by Admin
by Rob Sullivan
http://www.enquiro.com
When a business goes online, the first place they look to is usually a search engine - either for free organic listings, or paid listings via one of the major players like Google AdWords or Yahoo!s Overture. And while these are generally the first places one starts, there are many more places which are overlooked.
In addition, as time goes on, and more of the technologies converge, we are sure to see more opportunities online to promote your site. Some of course will cost money, but others will be free. It all depends on how you use them.
Let's get the obvious ones out of the way first: By properly optimizing your site, and making sure it is search engine friendly, you are bound to get free traffic from the engines. While much of the traffic may only be those in the research stage, there will be those who will buy from you. As well, you are building your brand which can be much more important than sales online. Ultimately though a properly executed organic strategy can help you drive great sales.
by Admin
Copyright by Axandra.com
Web site promotion software
Last week, two statements about Google's PageRank started a new discussion about this topic.
The first statement was made in the Search Engine Watch forums. It was from a person who received the following answer to a PageRank question from a Google employee:
"The PageRank that is displayed in the Google Toolbar is for entertainment purposes only."
Due to repeated attempts by hackers to access this data, Google updates the PageRank data very infrequently because is it not secure. On average, the PR that is displayed in the Google Toolbar is several months old.
by Admin
and Gives Advice on How to Choose an Effective Agency
NEW YORK, NY - December 7, 2004 -- JupiterResearch, a division of Jupitermedia Corporation (Nasdaq: JUPM), reported today that Search Engine Marketing (SEM) agencies now direct the majority of SEM spending in the United States. Just a few years ago, most SEM spending went directly to the search engines. Today, SEM is becoming a more mature market like traditional advertising in which agencies play a substantial role. Indeed, while just 31% of search marketers use an agency to manage their SEM campaigns, those marketers account for 51% of the total spending on paid search, according to a recent JupiterResearch survey of search marketers. This marks a significant increase in the spending directed by agencies over the past 18 months.
The data was released in JupiterResearch's Search Engine Marketing Agency Constellation report, which reviews and rates fourteen leading SEM agencies on market suitability, overall business value and agency size. According to the JupiterResearch report, Decide Interactive/24/7 Search, Did-It.com, Impaqt, Performics and AvenueA/Razorfish Search are closely grouped for top ratings in paid listings management. iProspect and Impaqt outpace all the other vendors in organic optimization.
by Admin
by Eileen Parzek, © 2004
http://www.sohoitgoes.com
Traditionally, businesses set up a 'tickle' file to recall and reconnect with clients at period intervals, or when specific events occur. You have probably heard that it takes less time and money to market to your existing customers than it does to create a new one. And yet, most of the times, marketing articles talk about how to reach and attract new customers. Let's take a look at some ways that you can harness computer technology to 'tickle' your past customers, and maintain your place when they need you again or have a referral to send your way.
by Admin
by Karon Thackston © 2004
http://www.copywritingcourse.com
From the early days of search engine optimization, keywords and content have always been vital to achieving your goals. Starting back in the days when we used to shove every slightly relevant keyword into our Meta tags, it has been obvious that search engines love text. The more advanced the engines have gotten over the years, the more complex and sophisticated many writers have gotten with their search engine copywriting.
Supposed formulas, saturation levels, and other mysterious concoctions have been developed to help us outsmart the engines. However, what we should have been doing all along was writing for the visitor first and the engines second. Why? Because creating a site that's loved by visitors is a prime factor in linking, ranking, and marketing as a whole. As the engines make great strides with more personalized and efficient searches (such as semantic search) natural search engine optimization writing is even more important.
by Admin
by Gord Hotchkiss
http://www.enquiro.com
The news piece was buried on page 36 of the business section in a major Canadian daily newspaper. It was just one paragraph, a mere 46 words, announcing that the Yellow Pages Group had signed a deal with Google, making their information available on the new Google Local service. I'm not sure the editors realized they were running the obituary for an 80 year old, 16 billion dollar a year North American industry.
The localization of search has been inevitable. Really, only two things have been holding it back:
First, the accessibility of the Internet. Using a search engine to find local information only makes sense if web access is just as close as your nearest phone book. We're not there yet, but wireless networks and new mobile devices are definitely closing the gap.
Secondly, more local companies have to have an online presence. There needs to be some website for the search engines to find. It's in this second regard that we still have a long way to go.
by Admin
by Gord Hotchkiss
http://www.enquiro.com
The single biggest effect of the online revolution will be to remove the existing degrees of separation between us and virtually anything in the world. What ever we wish will be put in finger tip's distance. Every scrap of information, every shred of data will be a mouseclick (and a few dollars) away.
This will have profound and cataclysmic effects on almost every existing industry, and none more so than the advertising industry. As media converge online, the distinctions between various forms of advertising will disappear. Branding and direct, electronic and print, it will all become part of one seamless marketing continuum online.
We will become a consumer market of instant demand and fulfillment, where online acts as the connection between our needs and the merchants ability to meet them. The process will become transparent, requiring no effort on our part. The act of 'shopping' will be, if we choose, reduced to a quick online review and confirmation. Our wired digital assistant will take care of all the arduous work of finding, comparing and evaluating.
by Admin
by Eileen Parzek, © 2004
http://www.soho-it-goes.com
For the first half of my entrepreneurial life, I had such an allergy to 'schmooze' that the idea of networking was just unbearable. But, I have learned a lot, since, about how to make it work and in doing so, I've impacted my business in a myriad of ways. So I would like to share my perspective on it, in hopes that it might spur some of you to leave your SOHO hiding spot, too.
Simply put, the best way to approach networking is as a way to build relationships. My approach is slightly unorthodox, but it works - today, the vast majority of my business comes from networking and referrals.
Before you enter the networking fray, think about the types of relationships you would like to build for your business network. This could mean determining a type of person or industries that would be a natural fit with yours, or a source for referral business. Sometimes the best places to network are not obvious - it might be a place where no one else does what you do, but many attendees know someone who needs what you do.
by Admin
by Karon Thackston © 2004
http://www.copywritingcourse.com
It seems to be a phenomenon. You try Google AdWords Select, your ad gets "disapproved" by the powers that be at Google, you count your losses and give up. It doesn't have to be that way. There are two primary factors to succeeding at Google AdWords. The first is getting the right keywords. The second is writing little tiny ads. Neither is all that easy, but they can both be done.
Mark Twain said it best. "If I would have had more time, I would have written you a shorter letter." The point. it takes much more skill, and much more time to write short copy than long copy.
Let's go through the process together and I'll show you a few tricks of the trade that have brought me AdWords click through rates of 7.1%, 8.0%. even 25%.
by Admin
by Rob Sullivan
http://www.enquiro.com
There are many people in our industry who are wondering why Microsoft is taking so long to get into the search game.
After all, Google has stolen the market from under their noses. With such a commanding domination of the desktop market, and the ability to set each users browsers homepage, one would think that Microsoft should own the search market.
But results show that MSN search results are just not relevant or adequate.
Knowing this, one would think, that Microsoft would invest in search. After all, Google has been steadily gobbling up search share for over 3 years now (since it became more mainstream) and has proven that you can make money at search. So knowing that Google has been active for three years might make one wonder - why did Microsoft take so long to get into search?
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