Get Your Online Marketing Plan Ready For The Holidays

27 November 2014 by Taylor Reaume

Can you believe it? The holiday season is here, though it seems like 2014 just started. From the team here at Search Engine Pros, we’d like to take a moment to wish you a happy Thanksgiving, and a prosperous and safe holiday season.

For the companies out there, you likely know that it’s time that you start planning for holiday marketing. With an economy that is finally back on an upswing, it’s expected that this could be a record quarter for sales as we finish out the year. That is why it’s important that your business has a dedicated web presence this holiday season. If you don’t, then you’ll be missing out on valuable clients and an increase in customers during a golden time of year to do so.

If your current online campaign is leaving you with something more to be desired, then there is no time to waste. With a search marketing team on your side, you’ll be able to get back in the game and earn more recognition for your company.

When it comes to working with a web marketing company for the first time, you may not be familiar with what to expect. Here are some of the services that an online marketing team will provide you with.

A Personalized Website = 24/7 Employee

First impressions mean everything when it comes to your online presence. That is why it’s imperative that you have a fully personalized website that makes a lasting impression on your clients.

In order to implement a personalized website, you’ll need a marketing group that can provide you with top web design ideas. Your web design needs to be something that works best for you and that really shows off your company’s personality.

In addition, your website should also be optimized for future growth as well. The internet is always changing and the way people look for information is as well. Therefore, your web marketing approach should include a strategy to ensure that your site will last for years to come.

By building trust with your customers through your website, your marketing plan will be much more effective to build from.

A Diverse Marketing Plan

Having just a website isn’t going to be enough to get the type of sales that you are looking for. It’ll help, but you’ll also need a diverse marketing plan that uses a variety of different methods.

With an SEO marketing plan, you’ll be able to rank higher in search engine results provided by Google, the largest search engine on the web. With social media marketing, you can target customers on sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and more. Email marketing and list building are also essential elements to your long term success. The more that you build as an online presence, the more successful your marketing approach will be. Keep this in mind as you look for a marketing agency to assist you, and make sure that they have a comprehensive approach.

Diligent Customer Care

Working with a marketing service that you can trust will hopefully go well right out of the gate and everything will be smooth. But because we all know that business has plenty of variables, you never know what’s going to happen. That’s why it’s important to work with an agency that promises diligent customer care. There is no telling what obstacles that you may come across, which is why it’s vital that you work with a team that is ready to take on additional challenges with you. A reputable marketing company will evaluate what is working and what is not, and then help you make adjustments accordingly to better implement your strategy.

As the year comes to a close, we’ve had the chance to look back and realize how grateful we are and how much we appreciate everyone who has supported the growth of Search Engine Pros over the years. Many, many thanks to our wonderful clients for your continued trust in our team. Thank you to our dedicated staff for your exceptional focus, drive and determination. Your contributions make a real difference every year.

Q: Why is web marketing more important than traditional marketing during the holidays?
A: Black Friday was once thought to be something that was worth going out for in order to get great deals on things. However, with so much chaos that ensues every time, people are now starting to opt for more online purchases. That is why you need to ensure that you are online for people to find when they are looking for ways to beat Black Friday madness.
Q: Why is web marketing a better investment than physical mailers or advertisements?
A: When you use web marketing, you are building multiple different avenues to keep in contact with your clients. With an investment into online marketing, you can build email lists and social media accounts, which then will make for even more cost-efficient marketing in the future.
Q: How long does web marketing stay relevant?
A: It doesn’t look like the internet is going anywhere, so it’s safe to say that your online marketing approach will be relevant for years to come. By getting a head start on your online marketing, you’ll be able to get ahead of the curve and stay relevant for years to come.

About Search Engine Pros: Search Engine Pros is a Santa Barbara web marketing firm specialized in online marketing, SEO marketing, PPC (Pay Per Click Google Adwords) and SEO/web design. Visit the website and Facebook page or call 800-605-4988 for more information or to request a copy of 101 Ways to Drive Traffic.

Big budget results. Small budget costs.

Step 1. Design a site that captivates, informs and motivates customers to action.
Step 2. Develop a content publishing plan detailing specific steps to success.
Step 3. Delegate execution to a team with a strong track record for success.

Ready to get started? Fill out this form to receive a free website analysis and rank report.

Smile, It’s Contagious!

Blog Marketing | National Marketing | SEO Marketing | Social Media Marketing | Web Marketing

7 Ways to Improve Your Content Marketing Strategy

22 November 2014 by Taylor Reaume

There is no denying the importance that a first impression can make. And in today’s tech-driven world, in which impressions can be made in an instant, it’s vital that you are using content that is making a positive and lasting mark on your audience.

If you notice that you aren’t getting the type of traffic that you’d like, it might be time to evaluate the quality of your website. In your evaluation, ask yourself:

» Does the site look physically appealing for viewers?

» Does the site load quickly on different browsers and platforms?

» Does the site offer content that attracts people and sticks in their minds long after they’ve left?

If your answer is no to any of these questions, it’s time for an overhaul of your content marketing strategy.

The good news is that there are plenty of options from which to choose when trying to improve your strategy. The bad news is that the multitude of options makes it hard to narrow down the choices that might be best for you. To help with the process, here are the top seven ways to improve your content marketing strategy for your brand, product or service.

View from a Customer’s Perspective

Before you start doing anything with your new content marketing strategy, it might be time to look at your entire approach from a different perspective.

There is the possibility that you’ve been looking at your content strategy for too long as a member of the business. This may lead you to become biased or judgmental to certain parts of your website. In doing so, you’ll lose out on the perception that your viewers and customers have.

To do a better job of viewing your website from a customer’s perspective, be sure to ask plenty of questions and be open to honest feedback from others. If you fail to realize that your audience isn’t interested, or maybe it simply isn’t seeing your content, then you will have an incredibly difficult time trying to maximize your marketing strategy efforts.

Know What You’re Getting Into

If you plan to improve your online content strategy through blind luck, you may want to think again. Instead, you’re going to want to ensure that you put in plenty of research into your content marketing strategy before you get yourself too deep into anything. Reading this article is a great start, but there’s plenty more that you can do as well.

For beginners, look up the keywords that you plan to use and how you think those will be most useful with your specific site. By using a program like Google AdWords Keyword Tool, you’ll be able to create strings of keywords that are likely to bring back the best results for your website.

The more likely it is that someone is going to put in the string of keywords that you have, the higher likelihood that you’ll get visits to your site. Therefore, do enough due diligence beforehand to ensure that you know what you’re getting yourself into before starting your content marketing strategy.

Look for Cohesiveness Across Platforms

Remember earlier when we asked if your site looks good across platforms and on different browsers? Well, if it doesn’t, now is your time to get this figured out. You never know where your audience is coming from when it’s viewing your content. Visitors may be looking with their phones, their tablets or their computers, and there are also plenty of Internet browsers that they could be using as well. This is important because each browser works and functions differently, which may affect how your site runs.

Therefore, you should look for cohesiveness across all platforms for your website. The more smoothly your site runs on multiple browsers, the more likely it is that people will trust that they can visit your site no matter where they are coming from.

Allow Customer Feedback

Your customers want to let you know how you’re doing. If you don’t listen, you’re missing out on a prime chance to learn how to improve and make your company better. Therefore, a great way for you to improve your content marketing strategy is by letting others provide you with feedback.

Not only does feedback give you a better idea of how you can improve your image and what you can do better, but it also will help your SEO rankings. Finally, by having updated content in the form of customer feedback, other people will see that you make a diligent effort to provide the best service that you can for your clients.

Have A Personal Blog

A personal blog is another great way to improve your content marketing strategy. Since search engines like Google give priority to sites that are regularly updated, a blog is a great way for you to continually update your content. In addition, a blog is an ideal way for you to connect with potential clients who are looking to learn more about your business.

Get Social

Social media also take a big piece of the pie when you are looking for important factors for content marketing.

If you have Facebook and Twitter profiles, that’s a good start. However, do something about it and keep your account as active as possible.

Interacting with clients through social media will help to generate traffic to your site, and it’ll also boost your online web presence in the process.

Always Build Trust

No matter what you’re doing, your goal should always be to build trust with your clients. Every blog post, status update and change to your website should have your clients and customers in mind. Your content marketing strategy should be geared for the long run, which is going to require a lot of trust between you and your audience. Therefore, make sure that you continue to do the right thing in the eyes of your audience, and you’ll notice more loyalty on their behalf.

Content is king in today’s online world. But instead of just throwing any type of content out there, you need to have a precise strategy that will work. With the seven tips, you’ll be able to improve your content market strategy and build strong relationships with your audience.

— Taylor Reaume is an e-Business coach and founder of Search Engine Pros. He can be contacted at taylor@thesearchenginepros.com, or 1.800.605.4988. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.

Blog Marketing | SEO Marketing | Social Media Marketing | Web Marketing

Do You Know The ABCs Of Web Strategy?

14 November 2014 by Taylor Reaume

In today’s tech-driven world, online marketing is a linchpin for success. The average consumer is changing how they go about finding products and services, with the Internet being one of the first places that they look. Therefore, no matter what sort of industry your business is in, its online web strategy is invaluable.

As important as a web strategy is, it’s also important to remember that it’s just one piece of the puzzle that makes up a business. And with so much else to take care of, it can seem nearly impossible to keep up with the ever-changing atmosphere of online marketing. But while it may be worthwhile to hire an online marketer or social media specialist to handle the day-to-day tasks, it’s still important that managers and owners have a basic understanding of web strategy and online marketing.

The “50,000-foot view” is common business-talk that refers to a general understanding of how part of a company works. For example, a business owner may not know every step of the process that a dedicated marketing team makes, but it’s still important for the team to know the general highlights and direction of the company. When it comes to online marketing, here is a general outline that highlights the ABCs of web strategy.

Know Your Audience

As with any approach, the first key is that you know where your target is. Therefore, your web strategy should have a firm understanding of your audience and how you plan to attract it. If you believe that you already know your audience, you may want to think again.

Most companies will begin by setting up an online marketing strategy that approaches their audience the same way that it would with offline efforts. However, it’s important to know that the Internet is changing the way that you reach customers.

For example, you may have a stand-alone retail store that nobody outside of your neighborhood knows about, but that doesn’t matter once you go online. Your target audience expands to people around the world when it comes to online marketing and approaching new customers.

By understanding who your audience is and whether it is local, regional, national or global, you can develop an online marketing strategy that directly approaches it. This is also the chance that a business can rebrand its image and find new ways to expand in ways like never before.

Determine What the Audience Wants …

The next step in the web strategy for 2014 should be determining what it is that the audience wants and how easily it will stay interested in what you provide. For example, some online strategies may be to post viral videos to social media accounts. Other businesses might rely on blogging or posting new information for their audience to see. Others may even rely on an email list that is used for a monthly newsletter.

There are a variety of different approaches that may work best for your audience, so determining what it wants will help you focus your approach.

Before you jump to the conclusion that more content is better, keep in mind that this may not be true for your specific market. While there are plenty of videos or memes out there that attract a lot of interest, your target market may not be interested in such “viral content.” Instead, your audience may want more relevant information to your industry and what it is that you provide.

Looking to get 1 million views on a video might be a viable online web strategy for some, but it’s most certainly not the only option. Therefore, know what will interest your audience the most and be sure that this is the type of media you use for your approach.

… And Where They Want To Get It From

It is estimated that Facebook has more than 1.2 billion users who have registered accounts. Twitter has roughly 200 million, and Instagram comes in at around 100 million. These are staggering numbers, but it also shows that there are great disparities between each social media site.

As nice as 200 million users is for Twitter, it has a long way to go before it passes the 1 billion mark like Facebook.

Keeping some of the numbers in mind, it’s important that your web strategy is available to your target market via resources that it uses most often. Facebook is obviously a good resource because of the sheer amount of people who are on it, but it’s not the only outlet for your web strategy. Instead, your business may be better suited with an online blog, YouTube video channel, or a simple monthly email.

If you are aiming your online marketing approach at places where your target audience won’t see it, then you are wasting your time. However, providing information to users where they already are looking will help to increase the online presence of a business.

Optimize for SEO

Anywhere you look for tips on how to make your web strategy better, you are going to hear that SEO should be one of your most important considerations. SEO, or search engine optimization, refers to the ranking that a website has on a Google search query. In order to get higher rankings through SEO, a business needs:

» Keyword-rich content that triggers search engine results

» A website that runs smoothly and functions properly

» Correct contact information for a business (called “NAP” for: Name, Address, Phone number)

» No filler content to take up space

Plan Ahead

Whatever your approach is for online marketing, be sure that you plan ahead. This will help you save time and be much more effective with your online approach.

By planning ahead and having a routine schedule for improving your website, you won’t have to worry about missing posts or running short of content. Instead, you’ll always have new material to help with SEO, while also keeping the interest of your audience.

Unless you are ingrained in the web strategy approach of your business, it can be hard to keep up with everything. But with this 50,000-foot view of the best practices of web strategy in 2014, it’s much easier to see how valuable each part of the process is.

— Taylor Reaume is an e-Business coach and founder of Search Engine Pros. He can be contacted at taylor@thesearchenginepros.com, or 1.800.605.4988. Click here to read additional columns. The opinions expressed are his own.

Blog Marketing | SEO Marketing | Web Marketing

Accelerate Your SEO Marketing For Christmas Now

11 November 2014 by Taylor Reaume

The holidays are right around the corner, which means that now is the time for companies to ensure that they have a marketing approach that is geared toward bringing in the most clients possible. Not only will having a tailored marketing approach this holiday season help you close out 2014 with a bang, but it’ll give you a big boost as you prepare to ring in 2015.

If you don’t know by now, marketing has changed drastically over the last few years. The emphasis for online marketing has quickly grown to be much more valuable than nearly any other advertising tool. In order to make online marketing work for your business, it all starts with your ability to be found through a search engine likeGoogle.

You still have a few weeks until Christmas, but now is the prime time for consumer shopping online. Therefore, here are some ways that you can accelerate your SEO marketing for Christmas now, to ensure that you get the most amount of traffic that you can during this incredibly popular time of year.

Revamp Your Website

If you can’t find the perfect gift to give yourself this holiday season, look no further than your website. If it has been a while since you last updated your site, now is the time to make some very critical changes that will help you with search engine optimization.

There is a common misperception that just having a website is good enough to help you with your online presence and SEO listings. However, this isn’t the case. Instead, you need to ensure that your website is built with a strong foundation that will make it easier for viewers to find.

To improve the foundation of your website, make sure that URLs are cohesive and consistent, include valuable metadata, and work to keep everything organized along the way as you continue to build your website. Not only will putting in some effort on your website look better and be more cohesive, but it’ll also help it run faster as well. Google shows preference to websites that can load quickly, which is why it’s important that yours does just that.

If you’ve already invested in your website, you may not want to keep pouring money into it if it’s not working for you. However, you can rest assured knowing that your site is not something that should be overlooked, and instead it might be time for you to spruce things up. After all, the Internet isn’t going away, and revamping your website at the end of 2014 will have lasting positive benefits.

Create Holiday Content

Content is king when it comes to SEO results. Therefore, you want to ensure that you have creative and relevant content throughout your website. The more content you upload, the better your SEO results will be.

If you are having a hard time coming up with creative content this holiday season, it might be time for you to spruce up your blog. With a blog, you can write about anything that is relevant to your website, and this will help with SEO.

Since it’s the holiday season, be sure to include something about the holidays in your blog content. Not only does this keep things relevant and give you something to write about, but it’ll also get your viewers in the holiday spirit as they read your content.

Keep Things Consistent During Christmas

Consistency is key as you begin building your online presence with the hopes of dominating search engines. As you start to build up your website, be sure that URLs for your website are consistent.

Consistency will help you with your SEO rankings, but it also helps with cataloging your entire website. Google and other search engines require you to setup an XML site map, and they give priority rankings to websites with a consistent internal linking structure. The truth is that requirements for search engines are always changing, and a more organized website will make it easier for you to make adjustments in the future.

Do yourself a favor and start with consistent cataloging now, and you’ll have a much easier time with marketing your website in the New Year as well.

Consider Christmas Keywords

As a business owner, it can be hard to see things from the perspective of customers and clients. To dominate SEO marketing during the Christmas season, however, this is exactly what you’ll have to do.

Sure, there are plenty of fancy programs out there that will help you with keywords, and many of them are worth investing into. However, if you are on a budget with your business, you only have to think like a consumer to find relevant keywords.

To help accelerate your SEO marketing, consider the keywords and phrases that you believe your clients will be looking for. In doing so, you’ll notice more hits and traffic to your website.

Spread The Holiday Cheer

2014 was a huge year for social media, and you can expect things to only become more dependent on this type of media in 2015. Therefore, be sure that you take the time during the holidays to improve your overall social media influence.

If you aren’t using your social media profile for your business, you are missing out on a big opportunity to draw in new clients. Your social media profile can also help you with improving your image and the perception that customers have of your brand by interacting with them on a regular basis.

Finally, as you also look to improve your social media presence for SEO this holiday season, also be sure to make your website easier to share. If you can easily share your site through your social media links, you’ll notice an increase in views from your followers online.

The year is almost over, so now is your chance to end 2014 with a bang. Consider these tips to help you accelerate your SEO marketing for Christmas. If you do so correctly, you’ll also be happy with the benefits you’ll get after the New Year as well.

SEO Marketing | Web Marketing

SEO Is Like A Rubik’s Cube

19 May 2014 by Taylor Reaume

Steamling your SEO campaigns is a bit like solving a Rubik’s Cube…

If you have visited Google’s home page today, you’ve seen that they replaced their logo with a rendition of the mesmerizing Rubik’s Cube. According to Wired Magazine, Google is celebrating the iconic puzzle’s 40th anniversary with an interactive Doodle.

At Search Engine Pros, this got us thinking that SEO (search engine optimization) is like a Rubik’s Cube. SEO is complex and requires an integrated, all-in-one approach to solve it. Getting one area perfect does not complete the picture if other puzzle pieces are incomplete. Instead of colors, here is what we’d put into an “SEO Solver’s Cube”:

Great Web Design: This part of the puzzle helps all the others fall into place. An old, outdated, or ineffective website can hurt your marketing strategy and keep you from achieving your goals. Our web marketing agency can help put your website to work. We can develop a web design plan, execute that plan through top web designers, and implement a branding strategy.
Blogs: Our professional SEO company can constantly publish high quality content on your behalf. Our marketing agency takes advantage of the best WordPress plugins, SEO tools, and top WordPress themes to make your blog capture the audience’s attention. A well-written blog also increases the opportunity for SEO optimization by providing content that generates back-links.
Newsletters: Newsletters and email marketing can sometimes be the forgotten cousin to the sexy blogs, but they keep your business in touch with prospects and current customers. While blogs usually focus on one topic, newsletters help you communicate to a wider audience on several topics. As a marketing consultant, we believe that the best marketing strategies should incorporate a newsletter component.
Social Media Marketing: In today’s connected world, it’s crucial to keep in touch through social media. Our Santa Barbara social media services can improve your exposure on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Our social media agency can develop a Facebook marketing plan that provides a mechanism for engagement, interaction and two-way communication.
Public Relations: Not only can a high quality press release communicate specific points about your business, it can also get picked up by many online news outlets, adding even more to your internet marketing and SEO effectiveness.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC): Use our PPC services to capture attention at the very moment a prospect is searching for your product or service. Ask us for a PPC campaign proposal.

Put it all together in a concise marketing plan and you’ve found the solution to your online marketing puzzle. Our Santa Barbara marketing group can help you with all aspects of online marketing, web marketing, social media marketing, SEO marketing, and PPC marketing.

Search Engine Pros is an ethical SEO company that stands ready to help you reach your online marketing goals. So stop playing with the Rubik’s Cube on Google and start working on your SEO strategy!

About Search Engine Pros: Search Engine Pros is a Santa Barbara web marketing firm which specializes in SEO marketing, online marketing, PPC (Pay Per Click Google Adwords), and SEO/web design. Visit the website and Facebook page or call 800-605-4988 for more information or to request a copy of 101 Ways to Drive Traffic.

Google Marketing Is Like A Big Rubiks Cube

Big budget results. Small budget costs.

Ready to get started? Fill out this form to receive a free web site analysis and rank report.

Smile, It’s Contagious!

SEO Marketing | Social Media Marketing | Web Marketing

Why Your Website Strategy Doesn’t Get any ROI

27 April 2014 by Taylor Reaume

“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.” – John Wanamaker

Let’s face it – you’re still not happy with the results your website is generating for you. You’ve changed designs, updated copy, and added new photos, but it still doesn’t seem to be gaining any traction. At Search Engine Pros we offer personal and ethical search engine optimization that utilizes the latest, most effective online marketing strategies. Based on our experience, here are some reasons why your web strategy may not be providing a strong return on your investment:

Lack of an Overall Strategy: Over 81% of consumers make buying decisions on the internet, and your business needs a total strategy to attract their attention. A sexy website alone isn’t enough to do the job. Your strategy must include all elements from “The Strategic Circle” for website marketing success.
Consumers Can’t Find You: A website that just talks about your business without any search engine optimization (SEO) will not appear in search results.
Nobody is Linking to You: Search engines look for websites that have links to and from other sources as a way of establishing credibility and topical relevance. Back links are online referrals for your business.
Not Functional on all Devices: Consumers are now accessing the Internet from PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. Websites that don’t translate well to all devices are missing out on potential traffic.
No Social Media: Your customers like to stay in touch and are using social media to do it. Be sure to have links to your Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages and keep them updated, too. Have a constant stream of outgoing information, try to link up with online influencers, and respond quickly to requests for information.
One Language Limitations: In a bi-lingual and multi-lingual world, a website that only provides information in English excludes a significant portion of the buying public. The key to International SEO is optimizing a page for foreign language natural search.
Not Driving Customers to Your Site: Sometimes a little extra push is all a consumer needs to be motivated to visit your site. Properly worded and placed pay-per-click (PPC) Google Adwords can provide just the right touch at the moment of decision.

As online marketing professionals, our role is (1) to help you gain a better grasp of what is often a complex maze of decisions; (2) to help ensure that decisions you make are carried out; (3) to keep your strategies up-to-date.

Our clients include small business owners, financial professionals, lawyers, doctors, and corporations – people who struggle for time to carefully focus on their online marketing goals. The Accelerator Plans we offer are advanced marketing plans designed to optimize your internet presence and grow your customer base. All project related information is stored in the project center. Google Analytics and Get Clicky tracking software are utilized to fine tune efforts each month.

As your marketing partner, we’re experienced enough to be proactive, not reactive. Working with a marketing agency should be fun, not annoying, and tiresome. We handle all the time-consuming details in a cost-effective way for you. Remember that the true cost of working with our company is ZERO when considering year-end business growth figures. Inaction is much more expensive in terms of lost market share and lost revenues.

SEO Marketing | Web Marketing

Noozhawk Reviews Search Engine Pros & SBBE

31 March 2014 by Taylor Reaume

Craig Allen: Santa Barbara Business Expo a Resource Gold Mine for Business Owners

NOOZHAWK – The Second Annual Santa Barbara Business Expo (SBBE) will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort, 633 E. Cabrillo Blvd.

The 2013 expo brought in more than 175 attendees, the majority of whom were local business owners. The overall impression expressed by attendees was the high level of professionalism, the warmth and attentiveness they received from the exhibitors, and how much they learned from the speakers.

This year’s expo is expected to draw more than 500 guests, most of whom will be local business owners, business leaders and entrepreneurs seeking to increase their visibility and profitability.

The SBBE is an interactive business convention designed to provide business owners, entrepreneurs, students and consumers the tools and resources to connect, learn and network. The expo has been designed to facilitate this dynamic activity with a careful selection of speakers and exhibitors, as well as the overall expo layout and program. The expo is a Business-to-Business (B2B) event, as well as one that enables the local business community to become aware of the resources that are available.

The SBBE was founded and is directed by Sandy and Gino Goe, local business owners and entrepreneurs who have a vision and mission to bring the business community together by encouraging collaboration, improving profitability and encouraging social responsibility by giving back to the community. The Executive Planning Team consists of local business owners and professionals who share in the vision and desire to serve.

All types of businesses are welcome. Both men and women entrepreneurs and large and small businesses will benefit from the dynamic speakers, the programs and the overall expo floor complete with tables for successful networking with like-minded business owners.

The second annual SBBE will bring together some extraordinary keynote speakers, authors and service providers, all to help business owners improve their online presence, while benefiting Hope Refuge. These keynote speakers will address a wide array of especially challenging topics all business owners face, and will include:

» Sloane Reali (The Power of Voice)

» Gary Kravetz (Executive Search)

» Patty DeDominic (Leadership, Stewardship & Impact)

» Ellen Reid (How to Be an Expert in Independent Publishing)

» Taylor Reaume (How To Rank Your Web Site by Helping Others First)

» Melissa V. Moreno (Start-Up Funding 101)

» Calla Gold (Using Online Networking to Increase Your Off-line Networking Results)

» Nick Cavarra (Effective Social Media: The Five Top Channels)

» Ernie Halter (What Is Crowd Funding and Why Is It Important in Today’s Marketplace?)

» Robin Eschler (Funding Options for Small Business)

» Devon Johnson (Loan Fund Manager — Small Business Loan Fund)

Attendees will find expert solutions for some of the most frustrating aspects of developing an effective online marketing strategy. The expo will, in addition to the featured speakers, provide extensive guidance on key marketing trends; emerging web technologies; best business practices; business services for business owners and entrepreneurs offered by exhibitors; on-site headshots by Linda Blue Photography; professional fashions and accessories; an author’s showcase; growing business relationships in Santa Barbara; local resources for financial, personal and professional needs; and strategies for connecting with prospective clients within the community. Business owners, professionals and entrepreneurs will find actionable intelligence that will directly address some of the most challenging issues we all face when building our online presence.

learn more about how a web site marketing strategy can help your company grow

“Business owners today are struggling with their web strategy, and attending this event will help them take their businesses to the next level,” according to Taylor Reaume, one of the keynote speakers featured at the expo and founder of Search Engine Pros.

“My speech will stress the importance of adding value to others first, and being a helpful resource to others around you. There are many ways to add value to people around you. For example, business owners can create educational top 10 list articles, sharing remarkable statistics and time-saving resources, and connecting their audience with trusted partners.

“Adding value to people will naturally increase the numbers of hyperlinks, or ‘votes,’ for the business owner’s web site. If the business owner can successfully increase the number of hyperlinks pointing into their website each month, they will see a direct correlation with the increase in their Google rankings.”

Admission fees (general admission and students) are $10 per person, and include access to all exhibits, author showcases and the art show. VIP Seminar tickets are $125 per person, or $195 for two. VIP access includes all areas available to general admission ticket-holders, plus entry into the exclusive stage area, which includes keynote speakers, workshop style presentations, refreshments and a VIP gift bag.

Santa Barbara Events For Business Networking In April

Rafﬂe tickets will be sold to beneﬁt Hope Refuge, whose vision is to provide a refuge for American girls rescued out of the sex trafﬁc industry in California. The Goleta-based organization is raising funds to acquire a facility to set up a home. All proceeds from the raffle will be donated to Hope Refuge, and additional donations can be made at the expo.

SEO Marketing | Web Marketing

How To Make Your Website Sexier

31 March 2014 by Taylor Reaume

Does sex sell? Many marketers think it does. Just ask the editors of Sports Illustrated whether having images of bikini-clad models on their cover helped sell any magazines! Consumers want to be associated with products, services and brands that help them feel good about themselves. Your company may be able to increase its sales by having a website that plays into this need for self-appreciation. Your web site needs to be sexy to convert visitors. Even the greatest SEO marketing strategy will do no good if it draws traffic to your site only to bore the visitor.

At Search Engine Pros we offer personal and ethical search engine optimization that utilizes the latest, most effective online marketing strategies. We have helped clients in every type of industry improve the appearance and sexiness of their websites without sacrificing SEO strategies or content. Based on our experience as web site conversion optimization specialists, here are some suggestions you can use to make your website sexier:

Smashing Design: Start with a dynamic website design that pops out, invites visitors to stay, and leads the eye on a coherent journey through the information you need to impart.
Looking Good: Closely inspect the graphics you use to draw attention to your website. Photos should have attractive people that will appeal to the visitor’s eye. Graphics should be clean and classy, with a feel of elegance and sophistication.
Beautiful Buttons: Most web designers fail to focus on the little things that can make a web site more attractive. Those “submit, cancel and download” buttons don’t have to be just a dull gray square. Use some color, beveled edges and gradient fill to really make them pop.
Social Sharing: You want visitors to let others know about your site, so it’s important to make it appealing to share on social media. Make sure your social sharing buttons look great, load quickly, offer choices that will help your SEO, and fit with the overall feel of your page.
Relevance: Nothing is sexier than finding out what visitors want and providing it. It’s the online equivalent of “I hear you.” Is your website screaming “It’s all about me, Me, ME!” or is it saying “Here is how I can help you achieve more in your life.” If your content doesn’t live up to the hype, no sexy photos can help make a sale.

Need our help? Call upon the professional web design conversion experts at Search Engine Pros and we’ll help you design eye-catching banners and embed powerful calls to action which will lower your bounce rates, boosts conversions, increase the time people spend on your site (which will increases rankings and doubles your sales).

If you’d like to learn more about how a website marketing strategy can help your company grow, visit our booth at the 2014 Santa Barbara Business Expo at The Fess Parker DoubleTree Resort, 633 E. Cabrillo Boulevard on Saturday, April 5 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Search Engine Pros Founder, Taylor Reaume, will be presenting from 9am-9:30am on “How To Rank Your Web Site by Helping Others First”. Add yourself to the SBBE Event page, Click LIKE on the fan page: https://www.facebook.com/BusinessExpoSB to stay up to date. Download the event flyer here

SEO Marketing | Web Marketing

The Hottest SEO Tips for 2014

30 March 2014 by Taylor Reaume

If your business isn’t increasing its customer base each month, you might have an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) problem. SEO is how your company gets found on the web. At Search Engine Pros we offer personal and ethical search engine optimization. Over 81% of consumers make purchasing decisions online. What that means to your business is that SEO is no longer optional.

When consumers use keywords to search for products or services similar to yours, your company will benefit by appearing at the top of their results. With that in mind, here are some of the hottest SEO tips for 2014 you can use to help your business grow:

Using The Three “Pillars” of SEO: According to Entrepreneur.com, effective SEO has three pillars – links, content and social media. Content attracts the attention of your target demographic, social media gets the word out to a wider audience about what you do, and links from other sites help build the credibility of your business. These elements must be incorporated into an ongoing SEO strategy that is consistently working to keep your website fresh, relevant, and dynamic.
Mobile Optimization is Rising: As more and more consumers turn to mobile devices to perform their search functions, businesses will need to have a responsive website as well as a mobile content strategy.
Social Matters: Google is increasing its monitoring of social networks to look for mentions of your brand, product, service, or content. Having Facebook posts and “links” that circle back to your blog will help to capture Google’s attention.
It’s All Relevant: Businesses can’t just increase the amount of content and social media they use to promote their brand; it must be relevant to members of their target audience in order to make them take notice, click, share, or visit the website for further information.

Search Engine Pros offer a wide range of quality online marketing solutions, all designed to give your business the very best possible return on investment. We can provide an All-In-One Plan to cover every aspect of your SEO process or help with specific areas with our PPC Pro (pay-per-click), SEO Writer Pro, or Social Media Marketing Pro.

Curious to learn more about your business that can benefit from a cutting-edge web strategy? Search Engine Pros Founder, Taylor Reaume, will be presenting at the 2014 Santa Barbara Business Expo which will be held at The Fess Parker DoubleTree Resort, 633 E. Cabrillo Boulevard on Saturday, April 5 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

SEO Marketing | Web Marketing

Social Media Marketing on St. Patrick’s Day

17 March 2014 by Taylor Reaume

Although marketing is a year-round endeavor opportunities sometimes come along that you shouldn’t miss. Associating your business with a holiday can increase your chances of search engine optimization. Many consumers are searching for variations of “St. Patrick’s Day” key phrases on Google, and this presents a unique opportunity to catch their eye and lead them to your web site. Social media tie-ins can be used by both B2B and B2C marketers. Here are some tips for marketing your business with social media on St. Patrick’s Day:

Expand Your Reach: Don’t stop at posting a nice blog about how your business ties in with the holiday. Post a Facebook update and photo with a link to your article, Tweet about it, send it to your Google+ circle, and find a great picture to link to it on Pinterest. Social media content that includes mention of a holiday helps increase engagement with your target audience, and don’t forget the hashtags!
Make It Relevant: Social media is a conversation that should not just be about your business. Make it relevant to your target audience. Offer a useful tip, insider info, or short piece of news that helps your audience use your product or service more effectively and you will increase engagement and improve the potential for sharing.
Build on What’s Happening in Your Community: If your target market is in a community that has a big St. Patrick’s Day parade or celebrates the holiday in some other way, try to find a way for your marketing to build on that. For example, a sign company could post about the best signs in the St. Patrick’s Day parade or a florist might write about the perfect flowers for a St. Joseph’s Day table.
Content Marketing Works: A constant stream of relevant information is required from your business to stay top of mind, generate top search engine results and drive website traffic. Be straightforward, encourage sharing, and tell audience members what action you want them to take.
Social Media Works for B2B and B2C: Don’t think that your business can’t use social media because of who your customers are. Although it might seem more obvious for B2C to work ideas around a holiday, that doesn’t leave out the B2B marketers entirely. Think about what the holiday represents and how it ties in with what your customers need. Sending holiday greetings with valuable information is both powerful and effective. Most businesses are leaving out the “valuable” part – make sure you are adding value with your content.

In order to rank well on the internet’s largest search engines, your social media sites must contain informative, original content that contains the relevant keywords from which you’d like to capture traffic. Part of the success of your business depends on your ability to generate top ranks on Google and other major search engines.

Successful businesses today are creating remarkable content for their blog, and re-purposing the content to their social media channels. By consistently adding value to your target audience, you’ll stay top of mind, and increase loyalty levels.

Search Engine Pros can help your company utilize social media more efficiently to achieve its internet traffic and revenue goals. Marketing your business effectively with social media will increase the number of coins in your pot o’ gold!

1 2 3 4 5 6 … 8

Accelerate Your SEO Marketing For Christmas Now

Revamp Your Website

Create Holiday Content

Keep Things Consistent During Christmas

Consider Christmas Keywords

Spread The Holiday Cheer

Noozhawk Reviews Search Engine Pros & SBBE

Craig Allen: Santa Barbara Business Expo a Resource Gold Mine for Business Owners

Dr. Marshall Rosenberg and Nonviolent Communication

12 Spiritual Audiobooks That Changed My Perspective

How I Learned Vocal Tonality

I Grew Up on a Ranch

10 Reasons Why Cloudways Web Hosting Is Better Than The Rest