We live in a result-driven world!  Achieving sales, margin goals and cash flow results are common and constant discussions at most companies. However, when it comes to website performance, unless you’re selling products online, most people avoid conversations about results. Why is that?

Without sales, margins, and cash flow, a lot of organizations simply don’t know what to measure. If you’re talking about the web, search engine results are a great place to start.

Let’s say you own a pizza parlor and you want people to find your location online. 

How can you possibly get on the first page of Google search results, maybe even become number one, for pizza knowing that there are millions of pizza places in the United States?

The answer lies in selecting keywords that are specific to your business, such as “Pizza Parlor in Wheaton, Illinois,” for example.  Selecting the right keywords, as you might have guessed, is not easy, but it’s critical to quality search results. That’s why you have so many search engine optimization (SEO) specialists advertising on the web. Search engine traffic, it has been proven, can bring you more sales and new customers if done correctly. (Did you know that your website can get penalized for taking certain actions and actually drop in ranking? http://www.webconfs.com/15-minute-seo.php)

But with so many promising that they can make you number one in the rankings, on Google, how do you know who or what to believe?

When you search the internet for “search engine optimization” companies, you are bombarded with choices.  Many promise you immediate results in getting your rankings up, and they even promise you that they can guarantee you’ll be number one in the rankings.  Is that true? Can they really do that?

The answer is no. We have several clients that we’ve taken their keywords and over several weeks and months gotten many, sometimes most, of their keywords ranked #1 on Google. Does that mean we can do that every single time?  I would never make that claim. None of us know Google’s formula for ranking sites so making such a bold claim is, in our view, irresponsible marketing. There are many ways to accomplish high ranking results for your website.  The work that goes on behind the scene of your website is only the starting point.  There are online and offline optimization techniques, which we’ll leave for another blog.

Search engines have adapted to this new web-world of blogs, social media, videos, etc., and are constantly changing how they rank websites.  In previous years, your keywords and links was all that really mattered but times have changed!  Search engines take many more factors into account these days, such as your content, download speed, keyword relevancy and competition, the importance of inbound and outbound links, and of course your connections. 

It is not always about quantity, you also have to factor in quality.  As search engines are getting smarter, so should you.  A reputable marketing company can not only improve your website ranking but do it in a way that preserves your reputation. If someone is guaranteeing you #1 ranking on Google you need to ask yourself, “Does this sound too good to be true?” If it does, well, it may be time to consider another SEO firm.

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1. Every page needs a focal point

Every page on your website should have a focal point, a place where the visitor’s eyes are naturally drawn. It can be an image, a special offer, or a headline. In addition, that focal point should direct your visitors to act, a call-to-action.

Click here for free sample, for example.

Think of your pages as Billboards. Billboards are big, bright, and clearly direct you to take a specific action. You site pages should do the same.

Your focal points should include images and copy that is keyword rich and help the search engines find your site.

2. Headline can be very effective

Headlines organize your content by making a promise to the reader. It follows then, that your content must then deliver on that promise.

Using the “who-what-why” formula isn’t the only way to format your headlines, but it works. Think of your headlines as a promise, a commitment you make between you and your visitor.

There are many effective headline formulas out there, so you need never worry about repeating yourself.

Whether it’s on the page or in your meta data, headlines are an important SEO tactic.

3. Get 50% through the use of numbers

People are more apt to believe something when a number accompanies it. 51% of those surveyed believed something is more powerful than a majority of those surveyed believe…

Numbers grab our attention and are more credible than general terms. It seems people like specifics.

4. Use power words

Words like fast, easy, guaranteed and free are powerful copy.

    “Free is the most powerful word in the copywriter’s vocabulary. Everybody wants to get something for free.”

    -Robert W. Bly

In our email marketing we typically use headlines such as, “Free PDF…” or some other power word to increase click-throughs and, eventually, sales opportunities.

5. Think about your images

The cliché is “a picture is worth a thousand words” and it’s true. And if a picture is worth a thousand words then a video is worth ten thousand. Think long and hard about the visuals you use. Pictures and videos can supercharge story and include:

    * Photographs

    * Artwork

    * Charts and Graphs

    * Slidedecks

    * Video

    * Infographics

Make sure your images have an ALT description so the search engines know what it is you’re trying to communicate through your images.

6. Use Sub-Headlines

Would you read a newspaper if it had just one headline? Of course not!

We want information that is categorized and well organized.

If your text is longer than 250-400 words, you must use sub-headlines. No exceptions.

While the search engines give sub-headings slightly less impact than Headings, sub-headings remain an important SEO tactic.

7. Lists work

This entire post is a list.

Why do lists work so well? Lists are the building blocks of the thinking process, of ideas. To communicate your thoughts quickly and effectively, nothing structures the information like a well-thought out and logically organized list.

8. People love quotes

In my book Communication Wins, I opened every chapter with a quotation. Selecting the right quote for each chapter took up a significant part of my editing time.

Use quotes to organize your ideas and demonstrate that our major points are significant enough to have earned a historical quotation. If Abraham Lincoln commented on your major point, then it’s probably important enough for people to want to learn more about it.

9. Fun with font

Some people change fonts within their copy for emphasis. We think that’s a bad idea. To attract attention to a particular point or section of your copy, try using bold and/or italics.

The search engine can detect bold and/or italicized font in your copy and assume these are the important terms (keywords).

10. Your voice sells

There are dozens of good SEO copywriting techniques. We encourage you to learn and use them.

However, at the end of the day, you need to find your own voice. Your particular point of view, style, and tone, form the foundation for your audience appeal.

I love the way Peggy Noonan writes. She was President Reagan’s speech writer and has a lyrical style and velvet touch while, at the same time, the ability to cut like a knife, without sounding angry, through the foolishness that is served up to us on a daily basis as serious political discourse. Would I like to write like Peggy, you bet!

But I can’t. There’s only one Peggy and I’m not her. So I have to do my best to write like me. I’ve learned that my best writing is typically short declarative sentences that are easy to read and understand.

Do you agree?

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Writing and submitting articles to article banks, e-zines and e-book publishers has proven to be one of the most effective of all traffic generating techniques. You may think that you have no writing ability, but you can definitely write articles about the topic of your website and about the products or services that you are selling. You just need to know the rules for making them effective.

The Headline.    The first and most important few words of your article are in the title or the headline. The title MUST contain the key words that relate to the topic of your website and to the products or services that you sell. This is the first thing that other website owners or E-zine publishers will look at when they decide whether to reproduce your article on their websites or in their publications because they want their copy optimized for search engines.
 

The other thing about the title or headline of your article is that it must be attention getting. For example, you can’t just title your article ‘Fish Bait’.  ‘Fish Bait the Fish Can’t Resist’ would entice the person who was looking for information about fish bait to keep reading.

The First Line.    Equally important to your article is the first line of the first paragraph. Internet surfers have a notoriously short attention span and rarely actually read anything word for word unless it is information that they believe will serve their needs, solve a problem or make life better in general for them. So the title and the first line are what you use to entice a reader to actually read the article.

The first line needs to contain the key words as well; and it also needs to be attention getting. So, if you like fishing, you would probably keep reading an article that starts with. ‘The fish were begging for more of this fish bait after my first cast!’

Length.  Another thing about writing articles that you plan to submit to article banks is that they need to be short. Very short! They should be a maximum of 400 words and closer to 300 would be better. It’s easy to get carried away and produce an article that is 1000 words or more when you are discussing a subject that you know a lot about and are interested in. If you start writing and forget to stop, break long wordy articles down and make three or four articles out of the one long one.

Formatting.  Use short sentences and short paragraphs. Remember that short attention span that we talked about? Don’t use big words and don’t use run-on sentences. Make your article easy to read. Go easy on the exclamation points, as well. One exclamation point indicates importance or excitement...  a half a dozen are just rude.

Warning! Do NOT word-wrap your link! Type it out in full, as in http://www.whatever.com. All email programs that E-zine editors use to send out their newsletters and E-zines do not support word-wrapped links so you can defeat your own purpose by word-wrapping the link to your website.

You may not actually generate any real traffic for your website at the very outset but this technique will serve you very well in the long run!

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We keep talking about the importance of communication.  Being able to communicate is what will make or break your marketing campaign, what will make website visitors stay longer and what will eventually turn leads into customers.

We mostly communicate through content, but the first impression we leave largely depends on the visual appeal of the content we are presenting, may that be our website, our social media landing pages, our reports or our marketing collateral.  Choosing the right images to visually communicate our content is crucial to engaging our readers.

5 Tips to choosing the correct image:

1. Determine the overall concept of what it is you are trying to communicate. Then decide on the theme of your image.
2. Make sure you consider the colors in the image of your choice. There are many sites that offer images for a reasonable cost, such as Clipart.com,  iStockPhoto.com, Free-StockPhotos.com, PaintShop Pro, NeoPaint, and with so many images available, there is bound to be one that will be the perfect fit.
3. Avoid a cluttered image (unless you are writing about clutter).  A good image draws your eyes to the story you want to tell.  A cluttered image distracts from the story.
4. Consider your target audience.  Don’t leave anyone out of the story.  Make sure you choose an image that covers the whole of your target market, not just one part of your audience.
5. If you have any inkling that you have to explain the setting in the image to communicate your intention, it’s not the right picture.   

Remember, choosing the right image while communicating your message can make or break the deal!

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To maintain a successful website you want to keep your visitors coming back again and again. That means you are responsible for creating interesting content that adds value to your visitor’s life and is updated regularly. It’s a big responsibility.

Here are 6 surefire ways to keep your visitors returning:

1. Articles: Articles give your visitors something new to read and, like a blog, sometime to comment about. But more importantly, as you put your expertise and thinking out there for all to see, you are also, in a subtle way, inviting questions and further dialogue. It’s a simple formula of generating interest in your target audience and then trusting that at least a few of the people who read your article will be curious enough to contact you to discuss your product and services as they relate to their needs.

You do not need to write these articles yourself. There are plenty of competent services (yes, including Aligned Marketing).

2. Contests: Most people like contests. Or should I say, most people like to win something for free. Contests, especially if they cycle from one to the next frequently, are a great way to generate fresh content and keep your loyal following returning to your site. Remember, it’s not about the size of the prize, it’s about winning.

When the visitor signs up for your contest be sure to capture their information, add it to your contact list and then contact them later with offers, such as subscribing to your online newsletter.

3. Coupons and Discounts are a great way to entice existing visitors and new customers to return to your website and online storefront.

You can use the coupons a number of ways. Here are a few ideas:

• A buy 1 get a single free.
• A certain percent discount (such as 10%)
• Free or discounted shipping

Discounts are typically given through the use of a code. They are simple to administer since most shopping cart programs include a discount module. A simple code word such as “savings” enables buyers to receive a discount.

Alternately, you can offer an online discount that is only redeemable at your physical (offline) store.

4. Forums: Forums offer something people enjoy - conversation. Forums are a form of the growing trend of social media. Hosting a forum on your own site gives visitors a reason to return to your site, again and again. A good way to keep the conversation going is to ask provocative questions and take controversial positions on important issues. A few passionate regular comments from visitors can boost your traffic numbers substantially.  
5. Blogging:  Blogs have become incredibly popular in recent years. And while it may be hard to believe, there are people interested in what you have to say. Blogs have added benefits; you can pepper your blog posts with your keywords and keyword phrases to help boost your search engine rankings.
6. Newsletter: A newsletter is one of the best ways to keep your visitors, your audience, engaged and coming back to your site. If you chose the newsletter approach, be sure to publish on a regular basis and make sure that each article in each issue delivers value to your audience and refers them back to your site for additional information.

Once again, if all this sounds like too much work or writing just isn’t one of your favorite things to do, there are professional writers and writing services available to help.

No matter which tactic you use to drive traffic to your site, the only way to keep people coming back is to deliver constant value.

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• Use the medium (video) to deliver the message!

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