Wordpress Expert : Steve Watson Online

Search Engine Optimization: Major Factors for On-Page SEO You Cannot Ignore

A lot of the focus of website owners and internet marketers lie within creating traffic and link building; these external methods certainly help with the overall ranking of a website but without proper on-page optimization a website hits a glass ceiling on what’s possible within search engine results. This article will share the major factors of on-page SEO which you cannot afford to ignore.

“Keyword Rich URL’s” – Each web page should be assigned a unique URL which uses the main keyword which you’ll be using throughout the content and web page; this keyword is one of the most important elements of on-page optimization and should not be omitted at any interval during the creation of your website.

The following is an example of how your website’s URL should look:

Bad: www.yourwebsite.com/?=1234

Good: www.yourwebsite.com/keyword-rich-title.html

“Main Keyword within the Title Tag” – The title tag is the on-page element which is displayed at the top of the web browser’s window and within search engine results. Place your main keyword within the first section of your title tag so search engines and its users are more readily to find it; this improves your overall rankings in SERP’s.

“Main (Relevant) Keyword in the H1 Tag” – The H1 tag is the highest value heading tag on a web page; it tells search engines the main focus of the content and is often considered just as valuable as the title tag of your page. Apply your main keyword to your H1 tag to ensure your on-page SEO is up to par with your competition; equally so, create a headline which entices users to click through and dig into your content.

“Content worth Sharing” – The most widely used adage is “Content is King!” but that’s not necessarily so; to gain the best benefit of content and on-page SEO, you’ll need to create content which people are likely to share with others and link back to on their own site. Content should be created for the end-user in mind by providing the best quality information on the topic.

“Proper Interlinking to Inner Pages” – Each web page should have links to sub-pages which use the destination page’s relevant keyword as the anchor link. Interlinking content on your website allows search engines to dig deep within your website to index pages and apply value to each page along with search engine optimization factors which come from the use of keywords in your anchor links. Instead of a “Click Here” for your interlinks, try using the page’s main keyword.

“Keyword within Image ALT Tags” – A search engine spider does not currently have the capability to “see” what image is placed on your web page; it looks for the image ALT tag. Each image which you place on your website, place an ALT tag within the image HTML text such as: <img src=”image.jpg” alt=”yourKeyword” />.

Categories: SEO, Traffic, Wordpress - Tags: alt tags, content, interlinking, keywords, on page, tags, traffic

Top 3 Social Media Platforms for Businesses

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There are thousands of social networks available online today; trying to join each and interacting on them will stretch your efforts far too thin to the point that you’re not making any impact. It’s best to focus on just a few social networks at a time. Staying focused on a small group of social networks will allow you to devote time for market interaction, sharing content and building an online brand.

This article will explore the top three social networks you should be using. Each of the following will provide you with access to the largest segment of your market and give you the ability to try different marketing approaches when interacting with your community.

Facebook

Facebook is the essential social network that every business should be a part of due to the massive size of the platform. With Facebook, your business will be able to build a loyal fan base, take advantage of fan pages, share promotions and interact with your market in ways that may prove difficult on your business website.

Facebook is great for businesses as an outlet to share regular content and updates without requiring manual updates to the businesses’ website. The majority of web users have Facebook accounts; each message they respond to on your own fan page wall or message will show on their own which makes an opportunity for subtle word-of-mouth marketing. Likewise, Facebook has continued to expand their offerings with advertising options, marketplaces and event pages if your business chooses to take advantage of these options on the platform.

Twitter

Twitter is a micro blogging platform where users may interact, share content and build a strong personal brand using 140 characters or less. Even with the limitations on the size of a message your business can fully tap into this social network by providing a great experience to your market in a real-time environment.

Twitter has quickly shot to feverish heights as one of the most popular social media platforms on the web today. Each time your business has news to share to the world, do so on Twitter. Interact with your customers by finding their profiles and build a following by sharing widgets on your own website. Twitter also allow for easy sharing of your content across the platform which may drive customers through your website and increase your bottom line.

Categories: Blogging, Social Media - Tags: Blogging, business, facebook, twitter

WordPress: Why it Matters for Blogging and Business

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Wordpress For Busienss

Ok it’s time for me to start bigging WordPress up. Believe it or not some people are still not convinced that a move from a static html site to a site based on WordPress is a good thing. I am going to start a series of blog posts that really gets into why such a move should be a no brainer.

So let’s start with WHY?

WordPress is one of the most widely used content management systems used for blogging on the web. The limits to WordPress are seemingly endless because it is open source (free) by nature which means that anyone may edit and update the platform; this has spawned an entire industry of freelance professionals and businesses that offer great plugins, themes and support for WordPress. More importantly, WordPress is one of the greatest options for setting up a website which is detailed in this article.

Limitless Flexibility

The first, most important element of WordPress is the flexibility of the platform. WordPress is not just a blogging platform but can also be used as an eCommerce portal or an entire website that looks no different than ones you frequent while on the web.

WordPress developers have created an endless amount of options for modifying and updating your WordPress website. There are plugins that speed up your website, plugins to automatically add share buttons for social media websites, plugins to expand the flexibility of your content creation and so much more. In all, WordPress gives you the greatest flexibility over a content management system with the ease-of-use that anyone without technical knowledge can understand.

WordPress for Blogging

WordPress gives a blogger many options for increasing their online presence through themes, plugins and the ability for the community to leave feedback through comments. Unlike a traditional static website, WordPress comes packaged with features that add a new layer of interactivity and flexibility that aid a blogger with getting their content found and building an online following.

Naturally, WordPress does an amazing job at search engine optimization through multiple plugins and the ability to ‘ping’ blog search engines; all of these additions help with getting the website found by search engines. Likewise, WordPress gives its users the ability to drag and drop widgets and modules (depending on the WordPress framework) which adds premium features like opt-in forms for lead capture, automatic feeds from other blogs, payment gateways for selling products and anything you think of that will fit onto your WordPress blog. In short, if you need a feature on your WordPress blog, you can bet that a developer has created it.

Categories: Blogging, Traffic, Wordpress - Tags: Blogging, business, traffic, Wordpress

7 Strategies to Promote and Build your Facebook Following

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Facebook can be a powerful tool for small businesses to connect and interact with their audience. However, without followers, on Facebook, small businesses really aren’t connecting at all; for this reason, promotion is in order. This article will share several different strategies you could be using to promote your Facebook profile and build your online following …

Method 1: Create a Facebook Fan Page

Start promoting yourself on the big time by creating a Facebook fan page. A fan page can be dedicated to anything from a business to a cause; for the purpose of this article, you would most likely be creating a page dedicated to your business or website (they’re often one in the same). Sign up and create your Facebook Fan page, fill in the necessary information and begin promoting it through various channels you’re already active on such as your emails to people, your website or any other social media profile you may have such as Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn.

Method 2: Create a Facebook Event

Get active with your industry by holding events within your local area. Events can bridge the offline and online world; you may have a massive amount of potential followers but aren’t very active on the web which puts your local event in the perfect position to get these people on board with following your Facebook profile, joining your fan page or visiting your website. Find out a perfect time to create an event in your area such as a holiday weekend when people are likely to have time off. Host the event and give away free items or products for those that attend. Tell people more about your Facebook profile and where they can find you online; not only will you build trust in your local community but you’ll also have the potential to land some quality leads to your website.

Method 3: Advertise on Facebook

Facebook offers a very large advertising platform with a wealth of features and filters that let you hone in on the exact type of person you wish to market to. The Facebook advertising platform lets you play around with filters such as geographical location, hobbies & interests, age and so much more. Laser focus your advertising campaign, through Facebook, to talk to the niche groups in your industry. Focusing your advertising campaign not only lets you keep the costs low but you’ll also find people that are far more likely to take action because you’re not taking a broad swipe at your marketing message. Send people to your Facebook page and entice them to sign up; a few hundred dollars to promote your page can lead to thousands of new followers in a rapid amount of time.

Method 4: Create a Facebook Group

Groups differ from Fan Pages and Events; they’re more like a collective behind a cause, piece of entertainment or just anything in general. A Facebook group can take on any shape and form; people can easily ‘like’ a Facebook group as it can relate to just about any broad or niche topic. For example, you could create a Facebook group related to your industry. On your group page, you could share valuable information which would, in turn, get people interested in your personal brand. All of your interactions on a broad (or niche) scope can lead people to your Facebook page and convince them to follow you

Categories: Social Media - Tags: business, contest, events, facebook, facebook page, fan page, group, likes, marketing

How to Find a Reliable Web Hosting Solution

Written by Steve · 1 Comment

There are hundreds of website hosting companies advertising their services on the web; there are even more individuals that are also in the business. With so many options available on the web it can be hard to determine which web host will be reliable and fit your project needs. This article will take you through some of the factors to consider when you’re in the market for a reliable web hosting solution.

Determine your Website Needs

Find out what exactly you need from a web host before you make the purchase. List everything you need in your website and how you expect it to grow in time. The list you create can be presented to web hosting companies, using email or a phone call, so they can answer all of your questions and list off if their service handles what you’re looking for.

Look toward how large your website may grow so you can choose the proper web hosting solution that will allow for your website to expand without the growing pains. Align the software technologies your website will need such as the PHP or MySQL required to install backend software such as shopping cart solutions or blogging platforms. Knowing what you need will guide you toward a reliable web host that can grow with your website instead of restricting it.

Factor in a Flexible Budget

Keep a budget in mind when shopping for web hosting solutions. A small budget isn’t necessarily the best mode of thought because you must remember that your website will be completely reliant on a web host. Spending too little (or trying to find free options) could lead to buyer’s remorse because your web host does not fit your website needs.

Work with a budget that’s reasonable but don’t immediately dismiss hosting packages that are a little higher than what you’re willing to spend. Expensive web hosting packages come with many additional benefits that are extremely helpful in the event you need such as rapid customer service, regular backups and server expansions. It’s better to have a web host that’s more than enough to run your website than one too little that will ruin your success.

Categories: Traffic, Wordpress

Five Best Practices for Businesses on Social Media

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Countless businesses have made the mistake of entering social network only to be rejected by the community because of their false interaction with others. Although there aren’t any set ‘rules’ to using social media there are a few best practices within this article that you should consider prior to and during your use of social media for your business.

1: Share Worthwhile Content

Share content that’s valuable to the community. Avoid content that’s overly promotional or has no benefit to the end user. Find what your community wants to consume and deliver it to them. You will find that much of the information people want to consume is related to what you have to offer. Sharing content related to your business will keep you in mind when others go to look at each piece of content.

2: Listen

Listen to what your community has to offer; talk to them about the content they’ve shared and how you can best help them in their own ventures. Forget business for a moment and think about what you can offer people other than a marketing message. Try to genuinely help people with what they’re working on. Helping others without the thought of gaining something in return eventually comes back to you and your business through positive interaction with your community.

3: Remember the WIIFM Factor

The ‘What’s In It For Me’ factor should always be on your mind whenever you publish a social media update. If your message does not provide value to the end user than it may be best to forgo sending out a message at this time. Always remember that the bottom line for your community is the value that you provide; it’s an equal exchange of information between business and its community.

4: Don’t Overdo It

Don’t force your community to follow you on hundreds of social networks; pick a few that work best for your business and stick to them. Likewise, keep your status updates to a minimum to avoid overloading your community with information. Keep your messages to only that which provides value whether it’s one publish a day or a dozen but never push it to hundreds every hour.

5: Engage

Always remember that the fundamental reason people use social media is to engage with others. Don’t be caught up with publishing new marketing messages with each push. Talk to your community directly in a casual manner asking them what’s new, if they need help or simply what they’re up to for the day. In short, treat your social media interaction like you would with a best friend; casual and transparent.

Categories: Marketing, Social Media, Wordpress - Tags: engage, listen, Social Media

How to Use Youtube for Online Business

Written by Steve · 1 Comment

How to use youtube for business The power of a Youtube video is incredible; it can unlock a wealth of opportunities for branding, drive traffic to a website, spur up sales and so much more. However, the average user of Youtube is simply making videos for fun but a recent trend has been utilizing the video sharing website as a platform for online business and marketing – this article shares how to do just that …

Create Product or Service Tutorial Videos

Since people can’t physical pick up and touch your products or services, it’s difficult for them to coherently understand what your business offers. One way to put people in the “driver’s seat” of your products or services is to create videos around the usage and overview of your business offerings. Video lets people get an inside glimpse on how your products or services can directly impact their lives without trying to decipher cryptic web copy or web page images. Use video to put your viewers into the “owner’s mindset” where they feel as if they have the product in their hands or service at their fingertips; create an emotional response and you will convert video viewers like crazy.

Share Video Reviews and Testimonials

Tap into your business community by soliciting testimonials and reviews from your existing customers.

Marketing spin is a difficult hurdle to overcome when trying to promote a product or service; one way to get through to people is to let others do the talking for you! Get a video camera in the hands of your most loyal customers and they will be likely to share their thoughts about what you have to offer. Once the videos are online, your industry and community can see how real people are using your business products and services which creates word-of-mouth marketing potential and higher rates of conversions because the message isn’t forced and have a marketing spin.

Categories: Marketing, SEO, Traffic - Tags: business, tutorials, video, you tube

10 Simple Steps To Get Your Business Listed On Google Places

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google-places

Google Places is a free service provided by Google to help connect local businesses with their local communities (customers). Placement in Google Places takes no more than ten minutes and doing so will list your business in search results and Google Maps when local users search for keywords related to your business within your area. Getting listed in Google Places is a great asset for building your local search engine optimization; this article will share a step-by-step guide for getting listed through this service.

Step 1: Sign up for a Google Places Account

Getting listed in Google Places requires you to sign up for a Google account. Google accounts are free and only take a few moments to get together. Add in your basic account details and confirm the account before you get started.

Step 2: Search for Existing Listings

Upon signing up for Google Places, you will be given the option to search for an existing listing for your business in the area. Fill in the forms to list your country and business phone number, click next and either confirm or continue on to fill in your business information.

Step 3: Fill in your Basic Information

Add the basic information about your business which includes:

Country
Company Name
Address
Phone Number
Website
Description
Category

To improve our local search engine optimization with Google Places, fill in the description field with a keyword rich description of your business that lists the products or services you offer. Add a category that perfectly fits your business to ensure that it will show up for the keywords that are relevant to your business.

Step 4: Fill in Services Area and Location Settings

If your business offers some form of on-site delivery or service than select the ‘yes’ option to add in details of where your business operates within the local area otherwise select ‘no’ if you are a brick-and-mortar type store where customers come to you.

Categories: Marketing, SEO - Tags: business listing, google, google places, traffic