Search Engine Marketing 2 - Old City Web Services

Google Devalues Link-building Tactics

August 21, 2013 by anoadmin

For years, SEO professionals have emphasized the importance of increasing the number of external in-bound links to a site in an effort to build authority and trust, hence boosting organic search rankings. One by one, Google has been devaluing these tactics. What does this mean for your website? These changes will remove value that your site previously enjoyed by means Google classifies as unnatural. Below, we've included three devalued link building tactics from Google's latest link scheme guidelines:

Large-scale article marketing or guest posting campaigns with keyword-rich anchor text links.
Advertorials or advertising where payment is received for articles that include links that pass PageRank.
Links with optimized anchor text in articles or press releases distributed on other sites.

Feeling overwhelmed or possibly scared that your company's website may be affected by Google's ever-changing algorithms? Are you 100% certain your site is optimized organically? Don't fret! Let the professionals that specialize in organic SEO and SEM maintain and monitor your website's rankings so that it won't be devalued because of new policies. For more information, contact us today by giving us a call: 904.829.2772 or emailing us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com.

3 tips on advertising your business online

July 10, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

Making room in your marketing mix for online advertising does not always have to burn a hole in your wallet. There are numerous inexpensive ways to advertise your business online that can have just as big of a return as some of the more costly ways. Below are 3 cost-effective tips on advertising your business online:

1. Get local

First, make sure your business is claimed on local listings such as Google Places, Yahoo Local and Bing Places for Business. Take advantage of these free tools that will increase your search result rankings for locals or visitors searching online in your area. Also, don't forget to utilize community sites that have a proven track record of high volume visitors. If you are a local shop, restaurant, B&B or other St. Augustine business that is not taking advantage of advertising on OldCity.com, you should seriously consider it! Advertising or having your business listed (and back-linked to your website) is the most cost-effectively way to get the word out about your business to a more targeted group. It's this simple: Our traffic becomes your traffic.

2.Try Facebook Ads

We've said it before and we'll say it again -- but this time with some stats! In 2010, the total Florida population was 18,732,783 and 42% or7,839,520 people were Facebook users!(www.internetworldstats.com). Furthermore, you can expect the number of Facebook users has nearly doubled in the last 3 years. Why choose Facebook? For the simple fact that it allows you to create several ads and target them based on location, demographics and interests. It's directed, effective and most importantly - affordable.

3. Publish Yourself

It's not nearly as difficult to get published these days as we see many more credible online publications forming. How does it work? Submit articles, PSA's, press releases, news releases, etc. to various reputable and local websites. In return for your content, many of these websites will offer back-links to your website providing you with potential traffic and leads for your business. This will also help you become established as an expert in your field or industry.

Want to start advertising your business online today, but would rather let an expert help? Contact Old City Web Services today! We'll take the stress off your shoulders by determining the online advertising outlet(s) that's best suited for your business needs. Give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com for more information.

Out with the old…in with the New

June 6, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

How can you really tell if your marketing efforts are outdated? We've developed a simple check list to help you determine if how you're running your small (or big) business is in-line with the newest technology and innovative marketing trends. Note: If you answer "Yes" to any of these categories below, pick up the phone and contact us today--we're here to help!

You don't remember what your website looks like....if you can no longer remember the details of what your site looks like, then it is safe to say that you haven't visited your own website in a while--quite possibly a long while and I bet it could use some major updating! Ask yourself: What images are on my homepage? What pages are included in my navigation? Here are a few more key signs your site is outdated:

You have a starburst on your site
Your color palette includes fluorescents
There is not a functioning navigation
You have broken links
You cannot view your site from an iPhone or iPad

You lost rankings when Google Places was launched...Google launched a game-changing search process in 2011 called Google Places. In order to capture more of the lucrative local search audience, Google started to integrate places results with organic rankings (rather than simply showing a map with markers). What does this mean for your SEO? Google Places listings can dominate the entire first page of search results pushing the link to your company's website further down the list.

The administrator of your company Facebook page is no longer with the company...if you no longer remember the logins to your company's social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter or otherwise), you're officially outdated. Even if your Facebook page looks nice and people continue to interact with it, you're still missing the ball by not engaging with your consumers. Social media might not generate the same ROI as traditional direct response channels, but that doesn't mean there is no value.

Your search traffic directs to your homepage...if you are not using landing pages to create cohesive campaigns, you can guarantee users are bouncing off your site as fast as they arrive. You can do all the keyword research you want, but if you aren't using landing pages that are aligned with your keyword approach, you're not running an effective end-to-end paid search campaign. When paying for online ads or promotions, it's important to consider the path your users are taking to convert.

You're not taking advantage of online advertising...small businesses have a tremendous resource at their disposal: the internet. Without a doubt, the internet provides the best forum for small business advertising. Here are a few reasons why entrepreneurs should look toward the internet to advertise their business:

More and more consumers look to the internet for their purchasing-it's convenient, fast and online sales are generating billions of dollars each year.
The Internets scope is world-wide--businesses can expand their customer base across the globe and customers can make purchases anytime, anywhere 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There is a wide variety of internet ad options-banner ads, promotional, newsletter, social media, audio/video...just to name a few!

Keeping a marketing plan fresh by adding or adjusting key ingredients is a constant and timely job and unfortunately it is not always made a top priority for many small businesses. Why not make the step in the right direction today by letting Old City Web Services and OldCity.com help turn your marketing efforts around? After all, we're a local, small business too! The difference is we specialize in web development, internet advertising and integrated marketing...and we love what we do! Contact us today by giving us a call: 904.829.2772 or emailing us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com.

The Importance of Ongoing Optimization

April 12, 2013 by anoadmin Leave a Comment

A common question we often hear is: When is my site optimized? The best answer: It's an ongoing process. With this being said, constant SEO and SEM modification will lead you to a more optimized site. It is important to invest in ongoing Optimization in order to reach your ultimate goal of the moment where every page, text, image and call-to-action is perfectly aligned with the wants and needs of your audience.

Here is a list of SEO/SEM services we recommend be a part of your ongoing optimization process:

Fluctuations in keyword/key-phrase demand: Say your website is 5 years old, key words and key-phrases that were rarely used in 2008 may be highly used across the web today. For example, the exact phrase 'content marketing' was unknown to many 5 years ago, but now can be found on over 4 million web pages, including over 2 million blog posts. This validates the importance of constantly researching and updating your keyword glossary based on new keywords and search trends.

Modified user preferences: Frequently reviewing your Google Analytics and being able to fully understand the stats will help narrow down where on your site people tend to go and what they are doing once they are there. Try plugging in a key-phrase into Google, Bing and Yahoo....what type of content do you see? Maybe there are lots of videos at the top of the results or info-graphics and visuals. This would indicate that video and images are resonating with your audience.

Social Updates: From Facebook to Pinterest to Google+, one thing is guaranteed-- there will always be a new social network. With every social update comes an opportunity to reevaluate your content. After determining where your target audience is socializing online, you can create a compelling user experience within that network.

So, how often do you need ongoing optimization? The simple answer is, it all depends. Whether it's monthly, semi-monthly or quarterly, you should first have a professional do the preliminary research. Our SEO/SEM team always completes an initial analysis of your site prior to giving recommendations. This will determine your specific needs and establish an ongoing optimization schedule that's suited best for your business.

Let Old City Web Services help you improve your site's optimization by conducting an Initial Analysis and Evaluation to determine your specific business needs. Give us a call: 904.829.2772 or email us: letusmarketyou@oldcity.com to set up your free consultation!