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DIY Search Engine Optimization Lecture

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DIY Search Engine optimization Lecture

Transcript from a recent DIY Search Engine Optimization lecture by Professor Optimizer.
The presenter had just arrived from his SEO laboratory…  The first question got the clearly mad scientist Rolling!

Audience participant: Professor, can you define SEO in a simply way we all can understand?
Professor: Well sir,  there are really 3 main ingredients in SEO  ( Holding up 4 fingers )
As I have outlined on the board….  the first being
1.)  Relativity.

The more relatives who 1+ plus your site, the higher your site will rank. (Slaps knee)

No…no…  Here’s the theory….

Your web sites ranking will in fact rank in different ways depending on the input of user’s of a search engine….

If , for instance your site is about dog food, (Starting to scribble on the board)  and the user enters dog food, and your site says Dog Food and it’s url is dog food and it’s title is dog food, and its description is dog food and your copy has dog food in it , and your navigation pages have Dog Food in them, and your you tube account has dog food video’s and your pictures (know as graphics) are tagged dog food, and other sites “related ” to Dog food, link back to your site, and your are a well published writer with many blog’s about … Dog food,  and your Face book business page says “dog food: and your twitter bio and tweets say dog food, and all of your social media profiles say DOG FOOD… and your official business name with the your secretary of states office is  Dog Food Inc, and your BBB page …  talks about dog food.

Well…  Sir, what do you think Google and Bing will think your site is about?

Audience participant…  ummm   Dog food?

Professor, YES, YES!  Dog food.

Participant. So, when a person doing a search enters Dog Food, your site will come up first.. Right?

Professor…  Maybe, maybe not.  Comme ceci, comme cela

it’s still relative… you see.  But your probability of coming up number 1 2 or 3 (*Holding up 4 fingers) is far greater, than if your site was about dog food, but 50% of the signals I mentioned above say… K-9 Nutrition.

Participant…  So I should not use k-9 nutrition in any of those many signals you spoke about?

Professor…. Maybe,  Comme ceci, comme cela
In fact,  you may want to use k-9 nutrient as it may be the course of least Resistance for your searchers to find you!   Which is Point number three…, but first here is point two.

E  equals mc2 or

“Does the inertia of a body depend upon its energy-content?

Well Sir?  Does it?

Participant: umm

Professor: Yes!

Your site is a big blob of digital mass.  Unless something acts upon it, it will stay where it is.  Just like you Sir, your site only moves when energy of some sort is activated.

Got it?????

Participant: Ummm.. So…what “energy” will we need to move my site up???

Professor:  Exactly!

Participant:  Exactly what?

Professor:  In the world of SEO you need to have a special “view” of the Internet as a large interwoven universe of it’s own all connected through “strings” of energy.  Or what you call “Links”.  Every web page is it’s own existence, or world if you like, and it has it’s own amount of energy on that world. Every link it has on it to your site, or to other site or page, transfers a part of that pages energy to the new page.  So, the more links going to your page, the more energy transferred and the more acceleration your page will have in an upward ranking direction.

If no energy acts to move your page, it will stay where it is. If enough energy is transferred, it will move, and a page in motion has a tendency to stay in motion… right?

Once your little page is moving, the search engines know what “worlds” to rate it highly in by all of the relative things we discussed in the beginning!

To be continued……

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Google Places Reviews and Rankings

There is far more to Local SEO in for Google places than just the ranking of your web site. The reality is, even if your site is in the first or second position for three of four keywords, you will still end up in the 3rd or 4th position for other relevant keywords.

 

Take our Friends At Vivax Pro Painting. Their site is ranked in the first or second position for just about every search you can imagine related to house painting ______ < add a city around Denver. But for a few searches they fall to 4th or so.

They still will get a high percentage of the clicks for one reason They have 6 reviews  and therefore have the “Stars”  on the SER places listing. This will draw people to click. If they had 2 reviews, or none, they wouldn’t stand out, and would lose about 75% of the possible clicks to their site because they are in the 4th position. The first three listings will get about 85% of clicks in a all things being equal situation. But by providing the searches with something that clearly makes your listing stand out, you can pick up a larger share of clicks, and therefore customers.

LOCAL SEO’s who focus only on rankings are not doing the best job they can… and their clients may be losing out on revenue.

That’s way we provide a turn key system to clients to get their customers to go to and review their services on Google and other important sites. It’s not SEO, it’s PR  and conversion tactics.

 

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Social Media Company in Denver

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Social Media, Sales and SEO Go Together.

My One Call in partnership with www.metasocialweb.com is now making your Social Media easy.
It’s all about getting new customers! Let our staff do your social media, for only $ 199.00 a month*.  Add SEO at an incredible price of $279.00* a month for both.

We run your twitter campaigns

With our partner www.Meta Social Web.com we make Twitter easy and your company will be promoted by a large community of local businesses.

Multiply weekly tweets and interactions.  Good for promoting and good for your web site ranking too! It’s your account, so jump in as much or as little as you like.  No fake followers, just real local businesses and people who want to support your business.

 

We run your Face Book campaigns
We Post interesting information about your company and your community.  Growing your Face Book like’s will increase your branding and help with your web site rankings. And with our service your new likes will come from the local area, and be actual prospects for your service. We take care of the basics, so you can take care of your business, and participate as much you like. 

Search Engine Optimization to get More traffic (prospects) to your web Site.

We have been successfully getting client sites ranked highly in local searched for 5 years.  Adding our back linking services to your program can have great results and bring more prospects to your site. Today, SEO, Social Media, and Sales all work together. That’s why Internet Marketing is exploding.

Adding links every month from high quality sites is the key to increasing your rankings! We are researching and finding new sites every week where we can add your company information to increase traffic to your site. Adding your company to www.MetaSocialWeb.com will also give you valuable links and opportunities to promote your business with Twitter, Face book, Google Plus  and all the major players

Call us today at 303 500 3053 ext 1 to get more information, or contact us here

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White Hat SEO in Denver

As a company that works on web popularity and marketing programs for businesses in Denver a lot, part of that is seeing what tactics  other SEO companies use to get rankings for their clients.

SEO in Denver is a relatively small field, so if you are around long enough you have the opportunity to see the process and work of many of the leading companies.

One tactic that is used often by several is the production of additional web sites in addition to the primary web site of a client. As an example, of you business is a handyman service, an seo might suggest the normal process of working with your main site, and then add 4 additional sites with the words handyman _____

and add a city name to the city term.

Lot’s of good SEO thought process here, and some might call it black hat or at least gray.  AS a comparison other SEO’s use blogs they clearly produced and optimized that frankly have little or no value besides the SEO value.

We think the multiple web site tactic is white hat.  Why wouldn’t you want your business as visible as possible?  If the Internet was a Interstate highway, your web site is a billboard. Of course you would want as many billboards as you could put up.

BUT,  Using the same content on different sites is a no no. This is where marketing and SEO have to work together.  In a Marketing sense, if you are being seen by a different audience than your main site duplicate content wouldn’t matter. (It’s like running an advertisement in two different magazines).  Google however hates duplicate content and has no ability to discern logically if the content is intended and delivered to different audiences.

Just another example of how small business owners can get into ranking trouble, even when their intent is honest.

See more about our search engine optimization

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Googles new Billion Dollar Opportunity

Google Appliance as shown at RSA Expo 2008 in ...
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Recently Google ran an advertisement for a sales manager and sales team in Seattle. In it they talk about their new billion dollar opportunity, selling services to the small and medium business community.  Having run a national sales force doing exactly that, with over 600 outside sales reps, I think they may find it more difficult than they think…  I have a better idea, and I am pretty sure Google would find this a much better and faster way to generate the next billion they need.

Ready? Here it is

Provide Customer Service, and charge a small fee to do so. It fits into their model, (don’t be evil).  I assume, that the reason they don’t do it now is multifarious, but one is basic. Costs to much money to service the peasant companies of the world. This being businesses that spend less that $600,000.  a year in advertising. That was the bench mark last time I looked, could have changed.

Google has no idea the time and energy small and medium businesses put into trying to figure out simple things like, how to get a business location listed in Places.  Or, how to set up and manage an ad words account.

In the SEO community one of the greatest frustrations for Local SEO’s (you see this in the forums all the time) is Google places. Listings pending, listings that are wrong. Right now one of my own company listing on Google places  is showing testimonials from a major competitor.  Sent a help request months ago.  Will do so again.

So, Google…  a $1.00 a  minute?  $20.00  per help ticket request?  Name your price!  We know what you are, now we just are negotiating the price 😉

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How to hire a sales person

DEDHAM, MA - SEPTEMBER 30: AT&T Area Retail Sa...

So…you’re ready to hire a sales person in Denver, or any where in the universe?  Would you allow me to give you a few tips?

I have hired hundreds of outside sales people as well as business development managers for a wide range of industries including, Telecommunications, Internet, I.T., Semi truck repair, Commercial linen services, and Hospitality.  The combined revenue generated by those sales professional would probably be in the 275 million dollar range over the last 15 years.

Here is the number one factor in sales success. Ready?  (drum Roll)

Making your service or product irresistible to buy (or as close as you can).  Read the blog to about this by clicking on the sales tips link that follows and then we can move to the actually hiring tips. Sales tips I know, that’s not what you’re looking for.  But, I rarely give the answer one might be looking for when it relates to sales and business in generally. I don’t know all that much, but I do know if you listen to the masses, you will be one of them.

I am going to assume you read the blog I linked to, written by an amazing sales manager and guru, and a pretty handsome guy (Me). Stop chuckling, and lets get to the reality of hire a sales rep.

Number 2 on the list of having a successful sales program (yes I change the title now and then).  Having a great sales manager who is going to manage the sale person(s). You were expecting training or role play?  Nope,  hire a great sales manager and make your product irresistible,  much more effective  than training and role play.

I have talk to many business owners  who’s sales program failed when they tried to manage the sales team directly.The reason was they have no sales experience. Most sales professionals need,  and I don’t use that word with out reason, so I will repeat it, NEED  an experienced leader. Sales is very different than most the other skills sets you will find in your company, and takes a completely style of leadership.

The challenge for the vast majority of small businesses is they can not afford a sales manager, and a sales person. Many don’t have the budget for a full time sales professional. I think the first step in overcoming this is to work on step one, making your service or product irresistible. If you can move your product from “just another________ <-  add your service in the blank, to a business that offers unique and very compelling features and benefits, you have made a big move up the sales ladder. You can then start using inbound marketing tactics to  find new revenue. The great thing about people calling you about using your service is you don’t have to be a sales pro to sell to them.

How do you make your service unique and compelling?  We can go into much greater detail, and have, on another blog, but the very basics are:

Understand what your prospects want.  Do not try to sell anyone what they need. People rarely buy the lowest priced car, yet what they need is transportation. Get it?  People and companies buy what they want, not need.  So make a list of what your best prospects want.  Start with area’s out side of the normal list, like price, and service.  Drill down.  What does service include? Here are areas that you can make unique.

Communication. How will you communicate with your clients.

Schedules: How will you document the delivery of your service.

Return on Investment: How will you track the R.O.I. of your service or product for the customer

Lifetime value: How will you continue to give value to your customer after the first project is completed?And you can add many many more.

The next area to look at is what do your prospects fear when buying your service? Fear is what stops more sales than any thing else. Ask your current clients what they feared when making their decision on buying from you,  and then,  make guarantees, or develop clear systems, that insure those fears will not become reality.  Dig deep here, you may be surprised at the answers  you get.

Once you have accomplished the above, you will sell more, and can then afford to hire a sales person who will be far more successful than they would have been with out the work and changes you have made.

I will follow up with more on this in future posts. As you may imagine, our company does have a solution for you if you are thinking about starting a sales program. Look at our business development program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Google Citation and Links DEnver

Interesting Changes in Citations and Links this year.

Last year, as a matter of practice , when we did on line visibility programs for clients we added directory links to many of the major on line directories, yellow pages, and other local web sites.  We would then track the traffic from each (as part of the analytics) and quality scoring. Part of that was watching the back links report to see when the listing, citation or link was “indexed”.

We do much more than just this process during on line visibility programs, so we have a very rounded profile to drive traffic to a clients site.

The interesting thing is,  most of the local directory and y.p sites are no longer showing up as links, or as indexed, and the traffic to a clients site from these sources is way down

 

Here is an example.  Hot Frog has traditional been a good citation site and gets a lot of traffic.  But sine January, we have not seen a clients listing appear as a link to there site, and traffic is almost non existent.

This listing has been live for almost three months. No sign of it any where on Google Web Master, SEOmoz reports and any other reports we use.

I could add 10 more examples here.  But the point being, has the search world stopped recognizing this directory listings?  And if so how valuable are they to driving traffic to a site.

Let me know what you have seen.

 

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SEO, Social Media, and P.R. in Denver

Starbucks on Briggate
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A company’s Social Media program is in intent, very similar to the reasons they  may employe search engine optimization programs. Both bring visibility to their web site, and web properties. Both are promotional devices.

Good SEO and Social media is nothing more than great P.R.  So to really understand either, a business needs to understand P.R. first.

I am not a P.R. expert.  What I do understand about it, is it’s all about making your business stand out, and attractive to your target market, and therefore you have to start with the well thought out process of knowing who your target market is, and what they want.

Notice the word want, not need in the above sentence. The number one mistake you can make is talking about what your prospects need. Frankly, a lot of what you think your prospects need, is really boring. Do you see Chevrolet promoting the most basic form of automobile transportation possible?  Nope, they promote the flash people want.  You should do the same.

So, your first two tasks in Social Media and SEO  need to be:

  • Who are my people?
  • Want do they want?

If you are a bagel shop (I use this because I once owned three of them) you can promote what your prospects need,  that being breakfast. ” Come get breakfast at Mike’s Bagel and coffee”

Or what they want.

“Come enjoy a freshly baked all natural bagel of your choice, served hot in 3 minutes or less. for less than $1.00”

Now you want to promote your coffee and espresso sales. Add this banner in your store.

“Turn in any used Star Bucks coffee cup, and get a free espresso”

And then, there is the simple premise that different gets noticed, and noticed is what you want to be.

Different: ” Our employees wear Pajamas on Tuesdays because…Tuesdays are PJ mornings at Mike’s Bagels.  Wear your pajamas and your bagel and Coffee is free!

How does this have any thing to do with Social Media?  Well, you just found what you can be promoting on your face book, Web Site and twitter properties.

Your people are the people that drive past your shop every morning and stop somewhere for coffee or breakfast.  The same cars going through the Starbucks or McDonald drive thru, could be in your store. Target your promotions to the zip codes that use the streets that go close to your Bagel Shop.  Send a coupon or welcome postcard to the zip codes that are clearly moving past your store on the way to work/school/ where ever, each morning. Don’t send to zips or area’s past your store in the main direction of traffic (Unless you are promoting Dinner).  On the postcard or letter, have your Face Book address,  and they can get their free stuff and see your current cool promotions there.

How does all this tie into SEO?  Simple, the more social followers you have, and tweats about your site, the more your sites rankings will improve.  Not only that, but if your Pajama Tuesdays takes off, people will start searching for Pajama Tuesdays and your site (which mentions it of course) will come up very highly for the term.

So I have just defined the basics of my social media strategy for Mike’s Bagels.   Start with the P.R.  and the rest will follow.

We would love to hear what great “Promotional” idea’s you have seen on social media for local businesses.


 

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Is Google the Universal Mind?

The first iteration of Google production serve...
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So if all things material (even the digital empire) are reflections of the true and one intelligence, and our development of these material manifestations of spiritual truths continue to advance as our collective understanding advances, then could it be that Google is in fact… the material manifestation of the universe mind? The keeper and communicator of all knowledge?

Or is all that technology, just something they use to promote ad words.


 

Yes, these are the thoughts that dance through my little mind from time to time.

 

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Free SEO Services for Denver Nonprofits

We made a decision Friday to offer free Search Engine Optimization services to qualified nonprofits in Denver.  For a nonprofit or charity to qualify please call us for details. The only limitation is the number we can support monthly

This is just one  way we feel we can do our part, and give something back to the community we have been a part of for 11 years as a business and the community we grew up in. Hopefully this will allow some nonprofits to gain better Internet visibility and further their unique programs.

Charities and nonprofits can receive all of the normal SEO services including:

  • Local Directory set up and optimization
  • Site assessment and recommendations
  • Off site optimization and promotion.

If you are aware of any nonprofits that could use a helping hand in this area please refer them to us via our main number or web site.

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