So, your website has been optimized and you’re not seeing a return on your investment.  You’re frustrated and are upset with your internet marketing company. I get it and have seen it from both sides.

Sometimes a small business will hire someone without an seo and internet marketing background, who just isn’t able to get the job done. Other times, you hire a company with proven experience, yet things just aren’t happening.  Why?

Ask yourself.

• Is your seo company bookmarking your blogs and posting on Facebook and Twitter.  [Tip Facebook and Twitter posts shouldn't just spit out content about your business. Create a relationship with your followers.]
• Are they link building, and I don’t mean hiring link farms. My suggestions is always slow and steady wins the race. [Example,  if you sell cars and you have worked with a company in the past, a simple call asking for a link is the way to go. Then keep going from there.]
• What is your online advertising budget. The amount of work an seo company needs to perform is often misunderstood by the company hiring them.  Writing one blog from scratch can take a couple hours, especially if they are left to do all the research and writing on their own. Any good seo company will work within your budget, but if your budget is small, you will need to provide them with content to keep things rolling efficiently.
• Am I in a highly competitive field?  You need to make sure things are set up right in order to compete. If you believe your site is properly optimized and your social media presence is solid, then ask yourself, is my competition doing any form of traditional advertising?  Are they on tv, radio, or billboard advertising. If they are, that may be something to consider.
• Have you tried Google AdWords. While your site is being indexed, you may want to consider beginning an AdWords campaign. You need to be careful and you need to know your industry. I’d stay away from the display network as that would eat up your budget. Again, take it slow and do your research.

These are just a few tips to check out if you’re not seeing a quality return on your investment. You can always sit down with your seo company and share your concerns. You could also hire a new company to give you an overview of your website.  A little advice into what’s the best direction could save you a lot of money down the road.

Best of luck to you in your future endeavors.

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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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.