Copyright © 2010 I-COM International 2010-07-30T07:30:26+0100 2010-07-30T07:30:26+0100 http://www.i-com.net/blog/ Leading Manchester SEO, SEM and web design agency blog. http://www.i-com.net/blog/ http://i-com.net/images/icom-net.gif http://www.i-com.net/blog/ Leading Manchester SEO, SEM and web design agency blog. I-COM International blogmaster at i-com dot net I-COM International I-COM International en SEO, SEM, Web Design, Web Development 1440 http://www.i-com.net/blog/a-new-intern-joins-i-com-370/ I'll start by introducing myself: its been two weeks now since I joined I-COMs Search team as an intern. I have just passed my second year of university with first class honours, and am now in my final year studying BSc Hons in Business Information Systems at The University of Salford. My interest in SEO all started when I participated in a Search Engine Optimisation based project in my first year of University; in fact, that was the first time I came across the term SEO. Following that initial encounter my interest in SEO grew, and I decided I wanted to learn more about how Internet marketing strategies are revolutionising business online, providing huge increases in relevant traffic and conversion rates. My enthusiasm didnt stop there. During my second year I studied SEO as a module of my degree, which I believe more Universities should offer to their students. Whilst it is true that learning is enhanced by practising and actually implementing SEO strategies, the degree module provides students with essential knowledge, not to mention an advantage when they step into the real world of Internet marketing and SEO. Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand- Chinese Proverb. Unless you start applying what you have learnt you may not remember it, thus working at I-COM will be thoroughly beneficial for me, helping my understanding through direct involvement. I-COM so Far Moving on to my experience of working at I-COM so far, I would say it has been excellent; in fact, somewhat beyond my expectations. I-COM employs a team of friendly and helpful internet marketing experts who have been guiding and assisting me, in particular Adrian Berry. The company also has a flexible approach to timings and a team of professional and talented individuals: what more could I ask for? Looking back at what I learnt at university and from books, and comparing that knowledge to what I am now learning at I-COM, the two seem slightly different. Some of the SEO activities which I thought hold value in increasing the page rank, turn out to either not have much relevance any more, due to changes in the page rank algorithm, or are SEO myths. During my experience so far I have learnt about: Useful tools and links that can save time & money. Building Back-links. Analysing Google Analytics data in order to make informed decisions. Fresh & unique content and link building are key to success. No one can guarantee a #1 ranking on Google. Writing & submitting articles. Writing effective titles & meta descriptions. Setting up Google Alerts for clients. In conclusion, I believe that my experience at I-COM will furnish me with many more opportunities to learn, enhance my skills and gain priceless experience of the SEO and online marketing industry. Search Engine Optimisation 2010-07-12 13:57:32 http://www.i-com.net/blog/a-new-intern-joins-i-com-370/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/dont-listen-to-the-social-media-gurus-368/ I am scheduled to give a presentation next week entitled 'Social Media and Business', at the offices of Mathys & Squire LLP. During the talk, which is set to take place on Wednesday 7th July at 3pm, I'll be letting businesses in on the wonderful secret that is social media, outlining how they can use it to generate new business, advertise offers and incentives, create a buzz about their company and connect with customers.I'll also be debunking a lot of the rubbish peddled by these so-called Social Media Gurus, focusing instead on how you can use social media to generate real results for your business.Over the past few years social media has become an extremely powerful force in the world of online marketing - a force businesses hoping to succeed online cannot afford to ignore! If you would like to attend the event contact Tarik: tarik@businessskillsforum.co.uk I-COM News 2010-07-02 12:54:57 http://www.i-com.net/blog/dont-listen-to-the-social-media-gurus-368/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/cybercriminals-seo-techniques-362/ After reading a McAfee report on The Web's Most Dangerous Search Terms, I got thinking about the SEO techniques which can and are being used by everyone from "solo operators to organized criminals", to fraudulently and illegally con the everyday searcher into clicking on a site. These online criminals' increasingly sophisticated efforts are said to be raking in as much as 7,300 a day according to one web security firm. Image from Net-Security.org A popular method used by cybercriminals is the inputting of popular keyword typos (such as Obbama), found through Google Trends, into their site's meta data, as these are uncompetitive and therefore easy to get a site indexed for, are searched for on a daily basis and mean their site can easily be mistaken by users as a trustworthy link. Once the link has been clicked the website (most likely a blog) will spread a malware virus onto the computer through a "video codec" file, or to other users through email or instant messenger. Another technique these cybercriminals use is the common desire by people to 'work from home', which lures many of them into a cyber trap. According to Hitwise the most popular and risky of these terms is "free work from home". In my opinion if you are ignorant enough to be searching for a 'free' job (presumably implying that you either don't have to put much effort into the interview process, or you work for free) then you may well deserve to be lured into a scam. Image taken from McAffee report The true depravity of the cybercriminals is revealed by those attempting to target global disasters terms (such as 'tsunami') to con potential charity givers into spreading a virus or donating to fund their crime. Back in 2005 'Google bombing', as it's known, was more effective, yet the search engines have retaliated in an attempt to lessen this type of crime. An obvious popular term at the moment is "World Cup" searched by millions of football hungry fans on a daily basis. This, and related terms, are being targeted by SEO criminals to push fake tickets and malware to unsuspecting punters. This is a particularly appropriate event to use for cybercriminals as many countries have less internet savvy populations, searching for updates on their football team. According to MacAfee the highest risk categories for search terms were 'Lyrics', 'Free' and 'Web'. All fairly popular terms that make up a number of keyword variants when combined with other words. The UK currently stands at 26th out of 27 listed countries most at risk from search cybercrime with the Czech Republic coming 1st. We (being non criminals) still don't understand a great deal about the way cybercriminals operate, particularly with the fast moving pace of the internet and changing SEO techniques. What we do know is that as much as virus protection software (such as McAffee) and search engines try and fight the battle against cybercriminals, popular culture will continue to drive more people thier way, seeking celebrity gossip, freebies and get rich quick schemes. McAfee points this out by stating "hackers are now motivated largely by profit, the biggest profits can be wrung from the largest pools of potential victims". Be aware when searching and always think before you click. For a guide to cybercriminals' exploitation of the World Cup visit Search Engine Watch. For more reports on Cybercrime and malicious sites visit Finjan. Search Engine Optimisation 2010-06-16 15:09:04 http://www.i-com.net/blog/cybercriminals-seo-techniques-362/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/a-condem-nation-of-twitter-promoted-tweets-352/ When Twitter promoted tweets was launched recently, there can be few people at the grass roots level who welcomed the news. Of course, on the other hand it's a great boon for online marketers - imagine, being able to target your tweets by trending topic, ensuring your tweet stays at the top of the tweet-list promoting a great new offer/your brand to people who are tweeting about related concepts. Or is it? When searching in Twitter trending topics today I came across this (click the image to open in a new window): My trending is set to London, I'm searching on a UK-specific topic (for those of you who haven't heard, the Conservatives and the Lib Dems have formed a coalition and Cameron is the new PM. Joy), 'Con/Dem Nation', however who do I see promoting their tweets at the top of the list? Why it's only @VirginAmerica, telling me that, should I happen to be in Washington DC today I can send them a picture of my favourite monument. Apparently they're showing up purely based on the fact that their tweet includes the word 'nation'. Are @VirginAmerica getting value for money and generating new business and followers with their promoted tweet? No. Am I pleased to see this promoted tweet hogging the space at the top of a totally irrelevant trending topic? No. I'm not dead against promoted tweets, but poor keyword targeting is not only annoying for users, it's bad for the business who's tweet it is. In the words of the Daily Star, 'SORT IT OUT YOU CLOWNS'. Social Media Marketing 2010-05-12 09:46:31 http://www.i-com.net/blog/a-condem-nation-of-twitter-promoted-tweets-352/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/guaranteed-page-1-listing-google-affiliated-company-349/ Today I've been provided with yet more proof that the SEO industry desperately needs a governing body, capable of protecting clients from unscrupulous scammers who make ridiculous and misleading claims. One of I-COM's clients, The Smile Centre, has been contacted by a company whose salesperson firstly claimed to be a 'Google Affiliate' internet marketer with the ability to GUARANTEE a first page listing for the firm's website, and secondly claimed to be able to get The Smile Centre on page one of Google for the keyword 'dentures' for just 149 a month. To debunk the first claim, I'll simply quote Google's webmaster guidelines: 'Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings, (or) allege a "special relationship" with Google'. Google does not associate itself with SEO or PPC firms, nor does it promote individual firms. The second claim, that a first page listing for the keyword 'dentures' can be achieved for 149 a month, is laughable. I-COM is currently managing a PPC campaign for The Smile Centre for this keyword, and even with a high quality score, the cost can be in excess of 4,000 a month! On its website, the online marketing company in question goes out of its way to mislead potential clients, including a logo that is closely modelled on Google's own and a website that talks about organic SEO when the only way you can guarantee a 1st page listing within 48 hours is through use of PPC techniques. Even then it would have to be a very uncompetitive keyword (meaning no-one is searching for it) to only cost 149 a month. Businesses are constantly being scammed out of their hard-earned cash by just this kind of 'online marketing' firm, which go out of their way to present the internet as a fast, easy and cheap way to increase profits. The fact is, internet marketing is hard work - but done properly it can present businesses with a fantastic ROI. If an offline marketing company rang you up and told you that they could guarantee you an advert on the front page of every newspaper in the country for 149 a month, would you believe them? Absolutely not, so don't believe idiots like this. Google is aware of the dubious claims being made by this company's sales team, and is looking in to the matter. In the meantime - beware unscrupulous marketing online marketing companies! If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Search Engine Optimisation 2010-05-07 09:39:44 http://www.i-com.net/blog/guaranteed-page-1-listing-google-affiliated-company-349/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/8-tips-for-successful-link-building-emails-340/ Those of you who thought emailing an organisation such as a charity or university for a link was easy, think again. There's a big difference between a successful email and spam. Heres some tips to stay away from the Junk Mail box 1. Contact a Person (Where Possible) When searching around a website for contact details try, where possible, to find an actual person usually in charge of press/media/website content or an administrator. These individuals will not only be able to change the website content but also have more time to reply than, say, the Director or Chairman of an organisation. 2. Keep it Personal & Tailored Add as many references to both the individual reader and the organisation you are emailing to keep things personalized and relevant. Make reference to a blog or interesting page on the site, including the link to the page, to confirm you have actually spent some time navigating their site. By adding the organisation name as an email header and addressing the email with "Dear Name" you reduce the risk of being considered a spammer and increase the possibility of a reply. Add the initials or name of the organisation in the email subject along with your client name and "Client's Support", "Useful Link" or "Site Sponsorship" to reduce any spammy connotations.3. Keep it Brief By keeping your email neat and concise, you put across an organised image and show that you realise the reader may be rushed or have restricted time. 4. Show Value Whether this is financial, experience, content or sponsorship, show the reader the value in linking to your client's site as much as possible. This may include mentioning that you can also add a site link on your client's website (a reciprocal link). Use words like 'perhaps' or 'possibly' to give an open offer and not a guarantee or promise before you have the client's approval. 5. Keep it Structured Create a structure that can replicated for other link building emails. Start with an introduction of who you are and what you are responsible for. This gives the reader a person to relate to and lets them know why you are contacting them or their organisation in particular. Next, lead on to a bit of information about your company or the client you are link building for, keeping it short and to the point with information that shows how successful the client is and the types of work they do. It's a good idea to take the information from the clients Homepage/About Us and condense it. Give a link URL at the end of this to the homepage. Then, explain why linking to your client would be useful/beneficial for their site's visitors such as offering a related service or product. Including a link to the most relevant page on your client's site helps them relate to your client. Now is the asking/begging part where you let them know what you would like to offer them in return for a link on their site. Paste in the page URL where you would like your link placed as it shows them you really have searched around their site and makes the whole process a little smoother. Be helpful by enclosing the html code for your link as it gives the reader the opportunity to simply paste the link into the page source code and reduces hassle. Remember to make your anchor text a targeted, relevant keyword. Lastly, give your contact details to not only confirm you area real person making a legitimate request, but also in case they would like to call you or require more information to review the proposal. 6. Always Reply Whenever you get an email back whether positive or negative you should ALWAYS reply. If they say no and give reasoning then reply saying "thank you for taking the time to get back to me". If they reply back quickly then thank them for "replying swiftly to my email". If you don't have the power to say yes or no to an offer then respond stating "I will contact the relevant person at "Client Name" and get back to you as soon as possible". This way you are not keeping them waiting and can forward the email on to the relevant person. 7. Keep Track Remember to keep track of every email sent on behalf of a client. By filling a spreadsheet with the address, contact name, website links and dates you emailed/spoke to them on top. This allows you to quickly note down any replies received and not be confused when someone replies by phone and leaves you lost for words. It also means that if a client asks for a report on progress of the link building or wants to see where you are up to, you have a full spreadsheet of who has/hasn't replied, etc. 8. Be PatientRemember that people are busy and take time to pass things on to the relevant person or discuss with a team or committee. You may get a few replies quickly then nothing for weeks, but be patient throughout and if you are really desperate for a reply then consider calling the person directly and making reference to your sent email.Happy Link Emailing. If anyone has any further tips feel free to comment. Search Engine Optimisation 2010-04-22 11:02:37 http://www.i-com.net/blog/8-tips-for-successful-link-building-emails-340/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/seo-results-you-cant-afford-to-ignore-339/ Here at I-COM were never happier than when clients are happy with the level of success they are receiving from our online marketing and SEO services. So we were really excited when we received this fantastic testimonial from the MD of one of our long standing clients: "I can honestly say that engaging with I-COM is one of the best business decisions I have ever made. At the outset of the SEO campaign, I never foresaw that we would have the sort of positions, visibility and prominence in the search engines that we do today. Even now, three years into our relationship, I-COM continue to surprise and impress me with the results they deliver." Our client specialises in recruiting top quality candidates for sales and marketing positions in leading UK healthcare, ethical pharmaceutical, dental and veterinary companies. This is a highly competitive industry online and I-COM has helped to make them one of the major online players. Theyve been with us for three years, and in that time we've used our not inconsiderable SEO, web development and design nous to drastically improve their visibility in the major search engines. According to Google Analytics weve seen a massive increase in their visibility in the search engines. When comparing the period 01/01/10 - 31/03/10 to 01/01/08-31/03/08, we found that: The site had achieved many top ten listings in Google for medical sales related keywords. The site received traffic for 3,108 keywords, as opposed to 1,474 in 2008. Based on just organic traffic, the total number of number of conversions had increased, from 185 in 2008 to 471 in 2010, an increase of 154.59%. The goal conversion rate increased from 4.21% to 7.96%. Page views had increased from 23,434 in 2008 to 37,453 in 2010, suggesting visitors are now exploring more of the site, finding the jobs more easily and finding more useful information in general. Overall, organic traffic to the site also increased from 4,396 in 2008 to 5,916 in 2010, a percentage increase of 34.58%. When considered in conjunction with a 19.88% drop in the bounce rate over this period, we concluded that these visitors were more targeted, and were therefore able to find the information they required much faster than previously. We've achieved these results by, amongst other things, making some fundamental changes to the structure of the site which allows all jobs to be indexed by the search engines and adding search engine optimised content to the site. In addition our in house social media specialists have begun establishing a social media presence for the company. We've got big plans for the future SEO of our client, which should see their website continuing to enjoy a high level of visibility in the search engines, but more importantly providing them with a fantastic return on investment. Here's to the next three years! Search Engine Optimisation 2010-04-20 10:16:11 http://www.i-com.net/blog/seo-results-you-cant-afford-to-ignore-339/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/how-to-get-a-job-as-an-seo-copywriter-331/ An SEO copywriter writes all the textual content for a digital marketing agency. This can mean anything from website content to blog posts, press releases to articles on a given subject specific to a client's business. Its a creative position within one of the UK's few boom industries, and is therefore a great opportunity for recent Arts graduates who are unsure of how their degree can be useful to them in the business world. However, if you wish to secure a position as an SEO copywriter, knowledge and experience will prove just as important as your degree. I've put together a list of online resources that are (mostly) free, which, if used to their full potential, will set you apart from the crowd when you start applying for positions. Copyblogger's SEO Copywriting Tutorial: In 2008 Copyblogger was ranked amongst the world's Top 50 most powerful blogs, and it's an accolade that still rings true today. Copyblogger can tell you everything you need to know about writing content for the web, and their SEO Copywriting tutorial is perfect for online content first-timers who are starting from the bottom knowledge-wise. Read through their tutorials and you're already a step ahead of your competitors in the job market. Investigate Google's search tools: If you're going to become an SEO Copywriter, you're going to need to know how to use Google's search tools, chiefly Google Analytics, Google Adwords: Keyword Tool and Google Insights. Basically, these are the tools of the SEO trade; they enable SEO Consultants and copywriters to find out what specific keywords people are searching for, allowing them to target online content accordingly. Read about them, have a play around and see how they work. There's no need to be an expert - a working knowledge of these tools will be enough to impress potential employers, particularly if you have no prior experience of SEO. Engage with your local online community: Bloggers, digital content creators and SEO Consultants like to arrange little get-togethers for themselves. For example, in Manchester there's the annual Blog Awards, a new event for digital content creators like copywriters called THERE WILL BE BLOOD and a monthly SEO meet up organised via the Manchester SEO blog. These events tend to be free to attend, and are a great opportunity to chat with people already working in the industry in which you're hoping to gain employment. Start a blog: Starting a blog through Google's Blogspot service or Wordpress is free and easy, and will demonstrate to potential employers that you are serious about digital content creation. It's also a great way to learn about tools such as Google Analytics, which are easy to install. Just make sure that you have an interesting topic to blog about - perhaps start a blog chronicling your growing relationship with the world of SEO Copywriting. Alternatively, write music reviews, post creative writing, anything you like! Society for Editors and Proofreaders: If you have the time, money and inclination, the SfEP offers a series of training courses which can help you brush up on your language, editing and proofreading skills. Indulge in a little self-promotion: If you haven't already, familiarise yourself with the major social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Social media is steadily growing in importance in the online marketing world, and is currently being integrated in a more complete fashion into the results pages of the major search engines. Advertising your interest in gaining experience of SEO copywriting on your social media accounts might even bring in some enquiries, particularly on LinkedIn. Be prepared to value experience over a hefty wage-packet: Don't be afraid to take a low-paid job if it means gaining experience of your desired profession. Experience is extremely valuable, and could lead to you getting a much better job in the long-run. Sites like Copify offer extremely low rates of pay, but are free to join and could provide you with the experience you require to secure a permanent position as an SEO copywriter with a digital marketing firm. SEO copywriting isn't for everyone; you may find that, after looking at the above links, you realise that it's not the job for you. However, if you are still interested, the above information should provide you with everything you need (bar a degree, a good CV and good interview technique) to secure a job as an SEO copywriter. Good luck! Copywriting 2010-04-06 11:20:40 http://www.i-com.net/blog/how-to-get-a-job-as-an-seo-copywriter-331/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/why-solicitors-need-to-crack-the-online-market-327/ A report published in the Law Society Gazette revealed that the internet has become indispensable when choosing a solicitor. The YouGov poll of 2,266 people found that after recommendations by friends, internet search engines and online review sites were the second most popular way to select a lawyer. The research showed that 21% of the people polled would use search engines to select a law firm.This sentiment was echoed by Simon McCrumb of Darbys Solicitors in Oxford, who explains: "This reflects the fact that even the lawyers world is changing. Companies that do not invest in raising their on-line profile will receive less calls and enquiries than a firm that does - its as simple as that. This brings two challenges though. First - will the callers be as profitable and as productive as callers in 'the old days' were, or will this generate lots of calls that take a lot of time to deal with but which go nowhere? Our view is that you have to kiss a lot of frogs in order to find a prince. The second challenge is whether these people, who are coming to law firms in a very modern way, will still want personal and face-to-face service and whether they will want to pay for it." As Simon rightly points out, these findings show that solicitors firms can no longer afford to ignore the internet. A good position in the search engine listings for a variety of highly relevant keywords is essential to gaining clients.Establishing an online presence for your law firmHowever creating a successful website that turns site visitors into paying clients, not to mention one that conveys the personality of your law firm, your expertise and also speaks to your visitors using language they understand, isn't as easy as it sounds.The poll also revealed that almost 10% of respondents would use specialist web directories of solicitors to find a lawyer and a further 4% stated that they would ask for recommendations for contacts on Facebook and other social networking sites.Sites such as Twitter and Facebook that allow social interaction are gradually going to take the place of personal recommendations so getting a head start in these emerging fields is essential for any business, especially a law firm.Understanding how people search for solicitors onlineThe key to online success is to find an internet marketing agency that you trust, one that understands enough about what you do to know what to say on your website and also knows how people search for solicitors on the web. You need to find a company that can engage with that audience both on your website, through use of compelling content that answers all the right questions, and elsewhere on the internet through social media, online PR and other forms of online advertising.Through years of work with law firms of all sizes, I-COM has established a solid base of knowledge and understand about how people search for legal services online.  Integrating search engine optimisation into site development we can build a firm base for the web presence of any law firm which brings in the right visitors who convert into leads and eventually clients. Our experience of sponsored PPC advertising can ensure high quality traffic and prove return on investment. I-COM also has great experience working with directory owners and developing social media campaigns which can provide law firms with a route into social media. We provide social media training to help customers understand the requirements of working in a social media environment and avoid the many potential pitfalls of bad social media practise that have unsettled many reputable brands in the past. If your law firm is looking to take its first steps into establishing an online presence or if you're simply not happy with how your website is performing online, read more about our expertise in the legal industry or get in touch with us on 0870 164 2389. Search Engine Optimisation 2010-03-23 09:59:27 http://www.i-com.net/blog/why-solicitors-need-to-crack-the-online-market-327/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/4networking-business-breakfast-tuesday-260110-premier-inn-trafford-centre-west-304/ I'll be sharing my online marketing secrets with attendees to the 4Networking Business Breakfast on Tuesday 26th January, at Premier Inn, Trafford Centre West. The event will run between 08.00 and 10.00am. Here at I-COM we believe that having a great looking website is useless if no-one ever sees it, which is why we offer all our clients comprehensive SEO strategies, designed to get them into the most relevant SERPs to their business. I'll be sharing my inside knowledge on the ins and outs of search engine marketing, including tips on how you can make the most out of your online presence, turning those casual visitors into paying customers. Attendance to the event costs just 10. Book your place today. If you only attend one business breakfast this year, make it this one. I guarantee you'll be enthused, amazed and inspired! I-COM News 2010-01-25 13:50:39 http://www.i-com.net/blog/4networking-business-breakfast-tuesday-260110-premier-inn-trafford-centre-west-304/