Is SEO The Be-All End-All Of Online Marketing?

8/30/2011

Talk to some online marketers and SEO is everything. Talk to others and they know nothing about it. My philosophy is somewhere in the middle.

I think SEO is important. It isn't everything, but it is important.

Let's look at domain names, for instance. Many successful online companies have built solid brands without keyword-based domain names. Google, Yahoo!, Amazon, Bing, eBay, Facebook ... just to name a few. Have you noticed that all of these companies are in the top 10 most trafficked websites online? Facebook is No. 1 and Google is No. 2.

That's not to say that these websites aren't SEOd. They have certainly considered SEO in their overall marketing plan online, but they don't put SEO as the point to emphasize against all other points. There is something to be said for branding as well.

When you build your online presence, think about SEO, but don't think about just SEO. Think about your overall marketing goals and how SEO can fit into that.

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E-mail, Blogs, Or Social Media?

8/27/2011

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Here in Adams County, there are still small business owners who think that Internet marketing doesn't apply to them. But there are a growing number of small business owners who are taking an interest in online marketing. And they're starting to ask questions.

Which is more important - blogs, e-mail marketing, or social media?

That's a good question, but the answer isn't so simple. All three have their places and to what degree you engage through each channel depends on your own marketing goals, the type of business you own, and where your audience is. In many cases, a good mix of all three is the best approach.

E-mail marketing is a mainstay of online marketing. It was an early channel and is still strong. I highly recommend an e-mail strategy for most businesses - especially retail businesses.

Blogs are good marketing tools for a number of reasons. First, the search engine optimization benefits are incredible. Secondly, there are the huge branding opportunities available for serious business bloggers. Then there are the social benefits involved in having a blog that is highly trafficked and elicits a lot of direct reader feedback.

Finally, social media is good for building relationships and driving traffic back to your own Web properties.

Which of these tools is right for you? Maybe we should talk about it. Give me a call and I'll consult with you on a strategy that makes sense for your business.

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Print Design Is Still Good Marketing

8/25/2011

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For all that we hear about online marketing - and I agree that it is becoming more and more essential every day - there is still a place for traditional marketing and high class print design.

Print design - what is it?

If you've ever used or have seen brochures, flyers, business cards, billboards, newsprint ads, etc., then you've seen print design in action. Someone had to design those marketing materials. Logos, which you use for your print marketing collateral as well as your online marketing materials, are usually created by a graphic design expert. Most graphic designers built their skills on print design projects and then later applied them to online marketing strategies.

The best marketing today is an effective integrated strategy involving online marketing tactics alongside print design and traditional marketing methods. That includes, but is not limited to, having a website, a set of business cards, brochures, letterhead and envelopes, online display ads and pay-per-click advertising, a newsletter (maybe a print edition as well as an e-mail edition), and more. When you incorporate print design into your overall marketing strategy, you are saying to the world, "I still operate in the real world; I'm as brick and mortar as you are."

When planning your next marketing strategy, don't leave out print design.

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5 Practical Web Design Tips

8/23/2011

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Website design is both an art and a science. There is something about a unique website design that keeps visitors returning and customers buying. No matter what type of business you are in, here are 5 practical web design tips that can help you as you build your first business site online.

Don't make your header too big (or too small) - Your header is the first thing people will see on your website when they visit it. If it takes up the entire window on their Web browser, they may not go any further. Leave some room for a catchy headline. By the same token, you do want them to see your header and logo so don't make them too small.
Think about SEO before you start - Search engine optimization is the art and science of designing websites and writing content that gets your web pages to rank well in the search engines. You should think about SEO before you start designing your website - not after.
Make sure your site is easy to navigate - Use a website structure that makes sense for your website and make it easy for your visitors to navigate through.
Make your graphics support the content - Content sells. Graphics enhance. Keep in mind that your content is the main feature and your graphics serve to support the content. Get it backward and you'll just have a pretty website that won't sell.
Keep your website updated often - The more often you update your website, the higher your chances of seeing your website rank for your important words. Every time you update your website, the search engines come back and crawl it. A static website can sit for years with no search engine attention.

Follow these 5 simple and practical tips the next time you design a website and you will improve your prospects for higher rankings, more visitors, and better results.

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Why E-mail Marketing Is More Effective

8/20/2011

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What's the most effective kind of marketing today? You can bet it's not the Yellow Pages. How about billboards? Newspaper ads? Television? Radio? The answer No, nope, nada, and nil.

The most effective marketing for a small business today is e-mail marketing. And there are several reasons why e-mail marketing takes the prize.

First, e-mail is inexpensive. Twenty years ago, effective marketers swore by direct mail. Now, the best direct mail marketers are using e-mail. It's less expensive than snail mail and more effective. You can send out an e-mail blast to 10,000 recipients for about the same price that you can send one out to 1,000 recipients.
You have permission. Unlike snail mail, you need some kind of permission to send out e-mail communications to people. Once you get permission, they expect to receive e-mail from you.
Higher response rates. Some e-mail marketers report a 50% response rate, or more. That's not to say that they sell to 50% of the people who receive their e-mails. What it means is they can sell to 50% of the people who respond to a link within their e-mails. If you send out 1,000 e-mails, get a 10% click-through rate, and sell to 50 people, would you do it?
Everyone has an e-mail address. Almost. More than 90% of the people today have e-mail. In 10 years, that number will be almost 100%.

E-mail marketing is the most cost-effective marketing on the planet. Find out why you should have an e-mail newsletter.

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Is SEO The Be-All End-All Of Online Marketing?

E-mail, Blogs, Or Social Media?

Print Design Is Still Good Marketing

5 Practical Web Design Tips

Why E-mail Marketing Is More Effective

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