Advertisement
 
 

Search Engine Optimization : 7 SEO Secrets Your Webmaster Wont Tell You

Still ranking below your competitors on search engines? Follow these tips to reach new heights

January 2010 By Bob Bly and Becki Dilworth
1

If you're highly relevant for a lower-volume term, you'll likely have a greater opportunity to rank higher and ultimately convert that traffic. "Long-tail" keywords — phrases that are specialized, such as "dark German draft beer" — typically have less competition and greater relevance to users than "short-tail" keywords that are more generic — such as "beer."

5. Optimize within the limitations of existing web systems and technology.
It's impractical to replace or override legacy systems that aren't SEO-friendly. Instead, work with your IT partners to understand what can and can't be changed on your site.

Case in point: A site generates dynamic URLs that are strings of characters unrecognizable to humans and search engines. You cannot move away from dynamic URLs, but you may be able to change segments of the string to include keywords that attract search engines.

6. Keep XML site maps current.
Your site should have an XML site map that keeps current with all new pages added and deleted. Search engine robots crawl your entire site to rank it, and site maps make it easier for them to navigate.

XML site maps are a guide, but they can't override poor navigation structure or the lack of an HTML site map, which are critical for your users and the engines. Since site maps are time consuming, and their creation and upkeep often not a priority with webmasters, look for a content management system that generates maps automatically.

7. Focus on title tags.
The most important meta tag from an SEO perspective is the title tag. Make sure the title tag contains the keyword the page is being optimized for, preferably at the beginning.

If you are optimizing for "web design," for example, "Web designer Christopher Carpenter" is stronger than "Christopher Carpenter, web designer."

Content management systems often generate title tags and other metadata dynamically.

The ultimate goal is to work toward a structure that utilizes data connected to that page, whether it's the article title or product name.

Bob Bly is a freelance copywriter specializing in direct response and online marketing (rwbly@bly.com).

Becki Dilworth is vice president of digital strategy for business technology solutions firm Bridgeline Software (bdilworth@bridgelinesw.com).


 
1

SPONSORED CONTENT

MORE ON E-COMMERCE >>

FROM THE BOOKSTORE

Hitting the Email Inbox: Protect your sender rep, clean up your e-list and improve design to add dollars to your email marketing ROI <i>Hitting the Email Inbox</i> covers all the bases of email deliverability, including everything from the very basics, to reputation management, as well as coding and design, and the connections between email deliverability and ROI. As any good email marketer today knows, there are a number of obstacles standing between you and your prospect’s inbox. With anti-spam technology becoming more and more powerful and prospects being blitzed by rapidly increasing email volume, an email marketer’s concern isn’t just open rate anymore; it’s getting the email successfully delivered in the first place. <i>Hitting the Email Inbox: Protect your sender rep, clean up your e-list and improve design to add dollars to your email marketing ROI </i> features five chapters full of industry-proven best practices to achieve maximum inbox delivery. You’ll also get dozens of surefire tips and methods for improving your deliverability, including: • Developing a trigger email program • Segmenting and reviewing your results by service • Understanding the whitelist/blacklist process • Using different addresses for different segments of your file • Not falling into the whole openers/non-openers/clickers trap • Test mailing at different times of the day • Being smart about timing • Use an ECOA service • Looking into certification, and much more! <b><u>The report also includes four detailed case studies</b></u>, providing practical examples of what email deliverability tactics did and didn’t work for four real-life companies. <b><u>100% Money-Back Guarantee</b></u> Your order is risk-free. If you are not completely delighted with <i>Hitting the Email Inbox</i>, notify us within 30 days for a complete credit or refund, no questions asked. <b><u>About DirectMarketingIQ</u></b> The Research Division of the Target Marketing Group, DirectMarketingIQ (www.directmarketingiq.com) is the go-to resource for direct marketers. Publishing books, special reports, case study stockpiles and how-to guides, it opens up a new world for those who seek more information, more ideas and more success stories in order to boost their own marketing efforts. DirectMarketingIQ has unparalleled access to direct marketing data - including the world's most complete library of direct mail as well as a growing library of promotional emails across hundreds of categories - and proudly produces content from the most experienced editors and practitioners in the industry. <b>Note: You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to read <i>Hitting the Email Inbox</i>, which is in PDF format. </b> Hitting the Email Inbox

Hitting the Email Inbox: Protect your sender rep, clean up your e-list and improve design to add dollars to your email marketing ROI Hitting the Email Inbox covers all the bases of email deliverability, including everything from the very basics, to reputation management, as well as coding and design, and...

ORDER NOW

PDF FORMAT <i>"Despite news to the contrary — especially from the social media space — reports of the death of email are greatly exaggerated. In fact, as your inboxes most likely show, email is growing and becoming even more sophisticated."</i> -- from <i>The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing</i> It's true. Email marketing is still going strong, and continues to be one of the most important factors in any marketing campaign. From the first six months of 2010 to the first six months of 2011 alone, there was a nearly 21 percent increase in email volume! The average number of emails received per day in the first six months of 2010 was 472, and during the first six months of 2011, the daily average increased to 571. Marketers are having success with their email campaigns and using it more and more. That being the case, your email marketing campaign needs all the attention it can get, and knowing what works and what doesn't is the best way to start. That's where "The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing" comes in. The Guide is brought to you by the email marketing experts at DMIQ and their extensive research into one of the largest email campaign archives in the industry. On top of latest trends, it features 19 best practice chapters from today's email marketing thought leaders. You will learn how to create a relevant email program to nurture leads and drive sales, how to best use call-to-action visuals in your emails, and how to use social email to improve marketing effectiveness. You’ll also learn: • Email Marketing Trends in 2011 • Best Practices in Writing Subject Lines • The Strategy (and Tricks) for Improving Open Rate and Response • 6 Tests to Improve Email Program Results • 5 Best Practices for the Gangbusting Email Campaign • Best Practices for Improving Email Performance • 6 Ways to Make Your Emails Mobile-Ready • Email Branding — The 16 Most Effective Strategies • 11 Best Creative Practices for B-to-B Email Marketing • The Keys to Developing a Successful E-newsletter • How to Determine Your Customers’ Email Content Tolerance • How Email Marketers Can Optimize the Social Media Opportunity • …Just to name a few! This comprehensive report also offers three in-depth case studies, so you can see practical examples of how these methods worked for real-life businesses. "The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing" is an essential tool for any business that ever sends an email. <b><u>100% Money-Back Guarantee</b></u> Your order is risk-free. If you are not completely delighted with “The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing,” notify us within 30 days for a complete credit or refund, no questions asked. <u>About DirectMarketingIQ</u> The Research Division of the Target Marketing Group, DirectMarketingIQ (www.directmarketingiq.com) is the go-to resource for direct marketers. Publishing books, special reports, case study stockpiles and how-to guides, it opens up a new world for those who seek more information, more ideas and more success stories in order to boost their own marketing efforts. DirectMarketingIQ has unparalleled access to direct marketing data - including the world's most complete library of direct mail as well as a growing library of promotional emails across hundreds of categories - and proudly produces content from the most experienced editors and practitioners in the industry. Note: You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to read The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing, which is in PDF format. The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing

PDF FORMAT "Despite news to the contrary — especially from the social media space — reports of the death of email are greatly exaggerated. In fact, as your inboxes most likely show, email is growing and becoming even more sophisticated." -- from The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing It's true....

ORDER NOW

 

COMMENTS

Click here to leave a comment...
Comment *
Most Recent Comments:
William Kent - Posted on January 14, 2010
I like articles like this they are helpful to the information staarved and oppressed world..this type article boost the economy through edjucation with out fee....thanks so much I need help with the above mentioned site to get it seo and marketed
Click here to view archived comments...
Archived Comments:
William Kent - Posted on January 14, 2010
I like articles like this they are helpful to the information staarved and oppressed world..this type article boost the economy through edjucation with out fee....thanks so much I need help with the above mentioned site to get it seo and marketed