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Sunday, September 05, 2010

Changes to Search: Online Marketing Update

Sunday, September 05, 2010





This past week was a big one for anyone interested in selling products or services online. Even retail businesses with a brick and mortar store need to be aware of what's happening with the major search engines - Google, Yahoo!, and Bing.

If you haven't already heard, Yahoo! is now displaying Bing search results. What does that mean? Essentially, it means a large shift in how you optimize your web sites, landing pages, and online marketing. Instead of having to focus on 3 primary properties, you now only have to focus on two.

The consolidation of Yahoo and Bing, from a search perspective, also means that web sites that used to rank well on Bing, but not Yahoo, will see a sudden uptick in search placement and corresponding traffic. There isn't a lot of information out there about Bing optimization, but Bing does provide a primer on SEO. I encourage you to read the information and apply it to what you're doing online.

The other change that was recently announced was that Google, which previously would only allow a single web site to show two listings on page one for a given search term, is now relaxing their policy. In other words, if you have a number of pages related to a given search term (web pages) that are better "optimized", you could have numerous listings on page one of search results.

This means that niche and themed web sites can garner a larger share of traffic in a given area because they are commanding multiple spots on a single page of search results. If you thought that promoting your business with a single web page was an option, thing again. Google is now rewarding breadth and depth of web site content.

These are just some of the recently announced changes by large search engines. Whether you are casually involved with SEO or do search engine optimization for a living, staying on top of changes that impact your online marketing is critical. Subscribe to online newsletters and resources and share what you know with others (feel free to bookmark or send this post to colleagues).

More than 50% of individuals seeking to buy a product or service start their research online. Don't ignore the power of organic and paid listings to increase the exposure of your business.

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Sunday, August 29, 2010

SEO Changes From the Leaders

Sunday, August 29, 2010




Effective marketing requires a knowledge of both search engine optimization (getting your web site ranked on the first page of Google and other search engines) as well as Pay-Per-Click marketing. If you haven't strengthened your knowledge in each of these areas, I recommend that you consider doing so.

This past week, both Google and Yahoo! made pretty significant announcements. If you don't know what they are, consider monitoring popular Internet media like Search Engine Watch or Web Pro News. These sites are always on top of industry updates and can be the first to publish news from the big search engines.

Google Provides Multiple Listings

It used to be that if you were in the first position for a keyword phrase, Google might also provide an indented listing of a popular page from your web site.  However, this is as far as Google was willing to take it.  Google has always been big on diversity of search results and didn't want to fill the first page with nothing but listings from a single site.  Therefore, Google would only allow two listing from your web site per keyword.  But all of that has changed.

In an announcement this week, Google said they are now opening up their listings for a single web site.  This means that you might have multiple individual listings for a given keyword phrase (more than 2), giving you greater online presence and more organic traffic.  This is a surprise move but one that has a positive impact for web site owners everywhere.  More listings equals more traffic.

Yahoo Using Bing Search Results

Although it's been a long time in coming, Yahoo finally announced that switch over to Bing search results.  Bing, formerly MSN, has seen a great deal of success with their re-released Bing and partnered with Yahoo to improve search results.  The move means that optimization techniques that have been effective on Bing will now apply to Yahoo! as well.

Search engines each have their own unique qualities.  Now, limiting the field to two major players, Google and Bing, SEO's can simplify the optimization of web sites and blogs.  The partnership of Yahoo and Bing may also mean more changes in the future.  Regardless, we know from an SEO and PPC perspective, online marketing continues to evolve and our need to better understand how search engines can be leveraged from a marketing perspective is paramount.

Keep a look out for additional changes related to online search.  Be sure to lend your comments to the discussion.  How do you keep track of online marketing changes?  What do these changes mean for your Internet marketing?

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Saturday, August 21, 2010

Disappearing Marketing Blogs, Hacked Web Sites, and More

Saturday, August 21, 2010



I know it sounds incredibly odd, but it seems like a number of my colleagues, friends, and acquaintances all have been complaining about Web site issues as of late.  In fact, last week I experienced the same thing.  The reason that I was unable to make a post last week was because Google decided to ban this blog.  Okay, I know that I'm not the best writer in the world but is it really that bad?

The Google Algorithm
Google is always evaluating the quality of web sites, blogs, and online assets.  And I would argue that their algorithm is one of the best around - but it's not perfect.  That's right.  I'm not afraid to admit it.  Google can ban me if they want, but the reality is that the Internet is a lot like space, continually expanding and something you can never truly get in front of.

As the Web expands so does Google's algorithm.  But they can't necessarily predict the changes or the criteria by which to evaluate quality.  Quality is an ambiguous term.  What defines quality for one person can be largely different than the next.

Marketing Sites
A friend was recently telling me that his Web site was hacked.  He went to log on through his admin control panel (WordPress) and wasn't even able to access his dashboard.  He quickly discovered that his web site was now being redirected to a pharmaceutical promoting web site (which will go unnamed).  WordPress, Blogger, and other programs are not invulnerable and you should consider that when managing your blogs.

The motto of this story is to obviously back up your work when possible.  We take so many things for granted that it's good to remind ourselves that we're dealing with imperfect hosts, web sites, blogs, and so on.  This is one of the reasons that I talk about diversification.  Are you putting all of your eggs into a single blog?  A single web site?  Are you thinking that way when it comes to your Internet marketing?

In marketing we know that individuals need to hear messages multiple times, in different ways.  Treat your online business the same.  Don't focus all of your effort on a single campaign.  Rather, use multiple properties and multiple promotions.  Auto responders, downloads, online Webinars.  These are all great methods for reaching your target audience and building your brand.

Keep Your Marketing Expanding
One thing that I've learned in my thirteen years of marketing is to stick with what works.  I've only heard of a few situations over the years where someone tried a tactic, it didn't work, and then they tried it again and had tremendous success.  What I'm saying is that stick with what you know works and experiment with new promotions or campaigns.  If you want to try something a second time that you think you could have done better - great.  But if it doesn't work in round two, you best move on.

I think that's enough rambling for now.  The take-a-ways, protect your web sites and blogs, back up your work, and make sure your using different campaigns to drive traffic, visitors, and sales!
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Friday, August 06, 2010

Marketing Faux Pas

Friday, August 06, 2010



Every once and a while I like to take a look back at my marketing initiatives to see what can be improved or simply get a good laugh. This morning I was going through some of my old files and found a marketing piece that I created over a dozen years ago.

The reason why I laughed out loud was because this particular marketing piece was one of my greatest marketing faux pas.  When we created the piece we didn't have a proofing department.  As is true with most marketing initiatives, we were rushing to get the piece out the door and into the hands of our prospects and some customers. 

Apparently no one bothered to check the phone number on the marketing piece that was imbeded in the call to action on the post card.  The number that was printed wasn't to our sales line but rather a call girl service.  Hey, don't get me wrong, I'm not one to judge but I can tell you that the boss wasn't happy.  Especially since the piece was printed AND sent out.  

It's in situations like this that you hope that the response rate is very low :)  We had to scramble to "make things right" and it was a costly but valuable lesson.  The good news is that people are human and the majority of prospects and customers who received the post cards actually thought is was funny.

The obvious lesson that I learned was, proof your work.  It doesn't matter how much of a rush you might be in, visit that printed URL, call that number, re-read the content.  The 10 minutes you spend could save you from a major marketing mistake.
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Saturday, July 31, 2010

Raise Your Marketing To The Next Level

Saturday, July 31, 2010



I've been doing some marketing for a company that has a great product, great people, and a really good business model. When you can work for a company that has a lot to celebrate, marketing is an easy thing to do. That is, unless you have to move an entire brand from good, to great!

How exactly to you migrate a product or brand to a whole new marketing level?  You begin with your audience and positioning.  Said another way, determine the needs of your market and how your company addresses those needs.  More importantly, what's unique about your product or company?  This is where you have leverage.

Once you've determined what's unique about your product and brand, you can promote it using both traditional and new media.  With a clear understanding of your 'unique selling proposition', you can improve the effectiveness of all you do.

Here are a few ways to leverage your unique positioning among your target audience:

1.  Create marketing materials that reflect your unique selling proposition.

2.  Position your web site to include content and interactivity that reinforces your key messages.

3.  Leverage new medial like Social Media marketing to communicate your distinct advantages.

4.  Select advertising partners that support your messaging.

5.  Communicate key messages through blogs, affiliates, and other partners.

There are lots of ways to market your unique qualities as a brand or the products and services you offer.  Start with a clear understanding of your market, the segments you're trying to reach.  Look at the competition.  What makes you unique?

Once you've determined your unique qualities, write them down.  The next step is to develop an integrated marketing plan that focused on your key differentiators - which should be in the form of key message points.  Choose media that will get your point across again and again.  Repetition is key.

Be unique.  Be different.  Deliver value.  Over time,  your brand will rise above the rest!

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