Greater Profits Group » e-marketing http://g-p-group.com/gpgblog Greater Profits Group Community Tue, 25 May 2010 11:00:17 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Are Directory Submissions Still Effective? http://g-p-group.com/gpgblog/are-directory-submissions-still-effective/ http://g-p-group.com/gpgblog/are-directory-submissions-still-effective/#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:05:03 +0000 Yasir Khan http://g-p-group.com/gpgblog/?p=1366 by Yasir Y Khan

Directory submissions is one of the most popular (and least effective ways) to building link popularity by SEO companies. When you pay for a directory submission service, your link building company submits your website to 400 or 500 (sometimes 1000) directories online. SEO companies wrongfully think that directory submissions are the ticket to higher search engine rankings.

While directory submissions help with your link popularity, the submissions do absolutely nothing as far as increasing the rankings are concerned. There are some websites with only 200 links which are ranking higher than websites with over 3000 links. The reason for the difference in rankings is because one website has trusted inbound links which the other does not.

The first reason why directory submissions pass minimal to no link juice is because they contain only links and no content. And for that reason, most of them have another fancy name: link farm. Because of the lack of content, search engines stop favoring web directories and make sure that their outgoing links do not pass a lot of value.

Another reason for the minimal benefit that directories provide is the fact that everyone submits their junk content to them. It is also not hard to imagine each category of a directory to have over 200 outbound links, which severely limits the amount of link juice these directories provide. Also, because directories connect to bad neighborhoods due to spammy links, they lose quality and have to pay a price by getting even more junky links.

Directories also do not provide any traffic to their listed websites because no one uses directories as a reference system like they were used in old times. People normally go to search engines like Google to find any stuff that they want. Even though many SEO “specialists” still think of directories as major source of navigation, that is not the case with directories any more.

However, there are a few high quality and high PR directories out there i.e. Yahoo Directory and DMOZ, which can provide you with a lot of link juice. The downside for submissions to such directories is that they charge a hefty fee.

In conclusion, my advice to you is to stay away from directory submissions because they can actually hurt (rather than help) your websites.

About the Author:
Directory submissions are ineffective in a major way! Use our link building PR services to boost your search engine rankings. Also, check out our diversified internet marketing services.
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 ]]> http://g-p-group.com/gpgblog/are-directory-submissions-still-effective/feed/ 0 Low-Cost or Free Small Business Marketing Ideas http://g-p-group.com/gpgblog/low-cost-or-free-small-business-marketing-ideas/ http://g-p-group.com/gpgblog/low-cost-or-free-small-business-marketing-ideas/#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:09:30 +0000 Steven Schlagel http://g-p-group.com/gpgblog/?p=1115 by Steven Schlagel

The economy has forced both large, corporate marketing departments and small businesses to reevaluate and reduce their advertising budgets. The Association of National Advertisers reported in August 2009 that 74% of marketing departments were reducing their marketing budgets. At the same time, it is likely you are seeking new customers to replace those that may have left for economic reasons. We have ideas for you to continue marketing for little or no money!

There is no need to completely eliminate your traditional marketing efforts like print advertising or direct mail. But now is a good time to try some of the new methods also. Right now, you need to be trying everything out so you can see what works and what doesn’t. With these methods, there is no harm or loss in trying!

Social media is the most talked about of all of these marketing trends. By interacting on Twitter, joining groups on Facebook and LinkedIn you expose a large number of new contacts to your business. Be diligent. This form of advertising through “relationship building” takes time.

Treat your current customers like the gold that they are. Personally pick up the phone and call to thank them for their loyalty. Send them a card or note in the mail. Stop by where they work to say hello. Don’t peddle. Let them know you are seeking new business but do not make that the reason for the contact.

Build a referral network. What is this exactly? Essentially it is a network of individuals who refer business to one another. Let your accountant, your attorney, your doctor, your computer maintenance person or anyone else that you do business with know that you are looking for new business. Let them know you’d be glad to refer to them if they would do the same. Feel confident in those people you refer business to! But be sure to let your trusted contacts know you are seeking referrals.

A great way to meet like-minded people you respect, and to build your own reputation, is through community involvement. Whether you are volunteering at a soup kitchen or for Habitat for Humanity, you get the opportunity to tell people what you do while providing a genuine service. You can also let people know your business is involved with certain organizations by adding their logos to your website.

A well-developed spiel about your business is important so you can answer the question “What do you do?” with aplomb. This presentation is called your “elevator speech” because it is short enough to deliver on an elevator ride. Be sure you flesh it out a bit if you are in a traditional business. If you own an auto supply store, don’t just say that. Say “I own a business that supports both casual drivers as well as car collectors by carrying one of the largest inventories in the area. What kind of car do you drive?”. This opens up a whole new conversation.

Spend some time making sure your blog and website are search engine optimized (SEO). SEO improves your rankings on major search engines like Yahoo and Google and is improved through using links, changing your category titles or using good keywords. You can do much of this yourself. If you lack confidence, get some help. I can give you insights into this and have articles on this topic on my website.

I have a wealth of information about marketing for small business and entrepreneurs on the My Small Business Mentor website and blog. Check it out!

About the Author:
With 30 years of consulting experience, Steven Schlagel offers training and coaching for startups, entrepreneurs and small business owners. Check his site for more articles to increase your success!
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 ]]> http://g-p-group.com/gpgblog/low-cost-or-free-small-business-marketing-ideas/feed/ 0 Blogging 101 http://g-p-group.com/gpgblog/blogging-101/ http://g-p-group.com/gpgblog/blogging-101/#comments Sat, 25 Jul 2009 07:20:08 +0000 Steven Schlagel http://g-p-group.com/gpgblog/?p=877 by Steven Schlagel

A Web log, aka a blog, acts as a conduit of information between your current and potential clients. Like a conversation, it is a big and forth exchange that allows you to share information and updates, involve your network with your business and a way to gather information. Blogging is a great market tool because it directs traffic to your Web site so potential clients can learn more about you. It isn’t hard and doesn’t have to take a great deal of time.

IF you already have a Web site, your webmaster or hosting company can probably add a blog feature for you. This article cannot address various software packages for blogging because there are too many, but whomever is managing your site should be able to easily add this for you. If you do not have a Web site or they cannot do this for you, you can use a free blogging site (we recommend Blogger, WordPress or TypePad) and add a link from your Web site to your blog. These free companies vary on how much customization they offer so go with a simple blog template when choosing.

Blog posts are generally 200-600 words long and you should plan on adding no less than one per week. Many people blog daily and write about the topics that relate to their business, asking themselves always “what are my customers’ needs?” If you own a computer repair shop, topics might include all things technology related including how to maintain your computer. If you own an auto repair shop instead, you might write about automotive maintenance and do reviews of new models. Just be patient. You will build a following over time if you are consistent.

Be sure you link to other sites within your blog posts. The dry cleaner might link to club soda giant Schwepps, the restaurant to Gallo as appropriate in the site. Why is this important? When someone does a search for Schwepps or Gallo, your article is likely to pop up, driving traffic to your blog and thus, your Web site and you.

When you are blogging, remember to encourage comments from your readers. Using open-ended questions at the end of a blog post increases the likelihood readers will comment in your discussion area. The more engaging your site, the more often people will return and the more likely they are to link to your site which will increase your traffic.

When you add a “blogroll” to your site, you improve your online relationships and goodwill. A blogroll is a list of links to other blogs that are appropriate to your readers and which you recommend. Doing so provides an additional service to your customers and builds rapport with other leaders in your industry.

To make your blog more dynamic and appealing, you are going to want to use graphics and video. This is easy to do and there are plenty of low cost or free images available to you. Start off by doing a search for “copyright free” images and you will be taken to individual images or image sites. Some of these sites offer video as well, or do a simple search for video and most will offer HTML code you can copy and paste into you blog. Be sure your videos and images fit the content of your blog post.

Some of you simply lack confidence in your writing or you don’t have the time. Don’t fret over this. You can easily find your choice of professional writers to blog for you. Posts range from $5-15 each or less, especially if you purchase via a monthly package. Your “problogger” can not only handle the actually writing, but will usually be able to add images, video and field comments for you. Just be patient as your writer learns your “voice” and how you would deliver information.

A blog can drive traffic to your site, help you build relationships with customers and industry leaders, establish you as an expert in your field and provide a real service to your clients. It is easy and can be fun to do without taking a substantial amount of time. Blogging is a “must-have” in your marketing toolbox!

About the Author:
With 30 years of consulting experience, Steven Schlagel offers training and coaching for startups, entrepreneurs and small business owners. Check his site for more articles to increase your success!
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