The Best Digital Media Business Advice

I'm not a spider. 
If I was, I would undoubtedly look like this...

themetapicture.com

Ummm... like....
if I were indeed a man with Channing Tatum type moves.


Yeah...
Any who, web spiders and web crawlers do exist & if you're not careful they will either bite you in your search engine optimization butt, or will they? Technically, we can't see them. This is fact, people. Not to mention their algorithms change all the time.

Did I already lose you at hello? First, let's start off in the Spiderman Saga when plain old Peter Parker existed. Back in the day, Peter Parker only knew print media. Ya' know... printed stuff.

memebase.com

Now thanks to the spider bite, we have these things called the Internets (per George Bush). The Internet grows like a spider web via links (a.k.a. hyperlinks), articles, social media sites, blogs, websites & impressions.

So, now you're all like "Hey, Peter Parker! I'm new around these parts. How can my business get bitten by these infamous spidery web crawlery things? I, too, want to move up the ranks to get on the first page during a Google search."

Friends, the key to moving up organically (meaning "free") in the ranks is to be mindful of these venomous spiders. If you're paying for ad words, that's fine. Personally, I try to not pay for anything as it decreases my bottom line. Spiders and web crawlers are instructed to search for fresh content and meta tags. I read a statistic the other day that 44% of all web searches are considered "new" a.k.a. something some one's never ever considered searching before with regards to the terms. To get this down to a science would require you paying a boat load of money in ad words that to you, sound ridiculous at the very least.

You want my advice? 

1. Be up front with any bloggers that write articles for you. There are things bloggers can do with labels and tags on the back end of their blogging platform which can optimize the article to match what you're paying for in ad words.
2. I'm no algorithm, but also mentioning your key words or ad words in an article at least five times increases your chances.
3. Generally speaking, I know several small businesses who don't even have a website yet. Start a website!
4. Start a blog. Open up a "Blog" page tab from your business website & watch the magic happen. Even if you can't write daily on your business blog, at least come up with a schedule for your marketing efforts and then stick to it. So many businesses never touch their website or even update it. You know what? Outdated information becomes confusing to your customer. Bottom line. Not to mention, new blog posts get the venomous spiders to "crawl" on your site.
5. Pick your favorite social media sites and become a beast on them. Permanently coding hashtags relating to the ad words you're paying for will make you Spiderman. Oh, you're on Twitter? Put those key words in your profile, yo. Better yet, start associating yourself with other hashtags. Think of it like a game. Here's what goes through my mind... oooh, such and such is trending. Let me hashtag tweet that with a funny pic & then drop my hashtag as well. You, sir, stand a chance of getting re-tweeted & you socially associate yourself with the trendy coolness. Things go viral sometimes in seconds. Harness that venom & please remember that no-one, including their mom, wants to spend time reading something boring. I personally would rather get bit by a venomous spider and spend my time flailing in desperation from the pain all the way to my death than read your boring status update. Not feeling creative? Then look to what's trendy and play along. This is the importance of a hashtag, people.
6. Get your business all linked up. Social media sites allow for spots to display your website link & act as leaders to your website. That's awesome, indeed. However, also surrounding yourself with a plethora of trustworthy bloggers is awesome as well. You can get them to not only write about you and link you up, but they can also match your PR and marketing efforts beautifully. Sometimes, especially in my profession, people want to know how many in-house links you have dropping your name or business or whatever. Hypothetically speaking, these other in-links contribute to your total website's reach and/or potential. It's like adding you and your contacts plus them & their contacts. Permanent links rock harder than that horse of yours with the bayonet attached to his head. Take Mama Horses and Bayonets for example. I'm a one-man show/stable and rarely have the time to edit my stuff, therefore eliminating the possibility that I may in the future un-link you.
7. Marketing is essential in all business. It's equally important to keep up with the younger generations. They're the wave of the future and possible customers of yours. Hire a pro which will take all your venomous social media pain away. It's a heck of a lot cheaper to hire someone for a couple hundred dollars a month via outsourcing than to put someone on your permanent payroll which requires at least $40K annually. I am available for consulting, by the way. Simply look to your right & drop me a few lines via the "Contact Me" widget. In this economy, the more moolah the merrier for Mr. Ed. Again, he's got a serious sharks with laser beams situation that needs to be addressed. Not to mention he's been bitten by those venomous social media webby spiders. Marvel's newest character on the block is totally Spider-Centaur-Man, who can either take you out by web or maneur slinging. 

Enjoy.

Then, join the Avenger Initiative. We are the crazy people  ;o)