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Internet marketing tips for 2005

November 20, 2004

Search Engine Journal published a great piece on Internet Marketing Tips for 2005 from Robert McCourty, a founding partner and the Marketing Director of Metamend Software and Design Ltd., a search engine optimization (SEO) and web site promotion company.

Take a look at the list and notice the importance of blogs and your placement in the search engines.

  • Learn as much as you can about Blogs and RSS feeds. These tools will be all the rage in online marketing in 2005. They are sprouting like dandelions out there right now and show no signs of slowing down. Blogs are great for letting your clients and future customers know what you are up to and they provide many links for your web site. Blogs and blogging will be a bumper crop next year.
  • Go organic. The trend in online marketing is swinging away from entirely paid programs to the much more functional and ‘organic search engine optimization. Concentrate on getting the best listings and rankings in directories like DMOZ and Yahoo! and aim for good placement within Google and MSN.
  • Have your web site optimized for Microsoft’s MSN search.
  • Gather quotes from search engine optimization companies as soon as possible. Many of the reputable firms will stand by the quote they give you now for a period of time, some up to ninety days.
  • Always include your full URL in your email signature file. I wish I had a nickel for every time someone sent me an email with their web site address starting with the www. A complete waste of time. Most email and word processing programs do not recognize this as a ?live? link, thus if the recipient wishes to visit your web site they must cut your domain name from the original email you and paste it into a browser window. Bottom line? You?re making them do way too much work. Your making them do the weeding in your garden. Adding your entire URL like this http://www.yourdomain.com/ activates the link within browsers and email programs. Now all they have to do is click on it. Viola! Instant traffic for your site. It?s amazing how a single small change like this can increase your traffic and help your business grow.
  • Take stock of where this year?s online marketing dollars went. Did that paid advertising or pay per click advertising truly deliver a good return on your investment? Drop the campaigns that are not bearing fruit. Fall is the best time to prune your trees. There are literally hundreds of advertising programs and venues out there. Do a little research and pick a few new ones for 2005.
  • Spread the good word about your web site through various Ezines and article posts. Join a discussion forum. Never miss an opportunity to put your web site?s address in front of people?s eyes.
  • Plant your full address on your web site. Make certain your entire street address, city state, and postal/zip code is included on nearly every page of your web site. Search is going local these days.

May sound like simple advice but lawyers and law firms which follow this advice are going to see their business grow in 2005.

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