What is SEO (Search Engine Optimization)?

In a nutshell, SEO is "All of the techniques used to get your site noticed and indexed on all of the major search engines such as Google, Yahoo, MSN".

Why is SEO so important?

The number one way in which people find websites is through search engines, so achieving a high ranking in your keywords (typically the first page or 1-10 in the engine) is the best way to drive traffic to your site. With a quality ranking, the investment is invaluable, it is much like "free" advertising 24/7/365.

How can you become SEO friendly?

Although the methods of SEO is virtually endless, here are some of the most important factors of getting that top-spot.

• Domain age - Search engines love a seasoned site, one that has been around for several years and proves to be beneficial for the users.
• Relevant, clean, new content - You need to make sure your site has fresh content and is updated regularly. The search engines like this and so do your visitors.
• No Flash - Flash is a great multimedia tool but is typically frowned upon for SEO, the text and content within the Flash piece cannot be seen by search engines, thus it cannot be implemented into your SEO progress. A major downer is having a flash intro, a flash intro page acts as a barrier between the main page and the rest of the content that lies within your site.
• Meta tags - Meta tags are invisible tags that are used by search engines to categorize your content.
• Heading tags - Heading tags (h1) should be used on the headline or most important and relevant factor of your page heading tags should also be used on the keywords which you think users will be searching for that will lead to your site.
• Site maps - Site maps is a link by link breakdown of your site. They help search engine "spiders" navigate through your site and index each individual page.

What not to do for SEO

• Keyword Stuffing - Keyword stuffing is jam packing your content with your main keywords to the point that your content no longer makes sense.
• Invisible content - Invisible content that is not intended for users to see but used to fill your page with keywords will quickly put you on a search engine's bad side.
• Too many h1 tags
• Link farms - Link farms are basically individual pages with numerous links to other sites.

Over doing any of the what not to do can result in your site being "sandboxed" which will exclude your site from the search engine altogether. Being "sandboxed" may last forever, years or months.

How long will a good ranking take?

SEO is a very time-dependent practice. Even if you practice good SEO techniques, don't expect results for up to 6 months or even more. Be patient and the investment will pay off greatly.

Your investment will pay off

Although the exact ROI of your SEO services is virtually incalculable due to its lengthy timeframe, experts agree that SEO is the most cost-effective marketing strategy if done correctly. To get quality results without any personal time dedicated into your SEO operations, consider hiring a qualified SEO firm such as Revived Media to handle the task.

Labels: Search engine optimization, SEO

Posted by Phil Antonson at 2:06 PM | Permalink | Comments

Before you even establish your business, you need to establish your identity! It is so simple yet so many businesses fail to do so. So what is the importance of establishing your identity? In comparison, it is much like preparing for a sprint when you are running a marathon, you will run out of steam quickly, loose your focus and objectives and in the end you will sputter and die.

Before you begin establishing your identity, here are some steps to start strong;

• Grasp your market, get a clear idea of what your business will do, who it will help and who your customers will be.
• Write a business plan, even if you are not seeking capital, a business plan is essential to explaining key functions of your business. Lay the foundation and make sure it is solid before you begin scaling your company.
• Incorporate your business and consider the different advantages and disadvantages of each entity.

Getting your identity established;

1. Brainstorm your business name and tagline: Name is very important to your business and drives your marketing campaigns. You want your name to be apparent to your industry, but create excitement and buzz when heard. You also need to avoid extended names, stick with a word or two.
2. Create and analyze your competitive advantage: What makes you special? Why should people go to you instead of your competitors? If you don't have a clear advantage, don't even start to go in business. Some simple things to consider to give you the upper-hand is, convenience, price and customer service.
3. Create your logo: Every successful business needs a logo, a logo helps Improve your customers' perception of your service, enhances your business image, draws attention to your business, leaves a lasting visual impression, reflects your businesses "feel", creates an effective marketing tool and gives your business a sense of professionalism and authenticity.
4. Order business cards: In business, networking is everything and one of the most effective forms of leaving a long lasting impression is a quality business card. A business card initiates a level of professionalism, it shows that you're here to stay and available whenever people need your services. Business cards can also quickly display the service or products you offer.
5. Order business stationary: Like the business cards, stationary furthers your professional appeal.
   
6. Establish an online presence: Websites are the most beneficial marketing tool today, a website instantly opens your service and product to the millions of people that use the internet. A quality firm can greatly help by creating a quality website that will display quality content, promote ease of usability, positively reflect your business image, and generate high conversion rates to the number of visitors. Websites are no longer luxuries, but necessary to create a quality business and quality business identity.
   

When you create your identity, you are likely to change it as your business does. When you start investing in marketing your business, your efforts will greatly pay off and you will quickly reap the benefits of your business identity.

Labels: business identity

Posted by Phil Antonson at 3:53 PM | Permalink | Comments