Set Your Goals such as — I will get:

1. High Speed Internet. It provides instant high-speed access. You won’t have to wait anymore on connectivity. You can maneuver social networking sites or upgrade your software all in less time. Another great feature is that you can always be on which makes it easier for you to download files and to get security updates.

2. Local Search Directory. Set yourself to be in most major local search directories. People look online constantly for the best deals out there. When they type in your product and/or service you need to be found easily.

3. A Website. Do your best to get a dedicated website designed to collect information from your potential customers. Make sure the site is one that can turn clicks into calls, email and traffic to your business. Get your site ranked high in the searches.

4. Return On Investment. Make sure that the money you spend on your website along with the advertising is worth it. Work with a reputable company that makes it possible to view your web tracking and its results.

5. An Optimized Video. A video will give your company a voice. Like they say: a picture is worth 1,000 words. Well, imagine what a video will do! It’s quite different just to read a few lines of text compared to 30 seconds to 3 minutes watching and listening to a captivating video about your credibility. A good video adds a personal dimension factor.

It is all too easy to focus all your advertising on you or your company and not on your potential customers/clients. We all do it, just look at any ad and ask yourself who the ad is really talking about. Is it talking about the prospect or about the company? You must focus ALL your marketing communications on the prospect …period!
This should be the #1 thing to remember when using Facebook/Twitter for business. What would you want to see as a consumer?

#2- Giving consumers the third degree.

If you are trying to interest customers in signing sign up for a newsletter or make a purchase, do not make them jump through hoops or answer a battery of questions. Each question you ask subscribers, beyond name and email address, will cost you 10 to 15 percent of your potential customers.

#3- Putting the unsubscribe link at the bottom of your email.

Why is that bad? When a subscriber wants to change their email address, what do they do? If you expect someone to unsubscribe one email address, then go back to your site and resubscribe with another, that’s expecting a lot. The best thing to do is have “Manage your subscription” link that takes them to a page that they can unsubscribe, change their email address, and even change which lists they subscribe to. Then, have an “Quick Unsubscribe” link next to that.

#4- No deals or coupons, what?

I sign up for emails from local restaurants a lot. Sometimes, I’ll get emails that tell me about new menu items, or encourage me to celebrate a holiday at their restaurant, but NO offer! There’s no call to action! Why do I care about Don Pablo’s having Cinco de Mayo if it doesn’t mean I get 10% off or a free Margarita? After two or three of these email ads, usually all pretty and graphical, I unsubscribe. Why would I want someone to just send me ads? If I liked ads, I wouldn’t fast forward through them with Tivo.

#5- Failing to understand the SEO value of viral marketing

Try designing viral pieces around your important keywords, and provide users with easy means to link to your application or site.

#6-Failing to position your organization as a leader.

Being seen as a leader in your community gives you a distinct advantage. Identify a niche where your organization can truthfully label itself the best. If you can’t find a niche, create one. Then let your role as an community leader be a powerful factor in your marketing campaigns. Many groups find that charity work, education awards, grants or scholarships really get the community’s attention.

#7- Making your viewers wait.

Don’t regret paying more for a hostile package that could bring you to people fast. If your website is constantly down, your server is slow, your graphics take two minutes load, you can say goodbye to your potential customers.

#8- Really Bad Navigation And No Sitemap

It doesn’t take a marketing coach to know that the entire point of “search engine optimization” on a site is to get that site crawled by the search engines. If you use images — or worse — Flash or javascript to design your navigation, the search engines will ignore you. (Also, any page that doesn’t have an incoming link won’t be crawled.)

Not having a sitemap is just as bad. Many website owners don’t think they need a sitemap because people don’t use them. It’s not about people! Search engines love sitemaps. They literally crawl all over sitemaps. Even if you have to maintain the sitemap manually, have one and link to it on every page of your site.

#9- Not Knowing your Keywords!

Search engine optimization that fails to optimize with keywords based on research. Without careful keyword research on the keyword phrases your market is actually searching, the keywords you think are important may not produce targeted traffic or conversions.

Many companies providing SEO services make promises about getting your site to rank in top positions in major search engines. They may ask you for a keyword list or provide you with a list of keywords. Often these keywords are not heavily searched or able to target your ideal customer. Ask for help!

#10- No Link Building Campaign
Links are one of the key ways search engines determine how valuable your site is.  Your site is like a political campaign, because every link is like a vote.  Do presidential candidates sit back in their living rooms just waiting for Election Day?  No, they go out and present their platform, give speeches, hold press conferences, put up signs, shake hands, and kiss babies.  They do this because they know if they don’t, no one will vote for them.  So, what are you doing to get people to “vote” for your website?  Yeah, it takes some work, but if you want your site to compete for the top keywords, you need a lot of votes and in the end, it’s worth it. Need help with your internet marketing? Set up an appointment with our new client marketing manager for a complete analysis of your current marketing efforts and ways to make it amazing.

~The biggest key to surviving the Internet marketing jungle is just to do a little more work than anybody else. ~Jennifer Russell -SEO Pittsburgh

• Want to be on the first page of Digg, Reddit, Netscape, Newsvine? Then write about how to get on their frontpage, about Firefox, WordPress or Apple/Mac.
• Always use Stumbleupon. It’s a great alternative social network. Install their toolbar, and if you write a good post, submit it in their system.
• Be humble. Don’t forget where you started from, even if you are a professional in your field. No one can be an authority in a certain category if others don’t link to or recommend you.
• Be original- take the time to write your own material or hire someone to do it for you.
• Leverage video optimization by spreading video around the internet via your social media. Don’t have web video?

internet marketing pittsburgh X Internet X Marketing X business X marketing X SEO X products X product X traffic X How to X internet X Business X design X Search Engine Optimization X internet marketing services X Email Marketing X Affiliate Marketing X search engines X search engine optimization X Internet Marketing Strategies X Search Engine Marketing X Pittsburgh X Pittsburgh Internet X PA X Google X social media X Internet Marketing Services X Social Media X Twitter X media marketing X Internet Consulting X higher images X jennifer russell X chris reidenbaugh X bryan thornberg

I came across a business card of what appeared to be an impressive business. I thought I’d search for them online because that’s what I do. I am SEO Pittsburgh, a seo and social media specialist in Pittsburgh. When I entered their top keywords that made sense to use to find them, I immediately found their competitors instead!

How could that be? This is a reputable impressive company already earning a substantial income. I researched and learned that last month alone, this company had thousands of searches performed for their particular products and services! — And where do you think all those thousands of searches are going? Yes, to their smart competitors who are marketing their businesses online correctly! To tell you the truth, I see this happening a great deal with not only large businesses surprisingly, but with small local businesses as well.

Sometimes companies appear on page 9 or 10 of the search — whether it be in Google, Yahoo, Bing or any of the 50+ directories online. Well, not many people search to page 9. Do you?

Have you ever Googled your business or searched for it in any of the above or any of the other online directories? Why not try right now and see on what page your business resides and in which directory.

Not too savvy business owners sometimes say — Yes, I Googled my business and I’m right on the first page! I then ask them to please be more specific. I ask “what exactly did you type into the search engines”? Usually, they say they typed the name of their business. I try to keep from laughing and realize I must compose myself. Sure, if you type the name of your business — you may be on the first page; however, how many people know the name of your business? Online searches are made with “keywords” that the person wants. Such as, if potential promotional products customers are searching for promotional products in Pittsburgh, they will type “promotional products pittsburgh” and not the name of the promotional products’ company because they don’t know their name. If they did, they’d probably just Google their exact name to get their phone number.

Your website is the best asset you are going to have. It will meet more people than anyone in your company if you position it correctly online with Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

The bottom line is, the Internet is not going to go away. There are 31 billion searches performed monthly! 94 million Americans use the Internet daily. 82% of people research online, then follow up with in-store visits, phone calls, emails and purchases. In the very near future, the yellow page book will be extinct! By the time you read this article, those numbers above will probably have risen.

Search Engine Optimization (a.k.a. Internet Marketing) is the fastest growing, most innovative form of marketing out there. You need a progressive, dynamic company to provide you with a competitive online marketing edge. Before choosing to work with a company, make sure of their credibility and length of time they have been in operation. SEO can entail Local Search, Social Media Marketing, Media Integration, Search Engine Ranking, Search Engine Placement, Pay Per Click, Web Design and the newest rage — Video Optimization! So, as you can see it is no easy task and needs to be done by professionals.

It’s not even that it was a great post or any kind of super-creative idea…. Too many people are just copying and pasting and not actually doing what is right for the client and what is right for their own company.  One of our sales reps met with a local Pittsburgh business who has been with the same SEO company in Pittsburgh for over five years.  After asking them why they wanted to leave, they stated they just wanted to see what their options were.   Our sales rep had done their homework and pointed out that they ranked in the top three for over 70 search terms nationwide for their target demographic.  They weren’t bringing in any new product lines and they weren’t bringing anything new to the table.  Our rep smartly told them that the company that had been working with them for over five years had been doing a great job and that they should stay with them…  How many other Pittsburgh Internet Marketing companies would have made the same recommendation?  In the end, creativity is going to get you a lot further than copying someone else’s work…

SEO Pittsburgh

search engines- On the Internet, a search engine is a coordinated set of programs that includes:

• A spider ( “crawler” or “bot”) that goes to every page or representative pages on every Web site that wants to be searchable and reads it, using hypertext links on each page to discover and read a site’s other pages
• A program that creates a huge index ( “catalog”) from the pages that have been read
• A program that receives your search request, compares it to the entries in the index, and returns results to you

Search Engine Optimization- Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of manipulating aspects of a Web site to improve its ranking in search engines.

Google- Search Engine-The verb to google refers to using the Google search engine to obtain information on the Web.

SEO-Abbreviation for search engine optimization

Seo Services-seo  professionals offering their expertise in the field of seo

SEO Tools-Tools  to evaluate your site for Search Engine Optimization and to see how you rank organically. These seo tools come in many forms.

Marketing- Management process through which goods and services move from concept to the customer.

search- the activity of looking thoroughly in order to find something or someone

Website traffic- Web traffic is the amount of data sent and received by visitors to a web site.

Search engine marketing- Search engine marketing, or SEM, is a form of Internet marketing that seeks to promote websites by increasing their visibility in search engine result pages (SERPs) through the use of search engine optimization, paid placements, contextual advertising, and paid inclusions.

Link Building – the practice of obtaining links from external web sites to your own to improve both direct referrals (people clicking on the links) and search engine ranking.

Rankings-The position a website has on a search results page when a search is performed on particular keywords.

Business- A commercial activity engaged in as a means of livelihood or profit, or an entity which engages in such activities.

Internet- The Internet, sometimes called simply “the Net,” is a worldwide system of computer networks – a network of networks in which users at any one computer can, if they have permission, get information from any other computer (and sometimes talk directly to users at other computers).

Search engine optimisation- another spelling for search engine optimization

Twitter- A very popular instant messaging system that lets a person send brief text messages up to 140 characters in length to a list of followers. Creating a successful profile increases your chances of getting more Twitter followers.

Facebook- Facebook is a global social networking website that is operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc

Facebook Fan Pages- special profiles meant to promote a brand, a product, an artist, a web site, an organization.

Social Media Setup Service- is a company highly skilled in creating profiles with the best applications for increasing your business exposure, adding custom touches (FBML custom tabs, links, and more).

FBML Custom Tabs- A markup language called Facebook Markup Language was introduced simultaneously; it is used to customize the “look and feel” of applications that developers create like custom fan page pages with video and pictures.

Static FBML is used to create custom Facebook tabs.

YouTube- YouTube is a video sharing website on which users can upload and share videos. Youtube is essential for video optimization.

Social media marketing- Social media marketing is a term that describes use of social networks, online communities, blogs, wikis or any other online collaborative media for marketing, sales, public relations and customer service.

Social Media Experts – Social media experts are individuals that have an extensive understanding of how social media campaigns should be put together for optimal results.

Web 2.0 The term “Web 2.0” (2004–present) is commonly associated with web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web.

Social Networking- Social networking is the practice of expanding the number of one’s business and/or social contacts by making connections through individuals.

Social Networking Experts- are individuals that have learned the best ways to increase the number of targeted connections through social media campaigns and friend generation.

Consumers- people who use goods or services

Bloggers, blogging- To write entries in, add material to, or maintain a weblog in ways that attract traffic not just to the blog, but ultimatley to the business’ website. A good seo company should also have an on staff blogger to write content for your company.

Metrics – marketing metrics are measures taken by either a company or organization to estimate and eventually bridge gap between the marketing strategy, its implementation, and the result.

Conversations-In internet marketing, conversion rate is the ratio of visitors who convert casual content views or website visits into desired actions based on subtle or direct requests from marketers, advertisers, and content creators.

Google Adwords- AdWords is Google’s advertising product and main source of revenue. Google’s total advertising revenues were USD$21 billion in 2008. AdWords offers pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and site-targeted advertising for both text and banner ads.

PPC- Pay-Per-Click (often referred to in its abbreviated state as PPC) is an advertising method which makes use of search engines, websites and network traffic. A user clicks on an ad which directs them to a particular site. In each instance the click is paid for by the advertiser.

PPC management- Professionals that save you time and money by getting you the best competition ppc prices, also known as PPC campaigns Experts. Pay per click marketing, PPC advertising

Media buying- Media Buyers, The process of purchasing media to meet the media plan requirements at the lowest costs. Media buying agencies purchase advertising time and space from media providers and resell it to advertisers. Media buys like: radio, TV spots, television, direct response, advertising campaigns, commercials.

Local Search- Local search is a process where users seek information online, the ultimate intention of which is an offline transaction at a service or business level. Local Search business profile programs increase a businesses bottom line.

Some interesting facts about local search:

• According to comScore, approximately 1.3 billion local searches are performed each month in the United States.
• ComScore also says that 82 percent of online users are conducting local searches.
• The top five local search sites are reaching about 55 percent of the general Internet audience, according to ComScore.
• The Kelsey Group estimates that the sector generated $3.4 billion last year, and that the market could grow to $13 billion by 2010.
• Local businesses, google local, business listings, small business, IYP, search marketing, local directory, micro sites,

LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking site with good seo value. Get LinkedIn Connections

Feel free to add to the list! Comment below!