Content Management Systems (CMS) – Why They’re Great! post is originally posted on: ODX Fusion Syracuse Internet Marketing Blog

Content Management Systems (CMS) have become increasingly popular among small business website owners.  We have been asked more and more to build them along with a specific website project or to retrofit an existing website.  Offering the means for a non-web programming business owner to make an unlimited number of updates to their web site, it’s easy to see why.

Consider this: You have a shiny new website.  It’s got crisp images, a TON of information and a 10% coupon to encourage conversions.  It might even include a way to <GASP!> contact you.

Things are humming along rather smoothly.  In fact, business is so good, you had to bring someone on to help with day-to-day tasks.  Then you had multiple phone lines installed.  You may have even splurged on a brand new logo.

Almost as an afterthought you realize you haven’t updated your website with all the new changes. Shame on you… A new staff member, a different coupon, new contact info and don’t forget your new logo!

Obviously, you call your web company.  You’re not sure whether they’ll make these changes for free or whether they’ll bill you.  Either way, you need the updates on the website and you need them yesterday.

You could be in a sticky situation.  You can’t make the updates yourself, some web companies bill $75/hour, 1 hour minimum and they add you to the bottom of the stack to get to it by the end of the week.

Ouch. A ten-minute job for $75 and you have to wait a few days?

With a CMS, you don’t have that problem.  You simply login:

And make changes!

A lot of the CMSs out there are very similar in functionality to other text editors, like Microsoft Word, in that you can adjust font sizes, insert links or images and even create brand new pages.  They’re very user-friendly so you can have your helper make updates for you as well.  Depending on how many updates you need, having a CMS built for your site can pay for itself in a few months.

Whether you use a blogging platform or a traditional website, you will need your web company for high-level programming, but for simple website text and image updates, you can’t beat a CMS.

If you already use a Content Management system, leave us a comment and tell us what you like and dislike about them – we’d love to hear from you.

Don’t forget to subscribe to get more website tips from ODX Fusion!

Should I Run PPC Ads? post is originally posted on: ODX Fusion Syracuse Internet Marketing Blog

Paying a website for each visitor they send you, known as Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, can be very effective marketing.  Your advertisement is displayed on a host page such as Google, a visitor clicks on your ad, the ad brings them to your website, and you pay the host website a few cents in thanks.

However, there is more to an effective PPC campaign then setting keywords and paying the ad host.  That’s not to say you can’t do it or even figure it out, but if you don’t have the time to invest in the campaign and measure the results, you might consider hiring a pro.

But how do you know if PPC advertising is right for you?

The first thing to think about is whether your product or service generate enough search volume to warrant Pay-Per-Clicks.  If you have a very niche market like “Paper Mache Potted Plants”, you might want to take a closer look at how many people are searching for your product or a variation of it.  A nice tool to find out is the Google Adwords Keyword Tool.

Then do a Google Search for your keywords to see if anyone else shows up in the sponsored results section at the top and right panel of the results.  Usually, the presence of others indicates a high enough search volume to make a PPC campaign worthwhile.

If you’re less of a reactive marketer and tend to be more proactive, don’t worry about whether or not the competition is using PPC, think about other keywords that might draw qualified traffic instead.   “Potted plants” or “plant art” are likely to garner a higher search volume for example.

Next, determine if you can afford your keywords.  Use the Google Adwords Traffic Estimator to figure what you might expect to spend per click.  If you can’t afford the monthly budget needed to run a successful campaign, don’t even attempt a half-baked one. That’s a good way to lose what little budget you commit to it.

When you begin a Pay-Per-Click campaign, you’ll need to have the resources to develop relevant landing pages for your ads.  Landing pages are the pages on your website to which your PPC ads link.  These should be very specific to your ad, should tell you customer what you want them to do and enable them to contact you.  If you are running multiple campaigns, very often you will need multiple landing pages.

The next question to ask before running a PPC campaign – will you test different aspects of your campaign and will you measure the results?  Simply because you think your ad is the most compelling doesn’t mean your customer does.  Which are generating the most clicks?  If one is generating more clicks than the other, are they high quality clicks (low bounce rate, decent time on site, conversions etc…)?  Even the most seasoned marketers test their ads to see what delivers the best results.

And if you’re not measuring your Return of Investment (ROI), why bother?  You need to be able to determine your conversion rate, the amount you’ve paid to get those conversions and difference to determine your return.  If you’re paying a lot for a few if any conversions, you’re doing something wrong.  Remember PPC is about generating sales or leads, not just website traffic.

Now you’re primed to decide if Pay-Per-Click advertising is right for you.  There are many resources on the internet that offer advice on running successful Pay-Per-Click advertising and there are many other PPC platforms than Google.  You have to determine what works best for you, then test and measure the results.

If you need help with your PPC campaign, contact us and we’ll help you determine what works best for you.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog – it’s free and you can keep up-to-date with more Internet Marketing techniques for your business.

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No Excuses – 6 Reasons You Resist Online Marketing post is originally posted on: ODX Fusion Syracuse Internet Marketing Blog

ODX Fusion is asked to speak to many businesses and professional groups about how Internet Marketing can help boost a brand and ultimately bring more sales.  It’s fun, we love to do it and further love seeing the “ah-ha!” moments on our audience members’ faces when they begin to realize what we’re saying.

But make no mistake, the one question that’s been asked Every. Single. Time. is… “How do I find the time?”

It’s a good question on the surface, we agree.  It appears that gaining any ground in the social media and online environment takes an inordinate amount of time.  Aside from being untrue, we believe the question is disingenuous even if the asker doesn’t realize how.

We make time for our books, we make time for our employees.  Let’s make time for our business marketing.

The real question then becomes: “Why am I resisting the internet marketing plunge?”

Read on to see the answers we believe businesses are resisting online marketing.

1. Fear of Change

You’re doing your offline marketing, you’re out there shaking hands and kissing babies and you get a few sales.  You’re comfortable with that.  Internet Marketing / Social Media brings a whole new set of headaches that you just don’t need, right?

Wrong.  Marketing online has given us a forum to engage our customers and put information out to them in real-time.  REAL-TIME! When was the last time your direct mail campaign did that?

Marketing is a necessary evil of doing business and the landscape is always evolving. You need to keep up.

2. Fear of Marketing

If you’re in business, you NEED to market your product!  In some way or another, you need to get the word out.  Too many business owners believe that their product or service speaks for itself.  I’m here to tell you – it’s not speaking to anyone if not a soul knows about it.

As with any other type of marketing, a good strategy is all you need.  Once you have that in place, it’s not so much a fear as much as a project to be treated as such.

3. Fear of Competition

Some folks are not comfortable in dealing with competition.  Marketing online puts you in front of a lot of people, including your competitors.  Be confident in your craft and let your competitors see you.  Ever thought they might fear you?

What you’re doing by not using the internet to your advantage is allowing your competitors to use it to theirs.  You’re letting them speak to your past and present customers.  And forget about future customers. You may not have any (maybe a bit harsh).

4. No Idea Where to Start

This is common and completely understandable. It’s a big online world out there and you have no idea how to get started.  Check out our recent series of posts on Getting Started on Social Media for Beginners.  If you don’t want to hire someone, you’re going to have to look around to determine where to start.  This blog is by no means the only one out there interested in helping you.  Sign up for a social media account.  Buy a book.  Start learning about search engine optimization.  Read about Pay-Per-Click marketing. Start a blog (it’s free!). If you don’t want to do all that leg work, we know someone who would love to help with your internet marketing efforts <wink>!

5. You Hate Your Website

Internet Marketing is really about bringing qualified (primed to purchase) customers to your website. But your neighbor’s 11^th grade son built your website a few years ago and frankly you’re embarrassed to send anyone to it.

When you can’t afford a professionally designed website, it’s an even better argument for using social media. While customizable, your profile can give you a look that’s on par with everyone else.  For the record – a Facebook page does not replace the need for a well-designed website, but it can act as a lead generator in the absence of one or until you can afford one.

6. Fear of Leads

Make no mistake about it, some people have anxiety attacks when it comes to following up on leads. “what do I say to put my company in the best light?” or “what if they ask me a question I can’t answer?” and you might be surprised how scary it is for some people to ask for money.

When your internet marketing efforts are working and generating qualified leads for you, these people WANT to give someone their money, it’s your job to convince them that someone should be you.  They’ve reached out to you, now go shake your money-maker.

Any questions?

This is just the surface of why you’re resisting online marketing and social media.  If we’ve missed the boat then we want to hear from you.  Why ARE you resisting?  If “time” is all you come up with, look deeper and really ask yourself what’s keeping you.  If you can’t answer the question, let us know and we’ll get you there.

Your Comments Welcome

10 Helpful Internet Marketing Tutorial Videos post is originally posted on: ODX Fusion Syracuse Internet Marketing Blog

YouTube and other online video services are great platforms for marketing your business, but it’s also a wonderful tool for learning about topics of interest that you know little about.
In keeping with the Internet Marketing theme, I’ve compiled 10 of my favorite YouTube vids for your viewing and learning pleasure.

Interested in podcasting? MobilePhone2003 uploaded the video above and it offers great information for the beginner.

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David Skul from the Skul of Relativity has put together an incredible library of videos to help business owners use Social Media and Blogs to promote their business. Above is just one of the many Blog Marketing vids he’s offered.

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You’re not using Google Alerts to keep up with what’s being said about you or your brand online? Shame on you. Watch this video and learn how.

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If you can get past the Crocodile Dundee accent, here is 10 Things You Can Do For Your Small Business Online. Great beginner video.

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Gary Vaynerchuk is an amazing speaker, especially when it comes to social media and business. And he’s not interested in keeping it Rated G either.

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Perry Belcher on the most common question I receive with regard to using social media and time constraints. This is right on in addition to Perry always sporting an awesome shirt.

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Don’t Be That Guy. No really, please don’t be that guy. Chris Brogan talks about aggressive selling on social media. Oldie, but a goodie – and unfortunately too many people are still that guy.

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Ian Lurie is the grumpy Internet Marketer that knows his stuff and co-author of “Internet Marketing for Dummies”. This is setting up Google Analytics, which is a must have for any business with a website. It’s an older video, but the setup is virtually the same.

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Another of Ian Lurie’s tutorial vids, this one for finding out what you should pay attention to within Google Analytics.

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This is an easy and basic video tutorial for setting up Google Adwords, Google’s Pay-Per-Click service. A great way to get started.

Sometimes Internet Marketing can seem daunting, but these videos are a good way to become familiar. If you have questions about any of the services covered above, contact me and I’ll guide you through.

ODX Fusion Quoted in Student’s Final post is originally posted on: ODX Fusion Syracuse Internet Marketing Blog

At ODX Fusion, we cherish the little things.  Of course we love “Boosting Brands Online,” it’s what we do.  But when college senior Delores Huffman asked to interview our Patrick Shaughnessy for her Business Management final we thought it was cool.  When she sent us the term paper itself with a big red “A” stamped on it, we got a little giddy.  We offer you the excerpts (with links, of course):

“…the internet can work for small business owners, you have to know where to look and who to ask.  There are businesses dedicated to building webpages that are eye catching and informative.  There are also businesses that develop online strategies to bring customers to your small business website.  One such company that does all the above is ODX Fusion Internet Marketing based in Syracuse, New York.

As a young and upcoming web development, enhancement and marketing business, ODX Fusion helps small businesses reach their customers online.  They believe too many businesses build online fliers for their products and services, they never solicit any traffic and definitely do not bring qualified traffic.  Additionally, the ODX Fusion website includes a blog on how to make the internet work for small business and they answer common questions of the small business owner.  Their posts include, “Why Every Small Business Needs a Website“, when to use a shopping cart on your website and the ins and outs of using PayPal.

…they also cover the ever so intimidating social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and how a small business owner can leverage the power of social media.  They also offer their services to those who are less computer and internet inclined, which describes many business owners.

Their motto is simple: “Boost Your Brand Online”.  They’re able to design a business webpage, optimize potential on the most popular search engines, link in to the social media networks enhancing popularity, assist in content development and put your brand anywhere your customer may be.

So why do small business owners need the internet to market their business and products online?

ODX Fusion has broken it down into ten very simple reasons listed here in no specific order:

• your competition is already marketing online,
• your website is open 24/7 when your storefront isn’t,
• sharing information with your customers online has never been easier,
• it keeps you competitive in your market and lends credibility to your offering,
• it sells your product,
• it allows your business to be found online when customers search for your product/service,
• enables you to offer specials and coupons without print and distribution concerns,
• provides descriptions and pictures of the products/services you are selling,
• helps others to promote you,
• an online presence helps you expand beyond your current offline market.”

Delores goes on to explain Patrick’s take on Search Engine Optimization and Social Media:

“…is Google is number one?  Mr. Patrick Shaughnessy, the founder and co-owner of ODXFusion.com believes so.  He quotes a recent article from Searchinsider which states that Google holds over seventy percent of the market share and the other top three search engines are losing large percentages of users to Google.  While Google’s usage is rising, Yahoo Search, MSN and Ask.com are decreasing by 17%, 20% and 10% respectively.

To the small business owner this may mean Google delivers while other search engines don’t, so why look anywhere else when Google is obviously the search engine of choice.  Mr. Shaughnessy’s answer is that you cannot ignore other search engines like Yahoo! and MSN because there are still customers loyal to those services.  Many small businesses make the mistake of only targeting Google.

Where else might a small business owner who is looking to expand their client base to include customers from the internet look to find these customers?   The social networking phenomenon of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace are also on the rise in business marketing.   There are many blogs about how these websites and how they can help the small business owner.

Mr. Shaughnessy from ODXFusion.com recently posted a blog on his website that told his users not to listen to him talking about how great Social Media is for business but to experience it themselves.  Mr. Shaughnessy chose Model Airplanes as his test subject.  He then described how each of the above listed social media networks had vendors blogging, tweeting and posting about Model Airplanes.  This little experiment proved that even for something so obscure as a Model Airplane business, there is still a market for it online and there are customers out there willing to buy Model Airplane products.

Incidentally, there were more than just those four social media networks talking about Model Airplanes.  Other websites like Digg and Google Blog Search also came up with results to the Model Airplane search.  As Mr. Shaughnessy points out “get connected or get left behind”. (Shaughnessy, 2009) Imagine if you had a more mainstream business and what a social media network could do for you.  It could help launch your site, your brand and your product into a whole new market and bring business like you have never seen before…”

We happen to agree… And we’re done bragging.  Thanks Delores – we were glad to help!

A Small Business “Just Doing It” with E-commerce Website post is originally posted on: ODX Fusion Syracuse Internet Marketing Blog

Launching an ecommerce website is a natural progression when businesses opt to sell their products online.  Realizing a geographical limitation of having a storefront only, small business owners see limitless possibilities of the internet and open their market to a much wider audience. What about the business owner that skips the storefront and goes right to the wider audience?

This is Part 2 of our interview with The Butcher Block Top owners, Christopher and Shirley Keele.  This is also a part of our “Just Doing It” series where we show how small business owners are already using the internet for their business.  If you missed part one, read “Customer Service is Still Alive Online” and see why they are worthy of a two-part post.

Christopher and Shirley Keele began building band-saw jewelry boxes, picnic benches, and patio furniture for friends and family. When they built and sold a cutting board, then another one, and a third one, they realized there was a market for custom wood creations. In October 2007, they filed for a business certificate and started selling their products online.  They listed their cutting boards and end-grain tables and then began receiving requests for butcher block countertops – their most popular product today.

With regard to their made-to-order creations Shirley points out, “we do not buy butcher blocks and cut them down as most of our competitors do. Selling custom sizes and being sure that your product is your own is very important.” It stands to reason as setting your product apart amongst fierce competition is the way to stake a claim online.

Chris and Shirley have maintained their website themselves, having had basic internet experience only. Getting qualified traffic to their website remains a top priority.  Currently, most customers find The Butcher Block Top through search engine results. As of this writing, The Butcher Block Top ranked #1 on Google for butcher block. That’s a pretty impressive standing.

The Keeles also run promotions such as “10% off first purchase” and discounted shipping rates from time to time.  Sometimes it comes down to giving the customer a little more in order for them to choose your products over a competitor’s.

For the Butcher Block Top Company, the best part of selling online is the potential of reaching millions of customers without the overhead of a brick and mortar store.  Selling through their ecommerce site has given them the flexibility they need to build their business while also maintaining a family life.  Many traditional entrepreneurs don’t have that luxury.

But it’s not always easy.  Without a storefront, Shirley says there’s no way for her customers to see and feel the beauty of their butcher blocks. “Senses play an amazing role in what a person does or does not purchase. Consumers are cautious about buying online.” What does this say to the business owner trying to sell their products online?  Cater to the senses you can, the rest relies on visibility, content and trust.

As noted previously, opening your business to the internet also means opening the business to far more competition.  Keeping ahead of the competition plays an important role in any online marketing plan and Chris and Shirley are off to a good start.

So what’s ahead for Chris and Shirley?  They’d like to embrace Social Media, which we at ODX Fusion obviously endorse.  They’d also like to spend more time on their blog, which they use to educate their customers on their butcher blocks. Finally, remaining high in search results for their targeted keywords is an ongoing task.  All these are top-notch strategies for building a successful business by selling online.

To sum it up, Shirley and Chris are very pleased with the progress of their Butcher Block Top ecommerce website.  Through their constant diligence, they stand to increase sales and grow their business.  To the businesses hesitant to sell their products online, Shirley offers this:

“Do not be intimidated by your fears – grit your teeth, knuckle up, and face them. You will be amazed at what you are capable of achieving when the fear of the unknown is not a factor. Just do it!”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!

Special thanks go to Christopher and Shirley Keele for taking the time to be interviewed for the “Just Doing It” series.  Visit their website @ www.thebutcherblocktop.com.

Don’t forget to subscribe to us for more in this series and other Online Marketing topics. It’s free and overwhelmingly informative!

Customer Service is Still Alive Online post is originally posted on: ODX Fusion Syracuse Internet Marketing Blog

Few things add to the character of your kitchen like butcher block.  A chunky “slab” of wood, you can chop on it, gather round it or serve hors d’oeuvres on it – it’s a fine enhancement to any counter space.  And like a premium wine, butcher block only gets better with age.

As you know, ODX Fusion is not in the business of Butcher Blocks.  We are in the business of helping other small businesses market their products and services online.  So when I purchased a gorgeous piece of block online and was treated with incredible customer service above and beyond what was expected or deserved, I was compelled to begin the “Just Doing it” series with a 2-part post based on the experience.

You see, many small business owners think they’ll put up a website and let it make money for them.  Unfortunately we all know that’s not the case.  It’s hard work, a few sleepless nights and a lot of trying new strategies to find out what works.  Above all, it’s customer service.

Here’s how it all started…. My wife and I decided our kitchen island would look great with butcher block in place of the island countertop.  After searching the internet for Butcher Blocks, we combed through the results and made our selection based on the ability order the exact size, finish and edging.

We contacted the folks at The Butcher Block Top, sent our measurements and after custom building our butcher block, it arrived a few days later.  Excitedly, we unboxed a very solid, quality crafted butcher block and set it atop our island to have a look.

It didn’t fit.  Well, it fit, but only just – no overhang, just a beautiful accent sitting squarely atop our island and not what I had in mind at all. Surely they’d made a mistake and sent me the wrong size.

Frustrated, I checked the measurements I emailed the company only to realize The Butcher Block Top company sent me exactly what I had ordered – in fact a perfect measurement of what I had ordered.

But I had measured wrong.

I was crushed.  When my wife suggested I call the company and ask what our options were I assured her we were stuck because it was a custom piece.

My wife never listens to me, let’s understand that. She called the The Butcher Block Top company anyway and the co-founder Shirley Keele answered the phone.  Yes, you read right, the co-founder answered the phone.  From the beginning, Shirley never made us feel like I had made a silly mistake and instead felt horrible that we’d received product with which we weren’t ecstatic.

Shirley was so determined to make sure that we received the butcher block of our dreams that she took our new and correct measurements and placed the order and then arranged for return shipping of the original block.  That was about 2 weeks prior to this writing.  The new block will be here in a few days!

The point of the Part 1 of this post is that it would have been easy and even understandable for The Butcher Block Top folks to apologize and say there was nothing that could be done – I mean, this was custom built for us.  Easy to tell me my dumb mistake cost me good money and advise that I was out of luck.  After all, they’re in Arizona, I am in New York.  Not likely I would show up and raise a raucous or picket outside their store.

What Shirley Keele and The Butcher Block Top company told me was that whether or not they ever actually meet me, they value me as a customer, appreciate my business and want me to be overjoyed with their product.  Not in words, but in action – and that’s the very definition of customer service.

If you’re looking for butcher block, visit The Butcher Block Top and see Part 2 of this post to find out how they came to be an ecommerce force with their butcher blocks.  Even better, subscribe so you’ll get all the “Just Doing It” Online Marketing posts!

Just Doing It. post is originally posted on: ODX Fusion Syracuse Internet Marketing Blog

We’re starting something new.

The purpose of this blog is to help small business owners realize the potential of online marketing through their website, search engine marketing and social media.

Sure, we love traffic.  We love getting new clients.  But this blog is mainly here to answer common questions about marketing online, all in one place.
That said, we decided that instead of telling you how to use the Internet to sell your product or service, we would show you how a real live small business is already “Just Doing It”.

How did they get started selling online?  What were their fears about Internet marketing? Who did they turn to for help with their website?  These and many more questions will be answered so that small businesses realize they’re not alone.

We have our first few interviews setup and are excited to present them to you. If you are a small business owner and would like to be considered for this series, send me an email.

The “Just Doing it” series will begin next week, make sure you subscribe now to catch it as soon as we publish.

We know you’ll enjoy it.

Random Online Marketing Answers post is originally posted on: ODX Fusion Syracuse Internet Marketing Blog

I recently attended a local small business conference regarding a myriad of online marketing topics that range from search engine optimization to social media and ecommerce websites to blogs.  I hate to say there is still a lot of confusion out there about these topics and others.

In this post I will try to dispel a few specific rumors and misinformation in a non-technical sense so that it becomes more clear what online marketing really entails.  My hope is that you will take what you see here and identify how it might work within your own web marketing strategy.

This may seem random, but it’s in the order of the discussions as we had them.  Enjoy!

Shopping Cart

The first note I had was about the advantages and disadvantages of a Shopping Cart on your website and when to implement one.  Shopping carts are for ecommerce websites selling a product and may make it easier for your customer to find and purchase multiple products within a single shopping experience.  You can collect payment information right from your website, offer receipts, make other purchase suggestions at checkout time, coupons and much more.  A disadvantage to having a shopping cart is its potential for more maintenance, legwork and upfront cost.

When should you get a shopping cart for your website? If you’re selling one product twice a week, a shopping cart is probably not for you.  But if you have multiple products, a shopping cart could be a very viable option so that your customers may purchase many items all at once.  A shopping cart on a website also lends credibility to the merchant and your customers may appreciate it.

PayPal

PayPal is a no-contract, secure and easy solution for buying and selling goods /services online and an alternative to a merchant account in some instances.  If you offer purchases via PayPal, the buyer can pay with a credit card without even having a PayPal account.

PayPal takes a small portion of the sale (often 1.9% – 2.9% + $0.30 USD), which may be feasible depending on the size of the sale.  You’ll need to determine what’s best – a merchant account where you need secure payment pages and all your payments occur on site or allow PayPal to take a small cut for the convenience of using their secure payment pages and transactions.

Some websites offer both.

Social Media

Many small business owners are afraid of Social Media or feel it is no place for their business. I’m here to tell you this – if your customers are using social media, so should you.

One topic that has come up recently was a Facebook issue where their Terms of Service assumed rights to users’ content.  That’s not so anymore… we spoke, Facebook listened. Your content is your content.

Of course as a business owner you’ll need to practice discretion with what you decide to upload.  There are also many privacy settings on all the major social media sites so that YOU determine what others see.  Privacy is only a concern when you don’t address it in your social media strategy…

Hosting Your Own Blog or Go With Free Hosting

This is a common question that you’ll hear a million different answers to.  Our stance is this: If you’re just starting out, use the free WordPress , Blogger or other free blog services to determine if blogging is for you.  Once you’re serious, pay a few bucks a month and host your own.  You look more professional and have more options when you host your own blog.

Free Hosted Example = www.mybusiness.wordpress.com

or

Host Your Own Example = www.mybusiness.com

You decide.

Forums vs. Blog

In its very simplest terms, forums are predominately user-generated content (threads) which users interacting with other users on a broad topic. Here is a great example of a Syracuse, NY forum.

A blog on the other hand is a website or blog owner offering information and interacting with his/her readers through posts.  In our blog we give small business owners tips and tricks with regard to online marketing.  If you’re so compelled, you may leave a comment but you cannot start a post on our blog the way you can a forum.  Blogs also have more options and offer more diversity than forums, in my eyes.

SEO and Metadata (Meta Tags)

Meta tags are a great place to optimize your website for search engines.  Aside from the keyword meta tag,  this is not for keyword stuffing as much as it is for including relevant keywords, location, robots direction etc…  It can certainly get confusing, but if you are a DIY Search Engine Optimizer, you cannot ignore the meta data.

SEO and Flash / Images

Flash and Image SEO can be very tricky but is not impossible.  Keep in mind that a search engine cannot read an image for what the image is and it cannot view a Flash Animation.  Search Engines can only read the text associated with it and whatever text lies on the page.

Frequently Updated Content

Frequently updated content is about keeping your site current, fresh and interesting so that visitors and search engines come back to your page again and again.  It’s not changing the color of your background  or redoing your entire website every two weeks, but it is making sure you offer your customers timely information and removing information about an upcoming event that happened last year.  Having a blog or “News” section are wonderful options for fresh content offerings.

That’s it for now – I hope this has been a bit enlightening.  There is much more information on each of the topics above and I’ve only offered an abbreviated overview.

If you have further questions or would like more detailed information, subscribe to this blog, leave a comment or contact me at julia @ odxfusion .com.

2009 Veterans Small Business Conference a Huge Success! post is originally posted on: ODX Fusion Syracuse Internet Marketing Blog

On Thursday, March 19, 2009 I had the privilege of attending the 2009 Veterans Business Conference “OPERATION: Start Up and Grow” as a veteran of the U.S. Army and as a small business owner with an interest in progressing small businesses owned by veterans and civilians alike.

This incredible event was hosted by Onondaga Community College, the NYS SBDC, M&T Bank, the Syracuse SBA and NYBDC as well as in attendance by many organizations intent upon furthering the entrepreneurial spirit of our United States Veterans.

First, I would like to thank the folks that carried this event and continually make it possible for vets to take their specialized training and translate it to a business idea or operation.  Next, I offer my complete respect and gratitude to the vets in attendance that had the desire and drive to put it all on the line for their country and now for their communities as a small business owner.

What an experience.

With the excitement that all small business owners have for their business, Operation: Start Up and Grow started off with a bang.  Emceed by local talk radio celebrity Jim Reith with opening remarks from County Executive Joanie Mahoney, OCC President Debbie Sydow and SBA District Director Bernard Paprocki, the atmosphere was that of anticipation, enthusiasm and an overall thrill to be there.

The workshops were right on the mark with topics from Business Planning 101 and Effective Marketing to Exploring International Markets, Government Contracting and Financing Your Business.  I don’t know a business owner that couldn’t take some gem away from this daylong event.

Of particular interest to me was the presentation by Doreen Garrett, President and CEO of Otis Technology, Inc who started her business at the wise old age of 16 sitting on the kitchen floor of her father’s house.  Additionally, Tony Baird, President and CEO of Tony Baird Electronics, Inc shared his story of serving 7 years in the U.S. Army, enduring a service-related disability to becoming a teacher, coach and ultimately starting and running his own thriving electronics business now located in the Syracuse Technology Garden downtown.

It was an awesome opportunity just to be there and share this day with these great people, to learn from them, help educate them and be a part of the general camaraderie that existed between us.

To all involved, I thank you for make this event a memorable one.

Stay tuned for pictures taken at the event!

Julia Velazquez from M&T Bank has made herself available to our veterans for more information on starting and financing their business.  Contact her at jvelazquez@mtb.com or call 315.424.4581.