What Is A Back Link

A back link, a.k.a. inbound link, is effectively a link from one site to another. One way links, i.e. they link to your site, but you do not reciprocate hold more value in the eyes of the search engine and benefits you much more. A one way link is basically telling Google that Site A likes Site B, so Google considers in it’s search engine ranking of Site B.

How To Get Back Links

There are many ways to get back links. It may seem like a lot of work, but just dedicating a few minutes a day will generate inbound links to your site and provide you with some “Google Juice”. Here’s an overview of how to get back links:

Writing & Submitting Articles or Press Releases
You write an article or press release and submit it to online directories for distribution (EzineArticles.com and PRLog.com). Doing so gives you a back link from the directory, plus another back link from each site that republishes your article or release.

Note: Don’t just write – you need to write beneficial, informative and relevant articles that are keyword rich.

Submit To Web Directories
A web directory is something akin to a huge reference library. There is a limitless quantity of directories that you can submit your url to for free. Directory submission is one of the best methods to receive one way incoming links to your site. This is one of the most significant parts when it comes to your link building strategies.

Note: Again I’m going to stress relevance. While you want to submit your site to lots of directories that get traffic, you also want to get listed in directories related to your industry or community.

Discussion Boards & Other Online Communities
If you’re involved in any chat-room communities, forums, video game clans or anything of the nature make sure to use the tools provided effectively. Obviously don’t spam people with your URL or affiliate links or whatever but if there is a place to add your profile then do it. If you can link to your web site in your signature then do it.

Note: Don’t spam people or act like a walking advertisement. If you’re a respected member of an online community people will check out your profile and then your web site. If your signature has a link to your site then every post becomes a one way link to your web site.

Blog Commenting
This is an easy, and sometimes fun, activity to generate back links. Search for blogs (Google Blog Search) that are somehow related to your community, service area and/or industry and leave a comment. Comment forms almost always have an area for your website.

Note: Again, don’t spam with comments like “Nice Post”. Provide input or your opinion. Always be relevant in your commenting so you don’t get “black listed”.

Social Media
Including your link in the profile pages of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, and even YouTube, provides you with a back link.

Note: Don’t forget to use your keywords in your bio section. Take full advantage of your profile!

So there you have it- Backlinks In Plain English. There are several other ways to generate incoming links, but these mentioned above are what I think are a good start for small business owners new to internet marketing.

The Basics Of Back Links is a post from: jerseygirlwebs.com

This is an article I found that I hope can explain the benefits of pay-per-click advertising for local small businesses. I personally think it’s a FANTASTIC way to be in front of potential customers when they are searching for your product and/or business. The best part – it’s cheap! If they don’t click, you don’t pay. So here’s my tip: include your local phone number in your ad: get the prospect to call you instead of clicking!

I can help you set-up and write your pay-per-click ads. Contact me today if you’d like to discuss it
Cara

Your website can show up on the first page of the search engine pages when people search for what you sell. That’s a pretty bold statement, but it’s true.

Go to Google.com and type in your keywords. Look at the results. See the long box at the top and the small boxes along the right-hand side? You’ll also see something similar when you search Yahoo and MSN. These text ads are noted as “Sponsored Links” or “Sponsored Results”. Merchants have arranged to have their ads show up on those pages but they only pay for every visitor who clicks through to their website. These ads are called pay-per-click (PPC) ads.

You can get those positions too. These ads are shown only when people type in your keywords. Consider how they can fit into your advertising mix, even if you are marketing a local business such as a retail store.

Here’s what to do: For as little as $5, you can place an ad on a pay-per-click search engine. These are search engines where you pay to be listed on the first few pages. Two of the largest PPC search engines are Google and Yahoo.

Here’s a very important part many website owners don’t know: both Google and Yahoo are pay-per-clicks that supply results to other search engines. For example, if you buy an ad on Google, your site can show up on the first pages of Google in addition to showing up on AOL, Ask, Earthlink, Lycos and more.

Also, websites that offer large amounts of information (content) have arranged to show PPC ads from Google and Yahoo. For example, About.com shows Google ads. This is a “content partner”. You can also choose to have your ads show up on their content partners’ sites. You’ll get more exposure. You will pay only when visitors click from these sites too.

You decide how much you want to pay for each visitor. That’s your bid. Your bid determines where you show up in the listing. Generally, the highest bid gets the highest position. In industries that have low competition, you may pay only a few cents per click. In highly competitive markets you can pay dollars per click. For example, the keyword “car insurance estimates” is estimated to cost $34 PER CLICK at this writing.

Your costs will depend on a variety of factors, including:

-how many competitors you have at the time you run your ads
-which search engine you run your ads on
-which position you’d like – first, second, third, etc.
-what your daily budget is
-how long you want your ads to run

Wherever you place your ads, you’ll want to say something compelling in your ad to get people to click through. You’ll need to follow the advertising guidelines of each search engine. They usually don’t allow any language such as “We’re the best! Check us out!” Otherwise you can imagine their results will be filled with hype.

PPC ads are the fastest way to show up on the first page of search engines – even as quickly as today! Remember, JerseyGirlWebs can help you set-up and write your pay-per-click ads. Contact me today if you’d like to discuss it!

About The Author: Entrepreneur Raynay Valles is the author of 70 Website Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them and the Fast Track Internet Marketing Method for Local Businesses. Visit her website at http://www.raynayvalles.com for more information.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Raynay_Valles

A Simple Way Your Website Can Show Up on the First Page of Search Engine Results Today is a post from: jerseygirlwebs.com

Question: How often should I update my small business website?

This is a question that I’m sure every small business owner thinks about. As a small business owner myself, I know you’re busy! So you’re really wondering how much of your already-spread-thin time do you need to spend on your website?

If you are serious about using your website as a way to gain new customers (and keep in touch with current customers), you should add new content to your website at the very least once-a-week.

You do not want your site to get ‘stale’. The search engines, and specifically Google, like websites that are current and have fresh content. Furthermore, you want to keep visitors coming back to your site. Keeping them interested could convert them into customers.

Adding to your site, if it is WordPress based, doesn’t have to take a lot of your time – maybe an hour tops. And it doesn’t have to be complicated. Simply write about a specific topic, product or issue that is relevant to your industry and/or business.

For example, if you own a retail store, you could easily add your specials and coupons to your site on a weekly basis. You can also announce new products.

But if you’re a service provider, it can be a little harder to come up with ideas on what content to write about. Here are a few examples to help you out:

• Recent News Stories: Let’s say your the owner of an organic market. With the recent news about the massive egg recall, you should comment on the recall, provide  and mention the fact that your market carries organic, safe eggs.
• Highlight Recent Work: You are a contractor that just finished building an addition for a customer. Post pictures and details of your work. If possible, include a few (positive) comments from the customer about your work.
• Public Relations: Last weekend there was a street fair in my area that had many local small businesses participating. I would suggest to those businesses to create a post about the street fair, include pictures, and provide details of what they contributed to the event. Highlight their business as part of the community.
• Tips: Everyone loves a good tip! Suppose you’re a handy man. You could post some DIY tips on how to keep a door hinge from creaking. Or if you own a beauty salon, post tips on the best ways to apply make-up.
• Q&A: Just like this post, answer one of your customer’s questions. By creating a contact form (which is included in my design package) you can encourage visitors to ask a question. And by answering it, you are providing customer service and establishing your expertise.

Small business owners don’t need a lot of time or creativity to continually update their site. Using the 5 ideas above, it shouldn’t take long at all. But remember that it is important to add content to your site – not only for the search engines, but for your keeping your visitors interested!

How Often Should I Update My Site? is a post from: jerseygirlwebs.com

Of all the successful blogs on the Internet, hundreds more have failed. Running a blog is like running a business website. Unless you are willing to put the time in and treat it seriously, you won’t be blogging long.

That is not to say that the failed bloggers weren’t serious about blogging. Mostly, new bloggers aren’t prepared for the work that goes into creating a successful blog. Just building the blog doesn’t mean that people will necessary come to you. You pursue the audience and give them a reason to see what you have to say.

1. Fresh Content – no one wants to visit a blog day after day and see the same posts. Update your blog content at least twice a week. This will be easier if you write several posts ahead of time and upload them at the appropriate times.

2. Article Marketing – the niche you’ve chosen for your blog is one that interests you. If it is interesting you will spend more time doing it. Create content not only for your blog but also to be submitted to article directories. Use the resource box to advertise your blog so people can find you.

3. Social Networking – these sites are everywhere. Join Facebook, MySpace, Squidoo, Twitter or a dozen others and make connections. You can join groups of likeminded people who are also bloggers or entrepreneurs.

4. Viral Marketing – this is where you spread the word about your blog. Talk to friends, family and even strangers. Give out business cards that have your blog address on them.

5. Use RSS Feeds – RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication.” Readers can subscribe to your feed and get email updates when new content is posted. It is an easy way for them to keep up with your blog without spending all day online.

6. Submit Blog to Search Engines – doing this allows your blog to be ranked. Google and Yahoo! are two of the most popular search engines you want to crawl your blog pages. It doesn’t guarantee top ranking, though. You’ll have to do a little more work for that.

7. Joining Forums – as a blogger you are a budding entrepreneur. Right now you are marketing yourself to find traffic and then profit. Become a member of business forums, work at home forums and others to meet new people and share ideas. You can add a link to your blog in the signature line so others can find you.

8. Visit other blogs – show your appreciation to those who visit you by also posting comments on their blogs. It is a kindness that shows others you are not just out to advertise your blog alone. Add links to your blog in your comments.

9. SEO Marketing – whatever you write, use relevant keywords. Keyword density between three and ten percent is good for getting higher page rankings in search engines. Base your keywords on a research you do to find the most popular words used in search engines for your niche.

10. Social Bookmarking – submitting posts to social bookmarking sites allows others who are members of those sites to track you back to your blog.

Using any of these ideas will start the traffic moving in your direction. It takes time but you will build the readership you want. Don’t forget that JerseyGirlWebs can help you with everything listed above! Not only do we design blogs, we help with the marketing too! Check out our Services page.

photo credit: lisaclarke

Top 10 Traffic Ideas for your Blog is a post from: jerseygirlwebs.com

Write good content for your site. Many search engines track down the keywords and keyword phrases your site uses and how they are used. It is not a requirement that a content should be done by a professional content writer. You could do your on but you have to make content for your site that is entertaining as well as informational. It should provide certain requirements as well as great quality.

Generally, internet users use search engines to find what they are looking for. Search engines in return use keyword searching in aiding their search results. With the right keywords, you could get high rankings in search engine results without the costs.

Take advantage of online forums and online communities. The great thing about forums and online communities is that you can target a certain group that fits the certain demographic that you are looking for. You can discuss about lots of things about the niche that you represent or offer.  Another great advantage is that you know what you are getting into and you will be prepared.

With online communities and forums you can build a reputation for your company. Show them what you are made of and wow them with your range of expertise about the subject, with that you can build a reputation and build trust with the people in your expertise and knowledge.

You can also make use of newsletters. Provide people with a catalog of your products and interesting and entertaining articles. If you make it really interesting and entertaining, more people will sign up for your newsletter and recommend it to other people. The more people who signs up for your newsletter, the more people there will be that will go to your site increasing your traffic.

Another great idea is trading links with other sites. You don’t have to spend a cent. All you have to do is reach an agreement with another webmaster. With exchanging links, the efforts both sites do will benefit both sites. Every traffic that goes to the site could potentially click on the link of your site and visit your site as well. This works well especially when both sites feature the same niche.

Write articles that could pique the attention of people that have interest in your product. Try writing articles that will provide tips and guides to other aficionados. Writing articles that provide good service and knowledge to other people would provide the necessary mileage your traffic flow needs.

Many sites offer free submission and posting of your articles. When people find interest in your articles they have a good chance of following the track by finding out where the article originated. Include a link or a brief description of your company with the article and there’s a great probability that they will go to your site.

All of these methods and more will drive more traffic to your site for free. All it takes is a bit of effort and extended man hours. Learn all you can about the methods depicted here and you will soon have a site with a great traffic flow without the usual costs that come with it.

How To Generate Traffic Using Only Free Methods is a post from: jerseygirlwebs.com

What it all boils down to is that getting listed in Google Maps is more important than ever, because now local search will be shown even for wider searches, like pizza, restaurant, and hair salon. With local search you can appear in the first page of Google organically.

This is significant because consumers are already coming online are performing local searches. Local search accounts for about 66% of online searches and in a recent study by TMP Directional Marketing, 82% of those searches lead to offline action, including in-store visits, phone calls, e-mails or purchases. Why not take advantage of a free way to attract some of that traffic?

To see how this works, simply visit Google.com and enter a search phrase for dentist. You’ll notice at the 4th or 5th result is “Local business results for dentist near…”. This could be you!

There are few businesses out there that couldn’t benefit from getting listed in Google local, even if you don’t have a website. Use Facebook or Squidoo in the time being while you sort out what you want in a website. If you don’t have plans for a website, then you and I should talk, seriously.

Local Search Gets Really Promising For Small Business Owners is a post from: jerseygirlwebs.com