Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
We believe in a “Holistic Approach” to website marketing and creating an effective online presence. You can no longer just build a website and hope to be successful on the Internet. You need a comprehensive strategy that keeps up with the competition and improves your visibility. Your website strategy also needs to be more interactive with your audience and content needs to be constantly evolving.
Components of a Holistic Online Marketing Approach
Web Development
- You need to begin with assimilating your brand across all communication platforms so when someone visits your website the look and feel quickly communicates your brand.
- Navigation and usability need to be carefully planned so that visitors can find the information they are looking for. You also need the programming ability to deliver a smooth and seamless experience for your visitors.
- Conversion or data capture capabilities need to be built-in so visitors don’t just use your site as a source and then move on.
- An ongoing evolution of your website needs to be calculated into your plan. Building your site on a platform that is expandable and easy to keep current as business growth, applications and technology change is important for maintaining a viable website.
Content Development
- Good copywriting is at the core off all content development. If you do not have established content or have no one in-house who can provide this service you need to hire a professional copy writer with search engine optimization (SEO) experience to develop effective, compelling content that is rich in appropriate keywords while still communicating your message in a clear and concise manner.
- Photography should be professional and whenever possible personalized to your business. Professional headshots or personnel, facilities and products help connect your clients to your business.
- Video content is exploding on the Internet and is the easiest and most effective way to communicate your value and demonstrate your products. With the advent of YouTube and other video distribution sites you can have your own broadcast channel.
Search Engine Marketing
Every website requires at least basic SEO practices to assure visibility across the various search engines. Organic SEO positioning of your website for major keyword searches is free and raises your website visibility and authority over your competition.- Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is the paid placement of ads (Pay Per Click or PPC) , these are the “sponsored links” on search engines and other online advertising channels for specific keywords or phrases. The management of these campaigns can be difficult and costly. An experienced online marketing firm can significantly increase your effectiveness and ROI.
- Social media is the fastest growing segment of the Internet and includes content distribution, interactive discussions, audio and video. The community aspects of social media and the ability to communicate to an audience of like-minded individuals and groups makes social media an unavoidable component to any holistic online marketing campaign.
- Content distribution helps elevate your message on the Internet and helps establish quality inbound links pointing back to your website. Blogs, articles, press releases and YouTube videos are all effective forms of content distribution.
- Customer reviews – with over 70% of online purchases decided by online reviews you can no longer be passive. Today you need a pro-active approach to soliciting and distributing positive reviews on your website and the many web directories where individuals are talking about your company.
- A mobile-ready responsive design websites ensures the exploding market in mobile and tablet visitors to your web site can clearly view your website content and easily navigate to appropriate areas.
- Capture leads by developing call-to-actions and whitepapers.
- Email marketing is a cost effective tool to continue to communicate with your audience and stay top of mind when they need your services. It is important that your emails provide value – good information or advice rather than solely self-promoting.
In Summary
A holistic approach to your website development requires an ongoing, flexible and evolving platform and strategy. There are multiple channels to manage and update. Whenever possible you should be directly engaged in the process. Sites with content management systems (CMS) help empower the non-technical user to update their website and interact with visitors to the site and social media pages.
As your business and online profile grows you need to have a team of professionals that work in concert to make sure you stay up-to-date, deliver your message effectively and maximize return on your marketing dollars.
There is no other place where the opportunity is so great to reach a large audience on an affordable budget. You need a strategic plan and team of experienced professionals to ensure you take advantage of the opportunities available online rather than squandering the opportunity to your competition.