Google Places...It's Free...Sort of July 30, 2010
Google Places has been around for awhile. If you have ever performed a search on Google, on occasion, you will notice a map with corresponding pins on the map. Usually, there are 7 to 10 results that show up to the right of the map. Google is aggressively promoting their Places feature as more and more mobile users are accessing the web for local businesses, directions, and reviews. For the business owner, you get a dashboard that tells you how many people clicked on your Places Listing along with some other cool features. Google Places is free. However, many hundreds, if not thousands of businesses have already signed up. So, distinguishing yourself from the competition can be tricky. So, now enters....Google Places Tags.
What has changed recently is that you can now sign up for "Tags." Google Places Tags cost a flat fee of $25 per month. And, according to Google, does NOT improve your placing in the Local Results feature of their search page. However, what Tags do offer is the ability to add more information on your business. What Semiam Solutions believes is that with a paid subscription to Google Places Tags, you will be able to add more KEYWORD PHRASES...Which are important, (keyword phrases are HOW customers find you). The questions is: "Is a subscription to Google Places Tags worth it?"
At Semiam, we recommend signing up for Google Places and trying out the 30 day free trial offer for "Tags." Then, check your results. IMPORTANT: To make sure you can track the results, consider adding a coupon, (which you can do in Google Places,) that the customer can present to your business so you can track concrete results.
Semiam Solutions can help you manage your Google Places account. We have proprietary tools that help identify keyword and keyword phrases that get results. Focus on your business and let Semiam Solutions focus on getting you results. For a short video on Google Places, watch the video below.
What has changed recently is that you can now sign up for "Tags." Google Places Tags cost a flat fee of $25 per month. And, according to Google, does NOT improve your placing in the Local Results feature of their search page. However, what Tags do offer is the ability to add more information on your business. What Semiam Solutions believes is that with a paid subscription to Google Places Tags, you will be able to add more KEYWORD PHRASES...Which are important, (keyword phrases are HOW customers find you). The questions is: "Is a subscription to Google Places Tags worth it?"
At Semiam, we recommend signing up for Google Places and trying out the 30 day free trial offer for "Tags." Then, check your results. IMPORTANT: To make sure you can track the results, consider adding a coupon, (which you can do in Google Places,) that the customer can present to your business so you can track concrete results.
Semiam Solutions can help you manage your Google Places account. We have proprietary tools that help identify keyword and keyword phrases that get results. Focus on your business and let Semiam Solutions focus on getting you results. For a short video on Google Places, watch the video below.
My Opinion: Flash Dance! Does Your Website say: "What a Feeling!" (or) "I Feel Sick!"
Adobe Flash
If there ever was a definition of "eye candy", Adobe's Flash, (.swf format), fits the bill. So, what does Flash look like on a website? If you have used Pandora.com, or, visited hbo.com...Then you have seen a website where some or all of the website has been written, (coded), in Adobe's Flash Format. Click on the link for HBO in this sentence to visit HBO.com at this moment and see the beauty of a Flash website. (Make sure you come back to this article after visiting HBO)....................................
Are you back? Good! Now, wasn't that a pretty website? You Betcha! Moving pictures, sounds, parts, "Oh, What a Feeling!" You may say, "Now that's a Quality Website!" Think So? Read On My Friend! Sometimes "beauty is only skin deep."
Ask yourself a question: "Why does Apple NOT support Flash?" Even the new iPad, (much to many consumer complaints), does not support Flash. Mr. Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, has very good reasons for not supporting Flash. Mr. Jobs published his thoughts on Flash in an Open Letter.
So, why do I not like Flash?
1. Flash intensive Websites often load slowly: Not everyone has Broadband Internet Services. Does your customer give up on your Flash Site not loading fast enough because they still use dial up? Also, many Flash websites have music that plays when the website loads which can annoy people in a work or public environment who visit your site. Oh yeah, the music can slow down the performance of the website too.
2. Flash Intensive Websites do not present uniformly across different browsers: Internet Explorer is not the only game in town. There are thousands of Mozilla's Firefox, Apple's Safari, and Google Chrome users. And, browser users will switch from one browser to another at the drop of a hat. Flash intensive websites can load and appear differently browser to browser. And, it seems like every time you turn around, there is another Flash Plug-in upgrade request from your browser. (I get a Flash plug-in update weekly for Firefox)
2a. Apple iPhones: How many people do you know have iPhones? iPhones don't support Flash websites. Yes, other smart phones support Flash. However, the sun is setting on Flash, (see reason #4). BTW, Flash is not supported on Apple's hot selling iPad.
3. SearchBots: No, they're not evil. SearchBots crawl the web, (like GoogleBot), to identify websites, their content, and how the content is relative to other pages on your website to ensure that the best quality score can be given to your site. Well, with Flash, depending on who wrote the coding, the SearchBots may have trouble indexing and cataloging the content on your website. Bottom line: If you want to celebrate Passover, do it in a religious context - not with your Flash website.
4. HTML 5 Format, CSS, (Or, A Similar Soon-to-be-Released Format): Flash is getting long in the tooth, (See Steve Jobs' Open Letter above). Other, more friendly "flash like" formats are being developed as I write this article. Granted, Adobe has, and is working with Google on better "searchboting" for content located within Flash Websites...However, rumors are that Google is developing their own "Flash Killer." So, I ask: Is Google really concerned about better "searchboting" Flash websites?
Are you back? Good! Now, wasn't that a pretty website? You Betcha! Moving pictures, sounds, parts, "Oh, What a Feeling!" You may say, "Now that's a Quality Website!" Think So? Read On My Friend! Sometimes "beauty is only skin deep."
Ask yourself a question: "Why does Apple NOT support Flash?" Even the new iPad, (much to many consumer complaints), does not support Flash. Mr. Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, has very good reasons for not supporting Flash. Mr. Jobs published his thoughts on Flash in an Open Letter.
So, why do I not like Flash?
1. Flash intensive Websites often load slowly: Not everyone has Broadband Internet Services. Does your customer give up on your Flash Site not loading fast enough because they still use dial up? Also, many Flash websites have music that plays when the website loads which can annoy people in a work or public environment who visit your site. Oh yeah, the music can slow down the performance of the website too.
2. Flash Intensive Websites do not present uniformly across different browsers: Internet Explorer is not the only game in town. There are thousands of Mozilla's Firefox, Apple's Safari, and Google Chrome users. And, browser users will switch from one browser to another at the drop of a hat. Flash intensive websites can load and appear differently browser to browser. And, it seems like every time you turn around, there is another Flash Plug-in upgrade request from your browser. (I get a Flash plug-in update weekly for Firefox)
2a. Apple iPhones: How many people do you know have iPhones? iPhones don't support Flash websites. Yes, other smart phones support Flash. However, the sun is setting on Flash, (see reason #4). BTW, Flash is not supported on Apple's hot selling iPad.
3. SearchBots: No, they're not evil. SearchBots crawl the web, (like GoogleBot), to identify websites, their content, and how the content is relative to other pages on your website to ensure that the best quality score can be given to your site. Well, with Flash, depending on who wrote the coding, the SearchBots may have trouble indexing and cataloging the content on your website. Bottom line: If you want to celebrate Passover, do it in a religious context - not with your Flash website.
4. HTML 5 Format, CSS, (Or, A Similar Soon-to-be-Released Format): Flash is getting long in the tooth, (See Steve Jobs' Open Letter above). Other, more friendly "flash like" formats are being developed as I write this article. Granted, Adobe has, and is working with Google on better "searchboting" for content located within Flash Websites...However, rumors are that Google is developing their own "Flash Killer." So, I ask: Is Google really concerned about better "searchboting" Flash websites?
And Finally....
5. Buggy, Crash Prone, and Security Holes like Swiss Cheese. If you suffered the "Unhappy Flash Lego", (pictured to the left), You know how unstable Flash can be as a player.
SUMMARY: Even with continual improvements on cataloging content on Flash sites, Google, (the King Bot),strongly prefers to work with HTML format and text intensive websites. My recommendation is to use Flash sparingly on your website. As mentioned above, newer formats will arrive in the next few months. If your website is entirely built on Flash, your hopes of capitalizing on future Search Engine Optimization initiatives may languish away. Businesses want websites that work. Websites that are set up to bring in leads and return on their investment. "Eye Candy" may or may not be working for you to achieve this goal.
P.S. If you want to witness verbal gymnastics on how Flash interferes, Oops! I mean, works with Search Engine Optimization, listen or read the transcript of an interview with Adobe's Senior Project Manager for Flash, by clicking the word: FLASH
SUMMARY: Even with continual improvements on cataloging content on Flash sites, Google, (the King Bot),strongly prefers to work with HTML format and text intensive websites. My recommendation is to use Flash sparingly on your website. As mentioned above, newer formats will arrive in the next few months. If your website is entirely built on Flash, your hopes of capitalizing on future Search Engine Optimization initiatives may languish away. Businesses want websites that work. Websites that are set up to bring in leads and return on their investment. "Eye Candy" may or may not be working for you to achieve this goal.
P.S. If you want to witness verbal gymnastics on how Flash interferes, Oops! I mean, works with Search Engine Optimization, listen or read the transcript of an interview with Adobe's Senior Project Manager for Flash, by clicking the word: FLASH
I Love the VooDoo You Do So Well
Many Small Business Owners throw tons of money at Internet Marketing with the hopes that the "Internet VooDoo Priests" will unleash their nerdish trickery to magically make customers rain down from the heavens or gain more prominence for their company on the internet. It's a shame. My best advice to business owners considering internet marketing is to approach it like any other line item in your advertising budget.
First, you need to ask these very important questions: "What is the Worth of My Average Customer?" Secondly, "How Many Exposures Till I Close a Customer?" Finally, "What is My Cost of Advertising or Lead Generation Per Customer?" Example: If your company received 100 phone calls per day, and 5 of those customers closed, and your Net Profit for the closed business was $4,000. Then, each Customer is worth: $200. So, the idea is to quantify a customer's worth. Then, we have a basis to go further with a discussion on how to make your company rock with more of those $200 customers.
Before you throw money at a VooDoo Priest, consider sitting down with Semiam Solutions for a consultation. We will help customize an internet marketing plan and a budget in a transparent fashion. No VooDoo!
Click "Contact Us" at the bottom of the page today.
First, you need to ask these very important questions: "What is the Worth of My Average Customer?" Secondly, "How Many Exposures Till I Close a Customer?" Finally, "What is My Cost of Advertising or Lead Generation Per Customer?" Example: If your company received 100 phone calls per day, and 5 of those customers closed, and your Net Profit for the closed business was $4,000. Then, each Customer is worth: $200. So, the idea is to quantify a customer's worth. Then, we have a basis to go further with a discussion on how to make your company rock with more of those $200 customers.
Before you throw money at a VooDoo Priest, consider sitting down with Semiam Solutions for a consultation. We will help customize an internet marketing plan and a budget in a transparent fashion. No VooDoo!
Click "Contact Us" at the bottom of the page today.
Copy writing is like "Dancing with Your Customer."
A popular TV show, "Dancing with the Stars" pairs experienced dancing instructors with celebrities. When it comes to copywriting a company's message in print or the internet, many companies portray HOW THEY WANT TO BE SEEN AND FOUND on their websites. Instead, companies should be focused on how a prospective customer wants to see and search for your company. When prospects look for products and services, what keyword phrases are they using to find you? Search Engines work on Keywords and Keyword phrases. Does your company's message include these keywords in your published materials, (print and electronic)? Are the keyword phrases high traffic and have a low competition rate?
So, watching your prospects, (your dance partner), and matching your company's message to their search habits are key to leveraging the internet. How important is effective copywriting to the results your company can achieve through Search Engine Marketing? It can make all the difference on the "dance floor." When it comes to promoting your company, what you say about your company can dramatically impact your pecking order in the search engine results.
At Semiam, we not only optimize your websites for search engine results, we provide you with copywriter services that include keyword and keyword phrases that compete well in the market place. We research high traffic, low competitive keywords and keyword phrases to leverage the most out of searches performed by your target prospects. Don't have "two left feet." Contact Semiam Solutions to help you copywrite your company's message for maximum impact on the internet.
So, watching your prospects, (your dance partner), and matching your company's message to their search habits are key to leveraging the internet. How important is effective copywriting to the results your company can achieve through Search Engine Marketing? It can make all the difference on the "dance floor." When it comes to promoting your company, what you say about your company can dramatically impact your pecking order in the search engine results.
At Semiam, we not only optimize your websites for search engine results, we provide you with copywriter services that include keyword and keyword phrases that compete well in the market place. We research high traffic, low competitive keywords and keyword phrases to leverage the most out of searches performed by your target prospects. Don't have "two left feet." Contact Semiam Solutions to help you copywrite your company's message for maximum impact on the internet.
