 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
"Tricking" Spiders For Web Site Optimization
Overwhelmed by the web? Thought spiders and "tricks" were just for halloween? Relax, Merritt Mosby Advertising has the answers and solutions to your internet fears. Let's start with those spiders and search.
More companies are investing in search, taking dollars from other marketing initiatives. Why? Because search is helping to deliver prospects and customers to your door. Spending on search in 2006 rose 63% to $9.4 billion from $5.75 billion in 2005, with $8 billion of that going to paid search and $1.2 billion going to search engine optimization.1
Whether you are already investing in search or just getting started, your company needs to add a "search mentality" to marketing plans and campaigns, to ensure you are found by customers and prospects searching for products and services like yours.
Adding a search mentality means investigating all of your search options and investing in those that will provide the greatest return. It's not as daunting as it sounds, especially if you approach the process from two angles:
The programs and tactics you use to be found on search engines fall into three categories, and you should consider all three as important ingredients in your marketing mix:
Search engine optimization is the continual process of making your Web site search engine friendly. Your goal is having your Web site pages rise to the top of organic (non-paid) search engine results for your keywords.
Part of search engine optimization has to do with the Web page itself, including the use of keywords in the copy, keyword density, headlines, and meta tags such as description and keywords. Other tactics include using simple HTML pages and text as links.
The other part of search engine optimization has to do with incoming links to your Web site. Search engines — and Google in particular — rank a Web page partly by the quality and quantity of other sites that link to it. The theory is that the most relevant pages will have links to them. Your focus should be on getting Web sites relevant to your industry and audience to link to yours.
Paid search consists of keyword ads that appear next to search engine results. You also might pay to be included in directories and Web sites that are important to your industry and customers.
Focus your paid search ads only on those specific keywords that tie tightly to your products and services. The more specific you are with keyword ads, the more likely you will drive a motivated prospect to your site. With broad or general keywords, such as "motors", you will pay a premium for each click without any guarantee that the audience is searching for your specific products and services.
Specialized programs are typically an industry-based solution. As part of a comprehensive online marketing program, a highly visible presence in your industry community establishes your presence as a reputible business and keeps your name in front of your customers. The next time your customers have a need your name should be the first to come to mind.
When determining which search engines to focus on, think of the search engine world being divided into two categories: general search engines and vertical search engines.
Everyone, including your customers and prospects, uses general search engines, such as Google, Yahoo!, MSN and a host of others. Since your customers and prospects are using these search engines, you should have a presence on them. Search engine optimization efforts can help you rise in organic search results, and you can also consider purchasing keyword ads.
At the same time, keep in mind that funneling out your specific target audience on general search engines can be challenging. General search engines don't understand the context of a user's search (is a search for "pumps" a search for industrial pumps or a type of woman's shoe?). You could waste resources and drive unqualified traffic to your Web site if the wrong people are exposed to and click on your ad or listing in search results.
Fortunately, your customers and prospects also use vertical search engines. Vertical search engines are growing in popularity across many disciplines and include industry specific search engines. Examples of vertical search engines include GlobalSpec for the engineering, technical and industrial communities, Westlaw for lawyers, Bloomberg for the financial world and WebMD for medical information.
The big advantage of taking your search mentality vertical is that being found by customers and capturing qualified prospects is much easier. Your audience is already aggregated for you on a vertical search engine. As with any other form of marketing, targeted efforts at clearly defined audiences produce better results.
It's one thing to think search, it's another to implement search strategies into your marketing mix. DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE WEB, Merritt Mosby Advertising can guide you through the process and create an affordable, custom marketing plan to fit the needs of your business. If you feel like your current marketing plan isn't delivering the results you want, maybe it's time for a change. MMA can help you with all aspects of internet marketing from getting listed in online directories to designing a new search engine optimized website.
Article adapted from Globalspec: August 23rd, 2007 - Volume 3 Issue 8
To read full article visit http://www.globalspec.com/MediaKit/August07MMaven_SMentality.html
1 Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization 2006 survey, reported in Internet Marketing Report, July 30, 2007.