BUG FIX: dLook has discovered and fixed a bug in its monthly reporting – not only were we under reporting the number of links clicked to your own website but often our numbers were not matching up to actual hits.

Unfortunately for us, we under reported it too!

The dLook site has improved in traffic significantly this year, with our best ever traffic results in the past few months … and it’s growing.

dLook Reviews

Now is the time to make sure your business listing has reviews.

With recent updates to our home page, category pages and our landing pages, reviews are now featuring throughout the site potentially displaying your business to thousands more prospects.

Make sure your dLook listing has current reviews – it will improve your performance on our site and help your search results rank in the major search engines.

dLook has invested heavily in our website over the past year and the results just keep coming through. There’s still more to come including simplified User Interface, improved search functions and a number of new products.

dLook Elite Launch

dLook are proud to announce the first of its new product set, dLook Elite. Your very own website tailored to your business – and all for under $1,000.

Not that we want to sound too much like a shopping network … but wait there’s more … we are also bundling an annual dLook online advertising listing in this price – so if you wish to upgrade and need a website to promote your own business this value cannot be beaten.

dLook thank you for your ongoing support and look forward to continuing to grow site traffic generating more opportunities for you.

Finally, keep your ears open for some radio advertising … about to feature on John Laws and a number of other slots throughout May.

Recently dLook has noted a general increase in internet activity from scammers and nuisance calls, most focused on the promise of “guaranteed Page 1 Position 1” on Google in general (organic) search results.

We know these come in waves, so before agreeing or committing to any such “guarantee” we recommend you read Google’s view on it:

“No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google.” Posted on the Google Webmasters Forum, last updated March 15, 2012.

With over 1.5 million listings, dLook has literally 1000’s of page 1 results, and many more featuring in the top 3 pages of all the major search engines.

We achieve these rankings through well laid out content and using the many features offered through the dLook premium service.

Quite simply, if you want to improve your rank on Google – add content!

Update your dLook listing … add reviews, images, a logo, promo video, your Facebook page, a Twitter feed.

Our tailored monthly reports highlight areas that can be improved – and our experience is the greater use of the dLook features the better your business will rank.

It doesn’t need to cost $1,000’s … you can achieve all this for less than a coffee per day.

Hope all are enjoying the rapid start to the leap year – I’m sure like me, you’ll appreciate the extra day!

You may have seen recent changes to category pages, such as improved search results, featured videos, customer reviews and more. These recent improvements have seen our site jump in traffic by over 30%

Also, we are about to launch an enhanced quotes feature – going live in March! This will have a major impact on many industries with increased conversions direct from dLook queries.

dLook on YouTube

dLook YouTube channel, dLookAust – rapidly approaching 100 customer promo videos. Featured throughout the site, being found through YouTube and embedded on a customers dLook page. Contact us for more info on a promo video for your business.

iPhone Directory App

dLook iPhone app – Click to download the new iPhone app – dLook online directory.

Remember fresh content is key to success – update your page now with your latest photos and reviews.

Kicking off a new year – oh how it flies! dLook are back up and running with all sorts of exciting developments.

If you haven’t been, check out our YouTube channel on dLookAust – where we are hosting numerous customer promo videos. Getting tons of hits and increasing traffic to and from our dLook site.

We also are continuously updating our Facebook page. So if you want to see the latest promos, updates and more come and join the group.

iPhone Directory App

The iPhone app (phase 1) is now fully operational – dLook directory app getting plenty of hits and there’s more to come! Click to download the new iPhone app – dLook online directory.

dLook Social

Remember our Twitter feed @dLookWeb or @Directory.

dLook has a huge range of exciting developments underway, both on the website and new services coming soon. We’ll continue to keep you updated.

In the meantime, have a look at your listing – have you added reviews recently? Fresh content is key!

Also, check out the latest tips on SEO Basics: Backlinks.

Looking forward to a BIG 2012!

So closes 2011 and a big year of renewal for dLook.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers and look forward to continuing to work with you in 2012.

There are many exciting developments underway and you can hear about it first on our Facebook page. Follow us if you have Facebook.

Download the iPhone App

If you have an iPhone download the latest dLook’s app – we will be launching this in the new year publicly and offering a whole range of new specials. Click to download the new iPhone app – dLook online directory.

Get Social on Facebook

Remember our Twitter feed @dLookWeb.

Also, check out the dLook YouTube channel – big news to hit here very soon!

Merry Christmas and all at dLook are looking forward to a very big 2012.

As is quite obvious if you’re reading this on your report … dLook Monthly reports now include statistical information with monthly reports highlighting each accounts performance both on a daily and monthly basis.

Also, check out your report for how to make the most of your dLook landing page – with suggestions on optimising your profile including adding reviews, a coupon / promo, photos and more.

But wait there’s more! Log in to your dLook dashboard and get daily and monthly reporting anytime you like.

dLook will be overhauling our User Interface in the coming months to make managing your dLook profile much easier to navigate and so … more effective!

Increased Coverage with iPhone App

Do you have an iPhone?

Check out dLook’s new iPhone app – our online directory has gone mobile.

We’re always looking for ways to improve our search and reach to attract the most hits to your page and the iPhone app is the next cab off the rank … search “DLOOK” in the iPhone App Store for your free download.

Get Social on Facebook

Hey, if you haven’t yet, follow us on Facebook.

You can also get updates, news and tips through our Twitter feed @dLookWeb.

Of course, if you have a Facebook, Twitter or a YouTube video please let us know – we’d love to add it to your dLook profile.

Best Tip for November

Reviews are a great way to add fresh content to your page – get customers to regularly add reviews – it will improve your integrity and relevance.

We’ve seen phenomenal growth in the level of awareness of small-medium sized businesses of the importance of creating an online presence.

The last 12 months or so has shown a surge in the popularity and adoption of two social networking tools for businesses.

Facebook Pages

You may be quite familiar with Facebook as a tool to help you stay connected with friends and family, but Facebook has evolved into much more than that for businesses.

Last year they introduced Facebook pages as a tool to help businesses engage with their customers. While I don’t foresee Facebook replacing a business’ need for a website and/or other optimised forms of internet advertising (ie a dLook premium listing), Facebook pages have unique benefits:

1. Enabling you to engage with your customers
2. Ability to easily inform your customers about current promotions & events
3. Create a social presence, which can speak volumes over solicited testimonials
4. Create the appearance of being “hip” and keeping up with the times

Twitter

So too, Twitter has gained a lot of popularity amongst businesses, with the similar purpose of engaging directly with customers (in case you’re asking what is Twitter?). Twitter probably explains the benefits for businesses best:

Twitter is a communication platform that helps businesses stay connected to their customers. As a business, you can use it to quickly share information with people interested in your company, gather real-time market intelligence and feedback, and build relationships with customers, partners and other people who care about your company.

In order to facilitate our advertisers to keep in touch with their customer base, towards the end of April we silently tested a “social” layout for new premium advertisers.

This new design encompasses both Facebook and Twitter widgets, as well as some other enhancement. So it doesn’t matter if you are a fitness trainer in Brisbane, selling Australian made jeans, self adhesive labels or romance books online, dog washing in Perth, or a bookkeeper in Brisbane you can benefit from combining social networking with your dLook premium advertising.

If you have premium dLook advertising and would like to incorporate our new social template on your listing, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

In the many conversations I have with business owners every day I often hear one say “sure, I’m easy to find on Google. Just search for P Smith & Sons and there we are, number one on page one.”

Ummmm okay but no cigar.

If P Smith & Sons are plumbers in say The St George Shire they should be coming up on a search for plumbers in that district (example). Or if they specialised in fixing Commercial Dishwashers in Melbourne then THIS SEARCH is what they need to be found for.

In other words it’s WHAT YOU DO rather than who you are that’s important as far as sourcing new business through the internet is concerned.

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is how most websites get found online for the terms they need to get found for. Your website is probably NOT coming up for ALL the terms it needs to come up for and as a result you are losing business to your competitors. BUT you can change all that.

The first thing you need is a powerful and targeted link(s) from a business orientated website like dLook (example of a highly optimised listing).

Secondly you will need to ensure that your website has been properly “introduced” to the big 3 search engines. Here are 3 links which can help you do this; Google, Yahoo, Bing.

Thirdly your website NEEDS to be user friendly. Ask yourself these questions;

• Does someone visiting my website for the first time know what it is I do within 10 seconds of arriving?
• Would a first time visitor easily navigate my website?
• Are my contact details easy to find?
• Are my goods or services easy to find on my site?

If you answered NO to any of the above questions then you are DEFINITELY losing customers, no ifs, buts or maybes.

The biggest mistake most business owners make with their websites is “assumption”. They assume that just because their website is acceptable to them then it SHOULD be acceptable to first time visitors. Nothing could be further from the truth! Always, always, always get a fresh pair of eyes that have NEVER seen your website before and ask their opinion. If you have a shopping cart on your website get someone who has NEVER been to your website to go through the purchasing process while you look on without helping, suggesting or interfering.

Buying & selling online has become the norm rather than the exception in Australia and the sooner your website becomes more in tune with your prospective customers the sooner you will increase sales, providing of course those prospective customers can find your website.

The publication continued to grow across Australia gaining exceptional circulation figures in all Australian states. So much so that in 2004 Sensis purchased the business for $636 million, a tidy sum by any standards.

Telstra has confirmed that the Print version of The Trading Post has now been scrapped in favour of the online version. The decision to put The Trading Post exclusively online had nothing to do with saving paper or reducing the carbon footprint of the Sensis juggernaut. It simply came down to numbers.

Sensis reports that whilst there has been a 30% increase in the number of online ads placed on The Trading Post website, there had been a corresponding 50% drop in ads placed on the printed version.

And so the trend continues. Last January we saw another Australian printed icon, The Bulletin cease publication after 128 years of being a leading Australian news magazine. There have been many others and there will be a lot more as time goes on.

Why you ask……. The answer is one word…… Google.

I can just see the traditionalists damning the internet giant for changing the media landscape to the click of a mouse instead of the turn of a paper page. But it’s not Google who have done this – it’s us, the people who use the search technology that Google, and to a lesser extent Yahoo & Bing, provide which allows us to find what we want when we want it, online 24/7.

Be it news, the closest doctors surgery, the definition of a word or very sexy lingerie gifts. Google will deliver you a swag of results in less than a second and all you have to do click and read.

If you are a business owner and your products or services are not being found easily online then you really do have a serious problem. In most cases however this problem can be overcome for little or no outlay depending on your individual circumstances.

Contact the Search Engine Marketing specialists at dLook and let us show you how to get found online with Google, Yahoo and Bing.

Okay so how can a video help your business?

It doesn’t matter if you are a Limo Company, Electrician, Escort Agency or a Business Coach. If you can produce a ONE MINUTE video promoting you, your business or your product/service (preferably all 3), you have taken a giant step towards gaining the upper hand over your competitors with your online advertising.

Imagine being able to attach a link to your commercial or infomercial to every single email you send out. Better still if you are sourcing a lot of your new clients online the impact of a video on the web page your clients initially come to can increase the sales effectiveness of that page.

For example:

Stretch Hummer Limousine
Wedding Photographer
Magician Sydney
Wedding Video Sydney
Working From Home
Video Production Gold Coast
Hip Hop Dancing

If you are clever enough to produce your own commercial it will cost you absolutely nothing to upload and host it on YouTube. You can then embed (display) it on your dLook page and / or your website and link to it in your emails.

If you need help creating a commercial or infomercial, contact dLook Video Help and give us an approximate budget ($500 to $1500). We will then put you in touch with a video production house close to you who we can honestly recommend.