The importance of the Title tag is one of the most effective aspects of search engine marketing but the value of the Title tag is greatly overlook and is often abused. What is the Title tag? When you log into a web site the title tag for each web page appears at the top of the browser but is most commonly noticed when seen on a search engine return page, per below (for my Sports photography web site):

The Title tag is the top line in blue. The bolded words reflect the search term used “George Ross” and this means that the most important keywords for each web page must be included in the title tag for great search engine optimization performance. It is important to state the obvious that by simply having a great, keyword rich title tag alone does not guarantee great organic search engine performance but it is a very important component of a search engine optimization strategy.

The title tag should:

• not exceed 60 characters
• include the most important key words for that web page ( every page on a site should be unique)
• include a location, if you business is regional (state or town)

Most Title tags are badly written because the importance of them is under recognized. I adjust my clients thinking by asking them  to look at their own  title tags and the to consider the keywords that a prospective client would use to find their business. If they match great….but they seldom match.

The title tag should be uniquely crafted for each page, it is tedious and challenging but it is an extremely effective marketing action.

The use of the title tag is considered the 4th most important aspect of search engine marketing, see this blog entry  http://webdesign-ri.com/web_site_design_and_SEO_blog/2009/09/24/top-search-engine-ranking-factors/

If you ant to market your web site, embrace title tags.

SEO, WEB Marketing Hide

There are many tools available to all for SEO and internet marketing and my primary tool is a free plug-in for Firefox...the SeoQuake toolbar.. While I do use other products and techniques to evaluate the search engine optimization of client web sites, SeoQuake is my first stop as it provide a snapshot of the key search engine parameter. These parameters are detailed below:

* Google PR
Google PageRank of current page
* Google Index
Number of indexed pages. Google version.
* Google link
Number of links, pointing to the current page. Google version (Except links from concerned domain).
* Google cachedate
Date of current Google cache.
* Yahoo Index
Number of indexed pages. Yahoo version.
* Yahoo link
Number of links, pointing to the current page. Yahoo version (Except links from concerned domain).
* Yahoo Linkdomain (LD)
Number of links, pointing to the current domain. Linkdomain (LD) operator finds pages linking to domain, as opposed to link which finds references to a single page. Yahoo version.
* Yahoo Linkdomain2 (LD2)
Number of links, pointing to the current domain (2-level domain). Linkdomain2 (LD2) operator finds pages linking to an entire domain, as opposed to linkdomain (LD) which finds references to a current domain (subdomain for example). Yahoo version.
* Yahoo Directory
Domain presence in the Yahoo Directory.
* MSN Index
Number of indexed pages . MSN version.
* MSN link
Number of links, pointing to the current page. MSN version (Except links from concerned domain).
* MSN Linkdomain (LD)
Number of links, pointed to the current domain. Linkdomain (LD) operator finds pages linking to domain, as opposed to link which finds references to a single page. MSN version.
* MSN Linkdomain2 (LD2)
Number of links, pointing to the current domain (2-level domain). Linkdomain2 (LD2) operator finds pages linking to an entire domain, as opposed to linkdomain (LD) which finds references to a current domain (subdomain for example). MSN version.
* Yandex CY
Yandex Rank of current page.
* Yandex index (russian SE)
Number of indexed pages. Yandex version.
* Yandex link
Number of links, pointing to the current page. Yandex version.
* Yandex catalogue
Domain presence in the Yandex Directory.
* Rambler index (russian SE)
Number of indexed pages. Rambler version.
* Rambler top100
Domain presence in the Rambler top100 catalogue.
* DMOZ Directory
Domain presence in the Dmoz Directory.
* Alexa Rank
Traffic estimation index
* WebArchive age
First date in Archive.org
* Del.icio.us index
Link to del.icio.us history for current url.
* Technorati index
Link to Technorati history for current url.
* Digg index
Link to Digg history for current url.
* IP lookup
Current domain IP.
* Whois link
Link to the Whois record of current domain.
* View source
Link to the source code of current web page.
* Check robots.txt
Check if robots.txt file exists and if it does show link to it.
* Page links
Dispaly quantity of internal/external links with the link to the link list.
* Baidu index
Number of indexed pages. Baidu version.
* Baidu link
Number of links, pointing to the current page. Baidu version.
* Wikipedia (EN)
Number of search results found in Wikipedia (EN)
* Ask index
Number of indexed pages. Ask version.
* Bloglines
Number of search results found in Bloglines

I do not use all of these parameters as that would be overwhelming, so I have selected the parameters that are appropriate for my method of working. However, if none of the above parameters meet your needs SEoQuake provides a ‘custom parameters’ module. Great tool, thank you SeoQuake

keyword density, SEO, SeoQuake, WEB Marketing Hide

Conversion rate is simply the measurement of visitors to a web site that take a specific, desired, action.

These actions will vary from site-to-site but may include, but are not limited to:

• Completion of a request form
• A download
• Membership registrations
• Subscriptions
• ….and ultimate in conversion…a sale

One of the primary goals of an internet marketer is to convert a visitor into one of the following

• A unqualified prospect:  a prospect has taken an action on a web page and through that action we have obtained teh prospects contact details;  and with these details our sales teams can contact the prospect to determine whether or not this is a hot or cold lead and determine next steps.
• A qualified prospect – here the prospect will request product samples, downloads demo software and has taken an action that may lead to an order
• A customer – the ultimate conversion goal – completion of the shopping cart.

If we do not capture our conversion rate all we are left with is anonymous browsers, we will be able to tell our management team how many page hits, unique visitors etc.  but this has little value, other than ego stroking, when you get down to the business-of-business.

If we measure our conversion rate,  we can take steps to increase the conversion rate to meet our desired marketing goals. If we do not measure conversion, we are left with is statistics. No names, no addresses, no email email addresses…just statistics.

conversion rate, WEB Marketing Hide

Hotels on the Las Vegas strip clearly get much more traffic than the hotels that are located in the lesser attractive off-strip areas; and it is with this very simple analogy we have the objective for our internet marketing strategy, we want our web sites to be on the strip!

Okay the, so how do we move our web sites high up the search engine rankings to be exposed to maximum eyeballs?  The answer is pretty simple, if not a little confusing at the outset, and that is  ‘indirect’ Internet marketing.

The problem with indirect Internet marketing is quite simply the word ‘indirect’ because most businesses expect, and measure, their marketers on some form of direct marketing. However, with Internet marketing, the only part of the marketing process that we control is the on-page search engine optimization (SEO) of our web site and that may only count for 30% to 40% of the elements required for a complete search-marketing program. We must pay attention to ‘off-page’ SEO.

However, while SEO is not an exact science, it is the off-page SEO activities that separates the web sites from those that are ‘on the strip’ from those that are ‘off-strip’; and it is this off-page SEO that calls for an ‘indirect’ internet marketing strategy.

Search engines measure the value of a web site by the number of other websites that link to that site and this is where it is imperative to develop and execute an aggressive strategy that falls within the guidelines laid out by Google. If two web sites have identical on-page SEO, it will be the site with the best off-page SEO that will rank higher with the search engine.

So, what should the core of an indirect Internet marketing strategy look like?

1)   Connect with friendly web sites to link back to your site.

2)   Join many forums and become active in many discussions; and ensure that your URL is included in your signature.

3)   Develop and host groups on all social networking media web sites to promote your business and update on a regular basis.

4)   Issue press releases on a regularly via paid, and free, PR web outlets

5)   Write article for ezines

6)   Add a blog to your site but do not use it to sell your products directly, use the blog to position your brand as being expert in your field. Every time you make a blog entry you will increase both the size and the freshness of your site and if you can get subscribers to your site you will be well on your way.

7)   Take part in all industry associations.

8)   Be relentless

These tactics could be considered to have little value individually, but collectively this a is a powerful force.

To accomplish the above you have to pursue it, as it will not come to you. There is a lot of work, much of it mundane, involved in executing an indirect marketing strategy but if executed you will move you business onto ‘the strip’ where the foot traffic is great and opportunities abound.

SEO, WEB Marketing Hide