| Take The Low Hanging Search Engine Fruit | | | | But make sure you're doing |
| Millions of Web sites are elbowing each | | | | this in a way that "informs" your Web |
| other every day for search engine | | | | site visitors instead of intentionally |
| position. Many of them belong to big | | | | piggy-backing on the popularity of |
| businesses with big marketing budgets. | | | | another Web site. Case in point - |
| How do you compete with that? By | | | | Virginia Oncology Associates has an |
| grabbing some of the lower hanging | | | | extremely content-rich Web site. On |
| search engine fruit they're too big and | | | | their research pages they mention the |
| busy to notice. Our company, Visionefx, | | | | "Sarah Cannon Cancer Center" regarding |
| is located in Virginia Beach, Virginia | | | | on-going clinical trials. If you type |
| and helps businesses in all Hampton | | | | "Sarah Cannon Cancer Center" in Google |
| Roads cities to rank high among major | | | | you get a first page, first position |
| search engines. One of our methods is to | | | | result for Virginia Oncology for the |
| collect quality content for our clients' | | | | corresponding page; ( Now take a look at |
| Web sites. The content can be regional | | | | their search engine results in Google. |
| or local, and we recommend using as much | | | | Not bad search results for Google. They |
| as you can. If you sell lady's jewelry, | | | | also get the same results in Yahoo, MSN, |
| talk about local jewelry shows, local | | | | AOL and Ask Jeeves. Be careful when |
| trade shows, fashion shows and events. | | | | you're using |
| Don't know of any events? Try calling | | | | a competitor's name. For example, if |
| the Convention Center in your city or | | | | you're a moving company based in |
| check out their web site. Another great | | | | Virginia Beach and you fill your Web |
| resource is your regional newspaper or | | | | pages with name-brand, popular moving |
| online newspaper web site. Quality | | | | companies in Virginia Beach, Virginia |
| content is king!Utilize Local and | | | | for no other reason than to ride on |
| Regional Search Engine Listings | | | | their popularity in the search engines, |
| If you have a business in Virginia | | | | you could get penalized by the search |
| Beach or any other Hampton Roads city | | | | engines. Remember, it's all about |
| such | | | | relevant content - relevant to your Web |
| as Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake or | | | | site.Going Passive Increases Search |
| Suffolk, get a local listing in Google. | | | | Phrase OptimizationYou can never tell |
| Yahoo offers local listings as well. To | | | | how potential customers are going to |
| see how local results differ from | | | | find your Web site. I call this "passive |
| general | | | | search phrase optimization". This is |
| results go to Google and type "Web | | | | when users visit your |
| design in virginia beach". At the top of | | | | Web site while they were searching for |
| the | | | | something else. Case in point: Rourk |
| page you'll see "Local results for Web | | | | Public Relations has a section on their |
| design near Virginia Beach, VA". If you | | | | Web site titled NEWSROOM. The article |
| click this link you'll see 9 to 10 | | | | under the newsroom titled "What Does |
| companies listed for Virginia Beach, VA. | | | | Your Image Communicate", contains tips |
| This | | | | about professional business attire, |
| type of list is very popular and | | | | presenting a polished and powerful |
| powerful when it comes to consumers | | | | appearance for men and women, and so on. |
| looking for | | | | One phrase in the article is, "best |
| services or products on the Web.Get | | | | quality gabardine suit". Go to Google |
| Results With Regional Listings | | | | and search the phrase "best quality |
| | | | gabardine suit". Rourk Public Relations |
| Customers prefer doing business with | | | | is on the first page, fourth listing. |
| local businesses. But you need to rank | | | | This is "passive search phrase |
| high | | | | optimization".Optimize Web Site Headings |
| in their Web search, or you'll be | | | | TooAnother way to optimize your Web site |
| buried on page 10, where few customers | | | | is to use your keywords in headings, |
| tread. | | | | subtitles, page titles (found in the |
| How do you get there? Sprinkle your Web | | | | blue bar at the top of your Web |
| site with the correct keywords. If | | | | browser), bold face and hyperlinks, |
| you're | | | | because these stand out to the search |
| a Virginia mortgage company, figure out | | | | engines. For example, a local Visionefx |
| how customers will search for mortgage | | | | real estate Web site client Charlie |
| services or loans over the Internet if | | | | Laurens and Associates had a page file |
| they live in Virginia. Will they type, | | | | titled "our team.asp". We changed this |
| "loan companies in Virginia", "Virginia | | | | to "virginiabeach-realestate-team.asp". |
| mortgage companies" or "mortgage loans | | | | Their page title is "Virginia Beach Real |
| in Virginia"? One good way to know what | | | | Estate Services Virginia".How To Be |
| phrases people are using to search for | | | | visibleMany Web sites were built by |
| your product, service, issue or cause | | | | hobbyists or built with old software |
| is through the Google Suggest Tool. Not | | | | that is no longer recognized by today's |
| many users, including search engine | | | | sophisticated search engines. That means |
| professionals, know about this great | | | | these Web sites are "invisible" to major |
| Google | | | | search engines, which means thousands of |
| tool. But it works and it's a great | | | | "eyes on screens" will be looking at |
| tool for getting into the consumer's | | | | someone else's product, service, issue |
| mind. | | | | or cause. I went to Google and searched |
| It is located on Google under 'Google | | | | "plumbing company in virginia beach". I |
| Labs/ Suggest in the left hand column. | | | | did not find any local plumbing Web site |
| | | | results on the first or second pages. |
| All Politics Is Local -- So Is Good Web | | | | What does this tell me? It says there is |
| Site Content | | | | not one single plumbing company in the |
| | | | city of Virginia Beach that has a Web |
| If a business with a Web site in | | | | site that is properly optimized. It also |
| Hampton Roads is based in Virginia | | | | tells me that there are not very many |
| Beach, then it's a good idea to tighten | | | | (if any) Web sites for plumbing in |
| your Web site copy and keywords to | | | | Virginia Beach. Too bad, a small |
| contain the words "Virginia Beach". But | | | | plumbing business could rule local |
| make sure you walk the fine line between | | | | search in the major search engines for |
| legitimate use and overabundance. Search | | | | "plumbing". Try this with search terms |
| engines will spot the later and ignore | | | | related to jewelry, real estate or auto |
| your site. Your success or search engine | | | | sales and the results will be much |
| position will also depend on the | | | | different.Web Sites Don't Cost, They Pay |
| competitiveness of your business. For | | | | If you provide services or products in |
| example, "firewood in Virginia Beach" | | | | Virginia, Virginia Beach or other |
| versus "dentists in Virginia | | | | Hampton Roads cities and you don't have |
| Beach".Write For Visitors - Not Search | | | | a Web site, get one. It is quickly |
| EnginesThere is no magic formula or | | | | becoming the primary way our younger, as |
| special software to get you listed at | | | | well as our middle-aged, generation |
| the top of search engine results. | | | | search for information, products and |
| However, there is a golden rule that | | | | services. To find a professional Web |
| will do the trick | | | | design company, shop around and request |
| -- Content is King. Good content | | | | quotes. A bulleted list of what you want |
| generates great search engine results - | | | | your site to do will be helpful in your |
| period. So go ahead and chat it up, tell | | | | search. Submit this via email to a Web |
| people what you do, what you sell, what | | | | design company in your area and |
| you provide. Talk about your | | | | comparison shop. |
| competition. Yes, you heard me right. | | | | |