Content marketing is one of the most effective ways to put your business in front of your target audience – and it’s great for SEO! Even though, over past years, many marketers have forgotten that “content is king,” it still is, perhaps today more than ever. One BIG rule of content marketing: don’t write any “junk,” and make sure that all of your content is share-worthy.

One reason that content marketing is all the rage today is the soaring popularity of social media. Regardless, it’s important that you produce compelling, valuable – and original – content whether it’s in the form of articles, blog posts, blurbs, press releases or website pages.

Here are 5 essential principles of content marketing we think you’ll find useful in propelling your business to the top:

1. All content should enhance search engine optimization. Optimize your content with keywords and keyword phrases when appropriate across all channels, including on social media sites like Facebook.
2. Have a purpose for your content. All too often, content is written without really having a specific purpose in mind. Are you wanting more exposure for your brand, to generate leads, or to build a strong SEO strategy? Determine what you want your content to accomplish, then work toward that goal.
3. Sustain your content – it’s an ongoing conversation. You can’t write one piece of content per week and expect results. Today, people want to engage in conversations. Develop content, promote, syndicate, and share. And do it often. Keep your target audience engaged!
4. Serve your readers’ needs. It’s easy to make your content all about you, promoting your product/service and news about your company. Sure, you need to serve your brand’s needs occasionally, but try to devote at least 70% of your content to serving your readers’ needs. You’ll gain their trust and loyalty, hugely important in online success today.
5. Measure your content’s impact. Analyzing what works and what doesn’t can help you in creating future content. Which blog posts were tweeted and shared most? Learning what your target audience is looking for and providing solutions will drive more targeted traffic.

These content marketing principles, when combined with proven SEO tactics, will substantially increase awareness of your brand, targeted traffic and trust in your company. Yes, content IS still king!

E.B.B. Interactive is an Atlanta & Honolulu based digital marketing firm that offers full-service online content creation services. Interested in getting started with our services today? Call 877-323-0661 for a free estimate!

While getting targeted traffic is one of the biggest problems many businesses face, converting that traffic into customers can be just as tough. At E.B.B. Interactive, we know that high quality content is essential for increasing conversion rates. With Google placing more importance on user experience for ranking websites today, it’s more important than ever to ensure you offer valuable, compelling content that captures your visitors’ interest and converts them into clients.

Why is high quality, original content so important?

Today, internet users are more savvy than ever – and they’re tired of finding the same old tired, rehashed content that seems to be on every site they visit. Unfortunately, many websites are heavy on the keywords and sales pitch, and light on valuable, useful – and unique – information. It’s critical that you set your business apart from the rest by offering content that’s fresh and provides your reader with substance.

How quality online content works to your advantage

Not only does great content that takes a fresh approach help with search engine optimization, it works to the advantage of your company in a number of other ways, including:

Smart, intuitive navigation

High quality content helps your visitors navigate your website, making it easier for them to buy. Intuitive navigation means that visitors never have to wonder how to get to the page they desire, whether it is another content page or a page offering your products. You want to strike the perfect balance between useful, informative content that entices your visitor to buy, and leading them to the purchase page without them having to navigate through a labyrinth of pages. This is particularly true when a visitor returns to your site, ready to buy.

Establishing your position as an authority in your industry

Nothing helps build your reputation as an authority in your industry more effectively than high quality content. Not only that, great copy that isn’t “stuffed” with keywords and that allows keywords to fall in a natural way, mixed with variations of those keywords, help in organic SEO. Communicating your expertise and providing relevant information about your services or products builds your readers’ trust, and helps grow your reputation as an authority.

Higher – and lasting – ranking in the search engines

High quality content is more important than ever before online, not only to convert your traffic into customers, but to achieve and maintain higher search engine rankings. Google has plainly stated that websites offering original, high quality content and that refrain from over-optimizing will be rewarded.

If you’re experiencing low conversion rates, consider taking a look at your content through fresh eyes. The old saying “content is king” has never been more true than it is today.

E.B.B. Interactive is a Hawaii SEO marketing firm that offers full service content marketing strategies. Call 877-323-0661 for a free quote!

Many companies still have yet to implement blogging into their SEO strategy, and fail to realize the positive impact a blog can have on their brand, traffic and overall success. The fact is, blogging is an extremely powerful SEO tool that can accomplish many things, including:

• Increasing the volume of targeted traffic coming to your website
• Increasing page rank
• Building brand awareness

Why hasn’t your company started a blog yet? Many people are simply intimidated by blogging. They fear they won’t be able to write great posts, or write them often enough. Maybe you don’t understand how blogging works, and have no idea how to get started. The fact is, without a blog your company is missing out on some amazing visibility, traffic and improved search engine rankings. Basically, your company is missing out on a substantial opportunity to increase leads and profits.

Search engines (particularly Google) LOVE blogs, for a number of reasons. Because they are written using a simple format, it’s easy for the search engine “crawlers” to navigate your blog, finding all of the original, valuable content you offer. In recent months, Google has begun using “user experience” as a way to rank blogs and websites. What makes for a better user experience? Great content that is original, and written in a natural way – which is exactly what a blog offers.

Blogs give your business a more personal feel as well, and allow potential customers to interact by leaving their comments and opinions about your posts. Because they are written in a more natural, relaxed voice, readers will feel more connected to your company – and even feel that your company strives to stay “in touch” and keep them informed of news, updates, new products, etc.

Blogs are an ideal way to increase your inbound links, as bloggers love linking to other blogs that offer interesting, useful reading. Most blogs also have an RSS feed, or Really Simple Syndication feed, which allows your readers and blog directories to be notified when you add a new post.

If your company doesn’t have a blog, it should. Blogs are an essential tool that should be part of every SEO campaign, whether your company is small or large!

It’s common for most people to send most of their traffic to the home page of their website – but is it smart? Maybe not. Most SEO companies know the importance of ‘deep linking‘, for example linking internal pages to other internal pages, getting other relevant sites to link to internal pages, etc. However, they also know the importance of more advanced deep linking tactics. If you notice that your bounce rate seems high, that visitors tend to leave after viewing only one page, or that they just don’t spend much time on your website, you’ll be interested to learn about advanced deep linking tactics, and why they’re effective.

Three reasons deep linking is essential in your overall SEO strategy

Creating deep links helps increase your website’s visibility, overall relevancy and authority. By linking to your internal pages, you can rank higher for more keyword phrases. There is just no way that you can optimize your home page for every keyword you want to rank for!

Deep linking helps improve visibility overall, because more of your pages get indexed.

Your website becomes more relevant, because you do have the ability to rank higher in the search engines for more keywords. Using anchor text to link from one page of your site to another which is keyword-rich helps search engine crawlers understand what keywords that page is based upon.

Your entire site becomes more of an “authority” site in Google’s eyes, rather than just your home page. Instead of your internal pages having no authority and your home page having a considerable amount, your entire website enjoys more authority.

So, what are some additional deep linking tactics you should be using?

Don’t assume that you must link to your home page in email signatures, blog comments, guest posts you write for relevant blogs, forums, articles written for syndication purposes, social networking sites, etc.

Rather than automatically linking to your home page in every signature, profile or bio, give it some thought. Which page of your website would be most relevant to those who might click through from your link? For example, sending people who have read your article to a page of your website that expands further on the topic of the article would likely be much more effective than sending them to your home page. This helps decrease your bounce rate, and increase the amount of time spent on your website.

Help your visitors find what they are looking for on your website by including a list of relevant articles at the bottom of the page, so that they can explore further. It’s now widely known that Google is focusing on user experience in ranking websites, so help your visitors have the best experience possible!

From now on, before automatically linking to your home page, consider what the reader wants. Deep linking tactics are good for the popularity of your website – and SEO success!

E.B.B. Interactive is an Atlanta and Honolulu-based SEO agency that can assist you with your business’ digital marketing needs. For more information, please call 877-323-0661 or drop us a line!

Are your marketing efforts focused primarily on on-page SEO and building quality incoming links? Sure, basic SEO is critical for online success, but content marketing is a cost-effective way to increase visibility, build your brand, and gain trust as an “authority” in your niche or industry. If you aren’t really clear about the benefits of content marketing, here are a few reasons you (or a quality content writer) should be creating valuable content on a regular basis.

You can reap the benefits forever. Because articles, blog posts, press releases and other content stays on the Internet indefinitely, you enjoy targeted traffic for weeks, months, even years. How many ways do you know of to market your website that don’t require continuous financial support?

It’s cheap – or even free. Depending on whether you write your own content or hire a writer to do it for you, content marketing is extremely cost-effective. Even if you do hire someone else to create your content, the cost isn’t usually exorbitant – and you enjoy the benefits for the long-term. Write it yourself, and it costs you nothing but a little time!

Search engines love it, meaning better ranking for your site. When you consistently publish new content on your site, search engines notice. Google in particular loves content that is original, fresh and valuable to the reader. In addition, your text will usually contain even more related keywords that will drive additional traffic. In effect, adding new content to your blog or website boosts SEO.

It drives traffic. As we mentioned above, fresh content can drive traffic to your website. Even without consciously focusing on it, new articles often contain long-tail keywords and relevant phrases that attract additional traffic you wouldn’t get with only your primary keywords. Focus your content on solutions, interesting facts and other information your reader would find useful.

Content builds your reputation. Most people who surf the web for a product, service or information won’t spend their money unless they feel they can trust the vendor. When you share new information on a consistent basis, you are in effect building your reputation. A good reputation equals more trust – and credibility is essential for success online.

If you haven’t heard the phrase “content is king“, chances are you’re new to marketing online – but there has never been a statement that is more true when it comes to online success. Develop a content marketing plan, and be consistent with it. You will be amazed at the benefits fresh content can bring to your business.

E.B.B. Interactive provides content creation services for all niches and industries. Interested in learning about our specials and packages? Call 877-323-0661 for more information.

Many people who do not specialize in SEO, web design or any other aspect of online marketing and promotion do not realize that the design of their website can actually impact SEO, or search engine optimization. While you may know enough to know that proper keyword placement is essential, that may be all you really know. Is the design of your website enhancing SEO, or hurting it?

You know that you want to give your readers a good experience, but what about search engine crawlers?

Just like your human visitors, those little web “crawlers” that help the search engines learn what your website is about want a good experience. Is your content well-organized, and optimized for your chosen keywords? Does your website design include search engine friendly navigation? The navigational system and internal linking structure are crucial in effective on-page SEO. Text-based links are best for navigation purposes, so that search engines can “read” them. Linking your pages together using anchor text is also important.

Additionally, as the web begins to trend more toward mobile devices, many cannot support flash elements, another reason to stick with text-based navigation. Be sure that your links take your visitors where they expect to go. For instance, if you have an “about” page on your site, your reader and the search engines expect to find information about yourself or your company.

Are you using keywords effectively?

There are a few key areas where keywords should be placed in order to boost your SEO, including

Alternate text for images
Navigation
Title tags
Meta descriptions
Main website content
Internal links
H tags – H1, H2, H3
Footer links

While you want to make good use of your keywords, refrain from “over-doing” it. Search engines (particularly Google) are cracking down on overly-optimized websites.

Friendly URL’s (in other words, URL’s that identify what the page is about, rather than use numbers and characters), image filenames and sitemaps are other areas you should focus on to ensure that your website is SEO friendly.

Never think of website design and SEO as two different concepts, as the two are very much related! Put these tips to work in the designing of your website, and make it easier for both humans and search engines to find.

E.B.B. Interactive is a SEO web design company that can help you build a beautiful website that both search engines and humans will appreciate! Want to learn more? Call us at 877-323-0661 for a free consultation.

For years, companies have achieved visibility online mostly by relying on SEO tactics. While good search engine optimization is still critical in reaching your target audience, social media is fast becoming essential in building brand recognition and higher search engine ranking. Unfortunately for those companies who have been around for awhile, many wonder what the heck social media even is! Sure, everyone on the planet has heard of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and MySpace, but when it comes to business, you may not have a clue as to how it integrates into your online marketing plan.

Relaxed Communication

Essentially, social media gives you a way to communicate with people in a way that is more conversational and relaxed. Through social media platforms, you can put your products and services in front of people in a way that doesn’t seem pushy or forced. That being said, if you intend to use social media in your marketing strategy, be prepared to dedicate time to it every day. This isn’t something you can do only once each week or month, when you have some extra time or think about it. Just like other marketing strategies, social media requires effort and dedication to grab attention and keep the momentum going.

Develop and Grow Relationships

Marketing through social media sites allow you to create and grow relationships with people who might otherwise never know about your business. Many people today go straight to Facebook, and never surf the internet. How would you reach those potential customers otherwise? You wouldn’t. Getting involved in the conversation and letting people get to know your personality engages them, and makes you “real” in their eyes. Consumers become more aware of your company and your brand. If you offer an exceptional product or service that really delivers and provides a solution to peoples’ problems or needs, you can be sure they will share it with others. Customer loyalty is another advantage of social media marketing.

Still a little skeptical? While this form of marketing won’t work on its own or without implementing a strong SEO campaign, you will see how it can grow your brand, increase conversions and ultimately increase profits. Some of the companies that are involved in social media marketing today include Dunkin Donuts, BMW, Coca-Cola and CNN. If you aren’t getting the results you want for your company through the old “tried and true” marketing strategies alone, give social media a try. We think you’ll become a believer!

E.B.B. Interactive is a full service social media agency that can help you connect with your audience. Want to learn more? Give us a ring at 877-323-0661.

Is your website getting more traffic for specific keywords than it once did, or less? Are you ranking higher in the search engines organically, or has your website’s rank dropped? In order to achieve more visibility and success online, there are a few SEO metrics you should be measuring on a regular basis. If you simply implement a few proven tactics and hope they will be effective, you’re essentially “flying by the seat of your pants.” To be successful online, you cannot just cross your fingers and hope for the best. The Internet is ripe with competition; it’s important that you stay on top of what’s working, what isn’t, and what you need to do to improve things.

Here are 5 SEO metrics that you should be watching constantly so that you know what needs tweaking:

1. Backlinks – Quality backlinks are one of the most important aspects of SEO today. As you add content to your site, distribute press releases or share case studies, the number of quality backlinks to your website should grow. Keep in mind that you want backlinks from authority sites, and that the anchor text linking to your pages does matter.
2. Discovery index – What does this mean? You’re simply “discovering” what keywords are being used by searchers to find your company each month. When the number of unique keywords (other than those you optimized your site for) being used to find your website in the search engines increase, it’s important that you include these keywords in your content strategy, effectively capturing additional qualified traffic.
3. SEO ranking – This one is a no-brainer! Most companies are “chomping at the bit” every week or month to see if their website has moved up in the search engine rankings. If you’re not, it’s critical that you begin tracking organic search visibility. Otherwise, you don’t know if your SEO efforts are working.
4. Facebook “likes,” Twitter “tweets” and so on – Are your social signals working for you? Today, some search engines (including Google and Bing) determine rank by a number of factors, including social signals. The number of likes, tweets, shares, comments, etc. DOES affect your ranking, so measure how well you’re doing in the social media arena.
5. Determine where your traffic is coming from – Is most of your traffic coming from referrals, social media sites, paid ads or organic search? Which is converting better? It is essential that you understand whether your organic traffic is growing, and which source of traffic seems to bring higher conversions.

SEO obviously isn’t the easiest area of online marketing, but it IS essential to your company’s success. If you aren’t analyzing these metrics, you should be!

Need a little more help weeding through the metrics? Give us a call, and we’ll be happy to chat with you!

What are your very favorite metrics to use in your online marketing efforts? Share your thoughts in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook or Twitter!

If you’re visible at all online, no doubt you’re using a few online marketing tactics to put your offer in front of your target audience. You may be implementing organic SEO strategies, content marketing, participating in forums, even engaging in social media marketing. What else can you do to increase your visibility online and climb higher up the ladder to success?

Here are 5 tips that will help you diversify your online marketing

Combine paid search advertising with your SEO strategies. While it is essential that you rank organically for your key terms, paid search engine advertising can dramatically increase targeted traffic to your site, resulting in increased sales and leads.

Take advantage of mobile marketing. Today, more than 100 million people in the United States use Smartphones! This means huge potential for you, particularly locally. It is believed that about 80% of the searches that people conduct on their Smartphones and other mobile devices are in an effort to find products and services locally. Why not reach out to these potential customers?

Have you set up a business profile on Google+? Hopefully you’re already tuned in to Facebook and Twitter, but putting up a profile on Google+ allows you to further share your ideas, content and knowledge. Optimize your posts, and enjoy added exposure.

Put your product/service in front of 17.8 million visitors on Pinterest. This social networking site has grown exponentially in a very short time. In fact, its design and accessibility has made it the 3rd most popular social media site in the United States today – some even call it addictive.

Make yourself a star on YouTube. Videos are highly popular today, and a great way to put your business in front of people who need your product/service. Because YouTube is a Google product, videos tend to rank highly in search engine results. Every day, more than 4 billion videos are being viewed on YouTube! What might you be missing out on?

All of these marketing tactics may not apply to your particular business; it is essential that you know your target audience in order to know what will be effective in your situation. When it comes to marketing your business online, think “outside the box!”

E.B.B. Interactive is a full service online marketing agency that can assist with all your internet marketing needs.

SEO has changed, and we believe for the better. No longer can websites rank highly in the search engine results based primarily on keyword-stuffed content. Sure, keywords are still essential; without them, humans or search engines wouldn’t find your site. However, effective SEO campaigns today are based largely around quality content that is original and valuable to the reader, along with strong incoming links. Link building has been – and will be for the long-term – a key factor of SEO that you do NOT want to overlook!

Think of incoming links to your web pages as “votes” for your website. Other website owners don’t typically link to a page unless they like it and find it compelling or useful. Google analyzes the links that flow into your pages in order to determine if your website is “important.” Strong links from authority sites and social media can give your website a much-needed boost in the search engine results.

It’s just the nature of the beast, but trusted sites tend to link to other sites that they deem trustworthy, while spammy or “junk” sites that offer no real value to visitors typically get very few strong incoming links. Webmasters simply do not want to link to sites that provide little or no value, because it could hurt their own ranking. And, why would a trusted, high-traffic website want to send their visitors to “junk” anyway? It could cost them their reputation.

In order to achieve the highest possible success with link building, it’s important that you keep in mind all links are not created equal. Here are the 3 basic types of links:

Links based on quality content – These links are given with no persuasion from you, simply that fact that your content is relevant and compelling, and other sites want to share the value with their readers.

Manual and suggested links – Webmasters often ask other website or blog owners to put up their links, or submit their sites to directories (free or paid).

Self-created links – You can build incoming links all day long through blog commenting, user profiles, forum signatures, even guest posting on blogs. While these links aren’t particularly strong links, they can have a positive effect on your ranking in great numbers.

The point is, never focus solely on keyword optimization and other on-page factors when implementing an SEO campaign. Remember that valuable incoming links are just as important, and keep your eye on the prize!

If you’re in the market for a full service SEO package, give us a call at 1-877-323-0661 or email us at support@ebbinteractive.com to see how we can help you. We always give a free, no obligation consultation before you pay a dime!

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In order for your small- to medium-sized business to be its most visible in the search engine results (meaning it shows up where your target audience will find you, near the top of the page), there are a few tactics you must implement. Today, you can’t simply build a website, then “set it and forget it.” The competition is tough in nearly every industry; to stay on top, it takes work – plain and simple. There are no “free rides” on the Internet!

Here are four powerful SEO-boosting tips that will help you reach and maintain success without spending an exorbitant amount of money.

Keep your content fresh, and relevant

Nothing is more important today to Google and other search engines than fresh, valuable content. A decade ago, you could get away with a “static” web page that never changed – but not so much today.

Constantly update your content, and not just on your website. By updating business listings, blogs and social media pages on a regular basis, your business will remain relevant.

Don’t just use your keywords – know them, and how they work

Even if you have an SEO firm to implement SEO tactics, it’s important that you know what your relevant keywords are and understand their importance in your success. Also, the key terms and phrases that your target market use to find your product/service may change occasionally, so it’s crucial you stay up-to-date with new and popular topics. This can be done by engaging on social media sites and following what your competition is doing!

Also consider using Google Analytics, a tool that can be extremely useful in building a strong (and effective) keyword list that applies to your target audience.

Ask for reviews

While this may seem a bit intimidating, it is a fact that about 70% of people who go online in search of a product or service look for reviews before buying. Sure, it’s tough to just blatantly ask for a review – but think of subtle ways to get your clients to review your product/service. Tell them that their opinion is important to you, and that their comments help you provide a better product/service.

Engage with your audience through social media

Not “up” on social media? It’s time you are! Every single day, conversations are taking place on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social networking platforms. Today, search engines take notice of these comments, reviews and conversations, which means that when your business is mentioned, it can impact your search engine rankings.

These are four easy tactics to implement that don’t cost you a thing! Apply them to your online business, and watch as your success rises to new levels.

Interested in receiving a free, no obligation SEO consultation? Give us a ring at 877-323-0661! We’ll be happy to discuss your business’ unique needs.

Not one for the phone? No problem! Fill out our free SEO report form, and we’ll send you an analysis via email.

No doubt implementing SEO (search engine optimization) techniques is essential for increasing visibility and obtaining higher search engine rankings – that’s a given. However, how does social media come into the mix? What about PPC ads? Are they still popular today? Building relationships, building your brand and putting your offer in front of your target audience are all critical for online success. Here are a few interesting facts regarding social media, SEO and PPC advertising that you may find very interesting.

How social media can impact your reputation and brand today

Social media sites such as Facebook have given people today a platform where they can voice their opinions, share experiences, even make recommendations. When it comes to your business, what will people be saying about you on these platforms? Your brand – and your reputation – could be on the line if customers use social media to broadcast a negative experience, or proclaim how your product did not perform.

Essentially, this means that your brand promise must convey a compelling benefit, that it must be credible and authentic, and that your promise must always be kept. Social media can be extremely useful in the success of your online business – but it can also be your downfall.

PPC and Social Media Marketing – a Common Mix?

Not surprisingly, those who use social media marketing heavily do not rely on PPC advertising for traffic. In fact, it has been revealed in an annual survey by Social Media Examiner that those who use social media to market their companies are far likelier to use SEO rather than PPC ads. According to the survey, a full 65% of social media marketers also implement SEO tactics, while only 38% use pay-per-click (PPC) or paid search advertising.

On another note, 40% of businesses report that social media marketing results in sales

Overall visibility and increased exposure are two benefits that social media marketers reportedly enjoy, but many companies report that social media has led to sales for their companies. In fact, (again according to Social Media Examiner), 40% of businesses see an increase in sales due to social media marketing – but that’s not the only benefit. Social media has a positive impact on SEO as well, as readers “share” links to blogs and websites they find useful, increasing the number of inbound links – which we all know Google loves!

Are you participating in social media yet? While PPC ads definitely work, it’s becoming apparent that a combination of SEO and social media marketing achieves exceptional results.

Interested in learning more about social media and SEO tactics? Sign up for our free newsletter here, and get a FREE SEO REPORT at the same time.

Want to get started, but don’t know how to begin? Check out our online marketing managed services here.

GOT QUESTIONS? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Send your questions over to us on Twitter or Facebook, and we’ll try to answer them for you.

Today, it’s fairly easy to build your own website, IF you want to use a template that potentially thousands of other businesses use. For example, WordPress offers an endless selection of templates, and lots of people use them. However, if you really want your offer to stand out and attract attention, go for custom web design. Why? Not only can you set your business apart, but it’s also easier to build brand recognition and have a website that truly represents what your company is all about.

There are certain industries that demand custom web design. For example, a law firm, interior design or construction/home remodeling company would definitely benefit from a website that is unique and appealing. Even in affiliate marketing, many companies offer affiliates their own website, however these sites are not customizable, making it impossible to implement effective SEO tactics. In essence, this means that the website will never be found in search engine results. So, what’s the point?

Advantages of custom website design

Having a website that is unique in terms of services offered, products, design and content quality will ensure you stand out, catching your visitors’ attention. It is a proven fact that you must capture a visitor’s attention in the first 3 to 5 seconds, or they’re gone forever – most likely to your competitors.

A custom design offers a particular experience to the visitor through unique features, easy navigation and valuable, compelling content. A capable web design company will be able to make your website compatible with the products or services you offer. From graphic elements and content to navigation, videos and color scheme, your website will offer a look and “feel” that is suited to your brand/offer. Depending on your industry, that experience may be one that is relaxed, energetic, soothing, exciting or simply professional.

Your brand is perhaps the most important aspect of your business – it’s what people recognize, what makes them trust you. How do website design and brand work together? Color, character, emotion, visuals integrated into the design, size and position of logo, tone of voice – all of these things help to reflect your brand.

Which way will you go with your business? If you want to reach your ultimate level of success, the answer is really a no-brainer.

If you’re interested in having a custom website designed for your business, give us a call at 877-323-0661 for a free, no obligation consultation. We have packages that fit nearly every need.

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You’ve hired a team of SEO experts to optimize your website and implement off-page strategies to help your company enjoy more visibility. Good for you! Hopefully, you’re not someone who will sabotage your SEO firm’s efforts by doing one (or many) of the following, which make life extremely hard for your search engine optimization team.

Separating SEO and social media. Today, the two are very much related, yet too many business owners view them as two very different strategies. There is a tremendous amount of interaction between SEO and social media, and a huge opportunity for a strong link building strategy.

Forgetting about the end user. Particularly in recent months, Google has begun analyzing the user’s experience in terms of time spent on your website, pages visited, etc. Google now uses this data in combination with good SEO to rank sites, so it’s critical that you keep the visitor’s satisfaction in mind and offer valuable, good “stuff.”

Dwelling only on on-page SEO. Unfortunately, too many companies are obsessed with the on-page aspects of SEO, and forget the off-page tactics. In order for your search engine optimization team to achieve your goal of a high ranking, it’s essential to include PR, link building, social media and other strategies.

Thinking about SEO after the horse is out of the barn, so to speak. It’s critical that SEO strategies are well thought-out before your website is developed! Sure, everyone gets excited and anxious about a new website or re-design, but who’s going to see it if optimization is overlooked, or implemented as a “last thought?” Do it right from the beginning, else you’re likely to have lots of mistakes that will affect your success.

Not letting go of outdated SEO “rules.” It used to be that meta keyword tags were useful. Today, not so much. Sure, it’s hard to let go of what used to be the “hard and fast” rules for effective search engine optimization. However, listen to your SEO firm; after all, isn’t their expertise the reason you hired them?

Not leveraging the power of content – everywhere. Sure, great content on your website is crucial – but you also need to enforce a consistent, strong content plan across social media, blogs, articles, press releases and more to make it work for you.

It’s easy to get stuck in the on-page SEO mindset – but if you’re going to have a successful online presence, warm up to the idea of various marketing disciplines, and how they all work together for your benefit.

Where do you concentrate most of your SEO efforts? We’d love to hear about the tactics you use to get your site seen!

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Many people are still a bit confused about social media marketing, and how it can propel their business’ success online. Most know how important SEO is, but don’t really understand how social media marketing works into the mix. If you’ve been online for any length of time at all (either through your PC or mobile device), or watch television for even 5 minutes a day, no doubt Facebook and Twitter aren’t foreign to you. Here’s a short tutorial on how both social media marketing and SEO work together to give your business excellent exposure.

Simply put, social media marketing is the process of using social media sites (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Digg, Delicious, Foursquare, LinkedIn, etc.) to gain attention or traffic to your business. The term “social media” is broad, and encompasses a wide scope of sites where groups of people who are radically different may “hang out.” For example, Facebook allows for the whole gamut when it comes to networking – joining events, sharing updates about your business/personal life, sharing photos, even paid advertising (similar to Google Adwords).

Twitter works a bit differently. With Twitter, users send out short updates or “tweets” once a day, once a week, or dozens of times per day. LinkedIn is an arena where business professionals hang out. Anyway, back to social media marketing and SEO. Even though it may be hard for many to understand how, the two are very closely related – in fact, thisclose.

How SEO And Social Media “Connect”

Many use social media to build links, and everyone knows that inbound links are important for effective SEO. People on sites such as Facebook also frequently use the site to find social media content.

Not too long ago, Google, Yahoo, Bing and Ask were a few of the only search engines given much thought to. Today, while Google still remains #1, social media search engines come in line immediately after Google, even before Yahoo and the other formerly “big” search engines.

Now, we realize that people don’t generally go to Digg or Delicious, or even Facebook looking for something. Instead, they go to these social media sites to “discover” things. In our book, discovery and search are very closely related. In discovery, many people tend to browse – and that is a form of search. Essentially, discovery is a type of search behavior.

In search marketing, it’s crucial that you don’t overlook the power of social media search engines. Today, think of both SEO in terms of being found in Google as well as the other traffic “powerhouses,” social media sites. Not to mention the fact that social interaction on these sites send signals to the search engines that indicate how relevant and popular a site is. The more you “relevant” and “popular” you have in your website’s recipe, the higher up in the search engine rankings you go.

Spread your efforts evenly through good SEO tactics and social media marketing for the most exposure and greatest visibility. Don’t be tunnel-visioned! Social media marketing simply works.

If you have questions about social media and SEO, contact us for a FREE consultation. No obligation!

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Maybe . . . well, make that definitely! Today, Facebook has approximately 845 million users – that’s a lot of users in anyone’s book. Second only to Google in terms of users, Facebook is a social media platform that is ideal for promoting your business and building relationships. One thing most marketers love about Facebook? Instead of pleading or begging for interest in your product/service, you can encourage it.

For six years running, “Facebook” has been the most-searched term the world over. What does that say about what this mega social media site can do to give your online business more exposure? Volumes.

The most important thing online businesses can do, no matter how small or large, is to create a Facebook page that is properly designed and well thought-out. Poorly designed pages can actually hurt your business, which is worse than not having a page at all. Because any information (i.e. quotes, links, keywords) that are on Facebook can easily come up in the search results, it is essential that what you place on the site adds value and does nothing that could potentially hurt your business or reputation. As Facebook switches all pages to the Timeline layout, they’re getting more strict on how much you can actually “push” your users to interact with your brand. No more hiding content behind a forced “like”. No more “Like us by clicking the button above” with a cute little arrow pointing the way. That’s okay, though. The intention behind this maneuver is to have genuine interaction occur. You should be earning your customers’ business, rather than buying it or pitching it. That’s what makes inbound marketing so valuable. Customers obtained through true inbound marketing provide more value to your company, and are usually retained longer, as opposed to a customer who was acquired through direct marketing.

In short, a great Facebook page that is consistently updated with informative, valuable content can give your business the appearance of being an “authority” in your industry, and add to the trust factor. It may also be the first impression a potential client or lead gets of your company (which is often the only one that matters), so make it good.

How else can you use Facebook for SEO purposes? Make sure you make your company’s name/branding obvious, and create titles for your URL, page and tabs carefully. Get links from a variety of sources. Make the most out of custom tab and wall content by using your target keywords and phrases, and building custom tabs utilizing Heading (H1) text. Optimize your multimedia – your videos should have good titles that contain keywords you are targeting.

Most of all, be interactive and connect with people. After all, that’s what social networking is all about! If you haven’t considered Facebook as a part of your SEO strategy, it’s time to get onboard. The two go hand-in-hand. SEO needs social and social needs SEO. It’s the way of the algorithms…at least, for now!

If you have questions about SEO or social media optimization, contact us for a FREE consultation. No obligation!

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This post has the potential to be the longest post in history. In fact, it’s tough to decide where we should even start. The best thing to do is to establish what scenario your company is in right now.

1. You have a business that you’re trying to bring online. You have an established brick and mortar company that you want to establish an online footprint with, you’re starting up a completely new business that you want to have both a brick and mortar and online presence with, or you are starting a brand new online business (i.e. e-commerce store). Any way you cut it, you have zero online presence…not even a website.
2. You have an online footprint but you’re not getting the traffic or conversions you want to see.
3. You have an online footprint, you know a little about SEO, but you’re not seeing results

For most medium-sized, corporate, or enterprise companies, the thought of throwing marketing dollars at online marketing causes heart palpitations to kick into high gear. Why? Because it’s a long-term strategy that’s not always measured by traditional marketing metrics.

While SEO claims to be a “free” marketing strategy, it really isn’t. How will your SEO work get done? You’ll either have to outsource to a company that specializes in it or hire an employee to take on the responsibilities. On top of that, you’ll probably have to spend a few dollars here and there for software that you’ll need to SEO your site properly among other things.

Traditional marketing is used to “hard” statistics. Things that can be held, coveted, calculated, and loved. “Impressions”, “purchases”, “quota”, “cost per conversion”. These are like little love notes to them. Now, all these things can certainly be measured with online marketing tactics, including SEO, but there are factors that cannot be controlled that can directly effect these metrics. For example, you have no control over the exact time or date that search engines crawl your site. You can’t tell search engines to crawl every single page on your site (well…you could tell them that’s what you want by submitting a sitemap, but submittin’ ain’t gettin’). There are also new metrics that are just as important, if not more important, than the old-school benchmarks. What about Domain Authority? What about your SERP for certain keywords? What about community building?

We live in a time where we insist on immediate gratification. Fast food, microwaves, disposable diapers, cell phones, free wi-fi. We expect a lot and we want it fast. It’s tempting when you throw many at ANYTHING to desire fast results…but most of the time, you just won’t get those immediate results you’d like. Though people would love to sell you on the idea that within one month or less of selling you an SEO package, you’ll see your sales rocket, it’s probably not going to be the case.

Which leads us to yet another concept. SEO alone doesn’t do the trick. There’s so much emphasis put on SEO, to the point where people think “Oh! SEO is most important! I’ll just invest in that!”

URBAN SEO LEGEND #1 – FAIL! Do you know how many clients we’ve talked to whose chief complaint is “Well, I’m on page one, but I’m just not seeing any traffic or sales.” Truth is, SEO needs a companion. It’s sorta like chicken in a chicken pot pie. Can you eat just chicken without the pot pie? Of course, but we don’t think it’s as tasty. The chicken’s the star of the pot pie, but it just wouldn’t work without the peas (social media), the carrots (community building/interaction), the crust (trust factor/authority ranking), and the gravy (good web design).

Can you see why it’s easy for big companies to dislike online marketing? It’s the black sheep of the family. It’s not easily trusted. It’s Kevin Bacon trying to convince a small town that dancing is a-okay. As an SEO company, what you’re really asking your clients to do is take a leap of faith. That said, the leap of faith must eventually be taken or they’ll be blown away by their competition.

So Why Do You Need SEO & Other Online Marketing Tactics?

1. You need it to gain visibility for your company – Over 1 billion searches are performed on Google every day, and that’s just Google! Print, radio, and television advertising are losing marketshare. You need to stake your claim on the Internet or someone else will.
2. You need a robust online marketing campaign – Picking online marketing tactics a la carte won’t give you the full-fledge benefits of an online marketing campaign that touches on all important aspects: seo, social, paid marketing (for some), community building, etc.
3. You need to brand and position your company – Too many times consumers don’t have the faintest idea what a company’s suite of services are. By targeting keywords with SEO strategies, you can be sure to snag customers who might never have found you otherwise.
4. You gain valuable insight into your company’s business model – Analytics is always a part of SEO. Do you know how your customers are searching for you? You can find untapped insight into new markets, and may even discover that parts of your business model aren’t profitable compared to others. We’ve seen companies change their entire product line based on data mined out of SEO campaigns.

Did we tell you this post could be long? Be fair, we warned you! There’s a long, laundry list of more benefits, but to make a long story short (too late!)….eh…you get the point.

If you have questions about SEO and how it could benefit you or your company, give us a ring for a FREE consultation. No obligation!

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A new domain is a fresh start – a blank slate on which you can build a successful business – IF you do it right from the beginning. True, great content and a few well-placed keywords are an essential aspect of SEO (search engine optimization), but search engines are a bit hesitant to give your website much authority based purely on keywords alone. So, what other strategies should you be using to ensure your new website grabs the attention of those little “bots” or “spiders” that crawl it?

Start out with a bang

You may or may not know that building strong backlinks to your website is key. However, there are a few things you should do before you ever even consider a backlinking campaign.

Make sure that every page on your website can be accessed with just two to three clicks. Navigation should be simple for users to understand and use. Choose a great domain name (shoutout to @seomoz), one that contains your most important (or profitable) keywords, and that is easily remembered. A great domain name also helps in branding your business.

Does your website load fast enough? Users tend not to wait too long, so if it takes your site longer than a few seconds to load, take action to correct this. You can use some free tools, like YSlow, to get quick insight into your site speed.

If you already have some content on your site, optimize the pages and be certain that they include keywords in your headlines, title tags, general copy and any URL permalinks.

Don’t overlook the importance of careful keyword research

When you begin your SEO campaign, it is essential that you choose the right keywords. Additionally, you need to know how competitive those keywords are so that you know what you’re up against. For example, the keyword phrases “lose weight” or “how to lose weight” are hugely competitive, and some that perhaps you don’t want to begin your first campaign with.

Consider narrowing your keywords down to a more laser-focused area of weight loss, such as “quick weight loss for women” or something similar. Known as “long-tail” keywords, longer phrases are generally less competitive. Even when you pare down to one “leg” of your general niche, be sure that there are enough monthly searches performed to make your business profitable.

Strong backlinks are a critical aspect of effective SEO, but NEVER buy thousands of links

Have you ever seen advertisements that claim you can buy tens of thousands of links for $10 or $20? You can, but the links are usually worthless. Add to that the fact that search engines may think that something looks a little fishy when you suddenly have thousands of links pointing to your site, and it’s just a waste of time and effort.

Your efforts are better placed focusing on gradual link building with links coming into your website from authority sites. Search engines like to see a natural progression of links pointing to your site. It just looks more realistic, and search engines today are all about being genuine and transparent.

Eventually, search engines will determine the value of your website based on various elements that include the number of sites linking to your pages and the quality of those sites; proper on-site optimization; fresh, frequently updated content; and how many links and “shares” come in from social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn.

Are you making all the right moves to ensure that your new domain is a success? SEO strategies have changed in recent years, so make sure you’re up-to-date on what works – and what may land your site on the “bad list” with search engines.

If you have questions about SEO, or you’re wondering how we can help you SEO your new domain, contact us for a FREE consultation. No obligation!

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Want to win your favorite Hawaiian non-profit organization or education institution a sweet, new, custom website for FREE? Yeah, us too! It’s simple…all you have to do is:

1. Enter a comment below with the name of the organization that you’d like to win
2. Click on the little Google +1 button at the bottom of this post
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That’s it!

We’ll tally up who has the most votes and they’ll be the winners. Pretty simple, yeah?

Don’t forget, if you want your organization to win, spread the word so you can get other people voting!

Votes will be taken up through 4/30/12.

To be eligible to win, the organization must be a legitimate non-profit organization or educational institution.

This is just our little way of saying “Mahalo” to all those workers who do so much for so little in return.

**We reserve the right to reject or accept votes as we see fit. If we determine that the organization submitted is not a non-profit or educational institution, they will be deemed ineligible to win.

Not too long ago, most people who were building an online business or taking their “brick and mortar” business online focused almost solely on search engine optimization (SEO). Today, SEO alone won’t get the job done. When potential leads or customers arrive at your website, what will they find? Content that lacks value, or that does little to convert traffic? Navigation that’s difficult to follow? If you (or your website designer or SEO service) are focused solely on keywords, page optimization, density, etc., it’s time to open your eyes up to the big picture.

Web Design And SEO Go Hand In Hand

Unfortunately, many people, including so-called “professionals,” view website design and SEO as two separate things. The fact is, your web designer should be designing your website implementing sound SEO practices. Does your website include a sitemap? Do the graphics on your pages correlate to the words on the page, or do they clash? Do navigation links contain important keywords?

Think of search engine optimization and website design as two elements of online marketing that are simply extensions of each other. Content makes up the majority of your site, so make sure that while it is optimized for keywords (but not to excess), it delivers value to your reader and captures their interest. Graphics, headers, etc. should reinforce your content, and vice-versa. When all elements of your website “flow” seamlessly, your content informs the reader and invites them to “share,” and your offer is irresistible, conversions will soar.

SEO cannot be executed in isolation; integrate with social media for the biggest “bang”

Not into social media? It’s time to put your fears behind you and move into the modern world. If you focus most of your efforts on either SEO or social media exclusively, neither effort will be as effective as it would by combining the two. Search engines like Google and Bing DO use social media as one factor to determine rank today. Social signals like Facebook “shares” and Twitter “retweets” do factor into your overall success in search results.

Google guru Matt Cutts states that social media works to stimulate organic link popularity, so it’s time to get involved! If you’re tunnel-visioned on keyword optimization and content only, it’s time to expand your horizons.

If you have questions about SEO, or you’re wondering how we can help you with your overall online marketing efforts, contact us for a FREE consultation. No obligation!

Don’t forget to “LIKE” us on Facebook or “CIRCLE” us on Google+ to gain access to insider tips, giveaways, and discounts not available anywhere else! And hey, if you’re feeling really neighborly, don’t forget to click on one of the little buttons below to share this article with others who might enjoy it.