Archive for the 'General' Category
Link building on your website can be hugely instrumental in winning favour with Google. A good set of links helps the major search engines trust that your site is an important authority in your category. This is especially important when it comes to local search engine marketing. By the time a customer is using local searches, they are ready to buy. You want to be at or near the top of the page of search results that come up for that person who is ready to give some lucky merchant their business.
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There are different ways of building links that work very well to increase your rankings and organic traffic. Anyone who is well versed in SEO (search engine optimization) is familiar with the following types of links:
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Contextual links – Google loves these, and they are a great way to build organic traffic. They are the hyperlinks found within bodies of text. When someone is looking for information on your topic, they click on a link that is built into what they’re reading and go straight to your website. This can happen when you submit articles to article directories or other websites, or issue online press releases.
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Conversion links – these are considered the best for local search engine marketing. By the time customers are using local search, they have made the decision to buy. A properly placed and nurtured conversion link will likely equate to a sale for you.
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One way links – one way links are very valuable resources. When another website is linking to you without getting anything in return, the search engines think you must be very important in your chosen field or industry. This carries a lot of weight in the internet world, and will help you climb the organic search ladder. One way links from good sources are desirable things.
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In your excitement to build up your website exposure and traffic, don’t just start adding links like mad. There’s a best way to do everything, and link building is no exception. If you fill your website with a ton of links but have little content, your site will be considered a link farm. Your page rank will drop, not rise. Reciprocal links are not always good, either. If you are linking to a web page that is of a lesser quality in the search engine’s eyes, it won’t help you one bit.
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Usually, gaining some excellent links for your site requires permission and negotiation with the other site owner. Sometimes, a trading of links can be done, but know what and who you’re getting involved with to ensure it’s the best thing for you.
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Though you may be eager to get started with all this, do keep in mind that it will take some time for these links to build momentum. They will though, don’t get discouraged. Monitor them for effectiveness, so you know which ones are helping you and which ones it would be better for you to remove. Stay with the process and over time, you’ll have only top quality links and traffic coming to your site.
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Are you using customer reviews to enhance your marketing? If not, do you know why you should?
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In these modern, high tech times that we live in, almost everyone heads to the world wide web first when considering a purchase. Typically, they do general research on the product or service they’re looking for before using local search engines to find a nearby merchant. As information overwhelm and security issues have grown, more people are choosing to deal locally when it actually comes to buying. They want relaxed, trustworthy transactions. That’s where customer reviews can be a tremendous help, both to the consumer and businesses.
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Customer reviews are just that, an endorsement or disgruntled note about a customer’s experience with a company and/or their products. They can be likened to a background check before a purchase.
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Unbiased peer reviews provide the following benefits for consumers:
• Gives them a sense of you and your products and service
• Establishes trust
• Opens communication, gives them a voice and a chance to respond to sales and service
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This isn’t just about what customer reviews can do for customers, though that is of prime importance to establish loyalty and reputation. Reviews can increase your sales conversions dramatically.
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It is estimated that nearly 80% of shoppers in the U.S. put more trust in businesses with peer reviews. Think Amazon and eBay if you need a couple of examples. Also, note the word, peer. People place the most trust in reading how other shoppers liked a company over an expert’s view. This is a confidence builder for your business, as well as free word-of-mouth advertising.
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Customer reviews will also catch and hold a consumer’s attention while they’re looking for a place to make their purchase. Everyone’s in a hurry these days, and it’s too easy for them to click away from your site or listing to move on to the next company. People are interested in reading real reviews. They will stay on the site or listing to do so.
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Another benefit of having reviews is their affect on your page ranking in local search engines. A certain percentage of positive reviews can give you a higher rank. This fact gives a lot of credence to maintaining your very best level of customer service at all times. Happy customers come back. Through the use of positive reviews, they bring others with them. Each reviewer becomes a salesperson for you.
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So, there you have some pretty excellent reasons for using customer reviews. Treat your customers well and encourage them to leave a review. Then watch your inquiries and sales rise.
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How are you increasing business from within your community? Understandably, your answer may have something to do with print or broadcast advertising. You might even have a website to help promote your brand. Hopefully, your marketing methods include a professionally placed local search engine listing. If not, you are missing out on an important revenue building resource that I urge you to consider.
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Why Local
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The enormity of the internet has its pros and cons. It’s great to be able to access information from any part of the world, but it can be overwhelming for a consumer looking to make a purchase from a nearby business. Enter the local search.
Local searches are rapidly increasing in popularity. In fact, it is estimated by some small business experts that this method of online searching will see an almost 400% growth by 2010. Why? Focus, speed and a reduction of the frustration that comes with trying to sift through millions of results, are the biggest reasons.
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When someone uses a local search engine, they are presented with detailed listings of products and services in the town or city where they live and do business. There are reviews of businesses, coupons and specials, as well as additional features such as directions and maps to help online searchers find exactly what they need locally. Consumers who the local search sites are usually highly targeted and motivated customers ready to make a purchase. They’ve done their researching and tire kicking, now they want to figure out where you are so they can get that product or service they want to buy. Of course, if you are not listed, customers won’t find you. They will however, find your competition if they are listed.
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How It Works
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Taking advantage of this advertising medium is best done by someone who knows the ropes of the different local search engines. There are new ones popping up all the time attempting to get in on the ground floor of this hot, new market. Some work better than others, and you should take precautions against having an association with the spam listings that one of the major engines is now plagued with. As that type of situation is likely to get worse, at least initially, you’re better off to hire the services of a local search engine pro, rather than trying to blindly find your way through the mire of bad sites to find the golden ones. There are a few people out there that have an astounding knowledge of all the different engines, and their expertise can make the difference between a good listing presence and a failed one.
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Much like a stock trader, a savvy local search optimiser keeps current with industry news and trends of the local market engines. If a program turns bad, the professional knows to pull that listing and move it to a higher yielding, clean list. You’ll also want any updates made in a way that is professional and local search engine friendly. Done properly, this method of marketing your business will pay for itself many times over. You won’t be able to wipe the smile off your face.
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So the questions remains: How are you increasing business from within the community? Don’t lose one more lead or sale. Capture your share of the local market now.
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If you’ve ever looked for something online, then you are familiar with what a search engine is and does (at least basically), but are you aware of local search engines? Do you know what they are and how they can help your business? If you are wondering what the difference is between a regular search engine and a local search engine, it’s quite simple.
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What a Local Search Is
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You already know what you need to about regular searches. When someone wants information about a product or service and they use a regular search engine, the listings that come up may be from any part of the world. For example, if you type the word widgets, into a Google browser window, you will get listings of websites from several different countries, including the U.S., New Zealand and Norway. Great for researching on a broad basis, but not so good for locating a business in your neighborhood.
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Local search engines provide a way for people to find local businesses and services. If you are looking for widgets in your town, you would use a local search engine, such as Internet Yellow Pages or Yahoo! Local to find a nearby company that carries them. Look for widgets and you will see only listings of places where widgets are available in your area. It’s a focused way for consumers to find a place to purchase. See, pretty simple.
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Listings usually provide detailed results of product and contact information, including your address, phone number and website address. People now use the local search engines the way that they used to use the Yellow Pages book. It is a growing field that is constantly updating and adding features to enhance the visibility and promotion of local business communities.
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How Local Search Benefits Business
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Local search engines are a relatively new medium, and a natural evolution of offline advertising. They enable customers to find your company quicker and easier by using features such as Google and MSN maps. Customers can even read reviews about your company, and access many types of fast-paced advantages meant to attract targeted customers who really want to do business with you – once they find you. Considering 68,000,000 people in the United States alone did online Yellow Pages searches last year, you should be ensuring that your business listing is included and up to date in your local search area.
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If you’re concerned about searchers not bothering to call, don’t be. More than 60% of that 68,000,000 telephoned the businesses that they located online. That’s a staggering number of potential customers. What’s even better is the fact that 86% of that 60% were conversions. They purchased or expressed intent to purchase in the near future because people use local search when they’re ready to buy. They’ve already done their research using regular search engines.
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This type of business increases over time. The longer you are listed, the more clicks through to your website you’ll get. More clicks mean more sales. According to the Kelsey Group in a 2005 report, 70% of American households make their local purchasing decisions via the internet. The number of people who decide to join the online world increases each year, so the percentage is undoubtedly much higher now. That, if for no other reason, should be enough to convince you to give this form of marketing serious consideration.