A First Page of Google in every home!

Common sense strikes back, it seems, as I can’t swish and flick my SEO wand the last couple weeks without hitting someone who’s talking about being on the “first page of Google.”

The first page of Google. Right, yeah seems like common sense, doesn’t it. We all want to be there. “Get on the first page of Google in 30 days.” “First page of Google in two weeks.” “First page of Google 5 minutes ago…just sign here, step right up everyone’s a winner!”

It makes my soul hurt. Here’s the problem with all that: Google doesn’t have a “first page.” Read that one more time.

What people mean when they say “the first page of Google” is page one of search results for a particular query. But that’s one, single search phrase. It’s unique to that phrase. Conclusion: Google has as many first pages as it has search phrases submitted to its system. Where’s the “common” here?

So when someone says “page one of Google” or “the first page of Google,” ask them what specific search phrase they are referring to. Because I guarantee the guy offering to put your wizbang store on top isn’t going to be able to do it for the term “wizbangs.” It’s too general, too competitive. Try “purple wizbang cylinders” and then maybe you have a shot.

But that’s a completely different “first page,” isn’t it?

The First Page of Google is a post from: RSA Blog

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “Common sense isn’t.” I find this to be true more often than not.

In the case of SEO and keywords, many times it seems “common sense” needs to be ignored or thrown out the window entirely. Every person has their own perspective and their own ways of doing things. Search is no different. Ask 10 people to find a single product online, you’ll probably get 7 different keyword searches.

In fact, according to Google’s internal data at the time of this post, 16% of searches each day have never been submitted before.

So where is the “common” here? We all want to optimize our websites for search engines – that’s how we get found these days. Hell, I have clients telling me this now, so I’d say it’s probably common sense. But what does it mean?

What is optimization?

“Optimization” seems to have a reputation for being some magical voodoo concoction we apply to the web server, or a wand we can wave at our screens and Inquisio Optimus! Heh. Not likely, Potter.

Search engine optimization is a very focused, data-driven effort. Like a thin-beam flashlight in a dark room, you can’t focus everywhere at once. You need to find the most relevant area (keywords) to focus on, and then put them on your website in a way that makes sense.

But you can optimize for only so many keywords before you’ve diversified your website’s subject matter into search obscurity. But how do we know what keywords to focus on? It’s actually very simple.

How to Choose Keywords

There are two main figures to focus on here.

Traffic: we need to determine as best we can how much daily traffic a keyword gets. By this I mean to ask how many searches per day, on average, occur for this particular word or phrase?

Competition: we also need to find out how many other websites are indexed for this phrase. This is our competition.

Google has all this data, and they’ve generously shared it with us. Competition is easy, as you just type the term into the search field and see how many total results are returned. That’s your total competition.

To get an idea of average traffic, we use Google’s Keyword Tool (sign in for best results). So let’s say I do woodworking and I want to sell items on my website. I need people to find my website for woodworking related terms. So let’s see what Google has to say.

Woodworking gets a monthly average of 823,000 searches, so a daily average of about 27000. This is fantastic! So let’s look at the competition: 53,300,000. Oh. Alright, so our chances of being ranked well for this keyword…pretty much zero, unless we have millions to spend.

But I don’t just do “woodworking,” do I? How about “custom woodworking?” Google says 403 average daily searches and about 1,820,000 competitors. That’s pretty good search traffic, but the competition is still really stiff. But I don’t do all kinds of woodworking, I specialize in furniture.

For “custom wood furniture” we have 146 average daily searches with 173,000 competitors. Ah, here we are – this is a good keyword phrase. Decent daily traffic that will be relevant, and not too much competition. I have a good chance of being ranked well for this term, given the right effort and enough time.

But this is just one keyphrase – I’ll need a small list of different keywords and phrases for my site. Better get researching!

Onward, upward

So you see the “common sense” approach doesn’t always work. Just guessing about keywords and optimizing for “woodworking,” would disappoint. A strategy based on research, however, will eliminate the guesswork and afford a much better chance at success. Of course there are more factors than just traffic and competition, but this is the starting point.

So let’s get started.

SEO, Keywords, and Common Sense is a post from: RSA Blog

Do you manage a Facebook page for your business? Social media is a free way to stay in contact with your customers. (Most of which probably don’t visit your website very often.)

Facebook provides a great way to get people interacting with your business from a platform they’re already using on a daily basis. There is a method to managing your Facebook business page and we have a few tips that will help build your fan base and elicit interaction on posts.

Post relevant information
Your posts should be industry specific. If you sell computers, an example post could be details on the new Apple iOS 5 operating system. Not all posts need to contain information about your business but they should be applicable.

Poll your audience
Free tools like the “Questions” application allow you to survey people who “like” your page. If the question is a good one people are more likely to contribute and share the question on their own walls for more eyes to see.

Media adds depth
Adding a photo is rather simple and increases the likelihood that people will view your post. If you have several photos from an event or a conference you attended, create an album.

Pat yourself of the back
Use your Facebook page as a PR tool. Tell your fans about accomplishments and customer success stories. Did your business just win an award? Take a picture and put it online for everyone to see. Success instills customer confidence and customer confidence equals more business.

Have a contest
These contests don’t have to be formal. It could be as simple as saying, “the first 10 people to like this post will get a coupon for $5 off their next purchase.” If people know you are prone to offer deals they will be more likely to visit your page without being prompted.

Bonus tip: Try to use proper punctuation and spelling whenever possible. You should also avoid smiley faces and excessive exclamation points. It’s great to be excited but too much schmooze could make you look like a jerk.

5 tips for gaining impressions and interaction on your Facebook page is a post from: RSA Blog

Pissed off ghostwriter

Hiring a ghostwriter can be an attractive approach to social media, if you’re a business owner or marketer with little time on your hands to devote to keeping up with social updates on multiple platforms.

There can be some pitfalls to this approach, however – not the least of which is the perceived in-authenticity of the person who has someone else speak for them.

In the case of Mark Davidson, it would appear this morning that he’s been utilizing several ghost writers for his Twitter account, and one of them was just fired. The problem is this person still has access to Davidson’s account, with amusing results. For example:

And all the funny stuff that @markdavidson wrote, that was all me. The other 2 ghostwriters are really boring. Good luck, bro…

This situation taken on first look, the feeling I get (besides the ache in my gut from laughing) is that Davidson has been a little deceptive – or is it apathetic? While I understand the reason Ghostwriters might be used, knowing it still shifts my perspective to one of caution and distrust regarding this particular person. I have to wonder if this is true for all his followers.

Now I’ll admit, this could be a stunt. It could be fake. Maybe his account was hacked and someone is lying. Maybe he’s just having fun (in that case, well played, Mark). There’s no way to know at this point, but the lesson is clear: be careful when hiring ghostwriters – it could cause more problems than it solves.

What do you think?

Hiring Ghostwriters for Social Media is a post from: RSA Blog

This is how we feel about your mission statement.

Let’s be frank, here: mission statements are boring. No one reads them, no one cares.

Alright, “no one” is an exaggeration. There’s got to be someone out there who cares, otherwise people would stop publishing mission statements on their websites, right? So, do you have one on your website? It probably sucks.

Look, for most organizations the mission statement is not for the customers. It’s for the employees. It’s for you. It speaks to a vision you should all have and operate from. This keeps things moving smoothly in one direction, ensuring a consistently positive customer experience.

In this case, you wouldn’t put your mission statement on your website. It’s that simple! Frame it and put it in the conference room or break room for internal staff to see.

Admittedly, though – in some cases an organization’s mission statement is relevant to its customers and the public. Maybe that’s you. In that case, follow these guidelines to craft a mission statement that doesn’t suck:

Vague, generalized mission statements suck

Yours should be specific. A mission statement must be tailored to your organization’s specific purpose and goals, otherwise it’s useless. See this example of a completely useless mission statement (hit cancel on the popup).

Puffery in a mission statement sucks

Don’t fill your mission statement with buzz words that are vague and meaningless. Just get to the point and be clear about it. Test it on your employees – if they can’t specifically relate to your mission statement, then your customers can’t be expected to back you. See the above link for an example of “vague.”

Confusing mission statements suck

How many people were in on the development of your mission statement? Too many cooks in the kitchen can make the mission statement confusing. If your organization has a clear goal, make sure that is reflected in the mission statement. Otherwise it’s probably not ready for public viewing.

Boring mission statements…that’s right, they suck

Try asking strangers if your mission statement makes sense. Do they understand what it says? Is it memorable? Does it make them care or get them excited? If not, it needs work. Make sure your mission statement tells a story and sparks an interest among your customers, or it’s useless to you and them.

What do you think mission statements are worth? How do did you craft your mission statement? Share it in the comments!

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Photo courtesy of gonzalomerat

Your Mission Statement Sucks is a post from: RSA Blog

The web-based social media tool, Hootsuite, made some major changes to the freedom users have when updating their Facebook pages.

Hootsuite has always allowed you to schedule messages and post updates with Facebook in the past. However, the new features are like icing on the cake. They include the things you thought about when you would sit at your computer asking, “Why don’t they let me do this?”

Overview

Hootsuite lets you combine all your accounts from different social media platforms in one easy-to-read-and-update dashboard. This lets Joe Schmoe, or “X” company, update their Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. accounts from one place, at the same time. It can be a real time-saving tool when you plan on being unavailable or will be out of the office for the day.

Updates

Most of the updates deal directly with Facebook accounts, but some are relevant to others.

For Facebook…

You can now upload photos directly to a group page, make comments and “like” items, which send directly to Facebook.

There is also the addition of location components that give you the choice to include your whereabouts.

A filtering system lets you search for topics within your page or from the rest of the internet.

Benefits

Hoosuite has always been beneficial because of the time it helps save. Now, with even more functionality, the tool lets you control more aspects of your social media sites from inside the application.

Listed above are just the main updates. There are many more technical features that we won’t get into right now.

Conclusion

If you or your business use social media, or want to start using it more effectively, give Hootsuite a try. As with any new technology, it will take some playing around with and getting used to, but you will quickly see the efficiency pay off.

Hootsuite Update Includes Location and Advanced Facebook Features is a post from: RSA Blog

hah

We just got added to the Alltop site, which is awesome. Apparently they’re letting just anyone in these days! I mean, nevermind that it took months of pleading and multiple bribes consisting of first-born children and/or large quantities of alcohol (note: we do not condone the use of children as currency).

In all seriousness, though, this is pretty cool! We’re all pretty excited to be included.

You can look up the RSA Blog in the marketing topic.

Alltop loves us long time is a post from: RSA Blog

Customer service needs more cowbell.

I recently took my car in to get new brakes. I had never been to this shop, so I was a little unsure what kind of experience I was going to have. Happily, the owner was more than helpful. He didn’t just put cheap brakes on my car, he asked me what kind of budget I was working with and explained the different types, gave me his own recommendation and then asked what I wanted.

When I came back to pick up my car I found that he had not only replaced my brakes, but also cleaned my car and fixed a small dent in my hood free of charge. Why? Simply because he would have done the same if it was his own car. Treating my car like it was his own assured me, the customer, that my car was in good hands.

What makes a good customer experience?

This assurance is what made my experience a good one. It isn’t always just the deals or the selection; customer service can make or break the shopping experience, gaining you a loyal customer or a poor online review.

But good customer service isn’t just about greeting customers with a smile anymore. People are looking for a personal connection even in business dealings. By making an effort to form relationships, you start to build the kind of trust that results in repeat customers.

This isn’t like building friendships, though – it’s less about getting to know each other personally and more about caring for customers as people rather than money machines. It can be as simple as offering your knowledge and advice to the customer, even if they didn’t ask for it. If people feel like they are doing business with someone who genuinely cares about helping them out, they are more likely to return.

Every customer is important – treat them so!

Every customer should feel they are the most important one you have. It’s that VIP feeling that will make a one-time customer return again.

Have you ever walked into a store and heard the standard “Is there anything I can help you with today?” greeting? How about someone who not only helped you find what you were looking for, but asked what kind of product you were looking for, gave recommendations and helped you choose something to fit your needs? It’s service like this that makes a good shopping experience because they know they can depend on you to get them what they need.

Pricing and novelty aren’t always the customer’s motivation. Building relationships with your current customers based on the level of service you provide and the way you treat them as people is one of the best things you can do for your business.

Recall the last time you had a great experience with customer service. What made it so great? Use those experiences to start giving your own customers great service.

Have a great customer service story? Share it here in the comments!

(Customer) Relationship Advice is a post from: RSA Blog

You have to watch it on Youtube to even have a chance, and then only if you pause it *just* right. And where does it take you? A site that's only semi-mobile friendly!

It’s rare that I eat out, and one of those occasions recently found me at Buffalo Wild Wings.  If you’ve ever been there you know its loud and animated with 427 televisions all tuned to some sports program or one of those closed circuit trivia games. Try as you might you can’t help but glance up at the screens from time to time (I don’t know why I bothered trying, either).

The intense shredding of renowned surfer Dusty Payne caught my attention, so I paused from my water-no-ice-no-lemon and nachos to watch. It was obviously a commercial, but it was captivating just the same. Graphics were cut in between video of Dusty ripping the waves, appearing for microseconds – things like Volcom’s logo, website, Dusty’s name, board shorts, and a QR code. Wait, what? A QR code?

QR Code Fail

Okay, the ad is striking, I admit. It’s has some power. But placing a QR code in a 30-second ad and showing it for only microseconds…that’s a little perplexing. Sure, you might have your smartphone sitting on the arm of your lazy-boy recliner as you mindlessly consume electronic entertainment, but you certainly aren’t sitting at the ready waiting for a barcode to pop up, right? I mean, it takes half the commercial to load up your barcode scanner app! “Oh look a QR code – wait – hold on let me pull up the app…ok it’s loading…loading, wait wait! Crap!

If you’re thinking of doing something similar in your next television commercial, consider the user and how they might respond to seeing a 2D code. Recognize that while a lot of new technology is fast and convenient, it isn’t that fast and it isn’t always convenient.

Yes, new technology is sexy and you want to be one of the first to use it in exciting new ways. But exciting and new isn’t always effective. Users of mobile devices are generally on the go, a little too busy or engaged to be disrupted by ill-conceived and irrelevant marketing. Flashing a QR code at them on a TV screen is like putting up an electronic billboard in the middle of a desert.

QR Code Win

Tesco Home Plus of Korea understands mobile users. They realized, for this person, the weekly task of grocery-go-getting was time consuming and sometimes difficult to accomplish in a hurry. So they brought the grocery store to where their customers might have some downtime – the subway.

Tesco created a virtual grocery store on the subway walls, each item bearing a QR code allowing customers to shop while they waited. Tesco did their homework. First they studied their customers’ habits, then identified a problem the customer faced on a weekly basis, and finally devised and implemented a solution to their customers’ problem, ultimately increasing sales.

QR codes can be a great tool when used correctly. The next time you are at a creative meeting, don’t be afraid to suggest using them. Just be sure to use them in a way that engages people rather than just riding the novelty wave as Volcom did.

The Fail and Win of QR Codes is a post from: RSA Blog

Robert Sharp & Associates was fortunate to attend the first annual MarketPlace event in Huron, SD.

The event, which is scheduled to take place the next two years, was hosted by the Center for Rural Affairs and the South Dakota Farmers Union.

The purposes of MarketPlace is to unite local business owners and entrepreneurs in South Dakota and provide them with insight, education and a chance to network and learn about other resources from across the state.

We had several good conversations with people from all walks of life and all areas of the state.

One of our most unique encounters was with a woman from a small town north of Phillip; she owns a bed and breakfast called Missile Inn. As the name suggests, Missile Inn is located near an old missile silo. Sadly, however, guests do not stay in the abandoned shaft. The B & B has six different rooms, all decked with paintings, trinkets and artifacts the owner and her family have collected over time.

We also attended several breakout sessions and seminars. Through these experiences we learned helpful advice from industry leaders. One of the sessions, “20 Killer Marketing Ideas That Will Build Your Business,” was especially helpful.

From all the speakers, discussions and networking with South Dakota business owners, here are three most important things we took away.

1) Business is alive and well in South Dakota – what recession? SD business owners are fighting through the difficult financial times facing our country and most of them are coming out successful. This doesn’t just include established businesses, many small businesses are opening and finding a way to make it work.

2) The feeling of community is strong – even though we knew many of the vendors and business owners, there were still some new faces. The friendliness and love we received from total strangers was astounding. This wasn’t an event where businesses pushed their products at other people. There were no sales pitches or contracts – just an open environment to learn and grow.

3) Technology is at the forefront of business – the degree of attendees tech skills ranged from very advanced to complete novice but one thing was consistent in the minds of everyone who attended: technology is essential to marketing your business and product. Many of the session talked about social media’s influence on business. It was neat to see the openness and reception to technology that many people aren’t native to, or necessarily familiar with.

If you would like to join us at the 2012 South Dakota MarketPlace event, check the Center for Rural Affairs website or contact the South Dakota Farmers Union.

2011 MarketPlace promotes business in South Dakota is a post from: RSA Blog