Archives : marketing partner
Is Your Site Design Getting in the Way of Your SEO?
If so, it’s time for a redesign! Don’t whine about the cost of a redesign, the lost opportunities without effective SEO will cost you far more in the long run. In today’s highly competitive Internet realm, it’s absolutely critical that your site is based on a search engine friendly structure; but what does this mean?
Your site should be HTML based, with limited use of Flash. Your code should be simple, W3C compliant, and should be kept as light and error free as possible. For instance, I’ve seen a site improve its design and include added functionality, yet cut its actual code length by over 70%. This was accomplished mostly by employing CSS in the design, ridding the site of Viewstate code, and moving all possible elements to external include files.
In addition to having concise HTML, the following should be adhered to:
- Absolutely avoid any type of frame, unless you’re trying to hide its content from the engines
- Your navigation should be text based, with meaningful words that are simple yet targeted to the subject of each page
- Images should be optimized (condensed) for the web and include ALT tags
- URL, Title tags, H1 headers, breadcrumbs, and hyperlinks should all be optimized around the particular subject of each page
- The content of each page should be targeted to the precise topic of that page alone
- Address, phone number, and other contact information should be in text – not image form
- Your SEO Friendly Content Management System should allow full control of all of the above elements
The typical lifespan of a website is 3-5 years before your customers will expect a fresh look and feel, with newly added technology and interactivity. As you’re looking at the investment itself, think about the amortization of a new site. Even a fairly expensive site, amortized over 5 years, is an incredibly inexpensive business tool likely to drive substantial ROI.
Keep in mind, the best design in a search friendly architecture still requires ongoing marketing. Just like your offline business needs branding, marketing, and exposure to gain customers, so does your website. Internet Marketing Services are offered in a myriad of formats, timeframes, and cost structures. Shop carefully to find the right marketing partner for your business.
The Dance of Finding an Internet Marketing Partner
For most companies, small and large, Internet Marketing (typically referred to as Search Engine Marketing or SEM) has become the most important aspect of their marketing plan and of their business livelihood in general.
So how do you ensure you’ve got the right agency on your side? Besides the most obvious; check references, here are a few guidelines that will help you find the right dance…uh…Internet Marketing partner:
1) Check out their moves. The partner you choose should have all the moves, and be able to dance to a variety of music. They should have a working knowledge of all components of Search Engine Marketing, including organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay-per-Click (PPC), link building, Social Media Marketing (SMM), and conversion (sale or lead) enhancement experience.
There is so much interplay between the various disciplines of SEM that if you choose an agency that is not well-rounded and well-versed in all the components, you run the risk of being inefficient with your dollars and missing out on many cross-functional opportunities. For example, if your agency is only focusing on your PPC campaign, then you miss out on all the long-term effects of Search Engine Optimization and ranking organically in the top search engine results.
The latest trends in user behavior suggest that most people searching online do their research through organic search listings, but then make an actual purchase through PPC. If you are only engaged in one of these channels, you may be losing out on a great deal of sales.
2) Daily practice ensures a great performance. Dedication turns a social hip hopper into a competitive pro. Look for an agency that is dedicated to Search Engine Marketing. Dedication means that the agency has committed expert resources to this service offering and that the people working on your project will be focused on your overall business, marketing, and sales goals.
Internet Marketing is a constantly changing field, with new research and market modifications monthly, if not weekly. Ask if they have a dedicated Internet Marketing team. What do they do to stay on top of the industry changes? Why do they think Internet Marketing is important?
3) They can optimize, but can they tango? They may have some decent moves, but when it comes down to it, do they know the dance? How much do they know outside of SEM? Do they have experience effectively tying Internet Marketing strategies and methods into a web site that meets your business goals?
Learn about the agency’s experience working with web designers and developers. Do they understand how to interact with your developer or internal IT team, or your marketing department? Are their recommendations in step with web development best practices and usability trends? Best case scenario – your agency will have all of these disciplines in house; offering you the best in single source marketing methods.
4) An intimate dance builds the fire. You want a trust worthy partner that will dance close and build the heat. Meet with the agency in person, or at the very least converse on the phone. Do they explain things in a way that makes sense to you and helps you truly understand what their services offer? Are they excited to help you learn about Internet marketing? Do they make an effort to get to know your company and your industry? Will they be there when you need it?
5) Back that thang up – the bottom line. They may know how to get down and “drop it like it’s hot”; but will they really deliver in the end? As you are getting to know the agency, make sure they’re focused on your business goals. Are they interested in learning about other aspects of your business? Be wary of any agency that talks only about “getting you a #1 ranking”. While it’s great to rank well on the search engines, no one can guarantee a position, and there is much more to succeeding online than a top search ranking.
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