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7 Ways To Improve Your Website SEO

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website seoSEO (or search engine optimization) is an affordable way to get your company website included in a highly visible way in search results – without advertising or paying for sponsored content. You will notice on Google and other search engines that there is “sponsored” search content at the very top and on the sides of your screen – usually shaded — and then the remainder of the search results below that are not sponsored and link back to businesses, blogs, articles and more.

These non-sponsored results are highly coveted as they offer a certain amount of credibility to the user (since they are not paid for) as well as the chance that people will click on your website link.

But how can you make sure your website is included in searches and rank high – even first? Here are seven ways to improve your website SEO efforts so that your site is fully optimized for search engines and ready for Page 1.

1.  Make sure the website is complete
Most websites these days average three or four pages (or more) and offer information about the company as well as FAQs (frequently asked questions) as well as contact information. The more complete your website is with content and photos/images about your business, the more likely you will show up in search engine results – as search engines tend to track websites that are dynamic and full of content.

2.  Focus on Keywords
The term ‘keyword’ is used often and most people think they understand the concept but in actuality it can be tricky. You need to decipher what the “keyword” is for your business and how people might search for it (also see next tip for keyword phrases). You may even want to soft-sound key words by some friends or colleagues to see what they think and try searching yourself to understand what words people are using to describe your line of business and then use the keywords in your website and/or blog copy. Keyword density also matters — if you are a “NYC SEO company” you better make sure you are using that term throughout your website.

3.  Focus on keyword phrases
In addition to ‘keywords,’ think about phrases that relate to your specialty. For instance, many people will type in more than one word when searching for a product or company online. If they are looking for an SEO company in New York City they may write, “best NYC SEO company” or “best New York City SEO company” rather than just “SEO company”.

4.  Update your content on a regular basis
The more your content is updated (new products, sales, promotions, information, and photos) the better chances your website has in being included in online searches. This will also keep your dynamic which in turn can lead to more people visiting your site more than once if they think there may be something new in the near future. As stated above – search engines usually include sites with activity and the more you engage with your site the better your chances for high ranking results in search engines.

5.  Descriptive page names
Use vivid page names that describes the content in detail and will encourage a user searching for that term to click on the page. If you are looking for an SEO company in New York City, a page title like “NYC SEO Company” will be more helpful than “SEO Company”.

6.  Join social networks and promote your website on these forums
Another way to promote your website is to join social networks and reference your website in your profiles, postings and tweets. Every time you or a user links back to your site from social networks and other forums – the better optimized your website is. Be authentic and only reference your website link when appropriate so it doesn’t look too “spammy.”

7.  Add a blog
The more content you have the better chance of your website showing up in search results – and putting up a blog (which you can add to your website) with liberal usage of keywords will help. A blog allows you more of an online presence and offers you another means to update your site and generate more users and readers.

How to Use the Right Keywords for PPC

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Keyword PlannerThe best way to get the most out of your pay-per-click advertising, besides smart bidding on PPC keywords, is choosing the right keywords for PPC.  You probably already know that your keywords should match the search terms your potential clients and customers would use to find your products or services online.

But the keywords you think your customers use and the keywords your customers actually use may be two very different things. You can use the Google Keyword Planner to find new keyword and ad group ideas, get performance estimates to find the bid and budget that are right for you, and then add them to your campaigns.

For example, if you are looking for an Italian restaurant, you might use terms like: Italian, Italian restaurant, Best Italian restaurant in New Jersey, Italian restaurant reviews, etc. By choosing a keyword like “Italian” you may get results from people looking for a salad dressing recipe to a Fellini movie, so consider carefully what keywords will deliver sales and leads for your business, not just traffic.

PPC newbies often make their keywords too short or too broad. This can result in lost opportunities or an expensive lesson in keyword selection. A PPC advertising company can help analyze competitor keywords and develop a campaign that will save you time and money.  Sometimes advertisers will go for more cost effective phrases that are called “longtail” keywords.  If you focus on “long tail keywords”, you can reduce your cost per click and have the potential to rank higher for common search phrases. Generally, a mix of both will be the most cost effective and successful option for a small or midsize business.

Why Content Marketing Matters

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Content MarketingToday, many of the traditional ways of marketing are ceding ground to content marketing.  Once upon  a time, companies poured millions of dollars into magazines, newspapers and broadcast advertising, but many of those methods are being reconsidered.  It is estimated that 30 seconds of airtime at the most recent Super Bowl cost $4 million.

For large brands, a captive audience of 100 million are worth the expense and the advertising hype before, during and after the Super Bowl is unmatched by any televised event imaginable, but what is a small or mid-size business to do?

Content marketing is a phrase coined by experts to describe the newer methods of breaking through the media with newer communication channels – blogs, social media, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and other forms of social promotion.  According to the Content Marketing Institute, “…content marketing is a technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire  and engage a clearly defined and understood audience with the objective if driving profitable customer action.”

Content marketing is not just about filling white space on a blog or a post on social media sites; it is about being smart, innovative and strategic in all stages of your selling cycle. For instance, Search Engine Watch advises that content could be a compelling infographic or video, as images can be more powerful sometimes than words.

Content marketing assumes two things:  that the content is relevant/useful and that it is focused on engaging a specific target demographic.  So instead of advertising in national print media – you might buy pay-per-click advertising on search engines that reaches the age, gender, geography of your desired audience.  The result is a campaign that can be more effective and affordable.  In addition, in order to reach your target, you might also choose platforms that are more directly related to your industry.  So while using Google AdWords can be an effective method of search engine marketing, you might also choose additional forums that are more industry-specific.

Content marketing also means that your “content” is thought provoking in order to engage your customers.  For instance, Sprout.com says that even large companies like Coca Cola and Volkswagen, with millions of dollars in their annual marketing budget, are choosing a promotional strategy that includes content marketing.

While blogging is a form of content marketing – it is essential to ensure your blog posts are optimized with the right keywords as well as contain relevant copy related to the issues in your industry.  A blog must also have timely copy so updating it once every quarter is hardly effective.  Updating a blog (at least) once a week can ensure that “crawlers” will be more inclined to use your copy in searches.

Here are some examples of content marketing:

  • PPC advertising – make sure your copy is optimized with keywords and phrases and directly related to your target demographic
  • SEO or search engine optimization – optimizing online content takes to include keywords and phrases so that any form of communication you put out there can show up in online searches.
  • Online chats and groups on social media sites such as Facebook or LinkedIn and other forums to share advice and answer questions so that you can be thought of as a subject matter expert.
  • A blog — in addition to your business website – with posts that are up-dated on a timely basis, are easy to understand, shorter rather than longer, and are optimized with keywords and relevant copy so that the blog shows up in online searches.

PPC Advertising Metrics You Need to Know

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PPC Advertising MetricsYou wouldn’t go into battle with one bullet in your chamber or go on a road trip with one gallon of gas.  So why would you launch an online PPC advertising campaign with only one ad?

The best way to find out if your online ad is going to spark interest and generate a good click-through rate is to test out a few different versions to see which ones tend to show up on search the most often and have a positive response.  This technique enables you to utilize different keywords and phrases.

To help you understand the many metrics available to demonstrate the success of a PPC ad, experts advise to look at several metrics and the following is the place to start:

  • Impressions – The number of times your ad was displayed in a search results page.
  • Clicks – The number of times someone clicked on your ads.
  • Click Through Rate (CTR) – The percentage of clicks divided by Impressions
  • Cost – The total cost for all clicks.
  • Average Cost per Click (CPC) – Total cost divided by the total number of clicks.
  • Average Position – How high in the results page is your ad showing. 1 is the highest.
  • Impression Share – The percentage of the total number of times your ad could have been shown vs the actual number of times it was shown.
  • Conversions – The number of times someone clicked on an ad and completed an action you defined as a conversion within a specific period of time.
  • Quality Score – Relevancy of your combined keyword, ad and landing page which affects your CPC. Quality scores vary but the higher the better.

Why Every Business Should Be Blog Marketing

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Blog MarketingWhile blogging has become a popular form of communication, many might wonder if it is still an important platform to build a brand — considering all the other forms of online communications out there from social media to mobile advertising.

While blogging may sound so 2004 – it is very much 2014.  Many people have used blogging to become thought leaders in their industry vertical and build a personal brand than can surpass corporate rivals with much higher marketing and PR budgets.  Blog marketing is one of the most cost effective brand management tools for business.

Here are three good reasons why every business should blog:

Thought Leadership

A blog is an open forum to become a thought leader in your space.  In addition, experts say “…You are building trust, too. The more you can show that you are well-versed in your field, the more likely your consumer will trust you to supply what they need.”

Search Engine Journal notes that many tech bloggers who started out with a few readers are now a legion in their field. Examples include Robert Scoble, Pete Cashmore and others who have turned their blog marketing into successful business enterprises.

That said, on your journey to becoming a thought leader, it is important that your blog content is not self-promotional.  You need to think of content that is provocative or helpful but a blog is not just an excuse to publicize your company.

Search Engine Journal says: “Technology thought leaders focused on publishing long-form, brilliant articles that put their talent and knowledge on display. Being an expert is not talking about yourself. Do that and your efforts will backfire on you.” 

Market Research

A blog is a great way to ascertain how your customers are feeling about the issues in your field.  Writing posts and inviting comment can offer you great insight into the customer mindset.  Whether your customers respond to you via social media or on the blog itself – this type of information is priceless.

Search Engine Optimization – SEO

Blog marketing is a strategic tool to get more out of search engines.  If you contribute regularly to your blog, it “incites more online crawling” and that is a great way to get mentioned in relevant online searches.  Being first or second or even in the top five of search engines is a good bet and way to promote your business – without being too obvious about it.  That said you need to make sure your blog is optimized with keyword phrases so that it does gets picked up

According to a recent survey, companies that blog get 97 percent more inbound links, 55 percent more website visitors and generate 88 percent more inbound leads and 434% more indexed pages than companies who do not blog.

Social Media Status Update – All You Need is Like

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social media status updateConnecting with friends and colleagues online is not just for kids and teens anymore – research shows that 73% of adults in 2013 use a social networking site, according to Pew Research.  It might not surprise anyone – but Pew Research found that that most adults use Facebook as their social network of choice.

Whether people are looking to connect with relatives, long lost high school friends, or professional networking – research shows that 71% of adults use Facebook above other sites.  This number of Facebook users is up from 67% in 2012.

Other social networks such as Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram are also popular but the number of adults using those sites are way below Facebook.  Pew Research found that 42% of adults use multiple social networking sites – such as Twitter.

Pew Research also researched the habits of adults who are actively logging in and participating in social networking.  The results indicated that adult Instagram users are nearly as likely as Facebook users to check in to the site on a daily basis, according to Pew Research.  The survey also reported that Facebook and Instagram exhibit especially high levels of user engagement – useful information for brands deciding what platforms to focus on.

Facebook still dominates as the most popular social network where people log in to discover what their friends are up to — multiple times a day.  Research indicated that 63% of Facebook users visit the site at least once a day, with 40% doing so multiple times throughout the day. Other social sites like Twitter and Instagram also generate multiple check-ins- but still the numbers are far behind Facebook.  For instance only 35% of adults log in to Instagram multiple times a day. Likewise, Twitter has seen 46% of adults logging in once a day but only 29% visiting a few times each day.

Pew Research found that overall adults are inclined to use two or more social networks – while only 36% use only one.  Facebook is the social network of choice for those using only one social networking site –86% use Facebook exclusively.

Is Facebook Better Than LinkedIn for Social Recruiting

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Online Job SearchResearch has found that most people are looking for jobs whether or not they are employed.  The interesting thing is that as times have changed, experts are finding that the classified ads are not the primary place people are perusing on their job searches. Research shows that social media, with Facebook being a somewhat surprising number one, is where people are looking for new careers.

While LinkedIn certainly plays a large role for both job seekers and recruiters and has become an important site to connect with colleagues and other professionals, Facebook is increasingly becoming the top location for finding new careers, according to the 2013 Jobvite Social Recruiting Survey.   In fact, the data results show that 76% of social job seekers have discovered their current position through Facebook.

Jobvite’s survey found employees in most work spots have a serious case of wander-lust.  According to Jobvite, “The data underscores that the U.S. workforce is transforming, and the long-term trend of constant job-hopping accelerates each year, with 51% of employed workers reporting they are either actively seeking or open to a new job.”

This attitude has increased the importance of social media sites where job seekers can peruse a number of companies and gauge not only available positions but ascertain the company culture.  The research found that the people looking online and in social networks tend to be younger, more highly educated and more likely to be employed full-time.

In addition, the more savvy job-seekers are learning to tone down or even delete social media profiles when hunting for a new career.  This fact is interesting as the Jobvite found that 93% of recruiters are likely to look at a candidate’s social profile and as many as 42% of recruiters have based some of their decisions on a candidate based on social profiles, according to Jobvite.

Additional results found that mobile is another platform for many job seekers that is gaining importance and relevance.

The growing influence of online recruiting also highlights the importance of online reputation management for job seekers and employers as the first impression for both will be set by Google rather than by appointment for an in-person interview.

I’m a Belieber – Reputation Management for Justin Bieber

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Justin Bieber - BelieveAt 19, Justin Bieber is one of the world’s most popular pop stars – with an estimated net-worth of $130 million, according to news reports.  Unfortunately, the baby-faced crooner’s reputation has taken a major hit based on a number of recent run-ins which will keep Bieber in and out of court and off the stage for the foreseeable future.

While he might be going for a “rebellious” bad boy image, fan sites and the blogosphere are throwing stones at the pop star.

But Bieber’s troubles have just begun and his behavior could have dire consequences as he is also facing possible deportation and awaiting a statement from the White House to determine his fate. You know things are bad when the leader of the Free World has a file on his desk with your name on it.

The singer, who was born in London, Ontario, currently resides mostly in Calabasas, California.

Timeline of Bieber’s latest legal troubles:

  • December 30, 2013  – Limo Driver Assault, Toronto
    The CBC reports that Bieber agreed to turn himself in to Toronto police based on charges that “…stem from an altercation between a limo driver and a passenger in the early morning hours of Monday, Dec. 30, after a group of six people was picked up outside a nightclub…” Police said one of the passengers hit the limo driver in the head several times during the altercation. The driver stopped and called police, but the passenger left the scene before police arrived. 
  • January 9, 2014 – Egging Incident, Calabasas, California
    Bieber is accused of egging his neighbor’s house in Calabasas, CA and causing several hundred dollars in damages.  According to the Inquisitor, the “…19-year-old’s neighbor alleges he and his 13-year-old daughter witnessed the Canadian pelting eggs at their home on January 9, allegedly causing $20,000 in damages because of pricey materials used in house features.”  Now the D.A. must determine if the alleged vandalism is a felony or misdemeanor as California vandalism law holds that $400 worth of damages can be a considered a felony.
  • January 23, 2014  – Drag Racing in Miami, Florida
    Bieber was arrested on January 23 for allegedly driving under the influence and drag racing down Miami neighborhoods at speeds up to 136 mph, according to the Daily Mail. 
  • January 31, 2014 – Flight Attendant Abuse/Smoking Marijuana on Flight to Super Bowl
    According to NBC News, Bieber and his dad, Jeremy Bieber, were “extremely abusive” to a flight attendant during a flight from Canada to New Jersey on January 31. In addition, the incident report stated that the duo and their entourage were smoking pot and “…The smoke emitting from marijuana was so intense that the pilots were forced to wear oxygen masks,” NBC news reports. The captain also stated that he warned the passengers, including Bieber, on several occasions to stop smoking marijuana,” the official report noted.  The Calgary Herald reported that “U.S. Federal Aviation Authority… are conducting an investigation …The FAA will then present its findings to legal counsel who will decide if Bieber should be prosecuted.”
  • February 10, 2014 – Michelle Obama’s Response to Univision Interview
    Responding to the recent bout of Bieber antics, E! Online reported that first lady, Michelle Obama, told Univision Radio host Enrique Santo, “I would pull him close,” said the First Lady.
  • February 10, 2014 – Deportation Petition
    E! Online reports that “A petition to deport the Canadian singer and revoke his green card has received more than 250,000 signatures since Jan. 23, requiring an official response from the Oval Office.” 

Despite his recent troubles, I’ve got to admit, I’m still a Belieber.  With legal woes mounting across several jurisdictions, now is a perfect time for reputation repair and an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Britney Spears and other icons who were able to resume a successful music career with  a combination of sobriety and smarter choices.

How Low Can You Go – The Fall of Facebook Organic Reach

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Ogilvy Organic-Reach-Chart

There was a time when Facebook brand pages were considered the greatest gift to online marketing since the smartphone.  Brands had access to nearly all of their thousands of socially engaged fans and Facebook organic reach was through the roof.  New fans could be acquired cheaply through favorable ad rates, targeted with precision and the returns were measurable and monumental.

Those days are over.

Back in 2012, the online marketing world was shaken up by algorithm restrictions that limited the reach of content published from Facebook brand pages to approximately 16%. In 2013, the reach of brand content on Facebook took another hit and the trend lines are moving further to zero, according to a recent study by Social@Ogilvy.

Social@Ogilvy conducted a study of 106 brand pages and found that the average reach of organic content declined from 12.05% in October to 6.15% in February.  For 23 Facebook brand pages with more than 500,000 likes, posts experienced a drop from 4.04% in October to 2.11% in February.

Will brands on Facebook soon have to pay to reach anyone on Facebook? All signs point to yes.

Social Media Recruiting Survey Shows Social Matters

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social media recruitingIn a newly competitive environment for attracting top talent, HR departments and recruiters need to go through many online and offline channels to find viable candidates. Over the past few years, employers have found that a social media recruiting strategy is not just a “nice to have” but a need to have. Today, job seekers are looking for positions via websites such as Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com as well as placing their resumes and profiles on social media sites such as LinkedIn in hopes of being able to get noticed by top employers.

Likewise, job seekers are not just looking at job postings that appear on social media and job sites – but also perusing the Twitter, Facebook and websites of the companies that interest them. A recent survey from Jobvite found that a business which has a dynamic social media profile has a better chance of recruiting top candidates.

Jobvite also reported that NOT being having a social media presence can be very detrimental to finding the right employees. In fact, the research iterated that 94% of HR professionals are using social media such as LinkedIn and Facebook to find viable employees. In addition, the report discovered that there is considerable ROI for companies that look for candidates online as “…60% of recruiters estimating the value of their social media hires as greater than $20,000 per year, and 20% estimating the value as greater than $90,000 per year.”

The report also noted that most recruiters using social media found that it “…improved both the quantity and quality of candidates.” This may be due to the fact that social media allows recruiters to get to know candidates better. “With 9 out of 10 surveyed companies using social media in their recruiting strategy, candidates and companies are now in direct communication, all the time,” reports the Jobvite survey.

This social media interaction allows recruiters to gauge the personality, interests and accomplishments of job seekers.

Over the past decade as social media sites have become a common method of contact in both the personal and professional realm, social networks and corporate career sites have significantly risen in importance for recruiters. Here are some of the key finding from the Jobvite research:

  • 73% of recruiters will increase their investment in social networks in 2013
  • 43% of employees from referrals and company career pages stay longer than 3 years, while only 14% of job board hires stay longer than three years
  • 65% of recruiters surveyed use Facebook and 47% of recruiters use Twitter to post about company culture – Facebook and Twitter are the main channels that recruiters use to showcase employer brand

 

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