Truly Twisted Marketing

Content is KING.

We hear it all the time.

I preach it at every opportunity.

It’s very simply one of THE most important aspects to growing your web presence.

But there’s a trick – a trick to making content work for you that a lot of individuals in online marketing won’t talk about.

The so called ‘trick’ is simply to understand HOW it works and WHAT the search engines are looking for in content. You can file this one away and break it out when you need it most and it will take you one step closer to that marketing guru status we are working toward…

Common Misconceptions About Using Content

Taking the content of the page and rewriting it on a regular basis will not boost your web site rankings. In fact, it will more than likely pull your ranking down.

*Please note…content SHOULD be updated/rewritten if it doesn’t contain any of the search phrases you want that particular page to rank for. It should also be reflected in your title tag, description and keyword tags up in the meta info in the head section of your site. (Hopefully you know this already…if you don’t call us ASAP!)

Same goes for streaming an rss feed onto one of your web site pages. It doesn’t impact your ranking. It’s a cool tool and can generate traffic to the feed source but again, does not impact your ranking in the search engines.

What You Need to Know

How a page ranks in the search engines is determined by that particular page’s attributes such as the number and quality of inbound links (inbound links are links coming from other sites and resources on the web), along with on the page factors such as keyword placement in title tags, copy, headers, etc.

Making Content Work for You

On the other hand, adding content in the form of articles, blog postings, resources, buyer’s guides, etc. can boost up your search rank and ultimately your traffic. What you are doing is creating more indexable content for the search engines to crawl (as well as attracting more links).

*Another note to remember – pages with few inbound links tend to slip out of the search rankings so you want to make sure the content is good and that people will want to link TO that content.

Now, just as an aside…there ARE ways to update content on the page to direct the search engine spiders to that page and then plant links to pages you want the spiders to discover. It does speed up the process of getting new pages listed quicker. It won’t impact your ranking but it will be indexed in the search engines quicker so the content is more available. Your best bet, though is to get it right the first time.

Make sense? Any questions? Post them below or toss them over via email. We love to get a good conversation started!

That’s it for today, here’s to you all you fabulous individuals out there who are working hard at your marketing and keepin' it real! Guru status, HERE WE COME!

Back to making you an online marketing guru…

We are continuing down the topic path of how to make your website shine. Today's post is short and sweet and but EXTREMELY important. So please, if you are doing 5 other things at once (yes, I know I do the very same thing ALL the time), cease and desist right now.

URL Rewriting:

Your URL and the links within your web site are very important. It’s the primary way spiders track and manage web site content. URLs that are dynamic are treated as less valuable by the search engines. URL rewriting makes the URL look “real” (nice and clean and spiffy) and gives your web site more credibility in the search engines. 

Good URL
http://www.bestecostuff.com/Product/b-happy-bags.aspx

Bad URL - Dynamic URL that Should be Rewritten
http://www.bestecostuff.com/Product/ProductInfo.aspx?id=26

So that's the marketing guru tip of the day. Here are some resources where you can find more information about URL rewriting. Or heck, just meander on over to google and do a search yourself and see what comes up.

From Wikipedia: "Using a URL rewrite engine, the website software can be presented with URLs in one form, while actual requests (and URLs seen by the user) are in another form. So rewrite engines allow URLs to be tidied up and made more user friendly, by configuring rewrite rules, rather than modifying the webserver software."

URL Rewriting from SEO tools  - Info on Apache server rewrite rules.

URL Rewriting using ASP.net framework - Yes, there's a lot of geek speak here but it's good information if you are familiar with ASP.net.

From Scott Guthrie (one of those techy guys…) - This is an excellent article on explaining the how's and why's of URL rewriting. 

Need some help with URL rewriting? Well, that's NOT our area of expertise. BUT we know people who know people who know people…kidding. We can point you in the right direction and give you some information on techy guys who do this type of thing so drop a line or head over to our sweet new form on the "Grow My Business" page and give it a tryout. If you need a contact or two, we are happy to oblige. 

To grow you have to move out of your comfort zone.

It’s a simple truth. But who wants to move away from what is familiar and comfortable? After all, comfort represents safety and love and well, it’s within the realm of what we know. Moving outside of our comfort level shoots us right into the realm of …gasp…the unknown.

But "look-a-here" (as my granny would say)…as business OWNERS you are Entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs, really successful entrepreneurs, are fearless and know when it’s time to grow, it’s time to move outside of what is comfortable and get into the stream of business where coincidences come together and a chain of events link together to move you into the next level of your business.

This is the place where no fear is allowed to reside. It’s necessary in the evolutionary growth of any business.

Today, in order to stay current and stay abreast of technology and how to use it to your advantage, there’s no room to be stagnant or stuck. You HAVE to move and if you don’t go forward the only place to go is back to where you started.I’ve seen first hand what happens at both ends of the spectrum. And, I have to say when a business owner makes the choice to move into those uncharted waters it is a sight to behold.

Make your choice and stick to your plan. When the universe beckons, heed the call. Be fearless and jump.

Yes, this is a soapbox moment and intended to add a little pep to your step. We are all in this together. Now get out there, be fearless and get in the stream of growth. Your business will thank you for it.

Wiktionary:

Guru: A leader or expert in a field.

This is first in a series of articles is designed to help you overcome any informational obstacles that are standing in the way of your complete and total marketing success.

In effect, you will become transformed into a guru. As you apply the strategies and utilize the tips, tools and resources, you’ll learn some of the most important marketing channels that will help drive action and convert web browsers into buyers.

So, what are you waiting for? Let's get to it! 

Here are the top ten best practices when creating your web site pages: 

1. Research phrases people are looking for and using when looking for your product. Wordtracker offers a valuable, easy to use service.
2. Page content should be between 300-500 words
3. Pick up search phrases and keywords associated with the product or service you are selling on that page. Use search phrase in a way that makes sense and flows naturally in the copy. 
4. Product Descriptions - Make the product descriptions neat and clean with unique keywords for that product.
5. Use Title Tags - Keep title tags unique while reinforcing the topic of the page. Google displays 60 characters with the ability to index 100 characters but the importance is placed within the first 60 characters. Title Tags are THE Most Important On Page Element and you can and should include promotional copy (your call to action) in them.
6. Keyword Meta Tags - Add in keywords to help assist in Yahoo rankings Keep between 7 – 48 words. Separate keywords by commas ex. <meta name=“keyword" content=“phrase 1, phrase 2, etc,”>. Avoid keyword spamming. Use keywords to reinforce the topic of individual pages
7. Description Meta Tags - Use this tag to reinforce the topic of the page and double as the description listed in the search results rather than content pulled from the page copy. Keep between 12 – 24 words. Use short descriptive sentences. Avoid using more than 2 commas. Incorporate targeted keywords. Do not use an exact sentence from the page content
8. Internal Links & Navigation - Reinforce the main targeted phrase with absolute links to the root level domain throughout the site. ex. http://www.yoursitename.com”> Your Site Name Avoid Dynamic URLs, multiple URL’s (please see URL Rewriting below.
9. When creating new page names use hyphens (-) while avoiding underscores (_) spaces ( %20 ) and dynamic variables.
10.  Image Optimization - Use ALT Tags - Your Images should have keywords embedded in the ALT Tags. Keep files sizes lo. Use descriptive image names (motorola_razor.gif vs. img_02_ab_sm.gif)

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It's the source of all true art and science."

 - Albert Einstein 

Green marketing is everywhere.

Eco aka organic aka green has finally been ‘recycled’ into mainstream marketing. I love it.

So I want to give a little shout out…a little yippee for all you marketers out there who are recognizing the value in sustainability both in business, in your marketing campaigns and in life in general.

Being green isn’t about putting on your Birkenstocks and hugging trees and running around yelling about the environment – although if that’s what makes you happy, go for it. Being green is a consciousness, a state of awareness that change needs to be beneficial not only to ourselves but to the people, the planet, the life around us. It’s a movement away from the accepted selfishness, the me, me, me that plagues our society into a circular understanding that we are all in this together and it’s up to us and our children to change for the better.

I know, I know…you are rolling your eyes right now and shaking your head ‘cause I’m back up on my soapbox.

But you know somebody’s gotta do it and I happen to believe this is a uniquely positive opportunity for businesses to step up and step out and a fabulous opportunity to engage in educating and talking to your clients and customers on a level that’s never been reached.

I’m not talking about greenwashing, here. I’m talking about honest, open, relationship building at the grassroots level.

It’s not always easy to walk your talk but in truth, that’s what it’s all about. So that’s it for my Friday green rant. Not so complicated, really. Just a little shout out to say – Go get ‘em, get out there and sink your toes into this new green marketing grass. You might find that it feels pretty good!

I've been tossing a lot of ideas around lately for my blog - my personal blog, that is. And they all seem to come up as NOT a personal blog but more of a go-to place for women where they can find information, get a little does of laughter and maybe even some advice about work and life in general.

I tend to let things gel around for a while before I actually take any action or do anything about it. Starting a blog or anything worthwhile, really, takes time, effort and a good dose of energy…not to mention a commitment. So, knowing all that, I've been kind of letting some ideas hang out and waiting on a little bit of inspiration as to whether it was even doable.

Today, I came across this statement on the site findingwhatmatters.com about women and work/life balance that make me stop and think for a minute. It went like this…

"There are millions of us (according to research, more than 30 million): women who crave greater success in our careers and greater sense of harmony in our lives."

It wasn't the "craving greater success and harmony" that got me. It was the number – 30 million.

There are (at least) 30 million women out there looking for inspiration and a means to step up to the next level in their lives. Wow.

Don't get me wrong. There are tons of excellent resources for women but I haven't come across a single comprehensive source that speaks to the unique struggle women face in balancing the different aspects of their lives.

Thirty million women. Think about it for a second.

Thirty million answers to the challenges of being a woman in this era. Thirty million voices to speak about the need for the beauty that feeds our souls.

Where is there an opportunity for women to do this? A place where they can breathe a collective sigh of relief because understanding reigns freely and resources to help grow a business, help raise a child, help feed a community, help grow personally exist…

I'm feeling a soap box moment coming on.

The truth is this is no small endeavor and it's still gelling around. I'd love to know what you think or better yet, how it FEELS. Right now, it feels pretty good to me.

In the meantime, here are some resources, excellent resources, for women and the men who seek a better understanding of them. They are in no particular order and speak to the many aspects of the lives that women lead. Hope you'll find them useful and interesting.

Startupprincess

Findingwhatmatters (blog – web site still to launch)

BlogHer

Sk-rt

SCORE (plethora of resources for women entrepreneurs)

ReInvention

eMomsAtHome

DivineCaroline

PopGadget

WomensLunchTalk

Ok, let's get back to the marketing business today and talk a little about the social media press release.

Here's a really fun and, ah, UNIQUE example of a company using the social media release services over at Business Wire. You need to navigate to the Dance, Dance, Drop Your Pants - Jockey(TM) Offers $25,000 to Best UnderWarrior(TM) - um, yeah, you'll get a chuckle or who knows maybe enter the contest…

Even though the whole concept has been around a while, many businesses don't know what they are or how to use the social media press release.

It's kind of an evolutionary thing… 

The social media press release is based on the premise that journalists are now adapted to using the internet (world wide web) as a primary means to gather expert information for their news and feature articles. The social media press release makes it easy for them to access all the information they need by adding functionality like rss feed capability, video, podcasts, images, etc. In essence it makes the standard print press release more 3-D and touchable.

We like touchable. 

The idea is that by giving journalists what they need – all the information in one concise digital document they will be more likely to use the information because it’s all there right in front of them.  See the term 'spoon feeding' and remember that these are busy people and the easier you can make their job the better!

The whole basis behind the social media release is to give journalists better access to your information in a variety of formats – all served up on the world wide web. The very sweet side benefit is that all this information is what google absolutely loves.

Thus, not only are you giving journalists what they need, Google will help get your information (inadvertently, of course) out there because Google loves, and I mean really loves to index content. And with the set up of the social media press release, the links and accessibility are all built in making it simple for Google to spider and index your information…the information that will lead them straight back to your site.

You see where I’m going with this, yet? See why this is a good thing?

You want Google to come to your site and you want journalists and bloggers and a whole slew of potential clients, prospects or customers coming to your site. And, the more people who visit and link to your site, the more important Google thinks you are…and the circle of love goes on and on and on and on and on…

Now, you are catching onto why this is a good thing to use in your business marketing mix.

You can find the original social media press release template here. This is what really started it all. Here's more information about social media press releases from TopRank blog - really love this blog so check it out while you are there.

And here are some current examples of social media releases just to give you an idea of what they can look like.

PirateParenting.com Turns Moms and Dads into Parents of the Caribbean 

Blogmarketing.com Announces Site Redesign

And PLEASE don't forget the Dance, Dance, Drop Your Pants - Jockey(TM) Offers $25,000 to Best UnderWarrior(TM)…

I saw this over at one of my absolute most favorite blogs. And I had to share it. Cause you just HAVE to appreciate the very wry sense of humor behind it.

***Just a note…it has nothing to do with marketing, just one of those hilarious little things you come across every once in a while. Here's the post…

I do believe I have an account here. And a savings account. And a certificate of deposit.

Maybe later I will make a withdrawal.

Yeah, all I have to say is…You Go Girl! 

So, I’ve made a decision.

I’m starting my own personal blog.

You heard it here first. Not even my friends and family know.

The reasoning is pretty simple. I have a lot to say (lol, all of you who know me personally DO know this to be very true) and don’t want to be stuck ONLY talking about my specific vocational choice. Not that I don’t love marketing and mixing it up a bit but the truth is this isn’t really the place to post about my last visit to the liquor store or the date I had that turned into some crazy Saturday night live skit. Actually, I’m kidding about those things…well, not the date thingy so much but I digress…

I’m on this path and I really love life and where I am and the whole concept that we create our circumstances and situations and I want to throw it all out there. Who knows, it might help someone else to come along, open a door or light up a new pathway or it may just be crazy ramblings or just plain funny and somewhat entertaining. WHO KNOWS!

I absolutely DO NOT have time to do it. I’m just stating a fact here but I feel like I’ll love it so the time will be there as it’s needed…at least that’s what I’m hoping for.

In any event, I’m toying around with a couple of names.

I sort of like you-go-girl.com or sonya.com (might be too specific) or gladys-inc.com (all you gladys(es) out there will understand the reasoning behind that one). I’m very open to suggestions so send ‘em on in.

Here’s the thought that’s been germinating around in my head.  I think I’d like this blog to be a destination for other women, like me, who are on the way to well, who knows where we are all headed but I’d like to showcase and feature and spotlight other women and have it be a place where they can come for a little inspiration, some humor, maybe some advice and help along the way with business endeavors and personal endeavors.

I know, sounds very hokey pokey-ish. But hey I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said “What if the Hokey Pokey IS What it’s All About…”

So, this is it. TrulyTwistedMarketing will live on but I’m evolving a bit as a person and I want to share it with the world so I’m jumping off into these new unchartered waters – SINK OR SWIM BABY!

I’ll be sure to let you know the name and I’ll definitely be throwing around the link here at TrulyTwistedMarketing so you can meander on over and take a look and grab a laugh or two and hopefully leave feeling a little better and a little lighter than when you first came!