Hello, Branding Blog readers.

Boy, do we have something special for you today! We’re giving away a $100 Shopbop.com instant gift card to one lucky commenter who tells us what their favorite pair of Frye boots from Shopbop.com is and why. Most insightful comment wins!

What’s the big fuss over Frye boots?

The Frye Company, which has been making boots since 1863, is the longest-running shoe company in the United States.

Back during the Civil War, Frye boots were actually worn by Union and Confederate soldiers, and the tradition has continued all the way up to WWII, with everyone from Teddy Roosevelt to General Patton snagging a pair. Although you probably won’t see any soldiers wearing them nowadays, you’ll definitely see lots of celebrities doing so. Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston are both fans.

Over the years, the company has gained a cult following for its quality and versatility. Some styles, like the Harness or Engineer Boot (originally created to protect bikers from the heat of exhaust pipes), are just as likely to be seen coupled with a motorcycle as a long bohemian skirt. Others, like the Campus Boot, are considered cultural icons from the ’60s and ’70s. (Seriously! There’s even a pair in the Smithsonian.) Throughout the years, they have been paired with everything from rocker jeans to sexy minis.

But, what really matters is what you’d do with them, because if you win this giveaway, you’ll get a $100 Shopbop.com instant gift card so you can start shopping right away for your new wardrobe staple. Just tell us which pair of Frye boots is your favorite and how you’d wear them. The most inspirational, insightful comment wins!

To Celebrate this achievement, as well as to promote it, we are offering the next 1 00 people that share the article on their Facebook profile a $5 Amazon gift card that you can use to buy your favorite songs to play on your Ipod or preferred mobile device!

Just go to:
http://blogs.forbes.com/marketshare/2010/07/05/steve-madden-mobile-commerce-footwear-social-media/

and then click on the Facebook Share icon.

After you’ve shared it, we will search for you on Facebook and message you directly to arrange the delivery of your Amazon gift card.

It’s as simple as that!

• Make new friends
• Stalk the friends we already have
• Learn about complete strangers’ opinions about anything we desire whether it be the new Star Trek movie or a pair of jeans

“Learn strangers’ opinions on everything from jeans to Star Trek…”


As the world becomes smaller with the advent of social phenomena such as MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter, a 15-year-old high-schooler can be connected with the CEO of a major company with just a click of the mouse.

Such easy access to clientele has never existed before, so it is natural that the business world feels the need to take advantage. By identifying these new cyber technologies as “social media”, individuals and businesses are able to use them to follow potential clients, market their products and see the opinions of customers first hand.

This article covers:

• What is social media anyway?
• The Losers in the Social Media Game
• The Winners of the Social Media Jackpot
• The Future

What is social media anyway?

The term social media denotes the shift in how people are able to research, read, and share information.

It can be described as the unification of sociology and technology that takes place when people interact with each other in order to discuss a plethora of topics that can range from current events to the latest product on chickdowntown.com. In other words, social medias such as Twitter and Facebook allow people to connect on the web to share info and create personal and professional relationships.

In all, we can see social media as the “democratization” of information in which the normal internet reader becomes a publisher, able to share thoughts and opinions freely on the web.

The Losers in the Social Media Game

The exponential increase in the use of social media in everyday life has allowed some companies to be negatively affected by being ousted for their inferiority.

One quote that describes the nature of social media perfectly is “What happens in Vegas stays on YouTube”; just as people can’t do anything stupid without it being posted for millions to watch on YouTube.com, companies cannot hide their incapabilities behind huge marketing budgets any longer.

If a consumer has a problem with a product or service, it will take 30 seconds for them to make their opinions available to the world. If companies and CEOs don’t realize the impact that a Tweet can have on the sale of their product, they can be hit by the social media train and not even realize it.

“What happens in Vegas stays on YouTube… YIKES!”

The Winners of the Social Media Jackpot

Even though there are many losers, there are many who benefit immensely from the use of social media. Since this type of media is run by the people rather than the PR managers of huge conglomerates, it is inevitable that the truth will come out eventually.

As a result, while the true colors of the companies who are ripping us off are shown, the good companies with the good products are able to receive negative feedback through Facebook statuses and comments and Twitter tweets and work constructively to improve themselves.

Since millions of people log onto YouTube, check their Facebook accounts and Twitter each day, these companies are able to receive this feedback in great numbers at lightning speed and without using a middleman to do the research for them.

The individual consumer is a winner as well due to the infinite amount of information readily available at his or her fingertips. Because the entire web is connected, one person is able to complete a task for millions of people and redundancy is virtually eliminated as a person can learn almost anything right from their home computer. For instance, a few people can attend the new Italian restaurant in Pittsburgh and provide a review for millions of online users.

There is no doubt this will create incredible laziness in the consumer, but it will definitely get rid of the feeling that we all feel after leaving a restaurant with horrible service or a vacation spot that looked nothing like the pictures we saw online.

“Some businesses are hitting the jackpot with social media.”

The Future

We have already seen the magic that can be created by social media through Barack Obama’s victory in the 2008 election. By using social forums such as Facebook to keep his image in the mind of every user, we were being fed his campaign every time we logged on without even realizing it. Then when you add hundreds of Obama “bumper stickers,” statuses showing the opinions of millions of users, and even Obama “gifts” that users sent to their friends, you have one victorious election.

Despite the promise that social media has already shown as a way to successfully market a product, or even a person, the future will most likely hold even more successes and power for the social media world. People are now are using these social media outlets as a more reliable resource than top search engines such as Google.

It seems that many would rather search for the opinions of their cyber peers on Twitter than read an article on Google; so, it is inevitable that powerhouse companies like Google would attempt to partner with Facebook and Twitter in order to maintain their monopoly on the cyber search world.

The merging of companies, addition of thousands of new users to these forums each day and continuation of the easy, accessible nature of social media will no doubt create an even larger, more connected web world for us all to obsessively enjoy in the future.

Danielle Naretto Want content written for your Brand that shows up #1 on Search Engines and brings you new customers? Contact us.

• Strategic placement
• Bigger isn’t always better
• Keeping it spicy
• Can you hear me now?

The video needs to not only be viewable as soon as the consumer enters, but it must be boldly advertised on the site in ways such as “Click here for some quick information about Product X” or simply by having the video start playing as soon as the site is loaded.

The first few seconds a consumer peruses a site is when the marketer has to get their attention. If not, all the effort put into the video will be wasted because consumers do not desire to search for information on something you are trying to sell them.

“You must get a consumer’s attention in the first few seconds!”



Time is crucial in this type of marketing.

• What others are saying in ten minutes, try and say it in two minutes.

Once you have the person’s attention, and they are viewing the video, you need to keep their attention within the first few seconds.

Remember, that the average attention span of a viewer is a few seconds; so, if you if you lose them in the first two seconds, they are going to exit out of the video faster than it took them to find it.

Just like the opening lines of a news article should grab one’s attention, the opening of a marketing video should be smart and attention grabbing.

This is where the importance of your visual scheme comes into play.

Weave the following together in such a way that the video truly grabs the attention of the consumer:

• Color scheme
• Background
• Graphics
• Fonts
• Corporate identity
• Product you are marketing

By incorporating these effectively, your video should maintain the viewer interest for the next minute and forty five seconds.

The human eye and mind are appeased by continuity and symmetry so this aspect is important. If there is a lack of this, it will make the company appear unprofessional and unreliable.

“The human eye and mind are appeased by continuity and symmetry…”

The voices used should create a certain amount of rhythm to go along with scheme of the ad. Depending on the audience that is being targeted, the choice of music could add another element to the marketing.

Slogans and buzzwords, while a more traditional method of marketing, can add another opportunity for remembering the product long after the video is over. It is good to have some sort of slogan that can be viewed in the video, so even if the video is muted, the consumer still has something that could be committed to memory long after these two minutes are over.

Buzz words and catch phrases are something that you have to be careful with. If they are not over used or overly cheesy, they can be strategically weaved into the short symmetry of product information and visual and audio schemes to leave somewhat of a lasting impression with the consumer.

Using these strategies will help you create a successful viral marketing campaign and reach your audience in a short amount of time.

Regina Lawrence Want content written for your Brand that shows up #1 on Search Engines and brings you new customers? Contact us.

Twitter Quitters

When it comes to Twitter, businesses should remember this – with Social Media, newer doesn’t always mean better.

Nielsen ratings have shown that 60% of Twitter users quit within the first month. It’s perplexing, then that CNN, NBC, and pretty much any TV show you turn on today promotes Twitter as the new craze. All the news shows and talk show hosts have their own accounts (run by their interns, no doubt). Even the funniest people find it difficult to say something interesting in 140 characters or less, and Twitter can easily morph into blogging (or “microblogging”) at its worst.

“It seems that, lately, every TV show promotes Twitter…”

So Who is Tweeting?

I once asked a high schooler if she “Tweets,” and her response was, “(sigh/roll of the eyes) … only old people do that.” Sure, this is merely anecdotal. Sure, by “old” she probably meant middle-aged. But the point still stands – even those who are totally saturated by media don’t personally know anyone who uses Twitter.

Some research shows that young people use Twitter slightly more than old – HarrisInteractive reports that 8% of 18-34-year-olds use Twitter and 7% of those ages 35-44 use it. Not surprisingly, 4% of those ages 45-54 and only 1% of those ages 55+ use Twitter. If you’re your audience is people between the ages of 18 and 44 – and for so many, it is – knowing that only about 7.5% use it is no small thing. Although Twitter might one day morph into great Social Media to advertise with, today might not be that day.

As Search Engine Watch’s Liana Evans suggested, it’s easy to see what the “kids” like, just by looking at the most used parts of Facebook.com. When most people go on Facebook, they’re looking for more than what friends are “up to” – they look for pictures of things they’ve done, events friends are attending and articles and links their friends have posted. Social Media like Facebook is (more reliably) where the marketing opportunities lie. Twitter’s limited characters makes it difficult to get your message across, and it takes much more work to reach your audience. On Facebook and other similar sites, the sky seems to be the limit – Facebook, for example, is a one-stop-shop, allowing users to send messages, post pictures, instant message and blog.

It’s a little troublesome that Facebook keeps looking more and more like Twitter, but what’s more confusing is why Facebook would want to follow the Twitter model. Maybe Facebook is trying to stay on top of trends, but is this the right one to follow? So far, research has shown otherwise.

Twitter’s Sustainability

It seems like Twitter has done a good job of creating buzz about their product and making people aware of it. Twitter does have a unique quality, and those who Tweet say that once you get the hang of it, it’s extremely addictive. Others say that Twitter isn’t just a communication tool – it’s a performance that requires a unique approach. Perhaps this is why Twitter doesn’t retain many of it’s its users, and they just need more time. Twitter retention rates have slightly increased over the a longer period of time, and it’s certainly possible that this will continue. At the same time, they need to keep people interested from the start and give businesses a good reason – besides “this is the new thing” – to jump in with them.

Twitter needs a profitable and sustainable business model to survive and stand out among media saturation. If Wolf Blitzer stops talking about his Twitter account on CNN, will Twitter simply fade away? Obviously, it’s too soon to tell. Twitter does have some advantages over Facebook – It’s it could be more scalable (so it has a cost advantage), the advertising potential is great and it’s a much faster communication tool. However, none of this matters if people don’t use it.

“They’re great at creating buzz, but can they keep your attention?”

Newer isn’t always better

With Twitter’s limited function, it’s difficult to believe that it can grow without becoming more like MySpace and Facebook. New applications are being developed for Twitter, and many Twitter fans would say comparing Facebook and Twitter is like comparing apples to oranges. Although Twitter isn’t exactly like MySpace and Facebook, they are similar enough to warrant a comparison. For businesses, these comparisons should matter. Facebook and MySpace didn’t seem to have much of a problem with growing interest in their first few months like Twitter has. According to Nielsen: “We found that even when Facebook and MySpace were emerging networks like Twitter is now, their retention rates were twice as high. When they went through their explosive growth phases, that retention only went up, and both sit at nearly 70 percent today.”

It seems like Twitter might just be a passing fad. If they want to stay up-to-date with their followers, John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Ashton Kutcher, and Britney Spears may have to hand over their new-aged Twitter accounts and replace them with a more amped up and versatile “older” medium … perhaps something like … Facebook.com? When it comes to Social Media, companies should be reasonably cautious, even when it is a potentially cutting-edge idea.

Cristina Laipple Want content written for your Brand that shows up #1 on Search Engines and brings you new customers? Contact us.

So, now the question is, “What the heck does ‘outside the box’ entail?” …besides being a kid’s TV show? Basically, thinking outside the box when it comes to marketing your brand or product can be anything that will be seen by a lot of people and get their attention more than a traditional commercial or print ad would.

“‘Thinking outside the box’ is more than just a TV show!”

Think Inside the Blimp

The most obvious example of thinking outside the box when it comes to building brand awareness is the Goodyear Blimp at sports games. That thing is everywhere. It has nothing to do with the sporting event, it’s just a friggin’ blimp in the sky, floating around above the game. And it works.

It’s the Goodyear Blimp. Not – the blimp. The Goodyear Blimp. That’s building brand awareness.

It’s reaches its audience because it:

• Is simple
• Is creative
• Uses non-traditional thinking to reach an audience

Not to mention, the amount of people at the stadium regularly looking for the blimp, and the amount of times the TV cameras at the game give a shot of the blimp to all the viewers at home. It reaches an audience more so than a traditional ad would.

“It’s more than just a blimp—it’s the GOODYEAR blimp.”

Ask “Will It Blend?”

Another way to think outside the box is by creating a viral video. Blendtec’s videos on YouTube are awesome. They show a blender blending stuff. They aren’t going the traditional route though – they’re not blending fruit and vegetables and other food items. They’re blending crap like sneakers, credit cards, nails, crowbars…anything they can get their hands on. And that works. Those YouTube videos are being viewed by millions of people. Once again, it’s outside the box. Granted, it may seem like a traditional ad, but then again you don’t see the Juice Man trying to juice a cell phone.

“Think outside the box by creating a wacky viral video.”

Place Products

Product placement is a perfect way to raise brand awareness. Seriously, if Batman would’ve used a Bowflex to get into shape to defeat The Joker in “The Dark Knight”, I’m fairly sure I would’ve bought a Bowflex – because I want to be Batman…but that’s a whole other article completely.

Either way, product placement can get your product noticed by millions of people across the nation in a sometimes not-too-subtle way. But it works. Back in the day, everyone wanted Rayban sunglasses because Will Smith wore them in “Men in Black”. You didn’t care about Reese’s Pieces till E.T. ate them. And what about the TV show “Knight Rider” being one giant product placement for the Pontiac Trans Am? Same goes for the movie “The Wizard” being entirely about Nintendo. (Ohhh! That sound right there is your mind being BLOWN.)

The key to building brand awareness is to think outside the box. Make your audience see something unexpected from your brand. That kind of recognition really stands out to consumers and will in turn raise your brand awareness.

Chris Levkulich Want content written for your Brand that shows up #1 on Search Engines and brings you new customers? Contact us.

I think people tend to exaggerate Google’s significance in both directions. Some say Google is God. Others say Google is Satan. But if they think Google is too powerful, remember that with search engines, unlike other companies, all it takes is a single click to go to another search engine. People come to Google because they choose to. We don’t trick them.
-Sergery Brin, co-creator of Google

So, Google may not be God or Satan, but do you dare to click to end your relationship? Maybe – if you can stay “just friends” – because there’s a reason we “choose” Google, and you’ll soon find out why.

“So, Google may not be God or Satan…”


This article, about the history of PageRank, is the first of a 30-article series that will take you on a journey toward a better understanding of search engine optimization.

Why we all should take school projects more seriously

You may not have thought your school project could turn into a business, but neither did Joey Rahimi, Larry Page and Sergery Brin – at first. Page and Brin developed Google PageRank as part of a research project, called The Anatomy of a Large-scale Hypertextual Web Search Engine, that started in 1995 at Stanford University. According to Darren Slatten’s The Professional’s Guide to PageRank Optimization, Page and Brin wanted to create a search engine that beat the existing ones that relied heavily on text analysis to calculate relevance.

What is text analysis? Simplified, it’s artificial intelligence (AI) performing linguistics. Traditionally, search engines use a method that looks for syntactic patterns. What’s problematic about this is that words can have more than one meaning or be used figuratively instead of literally; plus, we aren’t completely sure how humans even process word knowledge to communicate and understand language – so how can we tell AI to do it? There are possible solutions that researchers are exploring to help AI understand the lingo used in blogs, websites and more.

Basically, they crawled the web in an attempt to provide more relevant results than other search engines, creating a search engine called BackRub. As they saw it, the algorithm they worked on creating would return higher-quality search results by calculating relevance and importance – that’s where PageRank technology came in.

“Page and Brin crawled the web to find more relevant results.”


The name PageRank “cleverly” derives from its inventor, Larry Page, while it conveniently also makes sense – it’s a ranking Google gives to the page. (What good branding.)

Soon, they outgrew Stanford’s computing infrastructure and rented a garage. In 1998, they founded Google while working on their Ph.D.s in Computer Science – neither ever finished their Ph.D.s because of Google’s success (can you blame them?).

Up next…

The next article in the How to SEO – an SEO Tutorial series will explain what exactly PageRank is and what role it serves. As we’ve seen in its history, text analysis alone is not enough in ensuring an article is relevant; it is missing the human factor – the ability to interpret subtly in language.

Unlike AI, we humans understand the figurative language used in the phrase “spiders crawl the Web.” Human input is essential in understanding language – that’s where we’ll see, PageRank comes into play.

Kara Arnold Like Page and Brin, Kara didn’t get her Ph.D. either – she’ll be added to the Forbes Billionaires list in no time! Want content written for your Brand that shows up #1 on Search Engines and brings you new customers? Contact us for some Pittsburgh SEO.

Let’s take a look at some ways:

• Brand Building
• Direct Communication
• Search Engine Optimization
• Low Cost
• Efficiency
• It’s Fun

Brand Building

Blogging can help build your brand, which in the competitive world of business, can be very important. A strong brand image will make your company stand out, and blogging can improve the image of your products or company.

Brand perception is how the world sees your business, and through blogging, your company can represent itself and show the world what it’s really about.

By blogging, you can create a personality for your business, and through this, create relationships.

Direct Communication

Through blogging, the writer can express ideas and feelings about the company that may not be shown anywhere else.

A blog also allows users to make comments about anything they choose. The blog comments are direct responses from people that marketers can use to fix existing problems and to try new features in the future.

The direct communication that blogs create can also be useful when doing promotions. A promotional giveaway is a good way to attract people to a certain blog and to gain insight along with new customers.

“Direct communication is achieved through blogging.”

Search Engine Optimization

When using internet marketing, the goal is to be the first on the list of search engine result pages.

Blogs can help with this, because when a blog is used, it moves up the list of the searched item. Also, the more frequently a blog is updated, the more traffic it will get, further resulting in a higher ranking on a results page.

Low Cost

Blogging may be one of the most helpful and least expensive marketing tools. Why?

Blogs can reach millions of people, and those people could be potential customers! Blogging is a way of getting the word “out there” by not even leaving your desk.

Blogs are usually free or very inexpensive, and with all the internet marketing occurring, this is just one more way to build your company’s credentials.

Efficiency

Blogs are an amazing tool, but the best part about them is that they are easy to use. There are hundreds of sites that can help you set up a blog if you are a first timer, and many of the details are self explanatory. In addition, if the blog is easy for you to use, the blog will be easy for the customers to use as well.

Any time you have time to type, you have time to blog. And updating frequently is important, because the more you post, the more often Google sends spiders crawling to your site.

“Don’t worry if you have arachnophobia—these spiders are good!”

It’s Fun

Blogging can create a new way to interact with customers and promote the company or products.

By developing new ways to market, the marketing team will be more dedicated and not tired of the same old routines. Instead, a new task can eliminate boredom and promote enthusiasm, as well as simply hold their attention better.

Just like the “efficiency” aspect of blogging, the “fun” of blogging can also be a benefit for the users of the blog. People like to have a voice, and by being able to give their opinions, the users will enjoy the blog and hopefully continue to visit it.

So, why blog? As discussed earlier, there are numerous benefits to using a blog. If your company uses a blog, not only are they keeping up with the times, they are also creating a strong image for themselves. Most importantly, they are creating and continuing relationships with customers, and as we all know, a successful business is just that, because they have a strong, loyal customer base.

Therefore, why not blog?

By Ashley Hazlett

Johnny Bunko De-bunks Online Advertising

Johnny Bunko is a simple example. The product is a bit off-kilter to begin with (a manga career guide aimed at American office workers?), but it’s the advertising that really stands out. Rather than the usual bookstore press junket, a film-style animated trailer was created for “The Adventures of Johnny Bunko” and posted on the book’s website. The video was also sent to popular video sharing websites such as Youtube and Vimeo. The response was impressive. The book received praise from Time, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and the popular blog BoingBoing. The book even appeared on Business Week’s bestseller list.

So what’s the big deal? Video advertisements are nothing new. But think of how many TV ads you have seen for books in the last year. Try the last ten years. You probably can’t come up with one. So when the trailer went up online, the sheer novelty of it drew widespread attention. Then the Web did what it does best – let users spread the word themselves – and Johnny Bunko’s creators found themselves with an abundance of free advertising.

“Instead of the typical press junket, try a film trailer to promote a book.”

Second Life Offers New Possibilities in Real Life

A stranger and more controversial form of advertising arose from the online game Second Life. In Second Life, players interact in a virtual world that mimics the real one, only with more freedom and…commodified genitals, apparently. But before you run screaming from the room, consider the advertising possibilities.

Second Life has a functioning economy and any player has the ability to create anything they want out of thin air. This gives savvy advertisers the potential to introduce real-life products into Second Life – something that companies like Reebok and American Apparel are already taking advantage of.

But like the article linked to earlier pointed out, Second Life is rarely used optimally by companies looking to build an online presence. A blog post by an avid Second Life player a few years back pointed out some of the ways that advertisers are missing the point. Not all companies will find it worth the time to learn the ins and outs of advertising in a virtual world, but if they do there is the potential to engage a nearly untouched market.


“Second Life lets advertisers introduce real-life products.”

Don’t Forget About Twitter – Who Could?

Of course, no article on shiny new Web trends would be complete without mentioning Twitter. Branding Brand’s own Lindsay Liu has already covered advertising on Twitter in-depth. However, there are a few more links that might be useful to anyone experimenting with Twitter as an advertising model. A reporter from the Inquisitr tried a small-scale test of Twitter’s advertising efficacy, with disappointing results. A blogger on Old Media New Tricks posted “The 5 rules of advertising on Twitter” to hopefully improve future efforts.

With so few companies taking full advantage of the Web’s unique capabilities, it’s hard to say what the future of Web advertising will look like; but it’s safe to say that it will have more to do with interaction and less to do with annoying pop-ups and retina-burning banners.

“It’s hard to say how successful Twitter advertising will be…”

Bryan Lawver Bryan will be having Second Life-inspired nightmares for the next few weeks. Want content written for your Brand that shows up #1 on Search Engines and brings you new customers? Contact us.

• Choose the right keywords for targeted readers
• Put keywords in your headlines/title
• Analyze competitors
• Write in the inverted pyramid style
• Stay specific
• Remember good content is key

Keywords Filter Down the Blogoverse

Like a sifter filters out the clumps of flour, keywords filter down the search results. Whether you’re blogging for pleasure or profit, you want your audience to find you; without them, you’re just shouting into space with little chance to be heard. And, especially for bloggers blogging for profit:

Whether you have a specific topic in mind, or just a general concept, choosing the right keywords is just as important as filling your blog with interesting content. You spend a lot of time writing, you want your readers to spend a lot of time on your site, not just glance at it for a few seconds because they went to the wrong place.

By targeting your keywords effectively, you’ll attract interested readers instead of those who chanced upon your site by mistake. While a “happy accident” may get you some readers, good keywords get you targeted readers.

“Keywords filter down the search results like flour through a sifter.”

Key Titles

Search engines value keywords in titles highly. The more specific your keyword title, the greater the chance that your site falls into the lap of your audience. Whatever you’re writing about, say it!

Don’t put a cutesy name on it, because cutesy names generally don’t get searched for. Searchers generally have something specific in mind when they pull up Google. Whether it is a generic or very specific topic, having a matching keyword in your title lets the reader find you.

While it might be tempting to name your article on dog obedience “Teaching Bennie His Manners,” chances are your targeted audience won’t find your article – they don’t know who Bennie is, and what manners you’re trying to teach him!

Instead, perhaps call your article “Training Your Puppy: Sit! Stay! Shake!” – much more specific, and it lets the reader in on what your article is about before they click. Keep your title specific, yet simple. Don’t create new words. Use the boring old ones.

Competitive Analysis

It’s also a good idea to find out what you’re competition is like for your keywords. If everyone is using the same keywords, chances are your audience will have a hard time finding you! Tools like Google Adwords let you see how many people you’re up against for your keywords, and let you see what other words or phrases people may be using.

Choosing a keyword or phrase that has a low competition rate helps ensure your audience finds you. By mixing snazzy words with your keywords, you diversify your article from all the other similar articles and entice the searcher to click on your link.

“Put your most important keywords in the beginning of your article.”

Put Your Best Word Forward

Since we scan in an F-shaped pattern, the first word on the left-hand side of the page is more likely to be read than words on the right side of the page.

Targeted vs. Generic

Web searchers are either looking for something specific or something generic. They can start with a generic topic, and then focus on their intended topic. Or, they can have a specific topic in mind the entire time, and fine-tune that search as needed.

Having a generic keyword may get you the results you want, or it might get you lost with everyone else that uses that keyword. By having a longer keyword, or several targeted keywords, the chances of your audience finding you are much higher.

For example, if you want to know the basics of what Yoga is, you’d search for “Yoga.” If you wanted to know about trainers in your area, you’re more likely to search for “Yoga in Pittsburgh.” So, if you’re writing a blog on Yoga instructors in your area, include the location in the keyword to target your readers.

While generic keywords work well for generic articles, the more specific your keyword, the more specific your audience, the higher percentage of people that want to be on your site actually find it – and keep browsing.

“Content = links. Keywords = links. Content + Keywords = link-happy!”

Content Comes First

However! If your article has too many keywords, it becomes about the keywords and not about the content.

Write for content first, searches second! It’s a fine tightrope to walk between getting to the top and maintaining content. Keywords without content will quickly lose the readers interest, but content with select effective keywords will hold on to interested readers. Content = links. Keywords = links. Content + Keywords = link-happy!

Tricia Kristufek Want content written for your Brand that shows up #1 on Search Engines and brings you new customers? Contact us.