We sometimes idly toss around all those old says like, “A little goes a long way” or “Some is better than none” or “An ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure” without really considering that there is some valuable knowledge there. Consider that some effort to expand your online marketing efforts is a lot better than sitting back and waiting until you can it all.

There are so many ways to give and receive the same advice, so here is our bid to get you to get started in improving orange county search engine positioning for 2010. The same way we are told that we can get our homes and offices in order by developing the habit of tacking small projects on a regular basis is the same way that we can work out way towards Orange County search engine optimization. Sometimes incremental improvement beats out an exhaustive all-at-once overhaul.

You really do not have to tackle your entire website and all of your SEO practices at once. Here at Increase Visibility, it is our job as Orange County SEO experts to help you improve Orange County SEO and we understand that you may not want to do it all at the same time.

Once we have conducted a comprehensive website analysis on your site, we can advise you on which pages of your website you should tackle first. There may be some pages that need to get updated content that makes good use of keywords right away and some pages that are less of a priority. The same applies to images on your site. You may find the need to replace and tag some images using relevant keywords right away, while you can leave others as they are for a little bit while you attend to other aspects of Orange County SEO.

Contact us today to get started. We are committed to affordable search engine optimization in Orange County are happy to provide you with an professional website analysis at no charge to you.

Here at Increase Visibility, we are excited to usher in a new year and a new decade. Like you, we could not have imagined the changes that the ever-expanding internet has brought to our lives over the last ten years. The internet has truly changed the way that people around the world to business and we cannot imagine what we would do without it. When the decade started, many people feared that a compute glitch would bring our modern way of life to a grinding halt. The much-feared Y2K crisis passed us by and ten years later we find that we rely on computers more and more.

Your potential customers are no different from you–they are logging onto social networking sites, downloading apps to their various electronic devices and relying on the internet to get directions, tell them movie times and to recommend what they should buy and where they should shop.

And you want to be right there with them, so that when they seek some information on a product or service, they will see your organization as a provider of what they want. As a top Orange County SEO firm, Increase Visibility wants to help make sure that you show up in searches and online meeting places through standard Southern California search engine optimization practices and innovative organic search techniques.

We have learned a lot about what works in Orange County search engine positioning and what does not and we are ready to put that knowledge to use by helping you. We have worked with a wide range of companies, from mid-size businesses to Fortune 1000 companies, and can tailor an online marketing program to fit your unique needs.

Contact us online at info@increasevisibility.com or if you prefer to talk it over, call us at 877-SEO-ADVICE (877-736-2384).

During a recent screening of the 1986 film “Pretty in Pink”, some of the computer savvy members of the viewing audience debated over whether or not it was possible for one high school student to send an image to another via computer as quickly as one character did in the film. We have certainly come a long way since then. Images and even video appear to internet users at lightning speed these days. And if you are at all concerned about California SEO, you would do well not to forget that unique and relevant online content is not just words, but images too.

If your website is lacking in video, consider adding some, but keep the following in mind:

• Don’t just throw videos up on your website because you can. You want to make sure that the videos you include have useful information that would benefit from being presented in a visual format.
• Busy website users prefer videos to be brief, so try to edit your videos so they are no longer than five minutes. If you find that you have a lot of material, serialize it as a video series.
• Make the most of the video space and the captive audience by including your logo in the corner of the screen.
• Your videos are more likely to attract the attention of web crawlers if you have a video sitemap. It is also a good idea to list them in your Google Webmaster Central account.
• We talk a lot about Google, but it is not the only search engine to consider. In that same vein, we want to remind you that YouTube is not the only place to upload videos. Don’t forget to upload your videos to MSN, Yahoo and other reputable sites.
• Make sure your videos are in good company. In other words, anchor them with text that contains relevant keywords. A search engine does not consider the video in a vacuum; it also examines the text that surrounds it.

Video can help with SEO, but not if the rest of your website is not up to par. When it comes to California SEO companies, Increase Visibility is highly rated. So if you are looking for a California SEO company, call us at 877-SEO-ADVICE (877-735-2384)

Last week, we were talking about Twitter and SEO. There are a number of prominent journalists and well-known SEO experts who place little value on Twitter, but as time goes on even some of Twitter’s most die-hard opponents may change their tune. As a top-rated California SEO service, we can tell you to take dismissive Twitter advice with a grain of salt.

As of right now, Twitter may not have revolutionized the SEO landscape, but it has become one of many tools that you can use to enhance your SEO. And as you know, anything that contributes to improving search engine optimization is a weapon that you want to have in your online arsenal. When it comes to California SEO, you want to make use of all of the tools at your disposal.

Besides updating Twitter on a regular basis and connecting and sharing with other Twitter users, there are some very simple things you can do to optimize your Twitter presence for better results in California SEO and SEO in general.

What’s in a name?
A whole lot when it comes to twitter. You need to make your title tag fall in line with whatever phrase you want to get picked up by search engines. On Twitter, a user’s title tag consists of that person’s name followed by their username. If you work for Beauty Cosmetics, then you want that to be your name on Twitter because that is what search engines will pick up. Don’t alter that (i.e. Beauty_Cosmetics or Beauty Cosmetics!) unless you are trying to build SEO on some alteration of your name or your business’s name.

Stay connected
We talk about links a lot on this blog. And with good reason, useful, relevant links are a great way to build your reputation as a knowledgeable resource and build relationships with others. But how often do you link to your own website and other online ventures? And more specifically, how often do you link to your Twitter account? If you are not doing this give it a try. Link to your Twitter profile using your name/business name for the anchor text. You do not have to do this every time you mention your name in something online, but just here and there–that way people who were unaware that you were on Twitter or who had not thought of following you, may be persuaded to keep up with you on Twitter.

Some journalistic stalwarts like to make fun of Twitter, but at the same time, some of those same people use Twitter. Even as they use Twitter in an ironic way, they are still taking advantage of it. As skeptical as they are, they know if you can’t beat ‘em, you might as well join ‘em.

There are also some SEO experts who doubt Twitter’s SEO value from a purely technical standpoint. But since all social media marketing has some bearing on SEO, we think it is a worthy endeavor. It is okay if you are not ready to step into those waters, that is fine, but be wary of any California SEO firms who tell you that you should totally ignore socially media marketing. However, if you are looking for a California search engine optimization company to help you get up and running on Twitter and other social media marketing tools, look no further than Increase Visibility.

Since Twitter limits the length of each communication to 140 characters, people who use Twitter shorten URLs they want to share. Someone has asked us if these short URLs still count–of course they do! When it comes to indexing, the full URL is what counts with search engines. To a search engine, a shortened URL is simply a placeholder.

Whenever a link to your site appears anywhere on the World Wide Web, there is the possibility that someone will click on it. And using Twitter simply increases the chances that you will connect with someone who will be interested in what you have to say about your organization and about your industry.

The people who created sites like Twitter and Facebook spend a lot of time saying that these sites are all about creating community, but at the same time they are constantly looking for ways to find ways to make these communities more profitable.

Profitable or not, connecting with people and building relationships is the cornerstone of success, in California SEO and SEO in general. There is no doubt that websites like Twitter will change over time, but can still make good use of them now.

We still do not know just how Twitter will change and it is possible that in the future, Twitter will become even more important than people can foresee. Those who have been using it all along will have a bigger payoff than people who wait and join when they see that Twitter is becoming a huge deal. If Twitter draws people to your company’s website and ultimately to your company itself, then you need to take advantage of the opportunity to reach out to as many potential customers as possible by considering using Twitter now rather than later.

As we mentioned earlier this week, we do not want you to forget about making the most of the images on your website. Increase Visibility is a top California SEO service, and as our name states, we are concerned with making companies more visible on the internet. Visibility includes both the text and the images that website users see.

Add words to your pictures. In the last post, we advised you on the importance of captions. When your pictures are accompanied by keyword dense descriptions, this makes search engines pay attention. Well, here is some additional advice for those of you who use Java script: If you feel that Java script is something that you really want to use in image maps or image links, do not forget to add text links on that same page. You want search engine spiders to be able to find all parts of your website. Do not let some pages be “SEO sleepers” because there are no text links.

Give Google the heads up. When you activate the “Enhanced image search” that is in your Google Webmaster Central account, you are giving Google the signal that you definitely want images from your website to be searched. Since Google has updated its search results to be more inclusive of both text and pictures, you want to be sure that your website can be found by people looking for text or images. An image may be the bait that leads someone to explore your website further, but this cannot happen if they do not know that you are there.

Open a gallery. If it makes sense for your website and your industry, why not have a separate page that is just images? It could be images from industry events or any other collection of images that you think are interesting and useful. And of course since you will be including relevant captions, an image gallery will do double duty to attract people who type in related keywords as they search for text or pictures that relate to your industry.

In California SEO, as in SEO everywhere, “image is everything,” so be certain that all aspects of your website—the words and the pictures—are tailored to bring you the best organic SEO returns possible. If you need help call California SEO experts, Increase Visibility at 877 SEO ADVICE (877-736-2384).

While we cannot place enough emphasis on the importance of having quality content that is updated regularly, because we are an award-winning California search engine optimization company, we know that content is not the only area where website falter. Your website is the image that you are showing the world. It is important not to forget that since the internet is a visual medium and your entire website is your (figurative) image, you cannot afford to neglect the (literal) images that appear on your website.

Design with SEO in mind. Be clear with your website designer that you want your website to be equipped for SEO and that it is not just a piece for show. For example, when Flash first came onto the scene, everyone was excited because they were sure that they would able to “wow” internet users with great graphics that would leave a lasting impression. Some companies did. Others have found that internet users were not really interested. They also realized that search engine spiders weave their way through text and not Flash.

Be selective about your image(s). You may not need to go out and hire a prestigious photographer to take pictures for your website, but you do not want to just throw anything up there. Case in point: we know of a company who wanted to include industry profiles on their website. Great idea. This company did not just concentrate on the profile text, however. They asked the persons being profiled to send in pictures and provided specific guidelines. People being profiled were asked to provide headshots, in which they were wearing professional attire and were given a file size limit. This gave the website’s profile section a uniform look.

Define your images. Even if you think that a picture on your website it self-explanatory, you need to give it a caption. Why? You need caption because captions are another opportunity to make use of keywords. Describing photos and images on your website is another way to get the attention of search engines. This same principle applies to any text that surrounds and image on your website, so in addition to captions, use keywords for headings and other words that are close to an image.

You should actually include words like “image’ or “picture” in your captions. When internet users are searching for specific images, they use these words in addition to the word for what they want to see.

When it comes to California SEO companies, Increase Visibility is one of the best California SEO firms around. Call us at 877 SEO ADVICE (877-736-2384) or send us an e-mail at info@IncreaseVisibility.com.

Not too long ago, we stressed that content is king and we are constantly reminded just how true this is. One reason why we advocate having quality content, such as press releases, available on your website is that you never know who will decide to pick it up. You may get a call from a news organization hoping to interview someone on your staff or a mention in a prominent publication (online or print).

One business owner we know posted a white paper on her website and was very happy to learn that it has been picked up by one of the top websites for her industry. While people outside of her industry may not know much about this particular website, it is widely read within her industry. And getting recognition within your own field is a big deal because it establishes you as an expert. Despite what some people may think, sharing information with colleagues is not counterproductive. Sometimes people who do exactly what you do are your best advertisers. They tell people inside and outside of your field about you and may refer business to you.

But in order for them to do this, they have to know that you are around. This is why online visibility is so important. Good content and SEO go hand in hand. If you have great content, but know one know that your website it there, then all of that helpful information just sits without really reaching an audience. On the other hand, if you are doing all you can to optimize searches for your website, but you have not touched the content in years, you will reach people who stop by and do not return because they are disappointed.

Increase Visibility wants you to have the complete package. We want you to increase your reach and customer base through your website and we want your website to be an important resource for people who are interested in organizations like yours. We offer a free website analysis and examine your website first. There are companies that will promise you great search engine rankings and start submitting your site to directories and set you up for pay-per-click ads without having a clue about what it is you do. Increase Visibility does not do this. We know that we need to know something about your business in order to tailor an effective SEO and organic search placement campaign.

As we have mentioned before any you are likely all too aware, Google rules the roost when it comes to search engine optimization. Just last week, Google revealed that they were giving users more options to let them further personalize their searches. Some people get thrown for a loop anytime Google mentions the word “change,” but really there is no need to panic.

One of the things that Google has done is to add a “Search Options” feature. When someone goes to Google to do a search, there will be a link below the search box with the words “show options.” When a internet user clicks on this, a menu will appear on the left side. This menu will then let the internet user choose from several categories–online forums, reviews, videos. And within these categories, there is an option to pick a time frame that best suits your search. A person can decide to look at recent results, results from the past day or go as far back as one year.

SEO experts did not sound the alarm at the news of these changes. Instead they reiterated the fact that SEO is hard work and that business have to continue to put in the necessary effort to get the results that they want. Giving people more options for how they view content does not mean they you won’t be found; it just means that you must continue doing all that you can to increase your online visibility.

For those of you who want to stay at the top of search engine rankings and want to ensure that customers know that you are there, this may mean getting some help. This is where Increase Visibility comes in: you have to run your business and our job is to make sure that you are getting that business through organic search placement, pay-per-click advertising and social media marketing. You can count on use to keep your business in view on the web, while you take care of your day-to-day operations.

Here are just a few of the components of each Search Engine Optimization and Ranking Campaign:
-A Baseline Web Site Ranking Report  
-Keyword Density Analysis – KDA for your current web site 
-Design, develop, optimization and/or re-optimization web pages.
Call us today at 1-877-SEO-ADVICE (877-736-2384) to learn more.

When it comes to improving SEO, content is king. Yes, you should be submitting your site to relevant directories and using pay-per-click advertising…but if the content is not there, what will people click through when they come to your website?

 
Some people have the idea the content really only matters if your main product is some kind of service. They figure that service providers need to demonstrate knowledge and expertise through articles or a blog. This is true, a service provider certainly does want to use their website to show just how that they are an authority and provide evidence of how they can be of assistance…but this does not mean that people who are selling a product rather than a service have no knowledge or expertise to share. High quality content is a must for your website no matter what kind of business you are in because good content draws people in and brings them back.

As they say, knowledge is power. When your website has quality content, people are drawn to it and will tell others what they have learned from your organization. They may do this live and in person. They may also do it by forwarding something they have read on your site to someone else or by linking to your site from theirs. Either way, you win. You can see an increase in link popularity and traffic if you have interesting, relevant content that relates to your product, expertise and sphere of influence.

 
One way to start is by issuing press releases and this is something that Increase Visibility can do for you. Press releases are often one of the main ways a business attempts to get its message out to the public.  Issuing press releases on a regular basis will ensure that there is fresh content on your website (something that search engines love) and it will inform visitors about the exciting things your organization is doing. Furthermore, creating additional web pages specifically for press releases and spider crawling will also provide the search engines with more pages to index and users more ways to find a business’s website. Our press release programs work hand in hand with our SEO programs.

 
Press releases not only drive traffic based on the content and targeted market but they will also help to create link popularity, which is a very important part in determining good positions in the search engines.