Warning: how to avoid the worst Website Design Disasters and get Positive Results

Friends, you invest precious time and money into a professional business website development. You should get professional results, right? Here are the worst offenders I have seen come out from some other Dallas Website Design firms that only end up killing the positive results you hoped to achieve.

At Promise Productions, our website development work is designed for visibility, marketability and profitability. That means working smarter to convert today's prospect into a paying customer.

• Multiple Navigation Menus - On the whole, heat maps of website viewers demonstrate that your business prospects are looking at your site. read top to bottom, left to right. Why would you want to create a bunch of links that take precidence over your content? Keep it simple with a tablet-friendly and streamlined horizontal navigation menu -- or you will look dumb. Excessive drop down menus, and nested items inside those menus are too cumbersome. They aren't touch friendly and thus they are not mobile friendly either. 

• Too Cluttered -- Give someone too many choices and they have a much harder time making any decision and are likely to put it off. You don't want your website to be experienced like a complicated tax form! You want it clear, conciser and compelling! If you are going to have several options for your decisions section whereby you can scroll through more choices -- keep it limited. Get straight to the point and straight to the value you are offering them. Think: clear, concise and compelling!

• Too Much "SEO" -- If your website is built to appear in search results (as it should be) then you want it to be Google-Friendly. Google no longer responds positively to "stuffing" - cramming too many key words related to your products and services. Their machines are learning to read more like humans. So don't try TOO hard to write for "SEO" as that will now backfire!  We believe (and Google agrees) that a business website should be built intelligently for humans. If you stuff verbiage in there you only cause both Google and prospects alike to thing you are desperate for business and trying too hard. You only end up looking like a scammer and Google will reduce your ranking as a result. If you cannot say it simply and concisely, don't say it at all. 

• Splash Pages - This is tacky and gaudy and does not help you sell or impress your visitors. Moreover it is bad for SEO so don't do it, period. 

• Technology Barriers - Flash and Java - Can't see it on an iPad, iPhone, and no one wants to see it anyway. Today's website need to be "responsive" – adapting themselves to desktop viewers and mobile viewers alike.

With a view towards higher results and profits, Promise Productions delivers best-in-class website development for business purposes. Call 877-858-0071 for a consultation with your best interests in mind!

How to grow your business with Mobile Marketing

Dallas Mobile Marketing - Strategy & Implementation for Profits. Call 877-858-0071

Target and engage your audience. That is key. But the "key to the key" is also to meet them where they already are -- which is searching for local products and services on mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.).

When it comes to Dallas Mobile Marketing, you want to know have the right strategy to attract and persuade new prospects in order to grow your business profits is the right one. The best strategy that will take you into the future with an abundance of opportunity.

Mobile Marketing Made Easy
A Promise Productions, we deliver smarter strategy and precision implementation for higher results from your mobile marketing. We can also help your services be seen and found in the search engines. So, whether it is mobile website development or a application for doing business through customer's handheld tablet or mobile phone, we look at your goals from a marketing, a technology and a business development standpoint to deliver the greatest practical results.

After all, it boils down to more customers, higher sales, and optimum profits for your company. Whether you are in Dallas or elsewhere in America, call 877-858-0071 to speak with a mobile-savvy marketing specialist today.

The 21 Principles of Persuasion

Friends and associates, Promise Productions Marketing Communications services are about persuasion - getting your message across in a compelling way that opens up for your listener, the opportunity to take a specific action. As a leading Dallas marketing strategy firm, we help our clients reap top dollar profits by effective and persuasive marketing. So, in the spirit of contribution, I'm passing along this well-written and insightful article. To your success, Marcus.

Reprinted from Forbes Entrepreneurs
by Jason Nazar, Contributor
CEO, Docstoc. Making entrepreneurs and small businesses better.


How is it that certain people are so incredibly persuasive? Can we all harness those skills? After  studying the most influential political, social, business and religious leaders, and trying countless techniques out myself, these are the 21 critical lessons I’ve identified to persuading people. This is an overview from a talk I’ve been giving to thousands of entrepreneurs for a few years now on “How to Persuade People.”

THE BASICS
1. Persuasion is not Manipulation - Manipulation is either tricking or pressuring someone to do something that is not in their own interest.  Persuasion is the art of getting people to do things that are in their own best interest that also benefit you.

2. Persuade the Persuadable -  Everyone can be persuaded, given the right timing and context, but not necessarily in the short term.  Political campaigns focus their time and money on a small set of swing voters who decide elections.  The first step of persuasion is always to identify those people that at a given time are persuadable to your point of view and focus your energy and attention on them.

3. Context and Timing - The basics building blocks of persuasion are context and timing.  Context creates a relative standard of what’s acceptable.  For example the Stanford Prisoner Experiment proved that overachieving students could be molded into dictatorial prison guards.  Timing dictates what we want from others and life.  We chose to marry a different type of person than we date when we’re younger, because what we want changes.

4. You have to be Interested to be Persuaded  -  You can never persuade somebody who’s not interested in what you’re saying.  We are all most interested in ourselves, and spend most of our time thinking about either money, love or health.  The first art of persuasion is learning how to consistently talk to people about them; if you do that then you’ll always have their captive attention.

GENERAL RULES
5.  Reciprocity Compels  –  When I do something for you, you feel compelled to do something for me.  It is part of our evolutionary DNA to help each other out to survive as a species.  More importantly, you can leverage reciprocity disproportionately in your favor.   By providing small gestures of consideration to others, you can ask for more back in return which others will happily provide.   (TIP: read  ”Influence” by Robert Cialdini)

6.  Persistence Pays - The person who is willing to keep asking for what they want, and keeps demonstrating value, is ultimately the most persuasive.  The way that so many historical figures have ultimately persuaded masses of people is by staying persistent in their endeavors and message.  Consider Abraham Lincoln, who lost his mother, three sons, a sister, his girlfriend,  failed in business and lost eight separate elections before he was elected president of the United States.

7.  Compliment Sincerely  - We are all so positively affected by compliments, and we’re more apt to trust people for whom we have good feelings.  Try complimenting people sincerely and often for things they aren’t typically complimented for, it’s the easiest thing you can do to persuade others that doesn’t cost anything but a moment of thought.

8.  Set Expectations - Much of persuasion is managing other’s expectations to trust in your judgment.  The CEO who promises a 20% increase in sales and delivers a 30% increase is rewarded, while the same CEO who promises a 40%  increase and delivers 35% is punished. Persuasion is simply about understanding and over-delivering on other’s expectations.

9.  Don’t Assume   - Don’t ever assume what someone needs, always offer your value.  In sales we’ll often hold back from offering our products/services because we assume others don’t have the money or interest.  Don’t assume what others might want or not want, offer what you can provide and leave the choice to them.

10.  Create Scarcity  – Besides the necessities to survive, almost everything has value on a relative scale.  We want things because other people want these things.  If you want somebody to want what you have, you have to make that object scarce, even if that object is yourself.

11.  Create Urgency  –  You have to be able to instill a sense of urgency in people to want to act right away. If we’re not motivated enough to want something right now, it’s unlikely we’ll find that motivation in the future.  We have to persuade people in the present, and urgency is our most valuable card to play.

12.  Images Matter  – What we see is more potent that what we hear.  It may be why pharma companies are now so forthcoming with the potentially horrible side effects of their drugs, when set to a background of folks enjoying a sunset in Hawaii. Perfect your first impressions.  And master the ability to paint an image for others, in their minds eye, of a future experience you can provide for them.

13.  Truth-Tell  – Sometimes the most effective way to persuade somebody, is by telling them the things about themselves that nobody else is willing to say.  Facing the hard truths are the most piercing, meaningful events that happen in our lives.  Truth-tell without judgement or agenda, and you’ll often find others’ responses quite surprising.

14.  Build Rapport - We like people who we are like.  This extends beyond our conscious decisions to our unconscious behaviors.  By Mirroring and Matching others habitual behaviors (body language, cadence, language patterns, etc.) you can build a sense of rapport where people feel more comfortable with you and become more open to your suggestions.

PERSONAL SKILLS
15.  Behavioral Flexibility - It’s the person with the most flexibility, not necessarily the most power, who’s in control.  Children are often so persuasive because they’re wiling to go through a litany of behaviors to get what they want (pouting, crying, bargaining, pleading, charming), while parents are stuck with the single response of “No.”  The larger your repertoire of behaviors, the more persuasive you’ll be.

16.  Learn to Transfer Energy - Some people drain us of our energy, while others infuse us with it.  The most persuasive people know how to transfer their energy to others, to motivate and invigorate them.  Sometimes it’s as straightforward as eye contact, physical touch, laughter, excitement in verbal responses, or even just active listening.

17.  Communicating Clearly is Key - If you can’t explain your concept or point of view to an 8th grader, such that they could explain it with sufficient clarity to another adult, it’s too complicated.  The art of persuasion lies in simplifying something down to its core, and communicating to others what they really care about.

18.  Being Prepared Gives you the Advantage - Your starting point should always be to know more about the people and situations around you.  Meticulous preparation allows for effective persuasion.  For example, you dramatically improve your odds in a job interview being completely versed in the company’s products, services, and background.

19.  Detach and Stay Calm in Conflict - Nobody is effective when they are “On Tilt” and simply reacting.  In situations of heightened emotion, you’ll always have the most leverage by staying calm and level-headed.  In conflict, people turn to those in control of their emotions, and trust them in those moments to lead them.

20.  Use Anger Purposefully - Most people are uncomfortable with conflict.  If you’re willing escalate a situation to a heightened level of tension and conflict, in many cases others will back down.  Use this sparingly, and don’t do it from an emotional place or due to a loss of self control.  But do remember, you can use anger purposefully for your advantage. That means instead of simply an angry attack (which rarely works), it is an expression of your passion and your fierce commitment to the cause, purpose or outcome you stand for.

21.  Confidence and Certainty - There is no quality as compelling, intoxicating and attractive as certainty.  It is the person who has an unbridled sense of certainty that will always be able to persuade others.  If you really believe in what you do, you will always be able to persuade others to do what’s right for them, while getting what you want in return.

Dallas Visual Marketing Communications - Key To Your Company's Profits

Promise Productions provides visual marketing communications.

Yes we can develop business growth strategies and implement them with content (web, mobile, photo, video).

Often, we come alongside a CEO, to help them realize the vision for their company - filling in the resources, strategy and implementation needed to take their company where they want it to go.

We also develop mobile websites and mobile apps with a view towards our client's profits:

• Get found and chosen by local customers in search engines

• Loyalty Rewards programs

• Facilitate communication between HQ and remote employee (construction, logistics, installers, etc.)

At each new business opportunity, we focus on presenting the value in a compelling way to dominate the chosen marketplace.

I look forward to the opportunity to be of service in reaching your business' goals.

Marcus Kaiser, President

877-858-0071

Deadly Flaw #2 - Simply Cutting Costs will pull us through

Deadly Flaw #2: Cutting Costs will pull us through. This myth is killing many companies today precisely because it has (had) a grain of truth to it! Yes, there are areas off fluff and inefficiency that need to be cut out. But face it, you can only cut costs so much and for so long. And probably the areas you've cut costs in are the wrong ones.

Many companies neglect consultants and marketing when times are "tight" and thereby starve themselves of the vital nutrients they need to have that forward-thinking vision that will differentiate themselves in the marketplace and elevate their value. The result is a downward spiral of defeat.

You already see it reflected in national politics; now see it in your own company: It is easy to look at Congress and realize,

"there is no real solution as long as politics is king, where mere rhetoric prevails and no willingness to meet the people at their need or truly change the underlying approaches to today's economic conditions. Both taxing and throwing money at new policies in a reactionary way never addresses the  Instead of everyone protecting their turf or clinging to their past political dogma, special interests needs to give way to everyone's interests." 

 I am here to remind you that these very same flaws exist in most businesses preventing them from surpassing their competition and enjoying the lion's share of the profits. 

The answer is that, yes, you evaluate where budgets are going into areas that either never served you or no longer serve you. But you REALLOCATE those funds to new strategies that align with the marketplace and current customer behavior. Without the STRATEGIC VISION to know where to reallocate the financial lifeblood of your company, you're only starving yourself needlessly.

For superior Dallas Strategic Marketing, call 877-858-0071.

The Mobile Revolution Changes Search Marketing Forever

We at Promise Productions recognize the fact that today, over 50% of Internet searches for local services are done from a mobile device. That % is likely to climb to 90% by the end of 2013!

This is a true "game changer" and it means 2 very important things for ANY business of ANY size that uses the Internet to attract new customers:

1. More prospects will now see your company's mobile website than they will your main website. 

2. Since Google detects when a user is searching from a mobile device, they give preferential ranking to companies with a mobile site -- one tailored to the experience on a smaller table or smartphone screen.

This means your oh-so-precious search ranking can now be eclipsed by a mobile searcher. 

This is a serious advantage for the early adopter of a mobile website to gain major market share over the competition. It also means those who fail to adapt, trusting only in their nice non-mobile website, will see dramatically diminished returns on new business leads, no matter how fancy or well-optimized that main website was. The smartest companies will invest in a good design and SEO for both their main and their mobile sites. But the main need for improvement is to take advantage of the search engine visibility boost from a business mobile website!

If any of our website and mobile website design, optimization and marketing can help your company, we'd be happy to be of service.

To promote your company with mobile websites, mobile app development and Dallas Mobile Marketing, we can be reached at 877-858-0071.

To your success!

Marcus Kaiser, President Promise Productions Marketing Communications

Dallas Commercial Photographer

Promise Productions offers Dallas Commercial Photography for business use. Our commercial photography includes: product photography, fashion photography, catalog photography, real estate and architectural photography, and corporate portrait photography.

Each of these areas requires special attention to get truly professional results. The common element is "a good eye" combined with aesthetic lighting, the right use of composition and lenses for the right look.

Marketing Savvy Commercial Photography
It is not enough to take a technically 'correct' photograph. Successful commercial photography demands   that is appeal to us - to the target audience. Good commercial photography needs to appeal to people, to their style and taste, to their desire for quality and value.

All the elements of design come in to play for a successful commercial photograph -- line, texture, color, lighting and such.

Reliable Results
When you hire a Dallas commercial photography, professional communication is essential for ensure your vision (or better!) is accomplished.

The Right Image
Imagery is a powerful motivator. It can cause us to pause and take notice. It can appeal to our innate appreciation of beauty or appeal to primitive desires for power, control and status. We take all this into account for a strong positive response from your customers to our photography.

We invite you to view samples and learn more at:
http://PromiseProductionsUSA.com/Commercial_Photography/Commercial_Photography.html

And call for a quote on your specific needs when you call Promise Productions at 877-858-0071.

Brand Engaement - Reality vs Myth

Just take a look at the chart below and spot all the disconnects between what marketers value compared to what consumers value. This is reposted from Steve Olinsky responding to an article in Forbes.

Marketers view consumers’ proactivity via social media as more engaging then consumers do. The inflation of “engagement” in this case has been caused by the ease of social media use and equating online followers with successful marketing. Measurement of social media engagement is an area where CMOs often don’t know what they don’t know.

Fundamental disconnects in how marketers and consumers understand and value engagement tactics may cost marketers great opportunities. The biggest schisms are found in approach to redemption rates, discount codes and loyalty programs. Additionally, marketers’ attempts at personalization and customization engage few consumers. This finding may stem from consumers’ high expectations of what true customization and personalization stands for. 

Younger consumers identify strongly with brands, who have only a partially-developed self-identity and thus view their relationship with brands as a reflection of self. And they approach and interact with them in a variety of ways, from social media to traditional advertising. They don’t necessarily view this as engagement, however. Rather, their view of how they interact with and relate to brands is much more holistic. 

Just take a look at the chart below and spot all the disconnects between what marketers value compared to what consumers value.

Perhaps the most glaring example of a disconnect from the above chart lies in the fact that 49% of marketers rate forwards or shares of ads or other content online as a strong influence on their engagement measures, but just 15% of consumers say they feel engaged or invested in a brand when they share an ad.

So the next time all you marketers out there break into a happy dance because 100 people shared your ad you may want to temper your enthusiasm just a tad as it is not indicative of a consumer who is necessarily engaged with your brand per se.
And you also may want to not take out your dancing shoes just because you grew your Twitter followers by X%.

Different Strokes
From the report:
"Consumers and marketers differ fundamentally in how they define the state of engagement with a brand; what companies consider engaging is not considered anywhere near so by consumers. But this also cuts both ways: some activities that consumers consider highly engaging are seen as less important by marketers. This may be costing companies great opportunities to engage consumers."

The first two results alone from the chart above say it all and if not all, they say a lot. Consumers are creatures of habit, they are human beings which means they want something in return for their engaging with your brand.
From the aforementioned The Major Disconnect Between Brands and Consumers When It Comes to Social Media:

This Is Not Just About Social Media Engagement
The need to engage with consumers extends well beyond the scope of social media. People want the personal touch, they want to know brands understand them and offer the ability to create a brand experience that matches their individual tastes.
Yet that is apparently not happening as you will see another example of the major disconnect between consumers and brands.
From the report:
"72% of marketing executives say that they have personally reached out to customers, but just 9% of consumers say that they feel engaged or invested in a brand because of such gestures. The personal connection has been a cornerstone of marketing strategy."

And since I am such a huge fan of infusing humor into, well just about everything in my life but especially advertising and marketing, I had to share this one final finding from the report which speaks directly to the power of humor to connect and engage.

Sources: Forbes Insights, MarketingCharts.com, Google Images

The First Step To Success - Declare Your Business A Failure

What do I mean by this? In today's society, "failure" is looked down on. We take it way too personally. Almost nothing is as taboo as "failure" because success is king. Everyone wants to "make it" and prosper. But at this time, we all know we are in a season where prosperity -- although still very possible -- is scarer than ever.

As a premier marketing communications agency in Dallas, Promise Productions offers customized ways to direct your business into that prosperity. (i.e. business development strategies, marketing initiatives, creative ways to show prospects your true value to them, etc.) We love to make our clients wildly successful, but one of the main things we see that prevents companies from achieving greater success is their unwillingness to identfy and admit where breakdowns are undermining they success they could be enjoying.

Let's go over the top 5 ways that many businesses (of every size and in every market) are "failing" today. Because with knowing where you are missing the mark, can come a willingness to truly make the corrections that lead to success.

In our business development services and marketing strategy services, we deal with CEO's and business owners to help them realize their goals for their company. So I am going to be speaking Owner-to-Owner as you take a look at your own company.

This post will cover the first of the 5 deadly flaws. In a nutshell the 5 failure/breakthroughs are:
1. Only reacting to the outward symptoms of failure and not clearly identifying the exact breakdowns responsible for causing it. Without a powerful and clear declaration of failure that gets to the heart of the matter, no meaningful strategy for success can arise.

 2. Failing to adapt to the needs and driving motivations of your market today. This is huge. So many companies have some lofty ideas that have nothing to do with today's realities. As a result, their idealized intentions of success only end in frustration. Face it, the lock has changed and the same old key will no longer open it. Stubbornness, regardless of how well-intentioned or how nasty, leads quickly to extinction.

And the stubbornness to cling to outmoded ways of attracting clients and doing business with them creates a mismatch. Customers at all levels will do business with those that proactively communicate that they understand your needs and will do whatever it takes to meet their client's needs.

3. Failing to give more and more. Trying to survive simply by cutting costs is a superficial reaction and doomed to fail. I understand that we all need to "do more with less", but you're not going to get without giving. Business relationships are a 2-way street -- whether you are buying a house or a can-opener, there is some level of trust required for even the simplest of business transactions. People respond to reciprocity. If you lure prospects with shallow or fake value, they will soon abandon you to those that offer more compelling value.

4. Failing to love. You heard me: business success has everything to do with love. Polishing the packaging without an actual shiny interior will push profits away. You have to admit and identify where corporate apathy and selfishness are making people not care to do business with you.

This includes, but is far more than, being "passionate" about your company's products and services. If you are new to "business love", don't worry, we can show you how.

So let's begin:


Deadly Flaw #1: failing to declare "failure" for what it is.
Here's the "bad news / good news":We're going to reveal that your business is almost certainly failing in several vital areas. And in that, there is the relief that, although your business could be called a "failure" today, it does not have to keep failing and can make the necessary changes to gain even more market share to get on the dynamic path of prosperity tomorrow.

Failure does not have to be permanent -- it does not have to be stamped like a tombstone of your company! So look at "declaring failure" as the necessary step to engaging in the breakthroughs that will make the difference you have wanted all along.

Let's get one thing clear -- first you must admit that it takes more than pat answers. It takes more than a "band-aid" on top of the "same old thing." It takes more than new wrapping paper covering up the same strategic flaws. Trust us, the change you are really wanting is (a) top down, and (b) comes from the inside out, not the outside in.

What we "want" to do will only perpetuate frustration, failure and corporate death, but what we "need" to do will result in achievement, distinction and business fulfillment. First, let's identity the mistaken approach of "doing what we want."

By this I mean, it is tempting to indulge in wishful thinking and believe that applying little minor and painless new policies will quickly and magically make everything better.

I understand the attraction to wishful thinking in your business. This is simply human nature. But the situation here is that many companies have rampant "cancer" within them that requires a much deeper actions -- new ways to think of attracting and serving your customer and new ways of looking at your value within your industry - not just a new policy on top of outmoded and failing core practices.

What we all NEED to do to succeed: First we need to be honest. The most successful companies (throughout history and in every marketplace) always did 2 crucial things:
• they saw things as they were
• they saw how things could be better than they were

Without honesty, we also avoid success. Without admitting the breakdowns -- and by that I mean really pinpointing the core breakdown, we will never get to the turning points to be able to turn them in the right direction!

Here's the Catch
You cannot do this on your own. Reality shows us again and again that, left to your own great intentions, you will end up keep on doing the same thing and falling into the same limiting business ruts. Your business ego will resist getting right down to the REAL breakdown underlying all the symptoms you don't like. You need a "business therapist" (I just made that up and it makes me laugh). But seriously, you need the objective and strategic consulting that only a proven business development and marketing expert can deliver.

The very inertia of your surrounding corporate "culture" will actually prevent the very change you need to live. I know we all want to tell ourselves that we are the "exception", but ptobably we are not the exception to the rule. (after all, 95% of people identify themselves as "better than" the average driver)  But at the very same time we all see the old ways overtake new great intentions (just look at why 95% of people fail to realize their New Year's Resolutions or fail to keep the weight off, etc. etc.)

You want death and frustration? Then go right ahead and indulge in wishful thinking. If that is you, then, here, have another "business Twinkie" while indulging in dreams of "corporate fitness." In the very same way, left to your own devices, you will rationalize those business Twinkies, with their promise of immediate gratification, that end up driving you to extinction.

You won't get on the road to fulfilling results because you lack the objectivity and freedom from ego and familiar rationalizations that is required to make the core shifts that make it finally all come together for you!

When you are ready to stop paying lip service to success and really enjoy a new level of freedom and business fulfillment, we are just a phone call away at 877-858-0071. Talk to a Promise Productions business profits specialist about making your business be all it can be.

© 2012 Marcus Kaiser of Promise Productions

Dallas Video Production

Dallas Video Production

When you need a top Dallas video production company to provide creative and high quality videos for your business, don't hesitate to call Promise Productions. You'll be thrilled with the end product.

If you’re searching for a talented, dedicated videography team in Dallas, look no further than Promise Productions. As a skilled videographer who enjoys working with a wide array of clients, Promise Productions is equipped and excited to take on your project, no matter the subject or scope. From weddings to birthday parties to everything in between, Promise Productions will capture your memories on video and allow you to relive them time and time again.

Dallas Video Production for Corporate and Events -- Call 877-858-0071

Skilled Videographer in Dallas

Promise Productions is a marketing-savvy Dallas Video Production firm, serving all your needs for documenting the small events that have a big impact. With Promise Productions, you get a seasoned film professional who can artfully and beautifully record your lower-budget commercial, wedding ceremonies, family gatherings, parties, and more. You want to have a good time, without worrying about how well the magnificent fest is being recorded. Promise Productions is offering you the chance to sit back, to party, to socialize, while a videographer takes care of putting it all on tape, and in a format that will entertain you for years to come as you play it all back on screen. After the social function has ended, you will be ultra delighted to receive the videographer’s final tape of the event. Let Promise Productionsrecord life’s greatest events, immortalizing them.

Professionalism and Experience

As a well-established videographer in Dallas, Promise Productions strives to offer exceptional service on every job. Working with Promise Productions means collaborating with a gifted professional who takes pride in producing outstanding results. And thanks to Promise Productions’s arsenal of modern tools and equipment, you can rest assured knowing that you’re going to end up with a quality product. 

With a warm, approachable demeanor and reasonable rates, Promise Productions is the videographer to trust for your upcoming Dallas event. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call Promise Productions today at 877-858-0071.

SEO has totally changed? Is your marketing following suit?

"SEO Isn't What You Think It Is." This is the absolute best article on the changing landscape of SEO to articulate and sum up the significant changes we have seen in 2012 period. I did not write it, but it echoes precisely what I've been preaching to my clients since the Summer of 2012. 

Let me make some crucial points and then on to this gem of an article. If you are doing business as usual, you are opting for extinction. The rules have changed! A lot! 

 

So if your marketing or SEO company has not come to you and said "we need to step back and re-strategize your entire approach to online visibility" they are flat out pimping you for money on old models and paradigms of SEO that NO LONGER WORK. 

 

What worked in the first quarter of 2012, no longer works at all in the 3rd quarter of 2012. That is because many things that Google previously rewarded, they now punish. So if your strategy is not FRESH, it is not merely stale, it is painfully DEAD.

99% of SEO companies are baloney - they take a small pinch of actual knowledge and hold it over their client's heads - fluffing up its value so they can charge fat monthly retainers.  This is in contrast to the work it takes to develop a comprehensive strategy based on the actual landscape of SEO in the present with a smart plan for the future. 

 

1% of SEO companies actually know what they are doing. I should know, as a Dallas SEO service provider, I have been in this industry since the very beginning. In well over a decade of local search marketing interaction, I've seen many companies and services come and go and only found 5 other companies (besides my own http://PromiseProductionsUSA.com) that actually GET IT. 

 

That's right, I can say in all honesty that in Dallas' city of 3 million people, there are only 6 legitimate firms amongst 20,000,000 PRETENDERS with little value and lots of hype to snag your marketing dollar and waste it. 

 

I am writing this because I am personally passionate that clients get TRUE VALUE and it upsets me to see so much abuse by other firms to something that could be one of the very most valuable tools to a business wanting more market share and more revenue.

 

Why don't other SEO companies stay current and actually "move the needle" for their clients? Because that takes real work, time and effort to stay on top of the very dynamic world of Search Engine Optimization. It takes visionary strategy. It takes actual innovation and creativity. And these things are not commodities.

 

Yes your website needs well-done SEO, but don't fool yourself to think that this alone will give you meaningful results in today's marketplace. On-page SEO is a necessity. On-page SEO is an assumed foundation if you are serious about your business, but it is no longer enough to rank well in Google. 

 

Today's successful companies must go beyond on-page SEO to off-page SEO and social interaction. If you don't have a brand visibility strategy you are being lost in the shuffle and throwing away your influence and losing valuable prospects left and right. Don't let that happen; use a savvy marketing communications firm that is well-versed in the new rules of search engine visibility since Google's Panda and Penguin updates to gain, and keep, your website in the top search engine results for your most valuable terms. 

 

Here is another "take away" from the new rules of SEO. Your web designer or website developer can no longer do your SEO. 

 

That is because SEO has evolved to incorporate elements that only those with current skills in integrated marketing, social media marketing, marketing communications and digital interactive agencies possess. 

 

Your website designer can intelligently make your website itself the best it can be, but that is just the start to the real process of online visibility. Only those who know web development but ALSO know social media, video SEO and online marketing are actually qualified to pull together the increasingly diverse sets of resources and strategies that are required to get real results in the search marketing landscape of today and tomorrow.

 

Understand that SEO, done right, is a TREMENDOUS VALUE to your company's short-term and long-term profits. SEO done wrong (or according to outdated approaches) is not only a terrible waste of precious resources, it now makes your company PENALIZED. 

 

That's right; you just heard me admit that what Google encouraged you to do a few months ago in your SEO and linkbuilding and keyword approaches, now will actually work against you - burying your company in the depths where no customers will find you and have the chance to do business with you. Google did not merely "update" the rules; they massively changed them - to the point of actually contradicting many of the previous commonly embraced SEO best practices. 

 

If your marketing or SEO company did not proactively come to you and tell you this, then fire them. They are probably not just ignorant or out or touch, they are probably panicking and literally hiding the fact that they just become irrelevant because they don't have the skill sets or marketing savvy to actually do you any good anymore! 

 

If your SEO firm did not come clean and tell you "the very things we've been charging you to do last month are now the things hurting your website visibility today, and becuase we care about your business' success more than we care about milking you for your monthly charges, we have a completely difference strategy to deal with this and win back your search engine placement" then they are quietly deceiving you - having become dangerous liability to your success instead of an asset. 

I am not saying they are necessarily wrong to do the SEO they did in the past. But I am emphatically stating that they are deceptive to keep on doing it today when they should be the first to know how the old rules hurt your results today.

Unless you are an expert whose invested significant time on a regular basis to understand the nuances between what ACTUALLY WORKS and what no longer works, then your business is practically pissing in the wind. 

 

I personally vouch that the info in this article below is the real deal, so I honor her for saying it like it is. There are no short cuts to success. Deal with it. But there are clues that success leaves behind that you can follow. Enjoy results with the significantly different "new best practices" when it comes to giving your products and services the visibility they need to succeed in a digital (and social) world.

 

So, speaking business owner to business owner, I personally invite your company to do itself a favor and learn the info below. It can make ALL the difference when it comes to your SEO, and if you want a diligent SEO company in Dallas, simply call Promise Productions at 877-858-0071.

 

To your success,

Marcus K

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Updates to Google's algorithms mean that social engagement, rather than search engine trickery, yields top results. 

By Veronica Fielding

Marketers are buzzing from the aftershocks of Google's recent most updates, code-named Panda and Penguin.

Panda, which launched around February of 2011, started using artificial intelligence in new ways to enforce the best practices guidelines Google had long provided to those seeking to optimize their websites.

If Panda was a wrist slap, Penguin, launched in last April 2012, was a body slam to websites still trying to "trick" the search engines into ranking them ahead of their competition. The update emphasized the importance of quality content, originality, and overall user experience.
Both the Panda and Penguin updates contained very clear messages for marketers: stop focusing on technology and tricks and start focusing on people. If your website appeals to people, it will appeal to Google's algorithms too.

But the Panda and Penguin messages go deeper. With them, the search engines are openly acknowledging that a website isn't the only place on the Web that a brand needs to maintain a strong presence. The interactive exchanges that people have with each other and with the brand--online--are happening in the social media channel, and the search engines are placing an increasing importance on how these conversations influence their views on brands and how their websites should rank.

This means that a brand can no longer rely on a well-optimized website to earn Google's attention. A brand must be a conversationalist, going where the people are and engaging them in discussion, and by doing that earn a wonderful reputation.

Smart brands are doing this by fully leveraging each social channels particular properties.

Facilitate conversations with fans on your Facebook page.
Simply announcing what your company is up to isn't going to get fans engaging with your brand. Post information that is relevant to your brand and of interest to your stakeholders. Invite questions, suggest other reading, provide links, curate other content. The point is to have dynamic conversations between your brand and your fans.
Parmesan is a delicious example.

Share tweets about topics of interest (again--not self-serving announcements but follower-serving news) via Twitter.
The search engines are all looking at Twitter activity, at the keyword and brand-name level, as signals for which brands deserve top rankings. No one is going to be interested in miles and miles of one-way tweets about how great your brand is. Know your stakeholders: provide information that will be of use to them and they will not only follow you, they'll retweet what you share.
Whole Foods gets it.

Uploading shareable videos to your YouTube channel optimizes your brand as well as your website.
How? When the content is engaging, people what to share it. When they share it, they often add a link to your website. Encourage more sharing and engagement with people who leave comments by responding to their comments. Remember, Google owns YouTube. Enough said.
Home Depot has a quality YouTube channel.

Pin and Repin interesting visuals on Pinterest.
Pinterest may not be right for every brand, but if you market to consumers and have a brand with visual attributes or messaging that can be supported by photos, images, and infographics, Pinterest is another option to leverage for brand optimization.
Real Simple and West Elm pin well.

Participate in groups, answer questions, and post company updates on LinkedIn.
This is less about SEO and more about putting your brand where the buyers are. Whether you are a B2B or B2C marketer, having a strong LinkedIn profile for your company, complete with referrals from customers and strategic partners, is a strong component in the brand optimization mix. While LinkedIn groups tend to be "closed" and therefore not accessible to the search engines, some are public, and therefore search engine crawlable and the conversations in those groups where your brand is referenced with links to your website can help with SEO and brand optimization too. And don't forget, Company Pages are public and now feature status updates.
Voices.com is a resource on LinkedIn.

Share information on Google+.
There is widespread belief that as Google+ gains in popularity, the conversations there will help with brand and search engine optimization. People have been somewhat slow to add yet another social media profile to their online presence, and brands have been slow to adopt Google+ too, but some brands are making smart use of Google+ now.

See what the New York Times is doing with it.

All of this social media activity works to create engagement around the brand by what has always mattered to the search engines most: people.

So rather than asking yourself, "How do I optimize my website to better rank with search engines?" ask, "How can I optimize my brand so that it's a sought-after participant in relevant conversations?" Answering that will bring you top rankings on the search engines and much, much more.

Veronica Fielding is the CEO of "Digital Brand Expressions", a trailblazing digital marketing agency that specializes in building audiences and connecting buyers and brands through context marketing solutions.

Google Updates for 2012 - Dallas Search Engine Opimization (SEO)

Heads Up -- in the first half of 2012, Google plans to radically change how they rank websites. Google is responding to the fact that many of today's searches are for local products and services (called "local search"). Over 30% of these searches are currently being done on mobile devices (smart phones, iPads, etc.) and that percentage is only expected to rise throughout 2012.

This means that people on-the-go are looking for a business near them. As search becomes more local, and even "hyper-local" (down to your neighborhood and immediate surroundings), Google will RE-RANK websites.

Much of that upcoming change to Google's algorithms has to do with determining what is close by the customer searching. Thus a prospect in downtown Dallas and a prospect in Plano, doing an identical search, will get significantly different search engine results. (There have already been some small steps by Google in that direction, but come May 2012, your search results will become radically different depending on your location.)

Get Customer Visibility Strategies working FOR Your profits. Call 877-858-0071.

Evolve or Go Extinct
If you don't adapt your search engine marketing, you can easily FALL OFF rankings and lose significant local market share. That means that your precious SEO work will be eclipsed by the "location factor" in Google's new search algorithms.

What does it mean to adapt successfully?
That is the million dollar question. I will give you one hint -- it means all websites and web pages will need NEW METATAGS added to them that have to do with telling Google your location, your store hours and so forth. There's much more meat to that answer, but I just want to whet your appetites.

Your Action Item
How does this affect your business? If you're not asking that, you should be! This change is a massive OPPORTUNITY for those on top of the change, who step up and proactively take advantage of this to more effectively reach new local prospects. Those who procrastinate or hesitate in their search engine marketing are essentially choosing extinction as they will be buried underneath the early adopters.

Promise Productions has been very successful with providing businesses high page rank for optimum visibility to clients both national and local. We have aggressive strategies designed to capture market share and profits for you. The combination of search engine marketing strategies we have provided clients measure in tens of millions of extra profits won. Come, get in on advanced visibility campaigns for your products and services.

Your business will want to GAIN ground and not LOSE ground with these visibility changes, so call 877-858-0071 today.

People To People Marketing

I believe that all marketing is essentially People To People marketing. Whether you are selling jet airplanes, hamburgers, or electronics -- a human being ultimately makes the decision.

And that means your product or service has to MEET THE NEED of a business or prospect (both of which are made of individuals). So appealing to the universal human needs, however the specifics may spell out, is the key to truly serving and truly motivating a positive action from your target.

But enough talk, here's a video to watch, and if you believe as we believe, then it makes sense to use us to grow your profits by calling 877-858-9971.

Digital Media / Adversiting Guru - Marcus Kaiser

There are interactive marketers talk about working in the interactive space since it took off in the mid-90s, and then there are those who actually worked in the space. Marcus Kaiser is one of those who has successfully navigated the interactive world since “Day 1,” and today he leads all of our interactive initiatives. 

Before founding Promsie Productions, Marcus ran Covenant Designs Marketing Communications, a full-service interactive agency that he launched around 2000. His agency provided interactive solutions to an impressive roster of companies, including Hughes Data Systems, Lockheed, Verizon Superpages, Landsafe, Fujitsu and EDS as well as many local startups. He loves taking the high-end marketing strategies of the Fortune 50 and applying them to the needs to local business owners of all sizes.

Specialties: Internet marketing [email + social + viral + search], search engine marketing [PPC, Google Boost Ads, Facebook Ads], web application strategy, development and management [CMS + Ecommerce + project management + analytics], online brand strategy lead generation.

His focus these days is tapping the potential of online video marketing leveraged with social media marketing.

FOr all this and more, visit: http://PromiseProductionsUSA.com or simply call 877-858-0071.

Traditional Digital Media vs New Media Marketing

When consumers and advertisers made the shift from print to online a few years ago, ad agencies followed suit and began talking about "digital media".

What this mean right at first was taking the marketing piece of the printed brochure and translating it up on a company web page. We all soon learned that the web could do so much more than that.

Call it Interactivity 2.0 -- we can now listen and learn online. As a business, we can learn about our customers and better listen to their needs. We're no longer simply dishing out what we thought of providing and we're listening and responding in a way that is both systematic and personalized. Customer service can now be as personal -- or impersonal -- as we want.

The shift from "push" advertising to interactive communication let's us have freedom in giving and getting more of what we want.

No matter what kind of business you are in, you are in the business of customer service -- of meeting human needs. The companies that embrace the methodologies Promise Productions provides for caring for their customer will thrive! And those that still try to "push" their info or message or products will see people migrating to more responsive competitors.

At Promise Productions, we see marketing as communicating. The technology is the means to serve more effectively and, as a natural byproduct, command higher margins and the lion's share of the marketplace. For better profits through better service, call Promise Productions today at 877-858-0071.

Why Video Wins in Today's Marketing Equation

To increase your market-share and gain the new customers / clients that make for higher profits, you must win the hearts, minds and pocketbooks of your prospects. That means winning their trust.

Trust-based marketing is most powerfully done through video. Broadband Internet, powerful smart-phones and rich media now means that video communication can present the value of your products and services with an effectiveness like nothing else!

Video marketing is increasingly the deciding factor that separates the market leader from the competition in industry after industry. Video delivers benefits include personalization, competitive advantage and cost-effective persuasion power!

Video, if done from from professional tastefulness and authenticity, can promote trust in your products and services faster than any other marketing method. This is because video marketing does more than tell, it SHOWS what you have to offer.

Here are seven golden ways video marketing outperforms static web content in the competition for the lions' share of the profits:

1. Video Attracts New, Relevant Search Traffic
No conversation about ebusiness is complete without discussing search engine optimization (SEO). Your business cannot gain on a competitor until consumers know it exists and can easily find it organically in the search engines.

Today, businesses that utilize video assets have an almost unfair advantage, since Google is structuring its search engine results to reward sites that include video. According to Forrester, any given video in an index of searchable keywords has a 50 times better chance of appearing on the first page of results than any given text webpage.

It only makes sense to spend 50 times the budget on professional video marketing, optimized and tagged for search engines. Like I said, no other method can say that! There is no better way to reward yourself and your company than giving yourself a professional video profile.

To better promote their video investments and derive the greatest SEO rewards, companies are making videos more accessible to visitors, making overview videos, making videos on specific products and services, making videos that answer customer's questions, and automating video production in order to have video available as soon as new products are introduced.

2. Video Assets Can be Easily Syndicated
That's right; video can be spread and shared online in more places and to more devices that your prospects use than ever before!

Online video is usually channel-blind. By syndicating video properties to multiple sites — including YouTube (the second largest search engine today) — businesses extend their reach to innumerable eyeballs. In addition to traditional channels, online video plays equally well via mobile networks, TV, and in-store screens. It is a cost-effective way to maintain brand consistency and strengthen consumer awareness.

The masses are abandoning TV, or watching video on their smart-phones and iPads WHILE the TV is on! They are not paying attention to cable, to newspapers, but rather to their computers screens, watching more and more online video each day. Why not make your presentation where your audience is eager to listen... and watch!

3. Video Marketing Encourages Sharing
Videos are far more likely to be passed and shared than text-based pages. Additionally, a video thumbnail on a social media platform — Facebook, for example — grabs more attention than static text and often results in more comments, more “Likes,” and more traffic to the brand’s website. When you like or share a video link, a thumbnail appears on your wall and is also seen by your friends.

According to a study from YouBrand, pictures and video within Facebook get engaged with and clicked more often than just text and questions. From every angle, video simply "wins" hands down.

4. Video Engages Site Visitors
Video provides a familiar user interface for site visitors. When videos are properly produced, they captivate your audience. Instead of the need to navigate, scroll and click to access information, the video is a one-stop shop for information. It takes less energy than the hassle of reading and the user is engaged until he or she is ready to follow an embedded call-to-action. Today’s automated video production platforms easily enable this flow, in many cases directing visual and auditory calls-to-action that guide the viewer to a shopping cart.

5. Video’s “Halo Effect” Drives Conversions
The next best thing to a one-on-one demonstration in person from your VP of sales, Video Marketing can give customers an in-depth view of a product or a demonstration that quells any hesitancy they might have about purchasing online.

Moreover, the peace of mind the customer gains from the video seeps into the way he or she feels about the brand and website overall, making both trust and credibility soar! This is essential to gaining market share, especially for businesses that sell products in a competitive landscape.

6. Video Increases Customer Loyalty
Video newsletters are more likely to attract consumer attention. By some estimates, the open rate for a video newsletter is 200% to 300% than for a text-based newsletter. While many brands compete for consumer attention with the latter, those who employ video stand out from the crowd.

These video communications can be personalized for each recipient with individualized greetings, references to previously purchased items, or offers based on shopping history, geography and segmentation.

7. Video Creates Online Personalization
By improving and tailoring the customer experience, online retailers in every sector have increased customer loyalty, conversion rates and average order price. The quality of online personalization continues to rise and in many cases can rival or actually outperform the “live” physical shopping experience.

You have experienced it, I experience it -- you are at the store with a question or trying to compare a product, but the salesperson is either absent, helping someone else, or not knowledgeable enough about the specifics of the item. So shoppers naturally turn online for product reviews, community wisdom that is less biased and more well-rounded than any single salesperson could ever be! Make a video that answers how a product is used and voila -- you just paved the way to a sale... and a rave review that converts into many more sales!

That means video marketing is THE key factor in gaining market share, since consumers increasingly shop online but still express a desire for the personal dimension (the social aspect of in-person browsing).
When prospects go to a store, they get recommendations and help from in-store staff who point them to relevant products -- under more and more rare ideal circumstances.

But Video Marketing delivers this experience online -- literally in the very palm of your hand -- with far less variability and chance. With new technologies that offer personalized video created on-the-fly, ebusinesses can bridge the gap between live and virtual experiences.

8. Video Production Costs Less while its ROI continues to Rise!
Online video clearly has an impact on competitive advantage. But is it feasible for most companies? Thanks to today’s video production technology, the answer is “YES.”

Two decades ago, no, but today, yes. Today we hardly think about the steps required to update or add web content: Images and text are now template-based, database-driven and easier to manipulate than ever. Video production is experiencing a similar change. While many website owners once fought the limitations of manually produced videos — including slow production times and prohibitive costs — today’s solutions are both cost effective and high quality.

Today, online video production dramatically increases a business’s competitive advantage while creating a much more positive shopping experience for the user.

The longer you wait to embrace video, the more money and market-share slips through your fingers – right into the hands of competitors waking up to the power of online video marketing.

Why not put a marketing-savvy Dallas Video production firm to work on your behalf? Call Promise Productions today at 877-858-0071.

Dallas Business Website Success - Powerful Design + Marketing Savvy

At Promise Productions we came from graphic design roots, but quickly developed the marketing savvy that made the difference between a great looking website and a great looking website that makes your business tons of profits.

Our websites are distinguished by these two area of exceptional value:

• Marketing-Savvy

• Search Engine Friendliness

This is because being found by your ideal prospects and having them respond in a strong and positive way to the how your products/services are presented, ends up making all the difference between companies that struggle and companies that thrive!

Here are some areas of Dallas website design and development that we have had much success with in our 10+ year track record of results:

• Contractor Website Design
As a Dallas contractor, using a professional web design company not only sets you above your compeition, it positions you to be trusted and responded to for more jobs.

• Ministry Website Design
We provide complete turnkey website design services for churches and other religious organizations. We are savvy both on the design needs and the feature sets that make for an effective presentation and an organization's online communication hum.


• Medical & Dental Website Design
We have been providing web design and development for the medical & dental industries for many years. Small, local practices to large, multi-location firms enjoy our ability to design and structure their information in ways that their patients respond to easily. Our understanding of what a medical type of business needs to accomplish on the web empowers us to deliver superior results from your practice's website.




• Property Website DesignThis could mean a custom home builder website, apartment complex website or property management company web site. We have an amazing ability to use powerful visuals to sell your product - your property. We know how to make them search engine friendly and have generated our clients tens of millions in additional revenue as a result!

Other two areas include attorney websites and industrial portals. All this sounds like different categories, and it is, but our understanding of these kinds of businesess, their marketplace, and their customer needs forms the foundation for an effective website that is a business success!

We've seen, time and time again where a very business-savvy web design like ourselves gives your business a strong edge that amplifies your profits for years. Put our skills, our experience and our passion for your success to work for you!

Based in Dallas, Texas Promise Productions Marketing Communications can be reached to discuss your needs at 877-858-0071.

Promise Productions Business Development

We're in the business of helping great companies succeed! Promise Production's services are about targeting, engaging and captivating your best audience.

We believe that not all customers are created equal and our marketing communications, social media management and web visibility strategies are focused on attracting your best prospects -- and by that I mean the ones you ENJOY doing business with the most... and the ones that bring optimum PROFITS.



I find that every business these days is facing one need or another. You may need strategies to get quick cash-flow while also building your brand long-term. You may have a great service and just need to let people know about it. You may want to leverage Video Marketing or Social Media to reach the next level. You may offer an innovating approach and need to differentiate yourself from the competition. You may want the power of a big ad agency without the high fees they charge.

Well if you want, you need, then this is the place you GET. 

Let Promise Productions take you from where your business is to where it want's to be. But realize, you have to be open to a fresh approach -- to service -- to truly giving value in order to get market share.

Let Promise Productions serve your business with strategies tailored to forward your success -- call 877-858-0071.

Top 2 Business Mistakes

There are Two Primary mistakes that both small and medium sized businesses in Dallas make that keep them in a struggle mode. These are:
1. Not Marketing
2. Not Marketing

Seriously, those without a strategic marketing plan, fail to market and thus stay in a reactionary mode. Either they are slammed with business and so they "fail to market themselves" or business is slow, and they don't have the money to market themselves.

So either they are reacting to the workload and thus too busy to look ahead. Or they are too slow and desperate for the next batch of work, but without the funding or the plan to effectively promote their business.

"Marketing is all about putting a compelling message where your prospects are -- one that clearly shows you value. One that conveys that to use you is to benefit them."

That is where our Dallas business development services come in and where our marketing strategy comes in. Whatever the next step for your business' growth, come to Promise Productions and get a strategic plan we will help you implement for maximum profits. Call 877-858-0071.

Website Visibility - How To Win from Google's Panda Algorithm Ranking

Friends, your website's visibility in major search engines has a lot to do with how many new prospects and business leads you enjoy. New customers are the lifeblood of many companies, which is why Promise Production's SEO / SEM / Website Promotion and Search Engine Visibility play heavily in the marketing strategy we provide to grow your profits.

It is not just your IT department or your Webmaster, but your Marketing that needs to be savvy to the evolutions in search engine marketing. Otherwise, you'll continue to aim at the target where the results "were", not where they are "today." So even if you "win" in your goals, the target keeps moving, so in reality you have missed the lion's share of the profits. Up-to-date marketing strategy is so key, along with search engine optimization, you need smarter strategy to outthink the competition!

Below is an excellent article by that underscores everything we at Promise Productions have been saying. (Nice to find experts that agree, eh?) But seriously, it boils down to a few key concepts that Promise Productions knows exactly how to implement on your behalf:

•  Quality Content  - are your products and services communicated in a compelling way that makes their value stand out to your prospects?
• Video Marketing - are you making video more and more central to getting the message out? This is a win with your customer but also a win in the search engines - but only if you do it the right way!
• Quality Backlinks - how many others are talking about your brand, your products, your services. How many signposts pointing back to your website are there and how relevant  This area has been one of the most elusive to do in an effective and legitimate way with search engines – until now!

Both the Video Marketing and the Quality Backlinks overlap with Social Media Marketing, but as always the exact strategies we provide is what separates winners from losers. Again, these are not just "webmaster tweaks" – they are keys your company's decision makers need to be aware of to inform the entire way you orient your marketing, sales and advertising efforts. 

So contact Promise Productions for expert marketing strategy and implementation to promote your company at 877-858-0071.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Without further ado, see the below recent article by Titus for a detailed discussion of these matters:

Lately, like many full-time webmasters, I have been spending a lot of my time dealing with the Panda/Farmer Update - Google's major Algorithm Changes which they did in February 2011 with further adjustments in the months following. This update was a major "game changer" since even some very prestigious sites saw their rankings drop and the debate/fallout is still continuing as I write this material.

Figuring Out "Exactly" How Google Ranks Web Pages Has Become the "Holy Grail" of SEO.

Webmasters and marketers have been debating these "ranking factors" for over 10 years now and that discussion will continue far into the future or for as long as Google remains the dominant search engine on the planet.


Rank Local Top 10 in Google
Of course, I have formed my own opinions and views on this matter, mostly from the information I get from running 9 or 10 websites. But mainly I derive the majority of my beliefs from observations of some major "keyword battles" which I have been fighting for about as long as Google has existed.




There are a lot of myths out there. For example, many SEO experts insist you must update your site/pages often. But I have one site which I have barely touched in over 4 or 5 years and it still ranks in the top spot in Google for its targeted keyword phrase "Internet Marketing Tools."




Now I have been constantly building backlinks to this site over the years, but I have not updated it or changed the content much since it was created. I have a few sites which I don't promote with link building and they have dropped off the map in Google.

What this tells me about Google is that quality one-way links is a very important factor in how Google ranks pages. These keyworded links back to your homepage and to your interior pages are extremely important for getting top rankings.




Actually, I would bet the shop, that if you ONLY concentrated on quality backlinks you would achieve those top spots in Google. While, of course, there is no need to ignore the other ranking factors, if you did, and concentrated most of your efforts on link building, you would still get to the first page of Google. At least that is how things were working...


The Panda Algorithm


The Google Panda Update threw a monkey wrench into the whole ranking game. It is more or less, the ultimate filter which can override all the other ranking factors. It finds poor quality content and filters it out or lowers its rankings in Google's Index.




The key here is that this Panda filter doesn't just rank your web pages, it can rank your whole site. In other words, webmasters have to worry about the over-all quality of their sites because if you have too many of what Google believes to be "poor quality pages" then your whole site could drop in their rankings.






If Panda struck your site, then you must take a closer look at all your content and make adjustments so that Panda (Google) perceives it as all top quality material. Also, you have to look carefully at your internal linking structure and avoid excessive "keyword spamming" within your site.


What's out: thinking that having a bunch of links within your own website pointing to a certain page will boost that page's visibility. 


On-page elements must be in order and factors like site load times and speed have become more important. Writing quality, style, spelling, and grammar have also taken center stage. So too has the trust factor. Can your content or site be trusted? There is also an ongoing argument about "bounce rates" and whether or not Google can even measure these? My own opinion on this is that Google can track your every click on the web and has massive amounts of data derived from your usage of their search engine (cookies-R-us), the Chrome Browser and countless programs such as Analytics, Adsense, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, etc. All this anonymous data can be compiled, analyzed and dissected to create their ranking metrics. They would be foolish not to use this data.




Videos are Winners


Of course, I haven't survived on the web for this long without learning a few tricks. You must go where Google is going.

Like many others, I have noticed videos and pages with videos on them weren't hit hard by the Panda Update. Ignoring for the moment that Google owns YouTube, videos have always done well in Google SERPs and Panda hasn't changed that in any significant way.




For years now, I have been enriching my web content and pages with videos - mainly through YouTube - not only because Google owns it, but because everybody uses it. I believe videos are a good way to get traffic and help your rankings plus videos are a form of quality content around which you can build channels and an online community.




Because I believe videos play such an important role in Google's SERPs, I have created several channels on YouTube. And, I just recently created another channel around my main site. These channels contain simple videos and are usually created from my articles.


Hopefully, one major consequence of Panda will be that companies will have to take a closer look at all of their content and filter out the inferior stuff as well as improve site speed, minimize ads, delete pages with little or no real content, fix broken links and make sites more user-friendly. Do all this, not just to please Google, but because having a clean, fast and easy-to-navigate site filled with unique top quality content is a great way to attract more business.




Titus Hoskins owns the copyright to this article.