Its Yellow Pages versus Google day

Small Business Brisbane No Responses »
Feb 022011

Are you still wondering whether your website will pay off? Got no idea about online? Just listen to what Joe Public says about Google…

I loved this video on Yellow Pages versus Google from Luke & Tim of the Small Business Big Marketing podcast. They have a 44 minute audio (How To Be Found Online) that explains, simply, why local businesses should have an Effective Website.

They make some interesting points:

  • The website should Presell your products and services, answering questions that customers have in their mind
  • Ensure you have an editable website, the URL structure is indexable, and you can update your own website if at all possible.

For the business with grand plans online, it’s ideal to have a Content Management System (or CMS). That’s why our latest web design clients, all localised businesses, have chosen a custom CMS (WordPress) site. We are even changing our Red Planet Design website to reflect the clean look and easy user interface that WordPress and certain themes provide.

And as for Yellow Pages, the recent downpour wrecked some and others are very handy for propping up the laptop… With print and directory advertising, you have to pay megabucks for the kind of space you need to differentiate you from all the competition. Yellow Pages is a wall of ads, and often people like me access the internet to find some business websites so I can better compare service, prices, testimonials, and guarantees.

Posted by Jennifer at 3:41 pm

Drilling Down on Your Online Competitors

SEO tips, Small Business Brisbane No Responses »
Jan 272011

We’re going to explore today how to drill down on your online SEO competition for local Brisbane businesses. Especially now that we’ve had a tough month with floods and the obvious economic effects even for those not directly affected.

If you want to investigate the undergarments of your online competition, look no further than Yahoo Site Explorer. This handy wee tool shows you incoming links (inlinks) of ANY website.

Success leaves clues. Also bad back-linking leaves clues, so don’t get too confused.

Some blog comments with your signature are propagated through a site, leading to 20 links which only really count for one vote. On forums like meetup.com, you’ll find a similar occurrence. So don’t get too excited by the final number… quality counts.

If you want to recreate someone else’s inlinks, first ensure they know what they are doing, and then ensure that your target keywords are exactly the same. Probably you will want to have your own strategy and use a professional – for about $40 per hour, it could be well worth it.

Next – Gather SEO Competition Data

Anyhow, the next step is to gather your SEO competition data on the top five websites for your niche keyword searches. E.G. For ‘copywriter Brisbane’ results are: heart harmony #1, snappysentences #2, power of words #3  etc… ‘Copywriting Brisbane’ brings up entirely different results.

If I wanted to be absolutely sure of my own placement, I would use Market Samurai and the SEO Competition module. This is because your own computer gets to know your ‘most clicked’ results, so could be showing your website higher than it is to others.

Check Yourself Out – in Google’s SERP

Check how your website looks with “Instant Preview” on the Search Engine Results Page – hit the magnifying glass near the title. Compare your preview to others around it. Compare your title and bolded keywords to others above it. Like when we look in the mirror, we want our listing to appear attractive in every way!

I presume that you already know your top five keyword phrases with the most traffic. No?  Then use Market Samurai or Google Adwords Keyword Tool to find them. (I can also help you with this service if you’re needing to rewrite your website copy anyway).

Please note my upcoming presentation at B2B Brisbane meetup on the topic: Writing Your Way to a Distinctive Online Presence. February 9, at 6:15 pm. If you miss out on the last spot, I may be doing this presentation again in Redcliffe in March or April.

Posted by Jennifer at 2:33 pm Tagged with: , ,

Blogging for Business

Small Business Brisbane, marketing strategies No Responses »
Nov 302010

It may be time to think about blogging for your small or online business. Brisbane-based business owners are naturally skeptical about the need, time, and return on investment that blogging will have.

Having a blog manager and writer can at least remove the concern of time. However, one of our friends in business – Landscapers Greenscene Gardenscope – have managed to write their own geographic-focussed blog (albeit with a landscaper’s English), build their backlinks, and move up the rankings purely through “doing a little bit quite often”.

Others simply cannot afford the time or headspace for blogging, and can’t get their head around social media. Never fear, there are a hundred reasons why a professional blogger can save you time and increase your blog’s profit potential. One of the best reasons is… they keep going when you simply cannot, because their livelihood depends upon it.

Profit potential is the hidden potential that blog traffic will turn into attuned, happy to pay customers – i.e. the best kind.

Today I’ve written up “So You’ve Got a Blog – What Now?”. This two page PDF will walk you through the marketing to-dos, gives you some topic starters, and also includes what your Blog Writer does, if you’re lucky enough to have me on your outsourced team. Call Jen on 07 31030238 for a blog writing quote.

So You’ve Got a Blog – What Now

Posted by Gino Lancaster at 2:28 pm Tagged with: ,

Referrals, Speeches and Sales Pitches

Small Business Brisbane, marketing strategies No Responses »
Nov 052010

We’ve all seen the graphs and heard people say “word-of-mouth is the most powerful marketing”. Why then, do we still risk cold mailouts to bought lists, persist with cold calling and hit-and-miss newspaper/print advertising? It seems like madness.

Last night I attended “How to Get a River of Referrals”, a workshop by Lindsay Adams of the Referral Institute. I was actually impressed with how many benefits there are from having referral partners (frees your time, costs little, more visibility, more credibility/trust with prospect)… just as I was impressed with the obvious experience, helpfulness and jovial spirit of the man himself.

No sooner did I walk in than I was greeted with a handshake/intro and asked what I did, and 5 seconds later he offered my first referral for an alliance partner.

Not only did he ignite interest in what I do for everyone (thanks), but he used most of the attendees or their careers as living referral examples. Sidenote: when you feel welcomed, heard, and entertained, you don’t mind at all hearing about what the other person has to say about their programs and offerings.

Compare this with many other talks you might have been to where the speaker tried to appear ‘the expert’ and throw out big numbers or use industry jargon without trying to relate it back to you. One speaker recently lost me because he was talking to a room full of solo professionals (apart from 3-4), talking about HR management issues.

Whether presenting to one or 100, if you want to really help people, ask pertinent questions. The answer/s will help you frame your talk. Using their name makes them pay attention, and using their business as an example enables them to see the possibilities. You probably won’t have to ‘pitch’ in the standard way, more explain than sell.

And for Referral Partners of Red Planet Design: 10% commissions on project or commission exchanged for copywriting/blogging – does that sound like a good choice?

Posted by Jennifer at 9:27 am

Finding the Right Niche to Ensure Ongoing Demand

Small Business Brisbane, marketing strategies No Responses »
Oct 292010

Recently I’ve been meeting people who describe themselves as “internet marketers” or someone who is launching an “online business/portal”. It seems practically everyone has a web project they’re working on for the long term goal of… making passive income! (Except for my 5 year old – her website really is for fun).

And why not, I say! Passive income is so 21st century.
Let’s look at what you can offer, why offer it, and what it may bring you.

Specialise Narrowly
You probably know your niche already – it’s what you do for people everyday. But hey, if you’re sick of what you do professionally you need to find another passion – and supply information that many people are in need of.

Hook into a Demand Area
Obviously there has to be a demand, with limited supply. You can even create a demand by being the pre-eminent authority in your field. Do your keyword research, trend research (Google Trends), and you will find ideas as well as help narrow your niche even further.

What you want is a demand that’s not temporary (like iPhone manuals), but something that’s evergreen, like kids party decorating.

Case Study – Productive Gardens
Our case study shows a clever, practical person hooking into a growing ‘evergreen’ trend.

David Borthwick, a keen gardener, started Productive Gardens to share that anyone can grow herbs and vegetables at home in minimal space. He’s grown his little empire, with both physical products and eBooks called Vegetable Garden Doctor, Raised Garden Beds, Natural Pest Control, Stacking Gardens, and more.

He has a blog, a follow-up email system, video tips, newsletters etc. By the look of his very cute custom website, he’s doing very well. See www.productivegardens.com.au/blogs/news.

When I talked to David at a food show, he clearly talked about what value you get from this garden within a short time. As well, he picked up email details from passersby by offering a tiered garden system as a prize.

So you can see how the alignment of your values, your passion, and a popular trend is the right niche to fulfill your passive income dreams.

Posted by Jennifer at 2:16 pm Tagged with: , ,

Using Online Directories – Tradies

Small Business Brisbane No Responses »
Sep 272010

Although advertising on TrueLocal and Hot Frog is often free, ensure you are using these directories as best you can and checking that the services supplied under your company listing are in fact, your services.

As I’m in need of a gas fitter and cabinetmaker myself, naturally I turned to Google and TrueLocal. Amazingly, although most plumbers listed had “gas fitting” under their service, in fact when I enquired, many did not perform gas installations of any kind, especially not to an oven.

The Service Seeking online quoting service is invaluable for people who don’t know who to call, like myself. If you’re a trades or business service provider, why not get on there and see if there are jobs you could bid for. Bids start from 5 points (about $5-10) depending whether you buy in bulk.

I believe this beats the unknown quantity of paying for Premium Directory listings – offered at every online directory.

There is a list of all the Australian Online Directories on my other blog: www.businessgrowthtoolbox.com.au

Keep a text file with your service information in it, to speed things up and save repeating yourself. So build up your visibility and get directory posting!

Posted by Jennifer at 4:37 pm Tagged with: ,
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