Aleksandra's Blog

Blog SEO Optimization Best Practices III

Aleksandra Walters — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:52:41 +0000

The second fundamental part of a successful SEO, is links.

While there are countless offers on the web about adding gazillion new links to your site with a snap of a finger for just $9.99, is that what your site really needs?

As in many other things in business, in this scenario as well, quality beats quantity. And if you’re going to do this right, here are few DOs and DON’Ts you should follow:

DO:

use txt links in navigation
use txt links between pages
use breadcrum navigation
use same URL structure for linking: www.xyz.com vs. xyz.com vs. www.xyz.com/

DON’T:

don’t use complex URLs
don’t create duplicate links by linking multiple URLs to the same content

Cool stuff, right? The next questions I often hear is: But how does one get great sites linking back to them?

- the easiest is to earn it with the great content on your blog

- write great content on other blogs – guest blogging

- collaborate with other marketing partners

- promote on social networks

- promote within news releases

- use bookmarking sites

See a great way of getting links I did not mention? Add in comments…

Blog SEO Optimization Best Practices II

Aleksandra Walters — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:54:23 +0000

In Blog SEO Best Practes I, I talked about 3 pillars of SEO, importance of keywords in how keywords you use determine what type of prospect you will attract to your site, and how best to get into prospect’s mind to get to the keywords they use to search for on the internet.

In this post, I’m going to continue talking about the keywords and where and how to use them.

Here are good places to use the keywords your prospects are searching for:

Title tags – the most important location for you keywords. Use about 8 and make sure they are specific for each page
Headings
Paragraph titles
Keywords in body of the text – link to other post
Anchor text - if you look at my first sentence, you will see that I did not say : “if you go here“, and made that a link, instead I said, “Blog SEO Best Practices I” and actually used the keywords to link to the content of my choice
URLs
Navigation tabs
Image alternate text – a very important but mostly overlooked strategy. If you have lot of pictures on your page, search engines won’t recognize them, they can’t read pictures, so make sure you use the alternate text option and insert your keywords there.
Meta description text – many of my readers and students get confused with this keyword tags and description tags

Meta description tags allow you to have a more active role in telling the search engines just what information is included in your web pages. The Meta description tags for your website could simply be the first few sentences of your content, which should outline the information in your site. Google does NOT use Meta Description tags to rank your site but may use it in the text for a search results snippet.

Meta keyword tags can be a way to reinforce the keywords that exist on your website for a very select few of browsers. Meta keyword tags allow you to provide additional text for crawler-based search engines to index your site along with your website content. Without even a bit of discretion I will tell you that Meta keywords are a waste of time! Major search engines like Google, AOL, MSN, Yahoo etc. do not base ANY website SEO (search engine optimization) on Meta keywords.

Regardless of which marketing strategy you choose, here are 5 things you need to remember about using keywords:

Always do a thorough research
Keep a running list
Prospect’s intent and stage in a buying cycle
Use keywords in places I listed above
Implement SEO strategies in other content (video, social media profiles, posts, etc)

Did I omit anything? Feel free to add in the comments below….

Ever frustrated with the Law of Attraction? [2010 Silva Expo in Houston]

Aleksandra Walters — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:56:13 +0000

(…and how to get my Social Media Marketing Manifesto completely free – no strings attached, see below for details)

If you have ever had a chance to have your thoughts aligned with your desires, then you know the Law of Attraction feels like an unstoppable force that takes you exactly where you desires are and it feels like all doors you never thought would open suddenly open…with ease…

It is a truly unbelievable experience… however, it does disappear just as quickly and easily as “doubts” and “ifs” start showing up that take your focus away…and just like a house of cards it all starts falling apart…

I know that, because I’ve been there…on both sides…more than once…

And it’s a B _ _ _ _ _ to get out of it sometimes, even with the right tools. Many times what you really need is someone to just snap you out of it…and that is exactly what you will get by meeting some of the greatest minds of The Silva Method at 2010 Silva Expo in Houston.

So many of us attended seminars and classes for personal transformation and hoped for results, yet little to nothing changes afterwards. Even if you experienced some shifts, do you know why something works, and others don’t? What about life-long spiritual practices? Some of us wonder if we are doing the right thing.

Now you can actually come and spend a weekend with the biggest experts in the field and you might be pleasantly surprised with what you can learn and put into practice immediately, with results. This 2010 Silva Expo is one of the few conferences, if not the only conference, that addresses the science behind these practices with evidence-based research to back up that are done at well-respected academic institutes.

For more details, click link: http://www.silvamethod.com/ne/conventions/060810/Default.aspx (Place cursor over Conference At a Glance for more details)

And if you decide to join this elite of experts, I will give you my entire Social Media Marketing Manifesto free – with no strings attached. Why? Because I am that certain you will benefit from it. Register for the 2010 Silva Expo and send me the receipt or a aconfirmation email and I will give an immediate access tu my full Social Media Marketing Manifesto.

See you at the top!

My life has been changed by this method in ways I can’t describe…I want the same for you.

Blog SEO Optimization Best Practices I

Aleksandra Walters — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:06:56 +0000

SEO is in… SEO is out…now it’s in again…which is it???

Heck, just like all the other things in life, SEO results are cyclical too; and today, you’re in the middle of one of the biggest shifts of online readers moving from clicking on the pay-per-click ads to the ones displayed in organic searches.

And the result? More free traffic, IF you know how to use SEO properly.

Let me level with you…

Doing SEO the right way is not really a piece of cake, but it’s not a rocket science either, as some SEO gurus would like you to believe.

SEO has 3 fundamental parts:

keywords
link building
search friendly site

…and that my friends is it.

Let’s talk about keywords for a minute….depending on which keywords we use, we’re going to bring in the corresponding traffic. For example:

Prospects’ mode: Keywords:

researching broad – cars

considering brand – Mercedes Benz

buying specific – 2010 CLS63AMG

As you can tell, if we’re targeting keywords that are broad, bulk of our traffic will be prospects in research mode and so on…

So spend some time thinking about keywords you should use on your site and your content.

You can:

brainstorm
poll your audience
survey/interview your readers/customers
run analytics reports
use keyword suggestion tools

How To Get 13 million Views On Your Video

Aleksandra Walters — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:48:32 +0000

How much can viral marketing really help your brand and your company?

Watch this video – it’s the most viral piece of marketing out today, then follow the link below to learn how they got to $13 million views.

Continue reading How To Get 13 million Views On Your Video

News: Newest Social Media Platform: Your Car

Aleksandra Walters — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 14:44:14 +0000

There is no question that social media is in today, for personal and for business purposes, but how far is too far?

This morning CNN reported that Ford Fiesta 2011 model is putting in full time internet connection in their newest model. But it’s not just the full time internet connection that is drawing all the attention, but the car’s ability to tweet for you.

Yes, you read that right, the car itself will read the driver’s break touch intervals to determine if the driver… Continue reading Newest Social Media Platform: Your Car

Effective Business Blogging 101

Aleksandra Walters — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:45:57 +0000

Content

One of the greatest advantages of having a blog is an ability to add/update your content with great ease and often. Since Google loves new content, the more often you update your blog, get new links, get new comments, the more Google with award you with better positions in organic searches and more traffic.

However, when it comes to actually writing your content, there are also two very important things to keep in mind:

Don’t reword your posts to satisfy SEO (I will talk more about SEO in the next post): write in your words and let your personality and your knowledge come through. If you start editing content to fit SEO it will very easily lose the flavor that makes your posts so you.

Do write about a broader topic of your audience’s interest, not just about the product or service you offer. For example, if you are a realtor, you might want to talk about real estate in general, financing, homeownership, gardening etc…

View your blog also as a communication tool with your audience. If you’re adding a new product or service to your repertoire, mention it, if you’re adding new site features, talk about it, if there was a challenge you recently encountered in your business, educate about it, if you dropped a ball with something, apologize and take care of it…show people you’re in it all the way, and that you care.

Interaction (comments)

One of the biggest questions about comments is always “what do I do with negative comments?” My suggestion: leave them, but don’t ignore them. Use them as a communication and education tool. Many times those leaving them feel somehow not heard, or jipped in some way. Address their concerns, helped them if you can, and you will be surprised just how many will turn to be your avid supporters.

Layout

Layout is another important factor in business blogging. From single column to 2 -column, and 3-column layouts there are quite a few combinations to choose from. 2-column seems to be most widely used, but regardless of the number of columns, the content in those and the placement of content itself can make or break the blog. Ever been on blog page and felt so overwhelmed you rather left then to try to figure out what you can find there? Ever got a bit frustrated from looking for stuff you just could not find?

There are certain rules you just must follow to get great results. I.e. , your signup form will have the best results if in the top right hand corner. That is where human eye has been trained to look at. There are certain things you want in what is called “above the fold” section. Meaning a visitor can see it without having to scroll the page, because he/she might never get that far. So if you don’t catch their attention right of the bat you will more than likely lose them.

Platforms

I wrote about two rival platforms in Why WordPress Might Be Better Than Blogspot For Your Blogging? . You should think about what your primary goal is with this blog and then choose the appropriate platform that will allow you to achieve that goal in the most efficient way.

Resources

When you’re thinking about starting a blog for your business, you should also think about resources available to you to pull that off, the right way.

Time. Writing a blog takes time. And writing a blog is something that does not have an expiration date. Once you start it, it goes hand in hand with the life of your business. Nothing worse for your prospect than to land on your site and find the last post was created 6 months ago. Great enticement to do the business with you and feel like you’re on top of things and involved? Not so much…

People. Do you plan on letting others contribute to your blog? From within your company or your audience? Are they qualified? You don’t necessarily have to keep them under microscope, but if you develop a great set of guidelines, it will help set expetactions right for you and your bloggers.

What have you found to be biggest challenge in blogging for your business?

Web 2.0 News: How YOU Can Help Change Your Local Government with Web 2.0

Aleksandra Walters — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:32:02 +0000

“Cities are under greater pressure than ever, struggling with budget cuts and outdated technology. What if, instead of cutting services or raising taxes, cities could leverage the power of the web to become more efficient, transparent, and participatory?” says CodeforAmerica.org.

But they are not just saying that, they are actually doing something about it.

Now, you might be asking yourself, how is government connected to Web 2.0 and will you be from now on chatting with them on Twitter and Facebook? Maybe so, but this more about becoming a platform that will make a difference in the way citizens and cities work together.

Houston Social Media Recruiter

Aleksandra Walters — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 05:00:25 +0000

If you spend any time on the internet and not cashing in on it in some way, shame on you.

As wide and far as it reaches across the globe, it offers many income producing opportunities for those who like risk, to those who are creative, all the way to those playing it safe.

No matter which group you fall into, there is a way for you to get on this money train.

Here are top 3 ways to make money with Web 2.0 in Houston today:

1) use it to promote your company/product/service

2) teach it

3) get a job doing it for someone else

Those businesses, who have figured out the online marketing game, could not possibly imagine having a business today and not use the web 2.0 properties to advertise their business. Just ask them yourself and you will see.

Rod Harper, a Houston online entrepreneur says: “Web 2.0 is a attitude not so much a technology. Basically web 2.0 is the beginning of a new era of website integration and technology“.

Web 2.0 is the most efficient and cost effective way of marketing today – if done properly, of course. The viral potential alone is incomparable to any other way of marketing. And once the entrepreneur gets a taste of that, it’s a go.

Then there are those who despite the fact that they might be overflowing with the knowledge and making mula with it, they might be one of those who actually don’t mind sharing the wealth with the world. In which case, those should be all over the teaching/coaching idea. Today people are willing to pay in upwards of $4,000-5,000 for a Web 2.0 course led by someone who has results and know what they’re doing online. From $1 to $5000 is large spread, and a lot of room to find your price tag.

And for those, loving to play safe, there is not a shortage of opportunities either. Here is a link for to fresh batch of web 2.0 jobs in Houston which should not be overlooked. To view web 2.0 jobs inHouston, follow the link below:

Houston Social Media Recuiter

What other great social media sites have you seen? Share with us in comments below.

To have Aleksandra answer your questions about Web 2.0, Social Media, or marketing online in general, send an email to aleksandra@ultimatemarketingonline.com

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Worldwide celebration of Social Media Day – #smday

Aleksandra Walters — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 03:59:50 +0000

Want to be a part of the global celebration of Social Media? Well now you can.

Mashable, the world’s largest blog focused exclusively on Web 2.0 and Social Media news, is hosting first ever Social Media Day celebration on June 30, and YOU’re invited. Some 340 meetups in 74 countries, have been organized by people just like you.

If you live in New York City, San Francisco, Atlanta or Austin, then you’re doubly lucky because Mashable’s staff will be attending those meetups, so you can actually stop by and shake hands with some of the coolest people in industry.

Some meetups have gone as far as adding a benefit event to its agenda so that the proceeds collected can go to a good cause.

So how do you participate?

Here’s what Mashable is offering:

§ Meetup Everywhere Mashable: Sign up to attend or organize your own event on the Meetup Everywhere Mashable.

§ Use our Logo: If you’re planning a meetup, use our Social Media Day logo for the event. Why the alpaca for the mascot you might ask? It’s among the most social farm animals.

§ Comment via Facebook: Go to Smday.com and leave a comment either promoting your meetup or tell us what you’re doing for your event.

§ RSVP to the Facebook Event: RSVP and upload photos from your meetup to our Facebook event page.

§ Upload to Flickr: Upload photos to Flickr and tag them with #smday.

§ Follow @mashSMday: Follow @mashSMday on Twitter for updates and developments on the celebration.

§ Tweet: Use the #smday hashtag on Twitter. With so many participating, we should be a trending topic on Twitter on June 30. Also, we’ll soon be announcing a prize for those that tweet or post FB.

To learn more about the Social Media Day celebration go to http://mashable.com/smday/.

Another cool idea? If you don’t see your city on the map, why not organize your own Social Media meetup in your city? Yes, they actually want you do that that, so why not go for it? Use the social media sources listed above to spread the word and make sure you include the #smday hashtag wherever you can.

As far as my Houston readers, you’re in luck as well! There is already meet up being organized by The Houston committee of Extra Life. If you’re into old-school kickball, then you’re really in for a treat.

Don’t miss this great summer event at Little Big’s Zoo Cir Dr.

See you there.