Kind of a mixed bag in my round up this week though the articles are loosely tied to creating great content. If you are worried about “giving too much away” then give “Claim Your Oscar” a read. (BTW, I honestly believe that in our current marketing climate you can never give too much away.) If you are a looking for a fresh idea to create more content, then check out “Using a Social FAQ….” It is an interesting case study. Answering FAQs (in any format) is an excellent source for content.
Posts Tagged ‘online marketing’
02
Mar
2011
Posted by Jasmine
Backlink Builders Beware
This week’s roundup is a two-for-one on the wrong way to get backlinks. What is a backlink? For those who don’t know, backlinks are the most effective way to boost your search rankings. It is not something we cover much in this blog mainly because it also takes the most skill of any SEO activity. Most of the SEO tactics we cover involve on-site SEO (in laymans terms the stuff that you put on or do to your site). Why on-site? Well, it is a lot easier to make changes to your own site than to request links and post quality content to other people’s websites. And that is the basic definition of backlinks or link building. (Check out Wikipedia for a more in-depth definition of a backlink.)
We will save the in-depth for another day. Instead, today’s article is meant as a cautionary tale of what not to do. In the past weeks, several large companies have been busted by Google for black hat (no nos in other words) link building practices. What did they do wrong? Paying for links on irrelevant sites and offering discounts for links. Check out the two articles for more.
Photo credit goes to Michael Hayslip Photography. Thank you!
03
Feb
2011
Posted by Jasmine
Blogging for Website Traffic: The Art of Blogging
If you followed along with our previous post, then you have researched and found some awesome keywords for your website. (If not, feel free to skip back and read Part 1: Intro and Part 2: Keywords.) Now it is time to get to the real meat of the matter, the blog post. There is no secret to writing a great post but there are few guidelines to follow:
02
Feb
2011
Posted by Jasmine
Blogging for Website Traffic: Keywords are KEY to Success
The secret to success in blogging for website traffic is keywords. A well-optimized site uses carefully selected words to draw visitors into it. The real trick is selecting the right keywords. (For an introduction to Blogging for Website Traffic read Part 1.)
So how do you find the right keywords? First you have to understand that there are two main factors in keyword selection popularity and competitiveness. Knowing how popular and how competitive a keyword is will help you to choose words that people are searching for (as opposed to what you think they are searching for) and words that your competitors may are not using guaranteeing you the top spot.
01
Feb
2011
Posted by Jasmine
Grow Your Business By Blogging for Website Traffic
I have talked a little bit about blogging as an addition to your marketing toolbox before but never in depth. Here it is—I have finally put together a comprehensive series on the subject. A big part of the work that we work that 910 West does with clients is to help them get more traffic on their website. One of the fastest and easiest ways to do that is (that’s right you guessed it) BLOGGING!
Don’t just take our word for it. Here are a few stats that I picked up from a recent webinar on blogging:
• 51% of internet users read a blog at least monthly and over 60% by 2014 (Technorati)
• Companies that have a business blog attract 55% more website visitors than non-blogging companies (HubSpot)
• More than 43% of U.S. companies will market via a blog by 2012, up from 34% in 2010 (eMarketer)
15
Dec
2010
Posted by Jasmine
What Does Your Marketing System Look Like?
I recently read a post on the Duct Tape that mirrors an idea and article that I have been working on for my blog. I figured what the hey, why not combine the two into a hybrid weekly roundup? Though our shapes vary a bit, the basic idea is the same—marketing is a system and the whole point is to get prospects to know, like, trust, and ultimately buy from you.
7 Little Words That Sum Up the Entire Marketing Machine
To build your marketing system (online or otherwise), you have to set up mileposts that track the progress of the relationship. At mile 1, you and your prospect are just getting to know each other so the barrier for entry needs to be low—you have earn their trust before asking them to commit. By the time you get to mile 101, you should be pretty comfortable with each other and that is when you ask for the big sale.
I use a simple flow chart model with my clients to create these milestones. (Download a template to start your system.) John uses an hour-glass shape for his. Either way, you need to have those milestones in place or else your marketing efforts are going to fall flat.
Just like in marriage, you can’t rush in and propose to a gal on the first date. You have to get to know each other before you bring out the bling. What does your marketing system look like? Do you even have one?
01
Dec
2010
Posted by Jasmine
Weekly Roundup: Blogging and Keyword Research
5 Incredibly Useful Research Tools Your Competitors Don’t Know About
Solid research is key to success in the SEO game. Unfortunately, it is not the easiest thing for a business owner to do on their own. The process can be a little complicated and absolutely time consuming and the best tools are not cheap. However, this article lists 5 solid tools for marketing research that are free. I especially recommend the YouTube Keyword Tool and WordTracker Question Search for anyone who is blogging (video or text) and wants to keep their post relevant and optimized to pull in traffic.
Should a Blog be Your Social Media Hub?
If you have just considered adding a blog or already have one but not sure about its use, then read this article. I love the idea of your blog being an online hub especially if the blog is integrated within your website. It is the perfect place to collect resources to share and post your own news and thoughts. If it is built within your website (not a separate site) then it also serves as tool to draw visitors further into the site and encourages repeat visits. It becomes not just an education tool but also a lead capture system.
5 Ways to Make Your Blog Posts Outstanding
Now that you are fired up about blogging, you may need a little help creating awesome content. This article offers five easy to follow and common sense tips for creating outstanding blog content. It is a must read for anyone who is blogging or thinking about starting one.
Blog Your Way to Corporate Success
Though it is a book review for “Corporate Blogging for Dummies,” this post has a nice voice, a few useful tips and a funny intro about spam comments that all business bloggers can relate too. The article is worth a read as is the book for anyone starting out or feeling frustrated.
