Building world-class Search Engine Optimization expertise

I’m sure we’d all agree that the main concern in our area has been the economy. TKG has been so focused on this that we have spent a good portion of our time pushing SEO and SEM techniques, not just to our clients, but to anyone who would listen through our seminars and Breakfast Bootcamp. As SEOs, we all understand just what marketing can do for our clients’ sites. It is vitally important, and can make the difference for a company that is struggling with sales.

That being said, I think it’s time to look to the future again. I, and many others I have spoken to feel that Northeast Ohio has hit bottom economically, and will be rebounding from here. TKG started off our year with the successful launches of several new sites, including an all new design for our own site. Good design and usability go hand in hand with the best SEO practices, and any good SEO should really help the client consider whether their design is SEO friendly, or if perhaps a redesign would best benefit the client, and their site. SEO done prior to launch is an especially cost effective measure.  This was discussed here in the past, and I am sure it bears revisiting.

Some of our clients understand at the outset of a project just how vital on page efforts can be, and want to make sure that their site is built with SEO in mind from the onset. PRN Funding is a great example of a client who is very aware of what SEO can do for their site, and made sure that SEO would be part and parcel when they started their initial web design project. Another firm that does a nice job of this is Cleveland SEO member Optiem. They state right in their strategy page that design and development are part of their SEO strategy, just as they should be.

If we lived in a perfect world, all of our clients would understand that a great design needs to go hand in hand with great, focused SEO. That when these are planned and implemented simultaneously, they can not only launch their sites a step ahead, but save on optimization costs, as well as design changes later on. I think that as our economy rebounds, more business owners are going to come to us, wanting to know the fastest ways to get back on track, and get there ahead of everyone else. For some this will mean a new site design, for others, this will mean some analytics and tweeking of their existing site and SEO efforts. I truly think that the longer the internet is a means of doing business, the more savvy site owners will become. It will get easier to get site owners to understand the value of researching and implementing SEO strategies while their sites are in the production phase. Soon, hopefully clients, SEOs and developers will recognize that working together is a best practice for all.  Time and budgets will both be well served.

This year promises to be a difficult one in Ohio, for us as SEMs, as well as for our clients. Northeast Ohio’s economy has been trying to pull out of a recession for a while, and Stark County, at least seems to have hit rock bottom and is rebounding. We want to make that happen for the rest of Ohio.

I know it’s February, and it’s been freezing cold for weeks, but it is time for our thoughts, and SEO / SEM strategies to turn to spring and summer, when many people begin making tourist trips into Ohio. I think this year may actually be especially good for tourism, as people still want to get away, but just can’t quite manage that Disney or Myrtle Beach vacation this year. We need to show Ohio’s citizens, as well as out-of-staters, just how much fun they can have right here in the OH! Just as we strategize to help our clients gear up for holiday sales, it is now time to think about how we can bring people, and their money into Ohio.

Hopefully many of you have clients in the tourism industry, and you may have clients that can benefit from the tourism in Ohio. Ohio is blessed with amusement parks like no other state in the Union. The indoor water parks have also become very popular in recent years. We also have a wealth of Amish goods available alongside the many antique shops and Amish and Country restaurants. Ohio also boasts of amazing museums and zoos. Ohio’s wineries have begun to garner attention nationwide and are now often a popular stop for any tourist looking for a little food and fun on their trip.

TKG is thrilled to provide SEO services to one such Ohio winery, right here in Hartville. Maize Valley has been in operation in one form or another since the 1960s. What began as a farm has evolved over time into the enterprising operation it is now, encompassing not only the original farm, but a bakery, deli with Amish meats and cheeses, a market with Maize Valley grown produce, and most recently, a winery.

Maize Valley is still evolving, this summer they will be hosting their first annual Civil War reenactment. Civil war reenactments have become very popular of late, and tend to draw families, tourists, students and history buffs. Maize Valley’s Bill Bakan is aware that his business has evolved over the years and that the way they have traditionally marketed their business has needed to evolve as well. He has chosen to “focus a lot on web based marketing because it is uniquely adaptive to the changing market place”. SEO/ SEM allows TKG and Maize Valley to focus on specific aspects of the business that Maize Valley would like to grow. Because the winery can be such a draw most especially during tourist season, it would be beneficial to concentrate our efforts in that area, as well as the many family friendly events that go on at Maize Valley, capitalizing on the natural growth in tourism in the spring and summer months.

Ohio has so much to offer as far as restaurants, family activities, camping , many outdoor activities. As an SEO, one suggestion you may want to present to your clients in the tourism sector is a page on their site with ideas and links to things to do in their particular area. This can be very helpful for users that are trying to plan a vacation, or a special trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, or even the Pro-Football Hall of Fame. If you let people know what else is available in your area, you may be bringing some much needed cash into our state. Some really great resources for marketing your client’s sites include the following Ohio tourism sites:

Discover Ohio

Travel Ohio

Ohio Traveler Magazine

Hopefully, we can use this opportunity to generate some real interest in Ohio. We live in a remarkable state, with much to offer visitors, and more economically than trips to far away places.

As I have said before and will continue to say, Northeastern Ohio is filled with some of the best minds in web marketing. Anita Campbell is definitely one of those minds.

Anita, of Small Business Trends fame, recently put up an article over at Inc.com. She was kind enough to quote me in the article. Check it all out here:
From Blogs to Online Communities — Anita Campbell — online communities — blogs.

Thanks Anita!

Thanks for being so amazing and for being so kind as to reference me.

Take care!
Sage

One of the especially fun parties this year was at B.L.U.E.S and was put on by:
TrueLocal – Smart Yellow Pages and Local Search Engine

It was completely packed.

If you haven’t checked out TrueLocal yet, give it a look. The premise is that as an advertiser you bid on a zip code and a business category. It starts at $1/month and then you are placed prominently in those kinds of searches. You only pay the monthly fee and aren’t charged a per click fee. It’s pretty innovative.

One of the especially cool parts of TrueLocal is that it’s president is Jake Baillie. He is originally from Cleveland. So, yet again, Cleveland is making a big impact on the search community.

OK. So do something innovative for your business and support Cleveland entrepreneurs. Check out TrueLocal – Smart Yellow Pages and Local Search Engine.