Start Improving Your Search Engine Rankings

Are you looking to improve your ranking on search engines? Here are a few tips to do on your own or with help.

1. First understand that all search engines do not use the same algorithms and so you probably already rank better on some for your preferred keywords than others. Figure out which ones those are so you will be informed before you start.
2. Find out where you rank now on the keywords you want more results from. and look and which keywords you currently are ranking best on. Typically that will be your company name since there is not typically a lot of competition on that.
3. Check your relevancy. Your company name is probably unique. It is also on every page of your website. So of course you would have a high relevancy score (the percentage of times visitors go to your site after searching for you on Google or other search engines and stay at your site, as opposed to bouncing out ASAP)
4. Then search for the keywords you want to rank well with. Print out who is ranking better within your market for what you do.
5. Look at the companies who do rank well there and evaluate your content, meta-tags, headings, and compare it with theirs. Then determine which changes you need to make to raise your scores and expedite them.
6. Once you have improved your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on your site pages, you can improve your results with site links, group advertising and linking and paid search.

Need help? Visit us at www.adteamla.com or call us at 310-791-6300. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

 

Is business in Greater Los Angeles improving?

It really seems to depend on your source. According to the Los Angeles Business Journal and Intuit, Small Businesses saw a slight increase in December. Add to that the fact that consumers are paying more now than they were last year for basic goods and services, and the fact that transportation costs have soared significantly over the last three months (we are told due to the middle east unrest). So where does that leave companies that are trying to project their potential sales growth in 2011?

Consider what we know about circumstances where income is lower and prices are increasing and you can count on even more value added buyers. Not only in the consumer market but also in the business to business market. Many companies are running lean and they are hesitant to increase those costs unless they have buyers in hand. That type of hesitation can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy of caution and buying postponement and stagnant growth. The aggressive business owner will have to rise above the fear and make a bold stand investing in their brand and stressing the benefit of buying their product today over waiting until later. There are many tools you can use to make this case:

Promotional Values: Where buying today leads to a bigger discount or a points benefit that will pay the purchaser later.

Seasonal Advantages: Stressing the advantage the purchaser will have over their peers if they have your product in hand while the rest of the competition is still waiting for their order due to a lack of optimism.

Ego stroking: Reminding the company that as a leader, the steps to grandeur are rarely well worn. In other words why would you follow the competition? If you want to have the competitive advantage, the road is less worn.

Financing: Beneficial financing that allows the purchaser to enjoy today what they can take their time to pay for over time.

Quantity Purchasing Discounts: Make your product more attractive with a larger purchase commitment over time. This allows you to have more cash flow and to schedule your personnel more efficiently. These larger contracts come at a lower profit point per product but can become a steady income stream that will keep you going longer than the competition. It also ties your customer into your company where they are less likely to change providers until after their longer termed commitment is completed. You will want to make sure you satisfy those valuable contract customers. At the same time, you will also want to work on finding the more profitable specialty market who will buy fewer products but at a more profitable price.

If you are looking for a marketing direction that helps you step above the competition and thrive in a market that others are treading water in, you need to consider your advantage and promote it over the next thee months in a big way. Does that mean spending a lot of money? No. But it does mean reinforcing the logic over time with the target market you are most likely to succeed with. Seek out other leaders and get your message in their hands ASAP. This can be accomplished with email marketing, branding, direct mail and online social media campaigns. The narrower your market, the more efficient you can make your campaign. For help with your strategy, contact us.

Where is the Consumer with Money? Part 4

So who is driving the sales of luxury items in today’s market? Believe it or not, Generation X is, and they are not that wealthy.

While high end wealthy consumers cut back in recent months, Generation X consumers continued to shop luxury items and that helped sales soar. That also means that that group of individuals has a more positive attitude about their job security and their potential to make more money next year. It does make sense that a younger generation is less cautious of spending more over time. After all doesn’t it make sense that it can only go up from here if you feel you are making less than you are worth today?

While the traditional luxury market held their spending, Generation X is still looking poised to continue driving the recovery.  For more information on reaching Generation X with your advertising message (you won’t reach them in traditional print) give us a call at 310-791-6300 or email us today.

Where is the Consumer with Money? Part 3

As you look for the consumer, or even the business, with money, make sure you know how the Average American spends their paycheck. It will help you measure your average consumer as opposed to the general population.

This article updated in October is a great breakdown of where the average American’s paycheck goes. It goes a long way to explaining why you see sales to some of the market and why you don’t see the rest. The image is great to show the fixed expenses that most Americans have to make monthly and the amount of disposable income that is left when you make the average amount. Even if your market is the higher end, it is important for you to understand the baseline commitments and cash flow that the average American makes a year. Where does your buyer fall on the scale?

For help in reaching specific demographics, give us a call at (310) 791-6300 or email me at liz@adteamla.com.

Where is the Consumer with Money? Step Two

Whether you are looking for a B2B client or a B2C market, the key is to be where your consumers are likely to go. If you are a regional business, you will want to develop a list of potential consumers based on geographic location. If you are a vertical market looking for consumers who have something in common but don’t necessarily cluster, you will want to identify behaviors or other products that that consumer is likely to be looking for and have a presence where they are looking.

You have a couple of choices when it comes to getting to these markets in a cost-efficient manner. One alternative is the Internet since it is the cheapest way to get your message to the consumer. However don’t forget that it’s important to define the age of your target market. If your preferred consumer is over 55, you will need to augment your efforts in print, in addition to whatever you do on the internet. Often clients want to go with the least expensive route, but if your consumer does not trust or rely on email it can delay your message and keep them from trusting your company.

The good news is that there are very reliable lists available now that can provide more than just address and company name information, but also psychographic information that can help define the market you are likely to be the most successful with. Maybe your target drives a specific type of a car or they like certain credit cards, are frequent flyers or are interested in high end products – you can find that list and define the area or type of consumer within that market and get a targeted message to them online or by snail mail.

If you are looking to help define your target market or to drill down to psychographic profiling, we can help. If you decide to do it on your own, make sure that you cross-reference the potential alternatives before you decide on a list. If you decide to use an online email marketing program, make sure that your source is reliable. You do not want to turn off your market with something they feel is an intrusion. You can do a lot of marketing with a limited budget if you find the right combination of online and traditional print or direct mail when looking for the higher-end consumer in today’s market.

For more information on reaching your consumer with money, contact us at 310-791-6300.