There are a few easy things to implement which are good not only for SEO but for the customer or visitor experience as well.  Simple and worthwhile SEO tips:

Page Title - This is probably the most basic thing that every website should have to tell the visitor where they are located and what the page is about in a few words.  I see many sites not filling in the Page Title or having something very vague like “Home Page”.  For example, the home page can list the company or site name and have a few keywords in relation to what the page is about or what they sell.

Meta Description - This is not seen by your site visitors but is instead important for search engines to know what your site is about.  This is an area where you can elaborate on the page and go after any keywords you want to target. Try not to make it too long, I like to stay around 2-3 sentences.

Site Map - Create a text site map which links to every section or at least the main sections of your site.  This way the search engine spiders will have a sure-fire way to reach all areas of the site.  Also, if your visitors can’t find something they’re looking for, a site map will point them directly there.

Content - Content is extremely important as it is what search engine spiders read to determine what your site is about.  Strategically placing keywords within your content is a good way to get ranked.  Keep the content on the page focused on few topics in order to not confuse your visitors as well as to show the importance of the topic for the page.

In terms of SEO, this is just the tip of the iceberg, but it is definitely a good place to start.  Implementing these few tactics can help make at least your company name or website name visible in the search engines if not more.  From what I’m noticing with small businesses, even just having their site get indexed is a big deal.

Keep reading for more SEO tips for your website.

Earlier this week I had posted about Circuit City’s cross-selling tactics.  This week I was able to use my experience and my knowledge about marketing to help my friend snag a much better deal than she would have originally received.

My friend was on a hunt for a new digital camera.  She wanted to have it in a few days so she could use before her trip, so buying something in-store was the only option as express shipping prices wouldn’t have been reasonable.  After a little bit of research, Circuit City came out on top as having the lowest price.  As she was about to purchase her camera online, I just remembered the 10% off special you get in-store when you go and pick up your order that you placed online.  I asked if she was planning on buying a memory card too and she said yes.  Perfect!  I told her that she should purchase the memory card online for in-store pick up and then purchase the camera in-store for 10% off!  That was exactly what she did and was able to save an extra $20.

I think that even if someone didn’t work in the marketing field, they would still recognize on how to effectively utilize such a deal.  However, I still think that constantly focusing on marketing helps us identify these opportunities more often.

My thoughts were, well I don’t need anything else, and 10% off really isn’t that much.  Little did I know that I would fall for their cross-sale the second time around.

Last week, I purchased something else from Circuit City online and the same thing happened where the guy offered 10% off.  So this time I was like, okay I’ll go look around.  As I walked around, I really didn’t see anything that I needed or really really wanted.  I saw some stuff that I might want, but I didn’t think 10% off was that good of a deal.

But what do you know?  I walk out with a CD.  A CD that I would not have bought otherwise.

So, I guess cross selling does work!

I find it quite fascinating at how much research and details go into targeting customers.  It’s neat to follow the path customers take on a website.  Where they enter, what they clicked on, what they looked at, what they bought, it’s all very interesting.  Websites and companies probably know a lot more about the consumer than the consumer realizes.  They want to collect as much information as possible so that they can target them in a way where they are more likely to convert.

As a consumer, it’s not necessarily a bad thing that companies know so much about you.  They want to offer you great deals & specials on services and products that you’re interested in because you’re more likely to purchase.  Just make sure you do your research to make sure that the deal you’re being offered is actually a deal.

What do you find interesting about retail on the consumer end or retail on the back end?

A blog (aka web log) is now the “in” thing.  Everyone has a blog, including yourself, your teachers, your coworkers, news reporters, your kids, artists, doctors, businesses, even your grandma.  People blog for a variety of reasons.  Many people have personal blogs, they write about themselves, their day-to-day activities, their thoughts on things.  These people write for themselves, for their friends, and for their families as a way to keep everyone in the loop.  Others write to express their opinions or share their expertise on particular topics, whether it be cooking, traveling, politics, music, etc.  Some people write to stir up discussion, to get other people’s opinions on certain topics.  And lastly, businesses have begun to use blogs as a marketing medium.  They use blogs to communicate to their customers, to prospects, to the mass media.  They want to engage people, show them that they are human, market products/services, and create a relationship.

I think blogs are great and I think that everyone should have one and that every business should have one as well.  It’s a great way to connect with people you know and people you don’t know.  It’s an excellent way to create conversation about topics you care about.  As for businesses, I think it is very important that every business has a blog.  A study conducted by Burson-Marsteller found that only 15% of Fortune 500 companies have blogs to communicate with their audience.  Only 15%!  People like to put a face to companies.  People want to know that there is more than just a name.  The more connected a business can get with their customers, the better they will get to know them, which results in providing better products and services, and eventually leads to more sales and happy customers.

So, what are you waiting for?  Go connect with the world!

Yes, I must agree that SEO is not a quick and simple task.  It takes research, time, and patience.  However, it is a relatively cost-free way to promote your business as it will bring in revenue down the road.  It can bring in much traffic to your website and be very profitable.  Many companies opt for SEM (Search Engine Marketing) for their online marketing while placing SEO on the back burner.  While SEM can bring in revenue more quickly, it is also costly and can be risky.

My recommendation for all companies is to begin their SEO efforts as soon as possible, especially if they are just starting out with a new website (a new website is the best way to start with SEO since you can build the site architecture based on SEO best practices.)  If you are looking for revenue in the meantime, use SEM, but always be working on SEO at the same time as it will be much more beneficial in the long run.