Weaversites SEO, PPC and Internet Marketing

FAQS about SEO, PPC, Social Media and Internet Marketing

If you have a question I haven't answered here, please do send me an e-mail at fdudley@weaversites.com.
I am more than happy to clarify this subject for clients and site owners.

1. What Exactly is SEO (Search Engine Optimization)?

It is the process of making sure your site gives all search engines the information they need and want, and that your site does not include any inherent barriers to them. With SEO, we are referring to the so-called "natural" or "organic" results in the search engines. These are the search results that appear as a long list down the center of the results page. In order for search engines to include your site with good results (high rankings), they need to be able to find all the content and information in your site, in text (not graphics or multimedia.) That content needs to address exactly what your site, business, product, and target market are all about. Common tasks involved in SEO include writing custom Metatags for all your site pages, recommendations on improving site navigation, recommendations for revised copy and/or adding new copy, and may require asking your webmaster to make a few (hopefully minor) changes. It also includes doing certain submissions to search engines "the right way." Today that means using something called a sitemap.xml. Don't bother with ANY service that says it will submit your site to umpteen seach engines and directories, and don't even bother with the free submissions that search engines (Google and Yahoo for example) offer up themselves. They are virtually guaranteed to be ignored.

2. What Exactly is PPC (Pay-Per-Click)?

"Pay-Per-Click" refers to a form of advertising, primarily on Google, Yahoo, and MSN. If you do a search on Google or Yahoo, you'll notice "Sponsored Listings" running down the right-hand side, sometimes one or two showing up at the top of your results page. These are PPC ads.

The way it works is, you set up an account with the search engine and give them a little money to start with. Then you create an ad, and a list of "keywords" (I prefer the term "target phrases") so that whenever somebody does a search on that target phrase, your ad will show up. You pay a certain amount every time a prospect clicks on your ad (and lands on your site.) The amount you have to pay per click is based on several factors - including how generic your target phrases are, how many competitors are also trying to get their ad to show up, and sometimes, mysterious factors such as Google's "quality factor." The total amount you spend is definitely entirely under your control - with all the major search engines you can set spending limits and maximum per-click amounts. You can even restrict your ad to show up only in certain geographic locations or at certain days and times of the week.

Running Facebook Ads is another channel for PPC, and it's growing in popularity by leaps and bounds. The nice thing about Facebook is that it allows you to focus the presentation of your ads to Facebook users based on their profile and interests. Their reporting still leaves something to be desired, but it is possible to track Facebook ads by using Google Analytics - I can help with that too.

Both Google and Yahoo provide very good step-by-step information and answers about their programs, and I would encourage you to read them. Start at http://adwords.google.com or http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com. The reason to hire a specialist is to save you LOTS of time figuring it all out, getting you set up quickly and efficiently, and knowing exactly what target phrases to bid on, set budgets, other parameters, track the return on investment you're getting and make changes over time to optimize your campaign.

3. What exactly is Social Media Marketing a.k.a. Social Networking?

Those are lousy terms for a very simple & straightforward idea: better communication.

The reason you should be paying attention in 2010: your competitors are. Big time.

Whenever I talk to business owners and students about this subject, most are invariably confused by what it's supposed to accomplish and frustrated by the process and time involved.

The first step is to take a broad look at how your customers/potential customers communicate with each other, and how they communicate with businesses they want to buy from. Then ask yourself if your current marketing and customer service could benefit from enhanced communication. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are not necessarily be-all and end-all solutions for every business, product or service! They are simply tools you could possibly choose from and use.

If you keep your goal of accomplishment on communication, it becomes easier to pick one or two tools. Once you've settled on the tool to use, it becomes much easier to manage the time and resources you put into it.

4. 2010 - The Year of Local and Mobile Search!

Many of us in the IM business, me included, are pretty confident that 2010 will see a huge increase in the use of mobile devices (smart phones, Blackberrys, etc.) to look for nearby products and services. It's already been happening in larger metro areas for a while... but smaller cities and geo-local areas are finally getting into the game thanks to better devices & broadband service at lower cost. I can help you get your site into Local Search results with an optimal business profile. Advertising via Local Search is really taking off too. For example, if somebody uses their smart phone to look for a nearby artisan bakery, you could have an ad that offers the searcher a coupon if they stop by today.

In addition, you may have noticed more and more local and time-sensitive results coming up in broad/general search results these days. All the search engines are currently experimenting with more ways to personalize your search experience, provide relevant local results, plus time-sensitive results. The face of SEO is changing because of this. Learning about it and getting involved is no longer an option, it is a business marketing necessity. Even if it's part of a long-term strategy, now is the time to learn about it and plan on using it.

5. What is Internet Marketing Then?

I would have to say that "Internet Marketing" covers all of the above and then some... a lot of some.

It may include doing directory submissions to carefully selected and researched online directories. It may include doing research to find other web sites where requesting a link would be to your advantage. (Search engines love links to your site. It creates that factor of "authority and popularity" for your site.)

It may include doing an e-newsletter. Newsletters are wonderful because they put your existing customers to work for you in spreading the word about your business or product. Newsletters can include special announcements for discounts, or coupons, or other incentives for readers to return to your site or to forward the newsletter to friends and family.

It may involve coordinating the content of your site or newsletter with traditional-media productions and announcements.

It may involve reviewing your site to see if your marketing message is getting through. People read web sites differently from how they read magazines and print ads. Does your site clearly address a consumer's need? Does it tell them exactly what to do to get the solution they need from you — NOW? Is your copy professionally written?

It may involve deep research into what your competitors are doing with their websites and online advertising, to look for two things - what are they doing right, and what opportunities have they missed that you can take advantage of?

It may involve demographics and marketing research if your company, product, identity, and target market need clearer definition for successful marketing.

6. How Much is All This Going To Cost Me?

Please see my Services page.

Weaversites ~ 113 Pristine Lane ~ Weaverville, NC 28787 ~ 828-231-1501 ~ fdudley@weaversites.com