Why are YouTube Ads Much More Appealing to Brands These Days?

Mobile advertising is no longer the drag that it once was. YouTube has released reports that have given great information about the growth, popularity, and effectiveness of the ads that run on the platform.

Google has mentioned that more and more brands are advertising on YouTube, which is great, but fewer and fewer people are skipping them.

Some of the reasons, according to Google, is the quality of the creative in the ads. This has helped increase the amount of clicks by 25 percent over the past year. Overall, the amount of brands advertising on YouTube rose 45 percent.

So why are more brands on YouTube ads? Aside from their effectiveness appearing to increase, they have also been cheaper for brands to buy. The cost of an ad on the platform was down 13 percent, which was appealing to brands, not taking their newfound success into account.

Google has made tremendous strides in search quality for smartphones and tablets.

Your brand needs to expand its reach? Consider YouTube ads! Trust a Chicago internet marketing agency that knows how to create top quality creative for internet ads. 

Google's New Tool Helps Brick & Mortar Stores Succeed Online

Instead of brands that are based in brick-and-mortar locations finally have a reason to celebrate about ecommerce, Google's Local Inventory Ads. The ads strive to direct web traffic online consumers to local stores carrying the products they are searching for. This is a huge move in the search engine optimization world.

The tool was launched last year and so it's still somewhat new to brands but it seems to be helping them already. One brand that is experiencing benefit from this internet marketing tool is Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores.

What happens is really neat for brands; so when you search for something, for example, "Washing Machines", Google will have ads on the side or top of page, like Adwords, with ads for the product you're searching for. When you click on "Shop on Google" you are directed to a page with listings for all of the products that stores have paid to list under this section, pertaining to your search. You can see which stores are carrying your product, what their price is, and how far they are located from your location (determined by IP address).

So now stores have a bit of leverage on online stores advertising on Google. While the purchasing process of online is easier, it requires no driving or even getting dressed, the ability to immediately own a product and not paying for shipping will win every time.

Sears's spinoff company has been running these ads that utilize location and tell consumers where to find the product nearby for some time. In fact, they have seen 122 percent more visits to all of their 1,240 locations because of this service. Sears has reported a 16 percent increase on inventory ads versus their other online advertisements.

This tool works brilliantly with mobile advertising as well. Shoppers can check out where's the best place to purchase something while on the move to purchase it. It is the best search ad tool so far.

Does your business need to increase its conversions and click-through rate? Then email Integraphix about digital advertising. Our Chicago SEO firm can help your business establish a powerful presence online. 

YouTube is on the Radar for FOUR Startups

Is change in the air? Or, rather, on your computer screen? YouTube, the world's most popular video platform & an emerging influencer in search engine optimization rankings (it's owned by Google, hence the reason), could be challenged by four different startups.

So what are these "Davids" who are looking to take down "Goliath"?

1. Victorious. Founded by Sam Rogoway, Michael Todd, and Bing Chen, this mobile-first platform allows creators have a house for their content, including their own apps. You can also interact with other users and fans as well as show off the content. This platform makes money by having in-app purchases, e-commerce, and standard ad formats. 
2. 5by. Founded by Greg Isenberg, the mobile app recommends content to users (the content is divided by categories) due to the ratings they give on previously watched videos. Users of the app can share and chat about videos with other users, privately. The app makes money by brand sponsorships and highlighted videos. It has since been bought by Stumbleupon. 
3. Vessel. Founded by Jason Kilar and Richard Tom, former execs from Hulu. This app hosts premium shows from publishers and creators. Those who use the service get dibs on first-look content. The company makes money from subscriptions and brands can purchase 5-second pre-roll for videos. 
4. Pluto TV. Founded by Nick Grouf, Tom Ryan, and Ilya Pozin, the platform operates much like linear TV. It curates videos from many publishers and puts them into 100+ channels for viewers; viewers see their choices in an easy-to-use guide. This platform makes money from pop-up ads and interstitial videos. 

The internet changes constantly; one day, some company will be top dog and another day, a new guy on the scene is making a name for itself. This is why it is so important to be ranked on Google search results-- your website can be lost in the depths of the websites if it is not being promoted. Does you website have SEO services? 

Email Integraphix and see how our Chicago SEO company can help your site be noticed on the web. 

Is It Time to Update Your Site's Content

When was the last time you changed your site's content? Even if it was just a page or two's worth? If you cannot answer this question, or without a long pause to think, then it is likely time to produce fresh content for your site.

Search engines and humans alike prefer to see fresh content vs. the same, stagnant content on your site. A site that sits with the same content on it for a year or more is a site that will struggle to truly succeed at search engine optimization.

Refresh the existing content now and then and make sure to generate new content a couple times a month, such as a blog, news, updates, etc. This is why an internal blog is great for SEO, search engines like to see that fresh content. Also, you can use this opportunity for images and more substance for search engine crawlers to index and grab when someone does an internet search related to your business.

Do you need this done, have questions, or require internet marketing services? Then contact Integraphix, a Chicago SEO company.

How to Fit Press Releases into Your SEO Strategy in 2015

Press releases have been a staple in the world of promoting a business for many years. When the Google Panda and Google Penguin updates happened in 2011 and 2012, they wanted t

o deliver better quality content and connections with that had frequent content updates; press releases were a perfect way to embrace that new feature of Google's search algorithms.

Press releases are still beneficial for search engine optimization in 2015, despite the constant evolution of the press release. One change to note is that releases do not carry the big authoritative weight that they once did, you can thank the businesses that used them solely for self-promotion for that. In order for them to be part of your 2015 plan for digital marketing, you have to understand the whole scope of things.

The benefits of press releases

• The natural link building- It can be a hard task to get the quality inbound links you need for good SEO. They can take a lot of time and can lead you to being banned from search engines if you are not careful! A press release is a quicker way to accomplish this; however, you have to be able to write quality content. Submitting press releases can help connect you with hundreds of news sources, which can lead to many links. 
• High-quality sources- These are authoritative sources, good ones. A lot of the sites your release will be published on should be high-quality. You will not be getting backlinks from random blogs or discussion forums. 
• Great keyword and brand recognition- As long as your press releases are written in-house, you will have the ability to connect your business with keywords that are helpful and effective. If you are a hotdog establishment, then you can publish press releases that feature your brand name and hotdog related keywords. 
• Referral traffic. Organic traffic is wonderful but referral traffic is delightful as well. As long as your traffic is quality, you're doing well. Yes, quantity is big too. 
• Reputation management. This is crucial if you want to defend your business from attacks, especially false ones. 

Is your company looking for more exposure online? Contact Integraphix about SEO services for your website or blog. We have flexible packages to match your budget. 

9 SEO Questions You Are Embarrassed to Ask

There are questions we are sometimes too embarrassed to ask about a subject in fear that if we do ask them, we will be ridiculed. Here we have 9 questions that some of us are just too embarrassed to ask about search engine optimization. 

1. Should my domain have keywords? While this seems like a good idea, the answer is no. Your domain should be easy to remember and true to your business name. Your shoe store, "Joe's Shoes for Less" might have the domain name, "www.joesshoesforless.com" rather than "www.cheapandlightlywornshoes.com". See what I mean?
2. What is the right amount of keywords per page? This is a great one to ask, actually! You don't want to be convicted of keyword stuffing. White hat SEO techniques are what get you ranked and one of those is optimizing your text without over-optimizing it. When you read other posts about this topic, you might find that they giv
   
   e a percentage for keywords to text; overall, use them when you need to and don't over do it. It's like salt, a moderate amount goes a long way. Our marketing specialists will often use one every 100 words or so; so, in a 500 word post, they use five or six keywords. 
3. What about links within text? Only include these when necessary was well. If you are referencing something and there is a link to it, then connect it. Of course, always in moderation. 
4. What is a robots.txt? This is a nifty page that gives search engine crawlers about the pages that a company's site indexes. Simply go to thisisyourdomain.com/robots.txt. 
5. What is the difference between indexed text and crawled text? When you publish content on your site, search engines will crawl the content and if they can, they will index it; think of indexing like filing. The content that is not indexed is not indexed because of prohibitions or it is not optimized. 
6. Why do I need alt text? Alt text allows search engines to know what is in an image. Also, if your image doesn't load, web visitors can read the alt text and know what should be there. A properly optimized site will feature alt text. 
7. How long does SEO take to be effective? This depends on many factors such as the competitiveness of your industry, the keywords you choose, how much you spend on SEO, etc. It often takes a few months for your site to be completely noticed by search engines, then another few months to get rankings, at least ones better than the 100th page of Google. 
8. Inbound links vs internal links? Inbound links are links from other websites pointing back to your own; internal links are links on your site pointing to other pages within your site. 
9. What are meta descriptions? Meta descriptions are the bits of text that appear below your page and link in a search engine results page. It explains what is in the page. 

Feel better now that you know the answers to these questions? I know I sure do! Whew! If you want your site to rank well on Google, then you need to know this information. Contact Integraphix for help with other SEO questions or SEO services. 

How Does Your Timing Impact Your SEO?

So you've written a great blog for SEO and now you published it… the next step is to gain that massive rush of web visitors because of the post, right? Yes. However, what do you do when they don't arrive?

Well, my friend, it might have to do with the timing of your post. Yes, this does include at what time of day you hit "Publish" but it is also more than that.

1. Publish when your target audience will see it. Your target audience will have times of day when they will be more active online and thus, will see your post. In general, the weekday morning will be a better time for people to catch blog posts but that is not standard for all demographics. It depends on the sort of lives they lead, the work they do, the time zone they're in/you're in, etc. Content marketing is about having good content and displaying it when people will see it most.

2. Should you pay for promoted posts? When you post your blogs, it is always a good idea to share the link to them and promote them on your social media accounts. Some believe that you should also dabble with paid posts so more people see them. This can be a good move if your demographic allows it to be but it can also be a waste of money. If your post is happening on a time that is more dead for readers, then deciding on the timing of a paid post might come in handy (in addition to organic finds).

3. Utilizing your network of peers. You just wrote a blog about something and you mentioned some influencers in your industry. A great idea is to mention to
them that they can be found in your latest blog post; however, it can be ruined when you don't remember to do this until the last minute. Remember to give them a heads up! "Hey, I'm writing a blog in a couple days and you'll be in it." You know, something along those lines.

4. Backlinks. The timing of your backlinks will make a big splash or flop too.  This is not when you put in a backlinks according to a clock but how frequently you put them in your post. For one thing, a reader will not like it as much but neither will search engine optimization crawlers. If you put too many links in the post, then you run the risk of stuffing, which is no good.

The idea of running a good blog can be too much for some. Just take a deep breath and relax. If you have a blog and need assistance making it better, then contact Integraphix. We have excellent professional copywriters who can assist you.

Why Optimize Images for the Web

In order for your website to rank well on the internet, it has to be optimized. One aspect of websites that have to be optimized are the images. When images are not optimized, that hurts the chances of being ranked well on search results.

Search engines like it when every part of your website is optimized; however, even just in regards to the images, when they are optimized, they are much more likely to be pulled up in the images tab on search results.

What does it mean to optimize images? There are 5 parts to an image that have to be optimized.

1. Alt tag
2. File name
3. File size
4. Caption

What do these do? Why should they matter? Well… 

1. The alt tag is what the search engines read to find out what the image is. Since they don't have eyes to see what an image looks like, they go by words. No alt tag? Search engines will have no idea what the image is, they like to know. This is a great text alternative when browsers are not able to render an image correctly. It will add lots of SEO value to your site. Using plain English is a good idea here.  
2. File name is what the image is labeled when saved. Why does this matter? Well, it is more information for the search engines to pull when a search is made. An image named "liow20u09508.jpg" will mean nothing when someone searches for a "Ford Mustang 2014", however, an image named, "2014-red-ford-mustang.jpg" will do you good. 
3. The file size does indeed matter. Why? Well, if your file is too large, then the image will take lots of time to load (load times impact SEO rankings). Make the image a small file size.  
4. The caption is more information for the search engine and is also good for human viewers. People will read this to find out what is going on in an image and this means less bounce rate (that impacts rankings). 

Don't know how to optimize your images? Then contact Integraphix, a Chicago SEO firm that services the whole country! Our marketing specialists have in-depth SEO knowledge and can help get your site properly optimized. 

Do Keywords Still Matter in SEO?

Keywords still matter in the world of Search engine optimization. Keywords are just as important to successful SEO now as they always have been. When it comes to content marketing, if you do not use keywords, then your content is not optimized; if your content is not optimized, then it is not easily findable.

There are people who think that the usage of keywords is outdated, keywords are still used by search engines to categorize content that they index. The search engines, especially Google, search for keywords in many aspects of content (we will discuss this in a bit). As search behaviors change, search engines rely on keywords more and more to find relevant information. For example, a major new search technique is "conversational search"; this type of search is like, "Where is the nearest dry cleaner?" This is in contrast of traditional search queries like, "Dry cleaner in C
hicago" etc.

Keywords will not improve your page rank. There are other factors that websites have to adhere to in order to get good rankings; a keyword helps your page be categorized after being indexed, like we previously mentioned.

So where do keywords need to be in content? 

• URL
• Title of content
• Document name
• H1, H2, H3 headings
• image names
• Image ALT tags
• Image captions
• Meta description tags (despite claims to the contrary)

Whether you are using written content for SEO or just to have another tool for marketing, make sure you use keywords. Great SEO means being found on the internet, so make sure you have quality SEO done. To get the best SEO techniques, then hire an SEO firm. Contact Integraphix for SEO services! 

How To Run a Social Media Program That's Effective

Social media has become one of the leading efforts for marketing for just about every company. Think about it, when you hear about a company, one of the first things we do these days is check them out on social media. However, when you have a social media program that is not working, is it actually harming your company? Is your company wasting time and possibly money?

So how does you company run a social media program that is worthwhile?

• Think strategy- Do not go at social media like you do a gym membership right after New Year's. You know what I mean, we get super excited and say we'll do it right. What really happens is we go in blind, get overwhelmed by the lack of immediate success, then we get out of there, never to return. You have a much better chance of being successful if you plan out your routine. Do not just choose the platforms you want to use because you like them and are comfortable with them; think of which ones your consumers use the most. Think about what you're going to post and when. 
• Think about the content- This is often something that is overlooked and it does not make sense why that's the case. When a company is not able to have a solid content game going, they miss their chances and their potential consumers. Make content that is relevant to your audience, relevant to the times, and makes you sound like an expert. 
• Remember, it takes time- Just like the unmotivated gym-goer after a week of their new resolution, getting fit takes time and so does successful social media. The heavy lifting is when you are designing and installing the processes towards your social media. 

Of course, if you would rather have a Chicago SEO firm handle your social media marketing, then contact Integraphix. 

5 Ways SEO Can Help a Small Business

A good product or service that is appealing and can sell itself is something that every company wants. However, not even when your company has a product or service that is fantastic, it doesn't always get noticed by itself, without doing much promotion. For those products, there are several marketing tactics that a business can use to promote; one of those tactics is search engine optimization. A marketing strategy like SEO is great for any company, no matter what the size is; small companies of less than ten employees experience the same benefit as a company of 500+ employees, recognition and traffic to the site.

More than 3/4s of online shoppers use search engines to guide their decisions on where to purchase an item online; this means that if your site is not utilizing SEO, then it is missing a large segment of shoppers in the marketplace. When you are a large business, getting recognized is how your business continues to gain sales; when you are an entrepreneur or small business, it is how you survive. Here, we have 5 ways that SEO can help an entrepreneur and small business.

1. Reputation management. When your business is getting started, any amount of negative reviews, press, or other information can make a huge dent. If you are on the attack, being proactive, then you are able to put good news out there and create the first impression on your terms. 
2. Figure out what they are searching for. In SEO, you use keywords to allow search engines to pick up on your online content; when the search engines connect the keywords with you, you are posted as a result to those terms when people use them in searches. If someone searches for "Chicago tshirt company" and that's a keyword you use, then you have a greater chance of being seen by the searcher. It helps you understand what your consumers are looking for and how much they look for those things. 
3. Traffic to your site increases. When you do search engine optimization then you allow more people to see your site, thus, more people will go to it. A large company can get away with less SEO than a small one since they have a larger consumer base to know of and talk about their site/business. Getting this traffic to your site is free and can generate some real sales. 
4. Social media. Using social media is a great aspect of SEO because it can allow your business real time customer service, news, and promotion. You can create great links to other businesses and people in the community. The more your name appears on the internet, the better your SEO will be. 
5. Credibility. When you are shown on the internet and as an expert, then your credibility (ethos) will be given a higher rating by consumers. When a company earns the trust of a consumer, the brand loyalty is what can create long-term sales. 

If you want an SEO company that can help your business get noticed, then contact Integraphix. We are a Chicago marketing company. 

How are SEO and PPC Different?

There are two kinds of ways to get your site to be seen on Google, one is search engine optimization, or SEO, and the other is pay-per-click, or PPC. These two formats of promoting your site on the internet search engines are both similar to each other however they are different and in big ways.

How are SEO and PPC different?

• Where they are placed on search engines
• The potential for traffic
• Cost to rank 
• The involvement your site has

1. The first difference, where they are displayed, is the biggest difference that anyone can notice and not just those of us who work with SEO and PPC. See how at the top of the image, the first link has the "Ad" marker? These are links that were paid to be there and thus, are PPC. The links on the right side of the page have this too. In the past, Google had the PPC links where in yellow boxes but they have very much reduced the yellow and replaced it with the "Ad" icon. The links that do not have the "Ad" marker next to them are organic links; they are placed there as the result of good search engine optimization. 
2. Another big difference, the potential for traffic, is a bigger deal for those who work with these two formats as well as those who utilize them. Yes, you get to the first page of Google faster with PPC, however, most people do not actually click on the PPC links. Why? Well, ask yourself the question (if you don't). Likely, your answer has something to do with the fact that the paid ones are not as credible; they are only there because they were paid to be there & didn't earn their place. It's like the guy at work who is management because his dad owns the company, not because he worked hard, you know? Internet users are 5x more likely to click on an organic link. 
3. The third difference, the cost, depends on several factors. Google and Yahoo! manage their PPC costs differently. Yahoo! does it purely on ranking; if you give lots of money, then you'll have a higher ranking. With Google, it depends on your market, competition, etc. They both set up budgets for you and each time someone clicks on your link, that cost per click is deducted from your budget, likely a daily budget. 
4. The fourth and final difference, involvement of your site, is a big deal too. When it comes to PPC, you do not have to really work on getting your site ready; the more clicks you want, the more money you spend on it. When it comes to search engine optimization, you have to optimize your site to get it working. This means having lots of content, title tags, image tags/descriptions, H1/H2/H3 tags, keywords mixed into the content, images, etc. If your site is not optimized when you decide to do SEO, then you'll have your prep work to do. 

If you are interested in doing SEO, then contact Integraphix - an SEO company. If you want to first see how SEO could help you, we can do a free website analysis. 

5 Reasons Why Your Company Needs to do SEO

Search engine optimization is a tool for businesses that can get their name in front of web users whenever they search for things related to that business. However, there are some people who believe it is not worth the time, effort, or money. So why should you not believe those people but rather invest in SEO?

1. SEO works. Unless your company is a huge company that has throngs of followers and can have people visiting your website because it simply exists, then your company needs SEO to show people your website exists and that they should go to it. When you are a small to medium sized company, you will see that people will not find your website unless you do SEO. If you sign up for Google Analytics without SEO, check out what your Google Analytics says after just a month or two of doing SEO, you'll see a difference. With SEO, your link can appear as the first link under the paid links (Google Adwords), people trust the organic links (where yours will be) over the paid links. 
2. It will work for a long time. Looking at how search engines function and continue to change, it has been shown that search engine optimization will not stop being a worthy investment anytime soon. As long as there are keywords and links on the internet, SEO will be a force on the internet. It will also work for a long time since SEO is like a train; it takes a little bit of time and effort to gain traction and chug along but once it does, it goes for a while. 
3. It is cost efficient. Compared to the cost of other kinds of marketing, including internet marketing, paying for SEO is much more efficient since the pricing is lower yet your results last longer. 
4. People use the internet for research. When someone is looking to install a home sprinkler system so their lawns get consistent watering, they are going to look for a company on the internet that services their areas. When they see your organic link up there and think, "Hmm, I'll check them out" guess what, they will check your site out! Once they do and they decide you're a worthy company to contact or not, they'll make the next move. Of course, you'd have never gotten the chance if you didn't do SEO. 
5. The competition is doing SEO too. If you have competitors, which you do, then you will be outshined if they are doing SEO and you are not. They will be in a position to be seen by the internet and your site won't even be listed on the internet, according to search engines. 

Putting time and effort into organic SEO is a worthy venture for any company that is of small, medium, or even large stature. Very few companies are able to have a dominating presence on the internet without any SEO assistance. 

3 Things That Can Harm Your SEO

SEO has a lot of components to it and each one is essentially as important as the other parts because they all contribute important aspects to successful SEO efforts. If you do not do all of the different components currently, your SEO will suffer. However, there are three things that harm your SEO without you really even realizing it. Well, until you read this blog post.

1. Not having fresh content. Not having fresh content when you write things like blogs and articles, as well as your website content, means that search engines will not like you. If you don't have original content, then that means you copied it from somewhere else and that is plagiarism and a big no-no to search engines. What will happen? You will be penalized by either have bad rankings and even getting your website blocked. Believe it or not, copying content you wrote but for something else counts too; did you have a great article that you think would make for a wonderful blog post as well? Well, you can reuse it but you'd better change the words and rewrite it or you'll be in some trouble. Trust someone in the search engine optimization business who does blogging, search engines know when you do this. 
2. Having a slow loading site. People expect websites to load in less than a second. So what if your website takes 5 seconds to load, or worse, 10 seconds? In the grand scheme of things, waiting 10 seconds for something like the internet to load and getting upset is ludicrous, but it is what it is. So how does a slow website harm your SEO? Well, the point of SEO is to get your website more exposure and get more people to visit your website; if your site takes too long to load, people give up on it and leave. People giving up on your site does not accomplish the goal of SEO; in fact, it raises your bounce rate which can harm your ranking chances. 
3. Poor navigation of the website. This can harm your SEO because if a search engine crawler has trouble moving around your site, it will not send a favorable report back to Google, Yahoo, whoever, and it will not look good for you. Also, if people have trouble, navigating your site, they won't return and that won't be good for you either. 

Take a look at these three things when analyzing your site and its promotion. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Integraphix - a Chicago marketing company and we'll be glad to help you out. 

The Importance of Website Audits

If you do search engine optimization, then you have a website. Since you have a website, you should look at how it is doing and how SEO is affecting your website. How do you do this? There are two programs that you should have (in addition to others but we will focus on two) that can tell you how

your website is doing.

Using these two tools below will help you truly analyze how your website is performing and how it can be made better or if you have done everything right. If you want your website to be successful and not get penalized by search engines, then you are going to have to do website audits on your site. Admittedly, doing one can be scary, especially if you haven't done them before, because you may find that you have a lot to fix. These are not only helpful and necessary if you do SEO but also if you do web design because you want to know what to do during your designing so your site or your client's site perform well; if they perform well because of a great design, you will look good, real good.

The first program that you should have if you do SEO, whether for your own site or someone else's, is Website Auditor in the SEO Powersuite package. What does Website Auditor do? This tool looks through an entire website and shows all the structural parts of the website which includes things like the pages, site errors, validation, and much more. You can see things like your Google Page Rank, Alexa rating, where links are from/where they're going, any site problems, warnings/red flags, anything you want and need to know about your website.

The second program you should utilize is Google Analytics. This will give you measurements of how many people are visiting your site, where they are from, how long they look at your site, how many pages, how they found your site, etc. Anything you need to know about who looks at your site, you can find out.



If you are looking for a search engine optimization company, hire Integraphix - a Chicago marketing company.

Why Should I Do Search Engine Optimization?

Search engine optimization is a marketing aspect that many people do not consider when trying to increase their brand awareness. The truth is, search engine optimization is something that the majority of small companies need to utilize if they wish to gain notoriety in the small business world. Search
engine optimization is not the newest form of internet marketing but is certainly not the oldest; due to this factor, there are still companies who can be skeptical about why they should utilize these services.

But what are some concrete reasons for why a small company should do SEO? There are a few reasons.

1. The first reason small companies should do SEO is because of how many people ignore the paid search results. According to 2013 data, studies showed that approximately 94 percent of people ignored the paid search results and opted for the organic search results. Why is this the case? Well people tend to trust referrals from friends and those they know; despite not truly knowing the people who also like the organic links that you see, it is as if you do. See, the mind recognizes the popularity of the organic results and the fact that those links are ranked so well because they are genuinely good and have earned their place in line. When we see the paid links, we generally recognize they were bought and did not earn their place there; consequently, we do not trust that the paid links are genuinely helpful. They might be complete garbage but are only there because that company laid out the money for top spot. 
1. Think of it this way, do you trust a commercial or your best friend's referral when learning about a product? While you might trust both, you will most likely trust your friend's words more since you know they are not being paid to endorse or speak well of the product; they genuinely like it and want to tell you about it because they think you will like it as well. 
2. The second reason for SEO is because of how many people do not go past the first page of results on a search engine. When people search for something on the internet, they know that the best links come up first. When someone is searching for a helpful link, they will scan the first page in-depth, but fewer than 30 percent of people actually go to the second page. After unsuccessfully finding the link they want, most people will simply try a variation of their original search until they get something that is suitable. 
3. The third reason for SEO is due to the fact that small companies who do no sort of SEO do not rank well with search engines. If you read the first two reasons, you will see why this is a problem. A search engine will not rank your site well if it does not see the effort to appear as a good site, essentially. 

As a Chicago marketing company, Integraphix Inc. knows all about internet marketing and especially about SEO. If you are considering SEO for your business, give us a call at 847-537-0067, visit our site,  or email us at info@integraphix.com. We give free consultations and are a full-service Chicago marketing firm.  

          

Big Changes Coming to Google for SEO

So, there are plenty of changes coming to the search engine optimization world, Google will be releasing an update to Penguin. This one is called *drum roll* Penguin 2.0! Shocker. BUT, it is important for you to know what this means so your site does not get hit, or if you're an SEO consulting company, then your clients' sites. Google promises that this update will be a real trouble-maker.

A big deal with this change is the update's ability to shake down all the SEO on the internet and crack down on any spammy and poor quality links. What this means is that you will have to check your site's links by performing an audit. Even if you think your links are good, do not assume, do an audit on your site's backlinks and links. Avoid links that are attached to SEO inspired sites, like backlink farm sites, and things of the like. Also try to avoid links with contrived anchor text, or anchor text that has been beaten to death.

What you will want to do is to build a list of all the backlinks you have for your site on the internet, you can do this by using SEO SpyGlass. Next, look to see what links you have that are still active and what links you have that are dead, remove the dead ones. Third, look for any questionable links that are tied to your site, ditch them ASAP; check for the domain IP, domain age, Google page rank, Alexa rank, and external links. Fourth, look for links with suspicious anchor text because this kind of goes along with the notion of questionable backlinks and using overly optimized keywords/anchor text. Fifth, look for any poor backlinks to your site with your own eye, maybe the SpyGlass missed something. And lastly, Talk to webmasters about removing the bad links.

This blog will hopefully help you avoid poor rankings due to poor back links but there is more you can do, for a complete run down, do a Google search of the new update and see for yourself. We will make it through this update!

Don't Rush to Change Keywords

If you do search engine optimization, you know about keywords. Keywords are your backbone for search engine optimization. They are what get you noticed by the world on the internet. Keywords are the things that people type into the search engines and why your material on the internet and your website become relevant to the people using those keywords. The only problem is that many people are eager to change the keywords and try to be innovative.

The thing about keywords is that they have to establish themselves in reference to your website. So, for example, you use "Dentist in Chicagoland" as a keyword for your dentist office, this keyword has to become associated with your website, according to the search engines. If you change your keywords too often, then the search engines don't like it and your rankings will suffer.

Keywords can stick around for a few months or even longer so you don't really have to worry about them having a short expiration date, they aren't like milk. Think of them more like juice.

If you do not know how to choose a keyword, well there is a science to that. Keywords are often 2-3 words long. one word phrases are called short-tail keywords and they make up less than 30% of searches on the web. Phrases longer than 3 words are called long-tail keywords and make up gets fewer uses with each additional word. The longer and more precise the keywords are, the sooner you will get increased traffic. It is easier to optimize a site and rank for a unique phrase with little competition. The longer and more precise your keyword is, the fewer visitors you will get, but the more targeted your traffic is. The narrower the search term you target, the greater part of visitors convert to actual customers.

When choosing keywords, you want to make a list of keywords to choose from. They must pertain to what you offer or sell. To help you, you can use the Google Keyword Planner tool. You can use more general keywords or more specific like "Chicago Instrument Shop". What makes it more specific is the addition of "Chicago".

How do you pick the best keywords? Good question. You will need to calculate the Keyword Efficiency Index, or KEI. This index show you how good a keyword is for bringing traffic to your site. You will want keywords with high KEI. There are three components to KEI and they are: relevance ( how closely your keyword is related to what you offer to your customers. You can rank the relevance in terms of excellent, good, or poor). Another component of KEI is the search volume (this is how many queries are made for a keyword per month). The third component is competition (how many websites try to rank for this keyword- generally, all sites that have the same keyword as you are your online competition. The fewer websites that are optimized for the same keyword, the better KEI).

As a Chicago marketing company, we do all sorts of internet marketing, search engine optimization, social media marketing, blogs, web design, and more. We know all about keywords and how they work and how to use them to someone's advantage.

Updating Your Keywords

Successful search engine optimization is about having keywords. Keywords are what connect your website to what people search on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

While finding the perfect keyword is important to the success of your search engine optimization it is more important to understand why you use the keywords you choose. An SEO consultant agency or internet marketing agency will know the importance of why certain keywords win over other keywords. One reason is because you want keywords that have lower competition while having higher amounts of searches. More importantly, an internet marketing firm will know that the keywords will speak to the company's target markets.

In addition to knowing why it is important to know the right keywords to choose for your search engine optimization marketing but it also what are your next set of keywords? The tricky thing about keywords is that after a while, they become less effective. If you know anything about marketing , then you know that consumers change their minds all. the. time. It is frustrating. Consequently, while certain keywords will work for a while, you will have to change them after a few months because people are no longer searching for those words as much as they used to.

Keywords are a cornerstone to successful and search engine optimization . Do it right and you're golden. The only trick is this, you won't always do it right.

Tips for Writing Better Content: The Before, During and After Phases

As an SEO firm in Chicago we’re always talking SEO and we’re always talking about the importance of content.  When it comes to search engine optimization, we’re always saying, “Content is king” and we mean it.  When it comes to creating an SEO strategy there is no better way to boost rankings then to put out great content.  If you’re not working with an SEO company and are trying to do search engine optimization yourself then you need to be prepared to put on your writer hat.  If you’re not the best writer then take note of our tips for writing better content:

Before you begin writing do the following:

1- Identify your goal beforehand: What is the goal of the content you are producing?  Identifying what you are looking for from your reader will help you be able to write better content.  Decide what is you want to say and what is you want your reader to know.  What are you looking to accomplish with your content?  Have your goal in mind beforehand and your content will instantly be more successful.

2- Consider your reader: Get in the mindset of your target audience and readers.  Consider what they know about your content’s topic and what they don’t know.  Break things down that may be confusing for them so you don’t lose them.  Explain things in a way that you are on their level rather than being above them.  Think about what they may want to know about your topic and how you can help them learn your topic better, after all you are writing for search engines AND readers.

3- What’s the hook?: Every and any piece of content you put out should have a hook, which is how you draw readers in. Your hook may be a news hook, an attack hook, a humor hook or an ego hook, but whatever kind of hook you choose needs to draw readers into your content. Your hook should be woven throughout your content or writing piece.  

While you are writing:

1- Create an outline:  In order to write better content (especially if you’re not a writer) consider making an outline first.  An outline will help you weed out material you need not include and will help you better organize your content and your thoughts.  Even seasoned writers will outline content from time to time.  Outlining should become your first step in the writing process.  Once you have a great outline, writing the rest of your content will become a breeze since you’ve outlined the points you need to hit with your content.  Just go down your outline and begin writing, the organization will be there.

2- Just write!:  If you find yourself constantly editing your thoughts as you write, stop immediately!  The writing and editing process are two entirely different parts of the content-creating process. As a rule, write first and edit later.  Get as much down as you can and leave all of your thoughts on the page until you get to the editing process. If you created your outline like we mentioned in tip #1, then you have probably already been able to weed out the useless, cluttered information and have organized your thoughts, so don’t be so critical of your writing.  Keep what you have and re-read it later.

3- Make it easy to read: Content built for web is different than any other type of content.  People reading online are typically scanning, rather than doing any type of deep reading, so you want your online content to convey your message quickly and concisely.  You want your reader to be able to scan your content and be able to take away the crux of your message very quickly. 

4- Be engaging: If you want people to read your content, then you must be engaging.  Make them want to read what you put out.  One of the best ways to be engaging as a writer is to use your own voice.  You have to give readers a little bit of you. Write like your content matters to you, as it should.  If you want people to care about what you write, you have to care about what you write, so let your personality shine through in your writing. 

After you are finished writing:

1- Edit time: Now is the time to begin the editing process.  Do a thorough re-read and see if any sentences should be omitted or altered.  While outlining helps you get your thoughts organized, editing should help you double check that your writing is organized the way you want it to be.  Spell check, spell check and spell check again! 

2- Read it out loud: Read your writing out loud and see how it sounds to you.  If parts of your writing sound off, make a note of it and go back to it and figure out the issue.  It could be awkward phrasing or perhaps there is a better word you could be using to describing something.  Either way, reading out loud is another form of editing that every writer should utilize. 

3- Have a co-worker or friend read your content: If you want to make sure your content is sounding its best, consider having a co-worker or friend read your writing to proofread it and let you know what they think.  Be open to questions, comments, criticisms and opinions as all four will only make you a better writer.  

Questions or comments on writing better content for search engine optimization purposes?  Feel free to comment below or contact us.