I LOVE This Job!

Sidetracking for just a moment, I want to talk about something many of my clients and I share - the love of what we do, and doing it for ourselves.

I've had a very demanding personal life lately with my husband having knee replacement surgery two months ago. The flexibility and freedom of having my own business has been priceless in that time. Since I work from home, and can work at any hour of the day (or night if need be) it's allowed me to care for him during his recovery and still make a living. There is no better 'job' for me. If I had to work 9 to 5, we'd have had a terribly tough time.

What this means to my clients and level of service I can provide is that I understand their needs, how they look at their business and what I, as a web developer, can do to help them achieve their goals. Getting to know my clients as people and business men and women, and learning about what they do is not only intriguing to me, but an essential part of my job as a member of their marketing team.

I know some days a job you don't have to think about sounds tempting, but really, we wouldn't have it any other way, would we?

Web marketing (part 4) OR Why is SEO so difficult?

This article from a SitePro newsletter highlights the importance of good web marketing by giving your visitors fresh, relevant content, something I've been promoting since starting this business. CD WebMaker has NEVER promoted the use of any of the methods aimed at 'tricking' the Search Engines into higher rankings. Here's why it just doesn't work:

Two big things have just happened in Google-land: Jagger and Google Analytics. Together, these two events may have changed the face of search forever.

Jagger

First, let's discuss Jagger... Just like hurricanes, Google updates have names. (A Google update is a change to the way Google determines its rankings. Google makes these changes periodically, and they're universally feared because they can impact dramatically on a website's ranking.) The latest update is called Jagger, and it has search engine optimizers (SEOs) all around the world in a state of panic.

Why was Jagger such a fearful update? Simple... With Jagger, Google once again outsmarted huge numbers of SEOs. You see, many/most SEOs spend their time (and their clients' money) trying to trick Google into thinking that their websites are more relevant and important than they really are. They do this mostly by swapping links, buying cheap links, and placing links on free directories. While there's nothing wrong with these sorts of links (i.e. they're not considered 'black-hat'), they don't really show that the site is relevant or important. All they really show is that the site owner has made a deal with another site owner. In these deals, the incentive for the linking site owner is a reciprocal link, money, or increased link volume. Google much prefers it when the linking site adds the link simply to enhance the value of their content or to increase their own credibility and authority.

In other words, Google wants its search results to contain relevant, important sites, not sites that merely appear to be relevant and important. To this end, Google invests millions of dollars and employs the world's smartest mathematicians to create algorithms which identify sites that are trying to trick them. And that's exactly what Jagger did; and when it found those sites, it simply adjusted their ranking to more accurately reflect their true importance.

The most important points noted for the Jagger update were:

1) Increased importance placed on IBL (Inbound Links) Relevancy
2) Increased importance placed on OBL (Outbound Links) Relevancy
3) Promotion of relevant Niche Directories (related to No. 1 & #2)

Some other interesting effects were reported:

"... Google is down-grading or eliminating reciprocal links as a measure of popularity... a few of our reciprocal links did come back up... So we feel that these links came back because of content, not linking."

Interestingly, article page rank (article submission) came through Jagger seemingly unscathed making one thing is clear: article page rank is one of the best ways to obtain a high ranking.

Conclusion

The lesson from Jagger is, don't try and trick Google! They've got more money and more brains than virtually any company in the world. It'll only end in tears! Don't spend time and money trying to make your site look important and relevant. Instead, spend that time and money actually making it important and relevant! Content - the real content behind the optimization - is the answer. After all, whether it's an article or a web page, it's the content that keeps 'eyes on paper', and that's what it's all about.

Web marketing (part 3)

When you're ready to launch your web site and you're trying
to select a good domain name, there are many factors that need
to be taken into consideration.

Select a Domain Name that Reflects Your Web Site

Above all else, your domain name should reflect what your web
site is all about. For example, if your web site is about
grooming a dog, you certainly wouldn't want to select a domain
name like 'mybusinessname.com,' since this would have nothing to
do with your web site's focus. You would want to select a domain
name that tells the world what your web site is all about --
something like 'doggrooming.com.'

Select a Domain Name that Contains Your Web Site's Keywords

Another consideration of great importance are your keywords.
Try to select a domain name that contains your most relevant
keyword phrase because some Search Engines place relevancy on
them. A keyword phrase is two or more words that best describe
your web page. If your web page is focusing on grooming a dog,
your best keyword phrase will be "dog grooming."

Select a Domain Name that will be Easily Remembered

With millions of web sites accessible on the Internet, it is
also very important to select a domain name that will be easily
remembered. As in the 'doggrooming.com' example above,
'doggrooming.com' is very easily remembered, contains the most
relevant keyword phrase and describes the web site in explicit
detail. It is the 'perfect' domain name for this particular web
site.

Select the Best Domain Extension

Another consideration of importance is the domain name extension.
Although there are many new domain extensions available, dotcom
is still the best choice. When typing in a web address, Internet
users automatically want to type in a .com extension, since this
is the extension that has been embedded into our brains from the
start.

Avoid Using Numbers in Your Domain Name

Although you may be tempted to do so, avoid using numbers within
your domain name. Including a number within your domain name can
cause problems. When you tell someone your web address, you will
continually have to tell them it's a number and not the word. For
example, if you selected a domain name like number1host.com, if
you were to tell someone your web address, they may try to type
it as 'numberonehost.com' instead of 'number1host.com.' This type
of domain name can cause confusion.

Avoid Using Abbreviations Within Your Domain Name

Although well-known companies, such as IBM, can get away with
using abbreviations within their domain name, most companies
can't. As a rule, try to avoid using abbreviations or anything
that will be difficult for your visitors to remember. Not only
will this cause confusion, but it can also cause your potential
visitors to make spelling mistakes when trying to type in your
web address.

Avoid Using Long Domain Names

Although you may now register long domain names, it's really not
a good idea. In the first place, if it's too long, it won't fit on your business cards or other print pomotional items. Secondly, the longer the domain name the harder it is to remember and the more apt your potential visitors are
to make a typo when typing it into their browser.

Ensure Your Domain Name is Not a Trademark Infringement

Prior to registering a domain name, you may want to consider
searching the Trademark Electronic Search System,
http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm to ensure your
potential domain name isn't infringing on any trademarks.

Please don't take this point lightly, as trademark infringement
could cost you your entire business. It is your responsibility
to ensure that your potential domain name doesn't infringe on
any registered trademarks, as the trademark laws that apply in
the hard copy world also apply on the Internet. Any company that
registers a trademark has the right to protect their trademark
and has the right to notify you that your domain name is
infringing upon their trademark.

When you're ready to begin, create a list of a dozen or more
potential domain names, as chances are, your first choice will
already be taken. With any luck, one of the domain names on your
list will be available.

Take your time and select a quality domain name that will grow
with your business. It will be well-worth your time and effort
in the long run.

Web marketing (part 2)

Prepare to be flexible...meaning, after you've done your market research, planned and developed your web site.

Ok, you've gone live with just about everything you just know your customers want to see and designed so that your customers enjoy using it. Now you can just sit back and rake in the profits without ever having to touch the damn thing again, right?

If that's what you're thinking, you couldn't be more wrong!

You need to let it 'run' for a while (say 6 months), then start scrutinizing your web stats, or have them looked at by a professional who can interpret them for you.

Perhaps you're getting a lot of hits from the blog host your're using or one or two of the search engines. That's great, but more importantly, knowledge is power so use it!

For instance, if your blog is leading the way in traffic one month, take a look at what you can do to drive traffic to the rest of your site from the blog in the coming months. If traffic is coming in to your home page, look at what you can do to get your visitors to visit and comment in your blog.

The point is that a static web site will soon be a dead web site, and will take much longer to revive than staying on top of things and staying flexible from the beginning.

The search engines LOVE fresh content and that, along with incoming links, gets you ranked well. And let's forget those search engines for a moment and give your HUMAN visitors something new (and interesting) to look at and read as well. How many times have you re-visited a site with content that never changes?

Think SMALL!

From a 'Duct Tape Marketing' blog post by John Jantsch

Large organizations are beginning to wrestle with the reality that their markets want something more personal, more honest and real, from the companies they buy products and services from. It's obvious that small businesses possess natural advantages in this arena, so the rush is on to think small.

Acting like a small business, it seams, is the latest killer innovation.

So, the question is, are you leveraging your natural advantages?

Here's a look at the list.

1. Focus - In order to survive, most small businesses must adopt a narrow market focus. In doing so,they can develop a premium reputation for serving that narrow market.


2. Reach - Small business owners are so close to their markets they can experience what their market experiences. They can deliver CEO level experience to any size client who can connect with a client better a 25 year veteran and author of two books on the industry or two twenty something whiz kids from McKenzie?


3. Nurture - Small businesses can grow with customer needs. Often, they can create products and services that address highly personalized requests at a moments notice.


4. Surprise - The best small businesses understand the value of surprising their clients from time to time. A simple interrupt in the system can become a system for a small business.


5. Transform - Small businesses can obtain new data from a market, or even a client or two, and dramatically change their business model to align with a new opportunity.


6. Partner - Smart small businesses create networks of strategic partners and address the needs of their clients with the best and brightest every time.


7. Automate - The proper use of technology allows small businesses to put up big shop follow-up, service and prospecting without the overhead. Plus, they can outsource the boring work.


8. Educate - Lacking big ad budget, small businesses must educate their prospects before they can make any ground selling them. This trust building process makes selling unnecessary and delivers the ideal client relationships.


9. Meaning - Small business is personal. Markets are hungry for businesses that allow them to connect to something beyond the products and services. Small businesses can deliver a story that has meaning.


10. Play - Why does someone start a business anyway - To get more life, to develop a passion, to get free? It doesn't really matter that freedom comes with an 80 hour work week. Passion and purpose are sexy and contagious.


Think small!

Web marketing

It seems to be the theme of the moment, everyone calling me, new clients and established one, to talk about web marketing.

I've never taken any marketing courses, or worked in that capacity before this business, and yet, being in a business environment for the last 25 years has taught me a lot about the subject, most of it common sense. The tricks and tips you can get from a good book.

First and foremost, you need to know your market. If you're selling real estate, you CAN NOT just assume that everyone shopping for a home is your market. Your geographic area, home prices, and local demographics all narrow it down for you. Then your web design can focus on selling your self/produc/service to those most interested. Marketing dollars spent chasing too broad a market are wasted dollars, not to mention that then the client blames the web designer/marketer for the failure to bring in quality traffic.

I'm going to try and make this a series on this blog, with some of those tips and tricks and common sense strategies that I've learned along the way. Stay tuned...