May Day!  Google changed the algorithm again.

On average, Google changes their algorithm once a day.  Some are slight changes, some are quite significant.  It can be maddening to rank on page one and then the next day fall off.  But, all we can do is to understand and react.

In a recent article on Google's blog they actually came out and said that 70% of their search results aren't served from the keywords people are typing in, but they're affected by *synonyms*.  70%!  WOW!

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/helping-computers-understand-language.html

What this means for us, is that in order to tap into the 70% of the results being served (i.e. the synonyms) we need to be targeting a bunch more semantically related keywords in addition to our target keywords, otherwise we're now going to miss out on the benefits of being found by the search traffic.  So, keep this in mind when doing your SEO planning.

Suppose you've been using pay per click advertising and also using SEO to boost your rankings and traffic. Once  you start ranking organically, do you still need to invest in the paid advertising?  The answer is a resounding "Yes!".

1.  Statistics prove that if you rank on the same keywords for both paid and organic search, you can expect far better results than using either strategy alone.  You are likely to see traffic increases in both.

2.  Even if your SEO has gotten you on the first page of Google - the most you will rank on that page is 2 times.  With paid search, you can add another reference on that first page - thus pushing someone else off and highlighting your offering even more.

3.  Organic search results change all the time (Google averages a change to their algorithm daily) and so SEO is an evolving and sometimes reactive endeavor.  With pay-per-click, it is easier to remain visible even when organic rankings change.

4.  With organic search, it is the search engine that determines what titles, description, or content is displayed in the results set.  You retain control of your message by using paid search.

Does your company need a Social Media Polity?

A social media policy outlines the corporate guidelines and general principles that should be used by all members of staff when communicating on the social media channels. Irrespective of how active your company is in social media, it is probably true that members of your staff are active even when not at work. So it is probably reasonable to lay down some guidelines as to what is acceptable behaviour when communicating online.

Brand Compliant Social Networking

It is important that your employees are aware that when they mention your company or what they do, it must be done in a responsible manner, and that the contents are broadly aligned with your company’s values and professional standards. So a social media policy will help to emphasize to your employees that company loyalty extends to all forms of internal or external, and traditional or digital marketing communications.

When you are writing your policy document start with the objective and lay down exactly how the company should be represented online, from branding issues to intellectual property. Make sure that everyone understands the boundaries and what they are at liberty to discuss and what is proprietary information.

Online Visibility

You should also make sure that you have registered your brand on all of the social media outlets so that wherever possible you have your own pages set up and channels on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube all with your own branding look and feel.

There are many that say all of this is not necessary, that it is just a matter of common sense, but what is obvious to one person is not necessarily so to others. Of course all of this could be integrated into your communications policy that would cover all mediums in use. Social media should not really be treated differently from other forms of communications since people should behave in a sensible manner however they are communicating. The difference now is that it is so commonplace that staff members who previously did not have much of a public voice can now all contribute to the dialogue online, so it is critical that the boundaries are set clearly.

Check out the WSI Social Media Strategy Kit, which will guide your company through the best practices of developing your own social media policy.

Targeted link building is necessary for establishing an online marketplace competitive position within your niche. When you contract link building Chicago services, you look forward to having valuable links for the worth of your investment. However, sometimes, people tend to be disappointed as what they get is not what they expected. This is why you need to be thorough when making your selection of SEO service providers. And if you are performing the link building yourself, you also need to adopt the right strategies in order to get the best results.

If you have not realized the kind of result you desire from your search engine optimization efforts, then it is necessary that you halt and review the strategy that you’ve been applying to your link building. Now, the way you define the online marketplace when building link is very important. When prospective clients are in need of solution for their problems, they use related search terms to find the information on Google, go through the directories, visit discussion forums, read product reviews as well as articles. The websites used by prospective clients to accomplish all these add up to the online marketplace within your niche.

Therefore, building link effectively means getting only quality links from the websites that have rich information that are highly useful to your potential customers, and are regularly in use by them.

Here are some tips for result-oriented link building;

Whether you are a link building Chicago service provider, or you intend to achieve your own link building as an online marketer, you need to understand your marketplace. There is need for good knowledge of the market sectors you service, and also know their rankings in terms of relevance to your offering.

For instance, your target marketplace may be information technology, and you concern yourself only with relevant technology links. However, you may not have ascertained essential niches that can be found around the information technology market. What you may not know is that a niche such as education may constitute an essential sector for the info technology business you are running. As a link building service provider, you should explore such sector websites within your marketplace that your competitor may not have given thought of. It could make a lucrative business for your link building Chicago services. Always explore up to 5 sectors within your marketplace from which you can source for links.

Another thing you should do as a savvy link builder is to develop quality content. Do not compromise quality content for anything. Customers are only looking for valuable information. Also, good content is what will take you up to a desirable position in search engine ranking, it is what you need as well to attract quality links to your website.

A well strategized link building will surely bring you the desired result. Endeavour to be strategic and targeted with your search engine optimization techniques; this way, you will rank better and pull traffic to your website.

Great Webinar today, reviewing the new ways to be found online.  The website is still the hub of your being found but social media sites can have a significant impact on traffic and rank on the search engines.  By concentrating on relevant content to your targeted audience on your website, syndicating the content on social media networks, and cultivating links and interest, your rank in search engines will be positively affected.  The image below is a good visual representation of this strategy.  Contact us today to talk about a personalized plan for your business.

Join us for an outstanding webinar on the new ways to be found online Title: 2010: The New Ways to Be Found Online Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT Registration Link: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/359983465 (Don't forget to put in my name, James Cone, to complete your registration).

Happy New Year! I want to invite you to WSI's first expert webinar of 2010! Our first webinar, entitled "2010: The New Ways to Be Found Online", will be on January 27. Francois, Muscat, WSI expert, will share how in 2010 online marketing will gain new heights and there will be new ways to be found online, build brand and generate, more leads. This webinar will help entrepreneurs, business owners, professionals in various services, marketing managers, and online marketing specialists. He will share some powerful strategies to evolve your current online marketing tactics and reap the benefits of this dynamic landscape. Webinar registration details are below.

Title: 2010: The New Ways to Be Found Online Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT Registration Link: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/359983465 (Don't forget to put in my name, James Cone, to complete your registration).

It's good to hear that Entrepreneur Magazine recently released its 2010 Franchise 500 listing. This is the 10th year that WSI, the world's largest internet marketing firm, earned a place in Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500 listing, claiming the #1 spot in the category of Internet Services. The January 2010 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine also lists WSI in the 56th spot in the overall 500 listing. Read the press release: http://www.pr.com/press-release/202564.

Let us put the power of our network to work for your business with our powerful and cost effective internet marketing solutions.

Inside Edge – December 2009

Social Networking Legal Best Practices

Avoiding Calamity

With the growing popularity of social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, companies are becoming concerned as to how they will be impacted by the mass distribution of content as it relates to their brand. However, there are measures that companies can take to avoid events that can adversely affect their brand reputation.

Facebook has almost as many users as the number of US citizens. Twitter is growing quickly as well, and Google Wave, an online tool for real-time communication and collaboration, is now in its beta form. Larger brands like Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, McDonalds and others have millions of fans following them on the social networks. So companies that are considering participating in the social networks must first identify a strategy, set goals and define tactics that will help achieve these goals.

There are different kinds of sites that serve different purposes, and as companies start to formulate their strategies, they must prepare their content and offers in advance. Is it a coupon offer that will drive traffic to a website? Is it a free downloadable educational piece, or another enticing offer? You need to offer relevant information that your target audience is looking for in order to encourage engagement and conversation. To learn more about social networking best practices and how to avoid calamity, listen to the recording of our recent webinar:

http://downloads.mapssystem.net/ECWebinars/SocialBestPracticesAvoidCalamity.wmv

Is Your Company Ready for the Wave?

Join the Social Wave in the New Year

The New Year brings new opportunities for businesses. It's a time when business owners, marketers and executive management teams revisit their marketing goals and budgets. With today's new media tools, many of them are trying to weave in social media marketing as apart of their overall marketing mix. The social sphere is changing how people interact and behave. It's no surprise that most companies are looking to develop a social presence; however, the question is: are they doing the right things to leverage this monster?

Some are making small efforts and others are going full-stream, but those who are successful have formulated policies and appointed a "Social Communication" spokesperson on their staff. A good social media policy answers the questions of: who posts the content; what content gets posted; the frequency that it gets posted and through what channels; the process of getting the content reviewed and approved; who owns the copyright; and who the administrator is for each social networking site / channel. Answering those questions forms the basis of implementing a successful strategy.

In 2009 WSI experts have done a series of webinars that have helped thousands of marketers and small business owners and this month's webinar will be conducted by Gary Levine, WSI Internet marketing consultant and expert on monitoring online branding.  With the evolution of social networks and consumer generated content, most companies are struggling to either get their brand out or learn how to monitor their brand effectively.   Attend this webinar and learn how to listen to the online chatter or conversations about your brand, product or service. In today's social media rich world how can companies leverage various tools and free services to moderate online conversations? Find out at this webinar.

Title: Social Chatter: Online Brand Reputation Monitoring & Management Date: Monday, November 30, 2009 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CDT Register:  https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/227189905 Don't forget that you need to put in my name, James Cone, to complete the registration.