12 replies to this topic

[smed]

I'm working for a client that has a motorcycle parts site.

When he came to me the site was a bit of a mess in terms of basic on page SEO, but we have cleaned things up and optimized the following.

Title Tags
Header Tags
Image Tags
Internal Link structure
Meta tags

The site is an ebay prostores (which in and of itself is nightmare for good SEO), but have made some good progress and are ranking on Goog p1 for several keywords.

Most of the site's competitors have many many more links so I'm looking at ways to increase links.

Of course links from authoritative sites are most important and we are working on that. In the meantime, I've considered directory submissions, article submissions and social bookmarking.

Does anyone have any advice on which of these are the most helpful in terms of building a link map?

Directories
Article submissions
Social bookmarks
Others?

Thanks for any help!

[Jill]

Nothing personal, but why does everyone always want to know the *most* important things?

SEO is not about any ONE thing being most important.

It is about how all the things you do fit nicely together to make a cohesive whole that is your website and marketing plan.

So do them all as they make sense for your site and you have time for them.

The one thing you didn't mention, which actually IS one of the most important things is your content. It sounds like you've done everything but create content! (You may have just forgotten to mention it, tho.)

[smed]

Hi Jill,

Yes, I should have mentioned content. The content is there, and decently kw rich, but not overboard.

I guess I'm not looking for that ONE thing, just some opinions on how links from various sources are weighted (if there is a difference). What would you do in terms of more immediate ROI, and then longer term ROI.

For any site to rank well, I agree it is all about the holistic package. Every little piece is part of the puzzle...

[Randy]

For immediate ROI you're going to be looking at some type of PPC or other paid advertising that's geared squarely at your target market. That's the only way you can semi-guarantee exposure.

Longer term, trying to break it down in the categories you have isn't going to get you very far. Think really hard about your target audience, or your Perfect Customer in Randy-speak, so you can figure out where they're already hanging out at. Then try to get links from those places. The key being that these links will be working for you on two levels: Exposure directly to your target audience hopefully attracting clicks from them through to your site.

The categories you mentioned above are pretty much fill in. You need better focus first, then fill in as needed.

[smed]

Hi Randy,

Yes, in terms of PPC, the client is currently doing Google Adwords, but is hoping to curtail it a bit as we increase rankings. The cool thing is that in a short few months we are achieving Page 1 on Google for several product specific keywords as well as some of the broader ones. I'm trying to help him go from less paid, to more organic.

As for the target audience, I'm with you...
I'm trying to convince the client to get engaged in a at least one or two of the most popular motorcycle forums and become part of the community. Not in a spammy way, but to become a helpful member that is seen as credible, honest, and giving good information to the community. He is reluctant, but I've been telling him that it will be one of the most important things for him for the reasons you mentioned.

[Randy]

Don't forget too that you may be able to utilize newsletters or ezines that get sent out by those motorcycle forums as a mode to deliver your message to new prospects. Same goes for other online publications that fit the profile.

The traditional way of doing this is to buy ad space in the ezine or newsletter directly from the publisher. With the advent of Gmail (now #2 in terms of size, just behind Yahoo's long established mail system) I've been testing and tinkering with ways to use highly targeted Adwords PPC to reach those Gmail users who get newsletters and ezines from specific publications or mail that about very specific subjects.

That last concept is sort of out there at the moment, and a bit difficult to explain quickly. I've not seen or heard of anybody else doing it. But I can tell you it does work. The numbers aren't huge, but neither is the PPC cost since the bid terms are so highly targeted. And the conversion rate absolutely rock for these types of highly targeted piggyback campaigns. I'm seeing numbers along the lines of 40-50% click-thru rates for the highly targeted ads and final conversion numbers in the 20-25% range. From people who would have probably never actually searched for what I have to offer.

[SelfMade]

For every PPC campaign I do, I only run it for 3 months if that, basically I pull out a campaign and say "right you've got 12 weeks to give me your money!" then I pull it, done! Kaput!...the concept being for immediate ROI is to present your campaign like a chocolate trifle, it has to be irresistable, I don't give a stuff about how much I pay per click, because if it's something people want then it's going to pay for itself...simple as that!

I have had campaigns converting at 12% per 100 clicks/day before...but Randy 20-25% range is that per day? I mean??

[Randy]

but Randy 20-25% range is that per day? I mean??

Per day, per week, per month. Like I said it's very finely targeted stuff and very much "out there" as a marketing technique.

The traffic numbers can fluctuate a good bit since the concept basically piggybacks on what people are doing or saying. But because I'm inserting myself into the conversation at exactly the right time the conversion rates stay pretty consistent. And I don't mind the low traffic numbers that are the norm 90% of the time since I only pay when someone clicks through. It's not like the lulls are costing me anything.

That said, if the conversions weren't so high I probably wouldn't bother. The traffic normal numbers are that small because of the high degree of keyword and delivery platform targeting. But even then if it means an extra 5-10 sales per day per site it's worth it. Where the real fun comes in is where I'm piggybacking on something and a 10,000 newsletter blast goes out, all with my targeted ad showing. I absolutely love those days. 2,000-2,500 orders over the course of a couple of days with almost no work and negligible expense on my part. Those are the mornings my neighbors hear me giving a little Woo! at 6am when I hit the computer and see the overnight orders.

You see just one every month or so pays my annual expenses, so they get my attention.

[SelfMade]

Randy, your one clever dude!

I do ok, but I feel kind of like I'm nowhere near....what's the word...er I am actually thinking as I type 2-2.5k orders over a couple of days??

My natural question is...what are you doing?? But obviously (and I don't blame you) your not ever going to reveal.

Just before you 'snuff it into the grave' can you sort of look me up or stuff your strategy in a bottle with F.A.O Kaz007 on it??

However time is on my side...so I may figure it out..I doubt it ... but I might

[Randy]

It's not that it's secret or even that difficult Kaz. It's actually pretty easy. It's just a different approach, that came to me quite naturally, though not necessarily easily, because I continually asked myself how to get myself into the middle of a conversation other people are having.

To me marketing is all about getting the right product or service in front of the right people at the right time. The first two parts of this equation have become easier for me over the years. The stickler is always getting it in front of them at the Right Time. That's what this little technique accomplishes quite well.

I could teach you how to do it in under an hour. Especially since you're already familiar with Adwords. The problem is finding a free hour to produce a little tutorial.

[SelfMade]

I could teach you how to do it in under an hour. Especially since you're already familiar with Adwords. The problem is finding a free hour to produce a little tutorial.

Thanks Randy, But I have to say that I am my own worst enemy!

If someone just comes right out and tells me how to do it..you know, I don't count that as an achievement on my part because someone has simply told me!

I had a goal ever since I left school and that was to achieve a certain figure by the time I am 30, I still have a little way to go, but some may say that I have already achieved what some achieve in a lifetime, but I need to be able to stand in front of the mirror and say "Kaz, you did this all by yourself!" now THATS what I class as achievement.

What I am trying to say Randy, is that you have 'dangled the carrot' so to speak, and that is more than enough for me to try and discover exactly what your talking about.

BUT (as always with Kaz007 there is a BUT), give me about a month on this and if after that I say..."hmmm, you know Randy, I'm getting a bit lost" then and only then maybe you could kinda help me (if you can), because then I know I have tried my damn hardest! But, you never know I may figure out on my own!

[Mhoram]

Nothing personal, but why does everyone always want to know the *most* important things?

Probably as a result of this conversation:

Consultant: Here's my marketing plan for your site, which recommends that you do A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H. Here's a quote for doing all that, which comes to $xx,xxx.

Client: Gosh, I can't afford anything like that right now. I could spend $xxx, though, so which of those things do you think will benefit me the most?

In my small experience, if you're going to present people with a comprehensive Internet marketing plan, which by necessity will include many different aspects like you said, you're very likely to be asked that question, so you have to have some answer for it.

[Jill]

In my small experience, if you're going to present people with a comprehensive Internet marketing plan, which by necessity will include many different aspects like you said, you're very likely to be asked that question, so you have to have some answer for it.

Good point!

But in the case of the original question, the differences are not such that one is any more important than another.