Top 6 Ways to Improve Your Website’s Google Ranking

Below I’ve compiled the top 6 ways to improve your website and get the best SEO bang for your buck with the least amount of time/energy. Why? Because I believe through giving we all benefit. Part of my gift to the world is this blog. Let’s call it karmic insurance.

Now if you want to skip below to the list then go for it, however, you’ll miss out on why improving traffic to your website won’t necessarily improve your business.

For the sake of this article I will refer to the multitude of search engines simply as ‘Google’, although there are others such as Yahoo!, Bing, Ask, etc.

I’ve been out of formal schooling for a long time. In marketing you need to become a chameleon and adapt to your ever changing environment. This is why it is critical to be an avid learner seeking constant growth so you can self-teach yourself about new and emerging technologies. Luckily, this doesn’t mean toiling over books at the library anymore, as with a keyboard the answers are right at your fingertips. Like this blog and others. So improving your website is all something you can learn to do yourself.

I am a marketer with a startup mentality. I have worked with and at many organizations or companies that just don’t have the money, the staffing, and or the interest in outlaying a lot of money for web design or marketing related to their website. After all, back end website and marketing SEO is not sexy. In fact, it not only ISN’T sexy but it is hard to quantify the tangible ROI.

For instance, even if you can improve your Google Ranking it might not mean you will get more traffic to your website. And, even if you get more traffic to your website, it might not translate into actual customer engagement, service, or sales measureables. For that you may want to read up on authentic and values aligned branding and make sure what you offer and how people can get it (call to action) is clear on your homepage.

With that little disclaimer out there, now let’s start with getting people to your website.

1. Make sure every page can be reached from some static text link (buttons and clickable images DO NOT COUNT ~ I could tell you why but you probably don’t care anyway).
   • Images and buttons are nice to have but search engines can’t read them unless they have programmed ALT attributes that are descriptive and accurate. Click here for a nice tutorial about adding ALT attributes to your images. And this was not the top ranked result on my google search!

2. Whatever content is key to your business make it stand out.
   • Important content should be near the top of the page, or in subheadings, italics, bold or within lists. All of these options have more power, with Google and other search engines, than plain text.
3. Include prominent social media share buttons on your web pages, as social shares are correlated to rankings.

4. Make sure each page of your website has a clean, keyword rich URL structure in place.
   • People should know what info is contained in the page they are on by descriptive keywords in the URL. Use human friendly URLs. For instance, this is a bad URL: http://www.domainname/ index.php?id=100 and this is a good URL: http://www.domainname/safety_news_releases.

5. Compliment the written text in your website with related images and videos.
   • Images and video can attract a tremendous amount of traffic on Google but make sure they have descriptive captions and ALT attributes. Also, use relevant keywords in your image’s file name. Not only will your site be more visually rich, it will pay dividends in improving your Google ranking.

6. Finally, create content for your website that has keywords based on research to match what users are searching for. How do you determine what your users are searching for? These are tools that can help: Google Adwords and the Bing Keyword Tool.

7. And…Produce fresh content regularly.
   • Google wants to know that your website is dynamic, not stationary and collecting dust. Ways to do this are to have rotating banners/images, an RSS feed or news/event items that can be updated regularly. Something; anything will help.

That last one was a bonus item. You thought you were only going to get 6. Remember over delivering is always a good business practice!

That’s it. There are many other things you can do to improve SEO for your website but this is a manageable start. On your quest for constant growth I hope you implement these. Then, if you want to do more check out Google’s SEO Starter Guide and Bing’s Help and How to for SEO.

Why We All Need Marketing

Let’s start with the answer to the ‘What is marketing’ question.

Google search ‘what is marketing’ and you will be bombarded by definitions that claim marketing is  ‘the action of promoting and selling products or services’. But as a Marketer and philanthroper who loves communication and works for impact-driven organizations I would argue that marketing is more than this.

Here is a definition of marketing which I feel is more accurate from the American Marketing Association:

Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.
(Approved July 2013)

Now let me give you my opinion on ‘Why’ we need marketing.

I would argue that we have been doing marketing since the beginning of time. You do it everyday. In every conversation you have you are offering up something of value to others.

Whether you realize it or not, every organic exchange carries with it purpose. An innate need for others to recognize the value in what you have to say. Each of us speaks with varying degrees of calculation behind what it is we are saying. When you endorse something you’ve done recently like the coffee shop down the street or the nail polish you are wearing you are inadvertently marketing that experience or item to those you are speaking with. If you are simply having a conversation with coworkers about a project or task at hand you are also marketing. You are marketing yourself when you want someone you are speaking with to respect you and what you have to say. You are communicating in the effort to provide value for your coworkers and company at large.

Now, who do we like to listen to? Who do we feel brings us the most value? Those that are authentic. Those that believe in what they are saying for innate, genuine reasons. So strive for authenticity.

Why is it important to acknowledge that marketing is happening with each exchange we have? Well, the old adage says “Knowledge is power!” When you understand that you have the power to market anything if you can simply figure out what value it holds for your audience then you can effectively market anything through values alignment.

But here’s the trick! Not everyone wants what you are offering. Know your audience! You could be promoting the funniest, best cat video you have ever seen on YouTube – but if you are speaking to someone who loves dogs, or is allergic to cats then do yourself, and them, a favour ~ and save your breath.

Olaf from the movie Frozen

Not everyone wants what you are offering. Know your audience – don’t sell summer to a snowman!

Vanity Girl

How to get influential people to promote your product and other useful tips…

Charisma From Within

As I left my Social Media class last Wednesday I was fulfilled with inspiration and new knowledge. The guest speaker for the evening was the energizing and inspiring Maxine Tatlonghari, more known as @Vanitygirl the entrepreneur and brain behind Vanity Girl Hollywood.

As soon as she walked into the room you get that this is a woman with charisma, on the outside as well as on the inside! She shared her story and experience in building her company and product´s success on Social Media.

Some of the most useful tips she shared with us was the importance of Always Be Creating Creative content (ABCC) and the power of using celebrity gifting companies to get influential people to promote your product. Another useful tip from Maxine is to always bring your own camera to events, which also helps you to ABCC and is effective in the goal of Being Your Own Publicist…

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We Have The Power For Change

#MeToWe. Never heard of it? That’s okay. This is a movement I first read about on a hot, sunny day this summer on my back deck while having some much needed mommy down time. I was reading the inspiring book The World Needs Your Kid by the founders of Free the Children. Shortly thereafter I passed a school in Burnaby that had a Me to We mural painted on the side of their building. Seems this movement is taking off. Today #WeDay Vancouver is taking place at Rogers Arena filled with 20,000 educators and youth. It is a movement of youth coming together to make the world a better place through local and global action. Like this movement, I believe we each have the power to create change.

A month ago I read an article in my local paper that mentioned The Clef Society of Burnaby was going to be forced to dissolve after over 65 years of operation if they couldn’t find some new board members to replace the ones retiring. The Clef Society is a society that promotes classical music in youth. Beyond my belief in promoting music in youth and playing Classic Baby Einstein CD’s for both my children I have no other connection to classical music. Nevertheless, I felt compelled to help this society. The paper had said the AGM was that weekend. I figured I’d show up in the off-chance that not enough people came out. It turned out that me and one other woman were the only two people that came out that day.

Fast forward one month and with a few other members stepping down the society is now going through the process of dissolving. I have mixed feelings. I am happy I volunteered but I can’t help but wonder had not 2 more people come out that day to come to the aid of this society, it would still have the resources to continue on – providing a public venue for young classical musicians to hone their performance skills. I’m sure many other people in my community read that cry for help in the paper and thought there will be plenty of other people that will step up. How often do we do that in our everyday lives? But, the reality is we have to come to recognize that we have the power for change. We need to embrace this knowledge and put it to use whenever and however we can.

As Keith Harris, Vice President of The Clef Society of Burnaby put it recently in an email to me explaining about the dissolution of the society “the Clef has, for the past few years, been going through declining member support with volunteer help becoming increasingly difficult to find. This trend is cyclical and it is currently on the low end of its cycle. This is in general being felt across all Societies and Associations in which public volunteer help is required for the Society to function.”

If what Keith says is true and public volunteerism is on the decline then societies and associations that drive community initiatives and engagement are at risk. What do our communities stand to lose if one by one society’s like The Clef continue to dissolve? Everyone is busy. Life is busy for me with two small children and a full-time career. But we must recognize that we do have the power to change things, improve our communities, add value to our lives and others. It is important that we engage. If not just for the benefit of leaving your own personal mark – a legacy, but for the benefit of the community, city and world we live in.

The FINAL Clef recital at the Shadbolt will be on November 16, starting at 2:00 pm. This recital will be by students of the Broadway and Markham music studio, from North Vancouver. This group’s performances in past years have always been very popular. A ‘wind-up’ party after the recital will conclude the event and the official function of the Clef Society of Burnaby – after 65 years of successful operation.

The #WeDay event is happening here in Vancouver and hopefully we can all be inspired by its message and come together to make the world a better place through local and global action. For those interested in getting involved but not sure how there is now a free app We365. Next time you see someone in need, or a society in need, take a moment to engage and whether the outcome is good or bad at least you will know you did your part.

To learn a little more about the #WeDay movement click the link below; watch the video – and BE INSPIRED! The Vancouver WeDay lineup looks like this:

• Selena Gomez – Actress, multi-platinum recording artist and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
• Orlando Bloom – Actor and humanitarian
• Macklemore and Ryan Lewis – Grammy Award-winning hip hop artists
• Shawn Mendes – Canadian singer-songwriter
• Debby Ryan – Musician and actress
• Sir Ken Robinson – Author, speaker and international education advisor
• Marianas Trench – Juno Award-winning pop band
• Kardinal Offishall – Award-winning Canadian rapper, record producer and Free The Children ambassador
• Donnie Yen – Martial arts movie icon, actor, cirector, producer and Free The Children ambassador
• Victoria Duffield – Platinum-selling singer, dancer and actor
• Cast members from the Emmy-nominated TV series DEGRASSI
• Shawn Desman – Platinum-selling and Juno-Award winning recording artist
• JRDN – Juno Award-winning artist and Free The Children ambassador
• Karl Wolf – International recording artist, MTV Europe Music Award winner and Free The Children ambassador
• Neverest – Chart-topping, MMVA-nominated Canadian pop-rock band
• Silken Laumann – Olympian, inspirational speaker, author and child advocate
• Kay – Singer, songwriter and rapper
• Craig and Marc Kielburger – International activists and co-founders of Free The Children
• Spencer West – Me to We inspirational speaker, Free The Children ambassador and author
• Mustafa the Poet – 18-year-old poet, writer, actor and emcee
• Hannah Alper – 11-year-old Me to We inspirational speaker, Free The Children ambassador, blogger and youth activist
• Ashley Rose Murphy – Motivational youth speaker
• Robin Wiszowaty – Me to We motivational speaker, author and Free The Children Program Director in Ghana and Kenya

 

Why Small Organizations Can Make Use Of New Social Media Sites

Here is a blog I wrote about small organizations utilizing new social media in the digital marketplace.

Constant Growth Communications

With new social media networks arriving on the scene each year with potential to grow in popularity, sites such as Sulia, Bubblews, and Learni.st are worth a look for small organizations and businesses as a promising avenue to reach new people. Start up sites can be valuable for small organizations or businesses because they are new and will have less competition for user attention from some of the more established companies that troll Facebook.

However, user beware. New social media sites can go under, as was the recent case with Sulia. It had all the potential to be the next best new social media site. Providing a platform instead of the “noise” of the traditional social networking sites that are a mix of advertising, selfie’s and pet videos. Sulia’s content was segmented by topic to make it easy for users to connect with the networks they wanted. Members could choose from various…

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Moving Away From the Typical And Blazing A New Trail For Your Brand

Here is a blog I wrote about finding new avenues for marketing where none may exist for your organization or business.

Constant Growth Communications

I often recommend to my clients to engage in social media. Never a bad idea since social media provides a platform to engage with other people who like what you are offering. Take Twitter, for example.  Get on Twitter and start following others who are industry colleagues, then follow people who they are interested in. Be active and engaged and contribute to conversations. Don’t just talk ‘at’ people.

With some consistency others will see you re-sharing (re-tweeting) interesting and useful information including your own original content about your business. Also, if used wisely you can let your followers into special contests or events and you can track your click-throughs to monetize your social media effectiveness on sales. After all, when marketers can draw a direct line between a social-media campaign and sales, all the guessing over the value of engagement ends. The return on investment is indisputable.

So, it wasn’t out of…

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Tough Mudder Whistler 2014 – Hurts So Good

A close friend of mine wrote a blog about the experience we shared as part of a team of 4 friends committed to challenging each other and working together to take on Tough Mudder Whistler in June of 2014. If you ever wondered if you have an inner beast, this is a good read!