I recently purchsed RAGE SEO Software for my iweb sites (www.inkimagetoner.com and www.asanctuaryforhealing.net) and have been struggling with google....Found great tips from Rage and thought I'd share!
1) iWeb Page Titles
As of iWeb 08 (and now iWeb 09), most built in templates have a large header caption at the top of the page. Your website’s title tag will actually reflect what you enter here. Many users simply keep this as the default caption, not utilizing the most important on-page optimization you can use for search engines.
The trick is to give your page a title that includes both the keywords you want to appear for in search engines and that accurately describes your website content. Your web page title appears at the very top of your web browser, and in a search engines results page. Search engines use your title tag to get an idea of what they will find on your website.
iWeb Page Titles are important for SEO
Update: With the free iWeb SEO Tool you can now edit your web page titles, meta tags and alternative image text after you publish your site. You no longer have to worry about how iWeb gets your title tag.
For templates without these header captions, or if you remove the caption, iWeb will use your page file name as its title. Give it a good title using the advice we provided above.
Add Custom Title Tags To Your iWeb Website
2) Navigation bars
One of the biggest problems with iWeb is the way it creates your navigation bars. Instead of using standard HTML which search engines can use to correctly find all files on your website, it uses Javascript which makes it extremely hard for search engines to scan and index your website properly.
Fortunately there is a way you can work around this problem. Select your main page (or the first page that contains your navigation bar) and open the Inspector window. Click the Page Inspector tab (second tab) and deselect the option ‘Display Navigation Bar’ as shown in the following screen shot;
Add Custom Title Tags To Your iWeb Website
Now you’re going to create your own navigation bar with proper links to each of your pages. Create a new Text Box field and place it at the top of your page, while moving all your other content down. To quickly move all content down, go to Edit – Select All. Hold the shift key as you drag all your content down which will help insure you don’t accidentally move the content off center. Put the new Text Box at the top of your page and add captions for each of your pages separated using tabs or spaces so that they look like a proper navigation bar. Then select each caption and go to the ‘Link Inspector’ tab in the Inspector window. Select ‘Enable as a hyperlink’ and choose ‘One of My Pages’ from the ‘Link To’ drop down menu. Lastly select the page you want to link to from the ‘Page’ drop down menu.
Proper navigation bars in iWeb
Although you should do this for each of your pages for best results, insuring you do it on your main page only is extremely helpful for search engines.
3) The Right Content
One of the biggest issues I see with iWeb created websites is users choosing non-standard web fonts for their website. Just to provide some background information, there are a number of fonts that are considered safe for use on the web. These are fonts that are guaranteed to be installed on a users computer no matter what operating system or web browser they use. If a font is not installed on a users computer and you use it on your website, it will not display properly for them. iWeb works around this issue by turning your text into pictures if you use a non-standard font. This is why your webpage always looks the same no matter where you view it. Unfortunately, search engines can not ‘read’ text that is turned into pictures and this will severely impact your potential search engines rankings.
You must stick to the standard web fonts, which are listed below for you. This insures that your website has the best possible chance of ranking high for the keywords you are targeting.
Web safe fonts include;
* Arial
* Courier New
* Georgia
* Times New Roman
* Verdana
* Trebuchet MS
* Helvetica
*Note: Some of the above fonts may not always be installed on a persons computer but will be easily replaced with a very similar looking alternative if they can not be found. That is why they have all been included in the above list.
You want to make sure that your website content contains the keywords you want to rank high for in search engines. It’s not good enough to “be in search engines”, you want to appear when a potential customer types in one of your keywords. Search Engines will not know what your webpage is about unless you include the proper keywords in your web page content.
4) iWeb Landing Pages
Lastly, something I see very often is users making a so called “landing page” as their home page. This is the type of page where it may simply show your company logo with a “Click here to enter link”. Basically anything that requires a user to take one more step in order to see your website is never a good thing.
This applies to search engines as well. Your home page is considered your most important page by default so make sure you are taking full advantage of it. Link to other important pages directly from your home page and make sure it includes keyword rich content.
Remember, search engines will not simply choose your site out of the billions out there and rank them at the top of their search index unless you give them good reason too. Getting high in search engines for the keywords your customers are searching for can be extremely profitable to you and will take some time to achieve. Don’t expect immediate results and keep learning about the strategies you can employ to get high rankings.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Fridays at Five - June 5th
Can't wait for this week! We are going to be at Lavelle Winery in Elmira - rolling lawns, beautiful surroundings, fantastic hosts....They are staying open late just for us!
Fridays at Five has really turned out to be a phenom (if I do say so myself). I think the reason it works so well is because it's absolutely CASUAL. Perfect fit for small businesses who are intimidated by those huge networking events or by the costs of some of those referral groups or even by the time commitment that is required by some groups. Fridays at Five is just a fun group of business minded folks who enjoy a glass of wine or a beer at the end of a long work week and who, by the design of this program, wish to help other small business professionals grow, learn and succeed. We've called ourselves "A drinking club with a business problem" which cracks people up- but the truth is, we are a fantastic networking group that WORKS! When a business is chosen to speak we encourage that person to ask VERY SPECIFICALLY for whatever it is he or she wants. Example: I want to meet the purchasing manager at the new hospital". Inevitably someone in the group knows that person or can put them in touch with someone who does. Additionally, we don't necessarily offer our product or service up at first pass - as it is done so frequently at other networking events....How annoying is that? You are left with a handful of business cards that you toss, and still have e bunch in your pocket (your own) that no one really cared to ask for....So try this - At your next networking event make it a point to NOT talk about your business - ask about others then ask for more info ("tell me more" works well) then ask how you can help that person succeed or grow. Then watch what happens. Givers Gain!
I love that Fridays at Five is working so well. I am also excited that the spin off group - CEO Roundtable, has been well received. In fact, I'm off to facilitate a roundtable right now. Just thought I'd pop down a few thoughts on this lovely Oregon morning...
Fridays at Five has really turned out to be a phenom (if I do say so myself). I think the reason it works so well is because it's absolutely CASUAL. Perfect fit for small businesses who are intimidated by those huge networking events or by the costs of some of those referral groups or even by the time commitment that is required by some groups. Fridays at Five is just a fun group of business minded folks who enjoy a glass of wine or a beer at the end of a long work week and who, by the design of this program, wish to help other small business professionals grow, learn and succeed. We've called ourselves "A drinking club with a business problem" which cracks people up- but the truth is, we are a fantastic networking group that WORKS! When a business is chosen to speak we encourage that person to ask VERY SPECIFICALLY for whatever it is he or she wants. Example: I want to meet the purchasing manager at the new hospital". Inevitably someone in the group knows that person or can put them in touch with someone who does. Additionally, we don't necessarily offer our product or service up at first pass - as it is done so frequently at other networking events....How annoying is that? You are left with a handful of business cards that you toss, and still have e bunch in your pocket (your own) that no one really cared to ask for....So try this - At your next networking event make it a point to NOT talk about your business - ask about others then ask for more info ("tell me more" works well) then ask how you can help that person succeed or grow. Then watch what happens. Givers Gain!
I love that Fridays at Five is working so well. I am also excited that the spin off group - CEO Roundtable, has been well received. In fact, I'm off to facilitate a roundtable right now. Just thought I'd pop down a few thoughts on this lovely Oregon morning...
Monday, May 11, 2009
Advertising vs. Marketing - What's the Difference?
At Rossetti Marketing we are proud to work with small businesses - many just starting out, some home-based and a bunch who are ready to take it to the next level. One of the first things we "teach" is the difference between marketing and advertising. It may seem basic, but it's worth posting for those excited entrepreneurs who may not understand.
Knowing the difference and doing your market research can put your company on the path to substantial growth.
Let's start off by reviewing the formal definitions of each and then I'll go into the explanation of how marketing and advertising differ from each other.
Advertising: The paid, non-personal announcement of a persuasive message by an identified sponsor; the non-personal presentation or promotion by a firm of its products to existing and potential customers.
Marketing: The systematic planning, implementation and control of a mix of business activities intended to bring together buyers and sellers for the mutually advantageous exchange or transfer of services or products.
After reading both definitions it is easy to understand how the difference can be confusing to the point that people think of them as one-and-the-same; so let's break it down a bit.
Advertising is a single component of the marketing process.
It's the part that involves getting your word out concerning your business, product, or the services you are offering. It involves the process of developing strategies such as ad placement, frequency, etc. Advertising includes the placement of an ad in such mediums as newspapers, direct mail, billboards, television, radio, and of course the Internet. Advertising is the largest expense of most marketing plans, with public relations following in a close second and market research not falling far behind.
The best way to distinguish between advertising and marketing is to think of marketing as a pie, inside the pie you have slices of advertising, market research, media planning, public relations, product pricing, distribution, customer support, sales strategy, and community involvement. Advertising only equals one piece of the pie in this strategy. All of these elements must not only work independently bu they also must work together towards the bigger goal. Marketing is a process that takes time and can involve hours of research for a marketing plan to be effective. Think of marketing as everything that an organization does to facilitate an exchange between company and consumer.
Social Media Marketing takes that exchange and makes it between consumer and consumer - a 2-way conversation about your business. Coming soon: Social Media Marketing basics
Knowing the difference and doing your market research can put your company on the path to substantial growth.
Let's start off by reviewing the formal definitions of each and then I'll go into the explanation of how marketing and advertising differ from each other.
Advertising: The paid, non-personal announcement of a persuasive message by an identified sponsor; the non-personal presentation or promotion by a firm of its products to existing and potential customers.
Marketing: The systematic planning, implementation and control of a mix of business activities intended to bring together buyers and sellers for the mutually advantageous exchange or transfer of services or products.
After reading both definitions it is easy to understand how the difference can be confusing to the point that people think of them as one-and-the-same; so let's break it down a bit.
Advertising is a single component of the marketing process.
It's the part that involves getting your word out concerning your business, product, or the services you are offering. It involves the process of developing strategies such as ad placement, frequency, etc. Advertising includes the placement of an ad in such mediums as newspapers, direct mail, billboards, television, radio, and of course the Internet. Advertising is the largest expense of most marketing plans, with public relations following in a close second and market research not falling far behind.
The best way to distinguish between advertising and marketing is to think of marketing as a pie, inside the pie you have slices of advertising, market research, media planning, public relations, product pricing, distribution, customer support, sales strategy, and community involvement. Advertising only equals one piece of the pie in this strategy. All of these elements must not only work independently bu they also must work together towards the bigger goal. Marketing is a process that takes time and can involve hours of research for a marketing plan to be effective. Think of marketing as everything that an organization does to facilitate an exchange between company and consumer.
Social Media Marketing takes that exchange and makes it between consumer and consumer - a 2-way conversation about your business. Coming soon: Social Media Marketing basics
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Social Media Marketing – an alternative strategy in tough times
Came across a great post by Lance Scoular and had to share. If you want more information about social media marketing or just need an hour long SMM clinic - call Denise at 541-221-8592
To survive the current economic downturn you will need to grow your revenue where possible. Apart from keeping your current customers, the next goals are to increase you customer base and/or perhaps find more cost effective suppliers.
To do this effectively you need to:
1. evaluate your target market and
2. find cost effective ways to reach prospective customers and suppliers.
Whether you have a reasonable marketing/advertising budget or virtually nothing to speak of, Social Media provides some creative ways to make contact with either new suppliers or customers.
The most popular and fastest growing Social Media that can be leveraged by business are Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Businesses that adopt these technologies will have the jump on their competition. Developing a strategy combining these three forms of Social Media can develop three powerful networks without any financial outlay.
Social Media Triangulation
Combing the three media formats provides what can be described as Social Media Triangulating or “smTriangulation the Power-of-3.”
Firstly, this combination provides the development of three separate but complementary networks with the ability to provide exponential growth.
Secondly, it provides a back up situation for your networks, should one of these online companies fail, you still have the contacts on the other networks.
Thirdly, each network has its own strengths which when combined with the others provides quite powerful synergies.
A Brief Overview of these three Social Media Sites
Facebook – facebook.com
Facebook has taken over from MySpace as the fastest growing social media network. Many businesses are creating Facebook Pages for their business and joining Facebook Groups that are relevant to their business. Also, Facebook has multimedia capability for photos and video which can be used for promotional purposes.
LinkedIn – linkedin.com
LinkedIn is a Professional Network using the format of an online Resume. LinkedIn can be used as a reference point for people to check your credentials and for you to check theirs. I see it as a point of credibility in the business negotiation process. LinkedIn also has many groups for various industries or interests you can join.
Twitter - twitter.com
Stephen Collins, (trib) on Twitter, extolled the virtues of Twitter for businesses in general and export organisations in particular, at an Austrade conference in September last year.
Twitter is a microblogging site with a limited text of 140 characters. Messages can be distributed and redistributed rapidly. The other advantage from a business point of view is the capability of building networks fast and also converting those contacts or “followers” to Friends on Facebook or “Connections” at LinkedIn.
There are various applications built for Twitter and a significant one for business is twellow.com. This application classifies Twitter members by their interest or business classification as well as by locality.
Targeted Advertising
Whilst Twitter at the time of writing has no advertising options, both Facebook and LinkedIn have targeted advertising models similar to Google Adwords. The advertiser can target their advertising message utilising the demographic data of the site’s subscribers.
Consider Your Strategy
Whilst these online networking services are free of charge, apart from the advertising options mentioned above, there is definitely a time involvement to be considered. Therefore, when considering this form of Social Network Marketing, consideration should be given to the person/s that would be best allocated to this task.
To survive the current economic downturn you will need to grow your revenue where possible. Apart from keeping your current customers, the next goals are to increase you customer base and/or perhaps find more cost effective suppliers.
To do this effectively you need to:
1. evaluate your target market and
2. find cost effective ways to reach prospective customers and suppliers.
Whether you have a reasonable marketing/advertising budget or virtually nothing to speak of, Social Media provides some creative ways to make contact with either new suppliers or customers.
The most popular and fastest growing Social Media that can be leveraged by business are Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Businesses that adopt these technologies will have the jump on their competition. Developing a strategy combining these three forms of Social Media can develop three powerful networks without any financial outlay.
Social Media Triangulation
Combing the three media formats provides what can be described as Social Media Triangulating or “smTriangulation the Power-of-3.”
Firstly, this combination provides the development of three separate but complementary networks with the ability to provide exponential growth.
Secondly, it provides a back up situation for your networks, should one of these online companies fail, you still have the contacts on the other networks.
Thirdly, each network has its own strengths which when combined with the others provides quite powerful synergies.
A Brief Overview of these three Social Media Sites
Facebook – facebook.com
Facebook has taken over from MySpace as the fastest growing social media network. Many businesses are creating Facebook Pages for their business and joining Facebook Groups that are relevant to their business. Also, Facebook has multimedia capability for photos and video which can be used for promotional purposes.
LinkedIn – linkedin.com
LinkedIn is a Professional Network using the format of an online Resume. LinkedIn can be used as a reference point for people to check your credentials and for you to check theirs. I see it as a point of credibility in the business negotiation process. LinkedIn also has many groups for various industries or interests you can join.
Twitter - twitter.com
Stephen Collins, (trib) on Twitter, extolled the virtues of Twitter for businesses in general and export organisations in particular, at an Austrade conference in September last year.
Twitter is a microblogging site with a limited text of 140 characters. Messages can be distributed and redistributed rapidly. The other advantage from a business point of view is the capability of building networks fast and also converting those contacts or “followers” to Friends on Facebook or “Connections” at LinkedIn.
There are various applications built for Twitter and a significant one for business is twellow.com. This application classifies Twitter members by their interest or business classification as well as by locality.
Targeted Advertising
Whilst Twitter at the time of writing has no advertising options, both Facebook and LinkedIn have targeted advertising models similar to Google Adwords. The advertiser can target their advertising message utilising the demographic data of the site’s subscribers.
Consider Your Strategy
Whilst these online networking services are free of charge, apart from the advertising options mentioned above, there is definitely a time involvement to be considered. Therefore, when considering this form of Social Network Marketing, consideration should be given to the person/s that would be best allocated to this task.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
The Inside Scoop
There are lots of good frozen-yogurt shops in Simon Glickman's Pasadena, California, neighborhood. But one—21 Choices—seems to enjoy bigger crowds than the rest, and he explains in his Editorial Emergency newsletter how the small storefront keeps customers coming back from more:
It delivers plenty of atmosphere. Unlike most corporate chains, the environment is quirky and inviting—multiple television screens flicker with cooking shows and vintage cartoons while the teenage staff "sing and shimmy" to a Motown soundtrack.
It makes customers feel valued. When the line moves slowly, staffers require no coaxing to hand out samples, genuine apologies and coupons for free yogurt. If it turns out you don't like a flavor combination, they'll replace it without charge, and Glickman's wife once received an extra scoop because an employee liked her sock-monkey key chain.
"But the company's service ethic goes much further," notes Glickman, "and this is where you should put down your Snickerdoodle Swirl and pay particular attention."
Simply put, 21 Choices excels at thinking in terms of community:
Personalized touches include a poster by the front door that lists regulars by name.
Since customers care about environmental issues, the shop made the switch to biocompostable cups and spoons. "A handmade sign explains that this move has added to their overhead and resulted in slightly higher prices," he says. "No one seems to mind."
There are lots of good frozen-yogurt shops in Simon Glickman's Pasadena, California, neighborhood. But one—21 Choices—seems to enjoy bigger crowds than the rest, and he explains in his Editorial Emergency newsletter how the small storefront keeps customers coming back from more:
It delivers plenty of atmosphere. Unlike most corporate chains, the environment is quirky and inviting—multiple television screens flicker with cooking shows and vintage cartoons while the teenage staff "sing and shimmy" to a Motown soundtrack.
It makes customers feel valued. When the line moves slowly, staffers require no coaxing to hand out samples, genuine apologies and coupons for free yogurt. If it turns out you don't like a flavor combination, they'll replace it without charge, and Glickman's wife once received an extra scoop because an employee liked her sock-monkey key chain.
"But the company's service ethic goes much further," notes Glickman, "and this is where you should put down your Snickerdoodle Swirl and pay particular attention."
Simply put, 21 Choices excels at thinking in terms of community:
Personalized touches include a poster by the front door that lists regulars by name.
Since customers care about environmental issues, the shop made the switch to biocompostable cups and spoons. "A handmade sign explains that this move has added to their overhead and resulted in slightly higher prices," he says. "No one seems to mind."
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