Internet Marketing Survival Guide – June 24, 2011

June 24, 2011 | Leave a Comment

The Sanctuary 6-Step Formula for Effective Internet Marketing

Intro/Executive Summary:

For many companies the concept of internet marketing is not a concept that’s easy to grasp. There are just too many options and choices to make. Companies know that being “on the web” can help them, but very few people have a proven system or the experience to get the job done right. Companies will often find a “website designer” and a website url and hope for the best – somehow believing that just being out in cyberspace will help them grow their business. Getting your business online is important and it can help your business grow in leaps and bounds but there is a right way and a wrong way. Unfortunately the days of just “designing” a website and getting anything substantial in return are over.

We know your busy running your company and you probably just want to know “the big secret” and move on. Well, for those of you that just want to get to the point, the big secret to internet marketing is not simple. But the big takeaway is this: Click here to read more.

Quote of the week:

“People used to think that the web was somehow different from offline, that anyone could just slap up a web page and get results overnight. There might have been a few that got lucky somehow, but it’s not like that. You have to build a real business online, and then it’s hard work, it’s making something good. It’s like any business; you can’t just open up a store somewhere and expect to get business. It’s all marketing, and it’s really come full circle now, with people trying to understand that you have to market your web site online and offline and any way that you can.” – Jill Whalen

Having Realistic SEO Expectations

“The strongest of all warriors are these two — Time and Patience.” – Leo Tolstoy
To rank your website in the search engines you need a plan. That plan includes (but is not limited to) all of the above:

SEO Knowledge (what to do and what not to do)
Real world keyword and competitor data
Great content
Lots of high quality inbound links
Analytics integration
Realistic Goals
A timeline
A budget
Patience and the knowledge that your investments WILL pay off if you allow it

Click here to read more.

What else is going on around the web:

Internet Marketing Survival Guide – June 17, 2011

June 17, 2011 | Leave a Comment

8 things you need to know about Google Analytics

Google Analytics can be daunting for new users but with a little practice and training, it will quickly become a priceless asset for your business and internet marketing efforts. The hardest part is all the little questions along the way and we’d like to help you out with a few. The following are just a few little tidbits that need to know to get the most out of Google Analytics. Click here to read more.

Quote of the week:

“You can chase whatever keywords and phrases you like, but at the end of the day it’s all about those conversions.” – Matt Webb

Social Networking Accounts for 1 of Every 6 Minutes Spent Online

Social networking use has doubled since 2007, and it’s all thanks to Facebook, Twitter and an array of other social companies reaching record traffic highs.

comScore’s latest numbers are out, and they paint a familiar story: social networking is on the rise. It’s the rate of growth that’s surprising, though.

Click here to read more.

What else is going on around the web:

Internet Marketing Survival Guide – June 3, 2011

June 3, 2011 | Leave a Comment

Keeping up can be hard. That’s why you have us.

Sanctuary Media Group is your source for current news, expert advice and commentary regarding the world of internet marketing and beyond. If you would like to receive our advice via email please contact us.

The Top 10 Essential Google Analytics Metrics

I’ve been asked to distill down the world of Google Analytics to the top 10 most important metrics for a small business website. For those who do not know, Google Analytics is a free service offered by Google that provides you with endless, valuable information about your website and your visitors. Every site should install Google Analytics even if all you need to know is how many people come to your site each month. But it can tell you so much more. Without further adieu here is my list as well as a short description of why each is essential.

Click here to read more.

Quote of the week:

Thirteen percent of online Americans use Twitter, up a full 5% from November 2010, according to a Pew Research Center study.

Google’s Answer to the Facebook “Like” Button: The “+1”

Google is making a big new push into social with a feature called “+1” that is similar in purpose to the Facebook “Like” button, but integrated directly into the world’s biggest search engine.

Starting Wednesday, users who opt into the +1 button experiment (and soon everyone else) in Google Labs will start seeing a +1 icon next to each link in Google search results.

Google defines this action as a “public stamp of approval,” and it is exactly that. When you +1 something, your name becomes associated with that link “in search, on ads, and across the web,” according to the company. It also shows up in a feed on your Google Profile, which is required to use the product.

Click here to read more.

What else is going on around the web:

Internet Marketing Survival Guide – May 27, 2011

May 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment

Keeping up can be hard. That’s why you have us.

Why you should start with an internet marketing strategy, not design concepts

We have many interactions with potential clients that request a design “spec”. Essentially they want us to prove our “design chops” and work through a concept of their site before they hire us. It’s always a hurdle to get past but we don’t do it. Not because we don’t want to invest the time to show how great we are or how much we value the opportunity, but because of the simple fact that it’s not the right way to approach a new website development project.

The most important thing you can do when developing a new website is to ask yourself three all-important questions. It’s not about whether the site has a blue or green color scheme, but the three questions that follow:

1. Who do you want to come to the site?
2. How are you going to get them to your website?
3. What do you want them to do when they get there?

Click here to read more.

Quote of the week:

“Google turned 12 this year, so now we have 1 more year to use it before it turns into a teenager and wont answer anything!” Jake Landon (@SoDamnEpic)

Google Annouces Google Wallet:

In the past few thousand years, the way we pay has changed just three times—from coins, to paper money, to plastic cards. Now we’re on the brink of the next big shift. Google Wallet has been designed for an open commerce ecosystem. It will eventually hold many if not all of the cards you keep in your leather wallet today. And because Google Wallet is a mobile app, it will be able to do more than a regular wallet ever could, like storing thousands of payment cards and Google Offers but without the bulk. Eventually your loyalty cards, gift cards, receipts, boarding passes, tickets, even your keys will be seamlessly synced to your Google Wallet. And every offer and loyalty point will be redeemed automatically with a single tap via NFC. Check out Google Wallet.