Today, more and more website developers are realizing the importance of search engine optimization (SEO) in developing a website. They have realized that together with a great design, websites need high search engine rankings to attract increased premium targeted visitors from the search engines. As a result, search engine optimization has become a  required element in website design.

What Good is a Website if No One Can Find It?

A large majority of websites are not designed keeping search engine ranking factors in mind and they get short-changed in the search engines’ rankings. When constructing your site, make sure your site is using a search engine friendly design. Search engine friendly web design entails creating website elements such as graphics, layout, coding, interlinking of pages, site structure and content in a manner that search engines want that makes the site visible to the search engines.

The year 2007 rapidly approaches, and some stop to reflect on the past year, as other look ahead with anticipation. I think about where the world of marketing currently is.

Those that choose to invest in their budget in interactive marketing are no doubt reaping the benefits. I am currently planning my entire wedding from the comfort of my own home. Since I work in the world of SEM, SEO, PPC and such, I treat every site I visit as if it were one of my clients, and tend not to click on sponsored links as I browse.

One day, a friend of mine was assisting me in the search for my ceremony and reception location, and there among the sponsored links we found exactly what I was looking for. So we clicked. The web page before us was beautiful. After navigating the entire site I gave them a call and signed the contract that week. The fun doesn’t stop there, oh no!

I found my bridesmaid, flower girl, and mother of the bride dresses, flowers, cake, you name it, all with the help of my wedding planner, Mrs. Google. 

Small business owners can’t afford to miss the opportunity of online marketing. It levels a very competitive playing field, especially with 20 and 30-something customers who often shop online before they ever step into a store.

Not happy with a competitor outranking you on Google? We don’t recommend it, but you could always try what this guy did---

Blogger gets request to de-Google

So what’d he do? Straight away he sent a letter to the competitor requesting he delist himself. When that didn’t work, he threatened to sue. We’ll keep you posted on whether this new slant on gaining Google ranking works, although we kind of doubt it will. 

Ever heard of a botnet? Neither had I until recently.

They are, unfortunately, the latest device in the burgeoning criminal click fraud industry. Although they are being used in other types of fraud, they are becoming an increasing threat to users of Pay Per Click (PPC).

Ryan Sherstobitoff, of Panda Software refers to them as a “silent epidemic.”  His company recently dismantled a botnet that had infected over 50,000 computers with a virus known as Clickbot.A Trojan. In describing what the botnet did, Sherstobitoff  said, “Imagine if each of those 50,000 computers made the botnet controller one dollar each day the system operated. If it takes us a few weeks to shut him down, the operator makes millions.”

That’s part of what is so sinister about botnets. Some of the programs are designed to be virtually undetectable by only entering one fraudulent click a day. A single click a day doesn’t amount to much, until you multiple that click over a network that is clicking on over 50,000 ads a day.

The botnets being used in click fraud register themselves as browser help objects and activate whenever Internet Explorer is run on the computer. The botnets then register fraudulent clicks at pay per click ads.

For more on the specifics of the Clickbot.A Trojan botnet, you can read Panda Software’s press release.

To help prevent your computer from being infected and used by a botnet, it’s recommended you keep your anti-virus products updated. And if you suspect that you might be a click fraud victim, it’s recommended that you use a click fraud detection program, like Zunch Worldwide’s Click Fraud Detective, which identifies fraudulent clicks so that users can recover funds lost as a result of fraudulent clicks.

If you have a paid ad running on Google, or if you’re thinking about running one in the future, then  LISTEN UP!  

Recently there was an article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “Scheduling Online Ads” by Kelly Spors. It was an important article for anyone who has steered clear of Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising because of a fear that their money will be wasted by bored web surfers or fraudulent clicks instead of serious consumers.

 So Google came up with a great solution to help advertisers protect their money and keep away those pesky “Midnight Marauders”.

 Adwords now lets you schedule the display of your ads using "Ad Scheduling."

 Researchers found that there are proven times during the day when consumers are looking to BUY, and other times, such as the middle of the night, when they’re more likely to surf, click, and leave.

 Most online shopping happens on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and then in the late afternoon between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Knowing this information could help you optimize your conversion rates and stop needless spending.

 What I like most about the ad scheduling feature is that the interface is simple and extremely user friendly,  unlike SearchIgnite, a program that can confuse advertisers into turning their ads OFF when they should be ON.

 I applaud Google for implementing a much needed feature! I can only hope that Overture and MSN follow suit and create their own ad scheduling programs too.

The Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization's (SEMPO) annual search market survey is in full swing and you can participate.

Simply visit SEMPO's survey page and click to complete the survey.

Early findings indicate that organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) remains the most popular form of Search Engine Marketing (SEM), although paid placement is a close second.

Click on the survey now and share your opinion before it closes.

So you're fighting to get a high ranking in the search engines and convert visitors into customers. No easy task, particularly as your competitors probably have the same goals in mind.

Want to know what will make or break you, particularly as to converting visitors to customers?

Your content.

Great content builds your brand. It makes the sale. And it closes the deal. 

Yet way too many sites give little thought to content. I'm still amazed at how many companies simply upload their brochure onto their site and think that's sufficient. Or worse, fill up their pages with Flash or static images, doing nothing to sell a visitor on doing business with them.

Why is the Web Full of "Filler?"

At best, I'd guess that maybe (and this is a big "maybe") 20% of the sites on the web selling products or services have content designed to make sales and create customers. I'm probably being generous at the 20% figure. Gerry McGovern, a UK-based consultant widely regarded as a leading expert on the subject of web content, believes that less than 10% of content on the web is effective.

That means that somewhere between 80-90% of commercial websites are failing to do their job.

All because someone doesn't want to spend the time necessary to create enticing content. All because far too many businesses forget that their website is, in fact, a "Sales Person."

So they load it up with whatever "filler" they deem appropriate and then wonder why they aren't getting more sales from their website.

The Difference That Your Choice of Words Can Make

There's an old story of how investment bankers were looking for investors in what were then referred to as "third world economies." Most investors had little interest. But then someone got the bright idea to start calling them "emerging economies" and suddenly the money came flowing in.

Similarly, Fortune used to offer a supplement called "Better Plans for Retirement," but found little demand for it. Someone got the bright idea to change the title to "Retire Rich," and, BLAM!, suddenly the supplement became an in-demand, best seller.

All that happened because someone took the time to choose the right words. 

Finding the right words for your page title, your headlines, for all your content, is the essence of website success.  Do a search for keywords in your industry and look at the results on the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS). I'll guarantee you that the top choices have well-written, content rich pages that both provide information and sell the visitor on doing business with them.

Those sites will also be properly structured to be search engine friendly. That means that they use headlines and sub-headlines, short paragraphs and bullet points, among other things, to create a site that is informative, easy to read and entices the visitor to keep reading.

Think about this. Early in it's development, the Internet was often called the "Information Superhighway."

Why?

Because most people were (and still are) going there for information. Information that's delivered in the form of content.

If the information, the content, you provide is insufficient, your site has failed.

If the information you provide is sufficient, if it answers your prospects questions and meets their needs, your site is a success and you're on your way to earning new customers.

Take a look at your website today and try to judge it as objectively as possible. Ask yourself, "Is it doing the job it is supposed to?"

If the answer is no, then rethink your content. It might be a good idea to hire a copywriter who is knowledgeable regarding creating SEO and customer friendly content.

Here at Zunch Worldwide we offer copywriting as one of our services. If you'd like to learn what we can do for you, call or e-mail us today.

But whether you do it yourself, hire us or hire a copywriter, don't accept anything less than effective, persuasive copy-- the essence of website success.