11/24/06

Google Integrating Blog & Organic Search

Andy Boyd spots blog results in Google general web search results. Andy's screen shot shows Google is testing placing blog results on the bottom of the page.

The message has never been more clear, all business large or small must blog.

Integrating Search; Seven Challenges

MediaPost's Search Insider blog author Rob Garner reviews his presentation at Ad:Tech NY entitled, "Planning and Execution of Search Engine Marketing Projects".

11/17/06

Selling Local Should Not Be So Tough

A fence company was doing a job on my street the other day. The company name was on the side of the truck as was their website address.

I saw a potential customer, my kind of client, but before I called the number on the truck I visited the website and performed a few simple searches on the major and minor engines, directories and IYPs to see what kind of presence they already had in our local market.

Their website is simple and to the point but has no pictures or testimonials, it merely provides a contact number and the cities they serve. It's better than nothing but because there is zero optimization they only show up for searches on their company name. Someone searching for a fencing contractor would never see them.

I called the company and asked to speak to the owner or manager. The "associate" answering the call asked me the nature of the call and I explained to him briefly that I was an internet marketer for small business in his market and that I could enhance his local presence on the web.
As I waited on hold my intuition told me I will not get the chance to speak to the owner. True enough the associate returned and informed me they are not interested in that.

Not interested in what? More business? I see this every day now. This should not be a hard sell, the product speaks for itself.

I have clients enjoying little to NO competition in their category using a geo-targeted Google AdWord campaign. Two of my clients did not have a website before September and now they are going head to head with the national advertisers on Google page one sponsored results in their local area.

I'll send a letter or email to the owners of the fence company. Five minutes on the phone and he would have been up and running by that evening. Oh well.

11/7/06

Faith Hill And The Art Of Harming Your Brand

Country DivaFaith Hill shows us how to dent your brand badly. Marketing lessons aplenty here!

11/4/06

Print Yellow Pages, Mere Doorstops?

Nearly every small business advertises in the print yellow pages. The industry has a strangle hold on small business. Ever wonder how what people do with their books. The Kelsey Group Blog gives us some startling statistics from one Iowa county.

"The newest Dex Qwest phonebooks that will be distributed throughout Scott County will only include Iowa phone numbers. What will you do with it?

  • Use the phonebook 13%
  • Pitch the phonebook 49%
  • Leave it on my doorstep 2%
  • Give it to someone I don’t like 5%
  • Add it to my collection 7%
  • I live in Illinois, fools 13%
  • I really don’t care 11% "