Search This
By Steve Plunkett
Here’s an easy question: What do you do? Seriously. What does your company do?
Now, Google that. Yes, literally. Google your answer to my previous question. See if your company shows up in the first 10 results. If not, we need to talk.
Maybe you already have someone handling your Search Engine Marketing. Maybe someone has already “optimized” your website. But if your website doesn’t get page-one results for a phrase that’s as basic as what you do, most customers will never find you on the Web. Not very “optimized,” is it?
Search Engine Marketing and, more specifically, Search Engine Optimization are not simple matters. On the contrary, they are extraordinarily complicated. To ensure their utmost effectiveness, you need to contract with a proven SEM/SEO expert.
That said, there are some easy things you can do to monitor and/or improve your website traffic. The following list of tips is by no means comprehensive, but it’s a good place to start. Also, they are not in any particular order – because you should be performing all of them.
- Google your market segment. Whatever it is, make sure you are on the front page. Not just with pay-per-click (PPC) ads. You need to be on the front page in the organic, unsponsored listings. That’s where most people click anyway.
- Launching a new website? Changing from a static HTML website to a content management system? That won’t necessarily remove all traces of your old site from the Internet. In case users stumble across links to your old, non-functioning site through search engines or otherwise, you’ll want to use 404 pages and a refresh tag to your new website. That’s a much better option than a “Page Not Found” dead end.
- As with the above example, the smallest changes can affect business. What if a customer tries to link to your old site through a bookmark or an old e-mail? If you’ve changed your website, the link may lead to a dead end. As a result, they may assume you have gone out of business. Again, be sure to use 404 pages and a link to your new site.
- PPC top-heavy Internet campaigns, also known as click fraud campaigns, are not the answer. Google claims that click fraud accounts for only 2 percent of PPC revenues; however, PPC spending is in the billions.
- Don’t go for the cheapest SEO firms. There are some inexperienced firms out there that use hidden text, doorway pages and other tactics that can get your website REMOVED from the search engines. What if you lost your phone lines and e-mail for a month or so? How much would that cost you? Are you willing to make the same gamble with another valuable line of communication for your business – your website?
- Are you monitoring your website traffic? Do you know where your website traffic comes from? Which keywords are most effective for your site? How long do visitors stay on your website? Check out http://mcc.hitslink.com.
- Make sure that you own the proper domain names, including common misspellings and variations of your domain name. For example, in addition to www.google.com, Google owns www.gooogle.com. This ensures that browsers will end up on Google, even if they misspell the URL. Also, make sure that you renew each domain name on time.
- Link farms vs. valid placement in directories or indexes? If someone sends you an e-mail asking you to exchange links, it’s probably not a good idea. Take my word for it on this one. On the other hand, placing your link with Yahoo, your local chamber of commerce, Open Directory or the Wall Street Journal – those are good, reputable places to list your link.
- Make some noise. Use PR to generate coverage in print and online publications. Getting your company’s name in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, the Washington Post or even your local business journal will drive readers to your website, particularly if your PR firm helps you tell a good news story with juicy quotes from your spokespeople.
- Contact information. Some of the most overlooked bits of information on the Web. Be sure to put your business name, physical address and phone number on every page of your website. Why? Go to your site. Pick any page other the contact page and print it out. Take it home and look at it. Can you figure out how to reach your office?
Remember, this list is not the end-all, be-all to improving your website traffic. For that, you need a proven, reputable Search Engine Marketing specialist. Someone like me.
I (and a few other specialists like me) can help you get that page-one search result on Yahoo, Google and MSN. Don’t believe me?
Search this – “Technology advertising” – in all three search engines.
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