Bjorn Productions | Denver Website Design : WordPress Design : Graphic Design » Search Engine Marketing http://www.bjornproductions.com Denver Web Development, Website Design, Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing Agency Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:04:29 +0000 en hourly 1 Google+ Business Page Design http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-marketing/google-business-page-design http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-marketing/google-business-page-design#comments Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:35:52 +0000 admin http://www.bjornproductions.com/?p=1083 The most critical area of design is the header of the Google+ Business page as it is the identity of your business. As with any good web design, your visitor must be able to quickly recognize your brand without thought and reach the one-to-one relationship with the viewer. In its current design, the header of Google+ Business pages has 6 unique areas to graphically illustrate the company brand.

Business Profile Photo

The first graphic area is the profile, which is where the logo of your company is placed. When uploading this graphic, note that the image is in the shape of a square. Always use the most clean and simple logo design, as the business profile photo will be reduced in size, and you want a clear representation of your brand. Use graphics with a high resolution, if not your most important branding element will look grainy, pixelated, and unprofessional.

  • Home page profile image: The home page profile image is your Business profile photo reduced to a 200px by 200px image when displayed on the home page of the Google+ Business page. Note that multiple home page profile images can be uploaded, and as the viewer clicks on the home page profile image, the images will rotate though your uploaded profile images.
  • Avatar Image: The profile photo is also your avatar image, which is the graphic displayed on the left side of each post that is made. The avatar graphic is your business profile photo reduced to 48px by 48px image.

Scrapbook Photos

In its current design schema, there are 5 images displayed at the top of the Google+ Business page known as scrapbook photos. When uploading this graphic, note that the images are also in the shape of a square, and will be reduced to 125px by 125px images. Upload large images with high resolution, the scrapbook images are “clickable” and will redirect the visitor to a scrapbook photo page that cycle through the 5 images that you upload. Be sure to write a caption under each scrapbook photo.
Just like any other design, a Google+ Business page design should immediately meet the visitor’s needs and expectations of your goods or services.
There are an infinite number of ways to create a clever design though the 5 scrapbook photos. Currently, one of the more common designs utilized on Google+ business pages is to utilize the five images to create a landscape photo or graphic to illustrate the company brand. It is our recommendation to illustrate areas of service and functionality through each of the 5 scrapbook photos.

Some suggestions on what could be used…

  • Service or Goods Photos: Images, and illustrations which sell your goods or services.
  • QR Codes: Utilizing a QR code for the image, or embed a QR code into the image for a telephone number, website address, phone numbers, or SMS.
  • Coupons: Coupons for your goods or services.

We encourage you to visit Bjorn Productions’ Google+ page and become a follower!

Please contact us if you are interested in Bjorn Productions developing a branded and functional Google+ business page for your business.

]]> http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-marketing/google-business-page-design/feed 0 Analyzing Website Traffic http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-optimization/analyzing-website-traffic http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-optimization/analyzing-website-traffic#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:39:13 +0000 admin http://www.bjornproductions.com/?p=539 The best way to quantify the development of your website marketing strategy is to understand the source of your website traffic.  Website traffic can come from a number of different sources.  Once you have determined where the traffic is coming from take steps to improve your website marketing strategies.

Direct Traffic

Direct traffic is when a visitor types in your website address to find your website i.e. www.yourwebsite.com.  Direct website traffic is the best indicator of your company’s brick and mortar marketing techniques.  If you are receiving a good amount of direct traffic to your website, you are running an effective marketing campaign.  If you are not receiving a high amount of direct website traffic make sure that your website address is on the following:

  • Business cards
  • Company vehicles
  • Promotional materials
  • Yellow Page advertisement
  • Radio advertisement
  • Television advertisement

Referring Sites

Referring site traffic relates to visitors that are visiting another website and have clicked on a link to your website.  When it comes to search engine optimization, backlinks to your website are the best means of improving your organic search engine ranking.  Take time each week to increase the number of backlinks to your website, it will increase your referring site statistics and improve your organic search position.  If you need to build the number of referring site links consider the following:

  • Industry related sites
  • Trades that you network with
  • Blogs
  • Social Media sites

Search Engines

Search engine traffic relates to visitors that have typed in key words within a search engine to find your website.  Visitors will be presented with an organic list of search engine results as well as a listing of paid search engine results.

  • Organic Searches:  If you have a high amount of website traffic from organic search results it means that your website has great search engine optimization.
  • Cost per click campaigns: If you have a high amount of traffic from a cost per click campaign you have achieved the website traffic that you are looking for, but will need to monitor the effectiveness of your cost per click campaign.  We recommend monitoring bounce rates and setting analytics that measure goal conversions.

If you need help analyzing your website traffic, or are interested in learning more about search engine optimization for your website, please contact us.

]]> http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-optimization/analyzing-website-traffic/feed 0 Market Your Website with Internet Video http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-marketing/market-your-website-with-internet-video http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-marketing/market-your-website-with-internet-video#comments Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:08:25 +0000 admin http://www.bjornproductions.com/?p=488 Online video advertising can take your internet marketing strategy to a whole new level.  Currently there are a number of websites where you can easily upload high quality video and share them with the click of a button.  Website videos that are produced and implemented properly will provide an immediate and lasting impression for your web visitor.

You are Reaching a Different Internet Audience:

When it comes to marketing it is always the goal to seek out new niches, website video viewers are a promising target.  Video sharing sites not only deliver content, but also have a social aspect as well.  Social media is much like word of mouth advertising, if the information is useful then your video will be shared throughout your viewers social network.  Submit your site to numerous video sharing sites and create an environment that allows your company to interact with your customer.

Building Your Company Brand

When producing your video always build your company brand.  As with all advertising, website videos are a means of building the perception of your company.  Carefully think about your customer and how you want to be perceived by them.  Make a list of what you want your customer to experience from the video;  incorporate a wardrobe, environment and personality that will represent what you are trying to achieve.  Be sure to place your company logo and telephone number in all of your video productions.

Become an Expert in your Field

Educate your audience on your product or service and it will keep them coming back.  Website videos are an excellent way to provide how-to’s and useful tips to your audience.  Think of common questions or problems your customers have and turn it into an informational website video.  Give your web viewer information to make informed decisions when buying your service or product.  Be sure to use video titles that will entice viewership.

Incorporate your Website Design to Enhance Embedded Web Video

When embedding video on your own website, incorporate information to enhance your video.  A good video will entice the web viewer to learn more about your product or service.  Add information and graphics into the web page that explains the content of the video in greater detail.  Provide a list of links to guide the web viewer to search additional areas of your site.

If you would like to learn more about how to market your business through the use of video, please contact us.

]]> http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-marketing/market-your-website-with-internet-video/feed 0 Top MerchantCircle Marketing Techniques http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-marketing/top-merchantcircle-marketing-techniques http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-marketing/top-merchantcircle-marketing-techniques#comments Sun, 13 Jun 2010 20:13:34 +0000 admin http://www.bjornproductions.com/?p=471 As with most services, people tend to gravitate to one social media network or another.  With over 1 million local businesses in their directory, MerchantCircle is the largest social network of local business owners in the United States.  This online business directory helps to connect businesses and consumers.

It is important while building your website’s search engine marketing that you integrate online social media networks as they provide a niche market of website customers.  In this article, I will demonstrate different ways you can achieve the best results for your MerchantCircle account.

Blogging on Merchant Circle

If you do not currently blog, are not familiar with blogging software or do not have the technical expertise to set up a blog, MerchantCircle offers an easy to use blogging software for your business.  Make sure that when you write your blog that you are writing unique, useful and original content.

If you currently have a blog, we recommend that you also integrate the blog into your MerchantCircle blog.  MerchantCircle is an excellent online social media tool that you can utilize to drive traffic to your website.  When you have posted a blog on your website, also post an excerpt of your blog article on your MerchantCircle blog account.  This excerpt should not include the entire content of your blog article, but gives your reader a teaser of the article while also giving value to the MerchantCircle visitor.  At the bottom of your MerchantCircle blog article post make sure you create a ‘Learn More’ link which links your website blog post to the blog article on your website.  This will help to increase traffic to your site and will increase the number of backlinks to your website thereby improving your website’s search engine rankings.

Newsletter

As you begin to gain popularity within MerchantCircle through your blog articles, you will also begin to gain a following of MerchantCircle members.  Members will ask for you to connect with them on MerchantCircle.  As your base of customers grows, you can start to begin your second tier of marketing campaign, which is through another one of MerchantCircle’s free service. . . . newsletters.  Newsletters allow you to send out an email blast to your followers letting them know of new company information such as a blog article that you have recently written, company events, or possibly new coupon or product/service you are offering.

Online coupons

Looking for a way to entice customers to utilize your products or services?  Why not offer potential customers an incentive?  MerchantCircle also offers (for free) a coupon service whereby you can create coupons to include a special offer, use enticing graphics, include expiration dates, and much more!

MerchantCircle also offers a local city coupon feed via Twitter. Coupons that you feed will now automatically be fed to a city-specific Twitter page – making it easy for customers in your area to track real-time deals. It takes a couple of minutes to build a coupon and will be well worth your time.

Customer testimonials

Customer testimonials can be accomplished a couple of different ways within MerchantCircle.  A quick and simple star rating which is anonymous, or they also offer an area where a customer can type in a personal testimonial.

One down side to many online social media sites is that customers can be abusive in their posting, and to remove a negative posting can be quite a timely process. MerchantCircle is very business friendly when it comes to receiving an abusive post as you have the ability to remove this immediately.

Search Engine Ranking

Having your business listed on MerchantCircle increases your search engine ranking and visibility on the internet.

For further information on how to set up your MerchantCircle account, or to learn more about how you can further utilize the benefits within MerchantCircle, please contact us.

]]> http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-marketing/top-merchantcircle-marketing-techniques/feed 1 Give Me a Big Ol’ Sip of that Link Juice http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-marketing/give-me-a-big-sip-of-that-link-juice http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-marketing/give-me-a-big-sip-of-that-link-juice#comments Sun, 16 May 2010 17:14:39 +0000 admin http://www.bjornproductions.com/?p=405 When a website is designed, there are a number of factors that go into the design that make the website search engine friendly.  Improving website search engine rankings used to be a fairly quick and easy task as there were not a lot of factors that affected how a website was ranked.   Search engine marketing is an ever changing environment, and currently one of the most effective factors in improving the search engine ranking is the number and quality of inbound links to your site, which is known as link juice.  With some knowledge of how to link building works, you can create a marketing strategy that will dramatically improve your rankings.

What is Link Juice?

Link juice is a term for the number of quality backlinks pointing to your website.    The goal of a search engine is to provide users with the best and most relevant results for their search query.  Quality backlinks from authoritative websites are currently the most important factor in improving your search engine ranking.

Quality Backlinks

All websites are assigned a PageRank by Google, which is a numerical measure of the relevance of a website.  Quality backlinks are links that come from websites that are relative to your website and have a high PageRank.

Top 10 Link Building Tips

There is no better marketing strategy for improving your websites search engine ranking other than quality backlinks. Here are 10 link building tips to get you started…

  • Get links from authoritative websites:  Look to associations of your trade or service for backlinks to your website.  Links from authoritative websites not only give your site credibility, but often also pass on higher amount of link juice.
  • Get links from a trade partner: Most every company has trade partners within their industry, ask for a link from their site.
  • Create a Blog: Become a recognized authority in your industry by creating a blog.  Create original content that provides valuable information, and viewers will keep coming back.
  • Submit Articles to Article Directories: Article directories are a powerful means of promoting traffic and quality backlinks to your website.
  • Participate in Social Media: Social media websites are a great way to increase inbound links to your website.  Create an interesting article in social media and your traffic can grow exponentially.
  • Give Something for Free:  Offer something for free that will help people solve their problems, and they will be sure to link to your site.
  • Use Anchor Text: When possible, always use anchor text for the backlink to your site, anchor text improves the quality of you backlinks.  Do not just place your website address, use anchor text that has keywords that you want your website to be searched for.
  • Participate in Community Events: Often times communities will hold events that you can donate to or participate in.  Look for opportunities that you can have a backlink to your website, sometimes you will be pleasantly surprised in the quality of backlink that you can receive.
  • Create a Top 10 List: Website viewers are always attracted to top 10 lists. When possible, present your top ten lists in a bullet point fashion.
  • Stay Away From Black Hat Techniques: Do not buy your links from link acquisition companies known as link brokers or link sellers.  Buying or selling links that pass PageRank is in violation of Google’s webmaster guidelines. If your site is linked to web spammers or bad neighborhoods it will negatively impact your websites search results.

To learn more about adding link building to your search engine marketing campaign, please contact us for a free consultation.

]]> http://www.bjornproductions.com/search-engine-marketing/give-me-a-big-sip-of-that-link-juice/feed 0