Why you should not count on your business name as the only keyword for search engines.
“We have a web site and people can find us on the Web.”
When it comes to web design and Internet marketing that’s what you can hear from many small business owners. Guess what? Most of the times there are talking about “people being able to find them on the Web” it’s about using their business name as a search term. It’s simple – you type your company name in and see the results. Bam! You’re number one in Google!
Little consideration is given to the fact that their business name is unique- so there are no direct competitors for that particular search term. In other words, people must know their business name to be able to find it on the Web. Somehow they have to be aware of your company’s existence before they start looking for your website.
That’s ok for some companies that are not looking for online exposure. There are using their websites as marketing collateral – just to educate potential clients about their business. However, most companies need to go far beyond that and use their web sites as an effective tool for finding new clients. In this case, bidding just on your company’s name as a search term is not enough. You have to stat building up you online presence.
For example, if you own an Italian restaurant in Greensville, OH – your keywords should be “Italian Restaurant Greensville, OH”. Not just “Restaurant” or “Italian Restaurant”
People tend to think that Search Engines place the “best” companies first so they trust them more. If you’re not on the first page- consider yourself lost in the vastness of the Internet.
You can also determine your placement yourself if you’re using a PPC campaign. Google AdWords is a good place to start. It might take some time to get yourself familiarized with the interface but it’s not that difficult to use.
However, it might be a quite expensive proposition if you’re bidding on competitive keywords.
Also don’t forget local searches. Google as well as Bing are now offering Local Search Results that are placed prominently above all organic listings. It’s the best real estate for advertising your company before clients’ eyes.
A web site for your small business. How to make it work?
Many small business owners are still confused about how to establish their presence on the Web. Truth is, unless you’re not directly involved in E-commerce, you should be concentrating less on selling and more on communicating with your potential customers- engaging them and making them interested in your company
Social Media and Small Business. How to get them together.
There was a lot of hype lately about social media with heightened expectations and stories of great success. Naturally, it attracted attention of many small business owners who were quick to jump the bandwagon. However, many of them are feeling disappointed with the results. Is this because social media is just a waste of time or because they misjudged its meaning and potential?
Is your web site ready for its visitors?
There’s a great amount of interest among the Internet entrepreneurs about how to promote their business on the Web. There’s always a quest for new and innovative ways of promotion that promise greater results at lower cost and in shorter time. Yet with all the efforts spent on promotion it’s just amazing how many people totally ignore one basic question- is their website is worth of promoting it? With new computer technologies and high speed connections the new age on the Internet has arrived- the age that redefined the criteria of a successful web site, which satisfies demands of its visitors.
