Also, be sure to “claim” your Google Places Page, a popular arena for comments and reviews, not to mention the fact that Google pulls content from other sources such as Yellow Pages.com and Manta, which will give you a broader view of your online presence. These are just a few of  many tactics one could implement to achieve even better results.

Your first job is running your business and your second is marketing it.

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of fools’ gold, bad advice and even downright scams in the Web site promotion field. If you go about promoting your site the wrong way, you can actually hurt traffic instead of helping to build it. Here are 10 things you should definitely not do, no matter how tempting some spam message makes it sound:

1 – Spam Not!
2 – Don’t shell out big for submission services.
3 – Don’t waste time on the flotsam and jetsam of the Web.
4 – Don’t rush through your Yahoo submission.
5 – Never submit your site until it’s open for business.
6 – Don’t forget to integrate your URL into your business.
7 – Don’t mess with black magic.
8 – Don’t put anything in your website’s directory that you don’t want the public to see.
9 – Don’t neglect to measure your traffic.
10 – When you’re finished, don’t stop!

]]> http://www.phillips-hemphill.com/nc-seo-website/509/feed 0 http://www.phillips-hemphill.com/nc-seo-website/241 http://www.phillips-hemphill.com/nc-seo-website/241#comments Wed, 12 Jan 2011 21:02:54 +0000 Justin http://www.phillips-hemphill.com/?p=241 Client: Clark PittmanURL: www.myjaxhandyman.comTime: 17 days
Work: Web Design, Logo Creation, CMS

Overview: We integrated CMS for this website design, using the the WordPress© platform. We added Google Analytics®, created a animated banner, custom forms and more. This website is coded for multi-browser compatibility as well.

Clark Pittman Improvements was looking to establish their presence on the world wide web. We were able to provide them with world class design and a built in Content Management System, allowing them to update content, photos and grow their site at their own pace.

Visit Clark Pittman Improvements

Overview: Phillips-Hemphill utilized organic, white-hat, search engine optimization tactics to insure prominent search engine rankings. To help with Fidelity’s conversion rate, we created graphic buttons,”calls to action”  and more.  When we began, Fidelity Insurance was not in the top 100 for more than 88% of their desired keywords. They now have top 10 placement on Goggle for more than 50 competitive search terms.

Fidelity Insurance Group, had been looking for a way to out rank their competition online. Utilizing our Search Engine Optimization Experts, we were able to get Fidelity real 1st page positioning on Google.

“The team at Phillips-Hemphill is extraordinary. I have been researching SEO companies for some time now. I’m proud to say that I have truly found a great business partner. The results that have came from this partnership are remarkable and continue to increase my ROI.” – Brian Hendricks, President: Fidelity Insurance Group, Inc.

Call (888)712-2714 and speak to an eMarketing Specialist for more information on Search Engine Optimization & Internet Marketing today!

Overview: The Law Offices of Gilbert Schaffnit had a website and had been aggressively marketing it for years, but the results were minuscule and that needed to change. We created a new Search Engine Optimized website, built on the WordPress® platform. Rather than targeting broad search terms we looked at relevant terms that would convert in new clients.

Score! Within weeks of the site’s launch – Real First Page Rankings. The new site is ranked month after month at the top spot (#1) for more than 20 of the 35 keywords we focused on.

After working with Phillips-Hemphill for several months now, it’s clear we have made the right decision. They are fast, flexible, smart and most of all accessible. I can all them anytime I have a question. They understand and explain the technical aspects in a way someone like myself can understand. In a very short time our website was created to our specifications and then showed up on the first page of search engines extremely quickly. I’m very impressed with their work and their professional and knowledgeable approach and I would recommend them to anyone seeking a new website or search engine optimization.
-Gilbert Schaffnit, Esq.
Law Offices of Gilbert A. Schaffnit

First, is your site user friendly? Make sure you have detailed descriptions of your products and services along with great photos.

Are your visitors able to easily search your site? If you don’t have a search feature, Google can help. “With Google Site Search you can put a Google search box on your website and enable prospective visitors and customers to find information instantly.”

Contact information – I’m of the mind that you should under no circumstance ask or expect visitors to “look or remember”. Make sure your contact information is in a prominent spot and on every page.

Lastly, ensure that every page on your site looks great and is beyond reproach. With all the scams on the web today if a visitor suspects that you might not be everything you claim to be, he or she won’t crack their wallet.

Get advice; ask, ask, ask! Then once you’re satisfied you have all the information, act.

Overview: The Law Offices of Micheal Bossen needed a website that would portray their unique approach to practicing criminal defense law. We created a clean, easy to navigate website that allows potential new clients to learn about the areas they specialize in. We added Google Analytics®, created a custom logo, and more.

This web site is coded for multi-browser compatibility as well.

By following web and accessibility best practices, we make sure that all of your users get a great experience no matter how they view your website.

Overview: Bakery Moderne, Riversides’ newest and most delicious bakery needed help getting their online presence established. Using WordPress® for content management and JQuery we were able to include an animated banner with captioning, allowing Nathalie (Bakery Moderne’s Owner / Pastry Chef) to display her amazing treats while enticing you to swing in for a coffee and a macaroon (or 5).

]]> http://www.phillips-hemphill.com/nc-seo-website/478/feed 0 http://www.phillips-hemphill.com/nc-seo-website/1219 http://www.phillips-hemphill.com/nc-seo-website/1219#comments Tue, 16 Nov 2010 19:30:20 +0000 Justin http://www.phillips-hemphill.com/?p=1219 We’re all overwhelmed with advertising. Billboards, Banners, Pop-ups and the like. How many of you can say that you remember the billboard you passed on your way into the office today? How about the last time you clicked on the “Lose Weight Fast” ad on Facebook or Myspace? Didn’t think so… We’ve all developed “Banner Blindness”.

Banner Blindness is a phenomenon in web usability where visitors on a website ignore banner-like information.

The term “banner blindness” was coined by Benway and Lane as a result of website usability tests where a majority of the test subjects either consciously or unconsciously ignored information that was presented in banners. Subjects were given tasks to search information on a website. The information that was overlooked included both external advertisement banners and internal navigational banners, e.g. quick links. The placement of the banners on a web page had little effect on whether or not the subjects noticed them. The result of the study contradicted the popular web design guideline that larger, colorful and animated elements on a website are more likely to be seen by users.

-Wikipedia®

I’m a common sense kinda guy, I know how I search for information. My terms might differ from the ones some folks use, but I still use Google like 88% of all U.S. internet users do. Rarely, do I click on a “sponsored listing” or banner. I search and click on what looks to be the most relevant result. The trick for business owners is:

1. Have good rankings for relevant, high traffic keywords
2. Use (longtail) keyword phrases to weed out the looky-loo’s
3. Provide something people (with money) want
4. Don’t clutter your site up with “banners and ads
5. Make things easy to find (contact information, prices, services, ect.)
6. Give your visitors something – information is always welcomed

Keep your sites clean, simple, honest and relevant.