<< back

 

 

Dear Caroline,

 

 

There are a very few tactics that I recommend to every single one of my clients - but of those that I do, search engine optimization is at the top of the list. Search engine optimization is the process of ensuring that your site ranks well in the search engine results when someone searches online for your products and services. Over 80% of the people who search online click on the "organic" (or natural) search result listings - so it makes sense that you'd want to be positioned well where those searchers can find you!

So - what makes up "search engine optimization" - and how do you know whether your site is positioned well? Today's article tells you all about it ....

In celebration of the holiday season, this will be the last issue of Blue Chip Tips until the New Year.

Happy Holidays!

As Always, Happy Marketing!

Caroline

 

 

 

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. How to Tell if Your Site Needs Search Engine Optimization
2. Blue Chip Quip
3. Questions and Feedback

 

Line

ISSN: 1933-737X
December 20, 2007
Volume 2, Issue 26

Published every other Thursday.
To manage your subscription,
scroll to the bottom of the e-mail.

Sign me up !
to this e-Zine

Published by Caroline Melberg
Melberg Marketing © 2007
bluechiptips@melberg.com
www.melberg.com

Note: Please "whitelist" our e-mail address: bluechiptips@melberg.com
Or add us to your address book so our messages aren't accidentally confused by your ISP as spam. We hate spam. Spam is bad.

1.How to Tell if Your Site Needs Search Engine Optimization

How to Tell if Your Site Needs Search Engine Optimization

Making your small business accessible to the major search engines is an essential part of your online marketing plan, and a successful search engine optimization strategy can increase traffic significantly.  High search engine rankings are an easy way to market your business to people who are looking for the keywords and topics that you present on your website. Search engine optimization for small business websites requires some strategy, but lets your business stand apart from the competition and increases web traffic.

Search engine optimization for small business websites requires a thorough understanding of keywords that are 'in demand' for your niche industry.  Your website can reach the top rankings of Google and other search engines with a few strategically placed keywords, alt tags on images, and unique titles positioned in just the right spaces on each page.  You'll need to use keywords in headings, subheadings, and throughout the paragraph copy so that search engines can identify your website easily and put you in the top spots of each search results page.

There are six key ways to enhance search engine optimization for your small business:

  1. Identify the keywords
  2. Place keywords strategically on each page
  3. Use alt tags on all images
  4. Create unique title, meta descriptions, and keywords for your business
  5. Determine page rank on Google and look for more keywords that can be used
  6. Provide significant backlinks and anchor text on the site

 

Identifying Key Words for Search Engine Optimization

Identifying the keywords in search engine optimization for small business websites is the first step in creating a cohesive strategy.  Keywords will help you determine which words and sentences are most appropriate for your industry, and which ones are highly searched on a regular basis.  When search engines identify your site as a suitable match for content, your ranking will be much higher.

Placement of Keywords for Search Engine Optimization

Placing keywords in specific places is an essential part of search engine optimization for small business websites, and will help search engines determine how valuable and relevant your site is for a specific subject.  Search engines are constantly looking for relevant websites that are a good match for each keyword search.  Placing your keywords in headings, bullet points, and subheadings with bolded text and links is one of the best ways to attract the attention of a major search engine.

Using Alt Tags on Images for Search Engine Optimization

Alt tags are an easy task to overlook when constructing your website, but they offer another opportunity for search engines to pick up your site as a leader in your industry.  Alt tags are keywords used to describe the image; just hover over your images to see what alt tags are being used on your site already; if the word that appears does not have a keyword in it, you can increase search engine optimization by adding the relevant keywords and descriptions to each item.

Unique Titles and Meta Descriptions for Search Engine Optimization

Unique titles are an important element of search engine optimization as they show up on search results as new content and material, and can also encourage increased page views.  Meta descriptions can help you add even more keywords to each page without publishing them directly on the page itself; this description helps search engines pick up your site much more easily.

Backlinks and Anchor Text for Search Engine Optimization

Backlinks are very valuable to any small business website, helping boost the site's credibility and encouraging search engines to take notice.  Anchor text is any text that is linked to another source and placed strategically within titles and copy.  You can add both items to new content for improved search engine rankings.

Determining if your site has been properly optimized for search engines will require strategic writing and placement of essential keywords.  Knowing which keywords are most valuable to your topic and subject is the first step; after that, you'll need to develop unique and valuable content that is updated regularly on the site.  Search engine optimization for small business websites is both an art and science, and you can develop a checklist to ensure that your site is fully optimized.


About Melberg Marketing
Melberg Marketing specializes in powerful copywriting, compelling graphic design and professional marketing consulting that gets you noticed - both online and off.  If you'd like to start marketing DIFFERENTLY, give us a call!

Ask us how we can help you market YOUR business on the Internet... Today!

 


Want to see more articles like this one? Visit our website and click on "learn more" from the home page - you'll find our past issues of Blue Chip Tips archived there for your reading enjoyment.

Want to use this article in YOUR eZine or business publication? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Online entrepreneur Caroline Melberg, "the Blue Chip Marketing Guru" publishes the popular "Blue Chip Tips" eZine every other week. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, increase your sales and ignite your speed to market by learning "insider" Blue Chip Marketing secrets, get your FREE tips now at www.melberg.com.

Caroline Melberg • Melberg Marketing • caroline@melberg.com • 952-473-1007 • www.melberg.com


2.  Blue Chip Quip:


"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude ."


-- Thomas Jefferson



3.  Questions and Feedback

Have a Blue Chip Marketing question, problem or idea to share?  Send it to us at: bluechiptips@melberg.com

We'd LOVE to hear from you!

 


 

That's it for this edition of Blue Chip Tips.

Look for your next issue on January 3rd!

Until then, Happy Marketing!

Caroline Melberg
Blue Chip Tips

© 2007 Caroline Melberg
Melberg Marketing, Inc.
1161 Wayzata Blvd. E. # 246
Wayzata, MN 55391

952-473-1007
caroline@melberg.com
www.melberg.com



About the Publisher

Entrepreneur and outdoor photography adventurer Caroline Melberg is President and CEO of Melberg Marketing, Inc., a full-service Virtual Marketing Communications Agency. She has over 20 years of experience creating marketing communications materials and affiliate program materials for some of the largest and most successful companies in the world including AT&T, AT&T Wireless, IBM, McDonald's, Exide Technologies, Motorola and Northwest Airlines.

Her every-other-week column, Blue Chip Marketing Secrets is syndicated online, and she publishes the popular eZine, Blue Chip Tips : The Secrets of Blue Chip Marketing... Revealed!

She lives in Wayzata, Minnesota with her husband and business partner Steve, her dad Jerome, and their puppy, Maverick. For more information about Melberg Marketing and the Virtual Marketing Communications Agency Concept, or to sign up for the Free eZine, Blue Chip Tips, go to www.melberg.com or contact Caroline at 952-473-1007.


Manage Your Subscription

Please pass this issue to your friends and associates! Just keep the entire issue intact and unaltered. (Use the "Forward eMail" button at the bottom of the page to send this eZine with formatting intact.

You are receiving Blue Chip Tips because you subscribed to it on our website. If you've had enough Blue Chip Tips and want to cancel, just send me an e-mail at: bluechiptips@melberg.com with the word "Cancel" in the subject line.

If you've received this from a friend and want to start receiving your OWN copy of Blue Chip Tips, just send me an e-mail at: bluechiptips@melberg.com with the words "Subscribe" in the subject line, and we'll sign-you up AND send you a copy of our free report, "Thinking Differently: How This Little-Known Marketing Concept Can Improve Your Speed to Market, Save You Money and Enhance Your Marketing Programs!"



<< back