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What Is Search Engine Marketing?
It's in our genes, we're driven to seek. We 'hunt' for food, homes, partners, jobs and lately ? with the advent of the Internet ? information.
Even in the early years of the Internet, before it evolved to include Web browsers, there were text based search engines. Back then they had funny names like Archie, and Gopher. It was only later, when the graphical browser was invented, that searching became much easier and accessible for the rest of us.
The concept behind Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is quite simple: when a consumer or business person searches the Web through either a text box or by clicking through a directory hierarchy, they are in "hunt mode." This mode is unique because it indicates that the person is looking for information. Marketers understand this "hunt mode" means the searcher is probably somewhere in the buying cycle, researching a product or service to fill an immediate or future need.
It's this 'timeliness' that makes search engine results some of the best sources of targeted traffic, whether that traffic originates from "organic" unpaid search listings or paid (sponsor) advertising listings.
To leverage the power of targeted traffic, marketers must understand how to effectively use both paid and organic SEM and what they can expect each methodology to achieve.
Search engine traffic is unique because:
? Presenting your message within the search engine traffic is non-intrusive. The searching is not interrupted and your message "arrives" just when the searcher is seeking knowledge or a solution.
? Search engine traffic results from a fixed inventory of searches. To truly qualify as search engine traffic, the search must be one that the searcher initiated as a search, either by clicking a search link or by entering a search query.
? Search engine traffic originates from a voluntary, audience-driven search. This means the visitors arriving from a search have selected your listing and chosen the words that match.
Natural or "Organic" search engine marketing combines the best practices of technology, usability, copy/linguistics and online PR. This is because many search engines base their relevancy algorithms on a combination of the text they see on a page or site, combined with external elements such as links and user behaviours/preferences.
These days, Marketers can buy text-link search results on all of the top search sites. The popularity of paid search results advertising can be attributed to the search engines' need for alternative revenue sources, marketers' increasing requests for search results traffic, and the high value of the traffic generated through search results.
Unpaid (otherwise known as organic or algorithmic) search engine traffic was once fairly easy to get ? but this was before there were more than 3 billion documents competing for attention of the search engine databases!
Some marketers believe there are "tricks" which will improve the relevancy of their indexed sites. Using tricks to fool the search engines is dangerous because many of these 'tricks' result in negative relevance penalties (they actually lower your ranking score!) as the engines take measures to punish search marketers who try and manipulate their systems. Remember, site and IP Blacklists do exist and 'tricks' are one sure-fire way to get yourself added.
The good news is there are many compelling and legitimate organic search engine optimizations. Some of the best ones focus on content ? the mainstay of the Internet. Particular efforts should be focused on copy (the words), the site design (it's an artful balance between what the computerized search engine needs and what the human searcher wants), HTML formatting, and other technical considerations.
Online marketing is a proven and valuable part of an overall integrated marketing campaign. And it all begins by understanding the precise keywords and search terms your ideal prospect is using to search the Internet. Find these and you unlock the potential of the Internet.
Happy hunting?keyword hunting that is!
JAMES C. BURCHILL is a 20-year veteran entrepreneur and information technology executive who now provides strategic marketing consulting services to a select group of clients. He is a published author, a passionate advocate of technology and the Internet, as well as an avid study of classical advertising and marketing strategies (which he uses during 'Internet alchemy' experiments.) James is an expert in information and data management, Internet marketing and online networking. A self confessed 'information and technology enthusiast', James brings a wide range of valuable skills to any venture. Of singular note is James' ability to assimilate complex subject matter and produce clean clear 'easy-to-understand' messages. James has been interviewed many times and caused quite the media buzz when a client 'double-dog-dared' him to prove you can get front page coverage for $0. The details and that 'dumb stunt' are now part of EBay legend. Currently James lives in Ontario, Canada with his wife and family, their Siamese cat and one very nervous fish.
Visit http://www.JamesBurchill.com for details.
DIY SEO - Part 2 Tags n Things
Part 2 Tips 4 tags
Finding Profitable Keyword Phrases
So you have a site concept developed that you are ready to start writing great content for.
Optimize Your Site Pt1
Listed here you will find the five of the most important points to remember when optimising your site and individual pages for the search engines.
The Purpose of PageRank?
I am sure the first thought provoking question that popped into your head would be: what exactly is PageRank? Well PageRank can be summed up as how vital Google considers a particular webpage. Pagerank is a value from 0-10, zero being the least significant and ten of which few obtain being the most note-worthy. PageRank is often abbreviated as PR and Google determines this PR bye evaluating how many websites link to yours, even though many of these links are missed.
Link Popularity: Distribute Content, Not Just Links
You've spent many hours trying to increase your online traffic with your linking campaign. You've sent out 200 e-mails pleading with other web sites to trade links with your site. Many of your e-mails bounce back.
SEO Expert Guide - Sitewide Optimization (part 4/10)
In parts 1 and 2 you learnt how to develop your online business proposition and how to generate a list of key word ingredients for your site optimization activity. You were also introduced to our mythical Doug (who sells antique doors, door handles, knockers, door bells or pulls and fitting services) in Windsor in the UK.
History of World / Regional Search Engines and Directories
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Search Engines Are Going to Love You for This
What's the most potent free traffic source on the web?
Do Search Engines Scare You?
What do the words "Search Engine" make you think of? I get immediate mind-pictures which vary but all have similar themes. Sometimes I see one of those tiny submarines which are used to explore the deepest parts of the ocean bed. I have this picture in my mind of the tiny submarine underwater in complete darkness apart from the beam of its searchlight which is probing the gloom. Other times I see a horse-drawn carriage driving through dense fog with only its weak lamp relieving the darkness. This scene is from a movie where the police are racing through London in search of Jack The Ripper. The final picture is of a line of policemen in old-fashioned uniforms advancing across a moor in darkness through rising mist with only their flashlight-beams to light their way.
Maximising Google?s PageRank of Your Website to Maximise Traffic
Google uses PageRank to rank your pages. To maximize your rank, you must understand how to work with it.
Onpage Optimization: Essential for Effective Offpage Optimization
Onpage optimization is the process by which various elements on an individual web page are structured so that the web page can be found by the search engines for specific keyword(s) or keyword phrases.
How To Avoid The 3 Biggest Title Tag Mistakes With Search Engines
Your title tag is the most important 3 to 12 words on your Web page. It accounts for up to 80% of your rankings on search engines.
How To Design A Search Engine Friendly Website
There are many websites that fail to target their required traffic, even if they've had some search engine optimisation work done. One of the main causes for this is simply because the website isn't search engine friendly. This is a basic essential that needs to be incorporated into the design of all websites at the outset ? think of it as the foundation to establishing your search engine optimisation strategy.
Google Local Search And The Impact On Natural Optimization
With the advent of Google Local, a service that helps Web users find local businesses by typing in a search term and a city name, many questions arise concerning its impact on Natural Optimization.
See No Google, Hear No Google, Speak No Google
That's right - I dreamt of a World Wide Web without the Googlopoly. And let me tell you - it was a scary place.
How to Build Massive Keyword Lists
As keyword marketing becomes more and more expensive and competitive, it has become essential when building your lists to focus on the maximum number of phrases and their variations that a surfer might enter into the search engines.
What In The World Is This Google Sandbox Theory Thing? And How Do I Beat It?
Ok, so over the past month or so I've been collecting various search engine optimization questions from all of you. Today, I'm going to answer what was the most frequently asked question over the past month.
Why Fear? Now Change Your Filenames Without Disturbing Search Engines/Visitors And Rank Well
By now, you know that to rank well in the Search Engines, you need to have the keyword in your URL's directory name and filename, if not in the domain name as well.
Using Blogs for SEO
Why Start A Blog?
Why Optimize Your Site For Search Engines?
Sometimes a search engine optimization company will miss that glaring question posed by potential clients and assume the benefits of search engine optimization are obvious to everyone. While shelling out a couple thousand on an SEO campaign is common sense to some, others may find it hard to part with the cash unless they know it is an investment in their business that is sure to bring a good return.