Honesty is the best policy – Construction Marketing

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The – now rather inaccurately-named – search engine optimisation (SEO) business has been very hard at work for the past few years generating content to populate the internet and thereby raise search engine ranking. This is how it works.

A manufacturer of, for instance, vapour barriers and damp-proofing membranes writes an article containing all the relevant keywords. This is submitted and published by third party web sites – in this instance construction industry web sites and ezines. Prospective customers searching for the keywords “vapour barrier” or “damp-proof membrane” find the article, maybe they even click on the link to the manufacturer’s web site. But that’s not the only benefit of writing the article. The manufacturer’s web site is also rewarded with additional points towards its search engine ranking because the link is from a highly-regarded web site.Read More

Almost instant – Search Marketing

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Search is changing fast – and I mean fast.

Google has now started providing real-time search results. So that means that if you post something on a social media platform you could expect to see it appearing almost immediately in a relevant search. Google’s real-time search which provides a stream of data within Google’s normal results page. It’s all suddenly very exciting again.Read More

Compelling web sites – Building Product Marketing

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If you’re selling building products online there are several things you can do to help your customers to buy and help your search engine rankings at the same time.

Start by using the words that your customer will use. Yes, you might have your own jargon and especially in the area of the construction industry you work in, you will probably have your own jargon. But all the time there will be new entrants into that business or industry space. They won’t know your special language. So don’t alienate them. Think – what words would they use to search for your products? Use those words in your meta data, H1 and H2 tags and description text. Also, use those words in page content and product descriptions and if you can, for file names too.Read More

Simple but extremely effective

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You know, it is the simplest things that are sometimes the most effective. I received an email the other day from a friend who’s recently moved job.

I have some inherent interest in what my friend is doing because it’s a move sideways into a slightly different world of work, so I read the email signature with great interest.Read More

Tearing down barriers

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There’s no doubt that email marketing does work – we’ve got many customers who will testify to this. But apart from using our awesome email broadcaster ‘Shortburst’ what else can you do to tear down the barriers of resistance and improve chances of marketing success?

Make sure you use a sensible email address for a start. One prominent business advisory organisation I know sends out emails from “Information” others use “info” or variations thereof – a sure way to have them consigned to the spam bin!Read More

If you’re thinking about it, don’t

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Have you ever contemplated reproducing a magazine or brochure in its entirety on the internet.

I’m talking about a replica of the actual print version, complete with very clever zooming and page turning technology. Well, if you’re thinking about it, don’t just dive straight in. Such things are usually impossible to read properly and serve just to annoy rather than aid the viewer. There are many ways to present information on the internet in this format and we have experience of the ways that actually work.

Just call +44 (0) 1908 671 707 us and we’ll happily show you how.

Blogsworth

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In the old days we used to say that you needed to give something away. If you were going to make any impression on the world wide web. The same’s still true when it comes to blogging. Each blog must contain at least one item of value – a useful link, a relevant shared thought, a joke perhaps, or some advice which the majority will think worthwhile. If there’s nothing of value readers will be lost. If you get it right, then… the world’s your limit.

Useful stuff #2. In Safe Keeping

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In Milton Keynes we have the Open University, of which we’re very proud. The Faculty of Maths, Computing and Technology runs a very useful safe computing alert service. You can sign up and receive the free security bulletins about nasty viruses and program updates. You’ll find it here – oh, and there’s no charge.