Although there are tons of people on the web at any given time, they are not always there with the same purpose.  If you have a business that has a brick-and-mortar store, you are well aware that everyone who comes into your store does not have the same purpose. You likely set up your store with things that will draw in browsers and serious shoppers alike. Well the same thing happens online. People will stop by your website for different reasons and it is up to you to keep them there and lead them to make a transaction.

Even if you do not have a bricks-and-mortar store, you too have to be aware of the different ways that people use the web—

Information seekers
These are people who are online looking for facts, news and information. They may type a phrase into search engine because they are looking for some very specific information. However, if you sell a product that relates to their query, you may be able to help them and they will visit your site if they think you have valuable and useful information.

Surfers
Web surfers are hanging out and hanging ten as they peruse the web, not looking for anything in particular. When they come across your web site, if it clearly communicates a message that addresses their interests, you can get them to stop surfing and start hanging out at your website.

Navigators
Navigators are on the web with a particular destination in mind. If they know the exact name of the website, they will go right there. But if they do not, they may have to search for it, and if you come up in the list when they search you may be able to get them to your site instead. (Unless of course these navigators were looking for your site in the first place. Then you want to make sure that your site name is firmly placed in their mind so they can type it right in without wandering.)

Increase Visibility can help you snag internet users who are looking for information, surfing around to see what they can find and those who start out with a specific destination in mind. We can analyze who is visiting your site and track you current online marketing campaign so that you can see who is visiting your site and what they are doing while they are there. Take a look at our SEO plans and give us a call at 877 SEO ADVICE (877 736 2384) to disucss which plan will work best for you.

Surely you have heard someone say that they wish they could clone themselves in order to do all that they need to do. In the 21st century, you really do need to be in more than one place at a time and accomplishing this is possible in the virtual world, although it is not possible in the physical world (at least not yet).

Perhaps you have already set down your goals for next year and these goals include ramping up your marketing efforts. Even as you wrote them down, you probably knew in the back of your mind that your goals were lofty. You probably wondered how you were going to get some of this done with all of the other things you have to do. Did you include “get more help” or “delegate certain tasks” as one of your goals? If not, it is not too late to include that in your plans.

The great thing about hiring a firm such as Increase Visibility to assist you with SEO and your efforts to improve organic search placement is that you really can be in several places at once. The real you can take care of the day-to-day tasks that are a part of running your business, while the virtual you can be active in various online communities and showing up in the places where you need to be to reach your current and potential customers.

You can work on your own behalf, even while you are sleeping, taking a well-deserved vacation or chatting with a client by participating in:

-Facebook
-Twitter
-Digg
-StumbleUpon
-LinkedIn
-MySpace
-YouTube

In addition to this, you can also create promotional videos that you can put on your website and promote in the avenues mentioned above.

Although you may want to choose a certain aspect of your online marketing campaign that you want to maintain personally, Increase Visibility is there to help with the rest. We are also here to offer advice on just how to shape your online presence.

Professional search engine placement will help you gain more national and international exposure, generate “hot” leads, and ensure that your marketing campaign is effective and brings the return on investment that you seek.

On Monday we talked about how SEO and organic search placement can be compared to two different decision-making processes: one where a person makes a quick decision using instincts and one where someone takes their time to talk over the advantages and disadvantages of the choices at hand. When it comes to deciding how a website ranks in search results, search engines use a more than a few criteria (in fact Google looks at more than 150!).

Well, although Google uses a sizable number of criteria, it does not take forever to come to its conclusions. This is why you need the assistance of a firm like Increase Visibility, so that your website marketing program has all the correct components in place when Google stops by to check you out. You definitely want to be prepared. Search engines do check often…at first. But if it seems like your site has little new material to offer, they will space out their visits more and more until your website becomes an afterthought and you do not want this to happen.

Many of your customers may also make rather instantaneous decisions. Whether they see you in search engine rankings or see your company name in a list of press releases, they probably will not spend all day deciding which link to click to continue their online journey.

Again, you need to be primed and ready. You need to make certain that the prose they see is crisp and clean. You also need to have already worked on name recognition through your online marketing efforts. We all go for what is familiar–even when we do not realize that it is familiar. Returning customers know you already. However, the newer customers whose attention you want to grab may not be acquainted with you just yet, but if your name has been floating around the web on blogs, directories and social networking sites, they will click on a link leading to you because your name is familiar.

Let Increase Visibility help you make sure that your name is front and center in people’s minds when they think about your industry. One of our SEO marketing plans can put you at the top. With our Level III Platinum Plan, we will help you broaden your customer base with blog commenting, article marketing, video marketing, podcast marketing and social bookmarking—just to name a few of the services that we provide.

When you make a decision to choose one thing over another–be it a burger over a chicken sandwich or a blue sweater over a green, you are probably unaware of just how complex this transaction really is. Well, if you take a while to make decisions and spend time talking it out and going over the pros and cons for each option, then you might be aware of some of the complexities.

However, if you are the type of person who just picks something quickly based on instinct, then you may not really be aware of all that goes into choosing one item over another.

Ok, so how does all of this apply to organic search placement and search engine optimization, you ask? Which scenario–the instant decision or the talking-it-out decision–be compared to SEO?

 Well, the answer is that both scenarios can be applied to SEO. And here is how:

A Large Number of Factors Go Into Search Engine Placement

Did you know that Google uses more than 150 different criteria as they try to figure out where your website should  fall in search results? This means that like the person who talks over every aspect of a decision, Google has a lot on its mind when it is selecting which websites will rise to the top and which will sink to the bottom. And of course Google is not forthcoming about sharing exactly what these criteria are or how they may change. They are not going to reveal their recipe and have everyone else cooking up a monster search engine.

Increase Visibility Can Help

This should not scare you, however. It simply means that trying to get into the mysterious mind of Google is not a job you should tackle on your own.  Increase Visibility specializes in search engine optimization, but cannot promise to have all of the answers,  Be very wary of anyone who tells you that they have cracked the code and that they know all the secrets of the various search engines.

 Here at Increase Visibility we do not claim that we know every, single aspect of just how a search engine makes its selections, but our staff does have  long and solid relationships with many search properties  and we will put this to will put to work on your behalf. The search engine industry is constantly changing and with our continual vigilance in studying the latest trends, we can provide you with a competitive advantage.

Call us today at 877 SEO ADVICE, 877 736 2384 or email us at info@IncreaseVisibility.com with questions.

And check back on Wednesday for more on this topic.

On Monday, we talked about how entering the world of Twitter without a little guidance can be like jumping into the pool without your water wings. Twitter does not have to become overwhelming and over time you may find that it is actually very helpful.

Twitter poses the question “What are you doing?” and then limits you to 140 characters in which to provide the answer.

 Business works on connections and if you are genuine, people will be drawn to you. Ask to follow people and give them permission to follow you, if you think it will be beneficial. Aim to post often enough, but not too often. It will take a little time before you find your comfort level. Obviously, a post every 5 minutes is too much, yet posting once a month means you won’t gain a lot of momentum.

 But be warned: If you are using Twitter for business, it is not a confessional. You probably would not always tell a client exactly what you are doing over the phone or in an e-mail. Keep that in mind while you are using Twitter.

Last week I went to a networking event where a woman noted that some people seem rather whiny in their Twitter posts. Think about the sum total of your posts and put your best foot forward. You can be human and admit a bit of frustration, but if you use Twitter to vent constantly, people will be turned off.

 Instead, use your Twitter account as a way to publicize your new and existing products. Let people know about the new, exciting things you are doing. You can also use it to link your company to current events.

 While it is true that all of your customers may not flock to Twitter, know that the ones who do are people who like to stay on top of things. These are people who are likely to help spread word of mouth quickly to their contacts when they learn of something new. You want to harness the power of these connections to get the word about your products and services and grow your business.

 Since you may not reach all of your customers through Twitter, you still want to keep the other components of your web marketing plan going at full speed too, Increase Visibility can help you do this. We specialize in Search Engine Optimization, but we have a full menu of services to make sure you and your business get noticed.

Another year is winding down which means it’s budget planning time again. It’s time to assess how wisely you spent your marketing dollars last year and where they’ll do you the most good this year. In a poor economy, everyone has to tighten their belt. We’ll all be faced with hard financial choices in the coming year and cutbacks are inevitable. However, marketing is what brings customers in the door. The challenge will be to make savvy choices that maximize value received. Including search engine optimization (SEO) in your 2009 marketing budget will ensure that your marketing dollars work hard for you.

On an average day, nearly 70 million American adults access the Internet for information and news. An additional 30 million Americans go online on a monthly basis. As a method of reaching potential customers, the Internet far outstrips its competitors. The Internet allows businesses instant access to a larger, wider and more focused audience that print, television or radio media – and for far less money. When optimized for search engines, information placed on the Internet via a website, social network, directory, press release or pay-per-click ad will reach more potential customers faster and cheaper than any other media. SEO is the most effective way to maximize the value received from your marketing dollars.

Who you choose to provide SEO services will make a difference in the effectiveness of your Internet marketing campaign. With more than 20 years of combined experience in search engine optimization and internet marketing, the experts at Increase Visibility can guarantee you maximum return on investment. Increase Visibility is one of the most successful website marketing firms in the U.S. Consistently ranking at the top of consumer and industry Best SEO lists, Increase Visibility was recently named Best SEO Firm and ranked No. 1 out of America’s top 30 Best Organic Optimization Companies by TopSeos.com. PromotionWorld recently chose Increase Visibility a Best SEO Company.

A nationally recognized industry expert with more than 10 years experience in the top echelon of SEO, President James A. Lisi has attracted 30 strong SEO experts, SEO developers, content specialists and pay-per-click (PPC) experts to create one of the most accredited SEO companies in the field today. Other marketing agencies outsource roughly 96% of their business to us and co-brand more than 60% of our marketing services. Our dedication to our customers’ satisfaction has earned us a 96% customer retention rate. On TopSeos.com, Increase Visibility was voted the No. 1 most highly ranked SEO firm over 2,500 competitors for superior customer service and rankings achievability.

Increase Visibility offers a variety of SEO plans to fit every budget. We also offer targeted Internet marketing services to meet the needs of our clients. For complete information on how Increase Visibility can maximize the earning potential of your marketing dollars, visit our website. At Increase Visibility, we pride ourselves on providing  ”SEO you can understand. Results you can see.”

You may have heard people tell you should use Twitter, but actually taking the plunge can be rather intimidating. Since I just got off of the phone after trying to explain the difference between MySpace and Facebook to my mother, I know that hearing the phrases “Twitter” and “tweet” make some people’s heads spin.

I am going to be brutally honest here: I’ve only recently embraced Twitter myself. I quickly jumped in to the world of blogging, but I had to be coaxed into taking the plunge into micro-blogging. And that is all Twitter is–a blogging application that is shrunk down so that each entry has a limit of 140 characters.
They are small but you better believe that this tiny microblogs pack a powerful impact and they can go a long way towards boosting your business. Just be sure that you do not jump into those waters before you’be had a few swimming lessons.

Like all social networks, Twitter has its own etiquette, and you do not want to be the one at the party who is unaware of the rules. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

Conduct Business as Usual

If you want to use Twitter for business, set up an account specifically for that purpose. You can use a separate account to keep family and friend updated on your latest personal news.

Be Polite

Just as you would not interrupt a private conversation, be aware that when you see @[insert name here], then that is a Twitter post that is directed at a specific Twitter user and you shouldn’t interrupt.
(Now some of you will say that if a person really wanted to say something privately, they should not post it on Twitter. You have a point, but I do not make the rules; I am just passing on the tip.)

It’s Okay to Pull Someone Aside

That being said, it is possible to send someone a personal message via Twitter. The Twitter control panel will allow you to do this and then the message is like an IM (instant message) and it will not be visible to the public.

Of course Twitter is just one aspect of social media. If you want to implement an entire social media marketing strategy, turn to Increase Visibility. We can go over your business and help formulate a comprehensive SEO marketing plan to optimize you web presence. Then we will assist you in creating buzz by using  article marketing, social bookmarking and blogging. Social media marketing will help your search engine ranking by improving link popularity while at the same time building direct traffic to your site.

Come back on Wednesday to learn more about how Twitter can be great for business.

Although it is early December and many people’s minds are on holiday decorating and shopping, some of you may have already begun the year-end evaluation process that won’t hit some people until the end of the month.

 
Even if you do not make New Year’s Resolutions, you cannot help but think back over the past year and map out what you would like in the coming year.

 
Is your business doing as well as you would like? Do you keep intending to do more with your website, but keep putting it off? Your website is the face you present to the online world—a portal that can help you bring in huge revenues if it is used correctly.

 
Maybe you have looked at your websites stats now and then and sighed because you are not getting the traffic you would like.

 
One way to get the SEO results you want is to make goals. That way you can do the work it takes so that you are in the places where you need to be for your customers to find you.

For example:
Is your blog readership not quite what you would like? Think about how many page views you would like to have.
Do you have a product that you think is top notch, but isn’t selling?
Is that product visible on your website? Have you written press releases to link that products to current events?

 
To get somewhere, you really do need some sort of plan or map. More customers will not simply show up because you wish they would. And you can set both short-term and long-term goals. If you want to be an industry leader, it will not happen overnight. It is great to plan big, but some things take time. Look down the road to your ultimate goals, but also set some goals that you can achieve sooner and you will feel a great sense of accomplishment.

 
If you are unsure about how to examine your business and set goals, then turn to the team at Increase Visibility. Our experienced staff will learn about your business and analyze your website to help you form goals that will get you where you want to be.

 
After working with you on setting targets for Organic Search Placement and SEO, we can start work on it right away. In the meantime, you can continue to run your business and prepare for the increase in customers that comes when you have optimized your online presence.

One important thing to remember about increasing your visibility is that you have to meet people where they are. While it may seem logical for web users to use certain phrases to find you, they may not follow “logic.”
Even when the customer is wrong, they are still right. Your potential customers may not have found you yet because, to them, you are inaccessible. Now, you may have done all the “right” things, and yet you remain invisible to them.  How can that be?

 
Here is one example of this: It is quite possible that your website can get high rankings for a certain keyword or set of keywords…but if the consumers you seek do not use that keyword to find you, then what good is it? You may be getting all sorts of people to come to your website, but if they are not your target audience, then you  will have a great search engine ranking…but you still will not be connected to the people who really want to reach. Increase Visibility has been recognized for its work in organic optimization and reputation management.

 
There are SEO firms that will promise you great rankings, and they may help you improve your ranking for a while, but will you see results and growth in your customer base? Plastering keywords everywhere is not a strategy for long-term growth.  As we mentioned above, if you are getting lots and lots of hits from people who do not purchase your product and spend only a few seconds on your site, you may not have gained very much. Even the exposure to your site may not really pay off if they are not interested or spend so little time there that they don’t glean enough information to remember your company.

 
This is one reason to hire experts, like the team at Increase Visibility to analyze your website. Yes, you can get information on search engine rankings and page views on your own, but are you certain that you know how to interpret them. Do you have the time to really sit down and analyze your website stats AND take care of your day-to-day operations?

 
Increase Visibility has the expertise you need to figure out not only how many people visit your site, but how they use your site. Gaining information on user behavior is critical to understanding how to make you website “sticky.”

 
If you don’t know, when people in the web world refer to a site as “sticky,” this indicated that the site has pages that hold web users’ interest. When a website is “sticky,” web users are not quick to leave and they stick around to view other pages, getting to know the website and the organization behind it.

As was mentioned on Friday, you can use SEO to fight the ‘Black Friday’ Blues. Since Friday is the traditional kickoff of the holiday shopping season, it only makes sense to all that you can to make the most of the fact that even the most budget-conscious consumers are looking to make some purchases at this time of year.

But what about Cyber Monday? Did you also come up with a plan for today? It is okay if you didn’t because you still have time to make sure your website can be found and utilized by consumers during this year’s holiday shopping season. In fact, although Cyber Monday is heralded as the day that the online shopping frenzy will start, it is by no means the peak of the online holiday shopping season. That comes later. In mid-December people who have yet to buy gifts and need something fast, will be likely to turn to their computers.

If you didn’t know, Cyber Monday (or Black Monday) is thought to be the start of the online holiday shopping season. After spending the weekend hitting the malls or relaxing with family and friends, consumers are ready to grab a mouse and do some shopping online.

One retail strategist found that 77 percent of people surveyed shopped online because they wanted to save time. Another 81 percent said they liked shopping online because it allowed them to shop at their convenience–at the hour of their choosing.

Think about it: in some parts of the country, temperatures are dropping and people who already want to avoid crowds will not want to venture out to stores. So you should do all you can to make it easy for them to find you.

-Check to make sure that you are listed in pertinent online directories.

-Be sure that information about any bargains, sales or promotions you are running is displayed prominently on your homepage.

-Write a holiday-themed press release that can be released online so that consumers can see you as a source for holiday shopping.

-Make sure your shipping policy is clear and assure consumers that their packages will arrive on time.

And if you find that you are too busy with regular orders, special holiday orders and your own holiday shopping, remember that the elves at Increase Visibility are more than willing to help you with search engine optimization. Many establishments hire extra help to staff their physical stores at holiday time; don’t forget to mind your online storefront as well.