For example, mainstream keyword research all seemed to miss the most simple of SEO techniques which is to build on your site’s successes …

So if your site is successful for the single (or exact) keyword pizza delivery then it can easily be successful for thousands of other keywords containing pizza delivery including pizza delivery boston and pizza delivery chicago.

These keywords are part of the pizza delivery keyword niche – all keywords containing pizza delivery.

There was another problem with targeting single keywords. The keywords most sites might target could often bring no more than a handful of sales at best. Worse, some keywords on their own will bring your site very few visits. Or just one visit!

In fact, it is normal for 80% of the keywords that bring traffic to your site to bring just one visit each. This might be tens or even hundreds of thousands of keywords. And no person or company can separately work on so many keywords.

So I quickly learned to find a site’s most successful keywords and then target those keywords’ niches.

Do this and you soon discover there is an almost unlimited number of different keywords in any keyword niche …

… you’ll have discovered the long tail of search marketing.

Success with one problem

Over the years I developed an SEO process to find and target keyword niches and then exploit the long tail. It has been incredibly successful, but the research required for each site took a long time and it had to keep being repeated. I needed a tool to help me …

… I dreamed of a keyword research tool that would do the job quickly.

Wordtracker Strategizer is the solution

I’ve worked with Wordtracker to build that tool. You can start using it today.

The new tool is called Wordtracker Strategizer. The ‘Strat’ automates the successful process for search engine optimization (SEO) I’ve developed and refined over the last 10 years.

You can read more about Wordtracker Strategizer and try it for a month for just one dollar at:  http://strategizer.wordtracker.com/introduction.

See you at the top.

Mark Nunney
Wordtracker Strategizer Team

Sign up now! http://strategizer.wordtracker.com/introduction

I have decided to put together a number of posts on this subject, as it has been on my mind for a while. Online DIY can be a great thing – you learn a lot of stuff, save money, and have an increased sense of ownership of in your website and marketing plan.  The negatives about online DIY are the time and energy spent simply learning the material, (the learning curve), having todo the updates yourself, and not having anyone to help you out along the way. 

In addition to the question above, I have another one: “Is DIY local search or Internet marketing  realistic for the small business owner?”

What do you think about these questions? What is my two cents? I say that “yes“  to both, but….I think small business owners can learn and do SOME local search marketing themselves but I do not think it is realistic that EVERYONE can do it alone.

I know a number of small business owners that have taken charge of their online marketing and are doing well.  It has not been easy for them and has taken years to get where they are today.

As I stated above there are a number of things small business owners can do to help out their cause online but with the search engines constantly changing and updating themselves even those involved with search marketing can have a hard time keeping up.

Ok, so you want to try your hand at doing some online local search marketing? Where do you begin?  What is important in local search? If you have the time, head over to David Mihm’s world famous Local Search Ranking Factors posting on his site. The 2010 version, has just come out.  For the last few years, he has asked a number of search marketers their thoughts and experiences in the local online market and has summarized the results.  It is a very well done and through review, so see what the experts (and yours truly LOL)  think is important in local search rankings.

Once you have read that, then I will have some more goodies for you.

As I was going through some papers, it was brought to my attention that 2010 will mark me working in Cyberspace  for 10 years. Wow, it is hard to believe.  The actual date is sometime in June. Thus, I have spent some time reflecting on all that has happened.

It amazes me on all what I have done and learned online, the people I have met and worked with, the places I have gone. Has it been worth the time? Yes.  It has been very interesting to see how the Internet has evolved and continues to evolve each year.

I looked back at some of my earlier web work and seems so mundane. I have come a long way since 2000. LOL!

I won’t go into a whole long sappy reflection but a few important points that I have concluded:

1. The Internet is constantly changing itself.  What worked in 2000 will not necessarily cut it today. There are some fundamental concepts/ideas/practices that were important in 2000 that are still today.
2. Because of point #1, you cannot just sit around, you also need to be changing and working to “keep up” with the system.
3. A long term outlook is best. By trying to see the whole picture and developing an appropriate strategy, one should be able to “survive” online. (Remember the turtle beat the hare.)
4. When you need help or guidance, get it. Don’t be shy. LOL

Nothing really earth shattering here…Just some simple advice and encouragement to continue moving forward.  The Internet is a major part of everything these days and I do not see it simply going away.  Small business can do a lot online if they approach it properly.

My goals for this year? Last another year… LOL.

• I really want to continue helping small businesses maximize their online visibility.
• Continue blogging, tweeting, etc
• Put on a conference on local search marketing aimed toward smbs
• Make it to a conference or two

Ok enough reflection…back to work!

Thanks

1. MerchantCircle launches:

Neighbors “Neighbors enables consumers to “follow” local businesses for the latest promotions, coupons and announcements.  Business owners can use the Neighbors “feed” as an easy way to communicate directly with their customer base and share information on new products, events or anything of importance to their customers. Want to receive alerts for deals on things like shoe repair services, landscaping, tax preparation or virtually any service in any industry? MerchantCircle connects you to the deals you are interested in, in your local area.”

and

Answers “Answers gives consumers the opportunity to tap into MerchantCircle’s 910,000 local businesses for expert advice on virtually any topic, all for free. Real business owner experts are glad to give consumers free advice on important questions in order to win their business. MerchantCircle doesn’t moderate the conversation; it just connects consumers to real experts who have the answers. Need to know what kind of oil to put in your truck or how to keep a dog from escaping the backyard?  Car mechanics, veterinarians and professionals in every industry will quickly respond, saving you time and often money.”

Read the full release here

2.  StudioNow Launches Video Asset Management & Syndication Platform (AMS), Delivering End-to-End Video Creation-to-Distribution Service

“providing businesses with rapidly escalating video workflow requirements an efficient, affordable and highly scalable solution for the management and distribution of high-quality video assets to multiple video channels across the Internet.”

There’s a local business case study with Citysearch online at their new site at: http://www.studionow.com/create.

Read the full release here

To put it simply, I have not had the time.   I have a ton of articles to review and post, got a good number of ideas on articles, but just like any small business, I  need to focus on income.

I bet if I polled a random selection of small businesses, they all would have something to say on how this slow economy has effected their bottom line.

It is tough right to be an independent web designer/marketer in a small market. I have been losing clients left and right, who simply are pulling their money out of online advertising. I have stopped trying to explain things to them.  Should a small business pull their online marketing in this economy? No way! It will not be like this forever.

People are still searching online! Search Engine conferences are still taking place! Smart business owners are continually looking for new ways to reach clients, so there is still hope.

I am still on Twitter, hope to make it to a conference later this year, am keeping up with search engine trends, so look to some new post real soon. Thanks for following LocalBizBits.

Twitter has changed a lot regarding blogging. I find myself reviewing my Twitter account more than my Google Reader. I still do read my blogs but with Twitter you get information/links/comments very close to real time. I find this helps me keep up with what is important to me (local search and sports).

From the blogs I follow, it seems like there has been less postings, but no lack of tweets. In addition, to getting information as it happened, it also appears that Twitter can act as an instant messaging tool.  I know I have used it a few times to get a hold of someone so I could call them.

So I agree with Gib that Twitter has effected blogging and commenting on blogs.  How long will Twitter be around?  Not sure, but right now it is hot and to stay competitive online, you need to make sure you are int the middle of it. My retired father-in-law even asked me if he should get a Twitter account.

So what has your experience been with Twitter? Has it changed how you read, converse online? Are the bloggers you follow on Twitter more than their blogs?

Anyone out there? If no one responds, I will understand.

Thank goodness that my blog post get sent to Twitter also.

Feel free to follow me on Twitter.

Gauging The Online Visibility Of SMBs by Hanan Lifshitz. Thoguht this was a nice follow up from his last article over at Search Engine Land

Twitter and Local Search: A Status Update by Mike Boland at Search Engine Watch.  One article that Mike mentioned in his post was Rest in Peace, RSS by Steve Gillmor where is discusses how Twitter is killing the RSS feed. Very interesting!

How To Use Twitter For Building Links by Nick Stamoulis

Local Search Ranking Factor Statistical Research by Brian Cater

Happy reading!

Savvy Advertisers Get Vertical For Local Results by Scott Greenberg

“At the local level, small businesses are trying to find the most efficient ways to effectively communicate with their customers…”

Local Search Growth Outpaces Overall Online Search

“A tremendous surge in the annual growth of local search far outpaced growth of overall Web search, according to a study conducted by comScore, Inc., a leading Web behavior research firm, and released today by the Yellow Pages Association….”

Should Small Business Worry about Mobile Search Marketing? by yours truly

“What I found was that the major search engines have a mobile version of their site but after that there is huge drop off in quality mobile search engines or directories. There are some out there but I had to search hard for them and I could not see many folks accessing them.  So my question is, should small business worry about mobile search?…”

I definitely plan to get back here and get on a more regular schedule, but in the mean time, follow me on Twitter.  Here are some updates:

Have began guest blogging at CitySquares- check out my first posting: Do you have what it takes to market a business online

Recently found a new free keyword tracking toolat Rockinseo.com Thanks for heads up Terry.

Have spent a lot of time studying, working in the mobile sphere. For a good presentation from the Kelsey Group on mobile local search, click here.

Until next time….