Archive for July, 2010

SEO Specialist – How To Find Them?

Friday, July 30th, 2010

There are a variety of tools and avenues available to those who want to use the Internet to market a company and engage with its various consumers. So when you are trying to find a SEO specialist you will want to select someone who is well versed in as many of those tools as possible.

An effective SEO specialist will be skilled in Internet marketing and be able to identify and use social networking connections to your advantage. A specialist will also be able to identify and market to various platforms. Since the style of writing a tweet, a blog post and an update on Facebook vary dramatically you will need to review your SEO specialist’s portfolio to ensure that he is able to bring out the most informative and compelling aspects of your company in each of these mediums. All too often, someone claiming to be a specialist simply has a layman’s grasp of the mediums and ends up creating an oversaturation of the market or putting up content that reads as contrived. Hiring such a person would be like hiring a telemarketer or snake oil salesman to promote your business. You want the digital face of your company to be professional and personable, so make sure you select a specialist who will create fresh content that brings out the best of your business.

It is also vital to hire a writer who can layer keywords into compelling stories. Internet users are very savvy and can easily be turned off by content that is written poorly and is clearly structured around a few SEO keywords. A good specialist knows this and also realizes that in order to truly increase a website’s chance of ranking higher in a search engine’s results, you will need visitors to stay on your business’s page. If you have engaging articles that speak to and inform or entertain visitors, then they will stay on your site longer.

When starting the search for a SEO specialist or SEO Company you can log onto websites like that list a number of professionals by country. Remember to always check references and speak with a variety of past clients. As it is true with other providers and industries, there is always the chance of signing on with a bad SEO specialist. To protect yourself you must to do your homework by checking credentials and reviewing a specialist’s past work. Some things to be wary of are providers who link to websites that you do not want your website affiliated with, such as online gaming sites. Also, there is the chance of paying upfront and being left with sub par or no work being done. Exercise strong judgment and never feel pressured to sign on with a specialist you may not feel comfortable with.

As far as fair payment is concerned, SEO specialists can charge on different bases such as payment by the hour, month or a flat fee for the entire project. If you want a SEO specialist who only writes articles, then you can expect to pay by the word count. In this scenario, the payment typically hovers around six dollars per 250-word piece. Do not hesitate to call different firms for different price quotes to make sure you are paying the right amount for a strong product.

The Top 5 Search Engine Optimisation Mistakes

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

Is your website search engine optimised? When properly utilized, search engine optimisation techniques can increase your overall website traffic, ultimately driving your business’s revenue. Search engine optimisation refers to the process of making your website friendly to both search engines such as Google, Bing or Yahoo as well as to individual visitors. When incorporating these techniques, there are several common mistakes business owners should work proactively to avoid.

1.Lack of Targeted Keywords

Targeted keywords refer to individual words or phrases that describe your business. For example, if you own a travel business based in Houston, Texas, a list of possible keywords that a searcher may type in looking for your business may include Houston travel agencies, Houston travel consultants, or Houston Texas travel business. Consider which keywords best represent your individual business, as these will help you to search engine optimize your particular business’s website.

2. Content that Lacks Lustre

The content placed on your website is not only a reflection of your business, but in many cases, is the first impression made on a first time browser. To not only attract a visitor’s attention, but to capture interest by search engines such as Google, your content needs to be relevant, consistently updated and user-friendly. Incorporate the list of targeted keywords developed naturally into your content, working to remain within a density level between 1-2%. Last but not least, ensure that there are no spelling or grammar mistakes within any of your content.

3. Not Following The Rules

While many businesses claim to understand how to work around the search engine’s rules in order to obtain page rank, these practices are considered unethical and in many cases will have your website removed from the searches all together. The best search engine optimisation practices involve developing content on your site that is relevant to your business, regularly updating it and incorporating natural keywords. Avoid the attraction of the quick fix; work to develop a well written website that will attract visitors now and in the future.

4. Improper Use of Meta-Tags

Title tags, keyword tags and description tags are quickly becoming an old-school way of utilizing search engine optimisation techniques as search engines are placing less and less emphasis on them. however, they can add value to your website and the ability for searchers to find your business online. Include them for every page of your website to increase the opportunity for your page rank to be boosted.

5. Websites That Are Not User-Friendly

Many businesses spend too much time focusing on search engine optimisation techniques alone, failing to focus on ensuring that once a visitor lands on their site, they will want to stay there. Focus on building a user-friendly website that grabs the visitor’s attention and that ultimately increases the opportunity to capture a sale or their information for a drip marketing program.

By avoiding these five common mistakes, your search engine optimisation program will have a greater opportunity for success.