Lots of lists focus on what you should do to improve your local SEO, but I recently ran across a list that hit on important things NOT to do. It was so good that I am just providing a link to it here: Local SEO – What not to do. I think you’ll find it valuable.
June 23, 2011
March 4, 2011
Why Dex (and the phone books) Should Stay out of PPC
More and more of my local searches are turning up paid ads for clients by Dex. Why I believe this is bad:
1. They all have the same ugly template and offer no opportunity to brand the business.
2. They are not driving the searcher to the Dex client’s actual web site.
3. The ads show no regard for whether the keywords will produce a conversion (and it likely won’t even if it is good based on point #1)
4. Often, the ads are displayed on irrelevant keywords.
5. The ads displayed on the right side of Dex’s landing page are very often not relevant to the key words (so not adding any value to THAT advertiser) and distracting to the user who has arrived at the page.
6. These ads drive up the price for businesses who are legitimately trying to run a good ad campaign with relevant key words and good ad copy – much better for the consumer to have specific, targeted ads placed in front of them.
In general, I feel that the phone books do a terrible disservice to the client when they buy a domain for the client and put up a splash landing page to run the PPC campaign to. Why not do it correctly and drive the traffic to the real domain of the business. A domain I saw the other day didn’t even make sense – it was for The Cookie Company, Dex bought myTheCookieCompany.com and applied their expert design skills to the landing page. Terrible for the brand image of the client, confusing for consumers, and probably much more expensive for the client in the long run.
If you need help with your online exposure via paid or organic search please be sure to give me a call - I have the expertise you need as an Omaha Adwords professional.
August 20, 2009
Adwords Training in Omaha
For several years I have been helping small businesses in the Omaha area with online marketing. Many small business owners are interested in Google’s Adwords program but just don’t know where or how to get started.
I have an exciting new service that I am offering – a 3 hour on-site Adwords training session for up to 2 employees of any local Omaha business. For just $199 you’ll get quality training on the basics of the Adwords interface, training on picking out key words, and setting up your web site for maximum conversions. If your Adwords account is new (within 2 weeks) I have a $100 new account credit that can be applied as well.
Here’s a basic overview of the session.
Intro to Adwords – why the marketing works.
Setting up your account.
Setting up your first campaign
Proper targeting geographically
Proper key word research and bidding techniques
Proper landing pages on your web site.
Effective Ad writing.
Please contact me if you are interested in setting up a time for me to come train you or your employees. You’ll need a computer with a connection to the internet and a quiet spot with no interruptions as I cover quite a lot in 3 hours of time.
Steve 402-210-3283
July 18, 2009
Why SEM with Google Adwords is a great investment
So, you want to have a better online presence, you just invested in a new web site, or you just plain don’t know where to begin marketing your site online? If you haven’t heard, Google’s Adwords program is still considered one of the best ways to drive traffic to your site. And it’s not just any traffic, it is very targeted traffic – the kind of buyer who is researching your product or service and is ready to buy. You don’t have to show up at the top of Google’s organic search (though it can help) in order for this type of marketing to work wonders for you. That is what makes this a great option for even the smallest of businesses – no contracts, no minimum payments, just try it, and if you see the ROI on your advertising, then continue using it.
Some tips:
Optimizing your landing page – not only does this help with the conversion rate of your visitors that have been directed to your site by Adwords, it helps with the natural search. It will also benefit your advertising campaign with a higher click through rate and lower cost per click.
Writing a great ad – and using keywords within – this will also help clickthrough rate and help with your cost per click – it ultimately will help your conversion rate.
Selecting targeted keywords – the bottom line – these are what trigger your ad. If you don’t do the research to find what your customers are searching for, you will not have a very successful campaign. Most small business owners either lack the skill, or the time to do the proper research – which is why it is best to hire a Google Qualified Individual to assist in setting up and managing your campaign. I have found that many times, I can pay for myself with a combination of increased conversion rates and lower cost per click.
I am an Omaha, Nebraska Google Qualifed SEM professional.
March 11, 2009
Is your Web Site Mobile Ready?
I am increasingly noticing mobile browsers showing up in the stats of my local web sites. Is your site ready and available for mobile – iPhone, Blackberry or other phones?
A mobile site is a good thing to add to your existing site for your mobile user’s convenience. A mobile site is much lighter in its code and graphics. This makes it load faster and delivers to the mobile user only the most pertinent information about your business or service. The mobile site should also be designed to fit the variety of screen sizes for mobile users.
Adding a mobile site to an existing site is perhaps the best way to make your site mobile ready, with a button on your home page to direct the user to the mobile version of your site. There is also code that you can put at the beginning of your page to detect a mobile browser – also a good solution.
If you have questions about getting your site up to speed, allowing it to be seen clearly on “the third screen” give me a call!
Steve – 402-210-3283 in Omaha.
March 8, 2009
February 27, 2009
Limited Time SEO special
Right now I am offering an Search Engine Optimization Package that is Available for a Limited Time Only.
For Just $599…
You get:
- A 1 hour Face to face meeting
- Page Title Tags Generation
- Keyword Research and Selection
- META description and marketing tags
- Geographical target market tags
- Main Content Suggestions
- 1 Custom Written Article & Syndication
- Submission to top search engines and directories (Google, Yahoo, MSN)
- Entry into Google Maps
The above steps will drastically improve your site’s overall “search engine friendliness” as well as letting the search engines know your site even exists!
It will also help drive quality, targeted traffic to your site – which turn into quality, targeted leads!
This is a trial promotion that I am offering to only a select few and it is available through Friday, March 6th!
Call me at 402-210-3283 for this special package – Steve
February 22, 2009
January 27, 2009
SEO In Omaha – do businesses see the value in being found?
I have been working with several businesses in Omaha who have hired me for my online marketing expertise, either in the PPC arena, or for SEO services. Several things amaze me when I speak to new clients – usually, they don’t understand the value of the SEO process, since oftentimes it involves changes to their website. The average business owner does not understand the on or off site processes.
On site processes to SEO:
- Tags, Titles and code changes
- Content, copy and key words
- links and urls
Off site Processes for SEO:
- Backlinks
- Directory Listings
- Blog comments
These processes should both have attention paid to them as they are important to the overall site optimization.
All of these, of course, take time and energy to accomplish, and I always say you should put at least half of your online budget towards some form of SEO. It takes time and skill to get your site found on the net. Please call me if I can be of assistance in your SEO program. Steve 402-210-3283
January 1, 2009
Setting Marketing Goals for 2009
Hope you all had a great year on, and off the web! If you have not already stopped to reflect on 2008 and ponder some goals for 2009, it’s not too late. You should write a quick plan for each web site you own and plan to dedicate time to seeing the plan through. I am doing it today, even though I have significant work that needs to be completed for clients. I feel that this activity is an important part of my online success for the year. Also, I want to put many of the things I have learned, and the ideas that Chris – a colleague of mine at CGMTechnologies.com – have come up with, to work. We are truly motivated to lose the day job, and help others along the way do the same thing.
If you are an internet marketer, or you have a brick and mortar store, setting these goals is good – they help you evaluate where you wish to focus your resources.
If you have a desire to learn Adwords, need someone to help you implement an SEO strategy or need consulting to help make any of your goals happen, I am in Omaha, and happy to help. As you think about your marketing for 2009, think of a a few outside the box strategies – here are a few that I am thinking of for the new year:
- Opt-in Text Messaging.
- YouTube videos – I can help you produce these and place them on video submission sites.
- Content Writing for SEO for local businesses.
- Directory submission for local businesses.
Call me if you would like info on how any of these strategies can work for you – on or off the web. Steve 402-210-3283