Search Engine Guide - The World Does Not Begin and End With SEO

February 10, 2010 - Navigation: Articles - Readers Respond - Video - Small Biz Talk More Ways to Stay Updated:   RSS    Twitter The World Does Not Begin and End With SEO by Jennifer Laycock -    Tweet This! Ever notice how when someone finds a solution to a problem they're having, it suddenly becomes the solution to everyone else's problem as well? People who love their chiropractor tell you how much seeing one would help your sore back/sinus problem/shin splints/etc. People who have lost and kept weight off with a specific diet suggest how well it will work for you. People who experience success trying a marketing tactic tell you what a difference it will make for your company if you do it too. 9 Proven Techniques to Double Your Sales "Hands down, "The Edge of Success" is the #1 resource every entrepreneur must have in their tool kit." - Thomas Ribar Learn how to "Master" every selling moment Easy ways to generate more leads Techniques for becoming a better sales person What customers really want from you How to capitalize on your existing customers (and still have them love you) Yes, I want to download this powerful book for FREE! SEO 101 - Part 4: Everything You Need to Know About Headings and Alt Attributes by Stoney deGeyter -    Tweet This! Heading tags and Alt attributes are certainly no magic solution to building keyword relevance into your site. But balanced against the rest of the page, using proper headings and alt text is going to benefit your visitors, if not the search engines. SEO 101 - Part 5: Everything You Need to Know Domain Names by Stoney deGeyter -    Tweet This! Whether you're a business, a blogger, or something in between, selecting your domain name can be a trying process. Those of you who have searched for the "perfect" domain name know what I mean. You go through dozens, if not hundreds of different options looking for just the right one. When looking for domain names for your business or blog, here are a few guidelines: SEO 101 - Part 6: Everything You Need to Know About Search Engine Friendly URLs & Broken Links by Stoney deGeyter -    Tweet This! Here are a few things you can do to give yourself search engine friendly URLs: SEO 101 - Part 7: Everything You Need to Know About Site Architecture and Internal Linking by Stoney deGeyter -    Tweet This! There are some common problems that often stand in the way of good SEO. These problems can greatly effect the performance of that content in terms of how well it ranks in the search results. GTmetrix - A New Tool For Google's Speed Factor by Robert Clough -    Tweet This! GTmetrix is a free tool that provides in depth information on the speed of pages on your site and what you can do to improve load time.... Are You Undervaluing Your Web Site? by Mike Moran -    Tweet This! When I see the same issue coming up for so many clients, it makes me think that something more is at work. My latest issue that seems to crop up with nearly every client is tracking offline sales back to Web activity. I mean, I know it isn't easy, but it's amazing how rarely I run into a client who feels able to take on the task, much less has a system in place already.... Poor Logic: Letting Your Competitors Hold You Back by Miriam Ellis -    Tweet This! Are you running with the pack or setting the pace in your race on the web? An anecdote about being too easily satisfied in a badly neglected industry.... Why Marketers Don't Need to Care About the iPad by Mike Moran -    Tweet This! It's hard to look up without reading about the iPad. I am sure that it is a wonderful device. And I know nothing about it that you can't read and see in all the usual places. But if you are wondering what you need to know about it for your business, the answer is probably "nothing." And that is a good thing.... Return to the Top of this Page Social Media Training and Education by Sage Lewis -    Tweet This! This is an interesting study that says the #2 reason people don't do social media is because they don't have the staff. This is a huge opportunity for many people. Watch this video to find out why.... Return to the Top of this Page In response to... The World Does Not Begin and End With SEO Excellent piece. My take on the "Visit Us" vs. the "Search For" question is simple - one sends you to my site where I'll have the first crack at introducing you to my product/service - the other has the potential to introduce you to my competitors and any bad reviews that have been indexed - immediately. Ummm... I choose Visit Us... Surewin In response to... The World Does Not Begin and End With SEO I agree that having people Google search your brand to find you on the web is a good approach to help battle the personalized search hurdles. At the same time you run the risk of driving people to a search query that may not guarantee they end up on your site. It could go both ways in my opinion. "The average American watching the Superbowl doesn't have the Google toolbar installed." This is exactly why Google is serving "personalized results" based off of your IP and previous search history. They are trying to gather any data they can that will help them rank relevant sites more effectively. All about personalized search...and of course common sense! Great to see you writing more! John M Weaver John M. Weaver My thoughts on Marketing. In response to... The World Does Not Begin and End With SEO "What I mean by that is you've made the consumer take an extra step to find your site and your product." This would be true if every "normal" web user used the address bar to visit every website of their choosing. I have lost count of the number of times I have seen perfectly sane, intellignet people type a full web address into the google search box and click the first result. There is a HUGE chunk of the internet using public that see search engines as THE doorways to the internet and never ever use the address bar. (Ask Yell.com how many referrals they get from Google with the search term "yell.com"!) An address bar is a hero or zero situation; either you get it right or you don't. This makes address bars a mirror to inadequate or lazy typing or spelling skills; address bars don't correct spelling as readily as search engines so it is too easy to visit a spam-riddle site or get a empty page by making a small typo in an address bar. People don't like using features that make them feel dumb or ignorant. In contrast search engines are clever and easy to use and they require minimal input from the user to find what they need. They correct spelling; they order content by some measured ranking system; they offer a wider breadth of content on the same subject (the list goes on). For the normal internet user search engines offer a far more frictionless means to reach internet content and so through repeated use become THE defacto means to find ANY internet content, including full urls. I don't think Rand is suggesting anything that is actually at odds to what constitutes normal search practice for many millions of web users around the world. There are certainly other reasons to disagree with the practice but not in my opinion with the argument that it creates friction to search and find. Toot Return to the Top of this Page Free SEO Tools Thinking of buying SEO software? Then try the best SEO tools free first! WoW Directory Powerful and affordable directory marketing services. Submit your website today! Return to the Top of this Page A list of popular small business forum conversations from the last week. GENERAL ISSUES How Was January 2010 For Your Business A Competitor Is Advertising In Front Of My Business Sales Reps & Repeat Commissions How To Deal With A Semi-Racist Boss LINK DEVELOPMENT Link Building Through Reciprocal Exchange 62 Steps To The Definitive Link Building Campaign Who Is Linking To Your 404 Pages PAY PER CLICK How Can I Reduce My Cost Per Click WEB DEVELOPMENT Some Help With My Contact Form Please OTHER MARKETING 2009 In Review, 2010 Marketing Trends Revealed PREVIOUS WEEK Small Business Forum Update For February 2, 2010 (If you like our search engine news, you'll love our small business news.) Return to the Top of this Page 9 Proven Techniques to Double Your Sales "Hands down, "The Edge of Success" is the #1 resource every entrepreneur must have in their tool kit." - Thomas Ribar Learn how to "Master" every selling moment Easy ways to generate more leads Techniques for becoming a better sales person What customers really want from you How to capitalize on your existing customers (and still have them love you) Yes, I want to download this powerful book for FREE! Newsletter Information Current and Archived News This newsletter may be freely redistributed by email in its unedited form. We encourage you to share it with others. © Copyright 2010 K. Clough, Inc. - Search Engine Guide - 17531 Hamilwood Dr. Houston TX 77095

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