What exactly is SEO?

Search engine optimization is preparing or optimizing your site for the search engines so that your site comes up high in the results when someone searches for a keyword phrase.

The search engines use an algorithm to determine how your site will rank. There are 3 parts to search engine optimization:

1. The Foundation: This refers to your code. It should be clean and easy for the search engine

spiders to crawl. We refer to this as SEO Friendly.

2. On-page: This refers to your content and the actual “optimization” that is implemented to focus on specific keyword phrases.

3. Off-page: This refers to links and social media. These are things that are not on your site but that impact your site. Link popularity (the number of other sites that link to your website) is an

important off-page factor. This shows Google that other sites think your site is good and worthy

of a link. If your site is popular, than Google feels it’s worthy of a top ranking.

The definition as provided by http://searchenginewatch.com/define is: “The process of making a site and its content highly relevant for both search engines and searchers. SEO includes technical tasks to make it easier for search engines to find and index a site for the appropriate keywords, as well as marketing-focused tasks to make a site more appealing to users. Successful search marketing helps a site gain top positioning for relevant words and phrases.”

Why do I need SEO?

If you are looking to grow your business online, you need your site listed in the top of the search engines. There are over 400,000,000 searches online daily. These are people that are looking for information and items to purchase. As a website owner, your goal should be to get your site in front of as many potential buyers as possible.

Top rankings is one of the best ways to make sure that happens.

Why do the search engines make so many changes?

The search engines have one goal: to deliver the best possible results in response to someone’s query. They are constantly tweaking their algorithm to make sure they are ranking the best sites. People are changing how they search, site owners are changing their sites and the engines need to respond and make sure their algorithm is always fresh (to prevent people who have found ways to scam their way to the top with “black hat” techniques).

While most people dread algorithm changes, I find them a great opportunity. If you are aggressively but ethically optimizing your site, you should have nothing to fear and any shake ups create opportunity for you.

What is social media?

Social media is “A category of sites that is based on user participation and user-generated content. They include social networking sites like LinkedIn or Facebook, social bookmarking sites like Del.icio.us, social news sites like Digg or Reddit, and other sites that are centered on user interaction.” (Source: http://searchenginewatch.com/define)

Why do I need social media and SEO?

Social media and SEO are becoming more interconnected (read my post on breaking Google and Bing news from October for a perfect example of how the 2 are connected:

http://www.ecombuffet.com/SEOBlog/?p=1173)

As things evolve and change, they are only going to become more interconnected. Ignoring one or both just leaves your site that much further behind the rest of the sites out there that are actively participating in SEO and social media.

Social media can boost SEO rankings as well as drive traffic and create brand awareness.

Is Blogging still important? Why do I need Blogging and SEO?

Blogging is a great way to share current and interesting information about your company and your industry. The search engines like Blogs because they are well organized, they can be designed to be very search engine friendly (with the right plugins and themes) and they are usually updated much more frequently than a website.

A Blog is a great way to boost SEO rankings, drive traffic (from Blog directories and engines) and it’s also a great way to build trust and credibility, which should help boost sales.

To request a quote on getting a Blog set up, or to see if you are getting the most out of the Blog you have, email jennifer@ecombuffet and use “Blog Consultation Request” in the subject line.

Facebook is a waste of time that I don’t have. Do I really need to be on Facebook?

You don’t need a personal account and don’t need to be personally using Facebook in order for your business to benefit. Facebook allows you to create a Fan Page for your business, without having a personal account.

You can use your Fan Page to build an audience. Your Fan Page can drive traffic back to your main site, you can add an opt-in form and collect leads, you can have contests and share news and information. You can republish your Blog as a feed.

There is a lot you can do to grow and promote your business without ever creating a personal account or wasting time.

What do I need to do to prepare for 2010?

1. Make sure your site is well optimized.

2. Make sure your site loads quickly (there’s a lot of talk about the importance of the speed of your site in 2010)

3. Make sure you have a strong Facebook Fan Page

4. Make sure you have a strong Twitter presence in place and a strategy

Things are getting more competitive and things are changing quicker than ever before. If you want to do well in 2010, now is the time to start getting things in place.

4 Steps That Are Needed To Build Your Business...

1. Make contact with a person and qualify them to see if you want
them on your team.

2. Get them to listen to your presentation to see if it's right for them.

3. Follow up and get the decision.

4. Teach those willing to follow your lead to do the same.

Repeat this process over and over and over. The goal is to show
this business to 1,000 people per year.

I have 100% confidence that ANYONE can make A LOT of money in this
business because I believe ANYONE can do those 4 things above. It is
impossible for someone to say that "this just doesn't work."

That's ridiculous because people are proving that it works.

Home Base Businesses as a vehicle does work, it's people that don't.

We heard these over and over.. yet these very obvious and proven steps seems too simple for us, maybe because of our ego or something.. but it works.. try them out..











New Rules to Get Rich By Garrett B. Gunderson

"Don't Read This Article!" by Joe Vitale

I'm sick of it. All the so-called communication
experts keep declaring that your mind cannot process
a negative command. They say "Don't spill the milk"
means you'll spill the milk. They say your mind doesn't
respond to "don't" and in fact skips over it. As a
result, you end up seeing the rest of the statement
as a command. You then spill the milk.

Bull. The very first words most people hear
growing up is "NO" and "Don't". We learn right away
not to poop in our pants, or eat the dirt, or swing the
cat by the tail, or spill our milk. The only reason we
might still spill our milk is sheer awkwardness or
clumsiness, not because of a communication issue.

This is one of the things wrong with NLP and other
communication modalities that claim to know how our
brains work. They make wild claims and act as if they
are universal truths. After all, no one really knows
how the brain works. We're still learning. To say we
don't process negative commands is an arrogant
statement. It assumes god-like powers. And it's wrong.

Look at the title of this article. I inserted the
word "don't." Why? Because the word actually
helps make the title more interesting. It increases
persuasion. Had I said, "Read This Article," you
might not read it simply because it seemed
un-interesting. But add the word "Don't" and
suddenly you're curious. 'Why doesn't Joe want
me to read this?," you wonder. The word 'Don't'
is seen and registered by your mind. You didn't
miss it, did you?

Again, communication is more than assumptions about
how our minds process information. You learned what
many negative words meant at three years old. Your
unconscious mind is well aware of what they mean today.

Don't tell others about this article. Don't pass
this article to friends and family. Don't go buy all my
books and tapes. Don't send me money.

You see the word 'don't' and you'll do what you
please. If you want to pass this article to friends,
you will. If you don't, you won't. My trying to trick
you with a negative command is ridiculous. You're
smarter than that. Aren't you?

Kevin Hogan, author of "The Psychology of
Persuasion," says, "Negative command words in
general indicate the person will remember or code
in deeper whatever was discussed. This doesn't
mean they will act one way or the other. It simply
makes the command/idea/request more likely to be
remembered."

Exactly. My adding "Don't" to the title of this
article simply made it more memorable. It didn't
*make* you read this article at all.

The only time the 'don't trick' works is to get
someone to *think* something. In order words,
if I say, "Don't think of Sophia Loren," you
can't help but think of the famous actress. But
thinking is different than action.

Yes, thinking can lead to action. But what
we're focusing on here is communication. If
I say, "Don't think of buying my books," you
*will* think of buying them, at least for a second.
But if I say, "Don't buy my books," it does not
mean you will run out and buy them. You are
not a robot.

Let's wake up. Let's realize that we are smarter
than generalized rules of language. Let's stop
pretending we are all trained monkeys.

Don't you agree?

**************************************

Dr. Joe Vitale is holding an intensive training in his copywriting methods September 11-12 in Austin, Texas. Only 10 can attend. You will learn Dr. Vitale's hypnotic writing formulas and become certified as a Hypnotic Copywriter. Cost is $5,000. To register, write copy@mrfire.com

13 Best Marketing Tips for Small Businesses
Copyright (c) 2003 Jeffrey Dobkin



I've been involved in marketing and direct marketing since… my God! Am I that old already? Anyhow, over the years I've been asked to give tips on marketing along with my specific advice. Here's a short list of some of my best tips.

1. The most valuable tool in marketing at the lowest cost is a letter.
In fact, the most valuable tool in marketing at any cost is a letter. Write one business-getting letter every day.

2. The best formula for creating headlines in marketing is "New product offers benefit, benefit, benefit." Use this to create the headline of your press releases and advertisements, for envelope teaser copy, and for the
beginning lead of your brochure.

Example: "New keyboard offers faster typing, greater accuracy, and is less tiring."


Use Jeff Dobkin's 100 to 1 Rule: Write 100 lines, go back and pick your best 1.

3. The most valuable single sheet of paper you can create in marketing is a press release. You should be sending press releases every month.

4. The most effective trick I've learned in 25 years of copywriting is this: when you are having a tough time writing, just start writing anything, then go back and cross out your first sentence.

5. Follow up serious inquiries and sales leads with more than one piece of mail.

6. The 11 most valuable words to get any press release published are "Are you the person I should send this press release to?" Before sending any important press release, call the magazine or newspaper editor and say these 11 words.

7. Create a letter series - in advance - to get new business. Mail one letter a month. This is the best campaign I can think of, and the basis for one of my books, How To Market A Product For Under $500! Shhh, don't tell anyone this, they won't buy it.

8. Always acknowledge when something nice is done for you with a thank you letter. No, a call is not the same.

9. When you start to write any business communication, always write your objective first. Figure out and state in writing what you are trying to accomplish. For example, an ad objective may be to generate maximum direct orders, or get as many leads as possible, or generate retail store traffic. This gives your writing more focus.

10. If you'd really like a response from a personal letter, include a return envelope in it with a live stamp on it. It'll increase your response or it'll drive them nuts.

11. Anytime you run a successful long-term direct mail campaign, test the variables in subsequent mailings.

12. Take your time writing. No one will ever know the one-page letter they received took you three weeks to write. Just make sure when you send it, it's perfect.

13. In a direct mail solicitation, don't be afraid to ask for the order - several times. If the recipient doesn't call or send an order, the piece fails. For best results, be very explicit and tell the reader exactly what you want him to do - twice in the body copy, and again in the PS.

About the Author:

Jeffrey Dobkin, author of the 400-page marketing manual, How To Market A Product for Under $500 ($29.95), now has a second book, Uncommon Marketing Techniques ($17.95) - 33 of his latest columns on small business marketing, exactly like the one you just read. Both books are available directly from the publisher - 800-234-IDEA. Or visit him at
http://www.dobkin.com/

Powerful Autoresponders – Does Yours Measure Up?

Autoresponders are very necessary when it comes
to marketing or taking care of customers. But the
power of an autoresponder, or the lack of power,
can mean the difference between success and
failure.

When you use an autoresponder service, you must
make sure that the domain that the autoresponder
uses isn’t blacklisted by the spam watch groups. If
it is, your messages probably won’t make it past
the majority of spam filters, no matter how much
you check it with spam checkers.

Also, not having the ability to track responses can
cost you business. If you can’t track response rates,
you won’t have any way of knowing whether your
messages are doing you any good. A good
autoresponder will provide the ability to track
responses. If yours doesn’t, you might want to shop
for a new autoresponder.

The ability to add and remove names to your
autoresponder manually is vital. Often, people will
contact you without going through your
autoresponder. These people need to be put on the
autoresponders mailing list. If you are moving your
list from one service to another, you need the ability
to import names and addresses to your list. Again,
if your autoresponder service isn’t powerful enough
to allow this, look for a different one!