Sometimes What You Really Need Is Not SEO

I had a client contact me this past week and ask me to perform SEO code optimization services on his website as he felt he was not getting enough business and thought it was due to low search engine placement. As part of our process of working with a client, we did a statistical analysis of his site to find out exactly where his placement was and if SEO was really what he needed versus maybe link building.

What we found out was that he owned the number one and two spots on both Google.com and Bing/Yahoo on nearly every single keyword. We also reviewed his website traffic and found it to be relatively high, and then we carefully reviewed his website content. After our review it was clear that the issue was not the website look or feel, not the optimization, or the organic placement, but rather the website content was not communicating his authority or longevity in the industry. was rife with typos, and did not include a strong call to action.

For an e-commerce website typos and website layout issues are the kiss of death. A lack of attention to these details sabotages all the good things you do and creates an impression about you online that is not necessarily as professional as you would want. All of these issues may even impact your sales as e-commerce is all about trust, transparency, authority, and confidence.

If you feel like you are not getting enough leads or sales it is important to work through a process to clearly identify where the issues that are impacting your performance are. Don’t throw money at one thing that ends up not being the real root of your problem. Take time to analyze and then act smartly!

What You Can Expect From Social Media

I have had a few clients say “Facebook is not working for me, I am not making any sales from it!”  It is important to understand what Facebook is and what Facebook is not. I do not consider Facebook, at this time, a strong lead generation tool. That being said, I do recommend that every business have a Facebook Business Page and actively work to connect with client’s and prospects.

Facebook is about connections and creating web authority and a reputation. Facebook is a place for prospects and customers to interact, share information and insights, ask questions, and get to know each other on a more personal level. Now, don’t flame me just yet if you disagree, I have personally done business on Facebook, but creating sales is not the real purpose for Facebook. From my point of view there is no better tool for lead generation than Google AdWords and Facebook is not Google AdWords.

“So if Facebook is not a strong lead generating tool then why should I use it?”  You will want to use Facebook as this is where your prospects and customers are hanging out. By exposing people to your products, services, and your business culture, you can move them off Facebook and into your website where your message is more tightly focused and is about lead generation.

Consider Facebook as a snap shot, a gateway, a teaser, an introduction to your business. With the right impression on Facebook you can encourage a migration to your website where your message is more selling focused.