Internet Marketing Strategy: Optimize all your online content

When you break down the components of Internet marketing, it all mainly boils down to variations of coding a website in order to meet the requirements of the search engines and the company’s marketing goals.

There are many ways to increase your businesses online presence, however, one of the most trusted ways to leverage the most value from your internet marketing efforts is to make sure you properly optimize your online marketing strategy.

From press releases to blogging to articles and whitepapers, anything that appears online about your company should be optimized, since you never know how someone will first become aware of your products or services.

Videos uploaded to YouTube or Google video can be optimized, the same goes for Podcasts and RSS feeds.

Are you getting the picture?

Since the search engine spiders are always scouring the web for the most relevant content, if your branding content is properly optimized, you have a better chance of not only ranking well for  your industry keywords but you also have a chance of maintaining those rankings for longer periods of time.

Anything that appears online or exists in digital format on the web can be optimized. It only takes a little bit of extra effort, but the payoff is well worth it.

For information on internet marketing strategy and online content optimization to leverage the major search engines like Google, Yahoo! and Bing as well as increase your online presence in Houston, Texas call (281) 362-9855 or contact the Houston SEO team at Magnetiks Search Marketing today!

Marketing your business online with effective SEO

There is of course more involved in online marketing than the scope of this article but these are a few things you should look at first, because any subsequent internet marketing strategies you use will not be as successful without them in.

• Site optimization

The effectiveness of any marketing you do online is dependent on the optimization of your website being done correctly up front. With that being said, this is always the place to start. This step includes creating compelling content and user-friendly navigation as the basis for everything.

Search engines look at a number of factors when ranking websites such as keyword density, relevant content and how a page matches up to a specific search term. By identifying 10-20 keyword phrases and creating specialized pages with relevant content that utilizes these keyword phrases properly, you will start to realize much better results in your rankings once your website has been indexed.

You will find that it is best to use targeted keyword phrases, for example "Mary Kay lip gloss Houston, Texas" is likely to get you better placement in the search results than a generic term like "lip gloss". You should also work to create a single page for every 3-4 keyword phrases you want to rank for and include these phrases in your title and description tags, the page URL as well as the body of the content. In addition, each webpage should use a different title and description specifically based on the keyword phrases utilized on that page.

Nowadays your website should be developed using XHTML and CSS because table based web designs have numerous technical issues to overcome and, in some instances, can even increase your website’s load time which cause a lot of potential prospects to look elsewhere for whatever it is that brought them to you website to begin with.

Ideally you want to utilize a Web content Management System (Web CMS) which can help streamline the optimization of your website quickly and effortlessly, such as that provided standard with the Magnetik Salesperson online business management software system. This will also allow you to effectively manage your own website content with little or no web design skill.

• Linking and indexing

The next step in effectively promoting your website is to get noticed by the search engines and have them index your site. For example, Google will not even look at your website until it has been linked to by at least one other site that they have indexed. An appropriate tactic at this point can be to use pay-per-click to accelerate this process, however this is not always necessary and can be accomplished through other avenues such as placing an add on craigslist with a link to your website.

In addition, participating in forums serving your target market can be extremely useful at this point as well. This has a dual effect, it creates awareness of your business within the communities you would like to reach as well as help create incoming links to your site. However, be careful not to use a forum to spam members or submit unsolicited advertising posts because it will destroy your company’s credibility.

• Implement online marketing partnerships with high-profile online businesses

Another effective medium for marketing your business online is to provide content of value to websites which serve your target market. Article and press release websites and even guest authoring on various blogs relevant to your target market. With this they benefit from your topical content and you benefit from the exposure and links.

• To pay-per-click advertise or not to pay-per-click advertise

This is the first point that you want to really consider sponsored listing or what is more commonly known as pay-per-click advertisement. Managing this step effectively can take some trial and error to find what works best but you definitely want to exercise restraint because pay-per-click campaigns can become extremely expensive if not properly managed.

If you’re in the need of quality Internet Marketing Strategy and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services in Houston, Texas you’ll want to utilize an experienced Houston SEO company that has a good reputation, like Magnetiks Search Marketing. For information on how we can increase your website’s exposure and bring target business to your doorstep contact us or call (281) 362-9855 today!

Effective strategies for domain name selection

If you're just starting your business you want to make sure you choose your business and domain name with care. If the domain name you are purchasing will be your primary company website, you want to try and find the closest version to your company name

• What is the purpose of the domain name?

If the purpose of the domain is to be a one-page sales promotion you’ll want to think ahead as to how you might promote it. Content is king in today’s internet marketing world. The best promotion strategy for one-page sales promotions is pay-per-click marketing as it increases the chances of your keywords being picked up by the search engines. You will also want to make sure the information on your ads is compelling enough to get someone to click and visit your site as well as ensure that the content they are viewing is relevant to the keyword phrase you have “purchased”.

• Create a list of ideas of solutions you have or problems you're trying to solve.

To give visitors a clear indication of what you do you may want to choose a domain name that indicates what service your company provides, a problem that you can solve, or a solution that you provide.

• It helps to have keywords in your domain name.

Before purchasing your domain name, make a list of keyword phrases that a consumer might use to find your website. This list can include your industry, niche, problems your target market have and solutions that you provide.

• Shorter is better, if it's to be your primary domain.

Your domain can contain up to 67 characters consisting of letters and numbers. Special characters other than hyphens are not recommended. However, when using the domain name as your primary domain, you may want to keep it as short, catchy and memorable as possible.

• Purchase your given name as a domain name.

Branding your given name as a business can take a lot of years, a lot of money and a lot of time. Nevertheless it can still pay off to purchase your name as a domain by redirecting it to you primary website. Therefore when someone types in the domain they land at the website you point your domain to.

• If available buy the .COM version first.

When people hear a domain name, regardless of whether it’s .NET, .BIZ, .ORG or whatever, they are actually “hearing” .COM, so finding a domain name with .COM will pay off in the end. You can also try hyphenated versions of the .COM name if the one without is taken.

• Consider buying other extensions of your primary domain name.

You may want to buy the other extensions of the domain you are registering such as the .NET and .ORG domains then redirect them to you primary website. This will keep them out of your competitor’s hands . However, you will want to exercise a little restraint when purchasing domain names because they can become quite expensive.

Your domain name is the beginning of the establishment of your presence online, so you want to your time and put some thought into the process. For more information on domain name or other Internet Marketing Strategies contact us or call (281) 362-9855 to speak with the Houston SEO specialists at Magnetiks Search Marketing today!

SEO Tips – Link building: a treasure chest of SEO Gold

If you’re looking for a great SEO tip that will help you attract targeted traffic to your website then you definitely want to invest into an on-going link building in order to increase your website ranking.

What are SEO backlinks?

Backlinks are links that point to your website and originate from other websites. They can be in the form of your complete URL (e.g. http://www.yourdomain.com/link-to-you.html), or a more SEO friendlier method such as an anchor text link (e.g. Search Engine Optimization Houston, Texas).

Backlinks are important but why?

The number of backlinks, or inbound links your website has is factored in to the equation search engines use to assess and rank your website. The more inbound links you have, the greater the reputation your site is considered to possess. This can lead to an increase in your search engine rankings as well as your Google Page Rank.

Ok, now I know why but how do I get other sites to link to mine?

There are any number of different ways to acquire inbound links for your website, a few examples include:

1.    Forums - Most forums provide their users with a signature box, this signature box allows you attach links and/or images to everything you post. You can also place links in your comments. Some forums require you to make a certain number of posts before you can place anchor links or links in general in your signature box and/ or comments. However, Do not spam the forum, you will get kicked off by the administrators.

2.    Article marketing – most article submission sites allow the author to place a link or two in the article body.

3.    Social media - On all social media sites you can put at least 1 url on your profile, Some allow you to put as many as you want. Again don’t over do it or you’ll be seen as a spammer. The content which you produce within social media also has areas where you can put your links.

There are many more ways to get your inbound links including blog posting and commenting, etc.

Tip: Google loves it when you place your links in content that is relevant to the page your link leads to. For example if you are blogging about Local SEO Internet Marketing it would benefit you more if your link was to point to a part of your site which was also about Local SEO Internet Marketing. This isn’t essential but it does help.

Looking for more information on inbound links? Call (281) 362-9855 and ask the SEO Houston experts at Magnetiks Search Marketing.

Google’s New Local Listing Ads

Google is currently limited Beta testing local listing ads in San Diego and San Francisco. For these cities, Local Listing Ads are available for businesses with verified free listings in Google Local Business Center under a limited set of categories.

The New Local Listing Ads are designed for small local businesses. They are to be an economical, low maintenance, ad solution with a flat monthly fee. By creating or claiming your business listing on Google Maps, a service we offer, through your Local Business Center your business can be promoted through Local Listing Ads.

Your business information and the descriptive category that you choose are used to create targeted ads that are displayed on Google.com and Google Maps to consumers in your local area when they search for businesses like yours. These ads require no management of ad creative, keywords, bidding or budget management and according to Google, are the easiest way to advertise your business to local customers. When you select a standard category that best describes your business, Google will determine the cost that ensures your ad is seen by the highest number of people looking for businesses similar to yours in your location.

This fee will vary by the business location and category. Google gives you the opportunity to confirm the flat monthly fee and has thus far stated that this fee will not be changed frequently and that you can be notified of changes 30 days in advance via your email and your LBC account messages.

In addition to providing you with full performance reporting on your Local Listing Ads clicks, and driving instructions requests, Google is also planning to offer fee call tracking for your Local Listing ads so you know when and how often your ads make your phone ring.

These calls will have a short announcement stating “this caller brought to you by Google” before the forwarded call is put through.

For more information on Google Maps Local SEO in Houston, Texas as well as how Magnetiks Search Marketing can help you increase the online presence of your business, contact us or call (281) 362-9855 today!

5 quick tips for optimizing PPC ads

In today’s economy businesses with tight budgets have to find ways to stretch their advertising dollars. One method of doing this is to refine paid advertising ads to keep them fresh and unique.

One step that a lot of advertisers forget is surveying their competition's ads that are currently running for the keywords they wish to target. You want to know what they’re doing not so you can copy their ads but so you can do something different and one up them by fashioning your ads to stand out.
 
Here are some proven tricks to help your ads stand out from the competition:

1. Add a touch of seasoning to your ads
Many marketers run the same ads year round despite the holidays and changing seasons. You can bring in big returns by taking the time to update your ads to be effective during the holidays or a particular season. Ads that reflect the current holiday theme catch the attention of and better connect with consumers because it speaks to them directly.

2. Include mention of a special deal
Special deals, special rates or special prices are popular with shoppers, especially on items they were going to buy anyway. Mentioning a limited time offer or a special online price will increase the likelihood that a shopper will select your ad above your competitors. Offer free shipping? Then include it in your ads.

3. Break the mold in your ad copy
Questions can help pull shoppers into your ad and grab their attention. Ask a question that addresses a need. You may also want to try another copywriting technique that grabs readers' attention like creating ad copy that is a bit offbeat or bizarre enough to compel the readers to click on the ad to learn more; just be careful, this technique can be easily overdone.

4. Customize the ad with geo-terms whenever possible
Include specific geographical locations in your ads, like names of cities, towns, and neighborhoods. This lets consumers know that you serve their local region.

5. Run multiple ads
It is always surprising to learn how many advertisers create one ad and run it. They don’t realize that the better way is to create multiple ads and let the consumer tell you which is the most effective ad based on performance. Let the data be your guide. You might be surprised which ads converts better.

Try a few of these approaches to give your ads a fresh look they may just increase your profits. For more information on Adwords campaign optimization or to have your Adwords pay per click campaign professional managed. Call Magnetiks Search Marketing, a search engine marketing firm in Houston, Texas for quality Adwords campaign management services at (281) 362-9855 today

How to Decide on Directory for Submission

Thousands of directories are available for submitting your website to but which ones are the best for you? Directory submission can be a cost effective way to build one way links from thematic categories on high quality websites and obtain links from relevant content but you have to keep a few things in mind when looking for directories to submit to.
There are hundreds of directories, and you will have to spend a lot of time when submitting but you will always get the best value for your time and money if you think quality as opposed to quantity. Now you might be wondering what makes a directory a quality directory and how do you decide?

The following are few points which can assist you in determining whether or not a directory can be considered a quality directory.

1. Page rank. While the value of page rank as a factor in website rankings has significantly diminished; a directory with good Page rank of its homepage and some inner pages can be used as an initial indicator.

2. Directory Structure. Directories with structured categories containing a moderate selection of business verticals and geographical regions will create more thematic and relevant links.

3. Domain age. Search engine do give more relevancy to older directories and consider those directories that have trusted. Links from these directories will most likely help your website rankings.

4. Number of pages indexed. If the directory itself cannot be indexed by the search engines for whatever reason, then how is a link from them valuable to you?

5. Traffic. Although they can provide you with a little traffic, Directory submission is primarily used to enhance search engine rankings by providing quality one-way or reciprocal links to your website.

6. Link Longevity. How long will your listing be active? Are they offering a permanent link, an annual or a link for few months?

7. SEO friendly? Any directory you submit to should be SEO friendly, providing a static link; not a dynamic one.  It should also provide a direct link to the landing page you choose using anchor text.

8. Paid Directory. If it is a paid directory then cost must be considered whether it is annual or lifetime.
9. Niche Directories. Niche directories are very good because they provide relevant thematic links. For Example, if your website is related to the home remodeling industry then you would submit to home remodeling niche directories.

Let Magnetiks Search Marketing handle your directory submission as part of an overall SEO Marketing plan that will help grow your business. Call (281) 362-9855 today!

Search Engine Optimization, SEO Best Left to the Experts

When it comes to search engine optimization, SEO, there are a few strategies that you will want to live by. Beginning an SEO campaign is a tricky business on the best of days. The rules are constantly changing and the information you've read about could be several months old. For this reason, if no other, it pays to hire the services of a professional search engine optimization, SEO, organization.

If you are not devoting a full time effort to learning the latest buzz for search engine optimization, chances are that you are behind the score. The search engines are constantly changing algorithms in search for the best way to make sure the visitors find their way to the sites they are looking for. Unfortunately, this is not an exact science.

The fact that things keep changing actually works against small business owners that are trying to establish a presence online for their brick and mortar businesses. The reason is simple. You have a business to run and that business isn't SEO.

Would you go to a lawyer for medical advice? Probably not. Why would you go to a construction worker for search engine optimization advice? If your business is construction, you know construction. Doesn't it make sense to outsource the skills you are not as well versed in to those who are? Outsourcing your search engine optimization, SEO, efforts can save you a great deal of time and effort over the course of establishing your Internet presence.

If you are interested in creating an Internet presence for your offline business or are launching an Internet based business, it pays to hire professional search engine optimization, SEO service providers. Contact Magnetiks today and see how we can help you build a better online presence and rank better with the major search engines today.

What Can a Professional SEO Consultant do for Your Web Presence?

When doing business online search engine optimization, commonly referred to as SEO is the most vital thing that can be done for your business website. Long gone are the days of “if you build it, they will come.” It doesn't matter how many graphics, videos, or widgets your website contains. Without serious efforts to optimize that site for search engine recognition, very few people will see the results of your hours of labor.

Search engine optimization is literally optimizing your website so that the search engines are more likely to recognize it. You may not want to invest the money needed for a professional SEO campaign and management. It pays though to at least acquire the services of a professional SEO consultant. But, what can he or she offer you? Below is a small sampling of the services you may receive from a professional SEO consultant.

Review the website. This is the first step. If you do not have an existing website he or she can make some suggestions about what you want to include and exclude from your website as well as offering tips and strategies for creating links, keyword recommendations or suggestions, and note where you may want to spend a little money on the programming side of thing to make your website more friendly to the search engine spiders that like to look around your website and its coding.

Suggest changes. This is the second step. He or she will suggest that you make changes in your website, your marketing efforts, and in the content you include on your website. Every piece of your website, no matter how insignificant it seems to you can have serious rewards and/or consequences when it comes to SEO.

Revise. The final step for a professional SEO consultant will be to revise the website (if that is what you wish of your consultant). Making the changes he or she suggested is a great start but your SEO efforts should rarely be limited to the website alone. There are other steps in the process that will need to be made. He or she can let you know what needs to be done but in a consulting capacity will not be the one to actually take those steps.

A professional SEO consultant can make a huge impact on the page rank of your website in various search engines. It pays to use this valuable service if you plan to build a larger Internet presence or really wish to do business online at all. Magnetiks can meet all of your professional SEO consulting needs. Contact them today and see what they can do for your web presence.

Four Reasons it Pays to Have Professional SEO

If you are doing business online or seeking to create an online presence for your brick and mortar business chances are good that you could benefit from professional SEO (search engine optimization). Without creating a website that is designed to get the attention of the big search engines the likelihood that you will be found through generic web searches is extremely small. This is not a business of “if you build it; they will come.” This is where SEO comes into play and can benefit your business more than you may ever realize. But, why pay professionals instead of trying to do it yourself?

1. Knowledge. There is a wide learning curve that is continuously evolving when it comes to proper search engine optimization. When you hire a professional SEO service you will be getting the knowledge of past and present practices that promise high rankings for your website in search engine results.

2. Time. It takes time to get impressive results for your search engine optimization efforts—even from the results. You have a business to run and it is quite likely that your time would be better spent running your business rather than staying on top of the latest professional SEO tricks and techniques. Save the time you would spend trying to learn and execute a proper SEO campaign and dedicate that time to the part of your business you do best.

3. Experience. There is no substitute for experience when it comes to SEO. Leverage the knowledge of others in the field of SEO and avoid wasting precious time and money on ineffective campaigns that will do little to improve your overall search engine rankings.

4. Quality. Chances are that your initial efforts will lack the polish and quality of a professional SEO company. They have often spent years learning various techniques for getting those important search engine rankings and are constantly learning the latest tools for this constantly changing process.

Whatever reason you choose to seek professional SEO services, it pays to go with a name in the business you can trust.