2ukltd.com

10 top tips to improve your Google Local rankings

Richard — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 10:35:17 +0000

The web is getting more and more local, is this a good thing?

Defiantly… When I search for accountants, or lawyers I want the accountant that are based just down the road, not one 100 miles away, or in a recent search I made one in Sydney Australia!

Here are 10 top tips on how to optimise your website to improve your Google Local rankings:

1. Book a country specific URL. So .co.uk is best for the UK
2. Host your domain in the UK. Google looks at IP locations to determine the location of a website for local search.

3. Sign in to Google Webmaster Tool and set your preferred geo location [tools > overview > Set geographic target]. This would give a clear indication to Google Bot about where you are located.

4. Submit your site to Google Local Business Centre and also submit your site to other local directories like www.freeindex.co.uk or your local government business listing.

5.Publish your address on the contact page along with a Google map showing the exact location of your office or business centre.

6. Promote your blog or site in your locality. If your local newspaper has an online publication, try to get a link from there.

7. Influence people to visit your website directly via Ads and other methods – if people from a distinct place visit a website directly in huge numbers, it would send a clear sign to search engine about the relevance.

8. Get links from websites with same URL – so link to other .co.uk’s

9. Use the name of your locality along with the main key phrase as anchor texts for incoming links. For example, if you are a Guildford based accountancy, say ‘Accountancy – Guildford’

10. Optimise page content around your locality, but make it readable and don’t keyword pack!

Implement the above rules and you will be well on your way to the top of your locality for your search term.

Tip 2 – Generate Repeat Sales – E-mail marketing

Richard — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:06:38 +0000

Getting new customers is hard work – it’s also really expensive.

In fact, it can be up to eight to ten times more expensive to acquire a new customer than to sell to an existing one. To acquire new customers, you have to factor in the cost of advertising, educating and selling to them.

Therefore, a big chunk of the initial sale is simply recouping the costs you’ve outlaid to get the customer in the first place.
And while new sales are great, I can’t emphasise strongly enough the value of repeat sales. Too often, businesses focus only on the initial sale and forget about the lifetime value of a customer.
Keeping in touch with customers on a regular basis via email allows you to generate repeat sales which can be up to four times more profitable than the initial purchase.
A good email marketing campaign will increase the frequency of repeat purchases from your existing customers.
At 2UK we help business to not miss out on the countless opportunities to sell to your market. – Bring your product and service to your customers, and do it regularly.

The added bonus of using a Marketing Agency like 2UK is: We can tell you how many people opened the email, the names of the people who opened the e-mail, how many people clicked through to your website, and much, much more.

Tip 1 – E-mail marketing WILL increase your sales conversions

Richard — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:57:24 +0000

Do you believe the title of this blog post?…

Because…. regardless of how good your product or service is, in reality most visitors to your website won’t convert into sales on their first visit.

In fact, research indicates that it takes the average buyer up to nine visits before they’ll make a buying decision. In other words, every effective sales process requires an element of repetition.

Think about the times when you’ve picked up a new product at the supermarket after seeing it advertised on TV a dozen times. Or a time where you’ve visited a new local restaurant after driving past it every day on your way to work.

That’s repetition in action, but unlike a ‘bricks-and-mortar’ retail store, there is no ‘drive-by’ traffic on the Internet. In many cases when someone clicks on the little ‘exit’ button in the top right hand corner of the screen… they’re gone forever.

On top of that, there are numerous ways someone can get distracted while visiting your website. For example, let’s say you run a website selling baby prams.

A mother is surfing through your site and finds a product she likes – but before she gets a chance to add the item to her shopping basket….

- The phone rings
- The baby starts crying
- She accidentally closes off the web browser
- She receives an email that requires attention
- A delivery man rings the door bell

Regardless of the reason – if she leaves the site there’s a 90% chance you’ve lost the sale… unless you’ve managed to capture her email address.

If you’ve got her email address, you get a second chance. You can email her with:

- Your monthly newsletter
- Your free report on ‘How to Choose the Perfect Pram’
- Information about new models

The bottom line is, capturing an email address gives you a ‘Plan B’ and allows you to follow-up with someone after they’ve left your website.

At 2UK we help business to not miss out on the countless opportunities to sell to your market. Bring your product and service to your customers, and do it regularly.

But the added bonus of using a Marketing Agency like 2UK is: We can tell you how many people opened the email, the names of the people who opened the e-mail, how many people clicked through to your website, and much, much more.

British Petroleum Buys Search Terms Relating to Oil Leak

2UK LTD — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 11:07:39 +0000

While British Petroleum is currently battling a massive oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico from one of its exploratory drilling expeditions, it is also engaging in another damage control effort – one to protect its reputation. ABC News reports that BP has attempted to control the flow of negative publicity online by loosening its purse strings, as it has spent heavily to purchase top placements on search engines such as Google and Yahoo! for keyword phrases related to the environmental disaster.

For example, a person doing a search for the phrase “oil spill” on Google will receive thousands of links to news articles about the Gulf Coast crisis, but the first link returned is to BP’s corporate page with highlighted text inviting people to “learn more about how BP is helping.”

“We have bought search terms on search engines like Google to make it easier for people to find out more about our efforts in the Gulf and make it easier for people to find key links to information on filing claims, reporting oil on the beach and signing up to volunteer,” BP spokesman Toby Odone told ABC News.

The move could backfire if people feel as though BP is attempting to manipulate the public by spending money on search engine results rather than on the clean-up. However, Kevin Ryan, the CEO of California-based Motivity Marketing, said that most people are unaware of the differences between organic search results and those that are the result of paid advertising.

Why Does My Website Need SEO?

Richard — Tue, 25 May 2010 18:06:33 +0000

The majority of web traffic is driven by the major commercial search engines – Yahoo!, Bing, MSN, and Google. If your site cannot be found by search engines or your content cannot be put into their databases, you miss out on the incredible opportunities available to websites provided via search – people who want what you have visiting your site.

Whether your site provides content, services, products or information, search engines are a primary method of navigation for almost all Internet users. Search queries, the words that user’s type into the search box which contain terms and phrases best suited to your site carry extraordinary value. Targeted visitors to a website can provide publicity, revenue and exposure like no other.

Investment in SEO, whether through time or finances, can have an exceptional rate of return.

Quick Ebay Performance update

Richard — Sun, 23 May 2010 19:05:15 +0000

I just had a fantastic stock market update from Robert Palmer of St. James’s Place.

Email: robert.palmer@sjpp.co.uk
Website: www.palmerwealth.co.uk

Within the report and the most notable performance update from an online marketing perspective is a commentary from Newton Investment Management who manage St. James’s Place Global Managed Fund in respect of the recent surge from ebay.

Some of you may not have realised but Ebay’s shares have de-rated over the last few years, partly due to competitive threats from Amazon, partly because of the weak economy and partly due to strategic mis-steps such as the acquisition of Skype. However under new management, performance of the website is improving and merchandise levels recovering.

This is good news for online businesses who also have struggled during the recession. Let’s hope Ebay speeds up the online recovery.

According to Newton Investment Management who manage St. James’s Place Global Managed Fund

13 Marketing Techniques That Take Your Facebook Fan Page From ‘0′ to ‘Hero’

Richard — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:15:04 +0000

I found this excellent article upon a blog I regularly read which I think all you business Facebookers would love to read.

Its by marketing Guru Dean Rieck

Published on April 13, 2010

If you’re a business using Facebook, you’ve probably set up a fan page. Fan pages are specifically designed for businesses and brands that want to connect to customers and prospects on a large scale. A fan page lets you grow as big as you want, send updates to an unlimited number of fans, and keep the focus on the organization without revealing the administrator behind the scenes. But once you have your page set up, how do you maximize your fan base and get the most out of your page?

Some social-media gurus think that “old-school” marketing techniques have gone the way of the dinosaur and won’t work on Facebook or other similar platforms. I disagree. Yes, you have to nix the hardball language and deal with people on a more personal level, but common marketing methods can still give you an edge in social media, especially on Facebook. After all, good marketing isn’t medium-specific. It’s about clear, direct communication.

So let’s look at how you can use some proven marketing techniques to take your page from wimpy to wow and start attracting more fans, encouraging more interaction, and getting more benefit from your Facebook fan page.

1. Advertise your page – Forget the “Build it and they will come” mantra. If you want people to know your Facebook fan page exists, you have to tell them. At a minimum, link to your page from your website and blog. Put the link high on your Web page, especially in hot spots such as the masthead or at the top of the right or left column. Include a Facebook icon to call attention to the link.

To power-up your advertising, use Facebook ads, blog posts, banners, and any other advertising to get your page in front of people.

2. Blast out a direct invitation – Don’t be shy about it. If you want fans, send an email to your list and say something like, “We’d love you to join us. Click here to visit our page and become a fan.” I know some people will consider that too pushy, but why be ashamed to ask people to be your fan?

3. Build your Facebook brand – Mention your page in brochures, direct mail, business cards, email signatures, advertisements, packing slips, fulfillment materials, everywhere. Your Facebook page is just like anything else you want to make popular. You have to spread the news through every public customer contact point as often as possible.

4. Share lots of company information – Every fan page includes an Info tab where you can provide a clickable Web address as well as a company overview, your mission, and information about your products and services. But don’t settle for filling in the minimum information or feel constrained by the preset categories. Get creative and provide other information as well. For example, in your company overview you can list links to specific pages on your website, your newsletter sign-up form, other social media, or whatever else you want.

5. Create a landing page with a call to action – Why let people land on a wall that’s filled with random posts and comments? In the application directory, Facebook provides a special application called Static FBML (Facebook Markup Language), which lets you use basic Web markup code to render just about any Web page you want in a box or a tab. Just install the application, insert your code, and adjust your wall settings so that people who aren’t yet fans land on that page when they first arrive. You can give a short description of your organization and ask people to become a fan. I use that technique for a fan page I run for a nonprofit, and it doubles or triples the number of visitors who become fans.

6. Scream your – Web address At the top left of every fan page, you can upload an image. Most businesses opt for a logo. That’s fine, but it is also the perfect location to show your Web address. Yes, you have your address in the Info area, but there’s no guarantee anyone will look at that page. But you know that everyone will see your logo. So modify your logo image to include your URL in big, bold type. It’s not clickable, but it’s a cue for people to check out your website.

7. Add plenty of content – Direct-mail experts have known the power of content for years, and the same holds true online. The more information and interactive opportunities you provide, the better your page will be at educating, converting, and retaining your customers. Post something to your wall at least once a day, though two or three times is better. Also, adjust your wall settings to allow fans to post comments, photos, links, and videos. You can also use the Notes application to import an RSS feed, the YouTube application to post videos, and the Discussion application to host a mini forum.

8. Push offers, events, and more – You can use Static FBML for more than a landing page. You can add a little shopping area, special offers, coupons and rewards, event or promotional announcements, job postings—anything you need. Think of your fan page as an extension of your main website. Just be sure to read the terms of use to avoid blunders that could get your page shut down. Facebook deactivates pages without warning or remorse.

9. Do some “direct marketing” – Unlike groups, where you are limited to communicating with 5,000 members, a fan page gives you the ability to send direct messages to an unlimited number of fans. It’s like email but shows up in your fans’ notification box. You can use the feature to drive traffic to your page, announce events, or share important news. But don’t overuse it. Just as you wouldn’t email a customer five times a day, you need to exercise common sense with Facebook direct messages.

10. Solicit email subscribers – Here we go with Static FBML again. You’ll find it’s the most powerful tool Facebook provides. And if you have an email list, Facebook gives you one more venue for signing up subscribers. Just put the code for your subscription form in FBML to create a tab or sidebar box, or both.

11. Research your fan base – The Insights tool allows you to see metrics on your fans, such as how many comments and interactions you have, the number of active fans you have in various age categories, the growth of your fan base, where your fans live, and more. It’s not a particularly robust research tool, but it does provide a snapshot of how your page is performing. Facebook has announced that more features are on the way.

12. Research your competition - You research your competitors everywhere else, so why not on Facebook? See what they’re doing to promote their page and engage fans. Take note of the features they’re using, how they interact with visitors, the type of content and how frequently they post, and their growth rate. There are some very smart businesses on Facebook. Learn from them.

13. Take advantage of every feature - Facebook is packed with tools for sharing videos, importing your blog posts, listing events, conducting polls, starting conversations—hundreds of ways to interact. If you’re serious about making your fan page a destination for customers and fans, take the time to research everything available to you, and use whatever makes sense for your business.

* * * Just because Facebook is social media doesn’t mean you have to go limp on your marketing efforts. You just have to play by the rules and use your marketing savvy to energize your Facebook page.

Google launch Street View nationwide in UK

2UK LTD — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:29:02 +0000

Google recently launched their street view to every area of the UK. Until recently it has just been restricted to cities but now if you look you can get a very clear view of your house or business in any street in the UK.

I decided to check out my house on this system and it is very simple. I put my address into Google Earth and zoomed down to maximum magnification. The first thing I noticed is the satellite view of my house had recently been updated. I could work that out from changes to my garden and the more recently purchased car in my drive. It is therefore worth doing this exercise just to see if your satellite image has been updated. As I got to maximum magnification the view switched automatically from satellite view to street view and there was a series of pictures of my house showing the wall, fence , front door, front windows etc all from different angles.

I am not one to stand in the way of progress and of course IT and innovation is all part of 2UK but I must say I felt very exposed all of a sudden looking at this view. Not only was it clear but I could zoom in to see inside my front windows and the angle of the picture was taken from the top of a van so it was very easy to see right over my fence and into my garden. My wife and I decided to have the image removed and went through the fairly simple and painless process of doing so. To Google’s credit the images were removed within the week.

I am a very big fan of Google earth and Street View despite my comments and actions reported above. I think however you need to review your images on Google Earth and decide if they work for you. If your business would benefit from people seeing your entrance, shop front or business premises on Street Plan then you should leave it on and promote the image routing people from your web site to Google Earth and the free publicity shots they have done for you. On the other hand if the image is a security threat then think hard about removing it. Bear in mind you may be happy showing your front entrance but if you have a road at the back and there are shots of the back of your premises this may look untidy, be a turn off to your customers and of course a big security risk so you may wish to have that image removed but leave the one at the front.

I am sure it will only be a matter of time before insurance companies jump on this band wagon and start to charge a premium for properties that give burglars an easy task of casing a property before ever turning up to carry out a robbery. It therefore makes sense to be seen doing something about protecting your property by reviewing the images on a regular basis.

If you would like help on how to deal with Google Earth, Google Street Scenes and how best to integrate them into your web site and marketing please contact

By the way I also discovered that my house was labelled as the local pub so I am now in the process of getting that label removed. In the meantime I shall keep on accepting the beer deliveries.

Time Gentlemen Please

Want to really know what people think?

Richard — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:16:26 +0000

Survey Monkey is a service that allows you to create polls and surveys to get valuable data from your prospects and customers. The service makes it easy for anyone to set up a survey in no time.

Possible example users

Marketers collecting customer satisfaction and product research data
Event organizers finalizing the count of attendees and meal preferences
Employers measuring job satisfaction
Teachers collecting course or training evaluations
Bloggers wanting to know more about their readers

Overview

Creating surveys and polls is a great way to learn what your prospects and customers want. You can use them to approve new product ideas, improve upon existing products, and find out what exactly they are looking for.

The web-based service is easy to use. Non-techies will have no problem creating surveys and collecting the data. You can create many different questions from multiple choices, multiple choices (with multiple answers), rating scale, a form, text boxes and comment boxes.

In addition to the questions, the service comes with a survey designer that allows you to change the colour, size and style for your survey.

You can link the finished survey to an e-mail by you, or ask Survey Monkey to contact your customers/prospects by uploading there e-mail addresses to the website (Don’t worry – there details will only be used for your surveys!). Alternatively create a link on your website or embed the survey on your site.

When your responses come back the site allows surveys to be analysed through graphs, select individual responses, or download all the data to a PDF report.

2UK have used this service and find it excellent. For more information or a live demo Contact Us

Marketing through Price Objections

Richard — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:11:53 +0000

I read a fantastic blog post this morning by a sale coach and strategist Doyle Slayton. He talked about the big issue we all have in times of economic downturn, and that is PRICE.
Doyle says that it’s unrealistic to think that price doesn’t play a factor. Everything hinges on the prospect’s pain, need, and/or their perception of your company’s brand/reputation.

Pain – If the prospect is happy with their current product, you can expect the buyer to have a “money talks” attitude. Getting beyond price means finding a significant area of frustration. - Either find the problem/pain, or your may well have to look at your price.

Need – Sales people, especially those who are generating their own leads through cold calling efforts, will push and push and push just to get an appointment. As a result, they often meet with prospects that don’t necessarily have an immediate need.

Is your service going to make-or-break the prospect’s ability to improve their business, make more money, or be more efficient? Your ability to create a need will determine whether the purchase is “worth it.” Build more value into you Marketing pitch

Brand/Reputation – This is where the underdog struggles most with pricing. Prospects know this and often use the little guy to negotiate a better deal with their current provider.

If you are the underdog, focus on building your brand and your reputation for being different and better in areas where your big name competitors are weak! Build your brand

At 2UK we work with our clients to help improve their brand and marketing mix to become the best they can at what they do. As a rule we try and help business increase their prices as they increase their marketing effort. This strategy of high profile businesses offering high end products has help many of our clients achieve the success they have always wished for. Please see our Outsourced Marketing page for more information. Or alternatively Contact Us