Soderman Consulting

Media Creation and Design

Search

// home

Latest Post

Give Payroll Tax Cuts to Employers

Continue Reading Comments off From Around The Web

Featured Posts

Will SEO Save Your Business?

Here, we’ll cut to the chase:

Probably not.

In the last few years there seems to have been an explosion of self-described SEO consultants and firms who swear they can move you up in the rankings on search engines with the implied promise that this will drive boatloads of traffic to your website. How do they do this? Some do it legitimately, using accepted practices for optimizing your site for keywords and phrases. Others use methods that are less than desirable, such as creating link farms and multiple servers to try to gin up your rankings, gaming the system to get the results.

But major search engines, Google in particular, are on to the game. Recently, Google announced that they had changed their search algorithm. In the new algorithm, link farms are actually penalized, and the search looks for more relevant content than just keywords. Some sites that were heavily optimized and had been promoted using some of the less savory tactics saw a nearly instant 60% drop in traffic. For a small business, that could be lethal.

Does this mean SEO is no longer useful? No. But it does mean that your tactics and methods will need to change, likely for the better.

Here’s some things to think about:

Be Wary of the SEO “Consultants” – Are there some good SEO consultants out there? Sure. But there are far more that have just glommed onto the acronym to see if they can make a quick buck. Ask to see real results and to talk to satisfied clients. Try to get a guarantee on results. Do your homework before you commit to a single penny.
Content is Still King – With Google’s new algorithm, the quality of content may just outweigh the keywords themselves. Just placing your keywords on the page 17 times is not going to cut it anymore. You need to have good valuable content so your site doesn’t get flagged.
Content is Still King, Part II – If you really want traffic, deliver content that people want to see. It doesn’t matter what your product, service, or topic is. If you write good content, people will want to read it, they’ll share it with friends, and you develop a base. More and more, people look for the value of the information on a webpage more than just the keywords.
DIY SEO – Do some homework on your own. Think like someone who is searching. If they wanted your products or service, what would they use as search terms. For example, if you sell women’s shoes, then the different types of shoes should be named on your site. Good descriptions of them helps immensely, providing useful information while giving your site a little more search engine friendliness.

We’re not saying you shouldn’t use SEO. But given the state of search, expecting it to pull your bacon out of the fire is not going to be a good business plan.

Don’t Let An Idea Go To Waste

How many times have you had a brilliant idea hit you, only to forget what it was later? You know it was good, but can’t remember it.

Solution: Keep a journal

Normally, this advice would apply mainly to writers. But the truth is, it can apply to anyone. It’s an easy way to always have your ideas handy. All you need to do is invest in a buck or two in a pad of paper. It’s that simple. Sure, you can spend more – mine has a nice black leather cover with a book that can be changed – but it’s not necessary.

Just keep it with you, along with a pen stuck into the binding or clipped on the back. When you have an idea, even if it’s just the faintest beginning of an idea, jot it down. It takes practice and you’ll have to remind yourself to do it periodically, but after awhile you’ll do it automatically. Set it on your nightstand at night, drop it on the car seat next to you on your drive, and have it handy at work.

If you’re more technically minded, use your phone. Most smartphones (and some not so “smart”) have the ability to do voice recording. Learn how to use it. Then, when the idea hits, just speak into the phone and record your idea so you can flesh it out later.

Will all the ideas you come up with be winners? Probably not. But it would be a shame to waste even one moment of brilliance, one potential home run product, one perfect production idea because you forgot what you had dreamed up.

Standing Behind Your Product Can Deliver Results

Hyundai Motor America is trying a new program that is focused on developing customer loyalty more than immediate sales.

via adage.com

Under the program, if the assessed current market value of the car is higher than the guaranteed value, the customer can apply that to the new car purchase. If it’s lower, the customer is guaranteed the initial value. To be eligible, all vehicles must be maintained at Hyundai dealerships. Guaranteeing a specific value within two to four years will alleviate customer worries, Mr. Reedy said: “We’re saying we have their back.” He’s confident this will overcome a crucial remaining barrier to the purchase of Hyundai vehicles.

This is standing behind your product. When you have enough confidence in your product to offer a guaranteed future value, customers will have more confidence that the product is durable and reliable.

If you can’t guarantee the future value of your product, why not? To be sure, there are some products that will have a harder time predicting future value due to volatility in the marketplace. But as much as you can, if you can give the customer a sense that their purchase has lasting value, you will develop a brand loyalty that will pay dividends down the line.

Why It’s Important To Stay True To Your Audience

This is what happens when you cut corners and don’t walk the walk with your audience: via NYTimes

VegNews, a “vegetarian lifestyle” magazine and Web site based in San Francisco, is eating a little crow.

The publication is reeling after revelations last week that its editorial staff regularly used images of meat and dairy-filled foods to accompany vegan-themed articles and recipes.

The gastronomical subterfuge was revealed in an April 13 post by Quarrygirl.com, a vegan blog, which found that images of conventional foods from a free online stock-photo service were identical to images accompanying supposedly vegan dishes in the magazine and on its Web site.

The magazine and website say they were using stock images to keep costs down. They’ve even said they will continue to do so going forward

The response to the discovery is to be expected. This is – or was – a trusted news source for their readership, and now, that trust is broken. They might be forgiven, but what damage has been done?

It is far too easy to find the frauds nowadays. If you plan on trying to pull the wool over your audience’s eyes, you should expect their unholy wrath when they find out. Is cutting corners or saving a few bucks really worth losing your customer’s trust?

Stay true to your message and to your audience. You won’t regret it