The Magic of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - Who, What, Where, When, Why and How

As an Internet Marketing Consultanting company, one of the biggest categories of questions we get come across our inbox is questions regarding Search Engine Optimization (SEO).  Now we can certainly understand why -- as an SEO expert it can be extremely difficult to explain to a potential client (often a stranger whom we have not had the ability to build rapport of trust with through previous projects) that there is this magical set of text, often hidden, on a website that tells those invisible search engine crawlers where to go, what to associate your provided information with (including those hidden components) and how to associate that linked information with your content.  Yes, there is information that can be placed on your website you can’t normally see on the surface that increases your visibility in search engines.  It sounds a little bit like online voodoo…  And we can certainly appreciate the skepticism.  What?  How?  Okay if I hire you, how do I know that work is even done if its invisible?  What exactly would I be paying you for again?  How much does this invisible work cost?  Yes -- We said we can appreciate it!

Search Engine Optimization

We are hoping to clear up a lot of the mystery that surrounds Search Engine Optimization right here, right now. 

First of all, Targeting Pro Marketing specializes specifically in SEO.  There are a lot of companies that both offer and claim to have “certification” -- when the truth is, as of the time this article is published, there is NO SUCH THING AS CERTIFICATION IN SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION!  We know - you're going to want to go and use your favorite search engine to go check that out, which is expected.  Don’t worry, we’ll wait…

Search Engine Optimization Help - Targeting Pro Marketing

See what we mean?  There are not only many companies that offer this “certification” (everything from a one hour online class to webinars to mailing you a nifty piece of parchment paper in the mail that didn’t even have to be tri-folded).  How can a company possibly “give certification?”  There are several degrees behind Targeting Pro Marketing’s list of achievements and knowledge … we know what it takes to be certified in many areas of Information Technology (IT).  What kind of backing would be behind those companies’ certifications?  Are they accredited?  Does it come from a Search Engine company itself?  (ie: Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc).  We went as far as to research this concept with several accredited colleges here in the United States.  The answer was always the same: “Now, why would a search engine company, who spends endless hours and funding to coming up with specialized search algorithms would possibly want to go and give away all of that scientific data and research to the public to exploit their search results?”  Thank-you!  That’s what we thought all along, too!  But the internet is flooded with these shady "black hat" SEO certification companies.  Not only that, but consider how many of those companies that claim to “give certification” and every company duped by their claims in becoming “SEO certified” with those mail-in pieces of parchment… Wow, that certainly is a lot. 

Take-away:  If you see a company claiming to be “SEO certified” you might consider packing up your bags and walking away.  There honestly is no such thing.  Even if that company honestly believes they have some sort of certification, they apparently are able to be deceived by one of the latest scams in the internet marketing book.

Now that all that is cleared up, let’s dig into the nuts and bolts of SEO.  The who, what, where, when, why and how. 

Who Needs SEO?

Those seeking SEO services are typically business owners or web developers who have sought specialized knowledge for their company's search engine placement.  At Targeting Pro Marketing, we take our consulting very seriously and in doing so have gained life-long clients through honest assessment and feedback of client needs.  SEO services are for those looking to take their website to the next level.  This is usually for new websites, revamped websites (keeping similar content and structure, but getting a bit of a facelift), or established websites looking to gain more traffic for a larger slice of the market share. 

What is SEO?

SEO is much more than invisible text on your website.  It is a series of logical and categorized information that tell the search engine crawlers what your website is trying to convey to the world.  SEO feeds information back to search engines like your company description, title pages, page descriptions, region (including coverage areas for regions such as countries, states, provinces, areas, cities and zip codes), and keywords associated with all of that aforementioned data.  It also includes links on the website that are placed intelligently with coherent corresponding information paired with alt tags (link information text) to further strengthen the informational bond search engine crawlers will use to associate the data you provide to the link you provide.

Where is SEO?

SEO should be on every page of your website … and beyond.  We know some of you may be scratching your heads at this time.  But SEO can reach much further than just your website -- think of the huge outside the box idea of social media.  BOOM.  You have grown your potential Search Engine Optimization reach on the World Wide Web exponentially when coupling it with social media marketing.  SEO can often be tucked away in areas of the website you cannot always see without going into the source code of your website.  You can see snippets of it when your website is built and you see those descriptions and page titles popping up all over the web!  You can also catch glimpses of alt tags if you hover over links in certain web browsers - you will notice when you hover over a link (don’t click on it), a little box with text will appear -- this is the alt text associated with your web link. Building up these different associations is how to build your SEO prescence on the web.

When do SEO results occur?

This is probably the hardest part of Search Engine Optimization to convey to eager customers who would love to instant results on their investment and efforts.  The hard truth about SEO is that you will not typically start seeing results until two to three months minimum.  If a company claims to give you results in days or weeks, prepare to be leery.  The results of SEO are both an art and a science.  There is logic and structure behind it, but how you decided to tie it all together and execute it can be as individual as the company who takes on the job.  You can map SEO results many different ways and depending on how you want to tie in all of that information can be a formula that is very unique and individual to that particular website.  Did a light bulb go off?  Viola!  That is exactly what search engines want!  Beautiful unique content that is tied to other beautifully unique content with information their search engine bots can understand and interpret.  BOOM. 

Why do you need SEO?

Having a good-looking website is great.  But what if we told you that ugly websites with great SEO probably get way more traffic than your $4,000 gorgeously custom-designed site?  Having an attractive website is great for a positive user experience, there is no doubt in that.  If you want people who do find your website to enjoy their interaction with it while they are there (whether it is for education, product showcasing, service offers, sales and specials, etc.)…  but don’t you want people to get there to begin with? 

How does SEO work?

We are sure many people aware of the sales funnel.  More potential in, the more conversions, the more clients, the more sales, and the more money your company makes.  Want to increase revenue?  Get a bigger funnel.  How do you do that?  Get more visitors to your website to start that conversion.  How do you get more visitors to your website?  Make the search engines happy.  How do you make the search engines happy?  GET GREAT SEO!  The sooner… the better.  Remember that turn-around time for results?  That clock starts ticking after you say go and your SEO Company adds the valuable information to your website.

Excited yet?  We sure are!  Targeting Pro Marketing has an absolute obsession with Search Engine Optimization … many dedicated hours to analyzing and understanding how it works plus the ability to map that information in a comprehensive way that applies to the subject website is what is key to success!  Targeting Pro Marketing takes great pride in helping people -- and taking your business to the next level with SEO is what we do best!

Search Engine Optimization Specialist

Contact us for a custom website analysis: 352-553-8739 of Contact Targeting Pro Online.

Mark & Christine Barber
Targeting Pro Marketing - Web, Graphic, SEO and Social Media Expert
Targeting Pro Marketing Professional Website
Targeting Pro Marketing on Facebook  
Targeting Pro Marketing Blog
Targeting Pro Marketing on Twitter
Targeting Pro Marketing on LinkedIn 

Success! - New Degree In The Arsenal!

Hello Friends and Fans!

I know that you have been waiting patiently for an update.  We must apologize in advance (without really feeling sorry, and I'll tell you why) - in my absence I am very proud to announce that I am now the proud beholder of a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Information Technology with an emphasis on Multimedia Communications from University of Phoenix.  (See, I told you I wasn't really that sorry!)  And not to toot my own horn or anything, but finished with a 3.82 GPA as a strive for excellence - and I am completely happy with that number.  With only holding 3 B-Level grades for my final grades, I have to say I was happy to work hard through grueling courses, working full time (+ overtime) and launching my career in IT forward, I am happy to say I am back here at Targeting Pro Marketing and Consulting and of course, at your marketing and consulting service!

I have had a set of IT skills carried over from experience, and have the opportunity to refine them.  I have also had the opportunity to enter new skill sets, technical knowledge, business process and fundamentals in successful implementation of new IT projects - specifically from a consulting basis. 

Some of the classes I have taken, and internet marketing and business skills I have acquired are:
Skills For Professional Development
Management Information Systems
Fundamentals of Programming with Algorithms and Logic
Web Design
Technical Writing Fundamentals
Business Systems
Fundamentals of Business Development
Project Planning and Implementation
Database Concepts
SQL For Business
Network and Telecommunications Concepts
Java Programming
Image Editing and Implementation
Electronic Publishing
Instructional Design
Multimedia Development
XML
Applications Implementation
Advanced Mathematics
Advanced Creative Writing
Critical Thinking
Human Motivation
Success Strategies

The purpose of this list is not to pat myself on the back, but to show my customers and potential customers of Targeting Pro Marketing the professional knowledge they have in their arena when they select us for their digital marketing consultant.

I am indeed proud of my degree for personal reasons, but they are far overshadowed by my professional reasons - to help others.  As a small business owner, I am passionate about the success of small business and is my (successful) niche market.

As an FYI I am currently employed full time as a Business Development and Marketing Manager for an incredible local software and retail company in the DeLand area.  With just six total employees I have not forgotten my roots in small business - and am happy to share that knowledge with YOU!

For a FREE website analysis, or a FREE one-hour consultation, please feel free to contact me!

Contact Targeting Pro Marketing for your next marketing project.
Christine Barber
Targeting Pro Marketing - Web, Graphic, SEO & Social Media Expert
Targeting Pro Marketing Professional Website
Targeting Pro Marketing on Facebook  
Targeting Pro Marketing Blog
Targeting Pro Marketing on Twitter
Targeting Pro Marketing on LinkedIn

Social Media Marketing - Emphasis on Quality

Social Media Marketing (SMM) is beginning to get more attention these days than say, seven years ago when we were first getting into it for business.  Now more and more companies are starting to see all the benefits social media marketing can give them, and what kind of exposure they can get in our now plugged-in world.  The problem that arises with this, is that there is no degree in social media marketing, there is no certificate, there is no training program one can go through to verify they have the knowledge, the skills and the understanding of how to do it properly.  So – how do you make an informed decision if there is no verification certificate?  The purpose of this article is to help guide you through the process on how to select the social media marketer that is right for you and your company, and how to spot red flags.

How To Choose A Professional Social Media Marketer

Social media marketing is a delicate balance of compelling graphics, valuable information/content, and modern trends you offer your friends, fans, followers and partners.  Does this mean you have to sacrifice quality?  (And we do emphasize QUALITY social media marketing!) Absolutely not.

It seems that every teenager or person living in their parents’ basement can claim to a “Social Media Expert” … but what does that mean, exactly?  You spend 30+ hours a week on Facebook?  You tweet 20 times a day?  What makes a social media marketer rather than a social media addict?  Quality content.  Anyone can make Facebook posts (heck even Grandma is doing it), anyone can use their smart phone to send out a tweet.  But what is the purpose behind it?  What does it mean?  What is it offering?  If you’re not giving your listeners something important – you’re just making digital sound waves.  And not the good kind. 

Sometimes social media marketing doesn’t get taken very seriously – if you are a social media marketer (ahem, check out Targeting Pro's SMM information here), you often get the “Oh so you just play around on the internet all day?”  After the dedicated professional side of us has to seriously refrain from doing bodily harm to that individual, we realize that this is simply due to a lack of understanding of the power social media marketing holds within a business plan.  There are many individuals out there who claim to be SMM’s but honestly, they do not take their marketing seriously nor do they perform it in a professional manner.

Question on social media posting quality: “ZOMG, Wud u want thsi 2 represint ur companee?” 

Not very impressive, is it?  In fact, poor social media marketing can be damaging to a company.  How would you feel if your name was misspelled in a post?  How would a partner feel if their name were misspelled in a promotional offer?  What about offering incorrect information on a sale item or give-away and having to honor it?  What about misrepresenting a product?  You lose credibility.  You lose customer trust – and that is a hard thing to build.  The world wide web, and especially social media, has made it easy for a dissatisfied customer to share their experience with the world, so great care should be taken into who you want being your “voice to the world” in social media.

Some things a company should consider when selecting a social media marketer to add to their team (either in house or contracted):

• Brand Awareness
• Event Promotions
• Sale Promotions
• Business purpose behind each action
• ROI (tracking) & Analytics

Some companies feel the cheapest form of social media marketing is the right price for them, and they may lack the time or ability to research their business options adequately for their needs.  Often times when the cheaper option is taken without investigation, there can be a a lot of negative impact that occurs when a poor SMM gets a company labeled in a poor public light.

Now try to put yourself in a customer’s shoes – how would you feel about a company that offered marketing material that had:

• Punctuation errors
• Spelling errors
• Grammatical errors
• Poor sentence structure
• Misspelled graphics
• Inconsistency, either with branding or sale promotion that offered something different after the link was clicked
• Using “I” when speaking as the company’s voice
• Linking to articles that display competitor advertising/links
• Lost sight of the purpose of being in touch with customers on a social media outlet
• Delayed responding to a question or comment posted on a social media outlet
• Did not respond at all to a question or comment posted on the company's social media outlet
• Flat out erased complaints on the company's social media outlet instead of dealing with them

Would you trust your hard earned money with a company that partook in the above marketing activities?  Would you not think they perhaps “didn’t have their stuff together” and would not be a good candidate for handling your purchases, processing your credit card, or may be unable to offer you the deal they promised?
 
We pride ourselves in being a social media marketing company.  It is a specialty niche in the marketing world that is constantly evolving and are addicted to it.  A social media marketer is always on, always learning and always a professional voice for their client.  There is no “We don’t know” in our vocabulary.  Targeting Pro Marketing is completely upfront with clients about our abilities and skill levels when it comes to meeting your needs, and if we are unable to assist your company directly we can certainly give a reference for a partner who can.

Want some tips on picking a great social media marketer?  Be sure to at least ask for the following items from your next candidates:

• Ask for references (happy customers should always be willing to refer a good marketer, talk to them, not just reference a review page that can be falsified)
• Ask for examples (request links to previous examples of work to show professionalism and tone in writing or graphic design)
• Ask for a proposal or business model (what are they going to do for you, exactly?)

These are what we would call a bare minimum requirement for any social media marketer you are looking to hire.  After all, a company should not think twice to request these three items from a web designer, graphic designer  or SEO expert, you should expect no less from a professional in the social media marketing field. (PS: We do all that, too!)

Contact Targeting Pro Marketing for your next marketing project.
Phone: 352-553-8739
Info@TargetingPro.com
Blog: http://TargetingPro.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TargetingPro
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TargetingPro
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/TargetingPro

Target Marketing - What Is Your Niche Market?

There is a lot of hype out there about “Target Marketing” – and some of it can be a twisted road to follow. Hopefully this article will be helpful to those trying to navigate the ever-changing course of diverse target marketing and how you can make your brand work for you.

What exactly is target marketing? I took this quick clip from Wikipedia for a nice, raw definition:
“A target market is a group of customers that the business has decided to aim its marketing efforts and ultimately its merchandise. A well-defined target market is the first element to a marketing strategy. The target market and the marketing mix variables of product, place (distribution), promotion and price are the four elements of a marketing mix strategy that determine the success of a product in the marketplace. Once these distinct customers have been defined, a marketing mix strategy of product, distribution, promotion and price can be built by the business to satisfy the target market.”

What does that mean exactly – it is basically deciding what niche market you would like to offer your products and/or services to. Some people fall into the trap of saying: “Well I want to market to everybody! The more clients the better!” That is a good concept in its simplicity, but in today’s economic state and highly competitive online market – more and more businesses are finding that it is better to research who their target markets are and plan a marketing strategy around the bulk of their interested audience. If you were attempting to market the newest 3D video game – you might be hard pressed to find a senior citizen market that would be interested in it, wouldn’t you? (Hey, I’m not saying impossible here, just providing an example – I’ll be one of those gaming senior citizens one day!)

The point is, for a business to be successful it has to have successful marketing – and to have successful marketing you (marketing consultant) have to understand what your target market actually is. Do you track your website activity? Are your visitors global or local? What country are most of your leads coming from? Do you track your customer statistics? Are they mostly male or female? What age group? Do you offer bilingual services? Are you more modern and high tech or are you more class and old-school? These are just a few things to chew on, but things like these (and many more) are what make your product or service unique to you, your area and defines your target market.

It is becoming more and more important to show what you can offer the world. There may be a lot of people who do what you do – but they never do it quite like you, do they? Stand out! Bring yourself forward with your unique adaptations or your niche market specialty. Look at what Short Sale Specialists did for the housing market. Look at what Search Engine Optimization (SEO) did for advanced internet marketing. There are hundreds of examples of this today – which one are you in? Do you have a plan to successfully develop your target market? What direction is your company heading in? Have you already secured your social media outlets? Do you have uniform branding and product recognition in your advertising? When people see your face, your logo, or your product, you want them automatically recognize your company, quality and trust. Think about all of the recognizable products out there: The Nike swoosh - doesn't even need the name anymore. The ASPCA - invokes emotions. Coca-Cola - who doesn't know that logo? Even globally! What does your brand say about you?

Let’s face it – we all know not everyone can be a marketing specialist - we all know you have a job to do, and you do what YOU do best. If you need assistance to help you set your course for success, please feel free to drop us a line. If you have your course set but need help with Social Media Marketing, we have you covered there, too. Lest we forget custom brand development? Twitter secure? Facebook profile and Facebook fan page? Blog setup? LinkedIn profile? Don't let the internet be a stumbling block in your business, let it be an amazing power tool for sales...

Not sure what you want to do just yet? Feel free to bookmark this page, follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook - I look forward to networking with you!

PS: Want more social media marketing advice? Check out our last post about Facebook Zen - Don't Fight Facebook, Learn To Love It! We hope to friend you soon!


Email: TargetingPro@gmail.com
Blog: http://TargetingPro.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TargetingPro
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TargetingPro
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/TargetingPro

Hungry for more? Tune in for more target market information in upcoming articles – knowledge is power! If you need assistance in setting up or maintaining your social media outlets, feel free to contact me to discuss if Virtual / Remote Assisting or Social Media Ghost Writing is right for you!