Pittsburgh SEO – SEM – SEA | Internet Marketing and Website Design | Blackball Online

Twitter is Self Cleansing

As we have gone through the process of learning to use Twitter for our business we have tried to take you with us for the ride. We have learned many things along the way which are listed in the Twitter category of the Blackball Online SEO Newsblog. We have travelled this road without a map. None exists that I know of. There are no rules of the road on Twitter. It’s more like asking for directions every so many miles in the Wild West.

We have tried to be courteous of others as we would have them return the favor to us. We have had our share of missteps and been loved and scorned for the exact same practices, go figure. To each their own. With such a wide open medium which is still finding its way, I see no reason to chastise a Twitter user for something that I may find in bad taste or annoying. That is my problem. I just unfollow or pay no attention. Can you imagine walking down the street and having everyone tell you everything they think is annoying? I may never leave the house.

I personally have had a follower DM me for tweeting too much for his liking. Well, unfollow me. That’s OK. I am not about to go to his place of business and set the hours he can open his doors. In retrospect I may have been a little overzealous, it happens. Twitter has set the limit for this and many other things like Twitters you can follow in a day, Tweets per hour, API calls, etc. That is the ultimate law of the land.

In another article Eight Twitter Habits That May Get You Unfollowed or Semi-Followed, the writer goes on to say what is annoying to him. This is fine. That’s what it’s all about, open discussion. Everyone sees and uses Twitter in a different way. That is the beauty of the medium. Like I’ve previously stated, there is no road map.

As reported in the BBC News at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8204842.stm, “Twitter tweets are 40% babble.” We say one person’s babble is another person’s bullion. Gold that is. Define babble by the way. In my estimation it is an opinion; All subjective and all fine.

If you are truly involved in the conversation, and you don’t like it, change it. Everyone has their own personal or business uses for Twitter. It’s uncharted territory. What is important or interesting to me may not be your cup of tea. Part of the beauty of Twitter, and of this world, is that we can peacefully coexist – follow each other, and help each other in a meaningful way without ever interacting if we choose not to. Until a time comes in the future, say a time of crisis, breaking news, or when we find a common topic of interest that we find we are all just people sharing our message and pursuing our dreams. Twitter is just the medium.

Internet Marketing for Small Business; Take Your Best Shot.

Pittsburgh, PA - Yankee Ingenuity, only Americans can claim that term, that state of mind – nobody else. One of the things that makes America unique and standout from all other countries is that only in America do you have the inborn right and opportunity to take your best shot. The caveat – nobody is going to make it easy.

So what does that have to do with Online Marketing or Search Engine Optimization? Well…plenty. Not that far back, small businesses had to come up with all kind of creative ways to say “hey, I’m over here” without the marketing and advertising resources of the “bigger boys.”

Then along came the Internet. Next the World Wide Web, and you pretty much know the rest. Now just about any small business can get a Website at real good price and it goes without saying it’s an obvious business must-have. But you still have the “hey, I’m over here” dilemma.

Enter Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, Online or Internet Marketing, whatever you want to call it and ta-da; you now have the tools to shout as loud as the big players without the big price tag. With some creativity (Yankee Ingenuity), help from a qualified SEO, and commitment, you can beat the bigger players in the “hey, I’m over here” department and do more business. We’re seeing and being part of it first hand. So, take your best shot.

Contact Blackball Online at (412)377-7280 or visit our Pittsburgh SEO website for a free consultation. We specialize in Internet Marketing for small business.

Pittsburgh SEO for Small Business (Part 1) – Choose an SEO that Researches your Industry

Pittsburgh, PA - We have seen the rise of the SEO. A lot of old school marketing and advertising companies are now professing to be Search Engine Optimizers. I speak with clients in the Pittsburgh area who have been approached by SEO companies who never even ask what the company does. We believe that Industry research for your target market is essential to your SEO initiative.

If you have a pre-existing website, an introductory review must be completed to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. How else would an SEO know what course of action to proceed with? A review of your site’s content and structure for search engine ranking factors such as keyword research, links, proper use of Meta information, and a number of other factors should be included.

The next step is to analyze the market itself. Is this a niche market with little competition or is the field so competitive that a diversified approach is required? Are there many players? This is something that is impossible to determine without the proper background and Internet Marketing Research.

Your SEO, we believe, should not be guarded about answering any and all questions about technical procedures. This affects your company and your rankings dramatically. Advice on website development: for example, hosting, redirects, error pages, use of JavaScript and robots files all fall under the category of SEO Consulting and we feel these are valid questions and open for discussion. If your prospective or current SEO is secretive about these items it raises a red flag. It is possible that your SEO could be harming more than helping.

We encourage our customers to be involved in every step of the SEO initiative. Content development is a major area. After all nobody knows your business like you do. An SEO can gain valuable insight and information about your company and market complexities by asking some basic questions.

Management of online business development campaigns and advertising is all dependent upon the research previously mentioned. Why spend valuable dollars and assets with someone who doesn’t have a plan of attack, a course of action, and the verifiable means to achieve your goals? Our business is to get you business.

We try to educate our customers about the SEO process if they want to be involved. An educated customer can be one of our most valuable resources. We are available to aid in SEO training to help in this process. At the same time, we want to learn about your business and market to better do our job. By doing this we can gain expertise in your specific markets and geographies and use it to drive business to your site/s.

It takes a lot more than adding a bunch of keywords to your site to be a good SEO. SEO requires Research, and a lot of it. Contact Us at Blackball Online for a free initial consultation and we’d be happy to discuss you business goals and objectives.

Content Management Systems, (CMS) a Reality Check

Pittsburgh, PA - Like a lot of the technology we use in our lives and in business, Content Management Systems live in 2 worlds; the theory behind it (easy -to-use, update your site with no problem) and the reality.

We have over 10 years experience with Content Management Systems and its usage by clients. Here’s the good and the bad:

The Good: First, a successful implementation of a Content Management System starts before you even choose one for and with your client. Discuss in depth with your client their wants and needs; such as  how much and what kind of updating will they be doing, for example images, pages, text, linking, how often will the updating take place, will someone need to be trained in image cropping, SEO considerations, future site considerations, etc. Inform the client the benefits and limitations of the Content Management Systems that are being considered, (this is very important).

Second, you’ll need to know if the client is willing to commit. What I mean by this, is the client willing to dedicate someone, (sometimes it’s them) who will be responsible for the administration and management of the Content Management System. This person will be the one doing the updating, etc. So, find your degree of client commitment, it’s important. It will save you and your client a lot of headaches.

If you have a high degree of client commitment including a dedicated site administrator/manager the next step is training on the chosen Content Management System. I cannot over-estimate the value of this training. Depending on the technical “savvy” of the person to be trained, (they are usually regular end-users, non-technical professionals) expect the training to be between 8-20 hours. I don’t mean doing this helter-skelter. This should work like attending a class and incorporated into costs as a line-item. If the client is serious, this will not be a problem. Also, discuss fees to cover post-training phone and on-site support.

Believe me; even with the best of training and a tech-savvy trainee, you’ll still be getting support calls. Help guides and manuals will offer some support. An informed client is generally a happy client.

Note: A Blog is always a consideration as an alternative to a Website. They are by nature a Content Management System in and of themselves.

The Bad: This is simple really, and it comes down to a half-measure approach by both the technology company and the client. For example; the technology company says “I can show you real quick how to put up an image, add files, make type changes, etc.”  And the client says “yeah, that sounds real good, etc., etc.” (Myself, I blame this type of execution on the technology company offering the Content Management solution). Add to this that if no proper roles are defined on the client end, then the problems begin.

I like putting it like this; “a client not properly trained is a client in constant pain.”

Here’s a laundry list sampling of our client experience with the above mentioned approach:

-          Improper file naming, errors thrown

-          Client can upload one or so images but has problems with multiples

-          How to navigate to images for uploading

-          Problems with multiple image placements on a page

-          Image sizing problems, why did this image come in so big or so small?

-          No knowledge of the need for image cropping

-          Changes not appearing - not knowing to hit submit or update after edits

-          Why doesn’t it do this, why can’t I do that – limitations of the CMS product

-          Text formatting problems, e.g. copy and pasting directly from a Word document

-          How to add textual links, both internal and external

-          How to make an image a link - image mapping

-          Accidental page deletions, the “what did I do?” scenario – backups and restore capabilities

-          Non clarification on pages the client can and cannot modify, (ex. the Home page) and why - Administrative Rights and permissions

-          Ability to troubleshoot on a very minimal level is non-existent

-          Menu item addition problems and linking to the correct page

-          Adding Web pages

This is just a sampling, but I believe you get the picture. Disregarding comprehensive training will lead to a very frustrated and disillusioned client. They will blame you, and rightfully so. You’ll be hit with enough support questions even with proper Content Management System training, but they’ll be coming from an informed client.

The Scorecard: The major misnomer of these CMS tools available in today’s’ market is that they are the be all and end all of technical support. I hear them advertised as “no technical experience necessary”. OK try it. Then call us. We have found the opposite is true. Our experience in this area is extensive. Without knowledge of html, css, and some basic file management, file naming convention and linking skills, the final product does not live up to a professional design. Nor does it navigate or optimize well at this point. Even with proper training, the client must be prepared for some hurdles and frustration. Like a lot of things, CMS tools are very much a give-and-take proposition.

I blame this on the product not the customer. The advertising of CMS has painted the customer a rosy picture. Never are the technical and SEO limitations mentioned. We have encountered this numerous times. Not all CMS tools are created equal. It all boils down to the business need, the expectation level, and the willingness to commit time and effort to this undertaking. Ask yourself these questions:

(1)How much is my time worth? Do I, or a member of my staff, have the time to invest?

(2)Does my business possess the technical resources to see this project through?

(3)Would it be more cost effective in the long run to hire a professional design team?

(4)What is the image and perception I want this Website/Blog to portray to my customer?

(5)What are my current Search Engine Optimization (SEO) requirements and the scalability for future needs?

As the business owner, these decisions are up to you. Due diligence in this area is a must. A little research may save you hours of frustration and a pile of money. If you decide to explore this route, please at least consult with a professional beforehand.

Contact Blackball Online for a free evaluation of your online business needs and we will help you with this very important decision. Our business is to help you do business.

Marketing your Small Business on the Internet (Part 4) Consistency and Innovation

Pittsburgh, PA – If at first you don’t succeed try, try again. Beware of any SEO company that guarantees you No #1 rankings right away (unless it’s a Pay Per Click ad). Often these companies use procedures that are deemed unscrupulous by the Search Engines. In a never ending war on spam sites, search engines can and do penalize for such tactics. Google has a pretty nice rundown of what an SEO company should and should not be at: http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=35291

Internet Marketing is not a Science, it’s an Art. Despite the tools we use to measure results, Web Analytics are measured through research, trial and error, and experience as well as facts and figures. Many factors drive results, not the least of which is the economy. In my opinion there is no bad time to start or build on your online reputation. Solid fundamentals and consistent additions to your content will win over the “set it and forget it” method every time.

SEO is a powerful and effective way to increase your site's traffic - but most serious SEO efforts can take at least several weeks to take effect. If you are committed and willing to manage your Website's SEO continually, you should see your results increase steadily over time. As a general rule, the more dedicated and persistent you are with on and off site optimization, the better your results will be.

In addition to following Google Webmaster Guidelines for your site, there are always new and exciting ways to market your specific business. We have experimented with marketing mixes in the online arena and have found successful formulas that work very well. As we mention in Part 3 of this series, starting a blogging initiative, to complement your organic search results, consider starting a blog for your site. This is just one way to add content and reach new and existing customers.

Internet Marketing Services take on many forms. A sound business consultation and experience in the field are some traits you should certainly look for in any SEO company. Ask questions to sound out the company. After all the SEO firm will represent your business. Research and due diligence are your responsibility as a business owner. Any sound SEO should provide you with all the background information you need.

Knowing your market trends, your target audience, and your target demographic helps immensely in the way you advertise. In our experience, offering sound business advice as well as a robust marketing plan to include all forms of advertising for your business provides the best long term results. Ask yourself what kind of results you expect to see, and how long you are committed to working towards these goals. Provide for that going into a campaign and it makes it a lot easier to reach those goals. Sometimes it helps to envision the result and work backward toward it using the SEO techniques described above.

Contact Us at Blackball Online for an evaluation of your Internet Marketing and overall business needs.