MarCom Writer Blog: B2B SEO Tips Tag Archives

SEO (search engine optimization) used to be a B2B marketer’s dream come true. One, it was relatively cheap and easy, compared to something more difficult and costly, such as ads in trade publications, two, you could see results (sometimes fairly quickly), and three, you could measure ROI.

Using a keyword tool, you selected the best keywords that people looking for products and services like yours were using, you used these keywords to optimize your site using specific rules, and then bingo, your page/s would begin to rank in the search engines and traffic would come to your site. Woohoo!

Then, using Web analytics, you could match up the keywords people were using to find your site with the keywords you used to optimize your site — and yay! you could see that your SEO efforts were working (or not).

Those days are disappearing rather fast.

If you haven’t looked at your Web Analytics in awhile, you may be in for a surprise. In 2011, Google stopped passing on organic keyword results for searchers who were logged in to Google or who were using the Firefox search bar or the Chrome browser.

For many of the small businesses I work with — and for my own Website — “Not Provided” is the number one result in the Google Analytics keyword report. “Not Provided” can represent anywhere from 30 to 50% (or more) of your organic traffic.

Basically, you’re now flying blind, so to speak.

At first, “Not Provided” sent me into a tailspin. I’m all about getting results for my clients. If I couldn’t prove to them my SEO efforts were “working,” how would that affect my business? As I thought it through, however, I realized that “Not Provided” is really a blessing in disguise.

Why? Because Google is forcing marketers and SEOers to wean themselves off the crutch of keyword marketing.

The main problem with keyword marketing is that nefarious SEO firms used it as a siren call for top rankings. “We’ll get you top rankings — guaranteed!” these companies would call out. Over the years I’ve had clients email me these seductive offers to ask if they were indeed legit.

Anyone can promise top rankings — but usually for the wrong keywords. And unsuspecting small business owners, who are too busy to keep up with all of this, usually don’t have a clue. (Even just a few weeks ago someone emailed to ask if a company promising top rankings through link farms was legit. Ack! Run away! Fast!)

The second big problem is the marketers and SEOers have been creating lots and lots and lots of content — all geared toward search engines. The problem, of course, is that people read and act on content, and as many of the people I talk to say, “Man, there sure is a lot of really crappy content out there!” Indeed.

With “Not Provided,” you now have the opportunity to use — dare I say it? — traditional marketing practices to create great content that also helps boost targeted traffic (targeted = prospects interested in what you’re offering). How so? Consider:

1. Articles in trade pubs — In the old days, you’d work hard to get an application note, info brief or feature article into a trade publication. Contrary to popular belief, trade pubs still exist and many of them still accept technical articles and the like. (See these two client examples: Lanmark Controls and Cabot Corporation.)

Trade pub articles give you some wonderful benefits, namely:

• They send prospective customers your way
• They show your industry your expertise and innovative thinking
• They give you links back to your site (the kind of links Google likes)

For more info, download my report, “Get Your Articles Published.” I wrote it back in the day, but the basic principles still apply. The report includes a nice interview with a trade pub editor on how to develop your pitches.

2. Case studies, reports and white papers — I know content marketers want you to think that content marketing is the new black, but any veteran marketer will tell you that B2B companies have relied on collateral marketing for decades. (In my first job as a marcom specialist in the early 1990s, for example, I used to produce three print newsletters that were translated into numerous languages and shipped around the globe.)

And, despite all the hype, you don’t have to create a lot of this type of material to be effective. For small companies with tight (or non-existent) marketing staffs, I recommend creating one case study and one white paper/report per quarter. One, this is a doable schedule and two, by the end of the year you’ll have eight pieces of collateral you wouldn’t have if you do nothing.

Again, the benefits are many, including:

• Providing prospects with information that helps them decide to do business with you
• Pieces you can use with other marketing tactics, such as direct mail or email
• Content that helps generate leads or inquiries

3. E-Newsletters — E-newsletters have taken a beating as they’re no longer seen as “sexy” and because our email inboxes are overflowing, but for small businesses, an e-newsletter is a great way to give your customers and prospects information they can actually use in the form of news, tips and tricks, and links to the collateral you’re producing.

If you produce great content, people will want your newsletter (with one of my clients, his client requested that people from his company be added to the distribution list).

You also keep your company top-of-mind with them.

If you have a blog, consider repurposing your posts and using them in your e-newsletter (the way Adam Jacobson, CEO of Red Three Consulting, does). This way you don’t have to create double the amount of original content, you drive people back to your site and you get a few social media shares and maybe a comment or two.

Optimizing your Website is still a very good practice as you want people to find your content. However, relying on SEO alone is no longer enough. SEO, the big kahuna of online marketing, is now one of many tactics needed for an integrated marketing plan.

What do you think? Leave your comments below.

Lori Malitsky, CEO of Sunvent Industries in Pelham, NH, contacted me last February for help with her existing Web copy. After spending three years developing a new foundation flood vent, Lori was ready to go to market. Like many small businesses, she was on a tight budget.

During our first meeting, I quickly noted that Lori’s initial Web copy draft included a mistake many small companies make: she had positioned her four flood vent models on one page. In addition, the sales copy was minimal — consisting of short bullet points.

My recommendation? Give each flood vent its own page. Because Lori was selling these online, I wanted the extra product pages for a number of reasons:

–> Increased conversions — Giving each vent its own page would lessen buyer confusion and make it easier for people to click and buy.

–> More room for sales copy — With the extra real estate, I could add considerable “oomph” to the copy and explain the differences between each vent and their benefits.

–> Better SEO opportunities — When you have only one product page, you have only one Title tag — and thus only one opportunity to rank for one or two specific search phrases. Four pages mean you have four Title tags — and a much better chance of getting one or all of those pages to show in search results for numerous phrases (provided, of course, you’re creating unique Title and meta tags for each page).

Strategy: Basic SEO marketing tactics

Working with Lori, I edited her copy, optimized it for search, and provided additional consulting on site design and other issues. Optimization efforts included developing a keyword list and keyword site architecture, developing Title and meta tags, and adding keywords in the page copy (headlines, subheads, etc.).

While this type of SEO work is pretty basic, it’s also essential to getting a site to rank well. However, it’s not enough. One reason I loved working with Lori is because she had done her homework before calling me — which helped ensure her success:

1. She purchased her domain ahead of time — Domain age is one factor Google uses to determine how a site ranks. Lori purchased floodsolutions.com a year or so before she needed it and then redirected it to her Sunvent Industries site. Think of this move as putting an avocado on your counter to ripen five days before you need it. You don’t do anything to hasten the ripening — you just let it sit. That’s what Lori did.

2. She added lots of educational content — Because Lori was selling “FEMA compliant engineered flood vents,” she included the kind of educational, relevant information Google and people love — information about FEMA, the National Flood Insurance Program, flood vents, etc. The beauty of having this lovely content is that I could also optimize it — meaning, more opportunity for people to find her pages.

3. She obtained state certifications — Each state has its own requirements regarding certified flood vents. Lori’s flood vents have been certified in 18 states, and these certifications are available for easy download on the site. Again, this is the type of people-friendly content that Google adores — and that over time shows up in search results.

PPC and SEO work together to drive sales

Because it can take a little while for new sites to rank well in Google (sites usually appear in the index fairly quickly; getting high rankings is a whole other issue), I now recommend that companies use pay-per-click (PPC) to generate leads while waiting for leads from organic search to kick in. In Lori’s case, I wanted her to get sales right away.

To help with the PPC side of things, I recommended that Lori contact my colleague, Pauline Jakober, CEO of Group Twenty Seven. Group Twenty Seven developed the initial campaign and continues to actively help Flood Solutions use data from Google Analytics to make smart business decisions by analyzing which keywords drive traffic and ultimately sales.

Flood Solutions site goes live August 2011

Within a month of going live, the Flood Solutions site was appearing on page one of Google for a few of Lori’s targeted search phrases. Once the site was live, Lori added a blog, for which my team and I create original content each month.

What I love about this project is that it’s a great example of how “basic” SEO marketing yields solid results — results that Lori can literally take to the bank. Between August 2011 and January 2012, Lori has realized the following:

–> Steady increase in traffic — Traffic has increased by 45%, with 32% of total visits coming from organic and 38% from PPC. Eight of her top 10 keywords are non-branded, meaning people didn’t use “Flood Solutions” in the search phrase. In fact, people used over 500 keyword iterations to find her site.

–> Top rankings — In January, the site was showing up in position #4 on the first page of Google for Lori’s main keyword, “flood vents” — despite the fact her main competitor was clogging up the first page with spammy microsites. (Yeah baby!)

–> Robust sales — The site is doing so well, Lori is on track to meet her sales goal for the first year — after just seven months of sales!

As for me, I’m always thrilled when small B2B clients like Lori see real results using basic tactics. Having worked with small businesses since 1998, I know it’s hard to allocate money to marketing when budgets are tight. It’s always my goal to meet clients where they are — and to get the best results possible even on tight budgets.

Do you have an example of how your small business has achieved success using “basic” marketing tactics? Feel free to share!

Content is a hot topic these days. If you read or listen to any number of experts, you’ll hear that content is what drives search, leads, and sales. Content is important, but as with anything, building a good foundation on which your content rests is key.

This month Jill Whalen, CEO of High Rankings, and one of the top SEO experts, explains the importance of site architecture and navigation.

Dianna Huff: Jill, what do you mean by “site architecture” and why is it important?

Jill Whalen: Site architecture is how every page is linked to every other page within a website. It’s essentially how a person or a search engine navigates through your website. It’s important for both people and search engines as well. The way your pages are linked together is part its overall “usability.” That is, the ease or difficulty your website visitors have when it comes to finding what they’re looking for.

It works the same way for search engines. Pages that are easy for search engines to find, for instance, those linked to in the navigational menu that’s at the top of every page, will be given more weight by them. This is because those pages have more “internal link popularity” within your site.

You may already know about the importance of “link popularity” – that is, other sites linking to yours, and how that provides value. Internal linking is just as important. With the right site architecture in place, you have the ability to tell Google which pages of your site are important by how you link to them.

The way you create your site architecture is key when it comes to B2B sites – especially with regard to getting found for “short-tail” keywords.

DH: Explain the difference between long- and short-tail.

JW: Short-tail keywords would be those that are highly competitive, that is, lots of people are typing them into Google and lots of websites are trying to optimize for them. Where long-tail keywords are those which are not searched on very often at Google, but which when added together can create a nice flow of website visitors.

Many people mistakenly believe that long-tail and short-tail keywords are named that way due to the number of words they contain. They assume that a phrase that contains only two or three words must be a short-tail keyword phrase and one that contains four or five words must be a long-tail phrase.

While this is often the case, it doesn’t have to be. For instance, you could put any two words together and make up your own keyword phrase. Let’s say “banana pickle.” Even though it’s only two words, it would still be considered a long-tail phrase as it’s dependent upon how many people search for it. (I didn’t do any keyword research, but I have a feeling that banana pickle isn’t being typed into Google very often!)

So in terms of a B2B website, a short-tail keyword phrase would perhaps be a general service that you offer, say “content writing.” And a long-tail keyword phrase might be something much more specific, say, “B2B website content writing.” These are just off the top of my head, of course. You’d want to use keyword research tools to know for sure which phrases get lots of searches and which don’t.

It might be that “B2B website content writing” isn’t long-tail at all, but more of what I call a “keyword gem.” Those are phrases that do get a good amount of searches, but aren’t quite as competitive as short-tail keywords. Keyword gems are actually the ones you want to focus most of your efforts on. (See my keyword research articles for more information on researching and choosing keywords.)

A lot of people focus on developing articles (or blog posts) for a site because this type of content naturally drives long-tail searches. That is, the words that you naturally use within your content will often be phrases that people happen to be searching on at Google. Because it’s more difficult, many people, unfortunately, neglect to optimize the top level pages of their website for the keyword gem phrases which are often the keywords people use when they’re in the decision-making phase of the buying cycle.

DH: So why are keyword gems important to site architecture?

JW: This is a good question. Since search engines give extra weight to pages that are easy to find and have lots of links within your site, you have a better chance of ranking them for the more sought after phrases.

On the other hand, blog posts and articles are rarely linked to from every page of your site. They often have just one link and that can be short-lived when newer blog posts get published. So unless lots of other sites link any specific blog post, it is likely to only be found for the less searched upon, long-tail phrases.

The cool thing is that you, as the site owner, get to tell search engines (and people) which pages of your site are the most important (so they get the most weight) by how and where you put them within your site architecture.

For instance, most B2B companies would like to have people coming to their site from Google who are looking for their specific products or services. So the idea is to make sure you have a products or services page that is linked to from your main navigation menu prominently featured on every page. That top-level products/services page would then describe your main categories of products/services with a short summary of each of them, and link to the deeper pages that provide more information.

So you basically have a variety of levels to your site architecture:

1. The first level is your home page, which typically has the most link popularity of all pages, which means it can be optimized (and ideally rank) for the most competitive phrases.
2. The second level is the pages linked to from your main menu, such as your top-level products/services page. This level within your site architecture is your best bet to optimize for fairly competitive keyword gems.
3. The third level is the individual product or service pages themselves. They should be optimized for the very specific product or service name itself. Depending on what you sell and how specialized it is, these may be somewhat competitive, or maybe not.
4. The fourth level of your site architecture would be your added-value content such as blog posts, articles, white papers, videos, etc. These help establish your credibility and expertise within your industry, and bring in those visitors using long-tail keywords at Google.

When I work with clients who are developing new sites, I help them determine their main categories or services and base these pages on keyword research, that is, what phrases people are using to find what they offer. These pages then become part of the main navigation.

DH: What are some mistakes you see people making when it comes to their site architecture or with SEO in general?

JW: A biggie — assuming that your competitors know what they’re doing, and copying them! People will look at their competitors’ keyword tags to see which keywords are being used. Nine times out of ten your competitors have no clue what they’re doing, so this isn’t a good way to find the best keywords.

The other huge mistake is that people get hung up on rankings rather than the website traffic they’re getting. Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as where you actually rank in Google anymore because everyone sees a different set of results for any keyword phrase they type into the search box.

The search results you see can depend upon a variety of factors such as:

• Your location
• If you’re logged in or out of your Google account
• What people in your social media networks have recommended
• What you’ve previously searched for

Therefore, rather than trying to figure out where you might rank in Google for the keyword phrases you’ve optimized for, you should be looking at whether or not you’re receiving website visitors who have used those phrases at Google and then clicked through to your site. Web analytic programs such as Google Analytics provide you with all this information and more (and it’s free!).

Another mistake I see a lot is people optimizing for just one or two keyword phrases rather than hundreds or even thousands that relate to what they offer. People search in a variety of ways and there’s no sense getting hung up on a handful of phrases when they may not even be the ones that will drive leads and sales to your website.

I always get calls from marketing people who explain how they were getting thousands of unique visitors for all sorts of keyword phrases but their CEO was mad because the site wasn’t number one for a particular phrase! This is really short-sighted thinking. The best thing to do about this is to educate the CEO, which of course is easier said than done!

DH: It’s hard not to get hung up on rankings because as you say, top placement in Google does get you more traffic. What advice do you have for people on making their sites better so that they do rank well for multiple keywords?

JW: The key to great SEO –- and to making your site the best it can be –- is to first focus on the basics:

• Make sure your site is designed to be crawled by spiders (don’t use certain JavaScript or Flash menus that are invisible to them).
• Give each page unique and keyword-rich Title and meta description tags.
• Be descriptive in your navigation and anchor text links –- instead of the non-descriptive “software,” think about what kind of software you’re actually selling, say “marketing automation software” and use that as the anchor text.
• Don’t put keywords or copy inside of graphics as spiders can’t read them.

Once the main portion of your site (where you provide information on your products or services) is optimized, then focus on the value-added extra things like articles and social media.

DH: Jill, during this entire interview, I kept thinking that SEOers need to think like marketers as much of what you say relates to marketing. I know that to be an effective marketer, I have had to think like an SEOer.

JW: Yep! Aside from the technical issues, SEO basically IS marketing. That’s why I say, if your website is good for people, then it’s good for search engines. Because ultimately, Google wants to deliver content that people find useful.

DH: Thanks, Jill for this terrific interview.

If your site has technical SEO issues that prevent it from ranking well in the search engines, or if you’re redesigning your website and don’t want to lose your existing search engine traffic, then Jill is the person to contact.

She’s been providing on-page SEO consulting since 1995 and currently offers a slew of SEO consulting and website audit services.Check out her site, High Rankings, for details –- and if you aren’t already a subscriber, be sure to sign up for her High Rankings Advisor newsletter. It’s one of the few newsletters that makes it to my Gmail Priority Inbox.

Last week Google clamped down on companies that use questionable methods to manipulate search results. According to Search Engine Land, these methods include paid links (sites that pay for links from other sites), and content farms (sites that have “shallow or low quality content“) to use Google’s words.

For months now, SEOers and content marketers have been complaining about Google’s search results. Top results for searches often include crap content from sites like Ezine Articles (a site that got penalized by Google in its crackdown — and about time, too), scraper sites and spam blogs.

The problem with all this crap content is that it’s hard for legitimate sites that practice ethical SEO and provide high quality content to rank well for competitive search phrases. The crappy stuff clogs up the search results, making it difficult for people (searchers) to find relevant and insightful information.

So what exactly is “shallow and low quality content” as it applies to B2B? Basically, it’s content you create to help your site rank better versus helping prospects make purchasing decisions. Shallow and low quality content is based on:

Keywords — Content is created based on keyword searches; these keywords are then used in the Title / meta tags and through out the article or blog post.

Quantity — The more content that’s created around a specific grouping of keywords, the better.

Lack of depth — Shallow content is usually a blog post or article that doesn’t give much in the way of insightful analysis or is filled with information you probably already know. It’s usually written by non-experts who write dozens of articles at slave wages.

High quality, in-depth B2B content, on the other hand, takes time (and yes, money) to create. Generally it’s created by companies who genuinely want to help prospects and customers do their jobs better.

If you’re a company like Eloqua (@Eloqua), you’re creating “Grande Guides” that help prospects learn about content marketing, lead generation and the like.

If you’re Ardath Albee (@Ardath421), you’re creating original blog posts filled with insightful information on how to create content that moves prospects along a complex sales cycle (or, how to create better Tweets — love this post, Ardath!)

If you’re Dow Corning (@DowCorning), you’re creating videos that communicate your company’s values to potential employees as well as educate prospects and customers about new products and services.

If you’re Exact Target (@ExactTarget), it’s offering your followers and fans reports, posts and Webinars about social media — and how you can do it better. (Be sure to sign up for their Webinar, The Social Breakup.)

The point is, developing this high-value content takes time. You have to:

• Determine why you’re creating it in the first place (to help people decide to do business with you, to generate leads, to show your thought-leadership and expertise, to get people to work at your company).
• Map out a strategy for creating it and then publicizing it.
• Create the content (the hard part).
• Get it formatted, designed, etc.
• Publicize it.
• Publicize it some more.
• Rinse. Repeat.

This stuff is not easy — and yes, it is much easier to write 15 crap blog posts and pay someone $25 for doing so.

As Google continues its crackdown, creating consistently great, high value content will only become more important — and given that its vaunted search results have taken a real hit of late, we’ll continue to see more sites get downgraded due to poor content and questionable SEO tactics.

I like to tell my small B2B clients that while having top rankings is important, it’s not the end all be all. What really counts are results: are you getting the calls and emails (inquiries / leads) that become sales? To get these results, you need content — content that’s been written for people, not search engines.

What’s your opinion of Google’s crack down?

“Content is king!” is a common phrase. It used to mean that content drove targeted traffic and leads/sales.

Now it means developing what Jill Whalen, of High Rankings, terms, “madlib spam pages where you simply substitute keyword phrases from one page into another.”

In her latest High Rankings Advisor e-newsletter, Jill talks about setting realistic SEO expectations. It’s very difficult now to rank well for keyword phrases — even those that aren’t that competitive in terms of search traffic.

In addition to hundreds of thousands of sites now jockeying for position, Google continues to make changes to the search experience on a regular basis.

(For example, if you’re logged into your Google account, you can move search listings up and down on the page! And, Google will show you results based on your own search history while also serving up results based on your IP address.)

As Jill points out, this doesn’t mean SEO is dead, but it certainly does mean that you need to set SEO goals based on your **business strategy** — not on being “number 1″ for a keyword.

A good SEO strategy includes specific SEO tactics, such as using the right keywords that drive qualified (or targeted) traffic AND creating content that helps drive conversions — from getting people to sign up for your e-newsletter or downloading a white paper to viewing an online demo or actually buying a product.

(It also includes all sorts of other things, such as social media and viral marketing, public relations, and integrating traditional offline tactics.)

Unethical SEO companies will tell you that they can make your site #1 for dozens of keywords (I know, because I’ve had plenty of people call me who have shelled out thousands of dollars with little return after working with these companies).

The SEO/marketing firms you can trust, however, are those that will tell you the truth — that SEO, like marketing, is a long-term strategy that requires consistent and strategic application.

One complaint I often hear from small B2B companies or consultants who call is that their Websites generate few, if any inquiries.

Getting people to inquire about your services is a two-step process.

STEP #1: Get People to Your Website.

Prospective clients can’t call you if they don’t know you or your Website exists. Therefore, it behooves you to drive traffic to your site using a number of tactics such as:

–> Search Engine Optimization — If people can’t find your Website when conducting an online search via a search engine, then they most likely won’t be visiting your site. It’s that simple.

One objection I frequently hear, however is, “No one is searching for the [insert esoteric service] I offer. Therefore, SEO won’t work for me.”

Before concluding that no one is searching for your particular type of service or product, do a thorough keyword search to determine exactly what people are searching for.

Even with all the searches I do, I’m still surprised at the keywords people use when searching for service providers and can usually come up with a good 10 – 30 potential keyword list for a specific B2B service, product, or “solution.”

Once you’ve determined people are indeed searching for your products or services, hire a professional to optimize your site — and don’t balk when he or she says you’ll need to rewrite your copy or add new content.

–> Blogging – Become an active participant in blogs or forums and be sure to include a link back to your Website or your own blog. If you’re able to constructively and intelligently add to a conversation, people will click on your name to learn more about you.

This is when it pays to offer a free e-newsletter in order to capture people’s names when they visit your site.

–> Viral marketing — Offer a free report or e-book — with “free” meaning no registration required. In June, for example, I offered a free report about corporate employees’ YouTube usage. Downloads of this report continue to remain strong.

STEP #2: Provide Content that Makes People Want to Contact You.

Once people are on your site, you need to provide content that answers their unspoken questions and that explains what you do. Tactics include:

–> Using plain English to explain what you offer — Website visitors should be able to figure out what you offer in five seconds or less. If they have to click around or read detailed, jargon-laden copy, you’ll lose them.

–> Being excited about what you offer — Don’t be afraid to use verbiage that excites people and makes them say, “Hell, I need this person, now!” My good friend, Lyn Chamberlin, recently rewrote her home page — taking it from “ho hum corporate speak” to “personal branding guru with a mission.” Aren’t you ready to hire her — like now? I was when I read her new copy.

–> Offering tons of free stuff — The person who does this to perfection is Mac McIntosh, the B2B sales lead expert (and my good friend). Each time I visit his site, I’m amazed at the free articles, reports, tools and calculators he offers to Website visitors — no registration required.

–> Providing testimonials, case studies, a client list, and other work samples — It’s a fact, people want to do business with people they know and trust. Providing testimonials, a client list, case studies, and/or work samples will go far in helping people pick up the phone to call you.

(I know this sounds like a “duh” kind of thing, but I have had companies tell me they don’t want their competitors knowing with whom they do business nor do they want them reading their case studies. Amazing.)

Using these tactics will increase the number of calls and emails you receive from people looking for the types of services and products you offer.

Not only will you get more calls and emails, you’ll also find that people are ready to do business with you now — significantly decreasing the amount of time it takes to close a sale.

I’m putting the finishing touches to my new search engine optimization (SEO) e-book, “Turning Clicks into Leads Through Search Engine Optimization.” It goes to my designer this week for final formatting and design.

I’m pretty excited about it — especially since the people who reviewed the first draft were so enthusiastic about it. You can read the introduction to it here.

While confirming the images I want to use, I ran across Allied’s updated Website. (Allied is a moving company — the one with the orange moving vans.)

In my NEDMA 2006 Spring Conference presentation, I used Allied’s old home page as an example what not to do. The old page had a bit of text and a form asking visitors to choose a country.

The problem? Search engine spiders can’t fill out forms — which means the form blocks the spider and limits crawling and thus the page (or site) isn’t properly indexed in the search engines.

The home page also wasn’t people friendly.

I’m happy to say Allied has greatly improved its home page and Website. The redesigned home page has the following search engine and people friendly components:

Links to internal pages and a site map

A “request an estimate” calculator

A free guide with tips for planning and packing like a pro

A “how to find an agent” search function

An easy to find and read 800 number

Keyword optimized Title tag (the old one read: “Welcome to Allied.com”)

Revised sales copy and tag line, “Relax. We Carry the Load.”

 

Internal pages contain tons of information for consumers and businesses who need moving information. Be sure and click on the virtual Bubble Wrap page. Fun!

My only quibble with the home page is that they offered the guide twice – it could be they’re testing offer formats. When you click through on the orange box in the middle of the page, you get taken to a landing page. The text link in the right column takes you to similar looking home type page with the estimate calculator.

All in all an excellent redesign. Way to go, Allied!

I get calls like this on a regular basis. A company or entrepreneur will have built a site and then can’t figure out why it’s not showing up in the search engines. A quick look reveals one or all of the following problems:

Little, if any, “valuable” content. By this I mean the site is a standard brochureware site: Home, About, Contact, Services/Products. The content does nothing to help prospects make purchasing decisions — nor give the search engine spiders an idea of what the site is about. (My favorite: home pages that have one large graphic and zero text.)

Non-optimized content. Title tags and page content don’t include carefully selected keywords, which is why the site isn’t showing up in the search engines for those keywords.

Few inbound links. Google and Yahoo! like to see Websites linking to each other. The more links a site has from other sites, the better.

(This isn’t rocket science — honest. You can find the same information in Google’s Webmaster Guidelines and Yahoo’s! Search Help page.)

When I tell these callers it will take six months to a year to achieve good rankings, I can hear the disappointment in their voices. It gets even worse when I tell them they also have to do the following:

Promote their site online and off using tactics such as e-newsletters, articles, butts-in-seats presentations, Webinars/teleclinics, a blog, direct mail with online offer, etc.

Optimize the site, track results, and tweak accordingly. Yes, SEO is an on-going activity and it costs money.

Develop content that helps convert unknown traffic into known prospects, including case studies, white papers, optimized press releases, e-newsletters, podcasts, reports, articles, free trials, diagnostic tools, etc.

Sometimes I think B2B is in for a rude awakening. Online marketing is changing so rapidly, it leaves me breathless. Just when I figured out blogging, I realized I now need to get up to speed on tagging, social bookmarking — ie: Digg and del.icio.us – and podcasting. (Yes, your prospects listen to podcasts!)

A Website is no longer a static tool in the marketing toolkit, it’s a dynamic entity all its own — and one marketers simply can’t build without planning, time, money, and constant maintenance.