JUMP Internet Marketing

The Key to Successful Internet Marketing for Small Business

I'm not going to try to convince you that your business needs a website.  I'm going to assume that you already believe it. 

Instead, I am going to try to help you focus your investment of time and the money you spend on your website by suggesting that you re-evaluate your strategy.  Think of this post as a mini yoga session for your business mind.

(By the way, if you're thinking, "I don't really have a strategy," then GREAT!  This post may help you get started.)

In a nutshell, the key to successful Internet marketing really has nothing to do with the Internet itself.  The key has nothing to do with facebook or twitter or viral video or blogging.

The key to success is telling a great story.

Through the years, many small business owners have approached us for help with their Internet marketing initiatives.  In every case, where the business owner had a great story to tell, the business has succeeded with help from its Internet marketing initiative.

Telling a great story means more than just introducing yourself on an About Us page.  Frankly, About Us pages are some of the worst content on the Internet.  They are boring.

Your story needs to be interesting and compelling.  What if its not?

Then, I think you're like every other small business owner who has become so tired of working in your business that you've forgotten why you started the business in the first place.  You may have forgotten the real story.

Go back to that time when you started the business.  You know why your customers buy from you.  You know what makes your business special.  Sure, as you tackle the day to day problems and struggle to improve processes you may not feel special.  Step away from that for a moment and write down your story. 

Now, before you look at your website, take a deep slow breath.  Because in this next step you will face the challenge or you will give up.  I've seen it overthat interferes with your success.  And remember, when you feel overwhelmed, that there is only one way to eat an elephant.

Now, look at your website. How well is it telling your story? 

Are you ready to make some changes?  Post your thoughts or contact us about our free monthly seminars.  Be sure to watch for my upcoming series, Eating the Elephant.

- Denise

So What's the Big Deal About Google Farmer Update?

I've stayed silent on the issue because I couldn't figure out how to say "I told you so" in a professional manner.  I've given up, so here's a great big, "I TOLD YOU SO."

To our customers and those who attend our eMarketing seminars and workshops, you know exactly why I am saying I told you so.

If you plan on being in business for the long term, then you are focused on your message and providing value for all of the content you publish on the Internet.  You don't go for the get rich quick schemes and you don't build content scraping sites so you probably weren't negatively impacted by the farmer update.

Like most efforts in life, if you offer value, you will receive value.  If you try a little trickery disguised as value then you will ultimately get caught.

So why do it?  Well, black hat and gray hat marketing tactics do pay off in the short term.  It's like the conversation I had with my brother about the very large publicly traded company that he works for (remaining nameless) that makes poor long term investment decisions because they are focused on quarterly numbers. 

My customers have built, or are building, well established businesses with a focus towards long term performance.  They are focused on providing the best value in web visitor experience. It's not easy, and it takes a lot of time.

Coincidentally (or not) that's what Google is focused on, too.  Hmmm. (OK, I confess to sarcasm.)

Denise

Thinking About a New Flash Website?

Then you're not alone.  Over the years I've spoken with many independent business owners planning an upgrade to their website and thinking about spinning graphics, flash, carousels, and such.  The obvious attraction is that done well, they can boost your company's image.

Without proper planning your site can disappear from the search engines.

Recently, a friend of mine allowed one of his employees to redesign the company's website.  The employee was skilled in graphics and web design and my friend felt comfortable turning over the project.  Even though I had strongly encouraged my friend to attend our workshops, he is, like other independent business owners, extremely busy and looking to hand off this project to someone else. (See my post, Time and Money to Burn)

Weeks later, my friend asked me to look at the results and offer some advice on how they could increase visibility in the search engines.

After just a few minutes of research, I had uncovered some disturbing news.  The website, which previously had a few pages showing in Google was nowhere to be found.  The site didn't even show up on the first page for the company's name.

Why?

The new website had absolutely no text on the home page.  It was all graphics. 

I clicked through the rest of the site.  No text, anywhere.

Google crawls websites by a software program that we refer to a crawler or a spider.  It's not a human.  Words that appear in a graphic appear as nothing to a crawler.

It's the end of 2010 and my friend has a new website that will have to be overhauled, again. (I hope he will make time for our strategy workshop.)

If search marketing is important enough to invest any time or money in, then it is important to have the right strategy.  You don't have to spend a fortune, but you do have to invest some time.  The payoff is worth it.  Otherwise, you're just letting your competition get further and further ahead.

Denise