Search engines are always looking for the most relevant content.
If your content is optimised correctly, the chances of high ranking on SERPS are more likely.
Internet marketing is an interesting field because there are two levels that apply to this concept. The first is obviously ensuring that the internet marketing content is in line with your holistic marketing concept. You should be implementing a strategy that is uniform throughout, appealing to the needs of your target market.
Once this aspect of the marketing strategy is carried through to your online presence, you will need to make sure that your website is designed functionally, and that it is optimised for searches.
The level of search engine optimisation is the tricky part. But there are experts in the field that are able to ensure that all of your marketing effort is easily searchable on search engines.
To find a great online marketing company in South Africa, go to http://www.web-smart.co.za
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Long Tail Keywords for Good Conversion
We've all heard of the 80-20 ratio. If this ratio is applied to Search Engine Optimisation, we will find that using long tail keywords, (the 20) will account for 80% of conversions. But why is this so?
When a Google user is searching to buy a specific product (the type of Google user we want to attract!) they will be as specific as possible in their search term, in order to yield the best results in the Search Engine Results Page (SERPS).
Thus we need to implement these "long tail keywords" in order to attract the users who are on the brink of conversion.
If we use the more ubiquitous search terms, such as "free" we might increase the traffic hugely(80), but the conversion rate will drop proportionately.
You need to have a long look at your product/service, and think about how your potential customer would search for the product/service that you offer.
Click Here to learn about search engine optimisation, and to locate an expert in the field.
When a Google user is searching to buy a specific product (the type of Google user we want to attract!) they will be as specific as possible in their search term, in order to yield the best results in the Search Engine Results Page (SERPS).
Thus we need to implement these "long tail keywords" in order to attract the users who are on the brink of conversion.
If we use the more ubiquitous search terms, such as "free" we might increase the traffic hugely(80), but the conversion rate will drop proportionately.
You need to have a long look at your product/service, and think about how your potential customer would search for the product/service that you offer.
Click Here to learn about search engine optimisation, and to locate an expert in the field.
Friday, March 27, 2009
4 SEO tips from Web-Smart
Creating an impact on the search engine results page is often more tricky in practice than in theory.
It is easy to understand that external links are positive in terms of your Goolge ranking. But how do you go about creating external links to your site?
1. Articles
Writing articles to get syndicated on article syndication is a reasonably easy practice. Make sure that the content that you are creating doesn't scream that it is advertising content for your website. Your article will be rejected if the marketing is too overt.
2. Link Exchanges
If your website has a reasonable page rank, the chances of your website being agreeable for link exchanges is high. The only problem in these circumstances is that a reciprocal link is ranked lower by Google than a one way link.
Hopefully you have a separate domain with an equally high page rank, in order to increase your link weighting.
3. Comment on Blogs
There are literally millions of relevant blogs out there. Comment on blogs with relevant information and a link to your site to increase your page rank.
4. Start a Facebook page
Facebook has changed the format of their Facebook pages, making them far more accessible to fans. Placing links on your Facebook page to your website counts! Get Facebooking now!
Go to http://www.web-smart.co.za now to get more SEO hints and tips.
It is easy to understand that external links are positive in terms of your Goolge ranking. But how do you go about creating external links to your site?
1. Articles
Writing articles to get syndicated on article syndication is a reasonably easy practice. Make sure that the content that you are creating doesn't scream that it is advertising content for your website. Your article will be rejected if the marketing is too overt.
2. Link Exchanges
If your website has a reasonable page rank, the chances of your website being agreeable for link exchanges is high. The only problem in these circumstances is that a reciprocal link is ranked lower by Google than a one way link.
Hopefully you have a separate domain with an equally high page rank, in order to increase your link weighting.
3. Comment on Blogs
There are literally millions of relevant blogs out there. Comment on blogs with relevant information and a link to your site to increase your page rank.
4. Start a Facebook page
Facebook has changed the format of their Facebook pages, making them far more accessible to fans. Placing links on your Facebook page to your website counts! Get Facebooking now!
Go to http://www.web-smart.co.za now to get more SEO hints and tips.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
How to Become Competitive Online
Online Marketing is the strategy and implementation of e-marketing activities for your business. The internet is a global network, and so your web tactics are fundamental to your survival in the online framework.
Primary to any successful marketing strategy is to understand how your business functions within its environment. In other words, you could have a perfectly good idea, but find that ten other businesses opened five years ago with improvements on your product/service. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your business can’t succeed, but it does mean that you’ll need strategy to succeed.
South Africa’s online uptake is increasing rapidly, as mentioned in an earlier blog post. This means that your business will probably have a higher rate of success if it is represented online.
Working together with an online advertising agency will ensure that your business has the competitive advantage over other businesses.
The internet offers the advantage of real time updates and alterations of your campaign, depending on the results of testing. It also allows for precise research into your target market, their needs and wants, and how to communicate effectively with them.
For more information on e-marketing strategy, or to locate a quality internet marketing company, go to http://www.web-smart.co.za
Primary to any successful marketing strategy is to understand how your business functions within its environment. In other words, you could have a perfectly good idea, but find that ten other businesses opened five years ago with improvements on your product/service. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your business can’t succeed, but it does mean that you’ll need strategy to succeed.
South Africa’s online uptake is increasing rapidly, as mentioned in an earlier blog post. This means that your business will probably have a higher rate of success if it is represented online.
Working together with an online advertising agency will ensure that your business has the competitive advantage over other businesses.
The internet offers the advantage of real time updates and alterations of your campaign, depending on the results of testing. It also allows for precise research into your target market, their needs and wants, and how to communicate effectively with them.
For more information on e-marketing strategy, or to locate a quality internet marketing company, go to http://www.web-smart.co.za
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
South Africa Online Commerce Set to Boom
South Africa is experiencing a real explosion in internet usage. The underlying factor that is the catalyst for this boom is the Seacom Cable Discussed here.
The internet statistics for South Africa over the last 6 years shows a slow and steady increase of internet users, of about 1% increase a year. In 2008, the percentage jumps by about 3%.
Internet usage in South Africa is set to increase to the "9 million mark" by 2014. (Bizcommunity)
With a huge increase in internet use in South Africa, comes increased competition for ranking on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS). This means that for your business to be recognised on the internet, you need the assistance of a reputable online marketing company
In South Africa, you are able to utilise the services of a young and dynamic team of online marketing professionals.
Online marketing is a really effective source of business, that is much cheaper than traditional forms of advertising. A further advantage of online marketing is the ability to test and change your online presence (as in Pay Per Click Advertising Campaigns, also known as PPC).
Click here, or visit http://www.web-smart.co.za to begin your online marketing campaign before the boom!
The internet statistics for South Africa over the last 6 years shows a slow and steady increase of internet users, of about 1% increase a year. In 2008, the percentage jumps by about 3%.
Internet usage in South Africa is set to increase to the "9 million mark" by 2014. (Bizcommunity)
With a huge increase in internet use in South Africa, comes increased competition for ranking on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS). This means that for your business to be recognised on the internet, you need the assistance of a reputable online marketing company
In South Africa, you are able to utilise the services of a young and dynamic team of online marketing professionals.
Online marketing is a really effective source of business, that is much cheaper than traditional forms of advertising. A further advantage of online marketing is the ability to test and change your online presence (as in Pay Per Click Advertising Campaigns, also known as PPC).
Click here, or visit http://www.web-smart.co.za to begin your online marketing campaign before the boom!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Long Term Brand Building with SEO
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a long term investment in your company. Like most brand building activities, SEO has slower results, and the results will not have a direct impact on your profitability immediately.
Traditionally, marketing that promotes brand building is an inexact science. This is because there really is no quantitative measuring tool that can be utilised in this context.
Web-Smart implements SEO online, which has the double advantage of improving your Search Engine Results Page (SERPS) ranking, as well as wbuidling your brands credibility and presence in the minds of consumers.
However, unlike traditional media methods, Web-Smarts online marketing strategies can be monitored, tracked and tested, in order to understand your online presence, as well as improving your brand image.
Go to Web-Smart now to find out more
Traditionally, marketing that promotes brand building is an inexact science. This is because there really is no quantitative measuring tool that can be utilised in this context.
Web-Smart implements SEO online, which has the double advantage of improving your Search Engine Results Page (SERPS) ranking, as well as wbuidling your brands credibility and presence in the minds of consumers.
However, unlike traditional media methods, Web-Smarts online marketing strategies can be monitored, tracked and tested, in order to understand your online presence, as well as improving your brand image.
Go to Web-Smart now to find out more
Monday, March 23, 2009
How to Get Great Links
Getting links to your website is no longer enough. Google ranks different links differently. If your links come from low ranking sites, they count less in Google's eyes.
1. Submitting Articles for Links
Article submission is a great way of generating external links. Just beware of submitting the same article over and over to sites in the hope of getting more links. Be mindful of the benefits and drawbacks of submitting to article syndication sites.
2. Diversify Your Search Engine Targets
Google is dominant in the search industry because it produces good quality links in a very short period of time. It is vital to remember that traffic comes from the "top three" Google, Yahoo and MSN. Although these competitors may not be as dominiant,they do still drive traffic.
3. Link Exchanges
Although reciprocal linking is an efficient method for creating external links, it is important to note that reciprocal links or worth less to Google. So if you do want to participate in link exchanges, ensure that you link from a different domain, so that the value of each link is greater.
To find out how to improve your search engine ranking and increase links to your site, click here or go to http://www.web-smart.co.za/index.asp
1. Submitting Articles for Links
Article submission is a great way of generating external links. Just beware of submitting the same article over and over to sites in the hope of getting more links. Be mindful of the benefits and drawbacks of submitting to article syndication sites.
2. Diversify Your Search Engine Targets
Google is dominant in the search industry because it produces good quality links in a very short period of time. It is vital to remember that traffic comes from the "top three" Google, Yahoo and MSN. Although these competitors may not be as dominiant,they do still drive traffic.
3. Link Exchanges
Although reciprocal linking is an efficient method for creating external links, it is important to note that reciprocal links or worth less to Google. So if you do want to participate in link exchanges, ensure that you link from a different domain, so that the value of each link is greater.
To find out how to improve your search engine ranking and increase links to your site, click here or go to http://www.web-smart.co.za/index.asp
Friday, March 20, 2009
How to Communicate with Your Target Market
Great marketing follows on from great research. This is due to the fact that knowing your target market makes it easier for businesses to communicate with them as individuals, by appealing to their ideals and needs.
The internet, and specifically the advent of Web2.0, has opened up the realms of possibilities for marketers. Users have created data bases about themselves, their likes and dislikes, and published these for all to see. Additionally, they have created networks in which they communicate with like- minded people about their daily lives.
I am sure you are thinking that I am stating the obvious here. I urge you to take a moment and think of the possibility of engaging with people, in a very intimate and relaxed way, in order to promote your product. That is the power of social media.
We hear terms such as “viral media” being bandied about, but we seldom pay attention to what this could mean for our brand if we could spark a conversation within a social network. The effects for turnover and brand building are enormous.
To have real conversations with your target market, where you are sincerely able to communicate information about your brand, requires a lot of work. This type of dedication to communicating relevant content to potential consumers needs a professionals touch.
For information on where to find a company that is capable of engaging customers and creating profit for your business, Click Here.
The internet, and specifically the advent of Web2.0, has opened up the realms of possibilities for marketers. Users have created data bases about themselves, their likes and dislikes, and published these for all to see. Additionally, they have created networks in which they communicate with like- minded people about their daily lives.
I am sure you are thinking that I am stating the obvious here. I urge you to take a moment and think of the possibility of engaging with people, in a very intimate and relaxed way, in order to promote your product. That is the power of social media.
We hear terms such as “viral media” being bandied about, but we seldom pay attention to what this could mean for our brand if we could spark a conversation within a social network. The effects for turnover and brand building are enormous.
To have real conversations with your target market, where you are sincerely able to communicate information about your brand, requires a lot of work. This type of dedication to communicating relevant content to potential consumers needs a professionals touch.
For information on where to find a company that is capable of engaging customers and creating profit for your business, Click Here.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
How Does Page Rank Effect the Profitability of Your Website?
Page Rank was developed at Stanford University by Larry Page and later Sergey Brin as part of a research project about a new type of search engine. Page Rank gets its name from the orignal developer of hte system, Larry Page. The project started in 1995 and led to a functional prototype, named Google, in 1998. Shortly after, Page and Brin founded Google Inc., the company behind the Google search engine. While just one of many factors which determine the ranking of Google search results, PageRank continues to provide the basis for all of Google's web search tools. (Wikipedia)
Page rank is a process of link analysis that Google carries out in order to rank your websites importance or relevance.
“ PageRank relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page's value. In essence, Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; it also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves "important" weigh more heavily and help to make other pages "important".” (Google).
Page Rank is an element of the ranking on search engine results pages (SERPS), but it works in conjunction with other elements that are analysed and ranked by Google algorithm.
Your company can improve both its Page Rank, as well as increase its listing on the Google SERPS, by implementing Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategies.
SEO techniques have a big impact on the ranking of your site on SERPS, which will lead to increased conversion and brand awareness. However, these techniques are time consuming and require the expert knowledge and implementation of a reliable online marketing firm.
Visit us on http://www.web-smart.co.za to find out more!
Page rank is a process of link analysis that Google carries out in order to rank your websites importance or relevance.
“ PageRank relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page's value. In essence, Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; it also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves "important" weigh more heavily and help to make other pages "important".” (Google).
Page Rank is an element of the ranking on search engine results pages (SERPS), but it works in conjunction with other elements that are analysed and ranked by Google algorithm.
Your company can improve both its Page Rank, as well as increase its listing on the Google SERPS, by implementing Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategies.
SEO techniques have a big impact on the ranking of your site on SERPS, which will lead to increased conversion and brand awareness. However, these techniques are time consuming and require the expert knowledge and implementation of a reliable online marketing firm.
Visit us on http://www.web-smart.co.za to find out more!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Optimising Your Site for Google and Your Next Customer!
Optimising your site has two levels that you need to consider.
1. Optimising for Users
Users want a site that is easy to navigate, web-sites that don’t take forever to load, and websites that are good to look at. Flash may seem like a great option because it looks really exciting. The downside is that it loads slowly, that users sometimes find it difficult to navigate if there is flash only, and it is really bad for optimisation.
2. Optimising for Search Engines
Search engines rank sites according to relevance and recent activity. If your website is continuously being updated, and the links and content on your site are relevant, than Google will rank your site higher on SERPS(Search Engine Results Pages).
Often, SEO(Search Engine Optimisation) tips for SEM(Search Engine Marketing), overlook the user experience of websites. So you optimise your site in order to become number 1 on Google’s SERPS, but your website usability is poor, and therefore your conversion rate really isn’t what it should be!
Spend money to make money. A cheap server, cheap website and do-it-yourself SEO will probably give you exactly what you have put in- a cheap result.
You spend a lot of money on your product or service, and so it is important that your online marketing doesn’t become the weakest link in your marketing chain. Spend time and use professionals to make sure that your website ranks highly on SERPS, and that it is attractive to users simultaneously.
Click Here to find out how you can optimise your site for both search engines as well as users.
1. Optimising for Users
Users want a site that is easy to navigate, web-sites that don’t take forever to load, and websites that are good to look at. Flash may seem like a great option because it looks really exciting. The downside is that it loads slowly, that users sometimes find it difficult to navigate if there is flash only, and it is really bad for optimisation.
2. Optimising for Search Engines
Search engines rank sites according to relevance and recent activity. If your website is continuously being updated, and the links and content on your site are relevant, than Google will rank your site higher on SERPS(Search Engine Results Pages).
Often, SEO(Search Engine Optimisation) tips for SEM(Search Engine Marketing), overlook the user experience of websites. So you optimise your site in order to become number 1 on Google’s SERPS, but your website usability is poor, and therefore your conversion rate really isn’t what it should be!
Spend money to make money. A cheap server, cheap website and do-it-yourself SEO will probably give you exactly what you have put in- a cheap result.
You spend a lot of money on your product or service, and so it is important that your online marketing doesn’t become the weakest link in your marketing chain. Spend time and use professionals to make sure that your website ranks highly on SERPS, and that it is attractive to users simultaneously.
Click Here to find out how you can optimise your site for both search engines as well as users.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
How to Build Links
It is important to have links to your website in order for Google to increase your ranking. This is because Google considers a link as a vote of confidence in your site. In other words, a link provides Google with assurance that others think you are a credible website.
However, not all sources of links are equal. Google notices when your links emerge from a directory of links, and ranks these lower.
Additionally, Google notices when you suddenly have a surge of links to your website. So learn to manage your links, and try control your eagerness to increase your website ranking. Search Engine Optimisation takes time.
But, how do you increase your external links? It is a simple, yet highly time consuming process. That is why businesses are emerging that take care of link building for you.
1. Articles:
Syndicating articles with links to your site is a great way to increase your external links. Make sure that the site syndicates widely. This will increase the links to your website.
2. Blogs:
It is really cheap and easy to create a blog and link it to your site. Make sure to update it regularly with relevant and interesting content that both readers, and search engines find useful. Make sure that your keywords in your articles reflect the content of your site.
3. Forums:
There are countless specialist forums on yet again countless topics that you can interact with. You can link to your site through these comments. Tread carefully, because you want your comments to be valuable to your discussion, and in line with your brand image.
4. Buying Links:
Buying links from reputable sources will increase your website ranking. What makes this so valuable is the one way link to your site. If a site links to you and you do not reciprocate, Google ranks this highly.
5. Link Exchanges:
Exchange links with reputable websites with credible content that matches your websites content.
Click Here to find experts in the field of online marketing in South Africa.
However, not all sources of links are equal. Google notices when your links emerge from a directory of links, and ranks these lower.
Additionally, Google notices when you suddenly have a surge of links to your website. So learn to manage your links, and try control your eagerness to increase your website ranking. Search Engine Optimisation takes time.
But, how do you increase your external links? It is a simple, yet highly time consuming process. That is why businesses are emerging that take care of link building for you.
1. Articles:
Syndicating articles with links to your site is a great way to increase your external links. Make sure that the site syndicates widely. This will increase the links to your website.
2. Blogs:
It is really cheap and easy to create a blog and link it to your site. Make sure to update it regularly with relevant and interesting content that both readers, and search engines find useful. Make sure that your keywords in your articles reflect the content of your site.
3. Forums:
There are countless specialist forums on yet again countless topics that you can interact with. You can link to your site through these comments. Tread carefully, because you want your comments to be valuable to your discussion, and in line with your brand image.
4. Buying Links:
Buying links from reputable sources will increase your website ranking. What makes this so valuable is the one way link to your site. If a site links to you and you do not reciprocate, Google ranks this highly.
5. Link Exchanges:
Exchange links with reputable websites with credible content that matches your websites content.
Click Here to find experts in the field of online marketing in South Africa.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Meta Descriptions Made Easy
Meta Descriptions do not improve or add to the search engine optimisation of your site. Meta Descriptions won't affect the position of your page in the SERPs for your keywords.
The Meta description is a fragment of HTML code that belongs inside the "head" section of a Web page. It usually is placed after the Title tag and before the Meta keywords tag, although the order is not imperative.
If you don’t have certain keywords in your meta description tag, and those keywords are searched by users on Google, the first text on your site will appear in the description of your URL on the Google Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS).If the keyword is valid to your web-site, you may consider adjusting your meta descriptions, as well as website content, to reflect this keyword. This may not improve your SERPS ranking, but it will improve the content of the descriptions of your website on Google’s SERPS.
It is clear that more control you have over your record in the SERPs, the more click-throughs you should have. If the description of your web-site catches attention and creates interest in your website, than the likelihood of users clicking through to that site increases. If your Meta description tags can help with that, then it's definitely worth the time to create persuasive, keyword-rich Meta descriptions.
You should limit your Meta description to between 170 characters or 200 characters at most. The style should be consistent and the information should be relevant to the content of your website.
For more information on making your site relevant to Google and usable to people, visit Web-Smart.
The Meta description is a fragment of HTML code that belongs inside the "head" section of a Web page. It usually is placed after the Title tag and before the Meta keywords tag, although the order is not imperative.
If you don’t have certain keywords in your meta description tag, and those keywords are searched by users on Google, the first text on your site will appear in the description of your URL on the Google Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS).If the keyword is valid to your web-site, you may consider adjusting your meta descriptions, as well as website content, to reflect this keyword. This may not improve your SERPS ranking, but it will improve the content of the descriptions of your website on Google’s SERPS.
It is clear that more control you have over your record in the SERPs, the more click-throughs you should have. If the description of your web-site catches attention and creates interest in your website, than the likelihood of users clicking through to that site increases. If your Meta description tags can help with that, then it's definitely worth the time to create persuasive, keyword-rich Meta descriptions.
You should limit your Meta description to between 170 characters or 200 characters at most. The style should be consistent and the information should be relevant to the content of your website.
For more information on making your site relevant to Google and usable to people, visit Web-Smart.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Online Marketing in South Africa: The Challenges
Advertising on the internet overtook outdoor advertising in the US in 2005, in terms of revenue. The impact of this is that online advertising is a lucrative, but highly competitive market. It is not an easy market if you are planning on running a serious campaign that makes a lasting impression for your brand.
New Online marketing tactics are emerging constantly, and the competition for effective communication is harsh. The South African online environment is different to the rest of the world, as we have a different set of norms and restrictions.
Becoming an early adopter of rich media to make your advertising more effective, by drawing attention to it, is a solid tactic for the American online market. New media gimmicks can really set your product apart and begin viral campaigns.
In the South African market, using rich media can be extremely negative for your brand in the local market. This is mainly due to the fact that there is a serious lack of broadband access in South Africa.
It is widely believed that marketing budgets will increasingly be moved online in the near future. The introduction of the SEACOM cable should also contribute to the growth.
“This past month, SEACOM’s cable came ashore in both Mozambique and Tanzania. More cable landings are anticipated within the next month, as marine installation and equipment installation on land continues towards SEACOM’s June service date. People can now SEE Seacom and are anticipating the benefits our cable will bring to Africa” (CEO of SEACOM)
The introduction of this new broadband cable will mean much more access to broadband at a much cheaper price. South African’s will be able to view video and rich media like the rest of the developed world. In this way, marketing in South Africa will be able to catch up with the rest of the world.
To find out how to get your brand out there, click here
New Online marketing tactics are emerging constantly, and the competition for effective communication is harsh. The South African online environment is different to the rest of the world, as we have a different set of norms and restrictions.
Becoming an early adopter of rich media to make your advertising more effective, by drawing attention to it, is a solid tactic for the American online market. New media gimmicks can really set your product apart and begin viral campaigns.
In the South African market, using rich media can be extremely negative for your brand in the local market. This is mainly due to the fact that there is a serious lack of broadband access in South Africa.
It is widely believed that marketing budgets will increasingly be moved online in the near future. The introduction of the SEACOM cable should also contribute to the growth.
“This past month, SEACOM’s cable came ashore in both Mozambique and Tanzania. More cable landings are anticipated within the next month, as marine installation and equipment installation on land continues towards SEACOM’s June service date. People can now SEE Seacom and are anticipating the benefits our cable will bring to Africa” (CEO of SEACOM)
The introduction of this new broadband cable will mean much more access to broadband at a much cheaper price. South African’s will be able to view video and rich media like the rest of the developed world. In this way, marketing in South Africa will be able to catch up with the rest of the world.
To find out how to get your brand out there, click here
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Google Becomes More Relevant.
In a bid to match interests with advertisements for matching products and services, Google has launched a Beta version of their new advertising model. This advertising model will post adverts on the Google network, based on the user’s history of searches. The campaign is underpinned by the ability of users to adjust their profiles in order to block this type of content specific advertising. Basically you have the ability to opt out of the service.
From a marketer’s perspective, the ability to target your advertising so specifically is momentous. The fact that your advert will appears only for those with a latent interest in your type of product or service, means that their propensity to convert will be much higher.
"If a user is a keen traveler and visits lots of travel sites, Google could show them more travel-related ads," the search giant said in a statement.
There have been both positive and negative responses to this move by Google. Some say that this new system is an invasion of user’s privacy, and that the product should be opt-in, rather than opt out based. Others claim that users prefer highly targeted advertisements and that users and marketers are set to gain from this advancement.
If you would like to learn more about advertising on Google and increasing your search engine ranking, click here
From a marketer’s perspective, the ability to target your advertising so specifically is momentous. The fact that your advert will appears only for those with a latent interest in your type of product or service, means that their propensity to convert will be much higher.
"If a user is a keen traveler and visits lots of travel sites, Google could show them more travel-related ads," the search giant said in a statement.
There have been both positive and negative responses to this move by Google. Some say that this new system is an invasion of user’s privacy, and that the product should be opt-in, rather than opt out based. Others claim that users prefer highly targeted advertisements and that users and marketers are set to gain from this advancement.
If you would like to learn more about advertising on Google and increasing your search engine ranking, click here
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
How To Write a Good Blog Post
Blogging is an excellent method of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Blogs can be syndicated and if your blog is of interest to the outside world, the blog could be linked to external sites, which will generate external links as well as credibility in terms of search engine algorithms.
Follow these simple rules to write a great blog post:
1. Research the information about the topic you want to blog about. Make sure that you can properly communicate the information you wish to share.
2. Write a rough draft on a Word document, and make sure that you spell check and check your grammar. You will lose a lot of credibility if your post is written badly using poor grammar. Spelling mistakes are a real no-no!
3. Edit your rough draft into a final draft, and make sure that all your HTML links actually work. Otherwise all of this hard work will amount to very little.
4. Publish the blog post and make sure to visit your blog often to respond to comments and keep updating the information that you are sharing with your audience!
For more information on SEO and how to get Google to rank your web-site highly visit Web-Smart.
Follow these simple rules to write a great blog post:
1. Research the information about the topic you want to blog about. Make sure that you can properly communicate the information you wish to share.
2. Write a rough draft on a Word document, and make sure that you spell check and check your grammar. You will lose a lot of credibility if your post is written badly using poor grammar. Spelling mistakes are a real no-no!
3. Edit your rough draft into a final draft, and make sure that all your HTML links actually work. Otherwise all of this hard work will amount to very little.
4. Publish the blog post and make sure to visit your blog often to respond to comments and keep updating the information that you are sharing with your audience!
For more information on SEO and how to get Google to rank your web-site highly visit Web-Smart.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Google Page Rank Information
Certain online marketing techniques can be implemented to increase traffic to your site. These tips can help increase your marketing impact dramatically. Here are a 3 useful tips to getting Google to rank your website better.
1 Blogs:
Google spiders utilise Google algorithm to assess how often a blog is updated. As is well documented, Google ranks according to recent updates and relevance of updates. If your blog is recent and has content relevant to the site you are linking to, Google takes note.
2 Web Development:
A vital aspect of having a searchable site is to include a site map. Without a site map, Google spiders are unable to properly navigate your page. This makes your relevance decrease and Google rank you lower.
3 External Links:
Make sure that your site is linked from external links. You can do this through link exchanges with relevant sites, ie: sites that have similar content to your own site. Additionally, blog posts and article syndication with links to your site confirm credibility to Google.
These hints and tips, along with a myriad of others take time, dedication and a lot of work. Of course having your web-site rank highly on Google Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS) will definitely enhance your marketing impact. In order for these strategies to be implemented satisfactorily, and to produce the desired results, you need professionals in the business.
Go to Web-Smart to find a solution to your online marketing questions.
1 Blogs:
Google spiders utilise Google algorithm to assess how often a blog is updated. As is well documented, Google ranks according to recent updates and relevance of updates. If your blog is recent and has content relevant to the site you are linking to, Google takes note.
2 Web Development:
A vital aspect of having a searchable site is to include a site map. Without a site map, Google spiders are unable to properly navigate your page. This makes your relevance decrease and Google rank you lower.
3 External Links:
Make sure that your site is linked from external links. You can do this through link exchanges with relevant sites, ie: sites that have similar content to your own site. Additionally, blog posts and article syndication with links to your site confirm credibility to Google.
These hints and tips, along with a myriad of others take time, dedication and a lot of work. Of course having your web-site rank highly on Google Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS) will definitely enhance your marketing impact. In order for these strategies to be implemented satisfactorily, and to produce the desired results, you need professionals in the business.
Go to Web-Smart to find a solution to your online marketing questions.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Google Wrestling With the Current Economic Doldrums
Credit to Ryan Sauer for great content
Google CEO Eric Schmidt takes some time during the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference in San Francisco to discuss Google wrestling with the current economic doldrums, cloud computing, “netbooks,” and where ad revenue will flow from over the next few years. Microsoft and Yahoo are still viewed as viable competitors for Google’s search business, says Schmidt.
Google CEO Eric Schmidt launched into a wide-ranging presentation during the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference in San Francisco on March 3, covering everything from how Google is dealing with the current economy to the rise of mininotebooks, known popularly as "netbooks."
Given how the current recession seems to be on the forefront of every company’s mind these days, Schmidt took several minutes to discuss how Google will potentially be affected.
For the online world, "the next few quarters, things are going to be very, very tough," he said during the conference, and predicted that it would be 2010 before the industry saw a turnaround.
"We are not immune to this," he added.
According to some analysts, Schmidt’s straightforward discussion of Google’s potential economic peril serves a purpose.
"Over the past 12 months, as the economy has continued to spiral down, we’ve seen CEOs that have tried to finesse the truth, and they’ve been punished for that willingness to be less than truthful," Charles King, an analyst with Pund-IT Research, said in an interview. "So it’s important for C-level executives to be straight with people about the economy and how their companies are affected."
"From the standpoint of base realism, we’ve seen a slowdown in the amount of money that people are spending to buy things," King added. "So even companies like Google, whose revenues are advertising-based, are going to take a hit."
However, even economic devastation comes with a bit of a silver lining, at least if you’re Google.
"There’s an increasing willingness to try new systems in the enterprise. We have a set of enterprise offerings [that center] around information, mail applications and documents," said Schmidt. "We’ve been pleased with the willingness of customers to now accelerate their trials …. [T]heir budgets are very, very tight and our stuff is just a lot cheaper."
Schmidt also dismissed ideas that the search engine wars were settled, citing both the rise of new players in the arena and the continued attempts by old ones to gain market share.
"Microsoft is working very hard to build a search engine," he warned.
As for another major player in the search business, Schmidt took a moment to refer to the newly appointed Carol Bartz as a "fine and able" CEO for Yahoo.
Earlier on March 3, Bartz also engaged in a broad discussion with audience members at the conference, in which she said that any negotiations with Microsoft about Yahoo search would be conducted "privately."
And cloud computing is coming, Schmidt said.
"Cloud computing is one of those changes that’s going to happen regardless of whether companies that are participating in the ecosystem allow it, because the technology will make it happen," he elaborated.
This is ultimately good for Google: With everybody online, "you can get a lot of information about user behavior that you can mine or build interesting products for."
Some have been predicting that 2009 is the year that Google and Microsoft start duking it out over cloud computing.
As for the future, "mobile devices are going to be the majority of the way people get information." Citing Moore’s Law, Schmidt seemed confident that it would be "a few years, but not a few decades" before phones with the processor capacity of a computer allowed users to do everything they now do on a PC, including media-intensive applications.
At that point, he predicted, ad revenue from displays on mobile devices will pass revenue from ads displayed on traditional PCs.
Future mobile devices "have a GPS on them, and they’re personal—so they know what you’ve seen and won’t show the same thing over and over again like my television," he said. "That’s a huge change in the business model. Those products are getting built, and the challenge and opportunity is how you get money out of that."
In true CEO fashion, Schmidt envisioned a price structure for this future branch of computing: "The monetization of the ads should be higher, because they’re targeted."
Editor's note: This article has been updated with comments from an analyst.
Google CEO Eric Schmidt takes some time during the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference in San Francisco to discuss Google wrestling with the current economic doldrums, cloud computing, “netbooks,” and where ad revenue will flow from over the next few years. Microsoft and Yahoo are still viewed as viable competitors for Google’s search business, says Schmidt.
Google CEO Eric Schmidt launched into a wide-ranging presentation during the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference in San Francisco on March 3, covering everything from how Google is dealing with the current economy to the rise of mininotebooks, known popularly as "netbooks."
Given how the current recession seems to be on the forefront of every company’s mind these days, Schmidt took several minutes to discuss how Google will potentially be affected.
For the online world, "the next few quarters, things are going to be very, very tough," he said during the conference, and predicted that it would be 2010 before the industry saw a turnaround.
"We are not immune to this," he added.
According to some analysts, Schmidt’s straightforward discussion of Google’s potential economic peril serves a purpose.
"Over the past 12 months, as the economy has continued to spiral down, we’ve seen CEOs that have tried to finesse the truth, and they’ve been punished for that willingness to be less than truthful," Charles King, an analyst with Pund-IT Research, said in an interview. "So it’s important for C-level executives to be straight with people about the economy and how their companies are affected."
"From the standpoint of base realism, we’ve seen a slowdown in the amount of money that people are spending to buy things," King added. "So even companies like Google, whose revenues are advertising-based, are going to take a hit."
However, even economic devastation comes with a bit of a silver lining, at least if you’re Google.
"There’s an increasing willingness to try new systems in the enterprise. We have a set of enterprise offerings [that center] around information, mail applications and documents," said Schmidt. "We’ve been pleased with the willingness of customers to now accelerate their trials …. [T]heir budgets are very, very tight and our stuff is just a lot cheaper."
Schmidt also dismissed ideas that the search engine wars were settled, citing both the rise of new players in the arena and the continued attempts by old ones to gain market share.
"Microsoft is working very hard to build a search engine," he warned.
As for another major player in the search business, Schmidt took a moment to refer to the newly appointed Carol Bartz as a "fine and able" CEO for Yahoo.
Earlier on March 3, Bartz also engaged in a broad discussion with audience members at the conference, in which she said that any negotiations with Microsoft about Yahoo search would be conducted "privately."
And cloud computing is coming, Schmidt said.
"Cloud computing is one of those changes that’s going to happen regardless of whether companies that are participating in the ecosystem allow it, because the technology will make it happen," he elaborated.
This is ultimately good for Google: With everybody online, "you can get a lot of information about user behavior that you can mine or build interesting products for."
Some have been predicting that 2009 is the year that Google and Microsoft start duking it out over cloud computing.
As for the future, "mobile devices are going to be the majority of the way people get information." Citing Moore’s Law, Schmidt seemed confident that it would be "a few years, but not a few decades" before phones with the processor capacity of a computer allowed users to do everything they now do on a PC, including media-intensive applications.
At that point, he predicted, ad revenue from displays on mobile devices will pass revenue from ads displayed on traditional PCs.
Future mobile devices "have a GPS on them, and they’re personal—so they know what you’ve seen and won’t show the same thing over and over again like my television," he said. "That’s a huge change in the business model. Those products are getting built, and the challenge and opportunity is how you get money out of that."
In true CEO fashion, Schmidt envisioned a price structure for this future branch of computing: "The monetization of the ads should be higher, because they’re targeted."
Editor's note: This article has been updated with comments from an analyst.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
South African Internet Growth Rates
South Africa is a large economy in the African region. You would imagine that its internet growth rates would be similar to those of its counterparts in developing nations around the world.
However, startling new reports show that South Africa is the second slowest growing internet usage country in Africa. It is second only to Reunion!
"Over the past 10 years, the rest of Africa has grown its internet subscriber base at 10 times the pace of rich, industrialised South Africa. We're a long way off from having satisfactory internet penetration, and must ask ourselves what has gone wrong." said William Stucke, Management Committee member at the Internet Service Providers' Association of SA (Ispa).
Government monopolising internet control and limited meaningul competition in the South African internet environment.
"The end results in terms of the growth of the market and internet penetration are plain to see. We hope that South Africa's poor performance benchmarked against its peers in the rest of the continent will shock regulators and policymakers into rethinking their approach." said Stucke.
Web-Smart is pioneering growth in the South African online industry. Go to www.web-smart.co.za to learn more.
However, startling new reports show that South Africa is the second slowest growing internet usage country in Africa. It is second only to Reunion!
"Over the past 10 years, the rest of Africa has grown its internet subscriber base at 10 times the pace of rich, industrialised South Africa. We're a long way off from having satisfactory internet penetration, and must ask ourselves what has gone wrong." said William Stucke, Management Committee member at the Internet Service Providers' Association of SA (Ispa).
Government monopolising internet control and limited meaningul competition in the South African internet environment.
"The end results in terms of the growth of the market and internet penetration are plain to see. We hope that South Africa's poor performance benchmarked against its peers in the rest of the continent will shock regulators and policymakers into rethinking their approach." said Stucke.
Web-Smart is pioneering growth in the South African online industry. Go to www.web-smart.co.za to learn more.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Limitless Communication: Tips from Web-Smart
Online Advertising is a branch of marketing that combines conventional marketing wisdom with contemporary technology.
As one of the commentators of this blog noted, the two forms of advertising are not mutually exclusive. In fact, it is often useful to have your traditional media advertising in line with the message and tone of your online marketing communication.
It is important for businesses to realise that every communication with the outside world is a reflection on the company. This is known as a “touch point”. Think about it. Your company spends thousands of Rands on a marketing communication strategy. Intricate details of website copy and advertisement are debated. One negative or rude email from a staff member to a client does a lot more damage to your business than a typo in a marketing message.
Remember that it is five times as expensive to get a new client, as it is to retain clients you already have. So utilise all aspects of marketing to produce a strong personality for your brand.
Web-Smart will link you with all the valuable marketing information that you need!
As one of the commentators of this blog noted, the two forms of advertising are not mutually exclusive. In fact, it is often useful to have your traditional media advertising in line with the message and tone of your online marketing communication.
It is important for businesses to realise that every communication with the outside world is a reflection on the company. This is known as a “touch point”. Think about it. Your company spends thousands of Rands on a marketing communication strategy. Intricate details of website copy and advertisement are debated. One negative or rude email from a staff member to a client does a lot more damage to your business than a typo in a marketing message.
Remember that it is five times as expensive to get a new client, as it is to retain clients you already have. So utilise all aspects of marketing to produce a strong personality for your brand.
Web-Smart will link you with all the valuable marketing information that you need!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Web-Smart Celebrates Official Launch of Business
Web-Smart has officially launched as a business in South Africa. South Africa’s online marketing business is beginning to show signs of growth. Search engine optimization and PPC have been in use by online sites in the country, but Web-Smart plans to take it to a new level. Based in Johannesburg, this South African agency is set for a bright future.
We are very excited to announce that we are officially in business!
Thank you for all of your support thus far. Keep on following this blog and checking back to our website to stay updated with information on Search Engine Optimisation, PPC campaigns, and how to create a strong online presence for your business.
We will keep you up to date with notifications about our press appearances. Add us on Twitter to keep updated with blog posts and other valuable information by clicking here or copy and pasting http://twitter.com/WebSmartZA into your address bar.
To view our launch press release, go to:
Web-Smart Launches New National Online Marketing Business in South Africa; Big Business Takes Note of Newcomer
We are very excited to announce that we are officially in business!
Thank you for all of your support thus far. Keep on following this blog and checking back to our website to stay updated with information on Search Engine Optimisation, PPC campaigns, and how to create a strong online presence for your business.
We will keep you up to date with notifications about our press appearances. Add us on Twitter to keep updated with blog posts and other valuable information by clicking here or copy and pasting http://twitter.com/WebSmartZA into your address bar.
To view our launch press release, go to:
Web-Smart Launches New National Online Marketing Business in South Africa; Big Business Takes Note of Newcomer
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