Posts Tagged ‘Search Engine Optimization’

Want More Comments on Your Blog? Try These Tips, pt .1

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010

 

If you have followed the Orange County SEO  advice from us and others that starting a blog is a great way to improve Orange County search engine positioning  and connect with current and potential customers, you may feel disappointed if you do so and find that there are no comments on your blog.

 

After looking at the stats for the numbers of people who read your blog, you may find that people really are visiting your blog. (And if you want help with this and other stats related to your website, contact Orange County SEO consultant of Increase Visibility.  But if you want connection, here are some things you can do

 

Make commenting simpler: If internet users have to jump through a lot of hoops, register or remember passwords to comment on your blog, they may get discouraged and give up. Think about what security measures you must have and what you can do without. You can set things up so that you must approve any comments before they are published. That way, you can learn what people are saying and then decide what comments you want to let the general public read.

 

Check your writing: Is what you’ve written clear? It is possible that your readers have little to say because they are not sure of your message.

 

Also, look at the length of your posts—are they extremely long in comparison to other blogs? Try to make posts no longer than 500 words. If your posts are very short, as in a sentence or two, consider using a micro-blogging application such as Twitter  instead.

 

Extend an invite: You can simply ask readers to comment or pose a question at the end of a blog post. They might just be waiting for you to ask.

Tips for Incorporating Video on Your Website, pt. 1

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

 

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.

SEO Success Still Means Impressing Google

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

While Google is not the only search engine around, we all know that it is the biggest. Yes, Bing came on to the scene and made a big splash, but the key to great Orange County search engine optimization is still catching the attention of Google. And usually if you are doing what you need to do to catch Google’s eye, then you will also attract the attention of web crawlers from other search engines.

 

Google does not reveal many of it secrets, but it does make some announcements let people know when it is making big changes to its ranking criteria or ranking methods.

 

Increase emphasis on social networking sites
At the end of last year, Google announced that it would incorporate real-time news feeds into its results. This meant that things like Twitter, Facebook and blogs would become even more important since Google is now paying more attention to them.

 

Our advice that you add a blog, Twitter feed or Facebook account to your repertoire is still on point. You do not have to add all three (although that would maximize your efforts at Southern California search engine optimization). You can choose a social media platform that really suits you.

 

Increased emphasis on website efficiency
Another big thing that Google announced that you may or may not be aware of is that they will now be looking at the time it takes for pages to load on your site. Google’s mission is not only to provide its users with the most comprehensive information possible, it also wants to make certain that Google users get this information as quickly as possible. You know that modern computer users want what they want and they want it fast. A page that takes too long to load will frustrate internet users, so Google will reward people with websites that are speedy and have relevant content.

 

If this seems like too much to figure out on your own, contact Increase Visibility, your Orange County SEO experts.

Improve SEO One Step at a Time

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

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.

Forget Do-it-Yourself SEO, Let Increase Visibility Help

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

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.

Social Media Works to Expand Your Exposure and Reach

Monday, October 5th, 2009

Search engine optimization service firms focus on garnering you organic or unpaid search placement but did you know that social media works in tandem with search engine optimization to drive traffic to your site and can bring you prospects and new leads?

 

The name of the game when it comes to search optimization and social networking is to get your message out to the most number of people and fast. Whether you do that with a vial YouTube video, a Facebook Fan page, or even with Twitter the “people power” that you can harness from these various social networking sites can be extremely valuable. Not only can these new avenues work with your search engine optimization program back on your website, but they can enhance to your overall web visibility and web marketing plan expanding your reach and boosting your online exposure.

 

For example, once we have identified your top keywords, we recommend using these keywords in your tweets on Twitter, we sprinkle these same keywords throughout your blog posts, and beef up your website content. This seemingly simple strategy can help your website to become positioned as an authority in the eyes of search engines on these specific terms.

 

By building on this concept over time; creating keyword density and an overall social media strategy, the focus is refined and reinforced. Even something as simple as inputting the same special keywords as meta tags in YouTube for your video helps to reinforce your ownership and authority on those phrases.

 

Social media outlets like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube videos, and even bookmarks on Digg can dovetail very nicely with a search engine optimization program that we create for you as the top San Francisco Bay Area search engine optimization firm. When you’re ready for better placement on Google have your first phone call be to Increase Visibility as we ARE the experts when it comes to SEO.

Google Offers Internet Users More Search Options

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

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.

SEO and Advertising are Not the Same

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

When they consider getting the word out about your goods and services, some companies just lump any effort to do this under the broad banner of advertising. And since we specialize in looking at search terms and keywords as part of our work, we want to be just a little bit picky about that. While it is okay for internal documents if your search engine optimization efforts are thrown in the budget under the banner of advertising, it really does not pay to think of SEO as advertising.

 

No doubt you have seen footage of newspaper boys standing on city sidewalks yelling, “Extra! Extra! Read all about it!” Sometimes that is all they yell; other times they go on to throw out a tantalizing tidbit from the news, one that they hope will entice someone to buy a copy of the paper. In some ways, advertising means that you are paying money for the form in which that little boy stands out and yells: is he on a busy or deserted corner, does he yell in English or some other language, is the tidbit that he is giving based on facts or gossip.

 

When it comes to SEO you are not so much employing someone to yell for you, as you are doing your best to lure people to your website based on what you have to offer. Good SEO is more like the display in the store window that the little boy is standing in front of as he tries to sell those papers. If the display is artfully done, it will bring people into the store. If not, they will barely notice it can just keep walking by. While you may have sought help in creating your display, it is not the same as employing someone to continually shout your praises. The store window is visible day or night and does not have to go to bed.

 

Effective organic search optimization techniques work for you day and night, rain or shine. It does not matter if your customers are early risers or night owls, they will not have to be awake at a certain time to hear or see your ads. They will not have to decide to pick up one magazine or one phone directory versus another. Because no matter what other media they may choose to read, you can safely assume that the vast majority of the people you want to reach use the internet.

For more information on SEO call Increase Visibility at 1-877-SEO ADVICE (877-736-2384).

Back to Basics: What is SEO?

Thursday, April 16th, 2009

Sometimes it pays to get back to basics. We do not want to assume that everyone who comes to our website is fully versed in what search engine optimization (SEO) is or that it can mean for their presence on the web.

 

We all hear so much about the web, web 2.0, and search engines that it is hard to believe that some of these terms and concepts are still in their infancy. The term SEO has only been around since about 1996. And like most infants, the web is continually growing and changing, so what may have worked last year, may not bring the same results today. This is why organizations employ the services of a firm like ours. Increase Visibility can stay on top of your website positing so that you can take care of the day-to-day concerns of your business.

 

To optimize anything is to improve or make it better. If you have a website you rank somewhere…but where you want is what makes the big difference. If you are at the bottom of the pile, you are there…but the customers you are hoping to reach will not see you.

 

Search engine optimization is a multi-step process. Our work includes correcting your existing HTML and Meta tags so that they are read correctly by the search engine spiders. We also analyze what key words your prospective customers are most likely to use, develop new Web pages (rich in content that gets the attention of search engines and web users) that feature these words. Part of our work also includes submitting your site to search engines. In addition to those things, we utilize more traditional traffic-generating strategies, such as making sure you’re included on key Internet and industry-specific directories, for instance.

 

Visit our website and take a look at our SEO Plans. If you find that you have a lot of questions, do not hesitate to give us a call at 1-877-SEO-ADVICE (877-736-2384). We are happy to speak with you and we do not mind explaining what it is that we do. You seem that is what separates a legitimate SEO firm from the less-than-honest ones: are they willing to be open and honest about their work? At Increase Visibility we will not ask for a fee and keep you in the dark. We want you to understand how we can improve your web presence so that you will be able to recognize the signs of growth.

Visit Increase Visibility Website for Info on SEO Basics

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

A while ago we advocated doing research to get to know more about your customers. We also advocate doing research to get to know your vendors and service providers. We want to help make your website a top destination in your industry and to lead by example, we would like to point out some parts of our own website that provide our customers with valuable information on what we do.

 

Doing your homework can help you make an informed decision when choosing an SEO firm and help you to avoid dishonest SEO firms who often make big promises that are not fulfilled. This leaves you with less money and with a website that may be underperforming or doing even worse after their unscrupulous intervention.

 

One place to stop if you are interested in learning about some of our customers is our Case Study page. There you can read brief descriptions of how we have helped business increase their visibility on the web. You can also download PDFs with more details and analysis to see just how these improvements were accomplished.

 

If you would like to read direct quotes from some of our customers, stop by on Testimonials page. There you will see that we have assisted organizations of varying sizes that span a range of industries.

 

And when you start at our home page, you will see links to information on basic SEO tools like Pay Per Click Advertising and Press Releases, as well as information on concepts like increasing link popularity. From our home page you can click on a link that will lead you to our Corporate Profile to learn more about who we are and why we can deliver the results you are looking for and sign up for our newsletter.

 

The Increase Visibility website exemplifies what is needed to effective SEO and organic search placement. There is immediate visible contact information for those who want to get started right away. There is also plenty of background information for those website users who want to get more informed before making a decision. And of course, the entire website makes use of relevant industry keywords.

 

Increase Visibility employs a large team of marketing professionals to analyze customer behavior and is tie suggestion directly to your specific business goals. So visit our website or call us today at 877 SEO ADVICE (877 736 2384) to learn more about how we can help make your website a much more effective marketing tool.