New Media Services
Posts tagged SEM
7 Elements Of A Successful Website
May 11th
1. Name – Every website needs a domain name that’s descriptive and relevant, but what type of name should you pick? There are two rules of thought here. One is to go the brand route and use a name that over time will become relevant. Second is to go the route of a keyword-rich name which will rank well and instantly let your readers, visitors, and the search engines know what you’re about. Which domain name route you opt for is entirely up to you, but deciding upfront which you’ll be taking is what you want to focus on.
2. Structure – You want a site that is search engine friendly and one of the best ways to optimize a site from the get go is to use a blog format, such as WordPress. With WordPress you get search engine friendly URL’s, as you get to choose the URL structure within the back-end area of WP.
The URL (or permalink) of your site should have keywords in it, so when search engines spider it – they know what its about.
3. Purpose – Every website should figure out what is it’s PRIMARY focus – is it to capture leads, direct sales, testimonials, or provide information? Determine this early on as it will help when it comes time to develop a content strategy.
The purpose of your site will also determine its layout and design.
4. Design – The look and feel of your website says alot about you. Do you want a standard generic template or a custom design which highlights your logo and unique brand?
With WordPress you have several choices -
A. Free Theme: A generic template found on the web.
B. Premium Theme (with customizations): A paid for theme you can customize.
C. Custom Theme: A theme created from scratch specific to you.
I recommend B or C. Either will serve the purpose of having a professionally designed blog website that stands out.
Some good premium WordPress themes include: Fresh News Theme, Thesis Theme, and Revolution Church Theme.
5. Layout – Depending on the purpose of your site (see above) you will want to lay out your site accordingly. If the purpose of your site is to gather leads then be sure to highlight your sign up form. If the purpose of your site is to sell directly, be sure to make it easy to place an order. If the purpose of your site is to be an information portal, set it up so that it highlights information right from the onset.
6. Content – Every website should have the following pages:
About Us Page – What are you about? What is your business about? How are you different? Etc.
Contact Us Page – Make it super duper easy for anyone to reach you. Add a contact form and let people know how and when to BEST reach you.
Services Page – What services do you offer? What are your skills? Any credentials? Highlight your unique offerings here.
WordPress makes it easy to add as many pages as you need. Think about your sites purpose and fill accordingly.
As for articles – keeping your blog website fresh with new content will keep the search engines coming back again and again. This is a good thing. Think about what your customers (and prospective customers) are interested in. What do they want to learn? What tips would they find useful? What keeps them entertained? Fill your blog with these useful, informative or entertaining articles. You can add as many articles as you like and style your site in blog format or style it in a more traditional format – but whichever style you choose – you want to make it known you have relevant articles available for your audience. Make sure this is apparent from the first glance.
7. Plan – Every website should have a marketing plan. How will you spread the word – online, offline, social media, advertising, family and friends?
Have a plan and work the plan. Incorporate your website URL in all your communications, from your business cards to customer newsletters, mentioning it in seminars, attaching to email signatures, etc.
Decide early on how you will promote your blog website. Have a plan in place.
These tips are meant for new blog websites, but can be applied to any site. If you run a small business and don’t yet have a website, but have been mulling over the idea – it’s never too late to create an online presence.
Follow the tips above and don’t just create a website, create an online presence that will explode your sales, leads, and income.
RSS Readers: What Tip Can You Add?
What tip do you have for small business owners looking to create their first website?
11 Blogs You Should Be Reading If You’re A Blogger
Nov 19th
How do you stay abreast of the various changes and ideas in the world of blogging? By reading blogs that deliver the goods. But which blogs? Below i share with you, the core group of bloggers i follow, who keep on top of changes within the industry and know the myriad of details that make up a good blog.
11 Blogs You Should Be Reading If You’re A Blogger
1. Problogger
Some say this is the quintessential resource for blogging, and i would have to agree. The sheer volume of information on this blog makes for a worthy addition to your RSS feed. Here you will find information and tips on any and every aspect of blogging. If you’re looking for a blog job, this one has a job board as well. The blogger behind this blog (Darren Rowse) wrote the book on blogging literally.
This is a multi-author blog and is loaded with industry information and guides on how to become a better blogger. Industry leading, a must read.
Daniel Scocco runs this blog and as the name implies it covers daily blog tips. He updates every day with about 2 to 3 posts and covers a wide gamut within the blogging field. Excellent tips can be found here.
This blog is part of the About.com network and is also a fantastic resource. The site is part portal part blog, and contains lots of useful tips and information. This one is run by Susan and she does a fine job of keeping tabs on the industry. A good place to start if you’re a new blogger.
Another multi-author blog run by a neat guy named Kevin who dishes on all things that have to do with blogging. There is also a forum here that you might be interested in. Post a question, answer some, gain some tips. Get to know the community there, it’s a small but steady one.
What would a blog be without SEO? Yes, the blogs mentioned above do delve into the topic and cover search engine optimization tips, but this one focuses on it. Run by Matt McGee, this is a must add to your feed reader as well.
All hail to WordPress. Woot Woot. Did you know that Wordress was founded by a 23 year old? Well now you know. That was just abit of trivia thrown in for the hack of it. WordPress is so robust and feature rich, thousands of blogs exist solely to cover this vast dimension of bloggery tech. Hack WordPress is a newer entry (having been around since 2007) in the blogosphere, but it contains a plethora of really useful tips on how to transform your basic WordPress install into so much more.
I guarantee if you visit this blog, you will fall in love with it. 100% guaranteed. (no i dont know the owner)
I am abit biased here on this, as the genius behind this blog is also technically my boss. But if the blog wasn’t valuable to bloggers, i would not include it in this round up. Max specializes in Adsense tips and Adsense optimization, and he delivers the goods. If you use Google Adsense on your blog, this one is a must read for you.
WBT has been around for some time now, and it focuses on tools for bloggers. You will particularly enjoy the fantastic (and ongoing) collection of wordpress theme and wordpress plugin reviews. Plus it provides detailed information on what’s new with the latest versions of WordPress. This blog is always an interesting read. Great addition to your feed reader.
WordPress isn’t the only game in town? There is also the Google owned Blogger and the many who choose to go this route, have their top resources as well. I found this one which is shock full of hacks, tweaks, and tips for those on blogger. Lots of good stuff here.
11. Gear Fuse
Let’s face it. If you’re a blogger you’re most likely a geek too. I am the exception. LoL. Just kidding, i am a geek, and if not, i so want to be. The mavericks behind this blog are Steve, Vincent, and Ryan. Wow, did i really just say mavericks? Anyway, the talented nerdherd behind this blog is always fun to read. Ryan (along with the other authors) feature lots of tech goodness for us bloggers. Everything from eco friendly laptops to the latest cell phones and accessories. A fun blog.
Which Do You Read?
There are tons of blogs that i did not mention, as i plan to write a follow up post and include smaller blogs. But do share your personal faves below.
P.S. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter. And please do link to this article if you think it is awesomely awesome.
Hyperlocal Blogging On The Rise, HyperLocalBlogger.com Launched
Aug 11th
Matt McGee who runs the popular local search engine marketing blog, SEM has launced a new blog and this one covers the emerging field of hyperlocal blogging.
I believe hyperlocal blogging is a major growth area.
I believe local blogs will grow because more people will become comfortable and familiar with blogging itself, and will naturally start to write about what they know: their neighborhood, hometown, the city in which they live, and the things they see and do there.
I believe local blogs will grow because small business owners will continue to adopt blogs as a tool for connecting with customers and prospects, especially in their immediate geographic area.
Do You Have Any Local Blogs?
I own 2 hyperlocal blogs, one is on my birth city (and the most beautiful place on Earth) Chicago, and the other covers my current residence, the tiny town of Winona MS. One needs a major overhaul, and the latter is new, not yet developed.
Reader Question
Do you have a local blog? If so, do tell me about it below.The name, what do you cover, and how long have you had it.
P.S. Don’t forget to visit Matt at Hyperlocal Blogger, and be sure to subscribe to the feed, as this will surely be a good resource on the topic.
