The Importance of Google Maps & Google Local Business

With the expanded use of Smartphones buyers are now using their cell phone to locate companies, products and services.  When a website is built it is not complete without SEO and Social Marketing which includes setup of a Google account and Google Local Business which feeds content to the Google Maps system. 

Consider a driver who has a flat tire on the side of the road who uses a smartphone to locate the closest roadside assistance company.  When we built the Almighty Tow Service website we also built specific targeted websites with multiple 'locations' to reach mobile browsers including Almighty Roadside Assistance which we setup as a seperate business on Google.  The website is ranked # 1 on Google for the target search of 'Johnson County Roadside Assistance' and a dozen other similar terms and shows up on Google Maps for mobile browsers using smartphones. 

Other local towing and roadside assistance companies (larger and smaller) are paying for ads while Almighty Tow has the # 1 spot online and on smartphones.

The importance of Google Local Business extends to other companies from home builders to places to eat since Google Map results are often placed in Google Search Results.  If a company wants to show up in multiple map search results they MUST have multiple locations (addresses) for Google to consider it. 

A recent Pew Internet study shows 74% of all smartphone users are using their phones for location based services making the Google Local Business and Google Maps submissions a requirement for any company today. 

Contact the website, SEO and social marketing experts at Internet Builder Consulting today to get your website, company, products and services on Google or feel free to call for a free expert consultation 816-842-7774.

Robert 'Dot Com' Jackson
Internet & Technology Expert
Internet Builder Consulting - Building BETTER Websites, SEO and Social Marketing Solutions since 1995

More Than a Pretty Face: Website Usability & Cosmetic Appeal

When building a website there are specific business and marketing items to consider including:

1. What is the Purpose? -  Is the website to promote an event, specific product or service and is the goal to sell or brand a product, service or business?

2. Who is the Target Audience? - this is important in terms of knowing how buyers shop, what information they are looking for and even specific considerations like where they use the Internet, what types of Internet Connections they have, what size monitors are they using and how long the buying cycle is for specific products or services.

A promotional or branding website can be 'pretty' and simple because promoting an event, movie or soft drink is something people will expect to be entertaining and easy with more style than content.  A website to sell electronics or houses must be 'more than a pretty face' because buyers want details, information, specifications (how large is the TV, how many watts is the stereo amplifier, how big is the home, where are homes located and what homes are for sale).

As a website development and online marketing firm with 17 years experience we look at the entire picture, analyze customer business, who our customer has as a customer, look at the online competition for search engine rankings and then determine what the best solution is.  When designing a navigation menu, the layout, usability and flow of a website keep the main items within 2 clicks from the Home Page for the best results.  Buyers never want to 'search for' anything or feel 'stupid' because they could not find important information easily.

Websites that use large animations (FLASH),  music that plays automatically or HUGE images that take up the entire screen are losing money and costing companies business.  The majority of real estate websites are viewed between 10AM and 4PM between Monday and Friday when people are at their office with High Speed Internet and a nice printer to print details on the homes buyers like with plans to view them on weekends. Saturday and Sunday are the two lowest traffic days on a real estate website.

There MUST BE Text on the Home Page of the website and a well developed structure for Search Engine Optimization or buyers will never find the website.  Having a pretty website that is not ranking well on Search Engines is like having the 'Best Billboard in Town sitting in a Basement' - it may look great but it was just an expensive pretty item that produced no results. 

Keep the main information 'above the threshold' of monitor viewing and use the KISS rule when designing for the masses - Keep it Simple (never make users feel) Stupid.  If the lowest common denominator cannot use the website (someone with a small monitor, low speed Internet, no experience online, etc.) then that buyer will be lost and that costs a company money.  Pretty and Functional can exist together although given the choice make a website easy to use and easy to make a 'buying decision' above making it nice to look at.

If you have a question or would like an expert consultation contact the Internet Experts at 816-842-7774 or email the Website Experts online for a free consultation!

Robert 'Dot Com' Jackson
Internet & Technology Expert
Internet Builder Consulting - Building BETTER Websites, SEO and Social Marketing Solutions since 1995

Optimize & Update Websites for iPads & iPhones

Apple decided not to support Adobe FLASH on the iPhone and iPad tablets making thousands of websites and online applications useless.  The Apple iPad (tablet) accounts for 89% of the mobile shopping sales nationwide.  Websites or online applications still using FLASH will be left out of online shopping and lose business. 

Data from the 'RichRelevance Shopping Insights 2012 Q1' shows the average order for iPads ($158) is more than 50% higher than for other iOS devices ($104) and other mobile devices ($105), also significantly higher than orders from users on desktop or laptop computers ($153).

This finding is consistent with results from an Adobe study released January 2012, which studied overall tablet users (not just iPads) to analyze samples of more than 150 US retailers.  The study found that tablet users spent $123 on average per purchase in 2011, 54% more than smartphone users ($80), and 21% more than those who visited via traditional laptop and desktop computers ($102).

It is important to keep technology in mind when developing, designing and marketing online since the best website is only as good as the number of online buyers it reaches.  The Internet Builder Consulting website experts use JQuery for animations and websites instead of FLASH to ensure the best built websites may be viewed by all online users...including iPads.
Any website with animations, rotating photos or images or similar effects built before 2010 is likely due for an upgrade.  You can check to see if a website uses FLASH by 'right clicking' on the animations, images or photos to show the menu or options displayed.  Contact the Internet Experts at Internet Builder Consulting at 816-842-7774 for a no-charge consultation of your website to see if it is reaching ALL online buyers for your business!

Robert 'Dot Com' Jackson
Internet Builder Consulting - Building BETTER Websites, SEO and Social Marketing Solutions since 1995

Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Blogger, Twitter, Google+, SEO & Online Marketing

The one question every business owner asks when we meet for a consultation is "What do I need to be doing to rank higher on Search Engines and reach more customers?".  The answer is a complicated one since there is no one thing that will lead to online success, it requires specific properly setup and optimized 'Online Building Blocks' starting with the website. 

No Online Marketing will be successful without a properly built and properly optimized website as the foundation.  The website must be readable by search engines, must contain multiple 'calls for action' to entice online suppers to submit a request, question or share information and the format of the website must be user friendly.  A website is "more than Meta Tags" today, the backend code is a requirement (still missed by many bad website companies and Template websites) but dozens of other key elements are required for online success.

This Template Website was produced by a a communications company for the customer and published without META Tags which ranked the website lower and lost the customer sales.  The customer did nothing wrong but noticed months later that old 'marketing websites' were ranking higher on search engines than the main company website.

The website IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ITEM for online marketing success.  Make sure the website is built by someone with experience, expertise, focus (they build and market websites as the primary business - not an ad agency or public speaker or other type company that builds websites on the side to make extra money) and longevity.  There are hundreds of  unemployed people starting website, social marketing and graphics design companies.  There are more with expertise in public speaking, mortgages, ad agencies or even print marketing firms with little to no expertise with websites, Search Engine Optimization or Social Media Marketing that now present themselves as 'website companies'.

The most capable website companies will have a minimum of 10 years experience designing, developing and marketing websites. Any company with less than 5 years experience is still 'learning' how to build a website and anyone working from home is someone to be avoided.

Once the website is built properly, optimized and submitted to Search Engines the next step is building awareness of the new website.  The top algorithm used to rank a website is how many other websites (that have value, not link farms) are linking TO a website and what content those websites have on them.  Search Engines track how many links go to websites over periods of time which brings Social Networking into play as an key role in any SEO success.

Facebook is the # 1 location on the Internet, Facebook is the # 1 source of referral links on the Internet and Facebook has more traffic from people who spend more time on Facebook than any other website or search engine.  The importance of Facebook cannot be overlooked, there are millions of potential customers on Facebook every day.  The few people who do not use Facebook can still find information from Facebook on Search Engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing since content from Facebook is fed to Search Engines.  Setting up a business profile and a business page, optimizing the page and creating a successful social media marketing campaign with regular updates, posts and interactions will help rank websites higher and potentially reach millions of people.

Facebook is like High School where popularity and interactions mean everything.  Setting up a profile ad setting up a page has no benefit unless there are multiple people connected to the page who interact, comment and share information or posts.  This is where it may be worth hiring Social Marketing Experts like www.SocialMarketingBuilders.com to create, optimize and CONNECT everything so that Facebook and Search Engines value the content ranking it higher.  At a minimum all companies need to have a Business Profile setup with a Business Page for their company, product or service.  Ideally it is worth hiring a company with teams of Social Marketing Experts to create, optimize and train you for around $350-$550 so time and efforts are not wasted.

Twitter is the text message wonder of the Internet setup with 140 character length messages with the idea that people would 'Tweet' updates from cell phones.  Twitter users are loyal and there are millions of them so setting up a Twitter account for business is a requirement.  Setup the Twitter account then link the Facebook account to it (do this in Facebook) so that updates from Facebook are automatically sent to Twitter like we have setup at www.Twitter.com/WebsiteExperts.  Connecting the accounts reduces the amount of time spent with updates and ensures everything is up to date across the online board.

Pinterest is the new top player on the Social Networking playground with a simple visual approach.  (View our article explaining Pinterest earlier this month for setup details)  When we first came across Pinterest it seemed like just another annoying social network to learn.  Once we setup the account and spent time to research what items to 'Pin' that would being value to business we started seeing increased traffic on company websites from Pinterest.  The average visit from Pinterest spent nearly 5 minutes looking through the website, 5 times longer than Facebook visitors.  Our company builds websites so the main thing we used on Pinterest was thumbnail images of websites we built with a description of the website.

We then setup another 'Board' for Social Marketing and another 'Board' for company training classes and speaking events.  We removed the default Boards that came with the account and spent time considering what would showcase what we did, who we are or what we can do for customers to create the most effective Boards for business and a few fun things.

Pinterest requires a few hours to create, setup and then locate enough content to 'Pin' so that it is effective.  Spend a few minutes connecting and 'following' other people since they tend to follow you back similar to how Twitter users follow people who follow them.  If your company sells homes then Pin photos of homes for sale or floor plans while others can Pin photos of electronics for sale or any item located on the Internet.  Pinterest is not permitted is not permitted to Pin items from Facebook but Google+ users are welcome to Pin any photo from their accounts.

Google was the 800 Pound Gorilla on the Internet for years until Facebook took the # 1 spot away.  Google tried to buy Facebook and when the offer was turned down Google decided to create it's own Social Network.  Google+ is the result at http://Plus.Google.com with a combination of features from Facebook, Twitter and a few new ideas such as 'Circles'.  The article on Google+ Setup and Optimization outlines the key features and benefits of Google+ if you are just getting started.  One unique benefit of having a Google+ account is that Google announced that websites are being ranked higher on the Google Search Engine based on usage or interactions from Google+ accounts.

When a company has a Google+ profile setup with the company website listed on Google+ and other users connected who 'Like' or '+1' the website then it will rank higher for other users on Google.  In short Google is enticing people and business to use Google+ with the added benefit of ranking higher on the Google Search Engine.  Setup a Google+ account, place contact information, website links and a profile online and spend a few minutes adding people to your circles.  It may not be the top social network yet but Google is spending millions on development so it will only get better.

Google purchased Blogspot and combined it with their other Blog system to create one of the leading online Blog systems today www.Blogger.com.  Setting up a Blog (web log = Blog for short) is free, fast and reaches millions of potential customers online.  If a Blog has enough traffic and the right content it will be republished, shared and even sold online at the Amazon Kindle Store.  A properly written Blog will also help with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), establish creditability for the writers or company and provide fresh content for social networks or websites. 

Creating a Blog is about creating content about your company, services, products or solutions and related information people may be interested in.  There is no wrong way to write a Blog, simply make sure you DO it and always 'sign' the Blog with contact information including a phone number and full website address.  Write articles about your area of expertise, industry news or information and your company.  Once a Blog is setup be sure to link it to Facebook so any updates are automatically sent to the Facebook business page and even the company website similar to how Google Blogger feeds scrolling Blog articles to the Internet Builder Consulting website Home Page.

Last is the LinkedIn Social Network typically used for Business to Business connections.  There are no grandmothers sharing recipes or families uploading photo's of the weekend trip.  LinkedIn is focused on business and company or professional information although it will accept direct feeds from Twitter and Facebook which may contain any sort of content.  The LinkedIn network suggests connections based on mutual places of employment, mutual existing connections and feeds nearly everything on the LinkedIn website to Search Engines.

Setup a LinkedIn profile and then a LinkedIn company page for the best results.  Company Pages and Personal Profiles are both indexed and sent to Search Engines so people may locate you or your business on Google because you have a LinkedIn page.

The list above outlines the very basic requirements for online success today.  Take the time to setup at least the basic profiles with a description, contact information and then practice every week until you are comfortable with each of the social networks.  If your business needs a BETTER built website, Search Engine Optimization or Social Networking setup, training or Social Marketing solutions contact Internet Builder Consulting online or call the experts at 816-842-7774.

Robert 'Dot Com' Jackson
Internet & Technology Expert
816-842-7774 Corporate Office
Internet Builder Consulting - Building BETTER Websites, SEO & Social Marketing Solutions since 1995

Pinterest for Online Marketing, the Latest Social Network

Nearly everyone with a pulse has a Facebook account today and all savvy marketers use Social Networks to reach customers.  Facebook overtook Google as the #1 source of online referrals and continues to be the #1 location on the Internet.  Google came out with Google+ in an attempt to capture back some of the lost traffic from Facebook but the masses have not migrated over to Google.

In steps Pinterest and up Pinterest will go as one of the top Social Networks due to some of the unique features and ease of use.  When we setup our first company Pinterest account I had little hope it would benefit the company.  I was wrong, within days the Pinterest account was sending more traffic to our company website than Facebook was (remember Facebook is the #1 referral source online today). In the first week of testing with a new Pinterest account the traffic reports showed Facebook referred 66 total visits while Pinterest referred 44 visits.

The most interesting thing of note is the amount of time spent on the website from different traffic sources.  Facebook visitors spent an average of 51 seconds on the company website while visitors from Pinterest spent 4 minutes 41 seconds.  The value of a Pinterest referral is higher since those visitors spent significantly more time looking through more pages of the website and reading the content.

Pinterest is not open to the public...yet, to create an account you must be invited by a current user or request an invitation from www.Pinterest.com.  Currently, Pinterest is dominated by females at 87% of the users with males users making up 13%.  The majority of users on Pinterest, at 80% are age 25-54.  Pinterest is a visual Social Network meaning everything is formed around pictures of items found online ranging from websites to shoes, clothing, gadgets, computers, real estate or food.  This works well with mobile devices such as the iPhone, Android phones and tablets. 

Pinterest Profile shows items online ranging from products to places or services and statistics

The beauty of Pinterest is people can actually shop, learn and buy the products people 'pin' to their profile ranging from a set of headphones on Amazon.com to a new home from a home builder website.  Each image 'pinned' must come from an active website with an image, FLASH does not work and neither does Facebook (I would guess that Facebook blocked them to try and keep the competition lower).  The basic idea of Pinterest is a visual Twitter where users can 'Follow' other users, share items from other users on their accounts and post anything from any websites users want to share or promote.

Our company uses Pinterest to showcase examples of websites we built on one of the 'Boards' http://pinterest.com/robertdotcom/websites-seo/ while other boards showcase technology or products http://pinterest.com/robertdotcom/tech-computers/ that links to the online sources where customers may actually purchase the products.  Overall the Pinterest site has a great look and feel, it is easy to setup, easy to use and has an incredibly high referral rate online.  This means that the numbers will continue to grow as users are added and smart companies will use Pinterest to market their products, services and brands.  Below is a nice graphic from Mashable outlining useful information:

 

Pinterest is only one of the top Social Networks required to effectively market online as a key part of any Search Engine Optimization (SEO) program.  Search Engine Optimization includes on-site SEO aspects such as how the website is built, code, META Tags, content, etc. with off-site SEO completing the program.  Social Networks encompass the majority of off-side SEO today since they are the top referral sources on the Internet.  Do not think of Social Networks as stand along products, consider them an important part of a complete online marketing program for your business, product or service.

Contact the Social Media Marketing Experts at Internet Builder Consulting today for a consultation or professional social marketing setup, training and marketing package for only $350 at 816-842-7774 or www.SocialMarketingBuilders.com.  Sign up for Pinterest at www.Pinterest.com/RobertDotcom 

Follow or connect with us online for the latest news, updates and information

Robert 'Dot Com' Jackson

Internet and Technology Expert

Internet Builder Consulting - Building BETTER Websites, SEO and Social Marketing Solutions since 1995 

Marketing Budgets Continue to Shift from Traditional to Online Media

Traditional marketing continues a slow demise as marketers become more savvy with online marketing.   Statistically 38% of marketers expect to decrease their investment in paid traditional media.
 
Digital marketing is growing, 33% of companies project digital channels to make up 60% or more of their marketing budgets.

• Word-of-mouth and online video are the leading areas respondents where anticipate focusing their earned media digital marketing efforts in the coming 1-2 years.
• Branded social channels tops the list of anticipated owned media digital marketing efforts in the coming 1-2 years.
• In terms of paid media priorities, interest in web display, mobile banners, and in-game ads has declined, while brands plan to focus on paid search, video ads, branded content, and sponsorships.

 WHO is handling the marketing now?  Traditional marketing companies are trying to reinvent themselves out of extinction and learn as fast as they can though it really is hard to 'teach an old dog new tricks'.  Digital online marketing companies such as www.InternetBuilderConsulting.com have specialized in online marketing for nearly two decades.

Top Computer Support Tools & Anti-Malware Software

We have been compiling a list of useful software, tools and FREE applications for Windows the past few months to prepare a simple list of the best.

Hard Drive Degragmenting - running a hard drive defragmenting program can take HOURS if you use the built-in Windows Defrag Hard Drive tool.  This should be done at least once per month on all Windows computers but most people avoid it due to the length of time required.  Auslogics Disk Defrag may be downloaded for FREE from Cnet Download.com and takes less than 10 minutes to properly defragment (repair) a 500GB Hard Drive.  There is an option in the SETTINGS navigation menu to run the SCHEDULER program for automatic Hard Disk Defragmenting. 

Windows is notorious for Spyware, Malware, Adware and Viruses but many Antivirus programs do not catch everything.  Another excellent FREE tool to help reduce problems is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware also available for FREE from Cnet Download.com to scan, remove and repair infected files.

Attempting to capture images, errors, examples, websites and other content from the Internet or a monitor is sometimes difficult.  The basic Windows Print Screen has much to be desired so I recommend HyperSnap 7 for excellent professional screen capture and editing.  The program is FREE to download and try with a $39.95 fee for a lifetime license if you decide to keep it after 30 days.  The benefits of HyperSnap include editing, highlights, cut and paste, capture of webpages, images and anything shown on a computer monitor. 

These programs will help improve Windows and keep the computer running at top performance.  Malwarebytes should be set to run daily with a FULL scan while Auslogics is best to schedule for weekly or monthly defragmenting. 

If you need a website, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Marketing or have any technical questions contact Internet Builder Consulting at 816-842-7774 from 8AM to 8PM daily!

Robert 'Dot Com' Jackson
InternetBuilderConsulting.com - Building BETTER Websites, SEO, Social Marketing & Technology Solutions since 1995

 

Leaner Greener Marketing

Anyone paying attention to business the past few years recognizes the affect Social Networking and the Internet has had on marketing. Traditional methods of marketing such as the phone book, newspapers, direct mail and magazines are things of the past. Can you recall the last time you reached for a phone book to look up the number of a friend or relative? Over 90% of the phone books delivered today end up in land fills, many are thrown away without ever being used.

Old marketing methods relied on 'circulation' numbers to sell advertising.  This means if a newspaper dropped off 1,000 papers in an area the advertisers were charged based on that number even if nobody ever picked up the paper.  This method of marketing was costly, wasteful (every day the newspaper was thrown away while another was delivered the next day) and difficult to track.

Today online marketing, social networking and websites may be tracked down to the number of minutes and seconds visitors spend viewing ads or webpages.  Most online marketing costs a fraction of traditional marketing expenses while reaching a wider audience.  Search Engine Optimization and Social Marketing enable target marketing to specific online users looking for the products or services each company provides.

Every ad placed in a newspaper, magazine or phone book is a contribution to landfills and in polluting the environment.  Most printed ads end up in the trash followed by landfills with an average shelf life of less than 60 days.  When it comes to leaner greener marketing the only way to improve, innovate and save costs is a complete paradigm shift from printed materials to online media.

Facebook Profiles Changing to Timeline

Facebook announced January 24th that Facebook profiles are being replaced with Facebook Timeline.

Facebook Timeline was introduced last September at the annual f8 conference in San Francisco. In December, Facebook began giving users the opportunity to switch over and 'try out' the new Timeline system. Facebook Timeline offers several new features and a visual layout including life events in the form of photos, status updates and wall posts along a 'timeline'.

The Timeline can be appended, edited, added and updated for any past year showcasing when users joined Facebook, were born, married, graduated or entered into relationships. Photos of past events on the Timeline may be added to enhance detail or tag others involved just as the current Facebook offers.

Facebook has not yet specified an exact date the roll out will be complete but they have expressed it will be in the next few weeks meaning February. Users will be notified when they login that they have 7 days before the account will change to Timeline enabling a 'test drive' of the new system before it converts permanently. During the 7 day period the profiles appear to OTHERS as the classic Facebook profile. Only the user can see the new Timeline profile until it converts.

Once accounts have been converted to Timeline there is no going back, the Timeline is the new profile page. Facebook advises you take the time to review the new Timeline and choose what you want to show and what you want to hide (by selecting to “hide” or 'delete" a story or by clicking on the Activity Log icon).

A few things to prepare for Timeline include:

1. Choose a Cover Photo: The Cover is a large image that will show up at the top of the new Timeline profile behind the thumbnail photo of you (profile photo). The Cover Photo must be a larger image, think of it like the Desktop Background on your computer - it can be anything you prefer that represents your mood, life, work or family.

2. Manage and update the Activity Log: The Activity Log is list of everything on your timeline plus activity from the apps, games or websites you use. The LOG determines what shows up on your timeline so edit whatever you do not wish to showcase to the world or select individual items to change visibility settings. To find a specific story or type of story, simply filter by content type or application. You will also find your pending posts here and can quickly approve new content tagged by your friends.

Timeline is not ready for all mobile users although it does appear on Facebook for iOS version 4.1 (or later), iPhone and iPod Touch and Android (version 1.8.1+) devices. Facebook remains one of the top locations for off-site SEO generating links and traffic to websites with the largest daily user base on the Internet.

If your business needs expert Social Networking setup, training or Social Media Marketing contact the Social Marketing Experts at www.InternetBuilderConsulting.com 816-842-7774 or visit us online at www.SocialMarketingBuilders.com to select the Social Marketing Package for your needs today.

Internet Advertising Continues to Grow

Internet advertising in the US has hit new highs reaching $7.88 billion in the 3rd quarter of 2011, a 22% growth from the 3rd quarter of 2010.  Although Internet Advertising has increased significantly and remains the fastest growing segment of advertising it still has a relatively small portion of overall advertising at 15.9%.  The December 2011 report from Zenith Optimedia shows Internet Advertising will increase its share of the global ad market from 15.9% in 2011 to 21.2% in 2014. 

The leading Internet Advertising categories are: search (49%); display related (37%) - including banner ads (23%), digital video (6%), rich media (5%), and sponsorship (3%); classifieds (8%); referrals/lead generation (5%); and email (1%).

Top Internet Advertising Category Leaders

Search Engines

Google is the dominant leader in the search market with 83% of US total Internet Advertising spending and 82% of US pay per click share.  Google has 65.5% of overall US search volumes, according to  a July 2011 report from Marin Software. Data from eMarketer illustrates that Google’s search revenues reached $8.83 billion in the US in 2010, representing a 71.4% share of the $12.37 billion market. Yahoo 10.4%, Microsoft 10.2%, and AOL 2.3% followed, meaning that the top 4 web properties controlled 94.3% of all search advertising revenue in 2010. This year, eMarketer projects search revenue to grow almost 10% and hit $13.59 billion.

Display Ads

Facebook will bypass Yahoo in US display revenues in 2011 to become the largest seller of display ads, with Google remaining in the #3 spot, according to June 2011 analysis from eMarketer, which estimates Facebook’s share of US online display ad revenues to grow to 17.7%, up from 12.2% in 2010. Together, the top 5 ad-selling companies are projected to control almost half of the $12.33 billion display ad market this year, up from 45.1% in 2010 and 38.3% in 2009.

Yahoo had the highest display revenue of all search engine companies in 2009 and 2010, has a small decline in 2011 along with AOL which remained the fifth place. Facebook and Google have both more than doubled their market share since 2009.

Internet Advertising continues to be the #1 source for reaching more customers, expanding or maintaining brands and 'networking' with others.  If your company needs expert Social Network Marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or websites contact the Internet Builder Consulting team at 816-842-7774.

Internet Builder Consulting - Websites, SEO, Consulting & Social Marketing

Social Marketing Builders - Building BETTER Social Networking & Social Media Marketing

Google Makes Suggestions for Search & Bounce Rates

Google makes search suggestions when users begin typing based upon the number of similar searches made.  For example, the Google Search Suggestion for the phrase:

 "White People Stole My Car" showed the following recommendation:

"Did you mean: Black People Stole My Car" as the attached screen image shows.

Google has adjusted some of the suggestions such as this or simply removed suggestions that may be taken improperly.  The way the system works is it suggests phrases or words based on the higher volume of those searches.  That means that there are more searches for "black people stole my car" than for "white people stole my car" thus when the search was made Google suggested the higher volume related search.

Google tracks everything that everyone using Google does from search phrases and keywords to time spent on a page before clicking back to Google again.  Google considers a lower bounce rate as part of the algorithmn used for ranking websites.  This means that if an Internet User finds a website on Google and clicks on it but spends only a few seconds and clicks back to Google there is a lower rating given to that website by Google for the fast bounce rate.  A click from Google to a website where the Internet User spent 30 seconds to several minutes would be rated higher and potentially rank higher in search results because of it.

Robert 'Dot Com' Jackson
Internet & Technology Expert
www.InternetBuilderConsulting.com - Building BETTER Websites, SEO & Social Marketing since 1995
816-842-7774 Office

On Page Search Engine Optimization is Critical to Success

There are two distinct areas of Search Engine Optimization in terms of a website.  The most important aspect is the on site optimization provided with proper construction of a site while the second is off page optimization.  Off page optimization includes creation of links TO the website from other websites, portals, social networking and blogs.  When a website company designs and develops a new website the way it is built, technologies incorporated and content all affect how a website will rank on Search Engines. 

Keywords with on page optimization activities rank over one page higher in search results.  Properly optimized websites rank11 positions higher than other websites (there are 10 positions on every page).  Template websites often miss out with on page optimization due to the limitation of structure, duplicate content used for hundreds or thousands of other websites and lack of flexibility to properly perform on page optimization.  Template websites will often cost less then also usually rank lower on search engines which lowers the number of potential customers who view the website.

A nice looking website is only as good as the number of people it reaches no matter how much or how little it costs.  The latest tools for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) include Social Networking, Social Optimization and expanded off site optimization.  New websites must include on site, off site and social optimization to be successful with over 50% of Internet Usage now attributed to Social Networking.  Facebook and Twitter are the two main areas to focus on for social network links and referrals while others such as LinkedIn, MySpace, Google+ and MerchantCircle increase online reach when setup and properly optimized.

Make sure any new online marketing includes the TOTAL PACKAGE for success - leaving any aspect out is like buying a new car without the tires...it may cost a little less but it will never get you where you would like to be!

Robert 'Dot Com' Jackson
www.InternetBuilderConsulting.com
816-842-7774 Office

QR Codes, Mobile Bar Code Scanning & Usage

QR Codes (Quick Response Codes) have gained in popularity with the increase in Smart Phone or PDA Phone usage.  Nearly any phone with a camera can now scan and interpret a QR Code providing buyers with instant access to websites, advertising messages, photos or anything on the Internet. 

QR Codes are similar to simple one dimensional bar codes used in stores everywhere with a two dimensional (2D) capability that holds thousands of characters.  Bar codes can only hold up to 20 characters limiting their effectiveness while the 2D QR Codes can store complex data and perform a wide variety of actions when scanned such as:

• Instantly visit website links
• Initiate text or SMS messages
• Show maps and directions
• 'Like' or visit facebook pages and social networking
• Send emails
• Place calls
• Run applications or programs
• Instantly perform actions designed to inform, assist and entice buyers

The example QR Code to the right is a link to www.InternetBuilderConsulting.com which can be scanned with a Smart Phone, Android phone, Windows phone, Blackberry, iPhone or thousands of other devices.  QR Codes have been popular in Japan for more than 10 years, the US Market is just now expanding use.  Airports are now using QR Codes to check people in for flights, coffee shops can use QR codes to place and pay for orders.  Real estate companies use QR Codes on signs at homes for sale to instantly provide an 'online brochure' and photos of listings. 

June 2011 over 14 Million Mobile Users in the US scanned a QR Code on their mobile device.  Of those 16 million scans 60.5% of them were done by males and those with a household income of $75,000 to $100,000 were 18.6% more likely to scan a QR Code.  The majority of QR Codes scanned came from magazines with 49.4% followed by product packaging at 35.3%, scans from websites were 27.4% and 23.5% scanned codes from posters, flyers or display kiosks. 

Use of QR Codes will continue to expand as more consumers realize the potential for instant information, payments, check-in and time savings.

Contact the Internet Builder Consulting experts for more details on how your business can take advantage of QR Codes, Social Marketing, SEO and websites at 816-842-7774.

Robert 'Dot Com' Jackson
Internet Builder Consulting - Building BETTER Websites, Social Marketing, SEO and Technology Solutions since 1995

 http://www.InternetBuilderConsulting.com

Google+ Facebook and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Since 2010 Facebook has been the #1 referrer on the Internet with more daily users than Google.  Twitter and Myspace have sat on the sideline for the most part as Facebook widened the gap while Google quietly recruited Gmail users to setup Google Profiles.  In 2007 InternetBuilderConsulting.com setup our first Google Profile and began setting up Google Profile pages for customers as part of our Social Marketing packages.

It was clear there was a reason for Google Profiles outside of just having a small page of information hosted on Google.  The Google Profiles were updated this year with a very 'Facebook' looking format showing a profile photo top left and a similar layout.  Recently Google began offering Gmail and Google Profile users Google+ and the +1 button to 'rank' websites and webpages.  Before getting into Google+ and the +1 button I will cover why it is important to use these and how they will impact Search Engine Rankings.

Google is the # 1 Search Engine yet Facebook has taken a significant amount of traffic away through the built-in search using Microsoft Bing.com to power search results.  Social Marketing is a critical requirement of any effective Search Engine Optimization campaign with Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace and other social networking pages typically showing up in the Top 10 search results on Page 1 of any search engine. 

Search Google for Builder Consulting and several of the Top 10 search results are social networking pages setup to market and promote the business.  Google, Yahoo and Bing publicize the inclusion of social networking links to websites as part of the  algorithm used to determine how high or low to rank websites.  This means that links FROM social networks to websites increase the ranking of the websites when done properly.

Google already ranks websites higher due to links from Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and other social networks.  Now that Google has their own Google+ and +1 options the websites that are listed, linked and +1 the most often will receive higher placement on the Google search engine.  This is already in process if you are using Google+ since any website that someone within your 'Circles' has recommended will already show up with their photo and information directly below the website listing in search results. 










Now that it is clear Google+ and the new +1 feature will affect website rankings we can look at what Google+ and the +1 features are.  Google+ is basically Google's version of Facebook with the following main features:

• Online profile with a description, contact information, places lived, work details and links
• Photos & Photo Albums(integrated with Picassa) 
• Circles (Groups of Friends and contacts similar to Facebook friends)
• Stream is the same as a News Feed or Recent News on Facebook showing you updates from the people you have added to your Circles
• Hangouts (online meetings using video and chat)
• Sparks (feeds and updates by interest such as sports, autos, movies, etc.)

Join Google+ by invitation only at this time or you can visit the website at  www.Plus.Google.com and request to join.  To join Google+ you should setup a Gmail account since Gmail accounts are receiving premium VIP admission to the system at this time. 

Once you sign up for a Google+ account you can start customizing your profile, adding links, contact information and begin connecting with others. 

What you place on your profile is completely up to you as long as you remember that the LINKS area should include any/all of your websites, Blog's and associates you would like to promote online. 

Once the basic profile has been setup you can start working on your 'Circles'.  A Circle on Google+ is unique to all social networks since Google permits anyone to add anyone else to their Circles without permission.  Adding someone such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Steve Jobs will permit you to view what they are sharing publicly similar to following someone on Twitter.  It does not put your information on their Stream unless they choose to add you to their Circles.  Other social networks require the people you connect with to confirm and permit you to connect while Google has set Circles up with a much wider reach.  

When setting up Circles you can define ANY type of Circle you want and name it anything you want such as Friends, Customers, Prospects, Family permitting you to organize your contacts into logical groups.  Once Circles are setup you can search for and add ANYONE using Google+ to any of your Circles and follow anything that contact choose to share publicly.  If you would like to BLOCK specific contacts from viewing your content or information there is a default Circle for BLOCKED you may add them to which makes you invisible to anyone in that Circle. 

Once the profile, links and circles are setup your ready to start using Google+ and learning how it works as Google continues to develop new features.

Questions, comments or if you would like an expert consultation on Websites, SEO and Social Marketing  be sure to contact us www.InternetBuilderConsulting.com or 816-842-7774

Robert 'Dot Com' Jackson

Internet & Technology Expert

Internet Builder Consulting - Building BETTER Websites, SEO & Social Marketing Solutions since 1995

    

Android Mobile OS has 54% of Smart Phone Usage

In the first quarter of 2011 devices running the Android mobile OS had 54% of the total mobile market impressions.  Google Android had twice as many impressions as the second place Apple iOS (iPhone Operating System) with 26% followed by RIM Blackberry at 17%. 

Windows Mobile OS phones ranked significantly lower tied with the Symbian  and Other category at 1%.

The latest numbers continue to illustrate the tremendous gains Android made in the market strengthening it's place as the leading mobile OS.  It is important to track mobile OS usage to ensure online marketing, PPC  and your mobile website are optimized for the widest audience (Android, iOS and RIM). 

Robert 'Dot Com' Jackson
Internet Builder Consulting - Building BETTER Websites, Social Marketing, Mobile Websites & Internet Marketing since 1995
816-842-7774 Office & Expert Consultations