Green Apple Sales Blog

What Is Search Engine Optimization?

 

In business today, SEO (search engine optimization) is something that must be at the forefront of any business marketing plan. Recent research indicates the consumers, more than ever before, research products and services online before they make purchase decisions. Additionally, other research indicates that consumers typically only click on the first five search results that appear on Google, Bing and other search engines. Search engine optimization is the process of improving your search engine ranking, thus increasing your website traffic and increasing the opportunities for you to make sales.

 

 

Organic Search Engine Ranking

Often, website and business owners think that search engine ranking is only based on the number of clicks their website receives. As a result, they may place high value on PPC (pay per click) advertising in an attempt to increase their website traffic. However, paid website traffic is actually less valuable than traffic that is the result of organic search engine ranking.

 

Organic ranking is the result of many different factors. When search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and others rank websites, they not only look at website traffic numbers, but they also consider things like the number of legitimate backlinks there are to a website, content keywords and other information.

 

Since consumers conducting searches online usually only click on the first page of results, it is actually more important that your website appear on that first page of results, than it is for your company to have PPC ads on search result pages. Most consumers actually ignore PPC ads because they know that those ads are paid advertisements and do not always necessarily match what they are looking for in their search.

 

 

In many ways, using PPC (Adwords, etc) is like buying an advertisement in the newspaper, SEO (organic rankings) are like having a journalist write a good article about your company in the paper.

 

 

SEO Methods for Organic Rankings

 

There are several different effective techniques for garnering natural organic search engine rankings. One example is using social media as a method to not only build backlinks, but also as a way to generate interest in your company and encourage website traffic. When you send out messages via your social media profile, not only are they posted to all of your friends and followers, but they are also posted on the primary page of the outlet. If your message is re-posted, then each message builds backlinks for you.

 

 

Another method to increasing rankings is to use article marketing. Article marketing allows you to not only provide information about your products and services, but it also provides a platform to build your reputation as an expert in your field. By placing backlinks in your article content and integrating relevant primary keywords and keyword phrases, you generate interest in your website and, again, improve your organic search ranking.

 

 

By using these and other effective SEO techniques, we at Green Apple Sales, Inc., a Chicago SEO company, make a great effort to bring you excellent organic ranking results. We are an established digital marketing firm and are extremely familiar with Chicago internet marketing needs. Our SEO methods integrate both local Internet marketing needs, but also help your company build global Internet presence.

 

Green Apple Sales, Inc.

SEO Experts

(312)569-9420

SEO is the process of optimizing a website internally and externally to target certain keyword phrases that are generating the most traffic relevant to your business.  Follow me?

Here goes….Proper SEO (Search Engine Optimization) starts with a research process.  This consists of finding keyword phrases that meet a certain criteria:

1.) Relevant to your business

2.) High traffic volume

3.) Qualified (converting)

This is a very important part of the process and doing it properly will determine the overall success of your SEO campaign.  There is a science to SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and the rest does not matter if this portion is not done properly.  From selecting the right set of keyword phrases to optimizing everything to follow search engine guidelines this stage of your SEO campaign will form the rest.  You must nail it the first time.  Otherwise you essentially start over.

Next….after keyword phrases are selected the entire website needs to be optimized internally with them.  You must do this right and in the format that Google, Yahoo and Bing “like”.

Next and forever ongoing….You must build a web-wide reputation for your business and website.  This is where you are able to separate  yourself from the pack.  How else would Google figure out who belongs on the front page?  Reputation, that’s how.  There are certain guidelines to be followed and a large number of strategies that are used to get front page rankings.

To name a few…SEO optimized online press releases, Forum comments, blog submissions and comments, relevant directory submissions, business classifieds, and a whole lot more.

That list can go on and on…there are a lot of techniques used to get front page rankings and tons of qualified traffic from an SEO campaign.  SEO done right will show the highest ROI (return on investment) of any form of marketing or advertising.

Now what makes it different.  Well here is the simplest comparison.  There is PPC (Pay Per Click) where you can be on page one of Google.  That means every time someone clicks on your listing you pay.  When the money runs out you disappear.  With SEO also referred to as “organic” search results, meaning natural.  That is the non-paid listing area.  You could get 1000 clicks on a single keyword search and pay $2 a click and spend $2000 fast and once that money is gone so are you.  SEO on the other hand takes a little time to get you on page one but you could get 10,000 clicks and never pay for one.  The longer you run a strong SEO campaign the better it gets.  It has a residual effect.  When done and maintained properly you can stay ranked in the top ten for a plethora of different searches people type into Google and other search engines to find your type of business.  The most important difference is cost.

Done properly SEO can cost up to 50% less than PPC.  The funny thing is PPC works very effectively as well and shows a good ROI.  But you must have at least $2000 a month to spend on ads with Google and pay an expert to manage it properly or you can throw that money in the trash.  Another benefit that SEO gets you that PPC does not is, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is done by creating a ton of external content and optimized links on other websites.  This drives clicks from those, posts, articles, blog comments, etc… to your website from other places besides the search results.  PPC (Pay Per Click) will only run on the search engine you select…Google, Yahoo or Bing.  So, if you run PPC on Google you are only on Google.

To throw the SEO “cherry on top”   SEO done properly like our SEO Company, Green Apple Sales does for our clients, will get you on the front page or top ten results of all the major search engines…Google, Yahoo, Bing and many others.  True Google is the giant, but you can not count those other players out. Bing in particular is growing fast especially after they came out with the new Windows phones that has Bing search built in to the phone as a default search engine.  The same as all Android phones have Google built in by default.

Now to end this I would like to point out that the internet is the #1 source in the world for consumers to find businesses.  So having yourself on the front page when they look is the most targeted form of marketing there is.  it is also by far the most cost efficient.

Get great results using SEO (Search Engine Optimization) propel potential customers into your business.

Give us a call today and make a friend with benefits!

Cheers,

Green Apple Sales, inc.

Info@greenapplesales.com

Read this it will take 5 minutes and is packed with IMPORTANT information.

 

This is Why Now is the perfect time to Leverage the Power of the Internet for Your Business

 

FACT - The Yellow Pages Have Steadily Been on a Dwindling Decline While the Usage of Google Skyrockets.

For your customers, the Internet is the easiest way to locate a business. Fast.

 

FACT – 87% of Today’s Customers Use the Internet When Searching for Products and Services.

FACT – 98% of Google Searches Stop on Page 1 to pick the Business they Feel they can Trust.

FACT – 58% of Internet users in the US say they purchased a product after Online Research.

FACT - 78% of Internet users agree that Researching Online is Convenient

 

Is a Websites Too Costly?

 

NOT Having a Website is COSTING you MUCH MORE.

 

People do their research online because it is cheaper than driving around to various businesses.  It costs money, time, and aggravation to go out shopping.  You can easily find out what you need to and do your research from a laptop on your couch in the comfort of your own home.  I don’t know about you but I live in Chicago and it gets reeeaalll cold in the winter.  SO the internet is a much better option.

A website gives all your customers the information they need to make a good decision.  If you are a referral based business remember, no one gets just one referral and these days they make their decision based on the research they do online.  So if they get referred to you and one of your competitors and you have no website and they do you lose 9 out of 10 times.  ”The game has changed” every business must adapt.  A website is as important as having a business license.  It is no longer an option.

Like it or not the internet has wedged itself in the middle of every sales process from wholesale markets, online stores, local businesses, bars, everything.  How many times have you heard someone say “Google it” -vs- “Look in the phone book” in the past 5 years?  Not to mention the phone book only gives you a name and phone number, or a whole page if you pay a bunch of money.  I think it is a waste.  Phonebooks are only useful to our company to find prospects who are nowhere online.  The thing is in 2 years phone books will be gone for good.  Waste of ink and wood.

A website will increase sales to customers who already know about your business just by providing them with the information in the place they look for it….The internet.  A nice professional engaging website can drive in a ton of new customers into any business.  Unfortunately a website that is poorly designed can do the opposite and drive customers away from your business.  Not having one at all just makes you invisible to over 85% of your customers.

Look 1 out of 2 Americans will have smartphones by Christmas 2011.  Smartphones are giving the world the internet at their fingertips.  I know, everyone in our company owns them including me.  All our websites are 100% smartphone friendly.

An independent survey was done asking “What do you think if a business does not have a website?”

7 out of 10 people said “they question whether it is a legitimate business.”

2 out of 10 said it “does not matter” because they do not use the internet.

1 out of 10 said “must be a new company”

The Game has Changed….time to adapt.  Get online.

Even if you have a website…you still NEED to call me.

Your business needs to be on page one of Google and all major search engines for highly searched keyword phrases.  Example:  John’s Auto is in Seattle.  If people are searching for “auto repair seattle” he will get a lot of business being on the front page of Google.  We get him there for qualified high traffic keywords.  That is just one aspect of our package.  We run a full blown online marketing campaign to drive qualified traffic to your business from literally thousands of places, including the front page of search engines like Google, Yahoo!, and Bing.  It is a fact that small businesses are growing in this recession by harnessing the power of the internet.  It is the lowest cost of marketing and is 100% trackable!  We have very low cost marketing packages that will get your phone ringing with new customers that search for your services online.

Green Apple Sales DELIVERS…..period.  We drive new customers to your business. Using the most cost effective marketing in the world.  We love what we do and our clients love us for the results we deliver.  I have a very close relationship with all of my clients and I make sure they get results.

Give us a call as soon as possible for a FREE one hour consultation and make a friend with benefits.

(312) 569-9420

info@greenapplesales.com

Ok here we go…. everyone needs to understand something.  When selecting a web design company most people start out looking for the wrong things.

Example: A lawyer may think they should look for a web design company that has done a lot of law websites.

Wrong.  A great web designer, is a great web designer…period.  Here are the simple basics you should look for when selecting a website design company:

1.) A unique portfolio.  The face of the web is changing fast.  Cookie cutter, same ol same ol websites are losing their effectiveness.  Potential customers want to see a website that reflects the business and is unique.  If it looks like a template, it probably is.  This is never good.  A companies website reflects how serious the company takes providing their customers with information.  So again, find someone unique.

2.) Marketing expertise.  This is why it does not matter what industry.  A true marketing expert can research and find the best opportunities and the proper message to convert sales in ANY industry.  So, them being specific to an industry is irrelevant.  Our company Green Apple Sales has a very diverse portfolio of clients from all different industries showing up on the front page of Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.. for relevant search terms.  A website is a necessity just to make sure your clients have information readily available to them.  All the better when you make it work for you and bring in business as well.

3.) Proof.  You want to see where their customers sites show up in the search engines…period.

4.) Last but not least…make sure…they work at Green Apple Sales.  This way you can be guaranteed all of these things and more.  Not to mention we are the coolest Web Design / Digital Marketing Firm in the world!

Hope this helps….follow step 4 and you will be happy!

Call us NOW and make a friend with benefits! 

(312) 569-9420

 

 

Green Apple Sales, inc.