Post Tagged ‘Search Engine Marketing’


The Greatest Search Engine Optimization Myths

September 18th, 2007 - Posted in Search Engine Marketing | 2 Comments

With the growing popularity of search engine optimization marketing came another term – ‘SEO myths’. Yes, if a new SEO strategy is added to the online media, it will be followed by a search engine optimization myth, stronger than the former! SEO gurus strongly recommend that you keep away from these myths to make your site free from the darker side of SEO. You would come across an endless listing of top SEO myths. Read on to learn about some of the greatest SEO myths.

Multiple Domains: If the SEO firm you approach happens to mention anything about multiple domains, make sure that you keep away from them. This approach can be helpful, but often it is not. In addition, this method could be expensive and managing multiple domains could eat up your time, especially if you have a small team to manage the same.

Invisible Text and Links: No professional SEO firm would adopt this approach to handle their search engine marketing requirements. It is strongly advised that you don’t entertain the addition of invisible links or text in your website. This method could fetch you immediate results that is true. But in the long run, chances are high that your site gets blacklisted by the search engines.

Search Engine Resubmission: Some firms tend to resubmit the URLs to the search engines and directories every few weeks. This can in no way improve the page ranking of your site. On the other hand, this could reduce the ranking of your site.

Guaranteed Overnight Results: Remember, no one can guarantee 100% organic results within 24 hours. It would take months to build quality link and loyal readership for your site. However, you can gain instant results by opting for the back-door SEO approach. But it takes just few minutes for the search engines to push you out through the front doors. Yes, never go for Black-Hat strategies, if you are aiming for long-term results.

Meta Tag Stuffing: Meta tags play an important role in improving the ranking of your website, agreed. But don’t think that you can reach the top listings by stuffing your meta tags with keywords and more keywords. Just follow the basics, list your main keywords, followed by a neat and crisp description about your services and that is all! Rest will be taken care of by the search engines.

More Links The Better: Increasing the count of inbound links and outbound links won’t hurt your site; however, there are certain guidelines one needs to follow. If there are outbound links in your site, make sure that they are directed to relevant sites, same thing applies in the case of inbound links.

Search Engines Cannot Index Pages with Flash Files: This is a big myth! Yes, search engines cannot index Flash movies by it, but you can make the search engine index your pages following certain optimization tactics.

If a site reaches the top position in search engine results, and retains the position for a longer period, don’t nurture the impression that it is powered by the Black-Hat SEO strategies. Though unethical SEO promises fast results, you cannot rely on the same for long-term gain. Yes, for a site rich with the Black-Hat tricks, chances of it getting blacklisted are high.

Is Keeping Track of the Web Analytics Necessary?

September 18th, 2007 - Posted in Search Engine Marketing | No Comments

Search engine marketing has more to it than onsite and offsite SEO. Yes, it is all about building popularity, positioning the brand and maintaining a traffic flow to your site. When it comes to maintaining the web traffic, you cannot do without web analytics. Yes, web analytics gives a complete idea about the customer traffic and their behavioral patterns. What else can promise you increased business conversions, than adopting your USP to the requirements of the client! Also, these analytics explain in a simple way about the results of the investments you have made in search engine marketing. Read on to know what adds to the importance of web analytics!

Shortcut to Maximize ROI

Your online business is a big success, but you have no clue where the chief source of your revenue is! Are you in such a situation? If yes, just turn your attention to web analytics. These analytics will help you find the sources that have the highest browse-to-buy ratios; also, you can identify which referral sources generate the maximum revenue and orders for your business. This detailed analysis report helps you find out which visitor groups have got the higher tendency to convert into members or customers.

Measure the Strength of Your Keywords

Your site carries an endless list of keywords and you want to analyze which keywords the potential visitors used to reach your site. Does that sound impossible to you? Wait till you find out how a web analytics report could help you with the same. This report gives a detail analysis about the traffic to your site and their path. Analyzing this data gives you a better insight about the keywords that are effective for your business. Also, you can remove the ‘inert’ keywords from your site based on this report.

Optimize Your Business Conversions

The user behavior and conversion rates show how you can further improve your business. In addition, you can identify where you went wrong and can alter the content and navigation of the site accordingly.

Identify Where People Are Exiting Your Site

This is one of the main characteristics of web analytics. This feature allows you to have an understanding about where users are exiting your site. Yes, this analysis helps you to discover what is costing your sales. If the report indicates that a majority of the visitors leave the site on a particular page, just pay close attention to the contents and features of the page and find out what went wrong.

Formulate a Better Business Plan

You can draft a better business plan and course of action with the aid of web analytics. The main advantage of sketching your business plans based on web analytics is that you are dealing with facts and not on assumptions.

Google Analytics: The Supreme Advisor

Having the support of a supreme advisor could fill you with an unlimited confidence level, isn’t it? A reliable source, Google Analytics provides you with a detailed statistics about the visitors to your site. If your search engine marketing requirement is handled by an SEO firm, you can make the most of this tool to analyze how efficient are they in putting your marketing goals in terms of the search engine language. Another advantage of using Google Analytics is that you can track all online campaigns, from emails to keywords, irrespective of the search engine or the referral source.

It is advised that you go for the assistance of a professional SEO firm for your web analytics requirements. Such firms could give you a better advice and suggestion regarding how you to go about with your search marketing campaign. Choosing firms that offer periodical web analytics report would be a better move.

Making the most of Pay Per Click Advertisements

September 15th, 2007 - Posted in Search Engine Marketing | No Comments

If you thought Pay Per Click (PPC) advertisement is the brainchild of the online media, you are wrong. The concept of PPC was introduced right in the offline days, however, in a different name. When it was launched the first time, experts christened the concept as Pay Per Order (PPO) or Pay Per Response (PPR). It goes without saying that this marketing strategy failed to create an impact in the audience. But the online media has a different story to tell. Pay Per Click management was an instant success! Read on to know what made is meant by pay per click management and what made it click!

Short-Cut to Instant Traffic

Pay Per Click campaigning is indeed the shortcut to build instant traffic to your website. Definition says that PPC is ‘a cost model allowing advertisers to pay for performance by only being charged when a targeted lead is brought to their site’. This approach promises guaranteed web traffic. For those who want immediate results, pay per click management is the answer.

Remember, there are many factors that contribute to the success of a PPC campaign, ignoring the importance of these factors won’t do any good in building your brand popularity. So buckle up and find out what are the essential ingredients to brew a perfect Pay Per Click campaign.

Find the Killer Keywords

Yes, to launch a successful pay per click campaign, you need keywords that click! Before getting started with your search, sit back and think about your marketing goals. Analyze where you are and where you want to be, who your customers are and how you want to approach them. Jot down all these and sketch a game plan. PPC advertising begins with the selection of keywords that you feel will bring potential visitors to your site. On choosing the targeted keywords you are required to bid on them to get a position with that particular PPC provider. The rank for the keyword will be determined based on the amount of your bid. These keywords will be listed as advertisement in related sites, allowing visitors to reach your site through these links. You will be charged for one click at the amount you have as your bid for that keyword.

You can also rely on tools from Google AdWords, Yahoo Search Marketing or MSN AdCenter to find out the targeted keywords in an easier way.

 

  • Yahoo’s Keyword Suggestion Tool

With this tool you can get the searched variations on a particular keyword for the previous month. This tool comes in handy in locating keyword phrases unique to your business.

  • MSN’s Keyword Research

MSN’s keyword research tool is similar to the Overture suggestion tool, but includes search queries for 2 months instead of just the previous month. With this tool you can find keywords that are horizontal in nature to your query.

  • Google’s Keywords Bid Tool

This tool goes to the next level by providing graphic representations of the volume of searches on each phrase apart from displaying the competition of that particular phrase in the next column. The keyword comparison chart of Google is of great use in finding the popular keywords with lesser competition.

 

Get Help from Pay Per Click Providers

Yes, you read it right! You can get assistance from Pay Per Click providers like Google and Yahoo to take your PPC campaign on the right track. Choose a provider based on their marketing credibility and the value added services they offer. On deciding upon the PPC provider provide them with details on your business and choose a keyword with their assistance. Now you have to bid for the selected keywords, you can choose the bid value based on your preferences. The main advantage of getting the assistance of a PPC provider is that they will track your ad campaign, calculate the total number of visitors clicked on your advertisement and deduct the amount from your account as per your bid.

Remember, getting involved with PPC campaign without proper budgeting and planning could burn your fingers. Whether you choose a PPC firm or providers like Google or Yahoo, make sure that you discuss about your requirements and budget in detail. Also, make sure that you carry on other free marketing efforts like SEO and directory submission along with the PPC campaign.

Search Engine Marketing: What makes it click?

September 15th, 2007 - Posted in Search Engine Marketing | No Comments

Search engine marketing has more to it than improving the page ranking of your site. It is all about brand building, brand positioning and big money! Yes, you cannot do without search engine marketing, if you want to create a mark of your own in the online media. Statistics reveal that nearly thousands of websites are added to the World Wide Web everyday, resulting in an increased competition. It is a must that you equip yourself before entering the online world; else chances are high that your pages be lost in the mystic knots of the web. Many factors contribute to the success of search engine marketing. Sticking on to a single strategy and aiming for rocking results won’t take you anywhere.

Why Search Engine Marketing is important

Are you still wondering why to approach potential customers through the online media? Well, turn your search to the statistics revealed by the representatives from Hitwise, Neilsen/NetRatings and others at the recent Search Engine Strategies conference held in London and you are sure to get amazed at the search habits of the people around the globe. These results reveal that around 81% of internet users prefer search engines for navigating the web and the search engines Yahoo!, Google and MSN are the most preferred ones. Aren’t these findings strong enough to echo the importance of search engine marketing for promoting your online business and services?

When it comes to search marketing, people often give high priority in adopting the standards set by Google. It is indeed the popularity of Google that resulted in this approach and the findings by Hitwise further strengthens the power of Google. However, as a rule of thumb, it is recommended that you take the search strategies set by the major search engines into consideration.

Findings of Forrester.com reveal that ‘search engine market will grow to $11.6 billion by 2010’ and this growth will be boosted by search’s targeted and pay for performance structure. This hints that this is the right time to launch a search marketing campaign. Yes, a small effort spent now could earn you big results in the future.

How Can I Improve Traffic Through Search Engine Marketing?

The web traffic is related to your website type and keywords you have used for the optimization. If you are aiming web traffic through the DIY SEO approach, you can rely on keyword tools like Wordtracker and Overture. These tools could be of great use in identifying targeted keywords unique to your business. Also, you can select the keyword phrases based on their popularity and competition. However, it is advised that you get expert advice before deciding upon the keywords. Getting the assistance of SEO firms and companies is an economical alternative to search engine marketing. Such firms offer packages that cover the entire search engine marketing requirements.

Is Hiring SEO Professionals Necessary?

Yes, it is. If you have a thorough knowledge on the nuances involved with search engine marketing, you can confidently go ahead with your personalized SEO campaign. But if you are new to search marketing and want to take your products and services to a global level, it is advised that you don’t opt for the DIY approach. At such instances, hiring an SEO professional is indeed the smart move.

SEO companies are doing this day in and day out and it won’t be a difficult task for them to understand your business and your target customer group. Also their industry exposure allows them to keep updated with the changes in the search engine algorithms. Such firms take different aspects of search engine optimization into consideration for promoting your products and services. When it comes to keyword research it is better that you leave it to the hands of the experts in the field. And no one can handle the web designing and usability than these professionals. Wondering what designing has got to do with search engine optimization? Well, if you want the spiders to effectively crawl your website, the design of the site should be search engine friendly. Remember, search engine marketing is not all about placing the keywords and optimizing the content, there are lots of other factors like link building, link popularity and PPC campaign that contribute to its success.