputation and presence, let SEM Media offer a few tips for getting your business off on the right foot in 2012.
First, SEO is always best when served fresh. So let us take a look at your website content to ensure it’s fresh and up to date, especially if you haven’t done this in the last three months. This means more than writing a few new blog posts a week, but updating your non-blog pages can breathe new life into your website.
Second, make sure you have created tons of ways consumers can share your content online. Too often business owners assume that their great news will go “viral” without ever providing the easy ways for consumers to make that happen. SEO is far from static; it requires constant attention and vigilance.
And lastly, let SEM Media perform a keyword audit. By examining what is working on your site, we can replicate the good stuff and drop the underwhelming stuff. We know what to look for, so give us the opportunity to do what we do best: boost your ranking and your sales!
Posted in Business | Comments Off
December 27th, 2011
SEM Media lives and operates in the world of search. It’s how we learn and how we get our clients to the top of the search pack. So we find it interesting to discover just how the Internet world used two popular search engines this past year. Both Google and Yahoo! recently release their “Most-Searched” lists for 2011, and a few trends stuck out for us. Here’s a rundown of what we found.
Unsurprisingly, Apple dominated the search world this year, with “iPhone 5,” “Steve Jobs” and “iPad 2” landing in the top 10 fastest-rising searches this year. On Yahoo!, “iPhone” was the most searched term this year, edging out “Kim Kardashian” and “Katy Perry.” It was the first time since 2002 and “PlayStation 2” that a tech device topped the search query list.
The number one spot on Google’s fastest-rising search list was awarded to “Rebecca Black,” a YouTube sensation whose video catapulted to global fame after her video was discovered, reaching 100 million views within a month. This is a testament to the power of YouTube and viral videos. If you need assistance getting your message across via video and YouTube, SEM Media can help.
Of course, celebrities were often the target for the world’s searches, but if we can glean any hint of the future based on the past we saw this year is that people are excited to learn about products before they are available to the public. So if you want to create an Internet “buzz” about what you have to offer, you need a professional like SEM Media on your side. We can get you noticed online.
Posted in Internet Marketing | Comments Off
December 25th, 2011
While we just touted the great things social media networks can do for your brand, we now want to offer some reasons why it pays dividends to be represented on local search directories and search result pages.
In a study by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, which surveyed over 2,150 people 18 and older, most people turn to the Internet to look for news and information about local restaurants and businesses. In fact, 51% of those surveyed say they go online to find information about those places before going there, and 38% of those Internet users perform search engine queries for local business information; while only 3% turn to social networking sites.
Word of mouth still carries a very important and popular marketing message, as nearly one out of four respondents relies on word of mouth for information on a business. However, capturing that 38% of users who perform a search query is where new business can easily spring from, so make sure you’re represented there. Talk to SEM Media about your opportunities in local search results.
Posted in Internet Marketing | Comments Off
December 23rd, 2011
Branding and social media seem to be two peas in a pod, and yet neither works quite in same way. Social media can be a big microphone for your brand, especially through powerful social networks like Facebook and Twitter, but your brand image should go far beyond its social media presence to serve its purpose for your business. That is why SEM Media offers the tools to set up your brand on local search results pages and directories. We don’t rely on a single-mode approach; we attract business from everywhere we can.
However, your business brand should be represented on social media networks, and here’s why. In a recent study by AYTM, an independent online market research platform, the site surveyed 2,000 Internet users about how they like to interact with brands online. What they found is that of those 2,000 Internet users, 74% are on Facebook daily and 35% are on Twitter daily.
Furthermore, 58% of all surveyed said they have “liked” a brand on Facebook and 42% have mentioned a brand specifically in their status update. On Twitter, 29% of users follow a brand and 39% have tweeted about a brand. This indicates that users are willing to talk about your brand. You just need to give them a reason to.
So what reasons should you give them? According to the survey, an overwhelming 80% of users prefer to get coupons/promotions/discounts from a brand through Facebook and/or Twitter; while only 8% say they want to hear brand news, 5% want answers to questions, 5% are looking for how-to’s and only 2% are looking for interviews.
So next year, why not give your brand fans and followers the gift they really want: great deals on your great products. It will turn out to be the gift that keeps on giving back to your business.
Posted in Social Media | Comments Off
November 15th, 2011
On November 7, Google opened up its new social networking site, Google+, to businesses for creating brand pages. Some social media strategists and SEO companies, like the group here at SEM Media, are hopeful that Google+ Brand Pages can solve three “sticking points” found with Facebook’s Brand Pages, which are:
Better Search Opportunities – Trying to generate click-throughs to your page on Facebook can be difficult, as they have a lower CTR (click-through-rate) than non-Facebook URLs. This is likely due to the fact that when a user sees the Facebook.com domain show up in their search, they feel it is irrelevant to their query. Therefore, a low CTR increases the cost of driving such traffic to a Facebook page, which costs advertisers more money. *Want to know more about CTR, contact SEM Media today.
Better Customization – A Facebook ad is fairly simple and allows for few creative opportunities. It is predicted that Google+ pages will follow a model closer to YouTube Channels, where a brand can advertise on their own page and have a custom skin. *Want to have a custom YouTube Channel skin, contact SEM Media today.
Better Analytics – Those who have used Google Analytics already know the level of detail found in those reports, which include time spent on page, referring sites and geographic location of visitors. One could easily expect that Google will offer similar analytics on who the Brand Page’s fans are and where they are coming from. *Want to know more about Google Analytics, contact SEM Media today.
Posted in Social Media | Comments Off
November 14th, 2011
Google just unveiled official Brand Pages for its Google+ social networking site, and here is how you can set one up for your business in four easy steps. Keep in mind, however, that Google doesn’t allow contests or promotions on Google+ pages (yet), but we at SEM Media already know that those will be important when or if they do arrive.
The first step is to create or sign in to your existing Google account and then visit http://www.google.com/+/business/. What hasn’t been made clear in other tutorials published this week, but is very important, is that unlike Facebook Google+ Brand Pages are not set up for having multiple Admins, so anyone who wants to manage your Google+ Brand Page must have access to the Google account used for setting it up, and with that comes access to the account’s email, photos, documents, etc.
Next, you will be able to choose an appropriate category for your organization. The choices are: Local Business or Place; Product or Brand; Company, Institution or Organization; Arts, Entertainments or Sports; Other.
Now you will need to add your business’s information, such as name, website and choose a sub-category relevant to your product/service. Under “Recommend links” you can add a link back to your website, your Facebook page, Twitter account, etc.
In the last step, you will want to add a tagline, photo and then finish it out by letting people know about your page. Google will help you create a Brand Button that can be placed on your webpage.
And there you go, you’re on Google+.
If you have further questions about the value Google+ can have for your business and its search relevancy, contact SEM Media today. In the meantime, check out SEM Media’s Google+ page and add us to your Circle.
Posted in Social Media | Comments Off
October 14th, 2011
Online marketing is not as easy as it looks, and before you roll your eyes because this is coming from an online marketing expert agency, let’s consider the facts – or more rightly, the myths.
Myth #1 – Keywords are all that – Yes, keywords are an important part of an online marketing strategy, but they are part of it, not the whole thing. So before you dump all your cash into a pay-per-click search campaign, let us not forget the power of the organic search. Keyword ads pit advertiser against advertiser to land a top ad spot for a specific keyword. But people find websites by searching for them too, not just wildly clicking on every ad that crosses their path. So a balance must be struck between keyword advertising and organic search, which includes providing blog content, email campaigns and other online marketing opportunities.
Myth #2 – Nifty design means good marketing – You do want people to find and buy your product easily, and you want them to see and understand your message clearly. But just having a fancy website isn’t going to get traffic to it. And too many times people bury the things that help get them found by search engines by covering it with website gimmicks (thinking specifically of a long Flash animation sequence for one). Flash is virtually invisible to search engines.
Myth #3 – It’s all worth it – If you ignore your return-on-investment (ROI) when running a marketing campaign, you might as well leave your hard-earned cash on the streets. While good advice and expert application does cost money, you should be able to see that every dollar you spend gives you something in return. The end goal of online marketing is to grow your business, not necessarily just increase traffic.
The right SEO and online marketing agency can help you avoid falling for the myths that are out there. So before you think online marketing is easy and can be done overnight, look at how many tens or hundreds of pages of websites go ignored during your next search. You need to be on the first page of search results, and you need someone who can get you there.
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October 13th, 2011
Your business’s website will always be your first and primary wave of attack when it comes to SEO, but when you’re already doing as much as possible with your website for search optimization, there’s only one place you can go to grow – to another website. Specifically, we’re talking about creating a YouTube Channel to boost your business’s SEO.
YouTube is one of the best ways to get SEO content on the Internet without breaking the bank. On a YouTube Channel you can tag and index every video you post, which increases the odds your brand will appear naturally in searches for keywords aligned with your business.
So how do you go about building a YouTube Channel? It’s pretty simple. We have laid it out in three simple steps.
- Focus on Your Topics – While not everyone would want to watch a video commercial about what you’re selling, many will actually want to watch an informative and entertaining video that illustrates how they can choose the right product (that you sell) for their needs. But you may be able to go even further with your videos and share expertise beyond the sole focus of your products. For instance, if you sell baked goods, you can post videos about where your ingredients are sourced or interview those who grow or process the foods you use.
- Get on Camera – You’ll obviously need a camera to record your videos, but you don’t have to hire a professional videographer or buy a multi-thousand-dollar piece of equipment. In fact, if your video retains some element of being “homemade” it will actually have more appeal to go viral and not look as much as like a commercial. Before you go on camera, jot down about 10 talking points you want to cover so you won’t sound like you’re reading a script. Plug your website at both the beginning and the end of your video, and always include a link back to your website in the video.
- Use VSEO – Once you have your video uploaded you’ll need to enter a title, description and tags for it. This is VSEO. Whatever your key phrase is for your video, use it twice in the title. In the description, include a link back to your website. For tags, pick 10-15 relevant keywords pertaining to your video and your business.
You’ll be surprised how quickly your videos will generate traffic back to your website. It only takes a couple hundred views before Google will start picking up on your video for your key phrases.
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