CoatingsPro Magazine

JAN 2009

CoatingsPro offers an in-depth look at coatings based on case studies, successful business operation, new products, industry news, and the safe and profitable use of coatings and equipment.

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MARKETING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26 if one page covers who you are as a company (i.e. concrete floor- ing contractor), that page should only have keywords about your company. Likewise, each product page should have keywords that apply to that specific product only (i.e. epoxy floor coatings). Those companies that clearly define who they are with keywords on a page-by-page basis win the best click attention. 4. Submit only once to search engines. While Google and other search engines will find some of your pages naturally, if you want to be sure they find every page of your site then you have to manually submit it to them. However, you don't want to submit to them every day. Once they have spidered your site, you don't need to submit it again unless you add a lot of new pages or make significant revisions. Many online submission tools sell the idea that you should submit your site every day. Such an approach only ends up frustrating Google rather than helping your company. So let the search engines know you're there, but don't harass them. 5. Get great inbound links to your site. Google looks for two types of links. The first is a non-reciprocating inbound link from a reputable source, such as an industry associa- tion, the Better Business Bureau, etc. Since a link from another site is essentially an endorsement, getting a link from a reputable source — one where you don't link back to them — is the gold standard of links. It's not an "I'll scratch your back if you scratch my back" sort of arrangement, so Google likes that. The second type of link is a reciprocated link, meaning you link back and forth with the company or person. Such links are good, although the search engines don't place as much value on them. Realize that if you're an authority you are going to link to others, and Google expects this. However, when you have 800 reciprocating in every category under the sun, you send a red flag that your site isn't of value. Any link you have needs to be appropriate and indus- try related; therefore, only link to people and partners you know and that make sense for your site. Make Your Web Site Work Smarter Only once you take the needed steps to maximize your SEO and PPC, which typically takes a year or more to fine-tune, should you redesign or relaunch your site, or engage in other appropriate marketing endeavors. While SEO and PPC are in-depth and intense activities for a business to undertake, they are the foundation of any good Web site that effectively reaches the company's target market and converts prospects into paying customers. So whether you decide to tackle the project yourself or hire an agency to help you, always stay on top of the basic tenets of SEO and PPC so you can get the results you want — increased business for your coatings contracting company. CP HEATHER LUTZE has spent the last 10 years as CEO of Lutze Consulting – Search Engine Marketing, a firm that works with companies to attain maximum Internet exposure. The author of The FindAbility Formula: The Simple and Non-Technical Approach To Search Engine Marketing (Wiley and Sons) Spring, 2009, Heather is a lead speaker for Pay Per Click Summit, and previously spent two years speaking for Yahoo! Search Marketing. For more information, visit www.lutzeconsulting.com. Write in Reader Inquiry #165 PLANE EASY Polyurethane Foam Equipment The ideal tool to fl ush fi nish any spray-applied polyurethane foam. Simple, lightweight and reliable. A basic, durable instrument to complement existing urethane spray equipment for all work or trades requiring fl at, smooth fi nished surfaces. Available with a nylon brush, wire brush or carbide blades in 16" or 24" models. J. Calman Industries LLC 1-866-570-2833 or www.planeeasy.net Write in Reader Inquiry #70 January 2009 J www.coatingspromag.com 99

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