SEO And Backlinking

There wouldn't be much point in trying to focus on a keyword phrase if no one is searching for those keywords! A determination needs to be made on two or maybe three keyword phrases that best describe your business or service. Focusing on these keyword phrases will give you a 'niche' that you can target aggressively.

How Long is this Going to Take? - Ok, so now that you have started a comprehensive SEO strategy, how long is it going to take before you will see results? To be realistic, expect 1 to 6 months of intense SEO and marketing efforts before real significant results are going to be realized. Remember, this is a long term solution and needs to be thought of as an investment. Relax and be patient, the rewards of an effective SEO campaign and marketing strategy are too numerous to list!

SEO - A Strategic Investment - The actual algorithm that Google or Yahoo uses to determine page rank is known only to them and is a closely guarded proprietary secret. However, enough is known about the criteria that the search engines deem important to page rank, that effective SEO is possible assuming the correct strategy is followed. There really is no 'trick' or 'secret' that will land you on the first spot on Google overnight. Implementing a complete, comprehensive, SEO 'strategy' is the key to improving page rank and it takes time and some work. The days of being able to simply 'keyword stuff' or use hidden content to boost page ranking is over. Search engines are far more 'intelligent' today and effective SEO requires actual meaningful content pages, social networking, articles submissions, and a focused marketing effort.

Interactive marketing agency, Sharpe Partners, recently finished a study that revealed that 89% of adult Internet users in the United States share online content with other users via e-mail. Providing good news for businesses using "word-of-mouth" e-mailing marketing techniques to sell their product, the study also focused on the kinds of content that are most often forwarded.

Though news, healthcare and medical information, religious and spiritual material, games, business and personal finance information and sports and hobbies are all popular forms of content often forwarded, humorous content remained at the top of the list, making it ideal for viral e-mail campaigns.

Among some of the funny things that can be attached to an email are cartoons, jokes and video clips, all of which are passed on from person to person because they make people laugh. Internet users are much more likely to forward a message along to a friend, family member or co-worker if the e-mail is an "advertainment" rather than an "advertisement."

An example of this is an e-mail that contained a photo taken in Disneyland that was received by about 35 million people. Featuring Donald Duck lying in front of the famous Cinderella Castle, the e-mail contained the text "Bird Flu has hit Disneyland" and was part of a viral e-mail advertising campaign used by Disneyland to make light of something that is often seen as serious.

Because the e-mail reached so many people and focused on a newsworthy piece of information that attracts a lot of attention, the campaign was successful. And while the bird flu may not be a jovial topic often associated with Disneyland, people find the content of the e-mail funny and are therefore more likely to forward it along.