Social media optimization or SMO is yet another method for search engine optimization of your site. As the name implies, you optimize your site by advertising it through the social media sites, online communities and community websites such as blog sites, message boards, podcasts, wikis and vlogs.

The methods for social media optimization involve the use of RSS feeds, social bookmarking, video and photo sharing, social news buttons and blogging etc. The basic idea is to drive traffic to your site without spending money on search engine advertising.

The concept of social media optimization was introduced by Rohit Bhargawa of Ogilivy Public Relations. Originally, he enunciated five rules for social media optimization, but the list was expanded by other contributors.

According to Rohit Bhargawa, “The concept behind SMO is simple: implement changes to optimize a site so that it is more easily linked to, more highly visible in social media searches on custom search engines (such as Technorati), and more frequently included in relevant posts on blogs, podcasts and vlogs.”

In actual practice, social media optimization seeks to create links to the site by making it more visible through the social networking sites like Squidoo, Blogger, Hubpages, Face Book, Twitter, Digg, Delicious, My Space or search engines like Technorati.

How does one go about social media optimization?

Getting links for your website

The number of links your site manages to pull through decides its popularity with the search engines. It is like deciding the popularity of the leader through the votes he gets. In case of a website its popularity index is the number of links it gets from other websites.

Tagging and bookmarking

Tagging and bookmarking can be made easier by inducting content features such as buttons like “add to delicious” and other bookmarking sites. In addition to this, you can also include relevant tags to your pages besides the home page for the popular social bookmarking sites.

Create inbound links

Inbound links are considered important for the popularity of the site and its content in searching engine ranking. You should create links to the blogs or sites that contain back links to your site and increase its visibility.

Make your content travel

Make some changes in your site to enable your content to travel far and wide in your niche area. This can be done by including portable content such as PDFs, video and audio files and submitting them to your list members as well as sites related to your niche. This will help you to create back links for your site.

Allow others to use your content

A glaring example of this practice is YouTube. You can download its videos to your sites to illustrate your content and make it more interesting. Another example is to use RSS feeds to syndicate your content so that others can use it for their benefit. This can help you to drive traffic to your website.

Pros and cons of social media optimization

As with other methods of driving traffic, social media optimization has become victim of spamming or link farming. While the noble idea behind social bookmarking is to include links to informative, useful and interesting sites, people bookmark – syndicate – their own sites in numerous bookmarking sites unmindful of the quality of their content which can be pirated, duplicate and cheap. It simply eats into the web space of the bookmarking site and creates a kind of content garbage making it difficult to sift grains from the chaff.

What comes to your mind when you think of SEO; Is it link building, Meta tagging, keywords discovery, higher traffic & conversions, social bookmarking, making money online, social media, article submissions, Twitter, reputation management, web directory submissions, Google, optimization of pages, blogging …

While the SEO process includes all the elements mentioned above, what’s missing in this puzzle is how they all come together as a “focused strategy” to ensure the success of your online business.

Now there are many paths to SEO success, and all may work and show results (some temporarily), so how does one decide what’s the “right strategy” for their business?

The Right SEO Strategy for Your Business:

- Does your SEO strategy make common sense?

- Is it consistent?

- Is it immediate? Syndicate and Promote your Content

- Is it delivering “constant value” for the users?

- Can your SEO strategy be sustained over the lifetime of your business?

- Does it reflect the values and ethics of your organization?

Winning keyword strategy

Identify winning keywords which users are using to reach your website. Check traffic potential and competition of those keywords. Finalize on 10 to 15 primary keywords with maximum traffic potential Finalize on 12 to 15 secondary keywords each Month and write articles to target those keywords as well as support the primary keywords pages on the website. These are long tail versions of the keywords. Start with targeting city centric keywords (seo expert mumbai), and after some success, move to the country centric keywords (seo expert india), and finally global keywords (seo expert).

On page optimization strategy

Focus your pages i.e. page name, title, description, other relevant Meta tags, and the body content around a specific keyword. What this means is that you create ONE PAGE of content themed AROUND one KEYWORD you want to target, and include the keyword in your page name, title, description, and other relevant Meta tags on that page. Identify current site structure, and keyword mapping possibilities. Optimize each page of the website. Create better titles, description and tweak other relevant Meta tags for the existing pages. Set up Google Local account/ Google maps. Set up Google Analytics/ Google Webmaster (if not already done so)

Content strategy

Write 3 to 4 innovative articles each week, for posting to the Blog/ Article section on the website. The articles are written around specific secondary keywords we want to target.

Blogging strategy

We will be adding 3 to 4 articles on the blog each WEEK Submitting blog to 10 relevant blog search engines and 15 blog directories Get 4 – 5 prominent bloggers to do a review on the website every 2 Months

 

Weekly strategy (this is the heart of the activity)

Natural Link Building, Social Media & Reputation Management

Be consistent in creating unique, compelling and resourceful content in the form of articles/ blog posts – 3 to 4 a WEEK. The articles will be provided by the client each week. The article topics will be focused around keywords we want to target. Be consistent in building internal links and external links on the article pages. Internal links will be used from within the content to point to (with combinations of anchor text) another page of related information or the primary keyword pages on the website, and external links point out of your domain to other useful sites and resources. In moderation both are useful in determining the PR (Page Rank) of that page. Be consistent in syndication of the articles to 10 relevant and popular article submissions sites each WEEK. (Build Author Reputation, Traffic, Natural Links) Be consistent in promotion of the same content links across 10 – 15 relevant and popular social bookmarking sites each WEEK. (enhance Social Reputation, Traffic, Natural Links) Be consistent in attracting 3 to 5 user thumbs up/ reviews for same content each WEEK. (Enhance Social Reputation, Traffic, Natural Links) Be consistent in submitting content links to Twitter & Stumble Upon each WEEK Be consistent in participating in 3 to 4 relevant blogs, by blog commenting and forum postings each WEEK. (Natural Links, Website reputation/Page Rank) Be consistent in ALL OF THE ABOVE each WEEK

BENEFITS: Enhance Social reputation, Web reputation (Page Rank) and Link reputation (Natural and Diverse links) by participating in relevant social, user and web communities. Increase Traffic. Higher Ranking for your Keywords.

Monthly seo strategy

Be consistent in submitting to 100 web directories each MONTH Be consistent in submitting to 100 social media sites each MONTH Be consistent in submitting 1 Press release to Top 5 PR sites each MONTH. Be consistent in monitoring site traffic, keywords performance and competition Be consistent in sending Report on link submissions (with PR) & traffic analysis report each MONTH Be consistent in “adding user value” for the users in way of innovative and entertaining content ideas, quizzes, tools, podcasts and videos. Be consistent in ALL OF THE ABOVE each MONTH

BENEFITS: Build quality links from diverse web, user and social communities.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES FROM YOUR SEO STRATEGY



Page #1 results for 70 % of the selected city centric keywords in 4 months Page #1 results for 70 % of the selected county centric keywords within 6 months Increase Traffic sources from Stumble Upon, Twitter, Article Sites, Social media sites Increase traffic from Search engines (Google & Yahoo primarily, MSN) Increase conversions to the website & increase ROI

 

 

Blogging is becoming one of the most popular ways to market a company, brand, personality or product on the Web. Why? Because search engines love content, and there is no better way to create and manage content on the Web than a blog. According to Technorati, there are over 60 million blogs on the Web, with over 100,000 being created every day. A lot of people have caught on to blogging, and there is plenty of room for more.

What is a Blog?

The word ‘blog’ is a slang compilation of two words; ‘web’ and ‘log’, or ‘weblog’. Initially established as a way to publish computer log files, the original pioneers of blogging began publishing more and more interesting content. Today, bloggers post news, commentary, and even real time descriptions of events using blog software.

Think of a blog as an ‘online journal’. ‘Posts’, as they are called, are short articles that are listed on your blog site in chronological order. Visiting a blog, you will notice that the most recent article is presented at the top, and earlier stories are listed below, or in an archive.

Blog software is available all over the Internet. Some of the more popular sources are Wordpress and Blogger. Our favorite is Wordpress because it is an ‘open source’ application that can be installed on your own server and customized.

A custom blog allows you to have more control over the look of the interface, and event to incorporate the blog into your existing site. This is of particular interest to companies who want to use blogging as a way to communicate with customers and keep fresh content at the forefront of their site; a great search engine strategy.

Blogging and SEO: Why is it such a Good Idea?

Search engines, such as Google and Yahoo, scour the Web looking for new content to index. In particular, they are looking for content that is ‘keyword rich’; content that is full of relevant keywords. When content is keyword rich, it provides relevance for the site and allows a search engine to properly categorize your blog site into a particular market.

Keywords can be anything from the name of your product, to the name of your company, or the type of services you offer. Refining keywords with geographic specificity is a popular way to climb to the top of a search page in your particular region, even though you may be competing with a lot of sites on a national level. (For instance; ‘lawn care’ gets over 5.5 million hits, while ‘utah lawn care’ gets a more reasonable 1.2 million. The more times you can use a keyword in each post, the better.)

Websites that regularly update keyword rich content are considered ‘alive and active’ by the leading search engines, and are given priority over sites that are considered ‘dormant’ or ’stagnant’. If your site has not changed in over 60 days, you are in danger of being considered ’stagnant’, and falling out of favor with the search engines.

Search engines gain popularity with users based on their ability to direct people to relevant sites that are alive and active with current content. How often do you want to visit a site that hasn’t changed in over a year? The search engines feel the same way, and are reluctant to refer a site that hasn’t been updated for a while.

Again; a blog is a great way to add content management to your existing site, and is a terrific way to get started on the Web with a basic web presence that can become a very effective marketing tool.

What Else Can a Blog Do?

Aside from writing content, you can do a lot of creative, and even productive things with a blog.

Blog systems provide the ability to upload files and attach them to your posts (articles). Having this ability means you can add your own graphics to each article, dressing them up with photos of people, places and products. You can also add full motion video, slide shows, and even link to You Tube or other streaming video hosting services.

Podcasting has become popular, and is a fun way to add audio to your articles. You can include music, sounds or interviews; virtually anything you can record can be added to your blog as an audio file.

One of the most common things to add to an article is a file such as a PDF or even a Word document. Linking files to your articles allows your readers to download those files, which can be anything from a photo, instructions, or a form to slides, video and audio.

There are also advanced marketing functions you can perform with a blog. By incorporating a subscription function, you can collect leads from your blog, and communicate with your audience via an automated email system. Each time you post a new article, your subscribers will automatically receive an email notification. Instant newsletter.

Getting Started

Blogging can be done in a number of ways; there are free options out there that allow you plenty of space to write all you can at no cost. If you are interested in creating a custom site, with your own graphics, extensions, and management options, you will want to establish a custom blog on your own domain.

If you already have a domain (such as www. yourname. com), it is best to establish your blog on a ’sub-domain’. Your Web guy will know how to do this. Name your sub-domain with a keyword for the best search engine optimization (such as widget. yourname. com).

If you are the technical type, or you have someone who takes care of your Web systems; take a look at wordpress. org and download a copy of their latest open source blog software. Once installed you are ready to go.

Want to increase your sales? 

I’m willing to bet the answer’s “yes.” 

After all, that’s what SEO (search engine optimization) and getting traffic is all about. But if your visitors aren’t buying once they arrive at your site, your hard work’s going down the tubes! 

Use these 6 SEO conversion secrets to convert your visitors into sales… 

    

SEO Secret #1: Create a compelling listing 

  

Your site’s description in the search results is your first chance to make a good impression with prospective buyers. So make sure it grabs your visitors by the eyeballs! 

Rewrite your title tag and meta description tag– the parts that show up in the search engine listings. Experiment with new ways of describing who you are and what you do. Repeat until you hit on the combination that persuades the most people to click through to your website. 

Just make sure your main keyword phrase appears first in both tags. 

SEO Secret #2: Create a powerful headline 

The average visitor to your site will spend just FOUR seconds deciding whether your site has what they’re looking for. 

A headline that intrigues, excites, or inspires will leave your visitors in no doubt… so they’ll stay long enough to see what else you have to offer. 

Start by stating the main benefit of what your page is offering. Will your customers learn money-saving tips, for example? Then frame your main benefit with a power statement like “How to…” or “Discover…” or “Uncover the Secret to…” 

(And don’t forget to include your main keyword in your headline and subheads!) 

SEO Secret #3: Create keyword-specific pages 

Create groups of related keywords for each page or section of your website (e.g., an article, blog post, or salescopy). 

When people land on a page that focuses on the keyword they searched for, they’re much more likely to stick around — and buy your products! 

Just include a lead-in or link somewhere to your main sales page. Sometimes just a keyword-rich link is enough, especially when you’ve impressed them with your content. 

SEO Secret #4: Use images and multimedia to your advantage 

The best images help your customers understand what your website is all about. The more directly they relate to your product and content, the more they’ll reassure your visitors they’ve come to the right place. 

Audio and video can also be great sales tools when used correctly… so long as your listeners are ready for them. Turn off the auto-start feature on video or audio you include on your site. 

If you can create an optimized page for each video or podcast, your conversions will be even better. 

SEO Secret #5: Include an internal search box 

Adding a search box is an easy way to help your visitors find what they’re looking for. (And according to MarketingSherpa’s Ecommerce Benchmark Guide, 43% of consumers use an internal search box if it’s there.) 

And a search box offers a prime SEO opportunity, too! Using tools like Google Analytics, you can find out the exact words your market is typing to search for things they expect to find on your site. 

Use these keywords to optimize other pages of your website, and to test using pay-per-click. 

SEO Secret #6: Encourage immediate sales 

A call to action is what’s going to get your customers to buy today. But is yours full of keywords that will reassure your visitors that their problem will be solved? 

There you go – six SEO secrets to help you turn your visitors into customers. Try them out and watch your sales soar!

Do Follow blogs are those that allow the readers to write their comments on them. As against them, there are No Follow blogs that prevent the placement of comments.

While some blog sites allow the readers to offer their comments irrespective of their quality, there are others such as Wordpress that do not allow that. This is done by appending HTML attributes called ‘Do Follow” or “No Follow” to the blogs according to their policies.

How to identify the “Do Follow” blogs?

If you want to make creative, informative and useful comments on a blog, there is a simple way to identify the “Do follow” blogs.

Just hit on the View button on the browser page of the blog post and click on the ‘source’ from the drop down menu. It will open up the source code of the blog post. Then you can use the Search or Find function to see if it has rel=’external’ term near any comment. If you find one, it is a Do Follow blog. If you find the term rel=’external nofollow’ or rel=’nofollow’, it means you cannot make any comments.

Advantages of Do Follow Blogs

There are several advantages of Do Follow blogs. When you write unique, informative and useful content in a blog, it tends to inspire admiration or disagreement in the readers who are usually impelled to express their opinions by commenting upon it.

They may make some references to other relevant content either in their own blogs or in the blogs of others by providing links for further reading. This is how it should be. This is one way to widen the area of knowledge or discussion on the subject of the blog.

Another advantage lies in the optimization of the blog from the search engine’s perspective. The comments create back links for the commentators’ blogs. This kind of inter-commenting builds up an interactive community of bloggers on a particular niche or subject and a network of connecting links that are helpful for all the participants.

Unfortunately this kind of commenting has degenerated into a kind of spamming for promoting the websites for search engine optimization. The readers of the blog, instead of making any creative and useful comments, just add some inane words followed by links to their own blogs. This may be called artificial link building.

Some webmasters have developed software that can find out the blogs of your niche. All you need to do is to fill up the search bar with the niche words or phrase and you get a list of blogs in your niche.  Some software even provide comment templates which can be filled up in the comment areas to get the back links for SEO purpose.

While the “No Follow” attribute prevents needless seoing of useless content or spamming, it also prevents the publication of genuine and creative comments. Some adventurous souls have found plugins to circumvent even Wordpress HTML commands for No Follow.

What is needed, therefore, is that instead of installing No Follow attributes, the blogger community should encourage its members to desist from spamming and contributing only   informative and useful content in their comments.

At the same time, the robots of the search engines, too, have become more sensitive to link harvesting and blacklist the sites whose webmasters resort to such unhealthy practice of link building.