Prior to Google Panda, many companies were thriving. When it came to SEO, they were doing everything right. They had keyword rich content, proper tagging throughout, internal linking, etc. and they were seeing their traffic and sales increase.

Since Google Panda, however, many of these same companies have taken a hit. So, what happened?  Many were relying solely on SEO and didn’t have a presence anywhere else.

So Now What?

Start developing a presence on social media sites.  Social media is not  just Facebook and Twitter, although those are the best place to start.  You can also start a blog and use LinkedIn and Squidoo, which are a lot of fun, too. It all takes time to develop, but the longer you wait to get in the game, the harder it’s going to be to catch up.

Helpful hint:   There is a site called Twuffer, which will allow you to set up your tweets to post at various times of the day. It really helps to keep things rolling when you have a lot on your plate and its Free.

But I Don’t Know What to Tweet About

I have a friend who says he just doesn’t get Twitter.  He says “why would I want to tweet that I’m in the bathroom?”  Well, you wouldn’t! Unless of course you’re an interior designer and wanted people to check out your new bathroom design. Otherwise, no one wants to hear that. They do, however, want to know your opinion and the opinion of others who have purchased your products and services.

The only way a company can really deliver to its customer base is by knowing what they like and don’t like. So a good tweet would be “So what did you think about our new apple cider cupcakes?”, then add a link to your Facebook page so people can comment.

Don’t Be Afraid of Rejection

Are you getting customer feedback?  If not, you should be. Social media is about developing relationships with people. It’s just online instead of face to face. Don’t be afraid of rejection.

But what if my customer isn’t happy?  Well ignoring them won’t make it any better. Open up some dialogue. Dig into the problem and then fix it. Often times, just the simple act of responding to a problem, makes things much better. The bottom line is you want them to be happy.

Another thing you can do, which works great, is to contact your happy customers and ask them to write a review for you online. Make it easy and share a link with them. Most customers are more than happy to share their experience, so don’t be afraid to ask.

Everything you do online to optimize your website, social media sites, blogs, press releases and more, revolve around keywords.  It’s all about the keywords people.

If you develop a sound keyword strategy, through keyword research and competitive analysis and then take those keywords to develop a sound internet marketing strategy, you can’t go wrong.

Google and Bing are using Twitter and Facebook to influence the natural search results, which means, now more than ever, everyone needs to think about the keywords they use when they post.

So, what is the easiest way to develop a keyword strategy?  Here is just a quick checklist that may help you.

1. Develop a list of keywords. This is accomplished in a number of ways, such as having a brainstorming session, doing competitive analysis, using Google’s keyword tool and more.
2. Each page on your website should be optimized with unique keyword rich content and tagged appropriately.  These keywords should be directly related to the research you did in step #1. Please note, do not stuff your pages full of keywords just for keyword sake.  This is frowned upon by Google and could get you banned.
3. Take your list of keywords and create an excel spreadsheet.  Simply put the keyword in one column and then the landing page in another.  This will help to keep things streamlined and organized.
4. When posting on facebook and twitter, or when blogging, use those keywords and link where applicable to the appropriate landing page.

Keyword research can be time consuming, however, if you take the time and do things the right way, the reward will be a strong web presence.  Just remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Have a great day everyone and enjoy the sunshine.

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One thing small business owners have shared with me is the fact that they understand what I am talking about. That’s really important and exciting to me.  It should be important to you as well.

As a Buffalo internet marketer, I believe in explaining my seo and internet marketing strategy in a way that isn’t just a bunch of seo jargon they don’t understand.

Keep it simple stupid.  No disrepect here, but if you use the KISS moto, you may not always impress the CEO of a company, but Mr. Johnson, who just opened that hardware store, will certainly appreciate it.

Know your audience.  If you are trying to reach small business owners on their level, just be real.

• You don’t have to talk about the analytics, refer to it as the traffic reports.
• Don’t just throw at them that their ROI will increase.  Explain that by investing money in their online marketing, they will get more business.
• Don’t just say you want to optimize their site.  Explain it to them.  Search engine optimization is the process of getting your website ranking high on the search engines, such as Google, Yahoo and Bing.

Make sense?

On the other hand, I have spoken with small business owners who really know their way around seo and internet marketing, which is cool.  In that case, you can put your seo hat on and talk the talk.

Just remember, the whole point of being an internet marketer is to try to help people understand why seo and internet marketing is so important.  Don’t lose them trying to impress yourself.

As a Buffalo SEO company, we understand many small business owners are hesitant and unsure about SEO and internet marketing.

When we are asked to provide our small business clients with SEO and internet marketing services, we often suggest they take babysteps. You don’t have to dive into everything all at once.

Here’s what you could do.

• Have your website optimized and monitor it’s success/failures. A good Buffalo SEO company will sit down with you and make sure they understand what your goals are.
• Once you are happy with the work your SEO company has provided and are seeing results, take the next step. Start a blog or begin a social media campaign.

It’s basically up to you how you would like to progress. They key is hiring a good Buffalo SEO Company that will continue to move you in the right direction.

Don’t get me wrong, if you want to get things rockin right away, that’s great.  Our concern, however, is that you are confident and secure with where your hard earned money is going.  If you are going to spend money to get more business, then before moving forward, make sure you are seeing a return on your investment.

I’m sorry for the tease, but now that I’ve got your attention, let me explain.

The point of this heading is simply to get your attention. That is exactly what you want to do for your business and a good internet marketing company will help you get your message out there.

If I was looking for baked goods and ran across “Free King Size Chocolate Chip Cookie  Yummy”, you can be sure I would click on it.  That’s the 1st step.

Now that you’ve got them on your site, don’t lose them! They clicked on the link because they want a free king size cookie.  Don’t make it impossible for them to qualify to get it.

I’m not saying lose money on the deal, but make the draw something that is within reason.  Keep it simple. A good internet marketing company will not only help you get the traffic you want, but they will also work with you to help you make sure the deal is sweet, too.

Once they land on your page, make the offer clear. Example: “With every order of $30 or more, you will get one of our King Size Chocolate Chip Smiley Face Cookies, Free”.

Woo Hoo!  Dude, I’m there.  I want that cookie!  Where do I order? Can I order more King Size Chocolate Chip Smiley Face Cookies?  Do you have smaller smiley face cookies? Yes, of course (the answer should be).

Your landing page should have good content for search engine optimization, as well as a great photo and video.  Also important, make it easy for them to place an order. The goal is to ultimately sell those King Size Chocolate Chip Smiley Face Cookies!

I have so many ideas to sell these cookies, but unfortunately, I’m on chocolate chip overload. It’s only 9 a.m., but I have a hankerin’ for chocolate chip cookies.  Want one?

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Fuel the Web, a Buffalo SEO and website design company, is pleased to announce the launch of our newly redesigned website.

We wanted to provide our visitors with information about the company, our services, and a quick contact form, which will enable us to get things rolling quickly.

Our company qualities include not only our focus on providing you the website design you have dreamed of, but we believe in an honest and ethical approach to search engine marketing and optimization.  We will work with you to ensure your goals are met.

Our approach is simply this…be honest, work hard and develop a product our clients can be proud of.

If you are looking for help with your online marketing campaign, or need a website redesign, Fuel the Web can put together a strategic plan to help you accomplish your company goals and objectives.

Is your SEO company leading the way, or are you trying to play catch up by following the crowd?

To be a leading seo company, you need to understand what your clients want.  What are their goals?  What is their reputation?  Do they need a new image?   Are they looking for leads or sales?  There are so many questions to ask and the key is to listen to the answers and draft out a game plan.

By leading the way, an SEO Company will research their client’s competition, analyze data and then put together a plan for success.  It’s not just about optimizing a website.  It’s about the big picture. It’s not about copying what your competition is doing, its about analyzing it and then incorporating the right moves into your clients plan.

Being a true leader in the seo arena means being honest and having integrity. No SEO company likes it when their client’s rankings aren’t as high as they’d like them to be, or that they haven’t received the number of leads they had hoped for. The worst thing any SEO company could do is lie to your clients about it.  Be honest, always.  Work with your clients to make things better.

SEO is not an exact science and there is no guarantee. If, however, you do things the “right way”, it will all come together in time and your clients will appreciate you and they will be clients for years to come.

As a Buffalo SEO Company, I feel we not only have the obligation to provide exceptional service to our clients, but we need to share our knowledge along the way.

Embrace learning and pay it forward.  By attending webinars and reading as much as you can online, you not only make yourself more valuable, but you make your clients more valuable as well.

People want to learn, and if you take the time to share with them the best practices for them to be successful, they will appreciate it, and in turn, they will embrace learning.

The better educated my clients are, the more successful they will become.  In addition, they will take an active role in their internet marketing and seo practices. Pretty cool.

Fuel the Web is not only a Buffalo SEO Company, but we are a Buffalo Web Design Company as well. We believe in doing things the right way and are excited with each knock on our door. If you need a new website or your website optimized, we are here to help you.

Many internet marketers had to learn by being thrown into the arena.  In my case, I didn’t have a marketing background at all, I just knew a lot about the industry I work for.  That’s a good place to start.

If you find yourself at a dead end in your career, but know a lot about the field you are currently in, then use your experience and try internet marketing.  Making the transition into internet marketing may not be as far fetched as you may think.

Search engine optimization is one place you can being with.  Learn what seo is all about and then add other aspects of search marketing. I would recommend attending as many webinars as you can.  Many are FREE. Ding Ding Ding. You can simply search on Google for Free Seo Webinars, or Free Internet Marketing Webinars, etc.  If you are able to attend a seminar or workshop, they are very helpful, but pick a good one. I would recommend High Rankings with Jill Whelan.  This will give you a great overview on what seo is all about and its best practices.  You can’t go wrong.

Internet marketing is not for the lazy at heart.  If you think you can make a transition into internet marketing and sit on your tushie eating bon bon’s, then think again.  However, if you have a good work ethic and are ambitious, then I would highly recommend a career as an internet marketer.

Take Care All!

Many people in the Buffalo community are just learning the jargon surrounding internet marketing.  I’m sure this is the case in other cities as well. I am often asked, “what exactly is an internet marketing specialist?” Well I’m here to help you understand the difference between someone who claims to be one and someone who actually is an internet marketing specialist.

I have attended meetings as both an observer and internet marketing consultant and I can tell you that there are some companies out there that are so full of bologna, they should own a deli. As soon as I start asking questions, it is unbelievable how quiet a room can get. It’s pretty cool actually.

A true internet marketing specialist will sit down with you to discuss what your current game plan is and will discuss what is and is not working.  They will discuss with you the traffic reports (analytics) connected with your website, online phone book traffic, and other directories you may pay to be listed with.  Please note, analytics is the key to knowing whether a marketing strategy is or is not working. If your present internet marketing company isn’t sharing that information with you, I would question them and get your traffic reports as soon as possible.

Finally, after analyzing all the data, doing some competitive research and listening to your needs, the internet marketing company or person you have selected will sit down with you and discuss your options.

As a Buffalo SEO and internet marketing specialist, I believe 100% in being honest with my clients.  I explain to my clients that search engine optimization (“SEO”) is a process which takes some time. Search marketing includes blogging, social media, press releases, SEO, PPC and more.  An good internet marketing specialist will help you understand these various avenues and help you develop a presence in each or a portion depending on your needs.

A few red flags to look for:

1. If a company is trying to convince you to begin a pay per click (“PPC”) campaign, but not willing or unable to provide you with the keyword research surrounding the keywords they are recommending.

2. If the company doesn’t explain to you what the pros and cons of content marketing are. Content marketing places your ads on various websites across the web and the cost can ad up quickly. Often times, the clicks result in people bouncing off immediately, which isn’t going to help you.  It may not be in your best interest to use content marketing.

3. If a company is trying to get you to list in their directory, but is either unwilling or unable to provide you with the traffic reports and various information related to the importance of that page or category.

4. If a company says to you that they can get you ranked number 1 in the organic listings on various search engines. Don’t buy into it.  It takes time and effort to increase your rankings across the web.  There is no guarantee you will be number 1.

Hope this helps some of you who are interested in learning what an internet marketing specialist is and how we can help you.