Keywords are often you're ticket to online visibility. How do you know what keywords you should be using? Keywordspy.com may have the answers you're looking for!
SEO and SEM have become a huge part of bringing people to your website. They focus on keywords and what words your website uses in tags, links, descriptions and content. Finding out which keywords you're showing up for, and which keywords your competitors are showing up for can give you a big advantage in your quest for increased visibility.
Keywordspy.com is a free (unless you want the advanced version) tool you can use to discover which words any website is using to get listed on the search engines. It will give you organic search results as well as those words being used for paid listings. This tool also gives you a good idea of search engine placement for each keyword listed for every website.
Like most other online marketing tools, be prepared to spend some money if you want a more advanced version of the data. We have found plenty of use for the free version when researching things for our clients. If nothing else, this tool can be used as a great way to generate some new keyword ideas for your marketing.
Check it out for yourself at www.keywordspy.com!
Showing posts with label online marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label online marketing. Show all posts
Monday, April 7, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Using a Blog for a Website
Brand new businesses typically don't have a lot of capital to invest in an online presence. Using a free blog as your website can be a logical solution until your company has enough money to pay for a top notch site!
Let's face it, if you're trying to build a legitimate business, you need an online presence. What that usually starts out as is a place where you can send people online. It doesn't have to be optimized with all the bells and whistles and everything a search engine web crawler is looking for. You just want to be able to hand out a business card with a URL on it.
Blogs are your solution! There are several blog places online that actually let you create different pages along with your blog. The result is a blog that has the look and feel of a website and only seems to have a blog component to the typical internet user.
These online tools allow you to upload pictures, videos and music in some cases. For a minimal investment you can even have your own domain name. This way no one associates you with your blog host. There are even templates to help you design a nice look that fits your business in most cases, and the best part is... you don't need to know a lick of HTML or any other kind of coding to use this method of website creation!
Are they indexed by the search engines? Sometimes this depends on which blog provider you use, but for the most part, yes!
To check this option out, do a little digging at www.wordpress.com (Ooo, I'm a trader! but hey, you gotta go with what works the best, right?). Chances are you've already visited a "website" that was built entirely around a blog!
Remember: This isn't the permanent solution to your need for a web presence, but it can be very effective to help you get to the point where you can invest a little more!
Let's face it, if you're trying to build a legitimate business, you need an online presence. What that usually starts out as is a place where you can send people online. It doesn't have to be optimized with all the bells and whistles and everything a search engine web crawler is looking for. You just want to be able to hand out a business card with a URL on it.
Blogs are your solution! There are several blog places online that actually let you create different pages along with your blog. The result is a blog that has the look and feel of a website and only seems to have a blog component to the typical internet user.
These online tools allow you to upload pictures, videos and music in some cases. For a minimal investment you can even have your own domain name. This way no one associates you with your blog host. There are even templates to help you design a nice look that fits your business in most cases, and the best part is... you don't need to know a lick of HTML or any other kind of coding to use this method of website creation!
Are they indexed by the search engines? Sometimes this depends on which blog provider you use, but for the most part, yes!
To check this option out, do a little digging at www.wordpress.com (Ooo, I'm a trader! but hey, you gotta go with what works the best, right?). Chances are you've already visited a "website" that was built entirely around a blog!
Remember: This isn't the permanent solution to your need for a web presence, but it can be very effective to help you get to the point where you can invest a little more!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Planning for Future Web Presence
As a small business just entering the online world, it is sometimes out of our reach to do everything we need to in order to have a marketable image and gain visibility. Many of us prefer to take on projects in steps anyhow. With proper planning, this approach works well for those wanting to make the financial burden of online marketing more affordable!
One of the first steps (and most important) for your business' online livelihood is having a website. Not only does this give you a place for your customers to learn more about you, but it gives you a point of credibility as a legitimate business. (Two very important things!)
It's been my experience with companies I've worked with that often the cost of websites AND establishing visibility are just too much money for the typical small business. At least all in one chunk. What ends up happening most of the time is a staged project with the first part being a website development and the next piece a visibility project.
Designing your site to help you control costs and ease of use later on is a huge advantage if you can manage it. One of the biggest problems in this area is Flash. This web development platform is absolutely wonderful for creating outstanding images, videos, etc. However, it is a nightmare when trying to add/change any online aspect.
Flash sites are typically more expensive to begin with, and they are practically invisible to the search engines (remember google and the like can't index images... which is what a flash site is composed of).
That's not to say there aren't ways of making Flash sites visible to the search engines. There certainly are plenty of ways to do that, but be prepared to open the billfold if Flash is what you want. It's more expensive to develop, edit, optimize, etc.
My advice to those wanting to get the most out of their website is to develop first in HTML. You can always add Flash components to those pages. Save your fancy Flash development for when your bringing in the big bucks!
One of the first steps (and most important) for your business' online livelihood is having a website. Not only does this give you a place for your customers to learn more about you, but it gives you a point of credibility as a legitimate business. (Two very important things!)
It's been my experience with companies I've worked with that often the cost of websites AND establishing visibility are just too much money for the typical small business. At least all in one chunk. What ends up happening most of the time is a staged project with the first part being a website development and the next piece a visibility project.
Designing your site to help you control costs and ease of use later on is a huge advantage if you can manage it. One of the biggest problems in this area is Flash. This web development platform is absolutely wonderful for creating outstanding images, videos, etc. However, it is a nightmare when trying to add/change any online aspect.
Flash sites are typically more expensive to begin with, and they are practically invisible to the search engines (remember google and the like can't index images... which is what a flash site is composed of).
That's not to say there aren't ways of making Flash sites visible to the search engines. There certainly are plenty of ways to do that, but be prepared to open the billfold if Flash is what you want. It's more expensive to develop, edit, optimize, etc.
My advice to those wanting to get the most out of their website is to develop first in HTML. You can always add Flash components to those pages. Save your fancy Flash development for when your bringing in the big bucks!
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