| Given the current state of the economy, most | | | | aka Cascading Style Sheets, allows graphic design |
| companies are looking for ways to cut costs and still | | | | parameters of a site (fonts, colors, graphics, etc.) to |
| obtain new business. To do so, that requires careful | | | | be coded separately from the content. This flattened |
| thought in how to allocate a limited marketing budget | | | | programming structure helps search engine robots to |
| so that the items your company invests in generate | | | | get to your content more quickly. CSS also enables |
| the most bang for the buck. | | | | one to order the content so that search engines are |
| The best marketing investment your company can | | | | indexing the most important content first. |
| make in 2009 is in its own web site. More specifically, | | | | - XML Site Map: This is different from the site map |
| focus on activities that improve your site's position | | | | on your web site. An XML site map is a file on your |
| on the major search engines to drive traffic and | | | | server that gives Google and Yahoo indexing |
| leads to your company. The economy may have | | | | instructions, i.e. which pages to index, how often, |
| slowed down, but it hasn't come to a halt. There are | | | | alerts them to new content, etc. |
| customers out there - you just have to get your | | | | - Google Analytics: This traffic-reporting system |
| company in a position to be found by them. | | | | won't directly impact your performance on Google, |
| Google is the 800 lb. gorilla in search with about 65% | | | | but it will help you track your site's performance and |
| market share. Search engines as a whole are the | | | | provide good information for devising a search engine |
| most efficient way to reach your target audience. | | | | optimization strategy. |
| More than 80% of Internet users say they use a | | | | - New Content: Identifying and creating new web site |
| search engine to look for products and services. And | | | | content that establishes your company as an expert |
| more than 90% say they'll go no further than the | | | | in its industry is well worth the effort. Search engines |
| first 3 pages of a search to find what they're looking | | | | rank technical and educational material much higher |
| for before changing the keywords. If your site is not | | | | than standard sales information. Topics like technical |
| showing up on the first 3 pages of Google for | | | | data sheets, industry glossaries, explanations of |
| important keywords to your industry, then you're | | | | technical processes, instructional videos and product |
| missing out on a significant amount of potential new | | | | photos (with captions) are all highly valued search |
| business. | | | | engine bait because the search engines believe this |
| To help you plan your 2009 marketing activities, here | | | | type of content will be of significant interest to your |
| are some specific ideas for improving your site's | | | | potential customers. |
| position on Google: | | | | - In-bound Links: One of the important factors |
| - Search Engine Optimization: Making sure your site is | | | | considered by search engines when ranking |
| performing on the keywords that prospects are | | | | competing sites is the number and quality of incoming |
| searching for is critical. If your site has not been | | | | links to each site. The more quality sites that link to |
| optimized, then it likely is not performing on Google. | | | | you the more important your site is perceived to be |
| - Keyword Research: Search Engine Optimization | | | | by the search engines. Good links to get include |
| starts with identifying the keywords Internet users in | | | | those from industry associations, trade publications |
| your industry would use to find you. This process | | | | and business directories. Posting news releases and |
| helps to prioritize what type of content your site | | | | articles on third-party sites also provides an avenue |
| should focus on; if there are many terms that | | | | for incoming links. |
| describe your business, a keyword research report | | | | The best reason to invest in these areas is that each |
| will help determine which ones are the most | | | | of these projects will benefit your company long |
| important for driving the most traffic to your site. | | | | after the expenditure through increased visibility on |
| - CSS: If it's been a while since your site was built, it | | | | the search engines and more site traffic. |
| likely would benefit from re-programming in CSS. CSS, | | | | |