Best Backlinking Program for SEOs
September 29, 2010
The best program for link management is the Advanced Link Manager from CaphryonWe’ve tried a lot of programs that promise to return extensive backlink research on competitive websites but none of these programs have lived up to their promise except for the Advanced Link Manager system. This is the best system we've found for link building , assessing link popularity , and as a link manager system.
This is the first program that delivers what it promises and provides extensive information on backlinks. The program not only identifies backlinks but also checks and reports on broken links, reciprocal links, and verified links. As an SEO agency, we find the link reporting capabilities to be a big plus for our clients as it helps us target our efforts to specific opportunities. This in turn allows us to do more for a client across a greater spectrum of keywords than we would otherwise be able to do.
The Backlinks Evolution functionality provides a timeline graph which shows our effectiveness over time. This gives us the opportunity to demonstrate to our client’s a graphical representation of our effectives in our monthly report. This function allows us to set the time period for our reporting as well as allowing us to set the vertical and horizontal axis for better client reporting. Below is a screenshot of the graph produced by this feature:
An incredible feature of this program is the ability to determine keyword anchor text. The benefits of this feature should be obvious to anyone even remotely involved in SEO.
One of our favorite features is the programs ability to use the WayBackMachine to track the history of a domain. We purchase domains for clients and appreciate the time saving step of being able to combine this step within the program. In addition to the WayBackMachine, Advanced Link Manager will also pull the number of indexed pages for each search engine queried. This is also a big time saver for us as it ..... read more
Email is a Social Media Tool Too
October 15, 2009
Email can be one of the most annoying and irritating business activites imaginable but at the end of the day I don't know how I could live without it. In addition to staying up with friends and clients, I subscribe to several services that provide valuable information about my industry as well as competitor activity. I truly don't have time to surf the Internet looking for information. Having it delivered to me in an email from a service or individual that I trust is a huge time saver for me.
I do follow specific people on Twitter and read blogs but it's sometimes difficult to find the time to discover new services or opportunities to promote my business. That's where email is valuable. I hate spam more than anyone ( I get enough of it to be an expert on the subject) but the benefit of receiving information from trusted sources through email is still a valuable service.
Most of us don't think of email as a social media platform and yet I believe, if used correctly, it's one of the most reliable social promotion tools available. Most of us don't check our Twitter or Facebook accounts as often as we check our email. Building a relationship with prospects via email takes some skill and isn't for everyone but if you're willing to put in the time and effort, the sales payoff can be huge. read more
Leveraging Social Media
October 14, 2009
Learning how to Tweet and putting up a Facebook page won't help extend brand awareness or sales without a strategy in place that uses the social media platforms to build a "funnel" that drives traffic.
A picture is worth a thousand words and the graphic may help clarify my explanation. An effective social media campaign leverages all marketing activities to gain the most exposure.
Although the graphic doesn't show arrows pointing between each platform, that's part of a leverage strategy. Twitter should reference YouTube . Posts made to Twitter should be included in Facebook and vice versus. Blogs should be added to the wall of the website and referenced in Twitter. If a special event or sale is announced on Twitter, it would be good to send an email and use a Follow me on Twitter link. The website should reference the Twitter accounts and the latest Tweets should also appear on the website. There are applications out there that automate much of this process. Not all applications are created equal and it might be best to consult with a social media expert to determine the most reliable applications for automation.
I'm not perfect and to be honest, I don't always stay on top of each of the activities and post as frequently as I should but I do post on a regular basis and automate and leverage all my posts to various locations to leverage what I am able to do.
Before you begin your foray into the wild world of social media, I'd advise spending a little money to have a social media consultant help you develop a strategy that will maximise your efforts. read more
Google Business Center Listings
October 1, 2009
With all the buzz about social media marketing most business owners are missing one easy tool that can gain them more exposure online. The missing piece in their online marketing strategy is Google Local Business Listings . This is a free service that Google offers to help businesses get listed in their local trade area. This service is part of Google Maps and allows a business profile as part of the Maps application. These listings may then be shown at the top of the search engine results for a given search phrase.
The listings shown beside the map in this search result are the local business listing results that are returned by Google. All the search engines have a similar application but Google is by far the most used search engine. The picture is small and impossible to read in this graphic but if you do a search in Google for almost any keyword, you will see similar results returned.
Google Local business listings have been around for 3+years and yet fewer business owners know about getting a local listing than know about Twitter. This isn't glamorous or sexy but it's a pretty good starting place for online marketing efforts and getting your business seen in local results.
Learn more about Google Local Business Listings on our website.
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Content Management for Websites
September 4, 2009
This may seem a bit self-serving since FastForward Marketing designs websites and I'll admit that this post is a bit promotional but that doesn't mean the message isn't relevant. We still see alot of potential clients who don't understand the importance of editable websites.
Keeping a website current with new content is no longer a nice to have feature but one that is essential in today's environment. With more than 80% of prospects going online to check out products and services, the website has become the hub of all marketing activity and Google has the majority all search engine traffic. What Google thinks is important to ranking a website is, in fact, important to your business.
I meet with business owners nearly every day and nearly half of those I meet with don't understand the importance of content management systems in being found online. Many still believe that the networking, phone calling, and advertisements will work to drive new clients to their businesses. That approach just isn't effective. If you're in a competitive environment (and lets face it - who isn't these days) and your competitors are building an online lead generation system, their customer acquisition costs are lower, giving them a cost advantage over you. Figuring out what work to generate leads is also a trial and error system. If you're not using your website as a lead generating tool and competitors are, you are falling farther behind than you may realize. It takes time and alot of work to set up a sales funnel online and while other players are busy learning how to attract more business online you are falling farther and farther behind on the learning curve. Competitiion is going to increase, making your efforts to play catch up harder and more expensive in the future.
No matter whose system you use, content management capability is an essential piece of a marketing strategy.
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Animoto for Low Tech Video Production
August 21, 2009
Animoto is a free (a paid version is also available) video production tool that uses photo's rather than video clips. Production of the final show is automated and you can even choose to use a variety of stock music that they make available.
In a later blog post, I'll be posting a video using Animoto and a short "how to" post although the software is pretty self explanatory.
Even if you are good at making videos, using Animoto can give you a quick way to add additional videos to your YouTube channel for more exposure.
Like all fully automated software, however, Animoto has some significant drawbacks. Most importantly, it doesn't allow for voice over on the finished product. Voice is generaly essential to good distribution on YouTube but Animoto can help get a video out quickly as a fill-in until you have time to do regular video from clips.
Animoto works especially well for some product demonstrations, real estate agents, and event announcement videos to give them an emotional impact without alot of talking head time.
If you haven't looked at this software before, go check it out and try a couple of videos in their free service - you might be surprised at how well the video turns out. read more
5 Reasons To Effectively Use Digital Marketing
August 3, 2009
5 Reasons Why You Need to Understand and Implement Digital Marketing
The Naming Czars who have given us Internet Marketing, Web Marketing, Online Marketing have now given us Digital Marketing; another term to describe the same activities. Well, not really. Digital marketing includes all electronic based marketing and sales efforts; including marketing messages designed to be seen on mobile devices.
We’ve put together 5 Reasons Why You Need to Understand and Implement Digital Marketing, to help clarify the importance of using Digital Marketing effectively.
Reason 1 -Cost
Digital Marketing is cheaper on an impression basis than any other marketing method available. The lower cost of promotion/lead generation, provides higher margins of profit which can decide the difference between success and failure for a small business owner.
Think about it this way: if Firm A is generating sales on a 20% lower cost basis than Firm B, then Firm A will be able to drive Firm B out of business by offering lower pricing and still retain profitability. Firm B won’t last long if they try to compete on price without lowering their cost per lead. There is a definite “first mover advantage” for businesses that get out in front of the cost curve by using digital marketing.
Reason 2 – Effectiveness
Effectiveness message consists of 4 areas:
1. Targeting of potential clients/customers
2. Reach – the number of potential clients that a message can address
3. Visibility- the frequency with which a message can be delivered to a client
4. Conversion of leads to sales – digital marketing provides a means to quickly test different messages to the same audience for conversion results
Marketing messages that prove to convert more ..... read more
Google Voice
June 14, 2009
Google Voice Can Change Business Communications
Google Voice (formerly Grand Central) is currently only available to existing Grand Central subscribers but the rumor is that Google will be launching their service this year with the added feature of portability of existing phone numbers.
Google voice is a feature rich phone management system that can forward calls to multiple phones from one central number. This means that you can switch your mobile number to Google and then just use whatever device you happen to have in your hand to receive calls. Outbound calls will show whatever phone number is assigned to it. It's phone management on steroids. The big drawback currently is that you must get a Google assigned phone number. This entails significant switching costs and potential lost business as clients are required to update your contact information.
For me it means that I can receive calls on my mobile phone at home which has nearly non existant reception at the moment.
It also means that if I'm at the beach, I can show the number as my office number - clients won't know the difference.
This may well be the phone management tool to organize all our contact phone numbers. I don't know what Google is going to charge for this service but my guess is that it will be really cheap initially. I just hope I can cost justify the $175 switching fee from ridiculous AT&T.
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Branding Strategy
March 12, 2009
"Branding," and its apparent continual evolution, is evolving even more. I found that out recently when I stood in as a substitute speaker at a business networking group. With the script of the original speaker in hand, I started out following the party line. Somewhere along the way, I went "off script." Here's how it went: I started telling the group that traditional branding was dead; don't waste money on identity logos - just get a logo, any logo. I didn't mean to go off script. It just happened.
When it happened, that's when the speech turned into a dialogue with the audience.
The audience was mentally at a static point in "branding" - that branding is the basic building block for every successful endeavor. Without the image, persona, and appropriate logo design, tag line, and overall look-and-feel, businesses have no chance of success. There's another angle on this, which my readers should know very well: Move people from interested prospects to loyal clients by the shortest and least expensive route possible.
Branding is defined as, "a traditional advertising method used to create a response from a target audience based on cumulative impressions and positive reinforcement." Marketing is defined as, "The process of organizing and directing all the company activities which relate to determining the market demand and converting the customers buying power into an effective demand
for a service and bringing that service to the customer."
According to this, branding is the strategy of developing a company's message. Marketing is the tactical implementation of this message.
Seemingly, close cousins.
As the dialogue continued at this event, the audience understood that the successful strategy is one that doesn't differentiate between marketing and branding.
Today the definition should be "an interactive communication method that allows ..... read more
10 Rules for Web Writing
March 5, 2009
The 10 FastForward Rules for Web Writing
Web writing is an entirely new medium where new writing and producing rules apply. First, the pace of the online readership is fast, very fast . Home pages are scanned, not read. The most important information you want to know better be highly visible and easy to understand.
At FastForward Marketing we believe that the more our clients know about producing online communications, the better the results will be. As business owners, results are the only things that count.
10 Rules for Web Writing
1. Keep page content above the fold, if at all possible. This refers to the old newspaper rule of keeping the most important stories “above the fold” of the newspaper. Keep your message on the visible portion of the screen when the page opens. As a rule of thumb, limit the horizontal length of the page to about ½ the page width.
2. Focus the content of each page (Exception: the Home Page) on one topic. Prioritize the presentation of information and present the must know information about you or your product or service first.
3. Begin your writing with your conclusion. This is your “hook”. Interested site visitors will keep reading because you appear to be “on topic”.
4. Use sub-headings to break your copy. This is especially true if you will be ignoring Rule #1.
5. Don’t forget to include a Call to Action in the white space around your copy. This can be a simple “Call us today for a free estimate” or as simple as including your phone number in a highly visible location on the page.
6. Use simple sentences, active voice, and present tense. Avoid jargon, run-on sentences and over-use of prepositional phrases. Use ..... read more
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