If you have not been using videos on your website as a way to market your business and Orange County ecommerce website, what have you been waiting for? While we do not advocate throwing videos on your site just to have them up there, we are fairly certain that you can find a way to incorporate video into your plan to improve Orange County search engine positioning .

Here are our top three tips for using video on your website:

1. Keep it simple
A lot of people get in front of a camera and get a little goofy. If you are just beginning to use video, you can get more elaborate as you go. For now, keep your video short and to the point. Start with just one person talking in front of a simple background.

2. Tell people why they are watching
We have started to watch many a video online and been unclear as to the purpose of the video. State the reason you made the video and what you want people to do (order a product, attend a seminar, etc.).

3. Ask people to comment on your video
You do not want your video to be a static thing that just sits on your site; you want it to be part of a dialogue. So encourage people to leave comments because then they will feel as if they are connected to your organization and other people who use the site. Some people may come back to your site to read the comments of others. It takes different mediums to reach different people. Someone who may not comment on a blog, may have something to say about a video and what they say may give your organization insight into how to do more to connect with your customers and the community.

If you need help getting started, the Orange County SEO cosultants  at Increase Visibility are here to help.

We all like the idea of doing things ourselves-it gives us a sense of accomplishment and saves us money (sometimes).

If you have had DIY search engine optimization campaign and you are not certain if it has worked then it is probably time for you to call in some help. There is no point in doing a lot of work that you think will result in more traffic only to find out that it really has done very little to raise your internet profile.

For example, if you have no idea if the keywords you have sprinkled throughout your website really result in more page views and more potential customers finding you, this is information you need. You need to measure and track your results in order to know if certain keywords are actually effective.

This same principal applies to any content you create. If you started a blog for your company, you cannot rely solely on comments as a measure of its effectiveness. There are many people who read blogs and say absolutely nothing. (On another note, you do want to make sure your copy is engaging and asks questions to encourage people to participate and not just read.) Again, you need to have a way to gauge just how may people are visiting your website.

There is not shame in asking for help. At Increase Visibility, we know that we are successful when you are successful. So we want to see your organization grow and attract more web users. We can work with you to create a program that is tailored to your industry and the specific goals you have for your business.

At Increase Visibility we are all about helping people harness the power of the internet to increase their business’s reach and revenue. As an experienced California search engine optimization company, we work with all kinds of businesses and organizations. We are a California SEO service that helps those who have never done much on the web at all get out there and reap the rewards of having a well-rounded internet marketing campaign. We also like to assist people who have been on the web for a while, but seem to be stuck in a rut or are not sure how to take things to the next level as far as improving page rank or making the most out of social media tools.

We also know that everyone does not call into the California SEO categories that were listed above. There is another group of you out there who definitely recognize the power of the internet, but who are feeling a “once bitten, twice shy” because something went awry with your internet marketing efforts.

Do not worry! We are also here to help you as well. Perhaps some of you trusted someone to build your site and found that they were less than honest or that they included erroneous information on your website that cost you money and/or clients. At Increase Visibility we know that we only do well when our customers do well, so we have no desire to do a hasty or inadequate job. We want to build lasting relationships with our customers and that requires integrity and hard work. We would be happy to refer you to testimonials from some of our many satisfied customers. You can also view their websites to see that these sites are professional, have fresh, relevant content and are pleasing to the eye.

Increase Visibility delivers unmatched and customized Search Engine Marketing services to meet all the unique needs of our clients. We handle all different kinds of websites, industries, audiences, and marketing goals, no matter how large or difficult the project. Do not hesitate to contact us 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.

On Tuesday, we looked at some of the changes that Google has recently made to its search options, included letting internet users pick from lists of which media they want to see and letting them decide just how far back in time they want to go. The ability to go as far back as one year (and probably further) means that what you do to optimize your web presence today can have an effect on how people perceive your organization in the future. When you build your web presence and work on improving your search engine ranking, you are helping to build an archive of relevant data about your operations and your field.

 
Google users are now also able to change just how they view the information they request in searches. They can choose:

 
Related Searches: This means that a Google user can get a several lists with searches that relate. Some people would tell you that you should just optimize for every possible thing. We would not advocate that approach. You should, however, be certain to optimize for a range of subjects that are truly related to your business. Increase Visibility offers a free website analysis  to see if your website is making the most of the keywords used to find organizations like yours.
Timeline: With this option, a Google user can see search results grouped by dates. For those who are searching for time-specific content, this will make things a lot easier.
Wonder Wheel: If you have read up a little on education, you know that some people are visual learners. For this people, lists don’t quite work. This is where something like the Wonder Wheel comes into play. The main topic is in the center of the wheel and related topics are spun off onto spokes.
Take some time to play with these new search options to get a feel for the many ways in which someone can come across your organization. This will help you to understand more about the importance of organic search placement. You want to be in the places where people who are looking for you will be able to find you, but you don’t want to force it. If you try to stuff your website with what you think are popular keywords just because. Doing that means that people who are not looking for you will get to your site and may not find is useful. In the meantime the people who would benefit from connecting with you, may not get to you.

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.

Without even trying the micro-blogging site Twitter found that getting the endorsement of some celebrities helps Increase Visibility.

We’ve mentioned before that Twitter and social media can expand your reach, and as if to prove this celebrities have signed on in a big way. If you hadn’t heard, actor Ashton Kutcher is on Twitter, and at one point he challenged CNN to see who could get up to one million followers the fastest. Now of course Mr. Kutcher was not out to gain attention for Twitter or even for CNN; he is a celebrity and businessperson who knows there is a need to feed the publicity machine to keep his name out there. The actor won, as you may have guessed (if you didn’t already know–hey, even Ashton Kutcher can’t reach everyone).

 
Twitter is a micro-blogging site where you are limited to writing just 140 characters for each post. Now someone may thing that you cannot say much in 140 words, but people are exchanging useful information and making important business connections via these short communications.  Those of you who are intimidated by the thought of writing blog posts that consist of complete paragraphs should consider Twitter, where communication is quite brief.

 
Twitter has received endorsements and lots of press because of celebs that Oprah and Diddy, as well as from everyday citizens who use this micro-blogging service. And as we mentioned before, (as far as we know), Twitter did not pay for or go out and seek these endorsements. Twitter made its presence known and soon word spread, until the mainstream media caught Twitter mania. Now articles about Twitter pop up in newspapers, magazines, online–everywhere.

 
You may not be able to get a Hollywood star to spontaneously endorse your business or product, so you will probably have to be a little more deliberate about increasing your visibility online. One way for you to do this is to engage in Reciprocal Link Exchange. When you seek our help to increase link popularity, this will greatly aid in boosting your natural positions and give you some targeted traffic from other sites of interest. This will drastically improve your PR and search engine position over a period of time if used correctly.  With the assistance and guidance of Increase Visibility, your link exchange campaign can help to make your site a winner. Building a good set of reciprocal link exchange partners can be a long task, which is why our service is competitively priced.

 
We have 4 different link monthly packages, they can be purchased separately or are also included as part of our full SEO packages.

Deciding where to focus your energies and marketing budget can be tough. Depending on the type of business you are in, you may find that a lot of your revenue comes from on kind of source and you may be reluctant to venture out into new territory. Yet, if you do not, you may find yourself in big trouble if your traditional sources of revenue disappear foe one reason or another.

 
If you are a part of an organization that has been reluctant to make a big push on the web, now may be the time to reconsider and throw more weight behind your website and online storefront. For example, if you are fairly certain that you get a lot of walk-in traffic or that yours is a primarily locally supported business, it will not hurt to reach out to the broader region, the country and even the world. You never know when a construction project will complicate access to your store. Or you may find that what you are offering falls out of favor with local consumers, but that people in other areas are still very much interested in your products.

 
According to Internet World Stats, only 26.2% of internet users are based in the United States. The other 73.8% are in countries other than the U.S. We cannot break down just how many speak and read the same language as you, but we are willing to be that if your website is primarily written in English, you will be able to attract a global following.

 
The great thing about the web is that it is on 24/7, so you do not have to be concerned with shop hours and time zones. People at home and abroad can get on their computers and read and see all about your business…

 
…at least they can if they know that you are there. And this is where Increase Visibility comes in to the picture. If you want to make sure that more and more people are introduced to your business through the world wide web, you need to do more to establish your online presence. We can help you through our comprehensive array of search engine optimization services, including pay-per-click advertising, directory placement, and keyword analysis. Check out our SEO plans to see which one may be right for you. Feel free to call us as 1-877-SEO-ADVICE (877-736-2384) with any questions that you may have.

Branding and re-branding are big these days. One of the things that some organizations do to re-brand is to change their name. Most people who were around to see the first name are not going to forget it, but over time their perception of an organization may change if that organization puts effort into going in a new direction and doesn’t just make a cosmetic name change.

Most of us still remember Phillip Morris, so it will take time before we can really grab a hold of the company’s new name, Altria. Philip Morris has been around for so long that it is hard to see it as anything else. Depending on who you ask, some would say the company changed its name to encompass all that it does, since they do more than sell cigarettes and tobacco-related products. The more cynical among us would say that the name change was done to distance the company from its tobacco-selling past, even though it still sells tobacco.

It is one thing to change your company name because you feel as if the current name is somehow tainted or really does not represent all that you do. It is another thing entirely to change your company’s domain name solely on the premise that the name change will increase web traffic, as some people attempt to do.

One very strong argument against such a name change is that of the many things that Google considers when ranking sites, one is the longevity of your domain name. So changing your domain name is not a quick fix to bring in more traffic.

Rather than change your domain name, change the actual content of the site. Having a site that has relevant, timely content and is rich in keywords can make all the difference. Look at your press release section–is that last press release from last year? Do you even have a press release section? Getting your website up to date will make a big difference in the kind of traffic that you see.

If you have been trying to think of ways to increase your website traffic, Increase Visibility can help. Starting with a no-cost website analysis, we can tell you the areas of your website that need updating and help you implement a comprehensive web marketing plan.