I Do Web Marketing

This is a guest post by Leo Alvin Alexander. If you are interested in writing a guest post, please read the guidelines.

All SEO experts and experienced Internet marketers agree that the number one step toward increasing volumes of quality traffic to your website is effective keyword research. Using the most desirable keywords and phrases in your Web content will greatly improve your site’s visibility and Web presence. Through professional website optimization, which begins with use of carefully targeted keywords for your site’s market, you will gain new customers and improve conversion rates. Good keyword usage will also provide your site and business with lasting prominent first-page listings in all the major search engine directories for constantly high site visibility.

You will find numerous keyword research tools available for your use on the Web. Some are free and others are for sale, yet even those to be purchased and downloaded are usually offered on a free trial basis. Five of the most popular and effective keyword research tools currently available online for your use are:

1. Google Adwords Research Tool. – This comprehensive, diversified tool encourages you to become an SEO pro while you build an expansive list of suggested keywords and phrases appropriate for your website. You can locate keywords based on:

• a word or phrase;
• a website; or
• a category.

You can request that your keyword research results show only ideas very closely aligned with your search terms. You can also narrow your research project to include specific countries, locales and languages. You can also (1) specify content type, such as content appropriate for teenagers, (2) request information and statistics relative to a particular device like a desktop or laptop computer, or a mobile WAP device, and (3) use keyword tool filters such as estimates of statistics like impressions and PPCs (pay-per-clicks). You can perform searches and sort keywords related to your competition. You can also run data searches for results of both localized and global monthly site and product data.

When initiating your search, you can designate terms to be included or excluded. You can also specify varied keyword match types: Broad, [Exact], or “Phrase.” In conjunction with the Keyword Tool, Google AdWords supplies a Traffic Estimator to provide you with daily Summary data, your website’s Average Estimated CPC dollars, and its Daily Budget dollars.

As you can see, there are quite a few strong advantages to using the Google AdWords Research Tool. It is truly a highly effective tool for advertising your business site, products and services. You can look forward to seeing your website’s traffic volumes increase immediately by employing the precisely targeted Google ads while staying within your budget.

There are, however, disadvantages which some users of the Google AdWords Research Tool have encountered. For example, there is a definite learning curve to master when using this comprehensive keyword research aid. Fully understanding all its capabilities takes time. In addition, many search engine users pay more attention to the organic results of Web searches than to paid ads. It is also important to realize that advertisers who can easily pay high advertising costs will acquire the top ad positions.

2. Google Insights for Search.– With this sophisticated Web tool, you can make an extensive comparison of the resulting patterns of search volumes involving particular geographic regions, demographic groupings and other categories, time sequences or characteristics such as:

• Categories. – Conform your search to definite categories such as health supplements, movies or novels;
• Seasonality. – Estimate levels of growing demand for your business and products in order to best plan and finance your ad campaigns;
• Geographic distribution. – Learn the distribution of your search volumes, patterns and your customers involving countries, rural regions and urban areas; and
• Properties. – Observe the search trends in other Google properties, for example, related rising statistical searches in England over the last month.

Google Insights for Search was structured to satisfy the advertiser’s needs. It offers versatility and capabilities for advertisers, promoters and marketers to more fully comprehend search behavior. In addition, various new features bring attractive dimensions to searches like global heat maps displaying both search volumes and areas of highest interest and need.

By simply entering a keyword or phrase, you can observe search result patterns over a given time period along with the most significant rising search volumes. You can also make comparisons of search level trends involving multiple targeted search terms and categories (known as verticals), time sequences or locations. For instance, if you enter the term blackberry, the main top related and rising search results will probably be relative to the cellular phone device, Blackberry. If you want to perform a search related to the top-rated blackberry jams on the food market, you will need to filter your search by the Food & Beverage category.

The Google Insights for Search tool is a powerful competitive intelligence aid enabling you to accurately examine data supplied by Google to best comprehend valuable search trends and crucial business functionality levels. Yet, there are some major disadvantages to using this diverse keyword research tool. For, it is totally controlled by computer algorithms and analyzes data across millions of users without reporting basic identifying information. Additionally, it gives results only for search terms producing significant traffic volumes. It also maintains strict minimum inclusion thresholds for search terms.

3. NicheBOT. – This powerful keyword research tool was structured to be “The Master Blueprint to Keyword Success.” Its designers agreed that Google’s keyword tools reveal competition levels important to advertisers, rather than competition for attracting free site traffic. Such high volume keywords may be gold to someone whose purpose is buying traffic. However, these search terms will not help anyone seeking high quality, free organic traffic from Google.

In addition, Google will not reveal those Long Tail keywords and phrases that are generally classified as Buyer Keywords. These key phrases of five to eight or nine words are most often used by consumers to assist with purchasing choices. Since such keywords are low-competition, they can be much the easier to rank for. Now you are in the market for buyer keywords instead of researcher keywords.

NicheBOT supplies you with myriad databases that pinpoint keywords you will not locate through other sources. It’s like having a single subscription which includes all the major newspapers, journals and media outlets in the country and beyond. With NicheBOT you get access to 21 excellent keyword research aids. The program coordinates data from all its pipelines, compiling it in one organized interface. It exhibits the ultimate in strategic practicality as it integrates keywords, strategy and execution.

NicheBOT is an expert tool for discovering ways to legitimately dominate your niche market, and by using it you will reduce your marketing budget at the same time you increase conversion numbers. This highest quality keyword research tool can access upwards of 295 billion keywords, showing at least 15,000 results per each root keyword. It also translates languages and sorts, filters and exports complex data. The major disadvantage of NicheBOT is that it comes with a multitude of extra features which are constantly being updated, so there is an ongoing learning curve involved for users.

4. Keyword Discovery. – This expansive keyword research tool collects and analyzes search term statistics from all the major worldwide search engines. Since more than 80% of online purchases and transactions originate from a keyword search, a good keyword research aid must target all identifiable relevant keywords. It can reveal the keywords and phrases most frequently used to locate certain products and services. It can help you to (1) optimize all your site’s content and meta tags; (2) empower your pay-per-click marketing campaigns; and (3) lure valuable traffic volumes away from your competitors, increasing your conversion rates. Keyword Discovery collects data from more than 200 worldwide search engines and upwards of 38 billion searches. Some of its other important features include:

• Keyword Tools. – Its many varied keyword tools enable you to qualify and examine key terms in such areas as marketing trends, competitors, and PPC bid values.
• Competitors. – It reveals the most heavily trafficked websites per keyword according to Trellian completive intelligence user activity reports.
• XML API Access. – With the XML API feature, you can form your own aid or solution in order to access Keyword Discovery’s entire database.
• Keyword Projects. – Your comprehensive search term results can be compiled and saved into projects for copying, translating and exporting. You can also import your own key term data from excel and text files, URLs and other external sources.

Keyword Discovery now provides a premium updated database compiled from user panel data plus the toolbars of more than 3.5 million users. The major disadvantage of this excellent keyword research tool is its cost. However, you are invited to test-run its features during a free-trial period.

5. Market Samurai. – This outstanding key term research tool shows you the path to mining “gold nugget” keywords to greatly enhance your website traffic and conversion rates. It will help you identify and target the key terms serious buyers currently use in Web searches. You will learn how to best overtake your competition and acquire first-page search engine rankings. Market Samurai provides excellent “traffic-hunting” opportunities, helping you adhere to the four Golden Rules of SEM:

• For Internet marketing success, you must have an expert keyword research tool which “thinks” like a search engine. Remember that search engine algorithms may not view your favored key terms as closely or even remotely valuable to marketing your site’s products and services.

• To gain high traffic and conversion rates, you need keywords which attract sufficient Web traffic volumes to make investing your time, money and efforts into marketing your site and business worthwhile. Remember, 90% of all key terms initiate no traffic at all.
• For success, you must employ keywords which provide both significant site traffic levels and conversion rates. Some key terms which generate traffic have little or no commercial value. You need to identify and target only key terms with profitability potential.
•  To succeed, you must target only keywords which have acceptable competition levels. This is important since 90% of keywords used in searches are much too competitive for obtaining first page rankings.

In Market Samurai Internet warfare, you must first goldmine the most profitable keywords and phrases. Then, you must identify market areas with weak SEO competition levels and conquer these markets. Finally, you need to work smarter, not harder, finding Web content you can link to your own site which will continuously work to the benefit of your own efforts. Make use of the vast wealth of material with high quality content authority on the Web to promote your website and greatly enhance your success and profitability.

Market Samurai’s PBR (Phrase-to-Broad-Match Ratio) is very helpful for determining what Web users are searching for. Its only disadvantage is that the more precise and narrow specific search criteria may be, the more often you will need to fine-tune it, since popular language usage is constantly changing.

These five major tools for SEO keyword research all bring modern, continuously updated technology and features to current Internet marketing. You may want to take advantage of their introductory trial offers to experience for yourself their vast and varied techniques and applications all designed for your ultimate SEM success.

Author Bio:

Leo Alvin Alexander is an online marketing specialist that currently works for a marketing firm based in New York City that offers business solutions such as marketing materials, graphic and custom logo design, search engine optimization and social media marketing services, etc.

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Justin McGill is a web marketing professional and runs a successful Small Business SEO Firm. He is the founder and CEO of SEORCHERS (read: [surch-ers]) - a local web marketing firm specializing in organic search engine optimization (SEO) with a focus on converting visitors into clients. He is available for SEO Consulting and now you can connect with him on Google+!.

This is a guest post by Steve Pronger, a Business Analyst for SEO Works.

Make your marketing dollars stretch further with these seven free small business online marketing strategies.

Small business online marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to promote a burgeoning company, build their brand image and boost sales. For a business that doesn’t have a bricks and mortar site, a website may be their main sales funnel and source of sales supplemented perhaps with telephone or email sales. So without further ado, here are five free ways you can improve your bottom line on a budget.

Search Engine Optimisation

When you run a Pay-Per-Click campaign, you are paying every time someone clicks through to your website but indexing your website on search engines is free. Hiring an SEO company should be seen as an asset to your business not a cost but if you feel you cannot afford to hire an online marketing consultant when you first launch your business, you can read marketing blogs, watch seminars and educate yourself on the SEO process.

Google Places Optimisation

Google Places is a free small business online marketing product ideal for companies that do not have a web presence. With the launch of Place Search late last year, Place Pages started to blend with organic listings in search results. Pages can be optimised by adding business details, hours of operation, a keyword-rich description, and so on. You can also add images and videos to your page, upload seasonal menus and sales brochures.

Social media networking

Social media marketing is another economical way to promote your business without a huge initial outlay. Creating accounts on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, is free and it’s an excellent source of pre-qualified leads for your website. The premise behind social networking is to value and give advice rather than openly promote your business. It’s best to get a dedicated person to monitor and update your accounts daily.

Off – page profile (link building and citations)

An essential component of Search Engine Optimisation is maintaining your off-page profile. When you have back links from quality and relevant websites to your site or you citations on quality and relevant websites, this is seen as a validation or ‘vote’ by Search Engines and can boost your ranking significantly. Put half an hour minimum aside per day to work on your citation or link building activities to reap the rewards of a higher ranking.

Online reputation marketing

Every small to medium business irrespective of what industry you are working in to be aware of what their clients and customers are saying about them in the virtual world. This is critical for companies in the tourism industry such as hotels, restaurants and bars. A small business should put together an ORM strategy together so there is a written company line and policy on how to respond to negative and positive reviews.

Website design

You may not be able to afford a new website design but you can make small changes to your website such as uploading high-quality images of your products and services. The saying that ‘an image says a thousand words’ applies well to small business online marketing. Look at elements such as your copywriting to see if it is current and relevant, test your call to actions and landing pages, add testimonials (see below) and so on.

Testimonials and reviews

People like to buy from businesses they think are credible and trustworthy and one of the ways you can earn trust is by adding testimonials and reviews to your website. It is best to have a dedicated landing page and add this to the navigation with a search-friendly URL. Testimonials are a very effective online marketing tool for small businesses – remember to get authorisation to use them on your site and campaigns.

A small to medium company may not have a lot of money to compete with the big boys and larger competitors in the offline world but the internet makes it a more level playing ground. By setting aside time and resources and thinking outside the box when it comes to small business online marketing campaigns, you can outrank, outperform and outwit your business rivals without making a huge dent in the advertising budget.

Steve Pronger is a Business Analyst for SEO Works, a leading Australian Search Engine Optimisation company.

Be sure and subscribe for the latest web marketing strategies and updates!

Justin McGill is a web marketing professional and runs a successful Small Business SEO Firm. He is the founder and CEO of SEORCHERS (read: [surch-ers]) - a local web marketing firm specializing in organic search engine optimization (SEO) with a focus on converting visitors into clients. He is available for SEO Consulting and now you can connect with him on Google+!.

This is a guest blog post written by Mark Barry of Integrity SEO Experts Ltd.

Pay per click advertising campaigns are a simple and popular method of Internet marketing and have become widespread in their use like other useful techniques such as themed link building. The idea behind a pay per click campaign is that the ads appear on a target website, but rather than the advertiser getting charged per ad or a lump sum, the website only gets payment when a visitor actually clicks the ad. Websites determine the cost per click that advertisers will pay whenever an ad is clicked and the business can discover how many of the website’s visitors actually clicked on their ad by analysing the click-through rate.

As shown above, the pay per click campaign concept is not complex and this inherent simplicity means that advertisers can quickly get to grips with a campaign. Pay per click campaigns are easy to get off the ground, just like themed link building and can be analysed equally simply. For example, campaign managers can check the click through rates for each website to discover whether the campaign is working on certain sites or not.

Once created, pay per click campaigns are not set in stone. In fact, another advantage of pay per click campaigns is that they can easily be adjusted to suit the needs of the advertising business as things develop. As with themed link building, keywords play a part in pay per click advertising; as internet users search for specific topics, well-placed keywords will bring up the ad. Keywords can be modified if need be, while campaign managers can even alter the intended target audience or region to better focus the advertising campaign.

A major advantage of the pay per click advertising model is that instead of paying for ads that may end up attracting absolutely no visitors, the pay per click concept ensures that businesses only pay when that ad placement has garnered interest. Companies can decide how much they’re willing to spend on the campaign beforehand and set cost limits that impact how often their ads appear on a website. This also means that the business isn’t paying for random web traffic. Instead, many of the net users who click on the ads will then actually go on to buy something from the advertiser’s site, since they’re already interested enough to click the ad.

Another benefit for the advertiser is that the ads they deploy as part of a pay per click campaign appear across websites and are accessed through search engine results. Like themed link building, these ads allow the business to gain more exposure and to appear in more web search results.
This exposure can be vast; for example, popular search engines are used millions of times per day, which means an increased likelihood of a potential customer searching and finding the advertiser.

The exposure pay per click campaigns generate isn’t limited to customers who are looking for products or services the business offers at that moment.
Since the ads are deployed onto websites and then spotted by web users who are simply browsing, awareness of the advertiser’s brand is slowly increased.

Be sure and subscribe for the latest web marketing strategies and updates!

Justin McGill is a web marketing professional and runs a successful Small Business SEO Firm. He is the founder and CEO of SEORCHERS (read: [surch-ers]) - a local web marketing firm specializing in organic search engine optimization (SEO) with a focus on converting visitors into clients. He is available for SEO Consulting and now you can connect with him on Google+!.