Link Up to Build SEO

Web site Search Engine Optimization (SEO) involves a myriad of elements. First, there is the programming - how things are tagged and written in the code of your site. Second is the strategic and frequent placement of Keywords throughout the site. Third.... well, the list keeps going.

But one of the major keys to increasing SEO is LINKS.

It is important to know that there are two types of links - external and internal. The latter is easy to accomplish since it is linking within your own Web site to direct people through your pages. External links are a bit trickier.

The key to external links is to acquire QUALITY links. What is a quality link? It's when a trade or industry site links to your Web site. It's when people bookmark your pages and continue to link back to them. Technorati.com writer Sally Ormand writes:

"The more relevent the links are that point back to your site, the more Google (and the other search engines) will see you as an authority on your particular subject matter. After all, if you are getting links from respected sites in your field, you must be an expert, right?"

Now, how do you acquire these authority links?

1. Create lists and submit them to bookmarking and social media sites that entice people to bookmark them. Popular bookmarking sites include Delicious and Digg.

2. Update local listings, such as your Google Maps listing, Yelp.com, SuperPages, MerchantCircle.com, etc.

3. Syndicate trade articles or reviews through sites such as EzineArticles.com or GoArticles.com that link back to your site.

4. Add your blog page to directories such as LoadedWeb.com or swap links with local organizations such as LocalAutoSpot.com (if your business is relevant to cars), the Better Business Bureau or a BNI chapter.

5. Follow other blogs in your field and make comments that show your authority on the topic and drive people to other industry bloggers through links. The goal is that they will return the favor.

SEO, like social media, is a constant effort. And, sometimes it requires purchasing linking opportunities, but only do so for Web sites with high Alexa ratings. Online business is highly competitive so continue to build your online presence and work to stay atop SEO standards.

For more ideas, contact Marketicity or for DIY ideas read 101 Ways to Build Link Popularity.

Mobile Marketing 101

Like social media and the Internet, mobile marketing has its doubters. But the simple truth is that 160 of the 244 million mobile phone users in the United States have text plans. Of these, 54.5 million are mobile Internet users, though 172 million phones are capable of Internet usage. Plus, 27 million access social networks from their mobile phones.

Even though smart phones only comprise one-third of the mobile market, the bigger statistic for mobile marketing is that nearly half of all mobile phone users have a text plan.

SMS Marketing
SMS stands for short-message marketing and refers to text-message marketing. You've seen the ads, text "Vote" to a four-digit short code, such as 5252. however, you can also text promotions or updates. It is perhaps the most personal form of marketing, plus technology allows you to grab the phone number, name and other information when people voluntarily opt-in to a mobile marketing program.

Mobile-Ready Web Sites
During the summer, I heard a statistic in summer 2009 that only one percent of Web sites are mobile ready. Yet, the smart phone market continues to surge. While only comprising one-third of the overall market, smart phones - including iPhones, Blackberrys and Androids - are a growing marketshare with no halt in sight. However, it's not just smart phones that are capable of hosting Internet access. How does your Web site look on the mobile Web?

Mobile Applications
You can't hide from the almighty "app." There are more than 100,00 iphone applications. Add to this the many Blackberry and Google Android Applications. Plus, Windows Marketplace for Mobile is coming soon. Not everyone needs a mobile application, but it is something to think about. It is expected that smart phone users will comprise 50 percent of the mobile market in the next two to three years.

Mobile Networking
Social media is simply inescapable right now. The major social media tools all have applications for smart phones, so people regularly access these outlines through their mobile connection - sending updates, posting links, sharing photos. Part of the future of Public Relations and Networking is social media, especially mobile social applications. It's time to start perfecting your 160-character sound bites.

Learn From 2009's Massive Marketing Changes

A Message from Scott Rodemich

Curious about the approach others in your industry (or other industries) took in 2009? Needless to say, we were cautious about our own agency’s business prospects heading into the year in light of the current economy.

Looking back, however, we saw a large number of clients being savvy “bottom-up investors” in terms of marketing. They reinvested in their brand awareness and identity while others cut back. Here’s what we saw:

Web is King
Not a new concept. However, in terms of marketing, a firm’s Web-based efforts continue to grow in terms of conveying brand, measuring marketing ROI and serving as a business lead generator. Web investments by our clients were exceptional and continue to provide value.

Personal PR and Marketing (aka Social Media)
Do you have a personal and/or business Facebook page yet? If so, are you using it to connect with customers and provide valuable information? Are you using it to measure ROI on marketing efforts? Are you using it to increase brand awareness? And since it is also a quasi-PR tool, is it being monitored daily? Do you Twitter? Do you know whether you should Twitter or Facebook (or both)? Answering these questions and developing targeted business solutions was one of the fastest-growing segments of our business in 2009.

Organic SEO vs. PPC
Organic searches are when someone types a word or phrase into Google, for example. The highest-rated sites for those terms appear in the middle of the page. Getting your company as high as possible in that section is an effort called organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Conversely, the ads at the top and side of search pages appear via Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns. For the right companies, PPC campaigns work. But, we found new clients who were being ripped off by paying PPC amounts for their own brand names – brands they’ve built over the years – while being ignored in the organic section of Web searches. In turn, we designed solutions to improve organic SEO rankings and better target their PPC efforts.

Marketing ROI
Do you know if a specific marketing effort works or not? You should. New, free tools exist to let you know if you marketing efforts are leading to greater awareness. And remember, advertising is for awareness. It’s up to your sales team to take that awareness and bring it to the bottom line. We’ve helped monitor the success of marketing in ways not previously possible … an important factor in the challenging climate of 2009.

Print and Video Are Not Dead
We saw a leveling of corporate investment in print and video projects this year – not a downturn. That’s good. Companies realize there is still a time and place for something their client can feel, hear and see in person. The twist, however, is that these pieces are being incorporated into the Web to increase the brand ROI for each print or video project. For one client, a short video on their site is the page that generates the most traffic. For another, we completed a new corporate video and brochure early in 2009. The client incorporated these pieces into their Web presence, as well.

Looking Ahead
So what’s on the horizon … Marketicity is moving forward to assist clients with the mobile revolution, including mobile networking and PR through social media, texting promotions, mobile coupons and mobile-compatible Web sites. Smart phone purchases continue to skyrocket and companies must be able to share their message on the computer and on a mobile phone. Mobile technology also presents a variety of client retention and operational efficiency opportunities for clients and their customers. It’s just another extension of what’s been an exciting time for us.

In Summary
Looking back, it was a good year. Business for our firm was up 20 percent. We were blessed with new and existing clients who saw the wisdom of investing in a down market. We also saw clients ready to move forward with their customers’ embrace of technology.

Bottom line: if you believe everyone sat on the sideline in 2009 and muddled along, they did not. We hope you have a tremendous 2010 and would welcome the opportunity to help you improve brand awareness this year.

Prairie Farms 2009 Annual Report

In a mere six weeks, we completed the Prairie Farms 2009 Annual Report. Always a tight deadline, this project is edited, concepted, designed and printed within the six-week time frame.

This year, we strove to push the design of the report to a more sophisticated level that bolstered the emerging branding makeover Prairie Farms has presented in the last year. in particular, Casara Heaton, our Graphic Design Specialist, improved the readability of text layout, updated chart graphics and modernized the design, including the cover stock choice.

This year, in particular, we are really excited about the print edition of the 2009 Prairie Farms Annual report. It is truly a team project that requires speedy turn-around from Prairie Farms and Marketicity. Can't wait to see what we develop in 2010!

We've Moved! (temporarily)

While we wait for our new office to be complete, we are temporarily located in our new space at:
119 S. Main St.
Columbia, IL 62236

Our temporary office is located about one block away from our final destination at 109 N. Main St. in the heart of Columbia's business district in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

If you are in the area, please stop by and visit us! We are excited about the reviews of our new exposed-brick, open floor plan office. See you soon!