Getting links to your website is a good idea for SEO (search engine optimization) but not all links are created equal. Inbound links (links from other sites to yours) are one factor considered by search engines when determining the relevance of your site for a given search phrase. The thought being, if people are linking to your site it must be worth linking to. However, the quality of those links plays a role in how your site is viewed in the eyes of search engines. The best way to generate links is have something worth linking to so people will link to it naturally. But, even if you have great link bait on your site you will want to augment this natural process with some active link building. In general the best inbound links to acquire are text based links, from on topic or related sites, linking to internal pages on yours site with relevant link text.

Text based links:

Why is this type of link important? Let’s consider image links vs. text links. In general text links are preferred over image links. Since search engine robots don’t have eyes, they can’t determine what a picture is unless you tell them. This is done through giving an image an “alt” tag that describes what the image is. However, verifying that the image and the alt tag are related is problematic for the robot thus adding an element of doubt in to the equation. Remember we want to reinforce the fact that our site is what we say it is by sending signs of quality and relevance. Text is read easily by the robots and therefore is easier to verify if the link text is relevant to the link destination. For example, if your link text says “kid’s toys” but the link points to a page about “Trout Fishing” that would consider this a low quality link because It adds no value to the user experience.

On topic & related Sites.

When requesting links form other sites consider sites that are related to your topic or theme as your main focus. Note: If you are trading links you should only consider related sites. One way links from off topic sites are normally acceptable but not preferred. Just remember to stay away from shady neighborhoods.

Relevant link text & Linking to internal pages.

The text used to link to your site also plays a role in building trust. If the text used to link to your site uses some of the key phrases you are targeting on your page or are related to it, it helps to reinforce the message that this is relevant content. You often see sites linking directly to the home page of a site for example… “An excellent resource for web marketing services in southern Maine is www.intelligentdevelopment.com.” This is fine but a better link to get will use key words that reinforce what the site is about in the link. For example… “An excellent resource for web marketing services in southern Maine is Intelligent Development".This helps to reinforce that this site is actually what it says it is and therefore builds trust. Notice the link in the 2 previous examples points to the home page but as we discussed previously, we would prefer this link go to an internal page. This might look something link this… “Here is excellent resource for web marketing services in southern Maine. Check out the blog at IntelligentDevelopment.com”. See the difference? This link actually liked to an internal page relevant to the link text and on topic. One reason links going to your internal pages is beneficial is that it helps reinforce the trust of that particular page. For example most sites have a range of topics they cover so if someone simply links to your home page it is like saying “Look at this site” (Good, but it’s a bit non committal) . When they link to a specific internal page in your site its like saying “Hey! This is really relevant information. Check it out.” Which would you feel better about clicking on? Happy link building:-) Have Questions? Contact me.

It is easier than ever to advertise online with the major search engines. It normally takes only a few minutes to setup an account and you can be up and running with target ads that can be seen across the world. I suggest starting small and within a tight budget until you get the hang of it but sky is the limit once you get rolling. Check out these programs, but don’t forget to do some planning before you go live with the ads. Questions about setting up an account feel free to shoot me an email.

Have you ever stopped at an ice cream stand and found that all they sold were books? Of course not, but if you did, do you think they would sell many books? Well, sending online advertising visitors to non-relevant page can have the same results. Ok, this example is a bit ridiculous, but the point is to see how well your online advertising matches the pages that you send it to. By aligning these two messages so the visitor gets what they are expecting and also what you have promised in the ad you will increase your successful conversions for your site.

It sounds simple but many people make the mistake of sending all their online advertising to their home page when sending it to targeted pages is a much better choice. You are paying for the traffic and want to make the most of it so don’t throw your money away just to increase hits on your website. Focus on targeted marketing messages and send this traffic to matching targeted landing pages with a clear conversion goal and you will be much more successful. (Don’t forget to measure your success.)

Picking a color scheme for your designs can be tricky. One great tool I use that makes this process much easier is Color Schemer Studio from Colorschemer.com. I love this tool because it allows me to quickly try different color combinations. I can take a central color and quickly build a professional looking set of colors to complement it for use in the graphic design. The software is very affordable at around $50. I use this tool for almost every graphic design I do. I can create individual color scheme files so it is easy to keep all the colors for a project in one place and easily accessible. You can create your own color schemes or you can find downloadable, pre-made color schemes from their website. Go to www.colorschemer.com and check out this tool.

 

Don’t forget to download the free color picking tool called ColorPix it allow you to grab any color off your screen and gives you the RGB, HEX, HSB & CMYK info.

You’re breezing down the street and a sign catches your eye. Before you can read the small print or tell what the picture is, you’ve gone by. Maybe you will remember to slow down and read the sign next time. If you’re anything like me, fat chance.

Most businesses depend on grabbing people’s attention in order to bring them in. That goes for your roadside sign, or your web marketing. Attention is in short supply so don’t waste this time by confusing or obscuring your message. Give it the 60mph test. Ask yourself: What information do I get from this in 3-5 seconds? Better yet, ask someone who doesn’t know anything about your business what message they get from the sign or advertisement. Remember to only give them a few seconds to answer. If they give you the answer you were looking for pat yourself on the back. If they scratch their head then you need to do some work.

Avoid creating hesitation or confusion on the part of your prospective customers. The last thing you want is for a potential customer to pass by your company just because they didn’t understand your message.