Archive for the Search Engine Marketing Category

The Basics of Understanding Internet Marketing

By on September 9, 2009

What is Internet Marketing?

This is a brief introduction of Internet Marketing. Here we will differentiate between Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization. Actually Internet Marketing covers several different marketing strategies.

1. SEO: Search Engine Optimization or SEO is the process of generating more traffic to your website from search engines like Google, MSN and Yahoo by having it ranked well in search engine response pages or SERPS.  When a user types in a keyword or keyphrase into Google’s search box, the search engine will return the most relevant pages. Usually the websites that are closest to the top of the first page get clicked on the most. SEO helps your website rank better in SERPS which in turn causes greater traffic to your website.

2. Pay Per Click PPC is paying for ads, usually in the form of keyword ads on search engines like Google. When a visitor clicks on your add and is taken to your website, you pay for that click. Google does not charge for impressions or when your add shows up on their results pages. You pay only when a user clicks on your link.

3. Banner Ads are graphic designed ads that are posted on a website and generate traffic to your website when a user clicks on them. Banner ads work on a PPC arrangement

4. Email Marketing: Keeping your customers and potential customers informed of your products and services, special sales and discounts is a key function of email marketing. However, with the explosion of SPAM, email marketing does have its challenges. If you send only to people on your list who want to receive your newsletters, you should be fine.

Together, these four areas above make up Internet Marketing. As the web evolves, this list may change and grow.

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Global Link is a Portland web design & Internet Marketing company specializing in SEO.  Contact us for more information about our web design services.

This entry is filed under Internet Marketing, Search Engine Marketing and tagged , , , , , .

How to Market Your Website

By on September 8, 2009

Tips on how to effectively market your website

You can have the most cutting edge and professionally designed website, but if people are not visiting it, then much of the effort and cost in designing it is wasted. If your website is not getting the traffic it should, then it is important to make sure you are working to promote your website.

1.  If you don’t already have a website domain, chose a domain name that is simple and easy for people to remember. If you can, use a keyword in your name. A keyword is word that people use to find web sites in your industry. For example. If you are a real estate agent in Portland, people would most likely type, “Portland real esate agents” in to Google’s search box.  Now, the domain “www.portlandrealestate.com” and similar ones are taken, so you need to carefully research domain name options.

Remember if you can’t weave a keyword into your domain name, that’s OK, too, as long as it is easy to remember. Amazon.com for example, says nothing about selling books or online shopping, but everyone knows the name and it is easy to recall.

2. Make sure your web site domain name is prominently printed on all your business cards, letterhead., brochures etc. Make sure it stands out from the rest of the information. If you have a physical office or store front, have a sign promoting your website. Many companies put their website domain on their vehicles’ windows. Also have your website url at the bottom of your emails along with your other contact information as an address. You can also mention your website address on your voice mail message.

3. Posting discount coupons for your products or services on your website that can be printed out is a great way for people to visit your website and become more familiar with your offerings.

4. Search Engine Optimization: SEO is the process of structuring your website’s content, design and architecture so that it ranks well in search engine page results.  SEO in itself covers a lot of ground, so I’ll just touch over it here. At the very least you need to make sure you understand the search terms people are typing into Google and other search engines in order to find your website and other web sites in your same industry. You can go to Google’s keyword tool to research your industry’s most popular search terms: https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

The Google Keyword tool is very effective in discovering not only your industry’s top keywords and keyphrases but also how many searches each one is getting per month.

I recommend not only focusing on the top keywords and keyphrases, but also on niche keyphrases. These are search terms that may not be searched for as much, but will also drive traffic to your website when you optimize your web pages with them.

This is only a very basic look at SEO. In order to learn more, search on our posts using “SEO” in the search box. More content will be added regularly.

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Global Link is a web design & SEO firm in Portland. We serve clients both locally and nationally.

This entry is filed under Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Web Design and tagged , , , .

No Shortcuts to Good SEO

By on August 30, 2009

Let’s face it. Effective Search Engine Optimization SEO that get’s results takes alot of hard work and common sense approaches. There are no shortcuts.

There are many scam artists promising first page placement for a specific keyword. If you ever come across an SEO specialist claiming this, they are not telling you the truth. No one can promise your website first page placement for you keywords, especially the most competitive ones.

Some so called SEO professionals send out emails, essentially spam, making all kinds of claims how they can promise you first page ranking, but it’s not true. Sadly, these folks find unsuspecting business owners who don’t know enough how to detect fraudulent SEO claims, and the results can be tragic. Bad SEO can no only cause your website to slip in the rankings, but it can cause your website to be banned from the main search engines all together. Google, MSN and Yahoo all have ways of penalizing web sites they determine are using fraudulent or “black hat” seo practices. So be extra careful before you hire an SEO professional to optimize your website.

The reality is good SEO that uses best practices takes patience and a lot of hard work. Finding the right SEO professional is key in optimizing your website. A Good SEO professional should start out working to understand your industry. A major factor in SEO is whether or not you will be writing much of the content yourself or hiring an SEO copywriter to do it.

SEO copywriting is the single most important factor is effective SEO. There are many factors involved in good SEO, but copywriting with SEO in mind is at the center. If you chose to do the updating or creating the content yourself, then you need to understand keyword placement, keyword density and the importance of researching your industries top keywords.

If you decide to outsource all your SEO copywriting, make sure the copywriter has extensive experience in SEO and can give you referrals and show you a proven track record of web sites that have been optimized.

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Global Link is a web design & seo company located in Portland, Oregon.

This entry is filed under Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Web Design and tagged , .

Web Design Tips for Seattle Architects

By on August 29, 2009

If you are a Seattle based architect, it is important that you have a website that clearly showcases your work. Further, your website must be search engine optimization compliant or else no one will be able to find you.

As a seattle based architect, you don’t need a fancy or expensive website. You only need a website that clearly communicates the work you do, highlights your key projects and does it in a logical and professional way.

Here are a few web design tips to help you either with a website that needs to be redesigned, or a new website all together:

Locate a strong Seattle Web Design & SEO company
It’s not enough to find a local Seattle based web designer. You must find a reputable web designer with good referrals and who is knowlegeable in SEO. If not, you may find yourself with a great website that no one can find on the Internet, which would be very tragic indeed.

Craft a Strong Home Page
Your home page should be a summary of your website, your company and your projects. It shouldn’t be too long. Perhaps a nice picture of Seattle or the Pacific Northwest on the front.

Make sure your web page content is well written
It is not enough to have content on your website. It must be well written that has keywords that are the most popular in your industry. As a seattle based architect, you will want to find the most popular and widely searched keywords specific to your industry. You can research keywords for Seattle Based Architects using Google’s keyword search tool. Once you have your industry’s top keywords determined, you can begin crafting your content.

Seattle Architectural Portfolio
Your web designer should develop a page that displays your projects both graphically and texually. Photos of your projects along with details well written displayed alongside. It is vital to have both images and text in a balanced way. Remember that search engines like Google cannot see text in images, so make sure to write content that details your accomplishments. It is the content that will be searched and indexed for keywords, and how your clients will find you.

Develop an About Us Page
This is where you can talk about your firm’s history, our educational background and also a brief personal glimps about your hobbies, interests, family etc. This gives readers a brief snapshot about not only your company, but you as a person without getting too personal. You can talk about why you like being an architect based in Seattle, why you chose the city, etc. This is a good way to connect with other Seattle residents and let them know you are like them.

Give Seattle residents an easy way to contact you and find your office
Have a contact page with your address and a map to your office and also a feedback form.

This list is only a starting point. You and your web designer can develop and customize it according to your needs.

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Global Link is a Seattle Business web design and SEO company based in Portland. Give us a call if we can help.

This entry is filed under Search Engine Marketing, Web Design and tagged , , .

Is your website designed for search engine optimization SEO?

By on August 28, 2009

It is vital in today’s marketplace and especially the Internet marketplace that your website meets all SEO standards. If your site was built years ago and not updated recently, then chances are very good that your website is not SEO compliant.

The reason why SEO is a vital necessity these days is that most all the traffic that comes to websites originates from search engines. Google has become a part of our everyday vocabulary and activities. The first place I go when I want to find a store, a definition for a word, etc, I go to Google. It used to be Yahoo, but Google is now the undisputed king of the hill when it comes to online searches.

So if your website is not being found by Google, then customers cannot find you either. there are several reasons why your website may not be optimized. 1) You’ve tried it, but found the field of SEO is daunting and confusing, or didn’t get any results and gave up. 2) Your website has little contect (text) and alot of graphics or Flash. Your website may look terrific, but it is essentially invisible to search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN.  The reason is Google cannot see any words within images. 3) Your web designer did not understand or implement SEO when your website was designed.

For whatever reason, if your website is not taking advantage of the powerful results of SEO and the potential of increased sales or a growing client base, you and your business are losing out.

Here are a few questions to help you know if your website is optimized. What is in your title bar? That is the blue band at the top your browser. This should have keywords that a customer would use to find your product or service. Also make sure your web page meta tags are filled out properly with keywords and keyphrases. There has been a lot of debate whether Google still uses meta tags. They do and it certainly won’t hurt by making sure your website is utilizing them properly.

Lastly and most important, make sure your website has a lot of well written and accurate content. This is the single most import and factor is good SEO. If your website is week on content, this is a great place to begin.

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Global Link is a web design and SEO company located in downtown Portland, Oregon. Contact us today for a free quote.

This entry is filed under Search Engine Marketing, Web Design and tagged , .

Web Design for Portland Small Business Owners

By on August 28, 2009

In today’s business environment, small business owners cannot continue with business as usual. Every day we here of another small business going under – or even a not so small business. Even the big dogs are going under. And while there are hopeful signs on the horizon, the forecast is there are a lot of economic storm clouds in the forecast.

Web Design for Portland small business owners is a necessity, not a luxury.

If you don’t have a website for your business, there is no better time than now to contact a Portland web designer and begin the process of having one designed. Or perhaps you already have a website but it is outdated. Now is the time as well to have your website updated with all the latest information.

Keep your website up to date with current information

How long has it been since you have updated your website? If you are facing a slowdown in your Portland business and are afraid of the added expense of upgrading your website, there is good news. If you work with a local Portland web designer, he or she should be able to work with you in helping you decide what the most important updates to your website should be and keep costs down.

Nothing can hurt a business more than when someone drives by the office or store front and sees overgrown grass, dirty windows and trash. However, many Portland Small business websites have their paint pealing off and weeds growing all around.

Your company’s website is by far the most effective and economical marketing tool your business has. So make sure you give your website the time, care and investment it needs.Take time to find the right Portland small business web designer that is hard working and committed to your success on the Internet.

Global Link is a Portland web design & SEO company that can help your business effectively market your goods and services online.

This entry is filed under Resources, Search Engine Marketing, Web Design and tagged , , .

Web Design for Portland Home Sellers

By on August 28, 2009

So you live in Portland and have had your house on the market for months, but the market is flat. Your real estate agent has your house posted at his agency’s website, but there’s no way to tell how many people have even found your house and the pics there just don’t do your home the justice it deserves.

Or perhaps you are thinking about selling your home yourself. Either way,  it’s time to give your Portland home an extreme makeover for the web and beat the Portland housing market.  Here are a few quick steps on how to design a website that will effectively market your Portland home on the web and get your website indexed by the big search engines.

First, you will need to have a website designed with the sole purpose of marketing your Portland home effectively online. Even though the Portland housing market is weak, the reality is people are still buying homes. So the key is to make sure your home stand out from the crowded field of homes for sale. The best and least expensive way to do this is to have your own website turbo charged using effective SEO.

Second, register a domain name for your Portland home that can include your address. For example: www.pdxhome-121burch.com, or something like that. if you put part of your address in your domain name, people will be more apt to write it down and refer to it later. Also, make sure your domain name is clearly visible on your home’s for sale sign in your front yard.

Third, you need to locate a Portland web design firm that understands SEO or Search Engine Optimization. This is the practice of creating your website’s layout, content, architecture and graphics so that search engines can index your pages and Portland home buyers can find you on the web.  Resist the temptation to find the cheapest web designer that can throw up a page or two with text and photos of your house. Almost anyone with a computer and simple software can design a website like that. But this will be a waste of time.

Fourth, have a good balance of quality descriptive text and quality photos of your home.  Portland home buyers will want to see the photos on your website, but search engines won’t be able to find your site if there is not well written and descriptive text.

A good Portland web design & SEO company can design a website that will meet all the above SEO standards and others that are beyond the scope of this article. The cost involved should only have to do with the design and hosting of your website and should be quite reasonable and a great value considering the high returns on your investment once your house sells.

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Global Link is a Portland web design and SEO company helping small businesses and individuals succeed on the Internet.

This entry is filed under Resources, Search Engine Marketing, Web Design and tagged , , .

SEO tips for Portland Real Estate Agents

By on August 28, 2009

Being a Portland based Realtor in today’s economy and housing slump means that you cannot afford to put your website on the back burner. Instead, you need to make sure your website meets search engine optimization SEO requirements in order for home buyers and sellers to find you and the homes you are selling in the Portland area.

First, If you don’t have your own dedicated website, get one

It’s not enough for you to have a page on a Portland real estate firm’s website where you are listed with other Portland realtors. Instead, it is vital to have own website focused on your own business and real estate listings in the Portland area.  Portland home shoppers can find out more you via your own website designed with SEO as a main goal. Getting a professional website designed for your Portland real estate business should be affordable. You don’t need anything elaborate, flashy or complicated. Instead a straightforward and professional SEO website where people can find you on the internet should meet your needs.

Keep your website fresh with new content

With the rise of blogging software and dynamic content being updated continuously, a Portland realtor can no longer rely on a static website. A static website is one with content that does not change, or is not dynamic. A professional web design firm in Portland can design a website that will allow you to publish your own content quickly and easily. You can post listings of homes in Portland including descriptions and pictures yourself, without relying on a web designer.

Search engines like Google, MSN, Yahoo and now Bling all rank new and fresh content better than old, stale content. Which means that Portland home shoppers will be more likely to find your website when they search for you on the major search engines.

One of the big deterrents to a Portland home buyer is the lack of pictures a listing has.  So make sure you take plenty of pictures and post them on your website. And remember to write descriptions about the photos since graphics are invisible. Good SEO practices dictate that you give each picture a caption and fill in descriptive text in the photo’s “ALT” tag. This way, Google will be more likely to index your image which will help your website’s search engine rankings.

Write articles sharing advise on buying a home in Portland

This is where you can share your knowledge and expertise about the Portland real estate market. As Portland home buyers and sellers find your information valuable, they will be more likely to contact you directly and hire you as their real estate agent. You can build trust as people see how knowledgeable you are about the Portland real estate market. You can give tips to first time home buyers informing them on the do’s and don’ts to home buying.

Link to helpful articles on other websites

You can also post links to valuable home buying and selling information from other websites.

Building links

As Portland home buyers find your website valuable with great content, other websites will link to yours. These back links will help your website’s SEO rankings.

Consider starting a Portland Real Estate Blog

A quick option to begin publishing content right away is starting a Portland Real Estate blog. You can go to blogger.com or wordpress.com to sign up for your free account and start blogging immediately. These blogs have strong SEO functionality built in so you know your posts will be indexed by search engines quickly, making it more likely that potential clients will find you on the Internet.

A Portland web designer for real esate companies will understand your specific needs and recommend the solutions that are right for you. Global Link is a web design & SEO company in Portland. If we can help you design your website or redesign a current with with SEO, contact us today for more information about our Portland web design services and a free quote.

This entry is filed under Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Web Design and tagged , .

Understanding Search Engine Marketing

By on August 26, 2009

Search Engine Marketing SEM covers not only Search Engine Optimization SEO, but also paid inclusion as well like Google Adwords and Yahoo’s Search Submit (formerly Overture).  If you are running a Pay-Per-Click PPC campaign for your website, you don’t necessarily need to have your website optimized for search engines, since you are paying search engines to advertise your ads as sponsored search results. It is possible to have a poorly designed website which generates a lot of traffic from running ads on search engines.

Search Engine Optimization on the other hand focuses on optimizing your website for search engine indexing. It involves a thorough understanding of website design, and how to effectively craft a website’s layout and content that will make it search engine friendly. Search Engine Optimization is a focused discipline in Search Engine Marketing. Good SEO focuses strongly on knowing your industry’s target audience and identifying your industry’s most effective keywords.  Well written content with those keywords crafted into your web page text should be seemless and smooth.

This entry is filed under Resources, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Optimization and tagged , , , , , , .