I am sure most of us would agree that SEO has changed dramatically over the last 10-15 years - and will continue to do so!
So, .......how has it changed?
Google recently announced that they are working on archiving every tweet ever disseminated, and are allowing users to search for tweets grouped by topic from specific time periods (according to HubSpot, May 24, 200). "Twitter timeline search" is the latest in a series of moves designed to make search engines even more relevant to an individual's tastes. The number of pages being indexed has grown at an incredible rate; there are now over 10 billion pages being recognized. As a result, ranking at the top of the search results is becoming more and more difficult. Such an increase in competition as well as continual changes in search engines' requires new techniques and approaches to site optimization. SEO is very much a living and breathing practice which must evolve as searches and searchers change.
Is search engine Page Rank important? Why or Why not ?
Page Rank (named after Larry Page) is a quality score that Google gives to every page on a site. This score, which ranges from a low of zero to a high of ten, indicates how popular that particular page is. Historically, this score was highly regarded and considered a strong indicator of the number of inbound links from other websites to the page in question. Recently, Google has removed this score from Google Webmaster Tools, which implies that Google is moving away from this metric.
How do you think localization and personalization have changed the relevance of search ranks?
From an individual user's perspective, localization and personalization of search results are great. Personalized results keep users coming back to a particular search engine because it can provide all sorts of pertinent information the user might not even know he or she wants yet.
From the perspective of a company that is trying to rank for keywords in which personalized search results show up, localized and personalized search results make the game harder. Google and Yahoo have proven that they will serve up localized and personalized results even for users who are not signed in to any personalized accounts (such as a Gmail or Yahoo Mail account).
Search rankings are especially important now! If companies do not spend the time to rank as highly as possible, they will simply become invisible to potential customers.
Once a business marketer understands (and is educated on) the effects that optimization can have, and the return it can bring, he or she will see how vital it is to engage in SEO. With the ever increasing competition to get to the top, getting started right away is the key to success.
I think SEO is a vital component of marketing online! It is definitely evolving, and businesses should focus on their online marketing now - more than ever!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
3 Key Lessons For New Business Bloggers
According to HubSpot's Marketing blog (5/27), there are 3 key lessons for new business bloggers.
1. Listen First - If you cannot contribute to a blog on a regular basis, try listening to conversations and comments on other people's blog. It can help you get a sense for what people are saying in your industry. By listening a couple hours a week, and by adding your opinion, you can definitely get a feel for what is valuable to your target demographic.
2. Blogging is More Than Text - It is very important to create fresh, remarkable content. Add pictures, videos, top ten lists, and answers to your customers/prospects as often as possible. It is also beneficial to write about things discussed on a daily basis with your customers.
3. Measurement is Key - Since online marketing moves so quickly, it is important to measure critical information automatically so you can respond quickly. The web moves in minutes and hours and your ability to monitor visitors, comments, links and leads is critical. Business bloggers can develop a content strategy that drives business results - by measuring these key metrics.
I think these lessons/tips are excellent, however, I disagree with the last half of lesson 2 - "posting things on a daily basis." I think that's a bit excessive. There would be tons and tons of information, and I think some individuals would either delete the blogs without reading them, or skim through certain sections.
What do you think?
1. Listen First - If you cannot contribute to a blog on a regular basis, try listening to conversations and comments on other people's blog. It can help you get a sense for what people are saying in your industry. By listening a couple hours a week, and by adding your opinion, you can definitely get a feel for what is valuable to your target demographic.
2. Blogging is More Than Text - It is very important to create fresh, remarkable content. Add pictures, videos, top ten lists, and answers to your customers/prospects as often as possible. It is also beneficial to write about things discussed on a daily basis with your customers.
3. Measurement is Key - Since online marketing moves so quickly, it is important to measure critical information automatically so you can respond quickly. The web moves in minutes and hours and your ability to monitor visitors, comments, links and leads is critical. Business bloggers can develop a content strategy that drives business results - by measuring these key metrics.
I think these lessons/tips are excellent, however, I disagree with the last half of lesson 2 - "posting things on a daily basis." I think that's a bit excessive. There would be tons and tons of information, and I think some individuals would either delete the blogs without reading them, or skim through certain sections.
What do you think?
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Spilling SEO Juice - 3 Dos and Don'ts for great page titles
Do you think page titles are important?
OF COURSE!
Page titles are one of the largest factors that search engines look at when trying to determine what a specific website is all about. HubSpot has stated that there are three Dos and Don’ts when optimizing a website.
Dos
Be Specific
Every page on a site should have a purpose. When looking at a page, viewers should be able to describe it! When titles are being written, keep the specifics of the page in mind. If it is about “microwaves”, the title should include keywords centered around “microwaves”, and not a generic keyword like “kitchen appliances”.
Be Unique
Just like every title, make sure it is unique! (to differentiate your site from competitors)
Be Compelling
When looking at search engine results, there are only three things that appear for a visitor - the page title, the page description, and the URL. Try to make page titles compelling!
Don'ts
Be Repetitive
Titles should not include multiple variations of similar keyword phrases.
Be Long
HubSpot (5/19/10) stated that anything over 70 characters is too lengthy. If a site cannot describe a particular page with less than 70 characters, then it should be split it into multiple pages. From a practical standpoint, Google is great at this! They cut a title off around 70 characters –everything written after the 70 character limit is essentially negated.
Put Your Company Name at the Front
In most cases, websites will rank high for their company name. Leverage the fact that search engines allocate more weight to the words that appear at the beginning of a page title, and form your titles using your keyword phrases first, and then your company name.
I thought this was great! :-) Hopefully it will inspire and encourage websites (that are dysfunctional) to implement these 6 simple tips!
OF COURSE!
Page titles are one of the largest factors that search engines look at when trying to determine what a specific website is all about. HubSpot has stated that there are three Dos and Don’ts when optimizing a website.
Dos
Be Specific
Every page on a site should have a purpose. When looking at a page, viewers should be able to describe it! When titles are being written, keep the specifics of the page in mind. If it is about “microwaves”, the title should include keywords centered around “microwaves”, and not a generic keyword like “kitchen appliances”.
Be Unique
Just like every title, make sure it is unique! (to differentiate your site from competitors)
Be Compelling
When looking at search engine results, there are only three things that appear for a visitor - the page title, the page description, and the URL. Try to make page titles compelling!
Don'ts
Be Repetitive
Titles should not include multiple variations of similar keyword phrases.
Be Long
HubSpot (5/19/10) stated that anything over 70 characters is too lengthy. If a site cannot describe a particular page with less than 70 characters, then it should be split it into multiple pages. From a practical standpoint, Google is great at this! They cut a title off around 70 characters –everything written after the 70 character limit is essentially negated.
Put Your Company Name at the Front
In most cases, websites will rank high for their company name. Leverage the fact that search engines allocate more weight to the words that appear at the beginning of a page title, and form your titles using your keyword phrases first, and then your company name.
I thought this was great! :-) Hopefully it will inspire and encourage websites (that are dysfunctional) to implement these 6 simple tips!
Ad Serving
This week, we read about Ad Serving in Chapter 6 of our Internet Marketing text.
I came across this video on YouTube, which I found to be very interesting!
I think many websites, specifically the ones that provide free content or information, depend heavily on advertising in order to continue their operations. Many of these sites do not have the technical and business development infrastructure to recruit their own advertiser accounts and serve their own ads. As a result, they rely on other websites, like third party advertisement serving companies, to recruit the advertisers and serve those ads on publishers’ websites. This arrangement allows websites to focus on what they do best - and save time and money of course!
Check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prh9kf1Jbmw
I came across this video on YouTube, which I found to be very interesting!
I think many websites, specifically the ones that provide free content or information, depend heavily on advertising in order to continue their operations. Many of these sites do not have the technical and business development infrastructure to recruit their own advertiser accounts and serve their own ads. As a result, they rely on other websites, like third party advertisement serving companies, to recruit the advertisers and serve those ads on publishers’ websites. This arrangement allows websites to focus on what they do best - and save time and money of course!
Check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prh9kf1Jbmw
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
4 Business Blogging Best Practices
HubSpot posted an article today (May 12th) that focuses on the 4 best practices for business blogging. Great business blogs have to walk a fine line: they have to create value for current and prospective customers while at the same time, supporting a strategy that provides business growth.
Since Business blogging has various goals, it also has some distinct best practices that distinguish it from individual and media blogs. However, I do believe that some of the key principles of media and personal blogs are still very important in business blogging. The challenge is to find the right "mix" of content for your audience.
Best Practice #1
Think like a vertically integrated publisher: Create relevant content, determine the best methods to publicize the content, and define advertising opportunities as well as manage them.
I think it is important to do all of these things (from a marketing standpoint) because it will ensure that the content created is valuable and delivered in a way that can support/benefit your company.
Best Practice #2
Focus on Non-Branded Keyword Content: Business blogs provide the opportunity to build incoming traffic from non-branded keywords. For example, if you are a retailer, instead of blogging about your company and products, you should write about retailing best practices. This content will not only help increase search traffic, but also drive better quality prospects to your business' website.
Best Practice #3
Ask your readers what they want: Assumptions can often be wrong, so I think it would be beneficial to conduct a brief survey on your business blog as a way to obtain clear feedback from viewers. (make sure you leave space for comments as well!!)
Best Practice #4
Make sure your blog is clearly connected to your business website: Business blogs can be a major source of new traffic from search engines and social media. It is very important to realize that a blog post may be the first thing a potential customer sees about your company. Having a blog as part of your corporate site either as a subdomain or as a page is an important step to allow first-time visitors to easily learn additional information about your company.
Business blogging can be a very important tool, and can generate content that search engines value and people enjoy sharing on social networks. I liked #2 the most! Building a "society" of supporters based on keywords and "hot topic (industry) items" is a brilliant way to build traffic that will most likely have an interest in the products/services your business provides.
Since Business blogging has various goals, it also has some distinct best practices that distinguish it from individual and media blogs. However, I do believe that some of the key principles of media and personal blogs are still very important in business blogging. The challenge is to find the right "mix" of content for your audience.
Best Practice #1
Think like a vertically integrated publisher: Create relevant content, determine the best methods to publicize the content, and define advertising opportunities as well as manage them.
I think it is important to do all of these things (from a marketing standpoint) because it will ensure that the content created is valuable and delivered in a way that can support/benefit your company.
Best Practice #2
Focus on Non-Branded Keyword Content: Business blogs provide the opportunity to build incoming traffic from non-branded keywords. For example, if you are a retailer, instead of blogging about your company and products, you should write about retailing best practices. This content will not only help increase search traffic, but also drive better quality prospects to your business' website.
Best Practice #3
Ask your readers what they want: Assumptions can often be wrong, so I think it would be beneficial to conduct a brief survey on your business blog as a way to obtain clear feedback from viewers. (make sure you leave space for comments as well!!)
Best Practice #4
Make sure your blog is clearly connected to your business website: Business blogs can be a major source of new traffic from search engines and social media. It is very important to realize that a blog post may be the first thing a potential customer sees about your company. Having a blog as part of your corporate site either as a subdomain or as a page is an important step to allow first-time visitors to easily learn additional information about your company.
Business blogging can be a very important tool, and can generate content that search engines value and people enjoy sharing on social networks. I liked #2 the most! Building a "society" of supporters based on keywords and "hot topic (industry) items" is a brilliant way to build traffic that will most likely have an interest in the products/services your business provides.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Take me out to the ball game........
Even though I would LOVE to talk about the fun time we had at Target Field - I will "stick with" an overview of the MN Twins website! (hee hee) It is packed with information! Not only can I read about the baseball players, but I can purchase clothing, view stats, view their schedule, order tickets, and so much more. Oh, and my favorite ---watch every regular season twins game online. That is AwEsOmE!I truly believe that several individuals log on to MNTWINS.COM to read updates and discover what is happening in the Twins world on a daily/weekly basis. Roberts (2008) stated that "88% of online Americans say the Internet plays a role in their daily routines." I definitely agree with that because the Twins website has SO much to offer. (you don't even have to watch the games on television anymore, or listen to the radio to hear the final score). Everything is just a "click away!"
Roberts (2008) also stated (in chapter 4) that "it has long been a truism that the role of marketing is to create a customer, not just a sale. Once again-- I definitely believe that the Twins website focuses on customer service, and wants each consumer to feel appreciated - whether they spend $150 on tickets, or $15.00 on baseball cards.
What a great website! I have purchased several items in the past - and will continue to do so!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Harley Harley Harley..............
I think Harley Davidson has a great website! It is colorful, full of visuals/photos, and full of information! It markets their motorcycles, parts, and apparel. They also have information on their company history, culture, and experiences. Another thing that "struck me" as interesting was the fact that they have become more focused on women and youth riders. (compared to just men)
Similar to Target.com (as posted earlier), Harley Davidson truly focuses on the concept of using information to provide greater customer satisfaction (Roberts, page 16-17). There are several other (cheaper) brands that consumers can purchase, so it is extremely important for Harley to satisfy their customers. The majority of Harley riders will remain extremely loyal, so maintaining that relationship is crucial as well.
The website is creative and exciting - which makes consumers want to rush out and buy one. (or, of course--"build" their own Harley right online)
Creating value, building great relationships, and high quality products is clearly how they succeed!
Target.......
I view Target's website on a weekly basis. (ya, I know--- I love to shop) I think they do a great job at attracting and retaining their customers.
It is quite obvious (to me) that Target.com has also built on the concept of using information to provide greater customer satisfaction. (Driver One in our Internet Marketing text, by Mary Lou Roberts) Their website offers several benefits to their consumers. A few include:
Convenience - Target.com provides the ability to shop 24/7. This means that consumers can order prescriptions, make photo gifts, create a registry for their wedding or baby, order gift cards, or view their weekly ad any day of the week.
Shopping experience - Target.com provides features that make shopping easier. They offer discounted prices online and offer more products than the actual Target stores. They also provide "FREE SHIPPING" on orders (typically) over $50.00, and consumers can sign up (via email) to receive (even more) special offers and promotions.
As all of us know (and as stated in our Internet Marketing text, page 19) - Speed is of the essence in doing business on the Internet. Shoppers today want things to be "easy and fast!" Several individuals tend to procrastinate and do not have the time (or ability) to go shopping for a few hours - so they shop online instead. (to avoid the busy crowds and save gas money as well)
Even though I love the Target website, I must admit that I rarely purchase anything online from them. I would much rather go to an actual store and pick everything out instead. (and have my items immediately - compared to waiting (a week) for them to arrive)
Their website can be a bit slow at times, but overall, I still love having access to their weekly ads so I can "head on in" to the closest Target!
Twitter or Facebook: Which is Right for Your Business?
HubSpot's Inbound Internet Marketing Blog posted this article on May 4th, 2010. It was really interesting to read because I have always wondered which one was "better" for the business world.
Marketers have been buzzing about Facebook since they (FB) announced their new social plugins - which are designed to become the web's identity system.
So, which is better?
According to this article, it is quite obvious that Twitter has way more followers than Facebook. However, I truly believe it depends which industry you are in.
This article focuses on the importance of engaging in both. The ambition of Facebook makes it a critical platform for businesses to participate in, however, you can't necessarily dismiss Twitter. (because in many industries, Twitter is a better way of reaching potential customers)
I don't think it really "matters" what industry you are in, as long as you are experimenting with social media. What is social media marketing? As Dan Zarrella stated in "The Social Media Marketing" book, "it is best defined in the context of the previous industrial media paradigm." New web technologies have made it easy for anyone to create - and, most importantly - distribute their own content. (such as a blog post, tweet, YouTube video, etc.) Posts on the web can be viewed by millions virtually for free - which is fabulous. (advertisers no longer need to pay publishers or distributors)
Social media comes in many forms including blogs, microblogs (Twitter), social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn), media-sharing sites (Flickr), social bookmarking and voting sites (Digg, Reddit), and several others.
I guess the "key point" of this article was not to assess the impact of Facebook and Twitter fans, but to compare the pure reach. Several companies today appear to be building traction (reach) on both Facebook and Twitter, which will be extremely beneficial for both of them.
Marketers have been buzzing about Facebook since they (FB) announced their new social plugins - which are designed to become the web's identity system.
So, which is better?
According to this article, it is quite obvious that Twitter has way more followers than Facebook. However, I truly believe it depends which industry you are in.
This article focuses on the importance of engaging in both. The ambition of Facebook makes it a critical platform for businesses to participate in, however, you can't necessarily dismiss Twitter. (because in many industries, Twitter is a better way of reaching potential customers)
I don't think it really "matters" what industry you are in, as long as you are experimenting with social media. What is social media marketing? As Dan Zarrella stated in "The Social Media Marketing" book, "it is best defined in the context of the previous industrial media paradigm." New web technologies have made it easy for anyone to create - and, most importantly - distribute their own content. (such as a blog post, tweet, YouTube video, etc.) Posts on the web can be viewed by millions virtually for free - which is fabulous. (advertisers no longer need to pay publishers or distributors)
Social media comes in many forms including blogs, microblogs (Twitter), social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn), media-sharing sites (Flickr), social bookmarking and voting sites (Digg, Reddit), and several others.
I guess the "key point" of this article was not to assess the impact of Facebook and Twitter fans, but to compare the pure reach. Several companies today appear to be building traction (reach) on both Facebook and Twitter, which will be extremely beneficial for both of them.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Introduction
Hello!
My name is Amy Albers! I graduated from St. Scholastica (St. Paul campus) in 2005 with a BA in Business Management. In 2008, I decided to continue my education by pursuing a MAM degree. I just completed all of the course work in February, 2010, and have decided to continue my education once again! (I am pretty sure this is the last time - that's what I keep telling my husband at least - hee hee) I will finish my course work for the MBA in Fall, 2010, and will graduate (with the dual degree) in December, 2010.
I work in Human Resources but have always loved marketing! I am very excited to be in this class and look forward to learning how the Internet has affected every aspect of the marketing mix. It will be very interesting to read/learn about the various strategies, foundations, and tools of Internet marketing used by business leaders (today) to create, find, and engage customers.
My name is Amy Albers! I graduated from St. Scholastica (St. Paul campus) in 2005 with a BA in Business Management. In 2008, I decided to continue my education by pursuing a MAM degree. I just completed all of the course work in February, 2010, and have decided to continue my education once again! (I am pretty sure this is the last time - that's what I keep telling my husband at least - hee hee) I will finish my course work for the MBA in Fall, 2010, and will graduate (with the dual degree) in December, 2010.
I work in Human Resources but have always loved marketing! I am very excited to be in this class and look forward to learning how the Internet has affected every aspect of the marketing mix. It will be very interesting to read/learn about the various strategies, foundations, and tools of Internet marketing used by business leaders (today) to create, find, and engage customers.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
eNewsletters/E-mail list
I signed up for the following:
Marcom Writer Blog
Hubspot Marketing Blog
eMarketer Newsletter
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