International Search Engine Marketing Blog

Before an individual or company can optimize and use other SEM techniques for a website an entity must first develop one. Oftentimes, simple template websites do not look original or meet the specific demands of a company. It is also common that an artist or designer is able to create an excellent concept using Photoshop or another photo editing program, but cannot convert that design into html that is search engine friendly. When falling into either of the above categories, a service known as PSD slicing is an excellent way to turn a concept into an .xhtml website.

There are a variety of companies that provide such services and they all charge a wide array of prices. PSDSlicing.com is one company that is particularly talented in this arena, is competitively priced, and extremely efficient.  They make it simple and painless to turn a concept or image into a functional, WC3 compliant website. Understandably many individuals in the United States are hesitant to do business with an international company. However, this firm alleviates those concerns by only requiring a 50 percent deposit and providing numerous references to satisfied clients.

Developing a website is one of the first steps to creating a well defined search engine presence. Other factors such as the importance of links are required considerations. All that said, before anyone can even start the more complex process of marketing a website, obviously one is needed. “PSD Slicing” is an excellent service and place to start prior to commencing a search engine optimization project.

When launching a website deciding where to register domain name and picking an SEO friendly one are not always easy tasks. There are a plethora of places to go to do such, but there are only a handful of sites that we suggest to clients and prospects. We recommend a few options to register domain names. A list of those options is accessible by following the previous link. One item to keep in mind is whether to purchase a new domain name or buy an existing one. There are both pros and cons to each choice.

There are multiple positive SEO benefits to registering a domain name that already exists and has PageRank. The largest benefit is that it becomes possible to avoid the Google Sandbox, thus saving an enormous amount of time before your website can appear in the search rankings. Another benefit is that the domain might already have traffic going that way. Of course these are usually only of value if the domain purchased is in the same industry as the content and information a company is planning to put on the website.

The primary benefits of a registering a new domain name is that it is often cheaper and you can select the exact name desired. Often companies prefer to use their register their business names as their domain names. However, bear in mind if you own a business called Widgets XYZ, it might be better to register the domain discount-widgets.com rather than widgetsxyz.com. The reason for this is that the former variation is likely to help more with search engine marketing and optimization efforts. Regardless of which option is selected the resource mentioned earlier is an excellent place to buy new domain names or existing ones.

One other factor to keep in mind is that sometimes hosting companies will register your domain name free of charge, but it is not always a smart idea to pick a bundled hosting package and domain name. This is true simply because switching to another hosting company can become more difficult as your business grows. Therefore even after selecting a hosting company it is a smart idea to register your domain name separately through another company such as those suggested earlier in this article.

Many people have heard of the Google Sandbox, but others often never hear of the term until later on down the road. For those who have not heard of this phrase, it is SEO lingo for a site that is penalized by Google and the other search engines simply because it is new. The reasoning behind this is relatively simple. Google wants to provide its visitors with the best results possible when a visitor hits enter. New sites are built and registered every day, but many of them do not last longer than eight to twelve months. Therefore Google simply does not display a website is its SERPS (search engine results pages) until after this time frame is over. At this point a site is not longer considered included in the Google sandbox.

There are a few quick tests one can perform to see if a site is still in the Sandbox. One simple test is simply to type the name of the website into Google. If it does not appear at the top of the SERPS and it is a new site than the website is likely still in the sandbox. A better and more conclusive test is to select a competitive keyword phrase that you wished your site to show up under. Then type in the following: allinanchor:the competive phrase; then type in only: the competitive phrase. If the website appears for the first search but not the second then it is likely in the Google sandbox. On the other hand, if it appears for neither, than I would suggest that at a minimum you consult with a professional local or international SEM company. If already hired an SEO company and gave them a decent interval of time to deliver as promised, you may wish to ask them what is going or listen to the opinion of another.

This brings us to the tile of the, the value of a seasoned domain. You should now have an idea on why a domain that is seasoned and aged has value; it is no longer in the Google sandbox! Now is the solution as simple as buying a domain that already exists and placing your website on it? Not quite, this is certainly an excellent idea and possible first step, but there are many other considerations to take into account. One such consideration is whether the older domain has links pointing to it and where those links are located.

The bottom line is that a seasoned domain has value and can have an impact in a successful SEO campaign; particularly for business that are just starting out and desire faster placement within the SERPS. I strongly advice those who read this do not simply go out and but an existing domain as an effort to bypass the Google sandbox. It is easy to end up overpaying for such a domain or purchasing one that will not add much value to any internet marketing efforts. I encourage our readers to feel free to add your suggestions and advice to the comments on this article.

One of the most difficult aspects with any buzz campaign is tracking its return on investment. Other forms of internet marketing tend to be easier to measure as companies can create goals associated with an online advertisement and tie them into an analytics system. Measuring success is not a simple with social marketing campaigns with an emphasis on creating a buzz. Fortunately, there are still ways to come up with an estimated ROI received from an online buzz campaign.

The most common way to track such a campaign is to establish a baseline. A standstill is placed on other forms of marketing, such as SEO efforts and Pay Per Click advertisements. Please note that a standstill does not mean a company should stop their efforts, but simply stop increasing the investments on any of their other current strategies. A baseline growth rate based upon historical performance is then established. Developing a baseline, as outlined above, is one of the most effective and common methods to track an internet buzz campaign. Unfortunately it is not the most practical method since it is not feasible for most companies to place all their other marketing investments and initiatives at a standstill.

Therefore the most practical and more complex method involves creating projected traffic and sales estimates. For example, if a company reasonably ascertains that sales from their other marketing efforts will increase by 17 percent in the next two months then a firm can establish a new baseline based upon this projection. Social marketing initiatives are then compared to this estimated baseline. For instance a company who sees a 45 percent jump in sales over the two month period could then attribute 28 percent of that growth to the buzz campaign.

Social marketing campaigns that create a buzz in both the online and offline communities can be one of the most cost efficient and cost effective forms of advertising if done properly with the assistance of a company that has a track record of success. However they can also be one of the most difficult forms of advertising to measure. The strategies described above are the ones typically used by both small and large companies alike that make tracking the success of such a campaign easier.

With the New Year just around the corner, many companies are planning their marketing budget for the next calendar period. An issue that always seems to come into play is “What should we do with our website?”  Sometimes the question comes from a firm that has already worked with a local or international SEO company, other times it is asked at a company that is looking to build a presence on the internet.

The initial questions a company should decide upon are the objectives for their website. Does your firm want businesses or consumers finding the site? Does your company want to market to a local, national, or international audience? Is the site primarily for branding purposes? All of these questions are important when deciding how much to budget for the website and to spend with an SEO company.

Also, important to keep in mind is that SEO is not a commodity. If your company is price shopping, as most smart companies do, remember that oftentimes you are comparing apples to oranges. On many occasions, there is a simple and specific reason why certain SEM companies charge higher rates than others - they deliver on their promises. Spending $1,000 per month with an SEO company that can deliver on its promises is often much less expensive than spending a few hundred dollars with a company that does not have the expertise or capabilities to deliver as stated.

Still as with any industry, companies in the SEO and SEM fields differ greatly in the pricing they offer. Many times, companies will not mention a final price until after having a conversation with you or someone at your firm. I suggest viewing this as a positive. Most companies that have set rates, regardless of the client’s objectives, are unable to deliver on their promises. An SEO company that asks questions usually wants to know more about your objectives.

Many of the more reputable companies have base pricing that is modified depending upon the client’s goals and budget. Below are examples of our company’s pricing structure. Please use it as an example of what to expect when dealing with a white hat SEO firm. The pricing you receive from others should be within this ballpark. You may wish to pause if the pricing an SEO company quotes is much higher or lower than that below. 

Low Budget or Burned Before

Agilis Marketing offers a price plan at $99 per month for new customers who want to test the SEO waters. I have also found this ideal for companies or individuals who hired an SEO company in the past that had failed to deliver on their promises.

After realizing that multiple companies simply want to try an SEM service before committing, we created a plan that allows just that. No contracts, nor long term commitments. The caveat is that companies may only select one phrase to target. Essentially this is our company’s way of showing your company that which we are capable of achieving. Those interested in trying the offer can simply place their order online without ever needing to speak to someone. Of course I always encourage companies to call us first, if for no other reason then simply to have a short conversation to ensure we fully understand your goals. Many times clients who select this plan see an increase in sales and subsequently their budgets. Details on this price plan or located at: http://www.agilismarketing.com/seo-special/

Medium Budget - Most companies fall into this range

These are customized plans for companies that are looking to target approximately ten keyword phrases that are locally or regionally based. Pricing starts at $500 per month and increases based upon the client’s goals. Sometimes less competitive nationally focused keywords are targeted under this type of plan. A few of the factors that determine exact pricing include the current rankings for the website, when the company built the website, and their industry. These plans are quoted only after a better understanding of the client’s objective is gained. Companies can request an SEO quote online or call 1-800-SEO-1169.

Larger Budget – A company that wishes to dominate a market segment

Fortune 500 companies or those looking for stellar growth are going to want an internet marketing campaign that takes into account much more than simply top search rankings (SEO). Proper usage of pay per click, banner advertisements, and interspatial adverts are typically components of such a proposal. Pricing starts at $10,000 per month and goes up depending upon the company’s exact needs and objectives. Increasing conversions, detailed metrics, and ensuring a high ROI are a few of the features involved at this price level. Proposals typically focus on 100 or more keyword phrases, many of which might be more two word search terms that are searched for both nationally or internationally. Companies can request an SEM quote online or call 1-800-SEO-1169.

Selecting an SEO company is certainly a daunting task. However, armed with this information, budgeting for a search engine marketing campaign does not have to be the equivalent of walking through the forest in the dark. Hopefully this articles will shed a little light on the mysterious pricing SEO companies provide to prospects and make it easier for those marketers developing a budget for the New Year.

Oftentimes, I am approached by new companies that are just starting to build a presence on the internet. Many times business owners view a website as a business card - a requirement. These individuals are entirely correct in that a website is needed for a business to establish and maintain a professional appearance. However, just as a business card has little value if it is never handed out, a website has little value if nobody knows that it exists.

Understandably, prospects do not always have the budget to spend five digits to build a website and market it with the assistance of a search engine optimization company. Not surprisingly SEO and SEM take a backseat and are noted as advertising that is needed, but not required at the moment. SEO is then put off until later or added to a wish list of tasks to be completed. I suggest taking a different mentality.

While a business can certainly accomplish more with a $10,000 budget than a $500 one, there are many instances where a basic website can be built and marketed without an enormous initial investment. I find myself reminding prospects that it is much less expensive and better for their business to build a website with the search engines in mind than to go back and revise a website that is built without considering search positions. On many occasions, initially building a website that is search engine friendly, costs the same as creating one that does not take the search engines into account.

As the owner of Agilis Marketing we, I constantly encourage our clients to never overpay for any service. This holds true regardless of a company’s size. It does not matter if your company is large or small, nor whether it services an international market or a local one. Overpaying for services will quickly eat away at a company’s bottom line. This is one reason we suggest Lunar Pages when selecting a hosting company. They offer a reliable, robust, and competitively priced hosting package. It is also the reason most of our clients use Google Analytics. The program is free to use, contains valuable information, and is simple to add onto a new or existing website. However, there are services that are worth the premium charged. One key to a successful internet marketing campaign is to spend money smartly. The same maxim holds true throughout business and life in general.

With all this said, what is a new business owner to do? Research. Find the best company that charges a reasonable price. Stick with that company so long as the firm delivers as promised, but be willingly to leave if they do not. When hiring a company to build a website, make certain they have your business’ best interests in mind. Any website company, which fails to incorporate SEO considerations into the development of a new website, either does not have its clients’ best interests at heart or is not insightful enough to fully understand the importance of search engine marketing.

At the beginning of a SEM campaign most internet advertising companies, including Agilis Marketing, will ask for FTP access, along with other website information, in order to perform the work required to achieve top search rankings. For instance, our company kindly requests the following information to best service our clients.

1. FTP access to the website that includes the following:
   1. Username
   2. Password
   3. IP Address

Agilis Marketing asks for these details so that we are able to complete the on-page modifications needed to obtain higher search positions.

2. An email address (i.e.  marketing@domain.com) along with details on how to access this account.

This information allows our company to effectively acquire SEO friendly links from external websites.

Typically these are the only access details needed.

Of course, accommodations are always made for companies with more stringent security measures or complex access procedures. This may include downloading and using a specialized VPN client or other company specific requirements.

Oftentimes I am questioned about the benefits of hiring a professional SEM company versus starting a do it yourself (DIY) campaign. I receive this same question from local, national, and international prospects. One of the better analogies I can give is related to the medical field. If a loved one had a heart problem and needed a blood transfusion or operation then who is best equipped to handle the work? Unless you’ve spent years training as a doctor or surgeon, chances are you are not the best person for the job. Although we are not talking about health issues, the same is true with search marketing. It is impossible to gain, within a few months time, the same level of experience as a SEM consultant with a decade of experience.

Certainly, it helps to become knowledgeable of the techniques involved in search engine marketing. However, the reality is that a DIY marketer cannot expect to achieve top search rankings anymore than a layman could operate on a loved one with a heart problem.

There are websites that truly help the novice marketer. Search Engine Watch and Matt Cutt’s Blog are two such websites. However there are not any niche websites that offer insights into international search engine marketing (I hope to change that). Rather, most other websites offer invaluable information, wasting time that someone could spend effectively promoting a website.

The flipside of websites created to help people, is a blooming cottage industry of sites that preys upon individuals and business owners. These sites target those who believe it is possible for a novice web marketer to successfully promote a website without any professional assistance. Perform a quick search on Google for “SEO” or “internet promotion” and sure enough websites will appear that sell cheap marketing packages for $100 to $500. Oftentimes, these sites promise top search rankings for anyone willing to pay their small fees. The reality of the situation is that lighting money on fire is a better move. While most of these service provide little benefit, some of them can hurt a site’s search rankings via automated submissions and other techniques used.

I cannot stress enough the importance of using common sense when promoting a business and its website. Be smart, perform research, and go from there. Most people would not randomly select a heart surgeon, take the same precautions when selecting a search engine marketing company or in the alternative, if you decide to market a site on your own, do so carefully and armed with as much knowledge as possible.