Search Engine Shuffle — Ed’s 2011 Predicitions
We all feel it. In the back of our minds we know Facebook is taking over the net; but what will happen to the search engine market?
First off, why should we care?
Every Small Business in America (possibly the world) places a lot of hopes on the search engines helping bolster local customer bases. Many have opted out of the Yellow Pages in favor of web based marketing. This means we must know where to put our effort. In Small Business, time is money and both are in short supply these days.
At a recent BRIDGES Networking meeting I predicted December 2011 Search Engine Rankings would be:
- Bing
I further stated I did not think Yahoo would be in the top five if they still existed as a company. As I have a lot of history with Yahoo I don’t feel good predicting this. In a recent article on SEO Consult, John M concluded (again) that Yahoo is probably on the way out.
After my public prediction, an anonymous friend from Yahoo eMailed me privately with one word, something about excrement from a bull. Several others said Facebook? As a search engine?
My prediction is Facebook will become the dominant search engine for the same reason the Republican party swung the 2000 election their way–Microtargeting.
The concept of Microtargeting is built on the following: If I know you like yellow labrador retrievers and walks along the beach, then you are a prime marketing potential for:
- Viagra
- Dog leashes
- Sandals
- Sun screen
- Wind breaker jackets
- and the list goes on and on and on…
As a marketer, when I know your personal habits I have more ammunition for selling you things you like. This is called product optimization. Why show you an add for something that is going to turn you off?
Amazon and every major grocery store in America has been using microtargeting for several years, but the downfall to microtargeting is the consumer must make a financial transaction before the marketing department can take action.
Enter Facebook.
Everything on Facebook is personality focused. The games you play, the conversations you have, the pages you link to, and even the friends you associate with, now become Microtarget Marketing Fodder. The best part is the consumer is giving us the data for FREE. We do not have to pay a dime to know the most personal habits of over 500 million people (and growing).
Facebook integrated search engine results into their system more than a year ago, but they kept it very conservative. Over the coming months we will see an increased presences of search engine operations and with the addition of eMail, Facebook’s transition to dominance will be complete.
Currently Facebook is not classified as a search engine so their visits are not compared with Google, Yahoo and Bing. Once once the social networking maga-star enters the search arena, Facebook’s already dominate power will over take Google and knock long time friend (Yahoo) off the list.
Website Project Case Study – Fairview Orthodontics
We don’t have a screen capture of the very first version of Dr. Jasper’s website, but version 2.0, which we built using WordPress was a huge improvement. By adding the ability to add new content without the need of expensive software and built-in SEO tools made the site perform better. This past year Dr. Jasper has experienced a significant increase in business originating from the web, but as with most business websites time does not stand still!
Version 3.0 is still built-in WordPress, but now has the newest advanced features which takes WordPress beyond just a business blog site to a fully dynamic internet marketing system. The new design opens up the page to allow for more on page messaging and search engine relationship building.
The large image area cross fades between five different scenic photos of the Portland Metro and Columbia Gorge area. Dr. Jasper uses a photo of Mt Hood as his scenic logo: so we wanted to keep that natural feel, but wanted to have a site that felt like it was constantly changing.
The new menuing system built in to WordPress allows Dr. Jasper to create new main menu and sidebar entries on the fly. As a world renown Orthodontist, Dr. Jasper wanted the ability to feature recent inventions and dental improvements.
This site is design to allow a single page to omit the sidebar and widen the over all presentation–yet it still utilizes the business blog as an integral internet marketing tool. Where before we used a pre-built template that we had to adapt to his business, the new theme is custom built from scratch to fully integrate into Dr. Jasper’s business.
Website Project Case Study – Frank’s Senior News
Your website is a living breathing marketing tool that changes over time to meet your new business and life needs. We build websites in WordPress because most of the time your business changes looks, not information.
WordPress keeps content separate from design, allowing your business design to fluctuate over time. This week’s website project case study features FranksSeniorNews.com.
Frank Ryan is a 40 year veteran of all things related to marketing and advertising and has been the driving force behind multiple successful ventures. Two years ago we worked with Frank to build and optimize a website to aid in marketing the local newspaper he worked for. After two years of very successful search engine performance, and a dozen years with the paper, Frank retired–moving out of state to seek greener pastures in Northern Washington. (As Frank’s first website predates our Portfolio, we don’t have an image of the first design).
Because good people never retire, Frank started two new ventures and wanted to pivot his current website to capitalize on past SEO success. We re-designed his website to feature the new travel industry venture with a sub-feature topic of Frank’s consulting service.
Nine months after starting his new venture, Frank was convinced to add a third venture (Catholic Printery). This new venture presented a challenge that went beyond the business blog based design of the travel/consulting focused website. We recently redesigned the site to allow for the introduction of specials and detailed information on the advertising opportunities available to businesses wanting to advertise in church bulletins.
Version 3.0, WordPress introduced the ability to create custom menu entries on the fly without requiring additional programming.
In this new version of FranksSeniorNews.com, Frank wanted to highlight the Seattle market, allowing for easily adding new multi-dimensional webpage topics, side bar advertisements, and, of course, a fully integrated business blog.
Two Menus, Dynamic Visibility
The horizontal menu is designed to group major topics on the website and the vertical menu to highlight sub-pages in each major topic. At this point in Frank’s website development, Frank is compiling new info to add to the website, but Frank wanted the design change to take place ASAP and keep the previous content.
In the not too distant future, when Frank’s visitor clicks on a page from the horizontal menu bar, the vertical menu bar options will change. No custom or proprietary programming is required to accomplish this feat–rather we are using the Dynamic Widget plug-in with the built-in WordPress custom menu system.
Future Plans
While talking with Frank about the re-design he mentioned it would be nice to be able to use holiday theme changes for Easter and Christmas. We used the WordPress Child Theme feature to allow for website consistency across multiple themes.
Website Project Case Study – Plans & Action
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Plans & Action is a Portland, Oregon, based event and destination management planning / coordination company. This company has coordinated hundreds of events every year and coordinate tens of thousands of registrations for some of the world’s largest events. After their existing web developer deleted their website, they needed a fast custom solution.
Plans & Action contracted with Zenith Exhibits, Inc. on a Monday and by Thursday their brand-new, fully custom built website was live. At Zenith Exhibits, we do our level best to accommodate our clients’ needs and while a four-day build is not guaranteed every time, this case shows some of what can be done in special circumstances.
Website Features
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Customized Menus
All of our websites are built using WordPress version 3.0.2 or later. WordPress version 3.0 users have been able to use a simple drag and drop interface to create customized menu bars.
Better Search Engine Performance
The page structure of WordPress lends well to greater search engine visibility. With full features SEO add-on plug-ins (included on all websites we build), optimization happens automatically. This amazing tool allows business owners to focus 100% of their energies on creating excellent content and inspires action. All of our website projects include a full education track to get you fully up to speed with niche market focused content development.
Rotating Images (Cross Fading)
Rotating Images allow you to use the same screen space to display multiple images, each with the linking abilities to drive visitors to specific pages or business blog posts. With careful attention to the niche market trends you can keep prospects on your website longer. Longer web stays translate into increased contacts.
Custom Built Contact Forms
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In addition to five search engine optimized webpages of content, we build a custom contact form with built-in SPAM protection to allow visitors to easily contact you.
On Plans & Action’s website, we wanted to place another rotating package to help further entice their market to complete the form. The image to the right of the form cross fades between five different destination focused images.
Custom Written Content
The Plans & Action project was a Gold Website Package. The client gave us a copy of their resume with service bullet points and we researched and wrote all the content. When researching content we search Google, Yahoo and Bing for competitors in different parts of the United States (in cities of similar size and demographics) and find what works and why the Search Engine values those websites. We then craft new language using the client provided bullets as the starting point for the topics.
Customized Foot Menu
Since our goal is to keep visitors on your website longer and keep them reading deeper, we include a customized foot area where clients can modify a footer menu as needed. No special programming required. Using simple HTML instructions, business owners have full control over the complete operation of their website.
Award Winning Web Publishing & Organization
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WordPress is built with an easy to navigate “Dashboard” interface that allows business owners to add, change and delete content as needed.
- No special software needed
- No waiting for a web developer
- No limitations
Your WordPress website moves at the speed of business. With hundred of built-in features (too numerous to list here) and one of the most active open source development community, WordPress remains cutting edge that will continue to deliver more search engine prospects and more business.
Business Blogging is just ONE Marketing Strategy
Most Marketing Programs Work
This is a myth put forth by some marketing consultants and debunked in the book “Marketing Myths that are Killing Business”, by Clancy & Shulman. Truth is it is hard to tell if a marketing program is working. Well, that is until the internet and business blogging.
Enter Google Analytics
When we blog for business, we keep our topic focused. That topic gets good initial visibility on the search engines and using the FREE Google Analytics software, we can measure the effectiveness of the posting. If people are digesting your content AND visiting another page on your company website, then your business blog marketing strategy is working… However, if the phone does not ring then one might conclude that the effort failed.
Business Blogs Gather Traffic
Your website makes the case for people to call.
- Use your blog to capture keyword focused search engine visibility
- Provide value to the reader in the form of knowledge they can use
- leave the selling to your other Web Pages
All to often we, as business owners / operators, panic when we see lots of web traffic but not phone calls. This is a business matrix. Find the most common page visitors read next, after your business blog posting. Have a trusted friend read the second page and ask them this question:
What, if any, action are you inspired to take?
If the answer is none, then you have found the failure in your marketing program. Modify the page and repeat the process. In business, we improve that which we measure. Use Google Analytics to measure your marketing effort and keep adjusting until your phone starts to ring.
How does my blog bring me new customers?
Business blogging increases search engine visibility through keyword focus in a text based presentation.
So how does a small business use their blog to find new customers?
A typical mistake is to write about your great deal, product features and benefits, or all the money one can save. Those are called sales pitches. American consumers do not like a sales pitch.
Write about your customers, your passions, your history in your profession, ways your product improves lives, your charitable efforts, and your feelings. Yes feelings.
All things being equal, people prefer to do business with people they know and like. Keep it professional and avoid any topics you wouldn’t discuss at a Chamber of Commerce meeting in a mixed crowd. Writing about your feelings is not writing a diary, rather your feelings as they pertain to your chosen profession.
Your blog can be a product announcement, so long as you say so right up front. Mixing press releases, product announcements, research and development progress with personal growth in your business will help give your readers some insight they can not find anywhere else.
Unlike all other forms of print media, your business blog is an informal marketing medium where you can lower your guard and speak from your heart. When you, you’ll find the comments and feedback you receive will go a long ways towards increase customer connections and higher search engine rankings.
Get a FREE business blog site at PDXchat.com
Businesses don’t blog, they weducate consumers
Since blogging become the activity dujure, people like me have been trying to mold the technology into a business tool. Too often I see business people trying to blog about social activities or, worse yet, blogging direct sales pitches—both of which are doomed for failure.
My feeling is the problem with business blogging is the term blogging. Since a blog, more often than not, is viewed as an online diary/chit-chat arena; business people struggle to find the relevancy for inclusion in their marketing effort.
I have coached a few hundred clients now how to use blog technology to educate their consumer base, providing “how to” based info to capture “Long Tail” traffic, but many still struggle to gain traction using the medium because, I think, the word BLOG. So, we are creating a new word.
Business blogging is most effective as an education platform. Take Web and Educate and we get WEDUCATE.
Weducate – the process of writing search engine optimized articles that help consumers solve challenges they face with the goal of providing overwhelming evidence that you are the service provider with the knowledge to service their needs.
When we weducate our consumers, we do so absent of any direct sales pitch. While we are free to include targeted advertisements in the footer and sidebar areas of our weducation article, the article itself should be devoid of any sales-based call to action.
