Category Archives: increase site traffic

Press Releases: Skyrocket Your Business to Success

0
Posted by admin on May 13, 2009 – 9:18 am
Filed under Gain Brand Loyalty, SEO copywriter, attract clients, increase site traffic, press releases

Are you looking for higher conversions, increased targeted site traffic, and stronger brand recognition? If so, a carefully crafted press release is a sure-fire way to bring your business infinite success. With the viral power of press releases, it’s important to know the finite details of what constitutes an effective press release.

Questions to ask yourself when beginning a result-driven press release:

What makes a great press release?

A press release is any positive, entertaining, or useful highlight about your company. This highlight could come in the form of tips, strategies, product / service highlight, company update, or company event. Keep in mind, the press release content must be relevant to your target market’s interests. For example, if you’re a visitor’s center for a touristy area and are having a contest for best sand castle, it would be beneficial to have a press release written about tips for building the best sand castle. This type of press release is perfect content for blogs, travel sites, and travel publications, because, not only does it provide tips on how to win a contest, but it informs a large amount of people about the event. In the end, you’re receiving brand exposure, and providing useful information to your target market. 

Where is my target market receiving information—print or online?

Ten years ago it was safe to say most target audiences went to large print publications for their daily news dose. But, today, newspapers are taking an enormous hit. Many newspapers have cut staff to nearly half of what it was five or ten years ago, because of the Internet’s rising popularity as a prime news source for the general public. If you want to rank high in Google News, gain brand recognition, increase sales, and drive more targeted traffic to your website, use print and online platforms simultaneously.

How do I begin ramping up online exposure through PR?

Research the terms and keywords related to your company, industry, or product /service to determine what your target market is typing into search engines. Keyword research is a vital component to writing a result-driven press release. This research will show you exactly what your target market looks for on the Internet based on the words they use in search engines. Also, keyword research provides you with information on the language your target market uses to look up information. Effective press releases speak the language of the market they’re targeting. This is why keyword research is so important. Without adequate keyword research, sending out a press release is a shot in the dark.

I’ve done my keyword research. What next?

Once you’ve completed your keyword research and have a solid list of accurate search terms your target market is using, it’s time to find online blogs and articles written around these search terms. Google Alert is an excellent tool to use to stay on top of news in your industry or with your company. Google Alert searches the Internet for the keywords you provide and sends you emails when an article / blog is discovered on the Internet that uses those keywords. Using Google Alerts and search engines to track relevant articles and blogs circulating through the Internet, provides you with a list of several sources that might benefit from publishing your press release. Once you have found several articles / blogs based on your searched topic, you can approach the journalists, writers, and bloggers, and present them with your press release. Explain to the writer that you read their story and believe your press release would be of great interest to their readers and an excellent follow up to their story. 

Who do I send my press release to?

Most of the time, public relations is all about connections. If you want your press release to appear in a prestigious online platform, fantastic copy alone might not cut it. The power behind a solid network of contacts and stellar copy is crucial to getting your press release exposure in well-known online vehicles. So, if you’re cousin’s, best friend’s father is a reporter for the New York Times—which also has an extremely popular website—contact your cousin to get your foot in the door. Also, it’s important to approach popular bloggers and online news sources since they’re excellent contacts in the online community. If you don’t know anyone, it’s time to start building relationships by sending press releases to reputable online communication channels, including reporters, bloggers, and online news sources. If you don’t hear from anyone immediately, don’t be afraid to follow-up from time to time. If one or two respond, it’s important to nurture the relationship and keep it thriving. Also, post your press release on popular social bookmarking sites and your business / industry blog.

Interview with LinkedIn CEO Reid Hoffman

3
Posted by admin on May 6, 2009 – 1:38 pm
Filed under Business Communication, Marketing Tip, attract clients, increase site traffic, online marketing, social networking

The above video is an interview with LinkedIn CEO Reid  Hoffman. View this video for some excellent information on LinkedIn and how it can help your company increase online exposure, rank high in search engines, and drive targeted traffic to your website.

Google’s Blog Ranking Criteria Revealed: Part II . . .

0
Posted by admin on May 4, 2009 – 6:37 am
Filed under Copywriting, blogging for business, increase site traffic, market in economic crisis, website copywriter

View Part I of this blog post.

If you’ve already read Google’s Blog Ranking Criteria Revealed: Part I . . . I’m sorry to say, that Google uses even more criteria to rank the quality of your blog. It’s a tough life for blogs when it comes to Google Blogsearch, but with the right attitude, effective strategies, powerful networking techniques, and stellar writing, your blog will reach celebrity status on Google Blogsearch in no time.

So, what more could Google possibly be looking for to prove your blog’s popularity?

•  The number of clicks on your blog link when it appears in search engines: If your blog link is continuously clicked on, it illustrates to Google that your blog is receiving a high concentration of readers. If your blog is clicked on more times in search engine results than other blogs, Google sees this as an excellent indicator of blog popularity.

• Inbound links on other blogrolls: The more reputable blogrolls your blog is linked to, the higher Google will rate your blog. Google takes blogrolls seriously because they contain constant outbound links to other blogs. This shows Google you probably have a high respect for and enjoy reading the blogs on your blogroll. Approach your favorite, reputable bloggers and request for them to put your blog on their blogroll. If they agree, you’ll have a strategically placed inbound link to your blog. This also expresses to Google that your blog isn’t SPAM. The more of these reputable inbound links you have, the higher Google will rank your blog.

• Appropriate tags for each blog entry: Tags are your blog’s keywords and are an extremely important factor when determining what your blog is about. Make sure your tags describe the blog post accurately. This will help viewers and Google determine what your blog post is about. Inaccurate tagging and over-tagging is frowned upon by both visitors and Google because it is a false representation of your blog content. It’s important to effectively use tags if you want to become a reputable blogger and increase targeted traffic while ranking high in Google Blogsearch.

Google’s Blog Ranking Criteria Revealed: Part I . . .

1
Posted by admin on May 4, 2009 – 6:33 am
Filed under RSS Feed, SEO copywriter, blogging, increase site traffic

grab-2

Similar to when the popular kids in high school got to choose their team members in gym class, Google Blogsearch leaves the weaklings and so-called losers behind. If your blog isn’t popular, it won’t be part of the elite blog group that is ranked by Google. In other words, your blog won’t be on page one of Google Blogsearch. It will be on page 570—or worse.

If you want to rank high on Google Blogsearch, it’s time to start playing Google’s game. It’s all about popularity when it comes to ranking high, and there are a lot of factors that determine your degree of popularity. But, how does one become so admired? You must prove to Google that your blog is high quality.
• Approach popular, like-minded bloggers, and ask if you could be a guest blogger: Google looks highly upon blogs mentioned on other blogs because it illustrates that your blog provides intellectual material that ignites curiosity and discussion in the online community. Aside from other blogs, if Google finds your blog’s URL on emails, chats, and social bookmarking sites, Google considers this a positive indicator that your blog is high quality.

• Attach the RSS feed widget to your blog: RSS feed stands for Really Simple Syndication, which is a file containing a brief amount of information—a headline and synopsis—and a link to the full content on the blog. Voluntary subscribers to specific blog RSS feed will receive this information through their RSS readers. Google can detect if your blog is high quality based on how many people subscribe to your blog’s RSS feed. In addition, Google can detect how many people visit your blog from their RSS readers and how many times they click through your blog. And, don’t try to trick Google by subscribing to your own blog numerous times. Google’s mind readers have already devised a way to detect this type of blog fraud!

The Economic Downturn Is No Excuse to Forget About Online Marketing

0
Posted by admin on April 29, 2009 – 8:28 am
Filed under SEO copywriter, attract clients, increase site traffic, market in economic crisis, online advertising, online marketing

The above video is an interview with Jack Flanagan of comScore at the SES conference expo on March 24,2009 in New York. The video provides excellent tips on how to market your business online during this turbulent economy.

Google Is On A Roll with Their New Rich Media / Video Ad Templates

0
Posted by admin on April 24, 2009 – 5:36 am
Filed under Marketing Strategy, attract clients, grow your business, increase site traffic, online advertising, website copywriter

Businesses looking to engage viewers in the online buying process greatly benefit from using Google’s Rich Media / Video Ad Templates, which can be found in the AdWords Display Ad Builder. These templates allow businesses to increase targeted website traffic, boost sales, and measure results—without hiring a web designer, advertiser, or marketer. The process is quick, easy, and entertaining. 

These templates allow non-tech-savvy business personnel to . . .

• Display numerous products across one ad, enabling them to sell several products at once.

• Create ads quickly and easily through user-friendly software.

• Illustrate the quality of one product versus another. For example, a company may sell a service or product that does not have as many features and benefits as their higher-end product. Advertisers can show the progression from a less expensive product to a more expensive product, allowing visitors to choose between products based on their needs.

• Tell a story about the products / services. For example, you can have three icons titled features, benefits, and purchase. These icons will take you through the story of the product / service, highlighting the best features and benefits in a short and clear manner.

• Attach a URL to each product illustrated on the template. This means you could virtually have three landing pages as opposed to one.

Google Rich Media / Video Ad Templates benefit businesses greatly by increasing site traffic and online exposure. Also, the new Google templates allow companies to place video in the ad for an even more interactive user experience. Google can also track what viewers scrolled their mouse over and how long they watched the video. This tracking device is an excellent way to show businesses how much interaction viewers have with their product / service online.

Is Email Dead? If Social Media Has Its Way, It Just Might Be. . .

0
Posted by admin on April 20, 2009 – 5:18 am
Filed under Gain Brand Loyalty, attract clients, blogging for business, grow your business, increase site traffic, marketing in bad economy, marketing trends, small business marketing, website copywriter

The fate of email is beginning to fall into the online graveyard, where dial-up internet and huge computer monitors rest in peace. According to Nielson Online, internet users are communicating via social media sites and blogs more than email.

What is drawing so many people away from using email ? Could it be that we love knowing what everyone is doing 24 / 7 and need to be updated when someone is taking a nap? I think so. As we become hungrier for information, email doesn’t seem to cut it anymore.

Social media sites have everything, it seems. They’re more engaging, provide media beyond the written word, offer more in-the-moment information than a mass email, and reach out to hundreds of followers.

The graph below was taken from emarketer.com and illustrates the most popular online activities:

email-graph

According to Nielson Online, “Social network and blog use exceeded that of email, increasing their reach by 5.4 percentage points.” In addition, Nielson Online reported that online social networks and blogs are growing three times as fast as overall internet growth.  

Find your business followers by joining a social media site today.

6 MORE Ways to Drive Targeted Traffic to Your Website

0
Posted by admin on April 15, 2009 – 6:35 am
Filed under Audio Marketing, increase online sales, increase site traffic, marketing in bad economy, online marketing, press releases, video marketing

If you’d like to see the first 6 ways to drive traffic to your website, click here.

7. Record Podcasts: The vocal and interactive aspects of audio podcasts are usually more enticing and entertaining than simply reading articles and information from a computer screen. Podcasts are free and can be used to help people through a step-by-step process, share knowledge fast and effectively, or entertain. According to Pew Internet and American Life Project, about 19% of internet users say they’ve downloaded a podcast.  

8. Host Teleclasses: Signing up for teleclasses benefits customers because the classes are free and provide useful and informative tips. Customers will associate the information they receive from your teleclasses with your company’s success and dedication to the industry. Customers will be more likely to trust your business operations and products / services, making the buying decision a simple one. The benefits from teleclasses are increased sales, more referrals, a rise in customer loyalty, and increased site traffic.

9. Post Video: Placing videos and audio on YouTube is a great way to get your company online exposure and drive traffic to your website. Video provides a personal connection to customers and allows you to show them how certain services are done, how you work, how the company works, how your product works, and so much more. Developing a video for YouTube benefits your company tremendously.

10. Publish Free Reports and Ezines: Sharing free tips and information about your industry through free reports and ezines can benefit consumers’ lives, helping them become better educated, solve a problem, or change their future actions. Providing well-researched and helpful information to consumers builds customers’ trust in your company, making them more likely to purchase your products / services.

11. Send Out Press Releases: Bring your brand name to life with a well-crafted press release. If your business has remained at a steady rate for years now, the right press release can gain your company credibility in the industry, recognition, and overall exposure. These results lead to company growth and incredible success.

12. Place / Swap Ads with Other Ezines in Your Niche: Seek out other ezines in your niche whose publishers might be interested in swapping ads. In addition to, or instead of, swapping ads, you could also purchase ad space in an ezine in your niche that has a large circulation. If you pay to place an ad, for the best results, run it for a minimum of three consecutive issues.

6 Ways to Drive Targeted Traffic to Your Website

1
Posted by admin on April 13, 2009 – 6:17 am
Filed under Copywriting, Gain Brand Loyalty, Marketing Strategy, RSS Feed, article marketing, blogging for business, ezines, increase site traffic, market in economic crisis, social networking, web traffic, website copywriter

1. Blog for Business: Blogging for business is free and is an excellent way to attract thousands of potential customers to your website, increase your search engine rankings, and boost company credibility. Regularly posting a blog also builds loyal readership and attracts more people to your website.

2. Comment on Blogs: Posting comments on blogs, forums, and discussion boards related to your target market and industry is a great way to increase site traffic. Use these platforms to post comments, get consumer feedback, and search for industry updates. Posting relevant and helpful comments increases your credibility and lures more readers to your website. After every comment, include a link to your blog or website to increase targeted traffic.

3. Socialize Online: Social media sites effectively integrate your business into the online community and help give your company result-driven online exposure. They’re a great place to post inbound links to your website and are a way to express industry expertise. Social media sites allow you to post recent news, company events, company information, discussion questions, and other useful tools to build solid online relationships.  

4. Bookmark Your Business: Bookmarking your online articles, blogs, and website in specific categories on a social bookmarking site, such as Digg, allows you to reach out to your target market. These sites permit you to share web content with others and allow them to vote on the content. If this content becomes popular among viewers, it will be voted to the front page of the bookmarking site and be viewed by thousands of potential clients.

5. Utilize RSS Feed: RSS feed allows you to reach subscribers interested in what your company has to offer. RSS feed is similar to emails since they’re both sent to subscribers, providing them with updated information. RSS feed makes it easy for subscribers to be alerted immediately and allows them to click on the link to your website. Using email together with RSS feed will increase your client base and increase site traffic.

6. Post Articles: Online article directories allow you to place niche-oriented articles into specific categories, targeted at your specific market. For example, if your real estate company writes an article for ezinearticles.com and submits it under the real estate category, you’ll receive viewers who are specifically searching for your articles.

Build Long-Lasting Relationships on LinkedIn

0
Posted by admin on April 10, 2009 – 6:14 am
Filed under Marketing Tip, attract clients, increase online sales, increase site traffic, market in economic crisis, social networking

LinkedIn has become an extremely popular social media site for promoting your business. It’s an excellent online vehicle for building a massive networking system, a larger online presence, and driving higher targeted traffic to your website. LinkedIn offers a variety of features beneficial to the success of your company. This site allows you to join groups related to your industry or of interest to you personally. Also, the site allows you to build a detailed company profile, request recommendations, and join in on industry discussions. It’s also a great place to search for jobs, people in your industry, and other companies in your industry.

LinkedIn has several areas of information to fill in to create a complete profile. These areas of information include your current position, two past positions, your education, your profile summary, a profile photo, your specialties, and at least three recommendations. You can choose to add certain information while leaving other details out if you prefer. But, according to LinkedIn, “Users with complete profiles are 40 times more likely to receive opportunities through LinkedIn.”

One of LinkedIn’s greatest features allows you to recommend someone or recommend yourself. You can recommend excellent service providers you’ve used, a colleague, or someone you went to school with. You can also ask colleagues, clients, managers, and employees to endorse your work. According to LinkedIn, “users with recommendations are three times as likely to get inquiries through LinkedIn searches. Ask your colleagues to speak up for you and get endorsed.”

LinkedIn is the perfect site to join since it’s one of the most elaborate and connected networks on the internet today. Integrated social networks, such as LinkedIn, are so intricate and virtually all connected, that by participating in one, you are bound to get a heavy traffic flow to your business site.

What makes LinkedIn so complex? LinkedIn has different circles of personal connections such as “circle one,” with your very personal contacts and “circle two” with the contacts of your personal contacts. If you only had one contact, you could virtually have 130 contacts in your second circle just from that one person.

It’s important to always remember to stay active on networking sites, such as LinkedIn, and constantly build your network.