search engine optimization

HTML5 SEO Round Up! schema.org and more!

I have been pretty backed up lately. I started a new gig helping a popular e-learning organization expand their SEO efforts.  I want to start out by saying how blessed I am to have been given this opportunity.  Through great friends, I have been able to accomplish a lot.  so thanks..

I briefly wanted to start sharing some links and information that has been playing a larger role in my recent efforts.  HTML5 is now on the forefront of all internet marketing chatter.  It’s effective and well organized.  More importantly, it is one of the few things that Google, Bing, and Yahoo all agree on.  I want everyone to start out by checking out schema.org.  These tags are going to pay a pivotal and important role in the future of websites and SEO.  By incorporating the best practices available on this site, you will have an advantage moving forward.  Furthermore, you will be able to provide authorship and in turn stewardship for your brand and goals.

I plan on talking about schema.org more in the near future.  But for now I wanted to offer a few quick links for everyone to check out. Hope you enjoy!

html5 Boilerplate this is a great template or starting point for building a framework for an html5 website.  They go out of their way to emphasize that they are not a framework.  I would honestly agree.  Take a few minutes to checkout this website.  After that, take a few more minutes and watch some videos. There is an amazing team behind this and I think they deserve some attention!  Then check out the next link…

Initializr its like the html5 boilerplate but better!  well.. its actually the same thing, with more customization.  I am loving and digging what they’re doing with this technology.  Check out the bootstrap template and figure out how you can use this on your own technology.

Completely different but similar is Bones an html5 wordpress base theme.  They took the boilerplate a step further and I am very impressed. I anticipate using this more when I have time to test it.  I also dig pirates.

Last but not least… 23 free templates based in html5   for free.

Check it out. Enjoy. I will be back soon with more detailed information on seo for schema and html5.

PPC Marketing vs Search Engine Optimization

I recently wrote a series of blogs for the company I work for.  I have changed it up a little but, but the general post follows –

Pay Per Click Marketing, unlike Search Engine Optimization, is a paid approach to search engine advertising.Companies pay the major search engines for placement in the sponsored links sections typically on the top and right hand side of the search engine results pages (SERPs.)The placement of a company’s sponsored ad depends on a Quality Score derived by the search engines based on the quality of content on the company website, the context of the ad, and the amount a company is willing to pay per position. For the most part, the business model works well for the search engines, advertisers, and potential customers.Unfortunately, there are a couple of glaring issues with search engine marketing.

The first issue with PPC is that there is a 95 character limit on ads for paid search.It is nearly impossible to offer product differentiation from company to company when confined to 95 characters.This makes ad copywriting a very creative and difficult task, as you need to find a way to provide relevant information as well as your value prop in a very confined space.To add a little perspective, twitter, which some view as restrictive, allows a tweet to be up to 140 characters.

The second issue with PPC is the persistent rise in cost per lead acquisition. Many companies are competing for the same piece of the proverbial pie and offer very similar products.This competition especially in paid search is continually driving the cost per click higher on the top industry keywords.Over the past year, we have seen as much as a 50% increase in cost per click for higher converting keywords.This directly increases the cost per acquisition across the industry and as each company tries to spend more to outbid the opposition for better positioning, costs continue to increase.Unfortunately, there is no short term solution for this cyclical increase in online advertising.Unless each of the company’s marketing managers and directors get together and put a cap on online spending (hint, hint), advertising spend will continue to increase until the cost per lead and cost per click reach equilibrium and the model implodes.

Obviously, Google loves this type of competition.If the statistics are correct and Google receives 90% of their revenue from Paid Search advertising, then it is absolutely no surprise why they have a market cap of nearly 150 billion and growing.I see no end in sight as long as this type of advertising continues to be beneficial to both Google and the advertisers who are using their AdWords platform.

Even though Google is the alpha dog and has a commanding lead in search traffic across the board, we have seen success in utilizing Bing and yahoo for paid search advertising.Both secondary search engines have a substantially lower cost per click and still drive a considerable amount of traffic to our website.

Although there are major issues with PPC, this advertising platform isn’t all bad.The company I manage PPC for sees quality leads come through our paid search campaigns on a daily basis.You, too, should work to gain market share with online advertising, and try out various PPC techniques to increase your quality score and gain competitive advantage.

Not Showing up on Google? try SEO for success

Would you like to generate more traffic for your website? of course you would! The problem is that most small businesses don’t know how to use the internet to drive traffic to their website.  Just because you have a web page doesn’t mean that people are going to look at it.  You have to use the web to direct traffic to your website.  This is where Search Engine Optimisation and Marketing become key.  

What is Search Engine Optimization?

Search Engine Optimization also known as SEO is a way to develop your website and content in a way that draws the search engine to it.  Using a combination of meta tags, key words, inbound and outbound links, websites can get the upperhand on their competition and boost through the ranks.  

Obviously, there is a little more to SEO than keywords, links, and meta tags, but with a little patience, anyone can take the necessary steps to move up the search engine ladder.  SEO doesn’t happen overnight.  it takes weeks and even months for the changes you make to actually blossom.  

Remember that SEO is a long process, like anything of value, you are typically not going to see results in just a day.  Take your time, do some research, acquire the tools necessary to boost your website to the top of google and yahoo!

Luckily, here at yourthinkbox.com, we are experts at Search Engine Optimization.  Our team has over 5 years of experience in designing campaigns to encourage SEO growth.  Let us handle the hard work.  Please feel free to contact us for a free quote.