FAQS
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - FAQs
What is search engine optimization (seo)?
SEO is a process used to make sure that a website can be found in a search engine such as google, bing, or yahoo when the user is searching for a particular item or service.
Why does seo matter?
If your website does not comply with guidelines established to generate search success, you will NOT get leads from search engines. there are no short cuts that will have long-term benefit. google and the other search engines change algorithms frequently thus requiring constant understanding of required guidelines.
Are there different seo processes?
YES. there is device optimization, on-page optimization, and off-page optimization?
What is device optimization?
Web users use multiple devices to search for information online so it is imperative that all websites have the capability of being found on all different devices. over half of google searches now start on a mobile phone. consumers also search using tablets, laptops, tv's, gaming systems, and watches to name a few.
What is on-page optimization?
It is the entirety of the content elements in your website design. page content, browser titles, meta descriptions, title tags, h1 headings, and appropriate keyword penetration are just a few of the elements one must have knowledge to have proper on-page optimization.
How do i know if my website design is optimized correctly?
If you don't know, then most likely, it's not. this is where inexperienced or do-it-yourself web designers make the most mistakes. Many large companies, most medium sized companies, and almost all small companies have poorly optimized sites. only someone with marketing expertise and the appropriate tools can truly gain complete website optimization.
What is off-page optimization?
It is a combination of your business or brand reputation on the internet, your social media authority, and quality links citing your website as a resource of needed information.
Why does my business or brand reputation online matter?
Search engines want to deliver the best results to consumers searching for products and service. since they do not personally know you, your staff or your business, they must depend on what consumers publicly share to help them understand which businesses provide the best service. bad online reviews will negatively impact your search results not to mention can impact a consumer's choice to consider your company or organization.
What if an online review about my business is not true or fake?
It is best for business owners to actively monitor their online reviews in order to address customer concerns. there are ways once a review is first posted to have it removed from certain review sites, particularly if proven fake. certain popular review sites also allow owner feedback, which can also help search engines understand a business better. the best option is to make sure there are many positive reviews online about your business.
What is social media authority?
It is how popular your business is on social media sites. it is important to have a facebook business page with growing likes. this is one measurement used by search engines to determine business popularity and does impact search results. fans or followers on other social media sites such as youtube, twitter, pinterest, instagram, or linkedin also help search engines understand your business.
What are "quality links that cite my business as a resource"?
It's when another website has a link that points traffic to your business website. websites around the internet that provide information to consumers such as special interest sites like tripadvisor, angie's list, houzz, or yelp are helpful. news, blog or magazines sites with articles having key words that link to your site are especially important.
How many links should i have coming to my business website site?
Usually the more the better however google and others will penalize a business website if in-bound links come from a undesirable resource. quality in-bound links are a measurement search engines use to understand your business relevance and popularity. poor in-bound links will harm your search results.
How do i know which sites are good and which ones are bad?
You should have a link building strategy. sites that increase consumer awareness are generally okay. your strategy should include coordinated methods of link building such as directory submission, social media submission, blog or article syndication with keyword back links, link exchange from local partners and manufacturer links. all information should be correct, especially name, address, and phone number, and all links should allow increased web presence, while also reinforcing your brand.
Is "site submission" to search engines the same as quality link building?
NO. "site submission" is the process of making sure all major and minor search engines know your website exists by submitting the website to all that do exist.
Search Engine Advertising - FAQs
How does search engine advertising work?
Businesses bid on keyword phrases that consumers use in search engines. if a bid is high enough and the page the ad is linking to has a high enough page rank and the correct budget is committed, then the business website will appear in one of the top positions of the search results page. if a consumer clicks on the ad, then the business pays the going bid price for the click. this is referred to as cpc or cost per click advertising. some know it as pay-per-click advertising or ppc.
How do i know what amount to bid?
You should bid high enough to compete against others also bidding on the same phrases.
Do consumers everywhere see my ad?
You can choose who see the ad based on the keyword phrases that are used and the geographic area someone lives.
What is page rank?
Page rank is a score given to a web page an ad is linking to based on the relevance of the information on the page as related to the ad.
How much budget should be allocated to search engine ads?
It depends on popularity of the search phrases and how much competition is bidding. it is best to utilize a professional if possible to avoid wasted budget dollars.
When do i pay my advertising bill?
Most businesses determine a budget then place the funds in an account with the search engine. each time a consumer clicks on the ad, the cost is subtracted from the available funds in the account until depleted.
What other fees are associated with search advertising?
SBS charges a small set-up fee (waived for our monthly customers) and a percentage of the ad buy to manage the ad campaign.
How do i know if it's working?
If the phones are ringing and website leads are coming, that is the best way to know however you can also get traffic reports of how many consumers were exposed to your ad and how many clicked on the ad. you can also see which keyword phrases generated results. there is always an immediate increase in your website traffic.
How long does it take to get an ad running?
Usually less than a week depending on number of search phrases needed.
How long should I run an ad and is there a minimum time commitment?
There is no minimum however we strongly recommend that our clients plan a 3 month campaign period unless they get too busy. most of our clients run ads every month as part of their planned marketing budget.
Does this advertising always work?
If purchased correctly, most of the time. remember you are only placing ads in front of people who have expressed an interest in your product or service. it will be the most effective form of targeting in your advertising plan.
Digital Display Advertising - FAQs
How does digital display advertising work?
Businesses bid on keyword phrases that are related to websites, blogs, and mobile apps that are part of an advertising network. the bid is based on how much you are willing to pay for every 1000 times the ad is delivered on a web page. if a bid is high enough and the correct budget is committed, then the business will have display ads of various different sizes appear on websites in the network. if a consumer clicks on the ad, it links them to a page on the business website.
How do i know what amount to bid?
You must bid high enough to compete against others also bidding on the same phrases but not so high that you pay more than you need. There are expensive software solutions that make the bidding process more efficient, which is why most businesses large and small outsource digital display advertising to professional companies.
Do consumers everywhere see my ad?
You can choose who sees the ad based on the keyword phrases that are used, the websites or blogs you want, and the geographic area someone lives.
What are some examples of places where my ad can be seen?
Mobile apps and websites such itunes, accuweather, espn, youtube, national or local news organizations, plus 1000s of magazine or specialty blog sites like mens fitness, poetry.com, or beethoven.com just to name a few. There are millions of sites and apps in hundreds of ad networks that can be made available.
How much budget should be allocated to digital display ads?
It depends on popularity of the websites or blogs, the number of ad impressions available, and how much competition is bidding. it is best to utilize a professional if possible to avoid wasted budget dollars.
When do i pay my advertising bill?
Most businesses determine a budget then place the funds in an account with the network. every 100 times the ad is seen, the cost is subtracted from the available funds in the account until depleted.
What other fees are associated with digital display advertising?
SBS usually charges a small set-up fee (waived for our monthly customers) and a percentage of the ad buy to manage the ad campaign.
How do know if it's working?
If the phones are ringing and website leads are coming, that is the best way to know however you can also get traffic reports of how many consumers were exposed to your ad and how many clicked on the ad. there is always an immediate increase in your website traffic.
How long does it take to get an ad running?
Usually less than a week.
How long should I run an ad and is there a minimum time commitment?
There is no minimum however we strongly recommend that our clients plan a 3 month campaign period unless they get too busy.