Archive for the 'Enterprise Search' Category
Written by billyfischer | December 22, 2011 11:43 am
Are you using the best keywords to drive more potential customers to your website?
It’s no trade secret by now that the keywords your company’s web content contains make a big impact on whether potential customers find your business online—and ultimately whether you generate sales from web leads. Are you in the practice of regularly reevaluating your keywords to make sure you’re driving the right audience to your website?
Here are some quick tips for improving your keyword selection to match the terms your potential customers are using on search engines. Ask yourself:
1. What do we sell most?
Is there a specific model, style, design or brand that your company emphasizes? These could be important indicators to help you determine effective keywords. By pinpointing the products you sell in your keyword selection, you can eliminate the ones that are too broad.
Consider, for example, Aerospace Industry Company (AIC), which manufactures “Part-A.” Much of the content on AIC’s website is about airplanes, and when people search for “airplanes,” AIC ranks very high. However, we know that the vast majority of people who search for “airplanes” are not looking to buy Part-A. Instead, they may be looking to get an aviation license or read about aircraft history. Focusing on more specific keywords such as “Part-A” will help AIC rank higher in search engines for more relevant searches.
2. What keywords are our competitors using?
Doing some Google, Bing or Yahoo searches for the products that your competitors sell can provide some insight into what keywords you may want to rank for (another good place to start is the free Google Keyword Tool). This reconnaissance-style research method can help you guard against another common keyword mistake—focusing on phrases that are too specific.
Here’s another example: The primary product manufactured by Electronics Engineering Company (EEC) is a motherboard called the “JLS-5 chip.” Most of the content on EEC’s website refers to that part name, so when people search for the “JLS-5 chip,” EEC’s website comes up. However, most potential customers would simply search for “computer motherboard,” meaning that EEC should optimize their website to rank in search engines for the keyword that their potential customers are actually using.
3. Has the terminology our customers are using changed?
Have your products or services changed? Or are you targeting a new market or geographic area where keyword search terms may be different? If so, your website keywords should reflect these changes. (Google Insights is a free tool that allows you to compare search volume patterns across specific regions, categories and timeframes.)
Feeling overwhelmed? Oxiem Interactive can help you conduct advanced keyword research and site evaluation to help you determine exactly what keywords your company should be targeting in 2012. Contact us today for a free search marketing analysis. We look forward to helping you make 2012 a record sales year!
Written by billyfischer | December 1, 2011 9:56 am
We’ve been asking marketing & sales managers the following question: ”What’s your top marketing goal in 2012?”
The most popular response? “Drastically increase the number of leads we receive from our website.” Sound familiar? As you start to see more and more potential sales opportunities from your website it’s common to wonder, “How can I get more?”
3 ways to increase your web leads in 2012
1. EXPLORE
Try a new marketing method and put the measurement tools in place.
Raise Awareness With Remarketing
Set up a display ad campaign in Google using their remarketing system. This causes your ad to display much more than your competitors’ ads when the visitor has been to your site in the past. This is a great tool to raise awareness about your brand.
Keyword “Tasting”
Set up a landing page and try 5 keywords. Change the 5 keywords each week. Only run your campaign during business hours. Utilize Google’s keyword tool to help you identify some great keywords to test. Watch your analytics closely to determine which keywords work the best.
2. Measure
One of the strengths of search marketing is its extreme measurability. Beef up your tracking in 2012 so you know exactly what’s working.
Measure URLs & Phone Numbers
You can easily measure your campaigns using Google Analytics and Google’s URL builder for creating tracking URLs. For phone calls, we suggest IfByPhone. The URL builder is free, and IfByPhone is fast to set up and very inexpensive.
Multivariate Landing Page Testing
Design multiple landing pages (we suggest using UnBounce to help). Utilize different imagery, messaging and offers on each. Split the traffic evenly between the two and identify which elements work the best. Then, utilize those elements throughout your entire campaign!
3. Adjust
The key to a high-performing search marketing campaign is to be constantly tweaking activities based on the large amount of data received.
Use SEO & SEM Together
Once you identify which keywords work best in the SEM environment, take those keywords and optimize your website for them. Publish new articles, update content pages and write press releases integrating your newly discovered keywords.
Make Your Design Work
Don’t be afraid to adjust some of the design elements of your website based on what you’ve learned from your search activities. Simplify pages, highlight conversions, change images and continue to evolve your design.
What are you planning to do in 2012 that will increase your web leads in 2012?
Written by crystalolig | July 16, 2010 1:49 pm
Oxiem welcomed small business owners and marketers from around central Ohio for a two-hour workshop on search engine marketing and website optimization on June 29 at the Dublin Entrepreneurial Center. Attendees needed help learning the basics of search, as well as tips, tricks and techniques they could implement on their own sites.
After a quick intro to the basics (fueled by a little caffeine and carbs – a.k.a. coffee and bagels – just to get brains revving to go), a series of roundtable sessions hosted by Oxiem’s search experts allowed attendees to ask questions and learn from each other.
Roundtable topics included:
- Conversions: Connecting with your customer, with Lindsay Malone
- Organic Search: Grabbing growth gradually, with Bill Sterzenbach
- Technical: Build it (right) and they will come, with Angela Trego
- Paid Search: I want traffic now!, with David Kragel
At the end, each attendee had the opportunity for an individual consultation with Oxiem experts on his or her own site, including the opportunity to examine in-depth functionality, ask questions and make notes for improvement.
Here are a few comments from attendees:
- “I enjoyed being able to talk/learn more about all the different aspects of web marketing and even social media. I understood the content & didn’t feel like it was something that was over my head! And everyone was fun & personable!” – Megan Stengel, President, Libre, LLC (www.libreclothing.com)
- “This is my second trip to an Oxiem [workshop]. There is a reason why: The professionals of Oxiem know how to deliver knowledge and value in their educational seminars. Just imagine the results they can deliver their clients.” – Jason Veliquette, Marketing Director, Peer Assist, LLC (www.PeerAssistLLC.com) (Wow, thanks Jason! We sure try!)
- “Oxiem makes search engine marketing easy to understand, with specific suggestions and ideas I can use today. My head is swimming with the possibilities, rather than confusion.” – Heather Dicianna, Owner, Rewondered (www.rewondered.com)
- “Great use of time with good amount of information.” – Deonna Barnett, Increase CDC (www.increasecdc.org)
- “This was wonderful! I learned more here than in several months of research. I appreciate the straightforward answers and willingness to help. Thank you!” – Anonymous
- “Maybe break out sessions could be a bit longer. Or it could be set-up as a 2-part event. I learned so much and had a wonderful time!” – Mandy, Libre, LLC (www.libreclothing.com)
- “Really good introduction and lots of helpful tips and advice. Thanks for sharing your knowledge & experience.” – Bethia Wolf, Columbus Food Adventures (www.columbusfoodadventures.com)
“The areas of focus and time spend at each [roundtable] was perfect! The outside perspective was really helpful.” –Bethany Skaff, Libre, LLC (www.libreclothing.com)
More photos from the event are live on the Oxiem Marketing Technology Facebook page. Check ‘em out, tag yourself, and please give us a “like” while you’re there!
Follow up surveys indicated that attendees were pleased with the session, and gave us a few pointers for subsequent workshops the Oxiem team will host. The most common feedback said we needed to make each roundtable its own session — so much to teach and learn, so little time! We’ll definitely be back with more focused sessions in the future.
Our primary goal for this and other similar sessions is simply to give back to other small businesses by sharing our expertise. When the Ohio business community and economy grows, we all win. As a whole, the team is so pleased we had the chance to meet all the entrepreneurs and marketers who attended, and are thankful they gave us a few minutes to help de-mystify the world of search marketing. THANK YOU!
Check back here often for more tips on Columbus search engine marketing, local website optimization and events from the Oxiem team.
Written by crystalolig | June 7, 2010 3:03 pm
Oxiem Marketing Technology Presents:
Search Engine Marketing & Website Optimization Workshop for Businesses
Tuesday, June 29
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Dublin Entrepreneurial Center
7003 Post Rd., Dublin OH 43016
4th Floor Training Room
Google’s the big kid in the sandbox, and he’s hungry. Are you feeding the beast? The right content, keywords and structure can dramatically impact the success of your business online. On Tuesday, June 29 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., you can find out how you’re doing in a free workshop-format session with the experts in search and SEO from Oxiem Marketing Technology. One lucky attendee will WIN a free search marketing campaign from Oxiem. Register now!
First, we’ll discuss key website features like overall structure, links, title tags and keywords. You’ll learn best practices and theory behind search engine marketing, and walk away with tips you can implement now to:
- Convert lurkers into potential clients
- Painlessly collect contact information from visitors
- Better understand online metrics and measurement goals
- Make sure your site is performing well with key quality measurements
- Consistently grow online traffic
Next, the first 15 pre-registered attendees will have the opportunity to discuss your existing website with an expert from Oxiem one-on-one, and get recommendations about content, structure, keywords and more.
Fill out the form here to register today!
Questions? Call 614.787.6676 or e-mail Crystal at colig(at)oxiem.com.
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About the Presenters
David Kragel
David is the lead search marketing analyst at Oxiem and manages the
day-to-day operations of their search marketing campaigns. David’s
responsibilities include market and keyword research, developing and
optimizing search advertisements, and implementing unique, visitor-driven
conversion opportunities. He also develops organic search marketing
campaigns, analyzing websites for strengths and weaknesses and integrating
content and technical changes to fully optimize client websites.
Bill Sterzenbach
Bill is co-founder of Oxiem and is the company’s technology director. His
professional career spans web site architecture, online marketing,
technology application, website development and hosting for a range of B2B,
manufacturing and consumer clients. With more than 20 years of IT
leadership experience and a decade’s worth of online marketing expertise,
he’s a recognized expert in search marketing and search engine
optimization, specializing in driving real, measurable business results
through savvy and insightful search strategy.
Post-Event Recap
See our intro presentation slides below, with a quick capture of the basics of search and topics discussed at the workshop.
Written by bsterzenbach | January 5, 2010 11:08 am
Congratulations! You’ve been running a successful search campaign in the US for some time and you are happy with the results. This is a great accomplishment alone – but now you are considering diving into the vast deep waters of International Search. Doing a multi-language search campaign is not as hard as you may think – it’s mostly just understanding the languages, segments, opportunities and limitations of the target markets. In this article we’re assuming you’ve handled the nuances of international shipping, currencies, customer support, etc, and that you have been serving the new target markets in some capacity already.
Step One: Identify Your Regions
This is fairly straightforward. Identify the countries/regions you will be targeting. You might start of as vague as “APAC and Latin America”, or “just Europe”. Some discussion of language will be needed here as well.
Step Two: Identify Your Languages
Example: you will be running ads in Canada, will you use Canadian English and Canadian French? Will you only translate French in the targeted campaigns that are predominately french-speaking (such as Quebec for example)? Selecting the languages you will be supporting will help drive which regions you will be targeting as well. If for example you don’t wish to translate your keywords, ads, and landing page copy into french, you might choose to avoid high-density french speaking areas such as Quebec. My suggestion – do the translation. Companies such as Vocalink (in Dayton) or Asist (here in Columbus) are fast, good, and affordable for this type of work.
One caveat – if you use technical terms in your ads/keywords you’ll need a local subject matter expert to translate. For example, a word-for-word translation of “Magnetic Resonance Imaging” will not be even close to what you think it means in the target language. We find this most pervasive with some of our defense and aerospace clients – some of their English technical phrases have no direct translation so the local expert in the target country gives us the proper nomenclature for the product or group of products to use in keywords and ads. Finding a local translator that knows how to properly translate “Radar Plotting Scanner” is going to be a tall order.
Step 3: Sorry about this, but Character Sets – there I said it
Character sets (encoding) are the instructions browsers use to display differing languages. I’m sure you’ve been to Chinese or Arabian sites and seen quite a bit of craziness in the characters – this is because your browser does not support their characters. Be sure you produce your ads, keywords and web pages in a character set that your target country can display. This is not difficult, but you need to know about it. Often translators may substitute characters with with ‘US’ characters – this can often change the meaning of a word. Use localized characters whenever possible.
Step 4: Create Your Keyword List
This is just like what you did for your English campaigns, but er, in another language. Again the tricky part here is to use the local dialect – especially for technical terms.
Step 5: Create Your Ads
Here again is an opportunity to use local dialect to show the searchers that you really know what they are looking for. Be sure that any translation has been run by local folks in the region where the ads will be displayed. We’ve all heard stories about “Finger Licking Good” translated in Chinese as “eat your fingers off”, and on and on. Authors note – the ‘Chevy Nova’ story that we all read in so many marketing textbooks is not true – just FYI.
Step 6: Create Your Landing Pages
Of course, just as in English, your landing pages should match your ad text and keywords as closely as possible. If the remainder of your site is not translated into the local language, it’s a good idea to mention that on your lander giving the visitor a way to contact a local rep for further infomation.
Launch, Measure, Tune, Measure, Tune, Measure, Ad Nauseum
Launch your campaign and watch. I’d watch it every day initially. Do keyword query reports and conversion analysis in conjunction with heat maps if possible. Really test tune and repeat.
Of course feel free to give me a call if you’re considering this – we’ve worked a great deal in International Paid Search, ORganic Search, and Analytics Deployment and I’m sure I’ll have some words of wisdom to get you started.
