Top Marketing Agency

Using PPC & SEO Marketing For The Best Combined Results

Katie — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:05:00 +0000

Many Internet marketers treat Search Engine Optimization and Pay Per Click advertising as competitive options, deciding to favor one over the other, yet statistics are starting to show this may not be the most effective strategy. While the two marketing techniques play out in very different ways, they all achieve the same result: to get your link on the front pages of Google.

In fact, companies who use both SEO and PPC advertising in a combined effort see a better return on their online marketing investment. Why is this? The more times your site is listed above the fold, whether organically or through PPC, the more trusted it will be by the average Internet user.

For example, if someone Googles a major retail chain, not only is that person going to see the organic links created through strong SEO, but they will also see a few sponsored links pointing to the same site. This plethora of links will make them trust that site, and retailer will achieve its goal – to get someone to click on a link and visit the home page.

In the end, the link the user clicks on to get to your site does not matter. The goal is to get someone to your site, and that can be achieved through both SEO and PPC. By utilizing both, you increase your chances of getting better traffic.

In one recent case study, we helped a client add PPC to their existing organic search strategies. In the month when PPC was added, traffic was up 32.33 percent. Interestingly, only 12 percent of the traffic was from clicks on the PPC ads. The majority of the users still chose the organic links brought to them through the search engine results, but the presence of the PPC links seemed to improve user trust, thus improving overall traffic. So, the company saw an increase in traffic with a minimal impact on their PPC budget.

So what does this mean for your business? It means that the most effective online marketing effort is going to use both SEO and PPC to target your keywords. By using both types of marketing, you can greatly increase your visibility and also your traffic, branding your company as the expert or leader for your chosen set of keywords.

Siri SEO For The iphone

admin — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:23:53 +0000

There is no denying that Siri is a fun medium to play with. It can carry out search queries, and because it is so trendy and seems like something from a sci-fi movie, it may catch on very quickly. Because of this, marketers need to take notice and do what they can to optimize for Siri.

The Importance of Local Search

When people use Siri, chances are they are looking for local information. They want to know the best restaurant located within a short drive of their location, or need a store in their town that sells a particular type of widget for their home improvement project.

Because local search is paramount for Siri users, it draws from local listing sites. Those who want to optimize for Siri will need to have accurate listings on sites like Yelp, YP, Citysearch and Google Maps, as these are the types of sites Siri will draw from. Interestingly, these listings are also important in traditional SEO.

Longer Keywords

When people search on Siri, they are using their voice, not their fingers. That means long tail keywords are going to be more important, because people typically will say more than they will type when searching. Also, highly targeted keywords are going to be important.

Varied Linkbuilding Keywords

As you consider your keyword strings, create a variety of them, particularly when using them for linkbuilding. This is a sound SEO strategy for the new Google, and it also works well for optimizing for Siri. The more natural the keywords in your link profile appear, the stronger your results will be.

Shema Tags

Search engines, including Siri, use on-page tags more and more. These are particularly valuable to local searches, because they include information about your business location, such as your phone number and operating hours. Using Schema.org to create rich code containing these tidbits of information in a structured way will make it easier for Siri to find you when a user is performing a local search.

Siri is likely at the cutting edge of technology for local search. Currently the iPhone 4s has the top sales record of any iPhone, and it seems other mobile companies should soon follow suit with their own versions of the technology. Chances are that local search is going to be the search optimization of the future, and those who get ready now will be poised at the forefront of this new trend. We’re Siri SEO experts, contact us now to get your business optimized on Siri today.

Tips on How to Stop People from Leaving Your Website

content team — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:10:54 +0000

When you own a website, one of your biggest challenges is drawing traffic to your site. Yet, simply having traffic is not sufficient. Once you get the people to your site, you also have to keep them there. If you find that people are leaving your site after only viewing one page for a few seconds, you may want to look for, and then correct, these common errors.

Ad Obtrusion

When ads are so obtrusive that users cannot get to the content they want to see, they are going to leave your site and look for their information elsewhere. Ads are a very effective way to monetize your site, but they should be strategically placed on the site so that they do not interfere with the readers ability to see the content.

Too Difficult to Navigate

Make your navigation links easy to find and put them in a logical place. Keep them consistent across the pages of your site. The user should be able to quickly and simply find whatever information it is he is looking for by using your links.

Old Content

The nature of the Internet is such that people expect current, relevant content. Outdated content, even if it is just a few months old, is going to drive viewers away. Seattle Blogs are excellent ways to generate frequent content without changing the main content on your site regularly.

Distracting Fonts or Colors

Make sure that the colors or fonts are not distracting. Remember, not all computers will display the same as yours does.Websites with neutral colors and easy to read fonts retain readers better than those with bright colors and fancy fonts.

Requiring Registration

Getting the contact information for your readers may be valuable to you, but many users are turned off by websites that require them to register before they can see anything. They are simply going to click away because they have no reason to stay. If you must ask for registration, provide a sample of the content before you do.

Site Is Not Engaging

If the content or design is boring, your site is going to make a poor first impression. People will leave and never come back. Websites that retain viewers are those who make an excellent first impression.

Blowing Them Away (Literally) With Audio or Video

Videos or audio clips on your site are nice, sometimes, but viewers want to decide if and when they will view these items. Blogs and websites that start playing videos or music the moment people enter are going to turn people away. Give your reader a choice.

Remember, Seattle websites designed with the user in mind, not the monetary goal in mind, typically do better in generating income because users will stay on the site. Take a good, hard look at yours, and ensure there is nothing driving your readers away.

Benefits of Social Media Marketing

Katie — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:19:02 +0000

Small business owners who use social media marketing do so in order to create excitement or “buzz” about their products or services. They are starting to flock to Seattle social media marketing as it is a free yet highly targeted marketing strategy. Effective social media marketing requires businesses to understand how social media marketing works at building strategic partnerships with consumers or clients. Without this knowledge business folks are apt to make mistakes.

Social Media Marketing Provides Give and Take Communications

Marketing through social media is actually nothing more than building relationships with existing and possible customers, also known as the target audience by using social media sites such as Facebook, Google Place Pages, LinkedIn and Twitter. Truly effective social marketing includes podcasts, video, photo sharing and reviews of your products and services. These can be done by using many different sites or through a comprehensive page on a site like Facebook. The advantage of a single site is that it is far easier to manage than posting to a Facebook page, Youtube, BlogTalkRadio and Photobucket. The upside is that the more sites you are on, the more folks you reach and the incoming links from each site increase your search engine rankings. The downside is that the more sites you have, the more work it is to keep them current and relevant. A good way to handle this at affordable costs is to use the services of a Seattle Search Engine Optimization company that specializes in social media marketing. They can significantly reduce your work load in maintaining social media sites while making sure that your content is optimized for the platform(s) you are using.

One thing is inarguable, marketing with social media has made marketing enjoyable. Forget stuffy white papers and technical articles that describe and promote your services and products. Social media marketing lets you blog or tweet about your company informally, a manner that customers are more apt to respond to. Also, content is not limited to words, video, images and sound are tools to use to deliver your marketing messages in a relevant, captivating and interactive way.

Social media marketing is highly targeted. Traditional print, TV and radio advertising can only give a very broad idea of the demographics of the target audience. Social media marketing gives you direct access to those who are interested in your services or products. With social media marketing there is an actual dialog between company and consumer. Both parties share opinions, feedback and connect on a level playing field.

Collaboration is the product of social media marketing.

Due to social media marketing consumers have become more intense. Social media had provided them with the ability to make new and break existing purchasing patterns.

Social media marketing not only allows businesses to collaborate with customers and clients, it allows customers and clients to collaborate with one another. Online review product review sites, video sharing sites and other social media sites provide users the ability to say what they think, share ideas and information and even endorse your business. On line endorsement are proven through many marketing studies to be highly effective. Peers trust one another more than a company when getting information about your products and services.

Online collaboration has created a unique marketing environment that if used appropriately is fun for both buyer and seller as well as an atmosphere of trust between consumers and companies.

Effective use of social media marketing means small businesses will sell more.

Social media marketing helps small earn trust from consumers. One study indicated that more than 90 percent of consumers aged 18 to 39 sought opinions from peers about purchases they were thinking of making. If your social media followers trust you, it is likely that they will buy from you and tell their friends about your business as well.

To make social media marketing work for you, give followers relevant information and online deals that they will want to share with their friends. Effective social media marketing must give fans of yours a reason to follow you. You also want them to sign up for your email list. One way to do this is by having them “like” or “follow” you. When they do, your tweets or blog posting go directly to them. What a great way to list build! Effective Seattle social media marketing makes your followers and fans part of your sales force. Good deals and good service are shared with friends using social media.

Website SEO

Katie — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:37:42 +0000

Most business owners understand the importance of being found online. The question is how do you get there?

Some may think that the key to Search Engine Optimization, (commonly called by the acronym seo) is to use as many key words as often as possible. Sometimes, keyword stuffing is so blatant that it renders the content virtually unreadable.

Proper search engine optimization is much more than simply relying on key words. There are so many different compenents that need to take place before you are propely ranking. Some business owners do not have the knowledge to properly understand SEO and have tried to do it themselves. Unfortunatly, many have done more harm that good. When you dont understand the process you can unknowingly, ban your site from the major search engines, completely fall out of your key word rankings, etc. Finding a knowledgable Seattle Search Engine Optomization company that can properly have your website rank with 100s of keywords, is vital to any business owner thats wanting to be found on the internet.

Some advertisers on the Internet rely a great deal on a service known as pay-per-click management (yes, another acronym PPC). Pay per click requires that the advertiser pay for an action that occurs on someone’s web site or an ad. The action could be nothing more than a click that brings an Internet visitor to the advertisers web site or it could be payment for a completed sale. Although you are paying for traffic, there are no guarantees that all PPC visits result in a sale. Getting people to visit your site is far less expensive if you do it by SEO that is couples with engaging and relevant content.

SEO is superior in effectiveness and efficiency than PPC. It is however a part of Internet marketing that requires skill and knowledge. If you are not experienced in SEO it is best to hire someone who is for help. Top Marketing Agency Seattle’s SEO service is designed to ensure More Traffic, More Leads and More Sales, Period!

Twitter Simplifying The Tweeting Process

admin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:27:13 +0000

Twitter has recently implemented a new look for Twitter.com, where they hope to simplify the Tweeting process.

As you can see in the video, Twitter is introducing new buttons at the top of the Twitter.com home page, @Connect and #Discover. The @Connect command will show you Twitter.com users who have mentioned you and it will suggest Twitter users that you may be interested in following. And the #Discover command will show you what is trending along with some interesting stories and video posts.

A couple of the differences on the home page of Twitter.com, is that they have re-sized the tweets to take up less real estate space and the tweets will now show up on the right side. “One main thrust here is making Twitter more accessible for all 7 billion people on planet,” Jack Dorsey, chairman of Twitter said at a Thursday conference at the new HQ in San Francisco. Mr. Dorsey also explained that Twitter.com has made the process “simpler not just for people already engaged but easier for new people to discover it and find value in it. It’s the best place to represent yourself on the Internet.”

For help on your Twitter.com strategy contact us at Top Marketing Agency for a free Social Media Strategy consultation.

Benefits of an e-mail Marketing Campaign with Top Marketing Agency

Katie — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 18:57:16 +0000

The e-mail Management Experts at Top Marketing Agency know that building your mailing list is essential to a thriving Internet campaign. It is essential to understand, as a business owner, that e-mail is not dead! Used in combination with an Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimization and Website Management, an efficiently managed e-mail Campaign will compound the benefits of your Internet marketing. Remember: this is not an either or situation; the key is to use both SMM and e-mail to affect an increase in both platforms. Growing your e-mail list will grow your SMM audience and drive more business to your site. Additionally, growing your SMM community will grow your e-mail list and again, increase site traffic.

1. Ownership

Because your list is private, you own the information. This means you have complete control over the maintenance of your subscribers. Also, because e-mail is a well-founded and sound platform, you need not worry about changes that may affect how you interact with your subscribers. Although FaceBook, Twitter, and other Social Media platforms are well established, the fact is, the continually changing nature of the sites can hamper your marketing efforts. With e-mail, the platform is constant, affording your business the opportunity to 100% access 100% of the time! The crucial point is that since you own the list, you have complete control – not FaceBook or Twitter designers.

2. Permission

Because an e-mail list is permission based, you know that the folks receiving the information sent have asked to be kept abreast of your company’s products or services. This translates to a 100% relevant audience! The e-mail Management Experts at Top Marketing can help develop, sustain and manage your permission based e-mail campaign to maximize your Return on Investment.

3. Proactive

Because every e-mail recipient has opted in to received your messages, announcements are delivered to a 100% qualified, verified, relevant audience.

4. Popularity

Although FaceBook and Twitter are immensely popular, the fact remains that not every Internet user has an account. Conversely, virtually 100% of Internet users do have at least one e-mail account, with many having multiple e-mail accounts. This grants you access to businesses and individuals that have not yet discovered other Social Media platforms. An properly designed and managed e-mail campaign will drive traffic to FaceBook, Twitter. Blogs, Website and all your Internet platforms.

5. Ease

Even if a user does not open every e-mail in their inbox, they must at least glance at the “Subject” line to determine whether to open the message or not. So, ultimately, this means that your message is noticed, whether the e-mail is actually opened. Consider the Social Media platforms (FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.), the potentially thousands of Tweets, Statuses, etc. are not guaranteed to register with the user. By combining an effective e-mail campaign with your SMM, you are assured to grow both communities.

The e-mail Management Expert Team at Top Marketing Agency can develop the most relevant recipient list for your business. Additionally, the copy writing experts can create the most effective messages, including the “Subject” line to catch the users eye.

Top Marketing Agency Discusses Google Places Automatic Updates

Katie — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 23:37:20 +0000

Just exactly what is Google Places, you may ask….it is a fantastic tool for geotargeted Internet marketing. Top Marketing Agency’s Google Places SEO Marketing Experts advise taking advantage of the benefits offered from Google Places:

1. Phone Book?

When is the last time you used a phone book to find a telephone number? Platforms, like Google Places, will virtually replace hard copy phone books in the future. Because Google Places listings are free, businesses will realize thousands of dollars in savings every year.

2. $$$$

Google Places listings are free of charge! Keep in mind, however, that while listing your business is free, managing & optimizing the listing is a time-intensive task best left to the experts at Top Marketing Agency. On a typical local search like “Seattle Chiropractor”, there are only 7-10 Google Places results on the first page, yet there are 100′s of Chiropractors serving the Seattle area. Standing out from the crowd and obtaining top placement is challenging, if you need help optimizing your Google Places listing call Top Marketing Agency.

3. First Page Listing

Properly managed and optimized, your Google Places listing can very well appear on the first page! Top Marketing Agency Experts know all the best practices to list, manage and optimize your business listing. Google’s algorithm is the way it sources data. The algorithm changes constantly too, so Top Marketing Agency will keep track of the algorithm changes to ensure your business stays on top!

4. Specials, specials, specials!

Your business can easily offer discounts or coupons on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Top Marketing Agency can help devise the most beneficial “Special Offer” campaign for your business.

5. Where are You?

Because Google Places lists your physical address, phone number and so much more, customers can find your physical location much more easily.

6. Where are They?

No matter where your potential customers may be, with mobile phone applications, Google Places can direct them right to your door!

7. Increased Traffic

Not only will your physical traffic increase, your Internet traffic may increase as well. This translates to increased sales and customer loyalty.

8. No Physical Address?

No problem! Even without a physical address or warehouse, you may still get accepted by Google Places. Top Marketing Agency can help submit the information to allow your solely Internet business by Google Places.

9. Faster Ranking

With proper management, Google Places can increase your rankings in search results much more quickly that with traditional Search Engine Optimization alone. Allowing Top Marketing Agency to add Google Places to your Internet campaign, your company’s visibility will grow much faster!

10. Updates

Recently, Google Places announced that every business on their platform will be updated according to information received from third parties/trusted sources. While this is a double-edged sword, with Top Marketing Agency monitoring your Google Places account, you can rest assured that every piece of information regarding your company is 100% accurate. According to Google announcement:

We’re introducing a new process that helps streamline the way updates are made to potentially outdated or incorrect business listings. Previously, verified business listings would always reflect the information provided by its owner even if we received data about an updated name, address, or hours of operation. But no, if a user provides new information about a business they know or if our system identifies information from another source on the web that may be more recent that the data the business owner provided via Google Places. The organic listing will automatically be updated and the business owner will be sent an e-mail notification about the change.

Should your account be managed by Top Marketing Agency, and any information be changed erroneously by other sources, it will be corrected immediately by our experienced staff. With 100′s of optimized Google Places accounts, we know how to get the most of the Google Places! For more information and/or a free consultation, contact us now and see if our Google Places SEO is right for your business.

5 Most Effective Ways to Market Your Business Online With Top Marketing Agency

Katie — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:48:13 +0000

Online Marketing Experts at Top Marketing Agency understand the importance of a multi-prong approach to marketing a business on the Internet. When creating a unique campaign for each client, every facet of the business is considered. Whether your business is new to the World Wide Web, or has been taking advantage of the online market for some time, the experts at Top Marketing Agency can improve your presence with a combination of the most important platforms on the Internet today.

1. Search Engine Optimization

One of the most important facets of Online Marketing is to increase organic traffic to your website. This is accomplished through effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) content. What used to be accomplished by “keyword stuffing” is now an intricate dance with the search engine spiders. Because the SEO Experts at Top Marketing Agency are on top of even the most minute adjustments to the search algorithms of each search engine (Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.), your SEO campaign is kept ahead of the curve. Effective and timely management assures that your content is crawled and indexed on a regular basis.

2. Social Media Marketing

Consumers today have come to expect a more personal touch with regard to marketing campaigns. Informative, relevant content is the key to an effective SMM campaign. Equally important to an effective SMM campaign is patience – organic traffic building takes time, but the loyalty gained through the social platform is invaluable. The SMM Experts at Top Marketing have mastered every Social Media outlet, including, but not necessarily limited to:

FaceBook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Blogs

Branding and loyalty are strengthened and maintained with a knowledge of the various tools, outlets and platforms available. Top Marketing Agency has proven it’s ability to increase business by as much as 500%!

3. Pay Per Click

An advertising model used on the Internet to direct traffic to a business’s website, Pay Per Click (PPC), or Cost Per Click (CPC) campaigns can be an effective tool for launching a marketing campaign. Typically, businesses pay for every click on their advertisement. The advertisements are either:

embedded within a website’s content – advertisers often pay a specific price rather than bidding on keywords
embedded within Search Engine Results Page (SERP) – advertisers bid on specific keywords that are market relevant

Top Marketing Agency can provide the insight necessary for determining the most effective keywords to be certain that the relevant market is properly targeted through your PPC campaign. Additionally, the PPC Specialists at Top Marketing Agency can help determine which PPC model will best serve your needs:

Bid-Base PPC
Flat-Rate PPC

Often, the Bid-Based PPC campaign is coupled with an affiliate program that eliminates the risk of advertising within a given website. Choosing a Bid-Based SERP campaign, however, may raise the visibility of your campaign, as you are not depending on another site’s traffic to direct users to your site. Top Marketing Agency has the tools and expertise to fully evaluate which method will best serve your company’s needs.

4. Electronic Mail (e-mail) Campaigns

While the naysayers will tell you that e-mail as a marketing tool is dead and gone, the E-Mail Specialists at Top Marketing Agency know that e-mail is still one of the most effective forms of direct marketing today. Studies have proven that the Return on Investment (ROI) for a properly managed E-Mail Campaign can exceed $40.00 for every dollar spent! Targeting your potential customers via e-mail in combination with a well-rounded Internet marketing campaign can make the difference in your online ventures.

5. Craig’s List

As an effective online, free marketing tool, Craig’s List is a fantastic Internet marketing opportunity for any business. Top Marketing Agency’s Craig’s List Specialists have the expertise to properly manage your campaign to reap the maximum benefits from this service. Understanding the most effective posting processes is key to Top Marketing Agency’s management of your Craig’s List Campaign.

Top Marketing Agency Discusses the Importance of Online Reputation Management

Katie — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:16:17 +0000

According the the Random House Dictionary (2011):

rep·u·ta·tion [rep-yuh-tey-shuh'n] noun:

the estimation in which a person or thing is held, especially by the community or the public generally
favorable repute; goon name
a favorable and publicly recognized name or standing for merit, achievement, reliability, etc.
the estimation or name of being, having, having done, etc., something specified

For any business, Top Marketing Agency’s Online Reputation Management is crucial to keeping your business on top. Our experts can help your business with:

Reputation Building – especially important for new businesses, or businesses new to the online market, building a good reputation within your specific industry and with your customers is essential to becoming successful online.
Reputation Maintenance – even for established businesses with a good reputation within the online community, it is crucial to maintain your place in your industry.
Reputation Repair – inevitably, there is the chance for any business to experience a dissatisfied customer or malicious competition. Regardless the source, repairing your company’s reputation is critical when this happens.

How is My Online Reputation Managed?

Online Reputation Management is a time- and labor-intensive process that requires daily monitoring and upkeep. One of the key factors of a successful Online Reputation Management campaign is through Social Media Marketing (SMM). The goal of an effective Online Reputation Management campaign is to continually monitor any mention(s) of your company, brand, product or service and manipulate the ranking of the mentions, such that:

Positive, or good mentions are ranked high in the search results
Negative, or bad mentions are pushed as far down the rankings for search results. By pushing the negative comments (reviews, etc.) down the rankings, the mention becomes less visible to online users and will minimize the effect of that negative comment.

What Platforms Will be Used for Online Reputation Management ?

Top Marketing Agency’s Online Reputation Management specialists will track every mention of your business, brand, service or product and adjust every facet of your online marketing campaign to handle the mention(s) accordingly. Our Online Reputation Management experts understand the specific logarithms of each search engine (Google, Yahoo, Bing,etc.) and how to manipulate the ranking results to assure negative mention(s) are pushed beyond the first page of search results:

Social Networking: by utilizing the social media platform (Twitter, FaceBook, etc.), any negative comments can be addressed immediately
Blogging: blogs must be updated on a regular basis to achieve notoriety as the industry expert. Because Top Marketing Agency monitors your businesses mentions closely, the blogs for a specific mention can address any concerns. It is essential that your company blog represent your commitment to the customer.
Directory Listings: choosing the most effective keywords and key phrases for your company will assure that your business is listed correctly and regularly.

An Online Reputation Management campaign must be designed as a unique component to your business online marketing campaign. With Top Marketing Agency on your team, your Online Reputation will truly reflect your commitment to excellence.